Thanks to the publisher for approving me to read this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

The Hazel Wood is an interesting book that is very reminiscent of the 90s and generally younger eras. It's a story of Alice, the main character, whose mother has disappeared, and she knows that her disappearance might be linked to the grim fairy tales that she's grown up with.

The book starts off very nicely. You have Alice trying to find her mother, along with her companion Finch. I thought that these two main characters made a great duo, and they kept the adventure moving forward. The story is told from Alice's point of view, and quite frankly, Alice is a difficult character to like. She tends to whine and is very rude. I don't think that a reader should necessarily like a character to be engrossed in the story. However, it was very difficult to accept Alice as she is because most of her actions were spiteful for no reason.

The first part of the book develops the characters and I thought it was fantastic. It was well-written. The mystery element was quite stellar, and I wanted to see how the fairy tale/fantasy element would kick in. And then it kicked in. You have a transition from the real world into a fantasy world when the duo enter a wood that they drive in.

The transition was quite smooth, but what came after just did not work for me. When they entered the world, everything just seemed to happen. No flow or logic, just happened. And this is where I stopped enjoying. I still really enjoyed the fact that they were written in a story, and that their actions is pre-determined. But it was quite irritating to see things just work out, just like that. Everything was too convenient.

Overall, I enjoyed the writing style here and the characters are well-rounded. I also loved the dark undertones of this story that did not shy away from gore and profanity. It worked. However, what really did not work for me was the fairy tale/fantasy world working systematically and conveniently; I wanted more flow in that aspect.

The Hazel Wood's key point is the atmosphere it builds up. It is dark, and foreboding and doesn't promised good endings. At first, I thought The Hazel Wood had a very gothic mystery vibe in it. There are weird people popping up and she doesn't realize that they are creatures from the Hinterland, the land where the fairytales are set. Her friend, Ellery is her guide in all things Hinterland, and also the financier for the journey, but she considers him bothersome because he is a superfan and she has been staying away from those. As the story proceeds, it transforms from a dark paranormal mystery to a much more darker fantasy (think Uprooted).

Alice, the protagonist, is not likeable and honestly, it will turn off many people (I am guessing). She is rude, selfish and often bites people (metaphorically) who are helping her out. She is single-minded in the search for her mother, and when she arrives at The Hazel Wood, and discovers some truths, she is even more determined to free herself from the clutches of Hinterland and get back to her life with her mother. Ellery, who is along with her for the mystery of Hinterland, tries to befriend her and there is the possibility of romance between them that blooms, but the story ultimately doesn't have romance. The love that is predominant here is the love between a mother and a daughter, and the things they will do for each other.

Interspersed in the main plot, are a couple of stories from the Hinterland collection of fairytales that her grandmother wrote, and I agree with Ellery, they are something else entirely! It combines the old Grimm style of being a ruthless story, just without the misogyny attached. The story that actually relates to the plot (I won't say which, because it might be spoiler-y) is pretty interesting and makes us question how we view villains in stories. And I loved how the book is about stories and how stories are acted out, with a little The School for Good and Evil themes, and a little adventure but also a bit like horror. The writing is also very rich and engaging, and at many times, I wanted to slow down and savor the words instead of speeding up over descriptions like I normally do. But that also kind of breaks down the pace at times, which may not be the best thing in a story that is building up suspense with every page.

The only thing I did not like was the anti-climactic ending, which I would say was more like an epilogue because it goes, at length, into what happens next. Considering this book is going to have a sequel, I felt it was probably better to put that in the start of that rather than ruin the ending here by disrupting the flow and pace of the story.

Overall, a decadent urban fantasy many would love to sink into.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Penguin, via Netgalley.

This is a hard one to review, my feelings are really mixed towards this one

The book started off slow, but I really go into it towards the middle. It was creepy and imaginative and I really like Finch and Alice's characters. But the last 3rd of the book was a bit eh. I liked the setting and the world, but the pacing just seemed a bit off to me in the last parts of the book.

Generally the book was creepy and interesting and the premise and world were great, but for me, the writing was only okay.

So I've gone down the middle with 3 stars, because I liked aspects of the book, but didn't like others.

I did enjoy reading it overall, but I'm left with a bit of a meh feeling. Overall the book was just okay to me.

Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the bad luck at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.” Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.


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The Hazel Wood
Melissa Albert

In The Hazel Wood I absolutely loved the Hinterland. The idea of it, the characters that come from it, and the world building once we reach it. Everything about just kept me completely enthralled which was why I was happy I read through the first part of the book. Alice's mother Ella has ensured she has no knowledge of the Hinterland or her grandmother, which means we spend a lot of time following Alice as she has to learn about them before she tracks The Hazel Wood down. 

The Hazel Wood also made me extremely nostalgic for the fairy tales I grew up reading. The characters were quite dark and not the Disney versions of a tale at all, so getting out Grimm's book may be my next step. I also thought it was a very different approach to including fairy stories into the real world. This isn't some Once Upon a Time book and you don't always get the perfect rounded happy ending at the end of a story.

We're introduced to the Hinterland through Ellery Finch, a classic bookworm character. He's wonderful, and helps Alice get to the Hazel Wood to find her mother. He uses his usefully unlimited bank account to fund the adventure as well. The best thing about Ellery Finch is that he's completely set up as a love interest, but there's no romance at all. They share hotel rooms, have car trips and go through hell together, but for once the two characters keep a platonic and wonderful friendship.

One of the main plot twists was pretty predictable and heavily hinted at throughout the book, so I don't think it could really be called a plot twist? But it did make me want to continue reading it because of the consequences of the actions taken. The book was also written so well that it pulled you into the story. It was creepy and magical but also funny at times. One of my favourite descriptions by Alice was 'They looked like Etsy jewelry on steroids' which comes at a time of crisis for her. She just made the book seem so real. 

Overall, I definitely think everyone should pick up this book and hopefully Melissa Albert will be writing some more novels soon. 

POSITIVES
+ Hinterland world building

+ Nostalgic for childhood fairy tales

+ No romance 

NEGATIVES
– A tad predictable

– Wish it had more set in the Hinterland

I received The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert from the publisher via Netgalley. This is an unbiased and honest review

Rating 4.5/5

I have always loved fairytales, something about the mystery and magic just appeals to me, I find as I get older though it isn't just that but also the sheer scope of imagination that goes into these stories that draws me in. The Hazel Wood is a perfect example of this, a dark and chillingly creative tale that easily recreates the obsession in its pages to the reader.

Alice is an interesting character, not the type that you immediately warm to but I did find that as the story unfolded I felt more of a connection to her. I liked her determination to find her mother and get to the Hazel Wood, even though she is given plenty of reasons not to. She isn't a perfect character but I think that makes following her story more appealing.

The plot was fantastic, I didn't expect half of what I came across which I'm not going to tell you about because it will definitely spoil the impact. What I will say is that I loved how we start to hear about the Hinterland, as Alice enlists Finch to help find her grandmother's estate, the Hazel Wood, we get snippets of some of the stories and this had me desperate to know more. 

I should say these are not cute parables with happily ever after endings, these stories are twisted and gruesome with haunting characters. That kind of macabre setting that you can't tear your eyes away from, even if you do get squeamish. 

This also had you questioning everyone's motives because of the draw that the Hinterland possesses. I felt this the most with Finch, he was such a sweet character and the support he shows Alice made me really fond of him but his fascination with Alice's grandmother and the book occasionally had me second guessing him, which really added to the tension in the story.

The only thing that slightly let me down in this book was I felt like there was this build up of how dark and dangerous the Hinterland and the story characters were but when she has to cross paths with some of them, it felt just a little bit too easy. Also whilst I liked that this crossed between our world and the Hinterland, I would have loved for a bit more of the story to be in the Hinterland, it felt like those parts of the story sped by, but then maybe I was just enjoying it too much.

Since reading the book I have seen some fairly mixed reviews and what I would say is definitely don't read anything that gives away too much of the plot because this is one that you want to experience for yourself. I would highly recommend it though, it's sinister and thrilling, I felt the draw immediately and have had this book on my mind ever since.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy reading 'The Hazel Wood' as much as I thought I would. Although fantasy and mystery are my two favourite genres, this novel just didn't seem to capture my interest at all. The characters seemed flat, unlikable and unrealistic. The story moved at a very strange pace and sometimes certain events just didn't make sense or a solution to a problem appeared out of nowhere. It is a YA novel, so I was expecting some teenage melodrama, but at one point it felt like the two main characters were competing as to who had the worst life experiences... It also bothered me how nonchalantly and indifferently some characters reacted to serious issues like kidnapping and abuse. The writing also didn't appeal to me; it often seemed like the author wanted to make it lyrical and literary but then she used some utterly ridiculous expressions that ruined everything.

This novel will probably appeal to many people, but it just wasn't for me.

Before reading The Hazel Wood, I naughtily read a few different reviews on the book - mainly for the hype. I was surprised to see that the book had gained some negative reviews. I'm a complete sucker for fantasy books, I wasn't going to let some bad reviews put me off!

Firstly, let's talk about Alice. I loved her so much; I thought she was a wonderful character. Her sassy and negative attitude towards life and other people I absolutely adored.

I would like to thank Penguin Random House Children's Publishers and Melissa Albert, for sending me this ARC via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

I found myself chuckling over certain things she would say or do. She was entertaining.

I've been looking for a character with a bit of spark; someone that you are either going to love or hate. Alice definitely fits into the category. You are really going to either love or hate her. Thankfully, I love her.

Her spark doesn't just stop there, she will literally do anything to save her mother. Alice's mother is her best friend and very clearly, her only friend in the world.

I found Alice to be a somewhat relatable character. I considered myself quite an angry person at times - hating the world. Bonus? Reading about Alice working in a coffee shop. I have worked in coffee shops for a number of years, I can totally relate to her anger and sass towards customers!?

Okay moving on to the story itself. If you've read some reviews, then yes, roughly half of the book takes place in New York. I strongly disagree that it was "boring". It was exciting. The pace of the story was steady; I enjoyed the backstory, learning about Alice and her mother. It adds to the build-up of the world, making it more intense.

I enjoyed the "developing" friendship with Flinch. What was better? No romance.

THANK YOU, MELISSA.

Amazing to have a guy and girl on an adventure together without having to suck each other's faces off barely halfway through. So thank you.

My only downside is, funnily enough, the fantasy side. I became a tad bit lost in it all. Perhaps I enjoyed the first half so much that the Hazel Wood section didn't do it as much for me. Nevertheless, I still loved it and it was just as intense.

Melissa writes beautiful, bewitching you with her enchanting spell that is her writing. She draws you into the world of the Hinterland so that you may never want to leave.

Go out and read this book. Oh, I really insist.

The writing of this book was absolutely beautiful, but it's just not for me if I'm completely honest. I really enjoyed the premise and thought behind this book, and I also loved the fact the majority of the book took place in modern day New York City (going into it I was worried there was going to be too much Alice's Wonderland style action.) The mystery behind the book also really captivated me.

The world building did not quite form in my head the way I would like though and that was a shame, and I did not feel any major attachments to the MC either. The premise of this book led me to believe it would be a lot different than it actually was, I thought it would be a lot darker and mysterious, but the writing style and plot failed this premise- for good or bad is up to the reader to decide.

Overall, I'm very glad that I read this book and I was really captivated by elements of it, I would recommend to anyone who enjoys poetic writing and mysterious plots.

http://www.speculativeherald.com/2018/02/09/review-the-hazel-wood-by-melissa-albert/
https://lynns-books.com/2018/02/10/the-hazel-wood-the-hazel-wood-1-by-melissa-albert/
The Hazel Wood is a book that is a combination of quest, redemption and dark fairy tale all rolled into one. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing was really good but more than that the book actually spoke to me, and I realise that probably sounds a little bit sentimental but this was about change, coming of age, discovering who you are and having the courage to alter those things that seem set in stone. It also gave me a serious case of the goosebumps that were bad enough to stop me reading late into the dark – I don’t know why, perhaps I’m just a bit of a wimp.

As the book begins we learn about Alice. Alice and her mother have been on the run for as long as she can remember. A long time ago Alice’s grandmother wrote a book of dark fairy tales that became a cult classic. Very few copies of the book can be found and although it appeared to be adored, and indeed inspired a strong following, very few people now know much about the stories. It seems like the people who read the book become somewhat obsessive and one of Alice’s earliest memories was of a man abducting her and trying to take her to her grandmother. Since then, Alice and her mother have barely kept one step ahead of the perpetual bad luck that seems to follow them around and which has, in fact, with the death of her grandmother, finally caught them up. Alice returns home from school one day to find her mother missing and against advice knows that the only place to look is her grandmother’s estate, The Hazel Wood.

The setting is a combination of contemporary and fairytale. A good portion of the story takes part in New York where Alice and her mother have finally put down tentative roots and indeed seem to have momentarily forgotten to keep on the move. The latter chapters of the story take part in the Hazel Wood and are a riot of mixed up fairy tales that make Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland seem almost sane.

Alice comes across as a fairly hard character. She can be brutally honest, she doesn’t particularly mix well or make friends easily and in fact can be a bit difficult to get along with. However, stick with her. She’s definitely flawed and maybe not always easy to like but then a life on the run has made her develop a protective armour of snarky indifference and her character flaws become somewhat more understandable as the story unfolds.

Ellery Finch is the other main character of the story. He’s one of Alice’s classmates and, as it turns out, a strong fan of the stories penned by Alice’s grandmother, which given the obsessive nature of some of the fans, did give me a slight feeling of unease. Two things about Ellery – one good and one maybe not so much. I must admit that I really appreciate that Ms Albert didn’t make him into a romantic lead but as much as I appreciated that aspect at the same time I couldn’t help feeling that his story was a little bit contrived in terms of moving the plot forward. Given Alice’s time on the road I think it would have been more than plausible if she had managed by herself.

The plot is the real winning element of this book, and of course the lovely writing. The two together combine to make an intriguing story that you feel compelled to read. As I said above there were definitely mystery elements to this book. I needed to find out more and to be honest I would have loved to have learned more of the original fairy tales explored here as the few snippets that were on display made fascinating reading.

In terms of criticisms. I think some readers may find the start of the story, which is predominantly contemporary with a hint of creepiness thrown in, a little longer than they might wish for. Particularly so as it feels that the fantasy elements of the story only really take a hold during the latter stages of the book. I didn’t have a problem in that respect but thought I should raise the issue as some readers may be more interested in a full on fantasy read. Obviously there’s the fact that Alice can be a bit abrasive – although, again, I found her character to be understandable. So, I think the only real criticism that I can share, with the above provisos in mind, is that this is one of those stories where the main character is kept in the dark about so many things – by a number of people – and it’s actually quite annoying. For example Finch – he’s read and loved all Alice’s grandmother’s stories but does he tell her all about them all? No, of course not, because that way would lie the way of spoilers.

Overcall, whilst there were a couple of elements that gave me pause for thought overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had me hooked to the page trying to find out more about Alice. and the mystery that surrounded her family.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

This book was built up to the maximum before I read it... and I have to say I don’t see what all the fuss is about.

The first half of the book was incredibly slow and just seemed to be longer than necessary. The second half was like an adult version of Alice in wonderland, slightly darker but just as wierd.

I will start by saying - this is an incredibly talked about book pre-publication and despite me loving everything the synopsis detailed, I was a tad worried that, like other massively hyped novels, that it would be a let down - I needn't have been concerned, this book is magnificent.

I have certainly noticed that it has polarised opinion quite a bit but I can't understand why as I wouldn't have changed anything about it, it was a fantastic read for January and the start of a whole new reading year. Also, a quick note of appreciation for the cover - absolutely gorgeous!

I have worried a fair bit since finishing it about writing the review with my primary concern being doing the novel justice. I genuinely think this is one of those that you need to read as I don't think any review can convey the magic and enchanting nature of the story. It has managed to leave a lasting impression on me as I haven't stopped thinking about it since wrapping it up. I am still thinking about the upcoming books Albert is writing - 1) the sequel (The Hazel Wood #2) and 2) a companion book filled with the Fairytales of the Hinterland. Both of these I am going stir crazy for already! They seem like an eternity away. I'm now desperately searching for similar books to keep me entertained until these have been offered as ARC's or published.

I am also pleased to hear that the film rights have been purchased, I would definitely pay to see it once it has been completed. I am guessing that'll be quite a few years away yet though. I am happy that I have read the book before the watching the movie as it can sometimes create a very different experience the other way around.

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

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

Setting - The plot takes place in two very different world's - New York City is where Alice and Ella are living when Ella goes missing. On a mission to rescue her Alice and Finch try to discover a way into the deceptive world of the Hazel Wood. Most of the first half of the book is set in NYC and is where Albert masterfully introduces and fleshes out the characters. Finch, who is a Tales of the Hinterland super fan, starts seeing characters from the Hinterland in and around NY so the worlds overlap slightly. The second half is mainly based in The Hazel Wood with Finch and Alice searching for Ella but she returns to NYC at the end of the book.

Main Characters - Alice is a steely-minded and tenacious girl who seems to have issues with her anger at many points during the novel. I admired her the most for the love she had for her mother, Ella - she stopped at nothing to try and reach and rescue her despite feeling scared. I feel I would react in the same way if my mum went missing or was taken. Ella is Alice's "mother" and her and Alice have an amazing bond between them. This bond is a main focus of the book as it endures even when Ella disappears propelling Alice into a shadowy world. Finch is a boy from Alice's school who has been a big admirer of Tales of the Hinterland and of the mysterious Althea. Then there are Alice and Finch's families plus a few other peripheral figures both in the real world and the Hazel Wood. Such unique characters that I am still thinking about weeks and weeks after finishing I know this won't be a read that I soon forget.

Prose/Writing - Albert's writing is magical and engaging from the very beginning - it took no time at all to get into the story and be invested in its journey and outcome. Lush, lyrical and well structured with a flow that makes it difficult to put down, a beautiful piece of creativity. One thing I was told to expect was a change in the writing style after the 50% mark and I know that a few people have mentioned the change in their comments with me or in reviews. Whilst I do agree that there is a change and the prose is noticeably less descriptive I didn't experience a reduction in my enjoyment due to that. The first half and second half do feel different and distinct due to this aspect but I thought it was a brave move to change it up a little. I guess people will make up their own minds but I must stress that the change does not mean that the quality of the story and all the other nuts and bolts suffer, in my opinion.

One thing that strikes me about the book is the vivid imagination it would have taken to dream up and put together. The genre and story couldn't have been more perfect for me - a fairytale that is dark and disturbing in nature you say? Hell, yeah! A delicious recipe of YA with added Mystery - the two genres I adore!

It's going to be a hard road awaiting the upcoming books but it could have been worse had this been a standalone only, I would have been pretty sad had that of been the case as it was a pleasure to read and I only hope that a talent like Albert pens many, many more books similar in genre once this series has come to a close.

If you are a fan of darker fairytales (Grimm), YA and Mystery genres I wouldn't hesitate to reach for this one. I've purchased a copy for my bookshelf as I know I'll read it again before the new ones appear just to refresh. Well executed and simply mesmeric this is a novel that will knock your socks off!

Albert's got IT! In spades.

I would like to thank Penguin Random House Children's, Melissa Albert and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

TW: self-injury, racial profiling discussion


I adore dark, grisly, fairytales and this one is such a gorgeously atmospheric venture into such a world. Love love love!

Alice and her mother, Ella, live a pretty whimsical life - road tripping across the country, never staying very long in one place, moving whenever their bad luck catches up to them. When Ella receives a letter saying her mother, Alice's grandmother and renowned fairy tale author, Althea has passed away things start to spiral into an incredibly dark and grisly story.

This book just has so much atmosphere! A story of a daughter searching for her now missing mother, intertwined with a plethora of dark, grisly, and unique fairy tales is a rabbit hole which Alice was inevitably always going to fall down.

The world-building is so intriguing and atmospheric and much more complex than originally thought. I adore authors who convey entire complex worlds without any tiresome info-dumps, something which Albert did wonderfully.

The writing as well is incredibly captivating. When telling the fairy tales, Albert does fantastically in conveying a mystical horror to the reader. The stories are often simple and seemingly based on a moral message, with unexpected endings threaded with a grisliness that is obsessive. The rest of the story is really well paced if you allow the story to unfold as it's meant to. Don't hope and wish to dive into the Hinterland too quickly, because once you are there you will well and truly be enraptured.

I really loved Alice as a character, despite her rudeness and sometimes also clueless tenancies (which did lead to my one concern of the story - more of that later). Because as someone who grew up as a pretty grungy, give-zero-fucks teen myself, she resonated it such a raw and true way.

The love and loyalty between Alice and her mother is something that truly struck me. Despite not having much on-screen interaction, the powerful bond between the two characters is unquestionable. There is a raw, messy, gorgeous imperfection in this relationship.

Even Finch is a perfectly imperfect character. Never really knowing where he stands, his intentions often seem true and meaningful.

Which leaves me with an issue I came across that I would like to point out.

There is a scene in which Finch, the only identified POC in the story, is met with police. The scene follows to a conversation in which Finch voices his concern about racial profiling and why he was uncomfortable with speaking up to the police officer. Alice, who has previously been dismissive and rude as per her character, dismisses this conversation as well, stating that Finch is, in fact, rich and privileged, suggesting his feelings on this are invalid.

This entire scene was just poorly done and unnecessary. I appreciate the effort the author made to bring to light such an important issue, but this was neither the time nor the place, instead resulting in something seemingly thrown in as a token conversation that has upset a number of readers and reviewers.

Overall though this is a story that I want sequels for, companion stories, and illustrated compendiums. It is a world in which I can not wait to dive into more, is deliciously engaging, and I can only hope I have nightmares of.

When I read the description of this book, I couldn't wait to read it.

When I started this book, I was gripped from the beginning! It has an heir of mystery about it that just grabs you and doesn't let go until the end.

Alice-Three-Times has now become one of my fav characters in books. She has an individuality that surpasses others. To learn about her life alongside her is breathtaking.

I hoped that Finch would become like Alice but the story bends a different way. Sadly so. I was so glad to see that Alice had a reasonably happy ever after 😁.

I wonder if there will be a sequel? Maybe Alice-Three-Times again?!

I'm recommending this book to friends and will even buy the book for my collection and for presents for friends!

I'm unsure where to start with this book, there is so much going on. The Hazel woods is a book you have to really concentrate on, no reading this one on the train.
At first it's hard to guess what direction Alice's story is going in but it all soon clicks into place.
I liked this book a lot and will definitely be watching out for more books by Melissa Albert

All Alice Prosperine really knows about her Grandmother Althea is that she is a reclusive author of dark fairy tales, and that she has never shown an interest in Alice or her mother Ella.

Bad luck follows Alice and Ella around no matter where they go - but with the arrival of a letter announcing Althea's death, they believe that this will mean the end of their misfortune. When Ella goes missing, they realise that the opposite is now true - they're in more danger than they ever have been.

Alice needs to enlist the help of an Althea Prosperine superfan to find The Hazel Wood - and get her mother back.

I liked this a lot, up to about half way through. Then it seemed to change from contemporary magical realism to straight-up fantasy. I've no problem with fantasy, I love it, but I felt like we were thrown in at the deep end and that the world building could have been a little stronger. I liked Alice, and most of the other characters, and I liked the story. It felt similar to Caraval to me - which isn't a huge issue, I liked Caraval - it just wasn't what I was expecting from this book.

A solid 3.5/5 and I'd read more if this turned into a series.

A strange kind of book. Not something I would normally read, but quite entertaining none the less. I got into the lead character straightaway which is what made me want to stay with the book, a young girl drawn into a fantasy land of her grandmothers making. I thought it got a bit lost in the middle, and was a bit bored for a few chapters, but otherwise the writing was excellent

This is an unusual novel, a horror thriller set in a fairytale. I found it too outlandish though and it was not my cup of tea.

I nearly stopped reading it several times but I hate giving up on books and did kind of want to know how it concluded, so I persevered but just skim read most of the halfway wood/hinterland chapters as I found them too long and boring.
The 2 stars are for the start of the book as it started off well and I liked somewhat up to the point when Alice was on the road with Finch. The last quarter of the book got 0 stars for me as it rambled on and on so flicked through it quickly just to get to the end but probably should have put it away and started on a new book instead.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for my honest personal opinion. Review also added to Goodreads.

I was one of the lucky people that got accepted to read this on Netgalley before the release date, and I was really excited because I had heard so much. The Hazel Wood was one of the strangest books I have read in a long time and while I was intrigued by the idea, I felt that it could have been a lot darker. I was expecting creepier tales and settings to dominate the book and I was a little disappointed that they didn't. You can definitely see the inspiration from Alice in Wonderland and while I enjoyed this book, I wish we got to see more of the Fantasy setting.

For her whole life, Alice and her mother, Ella, have constantly moved from place to place, bad luck following them wherever they go. Until one day they hear that Alice's grandmother, Althea, an author of a book filled with dark fairy tales, dies in the Hazel Wood, they finally settle down. They were wrong to feel safe and one day Ella mysteriously disappears, leaving behind nothing but a message telling Alice to stay away from the Hazel Wood. Unable to do that, she embarks on a quest to rescue her mother from the people that have supposedly come from the world of fairy tales.

I will say that I prefer the second half of the book to the first, because at the beginning it felt very Contemporary with not a lot of Fantasy elements. I understand why, but it would have been nice for our characters to get to Hinterland, the place where the fairy tales reside, instead of milling about in the city and travelling by car. However, I really enjoyed the dark and strange world of Hinterland and the Hazel Wood. Some things might not have made sense (do fairy tales ever make sense with their rhymes and what not), but I thought that the descriptions of the world were great and intriguing. I loved the idea of the 'story' characters and how they acted. Not to mention, there were a couple plot twists that I didn't see coming, which is always a nice surprise.

Alice is the kind of character who doesn't care much about anything, except for her mother that she will do anything for, even if it means travelling to a far off place they have no idea if it even exists. I wanted to like Alice, and I did in parts, but she isn't the most likeable character, often being rude and ignorant (which is understandable later on when we learn of her background). However, I enjoyed reading about Finch, the rich boy who helps Alice with her mission. He was so lovely and tried to help, even when he probably shouldn't have because Alice was awful to him at times. Because of that it was a little awkward reading some interactions, especially when it came to mentioning his race (as he's dark skinned) and Alice always seemed to bring up how entitled he was because he had money. 

I wish we had a chance to meet more of the fairy tale characters from Hinterland and I would have loved to know more of the tales, instead of the few that are mentioned. The book definitely would have seemed more interesting if there were more fantastical elements to it. The pacing of the book was mainly good, with only a few slow parts, but I think most books have them in places. 

Overall, while there were things I would have improved on and parts I didn't connect with, I enjoyed the idea of the story and the majority of The Hazel Wood. Was it the most amazing book I've ever read? No, and I think that's because I was expecting it to be something it wasn't. I am intrigued to know more about the world, just not so much about how it works alongside the 'normal' world. After a long time thinking about this book, I think that a 3 star rating is what I will give it.

This is a great twist on fairytales. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. I'd have liked to have read the fairytales in the grandmothers book, that would have been the icing on the cake. A good read.

Lately I have had a thing for alternative fairy tales. Tangleweed and Brine had some really good alternative fairy tales and having recently read the awesome ‘The Cruel Prince’ by Holly Black, I was eager for even more tales. Melissa Albert weaved an intricate and dreamy world full of quirky characters.

The Hazel Wood has similarities to Alice in Wonderland and not just because the protagonist is called Alice. Alice travels to Hinterland, a land detailed in her grandmother’s cult book ‘Tales from the Hinterland’, after her mother is kidnapped by a Hinterland local. Along Alice’s adventure she meets a range of diverse and colourful characters and romance blossoms.
The book numerously visits the dark tales from ‘Tales from the Hinterland’ and these moments are as good if not better than the real story depending on your love for creepiness.

I would highly recommend this for fans of fairy tales, the fae and Alice in Wonderland.