ARC Review: Shades of Rust and Ruin (Shades of Rust and Ruin #1) by A.G. Howard

New York Times bestselling author A.G. Howard launches a dark and compelling new YA fantasy series about a girl whose family is cursed by Halloween, perfect for fans of Caraval.

Phoenix “Nix” Loring knows her family is under a Halloween curse. When she was three, her parents tragically died on October 31st. Eleven years later, her twin sister Lark suffered a similar fate.

Ever since, Nix has battled survivor guilt. She can't even find comfort in Clarey, Lark's boyfriend and the one person who understands her pain, because Nix's hidden feelings for him go far beyond friendship. All that remains are her sketches, where she finds solace among the goblins and faeries in her imaginary world of Mystiquel. When her depression starts affecting her ability to see color, Nix all but gives up on her art, until her uncle goes missing on Halloween day. Hot on his trail, Nix and Clarey step through a portal, becoming trapped inside a decaying version of their town filled with Nix's own sketches come to life.

As Nix and Clarey search for her uncle within the sinister and dangerous world of Mystiquel, Nix discovers there's more to her family curse and otherworldly artwork than she ever imagined-and unless she can solve the Goblin King's maze before the clock strikes midnight, her life won't be the only one the curse claims next.

Set in a gritty, steampunk-inspired fantasy world, New York Times bestselling author A.G. Howard launches a thrilling new fantasy full of romance, twists, and betrayals.

Title: Shades of Rust and Ruin (Shades of Rust and Ruin #1)

Author: A.G. Howards
Expected Publication Date: 9/2/2022

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA

Review:

I want to thank Bloomsbury YA and NetGalely for providing me with an e-galley of this book to read and give my honest review.

I adore A.G. Howard's writing. Splintered is one of my all time favorite series and one I would read over and over again (if there weren't so many gosh darn other books to worry about). So of course given the chance to read something from her early was a highlight for me.

It's been a long time since I read any fae genre books. I enjoy them a lot. I was excited to get back into this type of world and see where it leads.

My initial impetus to read this book came from seeing the cover. Howard's books always have stunning covers and this was no exception. Before I even looked at the summary, I knew I would want to read this just from the cover alone. 

I'll say the language of the writing is great. I can't tell you how easily it flows and keeps you turning the pages. It's a joy to read it because it truly places me in the moment of the book with how descriptive it is. Howard is a genius at story telling, and that shines through with this book.

Next: the characters. I liked them a lot. Mostly because they are not perfect (all those YA books with the perfect looking characters who have no flaws drag on my nerves). Howard incorporated this so flawlessly into the book. It was not a big deal that the characters had flaws or were different from what many may consider "normal". It's what made them enjoyable and I loved the uniqueness they had.

The story line was truly interesting.  I don't know much of the lore surrounding The Goblin Market as I've not read it, but I do know a bit of the fae realm, so I could follow along well. There's always this secretive world when it comes to the fae and this book captured that well. I loved how Howard was able to set the mood and tone immediately and carry that throughout the story. I loved the twist at the end and how the narration switched to a new character. I can't wait to see that character's POV in the next book.

I didn't feel the steampunk element as much as I would have liked, considering this book is tote as a steampunk fantasy. The elements were there, don't get me wrong, but it was not incorporated as well and I've seen it with other steampunk books.

The book did leave me wanting to read The Goblin Market, since it's very grounded in that text. I may have to pick it up and see what it's all about.

Overall I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Author:

#1 New York Times and International bestselling Author of gothic / fantasy & paranormal tales, mystical & romantic with a side of horror. A.G.'s dark Alice in Wonderland inspired Splintered series has been published in over a dozen languages.

Young adult, Adult, and literary romance. Repped by Jenny Bent.

How A.G. Howard rates books on GoodReads:

"I only rate or review books I enjoyed reading, and won't give any rating below 4 stars. Please don't consider every high rating a personal endorsement / recommendation from me. My ratings here are subjective to me as an individual.

I don't rate books solely on style. Every writer's voice is individual and unique; I've come to respect this truth during my own personal journey. As long as a story takes me to another place and is well edited, I'm going to give it a good rating. And if, for some reason, a book doesn't entertain me or I don't finish it, I won't leave a rating or review at all.

If you're considering a book I've reviewed/rated, be sure to read other reviews/ratings alongside mine to help you decide if it's a read you might enjoy personally.

Happy book hunting!"

 

ARC Review: Roseblood by A.G. Howard

 Rune Germaine moves to a boarding school outside of Paris, only to discover that at this opera-house-turned-music-conservatory, phantoms really do exist. RoseBlood is a Phantom of the Opera–inspired retelling in which Rune’s biggest talent—her voice—is also her biggest curse.

 
Rune, whose voice has been compared to that of an angel, has a mysterious affliction linked to her talent that leaves her sick and drained at the end of every performance. Convinced creative direction will cure her, her mother ships her off to a French boarding school for the arts, rumored to have a haunted past.
 
Shortly after arriving at RoseBlood conservatory, Rune starts to believe something otherworldly is indeed afoot. The mystery boy she’s seen frequenting the graveyard beside the opera house doesn’t have any classes at the school, and vanishes almost as quickly as he appears. When Rune begins to develop a secret friendship with the elusive Thorn, who dresses in clothing straight out of the 19th century, she realizes that in his presence she feels cured. Thorn may be falling for Rune, but the phantom haunting RoseBlood wants her for a very specific and dangerous purpose. As their love continues to grow, Thorn is faced with an impossible choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or save her and face the wrath of the phantom, the only father he’s ever known.

Published: January 17, 2017
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams

Review:

I want to thank NetGalley and Abrams for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.

I'm a huge fan of Howard's Splintered series. She has a fantastic way of retelling stories. I was super excited when I heard she was doing one surrounding Phantom as that is one of my all time favorite musicals (the music in particular is just amazing). Of course I wanted to read this one and see how her spin was added.

I was not disappointed. And what a perfect time to read it, as Halloween approaches. I expected suspense, I expected creepy, and, of course, I expected romance, And I got all three! I wasn't expecting the supernatural aspect of this story, but it added another layer the Phantom. It made the story all the more haunting (as if Phantom wasn't haunted enough). 

It's not so much a retelling as a story that is built upon another story. Set in the modern world, where the past and present collide. I won't get into how Phantom is able to be part of the modern world (as that will ruin the twist of the supernatural aspect), But I will say his character is just as obsessed as he is in the true story. Rune makes for a great heroine with her amazing musical talent. Her friends offer a nice backing for her, though I would have liked to see a bit more depth to them. And the idea of a school housed in an opera house, in France nonetheless, is very different in it's concept.

I will admit to having some confusion in parts of the book. The writing was good, the plot moved, but I feel there were areas where I truly wasn't sure what was going on as the author tried to describe the scene.

Overall it was enjoyable and a fast read considering it's length.

I'm hoping to see more from this author in the future.

#1 New York Times and International bestselling Author of gothic / fantasy & paranormal tales, mystical & romantic with a side of horror. A.G.'s dark Alice in Wonderland inspired Splintered series has been published in over a dozen languages.

Young adult, Adult, and literary romance. Repped by Jenny Bent.

How A.G. Howard rates books on GoodReads:

"I only rate or review books I enjoyed reading, and won't give any rating below 4 stars. Please don't consider every high rating a personal endorsement / recommendation from me. My ratings here are subjective to me as an individual.

I don't rate books solely on style. Every writer's voice is individual and unique; I've come to respect this truth during my own personal journey. As long as a story takes me to another place and is well edited, I'm going to give it a good rating. And if, for some reason, a book doesn't entertain me or I don't finish it, I won't leave a rating or review at all.

If you're considering a book I've reviewed/rated, be sure to read other reviews/ratings alongside mine to help you decide if it's a read you might enjoy personally.

Happy book hunting!"

Release Day Blast: The Glass Butterfly by A.G. Howard @aghowardwrites

I am so excited that THE GLASS BUTTERFLY by A.G. Howard is available now and that I get to share the news!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author A.G. Howard, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for some amazing prizes courtesy of A.G. and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

About The Book:

Title: THE GLASS BUTTERFLY (Haunted Hearts Legacy #3)

Author: A.G. Howard

Pub. Date: August 15, 2018

Publisher: Golden Orb Press

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 278

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon

All other formats and vendors will be available on the official launch date: August 15, 2018

For close to a decade, twenty-five-year-old Felicity Lonsdale has masqueraded as a dowager almost twice her age—selling caterpillars to butterfly consortiums—enabling her to hide an ill-fated past while raising her late brother’s daughters. Together, the three live on an isolated Irish estate bequeathed by a dying earl. When the earl’s estranged son arrives to claim his inheritance by threatening to expose Felicity’s true identity, she longs to pack up her nieces and run. But a ghostly secret within the castle’s turret holds her captive. 

Nick Thornton—a Roma viscount’s heir—is also captive. After a tryst with an investor’s wife nearly destroyed his family’s holiday resort, Nick forsook everything to elope with her. However, a tragic mistake at his hand led to her and his baby’s deaths. Refusing to turn to the family he shamed, Nick travels to seek the countess who once co-wrote a romance with his sister. There’s rumor of a special butterfly in her keep—a transparent-winged species with ties to the afterlife. Nick hopes to contact his dead wife and child, for only their forgiveness can free him. 

Upon his arrival to Felicity’s estate, Nick offers to help her defeat the earl’s son, on the condition she allow Nick to investigate her glass butterflies. Felicity agrees, though fears the closer he gets to the ghosts of his past, the closer he’ll come to uncovering her own. As Nick spends time with Felicity and her nieces, he realizes the mystery enshrouding this fragile countess and her castle is more intriguing than the ghosts he originally came to find. And perhaps putting his dead to rest and helping her do the same will be his true path to redemption.

About the series: 

Title: THE HUMMINGBIRD HEART

Author: A.G. Howard

Pub. Date: August 15, 2017

Publisher: Golden Orb Press

Pages: 339

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Find it: Golden Orb Press, Goodreads

Set 19 years after The Architect of Song:

Shortly after escaping a circus tragedy, young Italian orphan, Willow Antoniette, seeks refuge at The Manor of Diversions—a holiday resort in England born of a ghost story. For eleven years, she’s raised alongside the children of the resort’s owners: Julian, his twin brother, Nick, and their younger sister Emilia. Now that Willow is of marriable age, she's determined to escape finishing school along with everyone's efforts to make her a proper lady. The only man she wants to spend her life with is Julian, after all. Yet how can she tell him, when he thinks of her as nothing but a friend?

As a machinist and engineer, Julian Thornton prefers a governable life. He can't allow his ever-deepening attraction for Willow to distract from his amusement park plans to lure a younger, wealthier clientele to their family's resort. In hopes to escape Willow and find investors, Julian sets off on a transatlantic ocean liner headed for the St. Louis World’s Fair, unaware Willow has secretly stowed away on the same ship.

A tiny, mute orphan named Newton and a pair of haunted Italian shoes bring Willow and Julian face to face on deck. Forced to work together to solve the mystery of Newton and his vindictive, ghostly companion, Julian and Willow can no longer fight their untapped passions. However, time to admit their true feelings is running out, for the ghost and her murderer have enlisted them as unsuspecting pawns in a karmic game of cat-and-mouse that could cost all of them their lives.

Title: THE ARCHITECT OF SONG

Author: A.G. Howard

Pub. Date: August 15, 2016

Publisher: Golden Orb Press

Pages: 425

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Find it: Amazon, Goodreads

A lady imprisoned by deafness, an architect imprisoned by his past, and a ghost imprisoned within the petals of a flower - intertwine in this love story that transcends life and death.

For most of her life, nineteen-year-old Juliet Emerline has subsisted – isolated by deafness – making hats in the solitude of her home. Now, she’s at risk to lose her sanctuary to Lord Nicolas Thornton, a twenty-seven-year-old mysterious and eccentric architect with designs on her humble estate. When she secretly witnesses him raging beside a grave, Juliet investigates, finding the name “Hawk” on the headstone and an unusual flower at the base. The moment Juliet touches the petals, a young English nobleman appears in ghostly form, singing a song only her deaf ears can hear. The ghost remembers nothing of his identity or death, other than the one name that haunts his afterlife: Thornton.

To avenge her ghostly companion and save her estate, Juliet pushes aside her fear of society and travels to Lord Thornton’s secluded holiday resort, posing as a hat maker in one of his boutiques. There, she finds herself questioning who to trust: the architect of flesh and bones who can relate to her through romantic gestures, heartfelt notes, and sensual touches … or the specter who serenades her with beautiful songs and ardent words, touching her mind and soul like no other man ever can. As sinister truths behind Lord Thornton’s interest in her estate and his tie to Hawk come to light, Juliet is lured into a web of secrets. But it’s too late for escape, and the tragic love taking seed in her heart will alter her silent world forever.

International and NYT bestselling author, A.G. Howard, brings her darkly magical and visual/visceral storytelling to Victorian England. The Architect of Song is the first installment in her lush and romantic Haunted Hearts Legacy series, a four book gothic saga following the generations of one family as - haunted by both literal and figurative ghosts - they search for self-acceptance, love, and happiness.

New Adult: Recommended for ages 17+.

About A.G. Howard:

A.G. Howard 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.

When she's not writing, 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.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | Goodreads

Giveaway Details: All International

There are four prize packs up for grabs. The image below shows what each one contains.

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Release Day Blitz: Roseblood by A.G. Howard @aghowardwrites

I am so excited that ROSEBLOOD by A.G. Howard releases today and that I get to share the news!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author A.G. Howard, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a signed ROSEBLOOD poster and a mask courtesy of A.G. and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

About The Book:

Title: ROSEBLOOD

Author: A.G. Howard

Pub. Date: January 10, 2016

Publisher: Amulet Books

Pages: 432

Formats: Hardcover, paperback, eBook

Find it: Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Audible, Goodreads

In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.

About A.G. Howard

A.G. Howard 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.

When she's not writing, 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.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a signed ROSEBLOOD poster and a Mask. US Only.

Ends on January 17th at Midnight EST!

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Blog Tour: The Architect of Song (Haunted Hearts Legacy #1) by A.G. Howard @aghowardwrites

Title: THE ARCHITECT OF SONG

Author: A.G. Howard

Pub. Date: August 15, 2016

Publisher: A.G. Howard

Pages: 425

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Find it: Amazon, Goodreads

A lady imprisoned by deafness, an architect imprisoned by his past, and a ghost imprisoned within the petals of a flower - intertwine in this love story that transcends life and death.

For most of her life, nineteen-year-old Juliet Emerline has subsisted – isolated by deafness – making hats in the solitude of her home. Now, she’s at risk to lose her sanctuary to Lord Nicolas Thornton, a twenty-seven-year-old mysterious and eccentric architect with designs on her humble estate. When she secretly witnesses him raging beside a grave, Juliet investigates, finding the name “Hawk” on the headstone and an unusual flower at the base. The moment Juliet touches the petals, a young English nobleman appears in ghostly form, singing a song only her deaf ears can hear. The ghost remembers nothing of his identity or death, other than the one name that haunts his afterlife: Thornton.

To avenge her ghostly companion and save her estate, Juliet pushes aside her fear of society and travels to Lord Thornton’s secluded holiday resort, posing as a hat maker in one of his boutiques. There, she finds herself questioning who to trust: the architect of flesh and bones who can relate to her through romantic gestures, heartfelt notes, and sensual touches … or the specter who serenades her with beautiful songs and ardent words, touching her mind and soul like no other man ever can. As sinister truths behind Lord Thornton’s interest in her estate and his tie to Hawk come to light, Juliet is lured into a web of secrets. But it’s too late for escape, and the tragic love taking seed in her heart will alter her silent world forever.

International and NYT bestselling author, A.G. Howard, brings her darkly magical and visual/visceral storytelling to Victorian England. The Architect of Song is the first installment in her lush and romantic Haunted Hearts Legacy series, a four book gothic saga following the generations of one family as - haunted by both literal and figurative ghosts - they search for self-acceptance, love, and happiness.

New Adult: Recommended for ages 17+.

Brooke's Review:

I was really excited to jump into this book when I got it. I love Howard's writing (and am a huge fan of her Splintered series) so I was certainly expecting to love this. And while it was totally different than what I experienced in her young adult series, I was pleasantly surprises at the tone and overall plot of this story.

I will be honest and say I didn't read the blurb to this book. I didn't really care what it was about, just that Howard wrote it! So I kind of jumped in blind. And when it started I was happy to find it had a historical theme to it. I don't often read historical books so I was interested to see where it went. And then all of a sudden there was a paranormal element and I was hooked! Just the premise of a friendship/relationship with a ghost was super intriguing to me!

Juliet is a great heroine. I really adored that her disability, her deafness, did not hold her back. She is relatable and even a bit ahead of her time in her ways of thinking. I like that she did not allow herself to be pushed around despite being a woman in the time during which this book took place.

Hawk is our ghost. Though he doesn't know this information at first. And he cannot remember anything about his life. He and Juliet are determined to find out exactly what happened to him and how he died. Along the way, they uncover many truths, including those about Lord Thornton, the gentleman who is attempting to buy her childhood home and court her at the same time!

I enjoyed watching the relationship between Hawk and Juliet bloom. I was really curious as to how Howard would make things work between them but she did find a way. However, Lord Thornton complicates things with a bit of a love triangle. And then when the relationship between Thornton and Hawk is revealed, BAM, that's really a kicker!

Howard's descriptive ability is really wonderful. It was easy for me to see each scene she painted on the page and each character she revealed with her words. Her characters developed and grew allowing me to bond with them and gain their trust. And the supporting characters really did lend so much to the story.

My only issues with this book was the pacing. I did find it slow at times. I really thought there were areas that were drawn out more than they needed to be, scenes that could have been eliminated to tighten the flow and make the story move. It made it a bit hard to see where the story was going.

Told in first person point of view, Howard paints a true picture of what it was like to be a woman in a age when men really ruled the world. A woman trying to find her place and make sure she has a place for herself when she is all she has left.

A.G. Howard 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.

When she's not writing, 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.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | Goodreads

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Week One:
7/25/2016- Dark Faerie Tales- Guest Post-Hybrid Author

7/25/2016- a GREAT read- Review

7/26/2016- Lisa Loves Literature- Review

7/26/2016- Bookfever- Review

7/27/2016- Fiktshun- Character Interview

7/28/2016- The Reading Café- Review

7/28/2016- Adventures of a Book Junkie- Review

7/29/2016- Please Feed the bookworm- Review

7/29/2016- 21st Century Once Upon A Times- Review

Week Two:

8/1/2016- Once Upon a Twilight - Exclusive Excerpt

8/1/2016- Ramblings of a Daydreamer- Review

8/2/2016- My Friends Are Fiction- Guest Post- Fashion

8/2/2016- Sarcasm & Lemons- Review

8/3/2016- Cornerfolds- Review

8/3/2016- BookHounds YA- Review

8/4/2016- Bookiemoji- Exclusive Excerpt

8/4/2016- Owl Always Be Reading- Review

8/5/2016- Mundie Moms- Review

8/5/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post- Playlist

8/5/2016- The Cover Contessa- Review

Waiting on Wednesday #52: Untamed (Splintered #3.5) by A.G. Howard @aghowardwrites

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly awaiting!

Title: Untamed (Splintered #3.5)

Author: A.G. Howard

Expected Publication Date: January 2016

A post-Ensnared collection of three stories—available in both print and e-versions.

The headlining short story, Six Impossible Things, takes readers into Alyssa’s future, via new and deleted scenes, to offer a deeper understanding of the decisions made at the close of Ensnared. It’s an extended, detailed version of the epilogue and beyond. Two bonus stories, The Moth in the Mirror and The Boy in the Web, delve into the past.

Together, this collection provides a “director’s cut” glimpse into the past and futures of your favorite Splintered characters.

A.G. Howard was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. Her 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.

SPLINTERED & UNHINGED, books 1 & 2 of her urbanized /gothic Alice in Wonderland series, are now available from Amulet Books. Book 3, ENSNARED, launches 2015.

ARC Review: Unhinged (Splintered #2) by A.G. Howard @aghowardwrites @ABRAMSbooks

 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

Amazon/Barnes & Noble

The Cover Contessa's Review:

I want to thank Amulet/Abrahms publishing for sending me a copy of this book to read and review. Once I heard ARCs would be available for review for a blog tour, I jumped on it, all limbs in because I knew I just had to read this one as soon as possible! Receiving this book for free has in no way influenced my opinion or review.

Blurb from Goodreads:

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.

Of course I must start with the cover of this book. When it was released I squeed VERY loudly. I think my whole office and then some heard me. This cover is just perfectly gorgeous and goes along so well with the first book of this series. I love colors for sure. They are dark and mysterious, as is Morpheus, who appears on the cover. And the small touches: Morpheus's tie is a moth, there's an ant on the collar of his shirt, the blue light radiating from his hair. They all fit in so perfectly with the story. I love those little touches.

As with the first book, this one is told from Alyssa's perspective and her voice is just perfect. Howard has a knack of really making me like Alyssa, even makes me want to be Alyssa despite all the craziness she encounters. At the same time, I want to smack her around! She drives me nuts with her indecisiveness. I just want her to choose the Wonderland (NO!) or human (YES!) realm and stick with it! Ok, so I'm partial to wanting her to stay in our world and keep her relationship with Jeb. BUT, I do understand her pull to Morpheus's world, as well. AFter all, she is half Netherling, so it makes sense that she would be somewhat torn. And where would the story be if that tension did not exist?

And Morpheus, oh gosh, he's one I just love to hate. He's totally infuriating. One minute I feel for him, I want him to win Alyssa's heart and turn her towards Wonderland. The next I want to flick him across the room while he's in his moth state and watch him splatter against the wall. He's snarky and so unbelievably cocky, but at the same time he has this caring side that you can tell is itching to get through. He has those moments when you think for sure the light will click, he'll understand what it is Alyssa needs and forget about putting himself first. But it never turns out that way and he just makes me mad!

Jeb, well, he's loyal and swoony. He's like the perfect guy all rolled up in this nice little package. He fights for what he wants, which I love about him. And he's SO forgiving. I mean, after what he's been through you would think he would just crack and walk away from it all. But he doesn't. He stays and he fights and he loves and he keeps coming back. It's like watching a crazy pinball game where you keep thinking the ball is definitely going to go down the hole but hits just the right spot to bounce back and make another round about the board!

And Howard's writing is so unbelievable. It's fluid and haunting and dark and encompasses all the elements of madness you saw in Spilintered. She makes the creepiest things jump of the page and throw themselves in your face. The most amazing descriptions that pull you right into Alyssa's world. You see the bugs, the flowers, the sky, the scenery. You see how things move and progress and change. Her words pull at your heart. They make you laugh, smile, cry, screen and kick your feet. I am pretty sure I felt every emotion possible as I read through this book and all of them were evoked through Howard's seamless writing.

The plot, well, I can say that I had a harder time getting into this book than the first one. The story takes place a year after the events of Splintered. At first, I really wasn't sure why. I got frustrated because I wanted so much to like this book as much as the first. Howard needed to do a lot of world building at the beginning so we would understand where the story was going by the middle. Because despite having been introduced to all the characters and the world of Wonderland, Howard chooses to keep this story mostly in the human realm. So I can see where she needed lay it all out before us and bring us to a pinnacle, a breaking point. Once I got to where she needed to have me, I totally understood the build up and it didn't detract from the story. It was like that slow climb up the first hill of the roller coaster. You have all this anticipation, all this build up as it slowly makes it way to the top. Then you reach the top and you get pulled over so fast the your heart races. Yeah, I would pretty much say that's how this book should be summed up.

And the ending???? Well, of course I don't want to spoil it, but you will want to read Ensnared RIGHT THEN AND THERE! I am not happy that I have to wait so long to see how Alyssa resolves her latest predicament!

If you're ready to settle into a new side of Alyssa's world, then sit back and hold on to your seat, because this book takes you there. The ride is exhilarating and incredible and just unbelievably delightful. If you love Wonderland, you're going to love the Netherlings coming to our world and wreaking their havoc! GO, READ, LOVE, I know I did!

A.G. Howard 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.

When she's not writing, 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.

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