5 Star Book Review: Tithe (Modern Faerie Tales, #1)

Author| Holly Black
Edition| UK Paperback
Genre| Paranormal Romance/Faeries
Publisher| Simon and Schuster
Rating| 5 Stars

If you follow me on twitter you may have seen me spreading the love for this book over there.  This was Holly Black's earliest foray into YA way back in the day and I think more people need to check it out nowadays.  I've seen gushing reviews over her more recent work Darkest Part of the Forest and Coldest Girl in Coldtown but this always seems absent from blogs, perhaps because it isn't such a new work.

Tithe is about Kaye, who, alongside her mother, goes to live with her grandmother.  While returning to her childhood home she finds herself reconnecting with old friends- human and faerie alike.  And then a chance encounter with a knight from the Unseelie Court sends her down a path to meet her destiny.

This book took me by complete surprise.  I can't find a bad thing to say about it.  It's dark and beautiful with fully fleshed out characters and a story that deviates from early expectations.  I was blown away by the writing (when I was younger I read Spiderwick Chronicles with my Dad and a few years ago gave White Cat a try) even though it wasn't anything new.

I was going through some books I was debating on getting rid of when I saw this one.  I actually have all three (and you will see me read them soon) and was a bit shocked I had forgotten about them.  For the longest time I've wanted to read them and when I did buy them I put them in one of my shelves I never look at.  Anyways, I sat down and read the prologue.  That's when I knew I couldn't put this one down.  And it was a feast of wonder.

There's little more to say about this book.  It's everything I needed and didn't know I needed.  I read it in less than a day, even though it was a busy day.  It had my full attention and it deserves yours, too.