The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the  New York Times  bestselling novel  The Cruel Prince  finds Jude in a fight for power as a human within the Faerie world. You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring. The first lesson is to make yourself strong. After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished. When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world. Gr 9 Up-It's been five months since the twist ending of The Cruel Prince. After Jude Duarte betrayed her family, killed her mentor, and tricked Cardan into being her puppet King of Elfhame, Jude has realized that seizing power is much easier than holding onto it. Every relationship feels broken or near to it-with Madoc, her parents' killer-turned-pseudo stepfather, her twin sister who is engaged to the fairy who toyed with Jude's heart, and most certainly Cardan the Crowned King. There's no time for emotion, let alone sleep, as the Queen of the Undersea is ready to make her move for power and Jude learns someone she trusts had already betrayed her. Readers are dropped right into another dark and entrancing tornado of Faerie chaos. Trust, lust, trickery, and deceit swirl through everything as Jude struggles to remain in control of Cardan, the kingdom, and herself. Elfhame is a cruel place but like Jude, teens can't help but be drawn to the flames. Action builds steadily to yet another devilishly cunning twist ending. VERDICT A stunning and compelling sequel that will continue to entice fans of the previous volume and the author.-Emily Moore, Camden County Library System, NJα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Praise for The Wicked King: "A stunning and compelling sequel."― --SLJ, Starred Review The Wicked King has satisfying twists and turns, sizzling passions, brutal violence, spies and revels of all sorts--no one brings the intricate courtly politics of Faerie to life quite as well, or with as much intelligence, as Holly Black. ― Shelf Awareness, starred review *"A heady blend of courtly double-crossing, Faerie lore, and toxic attraction swirls together in the sequel to THE CRUEL PRINCE...Black's writing is both contemporary and classic; her world is, at this point, intensely well-realized, so that some plot twists seem almost inevitable." ― Kirkus, Starred Review *"A rare second volume that surpasses the first, with, happily, more intrigue and passion still to come."― Booklist, Starred Review *"[A] dangerous journey filled with mystery, betrayal, intrigue, and romance....Larger-than-life action in a kingdom packed with self-centered, evil, and manipulating characters also doles out real life issues."― VOYA, Starred Review "The plot itself twists, turns, and dovetails perfectly with the assured character development; in this way, Black proves herself a master storyteller writing in the tradition of Megan Whalen Turner."― Horn Book "An epic saga of palace intrigue and deception."― Entertainment Weekly "Holly Black is a mistress of well-paced fantasy..."― Austin-American Statesman " The Wicked King is so fast-paced and intense, you won't be able to put it down."― The Missourian Praise for The Cruel Prince : "Lush, dangerous, a dark jewel of a book. Black's world is intoxicating, imbued with a relentless sense of peril that kept me riveted through every chapter of Jude's journey. And Jude! She is a heroine to love--brave but pragmatic, utterly human. This delicious story will seduce you and leave you desperate for just one more page."― Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom "I require book two immediately. Holly is the Faerie Queen."― Victoria Aveyard, #1 bestselling author of The Red Queen series * "[S]pellbinding.... Breathtaking set pieces, fully developed supporting characters, and a beguiling, tough-as-nails heroine enhance an intricate, intelligent plot that crescendos to a jaw-dropping third-act twist."― Publishers Weekly, starred review * "Another fantastic, deeply engaging, and all-consuming work from Black that belongs on all YA shelves."― School Library Journal, starred review * "Jude, who struggles with a world she both loves and hates and would rather be powerful and safe than good, is a compelling narrator. Whatever a r