Full review at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books 
 The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black, is a fantasy YA with romance elements. I'm a huge Holly Black fan - she's been a major force in urban fantasy and her books are always gorgeous to read. This book had some problems, and the romance is pretty tacked on, but it's excellent in terms of plot and dark fantasy atmosphere. 
 One of the fun things about this book is that it is casually diverse. Ben's best friend, Jack, is black, Ben is gay, and Hazel is the physical fighter in the group while Ben is the sensitive artist and Jack is the token love interest. I also love the language, like this sentence: "She fell asleep like a flame being extinguished" or this one, in which Hazel describes being kissed: "Like he was a shark and I was blood in the water." 
 Another strength of the book is the atmosphere. I thought this book tried too hard to meld mundane reality with the world of faerie in ways that stretched credulity. But when it works, the atmosphere is fantastic in both senses of the word, with a great mix of unremarkable details and creepy imagery. Some of the most horrifying moments involve the mundane. There was some background details about Hazel's early life with parents who were more interested in partying than parenting that were absolutely heartbreaking. 
 The important things about the story are responsibility, bravery, loyalty, and honesty, not romantic love. Everyone has a secret, and ultimately it's the airing of secrets that saves the day more so than kicking the bad guy's ass. Romance is sort of a sideline. 
 The conclusion of this book was very satisfying and overall I enjoyed it. Better yet, I'm still picking over it in my head even though about two weeks have passed since I read it - I love it when a book sticks in my brain like that. Read it for the horror and the fantasy. Just don't read it for the romance. 
 - Carrie S.