Book Review; Unhinged by A. G. Howard

Summary:
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.

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When Wonderland

As soon as I finished reading Splintered, I knew that I needed to read more of this wonderful and magical world, thus I was itching to get my hands on Unhinged. While I waited, I read The Moth in the Mirror and this got me even more excited. Fortunately, I am happy to report that all of my excitement was worth it as Unhinged was an absolutely fantastic book that quite simply blew me away. It had everything I was waiting for and then some. While some sequels can fall short, Unhinged managed to simply continue the power of the first without losing anything.

Is In Need

There were a lots of twists and turns in this book, allowing for a large amount of chaos to ensue. This truly made the book gripping and full of tension as you try to work out exactly what is going to happen next. I adored the way it all came together like a jigsaw puzzle, and especially how important and symbolic that is to the story. It definitely helped to make the story a lot more enjoyable. The only issue I had with the plot was the love triangle. While it hadn’t been such a problem for me in Splintered, it did start to feel a little tiresome in this book. However, this small detail did not stop me from truly loving this story. Furthermore, it is definitely worth mentioning her that where the plot leads will make everything worth it. The ending was incredibly powerful and had me literally begging for more. I need to know what is going to happen next.

Of A Saviour

Alyssa is such a strong, inspirational character. She isn’t fully aware of her strength or her creativity which makes her feel like a very realistic character but also gives her redeeming characteristics. She cares whole-heartedly about her friends and family, and just wants to do the right thing without hurting anyone. There is also a side of her that just desperately wants to feel like she belongs, and I feel that this is an emotion and feeling that so many people will be able to sympathise with and understand completely. She really made this book very entertaining to read. Morpheus is the “bad” boy of this book and I love the way he acts around Alyssa. Especially in the few rare moments when he acts like he actually cares. However, there are also moments when he really gets on my nerves! A true proof of how weel he has been written. Finally thre is Jeb who is the “good” guy but he also has bad tendencies due to his temper and jealousy. I do adore how wonderful he can be though and it is easy to see what makes him so wonderful and special. These main characters are just the tip of the iceberg however, and all the secondary characters all play vital roles and are all written superbly well.

Who Will

It seems odd to believe that this book is only A. G. Howard’s second book, as the writing style feels incredibly unique and really well developed. She has really mastered the art of beautiful storytelling. Her words describe the scenery so well and she has crafted a wonderful world that is full of creative and immaginative creatures that will fuel nightmares and dreams alike. I fell in love with the style that A. G. Howard writes and this is just another reason her books are so magnificent. With so many adaptations of Alice in Wonderland out there, there is a lot of competition but Howard has truly managed to throw them all out of the water with her wispy, dark, yet imaginable images of what Wonderland is really like. I am fully in love with her writing and her powerful relationship with words.

Come Running

Unhinged is a magnificent book that has an incredibly dark and powerful feel to it. It is a wonderful sequel to Splintered and will be loved by all those who adored that book. It has a fast-paced, tension-filled plot, an alarming love triangle, and spine-tingling action scenes that will have you on the edge of your seat. If that sounds like your cup of tea, then you should definitely give this book a read, especially if you have read Splintered. If you haven’t read the first book but love Alice in Wonderland, then you must start this series as you are sure to love it. This is a book that I loved from start to finish and had me literally crying for more. It is not a book, or series, that you want to miss out on. Trust me.