[review] SPLINTERED BY A.G. HOWARD

Book: Splintered
Series: (Splintered #1)
Author: A.G. Howard
Rating:

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, 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.

Oh book, just like you to draw me in with that beautiful cover of yours. I love Alice in Wonderland, so I was immediately drawn to this story, plus the book has an incredible cover! I mean come on, a disturbing retelling of one of my favorite fairy tales ever? I knew I was going to fall head over heels in love with this book. To describe Howard’s version of Wonderland, take Lewis Carroll’s and flip it on its head while keeping the subtle details intact. All of your familiar characters are there like the red queen, the talking flowers, the caterpillar, the white rabbit just not in a way you have ever quite imagined. It is a darker, creepier, funkier and much more dangerous. Besides the creepy factor, the book also included the air of mystery - memories, riddles and lullabies that all piece together and unravel the story.

Alyssa is a girl with a lot of spunk and style, who  A.G. Howard described it on her website as "Gothic Lolita" and I think it fits her well. At first, her character came off as kind of clichéd and I found myself rolling my eyes at some points. But after her transformation in Wonderland, I grew to like her and found she has the kind of personality that you root for, despite her flaws, for these flaws only make her a more realistic and authentic character. Through the book Alyssa develops as a person, finding her own strength instead of just relying on the help of others. She was a cool character, a true skater girl with an eye for morbid art. And any girl who can turn dead bugs into art is a friend of mine.

Jeb is a skater punk/artist with a little bit of a bad boy streak in him, but underneath all of that he really is a sweet guy. He is smart and protective, intriguing and charming always stands by Alyssa’s side as her studly  knight in shining Armour. I understand why Aly loves him. He's a keeper, that Jeb.

Now it’s time to talk about my crush. Yes!!! It’s Morpheus. The name alone is a reference to the God of Dreams and it fit the character so perfectly. Morpheus is Splintered’s version of the Caterpillar and Alyssa’s childhood friend, full of chaos and fun. You don’t know his motives and are constantly trying to figure out what he’s up to. Even though I love Jeb, I ADORE Morpheus. I just can't help myself, I always fall for the bad boys. Morpheus was seductive, mysterious, dark, yet surprisingly gentle, and YES just a little creepy (plus he has accent). It's no wonder Alyssa had a hard time concentrating around him.

If you haven't read this book yet, you're missing out on a lot of awesomeness. Read it now! The unique take on Alice in Wonderland was awesomely insightful and creepy. A wondrous tale that will take readers on an adventure that feels both familiar and yet new and exciting. Brace yourself for the dark side of Wonderland. . .YOU WILL NEVER SEE ALICE IN WONDERLAND THE SAME WAY AGAIN!