Plot: Since she was a child, Alice and her mother were always on the run to escape their 'bad luck'. When they receive word that Alice's grandmother, Althea, passed away, Alice's mother announced that they were free from the bad luck and could live life normally. Except Alice's mother was kidnapped and it seemed like the kidnappers were leaving a fairytale trail for Alice to follow.

My husband asked me to describe this one to him (because he liked the cover) and the first thing that came to mind was 'Neil Gaiman.' The Hazel Wood was brutal and dark with creepy yet beautiful fantasy aspects. If you're a fan of Coraline or any of Neil Gaiman's darker short stories, I think you'll enjoy this one!

The Hazel Wood was written beautifully and kept me rapidly turning pages. The mystery unraveled at a pleasing pace which was due in part to the fairy tale stories that Albert snuck in every so often. While I enjoyed the reading experience and how creative the premise was, I was surprised by how rushed the last one hundred pages felt. Truthfully, I saw this book told in two parts, and the second part had the most reveals and it's unfortunate that Albert didn't allow more time for the reader to process all of the bombshells.

When I read The Hazel Wood, I had no idea that a sequel was planned. I personally thought that The Hazel Wood wrapped up nicely, but I won't object to a continuation!

Characters: Alice truly had a rough upbringing; she and her mom were basically couchsurfing and Alice knew nothing of her famous grandmother who penned dark fairytales. It's understandable that she had a rough edge to her and I liked that about her. She was defensive but her walls began to fall once she found an ally in her classmate, Finch.

I was impressed that Albert managed to squeeze in a conversation about White Privilege in a fantasy novel and I want to applaud her for taking the time to make Alice check her privilege.

Worldbuilding: Nothing could have prepared me for the world of The Hazel Wood and I'm in awe that Melissa Albert managed to balance fantasy with the real world. The best way to describe the world was modern day New York City with some creepy creatures leaking into it. The fantasy wasn't overt in the real world, it was just enough to have Alice and Finch do a double take or wonder if the radio station just happened to play a random song, or if she were receiving a message. There was a world that I wanted to learn more about, and maybe I'll have that opportunity in the sequel.

Short N Sweet: The Hazel Wood is an impressive debut that will leave you feeling slightly off-balanced.

I can't remember having such drastic feelings about a book. The first half (which I read in one sitting - thank you, insomnia!) captivated me. I found it suspenseful, engaging, a little creepy and I was intrigued by the stunning cover and the dark fairy tale aspect.

And then, a little more than half way through, the book took on a different feel. At this point, the story became convoluted and the world building was done so quickly, not giving readers time to acclimate, that I was left feeling an overall sense of confusion. Many secondary and tertiary characters float in and out of the story that it left me wondering who was important.

The Hazel Wood has a unique premise that is very much story-centric leaving readers with only two main characters - Alice and to a lesser extent, Ellery Finch, her school mate who is an avid fan of Alice's grandmother's book. Alice is an unlikable, ornery main character and without a connection to her, and with a confusing second half of the book, I can't say that I finished the book as enamoured with it as I began. I definitely liked parts - Finch, the writing and suspense in the first half but the last half of the book pulled my rating down.

I realize that other readers have adored this book and perhaps this dark urban fantasy read just isn't the book for me. If you're into dark fairy tales and want a story to take you to places you've never imagined this may be a book for you.

Disclaimer: This ARC was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This one didn't quite follow the path I expected -- that being said, it was an enjoyable read and I kept picking it back up. The dark premise and lush imagery were exactly what I wanted in a new take on a classic tale. I think maybe I was expected a quicker build up, the story took a little bit to get going -- but overall, I liked it.

THE HAZEL WOOD, by Melissa Albert, Flatiron Books, Jan. 30, 2018, Hardcover, $16.99 (young adult)

Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood reads and feels like two separate books, which makes it a little bit difficult to review. Especially since I enjoyed the second half much more than the first.

The story follows 17-year-old Alice who lives with her mother in her stepfather’s upscale apartment. She attends an exclusive private school. Her life appears perfect. Except it’s not. This is the longest Alice and her mom have ever stayed in one place. Most of Alice’s life has been spent on the road, bad luck nipping at their toes as they move from place to place.

Things changed when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of dark fairy tales, The Hinterland, dies alone. That’s when they set down roots. And that’s when things go terribly, terribly wrong. Someone who claims to be from the Hinterland kidnaps Alice’s mother.

With little to go on, Alice follows her gut and sets out for the Hazel Wood, her late grandmother’s estate. Joining Alice is Finch, a classmate and super fan of The Hinterland. Despite questionable motives, Alice has no choice but to trust Finch, who knows way more about her grandmother’s life and literature than she does. But at what cost?

The Hazel Wood is very dark, although there’s a spark in the second half that lifts some of that weightiness considerably.

The first part of The Hazel Wood takes place in the real world. Alice is always on edge, and there’s danger lurking around every corner. As Alice’s story unfolds, we’re also exposed to The Hinterland, which is a compilation of unpleasant fairy tales. The pacing here, despite the need for immediacy feels anything but urgent, even though the content is compelling.

Once Alice reaches the entrance to the real Hinterland, the story takes on a new tone. The world Alice enters is full of vivid color and texture. You immediately feel transported. The pacing picks up and so, quite frankly, does the plot. It takes a long time to get there, but once you do, you’re rewarded.

The Hazel Wood is an odd mix of reality and fantasy that’s an acquired taste. It’s a bit long and drags in places, but in the end, it did hold my attention. I’d check this one out from the library before purchasing it.

I'm disappointed. I went in expecting something else and I got something back entirely different. The first bit of the story held my attention well but as I continued on reading, not even halfway into the book I became very bored. I think my brain doesn't agree very well with this writing style. Wish I loved it more, but I honestly couldn't even finish this book.

This is an odd book, so odd it took me some time to decide if I liked it. I think I did, despite its strangeness, and despite the fact that it set itself up as one thing and turned into something else entirely (what I like to think of as Mara Dyer Syndrome).

We begin with the main character, Alice, explaining that she has spent her life on the run with her mother, Ella. What are they running from? It's not quite clear - they call it "bad luck." Ella thinks it has something to do with her mother, Althea Proserpine, the author of a strange book of fairy tales called Tales From the Hinterland. Ella doesn't talk about her mother and Alice has never met her grandmother. Her life is strange, but she doesn't think too hard about it. When Ella vanishes, seemingly kidnapped by real-life Hinterland characters, Alice has little choice but to team up with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland fan.

The first half of the book, which I actually enjoyed more, is half scavenger hunt, half road trip. It plays itself out like a variety of different genres - psychological thriller, mystery, supernatural horror - yet never quite settles into any one of them. It is only a bit past the halfway mark when this turns into the incredibly weird portal fantasy it was always meant to be, as Alice navigates her way through the Hinterland, which is kind of a creepy Wonderland. There's a lot of really clever and shocking twists that I enjoyed, and a lot of strange fairy-tale logic that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, which I didn't love. A lot of the time I felt like my brain was struggling to wrap itself around what exactly was happening, but it almost seemed like the book was trying to tell me the logic of it all isn't important, because it's a fairy tale, and it's magic.

I want to address something I've seen in a lot of reviews so far: Alice's character. Yes, she's extremely unpleasant. But she isn't meant to be likable. She is specifically written as horrible because there is a specific reason for how horrible she is, which is revealed towards the end. Plus Alice is aware of her bitterness and her rage, aware of how she can't control it no matter how hard she tries, aware of how it claws its way up into her throat from her belly like a beast she has no power over. Basically, the narrative foreshadows the fact that her anger isn't normal and that it makes her horrible. Besides, it makes her a compelling character, even if I didn't like her (and I really, really, really didn't like her).

I was much more fascinated by her mother, Ella, and more than once found myself wishing we had gotten to know her better. More is revealed about her towards the end, but I still wanted more. What I appreciated, though, was the bond between her and Alice, and how it essentially formed the crux of the entire narrative. Mother/daughter relationships like this are quite rare to see, and I loved that Ella and Alice's love for each other was the backbone of this story. The budding romance with Ellery Finch is slight and ends up subverting the YA romance trope in a really intriguing way.

This book is compelling, mesmerizing in a weird way, and vaguely creepy. I finished it in two days because it's such a quick read (but with lovely, occasionally dreamy prose) and I was pulled in by the mystery. The story keeps you guessing again and again and even when you think you understand what's going on there's more to learn. Again, it's an odd book, and I'm not entirely sure I completely understood it. Like I said, it operates on fairy tale logic, which to me often feels nonsensically metaphorical and slippery, like it's not meant to make any kind of sense.

Despite this, I enjoyed it very much, mainly because it's rather unique! I really have never read anything quite like this before, and it was gripping, so it gets a high rating from me.

This was delightfully creepy and dark, more than I expected. I'm always a little disappointed when romances don't turn out how I expected, but it still resolved well enough and in harmony with the tone of the rest of the book. I loved the mysterious, lyrical fairy tale feel of it mixed in with gritty very real life. It was all around deeper and more nuanced and just better than I expected.

This right here is why "don't judge a book by it's cover" is the silliest saying. It's beautiful, dark and attention grabbing.

The story earns those descriptions.

You have Alice, a teen with anger issues. Never happens, right? She's been moving all her life with her mom, Ella. They never stay still for long because the "bad luck" always finds them.

When Ella learns her mother has died, she thinks the bad luck is over and settles down. Alice gets a job and starts going to this fancy school with her new step-sister.

But is the bad luck really over? When Alice comes home and finds the apartment ripped apart and her mother missing, she fears the worst luck of all has found them at last.

I love fairy tales and this one doesn't disappoint. These aren't stories you've ever heard, but man was it ever good!

After seeing a million glowing reviews for this book, I could not wait to read it.  The day I started it I read about 40% of the book.  Right away I was drawn into Alice's life and story.  The mystery of Althea Proserpine and her book of fairy tales was perfectly captivating and creepy, and I thought it was paced very well.  My favorite thing about this book was the language.  Alice's funny and sarcastic voice felt very real and relatable, and I loved all of the specific real world references (the Harry Potter references being my favorite for obvious reasons).  The mix of reality and fantasy really enhanced the world and made the fantasy aspects more believable.  I also loved the language of the fairy tale stories themselves.  They were creepy, dark, and absolutely beautiful.  I wish I could read all of the Tales of the Hinterland, in addition to the few we got to experience within the story.  I loved all of the characters.  I adored Alice and Finch, and was pleasantly surprised at their relationship throughout the book.  It was really refreshing, different, and quite bittersweet.  I also loved all of "The Stories" from the Hinterland.  It was such a clever concept, and it was fun seeing them both in and out of their world.  All of Albert's characters were very unique and specific, and I had very clear pictures of them in my mind.  While I was thoroughly engaged in the plot and the characters, I expected a lot more when they finally got to the Hinterland.  There was so much build up to this final destination, but the story went by so fast.  I would have loved to see more of it, and find out more details about how everything worked.  Not revealing everything about the Hinterland might have been an attempt to create a more mysterious atmosphere, but parts of it felt underdeveloped.  I really liked everything we were given, I just wanted more.  More time and more detail, especially with the ending.  It all seemed a little too easy.  I loved the idea, but it felt rushed through and could have been expanded.  I was engaged enough for it to go on a bit longer, and I wish we could have seen more of a fight.  This book started out really strong but kind of drifted away for me towards the end.  I was still hooked on the story, but after all the hype, my expectations were really high and I was left feeling a little underwhelmed.

Ahoy there me mateys! I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .

the hazel wood (Melissa Albert)

Title: the hazel wood

Author: Melissa Albert

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Publication Date: TODAY!!! (hardback/e-book)

ISBN: 978-1250147905

Source: NetGalley

This book was a slow-burning, dark, and atmospheric read. It felt like a Grimm's fairy-tale mixed with some Alice in Wonderland but was mostly set in our modern world. For all of the book's slow pacing, I somehow found meself mesmerized by the mystery of it all.

Alice and her mom are always beset by bad luck and have led a fairly nomadic life. Alice's life has been heavily influenced by the tantalizing facts about her grandmother, Althea, even though they have never met. Ye see a young Althea wrote a famous children's book of fairy-tales and became a sensation. Yet the book is hard to get a hold of. It is a rare collector's item and is out of print. Alice has never been allowed to read it. The one time she tried she only got as far as the table of contents before her mom confiscated the volume. It was never seen again. Why are Alice and her mom always on the run? And what is so special about those stories?

If ye read this novel ye can find out. Alice is a kinda quirky, if tad unlikable, character and her journey certainly is an interesting one. Most of the story takes place in a seemingly contemporary tale where the fantasy can be glimpsed in the seams and cracks outside of periphery vision. Those glimpses are enticing. Of course the fantasy elements increase as the story progresses and that was super fun.

The only small quibble was the ending felt unsettled. But it fit the Grimm-like mood and so I was satisfied. Then, of course, I found out it is part of a series! I do think it can feel like a standalone though. I do wonder what adventures Alice will get into next.

So lastly . . .

Thank you Flatiron Books!

Goodreads has this to say about the novel:

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

To visit the author’s twitter go to:

Melissa Albert - Author

To buy the novel please visit:

the hazel wood - Book

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Yer Ports for Plunder List

Not really sure how to review this book. I didn't exactly love it, but I also liked it enough to where I couldn't stop reading it. There were parts that I really enjoyed, like the writing and the dark fairy tales, but I also don't feel like there was much going on.

The first part of the book, you get the backstory on Ella, Alice, and The Hazel Wood. From there, it kinda drags a bit until Ella is kidnapped, and you think there would be this big amazing journey with lots of action, but everything just kinda fizzles out.

I don't know, can you like but also not like a book at the same time?

I thought this was such a smart novel - perfect for YA but also interesting and captivating enough for adults. I was enthralled the whole way through. Can't wait to see this one on the shelves and start selling it.

It took me a while to get really into this book, the first 25% of the book was very slow and dull for me, but after that things started to get really interesting and I couldn't help but get sucked in this dark urban fantasy.

The Hazel Wood follows a story of Alice Crewe aka Alice Proserpine. Growing up, Alice and her mom Ella moved often from state to state and lived temporary at family and friends’ house until "bad luck" catches up to them and they would have to move again. This bad luck is related to Alice’s grandmother, Althea Proserpine and the book of sinister tales she wrote. Alice has tried to read this book by any means possible, but no matter how hard she tried it's impossible for her to find it, over the time she stopped giving it much thought, but all that changed when her mother Ella disappeared and the only thing left behind was a page from the book.

In the search of her mother, Alice allies herself with Ellery Finch, a declared fanboy of her grandmother's and someone who's always eager to help Alice no matter what. I liked their dynamic but at times it felt like all Finch did was throw money at the situation so it would go away, which sadly worked a lot of times and that felt like maybe an easy way out.

These characters aren't exactly likable, at least not for me, they were interesting for sure, but I found myself not caring for them all that much. I wanted Alice to find her mother more because of the journey and the adventure than because I felt any attachment towards their relationship.

As the story progressed it gets more and more interesting, and also more and more disturbing, I personally love this gritty dark vibe, the author build the story in a way that even though it had similarities to other novels like Alice in Wonderland, it still felt very unique and it was not defined by it. I loved the little bits and pieces of fairy tales of Hinterland that we got to see, it was darker than I expected and I adored it.

I've seen a lot of hype around this book and to be completely honest I don't understand it, it is a great book that did take me away into this alluring adventure, but it still has a lot of things that could be better. I'm not just trying to poke holes in it, I did enjoy it immensely, I just don't think it's "wow it raised the bar for all ya fantasy now".

This review has taken me so long to write because I have no idea how to fully describe this book. The Hazel Wood is one of those books that I was really impressed by and found the overall concept and plot wonderful, but I still feel like there was something missing even though I really enjoyed it.

Going into this book, I was really excited. I love fairy tales and stories that revolve around the idea of how they function, especially if they are on the darker side. The Hazel Wood does exactly that with its own version of 'fairy tales' known as Tales from the Hinterland that were written by our protagonist, Alice's, grandmother. As a child, Alice was never allowed to talk about or even read any of her grandmother's stories, and in fact Alice is now extremely rare.

The beginning of this book is a bit slow. There isn't much in the way of fairytales and magic in the first half, other than vague discussion of Alice's grandmother's tales. There is more of a focus on Alice and her mother's lifestyle and her personal life. It wasn't that the beginning was boring, but it just felt like a lot of build-up for the second half of the book, which ended up feeling like there was a lot filled into a small space.

As The Hazel Wood progressed, it seemed to teeter on a very precarious ledge where it could either turn into something really boring and poorly executed, or truly magical. I was so pleasantly surprised to find the latter was the case. The Hazel Wood was even more incredible than I expected. Albert took this idea and turned it into something truly brilliant that I find to be fairly rare in these types fairytale-inspired tales.

There was such a fantastic mix of magical, creepy, dark, and unpredictable that I really enjoyed. The way Albert turned the idea of fairytales and an alternate land--the Hinterland--into something really unique and intricate was so interesting. She played with time and stories in a very interesting way that I really enjoyed reading about. I know that sounds super vague, but I don't want to give anything away!

I have mixed feelings about the character of Alice. She's not exactly likable, but she's interesting. I found myself curious about what she would do in the story, but I wasn't really invested in her life or actions. I did, however, find Ellery Finch, a boy she befriends from her school, much more fascinating. I almost wish that we would get some sort of extra story about his own background and upbringing, as well as what continues to happen with him. He just felt so much more complex than Alice and I was actually invested and interested in everything he said and did. This frustrated me a little, but I did still very much enjoy the novel. Alice's mother felt like that 'literary novel mother' that I see so often: a bit flighty, unpredictable, dramatic, over-the-top in her emotions and reactions... it's not necessarily a bad thing, it just felt like stuff that I had seen before. Nonetheless, she was still an interesting character that did add quite a bit to the story.

One thing that I can say I also really liked was Albert's writing. At times, her writing felt very ordinary and didn't stand out much, but there were so many instances in which her prose simply glowed. She had a magical way of phrasing things at times, ways that were often dark and slightly bleak, but sound so lovely and captivating.

Overall, I've given The Hazel Wood four-and-a-half stars! Despite any issues I had with characters and storytelling, I was still incredibly entranced by the Hinterland and the story Albert built and would certainly recommend this to anyone looking for a dark, magical story.

3.5 stars.

This is a curious story.

It is mysterious from beginning to end. The atmosphere is dark enough to make suspenseful scenes give us goosebumps and the writing is a combination between fairytale-esque and modern.

I read this book for the story, not for the characters. The problem with the characters is that there are only two main ones – Alice and Finch. Other characters are mentioned, but do not appear in the story frequently, if at all.

Alice and Finch make a valuable duo, seeing that they both offer something the other one can't. Finch knows everything about Alice's grandmother's book and Alice has a good instinct.

But mostly, she's ''special'' because, after all, this is basically all about her. Finch is a fan of her grandma's so he has something to gain from going to the Hazel Wood, but Alice runs she show.

I liked Finch a lot. He is light of spirit, whereas Alice is always so private and looks at strangers with squinted eyes. Once, she called the girl Finch lost his virginity to a ''bitch'' and didn't even bat an eye.

I cared for her well-being, because I felt bad about her mother disappearing, leaving her with no one to care for her (thank goodness for Finch). But she is not a memorable heroine.

This is why I read the book for the story (and writing) instead of the figures playing a role in it. The story is so mysterious and enthralling that I kept reading and reading so I could find out more about this dark fairytale-esque world in which Alice knows not her place.

It's not just a journey for Alice and Finch; it's also a ''quest''. Alice must find her mother at all costs, because she believes she is in danger, what with all the strange things that have happened in their lives.

Though I wouldn't say it's one hundred percent original, this book does stand out with its peculiar story, so I would recommend it.

This book lives up to the hype. Part mystery-thriller, part dark fantasy, it kept the pages turning, though I will confess to enjoying the first half of the book more than the second. The book also scored points for avoiding the forced romance that would have plagued a lesser story.

Wow...when I first heard about the Hazelwood, I thought it would be another light fairytale fantasy but boy was I wrong. This story was captivating and dark. If you love the disturbing dark tales of the brothers Grimm, you will love this book.

I've waited for this book since early 2017. It did NOT disappoint! The blend if myth and reality was fantastic. Loved these characters!!

The Hazel Wood is not the kind of fairytale that you were told as a child. It is a story full of mystery, intrigue and horrors you don't want to imagine. The Hinterland is nothing like Wonderland, and Alice most definitely does NOT want to fall down the rabbit hole, but if she is to save her mother, that's exactly what she'll have to do.

It took me a long time to read this book, and once I finished, I wasn't all that impressed. I started reading this book a little bit before Halloween, and didn't finish it until the very end of the year. I never found myself needing to read this book to find out what would happen. In fact, I almost had to force myself to finish it just so that I could enter the new year on a clean slate and not in the middle of any books.

I think that this story will appeal to many readers, but it wasn't for me. There are a lot of parallels to Alice in Wonderland, and at times it felt like it drew too much influence from other works. Overall the book felt slow, and dragged on forever in the first 2/3 of the book, and then the end felt so rushed and like everything was being tied up hastily without much thought for the story.

I think because this book is so hyped, I had really high expectations going into it, which made me all the more disappointed when I couldn't get into it. I give The Hazel Wood 275/5 stars, and that's really only because I liked the dark fairytales from Alice's grandmother's book, Tales from the Hinterland. It's a shame the rest of the book couldn't live up to my expectations.