Review: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

 Title: The Darkest Part of the Forest

Author: Holly Black

Audience: YA--Some romance, fairly chaste

Series Information: Holly Black is a very prolific YA fantasy author, but this is a stand alone volume.

Rating: 3/5

The town of Fairfold is famous for the weird things that happen there. Tourists come to see the horned boy in the glass casket who has been sleeping in the forest for generations (think Snow White or Sleeping Beauty). Rumors of fairies and other supernatural creatures attract the tourists as well. For the citizens of Fairfold, the creatures of the forest are known as the Folk. The people and the Folk have struck a deal that the Folk will leave the people of the town alone, but tourists are not so lucky. Occasionally, a tourist may show up dead or disappear in the forest.  All appears to be at a more or less copacetic place until one day the glass coffin is broken and the horned boy inside is free. Now the town is in a tailspin and bad things start happening to even those who have lived in Fairfold their entire lives.

Hazel and her brother Ben were born and raised in Fairfold. As children, they took it upon themselves to defend the people of the town and the tourists from the dangerous tricks of the Folk.  As a child, Hazel fancied herself to be a knight and even killed some of the Folk. As a child, the lines of justice seem clear cut. Now in her teen years, she will learn that not everyone (or everything) would view her actions as justice.

For the most part, this was an entertaining read. I cared about what was going to happen to the characters. Hazel is a strong female character to root for, but she also has flaws, which is refreshing. Characters solve mysteries in a realistic way (well, you know, realistic enough once you accept that their friend is a changeling). There are definitely enough fairies, elves, and changelings to satisfy seasoned fantasy readers. However, the reader (for the most part) is still in a world they would recognize. This nicely saves space for story instead of world building (which some might lament, others praise).  I would have given this book a higher rating, but the ending lost me. In the last chapter, every. single. sentence was dripping in meaning which results in very unnatural language usage. 

Read alikes: (Thanks to some crowd-sourcing)

Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr

Holly Black books

Cassandra Clare books

Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa

Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater

Review by Olivia of the Ericson Public Library, readalikes by RART

Review: Jackaby by William Ritter

Title: Jackaby

Author: William Ritter

Information on series: Book 1. Book 2 September 2015

Audience: Young adult; may appeal to adults and even higher elementary aged kids.

Rating (scale of 1-5, with 5 being highest): 4.5

TL;DR: Who could resist a book that says “Doctor Who meets Sherlock” in its jacket blurb?

Longer review: I initially picked this book up because it is the June 2015 selection for my Forever Young Adult book club. Although I am not normally an audiobook listener I decided to give this one a try on a long drive. It was instantly hooked. It also helped that the narrator has a British accent. In 1892 England the main character is expected to go seek a husband. She convinces her parents to send her to college before marriage. As school is approaching Abigail steals her tuition money and takes off on a grand adventure. Her age is never stated but I would guess it’s around 18 (although I know in England you attend university at a younger age than in America). Her first adventure doesn’t go according to plan so she ends up on a ship headed to America. On her first day in America she meets R. F. Jackaby. You never do learn what R.F. stands for. Everyone just calls him Jackaby. Jackaby doesn’t have the best reputation and is a little eccentric. I instantly pictured Benedict Cumberbatch. Jackaby is a private investigator who doesn’t have the greatest relationship with the police department because of his strange methods. He is in need of an assistant and Abigail needs a job. Jackaby isn’t sure she is right for the job but he does give her a chance. Jackaby isn’t always paid with money. Some of his clients pay him with things like a house. It’s not your average house. It’s rather eccentric like Jackaby. I can’t say more without spoiling some things for you. One the first day of work Abigail finds herself in the middle of a case involving a serial killer. The police are (of course) looking for a human killer but something tells Jackaby this isn’t your ordinary serial killer. I got to disc 4 out of 6 on the trip to my destination. I wanted to keep driving and finish the audiobook. Or get the print copy and finish while on my vacation. I did manage to wait until my drive home. I was sad when it came to an end but excited because I know book 2 comes out in September. But now I’m not sure if I want to listen to the audio of that or read the print book in one sitting.  

Read alike (there may be others but I only want to list books I have actually read and can vouch that it is in fact a read alike):

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare: First book in a prequel series to The Mortal Instruments. The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them... (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7171637-clockwork-angel)

Review by: Jenny Ellis Glenwood Public Library