Joint Discussion: The Wicked King by Holly Black

Hello all! Blodeuedd and I will be discussing "The Wicked King" by Holly Black. Blodeuedd is in green and I am in blue. 

Author: Holly Black 
Title: The Wicked King
(The Folk of the Air #2)
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Pages: ebook
Published: January 8th 2019
Where I Got It: Borrowed from the library

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

After book 1, which was not great, but good enough, I really wanted to read more. I should not have had those feelings. Instead, I got a big boring mess.

Book 2 had so much promise. So many good reviews. And so much potential! The only good part of the book was the 15%. That was so intense and enthralling! The rest? Meeeehhhhh

I was bored from page 1 and sadly not even the end got me excited. By then I just wanted it to end. But I will say that sure the best part was at the end. Something FINALLY happened. It was like everyone woke from a coma. And I was all good riddance, you all SUCK!

Yess. There was SO much build-up and SO much teasing that something big was going to happen. But then pages would go by and nothing really happened. I had hoped at the very beginning but I was so let down. Sure a couple small things happened but nothing really until the end.

I was not super excited by any of the characters in book 1, but here everyone lost any depth they had. Cardan drunk and said nothing- Jude was the most stupid ass ever, omg, I just want to slap the shit out of her. Where was Madoc? The only interesting person? And omg her sister, please bury her deep. Ugh, I hate them all. This is not how one should feel.

I agree. I did feel bad for Jude at the end, but she was a huge dummy. I could tell you right away who the person was that was going to betray her. The warning wasn’t even needed. She didn’t heed it at all. SMH. Cardan was an ass at the end. Madoc only popped up here and there to be filler. Vivi was terrible to Heather. Not one character I could get behind.

I think the word I am looking for is bitch. Cardan was a whiny bitch. Jude was a stupid bitch who should know better. Vivi was just a bitch. And then we have the twin who I loathe and whose name I forget, silly bitch I will call her cos I do not think she had that many brain cells.

Taryan is her name I think. But grrr!!! She should’ve been tossed in the Tower with Locke. Jude is an idiot. And bitch for all of them is perfect.

I lost all respect for them. Sigh. Why does everyone love this series? I just do not know. There is no chemistry between anyone. I mean are we supposed to root for Cardan and Jude? Euwwww. F that shit!

Ugh. The scene between them...you know which one….was gross. There is NO chemistry. And why are people wanting them to get together? He tried killing her in the first book! He is a horrible, abusive thing. A little boy. I wish that he was locked away in a tower. Madoc should’ve killed him.

50 shades of Fae. It seems to be the norm now, abusive creepy relationships in YA books too.

We should not be teaching our youth this! He is a horrible man/boy/thing. Bleh! Jude is an idiot.

We saw it in Maas, and we see it here. Damn it. Why did I say we should continue!?

Because we had hope. Book 1 was good. Everyone loved this one….and I know I was curious to see what happened. A bad part of me wants to read book 3. But that is the part of me that cannot put down a terrible book and DNF it. LOL I think the normal person calls it...hope?

True. Ok so I hate them all and they should die. But I guess I am curious to see how it all ends. With them all dead. The end.

LOLL. I’m sure some of them are going to end up dead. I have a theory Jude is going to go on a rampage if/when she gets more power.  I have a feeling in my gut and THAT would be fun to watch. Jude losing it! LOL That twin of hers is on the chopping block first.

SHe will kill Madoc, then Cardan and Locke. Her sister, sadly not. And then Taryn kills her! Omg that would be perfect. Ha. And Taryn does get stabbed so she dies too.

Gah! You are right. Taryn will give Jude some sob story. Jude will forgive her and then the moment she turns away Taryn will stab her. SMH. GODS! Jude is a huge dummy. She is so dumb I cannot even believe it. Luckily the book was an ebook I borrowed from the library so I could not throw my phone/kindle. If it had been a paper book I would’ve. IDIOT!!!!!

Right! I  can so see it happening. Sob sob, yes you did kill hubby but it was for the best. Stab stab! Gods, what a dumbass bitch.

Dumbass bitch for sure. That should be Jude’s tagline. LOL

I am glad we disliked it the both of us. I could never have forgiven you if you had fallen in love with it! ;)

Hahaha. I wanted to. I wanted to love it. Like I said… I had hope! The only good part was the last 15%. Sighs.

I guess better luck next time! But with our track record, it will prob be a bad one. Ok so no more fae or ya fantasy for a while.

‘

Agreed. We get ONE good book and then the next 4 or so are terrible. SMH. We are unlucky! And yessssss after this one I need a small break from YA fantasy.

Well, good luck picking a good one! I do not envy you.

Eeeekkkkk! I have hope!

The end! Do not read this series!

The end! I agree 100%! AVOID!

About the Authors

Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging a long while now. The last couple of years the epic duo have been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.

Joint Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Hello all! Blodeuedd and I will be discussing "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black. Blodeuedd is in brown and I am in blue. 

Author: Holly Black 
Title: The Cruel Prince
(The Folk of the Air #1)
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Pages: ebook
Published: January 2nd 2018
Where I Got It: Borrowed from the library

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

After Maas *shudders* I wanted to try a YA Fae fantasy again, so we gave it a go ;) And I was pleasantly surprised! It was by no means amazing, but I’d say it was good enough.

It was a million times better! I actually didn’t do a lick of skimming like the other one ;).

Lol, no skimming from my part either! It was a light easy read with lots of darkness, but the writing flowed and she is a good author, I will give her that.

It was a light, easy read. Very dark though and I liked it. I’m glad she didn’t chicken out on that and make it fluffy. Faes are jerks and she really made sure we knew it. I liked her writing style a lot. Great world-building and the dialogue was good too.

Very interesting world, with lots of different Fae. And they are cruel and it shows. I liked the darkness. No fluff, I mean Maas was dark, but it was so DAMN fluffy in its darkness. Here it was more darker somehow.

It was a more honest and realistic darkness. No dark to just be dark.

Yes! Exactly, not dark just to be dark. You nailed it.

Ugh speaking of realistic-ness….I hate the majority of the characters. But I liked hating them. They were jerks! Jude was okay...but she was naive.

Haha, yes. Jude was ok, but I was not all I want to be her friends. Nah, she was too much of an idiot. Our dear cruel prince is an ahole by the biggest means. But I liked hating him and I understood him more at the end. Her twin, blergh, I hated her most of all. She puts women to shame. My favorite was Madoc, it’s just something about a man who kills his former wife and lover and takes care of their kids. Messed up

I have hope Jude will be better in the next. She is young and is messed up in the head. Hated the Prince. I do not want them to end up together. It does not compute in my brain! He is horrible and tried hurting her really bad. She would be a dummy to fall for that! And he hates humans. SOOO? Sighs. Ugh her twin “sister” was horrible. Madoc was fun. He was such a complex character and I adored it. Murdering, but loving. He was fun. I’m curious to see what is next for him.

It was my biggest fear. And I am sure it will happen, I hope it will make sense it does happen cos now, damn woman, are you stupid! WTF, stay away from him, do not even think it. DO NOT EVEN!

I was looking on Goodreads and there are so many fans that want them together to at least bang. NO!!!! Run woman run! I can’t see any scenario where he can justify all the terrible, horrible things he did and said. That is abuse and Madoc should’ve kicked his royal butt!

Ugh, ok so if it does happen, I hope she like sees the light and kills him or something.

Me too. Or maybe he’ll get knocked outside the head and become a different person? HAHAHA. That would be hilarious and karma-rific.

I like that, I guess even aholes can be forgiven if they grovel enough and if they ever say one aholey thing then let them hang

I suppose. But still. Bleh. And how will he forgive HER at the end there. No spoilers...but that is tough.

He is Fae, he should have striven to it. But yes let them not get together. But they so will, how could it else end? Arghhh I actually really need to know this! That is a good, the book made me want more. I bow to you Holly Black. I hate most of the characters and the main character is meh but I am still curious

Me too. That really does take a good storyteller. Not liking the characters, but still intrigued and wanting more. Kuddos there! I also really want to explore more of the world. There is so much more! I didn’t expect so many other kingdoms and whatnot. That was fun.

Then we shall read more! Please no stupid angst, pleeeeeease

Yess I beg. The summary looks promising….but. You never know! I want Jude to be a cool, cruel gal. I want her to be like Madoc. A soft-spot for family, but no one else.

Yes I am intrigued, I do wonder what will happen. ...anything else?

That is the problem with these books when they are so good! You don’t want to spoil anything! Ummmm….I was hooked from page one. There was a lull for a couple of chapters before the tournament, but after that I was hooked again. Beware the lull and push through! Totally worth it!

The lol for me is a certain romance part, no thanks to that. But yes a good book, I read it fast. I hope it keeps on improving and not fall into second book syndrome

Oooo that would be bad. *fingers crossed*

The end? :D

The end! :D Quick discussion today!

About the Authors

Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging a long while now. The last couple of years the epic duo have been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.