I just re-read Ironside by Holly Black.
I was lucky enough to get an unedited copy months ago and chewed through it in one sitting. This time I slowed down to enjoy the languorous prose, the unfolding of plot and the entirely believable characterization. I love Holly's ability to write a pretty sentence and I am entirely obsessed with her choice of epigrams.
Ironside is a delirious, compelling read - even better than Tithe. Characters make bad choices (lots of them), they prevail through wit, force of character and fortunate circumstance.
Kaye shines here, but so does Corney. He steps into a major role in Ironside. He's a complex, fucked-up and improbably moving trailer trash kid whose presence (and contrasts to Kaye) makes the story resonate with song.
I admire Holly's ability to balance the romance, myth and urban fantasy elements. Ironside does everything well.