Review: Unhinged by A.G. Howard

Unhinged

(Splintered # 2)

By: A. G. Howard

Pub. Date: January 7, 2014

Publisher: Amulet

Pages: 384

Source: Netgalley

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.

I received this galley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Amulet.

I was a huge fan of last years, Splintered. It is an original take on the Alice in Wonderland classic. I was so excited to receive a review copy of Unhinged, especially with Morpheus on that gorgeous cover. The second book did not disappoint, and this series is easily becoming a favorite!

Alyssa is trying to move on with her life, especially after the events in Splintered. She just wants to be normal, go to prom with her boyfriend Jeb, and move to London with him. But Morpheus has other plans for her, and needs her back in Wonderland. One of my favorite things about this series is trying to figure out Morpheus. Is he good or evil? What are his intentions? After reading the short story, The Moth in the Mirror, I definitely feel like I knew him better, even if his intentions aren't always clear. I love the dynamic between Morpheus and Alyssa. They definitely share a love/hate relationship.

Alyssa is such a strong character. Even after everything she has been through, and continuing to learn things about her parents, she is still strong and fierce. She will do anything to keep the ones she loves safe, and I respect her so much for it. I love her relationship with Jeb. He doesn't remember anything about being in Wonderland and the things he did, and I wished so much that she would tell him the truth. She kept wanting too, but things always got in the way. Jeb's love for her is so real, and I felt so bad for him because of it.

I am so excited for the third book! Splintered and Unhinged are so much more than just an Alice in Wonderland retellings. They definitely can stand on their own!