Title: Red Glove (Curse Workers #2)
Author: Holly Black
Release Date: April 5, 2011 (hardcover)
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Pages: 336
Source: ARC received from publisher

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Summary:
** Warning: Contains spoilers if you haven't read White Cat yet! **

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.  

My Thoughts:
I'm going to say this right off the bat that this review will contain spoilers if you haven't read the first novel in the Curse Workers trilogy, White Cat, yet. But other than that, I won't be giving anything away in Red Glove!

Holly Black has once again hit the mark with Red Glove in a novel that was just as good, if not better, than its predecessor! I easily breezed through the pages, my interest captured from the very beginning... yet I also read carefully because I didn't want to miss a single detail! There was always just the right amount of suspense and intrigue added in the story that I didn't want to put the novel down even for a second! 

It has been several months since Cassel learned that his mother used her skills to curse Lila into loving him... and the same amount of time since he's seen Lila last because he couldn't stand the thought of being with her when her feeling's were not the real thing. But that's just one complication in a string of many. Now that Cassel has finally learned he's a transformation worker and that his memories had been tampered by his scheming brothers, Cassel's not sure who to trust anymore... not even himself. And when he learns that his oldest brother has been murdered, Cassel finds himself caught in between two very different groups who want him for themselves: the FBI and the mob. 

My crush fest with Cassel is reaching some very high levels... but oh my, I feel bad for him because he can never seem to catch a break! He's been betrayed by own family members, the mob is trying to recruit him for criminal acts he wants no part in, and just when he thought he could be with Lila after learning he didn't murder her after all... she's cursed by his own mother. One thing for sure is, ordinary could never be used to describe Cassel! But despite all the bad luck, his heart is still in the right place and he strives to make things right... even if that means picking some locks and conning someone along the way to make it happen.

I'm also seriously beginning to think Holly Black has some of her own curse working abilities because she has definitely worked some magic in this novel! Just when you think you have everything figured out, she throws in plenty of twists and turns to always keep the surprises coming. I'm constantly kept on my toes questioning the motives of all the characters!

Oh sigh. You know what the bad thing is about reading Red Glove so shortly after it has been released instead of prolonging it like I did with White Cat though? I now have to wait a whole year for the release of Black Heart all without knowing what's going to happen next between Lila and Cassel! Red Glove has it all: drama, crime, suspense, romance... you won't be disappointed for sure!

Thanks so much to Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me this review copy!