April 2024 First in a Series BOTM - The Stolen Heir, by Holly Black

[Alaina]

A runaway queen. A reluctant prince. And a quest that may destroy them both.

Eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. There, she is using an ancient relic to create monsters of stick and snow who will do her bidding and exact her revenge.

Suren, child queen of the Court of Teeth, and the one person with power over her mother, fled to the human world. There, she lives feral in the woods. Lonely, and still haunted by the merciless torments she endured in the Court of Teeth, she bides her time by releasing mortals from foolish bargains. She believes herself forgotten until the storm hag, Bogdana chases her through the night streets. Suren is saved by none other than Prince Oak, heir to Elfhame, to whom she was once promised in marriage and who she has resented for years.

Now seventeen, Oak is charming, beautiful, and manipulative. He’s on a mission that will lead him into the north, and he wants Suren’s help. But if she agrees, it will mean guarding her heart against the boy she once knew and a prince she cannot trust, as well as confronting all the horrors she thought she left behind.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black returns to the opulent world of Elfhame in the first book in a thrilling new duology, following Jude's brother Oak, and the changeling queen, Suren.

**This BOTM thread will be open until May 5th @ Midnight (in your time zone)**

[Alaina]

Starting this now!

[Alaina]

Prologue: (view spoiler)[Well, shit. I'm hooked on Ren and everything that has already happened. I would probably be traumatized like her, though. That's a lot for someone to go through. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 1-5: (view spoiler)[Oak and the group are kind of interesting. I'm also intrigued in who things will develop between her and Oak. She definitely is suspicious and has trouble trusting anyone after what has happened to her. Which is completely okay and in her right. I'm just hoping she will eventually learn to trust him and not judge him so harshly because he's a prince. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 6-10: (view spoiler)[Riddles are always interesting, and I definitely suck at solving them. I feel like Oak had a plan, which Tieran keeps hinting that he will betray her. but maybe that plan could be changing? Especially with all the new information that has come up. I'm just not sure yet though. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 11-15: (view spoiler)[OMG YES! Hyacinthe! I'm so happy he showed up, and I'm hoping he's a friend. I need things to end on a happier note. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 16-Finish: (view spoiler)[Does this mean we will see Jude and Cardan in the next book? If so, I will not be mad. The only reason why is because these two acted exactly like them. I think it would be quite interesting to see them all together. Just saying. (hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

Chapters 1-5
(view spoiler)[I read Black's other series a while ago and don't really remember it. I feel like I'm missing something by not remembering.
I love all the bits of magic and fairy
Intrigued enough to see how the rest of the story goes.
I think there is more good in Wren then the Prince.
(hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Laura wrote: "Chapters 1-5."

I definitely felt that way because it definitely has been a while since I've last read the other series

[Laura]

Chapters 6-12
(view spoiler)[ I can't make sense of everything yet but I sure would like to know the Prince's end game
I suspect Wren will be queen ...or I hope (hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 6-10: [spoilers removed]"

I definitely didn't get the riddles.

[Laura]

Up to chapter 14
(view spoiler)[
I agree with Tiernan, Wren is strong and smart. My favorite type of female lead character
I am surprised he said something positive to her
(hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

Ending
(view spoiler)[that was not how I expected the ending to go
I am glad Wren is free of the old queen- doesn't seem right to call her Wren's mother
I guess time will tell if she is a better ruler and if she goes back to the mortal world. Also interested in seeing how things play out with the Prince (hide spoiler)]
Surprisingly I enjoyed this

[Andy]

Alaina wrote: "Prologue: [spoilers removed]"

Me too! I did not think I'd be so invested, but Holly Black must be th queen of prologues? :)

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

Starting this!

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 1 (view spoiler)[ This poor girl. How sad. (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

For the record I’ve never read anything by this author and went in blind. This is some strange stuff 😂

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 2 (view spoiler)[ I hope the prince and company are actually the good guys (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 3 (view spoiler)[ The prince talking about the mortal lands “I went there and ate pizza. 😂 (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 4 (view spoiler)[ I think I’m confused about what the Falcon is. I do think she might be the girl the prince is trying to impress. I hope the Falcon is wrong about trusting him. (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 7 (view spoiler)[ I got the second riddle right. 😂 (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

Also (view spoiler)[ That didn’t end well. (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 11 (view spoiler)[ The conversation with her unmother is sad. I don’t know if like this. 😂 (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 13 (view spoiler)[ So when he told her she was the first person he was in love with, I think he’s still in love with her. Also, I think the heart is inside her. That’s why he’s not going after it (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 14 (view spoiler)[ I’m more convinced now the heart is inside Wren (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 15 (view spoiler)[ They cut out her tongue. WTF? (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

Finished (view spoiler)[Being right about the heart can’t even make me feel good about that ending. Who picked this book? 😂 (hide spoiler)]

[Andy]

Chapter 5: (view spoiler)[I like Wren's and Oak's dynamic, but I keep wondering what Oak is hiding.. Must be something, people are always hiding something in these books. If he is not it is going to be strange... (hide spoiler)]

[Andy]

Chapter 9: (view spoiler)[Suren is a little too good, given what she went through? Though she did live for 8 years with a good family, and was freed around 11 or 12 I think, so overall she had to live with the fae for just 3 to 5 years, but still... She went through hell... I loved that her mother recognised her when she called. It is funny that cell phones work in Elfhame? I am worried Oak might plan to give her up to get his father back? :( (hide spoiler)]

[Andy]

Chapter 12: (view spoiler)[I wonder if Oak was telling the truth... Though he cannot lie, but still... I am very afraid for Wren! But I am glad they talked and she has the bridle now. (hide spoiler)]

[Andy]

Shannon The Show Stopper wrote: "End of chapter 13 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Ah! That is such a good theory! (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Chapters 1-5
(view spoiler)[ I only just learned this is interconnected with her other series that I haven't read. Hopefully I'm not missing anything, this explains why the world building was so weak. This is an interesting setup. I'm enjoying Wren and Oak's dynamic. This is weirder than I expected, but I read Tithe as a teenager and remember it being weird so I'm not sure why I was surprised lol. (hide spoiler)]

[Andy]

Finished: (view spoiler)[I don't see why Wren used the bridle, after having hated it for the entire book? It seems out of character... But I think Lady Nore deserved what she got, and I like the idea that she was always capable of undoing enchantments, because that was always her power. I hope she manages to feel like a person again... (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Chapter Nine
(view spoiler)[ I too am sad to see Jack of the Lakes go, he was fun. I'm awful at riddles so never get them, but why are heroines always so good at them / why do villains use them, hello ticket to freedom. That call to her unmother was heartbreaking, I hope we see more of her family as this goes on. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Chapter 13
(view spoiler)[ Oak oh my god what are you doing? I'm sure he'll be fine because it's his poison but was that necessary? I'm guessing they are going to somehow free the trolls (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ Well that revelation was pretty predictable. It's interesting that she has memories from being Bogdana's child.
I actually listened to most of this but felt like I had missed too many things so went back and read it instead and it turns out I hadn't really. Some of the transitions are just weirdly abrupt. I feel like reading the other series would have helped. I found this pretty mid but if I knew and cared about the other characters it might have made a difference. That said, still going onto the next one since I have it 😂 (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

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