The Jack prophesied: If
the king loses his head, then the Queen with a Bleeding Heart would
rule the Red Court until Time ceased to move forward. When a second
carried on for infinity, every creature in Wonderland would tip their
Hat to the misfit girl with a Boy’s name (or was it a boy with a Girl’s
name?) who’d end the Reign of Terror. However, it all hinged on the
One-Eyed Hare being able to convince an uninspirable Heir that the
impossible was indeed possible—like stopping time—and that Love was
worth a Beheading.
Heads would Roll…
Hearts would Break…
In the end, would it matter who Reigned?
Heads would Roll…
Hearts would Break…
In the end, would it matter who Reigned?
I won’t lie, “Alice in Wonderland” always seriously weirded
me out as a kid. I found it creepy,
which I now realize was part of the point.
As an adult, I haven’t read too many books that have weirded me out on that
level, but I have to say that this book may be one of them…so I guess mission
accomplished!
This book is a new take on “Alice in Wonderland”. Set in the present day, it follows Alice as
she is on a mission from Wonderland. She
meets Ryley Edgar, who may be related to Wonderland Royalty. Ryley has had a tough life. He moved around a lot before his father was
finally committed to a mental hospital, and right now his major concern is just
being a normal high school boy --until Alice Mae arrives. She’s strange, and hypnotizing to him. They have a bit of a love/hate relationship,
and as the story unfolds they realize they have much more in common than they
thought, and Alice Mae reveals to Ryley that she knows about this dad, which no
one but a few people close to him know.
Love blossoms, but will that love fully bloom or is not meant to be? Is
Alice what she appears to be, or does she have ulterior motives?
I think it takes a lot of balls, not to mention skill, for
an author to write a spin-off based on a beloved classic. I think it’s an insane undertaking, but when
it works….well, IT WORKS. This book is
case in point. It totally and completely
works. It manages to capture the strange
tone of the original work, while still forging a place for itself as a work of
art on its own merit. I honestly didn’t
expect to like this book as much as I did (remember, the original was creepy to
me!). What I found when I read this was
a book that I couldn’t put down. I found
the characters mesmerizing, strangely quirky and fun. The dialogue was much the same. The plot kept
me guessing and made me read this book with fervor, because I had to know what
happened. And the ending…OH. EM. GEE. It was perfect.
This book is a dark, imaginative ride. It will have you thinking about it long after
you are done, and hoping against hope that there will be a sequel because you
will just want more! Honestly, one of
the best books I have read this year.
You can’t go forward without going back.
5 stars from me.
“Out of all my
ill-fitting hats, one has never given me a headache like you do.”
“I’ve
only begun to give you a headache,” she whispered and turned around and walked
down the steps.
She
got to the landing before I was close enough to grab her wrist, stopping her
escape. She wiggled, freeing her hand. When I refused to back off, she moved
her leg like she was going to knee me in the groin, so I completely closed the
gap between us, pressing my hips against hers. She had no movement to strike.
“I’m done with this
charade!” I yelled even though we were millimeters away from each other.
“Everything you say doesn’t make a lick of sense. Why did you come here? Surely
it wasn’t just to annoy me.”
“Just
because you don’t understand my way of thinking, it doesn’t mean that I don’t
make sense!” she yelled. “You’re such a—”
“A
what?” I interrupted. “An Otherworlder?”
She
stepped closer, even though I hadn’t thought it possible, making it clear that
I hadn’t intimidated her. Even though I was taller than her, she stood on her
tip toes, making us closer to the same height.
“Actually,
I was going to say that you are such a boy!
What’s an Otherworlder, Ryley? I’m not sure that word even has a
definition, or did you make it up? Now, who sounds crazy?” she said, spreading
her arms wide.
I’d
forgotten about everyone else in existence. Everyone was staring. Judging from
the context spoken, I did sound more insane than she.
“What
is Wonderland, Alice Mae?”
“Do
you not remember anything?” She seemed genuinely frustrated.
“I’m
not in the habit of remembering places I have never been, you stupid girl!”
“Don’t
call me that!” She socked me in the gut. Normally, I would have thought it cute
that she tried to attack me since she was so feeble, but today it only
aggravated me.
“I
was alerted that your father’s car had moved,” Alice Mae said. “Was he able to
answer any of your questions?”
The
hall got so quiet, not a single person coughed. I wanted to rip the damn
rabbit’s head off, but it was in my backpack that I’d dropped when I noticed
the hat carnage in my locker.
“My
dad is not around,” I said.
“Interesting
phrasing,” Alice Mae said, analyzing my comment. She tapped her finger on her
chin like she was deep in thought. “You didn’t say he was dead, nor did you
confirm it. Perchance you and your mom made up a series of lies about him?”
I
had to shut her up before she told everyone the truth! I wanted to strangle
her. I hated how she could completely destroy me with a few simple words. She
knew my deepest secret, and now she was telling the whole school about my
whacked-out dad!
“—where
does he live Ryley? I can’t seem to remember its name. It was some kind—”
I
slapped my free hand over her mouth. She bit down. I pulled my hand away. Teeth
marks were embedded in my skin. Smirking at me, she licked her lips.
“You
instigated this war!” she said. She spoke more loudly. She was right. Her voice
did carry. “Your father isn’t dead. He’s insa—”
In
a stated of extreme panic, I did the only logical thing I could think of to
shut her up.
I
kissed her.
I specialize in dark, paranormal romance – think “happy ever
after” but with a twisted, dark chocolate center. Real-life romance isn't only
filled with hugs, kisses, unicorns, and rainbows. True-love can be more
thoroughly described in times of darkness and tribulation. It’s in those harsh
moments where you see what a person is truly capable of – both the good and
bad. Sometimes prince-charming isn't always on time, and the glass slipper is a
little snug. However, it doesn't mean Charming is not Mr. Right, and who says
every shoe is the perfect fit?
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