What do you think?
Rate this book
Splintered #2
Unhinged
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.
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.
387 pages, Hardcover
First published January 7, 2014
889 people are currently reading
25.8k people want to read
About the author
A.G. Howard
18books9,025followers#1 New York Times and International bestselling Author of gothic / fantasy & paranormal tales, mystical & romantic with a side of horror. A.G.'s dark Alice in Wonderland inspired Splintered series has been published in over a dozen languages.
Young adult, Adult, and literary romance. Repped by Jenny Bent.
How A.G. Howard rates books on GoodReads:
"I only rate or review books I enjoyed reading, and won't give any rating below 4 stars. Please don't consider every high rating a personal endorsement / recommendation from me. My ratings here are subjective to me as an individual.
I don't rate books solely on style. Every writer's voice is individual and unique; I've come to respect this truth during my own personal journey. As long as a story takes me to another place and is well edited, I'm going to give it a good rating. And if, for some reason, a book doesn't entertain me or I don't finish it, I won't leave a rating or review at all.
If you're considering a book I've reviewed/rated, be sure to read other reviews/ratings alongside mine to help you decide if it's a read you might enjoy personally.
Happy book hunting!"
Young adult, Adult, and literary romance. Repped by Jenny Bent.
How A.G. Howard rates books on GoodReads:
"I only rate or review books I enjoyed reading, and won't give any rating below 4 stars. Please don't consider every high rating a personal endorsement / recommendation from me. My ratings here are subjective to me as an individual.
I don't rate books solely on style. Every writer's voice is individual and unique; I've come to respect this truth during my own personal journey. As long as a story takes me to another place and is well edited, I'm going to give it a good rating. And if, for some reason, a book doesn't entertain me or I don't finish it, I won't leave a rating or review at all.
If you're considering a book I've reviewed/rated, be sure to read other reviews/ratings alongside mine to help you decide if it's a read you might enjoy personally.
Happy book hunting!"
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,209 reviews
Read
February 23, 2014No rating from me since I gave birth to it. But I LOVES it and am grateful for all of the Splintered fans and readers! It's because of you that I got to continue the story!
That's all I can say for now. Except that Alyssa kicks bootie. And Chessie's there along with other Wonderlandians (the good, the bad, and the creepy). OH, and then there's Jeb and Morpheus ... *drools*.
That is all. :)
Stay tuned; I'll have an ARC request form for ENSNARED on my website once they're available, and I'll post the link on the book page: /book/show/1....
That's all I can say for now. Except that Alyssa kicks bootie. And Chessie's there along with other Wonderlandians (the good, the bad, and the creepy). OH, and then there's Jeb and Morpheus ... *drools*.
That is all. :)
Stay tuned; I'll have an ARC request form for ENSNARED on my website once they're available, and I'll post the link on the book page: /book/show/1....
August 25, 2022
Reread 2022
What a freaking beautiful cover! He is absolutely gorgeous! �
Just when Alyssa thinks everything is going to go as planned in her life, it doesn't. She's been home from Wonderland for a year, she's with Jeb, she's doing great in school and will graduate soon, planning on moving to London with Jeb, her mom is back home and things are all just peachy.
Then . . . .
The wonderful Morpheus arrives but his time he's not just in her dreams. He's coming to the human world to try to talk Alyssa to come back to Wonderland.
Morpheus tells Alyssa that Red is on the loose and coming after her. Alyssa needs to come back to Wonderland and defeat her or everything in Wonderland is in trouble and if she comes to the human world, all of Alyssa's family and friends are in trouble.
Well, Alyssa waits and waits and waits until it's too late. Red has already arrived. I wanted to scream at Alyssa because the whole time she is wanting to tell Jeb about all the stuff he doesn't remember from the first book. It's like lets just get this show on the road. But, it worked out this way in the long run because Alyssa finds out some secrets about her mom and dad that she might not have found out if she went on to Wonderland.
I thought this second book was pretty good. Like I said, a few things got on my nerves (Alyssa/Jeb), but for the most part it was pretty good.
MY BLOG:
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
What a freaking beautiful cover! He is absolutely gorgeous! �
Just when Alyssa thinks everything is going to go as planned in her life, it doesn't. She's been home from Wonderland for a year, she's with Jeb, she's doing great in school and will graduate soon, planning on moving to London with Jeb, her mom is back home and things are all just peachy.
Then . . . .
The wonderful Morpheus arrives but his time he's not just in her dreams. He's coming to the human world to try to talk Alyssa to come back to Wonderland.
Morpheus tells Alyssa that Red is on the loose and coming after her. Alyssa needs to come back to Wonderland and defeat her or everything in Wonderland is in trouble and if she comes to the human world, all of Alyssa's family and friends are in trouble.
Well, Alyssa waits and waits and waits until it's too late. Red has already arrived. I wanted to scream at Alyssa because the whole time she is wanting to tell Jeb about all the stuff he doesn't remember from the first book. It's like lets just get this show on the road. But, it worked out this way in the long run because Alyssa finds out some secrets about her mom and dad that she might not have found out if she went on to Wonderland.
I thought this second book was pretty good. Like I said, a few things got on my nerves (Alyssa/Jeb), but for the most part it was pretty good.
MY BLOG:
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
September 1, 2016
Actual rating: 3.5
***SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST BOOK. NO SPOILERS FOR THE SECOND***
This is a beautifully written book, full of wonder, magic, and fantastical creatures not to be outdone by Tim Burton's Alice. However, it was woefully lacking in an actual plot, the majority of the plot being composed of Alyssa sticking her head in the sand going "La la la, this is not happening. I don't want anything to do with the other world because I want my normal life back. I am going to pretend that I do not have any responsibilities to the world in which I am a queen. I'm so sorry that Wonderland is going to pieces. Leave me alone, Morpheus."
There is a tragic absence of Wonderland, and this book contains way too much love triangle fuckery than I would have liked. This book is one of the rare, rare instances when I think it is actually acceptable to have a love triangle..., I understand the need for the love triangle, since it's not imposed superficially, we're dealing with one mystical being with whom Alyssa has grown up with in her dreams, and one real, living boy with whom Alyssa has grown up with in real life. But really, is there such a need to draw out the love triangle to the extent that it eclipses the---again, very nonexistent and not impending---plot?
Summary: It is a year after Alyssa's adventures in Wonderland. Her mother is out of the mental asylum, she has been dating Jeb, her real life boy, her childhood friend. They are contemplating a future together in England next year, when Alyssa has graduated from high school.
Her adventures in Wonderland still haunts Alyssa's dreams. The remnants of that life still stays with her, expressed through her art...but more than that, Wonderland and its creatures are still reaching out to her. Her mosaics are coming to life, waking up on its own.
Insects still whisper in her ears. Morpheus still haunts her. Alyssa may be with Jeb by day, but her nights are filled with dreams of Morpheus.
There's just one problem, Red is back, she wants her throne, and she'll do anything to get it, including wreaking havoc in the real world. Sister Two is also on the lam.
Alyssa doesn't want anything to do with Wonderland, she's well aware that Wonderland is in danger, but she just wants to live a normal life, that of a human girl and her human boyfriend. She doesn't want to be queen. But like it or not, fragments of Wonderland is slowly encroaching into the real world, and threatening Alyssa as well as the ones she loves, like Jeb and her mother. Like it or not, Alyssa has her duties to both worlds.
The Characters: I suppose I have to critique Alyssa's character, since she's main character and everything, but really, Morpheus is my main motive for reading this book. Fine, I'll write a word or two about Alyssa. She's ok, I liked her. I wish that she was...better, you know? I like my heroines to be stronger, to be willing to face danger, to be willing to make sacrifices in the name of heroism. Alyssa's just not there yet.
Alyssa's not exactly brave. She is an ostrich, sticking her head in the sand, pretending that problems will resolve themselves if she just ignores them for long enough. They don't. They rarely do. I like a character to change, I want a character to stand out, mature. While there is nothing bad about Alyssa, there is nothing truly annoying about her, I can't say that I love her personality and her wishy-washiness either, particularly when it comes to her role as a reluctant queen, particularly when it comes to her feelings towards Jeb and Morpheus. Speaking of whom...
Morpheus. My oh my oh my. The only thing I love more than a good beta male is a whimsical, slightly-evil-but-never-abusive, complex, duplicitous man with his own agenda. There's just nothing more I can say about Morpheus without turning into a puddle of incoherent fool, so I'll just leave it at that.
The Romance: SCREW YOU, JEB. That's just my opinion, of course, since I am and have been solidly on Team Morpheus in the very beginning. Really, the only thing that could turn me off Morpheus is if he turned out to be a serial killer who eats babies raw. I think this book was too heavy on the romance, and I really hated how Alyssa has been cheating on Jeb. I don't exactly like Jeb (ha!) but nobody deserved to be cheated on. While dating Jeb, Alyssa has been seeing Morpheus and chilling with him in her dreams. Alyssa has told us that from the beginning, and it continues throughout the book. It's just not fair to Jeb, and really, Alyssa should be bettter than that.
And man, the love triangle. I hate it when a love triangle threatens to overwhelm a very underwhelming plot.
Overall: a highly enjoyable book, I just wished there was less romance and more danger and excitement in the plot.
In a blink, his wings fully manifest and slice the smoky haze, peeling it back to reveal him in his true state: flawless, pale skin, masquerade-style patches curved like ivy beneath his eyes. The teardrop-shaped jewels flash bright and blinding through a rainbow of colors, so many moods they can’t be read.Morpheus, you glorious motherfucker. LET ME LOVE YOU. Let me do unspeakable things to you.
His wings spread out behind him—at once intimidating and majestic.
It's Morpheus in the flesh.
***SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST BOOK. NO SPOILERS FOR THE SECOND***
This is a beautifully written book, full of wonder, magic, and fantastical creatures not to be outdone by Tim Burton's Alice. However, it was woefully lacking in an actual plot, the majority of the plot being composed of Alyssa sticking her head in the sand going "La la la, this is not happening. I don't want anything to do with the other world because I want my normal life back. I am going to pretend that I do not have any responsibilities to the world in which I am a queen. I'm so sorry that Wonderland is going to pieces. Leave me alone, Morpheus."
There is a tragic absence of Wonderland, and this book contains way too much love triangle fuckery than I would have liked. This book is one of the rare, rare instances when I think it is actually acceptable to have a love triangle..., I understand the need for the love triangle, since it's not imposed superficially, we're dealing with one mystical being with whom Alyssa has grown up with in her dreams, and one real, living boy with whom Alyssa has grown up with in real life. But really, is there such a need to draw out the love triangle to the extent that it eclipses the---again, very nonexistent and not impending---plot?
Summary: It is a year after Alyssa's adventures in Wonderland. Her mother is out of the mental asylum, she has been dating Jeb, her real life boy, her childhood friend. They are contemplating a future together in England next year, when Alyssa has graduated from high school.
Her adventures in Wonderland still haunts Alyssa's dreams. The remnants of that life still stays with her, expressed through her art...but more than that, Wonderland and its creatures are still reaching out to her. Her mosaics are coming to life, waking up on its own.
Insects still whisper in her ears. Morpheus still haunts her. Alyssa may be with Jeb by day, but her nights are filled with dreams of Morpheus.
But now he’s taken up residence in my REM once more. He’s here every time Jeb is gone, keeping me company—even though I don’t ask him to.Alyssa thought she was done with Wonderland. She is a queen in name only, she gave up her throne to a regent. Queen Grenadine and Queen Ivory now rule Wonderland.
Sharing that much of your subconscious with someone, you tend to learn things about him. Sometimes you even develop feelings for him, no matter how you try to fight it.
There's just one problem, Red is back, she wants her throne, and she'll do anything to get it, including wreaking havoc in the real world. Sister Two is also on the lam.
Alyssa doesn't want anything to do with Wonderland, she's well aware that Wonderland is in danger, but she just wants to live a normal life, that of a human girl and her human boyfriend. She doesn't want to be queen. But like it or not, fragments of Wonderland is slowly encroaching into the real world, and threatening Alyssa as well as the ones she loves, like Jeb and her mother. Like it or not, Alyssa has her duties to both worlds.
I can’t just turn my back on that world; I can’t let it fade to decay and ruin under Queen Red’s thumb. Yet I can’t abandon the people I love here, either. I don’t know how to follow one side of me without leaving the other one behind.There is more to her mother than Alyssa knows. There are more family secrets to uncover, more spies in their midst. There is a betrayal that might be Alyssa's undoing.
"...the one closest to you will betray you in the worst possible way.�The Setting: I have no complaints on A.G. Howard's skills at bringing the creatures of Wonderland to life. Her writing is excellent, and her descriptions are brilliantly evocative without being flowery in any way. I have always loved the creatures of Wonderland, and they have returned to us, as fantastic and horrifying as they are. We meet some old friends, although I wished there were more of them. Gossimer. Chessie. Rabid White. Oh, poor, sad little Rabid White. Never has a dilapidated antlered bald rabbit creature seem so endearing in its ugliness.
[Morpheus] sits Indian style in front of Rabid in an oddly endearing scene, like one friend comforting another. He’s tucked a pair of earbuds into Rabid’s humanoid ears. The creature’s ancient face fills with wonder as he bobs in time with the music.There are insidious clown messengers, the completely fucked-up and batshit crazy Sister two. The imcomparable beauty of Ivory and Gossamer. In one word: glorious.
The Characters: I suppose I have to critique Alyssa's character, since she's main character and everything, but really, Morpheus is my main motive for reading this book. Fine, I'll write a word or two about Alyssa. She's ok, I liked her. I wish that she was...better, you know? I like my heroines to be stronger, to be willing to face danger, to be willing to make sacrifices in the name of heroism. Alyssa's just not there yet.
Alyssa's not exactly brave. She is an ostrich, sticking her head in the sand, pretending that problems will resolve themselves if she just ignores them for long enough. They don't. They rarely do. I like a character to change, I want a character to stand out, mature. While there is nothing bad about Alyssa, there is nothing truly annoying about her, I can't say that I love her personality and her wishy-washiness either, particularly when it comes to her role as a reluctant queen, particularly when it comes to her feelings towards Jeb and Morpheus. Speaking of whom...
Morpheus. My oh my oh my. The only thing I love more than a good beta male is a whimsical, slightly-evil-but-never-abusive, complex, duplicitous man with his own agenda. There's just nothing more I can say about Morpheus without turning into a puddle of incoherent fool, so I'll just leave it at that.
The Romance: SCREW YOU, JEB. That's just my opinion, of course, since I am and have been solidly on Team Morpheus in the very beginning. Really, the only thing that could turn me off Morpheus is if he turned out to be a serial killer who eats babies raw. I think this book was too heavy on the romance, and I really hated how Alyssa has been cheating on Jeb. I don't exactly like Jeb (ha!) but nobody deserved to be cheated on. While dating Jeb, Alyssa has been seeing Morpheus and chilling with him in her dreams. Alyssa has told us that from the beginning, and it continues throughout the book. It's just not fair to Jeb, and really, Alyssa should be bettter than that.
And man, the love triangle. I hate it when a love triangle threatens to overwhelm a very underwhelming plot.
Jeb snarls. “Why don’t you keep your mouth shut while we help you.�I loved Morpheus. I love his dedication to Alyssa, I love his purposefulness, I love the fact that he doesn't give up on pushing Alyssa to be more than she is.
Morpheus laughs weakly, his skin flashing with blue light. “What say Alyssa gives my mouth something else to do?�
Jeb narrows his eyes. “What say I give you a fist to chew on?�
I glare at them both. “Are you guys kidding me right now?�
“It will never be enough,� he insists, guiding my palm to his chest so I can feel his pounding heartbeat. “I will not stop until you’re reigning over the Red court forever. Until you’re back with us where you belong.�Let me love you, Morpheus!
Overall: a highly enjoyable book, I just wished there was less romance and more danger and excitement in the plot.
December 4, 2013
This book = FANGIRL DREAM COME TRUE!!!!!!!
This is my fangirly:
So I read this BOOK.
I HAVE NO words.
I hate and love A.G. at the same time.
The FEELS warring within.
This book is freaking Frabjous.
Kaloo-Kallay.
*chortles in joy*
GIVE ME ENSNARED NOW.
'Nuff Said.
This is my fangirly:
So I read this BOOK.
I HAVE NO words.
I hate and love A.G. at the same time.
The FEELS warring within.
This book is freaking Frabjous.
Kaloo-Kallay.
*chortles in joy*
GIVE ME ENSNARED NOW.
'Nuff Said.
March 4, 2017
1.5 stars.
***Will contain major spoilers from the previous book and maybe, some minor ones from this book.***
Now, I liked the first book because maybe, unlike this fucking book, it actually had a like-able story, some fucking action, and it wasn't a back and forth between, "oh should I go back to wonderland and save it? or, nah i don't feel like going back to save wonderland.
LISTEN
THE FUCK
UP,
I could not find a single fuck to give about Alyssa and her having to choose whether she should go fucking save wonderland or not. Literally, this entire FUCKING BOOK, is her HAVING TO MAKE A FUCKING CHOICE and I was really bored AND COULD NOT FUCKING CARE what she wanted to do.
LITERALLY, THIS ENTIRE FUCKING BOOK, is a back and forth between her wanting to save it or not and I was just sitting there reading about her TRYING TO MAKE A FUCKING DECISION and boy, it was not fucking fun, it was not fucking entertaining and it was beyond fucking boring and hella fucking annoying.
Like, where the fuck is the action and fighting and war?? This book literally had nothing special and like I said above, IT WAS A STUPID FUCKING BOOK ABOUT A DUMB GIRL MAKING A FUCKING CHOICE.
Jeb was a boring piece of shit. He is a petty piece of shit, who's only there for the excruciatingly annoying love triangle.
Hey author,
KILL. HIM. OFF. He is useless, annoying, and simply garbage.
The only reason I managed to give this shitty book 2.5 stars is because of Morpheus. He is the best character in this book and should be the one with Alyssa, unlike Jeb. But, I doubt the poor guy will get his happy ending.
You know what? I feel like an angry, mean bitch and am bringing my rating down to 1.5 stars, because FUCK THIS RETARDED ATTEMPT AT A FUCKING STORY.
But sunny will read the next book bc Morpheus.
***Will contain major spoilers from the previous book and maybe, some minor ones from this book.***
Now, I liked the first book because maybe, unlike this fucking book, it actually had a like-able story, some fucking action, and it wasn't a back and forth between, "oh should I go back to wonderland and save it? or, nah i don't feel like going back to save wonderland.
LISTEN
THE FUCK
UP,
I could not find a single fuck to give about Alyssa and her having to choose whether she should go fucking save wonderland or not. Literally, this entire FUCKING BOOK, is her HAVING TO MAKE A FUCKING CHOICE and I was really bored AND COULD NOT FUCKING CARE what she wanted to do.
LITERALLY, THIS ENTIRE FUCKING BOOK, is a back and forth between her wanting to save it or not and I was just sitting there reading about her TRYING TO MAKE A FUCKING DECISION and boy, it was not fucking fun, it was not fucking entertaining and it was beyond fucking boring and hella fucking annoying.
Like, where the fuck is the action and fighting and war?? This book literally had nothing special and like I said above, IT WAS A STUPID FUCKING BOOK ABOUT A DUMB GIRL MAKING A FUCKING CHOICE.
Jeb was a boring piece of shit. He is a petty piece of shit, who's only there for the excruciatingly annoying love triangle.
Hey author,
KILL. HIM. OFF. He is useless, annoying, and simply garbage.
The only reason I managed to give this shitty book 2.5 stars is because of Morpheus. He is the best character in this book and should be the one with Alyssa, unlike Jeb. But, I doubt the poor guy will get his happy ending.
You know what? I feel like an angry, mean bitch and am bringing my rating down to 1.5 stars, because FUCK THIS RETARDED ATTEMPT AT A FUCKING STORY.
But sunny will read the next book bc Morpheus.
Read
January 27, 2023I'm going to be honest. I would read every book with Morpheus ever written. That is all.
April 30, 2018
Unhinged picks up a year after Splintered left off. Alyssa is about ready to graduate high school, and from there she intends to move to London with Jeb, her supposedly artsy boyfriend who acts like a Neanderthal and has no memory of their adventure in Wonderland. Her parents, understandably, are worried about her moving across the ocean with a man, and encourage her to at least marry him first—although they really don’t like Jeb at all (I don’t blame them) and are trying to hold on to their daughter as long as possible.
Alyssa has made grudging peace with her netherling identity—a human-looking creature with gauzy wings and sparkles below its eyes, whose abilities range from the cute (communicating with bugs) to the macabre (painting with one’s own blood). But she really wants to forget her royal lineage and be “normal,� and she resents the visits of Morpheus, the dashing Wonderland leader who appears in her dreams to teach her magic.
But Alyssa left a lot of trouble behind her in Wonderland, and since she’s not there to fix it, it will follow her until she gives in. What follows is a surprisingly thrilling tale with a great theme: the foolishness of trying to thwart destiny. Alyssa and her mom both learn this the hard way.
Content Advisory
Violence: There’s fairly gruesome, Tim Burton-esque imagery throughout. People and things get swallowed by evil bookshelves (it makes sense in context) and spit out as grotesque caricatures of themselves. Alyssa sees some scary things in her paintings and dreams, such as a woman getting swallowed whole by a flesh-eating plant, or a dead man bound in cobwebs. Our heroine is stalked through the school halls by what appears to be an evil clown toy come to life.
Sex: Jeb and Alyssa kiss way too much—especially since he’s such a loathsome character—and there’s a few times where they consider consummating their relationship on the spot (nothing of the kind actually happens). But luckily Alyssa realizes that she has growing feelings for Morpheus, and she kisses him too. One of Jeb’s clients wants him to paint portraits of her in faerie-themed lingerie, and Alyssa is understandably hurt. When Morpheus gets gravely injured, Alyssa sets him up on her bed, and he jokes that he always knew he’d end up there.
Language: A few uses of “bloody� from Morph.
Substance Abuse: Some characters eat magic Wonderland mushrooms to help them shrink. Obviously not a literal drug reference, but given what the book is based on, a lot of people will be thinking of drugs already.
Anything Else: Nope.
Conclusion
Unhinged is a fantastic second installment, capitalizing on the strengths of the first book while expanding the world and its lore, developing the characters, and upping the stakes.
Howard subtly outdoes many of her fellow YA authors by taking common tropes—especially that old “I kept this secret from you to protect you� chestnut—and examining how a real person with human emotions would react to that. While many of these writers still look at things from a myopic, adolescent perspective, she actually seems able to separate herself from Alyssa, and look at the girl’s angst and confusion with a knowing smile.
That said, while Alyssa makes a number of questionable decisions, she has more psychological depth than the average YA urban-fantasy heroine, and her actions are usually believable. She insists that she’s in love with Jeb, but really she’s infatuated with him because he represents safety and sameness to her. Whereas Morpheus, who any reader can see is the superior catch, is repeatedly rejected because he’s asking her to grow up, put aside childish things, and become what she was born to be.
Alyssa, whose life has never been stable, understandably clings to those things that have gotten her through up until now: her painting, her skateboarding, her Hot Topic wardrobe and makeup, her crush on Jeb, her friendship with Jenara, and her hatred of Taelor. Then Morpheus appears, and he asks her to
But she’s scared, understandably, and refuses.
Yet he won’t give up on her. He teaches her, and tests her, knowing she can handle any challenge he gives her.
And slowly, she begins to realize that she’s not made for this world, but for that one, and she is even granted a vision to prove it:
Jeb is a regrettable character with no need to exist. He is the long-lost twin, or maybe distant ancestor, of Aspen from The Selection, albeit in fairness The Selection is a chick-flick with dystopia sprinkles and a love triangle comes with the territory. But there is enough going on in the Splintered series that the love triangle is needless. Take away Jeb’s status as Alyssa’s boyfriend and all he does is get captured and force her to act. That’s nothing that a family member—say, a younger sibling—couldn’t do (see Labyrinth).
I have a feeling that this is going to end the same way as Garth Nix’s Keys to the Kingdom series did, but I guess I’ll find out when I get there.
All in all, this was a superlatively enjoyable YA novel that I happily recommend. Just beware of Jeb.
Alyssa has made grudging peace with her netherling identity—a human-looking creature with gauzy wings and sparkles below its eyes, whose abilities range from the cute (communicating with bugs) to the macabre (painting with one’s own blood). But she really wants to forget her royal lineage and be “normal,� and she resents the visits of Morpheus, the dashing Wonderland leader who appears in her dreams to teach her magic.
But Alyssa left a lot of trouble behind her in Wonderland, and since she’s not there to fix it, it will follow her until she gives in. What follows is a surprisingly thrilling tale with a great theme: the foolishness of trying to thwart destiny. Alyssa and her mom both learn this the hard way.
Content Advisory
Violence: There’s fairly gruesome, Tim Burton-esque imagery throughout. People and things get swallowed by evil bookshelves (it makes sense in context) and spit out as grotesque caricatures of themselves. Alyssa sees some scary things in her paintings and dreams, such as a woman getting swallowed whole by a flesh-eating plant, or a dead man bound in cobwebs. Our heroine is stalked through the school halls by what appears to be an evil clown toy come to life.
Sex: Jeb and Alyssa kiss way too much—especially since he’s such a loathsome character—and there’s a few times where they consider consummating their relationship on the spot (nothing of the kind actually happens). But luckily Alyssa realizes that she has growing feelings for Morpheus, and she kisses him too. One of Jeb’s clients wants him to paint portraits of her in faerie-themed lingerie, and Alyssa is understandably hurt. When Morpheus gets gravely injured, Alyssa sets him up on her bed, and he jokes that he always knew he’d end up there.
Language: A few uses of “bloody� from Morph.
Substance Abuse: Some characters eat magic Wonderland mushrooms to help them shrink. Obviously not a literal drug reference, but given what the book is based on, a lot of people will be thinking of drugs already.
Anything Else: Nope.
Conclusion
Unhinged is a fantastic second installment, capitalizing on the strengths of the first book while expanding the world and its lore, developing the characters, and upping the stakes.
Howard subtly outdoes many of her fellow YA authors by taking common tropes—especially that old “I kept this secret from you to protect you� chestnut—and examining how a real person with human emotions would react to that. While many of these writers still look at things from a myopic, adolescent perspective, she actually seems able to separate herself from Alyssa, and look at the girl’s angst and confusion with a knowing smile.
That said, while Alyssa makes a number of questionable decisions, she has more psychological depth than the average YA urban-fantasy heroine, and her actions are usually believable. She insists that she’s in love with Jeb, but really she’s infatuated with him because he represents safety and sameness to her. Whereas Morpheus, who any reader can see is the superior catch, is repeatedly rejected because he’s asking her to grow up, put aside childish things, and become what she was born to be.
Alyssa, whose life has never been stable, understandably clings to those things that have gotten her through up until now: her painting, her skateboarding, her Hot Topic wardrobe and makeup, her crush on Jeb, her friendship with Jenara, and her hatred of Taelor. Then Morpheus appears, and he asks her to
Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before
...let your spirit start to soar
And you'll live as you've never lived before�
Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind�
Let your mind start a journey through a strange, new world...
Let your soul take you where you long to be
Only then can you belong to me�
But she’s scared, understandably, and refuses.
Yet he won’t give up on her. He teaches her, and tests her, knowing she can handle any challenge he gives her.
And slowly, she begins to realize that she’s not made for this world, but for that one, and she is even granted a vision to prove it:
Jeb is a regrettable character with no need to exist. He is the long-lost twin, or maybe distant ancestor, of Aspen from The Selection, albeit in fairness The Selection is a chick-flick with dystopia sprinkles and a love triangle comes with the territory. But there is enough going on in the Splintered series that the love triangle is needless. Take away Jeb’s status as Alyssa’s boyfriend and all he does is get captured and force her to act. That’s nothing that a family member—say, a younger sibling—couldn’t do (see Labyrinth).
I have a feeling that this is going to end the same way as Garth Nix’s Keys to the Kingdom series did, but I guess I’ll find out when I get there.
All in all, this was a superlatively enjoyable YA novel that I happily recommend. Just beware of Jeb.
January 11, 2016
So I read Splintered a long time ago and nearly had an aneurysm from the entitled, possessive, prick of douche wad that is Jeb. Actually, it was from the fact that our supposed protagonist (and actual unreliable narrator) Alyssa glorified this abusive asshole and put him on a pedastle. Today I thought, hey, maybe the sequel won't be so bad? Maybe Alyssa will own up to the fact that she is in an incredibly unhealthy relationship and will actually do something to serve the plot?
WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG.
I am DISGUSTED.
I have NO WORDS.
I didn't finish the last chapter because I was truly grounded from the fact that the author is actually romanticizing someone who controls his girlfriend. And not to mention romanticize a relationshio where the girl is so blinded that when she is strangled by her boyfriend, her only sorry is that he will be heartbroken thinking he is turning into his abusive father. NEWS FUCKING FLASH: HE ALREADY IS.
You know what? FUCK this abuse s an excuse bullshit. It excuses ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about Jeb's character.
I actually wanted to vomit from the fact that Alyssa considered herself unworthy of him. I WANTED TO FUCKING BURN EVERY SINGLE COPY OF THIS BOOK WHEN ALYSSA GAVE JEB HIS MEMORIES BACK AND MADR HIM OUT TO BE A HERO. LIKE WHAT THE FUCK?
Don't read this if you want to keep your sanity. Just don't.
WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG.
I am DISGUSTED.
I have NO WORDS.
I didn't finish the last chapter because I was truly grounded from the fact that the author is actually romanticizing someone who controls his girlfriend. And not to mention romanticize a relationshio where the girl is so blinded that when she is strangled by her boyfriend, her only sorry is that he will be heartbroken thinking he is turning into his abusive father. NEWS FUCKING FLASH: HE ALREADY IS.
You know what? FUCK this abuse s an excuse bullshit. It excuses ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about Jeb's character.
I actually wanted to vomit from the fact that Alyssa considered herself unworthy of him. I WANTED TO FUCKING BURN EVERY SINGLE COPY OF THIS BOOK WHEN ALYSSA GAVE JEB HIS MEMORIES BACK AND MADR HIM OUT TO BE A HERO. LIKE WHAT THE FUCK?
Don't read this if you want to keep your sanity. Just don't.
September 21, 2014
Whoa! That ending, though! I really didn't expect you to take it there, Anita, but I am so glad you did. That was wonderfully mad.
What I also loved about this book was that we finally got to know more about Alyssa's parents. A lot more, including how they met. Al's mom was always a mystery to me, and I'm so glad this book gave me a chance to get to know her better. While most fans probably are all about Jeb and Morpheus in regards to this book, I much preferred the relationship between Alyssa and her mother in this one. It was very sweet.
But as far as the two guys go.... I'm still not sold. I warmed up to Jeb a little, but Morpheus is kind of frustrating, and not in a good way. I can see why countless fans wet their undies over him--and over Jeb, for that matter--but I just am not buyin' it. If you asked me what team I was, I'd say I'm Team Alyssa.
But yeah, seriously, I loved that ending, because I didn't expect it at all. I can barely contain my excitement for Ensnared.
What I also loved about this book was that we finally got to know more about Alyssa's parents. A lot more, including how they met. Al's mom was always a mystery to me, and I'm so glad this book gave me a chance to get to know her better. While most fans probably are all about Jeb and Morpheus in regards to this book, I much preferred the relationship between Alyssa and her mother in this one. It was very sweet.
But as far as the two guys go.... I'm still not sold. I warmed up to Jeb a little, but Morpheus is kind of frustrating, and not in a good way. I can see why countless fans wet their undies over him--and over Jeb, for that matter--but I just am not buyin' it. If you asked me what team I was, I'd say I'm Team Alyssa.
But yeah, seriously, I loved that ending, because I didn't expect it at all. I can barely contain my excitement for Ensnared.
July 26, 2016
'My heart falls into my feet.
Not even the familiar scents of paint, chalk dust, and plaster can comfort me when I see the scene taking shape: a Red Queen on a murderous rampage in a bleak and crumbling Wonderland.
Just like my most recent dreams...
I smooth the cloth back into place, unwilling to acknowledge what the imagery might mean.
It's easier to hide from it.'
Alyssa may have finished with Wonderland. But it hasn't finished with her.
When Alyssa chose the human world over Wonderland, she thought all her troubles were behind her. That her connections to that maddening, enticing and dangerous world would fade over time.
But she was wrong.
Wonderland is slowly seeping through the cracks. Figures from her adventures there appear in her artworks, and materialise in her dreams. And the roguish Morpheus isn't ready to let Alyssa go just yet...not when the fate of Wonderland is on the line.
Hold onto your heads. Because the Red Queen is back.
As the Red Queen plots her revenge on Alyssa, waiting in the shadows for the perfect time to strike, new problems rise to the surface.
Alyssa's worlds are colliding, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to explain away the appearance of things that shouldn't exist - especially to Jeb, who has yet to recover his memories of his time in Wonderland. And with Morpheus' sudden appearance in the human world, things are about to get a whole lot more complicated.
Can Alyssa find the courage to face her worst fears? Even if it means endangering those she loves?
With her mother holding her back from her destiny, and Morpheus urging her towards it, Alyssa is caught between two worlds, each one relying on her to save it from destruction.
But at what cost?
A.G. Howard spins a tale so vivid, and so deliciously twisted, that Unhinged is sure to captivate readers across the globe as they enter a world beyond their wildest dreams...and their darkest nightmares.
A big thank you to AG Howard for the chance to read and review an ARC of this amazing book :)
**
Unhinged Excerpt Review:
"You need a man who knows and understand you, Alyssa. Both sides of you. A partner." He pulls my necklaces - and me - closer. "One who's your equal in every way."
Tantalising.
Sinister.
Mad.
A land of wonder morphs into a realm of decay in the wicked sequel to Splintered...this exclusive excerpt plunging readers back into A.G. Howard's addictive world of magic, romance and adventure. As bitter as the bottom of a tea cup, and as sweet as a biscuit, it's sure to get you hooked!
Will Alyssa take on her burden and save Wonderland?
Which guy will steal her heart - the knight or the moth?
Will evil triumph?
Prepare yourself - Unhinged is coming!
See this review and more on my blog:
****
Pre-reading review:
MORPHEUS IS ON THE COVER!!
Not even the familiar scents of paint, chalk dust, and plaster can comfort me when I see the scene taking shape: a Red Queen on a murderous rampage in a bleak and crumbling Wonderland.
Just like my most recent dreams...
I smooth the cloth back into place, unwilling to acknowledge what the imagery might mean.
It's easier to hide from it.'
Alyssa may have finished with Wonderland. But it hasn't finished with her.
When Alyssa chose the human world over Wonderland, she thought all her troubles were behind her. That her connections to that maddening, enticing and dangerous world would fade over time.
But she was wrong.
Wonderland is slowly seeping through the cracks. Figures from her adventures there appear in her artworks, and materialise in her dreams. And the roguish Morpheus isn't ready to let Alyssa go just yet...not when the fate of Wonderland is on the line.
Hold onto your heads. Because the Red Queen is back.
As the Red Queen plots her revenge on Alyssa, waiting in the shadows for the perfect time to strike, new problems rise to the surface.
Alyssa's worlds are colliding, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to explain away the appearance of things that shouldn't exist - especially to Jeb, who has yet to recover his memories of his time in Wonderland. And with Morpheus' sudden appearance in the human world, things are about to get a whole lot more complicated.
Can Alyssa find the courage to face her worst fears? Even if it means endangering those she loves?
With her mother holding her back from her destiny, and Morpheus urging her towards it, Alyssa is caught between two worlds, each one relying on her to save it from destruction.
But at what cost?
A.G. Howard spins a tale so vivid, and so deliciously twisted, that Unhinged is sure to captivate readers across the globe as they enter a world beyond their wildest dreams...and their darkest nightmares.
A big thank you to AG Howard for the chance to read and review an ARC of this amazing book :)
**
Unhinged Excerpt Review:
"You need a man who knows and understand you, Alyssa. Both sides of you. A partner." He pulls my necklaces - and me - closer. "One who's your equal in every way."
Tantalising.
Sinister.
Mad.
A land of wonder morphs into a realm of decay in the wicked sequel to Splintered...this exclusive excerpt plunging readers back into A.G. Howard's addictive world of magic, romance and adventure. As bitter as the bottom of a tea cup, and as sweet as a biscuit, it's sure to get you hooked!
Will Alyssa take on her burden and save Wonderland?
Which guy will steal her heart - the knight or the moth?
Will evil triumph?
Prepare yourself - Unhinged is coming!
See this review and more on my blog:
****
Pre-reading review:
MORPHEUS IS ON THE COVER!!
May 1, 2013
I.AM.SUPER.EXCITED!!!MUST.HAVE.NOW!
MORPHEUS IS ON THE COVER!!!!!!!FEELS FEELS AND MORE FEELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MORPHEUS IS ON THE COVER!!!!!!!FEELS FEELS AND MORE FEELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shelved as 'never-mind'
November 13, 2015Is it just me or...?
RPat meets The Hatter
RPat meets The Hatter
July 13, 2020
“nothing can break the chains you have on my heart. for you are wonderland.�
man, why do i keep reading books i don’t like? to my surprise, however, this was my first 1 star book of the year, and i gladly could’ve passed because i really didn’t expect to hate this one. the first book, splintered, wasn’t the greatest piece of literature i had ever read, but it was still enjoyable. it had a plot. it had an okay protagonist. it had a great atmosphere. the sequel? none of that.
this book was absolutely fucking useless. i haven’t read the third and final book, and i won’t at this point, so i don’t know how the story will be wrapped up, but honestly? this was the biggest filler sequel i have ever read. was there absolutely no way to put both books together and make it into one final second book? and character development also doesn’t seem to something anyone who looked over this story has ever heard of. jeb is someone i absolutely hated before and said in my review of splintered that he could die and i wouldn’t care. the only difference now is that i actively WANTED him to fucking choke and die. i have never in my life read about a character as useless and annoying and a waste of trees in my entire life. alyssa was someone i barely cared about before but found her story to be interesting. scratch EVERYTHING, because she, too, turns into annoying garbage. she fucking glorifies jeb’s immensely abusive behavior, protects him and turns against everyone who even remotely cared about her. your loss, i guess.
other than that, absolutely nothing happened? in almost 400 pages, everything revolved around one single ANNOYING plot point. in all honesty, the only reason why i even managed to finish reading this is morpheus. he saved even the cringiest scenes for me, but i can’t for the life of me and won’t continue reading the series. not even for him.
� 1 star
man, why do i keep reading books i don’t like? to my surprise, however, this was my first 1 star book of the year, and i gladly could’ve passed because i really didn’t expect to hate this one. the first book, splintered, wasn’t the greatest piece of literature i had ever read, but it was still enjoyable. it had a plot. it had an okay protagonist. it had a great atmosphere. the sequel? none of that.
this book was absolutely fucking useless. i haven’t read the third and final book, and i won’t at this point, so i don’t know how the story will be wrapped up, but honestly? this was the biggest filler sequel i have ever read. was there absolutely no way to put both books together and make it into one final second book? and character development also doesn’t seem to something anyone who looked over this story has ever heard of. jeb is someone i absolutely hated before and said in my review of splintered that he could die and i wouldn’t care. the only difference now is that i actively WANTED him to fucking choke and die. i have never in my life read about a character as useless and annoying and a waste of trees in my entire life. alyssa was someone i barely cared about before but found her story to be interesting. scratch EVERYTHING, because she, too, turns into annoying garbage. she fucking glorifies jeb’s immensely abusive behavior, protects him and turns against everyone who even remotely cared about her. your loss, i guess.
other than that, absolutely nothing happened? in almost 400 pages, everything revolved around one single ANNOYING plot point. in all honesty, the only reason why i even managed to finish reading this is morpheus. he saved even the cringiest scenes for me, but i can’t for the life of me and won’t continue reading the series. not even for him.
� 1 star
December 17, 2020
Star Rating: �&; 5 Stars
RE-READ!!!! (This is what happens around the holidays, when I've beyond spent all my money on gifts & have none left for books 😉... and I wouldn't have it any other freakin' way!)
Still 5 sparkle-tastic Stars from me for the pure fact that it (and the rest of the series, obviously) is (IMHO) the best AAIW retelling to date. It’s fantastically fantastic, whimsically whimsical, and nonsensical nonsense that makes so MUCH sense, in a sense. God, this series just gets exponentially better as it goes on... leaving me with whispering insects, a new hot AF netherling (think fae, but Wonderland) book bf, as well as leaving sparkles upon sparkles upon sparkles in it's wake! I’ve been craving a re-read, and I am SO happy that I did just that!
RE-READ!!!! (This is what happens around the holidays, when I've beyond spent all my money on gifts & have none left for books 😉... and I wouldn't have it any other freakin' way!)
Still 5 sparkle-tastic Stars from me for the pure fact that it (and the rest of the series, obviously) is (IMHO) the best AAIW retelling to date. It’s fantastically fantastic, whimsically whimsical, and nonsensical nonsense that makes so MUCH sense, in a sense. God, this series just gets exponentially better as it goes on... leaving me with whispering insects, a new hot AF netherling (think fae, but Wonderland) book bf, as well as leaving sparkles upon sparkles upon sparkles in it's wake! I’ve been craving a re-read, and I am SO happy that I did just that!
July 1, 2017
“There’s something new behind his eyes—resolution—and I know I’ve just signed my soul away.�
4 stars
Well, I’ve been thinking about the rating all night �. Kidding, I was asleep, but maybe Morpheus visited my dreams to affect my final decision, because I was SO on the fence yesterday. Anyway, the wicked creature swayed me in his favor, because how could he not? Yes, he was definitely a showstopper and earned all the stars I gave to the book. Hell if I know how Alyssa can resist this guy.
Okay, let’s start with the review �
*BTW it is still under construction, and I will be adding more things over the next couple of days. It is rather lengthy, but I haven't even said half the things I wanted :) I can't manage it in one go.*
Alyssa
“Who am I, really? Powerful but broken, like my mother? Or am I something more? A queen destined to rule Wonderland �?�
I read a couple of reviews before starting Unhinged, and I knew from the beginning that Alyssa was going to be difficult in this book.
She was going back and forth about who she is all the time, trying to reconcile two sides of her nature and two worlds she belongs to, the human realm and Wonderland. It didn’t help that both worlds were in danger from certain creatures, and I suppose I should care about the human realm the most� er � maybe � probably, but I just don’t. Not in this book. I’m actually more concerned about Wonderland’s well-being, so if Alyssa doesn’t want her responsibilities as a Queen, I volunteer )))
Moreover, had she tackled the problem sooner, there would have been no danger to the human world at all. And you know the reason why she didn’t do it? You would never guess � it is a boy. Yes, it is freaking Jeb, her precious boyfriend, and she has all her future mapped out, so she can’t be bothered with anything else. It was always the same pattern, really. Morpheus would plead that she go and save Wonderland, and Alyssa was like:
“I want to give in, to embrace him and Wonderland and its endearing yet macabre creatures, to seize all of the deranged beauty and power that waits for me there and never let go.
But that isn’t right. That isn’t the future I have mapped out. I belong with Jeb and the people I love, here.�
Now, I don’t want to be too hard on Alyssa, I know she is probably freaked out about all the stuff she learned about her heritage. So she tried to shut everything strange out and hold on to what’s familiar. Only it doesn’t look like she made the good choice. Because all the time she pretended to be just an ordinary human, she had to suppress her netherling nature, and it doesn’t want to be suppressed. It wants out and run wild. The author often refers to Alyssa’s powers as dark, but I don’t see how. She never intended to harm anyone in any way, so how are her powers bad? They just need an outlet, and that is the perfect reason for her to return to Wonderland, and set herself free of the chains.
I couldn't agree more with Morpheus:
“Release your chains, Alyssa. Set your magic free.�
Humanity is so overrated in YA literature. Like, what’s bad for humans is bad by default. But can’t we all try to look a little beyond that limiting perspective? After all, we humans imagine all those magic worlds, because we yearn for something extraordinary, something we can’t have in real life. And as a reader I always rejoice when characters embrace their supernatural natures/powers, learn to wield and control them and ultimately become something more than they were in the beginning. And so I totally don’t get the obsession some authors have for their characters to defy all the magic and remain human.
Because, you see, we definitely read fantasy books to get a piece of normalcy and realism *sarcasm* God forbid the heroine chooses the magic world with every mad thing it has to offer over a “normal� life, going to college, getting a job, marrying and having 2 kids. I mean, those are all perfectly legit things to want, just I PERSONALLY DON’T READ FANTASY TO GET THAT KIND OF ENDING. There is plenty of realistic fiction for that.
Again, I see how some people think these are YA books, and they need "right" role models and examples. But, seriously, give teenagers some credit! They can be smart enough not to use fantasy as guidebooks to real life.
Jeb
“I need to be reminded of what’s normal. What’s safe. And Jeb represents all of that.�
Like it was expected, best parts of the story were when Jeb was either absent or knocked out. Which, to the author’s credit, was for a good part of the book.
I said it before and I’ll say it again � Jeb and the likes of him have no business in fantasy books. In most cases they don’t add anything to the story and only hinder and stall the heroine’s progress, dragging her back and grounding her to her humanity. Some may say it’s a good thing. Some may say it’s a pain in the ass. I definitely belong to the latter group of readers � .
I still have to figure out what he’s doing in this series, except pissing me off and ruining the fun. Yes, just like in the first book, when he was not knocked out or busy somewhere else, he was a controlling, overbearing, jealous, possessive asshole, always snarling and glaring when his rival was in sight. Might as well have pissed on Alyssa to mark his territory.
It wasn’t even his possessiveness that ticked me off. It was how insecure he was about himself. About him and Alyssa as a couple. Like he didn’t trust her and her feelings, like he was expecting her to dump him any moment and run away with another man, while all the time Alyssa did almost anything short of putting up a shrine and praying to Jeb’s perfection.
Oh, words can’t express how I hate this guy.
Here’s to hoping that maybe Now that would be an awesome development! I’m not going to hold my breath, though. “Good� guys seldom end up like that.
Morpheus
«There is nothing black-and-white about him. He’s a chaotic portrait made of every shade of gray.»
YES, PLEASE! I like my characters and love interests exactly like that!
And I have no one but myself to blame for falling into the same trap over and over and over again. I should know better than to trust authors of fantasy YA series. They create an interesting and complex character, with ambiguous morals and hidden motives. They make you fall for this character, hard. To want to understand him, to know him, to decipher him, to unveil his mysteries and secrets. And then, as a rule, they throw that character to the curb for the sake of some boring, overbearing and overprotective “good� guy (who almost always represents the human side of the heroine’s nature, TWU LUV and all that jazz) and laugh evilly in your face and make you pick up the pieces of your broken heart.
This was not a spoiler, because nothing of this sort happened in the story …Yet?
But at the same time, how can I not hope? Can someone, PLEASE, break the mold? A.G. Howard, will you be the one? I know it is too late to plead, though, because Ensnared is already off to the editors. We readers can only (im)patiently wait until January 2015 to read it. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Anyway, Morpheus. In this book, he stole my heart. I liked him in Splintered too, but I was not sure what to make of him. He seemed interesting, but I wasn’t wowed. But now things changed.
He literally made this book. Without him, I’m not sure it would have been worth reading. Much like in , Morpheus is the driving force behind the plot. His schemes and manipulations set everything in motion, while his irresistible personality brings humor and lightness to the read. In every scene he was present, he had me grinning to the point that my cheeks started hurting.
Not to mention that he was sexy. I didn’t find him sexy in the first book, but boy, did I change my mind!
By the way, I wonder if he has that name for a reason. Dreams are his domain, after all, or at least one of them. He has this uncanny ability to interact with Alyssa in her sleep. He did so all those years in her childhood, and time and again over the stretch of the story. But then, maybe all netherlings possess such talents.
I really think Morpheus and Alyssa belong together and would be great as a couple. One of the things I like most about him is that he encourages Alyssa to be strong and has faith in her power. He doesn’t think she needs a guy as a crutch. Yes, he is always nearby to watch and he can help whenever the dire need arises, but he lets Alyssa handle things on her own.
“I’m finding it difficult to hold a grudge when he was only trying to show me how strong I really am.
When it’s in fact what he always does.�
At least I have the comfort that Alyssa understands it. Obviously, so does the author. Let's hope she will act on it too.
*More thoughts about M. are coming later, I have A LOT)))*
All I can say in conclusion is - I will never look at a black moth the same way again, LOL.
**
*After finishing the book*
Morpheus, you devious, sneaky creature! You lit up this book and stole my heart along the way :P
It's always the same trap, but ...
Review and rating coming later.
4 stars
Well, I’ve been thinking about the rating all night �. Kidding, I was asleep, but maybe Morpheus visited my dreams to affect my final decision, because I was SO on the fence yesterday. Anyway, the wicked creature swayed me in his favor, because how could he not? Yes, he was definitely a showstopper and earned all the stars I gave to the book. Hell if I know how Alyssa can resist this guy.
Okay, let’s start with the review �
*BTW it is still under construction, and I will be adding more things over the next couple of days. It is rather lengthy, but I haven't even said half the things I wanted :) I can't manage it in one go.*
Alyssa
“Who am I, really? Powerful but broken, like my mother? Or am I something more? A queen destined to rule Wonderland �?�
I read a couple of reviews before starting Unhinged, and I knew from the beginning that Alyssa was going to be difficult in this book.
She was going back and forth about who she is all the time, trying to reconcile two sides of her nature and two worlds she belongs to, the human realm and Wonderland. It didn’t help that both worlds were in danger from certain creatures, and I suppose I should care about the human realm the most� er � maybe � probably, but I just don’t. Not in this book. I’m actually more concerned about Wonderland’s well-being, so if Alyssa doesn’t want her responsibilities as a Queen, I volunteer )))
Moreover, had she tackled the problem sooner, there would have been no danger to the human world at all. And you know the reason why she didn’t do it? You would never guess � it is a boy. Yes, it is freaking Jeb, her precious boyfriend, and she has all her future mapped out, so she can’t be bothered with anything else. It was always the same pattern, really. Morpheus would plead that she go and save Wonderland, and Alyssa was like:
“I want to give in, to embrace him and Wonderland and its endearing yet macabre creatures, to seize all of the deranged beauty and power that waits for me there and never let go.
But that isn’t right. That isn’t the future I have mapped out. I belong with Jeb and the people I love, here.�
Now, I don’t want to be too hard on Alyssa, I know she is probably freaked out about all the stuff she learned about her heritage. So she tried to shut everything strange out and hold on to what’s familiar. Only it doesn’t look like she made the good choice. Because all the time she pretended to be just an ordinary human, she had to suppress her netherling nature, and it doesn’t want to be suppressed. It wants out and run wild. The author often refers to Alyssa’s powers as dark, but I don’t see how. She never intended to harm anyone in any way, so how are her powers bad? They just need an outlet, and that is the perfect reason for her to return to Wonderland, and set herself free of the chains.
I couldn't agree more with Morpheus:
“Release your chains, Alyssa. Set your magic free.�
Humanity is so overrated in YA literature. Like, what’s bad for humans is bad by default. But can’t we all try to look a little beyond that limiting perspective? After all, we humans imagine all those magic worlds, because we yearn for something extraordinary, something we can’t have in real life. And as a reader I always rejoice when characters embrace their supernatural natures/powers, learn to wield and control them and ultimately become something more than they were in the beginning. And so I totally don’t get the obsession some authors have for their characters to defy all the magic and remain human.
Because, you see, we definitely read fantasy books to get a piece of normalcy and realism *sarcasm* God forbid the heroine chooses the magic world with every mad thing it has to offer over a “normal� life, going to college, getting a job, marrying and having 2 kids. I mean, those are all perfectly legit things to want, just I PERSONALLY DON’T READ FANTASY TO GET THAT KIND OF ENDING. There is plenty of realistic fiction for that.
Again, I see how some people think these are YA books, and they need "right" role models and examples. But, seriously, give teenagers some credit! They can be smart enough not to use fantasy as guidebooks to real life.
Jeb
“I need to be reminded of what’s normal. What’s safe. And Jeb represents all of that.�
Like it was expected, best parts of the story were when Jeb was either absent or knocked out. Which, to the author’s credit, was for a good part of the book.
I said it before and I’ll say it again � Jeb and the likes of him have no business in fantasy books. In most cases they don’t add anything to the story and only hinder and stall the heroine’s progress, dragging her back and grounding her to her humanity. Some may say it’s a good thing. Some may say it’s a pain in the ass. I definitely belong to the latter group of readers � .
I still have to figure out what he’s doing in this series, except pissing me off and ruining the fun. Yes, just like in the first book, when he was not knocked out or busy somewhere else, he was a controlling, overbearing, jealous, possessive asshole, always snarling and glaring when his rival was in sight. Might as well have pissed on Alyssa to mark his territory.
It wasn’t even his possessiveness that ticked me off. It was how insecure he was about himself. About him and Alyssa as a couple. Like he didn’t trust her and her feelings, like he was expecting her to dump him any moment and run away with another man, while all the time Alyssa did almost anything short of putting up a shrine and praying to Jeb’s perfection.
Oh, words can’t express how I hate this guy.
Here’s to hoping that maybe Now that would be an awesome development! I’m not going to hold my breath, though. “Good� guys seldom end up like that.
Morpheus
«There is nothing black-and-white about him. He’s a chaotic portrait made of every shade of gray.»
YES, PLEASE! I like my characters and love interests exactly like that!
And I have no one but myself to blame for falling into the same trap over and over and over again. I should know better than to trust authors of fantasy YA series. They create an interesting and complex character, with ambiguous morals and hidden motives. They make you fall for this character, hard. To want to understand him, to know him, to decipher him, to unveil his mysteries and secrets. And then, as a rule, they throw that character to the curb for the sake of some boring, overbearing and overprotective “good� guy (who almost always represents the human side of the heroine’s nature, TWU LUV and all that jazz) and laugh evilly in your face and make you pick up the pieces of your broken heart.
This was not a spoiler, because nothing of this sort happened in the story …Yet?
But at the same time, how can I not hope? Can someone, PLEASE, break the mold? A.G. Howard, will you be the one? I know it is too late to plead, though, because Ensnared is already off to the editors. We readers can only (im)patiently wait until January 2015 to read it. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Anyway, Morpheus. In this book, he stole my heart. I liked him in Splintered too, but I was not sure what to make of him. He seemed interesting, but I wasn’t wowed. But now things changed.
He literally made this book. Without him, I’m not sure it would have been worth reading. Much like in , Morpheus is the driving force behind the plot. His schemes and manipulations set everything in motion, while his irresistible personality brings humor and lightness to the read. In every scene he was present, he had me grinning to the point that my cheeks started hurting.
Not to mention that he was sexy. I didn’t find him sexy in the first book, but boy, did I change my mind!
By the way, I wonder if he has that name for a reason. Dreams are his domain, after all, or at least one of them. He has this uncanny ability to interact with Alyssa in her sleep. He did so all those years in her childhood, and time and again over the stretch of the story. But then, maybe all netherlings possess such talents.
I really think Morpheus and Alyssa belong together and would be great as a couple. One of the things I like most about him is that he encourages Alyssa to be strong and has faith in her power. He doesn’t think she needs a guy as a crutch. Yes, he is always nearby to watch and he can help whenever the dire need arises, but he lets Alyssa handle things on her own.
“I’m finding it difficult to hold a grudge when he was only trying to show me how strong I really am.
When it’s in fact what he always does.�
At least I have the comfort that Alyssa understands it. Obviously, so does the author. Let's hope she will act on it too.
*More thoughts about M. are coming later, I have A LOT)))*
All I can say in conclusion is - I will never look at a black moth the same way again, LOL.
**
*After finishing the book*
Morpheus, you devious, sneaky creature! You lit up this book and stole my heart along the way :P
It's always the same trap, but ...
Review and rating coming later.
July 17, 2016
Let me just say this: I love Anita. LOVE. She’s one of the most awesome authors I’ve ever talked to! I enjoyed Splintered, but Unhinged was even better! And no, I’m not biased just because I like the author. The world is a deliciously macabre version of the original, and I was thrilled to dive back in!
I love Anita’s writing. She can paint the scenes in my head vividly and beautifully! The world building is one of my favorite parts of this series. The other is Morpheus.
Oh dear lord, how I love that moth man! I don’t care if he’s part bug (and *ahem* fictional), he can feel free to snatch me away on his wings any day!! Forget Alyssa, Morph, I’m right here! I loved him even more than I did in the first book. His intentions were still questionable at times, but everything he did, he did for her. And it really pissed me off that she couldn’t see that! I know that she just looooves lil ole vanilla Jeb, but c’mon. Morpheus wasn’t afraid to let her stand on her own because he knew she had the strength to. Sure, Jeb may have been her knight in shining armor, but Morph didn’t come to her rescue in tough situations because he believed in her and had faith that she could handle herself.
I’m finding it difficult to hold a grudge when he was only trying to show me how strong I really am. When it’s in fact what he always does.
And that made me love him even more! He came to her rescue only when she truly needed it.
Jeb annoyed me more than ever. He was so focused on his job that he repeatedly put it before Alyssa. I understand it’s a great opportunity, but don’t you see what it’s doing to the person you’re supposed to love? That was not okay. I didn’t care about Jeb in Splintered, but in this one I downright disliked him. Morpheus stole the spotlight for me!
“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.�
*shoves Alyssa aside* TAKE ME INSTEAD!!!
There were SO many amazing and swoon-worthy Morpheus moments that I thought my heart would explode. Team Morpheus FOREVERRRR.
I loved the development between Alyssa and her mom, too! <333
“It’s kind of like a fairy tale.�
“Maybe. And you’re our happy ending.� Her gaze returns to mine, filled with love.
And the ending! GAH! Anita, how could you do that?! Morpheuuuussss. I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next book! I just wish it wasn’t so far away. :(
ASSESSMENT
Plot: 4.5/5
Premise: 5/5
Writing style: 4.5/5
Originality: 4/5
Characters: 4.5/5
World-building: 5/5
Pace: 5/5
Feels: 4.5/5
Cover: 5/5
Edit 4/28/2013: ACK THE COVER IS SO BEAUTIFUL. MARRY ME MORPHEUS.
<333
JANUARY 2014?! I may die.
Anita, can we have a novella about Morpheus to tide us over? ;)
September 9, 2017
Really awesome sequel that sets up for the final book nicely! I really love this refashioning of Alice in Wonderland. It is dark and twisted, but oh so good! I actually put on Once Upon Wonderland on Amazon Prime Video in the background while I read it. Now I will continue the show as I start book three!
April 27, 2015
Me encantó este libro, me sigue faltando emoción y sobrando algunas páginas, pero sin duda los personajes son magníficos, el cambio de ambientación fue todo un éxito para mí.
Morfeo como siempre histriónico y maravilloso, son diálogos son magníficos y el personaje es perfecto para mi.
El final del libro mucho mejor que el final anterior, me dejó con muchas ganas de leer el siguiente libro.
Reseña Completa:
Morfeo como siempre histriónico y maravilloso, son diálogos son magníficos y el personaje es perfecto para mi.
El final del libro mucho mejor que el final anterior, me dejó con muchas ganas de leer el siguiente libro.
Reseña Completa:
July 19, 2016
3.5 stars
To say I'm disappointed is a bit of an understatement.
had its faultsJeb, but I really enjoyed it. The world-building was exquisite and delightfully imaginative so I was willing to overlook the multitude of faults Jeb it came with. Unhinged, on the other hand, takes all these annoyances, blows them up to the size of floats and shoves them in my face, hoping the existence of one two sexy males will be enough to cover them.
It doesn't.
First off, the plot. Unhinged picks up about a month where Splintered ends and Wonderland is now under threat from Queen Red. At first, I was delighted by this development. More Wonderland, yay! But as the plot plodded on, it became increasingly apparent that we were never going to see Wonderland (not in this book anyway). Instead, we get pages and pages of Morpheus trying to convince Al to go down the rabbit hole and save it. Notice how I use the word tries. Because Al spends most of the book ignoring the destruction of Wonderland because she wants to stay in the human world and lead a normal life.
I understand her stance and indecision, but it's hard to feel sympathy for the girl when it goes on like this for the whole book. In the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa, the Nevernever is similarly threatened and the protagonist, Meaghan, voluntarily returns to help and kick ass. Al waits for the shit to hit the fan multiple times before doing something about it.
Also, the plot tried way too hard to be unpredictable and twisty which gave me a headache. It could be that I didn't read it one sitting and that my mind was often preoccupied while reading, but then again, isn't that your job? To make me neglect my homework and keep my eyes glued to your pages. Plus, half of the events had no impact on the overarching plot at all and was only there for the sake of giving Al a firm kick up the buttocks.
Get a move on!
Another problem I had was with the love interests, or more importantly, the love triangle. I don't make a big deal out of love triangles if they're done well and necessary (i.e representing different sides of the heroine. Here, Jeb represents Al's humanity and Morpheus, her netherling side0. But my grudge is with the wish-fulfillment side of the triangle. I get that girls often daydream about how wonderful it would be to have two guys fighting over them (heck, I'm probably guilty of that myself), but not to the point where the males are romanticized to the point of badly-written fanfiction. Jeb and Morpheus make showy comments all the time, glare at each other and generally act like alpha males while Al stands feebly in the corner.
Yeah, kinda like that.
Sure, it boosts a girl's self-esteem, but I have trouble believing any guy would put up with the crap Al pulls on both sides. Boys are capable of feelings too, you know.
There's also an awful lot of telling as opposed to showing. I recently read Stephen King's so I can spot these things more easily. Too often, we are told how Al feels instead of showing it to us. Pair that up with unnecessary inner monologue and you get a very irritated Nat.
But Unhinged did intrigue me enough to want to read the third book. So I guess Howard has the last laugh. Curse me and my innate desire to finish series!
My review of Splintered
My review of Ensnared
My review of Untamed
To say I'm disappointed is a bit of an understatement.
had its faults
It doesn't.
First off, the plot. Unhinged picks up about a month where Splintered ends and Wonderland is now under threat from Queen Red. At first, I was delighted by this development. More Wonderland, yay! But as the plot plodded on, it became increasingly apparent that we were never going to see Wonderland (not in this book anyway). Instead, we get pages and pages of Morpheus trying to convince Al to go down the rabbit hole and save it. Notice how I use the word tries. Because Al spends most of the book ignoring the destruction of Wonderland because she wants to stay in the human world and lead a normal life.
I understand her stance and indecision, but it's hard to feel sympathy for the girl when it goes on like this for the whole book. In the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa, the Nevernever is similarly threatened and the protagonist, Meaghan, voluntarily returns to help and kick ass. Al waits for the shit to hit the fan multiple times before doing something about it.
Also, the plot tried way too hard to be unpredictable and twisty which gave me a headache. It could be that I didn't read it one sitting and that my mind was often preoccupied while reading, but then again, isn't that your job? To make me neglect my homework and keep my eyes glued to your pages. Plus, half of the events had no impact on the overarching plot at all and was only there for the sake of giving Al a firm kick up the buttocks.
Get a move on!
Another problem I had was with the love interests, or more importantly, the love triangle. I don't make a big deal out of love triangles if they're done well and necessary (i.e representing different sides of the heroine. Here, Jeb represents Al's humanity and Morpheus, her netherling side0. But my grudge is with the wish-fulfillment side of the triangle. I get that girls often daydream about how wonderful it would be to have two guys fighting over them (heck, I'm probably guilty of that myself), but not to the point where the males are romanticized to the point of badly-written fanfiction. Jeb and Morpheus make showy comments all the time, glare at each other and generally act like alpha males while Al stands feebly in the corner.
Yeah, kinda like that.
Sure, it boosts a girl's self-esteem, but I have trouble believing any guy would put up with the crap Al pulls on both sides. Boys are capable of feelings too, you know.
There's also an awful lot of telling as opposed to showing. I recently read Stephen King's so I can spot these things more easily. Too often, we are told how Al feels instead of showing it to us. Pair that up with unnecessary inner monologue and you get a very irritated Nat.
But Unhinged did intrigue me enough to want to read the third book. So I guess Howard has the last laugh. Curse me and my innate desire to finish series!
My review of Splintered
My review of Ensnared
My review of Untamed
January 28, 2014
See more reviews at
Mini Review:
I was really shocked with myself when I found myself not enjoying Unhinged. I practically devoured Splintered just a few months ago, so my change in tastes could not be the reason why I wanted to DNF this sequel. I know I've been writing my reviews in a dot-point format (which is probably suggesting that I'm falling into a review slump--thank god I have recently chosen two co-bloggers to help me) a lot lately however it seems the only conventional way to put down my thoughts on a novel lately.
- My main qualm with Unhinged was the characters. All of them. But mainly Alyssa. So somehow, she's turned into a really insecure, stupid and idiotic little brat. Like HOW? How can you just turn into such an unlikeable narrator? *sobs* I liked the way you were. *grabs out more tissues* I mean, Alyssa struggles to accept facts. She runs away from them, she thinks that if she does nothing and ignores problems, they'll go away. She's not a strong protagonist at all, or even determined to set things right.
- Secondly, the romance. Yes, like all YA books like to do, it takes over the plot. I used to be Team Jeb, but y'know what? Nevermind. I'm Team IDon'tCare. Why am I not Team Jeb? Well, basically Alyssa and Jeb's relationship makes Ali feel insecure. THEN WHY BE IN A RELATIONSHIP? If you feel that someone is bringing you down, then why? I beg for an answer. Why not go to Team Morpheus? Err..well half my bloggy friends would come up to me and say: "I told ya so! Morpheus is yummy." Yeah....no. And that's not the reason. I was never a fan of Morph in the first place because he is a creepy guy in general. Honestly. He gives me the chills. Bad chills. Like run-away-eww-creepy-guy.
- Lastly, the lack of plot. WHERE IS MY PLOT. WHERE IS MY WONDERLAND. I really missed these two aspects, the plot and Wonderland were utterly lacking (mainly due to the romance) and only kicked in much later in the novel.
All in all, I am really disappointed with Unhinged. Though please don't hesitate to try this is you loved Splintered, because I believe I'm a black sheep. Again. Yay. *sarcasm*
****
Baaaa baaa black sheep...
Mini Review:
I was really shocked with myself when I found myself not enjoying Unhinged. I practically devoured Splintered just a few months ago, so my change in tastes could not be the reason why I wanted to DNF this sequel. I know I've been writing my reviews in a dot-point format (which is probably suggesting that I'm falling into a review slump--thank god I have recently chosen two co-bloggers to help me) a lot lately however it seems the only conventional way to put down my thoughts on a novel lately.
- My main qualm with Unhinged was the characters. All of them. But mainly Alyssa. So somehow, she's turned into a really insecure, stupid and idiotic little brat. Like HOW? How can you just turn into such an unlikeable narrator? *sobs* I liked the way you were. *grabs out more tissues* I mean, Alyssa struggles to accept facts. She runs away from them, she thinks that if she does nothing and ignores problems, they'll go away. She's not a strong protagonist at all, or even determined to set things right.
- Secondly, the romance. Yes, like all YA books like to do, it takes over the plot. I used to be Team Jeb, but y'know what? Nevermind. I'm Team IDon'tCare. Why am I not Team Jeb? Well, basically Alyssa and Jeb's relationship makes Ali feel insecure. THEN WHY BE IN A RELATIONSHIP? If you feel that someone is bringing you down, then why? I beg for an answer. Why not go to Team Morpheus? Err..well half my bloggy friends would come up to me and say: "I told ya so! Morpheus is yummy." Yeah....no. And that's not the reason. I was never a fan of Morph in the first place because he is a creepy guy in general. Honestly. He gives me the chills. Bad chills. Like run-away-eww-creepy-guy.
- Lastly, the lack of plot. WHERE IS MY PLOT. WHERE IS MY WONDERLAND. I really missed these two aspects, the plot and Wonderland were utterly lacking (mainly due to the romance) and only kicked in much later in the novel.
All in all, I am really disappointed with Unhinged. Though please don't hesitate to try this is you loved Splintered, because I believe I'm a black sheep. Again. Yay. *sarcasm*
~Thank you Thames and Hudson Australia for sending me this copy!~
****
Baaaa baaa black sheep...
August 10, 2016
Dear Mrs. Howard,
Please let Alyssa end up with Morpheus. Not after she's with Jeb or anything, but Morph and Morph alone, cause let's be real, you created a beautiful winged boy. Kudos to you.
Thank you,
Natalie ;)
Please let Alyssa end up with Morpheus. Not after she's with Jeb or anything, but Morph and Morph alone, cause let's be real, you created a beautiful winged boy. Kudos to you.
Thank you,
Natalie ;)
Want to read
August 3, 2015Morpheus <3
June 16, 2016
Wonderland and madness and creepy crawling creatures is what I'm reading this series for. Unfortunately, there was less Wonderland and madness in Unhinged than in Splintered, but it did involve an animated clown doll that made me want to burn every toy I've ever owned out of sheer terror. Yes, that's what really makes me want to keep reading - sheer terror.
Morpheus remains the most interesting character in the series. As Alyssa herself points out, Morpheus always gets screwed when he does the right thing, so he's learned to act selfishly and be manipulative to get what he wants. Even that isn't true - poor Morpheus suffers not so much from doing the right thing but from being misunderstood and second-guessed at every turn by the people he values (really just Alyssa). His motives aren't questionable but still end up being questioned.
Alyssa sunk pretty low in Unhinged. Her narration wasn't frustrating, but her actions were. She spends the whole book trying to keep both Jeb and Morpheus on her hook while not truly committing to either. At one point, she promises her human life to Jeb, then in the same chapter she tells Morpheus to wait for her, because she plans to share forever with him. It was hard to root for a main character that treats the people she cares for so badly. Alyssa also mistreats her father, who worries himself sick over Aly; she doesn't seem to understand how horrible her father must feel, watching his daughter slowly spiral down into insanity just as he watched his wife years ago. Poor guy.
All in all, not life-changing but pretty much as good as Splintered. I'm thinking I'll finish the series for closure and to hear more from Morpheus and the evil clown doll.
Morpheus remains the most interesting character in the series. As Alyssa herself points out, Morpheus always gets screwed when he does the right thing, so he's learned to act selfishly and be manipulative to get what he wants. Even that isn't true - poor Morpheus suffers not so much from doing the right thing but from being misunderstood and second-guessed at every turn by the people he values (really just Alyssa). His motives aren't questionable but still end up being questioned.
Alyssa sunk pretty low in Unhinged. Her narration wasn't frustrating, but her actions were. She spends the whole book trying to keep both Jeb and Morpheus on her hook while not truly committing to either. At one point, she promises her human life to Jeb, then in the same chapter she tells Morpheus to wait for her, because she plans to share forever with him. It was hard to root for a main character that treats the people she cares for so badly. Alyssa also mistreats her father, who worries himself sick over Aly; she doesn't seem to understand how horrible her father must feel, watching his daughter slowly spiral down into insanity just as he watched his wife years ago. Poor guy.
All in all, not life-changing but pretty much as good as Splintered. I'm thinking I'll finish the series for closure and to hear more from Morpheus and the evil clown doll.
February 14, 2017
3.5/3.75 maybe?
I just didn't love it. It was a pretty big letdown after I really loved Splintered. The corniness got to me and I felt like it was super slow. I just wanted to go back to Wonderland :( I didn't hate it though just yeah... Video review to come! (Hopefully soon I'm still quite behind)
I just didn't love it. It was a pretty big letdown after I really loved Splintered. The corniness got to me and I felt like it was super slow. I just wanted to go back to Wonderland :( I didn't hate it though just yeah... Video review to come! (Hopefully soon I'm still quite behind)
Want to read
May 12, 2013I want this book SO BAD but...
THAT IS the UGLIEST COVER I HAVE EVER HAD THE MISFORTUNE TO SET MY EYES ON!!!!
THAT IS the UGLIEST COVER I HAVE EVER HAD THE MISFORTUNE TO SET MY EYES ON!!!!
January 9, 2014
This is how I feel about this book
****Update 9th Jan 2014****
While I have been anticipating Unhinged and getting to read it, part of me was worried it wouldn't live up the hype and reach my expectations. I fell in love with Splintered, the world and the characters, and each time I fall head over heels in love with a book I always worry that the second one won't meet its predecessor's standards. I really did not think I would love Unhinged as much as I did, or even love it more than Splintered, but I was completely and utterly blown away by Unhinged.
Unhinged hooked me from the minute I had the book in my hands and saw how amazingly gorgeous the cover is...go on, take another look........see what I mean ;). By the time I had reached the half way point in Unhinged I had so many emotions swirling around. I hated Morpheus for doing what he does to Alyssa, but liked how he has her back and saves her. Jeb just needed a serious kick in the ass, he has a good thing with Alyssa and is thinking too much with his business brain and not his emotional brain, not thinking of what he does for work will affect their relationship. Let's not start on Alyssa and what she is doing with both of these boys, lying to 'protect' Jeb, but being 'more than friends' friendly with Morpheus. I mean seriously, this trio are beyond messed up, but mostly in a good way, and in a way that wants you to keep reading and get tangled up in this mess with them.
There were a lot of twists and shocks in Unhinged that I didn't expect, and some of Alyssa's family history is revealed and explains a lot of why Alyssa is who she is. When I began reading I hated Alyssa's Mum for hiding a lot of this information from Alyssa to protect her, but then just as we near the end of the book we are actually shown what happened and why Alyssa's Mum made these choices.
I loved not knowing what was going to happen throughout Unhinged. The unpredictability of what would happen between Morpheus/Alyssa/Jeb had me turning page after page to get even the smallest hint about what was coming up, looking for any minute detail that would aid me in making this discovery. A. G. Howard makes you believe on thing, then pulls the rabbit out of the hat and erases what you thought you knew and shows you a whole new event.
Everyone in Unhinged has to go through so much, and the journey isn't easy at all. I loved following Alyssa through the glass, and down the rabbit hole. Being with her along her journey of discovery, seeing all the good and bad parts to Wonderland, but also finding out more about how it works.
The whole idea of the train was fantastic, and I could possibly do with one of them myself, and although I had guessed who the person was I was still surprised when it was revealed, like gasp out loud surprised. The last few chapters of Unhinged had me on the edge of my seat, I loved seeing them work as a team, but also seeing how they could be affected by everything that Wonderland is doing. How can it end like that, and the wait is going to be torture, like a year long torture specially designed to keep us hanging.
****Update 9th Jan 2014****
While I have been anticipating Unhinged and getting to read it, part of me was worried it wouldn't live up the hype and reach my expectations. I fell in love with Splintered, the world and the characters, and each time I fall head over heels in love with a book I always worry that the second one won't meet its predecessor's standards. I really did not think I would love Unhinged as much as I did, or even love it more than Splintered, but I was completely and utterly blown away by Unhinged.
Unhinged hooked me from the minute I had the book in my hands and saw how amazingly gorgeous the cover is...go on, take another look........see what I mean ;). By the time I had reached the half way point in Unhinged I had so many emotions swirling around. I hated Morpheus for doing what he does to Alyssa, but liked how he has her back and saves her. Jeb just needed a serious kick in the ass, he has a good thing with Alyssa and is thinking too much with his business brain and not his emotional brain, not thinking of what he does for work will affect their relationship. Let's not start on Alyssa and what she is doing with both of these boys, lying to 'protect' Jeb, but being 'more than friends' friendly with Morpheus. I mean seriously, this trio are beyond messed up, but mostly in a good way, and in a way that wants you to keep reading and get tangled up in this mess with them.
There were a lot of twists and shocks in Unhinged that I didn't expect, and some of Alyssa's family history is revealed and explains a lot of why Alyssa is who she is. When I began reading I hated Alyssa's Mum for hiding a lot of this information from Alyssa to protect her, but then just as we near the end of the book we are actually shown what happened and why Alyssa's Mum made these choices.
I loved not knowing what was going to happen throughout Unhinged. The unpredictability of what would happen between Morpheus/Alyssa/Jeb had me turning page after page to get even the smallest hint about what was coming up, looking for any minute detail that would aid me in making this discovery. A. G. Howard makes you believe on thing, then pulls the rabbit out of the hat and erases what you thought you knew and shows you a whole new event.
Everyone in Unhinged has to go through so much, and the journey isn't easy at all. I loved following Alyssa through the glass, and down the rabbit hole. Being with her along her journey of discovery, seeing all the good and bad parts to Wonderland, but also finding out more about how it works.
The whole idea of the train was fantastic, and I could possibly do with one of them myself, and although I had guessed who the person was I was still surprised when it was revealed, like gasp out loud surprised. The last few chapters of Unhinged had me on the edge of my seat, I loved seeing them work as a team, but also seeing how they could be affected by everything that Wonderland is doing. How can it end like that, and the wait is going to be torture, like a year long torture specially designed to keep us hanging.
March 8, 2017
It's been about a year since Alyssa has returned home from Wonderland and thing are going good in her life.
Her mother is out of the insane asylum.
She and Jeb are happily dating and are planning on going to London together when she finishes higscholl.
And other than Morpheus still visiting her dreams and hearing the flowers and bugs talking, she is finally free from Wonderland.
Or so she thought.
Queen Red is more furious than ever and vows to take revenge.
She destroyed Wonderland and now Morpheus comes to her World to convince her to return to her throne and fight Red.
With Morpheus beeing in the human World, Jeb ditching her for his work, her dad beeing suspicious and her mom having major secrets of her own... It's safe to say that Alyssa's life has become madness.
On top of all that she has to fight Red again.
This time for the Win.
Even tho the first book ended in a way that you could take it as a stand alone, the second one ends with a cliffhanger.
In an amazing way.
;)
Her mother is out of the insane asylum.
She and Jeb are happily dating and are planning on going to London together when she finishes higscholl.
And other than Morpheus still visiting her dreams and hearing the flowers and bugs talking, she is finally free from Wonderland.
Or so she thought.
Queen Red is more furious than ever and vows to take revenge.
She destroyed Wonderland and now Morpheus comes to her World to convince her to return to her throne and fight Red.
With Morpheus beeing in the human World, Jeb ditching her for his work, her dad beeing suspicious and her mom having major secrets of her own... It's safe to say that Alyssa's life has become madness.
On top of all that she has to fight Red again.
This time for the Win.
Even tho the first book ended in a way that you could take it as a stand alone, the second one ends with a cliffhanger.
In an amazing way.
;)
July 26, 2014
Wow! Unhinged was so damn good! I'm really impressed by how much I ended up loving it. It's been so freaking long since I read Splintered. Almost one year and a half I think so it's been really nice to get back into this amazing world. I had to stop a few times, though, to read some books that were due for review but I finally finished it and let me just say that I can't wait until the third book is out. I need it now!
It's a little hard to form any coherent thoughts with the way Unhinged ended. Really, just everything that happened in this book was non-stop action, mystery and of course a bit of romance. Speaking of the romance. I am not a fan of love triangles but I can truly see Alyssa's hesitation between Jeb and Morpheus. Which is really weird because I'm a huge Morpheus fangirl. Moths FTW! And may I just say that in this book he was especially amazing. I mean wow. I love him. And I really want him to end up with Alyssa someday.
But throughout this book I've been growing a bit fonder of Jeb too. Imagine that.
Alyssa has definitely grown as a character in my eyes. At the start of the book she thought she was done with all things Wonderland and ready to move on with Jeb. But of course things didn't go as planned at all. And I'm glad that eventually Alyssa finally found out for herself who she is and really believed it. You go, girl!
And the story... it was brilliant. A.G. Howard is a fantastic writer. I love her writing style so much. It's beautiful, poetic and yet dark and creepy. Oh this book was so creepy. I loved it!
I also really liked the little twists involving Alyssa's mom and dad. Their past together and how it wasn't all how it seemed. It was a pretty unexpected turn of events and I loved every bit of that!
What else can I say than I loved this book? I can't wait for Ensared to come out and find out how the story will continue from here on because the ending? Oh my god! I can't believe all that happened and those are the best books out there, that leave you shocked and breathless and aching for the next book.
So five stars definitely earned for Unhinged by A.G. Howard!
It's a little hard to form any coherent thoughts with the way Unhinged ended. Really, just everything that happened in this book was non-stop action, mystery and of course a bit of romance. Speaking of the romance. I am not a fan of love triangles but I can truly see Alyssa's hesitation between Jeb and Morpheus. Which is really weird because I'm a huge Morpheus fangirl. Moths FTW! And may I just say that in this book he was especially amazing. I mean wow. I love him. And I really want him to end up with Alyssa someday.
But throughout this book I've been growing a bit fonder of Jeb too. Imagine that.
Alyssa has definitely grown as a character in my eyes. At the start of the book she thought she was done with all things Wonderland and ready to move on with Jeb. But of course things didn't go as planned at all. And I'm glad that eventually Alyssa finally found out for herself who she is and really believed it. You go, girl!
And the story... it was brilliant. A.G. Howard is a fantastic writer. I love her writing style so much. It's beautiful, poetic and yet dark and creepy. Oh this book was so creepy. I loved it!
I also really liked the little twists involving Alyssa's mom and dad. Their past together and how it wasn't all how it seemed. It was a pretty unexpected turn of events and I loved every bit of that!
What else can I say than I loved this book? I can't wait for Ensared to come out and find out how the story will continue from here on because the ending? Oh my god! I can't believe all that happened and those are the best books out there, that leave you shocked and breathless and aching for the next book.
So five stars definitely earned for Unhinged by A.G. Howard!
August 11, 2016
4 out of 10
Ревью в моем блоге/This review on my blog
(please use Chrome/Yandex browser or Android/IOS to see the page; otherwise, spoiler-tags I use to make my post compact may not work)
Short-Soundtrack:
Genre: retelling, YA
Stuff: real world mixed up with netherlings
Fail: humans, school, Jeb, Jeb...Jeb.
WOW: Morpheus, still and always
POV: 1st-person, female
Love-Geometry: medium going to hard
Quote-Core:
“You are part human, and an artist. Creation is your power.�
If you’re not going to Wonderland, Wonderland is coming to you.
Yes, in this part of the trilogy we will suffer in human realm. Why suffer? You know, it’s like mixing up exquisite dish with something humble, or coffee and tea in one cup. Not tasty, not to say disgusting. People in here are boring, Alyssa’s family, Jeb (especially Jeb), her school (I’m so tired of reading about school-days, that’s why I dislike realistic ya-contemp). What looks normal among madness stuff, looks ridiculous among common things.
The only bright spot in this mess was Morpheus, okay Rabid and Chessie as well (they are sooo cute, I can’t even). I found myself skipping passages without nethelings and hating Jeb more and more, I wanted smack Alyssa too. Double standards! Finally, she got that she uses double standards: Jeb is always her knight and hero, Morpheus � cunning bastard (well, he is, but it's not that he can't be a knight at the same time).
I see why Morpheus is so fond of Alyssa. But I don’t know why Jeb is. I mean, SO fond? They are young and they have lives ahead. He’s stupid enough to believe that he’ll spent his entire life with a girl? This one particular girl? And if you think that Jeb became less possessive, you're wrong. Hands off, she’s mine, don’t look at her and suchlike things are here. Alyssa learns from him ‘cause she, too, starts to repeat MINE. I wanna kill them both.
The plot was complex once again but not enough. And all these prom balls� I’m fed up. So why 4 (out of 10) stars and not 1? Morpheus, of course. His sexy humor, the way he acts and talks, the way he looks. You can’t help your fall for him.
Look what he is doing here:
“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.�
“Of all the times you’ve undressed me in my fantasies, I never remember feeling this � unfulfilled.� “Please, Morpheus,� I beg upon hearing Jeb stir in the background. “Ah, but those delectable words,� Morpheus says with a provocative smirk, “those are always in the fantasy.� I glare at him. “You’re unbelievable.� “And that sentiment is reserved for the end.� “Shut. Up.�
Such a shame the book is not about him only.
The next part of this series will bring us to AnyElsewhere, looking-glass world, so I think something interesting still has chance to happen .
I have some feelings about the ending, I hope where wouldn’t be TID’s final, though I guess this is exactly what’s going to be.
PS: Natalia, you were right, Morpheus’s masquerade costume is a thing xDDD
PPS: This is Leigh (not Bardugo though) from Amour Sucre, he reminds me about Morpheus a bit. Didn’t find the author of this pic, but have to thank him or her)
Splintered (Разделенная надвое):
� Splintered (Разделенная надвое) #1/3
� The Moth in the Mirror (Мотылек в зеркале) #1.5/3
� Unhinged (Слетевшая с катушек) #2/3
� Ensnared (Угодившая в сети) #3/3
� Untamed (Неукрощенная) #3.5/3
May 31, 2018
CHARACTERS- the way these characters are written are gorgeous and unique. You fall in love with these characters and you get so attached.
Alyssa is so very unique and that make the story very enjoyable.
ROMANCE-
So there was a lot of Morpheus and Alyssa which I loved and they share like 20 special moments in this book which is so great and I loved it.
PLOT-
The plot was just as intriguing as the first book in the series. I did miss it being set in wonderland though because wonderland is s great to read about.
ENDING
I enjoyed the ending and I am looking forward to moving on in the series
Alyssa is so very unique and that make the story very enjoyable.
ROMANCE-
So there was a lot of Morpheus and Alyssa which I loved and they share like 20 special moments in this book which is so great and I loved it.
PLOT-
The plot was just as intriguing as the first book in the series. I did miss it being set in wonderland though because wonderland is s great to read about.
ENDING
I enjoyed the ending and I am looking forward to moving on in the series
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,209 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.