Review: Black Heart by Holly Black

Black Heart

(The Curse Workers # 3)

By: Holly Black

Pub. Date: April 3, 2012

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Pages: 296

Source: ARC

Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy.

But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love.

The Curse Worker series is one of my favorite series and Holly Black is a terrific author. Her writing is completely flawless, and she has done it again with Black Heart, the last book in the series. Seriously, these books just kept getting better and better and I am sad to see the series end.

Black Heart begins with Cassel working for the FBI. Cassel is still completely in love with Lila, but he chose one side of the law, while she chose the other, deciding to work for her father. To make matters worse, after the curse that caused Lila to be in love with Cassel was taken off her, he told her he would stay away from her to protect her, especially because Cassel feels she can do a lot better then him.

There is always so much going on in Cassel Sharpe's world, it's amazing that he can hold everything together, and Black Heart is no different. He always tries to help everyone and do the right thing, but sometimes things don't always go as planed. I really love Cassel. He is one of my favorite boys in YA. He's done so much evil, and while it wasn't his fault, he still feels completely guilty. He wants so much to be good, and for others to see him as good, but sometimes that isn't the case. Even his family, who has completely screwed him over in the past, he continues to still help. I wanted so much for things to finally go Cassel's way. I wanted him to be happy because he deserves that so much. It was hard reading Black Heart, not knowing how it was going to end.

I enjoyed the other characters as well. We see a lot of Barron in this book, and while he is such an ass, I felt for him a little bit in this one, especially at the end. Sam was, as always, Cassel's awesome sidekick. I love the scenes with the two of them together. Then there is Lila, who decided to work for her father, and is now dealing with that aftermath. Throughout the entire book, I was rooting for Lila and Cassel to get together.

I seriously enjoyed everything about this book. The writing was fantastic and the plot was fast paced. There's so many emotions being conveyed, and Black does it effortlessly. She makes it impossible to not love Cassel.

I'm sad to see this series end, but I couldn't have asked for a better ending! If you haven't already started this series, what are you waiting for? You will not be disappointed!