White Cat, by Holly Black

White Cat (Curse Workers, book 1), by Holly Black; young adult; 310 pages

I loved Black's Tithe series, and I think I picked this up expecting more of the same. While I would have been happy with that, I'm sooo glad she went in a different direction, because this book blew Tithe right out of the water. It's set in an alternate world where some people ("curse workers," or just "workers") have the ability to change your luck, your memory, your emotions, etc. Of course it's illegal, so most families with that skill are also crime families. Our hero is the only non-worker in an old worker family, but he's also an expert con artist. And now someone's trying to con him. This was a fast read, and very engrossing. Part noir-ish mafia thriller, part urban fantasy, and part con story, this was fantastic! I especially loved seeing the characters set up these elaborate schemes--and to have things seem so innocent from the mark's point of view. Loved this right up to its twist ending, and can't wait for the next in the series.