Red Glove (Curse Workers #2)
Holly Black
Read by Jesse Eisenberg
Published April 5, 2011
Audiobook from Library
Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe’s world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.
That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she’s human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila’s been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila’s love is as phony as Cassel’s made-up memories, then he can’t believe anything she says or does.
When Cassel’s oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can’t trust anyone—least of all, himself?
Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose. –Goodreads
When I first heard of the Curse worker series I was not drawn to it – at all. It didn’t seem like something I would like. BUT. I kept reading raving reviews about this series and I’m all, well, gotta follow the crowd – so I downloaded the audio of White Cat on audio from the library. And I got sucked in. So, I should probably say a big SORRY to Holly Black! This series is amazing and I think Red Glove is even better than White Cat – if that’s possible.
We pick up a few months after White Cat – Cassel is still pining for Lila, who he is totally in love with but his mom worked her so he doesn’t want to be with her because of it. He’s trying to keep his mom from going back to prison and also trying to start the last year of high school when a murder takes place within his family and he is contacted by the FBI to find out what happened.
I’ve never been one for murder mystery type stories, but Black does a great job of keeping the reader guessing throughout the book about what is really going on. Who did it? How will Cassel get away from the FBI? What’s gonna happen with Lila? It is just a completely entrancing story.
All of the characters in Red Glove are written fantastically. The are witty, entertaining, and all bring something to the story. I even enjoyed the scene’s with Cassel’s mom surprisingly since I think she is a horrible mom in general.
The audio book for these books are amazingly good. Jesse Eisenberg is fantastic and I could listen to him read forever. He brings Cassel and the rest of the family to life in a way that I don’t think anyone else could. To me, he is Cassel and I have to listen to the third book on audio just to finish the series with him.
Love Red Glove books. If you haven’t read them I suggest you do that – now! And if you like audio, I highly highly recommend the audio version of, both, White Cat and Red Glove.