The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black (review by Andrew R. '17)

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The tiny town of Fairfold teeters right on the border between the human and faerie worlds, and its inhabitants know it. On one side of this border are the local public high school, the general store, the partying teenagers, the clueless tourists; on the other side are vicious monsters made of twigs and dirt, goblins who bathe in human blood, and a horned prince lying dormant in the middle of the woods. Not your typical story-book creatures, these faeries, but, as long as they’re not provoked, they’re willing to live in a fragile balance with their human neighbors—until local teenager Hazel and her brother Ben, wishful monster hunters extraordinaire, upset that balance beyond repair. Holly Black’s masterful world-building is on display in the court of the faerie king (modeled off the legendary German Erlkönig) and on the ominous small-town streets of Fairfold, but the novel’s real creativity lies in the intersection between the two worlds. The border separating the humans and faeries, it becomes clear, is frighteningly porous, and the influence of faerie magic in Fairfold is stronger than its inhabitants would like to admit... Black never relinquishes nuance in her characters in favor of plot, and as a result the novel feels neither simplistic nor rushed. Here is YA fantasy at its best: a world that seems as real as, or realer than, our own.

View all my reviews

The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore (review by Catherine H. '17)

The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The fourth book in the Lorien Legacies series describes the events after the Garde's unsuccessful battle with Setrákus Ra and follows their story as they regroup and try to form a coherent plan. Sam spent forever dreaming up rescue missions by the Garde and resisting Setrákus Ra's torture sessions until he is finally rescued by two unexpected allies. John spent forever stuck, with no plans until the final member of the Garde, Five, sends a signal to them and the race begins to find Five before the Mogadorians do. Meanwhile, Ella has been having terrible nightmares and eventually ends up hurting John. The Garde try to catch up with each other and train together before the Mogadorians attack but when several people cause trouble from the inside out, the Mogadorians attack. Pittacus Lore has managed to keep the story going and provide some interesting new twists, but the constant switching of perspective can be disorienting, especially because there is usually no indication as to whose perspective we are viewing from. I would recommend this book only if you enjoyed I am Number Four. – Catherine H. ‘17

View all my reviews

Everwild by Neal Shusterman (review by Andrew R. '17)

Everwild by Neal Shusterman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Two near-legendary creatures are raising armies in preparation for their final confrontation, two feared individuals who have risen high in the ranks of the phantom-world known as Everlost. The Sky Witch patrols the clouds in the ghost of a monstrous zeppelin, searching for children to entrap and recruit to her troops, while her nemesis the Chocolate Ogre works to free all the spirits of Everlost by sending them into the final peace of death. The title of the second book in the Skinjacker trilogy is accurate in more ways than one: not only does Shusterman introduce the impassible wilderness of Everwild, he also picks up the pace of the plot. His fantasy realm followed strict rules in the first installment of the trilogy, but in Everwild the world is revealed to be a chaotic whirlwind of ghosts and monsters. This chaos, however, is exciting, suspenseful, and not unbearably confusing. The only difficult part about reading this novel is that the reader must choose a side in the imminent battle—so, to anyone who plans to plunge into this hectic fantasy world: beware, for each side is deeply, terribly flawed. – Andrew R. ‘17

View all my reviews

Fire by Kristine Cashore (review by Anushka D. '15)

Fire by Kristin Cashore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I first picked up Fire, I was expecting a typical story dealing with a girl with magical powers who is suddenly embroiled in an action-packed plot to fight evil with a gorgeous male by her side. However, although the book does feature a girl with magical mind-reading powers, Cashore manages to create a wonderful and unique fantasy world of her own full of princes, dragons, and magic. In the land of Dells, Fire, a monster in the shape of a beautiful woman, is forced to face hatred and jealousy because of her supernatural abilities. When asked to help the king defeat his enemies, Fire must face her fears and prove herself, not as a monster, but as a human. The plot grasps the reader with its innovative and emotional personality, and the characters each find their own space in the reader’s hearts. Although there is a gorgeous male, Cashore sprinkles in just the right amount of romance to keep the readers entertained. This book is a companion book to Cashore’s debut novel, Graceling, and definitely a worthy sequel. Fans of fantasy, magic, and mystery will enjoy both books! – Anushka D. ‘15

View all my reviews