A Modern Tale of Faerie by Holly Black

I love going to the library.  I get to pick up little treasures like these two companion novels Tithe: a Modern Faerie Tale and Valiant: a Modern Tale of Faerie.  I don't normally like "dark" fantasy novels because they're always about some annoying "dark" person that has a "miserable" life because the popular people (who they don't even like anyway) don't like them.  All while they are some secret vampire/werewolf/witch/other mystical creature that has to go on some adventure with some brooding, good looking, tortured mystical creature and they end up falling in love.  That and I've never been to fond of melodramatic writing. 

These books are set in modern times where faeries exist but they aren't quite as nice as...actually...never mind, they're downright mean.  Both books are set in New Jersey and follow a separate heroin in a coming of age story.  I don't want to talk to much about the plots because I don't want to give it away.  Just read them.

Holly Black, whoever you are, you are now in the list of my favorite authors.  I found myself not wanting to put down these books.  The stories were great, the writing was superb, the characters were likable and relatable, and it kept you hooked throughout.

Ah, but if I have to critique something...the beginnings were slow?  Ha! No.  Um...the themes were to dark?  Well, a lot of the issues brought up are things that a lot of high school kids deal with.  That's actually another thing I liked about it.  It didn't sugar coat anything, a good honors kid involved in sports with good friends can take a wrong turn when something goes wrong.  A party can get out of hand and end up in a death of a friend.   Stuff happens, even to kids.

Next time I'm at the library, I am definitely seeing if they have any more books by her.

(If you must know I like Valiant better, but I like them both a lot.)

Edit: Oh, there is a sequel to Tithe.  I'm definitely picking that up.  You, go read these books.  NOW!