Thursday, January 24, 2013

SPLINTERED: get it, read it, love it!

I fell into the rabbit hole last week, and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I didn't love the original Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, though I can't give any specific reasons why. I can't pinpoint them myself.

On the other hand, A.G. Howard's contemporary spin on Alice's adventures left me breathless.

For starters, look at this fantabulous cover. The details are exquisite.

 
An electric blue moth you will come to love and hate and love again. (FYI, Morpheus is one side of a love triangle that will have your panties in a knot as you waffle between the moth man and the delectable human, Jeb.)
 
The rest of the insects--yeah, that's right, peek closely and you'll see them hiding everywhere. They are very important, my reader friends. Important, intriguing and only a little creepy. Okay, one is a lot creepy, but even she didn't make my spine tingle like the twisted White Rabbit did. 
 
Then there's Alyssa, herself. A stunning beauty filled with mysticism, spunk and charm. She's delicate on the outside--almost pixie like--while courage radiates from within.
 
 
I pre-ordered it for my Kindle, devoured it in a day and added the hardcover to my shrine of goodness. It stands among other greats such as The Hunger Games; Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry; The Bartimaeus Trilogy and Unwind. It has been added to my perennial list and will be read with love each and every year.
 
Especially since Ms. Howard masterfully completed the entire story and left me wanting more. She didn't do this with a cliff-hanger that forces me to read the next book in a trilogy (a ploy that only ticks me off and turns me away). Instead, she whetted my appetite by writing one of the most incredible retellings of a fairy tale that I have ever read.
 
Kudos, Ms. Howard. Splintered rocked my world.
 
I hope, dear readers, it will rock yours as well.