Review: Splintered by A.G Howard

Splintered by A.G Howard
371 Pages
Release Date: January 1st, 2013
Publisher: Amulet Books
Genre: Retelling/Fantasy
Level: YA
Rating: 4.5 STARS

Goodreads Summary:

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.

MY THOUGHTS:

      DARK. CREEPY. TWISTED. ENTRANCING. CREATIVE. 
That's all you need to know...

      Splintered by A.G Howard was most definitely the loopiest and craziest roller coaster I've rode/read. A.G Howard did a splendid job writing this creepy and dark retelling of Alice in Wonderland. I actually don't think I read the original Alice in Wonderland..or I have but I don't remember it that well. Anyhoo, A.G Hwoard had me captured as soon as Alyssa found the "rabbit hole" and accidentally brought Jeb with her to Wonderland. She manages to get the reader's attention with her awesomley twisted characters in Wonderland and all the tests Alyssa has to pass.
   
      As most YA heroines, Alyssa was determined to get the cure to the curse. I will admit I was weirded out with her bug/nature whispering bit. She was also a bit dense and annoying at times. But she was also pretty brave especially through everything she's been through. The beginning of Splintered also confused me because I wasn't sure if this her childhood or present plus everything happened so quickly. But A.G Howard ends up wrapping everything around gets you back on track. 

     Then there's the romance which was a BIG and I mean BIG hype on Twitter about this *cough* Nikki and Inky *coughs* It also led to waging Nerf gun wars...I think. So I was most definitely excited to see what Splintered had in store for me. First off, Jeb is a CUTIE and an amaaazing best friend. A+J=Awesomeness. And usually the "best friend" that's in love with the MC has no idea what's going on with their fantastical lives well at least to some extent. Sorta? (See what I did there, fantasy and adjective *nudge* *nudge*) and isn't usually considered a "threat" but in this case...he really is. But then there's Morpheus A.K.A "Moth" and at first he seriously creep-ed me out..a lot. But then he's also pretty sweet and both he and Alyssa have some kind of history together. But for now I'm going to stay out of this romance and just go with the flow XD 

      Splintered is a a book full of twists that you'll never see coming and will most definitely have you wide eyed and jaw dropped. In this eerily, sinister retelling of Alice in Wonderland, many readers will be enthralled by this creatively tale A.G Howard managed to weave together. I totally recommend this book to re-telling lovers or just someone looking for a good book to read. Happy readings!!