Dnf - Did not finish. I will not be reading this novel. I did not connect with the writing style. Thank you, netgalley for the early copy.

This was an extremely unique read for me, providing new folklore stories that are simultaneously dark, depressing, and intriguing. I kept wanting to find out how each character’s story ended, and it put such a new spin on the original series being able to read the stories referenced along the book. I honestly loved reading this.

BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN!!! I had already heard of the author but this was the first time reading something from her and it did not disappoint.

This is an amazing collection of tales that are dark and foreboding. Each one had something unexpected and they were all perfectly creepy. I really enjoyed reading these beautifully written stories. They would be perfect to retell on a dark night around a campfire.

Deliciously creepy and a perfect companion to the world we already know so well from Melissa Albert. I tend to struggle with short story collections, but this one delivered. May be a little more difficult to get into if you’re unfamiliar with her previous work, but not prohibitively so. I enjoyed it!

Ever since reading an ARC of The Hazel Wood, I have been completely enchanted by the words of Melissa Albert. I think she is one of the strongest voices in YA at the moment, and I am a huge fan of her work. The Hazel Wood is one of my all time favorite YA novels, and she told me at an author event for the publication of the Hazel Wood that she was working on Tales from the Hinterland, and not a day went by that I didn't think about--and desperately want--this book. Now that it's here, every moment of waiting for it was completely worth it.

Tales from the Hinterland expands on the fairy tales she tells in The Hazel Wood. This collection of dark and dreary fairy tales belongs right alongside the works of Angela Carter and the Brothers Grimm. Every one of the tales contained within these pages are full of new and exciting characters that are well-rounded with motivations and faults. The world building was luscious. The language was exquisite. These fairy tales are masterfully told and are beautifully terrifying. You don't need to be familiar with the Hazel Wood or the Night Country to love these tales. Any lover of fairy tales needs to get their hands on this beautiful collection now. This is a book I will turn to over and over again, especially on dark winter nights or rainy summer afternoons.

Very creepy tales, actually 3.5 but rounded up. Thanks to Raincoast Books for an e-ARC! I learned very quickly that this is not a great one to read before bed! So creepy! This collection serves as some context for Albert’s The Hazel Wood series but as someone who hasn’t read the series, there were no difficulties in reading it as a standalone (and this comes from someone who has no idea what the series is about). Some stories have overlapping characters or hints from previous stories, but for the most part they’re each standalone and only connected by their setting, the Hinterland.

If you’ve read any traditional fairytales, Albert follows the same, very creepy style here — many warnings and lessons, few happy endings. And while some stories feel reminiscent of old tales, the author still finds lots of ways to creatively spin familiar stories and imagine up entirely unique worlds to give us more fodder for nightmares. Many stories of families here but hopefully nothing resembling your own relationships with family members.

I did enjoy the collection but something was just a little off for me, perhaps too creepy for my liking. But I did love how Albert reimagined old tales with an outspoken feminist spin, giving voice to women in these tales who are often paired with harsh men or given away by their families. It’s a bit of a revenge tale in some ways for them, especially her story, “The Skinned Maiden” which is likely drawn from the Swan Maiden.

My least favourites, “Alice-Three-Times” and “Death and the Woodwife” felt like there was too little going on and far too much, respectively. One wasn’t informational enough for my liking and the other was information overload, feeling like it could’ve been several stories in one. But I did have favourites as well: “Hansa the Traveler”, the first story that gave me a sense happy endings were few and far between in this collection, “Isla Waits”, a back-and-forth contest between a stubborn girl and Death, “The Mother and the Dagger”, the most immersive of the stories with a 2nd-person perspective, and “Twice-Killed Katherine”, following a magician, his daughter, and a spell that backfires.

I really enjoyed this short-story collection. I was a big fan of The Hazel Wood duology and was so excited when I heard Melissa Albert was releasing the Tales from the Hinterland.
This did not disappoint, it is as described, a collection of dark fairy tales. The stories were all sinister, engrossing, brutal, etc.. I would have to say my favorites were The Clockwork Bride and Death and the Woodwife.
I’m anxiously awaiting Albert’s next book, whatever it is!

I have fallen head over heels for the world of the Hinterland and was absolutely ecstatic to receive this arc! Albert’sprose is sharp and beautifully crafted. Each story chilled and delighted me!

Absolutely LOVED finally reading the dark fairy tales that have been referenced in the original books. I love how dark and twisted they are and they all feel magical.

3.5/5 stars: Tales from the Hinterland is the collection of stories that makes up the crux and the world of Albert's duology that started off in the Hazel Wood. In Tales, we read about the characters and stories that inspired what transpired in THW, including Alice Three-Times and Twice Dead Katherine. Each story reads like a fairytale, but has a dark twist that is delightful, and Albert's writing style is deliciously decadent, macabre and atmospheric. I'll say that I enjoyed the creepiness and the atmosphere in this short story collection and seeing some good origin stories. Some stories shined brighter than others, and for me those were Hansa the Traveler and The Skinned Maiden. Both of these stood out from the rest and were very vividly written. Each story had a complete arc to it and a clear beginning, middle and end that helped booster my enjoyment. That being said, I as a reader struggle with short story collections because a lot of them can feel disjointed, and I felt that a bit here. Many of the stories have repetitive elements about them that affected my attention span and made me drift off into space, which hampered my enjoyment of them. I would have liked to see more variety in terms of themes and plot devices. But fans of Melissa Albert are sure to enjoy this book, and it was a solid addendum to a series I really enjoyed.

*I've received this digital copy in advance, in exchange of an honest review*

I have to thank #Netgalley and the publisher for this occasion because this title it's not the usual kind of stories that I read.
This is my first Melissa Albert novel and I was so curious and interested about it because I love tales, especially if their linked with a particular series.
First of all I have to say that those tales are not for everyone and I needed time to read them. I read just one per day and I think it has been the right choice for me. Their decadent, gothic, cruel and with a darkness that you feel all around you when you read them, leaving at every end a cold sense of emptiness and a lack of joy.
So, why a high rate?
If I consider only my taste I wouldn't be fair with this book. Because it is good. Not perfect, but it's good for the kind of stories that it represents. The style is perfect. Fluid, immersive and vividly concrete. I could feel the stories while I was reading them, and this is a kind of magic I cannot hide.
After this one I think I'll catch up the Hazel Wood's main books too.

I really enjoyed this book for short stories, all set in the Hinterland world from Melissa Albert. Each story was unique and it was so fun finding teeny tiny similarities or references from one story to another. If you're in the mood for an immersion into a fantastical world full of all kinds of characters and personalities, unique plots and twists and turns, pick this one up!

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
A great collection of dark and sinister fairy tales. These are not your usual tales.. The writing is good and each story is a little bit of magic in a self contained world.
A great read.

Upon finishing "The Hazel Wood" I immediately started searching for any information I could about whether or not Melissa Albert had intentions of publishing "Tales from the Hinterland" because the stories were just so creepy. Of course at the time of reading "The Hazel Wood" the book wasn't even out yet and I was reading an ARC so there wasn't any news. I could not be more pleased to have had the chance to read this wonderfully creepy collection. A must read for anyone interested in creepy fairy tales, or those readers of Melissa Albert's wonderful books.

I reviewed this on my blog and on GoodReads. I'll provide details directly to the publisher in the next round of this review process.

When I read Melissa Albert’s eerie, dreamy The Hazel Wood (and its equally eerie sequel The Night Country), my favorite part was the fairy tales at the core of the story — I wanted to read them all! And in Tales from the Hinterland, I got to — and I was not disappointed. These are definitely fairy tales in the Brothers Grimm tradition — creepy, subversive, and bloody — but you have to imagine that the brothers were actually sisters burned out on the patriarchy. “Alice Three Times” is the story of The Hazel Wood series protagonist, essentially the story she’s running away from in the real world, and it’s deliciously haunting, but I think my favorite is “Ilsa Waits,” about a girl who has the power to see Death and decides to do something about it. What I loved is that I recognized names and events from The Hazel Woods books, but the stories still felt mysterious and surprising — I didn’t know what was going to happen, even though the world was familiar. Since I think you could argue that part of the point of this series is that stories change in the telling and with the teller, I like the idea that they aren’t fixed, that they change even as I read them. I’m a sucker for a fairy tale, and these were delightful. Recommended.

Absolutely creeptastic! The author was so original with her own set of fairy tales. Some have a point, others are just plain creepy :) Strongly recommend if you liked The Hazel Wood.

Left reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Tales from the Hinterland is that book about those other stories, the dark fairytale tome compiled by Alice’s grandmother which became a cult hint to people like Ellory Finch now come to life for readers in our world. It’s filled with strange, creepy stories featuring characters readers of Albert’s previous works will recognize, along with horrifying new tales filled with blood, revenge, and women who want more than what they’re offered by both life and fate.

Many of them meet tragic or terrifying ends, but all of their stories are compelling ones and will satisfy any reader hungry for some magic in this cold, dark winter.

I was so intrigued by this book since we heard so much about it in The Hazel Wood and The Night Country. It was so elusive in the books that it almost seemed like I shouldn't be reading it.
Each story was so incredibly dark and matched the atmosphere of the other books perfectly. Speaking of atmosphere, the atmosphere of each and every one of these stories was amazing. You could tell that all the stories came from the same world.
It was really cool to read the whole stories of the characters that we meet in the other 2 books and really see where they came from. I actually read The Night Country specifically so I could read this one, but I kind of wish I had read this one first so I knew the backgrounds of the characters we meet.
These were all the perfect length to get completely immersed in each story and then for it to be resolved without being too long or too short.
This is definitely a must read for fans of the other books in the series!