Probably more of a 3.5. There were things that I really loved about this book. The premise. The world building. But at about 80% done, I was ready to be at the end. And right now...no interest in reading the sequels. Not to say that won't change, but I'm moving on.

Splintered is a fantastical reimagining of the Alice in Wonderland story by Lewis Carroll. AG Howard creates a beautifully rendered Wonderland without getting bogged down in her descriptions.

The first part of the book introduces us to Alyssa who is the great-great-great-Granddaughter of Alice Liddel whom Carroll based his story on. Alyssa and the women that have come before her, have all gone insane early in life. Alyssa's own mother is currently locked in an Asylum. Alyssa knows her days are numbered because she can hear flowers and bugs talking to her. But before she completely loses it she wants to get to London and try to make some sense of this curse her mother talks about in her more lucid moments. Howard lays a lot of groundwork to help the reader understand Alyssa and her motivations. I totally sympathized with Alyssa and the feeling that she had a ticking time bomb in her head.

Alyssa does find her way into Wonderland and inadvertantly brings along of the object of her affection, best friend Jeb. I loved Jeb! He was so gallant and wanted to protect Alyssa from everything...but we all know how that goes. We also get introduced to Morpheus. He's one of those guys you "love to hate" and "hate to love", all at the same time! He appeals to Alyssa's darker side, her Wonderland-side. He's also a master manipulator!

Once Jeb and Alyssa are in Wonderland I couldn't put the book down. I wanted to see how Howard was going to tweak famous "Alice" scenes and she didn't disappoint. There is a steady and heady build-up to the final scenes/battle where everything literally turned on a dime and you didn't know who or what to believe. I had no idea of the turns this story was going to take until they happened and even then I wasn't completely convinced that it really happened.

I don't know why I put off reading Splintered for so long. It received so much positive review and comment...but I guess I'd been disappointed by too many other "retellings" that it just sat on the shelf. It wasn't until I received a galley copy of the second book in this series, "Unhinged" that I decided to read this. I'm so glad I did! And since Morpheus is on the cover of Unhinged, I'm curious as to what chaos he will bring to Alyssa's life!

There is absolutely no reason I should've picked up this book other than the fact that it is a retelling (which I'm a sucker for) The original fairytale 'Alice in Wonderland' has never interested me much.

So why does it seem that I keep picking up such great Wonderlamd retellings; starting with Heartless by Marissa Meyer and then with this series.

I just can't gush enough about 'Spangled'!

"Sprinkled'

'Spindered'?

A quick look at the cover has reminded me that the title of this book is 'Splintered'. You have no idea how many times I couldn't get the title right.

*Ahem* Anyways

Not normally my type but I loved it! Fractured Alice in Wonderland story told from the perspective of Alice’s great-granddaughter.

Ohmigosh!!! This book was just too amazing!! I already have a questionable addiction to the story of Alice in Wonderland, and this book just amplified it. I love the characters (AH!!! Morpheus, I LOVE YOU) and the descriptions were absolutely amazing!! Great writing and amazing storyline!

I finished Splintered almost a month ago at the time of writing this review, but as I searched the pages for a quote to share with y'all, I found myself falling in love with A.G. Howard's debut novel all over again: with the ethereal setting, with the beautiful writing style and imagery conjured while reading snippets, and with the amazing characters. I went on a journey while reading Splintered, and it is one of the few books that I immediately went online to pre-order once I finished. Splintered took me to Wonderland - a different Wonderland than I imagined - and truth be told, I left a part of my heart there.

Somewhere between the first and last page, I fell in love: with Alyssa, with Jeb, with Morpheus, and with the Wonderland A.G. Howard has imagined. Picture, if you will, a scared Alice who came back from Wonderland, and got some of the important details wrong. This isn't the Wonderland Alyssa's classmates tease her about. This is Wonderland turned inside out, painted entirely different in its macabre, vivid reality than in the book written around Alyssa's ancestor's stories. Everything Alyssa thought she knew is wrong or false - more horrifying than she imagined, darker, more lush and sinister, or seductive. Splintered's world-building is fabulous and flawless - a sensual place I never wanted to leave.

If asked to choose a favorite character, I'm not sure I could, with any certainty. The characters are all stand-outs - terrifically fleshed-out people who feel real in their complexities. Alyssa is independent, and her fears of ending up like her mother are so genuine; she's easily a sympathetic character. Jeb is swoon-worthy by definition (mine at least): protective, a loyal friend, sensitive, honest; his disbelief at finding himself in Wonderland translates well to the reader, and I wish we could have seen a few things from his point of view! I fell immediately for Jeb - we're talking can't-eat-can't-sleep, head-over-heels, drawing-his-name-in-my-notebook love. But there's also Morpheus. Oh, Morpheus: sly, sexy, tricksy, mischevious...with hos own way of caring. I won't say there's a love triangle to Splintered, but there are definitely two amazing boys - the kind I wish were real!

If you're looking for a thrilling, un-put-downable novel, then you must read Splintered. I didn't know whether to clap in geeky joy or gasp in fright throughout this book. Through Alyssa's tests, and her journey of self-discovery, as well as unraveling her family's secrets, I felt like I was right there with her, walking just a step behind her, shadowing her journey. I loved the familiar Wonderland elements, but I also loved how A.G. Howard continually took my breath away with one thing meaning another, and each new plot twist. A very few I saw coming, but mostly, I sat amazed, turning the pages as fast as I could. I cheered for Alyssa when she succeeded, and wanted to jump into Splintered to help her at times. But it was her quest, her mission, and it warms my heart that she did it all out of love for her mother and father, and in the process, learned who she really was.

The bottom line: read this book. I don't think you'll regret it. Even if you aren't an ALICE fan, there's a heart-pounding adventure, and an unforgettable romance, not to mention a story I'll be thinking about for a long, long time.

Also? I DARE you to read Splintered and NOT picture Sebastian Stan as Morpheus. ;)

Alyssa is a decedent of Alice from Alice in Wonderland. Apparently the events from this children's classic actually took place and resulted in a curse on the women in Alyssa's family. She and her mother can hear the flowers and insects talking. Her mother couldn't cope and is now in a mental institution. Alyssa is determined to find the rabbit hole and end the curse that has plagued her family for several generations.

The majority of the story is spent in Wonderland. I thought Howard did a remarkable job of weaving the elements from the original Alice in Wonderland story into this dark and twisted version. The descriptions of the unique characters and settings were detailed enough to paint a vivid picture for the reader without detracting from the progression of the story. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

My full review is on my blog: http://www.jacquesbooknook.blogspot.com/search/label/A.G.%20Howard

I didn't hate it but I also didn't love it. I can't stand Jeb at all but I really like Morpheus and am intrigued enough to keep going. I really enjoyed the dark and twisted Wonderland and am curious to see where it's headed.