White Cat (The Curse Workers #1) by Holly Black

Cassel Sharpe is the odd ball in a family Workers.  Workers can do things to you through touch.  They can give you good or bad luck, change your emotions, kill you and even transform you.  His mother can work your emotions and his grandfather can cause death with a touch.  His brothers are workers and his father was one too.  Cassel is the one person in their family who isn't a worker.   He wears the gloves, like everyone does, to protect himself and not to keep others safe from him.  Cassel is good at something though, the art of the con.  He attends a private school where he runs a gaming business.  He's good at knowing the odds in any situation and when the odds don't work in his favor... well, let's just say that they are always in his favor.  Cassel's mom is the one who taught him the art of the con but now, she's in jail  and not really much of a mother at all to him.  His brothers work in the "family business" as part of a crime family.

Cassel tries to blend into the normal world since he doesn't feel he belongs in his family's world.  He knows he doesn't since his brothers had to cover up the murder he committed.  He'd thought he loved Lila but now all he sees when he thinks of her is the twisted smile on his face as he knelt over her holding a bloody knife.  He's a con man and a murderer hiding in plain sight.  One night, Cassel wakes to find himself on the roof of his dorm with no way down.  He's got no idea how he got there.  Then he begins to notice a white cat everywhere, including in his dreams and nightmares.  What is the deal with the white cat?  He also notices that his eldest brother, Philip's marriage is on the rocks.  Why does he feel like he is missing something BIG?  Something important?

I really liked this book.  The world of the Curse Workers is so realistic and so unique that it sets itself apart from all the other Paranormal YA out there.  I thought that the story moved along at a good pace and that you didn't start the story knowing what was going to happen and how it was going to end.  The plot really kept you guessing.  I also really felt for Cassel because even though he steals and lies up a storm, he's still a decent guy.  He has honor even though he's a criminal.  Poor Cassel also gets treated like crap and taken for a ride by most of the people that he cares about which totally stinks!  I have the second book already just need to get time to read it but I really hope that Red Glove has some good things in store for Cassel Sharpe!  Red Glove came out a week ago so you can find both books on store shelves now and they are definitely worth reading.  I would suggest them for older teens and up due to the complex mob based plot.  You can also find out more about Holly Black and her other books on her website and you can follow her on Twitter!!

White Cat earns 4 Fairies for being a wonderfully unique new series!