I know it's not time for my favorite books of 2012 post, but I have to tell you guys that this one is definitely making the list!
SPLINTERED by A. G. Howard (Amulet Books, January 1, 2013)
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Here are Five Things I Have to Say About SPLINTERED:
1) Don't judge a book by its cover, right? We've all heard it. I have two things to say about that.
a) We all judge books by their covers.
Why would publishers bother with covers at all if they weren't judged?
b) I LOVE this cover.
Seriously, the cover is the first/main reason why I wanted to read the book.
And I LOVE this book.
Here is the math equation for what I'm trying to say:
2) Next, we'll move right on to the love triangle. I hear what you guys are saying. You think love triangles are so yesterday. But SPLINTERED has one of the very best love triangles I have yet to read in young adult fiction. I was so torn between which guy I wanted Alyssa to end up with. So torn. If I had to pick, I'd say I was mostly Team Morpheus.
3) Which moves us next to the ending. BRILLIANT!!!! I am in love with the ending of this book. From the humor to the romance to the promises of more to come.
p.s. I want a sequel RIGHT NOW!
4) The visuals are exquisite. From every bit of Wonderland to the skate park to the clothes that Alyssa wears, I have vivid images in my mind of what every little detail looks like. Yet, that said, while reading, I didn't even once feel bogged down in the description. It was executed seamlessly.
5) Yes, I know I tell you guys that I love everything! And truly, if I've taken the time to finish a book, then that means I've enjoyed it (for the most part). In the case of SPLINTERED, though, like I've mentioned, it's really high at the top. It's fun and scary and deep and has beautiful character development. Teens will eat this book up and want more. And be prepared for them to want to go back and read the original ALICE IN WONDERLAND stories once they finish. Highly recommended for girls and boys, fans of ALICE, fans of fantasy, those who have loved ones suffering from mental illness, middle school and up.
From Amazon:
This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. 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.
Source of book: From publisher by request![]()
SPLINTERED by A. G. Howard (Amulet Books, January 1, 2013)
Here are Five Things I Have to Say About SPLINTERED:
1) Don't judge a book by its cover, right? We've all heard it. I have two things to say about that.
a) We all judge books by their covers.
Why would publishers bother with covers at all if they weren't judged?
b) I LOVE this cover.
Seriously, the cover is the first/main reason why I wanted to read the book.
And I LOVE this book.
Here is the math equation for what I'm trying to say:
SPLINTERED cover = AWESOME = SPLINTERED story
2) Next, we'll move right on to the love triangle. I hear what you guys are saying. You think love triangles are so yesterday. But SPLINTERED has one of the very best love triangles I have yet to read in young adult fiction. I was so torn between which guy I wanted Alyssa to end up with. So torn. If I had to pick, I'd say I was mostly Team Morpheus.
3) Which moves us next to the ending. BRILLIANT!!!! I am in love with the ending of this book. From the humor to the romance to the promises of more to come.
p.s. I want a sequel RIGHT NOW!
4) The visuals are exquisite. From every bit of Wonderland to the skate park to the clothes that Alyssa wears, I have vivid images in my mind of what every little detail looks like. Yet, that said, while reading, I didn't even once feel bogged down in the description. It was executed seamlessly.
5) Yes, I know I tell you guys that I love everything! And truly, if I've taken the time to finish a book, then that means I've enjoyed it (for the most part). In the case of SPLINTERED, though, like I've mentioned, it's really high at the top. It's fun and scary and deep and has beautiful character development. Teens will eat this book up and want more. And be prepared for them to want to go back and read the original ALICE IN WONDERLAND stories once they finish. Highly recommended for girls and boys, fans of ALICE, fans of fantasy, those who have loved ones suffering from mental illness, middle school and up.
From Amazon:
This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. 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.
Source of book: From publisher by request
