Splintered (Splintered #1) by A.G. Howard

Book Title: Splintered (Splintered #1)

Author: A.G. Howard

Release Date: January 1st, 2013

Publisher: Amulet Books

Genre: YA/Fantasy

Series: Book 1 in Splintered series

Book Link: Goodreads

Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

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.

Disclaimer: This book was given to me as a Christmas present.

Review:

As a child I never really liked the Lewis Carroll version of Alice in Wonderland. Nor did I like the Disney version. However, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland was dark, mysterious and intriguing. I went back to the Lewis Carroll version and to the Disney version as an adult and this time, I loved the magic that was in it.

Imagine, if you will, that Lewis Carroll and Tim Burton made a baby. That baby is Splintered. A.G. Howard managed to keep the magic of the story that Lewis Carroll first told children and mixed it in with the dark and zany qualities of Tim Burton's version.

Yet, despite the similarities to both Lewis Carroll's version and Tim Burton's version, A.G. Howard still manages to write an amazing story with her own imagination. I am normally a pretty fast reader, but this took my speed reading abilities to new heights. I had to know what was going to happen and when. So I had a really hard time putting the book down at any point.

The writing was absolutely gorgeous and if writing could be swoon-worthy, this writing would be.A.G. Howard managed to create a beautiful and mysterious Wonderland through her writing.  The text was in purple which I thought was awesome, It still was readable but it brought in yet another magical element to the story. I cannot gush about the cover enough. I have a serious cover crush right now. The pictures absolutely do not do this book cover justice.

I loved that this book was so character driven. From Alyssa to her dad, to her mom and then of course to Jeb & Morpheus.Most of the people I've spoken to are Team Morpheus. I wish I could say definitively which team I am on but I can't. Because I love both Jeb and Morpheus. Jeb for his loyalty and devotion to Alyssa and Morpheus because he's quite funny despite being somewhat deceptive.

I just can't get over how much I loved this book. It was amazing and I need to read Unhinged, right now.I am so anxious to find out what the future holds for Alyssa and her family as well as Jeb & Morpheus.It should shock no one that I am giving this book 5 stars.