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The Folk of the Air

Spisek czarujących potworów

Not yet published
Expected 12 Nov 26
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Wróć do pełnego magii i mroku świata Okrutnego księcia w tych sześciu niezwykłych opowieściach, wzbogaconych przepięknymi ilustracjami Frostbite Studios.

Niechętny koronie król traci grunt pod nogami, gdy dziewczyna, którą kocha i której jednocześnie nie potrafi znieść, zostaje porwana przez mieszkańców podwodnego królestwa.

Wygnany czerwony kaptur, uwięziony w świecie śmiertelników, musi na nowo odnaleźć drzemiącego w nim potwora.

Śmiertelniczka poświęca połowę duszy dla niegodnego miłości elfa.

A maleńka wróżka, zdeterminowana, by udowodnić swoją wartość, sprowadza niebezpieczeństwo na cały Wysoki Dwór.

Sześć porywających historii zabiera czytelników z powrotem do magicznego świata elfów stworzonego przez mistrzynię, Holly Black. Wśród nich znalazły się dwie zupełnie nowe historie: o życiu Madoka podczas wygnania oraz o Cardanie, który odkrywa, czego tak naprawdę pragnie.

304 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2026

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About the author

Holly Black

211 books134k followers
Holly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over thirty fantasy novels for kids and teens. She has been a finalist for an Eisner Award and the Lodestar Award, and the recipient of the Mythopoeic Award, a Nebula, and a Newbery Honor. Her books have been translated into 32 languages worldwide and adapted for film. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret library.

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5 stars
978 (54%)
4 stars
553 (31%)
3 stars
199 (11%)
2 stars
31 (1%)
1 star
19 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 446 reviews
Profile Image for èvieane.
196 reviews1,145 followers
Want to Read
March 22, 2026
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ᯓ ᯽ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍pre-release ࿐ ࿔*:・゚
update: Oh my god, we have a cover and it is ✨SO GORGEOUS✨🫠🫠

ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ
EXCUSE ME???? MISS HOLLY BLACK WHAT IS THIS????
Profile Image for hater ★.
310 reviews176 followers
Currently Reading
April 12, 2026
yup yup yup it’s ouuuuuuut

i love the coverrrrrrr
Profile Image for Alexia.
473 reviews
November 7, 2026
< It isn’t long after that when he awakens in his bed to the hard press of a
hand against his mouth, a soft body against his skin. He can barely breathe, and yet he feels as though this is the first time since he learned she was
gone that he can finally let out his breath. >

This was such a welcoming return to this world.

This series is what pulled me back into reading after years in a slump, so it will always hold a special place in my heart. Still, I worried that I might not feel the same way reading this, that I had grown up, my tastes had changed, and I might no longer love it the way it deserves to be loved.

I had no reason to worry.

Before I get to the main course (Cardan’s story), I want to talk about all the other stories.

The first one is about Madoc in exile. I had no idea how funny he could be or how much of a softie he really is when it comes to his family. In the original trilogy, we catch glimpses of his softer side now and then, but this is the first time we get access to his thoughts and see the full depth of his feelings. This story really brought home how much Jude resembles him.

The second one is Taryn’s POV on the events of the first book, and, surprisingly, it left me feeling more positive about her. She tells Jude in a letter how her relationship with Locke began and developed, and we see just how selfish she really is. It confirms that she never truly understood Jude and that, despite being twins, the two of them don’t seem related at all.

Even though I like her more now, the thing I can never forgive Taryn for isn’t her foolish mistakes or bad choices. It’s that she hurt her sister and kept putting someone else before her. She only thought about Jude or treated her kindly when she wanted something from her, and that pattern shows up throughout the series. I still think the ending she got was far kinder than she deserved after all the betrayal she caused.

I know I’ve said a lot of negative things about Taryn, but I’m actually complimenting her. In the end, she shows that what she wanted wasn’t love; it was power, just like Jude. The difference is that Jude was honest about her desires, while Taryn wasn’t.

The third one made me realize that Roiben is surrounded by idiots. I’m in awe of how he manages to get anything done when he seems to be the only person in his court with a brain.

The fourth one is about Heather, and all I can say is: You go, girl. Win your girl and get one over on the faeries. She is a total badass.

The fifth one gives us a glimpse into Kaye and Roiben’s relationship, and I really liked it. The little we see of them in the original trilogy doesn't quite show how much of a power couple they are or how perfectly suited they are to each other. This story also made me see Kaye in a new light. She isn’t just a girl who knows nothing and causes trouble; she’s smart and exactly what Roiben needs.

And then there’s the final one, told from Cardan’s POV, about the time Jude was kidnapped by the Queen of the Undersea.

This story was everything, truly, everything. The little crumbs of the two of them woven through the other stories were so well done that they only made me crave this final story more and more.

Cardan may be a red flag. He may have no hobbies other than Jude, and he may not be the most reliable partner out there. But the way this man yearns, and keeps yearning, deserves a medal. The love and respect he has for Jude, even if he has a strange way of showing it, is the kind of devotion that could exist only in fiction. He really said he would destroy his kingdom just to get her back, and if that doesn’t prove how devoted he is, I don't know what does.

Even in his thoughts, he gives Jude so many compliments that I couldn’t help going, awww. He calls her a murderer, a liar, and a mortal; those are the sweetest words to describe her.

And I can't end this review without talking about my Murderous Queen.
Jude remains my favorite FMC because of her violent nature, her sharp strategic mind, and her fierce craving for power, not just the desire for it, but her determination to seize it and make it her own. Those qualities are exactly what make her perfect to me.

In conclusion, this author knows how to write faeries who aren’t human: ethereal and magical, full of whimsy and malice, and carrying great power. The world she created is beautiful, but beneath that beauty lies the decay of faerie cruelty and, somehow, the beauty of the faeries themselves.
Also, the illustrations were gorgeous.
Profile Image for Ss.
155 reviews251 followers
Want to Read
March 25, 2026
|𝐏𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 ❨𖦹 ₊˚ ୭
𝖬𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝖤𝗅𝖿𝗁𝖺𝗆𝖾? 𝖸𝖾𝗌 𝗉𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾.
𝖢𝖺𝗇'𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗂𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗈𝗎𝗍 🫠🫠
Profile Image for ellie .
336 reviews784 followers
Want to Read
March 24, 2026
CAN. YOU. HEAR. MY. EXCITEMENT?!! yet another anticipated release to add to my shelves. being a reader never gets old 🫂i get to return to my day ones !!!
Profile Image for ray ৎ ⊹ ࣪ ˖.
286 reviews265 followers
Want to Read
March 24, 2026
⊹ oh my gosh i knew rereading this trilogy this month was a good idea bc ofc the week after i finish “queen of nothing” gets announced!!

⊹ also can we talk ab how THE frostbite studios illustrated this?? im a firm believer that frostbite makes THE best tcp art 🥹💕

⊹ AND WE GET A CARDAN POV WHAT????? i alr know that that short story is js gonna be him yearning the whole time 🤭
Profile Image for Saranya [mostly ia].
1,137 reviews710 followers
Want to Read
March 25, 2026
update: Okay, WOW! I have been thinking about what Cardan was thinking and feeling while Jude was held captive by Orlagh. AND WE ARE FINALLY GETTING CARDAN'S POV FROM THEN!! OMG! Best birthday evaaa!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

pre-release

I think I am going to cry because what do you mean- Holly Black is collaborating with Frostbite Studios which makes the best ever fanarts for this fandom! I'm going feral. I am SCREAMING! OMG!

Also, are you telling me that this gets released on my birthday this year? OH MY GOD.
Profile Image for Bea27x.
199 reviews15 followers
November 3, 2026
No thoughts, just Cardan thoughts

For the rest of the extremely dull wedding, Cardan doesn’t see Jude. Which is fine since he spends that time coming up with absolutely devastating remarks for when their paths do inevitably cross.

And what reason could she have to think better of him? He tormented her at the palace school, was cruel for the sake of cruelty. Everything about her, from her skill with the sword to her quick mind to her being adored by her terrible father, highlighted Cardan’s failures. She was better than him and he knew it.
And if he hadn’t been so awful, perhaps she’d have known it, too.

So what would she tell him to do? Probably to pretend that he doesn’t care about her. Pretend that losing her won’t destroy him. Pretend that he won’t give Queen Orlagh anything, anything at all, just to have her back.

All he can think of is Jude.
Jude, Jude, Jude, the drumbeat of his heart.

As days turn to weeks, the strangest thing becomes clear—as exhausted and panicked and snappish as he is, Cardan is skilled at ruling. He has a knack for being just mean enough to keep people in line and just charming enough to keep them from one another’s throats.
He wonders if Jude will be impressed. And sometimes he wonders if she knew he had that skill all along.

How could he have failed to notice that he loved her?

Profile Image for Lea ★.
290 reviews30 followers
Did Not Finish
March 24, 2026
i need this more then passing grade on my next exam. 😔

TWO NEW STORIES, ONE MADOCS FROM WHEN HE WAS IN EXILE AND OTHER FROM CARDANS POV IN TWK WHEN JUDE WAS STOLEN BY THE BITCH ORLAGH

temptation to put 5 stars so the goodreads rating would be 5.00 😭🥀 on serious note tho frosbite studios art is SO AMAZING. prob the best ive EVER seen (not joking mona lisa ah level) so PLEASE check them out (lovelovelove them)!!! i really need to get my hands on the card game cuz the art is stunning.

i think im gonna cry.. im so ready for baby jurdan (holly if cardan isnt a girl dad and jude a boy mom imma poison you with fairy fruit.. 😍) to celebrate this i feel like i need a 13th reread of the series!
Profile Image for Payal (uni- semi ia).
445 reviews40 followers
Currently Reading
March 26, 2026
the lament of lutie-loo
I have read tithe and valiant this year, ironside is still left so, will read this short story after I finish that because they are related

the lost sisters
Ykw I heard somewhere that taryn is a victim of locke. I read lost sisters 4 years back and hated taryn even more. I was planning to reread that though to see if my opinion changed. And the answer is FUCK NO. that bitch can go die in a ditch. Idgaf. She is one of the most selfish, stupidest and hateful character I have read about. Idk how y'all are with your sisters but my sister is a god and I ain't letting her deal with such nonsense ever. MOST OF ALL, THIS IS NOT HOW YOU WRITE AN APOLOGY LETTER. ik if jude had written a letter to taryn like this, taryn would have never looked at her again unless she needed Jude's help like a little bitch she is. And before y'all come for me but the folks did much worse to humans and they deserve your ire. No, humans and folks are different species, i judge them on different standards. Folks are inherently mean and cruel so, I have different standards to judge them. I judged taryn on human standards and she was a TERRIBLE HUMAN BEING with no decency and respect for even her own sister. I don't expect her to treat any other human any better.

the fall of the willowbrook apartments at 700 winsome
It was canon that madoc will play at neighbourhood politics once he starts living in the mortal world but ohmydays holly black gave it us everything and then some more bc wdym he killed a man even though he cannot pick up a weapon and then stirred shit with everyone😂😂😂 madoc refusing to be a mortal by glamouring himself into human clothes and moving about. We all knew it would be fun for vivi to have madoc nearby and teach him the mortal ways but it being in madoc's pov was 10 times funnier. Oriana, you scheming bitch🤣✋️ and to whoever said to be me that madoc tried to kill jude in during QON and their fight in TCP, fuck y'all bc madoc is one proud father of his little jude and I'll forever cherish this father-daughter relationship.

~~~~

I AM HOME💗💗💗 should I rate it 5 stars already bc y'all know how down I am for this world👀🛐

~~~~~

WHAT IN THE EVER LOVING FUCK??? HOLLY BLACK IS SERVING!!! IYKM THEN YOU CAN DEFINITELY HEAR ME SCREAM MY LUNGS OUT AHHHHHHHHHH😭😭😭 PLUS FROSTBITE STUDIO IS ILLUSTRATING IT??? WE ARE FUCKING BLESSED😩💖💕
Profile Image for lost in epilogue | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ ..
877 reviews60 followers
April 3, 2026
She was better than him and he knew it.
And if he hadn't been so awful, perhaps she'd have known it, too.


jurdan <3

also, only holly black could write a character i hate sm just to turn around and convince me to have a little sympathy for her (still side eyeing you tho, taryn).

__________________________________

cardan crashout era is going to be the most deliciously angsty yearning we read all year
Profile Image for ishraq ★ (slowly coming back) .
190 reviews206 followers
Want to Read
March 31, 2026
౿ 🪾 ⌗ prerelease ⊹

I'm freaking shaking, the cruel prince was my first ever book and its basically build me. IM YOUR NUMBER ONE FAN HOLLY BLACK PLEASE I KNOW YOU'LL EAT WITH THIS BOOK NO MATTER WHAT PLEASE PLEASE DELIVER

I’m shaking screaming ILLUSTRATED ART? I’m sorry dear parents but you WILL be giving me money so I can responsibly spend it on this. (Why will I not use my own money? Because why should I when I have such lovely parents with such lovely money?)

AND AHHH FROSTBITE STUDIOS ART? STOP MY FAVORITE ARTIST YDYDUJDJSKSOS

The monster I will become when this is published is not a joke. My dear friends I advise you to stay away from me on November 3 because I fear of the animal I’ll turn into.
Profile Image for elena&#x1f577;️.
85 reviews1 follower
Did Not Finish
March 25, 2026
Frostbite studio and holly black making a book together was not on my 2026 bingo card. BUT I DONT FUCKING CARE CUS IM SOOOOOOO EXCITED, LETSSSS GOOOOO
Profile Image for Madeline.
114 reviews8 followers
Read
November 5, 2026
The art was 10/10 incredible loved it. I especially loved the art in Cardans pov and Kaye & Robien art.

The stories themselves were good, but most of them were ones I had already read. I found myself wishing some of them had new details that added to what we already knew about the universe or scenes we hadn’t gotten to see before. For example: Taryn actually killing Locke or Cardan writing the letters. I would have LOVED something we hadn’t seen before from the Stolen Heir duology, especially since there was so much potential to explore moments we never got to see.
Profile Image for Freefall.
444 reviews54 followers
Want to Read
March 25, 2026
FROSTBITE STUDIOS BETTER TITHE TO THE FEY THAT I DON'T FIND THEM AND TORTURE THEM UNTIL THEY GIVE ME ALL THEIR ART—

—i mean, i love the folk of the air franchise as well as frostbite's artstyle. i am merely craning my neck a bit to peer at the release date. i'm nonchalant.
Profile Image for anzhelika ୨ৎ.
265 reviews171 followers
Want to Read
March 24, 2026
GUYS WE'RE GOING BACK TO ELFHAME. i am beyond ready and excited for this, november can't come soon enough. this is now one of my most anticipated releases this year.
Profile Image for maliareads.
139 reviews1 follower
November 4, 2026
“All he can think of is Jude. Jude, Jude, Jude, the drumbeat of his heart.”

INFINITY STARS ♾️⭐️

Cardan and Jude. My babies. My heart and soul. The sustenance that fuels me. My Roman Empire. The couple that no one can ever, or will ever, beat. I am disgustingly, sickeningly obsessed with them, and have been since I was first introduced to them in 2022. I have never stopped thinking about them.

I was absolutely not prepared for Cardan’s POV. It sent me into absolute orbit - I was hyperventilating in excitement and screaming audibly every single second of his chapter. He is the yearner of the year, and I cannot be convinced otherwise.

I know this novella also contained other stories (which I really enjoyed, especially Madoc’s!) but I was sat for the Cardan and Jude snippets and oh, we were fed. These two ignited my love for reading, and oh, how I yearn for them everyday. I consume Cardan and Jude content like an addict looking for their next fix. I’m not over them. They are such a well-written couple - the layers and complexity that they both have? Oh, sedate me now and put me into an asylum. I cannot apologise for the person this book has caused me to become.

Cardan and Jude are the legendary lovers (in my opinion!) and a very sensitive topic for me. If I see hate on them, I will cry because they mean that much to me and yes, it is that serious and no, I’m not being dramatic. I am very serious about these two. Don’t even get me started. I can probably write a whole damn book or two or three on why I love these two so much.

Aside from the sheer orbit this book sent me into, can we take a minute, or hours, to appreciate the artwork? Absolutely stunning. Solenne Songer (Frostbite Studios) has me in absolute awe. I spent half the time whilst reading this book staring at the artwork because oh my god? My eyes have been blessed.

I will say, I did have to skim some of these short stories as I haven’t read “Modern Faerie Tales” just yet, but you best bet I will be doing so very soon!

All in all, this book made my year. Now all I need is all three books in Cardan’s POV and I’m set for life. I will want for nothing more 🙂‍↔️
Profile Image for Aqsa .
49 reviews36 followers
November 4, 2026
"How could he have failed to notice that he loved her?"

I love you cardan greenbriar
Profile Image for Hniereads.
548 reviews67 followers
November 7, 2026
The art is GORGEOUS.
The stories aren’t all new but i l enjoyed reading them again. I loved reading about the characters of modern faerie tales again. I missed them so much especially Roiben. I loved reading about cardan being all pathetic about jude.

P.s: i still don’t like taryn. It’s not the fact that she’s stupid or naive or any of those things that the story was trying to justify it’s the fact that she betrayed jude. Her own sister who would be willing to do everything for her.
Profile Image for juliet♡.
98 reviews
March 24, 2026
pre-read: OMG the way i SCREAMED when i saw this announcement, this year is on fire for book releases

LOVE LOVE LOVE the illustrations were amazing, I could barely turn to the next page without staring at each one for at least a minute, all of the stories were so wonderful and amazing and took me back to the world of Elfhame, all whilst giving me new perspectives and pieces of the story. I feel like I want to reread this series now, or preferably inject it into my brain.
Profile Image for Amara.
148 reviews29 followers
November 1, 2026
I was so thrilled to come home from work AND SEE THE PACKAGE CONTAINING THIS BOOK WAITING FOR ME!!! The scream was heard across the neighborhood I swear 😂 I was not expecting this at all so thank you to the publishers for sending it to me!!!

This novella was amazing!!! I was pleasantly surprised at madoc’s story, I was dying laughing and completely gagged. I love it. 5 stars for that one.
And omg. 6 freaking stars for the Cardan novella. Everything I dreamed and more. CARDAN IS SO DOWN BAD I CANT EVEN. This makes me want to reread the series so bad.
The other novellas are where I unfortunately have to subtract a bit. They weren’t poorly written at all! And I loved being back in the world of faerie. It was probably more a fault of mine for not enjoying them as much. I haven’t read the other trilogy in the folk of the air universe, and almost all of the novellas contained only characters from those. I will admit they were interesting and I loved the cameos of the OG trilogy characters (Any time Cardan appeared I screamed LOL). I was just confused by the politics because I don’t even know who any of these people are 😂 it would definitely help for me to come back to these stories another time. I also just didn’t really care for Heather’s story. It wasn’t boring, I just didn’t care.
Let’s talk about the artwork now. OMG. When you think of fan art for the cruel prince, your brain automatically goes to frostbite studios art. So when I heard she would be illustrating this novella I WAS OVER THE MOON! And this did not disappoint. Frostbite studios has outdone herself again and all the artwork was ABSOLUTELY GLORIOUS. It was all amazing, but I gotta admit (I might be biased) that any time Cardan artwork was on page I literally screamed. I took pictures of all of it even though I physically own the book. That’s how good it is. Jude also looked so stunning and I loved seeing all of her outfits 🤭
Overall such a fun novella and it was so nice to be back in the world of elfhame. Cardan and Jude spinoff when?!

Spice: .5 (just some references throughout)
Language: moderate (infrequent)
Profile Image for kat.
300 reviews12 followers
November 4, 2026
being able to step back into the world of elfhame.... LITERAL chills omg i miss them so bad
Profile Image for Tara.
463 reviews221 followers
Want to Read
March 26, 2026
astronomical day for annoying people (me)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 446 reviews