The Darkest Part of the Forest

Oh My Oh My I just love love love Miss Holly Black books so far the ones that I have already read by her they all are absolutely Fantastic! And The Darkest Part Of The Forest is no different than her other amazing books. Miss Black can never steer me wrong, I totally love her writing style, the world, the plot and especially the character's she writes. They all are so amazingly rich and refreshing that I just love and can't stop reading about them. I literally could not put this book down that I actually finished it in two days. Yup it was that amazing for me. I really loved and enjoyed The Darkest Part Of The Forest that I am really sad to see it end. This is actually the first fae book that I read by Holly Black. I think she did an other fae books before this one that the series is called Modern Faerie Tales Series please correct me if I am wrong. I really want to read that series next because I think is set in NJ and that's is my home state plus it is a fae book I just love fae books! Now I am not going to go into any details about this brilliant book because I think you all should pick this book up. I highly do recommend this book to my fellow readers if you loved and enjoyed Miss Black others books you are totally going to love The Darkest Part Of The Forest and if you all are into fae books than this book is definitely for you to read! Now I am most definitely going to continue on too pick up more books by Holly Black and I just can't wait to read more of her works! Until Next Time My Friends!

I received this book as a gift

You know that wide-eyed wonder and enchantment you experience on your first trip to Disney World? Where you take everything in, breathing in the magic, falling in love with the incredible surroundings, you know, deep within your heart that something life-changing is about to happen? That’s what I felt from the first page of The Darkest Part of the Forest. If you’re in a reading slump, feeling a little jaded and tired, pick this up and fall head over heels for reading again.

PROS:
The Darkest Part of the Forest is foremost a love story. Love between a brother and sister is unusual in a YA paranormal book, I adored that romance was NOT the focus but a sidebar. Hazel and Ben have an easy connection based on years of adventure. Children of neglectful artistic parents, Ben and Hazel had to fend for themselves in a world of fae magic. All they had was each other and the idea that they could be heroes. Ben and Hazel’s quests in the forest were like knightly legends of old, full of mischief and chivalry, bravery and fierce determination. No matter the trouble they get into, Ben and Hazel are always there for each other. As they grew older, life drew them apart but that love is undeniable and the nostalgia is especially poignant.

Hazel has a chronic case of the “ordinary” girl blues. Despite living in a world where magic is real and creatures of nightmares lurk in the shadows, Hazel struggles to deal with the fact that she’s average. Her brother is skilled at music, her parents are artists, and Hazel just is-the average teen girl. Hazel throws herself into random make out sessions to numb the pain of her total lack of excitement. Hazel mourns the loss of her childhood, when everyday was something new, she lived then in the moment with absolute spontaneity and recklessness. What Hazel misses more than anything is feeling that she had a purpose and a partner in crime with her brother. As things start to quickly go downhill in their enchanted little town, Hazel rekindles the spark within herself and discovers that sometimes ordinary is masking the extraordinary.

Ben is unique. From his clothes to his music, he’s intriguing, intelligent, and draws you in. The parallel between love for the idea of the prince and how Ben views him romantically struck twofold when the prince woke. Ben saw the boy in the coffin as his confidant, his safe haven, and as the story develops, Ben’s passionate side comes to life.

Holly Black is a master at incorporating these tiny stories that somehow explode into key plot points. Holly Black weaves fairy tales with serious skill. What feels like enthralling, somewhat random inclusions becomes story that you can’t get out of your head. These read like campfire tales, like bedtime stories, full of mystery and romance, of deceit and paranormal. From the sentence, the tale of the prince in the glass coffin is mesmerizing. I could not put this book down.

Each fae creature has a story. No matter how brief, they’re colorful, dark, twisted, and full of passion. Some scenes are gruesome, graphic, and terrifying. Others are light, full of frivolity and triumph.

The Prince is Otherworldly, beautiful, and mercurial. He wavers between deadly and lighthearted but always determined. He’s temptation and magic, fairy tales and daydreams brought to life. So much tension builds up to the first encounter that when it happens, it’s a shock.

Jack is flirty, playful, and mysterious. The truth of his past, his role as a changeling, and his magic makes him intensely attractive. You need to know about him. The chemistry between Hazel and Jack is like a live wire waiting to strike. Electric and stimulating.

CONS:
The Alderking’s viciousness was muted. He felt like more hype than anything. I would have like to have seen more violence, more evil, and heard more of the sadistic adventures of his knights to hone in on his position as the main villain.

Holly Black is my latest girl crush. I'm a certified fangirl now.

Why? Because Holly Black does emotionally-real, accessible boy and girl characters in a convincingly realistic urban world suddenly thrown off-course by fey encounters so very well. Very well, indeed.

I almost didn't pick up this book because of the back cover description. Kind of vague and snooze-inducing. I'm glad I did anyway and you will, too, if you're a Melissa Marr/Maggie Stiefvater fan (Wicked Lovely/Lament).

The Darkest Part of the Forest isn't really about two kids fighting evil fairies (see Spiderwick Chronicles if you're looking for that). This is young adult Holly Black. This is about Hazel, who has a reputiation because she goes around kissing boys and never sticking around with any of them for too long. This is also about her brother, Ben, who in an emotionally raw way, has fallen in love with the horned boy sleeping in the glass coffin outside their small town. Hazel and Ben have quite a past built up on around their twin obsessions with that horned boy, and when the usually quiet fey that only harass tourists, start messing with townies, that past will reveal itself to be much more complicated than either of them realize.

Hazel is great. She's strong, protective, and curiously clueless about the effects of her behavior on the people she loves around her (although some explanation of her cluelessness comes out later, but no more on that since its spoilery).The scary fairies are creepy, but reedemable, and their torments of the townspeople are cinematically envisioned (mold growing in cracks in the wall and on people, sword fights, creepy tree-monster).

This is a fun book. There's even enough romance and emotional wrangling to push my YA romance button.

My only quibble (and it's a small one) is that while Ben, Jack, and Hazel breathed life and angst into the book, the character of the horned fairy, so primal to the beginning of the book, only existed as a hazy outline for me, seemingly to make some decisions at the behest of plot. I was hoping for a much heavier, sharper, manipulative presence in this character. I was hoping to see him put Hazel and Ben through the emotional wringer and that didn't happen.

Still, excellent, entertaining fey-intersect-modern-life story complete with romance and a flawed but action-oriented heroine with a very cool secret.

This was really strange for me. It felt so nostalgic. When I was in grades 6-9, scary tales of Faerie were essentially all I read. I've read Holly Black's Tithe so many times I've lost count. This book was like that, but new and different. Maybe better, at times, but it's hard to beat nostalgia. I loved the characters, I loved their relationships. I loved their histories and motivations and emotions and connections.

I loved and hated Fairfold. It had all the charm and frustration of small town living, with more supernatural quirks. I loved seeing how people in modern-day would act if they'd grown up with Faerie all along. Something that is only just barely addressed is that somehow much of the outside world hasn't caught on to the outrageous number of strange happenings and tourist disappearances. It's never explained. I didn't exactly need more information (Faerie works in mysterious ways) but I think this would be pretty off-putting to some people, not having a true explanation.

One thing that irked me was that I felt like too many side-characters (Okay, like 2 or 3) were referred to as his/her best friend, once, out of no where, and never came back again. "Best Friends" should probably be more present, more important, more influential. In this, it kind of just felt like a cheap ploy to make the reader feel more sympathetic. However, these instances were so small that I only knocked off 1/2 star from my rating.

Overall, from the minute I started reading, I was in love. It was simultaneously like heading out on a new adventure and coming home. This book just proved to me that I'm still a sucker for happy endings.

I am so obsessed with all things Fae related…

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No not like that…like this!

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Yes, yes that’s much better. I am talking about the red caps, who string humans up from their feet and drain the blood to dye there clothing with or the sea hag who lures you out with a sweet song then pulls you under and strips you to the bone. There is something about their vicious, cruel nature that appeals to me (yikes right?). I love that something can be so beautiful and deadly at the same time. It’s not the violence or bitter contempt for humans that I enjoy, I am one after all. It is more along the lines of their wit & intelligence. They have the inability to lie, so they must carefully craft words to bend to their will. That’s why everyone knows NEVER to make a deal with the Fae, yet that is exactly what our M.C. Hazel did. Now, she is forced to drift through life, waiting and wondering when they will come to claim the 7 years she had bargained away. Promised for a bargain that didn’t even come to fruition but, they never seem to when it comes to fairy deals.While harboring her secret, Hazel feels that is is her place to protect her brother, the town, and most of all herself.

Holly Black is an expert when it comes to writing about these clever creatures. She has brilliant manner of telling a tale of love and loyalty with macabre undertones. Her bold characters draw you in and the plot just whisks you away. This book has met and exceeded ALL of my expectations. I have to admit I wasn’t quite expecting what I got from the blurb but it ended up being way better in the long run.

The most unique part of this tale is the fact that the humans acknowledge the fae living so close and among them. It isn’t one person wandering off into the woods to stumble upon a hidden glen that nobody is a bajillion years has found. They are a tourist attraction in the town of Fairfold. The locals are off limits but every year, one or two tourist goes missing. Those are the rules of course, only out of towners suffer. I love the fact that magic was simply woven into the way of life here. It was accepted, for the most part. It wasn’t some big secret that only a few could ferret out. There is proof since the boy in glass coffin has been there for generations never waking…until one day he does by Hazel’s hand although, she doesn’t ever remember doing it. She just wakes with a dirty night gown and mud caked to her feet.

The twist were so amazing. and i can’t say to much without giving anything away. I never quite knew who to trust and who not to and I’m sure that is just what Black intended. It kept me guessing and I loved it. i tend to get bored when I can see where a story is going. This one never dragged and the plot never went stale. My only slight gripe is Holly’s use of the phrase, “as beautiful and they are terrifying”. It really was perfectly suiting but, I can only handle that once or twice, not four times. I’m hoping it will be edited out. Other than that, this book was perfection. The ending, more like the last page, was my FAVORITE!! If you are a fan of Holly’s or Fae you should absolutely add this to your TBR.

I found this book in the discount section of my local bookstore, and I always try to read a little of the book before I decide to buy it. When I got only a couple pages in I was hooked, I couldn't put it down, and then it began to dwindle. The story is good, and I feel like the characters were pretty good. However I went in reading this book expecting one thing, and getting another. it was a little misleading, and I was expecting the sleeping prince to have more of a part in this story, he just didn't seem to be around much which I find shocking because the synopsis seemed to revolve around him. I do like her take on Fae, and that whole world. All in all not mind blowing, but I didn't hate it either.

Hazel and Ben, sister and brother, live in what would be an ordinary small town--except that the faeries live there too. Every year tourists come to ogle the magic, and some disappear , but that doesn't keep them away. But recently, the faeries have been picking on the townspeople too, who know the rules. And when the horned boy locked in a glass coffin is freed, and Hazel wakes up with slivers of glass on her hands and mud on her feet, she knows she's intricately linked with the horned boy, as is her brother, for both have loved him since they were children. But how about Jack, the changeling child and Hazel's repressed crush? And how about the sword beneath her bed, the sword she used to defeat evil faeries as a child, with Ben at her side playing music to enchant the monsters?

While the action is fast-paced and almost non-stop, it's the relationship between characters that kept me reading, and made me a little teary-eyed at the end. Some missing plot development bothered me at the beginning, but the end is fantastic, as are the characters. Recommended for YA and fairytale readers.

Have you seen the book trailer for this novel on YouTube? It is sooooo good! Go check it out!

And now, let's talk about the actual book:

In this modern fairytale we follow citizens of the town named Fairfold.
What makes Fairfold special is it's residents. You see, in Fairfold live not only ordinary people, but faeries as well. Folks, as they call them.

From the very beginning this story captured me.
It has a very special writing style.
I would suggest to take your time with it instead of rushing trough it, to have the best reading experience you could.

Some books are just made to be slowly reads. This is one of those books.

But don't get me wrong! It is not boring (although it does have some boring parts). It has action in it, mystery and some quite unique characters.

Faeries here are exactly like I've always imagined them.
Holly Black pictured their dark and magical side pretty good.
She makes you want to see them but not to have a contact with them at the same time.

To be honest with you, while reading, I wanted to jump into this world for a while.
Words were not enough for me. I wanted to go there, to be a part of this world where faeries and people live together, no matter if faeries are evil and not to be trusted.
I wanted to see Fairfold with my own eyes, not just imagine it.

Characters of the story were likeable, but only one of them made me care about him.
He is Jack, a changelling raised by humans.

I have to admit I wasn't in love with the sleeping prince. I didn't see in Severin what I should have, I guess.
I'll be honest with you: I enjoyed the story more while he was asleep. I know him waking up is a kick for the story but I liked him more as a sleeping beauty.

I phrase the fact that this is a standalone.
The story has a satisfied end and I am always glad to see a good standalone novadays when we are bombarded with book series.

Only one more thing to emphasize: this book has diversity and is great for everyone who likes it in the story.

My Thoughts On The Book:

“Once, there was a girl who vowed she would save everyone in the world, but forgot herself.”

The Plot Of The Story:
OH MY GOD, can I just say that I loved this book soooooooo much, it's just fantastic!

This is a a fairytale gone wildly awry and it makes for a thrilling read!

Hazel And Ben live a small town called Fairfold, it seems like a normal everyday small American town but it so isn't. Fairfold holds something incredible within it's borders..... what is it you ask, well let's say that the town's biggest tourist attraction is a horned boy in a glass casket, how do you like that then? Yes, Fairfold shares it's history with the Fae, the fairyfolk that live in the nearby woods and the horned boy who seems to slumber in the woods has been there for as long as people can remember, and he's only the tip of the iceberg. No-one knows why or how long he has been there but they aren't fazed by the fact that he seems impossible as this town is fully aware of the Fae folk who live in the woods so a horned boy is nothing new to them. The townfolk know the rules and live safely with the fairyfolk, tourists aren't always so lucky but then again they don't know the rules. There's a strange kind of peace between the Fae and the humans for the most part although Hazel and Ben know how dangerous the fairyfolk can be as when they where children they used to fight them, not in play but for real, they were the knight and the bard who were destined to push the folk back.

Both the siblings are more than a little in love with the strange horned boy, they tell him their secrets without knowing if he can even hear them and none are more surprised than them when the horned boy wakes up and mysteriously escapes his casket. Now all hell is about to break lose and Hazel need to dig deep into her childhood and remember how to be the town's knight once more........

Now doesn't that sound incredible? Well, yes it does and it follows that brilliant idea through the story beautifully. Holly Black is a very skilled author who seems to excel at writing these kind of books, this is my third book by her and in every case she hasn't disappointed me in any way, shape or form. She takes simple ideas and forms them into gripping and exciting reads..... and The Darkest Part Of The Forest is no exception!

What Is There To Love?
Well, how about everything? The characters are fantastic, with great depth and each are very different from each other, they are distinct and each is integral to the overall story. As for the story itself it is just wonderfully crafted, well paced and thoughtfully considered. It takes the Fae and adds them seemlessly into the human world in a very believable way, if only towns like that really did exist..... it would make the world a VERY interesting place indeed.

All of the characters are interesting for different reasons and there is a great diversity amongst them, from Ben's being gay and completely in love with the thought and hope of being in love and loved equally to Jack, who is a changeling placed into Hazel and Ben's friend Carter's crib when he was a baby while Carter was stolen away by the Fae. This is one of the more intriguing twists in the book as when Carter's mother discover the swap she gets Carter back but refuses to give Jack back to his Fae mother saying she obviously didn't want him to give him away so easily, she then keeps the Fae boy and raises him with Carter as his brother, the look almost identical apart from the Fae signs on Jack, like his pointed elfin ears.

The thing I loved the most about the book was the magical vibe that you feel throughout the read, the story is engrossing and makes you desperately want to be a part of it, to live in that town, to be friends with a Fae like Jack and that makes the book special for me as I don't often get so pulled into a book like this that I want to be in it, to be a part of a world like that!

What Is There To Dislike?
In my view, there is nothing to dislike about the book at all. I know other have struggled with this book and not enjoyed it but it just goes to show how very subjective reviews can be, what one may hate another will love and that is what makes reviewing so brilliant to do.

How's The Writing?
As I said previously, Black never seems to disappoint me in the slightest, every book of her's I've read has been very different (we are talking about The Coldest Girl In Coldtown, The Iron Trial and The Darkest Part Of The Forest here) and each has impressed me with how well thought out and brilliantly composed each book is. Black takes her characters, makes them into people you get an instant emotional connection with, be it a good or bad one. She also crafts an amazing story with a spark that I feel is unique to her, the tale is twisty and full of turns that you often can't predict and it makes her world very special. her imagination seems to know no bounds and it often feel like we share the same headspace, we both seem to have out head firmly implanted in the paranormal and magical worlds. She captures subjects I love to read about and The Darkest Part Of Forest is no exception, the plot is alluring and read is enticing, whimsical and totally magical.

Hazel is the main character we take this journey with, when she was younger Hazel and her brother Ben used to hunt the odd fairy in belief that she was a knight, after she found a strange sword in the woods, and that Ben, who has a strange gift for music with a touch of the fairy about it, was the bard. Together they fought and together they killed more than one evil fairy creature but in time they stopped as they grew older and things changed but they both consistently, and often separately, used to visit the horned boy to tell him their worries and secrets. They also used to make up stories involving him, giving him a character of their own making seeing as no-one knows his true origins, he was their prince and they both loved him. So both character are kind of grounded by the strange boy who when he finally wakes is very unlike either of the siblings could have imagined. This backstory gives the book something to anchor on to, it gives it a basis for crafting such a tale around it. The story really seemed to take off for me as soon as the horned boy woke up and we started to get real glimpses into the fairy's side of the world within the shadowed depths of the woods and we find out that there is so much more afoot then first believed.

The story has so much depth, so many layers and each adds something new to the overall look and feel of the story. It's masterfully woven tale of lives woven intricately with the Fae and it all feels strangely plausible

Final Thoughts:
Holly Black has done it again and written another stonkingly brilliant novel. It's almost like she's been turning the pages of my mind and taking all the elements I love about books revolving around the Fae and writing a book especially for me.... and it's not the first tie I've felt this way either as I felt the exact same way about The Coldest Girl In Coldtown, taking vampire and giving them the 'Black' treatment, making them unique and distinctive. I feel like me and Black are so much on the same wavelength and I think that is why I find her books so magical and expressive.

She's taken the fairytales and Fae, given them the 'Black' treatment, making them unique by twisting them in a way that makes them feel different to usual but while still using the known folklore revolving around human interactions with the fairyfolk. She's taken the normally secretive and hidden Fae and almost plonked them down into small town America but still made them fit, forming the town around them so they grow more and more entwined throughout the years to the point that it's now commonplace for the children of Fairfold to wear amulets guarding against the Fae, where changelings become friends and where horned boy can sleep peacefully while kids party hard around him. It's a genius move that when treated with care by an experienced hand makes for an utterly delectable story worth the read.

Would I recommend The Darkest Part Of The Forest? Well, hell yes! If you love books revolving around the Fae and love books with that fairytale feel to them then this book is definitely worth picking up. It's action packed, magic fuelled and a one way ticket to a shiveringly good journey into something very special!

Read it everyone, read it!

This was one of those books that makes you sigh in sadness when it’s over, at least for me it was. In Holly Black’s The Darkest Part of the Forest, brother and sister, Hazel and Ben, live in a town where the Fae folk and the human world co-exist, if not all together peacefully. And there’s one Fae that both Hazel and Ben have long-been telling stories about since they were children—the horned boy who lays asleep in a glass case in the woods. They’ve told him secrets and wished deeply for him to awake since as long as they can remember. Then one day he does. Subsequently, the darkness of Fae world comes crashing in on their town and the task of saving it lands on Hazel and Ben, both of which have their share of secrets.

Black weaves magic into atmospheric scenes, while creating a wonderful mystery that had me turning page after page. While there was romance in the book, it didn’t overtake the story, but it was still delicious. I would have even liked a little more, but I still felt satisfied at the end. Speaking of the end, I think it’s probably the writer in me, but I am a huge fan of coming full circle, and Black did just that. It was crafted in such a way that I felt a sense of completeness. While the book stands on its own, I could see her creating another based on the world and characters. I would love it if she did.

I loved Jack, a changeling who has grown up in a human family and is Ben’s best friend, and Hazel was a well-written, complex character. The history behind Hazel and Ben’s wild days as children roaming Fae-infested woods was well brewed. If you’re a fan of YA and stories about fairies, then you should check this book out. Fae lore is threaded throughout the story, lending true mystical darkness to the overall theme.

I have been pretty off and on with Holly Black’s books lately. I loved her Modern Fairy Tale series, but didn’t not enjoy her Curse Workers series at all. This book is a stand alone young adult dark fairy tale. I really really enjoyed this book it reminded me of Black's early Modern Fairy Tale books which are my favorite books by Black.

Hazel and her brother Ben live in the town of Fairfield. Fairfield is a place where fae and humans dwell side by side. Generally if you are native to Fairfield you are safe, however if you are a tourist you are fair game for the fey. However, that is starting to change as the fey get more and more violent. The main draw of Fairfield is a horned boy who sleeps in a glass coffin in the forest; he never wakes and the coffin appears to be indestructible. Then one morning Hazel wakes up all muddy with glass in her hands and coincidentally that same morning the glass coffin is shattered and the Horned Boy is free. However there are darker and more evil things in the forest than a Horned Boy; the Alderking dwells there as well and he has monsters of his own.

This book really reminded me of Black’s earlier works, especially the Modern Fairy Tale series. It has a very dark fairy tale vibe to it and is all about bargains gone wrong and the lies they force our characters to ravel. While it is not disturbingly vicious or graphic, it is a very dark story. It’s a story where the best of intentions can lead to awful situations.

The book was beautifully written, very engaging, and does a great job of capturing the darkness and oddness of Faerie. I love reading about the Fae and this book does a great job with that subject matter; Black obviously did her research.

The characters are very complex and human and at the same time a bit strange. As the story progresses we find out that Hazel and Ben used to hunt down the Fae. Hazel is an amazing character she is wild, yet strong and determined. Hazel has a thing about loving to kiss boys, she loves the excitement of it and leaves a trail of broken hearts behind her. Hazel has a sort of momentum and magnetism to her personality that she is not at all aware of. Hazel’s greatest dream was to be a knight and protect Fairfield from the Fae the surround it. Hazel’s other greatest dream is that her brother Ben gets to live the life he wants and to this extinct she makes a bargain with the Alderking that has horrible repercussions.

Ben is a complex character in his own right. He received a magical gift for music as a child, but his gift brings him nothing but misery. Ben has also struggled a bit with his sexuality (he is gay). Ben is also desperately in love with the Horned Boy, but he keeps this secret.

The other main character in the book is Jack, Jack is a changeling and has been raised by a human family. When the Fae start to get more aggressive a lot of people start blaming him for their aggressiveness.

The book was beautifully written and there were some parts that were so good they actually gave me chills. One of these parts is when the monster Sorrow invades their school; it was so well written, so creepy, and so magical all at the same time.

Overall I absolutely adored this book. It is one of the best Holly Black books I have read in a long time (although I really loved The Iron Trial as well). This story is wild, magical, and terribly beautiful all at the same time. I loved the characters, the subject matter, and the idea of this strange Horned Boy trapped forever in a glass coffin made of tears. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend to those who love reading about Faerie in all of its Grimm Brothers-like glory.

"Come now, my child, if we were planning to harm you, do you think we'd be lurking here beside the path in the very darkest part of the forest?"

-Kenneth Patchen; the beginning of The Darkest Part of the Forest

Oh. My. God. THIS BOOK!!! I fell in love with fantasy a long time ago. Longer than I care to admit lol. I grew up living in the country for a good part of my older childhood. I was always riding horses when I was younger and it was never a huge stretch of the imagination to think that there were things that weren't human that shared the woods with us. That in fact, probably had more of a right to it than I did. And that was always a source of both excitement and terror, even before I started reading fantasy books. But when I did start reading fantasy I realized what I loved about it. It made me believe in magic. Of course it makes sense that there are fey and hobs and water hags out there. It felt right, the way that these books described magic. As inevitable, woven into the daily fabric of life.

Forest

I originally read Tithe way back in the day and adored it. It brought that magic back, but it didn't sugar coat it. These aren't benign fairies with sparkly wings, these are creatures who are not human and who have a code of honor and rules that you must tread lightly around. Just because you live near the fey does not mean that you are safe from them. Picking up The Darkest Part of the Forest was like stepping back into that world, magical and so so dangerous.

Hazel and Ben grew up in Fairfold and thought they knew the ways to stay safe, even if things had been getting worse for the humans who lived there than it had been. They carried their protections, they were smart, they knew to be polite and respectful to the fey. They weren't tourists and so they thought they were safe. In fact, they used to hunt the dangers of the forest. But things are getting very weird, even for Fairfold, and things are happening to Hazel. When she wakes up covered in mud and broken glass and the sleeping horned prince in the glass casket in the woods is missing, worry turns to fear.

The writing in this book is a magic of it's own. Every word and phrase is lyrical and essential to the story. I was swept up by the storytelling, so anxious to find out what happened next. From the beginning, I saw that this was not a harmless fairy tale, but it gets downright creepy in some places.

“There's a monster in our wood. She'll get you if you're not good. Drag you under leaves and sticks. Punish you for all your tricks. A nest of hair and gnawed bone. You are never, ever coming... home.”

"A syrup-sweet voice came from Molly's mouth, speaking in sing-song. Her head tilted to one side. 'I loved him and he's dead and gone and bones. I loved him and they took him away from me. Where is he? Where is he? Dead and gone and bones. Dead and gone and bones. Where is he?' With every word, clumps of dirt fell from her tongue."

And Hazel. I couldn't love Hazel more if I tried. Hazel has always known that she wanted to be a knight. Ben would be her bard and they would fight evil and save everyone. She acts first and then thinks about it later, until a bargain made with the fey turns her world upside down. She doesn't take her fate lying down though and is determined to live her life fully. She kisses the boys she wants to kiss and doesn't make room for pointless regrets. In short, she's a badass.

Second only to my love for Hazel is my love of Jack. He's a changeling, and Holly Black wove his story so convincingly. No one human trusts him and none of the fey trust him either. He is so very separate from everyone else and I was so impressed by the way we got to see his journey and thoughts throughout this book. And even more than that, I loved how he and Hazel found each other.

Ben was such a great character as well. He and Hazel are as close as twins and have always taken care of each other. Hazel has sacrificed a lot for Ben and he in turn has always tried to protect her. I loved that Holly Black included a LGBT character in her book and it was awesome to see his sexuality portrayed in such a positive light. More diverse role models in YA!!! I love it!

And not only were the characters awesome, there was enough witty dialogue and great conversations to keep even the pickiest entertained.

“Well fine, then. I could send you out to win my favor. Possibly on a quest involving bringing a large mug of coffee and a doughnut. Or the wholesale slaughter of all my enemies. I haven't decided which.”

I can't recommend this book enough. It's definitely moved up to the top of my 2015 list and even though it's not very long yet, I have the feeling it will hold it's own throughout the year.

I have enjoyed other books by Holly Black. It is for this reason I was excited to make this my new audio book for the week. However; now I wish I had tried something else. The characters are flat, and under-developed. The plot-line is slightly interesting, it starts out interestingly but everything is very predictable. There are also a lot of unexplained, controversial issues in this book, which for me move it out of the age group it was written for. They include: sex, nudity, drinking, drugs, and violence.

I was amazed that this book was so violent. Each time it got a bit dull there was some gruesome aside to hook you again. Some of the main characters could have been removed completely and it would have been the same book. I feel like there was an editor standing over the author's shoulder saying things like, "add some controversy", "okay now some gore", "sound bite, now.".

If you like Holly Black I recommend you pick up any book but this one. I do not think that the author felt the story or even had an entirely thought-out idea prior to putting it on paper. Ben, the heroine's brother, was a flat character that could have played a much more active role in the story. I felt like he was only In the book to fuel the controversy.

Disappointed in this book by Holly Black. Maybe she'll do a sequel that will add more meat to the characters. One thing I always love is that dark yet beautiful worlds Black takes you. This story is no different I just wish there was more detail. Okay read, but not Black's best book.

I love the world Holly Black created in this story. Fairfold is a town where its residents still coexist with the faerie folk of legends. The town even has its own glass coffin with a sleeping horned-boy who cannot be awakened.

Ben and Hazel grew up in Fairfold. As children they hunted the faeries they believed did bad things. They saw themselves as the ones to protect the world from the evil faeries. They also told themselves stories about the horned-boy in the glass coffin. He was their prince.

When one morning comes where Hazel is covered in mud and the horned-boy is missing, things get interesting. Hazel can’t remember what happened. The horned-boy needs something from Hazel. Ben and his best friend Jack are trying to protect her. Hazel doesn’t know what is going on.

This book took a little bit to get into but I am glad I stuck through the first few chapters. The novel kept me interested and wanting to know more. It is an intriguing story set in a wonderfully detailed setting. I can say that I loved the story but would never, ever want to live in Fairfold.

This review first appeared at Orandi et Legend (http://catholicamanda.com/review-darkest-part-of-the-forest/).

This is a wonderful, fresh take on a dark fairy tale story. The writing is evocative in it's descriptions which made the setting feel even more lush and haunting. The idea that a town lives on a fine line of cooperation with a dangerous and powerful group of fae in a time contemporary to ours really sparked my imagination, even as I understood how much of a curse it could be, though it seems so exciting.

The first half or so of the novel did move rather slowly for me however. The mystery brewing of what is going on, was paced slowly because there was so much to understand about Ben and Hazel and the town. I think the second half of the story, with it's exciting twists and turns make up for that, as does the heightened atmosphere of the story as it progresses. I really found it hard to put down the book towards the end.

Hazel and Ben were absolutely wonderful characters to get to know. Hazel develops into a strong, capable woman, while Ben learns to appreciate himself and gain more self-confidence. It's a fantastic character arc for the both of them, and I loved how the author gradually develops these characters from weak and flawed to strong and accomplished. All of the characters in this story seemed well developed, as was the romance which did not overpower the story. While there was an interesting, different sort of love triangle it was perfectly resolved in the end.

With the wonderful world building, writing and characters this was a book that evoked a fairy tale feel, but transcended that with the mystery and the darker aspects of the fae. This is a slow-burn read that can stay with you for a while after you've finished, and it's definitely worth the read.

I received this from the author at the American Library Association conference of 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada in exchange for an honest review. The cover of this book is something that definitely drew me in when I was walking around the conference room. It was hard to read from afar and looked interesting. So when I got up close I immediately knew I wanted this book! Besides the fact that I really enjoy the author as a writer and a person, I love the cover and the finished cover has a reflective type of butterfly thing. I like it and the book itself is amazing! So the book is about a brother and sister named Ben and Hazel. These two are extremely close and as the book progresses they begin to drift apart. The one thing that stands out about them is the parental neglect and it really made me understand why it was so difficult for Hazel as they started to drift apart. In the town that they live in, humans and faeries co-exist. Well....to be honest I feel like they tolerate each other and there are boundaries to what they can and can't do. Or better yet, what they think they can and can't do. The faeries are scary and mischievous, they are especially devious. There are so many feels to this book because of the relationships. You'll try to pair them but you won't know until it smacks you in the face! Holly Black wrote this book so well and I adore it!

This book is excellent. I was so very pleasantly surprised. I'd never read anything by Holly Black before and somehow managed to miss her very popular books (and movie versions of said books because I must have been living under a rock during the time of their major popularity or something) completely so I went into this one blindly.

The Darkest Part of the Forest introduces such a brilliantly unique take on the Folk stories. It was so easy to get into this book and so extremely hard to put it down. The characters are so well written that you really care what happens to each and every one of them, even the baddies. The author brings the scenery to life in a way that makes it so you can very easily picture exactly what everything looks like with ease (this can also be said for the characters as well). As for the storyline, it's terrific! I won't give a single thing away but I will say that there is fantasy, mystery, a little romance (not a lot, just a little and it's exactly how it should be, the perfect amount), and so much more.

I love this book and recommend it freely to everyone who likes this kind of story. To you I must say, read this book. Read it soon! You won't regret it.

This is the second Holly Black book I've read. The first one was The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. I have the same feelings for both these stand alone books. I love her concepts and characters but I always feel the endings are rushed. It's such a good build up till you get to the last 1/4 of the book and I'm just like, "That's it???" And I also feel like she adds too much irrelevant characters in her stand alones which drags on the stories. When she does that, it's not a page turner for me; I struggle to finish it because those people are so boring and irrelevant. I hope The Dark Prince is better than this. I heard so much good reviews for that, and the fact that's it's a series instead of a stand alone hopefully makes it all the better for the characters. Overall, The Darkest Part of the Forest was too short and rushed with such wasted promising characters.

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST is the perfect update to the fairy tale worlds of childhood. A little darker, a little sexier, and with heroes and heroines just a half step away from what is expected. While mainstream media is just now discovering that the princess can sometimes rescue herself, Holly Black is way ahead of them. Hazel is another in a long line of complex, capable women kicking butt and taking charge of their own destinies.

Gifted siblings, dangerous fae, a sleeping beauty trapped in a glass coffin... but with added twists and turns that breath new life into these tropes. Hazel and her brother are in love with the same man, the beautiful sleeping prince that needs someone to rescue him. And when it comes time to slay villains, Ben is the gifted bard entrancing enemies with his music while Hazel picks up the sword and wades into battle. And their home town is such a great mix of small town claustrophobia and fairy magic that of course the same teens that turn their socks inside out and carry amulets against magic still party in the woods and fall in and out of love.

The best possible mix of YA love and adventure, THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST will beg to be read in one sitting. A perfect fit for fans of Melissa Marr or Robin McKinley, Holly Black has done it again.

Sexual content: Discussion of sex, kissing, non-graphic petting.

This is my first novel from Holly Black – although I have heard good things about “The Coldest Girl in Coldtown” – and I loved it. A beautifully twisted fairy tale, easily readable and intriguing for the young and old alike (not THAT young, this is not for children!) and the author has a beautiful turn of phrase and descriptive way of writing that draws you in.

I really liked how it was seemingly set in the modern world, although that is not specific, yet feels like you are in some far off land where everything is magical. In a lot of ways Ben and Hazel live a mundane life but there is nothing mundane about the place in which they live, nor, upon closer inspection, are they your standard teenagers. The drawing of a line between typical teenage behaviour (kissing boys, parties, school and friends) and the external pressure that comes with living in Fairfold (the boy in the casket in the woods, the need to be careful what you wish for) is so cleverly written that the whole thing feels as real as you like.

In a lot of ways it is a story about growing up and the responsibilites this brings, set in a world where normal behaviour can have abnormal consequences – it is very well drawn, all the characters are elegantly written, the tale weaves itself out of the various myths and legends that surround us, I really did find it highly enjoyable on every level.

Overall then a terrific book – it has certainly encouraged me to try more from Holly Black and I would recommend it for Young Adults and Adults who have a love of the mythological.

Happy Reading Folks!

I love the world Holly Black created in this story. Fairfold is a town where its residents still coexist with the faerie folk of legends. The town even has its own glass coffin with a sleeping horned-boy who cannot be awakened.

Ben and Hazel grew up in Fairfold. As children they hunted the faeries they believed did bad things. They saw themselves as the ones to protect the world from the evil faeries. They also told themselves stories about the horned-boy in the glass coffin. He was their prince.

When one morning comes where Hazel is covered in mud and the horned-boy is missing, things get interesting. Hazel can’t remember what happened. The horned-boy needs something from Hazel. Ben and his best friend Jack are trying to protect her. Hazel doesn’t know what is going on.

This book took a little bit to get into but I am glad I stuck through the first few chapters. The novel kept me interested and wanting to know more. It is an intriguing story set in a wonderfully detailed setting. I can say that I loved the story but would never, ever want to live in Fairfold.

This review first appeared at Orandi et Legend (http://catholicamanda.com/review-darkest-part-of-the-forest/).

This is a wonderful, fresh take on a dark fairy tale story. The writing is evocative in it's descriptions which made the setting feel even more lush and haunting. The idea that a town lives on a fine line of cooperation with a dangerous and powerful group of fae in a time contemporary to ours really sparked my imagination, even as I understood how much of a curse it could be, though it seems so exciting.

The first half or so of the novel did move rather slowly for me however. The mystery brewing of what is going on, was paced slowly because there was so much to understand about Ben and Hazel and the town. I think the second half of the story, with it's exciting twists and turns make up for that, as does the heightened atmosphere of the story as it progresses. I really found it hard to put down the book towards the end.

Hazel and Ben were absolutely wonderful characters to get to know. Hazel develops into a strong, capable woman, while Ben learns to appreciate himself and gain more self-confidence. It's a fantastic character arc for the both of them, and I loved how the author gradually develops these characters from weak and flawed to strong and accomplished. All of the characters in this story seemed well developed, as was the romance which did not overpower the story. While there was an interesting, different sort of love triangle it was perfectly resolved in the end.

With the wonderful world building, writing and characters this was a book that evoked a fairy tale feel, but transcended that with the mystery and the darker aspects of the fae. This is a slow-burn read that can stay with you for a while after you've finished, and it's definitely worth the read.

I received this from the author at the American Library Association conference of 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada in exchange for an honest review. The cover of this book is something that definitely drew me in when I was walking around the conference room. It was hard to read from afar and looked interesting. So when I got up close I immediately knew I wanted this book! Besides the fact that I really enjoy the author as a writer and a person, I love the cover and the finished cover has a reflective type of butterfly thing. I like it and the book itself is amazing! So the book is about a brother and sister named Ben and Hazel. These two are extremely close and as the book progresses they begin to drift apart. The one thing that stands out about them is the parental neglect and it really made me understand why it was so difficult for Hazel as they started to drift apart. In the town that they live in, humans and faeries co-exist. Well....to be honest I feel like they tolerate each other and there are boundaries to what they can and can't do. Or better yet, what they think they can and can't do. The faeries are scary and mischievous, they are especially devious. There are so many feels to this book because of the relationships. You'll try to pair them but you won't know until it smacks you in the face! Holly Black wrote this book so well and I adore it!

This book is excellent. I was so very pleasantly surprised. I'd never read anything by Holly Black before and somehow managed to miss her very popular books (and movie versions of said books because I must have been living under a rock during the time of their major popularity or something) completely so I went into this one blindly.

The Darkest Part of the Forest introduces such a brilliantly unique take on the Folk stories. It was so easy to get into this book and so extremely hard to put it down. The characters are so well written that you really care what happens to each and every one of them, even the baddies. The author brings the scenery to life in a way that makes it so you can very easily picture exactly what everything looks like with ease (this can also be said for the characters as well). As for the storyline, it's terrific! I won't give a single thing away but I will say that there is fantasy, mystery, a little romance (not a lot, just a little and it's exactly how it should be, the perfect amount), and so much more.

I love this book and recommend it freely to everyone who likes this kind of story. To you I must say, read this book. Read it soon! You won't regret it.

This is the second Holly Black book I've read. The first one was The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. I have the same feelings for both these stand alone books. I love her concepts and characters but I always feel the endings are rushed. It's such a good build up till you get to the last 1/4 of the book and I'm just like, "That's it???" And I also feel like she adds too much irrelevant characters in her stand alones which drags on the stories. When she does that, it's not a page turner for me; I struggle to finish it because those people are so boring and irrelevant. I hope The Dark Prince is better than this. I heard so much good reviews for that, and the fact that's it's a series instead of a stand alone hopefully makes it all the better for the characters. Overall, The Darkest Part of the Forest was too short and rushed with such wasted promising characters.

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST is the perfect update to the fairy tale worlds of childhood. A little darker, a little sexier, and with heroes and heroines just a half step away from what is expected. While mainstream media is just now discovering that the princess can sometimes rescue herself, Holly Black is way ahead of them. Hazel is another in a long line of complex, capable women kicking butt and taking charge of their own destinies.

Gifted siblings, dangerous fae, a sleeping beauty trapped in a glass coffin... but with added twists and turns that breath new life into these tropes. Hazel and her brother are in love with the same man, the beautiful sleeping prince that needs someone to rescue him. And when it comes time to slay villains, Ben is the gifted bard entrancing enemies with his music while Hazel picks up the sword and wades into battle. And their home town is such a great mix of small town claustrophobia and fairy magic that of course the same teens that turn their socks inside out and carry amulets against magic still party in the woods and fall in and out of love.

The best possible mix of YA love and adventure, THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST will beg to be read in one sitting. A perfect fit for fans of Melissa Marr or Robin McKinley, Holly Black has done it again.

Sexual content: Discussion of sex, kissing, non-graphic petting.

This is my first novel from Holly Black – although I have heard good things about “The Coldest Girl in Coldtown” – and I loved it. A beautifully twisted fairy tale, easily readable and intriguing for the young and old alike (not THAT young, this is not for children!) and the author has a beautiful turn of phrase and descriptive way of writing that draws you in.

I really liked how it was seemingly set in the modern world, although that is not specific, yet feels like you are in some far off land where everything is magical. In a lot of ways Ben and Hazel live a mundane life but there is nothing mundane about the place in which they live, nor, upon closer inspection, are they your standard teenagers. The drawing of a line between typical teenage behaviour (kissing boys, parties, school and friends) and the external pressure that comes with living in Fairfold (the boy in the casket in the woods, the need to be careful what you wish for) is so cleverly written that the whole thing feels as real as you like.

In a lot of ways it is a story about growing up and the responsibilites this brings, set in a world where normal behaviour can have abnormal consequences – it is very well drawn, all the characters are elegantly written, the tale weaves itself out of the various myths and legends that surround us, I really did find it highly enjoyable on every level.

Overall then a terrific book – it has certainly encouraged me to try more from Holly Black and I would recommend it for Young Adults and Adults who have a love of the mythological.

Happy Reading Folks!

WIth the upcoming release of The Cruel Prince, I decided I should get to know Holly Black. The world of fairies and changelings has always intrigued me, and while I kept reading this book, it felt more like a tease than anything else. Mystery after mystery presents itself, but answers are few and far between, and include: I’m forbidden from telling you more and heed my warnings. Not exactly a cop out... but it feels a little like it.
Again, this world was beautifully written, had so many mysteries, but kept me in the dark (much like the forest) for too long. I needed a little more to go on to give it 4 stars. Still a good read for a rainy day.

There are books written so beautifully that you stop from time to time to read passages aloud, as though just by uttering the words they become more alive--breathing, dancing around you. The Darkest Part of the Forest is such one. This is my first of Holly Black's titles and, already, I'm thinking: this is the power of words. A person can stitch them in a way that does wonders.
A thoughtful blend of contemporary and folkloric, it is easy to get lost in the world of Fairfold--where faeries and elves and dwarves exist at the same time with iPod and Coke. The fantasy is exquisite, in that it isn't too fantastical to swallow yet enough to draw you back to the days when you believed in once-upon-a-times. But at the heart of it, The Darkest Part of the Forest is as much about family dysfunction. I adore how Black played at subtlety in revealing all that transpired between Hazel and Ben now and Hazel and Ben then, weaving a rich, raw tapestry of love and insecurity and what brothers and sisters say to one another and what they don't. The only letdown is I wish there was more as to why the parents behave the way they behaved. I wish there was more to glimpse at.
The character voice is distinct and strong, with the narrative alternating from Hazel and Ben and, at times, Jack. I love that Hazel is fierce and headstrong but that she's also terrified and lonely and she knows all that. I love that Ben believes in love in the storybooks and craves it and that he knows his flaws. I find Severin's character interesting, in such a way that he turned out to be far from what I initially imagined. And to top it all, I love the sarcasm thrown in sporadically.
I also think the author couldn't have found a more fitting epigraph. The ending, which I have a sense not to spoil, is absolutely brilliant. Do yourself a favor and read The Darkest Part of the Forest.

My first thought upon finishing this book was "Why in the world did I wait so long to read a book written by Holly Black?!"
I don't really know why the only other thing I have read before this one was the short story that was published in My True Love Gave to Me.

But after reading The Darkest Part of the Forest, I now know that I need to read more Holly Black!

This book is awesome! I really enjoyed reading it!

Hazel and her brother, Ben, live in a fascinating world full of humans and fairies. In the town that they live in the humans and fairies not only know about each other, but have been coexisting for years. For the most part, the fairies play pretty harmless tricks that attract curious tourists. But Hazel starts noticing that things are changing and the fairies may be more dangerous than anyone knows. And at the center of it all is the horned boy that has been asleep in a glass coffin in the forest for years. Hazel has to figure what is happening and how to protect everyone as she discovers things that she didn't know before.

The writing style really pulled me in. The words and details made it really easy for me to be sucked into Hazel's world!
I was so captivated by the writing, world, and characters, it was hard for me to put the book down. I really tried to take my time so I could savor the book, but I couldn't stop reading. Even when I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about the story and the characters.

I absolutely love that this book has some mysterious elements to the story. The cryptic messages for example. Overall, there were some surprising twists that kept me guessing and the story very entertaining for me! Several things that I didn't see coming. There were a couple small things that I guessed, but these things made me happy.

I find Hazel to be a strong character. I love that she is determined to do whatever to keep doing what she wants to do.

Ben is another fun character. One of my favorite things from this book is the sibling relationship between these two characters. I feel like it is realistic. They are each keeping things from one another to try and protect them. I like the development and love that I see in their bond as brother and sister.

Jack is another character that I really like. I found his part of the story to be really interesting. And I really love how he is a good friend. He really cares about Ben and Hazel.

The horned boy is a bit mysterious. Even though we learn his name and information about him throughout the story, I still feel like I wanted to know a bit more. And a little bit more interaction with the characters. But I still liked this character as well.

My Recommendation:

Read it! I really enjoyed reading this book. I didn't want to put it down and I didn't want it to end. I think that the writing is beautiful and entertaining. I was enamored with the world and the characters.
I am so glad that I was able to read this book!
And I am really looking forward to checking out some of Holly Black's other books.

Would I Buy/Pre-order this book? Yes! This is definitely a book that I want to have a finished copy of.

***I received an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of this book from the NOVL Newsletter in exchange for an honest review***

The Darkest Part of the Forest was everything I hoped it’d be and more. Holly Black is simply amazing!

I was so impressed with the way Holly was able to go back to writing about faeries yet do it in a new way. Much of the standard faerie lore is the same but the story is incredibly unique. I was caught up in the world and the characters of The Darkest Part of the Forest. I was as enchanted with learning about the humans and their histories as I was with the fae. The entire story is magical.

Holly crafts fascinating worlds that are so easy to get lost in. I never want her books to end but I can never seem to put them down. Fairfold is a mysterious place full of mysterious people and happenings. I had to know what happened next as I tried to piece together all the clues about Hazel and the other characters. No matter how much I wanted to savor The Darkest Part of the Forest, I found myself flying through it.

And the characters! I have no idea how Holly Black creates such intriguing and developed characters. They seem to come to life as you read the story. Hazel and Ben and Jack and every new character we meet! I loved how each changed as more and more of the story was revealed.

Basically, I stand by my goodreads review. The Darkest Part of the Forest is further proof that Holly Black is the most amazing ever.

In the town of Fairfold fae and human live together. Hazel and her brother Ben have lived in the strange town all their lives. As children, they played in the forest and saw strange things. Eventually, they decided to become a bard and a knight, fighting in the forest to save out of towners from being over taken by the magical beings residing there. Now, as a teenager, Hazel has long given up her knightly ways, but when something happens to threaten her town, she must be prepared to save it.

The Darkest Part of the Forest is a standalone young adult fantasy novel. The book keeps you on your toes throughout the adventures and trials Hazel, her brother, and others face. I liked that the town and the fae had a certain understanding for a long time regarding living harmoniously. I also enjoyed the fae characters in the story; they were all very interesting. I think Jack was my favorite fae character; he had what could have been a really cool expanded story for another time! ;)

The contrast between the magical and the normal was also done really well and everything seemed to flow together nicely. It was a quick read and I definitely recommend it, if you enjoy a good fairy tale.

Also posted on my blog: alexis.desousa.cc

The Darkest Park Of The Forest, holds a lot of secrets. Tourists & Townspeople who flock to see a hornboy in a glass coffin for generations. The pangs of growing up and recognizing people for who they are.

Black weaves a well developed set of characters spun off the tale of Snow White, but with all the twists and turns of a modern tale with a very different fact pattern set in Fantasy & the challenges facing youth today. It's suspenseful yet fun, your journey through the maze of possibilities will leave you wanting the latest book by Mrs. Black.

I feel like I could give this 3 stars but I'm going with 4. While I didn't enjoy Coldest Girl in Coldtown as much as I hoped I really enjoy The Darkest Part of the Forest. I of course love anything fae related so that part of the story was a lot of fun. And this definitely didn't go how I expected it to which was a nice surprise. I really enjoyed the characters. Especially Jack and Severin once he was part of the story more. It had its slow moments but really keep me interested in what was happening with the characters.

THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST by Holly Black is a young adult fantasy featuring a changeling, a menacing monster, and a mysterious horned boy. Set in a small town near a haunted forest, teen siblings explore their magical powers, uncover long-kept secrets, and strive to survive in a battle between mortals and faerie creatures.

The idea of a faerie fantasy set in the modern world is intriguing. Unfortunately, Black’s world building lacks the depth necessary to fully realize its potential. Although the cast of characters is distinct and at times even compelling, the plot is unnecessarily disjointed. Even with these flaws, readers are likely to enjoy this dark fairy fantasy.

From Doll Bones and The Coldest Girl in Coldtown to the new Magisterium series, Holly Black is popular with both middle grade and young adult readers. As such, this new title is likely to have a large following. Keep in mind that The Darkest Part of the Forest is a young adult urban fantasy that may attract a different audience than some of her recent works.

To learn more about the author, go to http://blackholly.com/.

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Publisher e-ARC used for review.

It's hard for me to write a review for The Darkest Part Of The Forest, I didn't hate it nor did I love it, it was more of a meh read for me, I didn't feel connected to any of the characters at all which didn't help, the storyline only seemed to build to anything exciting at the very end and even then it wasn't an edge of your seat kind of action-packed ending.

The tone of the book pretty much stayed the same most of the way through, and while I wouldn't say that I was bored reading it I wasn't exactly eager to pick it up once I'd put it down either.

I loved the idea of the concept and I really enjoy stories that feature fairies, but it unfortunately wasn't enough to leave me as intrigued and absorbed as much as I wanted to be.

This was my first Holly Black book ever, and I've heard so many good things about her writing that I think my expectations were so very high that I hyped myself up a bit too much, however I will give her books another go, the way I look at it the next book I read of hers may just become one of my favorite books, you never know.

I still recommend picking this book up, everyone has different tastes and most people that have read this already seem to love it.

One of the things that I really loved about this story is that Hazel is the hero. She wants to be a knight, fighting monsters and saving her town, rather than waiting passively for a Prince Charming to come and save the day. I love a good, strong female lead and Hazel fits the bill perfectly!

Hazel and her brother are raised by inattentive parents, left to their own devices much too often and getting into more trouble than was healthy. But if they weren't neglected, they wouldn't have had so many childhood adventures! The jury's still out though on whether or not that was a good thing.

Having unwisely made a deal with the fae when she was younger, things go from bad to worse for Hazel when the mysterious horned boy disappears from his glass coffin in the woods.

So many questions! Who is the horned boy? Where did Hazel's childhood sword disappear to? Who is leaving her cryptic messages? And when will the Alderking finally make Hazel pay up?

Really enjoyed this story! Holly is an incredibly talented writer who gives us great characters, an interesting plot, and a nice twist to the ending that I wasn't expecting. Well worth reading!

The Darkest Part of the Forest was a really interesting read for me. I don't typically read stories that deal with faeries but I was so sucked into the story and into the writing that my reading experience went by fairly quickly. As my first Holly Black novel, I can say that her writing was very captivating and eloquent and I look forward to reading more of her books.

At the beginning of the book, I felt like the plot moved a little slow for my taste but after a while, it picked up and I couldn't put the book down. I had to know what Ben and Hazel were getting themselves into and how the boy with horns was going to play into their dynamic.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It not my favorite subject, what with the faeries and their backstory. I did enjoy it for what it was, which is a great written book, and interesting characters.

You can check out the review at booksandswoons(dot)com

I read this in April 2016, it was borrowed from my local library.

This book tells the story of how Hazel and the people around her come to terms with reality: the Fair Folk that mingle with them, the complexities of relationships and the incredible challenge that is knowing yourself.

I love this book!! I just had to get that out there first. I was expecting a good YA book, a little magic thrown in for kicks and a couple important but predictable messages- but BOY WAS I WRONG! Not good— excellent! A lot of magic and a rich mythology that is unique while resonating with the reader. And the conflicts in this book were much subtler, deeper and more poignant than I expected.

Holly Black weaves a web of well paced story telling, compelling characters and realistic dialogue. Hazel is a heroine to die for, and the rest of the characters are equally interesting, they all feel real and raw. The setting and plot reel you in and the mystery keeps you guessing till the end. It walks the line between dark and light, between real-life and fantasy, which makes for an incredibly rich experience.

I read this book in one go, once I picked it up it was impossible to put down. Now that I’m finished all I want to do is read it all over again, with all the knowledge I have now. For me it was a perfect mixture of lovable, relate-able characters, mythology to fall in love with and a complex and intriguing plot.

I would recommend this to readers who like a little darkness in their faerie fantasy and who love their conflicted heroines!

Filling the category “A Library Book” in my Full House Reading Challenge.

As most reviewers say, the books that are just ‘good’ are the hardest to review. Did I enjoy The Darkest Part of the Forest? Sure. Holly Black has a way of creating settings and characters that’s almost intoxicating. But I don’t really have ton to say about it. I don’t really feel strongly about much in the book. Should you read it? Probably. It’s a very well written book with solid characters and a very interesting plot. But did I love it? Not really.

Characters:

I didn’t really connect with the characters in this book. They were likable, sure. I wanted to know what happened to them. I wanted them to succeed, but I wasn’t really connected with them.

Hazel: She’s a strong heroine; I didn’t love her, but she didn’t back down from a fight, and she wasn’t a damsel in distress. She has a conflict later on that I found absolutely brilliant. Her relationship with Faerie is probably the best part of the book.

Ben: As a gay character, he struggles with that storyline, and being in love with the horned boy in the glass coffin, but the one I found more interesting was his struggle with music. He is blessed (or cursed) with the gift of music by the fae when he’s a baby, and it affects his entire life. In good and bad ways.

Jack: I wanted more from Jack. As a changeling, I kept wanting more magic, more intrigue from him. He was sweet, and yet you were never quite sure what was motivating him, or where his loyalties really lay.

Severin: The horned boy in the glass coffin. I wanted more from his character as well. He wasn’t really likable, and for his and Ben’s story to really have resonance, I wanted to see more scenes with the two of them.

Plot:

It’s rare to find a stand alone these days in Young Adult, but Holly Black is quite exceptional at it. In The Darkest Part of the Forest, she creates a believable town trying to coexist with the Fair Folk. Faeries are dangerous, wild creatures, living in and around the town of Fairfold, the most famous of which is the horned boy in the glass coffin. Hazel and her brother Ben know more about the Fair Folk than most. When things start getting weird, like Hazel waking up in her bed, her feet covered in mud, strange names scrawled on her windowsill, they turn to the Fae for answers.

Some of the twists in this book are brilliant; I loved the faerie’s involvement with Hazel and her brother. A monster is terrorizing Fairfold, and Hazel seems to be the only one who can figure out what’s going on.

The way the book is written, with one chapter in the present, and the next sharing important information from the past, is interesting for a while, especially when you are first getting to know the characters, but when the plot starts picking up, it’s annoying. I wanted to focus on the plot, and Holly Black kept jumping back to some event in the past, and even though it was vital information for the present, I wished it hadn’t been organized like that.

Romance:

The romance in this book wasn’t the most important storyline, which, in a story like this, is appropriate. Hazel and Jack are the typical, girl in love with her brother’s best friend. I actually found Ben and Severin’s relationship almost more interesting, and wanted to see more scenes with them. Hazel and Jack would have been interesting to follow into Faerie, but there weren’t as many opportunities for that as I wanted. I feel like this may have been because Jack’s character didn’t seem super well fleshed out.

Conclusion:

If you like books involving wild and creepy Fae, this is a good one to pick up. I read it quite quickly, and overall enjoyed it. The setting is well done, and the plot well planned. This is a good read for fans of Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely.

This is one of my favorite books of the year. Holly Black managed to capture what it feels like to be a teen, but with magic thrown in. There were so many times the main character was feeling something that I remembered so well from my own teen years. If she was going for a modern fairy tale, she nailed it. This book did not go where I predicted it would.

What really makes it unique is that she had a homosexual character who wasn't just a token character. He had his own storyline and love interest which I think is rare, plus she did it well. This is the first book of hers I've read, and I'll definitely be checking out what else she's written.

I am only ten and I give this book an A+! The Darkest Part of the Forest is great for everyone, especially fantasy lovers. In the book, Hazel and her brother, Ben, live in Fairfold, where what they call “Folks and Faeries” which are deadly monsters, live together. For decades, there was a glass coffin in the woods, in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as sharp as knives. Hazel and Ben have been telling each other stories about the boy in the glass coffin since they were little. They believe he is a prince, and they are knights, but as Hazel grows up, she puts those stories aside. She knows the boy in the glass coffin will never wake up. Until one day, he does….
Holly Black (the author) did such a great job on this book. I would recommend it to everyone.

I'm not a big Holly Black fan, but I must say that I rather liked this book. It's far, far less sexual than her usual stuff, it doesn't glorify tattoos for a change, and it really is more YA than a book for adults with YA characters in it (which is what I've read from her before).

What I liked was the character complexity. Even though Ben (Hazel's brother) felt a bit stereotyped (as if Black had decided she needed some kind of marginalized character so she randomly picked a gay guy who liked the arts -- uh, not too original), nearly everything else in the character development was superb. The nuances of sibling relationships, the problems of parent neglect and drunkenness, the cleverness of a dual life are all very good.

Holly Black's storytelling is magical... an imaginable story that starts as a pleasant whimsical fairytale with lots of particulars and storytelling, with a few twists, turns and revelations, it quickly turns into a creepy and unpredictable fae story; one full of alluring characters and fascinating but eerie monsters.

The residents of Fairfold know that the fae are real. Faeries live among them. All the stories that are told are true. There's a boy, with horns, that lays asleep in a glass coffin in the middle of their woods. Tourists travel here to see the boy, to experience the magic within their town. But the tourists don't truly believe and are careless. Oftentimes, they are victims to the faes trickeries. The locals know how to protect themselves and avoid their deceiving games. They know how to stay away from the fae, unless they are willing to pay a heavy price.

Hazel and her brother, Ben, have been running amok in Fairfold's woods since they were able to toddle. They know about the fae. They have heard all the stories. They have even been blessed by one, or cursed, depends on how you want to look upon it. Hazel and Ben are no strangers to these mystical creatures. They have seen them. They have fought them. They create stories of their own, and they dream about their prince - waking up, and falling in love with him. They are strong-willed and believe that they are ready for the day that their dreams will come true.

Be careful for what you wish for...

Hazel is stubborn, strong-willed and very independent. Her relationship with Ben is almost twin-like. They are inseparable, loyal and untouchable. Nothing can separate them.
Until Hazel makes a deal.
Some questionable things begin to happen.
Cryptic warnings. Secrets.
The boy in the casket disappears.
The monster in the woods is getting closer and closer to the edge...

"There’s a monster in our wood.
She’ll get you if you’re not good.
Drag you under leaves and sticks.
Punish you for all your tricks.
A nest of hair and gnawed bone.
You are never, ever coming… "

The complex relationship between each character mentioned in the entire book is amazing! The author goes over and beyond creating such complex, realistic connections between each one. There isn't one that I could possibly question their motive or intentions - even the most evilest one had their reasons for being. Every written word is captivating and thinkable. The entire book ran like a movie through my mind. Brilliant. The only way to describe it. Absolutely brilliant.

Ohhh, and I cannot fail to mention... the romance! The diversity! The sacrifice! The fight! And the all the strange things that will unfold into a bewitching story never to be forgotten.

THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST, to me, felt like a twisted modern-day retelling of Sleeping Beauty and King Arthur's knights. Obviously, those who love faeries and fairytales will be lured into this new story... but those of you who shy away from these sort of tales - you must find the courage to enter into the woods and find your path, trust me, you will most definitely find yourself entranced by the prince's story, narration and the different meanings of love and loyalty.

*An ARC was won in a giveaway by the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

3.5/5

The Darkest Part of the Forest is a book that I have been dying to read for a long time. And a lot of that had to do with the cover. I still sometimes get lost just looking at it. I love it that much. Plus, I was really loving the fact that this book is a standalone. And I did end up liking the book...just...not as much as I thought I would. Now, I haven't read too many reviews for the Darkest Part of the Forest so I have no idea whether I will be in the minority or majority, but I will attempt to convey my kind of confused relationship with this book.

I absolutely LOVED the way the book started and the way the book ended. In kind of an anonymous third person narrative that felt like the start of a fairy tale narration. "deep in the middle of the forest, there was a boy..." That kind of thing. But it was very well done at grabbing your attention right off the bat. I really wanted to know what the deal was with the sleeping boy. I was pumped, this was going to be such a cool story. But then it got a little bumpy from there. And don't get me wrong, it still was a cool story. But within the first few chapters, a lot is thrown at the reader. Names, and things, and concepts that you just have no idea what they mean or what they are. It is a lot to get at once. And I get that this was a special kind of town, where things were never really normal. I liked the concept of the town. Humans mixed with fairies and creatures in the forest. It reminded me of the Hansel and Gretel: witch hunters movie or Grimm Brothers movie.

Holly Black did a great job with the setting and scenery descriptions in the story. I felt like I could really picture the town of Fairfold and the forest creatures, but I had a bit of trouble connecting with the characters. The pacing seemed off in that regard. Sometimes I felt like the story was going by too fast with not enough detail and sometimes I was just plain bored while reading. I could never fall into my reading stride, where time ceased to exist and I could read for hours and have it feel like minutes. I felt all of the minutes and hours it took me to read The Darkest Park of the Forest.

The underlying story plot, with the monster within the forest was the most interesting part of the story. That and Hazel's "hunting". Both of those things were the reasons why I wanted to keep reading The Darkest Part of the Forest. I loved the background information on the monster and I loved the way all of the secondary characters and villains connected and came together. The story reveals itself all in due time and for that I was grateful. I thought the tale that Holly Black told was a creative one, but the pacing was a miss for me and made it hard for me to completely fall in love with this book. But I can see a ton of people loving the world that Holly Black has created here, and loving the twisted creatures of Fairfold. So, if you like the Fairfolk and you like dark, but not really so dark undertones to the story, then The Darkest Part of the Forest is the book for you!

3.5/5

*Disclaimer- I got a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my thoughts.

This book was written horribly and the plot skipped over much of the guts of the story. If you are 12 years old and easily are able to forget a lot of things you may like this book. I really enjoyed a lot of Holly Black's other books but this book was literally her worst. So many plot holes and leaps you the reasder had to make. It was actually ridiculous. The entire story was basicasllg written referring to a past that we never got to read about, haha. Would not recommend this to anyone. Also the mentioned of kissing boys over 30 times got ridiculous and the amount of times the author used "kale" referring to an ingredient in something their mother made got stupid.

I finished The Darkest Part of the Forest, then tried to read something else. It made my heart ache for Black's writing. Apart from the incredible story, apart from the masterful reveals, apart from everything beautiful and awful and terrible about the world Black created in Fairfold, her stark, gorgeous prose is enough to make anybody fall in love with this book. It's like fae wine and food—now that I've had a taste, everything else I try to read turns to ashes in my brain.

Perfect book for this time of year! I thought this book sounded interesting and I do like to read books for younger readers. And then I started reading it and was not sure I liked where it was going. And then I got hooked and couldn't put it down until it was finished! Great story, interesting characters. Some fantasy, fairy tales come to life, scare-factor, gruesomeness, and relationships. Good read.

Well I thought I was going to enjoy this book. A boy in the woods, the fae at play. A bunch of things I liked mixed into one book. It all started off great and I was falling into the story.

Then about halfway, it started to lose me and I was quickly losing interest in the book and sadly had to give up.

This was my first book by Holly Black and I was pleasantly surprised. I’m stunned I’ve never read her work before! The story was fun and magical but also harsh and dangerous! I loved imagining the prince laying there and the magical creatures that roam the forest!

Holly Black is a master and both rooting her stories in traditional fairy lore and setting them in the modern world in a way that draws readers in and makes them want to stay. And she doesn't shy away from the violence that has always been a part of the interaction between the human and fairy worlds. In this new novel, a brother and a sister are both heroes and victims in their small, Fairy-adjacent town. When people start disappearing, they each use their gifts and their grit to battle both the obvious villains and the more subtle ones of prejudice and fear. Black's characters, setting, and the depth of her understanding of her topic all mix seamlessly to create an enchanting read with some real teeth.

I only discovered Holly Black two weeks ago when I read The coldest girl in coldtown. I was so captivated by her writing that I decided to try another book. Best decision ever! Her work is amazing.
The world she built is fascinating.
The characters are complex and relatable.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy book.

I enjoyed that this book had one foot in the real word and one foot in the magical world. These sort of books are the books that really get my imagination going because they feel so real. I also like that this is a stand alone novel and I didn't have to commit to any other books after that. I will definitely be reading more Holly Black books in the future!

I want to live in Fairfold! I literally could not stop thinking about how creative Black has to be to come up with a town like Fairfold. I couldn't help but wish I could book us a flight and cross our fingers the faeries wouldn't take us. This was my first Black book and now I feel cheated that I waited this long to read her work. I loved the new twists to the fairytale and the writing was beautiful. Black has a way of making the reader feel like they are truly in the story. I listened to the audiobook while cleaning the house, driving, and working-out. There was NOTHING that happened that took my attention away from the story. My house could have caught on fire, Chris carry me out to the yard and I would have not had any idea what happened until the story was over. I loved the world, the main characters, how relevant the story is to the present day and still has old magical myths blended beautifully. There were some characters that I didn't feel too attached to but that happens to me in stand alones some times, does that happen to anyone else? Regardless I loved this book and I highly highly recommend it if you like action, romance, fairytale retellings, fantasy, or just a good book.

Another Holly Black masterpiece! My only complaint with her books is the best ones often stand alone rather than are part of a series. She creates characters you fall in love with, and all too soon the story is over. I want more!!!

This was such a unique read. It may be a Young Adult Fantasy, but the characters never felt young or immature to me. The plot was fast paced and the story was exciting. I also appreciate this being a complete story. No cliffhangers etc. My only complaints are that the epilogue left me pretty disappointed, and the price. I think its current listing price of $7.99 is on the high side. I will definitely check out more of this writers work.

This story has it all: strong characters, a good storyline, an interesting setting, twist and turns. Fewer of the tired tropes in other YA novels. If you liked Red Queen - this is a thousand times better. Reminds me of the fun of reading: Rachel Caine's Morganville series or Mortal Instruments. For adults, this reminded me of Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series. I wish there were more adventures in Fairfold.

What a fantastic book! Ever since I read Holly Black's Curse Workers trilogy, I absolutely fell in love with her writing style and nearly every one of the characters she's created over the years. When I found out about her latest book, The Darkest Part of the Forest, I was ecstatic, and grabbed it from my local library as soon as it was released to shelves. I thought it was absolutely wonderful, engaging, suspenseful, filled with intriguing inhuman characters. I read the entire book in just one day, which is something I haven't done in a very long time. :) Five stars!

SO adorable! I just wish it could have been longer. I feel like with the town and world and characters that Black created, it could have been expanded and explored a bit more. But alas, as a one-shot it is still great.

"But in all the stories, you have a single chance; and if you miss it, then it's gone. The door isn't there when you go back to look. There is no second invitation to the ball"

Hazel has always known that life in Fairfold is different from the glass coffin that houses a sleeping prince to the strange things that are known to happen to tourists. She has always known the the fairies that live around Fairfold can be as lethal as they are charming; that they will just as soon kill a human as they will bargain with one.

Even then, knowing the dangers, Hazel finds herself drawn to the dark things that lurk outside of Fairfold. With a sword and her brother Ben by her side, Hazel hoped once to become a knight and hunt the monsters that lurked in the Fairfold woods. But Ben put a stop to that.

Seven years ago Hazel made a bargain to try and fix things. To get back the life she thought she wanted. But that fell apart as well.

Now Hazel kisses boys with wild abandon and has fun, hoping to shore up enough in reserve for the day it all might be lost to her. But the payment for Hazel's bargain is coming due and time is running out for regrets or preparation.

That is until the coffin in the woods is broken and the prince, who has been there for as long as anyone can remember, disappears. Until Hazel wakes up in her bed surrounded by dirt and pieces of broken glass with no idea how to fix anything in The Darkest Part of the Forest (2015) by Holly Black.

The Darkest Part of the Forest is a fresh-faced fairy story where the fairies are as as entrancing as they are dangerous. Black once again delivers a thoughtful, intricate story of magic and identity in this smartly modern tale.

The Darkest Part of the Forest takes traditional fairy tale tropes (not to mention gender roles) and turns them on their heads as this story infuses familiar lore with new twists and turns. Hazel, in particular, is a stunningly authentic and multi-faceted heroine. She is flawed and impulsive. She is genuine and kind. This story expertly negotiates exactly what agency and identity really mean not just for a girl in a small town but also for a girl with a self-proclaimed charge of saving that town.

There are other relationships in this story that are equally well done. Hazel and Ben come to understand each other as equals and family for perhaps the first time while both also come to terms with a less-than-idyllic upbringing. There is romance for both Hazel and Ben in unlikely places.

This novel also wonderfully examines the nature of family and the ramifications that come when people decide to choose their own--even if it is just for a time. Throughout the quests, the adventures, and the reconciliations, Hazel remains firmly grounded at the center of this plot. Her growth, particularly in the second half of the novel, is phenomenal as the narrative explores what it means to truly know oneself and trust oneself after years of doubt.

The Darkest Part of the Forest is a wonderful fantasy but where it really shines is as the sensational story of a girl who not only finds her place in the world but also finds herself when she chooses to face the darkness in herself as well as in the forest.

*A copy of this book was acquired from the publisher for review consideration at BEA 2014*

Possible Pairings: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson, Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey, Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones, The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski, Lament by Maggie Stiefvater, All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill, The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff, Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel

I wanted to like it. I did. But I didn't. I liked the world. The idea of a regular town in the middle of fairy but it was too forced, to contrived, to convenient and pushes the same old agenda. Sigh. Hazel is the worst heroine and I'm not impressed with her rag team. Typical YA over exaggerated teenage angst.

I've read a lot of Holly Black, without realizing what a fan I'd become, I've read 12 of her books and a couple of her short stories and I think I'm done now. She still has a lot of fantastical stories to tell, strange, beautiful and horrifying characters to create, but I'm moving on.

My number one reason for this is that aside from the Spiderwick Chronicles, she doesn't really end her stories. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown ends with pretty much everyone in peril, imprisoned in Coldtown, no resolutions AT ALL and Ms. Black has no plan to write a sequel to it. Each of her books serves to illustrate an idea, in The Darkest Part of the Forest it seems to be that living near monsters turns people into monsters. Or maybe its that there is no guarantee of a happy ending for anyone. Or maybe that crushing on evil changelings turns complicated. Or that making deals on behalf of others is bad.

In this book, the main character has a strange hobby of making out with boys. Not because she likes it, but because she likes someone that she shouldn't like, also she's obsessed with a horned sleeping beauty, I am not making this up folks, this is for reals the story. She also kills monsters and makes terrible deals with fairies that have dire consequences for people she loves.

I like that Ms. Black doesn't make her heroine into a Mary Sue, they have layers, it just seems that each layer is a tarnished, morally ambiguous one and worse, that the characters don't really change.

At several points in the story I wanted to reach into the book and shake her, why do you act so impulsively? Why aren't you medicated? Why are you always kissing people you don't like!!! Anyways, she has a blase, worldweary,'I'm a bored socialite who likes to screw around with people' act down to a science and it wasn't endearing or fun to read. Also, it didn't make a lot of sense.

So the horned sleeping beauty guy is the catalyst for most of the weirdy stuff that happens and while I find the worldbuilding interesting, a town that lives on the edge of a forest, townspeople used to seeing fairtytale monsters and the occasional death by strange means, it wasn't enough to temper the lackluster characters that populated the rest of the book. In fact, I skipped an entire chapter and it didn't really matter to the rest of the book.

With that said, I finished the book, but I'm not even going to try to find out if Ms. Black will be writing a sequel or not.

I loved the reverse Snow White-esque-ness of this story! And pretty much everything else too. It started off a little slow but magical right from the get-go. It was fascinating and ethereal and reminded me why I loved the Tithe series so much. Holly Black does faeries SO well. And that's all she should write. :) It was just wonderful.

I really enjoyed the whimsical writing style of this fairy tale book. It was lovely, well paced, with excellent world building. I only wish there was a sequel so I could continue to dwell in the town of Fairfold a little longer.

Here we have a story that goes beyond the normal prototypes of love, guy-save-the-world and how a city of humans reacts when living among faeries (commonly known as The Folk). It's third person narrative is just beautiful: it's almost as you were there, inside the character's heart and mind. It has quite a number of quotes I'd have marked had I the presence of mind to stop reading -- it's almost impossible once you get the hang of it!

I definitely enjoyed this dark story of fairy. Holly Black is able to insert fabled lands into everyday life and make it believable that it could exist right under our noses. The main characters are well rounded and I love a story with a brave lady knight, even when she is turned to dark purpose.

This book is extremely well written. I have been reading Holly Black for years and she never disappoints. I anxiously awaited this book and bought it as soon as it came out. I love the wild fantasy worlds that Holly spins. You slip right into them as you read her excellent work. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys SciFi/Fantasy.

Modern fairy tale. With a twist.

Hazel and Ben live in a town that is just like you or I, but with one small addition. There is a glass coffin hiding in the woods with a boy with horns inside. Its been there so long no one knows exactly when it first showed up, but it has been part of their lives for as long as they can remember.
Until one day, the unbreakable coffin is found shattered and empty.

This book reads almost like a video game. Hazel is like you and me as a child, running around pretending to be a knight. There is boss battle after boss battle until you get to the biggest boss battle of them all!! With surprise twists all the way until the end, it was a very fun read.

I stumbled upon this book by accident but ended up reading it and it was surprisingly really good. 8.7/10. Kept my attention and curiosity peaked until the end, never knowing what was to come next. Would recommend to friends. Not usually the book I read but it was a page turner

It's been a very, very, very long time since I was in the mood for a fae book. I absolutely adored The Iron Fae series by Julie Kagawa and since then I just haven't felt like I was ready for a new fae series in my life, you know? I tried, but nothing stuck. I began to think I was over it.

And then Holly Black dropped some knowledge on me. I NEEDED THIS BOOK. I wanted this book. I LOVED THIS BOOK.

Hazel is kind of a loner but in an independent and badass kinda way, which I really liked. She wasn't mopey or "save me" or whatever, which was great. I also really, really, REALLY liked that the fantastical elements of the town were known, so we got to skip that whole "dip your toes in" part of world building and jumped to "wade right in, the water's fine."

There's a couple different romances brewing here too that are slow burning and sweet but definitely have some steam, so in the midst of the adventuring and saving the town from a spreading darkness brought on by the fae, there's some kissy scenes! Wee!

If you haven't read Holly Black, start here. If you haven't read a book about fae, start here. If you have read Holly Black, then you know the gorgeousness of her writing does not disappoint!

Bear in mind that this is a standalone fantasy book, so things sometimes feel like they're progressing more quickly than other fantasy books. I personally liked that pacing because it made THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST that much more addicting and made me binge read into the night that many more hours.

TL;DR: THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST is an absolutely addicting stand alone fantasy that weaves the best parts of the battle of good vs. evil, the duplicity of fae, and the strength of standing up for those you love.

Let's start this review by talking about the ending. GUYS. If I had Holly Black's phone number, I would have called her and asked her to marry me after finishing this book. It is in contention for best ending of a book in the history of all historical histories. For THREE reasons. None of which I will tell you because...spoilers. But come find me on Twitter after you've read this and we'll gush about it together. The world is a better place because of the ending of this book. I'm serious.

Now. About the first half-ish or so of this book: It was fine. The writing is freaking amazing. The pacing felt a bit slow while I was reading it, but it turns out the pacing was exactly as it needed to be. The fae were creepy as hell and I've learned that I'm not really a fan of fairies. *looks around to be sure it's safe to make such proclamations* They scare the begeezus out of me and they're such conniving little connivers. So the fact that I loved this book anyway is a huge testament to how amazing Black is as a storyteller. Sure, this is a story about the fae, but it's even more so a story about a girl. And some boys. And some fae, some of which are royal. And how they find their way in this sort of shared life they live together in Fairfold. And how it affects them all. Some of the relationships are romantical. Some are brotherly slash sisterly. All are complex.

The characters take the cake for me, but the world building is just as magnificent. You can practically smell dirt and decomposing life matter while reading this book. Especially when you get a glimpse into the fae revel. This story played like a movie in 4D in my head while I was reading it. (Jack & Carter were especially handsome in this movie, BTW.)

So don't feel put off if you're silly like me and feel like the story is moving too slow in the first half. Just pay attention to the words and be ready for them to all come together in the second half. You're in for a real treat.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 13, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.

Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.

At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.

Until one day, he does…

As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?

What I Liked:

My first Holly Black novel, a success! I believe I attempted to read Tithe years ago, but didn't like it at all (it was really abstract or something, and also, I don't usually like books with faeries), and didn't finish the book. I've been very meh about reading Black's books, but when I was sent this one for review, I couldn't resist. Honestly, I liked this one a lot more than I thought I would! I mean that in the best possible way.

In the forest of Fairfold, there is a coffin that contains a boy with horns and pointed ears. He has been there, unconscious in the coffin, for as long as anyone can remember. The town is in love with him, or the idea of him. Hazel and her older brother Ben are no exceptions. The children of Fairfold make the horned boy to be a prince, trapped in the coffin. But one day, he wakes. And Hazel realizes that there is something eerie about Fairfold, the Folk, her brother's best friend Jack, the horned boy...

This book is so much more than a mythical-looking boy waking up and escaping from the coffin. Hazel has been dealing with the Folk (basically, faeries) for years, but she hasn't really known. She made a bargain with the Alderking - her brother would get into a music school in Philadelphia, if Hazel gave up seven years of her life. Little does she know that she has been serving the Alderking the entire time, but has not known.

This book is written entirely in third person, but we pretty much get the story from Hazel's (third person) perspective. I don't know if I really connected with her, or would like her in real life, but I understand her. She wants to save the town, hunt down the bad creature (like hags), serve, protect, defend. She kisses a lot of boys, but she doesn't want to be serious with anyone, because she knows that she is messed up with the Folk.

But she's also in love with one of them - Jack, her brother's best friend, who happens to be one of the Folk. He's a changeling, brought to the human world by his mother, in exchange for a human boy. However, the human boy's mother got her son back, and kept Jack as well. Twisted, no? The story is so much bigger than it appears in the synopsis.

There is a creature in Fairfold that must be stopped. The waking of the horned boy was no coincidence. Hazel, Ben (her brother), Jack, and the horned boy must stop the creature. A powerful sword, a faerie ritual, a crazed king... there is so much to want to know!

So it's obvious - I really liked the story. At first, things were pretty slow, because Black was setting up the scene. The horned boy doesn't disappear in the first scene. There is a lot of switching back to scenes of the past in this book, but they are marked and very obvious, and don't last long.

I liked Hazel, honestly. My favorite character was probably Jack, and then Severin (the horned boy). Ben was okay, but as a brother, I probably wouldn't have liked him much. He seemed to be a bit pathetic at times. Hazel, on the other hand, was a warrior. Jack was a mysterious yet honest and sexy changeling. Yeah, I liked him a lot!

There is plenty of sweeping romance in this book. If you couldn't tell by now, I really ship Hazel and Jack... I won't say how things end, but it's a pretty fulfilling ending. Fulfilling. It makes sense, and I like it - in terms of the romance, mind you. There are two romance plots in this book. I won't say anything else.

This book is set in a contemporary world - like, it's definitely in modern times. But there is so much fantasy in this book, and it's billed as a fairy tale. I can see that. It definitely has the fairy tale feel to it, even if it is set in contemporary times. Black does an excellent job of constructing the world and putting in place all of the fantasy elements, in a modern world.

The writing is so beautiful! I remember thinking the same about Tithe, but the problem with Tithe (for me) was that I was confused about all the abstractness going on. This book had the same abstract quality to it, but it didn't seem as confusing. Or maybe I was just extremely young when attempting to read Tithe. The book was published in like, 2004? I read it a little after the publication... so I was probably nine or ten. There's the problem.

Anyway. I really enjoyed this book! I didn't think I would, but here I am, writing a four-star review. Excellent work, Holly Black!

What I Did Not Like:

Hmm... perhaps a little more detail at the ending, when Hazel realized where a certain something was. Not enough attention was put on how exactly she, um, retrieved said item. So I was confused as to how that worked. Also, that no one saw her getting it.

But that's really specific. Ignore me. Kind of.

Would I Recommend It:

If you like fairy-tale contemporary stories with lush fantasy and sweet romances, then I would recommend this one! I usually don't like books with faeries, but the presence of them wasn't YA-cliche or overwhelming. Their presence seemed like fairy-tale faeries. Which is awesome. Also, the writing is gorgeous in this book. Basically, this book really worked for me.

Rating:

4 stars. I'm really glad I got this book, and gave it a chance! I might actually got back and try to read her Modern Faerie Tale series. Or maybe the Curse Worker series. All in good time!

Another fantastic book by Holly Black! Also, more proof that she can write a solid, spellbinding stand-alone YA novel (which is becoming rather hard to find in a world where YA-fantasy/supernatural series' have taken over bookshelves everywhere).
The ending of this one was phenomenal. Her descriptions were vivid... both beautiful and creepy. The characters were fantastic, and the setting was one of my favorites.

The Darkest Part of the Forest has a lot of great ideas, and I loved how the fae were portrayed, but just like the other two stories I've read from this author, something was missing which kept me from loving it. In Fairfold the citizens are well aware of the existence of faeries. They accept them, but are also cautious, since the fae are tricksters and can get violent. It's mainly tourists who wind up dead in the forest where there's a crystal casket encasing a horned boy. Then one night, Hazel wakes up muddy and learns that the horn boy has been set free. There's also a monster after him and it's going to tear apart the town. It's up to Hazel to save everyone.

I really liked The Darkest Part of the Forest in the beginning. I loved how the fae were kind of the town's little secret, but also attracted tourism. I also really liked how the fairytale trope was flipped, and it was the ordinary human girl saving the extraordinary boy from evil. There's also a changeling who lives amongst them, and is best friends with Hazel's brother. There's just a lot of little things that I really enjoyed, but about halfway through I found myself kind of over it. Maybe there were just too many interesting, individual things that I loved but didn't necessarily get me more involved in the story. I kind of had this feeling of the author trying too hard to be unique which annoyed me. Not to say that's what she is doing, but that's just how I've felt about everything I'd read from her so far.

The Darkest Part of the Forest did pull me back in again toward the end, since it has a lot of great twists. I loved how things weren't exactly how they seemed, and there were little details that made for fun "AH HA!" moments. But all of that didn't make up for the nagging feeling I had throughout. I really do not know what it is about this author's writing that just does not sit right with me. I absolutely adore all of her ideas, but then they all just kind of lose me once the plot actually picks up. Perhaps I'm just a fan of her world building and not her plots.

*Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for review. No compensation was offered or accepted.

Loved loved loved this book! Probably the best fearie story that I've ever read. The perfect classic fairy tale with a modern twist. The flow between points of view is seamless and entrancing, the characters are flawed but loyal and true, and the story is adventurous and heartwarming.

You ever see a book and just know you have to read it, based on the cover alone? And then you find out what it's about and you realize you were right? It is a book MADE for you? That's me and The Darkest Part of the Forest.

When I first started reading The Darkest Part of the Forest it surprised me. For some reason after reading the synopsis, I thought this was going to be a historical fantasy world. I don't know if that's what you are expecting - but that's not it at all. No this is our world. And not really even a different version of our world. Its just that in this one little town - Fairfold - most people know that the Fae are real and very present. It's good for their tourism - kind of surprisingly since the tourists are the ones most hurt by the Fae.

But one of the main attractions is a boy, sleeping (not dead, though how they know that I have no idea) in a glass coffin - an unbreakable, glass coffin. He's a point of interest for tourists and locals alike - a focal point for teenage parties. But two people in the town - siblings Hazel and Ben are OBSESSED with the boy. But then Hazel and Ben aren't quite normal anyway.

The way Holly Black wrote Hazel and Ben is probably my favorite part of The Darkest Part of the Forest. Hazel - not Ben - dreams of being a knight. Not a princess, but a knight. LOVE IT! Who says every little girl wants a princess dress, right? And Hazel holds onto those dreams as she grows up and even though she struggles for various reasons, she hasn't lost that part of herself.

And Ben, well he basically is the one who dreams of being the princess (so to speak). He's not a fighter - he's sensitive and has a a musical gift/curse. Who says every boy has to dream of being a knight? LOVE IT! Better yet, Ben is openly gay and through him we get a sweet romance.

I loved the sibling part of the story - probably because I see a lot of my brother and myself in Hazel and Ben. I want to take care of everyone and protect them and he's always been more (seemingly) carefree and light.

I think The Darkest Part of the Forest was a great story, from the fantasy and action to the relationships. The mystery was interesting and had a couple twists I didn't see coming. And I just loved the use of a small town that's supposed to be part of our world but sits somewhere on the fringe. A great book to pick up and start 2015 right!

This book was amazing. I had to read it as a school book in my high school english class. i was dreading it, tired of all of the horrible school books we were forced to read. i started the book and i was stunned. it was spectacular. i could not put it down.

The rating itself is more of 2.5 stars which according to Goodreads is a little more than "it was okay". It saddens me, really. But no matter how intriguing the plot was and no matter how much I love the book cover, I just could not get into the book.

From the very beginning, I was in love with the idea of the book. Fae folk living together with regulars and having a sleeping boy in a glass coffin in their woods. Dark, creepy fairy tale dream of every girl. But the writing style itself and the actually story itself was not enough to made me want to read it. But I tried. And I probably felt like my heart was being broken a little bit. Because how can you make such an appealing story become into.... That!

#ImDone

This book was amazing. I had to read it as a school book in my high school english class. i was dreading it, tired of all of the horrible school books we were forced to read. i started the book and i was stunned. it was spectacular. i could not put it down.

The rating itself is more of 2.5 stars which according to Goodreads is a little more than "it was okay". It saddens me, really. But no matter how intriguing the plot was and no matter how much I love the book cover, I just could not get into the book.

From the very beginning, I was in love with the idea of the book. Fae folk living together with regulars and having a sleeping boy in a glass coffin in their woods. Dark, creepy fairy tale dream of every girl. But the writing style itself and the actually story itself was not enough to made me want to read it. But I tried. And I probably felt like my heart was being broken a little bit. Because how can you make such an appealing story become into.... That!

#ImDone