The Wicked King by Holly Black

genre: young adult fantasy

Picking up where The Cruel Prince left off, Jude is now second in command to Cardan, the new High King of Faerie who is securely under Jude's command.  Or at least she is trying to keep him there - but making someone a king and KEEPING him on the throne are two different things.  When the Folk from under the sea come with contentious plans and when those who were kept from the throne have ideas of their own, Jude is going to have to be constantly scheming to keep every secret, every enemy and every ally right where she wants them to be.  Games of power can only be won by those with the stamina and the stomach to win.  And Jude wants to win.

The treachery!  The intrigue!  The plot twists that made this book want to be constantly in  my hand!  I loved that we delved even deeper into this Faerie world and met some of its other inhabitants.  I loved seeing Jude have to pick herself up, again and again, finding ways to get one step closer to the future she knows is best - but then being thwarted and having to do it again.  I never knew who I could trust, watching Jude have to confide in SOMEONE but never knowing if she'd chosen wisely.  By the end of this book my brain was reeling and astonished by where the plot had taken me and I love how I just didn't see it coming but I totally believed it.  YES MORE PLEASE.