This one just didn't hold my attention. I felt like it moved really slowly and I didn't connect with the characters. Although I found it an interesting premise, I didn't end up finishing it because I just didn't have the desire to pick it up to read. Disappointing because I love Holly Black's other books so much.

WHY DID I LISTEN TO THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST BY HOLLY BLACK?
The Darkest Part Of The Forest by Holly Black basically caught my interest because Holly Black writes such gorgeously rendered, kind of odd stories. I am not much of a book with fairies/the fey sort of person, but she makes them quite palatable. However, because I am a super big procrastinator, this is another book that hung out on my Netgalley TBR until I obtained the audiobook via the library. Y’all, I listened to this audiobook via CDs, that is how hardcore I was about finally listening to Holly Black’s book.

WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
So, The Darkest Part Of The Forest is about this girl named Hazel. She lives in this weird town where humans and fairies coexist. The town gets all kinds of tourists, because who doesn’t want to see the fey? Anyways, so, Hazel has this brother named Ben who plays a pretty large role in the story. The relationship between Hazel and Ben is complex – there’s love, of course, but also jealousy in addition. Meanwhile, beyond Hazel and Ben’s issues, there’s this glass coffin which is causing a stir, considering there’s a sleeping fairy prince in it (if I recall correctly). Hazel also has this ability that is underlying – she knows how to defeat and defend against the fey, but it’s just beneath the surface and she can’t entirely remember.

WHAT DID I THINK OF THIS BOOK?
Speaking of not being entirely able to remember, I just did not retain as much of The Darkest Part Of The Forest as I had hoped. I mean, I read this back in February and all I really remember is that Ben had some skills to hopefully leave their small town. Hazel did not. Beyond that, there was also some contract where Hazel is promised to do someone’s bidding, but that someone is not exactly a good person. I don’t know, this sounds bad but this was not entirely memorable to me.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
Although, perhaps a large part of my not retaining this book is the fact that I listened to the audiobook and sometimes that has a big impact on what I can and cannot recall. I like Lauren Fortgang as narrator, truly I do. However, sometimes I do end up zoning out when she’s narrating. This book isn’t an exception. I mean, she has a wonderful voice and it’s ethereal and appropriate for the book. Just, for me personally, I have that tendency to zone out and that’s definitely what I did with this book. However, I have decided that the next Holly Black book I read, I am going to attempt to simply read a physical copy and to not listen to it.