The Stolen Heir

The Stolen Heir duology (after The Cruel Prince) captures sticky New Jersey summer on the shore, following fairy prince Oak on a mission with a feral runaway fairy girl who's been hiding in central Jersey forests. It's best read as a pair for full impact, with Holly Black's masterful fae world-building and atmosphere that evokes the Jersey I know, though I felt detached from characters and it moved slowly due to missing prior context. The adventure and fae intrigue shine, but pieces felt incomplete without refreshing on earlier books. I love how she writes fae—it's her specialty—and the overall story works well. Recommend for fans wanting summery fae mystery, especially if you've read the Folk of the Air series.