The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

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?

My Thoughts:  No spoilers here!

OK - this book is a perfect example of “like the story, not the writing style”.  I really enjoyed the story and all of its fairy tale elements, but the style wasn't my thing.  Overall, I would recommend it though.  It’s dark, mysterious, at times disturbing, and fantastical.  *We all know I love a good fantasy/fairy tale (if you didn't, you do now)!*

It started off pretty slow, but once I got into the story I was intrigued.

Ben and Hazel’s living situation made me kind of sad because of the fact that their parents were around without really being around.  In order to deal with this, they rely heavily on their imaginations.  As they grew up, though, they drifted apart and withheld secrets from each other leading to unspoken grudges.

This might seem stupid, but I love the fact that Hazel is the sword wielding knight and Ben is the melodic musical hypnotist.

READ IT!

Sexual Content: Moderate
Language: Moderate/Heavy (I'm not completely sure , but I seem to remember a good bit of language)
Violence: Heavy (at the end - depending on your tolerance level)
Drugs/Alcohol: Moderate