Thursday 7 February 2013

Splintered- A.G. Howard

Splintered- A.G. Howard

"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."- Amazon.com Summary




  7/10 stars

Before I start my review, I have to address one thing: How freaking awesome is this cover? I probably wouldn't have noticed this novel if it wasn't for the eye-catching and ethereal cover that popped up in my recommended list. I'm glad I did!
 I found this book very entertaining, albeit a little overwhelming at times. I adored Alyssa's funky skater-chick style, and enjoyed her unique character personality above many of the stereotypical dim-witted heroines that I have read about far too many times. The story line was gripping- the author really explored the idea of this 'wonderland'. Let me tell you: Her take on it was pretty darn freaky!! I admit, some of the story was kind of dark. For example, you know the white rabbit? Well in this characterization, he is a creepy little bony guy who is foaming at the mouth. Yes, you guessed it: The white Rabid! I am certainly not going to be reading this to any children.
 There were two main love interests in this story: Jeb, and Morpheus. The general consensus is that Jeb is the preferred of the love triangle. He is everything a girl could want: Handsome, protective, yet gentle and kind. He has been Alyssa's best friend for years. The other boy-of-interest is Morpheus. He is pretty much the opposite of  Jeb; Dark, sexy, and mysterious.
 Morpheus seriously confuzzled me in this novel. One second he appeared to be totally head-over-heels for Alyssa, and the next, he would stab her in the back! I'm normally all-for the dark, brooding type, but Morpheus just didn't do it for me. Please excuse my bluntness, but Morpheus kind of came across to me as a 2-dimensional, know-it-all jerk-face.
Then again, that's just me, and I have spoken with people who had a  completely different experience. But, boy drama aside, the plotline was exciting, and there was seldom a dull moment. It had a wonderful balance between action and romance, and the story was exhilarating and original.
 However, I think that it may have been a little too exhilarating. All of the new revelations were hard to keep up with, and I am still fuzzy on what exactly went down in the epitome of the story.
Overall, I thought that it was a very nice read, and perfect for those of you who love YA fantasy with a good splash of steamy romance on the side!
Let me know what you think in the comments.
- Daisy