The Hazel Wood

By: Melissa Albert

Narrated by: Rebecca Soler, James Fouhey

"Highly literary, occasionally surreal, and grounded by Alice's clipped, matter-of-fact voice, it's a dark story that readers will have trouble leaving behind. HIGH-DEMAND: the buzz for this debut is deafening...." (Booklist starred review)

From rising star Melissa Albert comes a fantastical story of mythic proportions.

Welcome to The Hazel Wood - a fiercely stunning contemporary fantasy audiobook.

This program includes a bonus novella, The Boy Who Didn't Come Home, set in the world of The Hazel Wood and narrated by James Fouhey.

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.

Praise for The Hazel Wood:

"The Hazel Wood starts out strange and gets stranger, in the best possible way...Albert seamlessly combines contemporary realism with fantasy, blurring the edges in a way that highlights that place where stories and real life convene...a captivating debut." (New York Times Book Review)

"The Hazel Wood will be your next obsession." (Stephanie Garber, author of Caraval)

"Thoroughly, creepily captivating." (Kristin Cashore, author of Graceling)

"This is one of the best books I've read in years." (Jennifer Niven, author of All the Bright Places)

"A dream of a book I cannot recommend highly enough." (Seanan McGuire, author of Every Heart a Doorway)

©2018 Melissa Albert (P)2017 Macmillan Audio

Wonderful!

I am a huge fan of fairy tales, probably way more than I should be at my age haha, and this one was wonderful! I can honestly say this is my favorite fairy tale book as of yet! Worth the read, and the audio performance was very well done. I didn't want to finish reading

Amazing book

Well-written great book for anyone who likes fantasy with a tinge of darkness. I loved the twists and turns. It’s my first time reading one of Melissa Albert’s works, but I am hooked now.

can't wait forbthe follow up!

This book holds your attention through the entire story. There are plenty of hidden twists and surprises to keep you wanting more. The reader's voice is a perfect match for this book.

Dark Fairytale

We read this for book club. Had me from the beginning. Fresh take on a fairytale. Great storyline and loved the characters. Only criticism would be the F word was used way to often.

Good story, great narrations. enjoyed it.

Big fan of fairy tails and this one was very good. Alice is the main character and until the end she really doesn't understand her part in the whole mixed up mess. 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.