My review of Unhinged

Unhinged (Splintered #2) by A.G. Howard
Release Date: January 1, 2014
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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.

Unhinged is the stunning and absolutely enthralling sequel to Splintered; an unexpectedly creepy twist on Alice in Wonderland following the great, great, great granddaughter of Alice herself. Howard puts a new and wonderful twist on the classic tale that will no doubt capture the attention of those who enjoy a delicious fantasy world.

Unhinged is set a year after the events in Splintered and Alyssa is fighting to fulfill Jeb's lost memories of Wonderland in order not to only take the weight of the situation off her shoulders, but also to open up their relationship a bit more. However, the call of Wonderland never quietens and, before we know it, Morpheus is back with stories of how Wonderland needs their queen Alyssa to fight back against the Red Queen. But things are complicated as Alyssa simply wants to live a normal life away from the madness of her lineage.

I think I loved this even more than the previous book. There was simply more charm to Morpheus, a deeper plot and some real good Wonderland tie-ins throughout the book, to give us a better insight into what happens in Wonderland that we have yet to witness and experience.

Morpheus or Jeb? Please, don't ask!! I'm genuinely torn. Howard brought out a considerably large list of positive and negative traits in each of these boys and I found myself switching sides a lot before finally coming to the conclusion that I adore both of them. Each have such charm. 

On the one hand, I want Alyssa to pick Jeb because he's human and can offer her the normal life that she's always wanted, but also because he's effortlessly sweet and caring. But, on the other hand, I want her to go with Morpheus as deep down he has cared for her for a long, long time and because Wonderland seems like the place where Alyssa should be. *Sigh* I can't pick.

No doubt in my mind that Ensnared is going to an epic adventure with plenty of action and romance. I'm pretty sure that it'll break my heart, too. *Morpheus and Jeb* For those who have not picked up Splintered, definitely give it a try because it is endlessly unique with the most gorgeous setting and characters.

Rating

A review copy was provided by the publisher