Mini Book Reviews: The Elite & The One by Kiera Cass

Title: The Elite (The Selection #2)
Author: Kiera Cass
Publication Date: April 23, 2013
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 336
Add to Goodreads
Review for book 1, book 4, and book 5

The Selection began with thirty-five girls.
Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever—and America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?

America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away.

Usually I break up book series by reading something else in between, but every now and then I'll marathon a really good one. I couldn't even help it with The Selection series by Kiera Cass.The Selection was so amazing! There was no way I could NOT hurry up and read the second.

The Elite had a little bit of middle book syndrome. It definitely did drag more than The Selection. The majority of the book was focused on the politics of Illea, which was interesting, but definitely could have been summed up a lot quicker than it was.

I really enjoyed continuing to get to know the characters of The Selection. The storyline with Kriss was completely unexpected and heartbreaking! What completely blew my mind, though, was how America and Aspen behaved after! I mean, if you love someone, how can you put them in danger like Aspen continued to do throughout The Elite? FYI: That's not love.

The relationship between Maxon and America did become increasingly irritating, but remained believable. I couldn't imagine being in America's shoes as she watched Maxon date other people while she was falling in love with him. I'm not sure I could handle that process... In any case, the relationship between these two (and Aspen) was awesome to read!

As I did in my review of The Selection, I highly recommend this book to fans of YA romance! I love this series and I can't wait to see how it ends...

---

Title: The One (The Selection #3)

Author: Kiera Cass

Publication Date: May 6, 2014

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 323

Add to Goodreads

The time has come for one winner to be crowned.

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

The final chapter of The Selection was a wonderful wrap-up to the series! The marathon continued with book three and I could barely put it down until it was over. That's saying a lot considering I was on vacation and I usually put everything else aside while I'm at Disney World. This series had me hooked from start to finish and I am SO glad book four is coming out soon!

The political themes continued to overshadow much of the final book, but tied in nicely to the story. I loved getting to know the new characters and learning what made the different rebel groups tick. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually can't wait to see how this part of the story plays out in the next installment. 

America and Maxon continued to keep me intrigued, but I'll admit to getting a little fed up with their repetition this go round. It seemed like they were constantly having communication issues - America doing something dumb, Maxon overreacting and acting like a brat, them thinking it was over forever, and then making up. I'm really glad it finally all worked out (as if there was ever any doubt), but I wish they could've gotten there with a little more originality.

I love the way this book ended and I was sad to see the last page, but I'm super excited that there are at least two more books scheduled! I guess this wasn't a thing from the beginning... Seriously, go out and get this series ASAP if you haven't already! The romance is so good and I don't even care that it's like The Bachelor (I like that show!).

2014 Audiobook Challenge Wrap Up

Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10

Happy Saturday, fellow book lovers! This is my very first wrap up for my very first yearly reading challenge! Hurray!! As you may know, this is my first year as a book blogger (and I have loved every minute of it!) and so all of these things are very new to me. When I came across the audiobook challenge I absolutely HAD to sign up!

You see, I don't listen to music. I listen to audiobooks. In the car, in the shower, in the kitchen, brushing my teeth, folding sheets... I'm listening to an audiobook. It still takes a few weeks to get through one since none of those things take very long, but I have greatly increased my reading capacity via audiobooks!

What I "Read"

The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan (review)

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (review)

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (review)

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter (review)

Eve by Anna Carrey (review)

Once by Anna Carrey (review)

I'm Dreaming of an Undead Christmas by Molly Harper

The Maze Runner by James Dashner (review)
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Currently Listening

Broken Skies by Theresa Kay

I cannot wait to participate in next year's audiobook challenge! Hopefully I can get many more in, but that Robert Jordan book really screwed me up! We're talking over a day of actual listening time! In all seriousness though, thank you to The Book Nympho and Hot Listens for hosting!

Book Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Title: The Selection (The Selection #1)
Author: Kiera Cass
Publication Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 336
Add to Goodreads
Review for book 2, book 3, book 4, and book 5

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

The one thing that keeps replaying in my head is: WHY did I wait SO LONG to start this series?! I honestly picked it up a couple years ago and read the first chapter and, for some reason that I can't recall, ended up putting it right back down and didn't give it a second thought... until this year. When I started blogging I couldn't ignore this book showing up on so many lists! And so I gave it another try. And now I'm devastated that I missed out for two years.

Silver lining: there are three books and two novellas available to read with no wait.

I just need someone to do one thing for me. Okay? Here it is:

Someone draw me a map of Iléa! Because I've seriously been trying to make it make sense in my head and I just can't figure it out! I went to the Interwebs for help, but came up empty handed (I did find a super cool Pinterest board though). Yes, I'm the kind of person who is going to go totally insane trying to figure this out.

Okay, back on topic. The Selection was amazing from start to finish. I do love the idea of the selection! Of course, I'm not sure how it would work in modern societies, but I suppose all the girls volunteer, so it's fine by me. I felt like the whole process was believable and the added drama with the rebels kept me on the edge of my seat! Oh, and the characters!

You know how sometimes there are heroines who are so good they're irritating? America is not that. To me she was totally real and genuine and I totally get her (obviously Kiera Cass did a good job writing this character). I understand why she made the decisions she did regarding basically everything. I'm not sure I could have been as bold with Maxon about my intentions, but it made me like her even more! I loved the progression of their relationship and America's opinion of Maxon.

The other characters were equally easy to love. Marlee especially was so, so likable! I'm excited to see how her story progresses, but I'm predicting something less than wonderful considering her attitude towards Maxon. Oh, and the man himself! I like Maxon. I really do like him, but I'm not 100% sure I can trust him. The whole selection process is just so strange... I'm not quite sure how to feel about Aspen either. I can see where he's coming from when he first pushes America away. But if there's one thing that pisses me off it's when characters make decisions for each other because they think they know what's best. No. No you don't. Get over yourself.

I'm sure that America's actions later in the book (if you've read it then you know and if you haven't, well, that sucks but I'm not spoiling it for you) were probably totally reprehensible to some, but I got it. I mean, I could really feel what she was feeling and I'm sure there have been a lot of people who have gone through similar things.

One thing this book has going for it is that this is truly a love triangle! Sometimes it's super obvious who will end up with who, but I've really found myself unsure a time or two (even though it's pretty obvious if you look at the titles of subsequent books - not sure that was the best idea).

Okay, okay. I've said enough. The moral of the story is that this is an excellent book, I can't wait to read the rest of the series, and I can't believe I waited so long! If you've been waiting on this series like I was, stop that! Go get yourself a copy and you'll probably be hooked too.

Book Review: The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Retribution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #3)
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Publication Date: November 4, 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 470
Add to Goodreads
Reviews for book 1 & book 2

Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told.
There is.

She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.
She should.

She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.
She will now.

Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story.

Retribution has arrived.

Please excuse my severely lacking tact, but HOLY CRAP. 

Okay. Deep breath. Let me attempt to do this book justice. 

I wasn't planning on reading The Retribution of Mara Dyer right away. In fact, I wasn't planning on "reading" it at all. I listened to The Unbecoming and The Evolution of Mara Dyer on audiobook, and that was my intention here as well. However, I ended up finding an amazing, signed copy at Barnes and Noble and couldn't pass it up. So here we are a few days later and I feel like I just got off one hell of a roller coaster.

I'm going to be honest here for a minute. I usually read for an hour or two before bed, but not during the day. I am much more likely to be binging a show on Netflix, but I couldn't do it with this book (and my husband is happy to have had the TV all to himself for a couple days). It grabbed me from page one and I had a really hard time putting it down to attend to life's obligations.

This book begins with Mara waking up back in Horizons (sort-of) and not remembering a heck of a lot. What she does remember is that Noah is dead. At least, that's what she's been told, but she can't bring herself to believe it. From there, The Retribution takes off and it's one big whirlwind. The most unlikely person helps her to escape - along with Jamie and Stella - and they proceed to wreak havoc from Florida to New York in search of answers. And Noah.

Throughout the book, Mara struggles to deal with and accept her abilities. As the story progresses, she comes to embrace it more and more, accepting it as necessary to get what she wants and to help her friends.

Unfortunately, while helpful at times, her "gift" terrifies Jamie and Stella (understandably) and threatens to push them away completely. Both of these characters are more fully explored in light of the new information they come across. Stella's full story is explained and I enjoyed learning more about her, though I did not particularly care for her character, especially following her actions later in the book. Jamie continued to be one of my favorite characters, but I found his actions at the end a little reprehensible. Maybe it's just me.

The lack of Noah's presence in the first half of the book, while completely necessary, saddened me. I really kept turning pages because I was dying to see what would happen when he showed finally up. Because, let's be honest, no one thought he was actually dead.

Again, I didn't care for the flashbacks. I understand why they were included and did like how they tied into the present day, but I didn't feel invested in the story of Mara's grandmother. I almost wanted to skip these chapters (but I didn't). This is really the only negative thing I can say about this book.

The big reveal of the big bad at the end completely blew me away!

There was no way I could have seen it coming. At all. And if you did, I applaud you. Michelle Hodkin is the queen of twists, in my opinion. I was actually a little dizzy by by the end. Mara handled the reveal much better than I would have, but she also seems to have an emotional on/off switch that I'm lacking. I'd like to know where I can get one of those.

And then there's our power couple. I've noticed that some people thought the decisions of Noah and Mara were selfish and hated them for it, but it was exactly the ending I was hoping for.

I was truly scared to turn the page because I was worried the author would change it right at the very last minute (à la Allegiant).

There's not much negative that can be said about this book. I could keep going on and on about the things I loved, but I won't because I think you get the idea. Like the first two in the series, The Retribution of Mara Dyer is amazing in every way. This series has officially earned a spot on the top of my list of favorites. Go read it. Now.

Book Review: Gabriel's Sacrifice by Noah Fregger

Title: Gabriel's Sacrifice (The Scrapman Trilogy #2)
Author: Noah Fregger
Publication Date: September 19, 2014
Publisher: T-16 Publishing
Pages: 236
Add to Goodreads

I received this book from the author 

in exchange for an honest review.

It's been only weeks since the war ended, since those things came down to offer humanity a second chance in the aftermath. But as the remaining survivors begin to hunt down the new species left behind, the rifleman stays tucked within the safety of his home, content to keep the chaos on the outside--until the hunt comes straight to his back door. And there, coming face to face with a member of this new race, the rifleman must decide whether to take part in this genocide, or to aid that which is hunted ... even if he becomes hunted in the process. 

The author of Gabriel's Sacrifice first contacted me whenever he released his first novel, Gabriel's Watch. I enjoyed that one and now he's back with Gabriel's Watch, a prequel to the first installment. It's kind of strange to see a second book in a trilogy as a prequel, but it was an interesting read, nonetheless. I don't read a lot in the sci-fi genre, so I can't really speak with too much confidence here, but I believe the concept is original and well executed.

Gabriel's Sacrifice begins when Mohammad meets Radia, the lone survivor of an alien race sent to earth. Radia is being hunted by Maddox, one of the humans who has holed up in a store to defend their own personal stockpile. Maddox has a posse of badasses, which really seems like the three stooges at times, who are responsible for his security. Unfortunately, after a bad move on their part, Mohammad comes at them with a vengeance and this is where the action begins.

The character development in this book was well done. Following Mohammad's journey from the guy who was holed up in his own fortress and hoping to stay out of view to a total badass out for blood was pretty awesome. It was unfortunate to see Radia go so soon - I would've liked to have seen more from her. I do understand why she had to leave for the sake of the story, though. Maddox was evil from start to finish, as were his cronies. It would've been nice to see more growth on the villain side of things. My number one problem with the characters was that I often got confused about who was talking at any given time. Some characters are given multiple titles - for example, Mohammad is called "the Fijian" and Maddox is called "the hunter." Honestly, I was halfway through the book before I realized that Maddox and "the hunter" were the same person!

One side note on characters: One character in particular was really weird for me to read. The son of "the hunter" is named Coda, which is my husband's name (Noah asked my husband for permission to use it). As you can imagine, this is a very rare name - Coda, not short for anything - and I've never met anyone else with it or read the name anywhere unless it was referring to music. I was so thrown off! I kept comparing the character to my husband and thinking, "no..." Of course, this has no bearing on the way anyone else will experience the book, I just thought it was funny.

Back to the point: The world of Gabriel's Sacrifice was interesting enough, though I do wish that the author had gone into more detail about the state of the world and how it came to be this way. I know this is touched on in both books, but I still wanted more. That being said, I felt like I could see the layout of the town and its buildings in my mind, which says something for quality of writing. In true Fregger fashion, little mythological tidbits were thrown in, which is always fun!

Connections to Gabriel's Watch were few, but it was just enough to make sense within the world the author has created. While it does fit with the first book, Gabriel's Sacrifice could definitely be read as a stand-alone novel or even before the first book in the series. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of adult sci-fi and post-apocalyptic fiction.

Audiobook Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #2)
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Narrator: Christy Romano
Publication Date: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Add to Goodreads
Reviews for book 1 & book 3

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.
She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.
They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.
She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

Okay, so after reading The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer I was already totally shocked. After finishing The Evolution of Mara Dyer I was like:

What did I just read???

Apparently the ending of the last book wasn't that surprising to some, but I was completely thrown off. Now Mara knows she's not crazy, which almost makes the entire thing even worse! This issue from her past just won't stop. And, let me tell you, the bad guy here... he's completely insane. 

This book picks up where the last left off and things get progressively stranger and more infuriating. Mostly because while we know Mara isn't a crazy person, no one else believes her. Her parents, her doctors, her brothers - they all think that she's a possible schizophrenic. And Jude certainly doesn't make it easy on her. He's constantly moving things, planting things, using people to get to her. I can't believe I'm going to say this about a YA heroine, but Mara is certainly a stronger person than I am. She has to go through this [almost] completely alone! And the whole time I just want to have a... moment... with Mara's idiot family!

  

Mara's relationship with Noah is honestly quite believable, which is kind of a breath of fresh air in this genre. Still, his attitude is sometimes a little questionable. I mean, I get it. The guy has issues. But sometimes I wonder if he actually couldn't use a little time in a psych ward. Overall, I like him. I don't think he's completely psycho and I don't think he's an abusive boyfriend waiting to happen. My real problem with Noah is the way he flaunts his money all the time. I mean, this guy is constantly throwing around thousands of dollars like it's toilet paper. He's constantly telling Mara (and everyone else) that "it's just money" and "money can buy anything," and I just can't help but feel that this is getting really old.

The one thing that I'm really pretty confused about is the flashbacks - the "before" chapters. I understand that it's supposed to be Mara's grandmother. I get that she's supposed to be sharing memories genetically or something. But...

I really just don't get it. This is one area I'm really hoping they'll clear up in the next book because it really just seemed kind of thrown in. Then again, maybe I'm just really dense and it made perfect sense to everyone else.

I feel like other people "get" things easier than I do and maybe that's a good thing. Because the last few chapters were, like they were in the last book, a complete shock. The big conspiracy is finally uncovered and I'm just over here like

Those of you who have read it know what I'm saying. Those of you who haven't... WHY?! Go pick up this series right now! Luckily I only have a couple months to wait for The Retribution of Mara Dyer.

---

°o°  Notes on the Audiobook  °o°

I've figured out what the problem is with Christy Romano. She's a great reader, but she is a TERRIBLE actress. Her voice has the same tone no matter what she's saying or what the situation is. The accent she uses for Noah is awful. Luckily for this book, I cannot rate it based on the audiobook narrator.

Audiobook Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1)
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Narrator: Christy Romano
Publication Date: September 27, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Add to Goodreads
Reviews for book 2 & book 3

Mara Dyer believes life can't get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed.
There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer has been on my to-read list since it was released. I've looked at it and thought about it and almost started it and put it back several times. But about a week ago I decided to take a break from The Wheel of Time series after finishing Fires of Heaven (those books take a lot of work) and went to find a new audiobook to listen to. This is what I landed on. Now I'm pissed I didn't read it sooner.

When Mara wakes up in the hospital to find her best friend and boyfriend have died, she's devastated. To ease her back into society, her family agrees to move to Florida, where she starts fresh at a new school. Her new BFF, Jamie, warns her against Noah almost immediately, which I guess makes sense amidst high school gossip (admittedly, it's been awhile since I've been there). Somewhat predictably, Noah pursues her, she tries to resist and can't, etc.

There are quite a few obvious cliches within Mara's new private school - the bisexual best friend, the slutty mean girl, and the irritatingly muscular asshole. But I guess that's to be expected. I found the dynamics within the school to be a little unbelievable at times, but hey, it's fiction. Something that seemed a little ridiculous was the way Mara made such a huge deal about how rich the other students were. Um... so her mom is a psychologist and her dad is a lawyer. Yeah, she must be poor.

I've seen a lot of people complain that this book is a romance masquerading as paranormal and I'd tend to disagree. I thought the paranormal aspects of the book were well explored and the romance was convincing enough. It didn't feel forced at all, in my opinion, and it made sense within the circumstances presented.

I've also seen reviews that complain about Noah being a jerk, but I didn't get "jerk" from him. I've read a lot of books with borderline-abusive love interests (Fifty Shades, Beautiful Disaster, etc.) and Noah didn't fit the bill. That being said, he did have some curious similarities to Christian Grey: pants "hanging loose" on his hips, his love of classical music, his "bare, unlived in" bedroom, extensive library, musical talents, and ordering Mara's food for her, to name a few. But I guess these are "in" behaviors for love interests at the moment. In any case, they really didn't subtract from his character - for me, at least. The main thing that bugged me about Noah was really about Mara. She calls him "perfect" about 7,003 times in this book. The only time I've called a man perfect was -before- I really knew him. Noah isn't perfect.

Now, Mara... I didn't dislike her, but I didn't love her either. At times she seemed like kind of an idiot. For example, thinking everything Noah did was a trick and almost being purposely dense about his feelings for her. Or when he took her to his house and she was unable to put two and two together. But I did like her and I felt for her as she struggled through discovering herself. I was overjoyed that she wasn't super dramatic like some other heroines, purposely separating themselves from true love to protect their love interest. I hate that. One thing that seemed a little ridiculous - does Mara not have a smart phone? She dials 411 twice...

The paranormal aspects of this book were original and I like original. It seems like anyone can write a vampire or werewolf romance, but this was different. I loved how things slowly unraveled instead of being presented all at once. I wasn't totally sure what was going on until close to the end, but maybe I'm just slow. The ending was totally unexpected and made me think back to several other scenes.

I'll definitely be getting The Evolution of Mara Dyer immediately! Seriously, if you're like me and have been waiting for three years to read this book, hurry it up. You won't regret it!

---

°o°  Notes on the Audiobook  °o°

Christy Romano was by no means a -bad- narrator, but she wasn't perfect either. The accent she used for Noah was... weird. He was supposed to be from London and, while I'm no expert on accents, I watch a lot of TV and it was just off for me. There were also multiple places where she says something in a totally normal voice and follows it with, "he whispered," or, "I shouted." Um, no, you didn't. Despite the issues I had with her narration, the voice of Mara was convincing.

Mini-Review: Unhinged by A.G. Howard

Title: Unhinged (Splintered #2)
Author: A.G. Howard
Publication Date: January 7, 2014
Publisher: Amulet
Pages: 400
Add to Goodreads
Reviews for book 1, book 3, and book 3.5

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.

Me, throughout the first 90% of this book: 

I read some mixed reviews for Unhinged before I started reading and I have to tell you I was a little scared that I might be let down. I was not. This book is just as good as the first, albeit a little different. I would have loved to have seen more of Wonderland, but the setting is still fantastic and A.G. Howard's descriptions remain impressive. I love reading about the outfits each character wears. I am not a very fashion savvy person, but even I can appreciate Alyssa's fashion sense! 

My dedication to Team Morpheus is more concrete than ever - Jeb is far too self-absorbed for my liking, not taking Alyssa's wants and needs into account. Morpheus is more of the same: mysterious and sexy as ever! My favorite Morpheus quote was his speech at location 3499 on my Kindle: 

"One day and one night...That's the price...Fair warning, I intend to make good use of that time. I will be gentle, but I will not be a gentleman. You will be the center of my world. I'll show you the wonders of Wonderland, and when you're drunk on the beauty and chaos that your heart so yearns to know, I will take you under my wings and make you forget the human realm ever existed. You'll never want to leave Wonderland or me again." 

Ohmygod I'm literally melting. Team Jeb people... I just don't know about you. 

The end wasn't anything like what I was expecting! I was thrown completely off guard, did not expect it, almost fell out of my chair, etc. 

Me at the end of this book:

All said and done, I CANNOT WAIT for Ensnared next January! Read this book! READ IT!

Book Review: Splintered by A.G. Howard

Title: Splintered (Splintered #1)
Author: A.G. Howard
Publication Date: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 371
Add to Goodreads
Reviews for book 2, book 3, and book 3.5

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

This was me throughout the entire book:

(I have never before felt the need to include GIFs in my reviews, but this is an exception.)

I don't even know where to start with this review - there were just so many amazing things! Let me start by saying A.G. Howard is a genius. A.Freaking.Genius. Though the first couple chapters dragged a little, once Alyssa went into the looking glass, I couldn't put this book down! Like, I legitimately got under my husband's skin by ignoring him for half a day over this book. Everything about Splintered is perfect. The writing is absolutely magical. The flow of language, the world building, the character development - everything was amazing. Splintered is written from the first person perspective - something that doesn't always work. But here, I can confidently say it was the right choice. There are twists and turns galore and I never knew exactly who to trust or what would happen next.

Wonderland - where do I even begin? The author paints a spectacular picture in words as she takes readers through a Wonderland completely different from the one we've come to know. The creatures are all fantastic in so many ways. For example, the White Rabbit... His name is actually Rabid White. The flowers aren't quite flowers and the Cheshire cat? You'll have to wait and see. But my favorite of all the Wonderland creatures is, of course, the hookah-smoking caterpillar.

Speaking of the caterpillar, his name is actually Morephus, and he's one of the two love interests in this story. I love him. LOVE him. Sure, he does a lot of things to serve his own interests, but he never really stops looking out for Alyssa. In fact, one of my favorite things about Morpheus is that he doesn't swoop in to save Alyssa every time she gets herself in trouble. Instead, he gives her the tools to save herself and lets her work it out - he lets her stand on her own. Morpheus is sexy in a dark and mysterious way (and he definitely knows it), but he's also loyal to a fault.

Which brings me to love interest number two: Jeb. While he seems to be an okay guy, Jeb just didn't do anything for me. It's not that his character was irritating, underdeveloped, or anything of that nature - he just wasn't my type. Unlike Morpheus, he does try to save Alyssa from everything - even before they get to Wonderland and sometimes from things she doesn't want to be saved from. The love triangle in this book is probably the best one I've ever read. Usually they annoy me, but this one just made sense - primarily because the two men were from two completely different worlds.

I loved that Alyssa wasn't overly whiney or dependent upon the men in the story. Of course, she did need saving from time to time, but what heroine doesn't? Overall, she held her own, made her own choices (even some I wanted to scream at her for), and was generally awesome. The one thing I didn't understand about Alyssa was why she was picked on for being a descendant of the "original" Alice. Granted, it has been quite a few years since I was in high school, but I don't think someone would have been picked on for being related to the inspiration for a famous children's book. In any case, Alyssa overcomes the bullies and remains a strong, vibrant protagonist.

The entire time I was reading, I was silently begging this book not to suck. I've been let down by so many YA books recently that I was honestly just waiting for something to go wrong - but it didn't. Splintered is such an amazing book. I will confidently call it my new favorite. Unhinged found its way onto my Kindle last night... Seriously, guys, you want to read this!