Hazel Wood | 
so-soThis one is decent. It has some fun twists (and some that are a little confusing), but it seems like it can't quite decide how YA it is. Part of that could be the narrator (I listened to part of it on audiobook...the narrator also mispronounced words and whoever was editing the audiobook left background sounds in a few times, which I found distracting), but I think a lot of it is just how tenuous the characters are, like they're not fully formed.
bailedSo much teenage angst, so painfully slow. My motto this summer has been “plow through it” but I just can‘t.
When I come home again, my eyes are brown, and faultless, and you could almost, almost say they look like my mother‘s. Ella Proserpine‘s.
#TheHazelWood #MelissaAlbert #lastline #closingline #book #books #bookart #bookartist #bookattitude #bookaholic #bookaholics #bookshelf #bookshelves #bookshelfie #bookshelfies #shelfie #shelfies #bookstack #stack #Fantasy #YoungAdult #Fiction #YoungAdultFantasy #FairyTales #Audiobook #Mystery #Magic #Magical ❤️
pick“Stay Away From The Hazel Wood.”
Not very wintery but it‘s been on my TBR for a while. I really enjoyed this. A different kind of dark fairytale. I‘ll have to look for the sequel.
Book 1 of The Hazel Wood ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#RushAThon #WinterCosy #CandylandReadathon
#ScaryChristmas #Adventathon #SeriesLove2023
#WinterGames2023
#TBRRead +15 #WordSearch (56) +560
+576 points #TeamReindeerGamers
BookmarkTavern, DieAReader, Andrew65, TheSpineView, Catsandbooks, Patchshank, PuddleJumper, GHABI4ROSES, LiseWorks
Day 11 Totals #WinterGames2023
Read The Hazel Wood for two hours.
#RushAThon #WinterCosy #ScaryChristmas
#CandylandReadathon #Adventathon +20 each
+101 points #TeamReindeerGamers
pickI was not expecting this book. I sort of thought it was a middle grade before I read it. This book was perfectly dark and grim, in a smooth way. I normally hate that kind of book, but this was amazing. Every now and then I‘d get a little confused, but I was still invested through it all. 5🌟
so-so3✨ It was kind of a fairytale retelling, but for dark fairy tales. Namely, in regard to stories coming alive. There is also a magical other world that they enter. I really liked our super fan of Alice‘s grandmothers books on dark fairy tales. I feel like this book could have used more world building, but I also was having a hard time getting engaged. It was a good story I just wasn‘t hooked. I‘ll try the second book too though. #Scarathlon
I‘m going to try to do some catching up with #ScarathlonPhotoChallenge images. This was the best I was able to do for “coffin” (Yeah, I‘m that far behind life has been crazy). @Catsandbooks
pickMan my reading has really been suffering this year. I did finish this though. It was good. Not sure I loved it, but I did enjoy it. The premise was interesting as were the characters.
so-soThis starts as a very intriguing genre bending tale. A 17 yo girl and her mother are followed by bad luck everywhere they go. Her grandmother lives in a creepy house and famous for writing a book of dark fairytales that no one can find. The set up is very fun, as is the first third of the book. However, as the mystery unravels it becomes a bit of a slog and just less fun. The ending also seems a little rushed and easy for all of the build up. 3⭐️
Haha... very funny guys. No one was going to tell me? This one has 5 of this month's prompts on the dang cover!
Hand, leaf, headlights, coffee, and house.
Well, at least I can read it and still knock out two of the prompts I haven't finished.
#ISpyBingo @Clwojick @TheAromaofBooks
Happy 2023! If it‘s true that what you do determines what the coming year will be like then it would seem more books are in my future. Today I picked up a copy of, “Firekeeper‘s Daughter”, as well as Darcie Little Badger‘s, “Elatsoe”, and the above mentioned “The Hazel Wood”.
Very odd book about darker fairytales. I have never read a story quite like this before. I liked it but it didn't have a satisfying ending
Very quick read, read it in a couple days.
pickI almost wish this was three books so it could go into more detail in the fairytale worlds. Easy, entertaining read
Althea Proserpine is raising her daughter on fairy tales.
#TheHazelWood #MelissaAlbert #firstline #openingline #book #books #bookart #bookartist #bookattitude #bookaholic #bookaholics #bookshelf #bookshelves #bookshelfie #bookshelfies #shelfie #shelfies #bookstack #bookstacks #stack #stacks #bookstore #bookstores #bookshop #bookshopper #bookshopping #booksale #Fantasy #YoungAdult #Fiction #YoungAdultFantasy #FairyTales #Mystery #Magic #Audiobook
so-soI recommend this book for fans of young adult novels, twisty fairytales, and dark-gothic reads. This book is the first in a series. Due to the writing and flow of this book, I had a hard time getting lost in it. I was aware that I was reading a book, ya know? I wish the author would‘ve spent more time in the Hinterland (fantasy world) and less time in the “real-world.” Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4341987484
My friend/colleague passed away unexpectedly. She was the person I talked books with the most, and she read a book a day! Her reading challenge was 365+ a year. 😮 For those attending her Celebration of Life, I made a “Mimi Recommends” document that contains 85 of her 4 and 5 ⭐️ reviews on Goodreads. I‘m determined to work myself through it this year. I started one of the books last night as balm for my soul. I miss her. ❤️📚
#Movie2BookRecs @Klou
Prompt: Into the Woods
so-soI have mixed feelings about this book. I love dark fairytales and I was intrigued by the concept of this book. However, I found it hard to focus because the writing was all over the place. It didn‘t have an easy flow and I kept having to go back feeling like I missed something. Normally I read a series till the end but I‘ll just find a summary of the next book instead of reading it.
I‘ve received this for Christmas from @Sarah83 and have finally started it🥰 I‘ve wanted to read this for quite some time now, and I‘m very much looking foward to it! Yoshi likes it as well 😸
pickOh my gosh. Such a beautifully creepy fairy tale inside a fairy tale. Definitely recommend!
Also, Rebecca Soler does an absolutely phenomenal reading so if you're into audio books, this one is definitely for you!
so-soKind of backwards from the way it usually goes, but I didn‘t like the fantasy part of this one as much as I liked the more real-life parts! The first part was good enough that I‘ll read the second one, though.
#ChooseMyNextBook !! I can‘t decide!! 😩
pickI really liked this one. I‘m glad it got picked for this round of #LMPBC! I wasn‘t really sure how I felt about Alice or Finch as I read. I wanted more of the fantasy world and less of the real world. I liked getting a peak at the stories too, but wish I got to read them all.
#TeamHendrix #Scarathlon2021 +16pts
#Screamathon
#SpookoweenReadathon
#OctoberBookBingo
#LittensDressedinBlood
#BookSpinBingo
Chrissy! Thanks so much for all the birthday goodies with the #LMPBC book! Just received it today!
I can‘t wait to put the socks on! It‘s so cold in the morning already!
I‘m going to have to hide those junior mints, otherwise my husband will eat them all.
Also, super excited to read this book this month.
pickI genuinely loved this book! I think I just like fairytale types of stories and stories within stories so much. I also bought the sequel. #lmpbc
This was a #lmpbc book. My biggest issue was with the main character. I just didn't care about her🤷 The story was actually pretty good, and I did like Finch. I wish we had spent more time in the Hinterland though.
@Chrissyreadit @Laughterhp @4thhouseontheleft
pickWow... This was a really hard decision for me to make. It took me a couple chapters to get into it but then I loved it...that is until I got to maybe the second half of the book. Although it was still good, I felt that the story started to jump around and I was having a trouble following what was going on. I think I would have given it five stars if the second half flowed a little better.
so-soDon't know what to think, really. Not captivating enough to continue the series. Kind of boring so my mind wandered and then coming back I'd almost be lost because it felt too complicated?
I think I preferred Finch to Alice. And can someone explain to me Alice's anger?
When I come home again, my eyes are brown, and faultless, and you could almost, almost say they look like my mother‘s. Ella Proserpine‘s.
#TheHazelWood #MelissaAlbert #lastline #closingline #book #books #bookart #bookartist #bookattitude #bookaholic #bookaholics #bookshelf #bookshelves #bookshelfie #bookshelfies #shelfie #shelfies #bookstack #bookstacks #stack #stacks #bookstore #bookshop #bookshopper #Fantasy #YoungAdult #Fiction #FairyTales 🖤
so-soThis was an interesting story. I loved the dark element of Fairytales and how the stories could be broken by not playing by the rules.of the story it's self. Overall this was an okay read. Don't know if I'll.read the second book. it felt like the book had too much filler. Maybe I would have liked it had I read it and not listened to it as an Audiobook? Don't know.
pickThis is my #lmpbc pick, so I won‘t say too much other than that I enjoyed this dark and creepy fairy tale story! And realized there is a sequel, so now I will have to go read that. 🤣
Also my #pop21 pick for the advanced prompt #prettiestcover on my TBR
I've been away since October. My dog, my best friend's husband and my mother have all passed away in that time frame. It's been hard. I couldn't read, or focus. I've just started picking up books the past few weeks. I'm happy that I've found reading again.
Separately -
I am excited that Hoopla has updated the face of their audiobooks. I'm deeply invested in The Hazel Wood too. Really excited to be here with you all again. 💜🧡💜
pickI‘ve clearly been on a YA kick lately, but that‘s no bad thing! Read this last week and it‘s still haunting the edges of my mind — deliciously dark and spooky with an appealingly flawed heroine and lots of sticky secrets. This one will be sticking with me for a while...
"I shook my head. I felt stunned and hollow, looking at this stranger my mother might have loved. I would never reach the bottom of what Ella gave up for me. I would never know all the secrets of the life she left behind to run with me."
"It‘s not Peter Pan,” I said firmly. “It‘s freedom.” She looked at my eyes and smiled. “All the ice is out of you,” she said. “Even that little bit I could see way down at the bottom. My angry girl.”
pickI really loved this book. Melissa Albert has a way of writing sentences that will stick to your brain, and I can't wait to get ahold of the next one.
However, that's on a waitlist of 12 people 😂 so onto other books it is.
I just realized I forgot to post my February #bookspinbingo card! And of course I haven‘t finished any of these but did manage to so far finish three others that weren‘t on the list.
“My mother was raised on fairy tales, but I was raised on highways “
