The Stolen Heir: A Novel of Elfhame, The No 1 Sunday Times Bestseller 2023

Holly Black's books are just so readable. The characters are so well formed and the plots are always full of secrets and surprises. I just can't articulate how much I love reading her books.

The Stolen Heir was one of my most anticipated releases for 2023. The Cruel Prince trilogy is one of my favourite YA series of all time and I was really excited to return to the world of Elfhame. The story is full of magic and adventure, but for me, I didn’t fall in love with it quite as much as I did The Cruel Prince.The Stolen Heir tells the story of Suren, once the child queen of the Court of Teeth, she has been exiled to the human realm. She spends her time foraging in the woods, releasing mortals from their bargains with the fae and longing to return to the human family she once lived with. When Suren runs into Bogdana from the Court of Teeth, she is saved by Prince Oak, heir to the throne of Elfhame. Oak requires Suren’s help in a dangerous quest to rescue his father, but doing so will take her back to the Court of Teeth and the life she left behind. Will she survive returning to that deadly place and can Prince Oak really be trusted?There was lots about The Stolen Heir that I really enjoyed. Holly Black really is the queen of faerie and I love her writing style and the way she brings this world to life. While the story did feel a little slow in some parts, overall it was engaging and compelling enough that I ended up reading half the book in one sitting. There is a reveal that happens at the end of the story that I guessed pretty early on, but I am nonetheless very intrigued to see where the story will go in book two.Suren is probably what made this book for me. She’s a really interesting and complex character, dealing with a harrowing childhood and just trying to find her place in the world. I liked seeing her relationships develop with the other characters in the story and I can’t wait to see where the story is going to take her. Overall this a fun, entertaining read, full of Black’s trademark writing. If you’ve read The Cruel Prince series and are intrigued by this one I would definitely say it’s worth picking up.

Slower than the original trilogy, but loved the world building. Interesting use of the title, initially I thought it was referencing Oak, but I wouldn't say that was the case by the end of the book.

The Folk of the Air series got be back into reading and I love the world Holly created in that series. So, I was very excited to venture back to Elfhame. The Stolen Heir, first in a duology, takes place eight years later and is told from Suren’s (Wren) POV.I loved this book!In her short appearance in the Queen of Nothing, Wren made an impact and I really enjoyed experiencing her story. I was fortunate to see Holly when she came to Dublin on the TSH book tour and she explained the reasoning behind writing Wren’s POV was that in QoN we see her as someone terrifying rather than her being terrified, and I’m so glad we got her story to explore that more. Wren’s POV was so beautifully written. It was revealing, raw, heartbreaking, but showed her strength, bravery and resilience. I do love a book that gets me in the feels, and I wasn’t expecting the emotional impact Wren’s story had on me. There were a few moments that had me tearing up. I just love her so much and I just wanted to hug her and protect her at all costs 💙🍂Wren was the highlight of The Stolen Heir for me, but the book also had everything I loved about TFOTA: brilliant storytelling, great cast of characters (whether you love or hate them), beautiful imagery, Faerie lore, adventures & quests, secrets, twist and betrayals, and a blooming romance.I also enjoyed seeing more of Oak and am very much looking forward to his story in the years since the Battle of the Serpent.Finally, we did get mentions of Jude and Cardan, which made me happy, and I’m sure we’ll have scenes with them in The Prisoner’s Throne as it will be told from Oak’s POV.Holly did an incredible job with book and I can’t recommend it enough 💙🍂

For me personally the majority of the book was gave me an interesting perspective into how the conclusion of The Queen of Nothing affects those concerned. However, when they finally got to the citadel I found myself enjoying the book far more. It felt like the majority of this book was just setting us up to understand Suren and become attached to her before we got to the drama✨Said drama only lasted a couple chapters so look out for book number two if interested in the series. Drama affects Jude, Cardan, Oak, Wren and Duarte family.

I adored Oak in the FOA trilogy, and I’m so happy that he gets his moment to shine. And goodness, does he shine! He is Locke and Cardan combined to an extent. I love the trickster archetype, and rarely are tricksters also heroes. Ms. Black blended these two archetypes so well, I could cry.Wren is a compelling heroine. I actually prefer her over Jude. Her backstory is more gripping, and her character development is already impressive from just one book.There is less political intrigue in this book, but I find the plot and character development very satisfying in its absence. Excited for the next installment.

La livraison était bonne, j'ai pu l'avoir un jour avant mais mon livre a été malmené ! J'avais commandé un livre relié qui arrivent intact puisque leurs couvertures sont solides. J'ai eu la surprise d'avoir une jaquette abîmée mais aussi le livre lui même la première de couverture est abîmée ! Il faut y aller fort quand même 😠

Acquistato per un regaloHo fatto centro

Love how these books charge into chaos. Gives GoT vibes but without the filler, and I do love me some Sassy Tw!nks.