Unhinged by A.G. Howard - Review & Links to Reviews from Traveling ARC Tour

Unhinged (Splintered #2)
by A.G. Howard
Expected publication: January 7, 2014
Publisher: Amulet

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.

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:
A.G. Howard is a freaking genius. Unhinged is amazing! This may be the second book of a series, but it is definitely not a "filler" book. While Splintered could have very well been a stand-alone book, we find out so much more about Alyssa, her family, and her ties to Wonderland in Unhinged, and we also understand Morpheus and his relationship with Alyssa a lot more.  

I don't want to say too much in this review so I don't give spoilers for it or Splintered, in case you haven't already read that one. Before you pick up Unhinged, you will definitely need to read Splintered. If you have already read Splintered, you may want to pick it up again and re-read it before you dive in to Unhinged. Don't expect this to be just like Splintered and think you will be exploring Wonderland again. Instead of Alyssa going down the rabbit hole again, Wonderland comes to her. This is a continuation of Alyssa's story and what happens after she comes back from Wonderland.

I think I enjoyed Unhinged even more than Splintered, if that's even possible. This is fantasy writing at its best. The characters and setting are painted with great detail, and you are completely drawn into the world described. I love A.G. Howard's dark mind, and I am very much looking forward to the third book in the series, Ensnared, and would most likely snatch up anything she writes. 

(Check out my review of Splintered.)

A copy was provided by the author, but I was not required to write a review.

About the author:
A.G. Howard lives in the Texas panhandle, and is most at home weaving the melancholy and macabre into settings and scenes, twisting the expected into the unexpected. She’s inspired by all things flawed, utilizing the complex loveliness of human conditions and raw emotions to give her characters life, then turning their world upside down so the reader’s blood will race.

Married and mother of two teens (as well as surrogate mom to two Labrador retrievers), Anita divides her days between spending time with her family and plodding along or plotting on her next book.

When she’s not writing, Anita enjoys rollerblading, biking, snow skiing, gardening, and family vacations that at any given time might include an impromptu side trip to an 18th century graveyard or a condemned schoolhouse for photo ops.
 
Be sure to drop by her Twitter or Face Book Author Page and say "Hi." She's always up for meeting new friends!   

Find out more at AGHoward.com. 

I was very pleased to be asked to organize and run a traveling ARC tour for UNHINGED. A very big thank you to all of the following bloggers for participating. Please stop by and check out their reviews as well. 

WinterHaven Books 
Millie D's Words  
The Busy Bibliophile
Ensconsed in YA (link coming soon)
Lisa Loves Literature 

Unhinged by A.G. Howard - Waiting on Wednesday

If you have read Splintered by A.G. Howard, my selection today is one you will be waiting on. If you haven't read Splintered, you should so you will be caught up and ready for Unhinged. And just look at this cover!

Unhinged by A.G. Howard

(Splintered, #2)

Expected publication: January 7, 2014

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.

Add on Goodreads. 

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.  

Splintered by A.G. Howard - Review

Splintered by A.G. Howard
Expected publication: January 1, 2013
Amulet Books

Alyssa Gardner hears the thoughts of plants and animals. She hides her delusions for now, but she knows her fate: she will end up like her mother, in an institution. Madness has run in her family ever since Alice Liddell told Lewis Carroll her strange dreams.

But perhaps she's not mad. And perhaps Carroll's stories aren't as whimsical as they seem.

To break the curse of insanity, Alyssa must go down the rabbit hole and right the wrongs of the real Wonderland, a place full of strange beings with dark agendas, a twisted fun-house reflection of Alice's childish tales. Alyssa brings her real-world crush - the protective Jeb - with her, but once her journey begins, she's torn between his solidarity and the enchanting, dangerous magic of Morpheus, her guide to Wonderland. But no one in Wonderland is who they seem to be - not even Alyssa herself...

My review:
If you ever wondered what happened after Alice left Wonderland, this is the book for you. A.G. Howard stays true to the original, but this is a much darker Wonderland than Lewis Carroll ever dreamed of. This book revisits the familar characters, such as the White Rabbit, and the familar scenes, such as the tea party; however, everything is much more twisted than in the original. We realize that what we thought we knew about Wonderland is not what really is because it had been told through the eyes of a young child, and Alice's interpretation of Wonderland is not the reality that Alyssa finds.

A.G. Howard's Splintered lets us revisit the Wonderland that we remember from childhood on a whole new "grown up" level. This is a wonderful tale that combines the dark and sinister with a strong sense of family and a touch of romance. (Team Jeb or Team Morpheus, anyone?)

I had high hopes for this book even before I received an ARC to review, and I was not disappointed. After reading it, I was blown away. It was even better than my expectations. The characters, even the minor ones, are well developed and well described. Everything is written in such a way that it easily brings the story alive in your mind. A.G. Howard did an outstanding job on her debut novel, and I am very much looking forward to reading anything she writes in the future.

About the author:

A.G. Howard is most at home when weaving the melancholy and macabre into settings and scenes, twisting the expected into the unexpected. She was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. She always wondered what would’ve happened had the subtle creepiness of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland taken center stage, and she hopes her darker and funkier tribute to Carroll will inspire readers to seek out the stories that won her heart as a child.

A.G.’s pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.

Find out more at AGHoward.com, on Twitter, and Facebook.

I was very honored to have been able to set up a Traveling ARC Tour for Splintered. Please check out the reviews of the participants of this tour below.

To everyone who participated: Please add a link to your review. (You can ignore where it says to comment after linking.)

Splintered by A.G. Howard - The Red Queen's Castle - Giveaway

On the third day of Splintered, we’re whisked by card guards into the Red Castle. Our footsteps glide along slick, black marble floors. Candles in brass sconces light the glittery red walls. We arrive at an arched wooden door painted red and fitted with brass fixtures in the shapes of card suits: diamonds, spades, hearts, and clubs.

Inside, upon a throne cushioned with black velvet, sits a queen who wears enchanted red bows on every finger and toe. She shushes the ribbons as they whisper to remind her of things she’s forgotten. Her memory has been lost for some time, but she’s given up trying to find it. If not for her ribbons, she wouldn’t even remember the love of her life. Perhaps if we’re quiet, we might overhear one or two of the mysteries harbored deep in the recesses of her failing mind. Although fair warning, some of her reminders might be cryptic to those who haven’t yet visited...

The one thing this queen doesn’t need reminding of is Christmas, because the delicious aroma of a feast swirls throughout the halls of the castle. We could stay and have dinner here, but we should save our appetites for tomorrow. Katie's Book Blog is hosting a Christmas Tea Party where all sorts of Wonderland delicacies will be laid out for our feasting pleasure. Hope to see you there at tour stop number four!

Splintered by A.G. Howard
Expected publication: January 1, 2013
Amulet Books

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.

Find out more at Mod Podge Bookshelf.

Tour Wide Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday - Splintered by A.G. Howard

I can't believe that I almost forgot I planned to start participating in Waiting on Wednesday. This will now be a new feature on Krazy Book Lady. (Provided that I can do a better job of remembering.) Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.

My very first feature is: (drum roll, please) Splintered by A.G. Howard! Love the cover, love the idea of the book, and love A.G. Howard. I can't wait to get started with the traveling ARC tour that I am hosting! 

Splintered
Expected publication: January 1, 2013

Publisher: Amulet Books 

For sixteen years, Alyssa Gardner has lived with the stigma of being descended from Alice Liddell—the real life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s famed novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. But cruel jokes about dormice and tea parties can’t compare to the fact that Alyssa hears the whispers of bugs and flowers... the same quirk which sent her mother to a mental institution years before.

When her mother takes a turn for the worse and the whispers grow too strong for Alyssa to bear, she seeks the origins of their family curse. A set of heirlooms and a moth tied to an unusual website lead Alyssa and her gorgeous best friend / secret crush, Jeb, down the rabbit hole into the real Wonderland, a place more twisted and eerie than Lewis Carroll ever let on.

There, creepy counterparts of the original fairytale crew reveal the purpose for Alyssa’s journey, and unless she fixes the things her great-great-great grandmother Alice put wrong, Wonderland will have her head.

Add on Goodreads. 

Splintered by A.G. Howard - ARC Tour Sign Ups

BLOGGERS: Would you like to participate in an ARC Tour for SPLINTERED by A.G. Howard? She will be sending a copy to me soon and has graciously agreed to let me share it with other bloggers!

Splintered by A.G. Howard
Expected publication: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Amulet Books

For sixteen years, Alyssa Gardner has lived with the stigma of being descended from Alice Liddell—the real life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s famed novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. But cruel jokes about dormice and tea parties can’t compare to the fact that Alyssa hears the whispers of bugs and flowers... the same quirk which sent her mother to a mental institution years before.

When her mother takes a turn for the worse and the whispers grow too strong for Alyssa to bear, she seeks the origins of their family curse. A set of heirlooms and a moth tied to an unusual website lead Alyssa and her gorgeous best friend / secret crush, Jeb, down the rabbit hole into the real Wonderland, a place more twisted and eerie than Lewis Carroll ever let on.

There, creepy counterparts of the original fairytale crew reveal the purpose for Alyssa’s journey, and unless she fixes the things her great-great-great grandmother Alice put wrong, Wonderland will have her head.

Add it on Goodreads. While there, check out this great review of Splintered by Melissa Marr!

Details of the tour:
I am hoping to get the copy traveling in late July or early August. I would like to get it to as many bloggers as possible before the release date. Each blogger will have one week to read the book and send it on to the next blogger. You must email me to let me know when you receive it and when you mail it out to the next blogger. You will be required to get delivery confirmation and send that number to me. This is to ensure that we can keep up with the book and get it to the next blogger in a timely manner.

Bloggers must live in the US. (My apologies to the international bloggers. This is only due to the high shipping costs and the long turn around time.) 

Bloggers must have an established and regularly updated blog.

Very important: The bloggers who are at the beginning of the tour must agree to not post the review until after late October!

If there is more interest than we can possibly accommodate before the release date, I will use random.org to determine participants.

Did I forget anything? Probably. So if you have any questions, please just leave a comment or email me.

Update: Sign ups are closed through this post. I will email all participants in the next few weeks to let you know where you are on the list. If you have not signed up and would be interested in participating, you can email me in case some bloggers end up not being able to participate.

Giveaway & Fun Facts: Splintered by A.G. Howard

This giveaway is part of the Fairy Tale Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and vvb32reads. There are a lot of great blogs participating in this hop. After you enter here, hop over and enter their giveaways too.

While you are here, please check out my other giveaways. They can be located in the right sidebar.

The Splintering of Wonderland

 (With visual aids)
Guest Post by A.G. Howard

1. SPLINTERED’s main character, Alyssa Gardner, has been blessed (or cursed) with the power to talk to bugs and hear their whispers, the very thing that sent her mother to an asylum. So to keep herself from going crazy, Alyssa does the only thing she can to silence them: capture and smother them in bug traps. But, being a frugal and artistic gal, she doesn't waste the corpses ... she preserves them and uses them in her mosaics. The girl's not squeamish, which is a good thing, considering some of the creatures she encounters in Wonderland. 

2. Alyssa’s best friend/secret crush, Jebediah Holt, is a bit of a bad boy due to his scarred childhood. He rides a souped-up Honda CT70, wears a lip labret, and is fiercely protective of Alyssa and his younger sister, which sometimes triggers glimpses of his white-hot temper. But like Alyssa, he relies on his art for therapy, curbing his violent side through sketching and painting. His favorite subject? Gothic faeries with veined-wings—black tears pouring from their eyes as they stand over withered human corpses in haunting depictions of misery and loss.

3. Alyssa’s sexy-but-enigmatic guide through Wonderland’s warped landscape is Morpheus, a fae-like creature who may have dark motives all his own. His characterization, wardrobe, and smug sneer were heavily influenced by two of my favorite anti-heroes in fantasy movies from my teen years: Jareth from The Labyrinth, and the Crow from, you guessed it … The Crow.

4. Both Alyssa and Jeb skateboard, proof that an author’s passions sometimes bleed into their books. Although I never actually learned to skateboard, I can rollerblade with the best of them. In fact, when I get stuck on a story and need inspiration, I go to a neighborhood park and roller-blade several times around. It opens up my mind to new ideas and directions I might never have come up with while sitting boxed inside four walls.

5. Throughout SPLINTERED, Alyssa often turns to her mother’s copy of Lewis Carroll’s masterpiece to help her solve riddles. I’m hoping this will set my book apart from the other Alice in Wonderland young adult spinoffs being released in the near future. From what I’ve seen, SPLINTERED is the only one that is actually a tribute to the original Lewis Carroll tales, with creepy counterparts of the characters from both Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.

About the author:
A.G. Howard is most at home when weaving the melancholy and macabre into settings and scenes, twisting the expected into the unexpected. She was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working as a library clerk at a local middle school. It is her first young adult novel. A.G.’s pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.

You can find out more about A.G. Howard and how to connect with her on her website.


My Giveaway:

One winner will receive an ARC of SPLINTERED by A.G. Howard! (ARC will be mailed in May just as soon as they are available.)

Splintered by A.G. Howard

Expected publication: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Amulet Books

For sixteen years, Alyssa Gardner has lived with the stigma of being descended from Alice Liddell -- the real life inspiration for Lewis Carroll's famed novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. But cruel jokes about dormice and tea parties can’t compare to the fact that Alyssa hears the whispers of bugs and flowers ... the same quirk which sent her mother to a mental institution years before.

When her mother takes a turn for the worse and the whispers grow too strong for Alyssa to bear, she seeks the origins of their family curse. A set of heirlooms and a moth tied to an unusual website lead Alyssa and her gorgeous best friend / secret crush, Jeb, down the rabbit hole into the real Wonderland, a place more twisted and eerie than Lewis Carroll ever let on.

There, creepy counterparts of the original fairytale crew reveal the purpose for Alyssa’s journey, and unless she fixes the things her great-great-great grandmother Alice put wrong, Wonderland will have her head.

How to enter:

Be a follower of Krazy Book Lady in whatever way you choose. Then fill out the form below.

Additional Optional Entries:

+1 Follow A.G. Howard on Twitter or "fan" her author page on Goodreads.

+1 Leave a blog post comment about the 5 Frabjous Facts about Splintered or about why you would like to win this ARC.

Giveaway details:

Giveaway is open internationally. (ARC will be mailed just as soon as the author receives them.) This giveaway will run until midnight EST on May 1st. Must be 13 or older to enter. Winner will be chosen using Random.org. Winner will be emailed, and this blog post will be updated to include the name of the winner. Winner has 3 days to contact me or a new winner will be selected.

 Sorry! This giveaway is now over.

Winner: Stephanie V. 

Cover Reveal: Splintered by A.G. Howard & Giveaway

I am very excited to bring you this cover reveal! It will be making its way out into the world soon, but you get to see it here first. The author has chosen to reveal it in the following book trailer. Enjoy!

Splintered by A.G. Howard

Expected publication: January 1, 2013

Publisher: Amulet

Genre: YA Fantasy

For sixteen years, Alyssa Gardner has lived with the stigma of being descended from Alice Liddell -- the real life inspiration for Lewis Carroll's famed novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. But cruel jokes about dormice and tea parties can’t compare to the fact that Alyssa hears the whispers of bugs and flowers ... the same quirk which sent her mother to a mental institution years before.

When her mother takes a turn for the worse and the whispers grow too strong for Alyssa to bear, she seeks the origins of their family curse. A set of heirlooms and a moth tied to an unusual website lead Alyssa and her gorgeous best friend / secret crush, Jeb, down the rabbit hole into the real Wonderland, a place more twisted and eerie than Lewis Carroll ever let on.

There, creepy counterparts of the original fairytale crew reveal the purpose for Alyssa’s journey, and unless she fixes the things her great-great-great grandmother Alice put wrong, Wonderland will have her head.

Pre-order Splintered on Amazon and add it on Goodreads.

About the author:

A.G. Howard is most at home when weaving the melancholy and macabre into settings and scenes, twisting the expected into the unexpected. She was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working as a library clerk at a local middle school. It is her first young adult novel. A.G.’s pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.

You can find A.G. Howard on her website, blog, and Twitter.

Giveaway:
To celebrate the cover reveal, A.G. Howard is giving away an Alice-themed bundle, which includes a white rabbit journal, white rabbit bookmarks, and an autographed bookplate. Hop on over to her blog to find out how you can win!