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.

3.5 stars

I didn't expect to start the New Year off with something so frightening, but I guess that's what I get for being drawn to dark covers and all things "fairy tale."

The Hazel Wood was definitely one of the creepiest books I've ever read. Now, take that with a grain of salt, knowing that I don't like to be scared and therefore I generally avoid books that I think will creep me out like the plague. But I couldn't keep away from this one, and ultimately, I'm glad I read it (even though it definitely gave me some nightmares).

I liked Alice's voice for the most-part, but I definitely think she sounded way more like a jaded adult in her thirties than a teenager. Of course, that's probably due to the fact that she practicially raised herself and grew up as her mom's bff rather than as her daughter, but still, I think I would have like a slightly younger voice on her.

I love how she uses books to relate to the world, and how she remembers exactly where she was when she read all of her favorite books. There were some great bookish quotes.

"If you're not with the book you want, you might as well want the book you're with."

One thing I would have liked more of were the actual "Tales from the Hinterland" fairy tales. There are surprisingly few fleshed out in detail here, and that was a disappointment. To be fair, I'm not sure I could have stomached all of them because some seemed particularly gruesome, but they were intriguing and they acted like glue for the whole book, which I liked.

I want to talk about the big twist, but I won't because I didn't really see it coming until right before it was upon me and I don't want to spoil it for anyone else. I think it's one of the best parts of the book.

The story itself is dark and gritty and impossibly real - like I could totally see this playing out in real life - and it's hard not to get sucked in. It's truly a testament to the power of stories, and it was compelling from beginning to end.

"Fairy tales teach you the importance of precise communication."

If you like your fairy tales dark, this is definitely the book for you! Just, take my advice, and read it in the daylight.

Centered around a very rare story-book written by the grandmother of a girl named Alice, THE HAZEL WOOD was a fantastical story full of wonder and suspense. The book Althea Prosperine, Alice’s grandmother, wrote is almost impossible to find. Despite that, Althea is hounded by crazed fans and lives a solitary life in a place called the The Hazel Wood. Alice and Ella live in New York but don’t stay in one place very long due to the bad luck that always finds them. Alice knows almost nothing about Althea and Ella forbids her to read the fairy tale book she wrote.

Ella gets a message that Althea has died and then shortly afterwards Ella goes missing. She was apparently kidnapped and Alice gets only one message from Ella, “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.” Despite the warning, Alice sets off to rescue Ella and find the fabled Hazel Wood with the help of a boy named Finch who knows her Althea’s stories inside and out.

This book was a stand-alone that I almost wish has a sequel. THE HAZEL WOOD was such a fantastical story. Alice seems normal and at the point where we meet her, she is living a pretty normal existence. She lives with her mother and step-father. They are wealthy but Alice knows her mother is not happy. Soon they will probably be moving, as they have been doing since Alice was a baby.

Alice is the perfect blank slate character. She is just as confused as we are in this story. She doesn’t understand her past and doesn’t have any real friends except maybe her sister-in-law. After Ella is kidnapped, Alice sets out with one of her Althea’s fanatic fans to find The Hazel Wood. For Finch, this is the trip of a life time. For Alice, this trip is a life and death mission to find and rescue Ella.

The beginning of this story is slow and then the story picks up around the time that Ella gets kidnapped. From there, the story turns into a real magical mystery and the story gets kinda dark. There were points in this adventure to find The Hazel Wood that I was genuinely afraid. Once we find the Hazel Wood the story flips and bends and we go sideways. It was pretty amazing.

My favorite parts of this story, other than the creepy scenes, were the parts where Finch retold the stories in Althea’s book to Alice. I can’t reveal too much more other than to say that. THE HAZEL WOOD surprised me in the best sort of way. I loved this book and I highly recommend this. If you enjoyed EVERY HEART A DOORWAY, by Seanan McGuire, than THE HAZEL WOOD is something you will probably also enjoy. I was lucky enough to read them back to back and even though they are by different authors, they have the same dark atmosphere.

While I will happily recommend this to customers who enjoyed "The Night Circus" , I personally felt it lacking something. I can't put my finger on it- it was enjoyable up to a point, and then got a bit ridiculous. I know it is a fantasy but some of the storyline just fell flat,

"My mother was raised on fairy tales, but I was raised on highways."

The Hazel Wood is a remarkable creative blend of urban fantasy and twisted fairy tales with a touch of mystery added for flavor. This combination is incredibly creative and takes you deep into not just a fairy tale, or it's retelling, but something far better.

We begin this tale through the eyes of Alice, a teenager who has spent most of her life running with her mother. What they're running from is less clear, and only really referred to as bad luck. 

"When we traveled I kept an eagle eye on the cars behind us, like bad luck could take human form and trail you like a minivan. But bad luck was sneakier than that. You couldn't outsmart it, you could only move along when it had you in its sights."

Alice, in true child form, becomes obsessed with her grandmother, a woman she's never allowed to meet, and the book she wrote. Tales From The Hinterland thrust Althea into the light, but the book itself is rare, obscure and impossible to find. (Side note: I would adore this collection of fairy tales released, because oh how dark and delicious these tales would be!)

And this is where the mystery comes to light. Because in the beginning we get glimpses of this bad luck. We see Alice's obsession with these tales and with her grandmother. Her life has the vague sparkle of something mystical lingering on the edges, but nothing defined. Is it simply Alice and her perceptions? Or is something else at play?

Whether it's the bad luck finally catching up, or simply fate stepping in, forces conspire to drive Alice to the Hazel Wood, the mysterious estate her grandmother has hidden in. Alice finds herself learning all about these mysterious fairy tales and the woman who wrote them. More than she ever wanted to know. But once you fall down the rabbit hole, Alice learns the only way out is through. If the fairy tales will let her, that is.

"Most books' power is in the abstract, but occasionally you'll find one with very physical abilities."

The first half of this novel is very much building the mystery. The mystery of the bad luck. The mystery of Althea herself and this elusive book of fairy tales. The mystery of Alice, her deep tendency to rage. The mystery of her mother and what she is so terrified of.

The mystery is what baits us. It sets the trap so that we are entangled into the core of the obsession with Alice. We feel her desire for knowledge. For something more. And once we are entwined, guaranteed to not be able to leave, the mysterious edges of what could be paranoia or fantasy begins to sharpen and reveal itself.

"Her final words had an extra resonance to them, a blur. Like they wore a mask to hide their true intentions."

Beyond the world of murderous and violent fairy tales, this book is about so much more. I love how through this journey of fairy tales, this book really is a look at how to control your own story, to take back your voice and create your own narrative.

Alice runs because her mother tells her to. Because she is a child growing up, and children have no choice but to embark on the life their parents set out on. But when she is older, when forces plot to remove her mother from the equation, Alice has to figure out which path to set herself on. She has to decide where to go, and what to do.

A lifetime of warning from her mother, never talk to fans, never read the book, all culminate with a final warning: stay away from the Hazel Wood. Within hours she betrays the first rule, turning to fan Ellery Fitch for help. And while the book remains as elusive as ever, Fitch once owned a copy and could retell the stories with chilling accuracy.

Alice decides that even though her mother warned her, action is the only way forward. That she is the only one who can reclaim her story, who can face the bad luck and vanquish it.

"I did it because a girl doing nothing in a fairy tale ends up dead or worse, but a girl who makes a decision usually gets rewarded."

Sometimes as children we can feel voiceless. We can feel lost in a world we don't understand. Where our parents make rules that feel arbitrary and unclear. And while most of us don't wake up to find our mothers missing and our world a blur between fantasy and reality, often we do find that we understand our parents only by defying them. We see their rationale and reason only after we make the mistakes they attempt to protect us from.

Fairy tales are told to teach us lessons. To help us understand the world at large in a way that will stay with us. This book does the same. It helps us understand the helplessness we feel as both children and as parents. How being an adult can sometimes lead to a reality less than we once imagined. It teaches us that we each have a voice of our own, and can choose to use it, even if someone more powerful tells us we can't.

I loved this book for the dark and twisted path it led me down. But I loved it even more for the empowerment it quietly taught me.

Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for approving my request to read and review this book!

The Hazel Wood was a spine chilling saga of a teen girl whose mother goes missing after receiving notice of her grandmother’s death. Frightening fairy tales really exist in worlds unknown to the masses, but those who seek the darkness in themselves find the Hinterland, and it may or may not be exactly the thrill they were looking for. Alice, the main character, on the other hand, has reservations about it, and its many storybook denizens. Her grandmother, once a mystery she sought out behind every closed door and around every corner, may lead to losing her freedom. All she really wants though is to be reunited with her one tie to her life before the madness of the Hinterland, and along with her schoolmate and possible love interest, she forges on a journey that will test her willpower and sanity.

It was a great read for anyone one loves a good fantasy story that has characters who encounter mystery at every turn. Readers beware; The Hazel Wood is where the dangers of the Hinterland may just prevail if you take the stories too lightly.

A wonderfully dark, juicy tale. Alice and her mother have lived their lives on the run, one step ahead of the bad luck and strange happenings that haunt them. Alice has always wondered about her famous grandmother, but her mother has been adamant that they never met. When they receive word that her grandmother has died, her mother goes missing, and Alice is thrown into a strange new world where no one can be trusted and nothing is what it seems.
What a fantastic, twisty tale. Every time I thought I had a handle on where it was going, it turned and went in another direction. Parts of it were hard to follow, in the best tradition of Alice in Wonderland. I love the idea of fairy tales leaking into our world, though I can see how they'd be a problem.
Alice was amazing, strong and much braver than she thought she was. I'm glad her Story ended where it did.
Now, where can I get a copy of Tales from the Hinterlands?

This was unexpectedly fun. If you're looking for a traditional young adult fantasy novel, this isn't one. It's not a typical love story or fantasy story. It's can a darkness to it that makes it unique.

The combination of fantasty/fairy tales, mystery, and a hint of horror is well done and convincing.

I particularly enjoyed the relationship between our main character, Alice, and her mother. The mystery of their family kept the pages turning, but it was their relationship that kept the story strong. There is a male character who you assume will have a predictable relationship with Alice; however, the way their story unravels surprised me in a good way.

If you're looking for a unique, dark fantasy with a compelling plot and a strong cast of characters, this book is for you. The only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars is that the story seemed to become a little lackluster in the last quarter. That being said, I still enjoyed it on the whole.

Part eerie fairy-tale, part mystery, part story about a mother-daughter bond. For me, this novel stood out as unique. This isn't take a fairy-tale princess make her a cyborg. (If that's your thing I totally get it, but it's not mine). Rather it truly felt like a melding together of creepy Grimm brothers' stories with a contemporary protagonist. And while some aspects are clearly drawn from existing fairy-tales and folklore, it felt original and fresh. Additionally, I loved the mother-daughter bond in this book. Too many YA books are predicated on a heterosexual love story as the pinnacle of love and meaning. I get it - hormones and heteronormativity. So the fact that the love story was not a main component and instead the relationship between mother and daughter was the most important gets a round of applause from me!

Albert's writing also uses unique metaphors and imagery. I found myself vividly imagining characters and locales. This is Albert's first novel, but she's worked as a writer for other outlets. To me, it doesn't read like a debut. Rather Albert's writing suggests that she's an experienced fictional writer. Amen for that. I've seen early reviews say they did not like her writing style, or couldn't relate to the protagonist, or the descriptive writing was hard to follow. That was not my experience, but I thought I should share that as a caveat.

Though I immensely enjoyed this novel, I did have a few qualms. First, the pacing - it felt a little off to me. I actually enjoyed the slowness of the first half of the book to really set up the plot and give the reader the backstory on Alice's life up to where we meet her. After the halfway point, the pace picks up as it does in most books. I, however, would have liked to savor the world-building of the Hinterland. Albert has some really interesting world-building aspects but it felt too rushed for my taste. The novel is 368 pages and I would gladly have read another 100 pages to get a bit more out of the ending. On that note, I think the ending wrapped up a little too neatly for me. I usually am okay with however an author ends a book or series but it seemed too neat. Though I think a lot of readers will find it satisfying! Also, it may just be my interpretation, but the ending seems to leave room for spinoffs, which I am totally here for! Though it could also be an awesome one-off!

Moreover, though I really enjoyed most of the aspects of Albert's writing some metaphors missed the mark for me. (as this is an ARC I won't cite any specific ones in case they aren't in the final draft) I dislike when fantasy authors throw in odd allusions to our contemporary world. We're in a make-believe world - don't throw me off with references to websites or songs or whatever else unless it serves a purpose in the story. Is this nit-picky? I feel like I am. Ah, well. Hold your pitchforks folks!

Despite the pacing and a few irksome metaphors, I blew through this book! Though my Goodreads profile says it took me awhile too read, the total read time was probably 4 days (meaning I did my normal routines including reading). So I imagine this will be a highly consumable books for a lot of readers. I would 100% recommend this to fans of fairy-tale retellings and young adult fantasy!

I liked this, but didn’t love it. Thought it was a bit confusing in spots. It is a very unique story that will appeal to readers that enjoy dark fairytales. I, actually, think rereading this again would be more enjoyable that the first. 3.5 stars rounded up for its uniqueness.

The Hazel Wood is a suspense filled mix of fairy and modern day . This book contains just enough horror and suspense to send your heart racing and the pages turning. If you're looking for something different, this is definitely the book for you. The Hazel Wood manages to take classic tales and turn them on their head.

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert is a story about a girl (Alice Crewe) and her mother (Ella Proserpine) who have spent their lives on the road -- running from some bad luck that trails them around each and every turn. Until one day, the two hear that Althea Proserpine, Alice's maternal grandmother, has died.

Althea Proserpine was a writer in the seventies who turned into a total recluse after the release of her book Tales of the Hinterland -- not even staying in touch with her own granddaughter or child. She quietly resides in her gargantuan, luxurious estate that she's named The Hazel Wood.

The two stop running once they hear of Althea's death, and Alice's mother soon marries a rich man to give them a better life. The bad luck seems to have vanished forever, until one day when Alice comes home and doesn't find her mother, but instead finds her stepfather holding a gun to her and forcing her to leave. Before she leaves, her stepfather gives a message to Alice from her mother saying, "Stay away from the Hazel Wood".

This book will be a HIT for fans of Neil Gaiman or Alice in Wonderland (like me). Many will try to tell you that this book is 'really dark' but take my word for it, it's not. Coraline is much darker than this one, but there are still some creepy-weird parts, for sure.

My Rating: 5/5 Stars. Like I just stated above, if you love Alice in Wonderland or the works of Neil Gaiman, you will fall in love with The Hazel Wood.

The folklore aspect of this book is superb. The writing does not feel like this is a debut novel; it is well crafted and gives you the exact feeling of an eerie-magical book.

The first half of this book is an original, page-turning mystery. Unfortunately, the second half overly relies on deus ex machina and overused fairy tale tropes to diminish the story of a fiercely independent female character. Nevertheless, it is worth a read.

Unlike a few other reviewers, I actually loved the first 3/4th of this book. I loved that it wove mystery with the speculative. I was 100% on board with Finch and their complex and undefined relationship. But that part is lost after a certain spoilery point, and once we're in the Hinterland, it was a little too nonsensical for my tastes? I think the problem was I didn't understand what the rules were, or if there were rules, or what Alice's goal was anymore. The tension leaked out of the story for me and I struggled to finish the last bit. But I loved the darkness and underlying meanness of Alice and can't wait to see what this author writes next.