REVIEW: UNHINGED BY AG HOWARD.

Title: Unhinged (Splintered #2)
Author: A. G. Howard
Edition: Paperback
Published: January 7, 2014
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 394
Source: ARC provided by the Publisher
Category: Fantasy, Retelling, Romance
Trailer: Here.

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Synopsis:

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.

*MIGHT BE SPOILERY*

Unhinged is absolutely mystical!

In this review, I will be showcasing 3 feels because I loved AG Howard's sequel for Splintered, Unhinged so much. Aside from THAT tantalizing book cover *licks cover*, there is more to it than a pretty face! I couldn't express enough how much I adored Splintered and wrapping up Unhinged tonight absolutely lifted my entire existence, I kid you not! Gosh. AG Howard definitely knows how to tease her readers and this follow up novel for her debut, Unhinged is truly darker yet beyond romantic mixed up in one book!

ALL THE CREEPY FEELS.

WHERE IN THE WORLD THESE CREEPY CREATURES CAME FROM?? My imagination? Howard's head? Wonderland? Who wouldn't get scared with THE clown alone? I couldn't even include the Sisters and Red! The Clown seriously kept me awake the entire night because I kept thinking it would just appear outside my window! I LOVED HOW THESE SIMPLE CREATURES GAVE ME GOOSEBUMPS! These are the things I wanted to see more from Unhinged (aside from my beautiful Moth!). How one book could make you feel scared to the core! Very marvelous and liberating indeed!

ALL THAT YEARNING FEELS.

Why?? Why couldn't I see Wonderland again? Why couldn't I see even a glimpse of it? Why am I left so tempted to bounce and fall down the Rabbit Hole? I LOVED HOW HOWARD TURNED THIS PART UPSIDE DOWN! I thought I would be able to go back to such magical world yet she held up the trip! I felt like she focused on Al's dilemma on which world to choose. I totally appreciated how I was held back from visiting my favorite place in this world because THIS IS PUSHING ME TO YEARN HARD FOR ENSNARED!

ALL THE FEELS FEELS.

I wasn't totally ready.

I wasn't ready to be torn apart. I wasn't ready to be loved and unloved at the same time. I wasn't ready to be left hanging by being locked away forever from Wonderland. I wasn't ready to sacrifice the ones I loved most. I wasn't ready to be left alone. And I wasn't ready to be crazy.
Seeing things from Al's eyes made me ache that my bones hurt. From page one until the last, I DEEPLY felt every emotion she has to go through. True enough, the entire book is quotable that I nearly finished 3 sticky notes for tabbing everything. From jealousy to doubt, from love to longing, from disgust to trust. I felt like I am reading my feelings and it was simply so surreal to see what you feel exactly how you feel it. As if Howard have forseen what I am going to feel and wrote it for me instead. That is how much I am attached to this book. It is as if I am holding my printed my emotions.

Jeb's emotion matured in the sequel, too. I never have anticipated that he would actually be MORE bold when it comes to his love for Al. Even though he was also torn for ALMOST choosing between his career and relationship, it was clear that he would do everything he could to give Al a better life. No matter how painful it is to not spend time with her. I truly adored his intentions and how he tried to prove that he is the right man. And even though his trust was tested, he once again have proven how much Al meant to him that he's always ready to overlook mistakes. Nothing can beat THAT.

Well, I missed Morpheus. His existence in the book left me longing for more. His sarcasm and snarky comments made me yearn for his character to flutter through my wide open door. His pain and hope drove him to do things beyond his control and I loved every bit of it. He is ridiculously funny, annoying, loving and selfless. His ways of expressing what he feels can sometimes get into your nerve but that what makes him Morpheus. That is what made me root for him. He's annoyingly beautiful. He's annoyingly perfect.

Unhinged seeps into your bloodstream which will make your heart stop beating. It is written so beautifully that love can be magic and magic can be love. In amid of darkness, Unhinged shares hope that pushes relationships to grow and trust to develop. I cannot wait to get my hands on the last installment! I AM SOOO THIRSTY FOR MORPHEUS!!

Thank you Tina of Abrams and Chronicle UK for my review copy!

"Nothing can break the chains you have on my heart. For you ARE Wonderland."

".. since when is only half of something the best of anything?"

"I am MAD and I embrace it."

REVIEW: SPLINTERED BY A.G. HOWARD.

Title: Splintered (Splintered #1)
Author: A. G. Howard
Edition: Paperback
Published: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 377
Source: Bought from Fullybooked
Category: Fantasy, Retelling, Romance
Trailer: Here.

Amazon ▲ Book Depository ▲ Goodreads ▲ Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family.

She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

Splintered is marvelous!

How can you possibly write something good about a book that took your sanity away? How will you start blurbing about it when in fact, you're too much hangover you simply can't find the words? How will you be able to make justice to something so unjustifiably beautiful? How?

The answer is: you cannot.

This is how I currently feel about Splintered. I thought I have read it in the past only to be slapped in the face so hard my core shooked. I haven't read it yet. Because something this *insert the best adjective ever invented here* cannot be forgotten. There is no way in this universe you could ever forget this story. Your mind will be annihilated so don't even try to even think about it. It is seriously MIND BLASTING and excuse my babbling but THIS book because it is just worth babbling about -- FOREVER AND EVER AMEN.

Let me also try my very best to share how much Splintered kept me awake the entire night drooling, stomping, screaming and sobbing. Let me try.

THE COVER. I looked over my entire book collection to find a cover I could compare this beauty to. I found a lot of pretty covers but NOTHING could ever compare to how colorful, lively, mystical and mysterious this cover is. It is like, a love at first sight kind of thing. I wanna actually marry it and have kids with it. Seriously.

FONT/PAGE DESIGN. Howard tried to warn me about the purple font because I might mistaken it for a candy and lick it. Well, I almost did because this is one of the astounding designs I've ever seen (include Chaos of Stars on this list please). Aside from the purple font, the designs on each chapter page are PHENOMENAL. I WILL DEFINITELY SCOUT FOR A HARDBOUND COPY OF THIS BECAUSE IT IS WORTH ALL MY MONEY.

WORLD BUILDING. Alice in Wonderland in the 21st century. Twisted. Magical. Delusional. Magnificent. Colorful. Movie-worth. Unimaginable. Perfect. MIND BLASTING. Creative. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Snow White and the Huntsman. Harry Potter. Narnia. Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful.

ROMANCE. Oh God. Here it comes. Who would you choose: someone you loved first when you were little or someone you loved second while you were growing up? I loved the romance contrast that at some point, choosing is hard. It's the romance I have been craving for -- extraordinarily ordinary with a barb wire around your beating heart. I mean, love triangle with a totally AWESOME twist! Bejeezuz. It totally killed it!

ALYSSA. Free spirited and smart girl. She loves her family so much and will do anything for them to be alright. I love how courageous she is that even though she made few mishaps, she stood and still tried hard to do the right thing -- even at her expense.

JEBEDIAH.  Jeb. What an amazing character! Witty, sarcastic, fierce, loyal and oh so hot! I don't know guys but he's just totally dreamy! His loyalty to those people he care for is just as strong as his personality. And the part where "he bled" for Alyssa? Believe me, I cried so hard. I was taken by surprise that he would do such unbelievable thing.

MORPHEUS. OH GOD. OH GOD. He's absurdly beautiful!!!! Everything about him is to love! His puns are hilarious and I love his entire magical package. True enough, there's selfishness in him but that made his character to watch for. The light in his heart shone in such dark times and no matter what his motives are, his love for Al weighs heavier than any power could offer.

ANITA. She's definitely one of the sweetest and kindest (AND PRETTIEST) authors I have ever chatted with online. I mean, she's no snob and I love that she talks to her readers/fans. Aside from that, she's awesome for writing such magnificent story and she automatically landed my favorite authors and auto-buys lists.

Splintered is definitely one of the awesomest novels I have read this year. There is no way and no one can stop me from raving about this ever! Such magnificent retelling of a story we all fell in love with turning it into a story I am in love with. No recommendations high enough will amount to the fantastic story I got sucked in to! Absolutely worth all the praises and it is a story not only exceptionally written but a story one will never ever forget. *standing ovation*

"No one knows what he or she is capable of until things are at their darkest."

"Memories, real and irreplaceable, all of them. The happy ones, the bitter ones, the terrified and the poignant."

"Tearing down the rest of the world won't make you happy. Look inside yourself. Because finding who you were meant to be? What you were put into this world to do? That's what fills the emptiness. It's the only things that can."