From Wonderland, With Love

by Jeffrey Westhoff

Once again Alice gets swept away into the world of whimsy known as Wonderland.
This time as a spy!

She is...Code Name: ALICE

When the nefarious Knave of Hearts steals T.A.R.T.S. (a very powerful and very secret weapon) from Wonderland, the King and Queen send the White Rabbit to recruit the most qualified person they know for a recovery mission: Alice. Just like that, she is sent into Looking-Glass Land with her super spy gadgetry and her knack for getting into trouble - what could go wrong?

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Young Adult, Adventure, Mystery, Middle Grade, Fairy Tale Retellings

264 pages, Paperback

Published November 5, 2024

About the author

Jeffrey Westhoff has served as a film critic, feature writer, reporter, and copy editor in his career as a journalist. Jeffrey wrote his first novel, The Boy Who Knew Too Much, while working as a freelance writer.

Jeffrey grew up in Erie, Pa., where he spent his Saturday mornings at the library and his Saturday nights at the movies. That love of reading and film prepared his future as a movie critic. Seeing Star Wars on its opening day in 1977 made him a movie lover, but it was a viewing of The Spy Who Loved Me that sealed Jeffrey’s fate as a James Bond fan. His first published movie review appeared in the Erie Times-News while he was senior in high school.

Also during his senior year of high school, Jeffrey made a campus visit to Marquette University and immediately fell in love with Milwaukee — even though he arrived on a gloomy February day. He enrolled at Marquette the following fall. The first time he visited Milwaukee’s famous spy bar, the Safe House, Jeffrey knew the password without knowing it was the password. His favorite Milwaukee hangout was the Oriental Theatre.

After spending a year and a half in Wabash, Ind., Jeffrey took a job at the Northwest Herald in Crystal Lake, Ill. He has lived in the Chicago area ever since. He was a film critic for more than 25 years. During that time he met or interviewed five of the six actors to play James Bond (all except Sean Connery). Pierce Brosnan once wished him a happy birthday. He has contributed to RogerEbert.com and also wrote book reviews for the Chicago Sun-Times. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers, the Chicago Writers Association and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Jeffrey lives in Chicago’s northwest suburbs with his cat. His second novel, From Wonderland, With Love will be published in November 2024. He is now working on its sequel.

Reviews

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice totally goes James Bond in this further adventures take on Alice taking another run at the looking glass. . .we don't think after all that had happened to her that she just sat on her crumpet do we? No. . .she's got people to met, Humpty to deal with, and all those Royals. . .

Jeffrey Westhoff has done a stellar job starting Alice off in her new career as an agent of sorts with an implied promise of more to come. He captures the original tone and finish, keeping Carroll's characters in character and updating them without diminishing the originals. The banter is as crisp and obtuse, smart and as inside-out as it ever was on the other side of the glass or kingdom.

Calling all those Alice fans! Grab your top hats and bring something for tea, there's bound to be a moment for that. Watch out for the Cheshire Cat, and walk carefully around Humpty. . .

*A sincere thank you to Jeffrey Westhoff, Ringtale Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #FromWonderlandWithLove #NetGalley

[Dilly Daleyza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its been a while since i read an "Alice in Wonderland" retelling , so meeting all the original characters again in this book was so much exciting and fun! Every page felt like an adventure inside Wonderland and in the Looking-Glass world. I felt as if i was going through memory lane with this. This actually felt more like the real sequel to "Alice in Wonderland" more than a retelling.

Alice goes in to Wonderland again for another adventure! And there awaits all her former acquaintamces! But this time she was called for a reason, she is here to be a spy!

For each of us who grew up loving "Alice in Wonderland" but wish we had more time to spend in that universe, this is the perfect book!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I've read my fair share of Wonderland-inspired sequels, prequels and retellings and I think this is my favorite yet.

It is a sequel to Alice in Wonderland and Alice through the Looking Glass, where Alice operates as a spy to avoid destruction of both lands.

And let me tell you, it really, really feels like a prequel. The writing style feels very similar to the originals, just a bit more modern. Not in a copy and paste way but rather in a way that works very, very well - at least for me. There were so many fun and witty passages, I had to grin all the time at the cleverness. Read this in one go and felt enchanted all the way through!

4,5 ⭐

Thanks to NetGalley and Ringtale Publishing for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enthralling Alice in Wonderland-inspired tale! Happily devoured it in one setting; other Alice fans will adore it too. Bravo, Jeff Westhoff!

[Vixen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an absolutely wonderful Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass continuation that Carroll would be nothing but proud of! I adored this story, it took me right back to my childhood and reading Alice for the first time! The original is hard to beat thus my rating but this adorable story with lots of original story characters had me completely engaged from the first chapter. I highly recommend!

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really trying to limit the amount of books I have more than once on the shelves. However, I do still collect Alice in Wonderland editions and all possible retellings I can find. So, when I discovered this book on Netgalley I had to have a copy. I was insanely happy that Ringtale Publishing granted me a copy. And then the file wasn't working for me. I ended up buying a copy, I would have done that anyway, and started reading as soon as it arrived.

This book is everything a sequel to the famous Alice in Wonderland books should be. We're meeting a lot of familiar faces, we're visiting a lot of familiar places and once more we're confronted with the lack of logic in both Wonderland and Looking Glass land. I love how the author captured the tone and atmosphere of the original books. I would also say that the adventures in this book totally deserve illustrations, just like the original.

Although this book is a continuation of the original books, and I would strongly advise to read the original novels before diving into this one, the book does one thing that the original novels do not: Add a plot. Alice is not randomly running around trying to get home. Alice has a task and a goal. I would say she's still not very efficient when it gets to doing what she's supposed to do, but it would have been weird if it had been different.

I also love how insanely bonkers this book is. There is a lot going on, a lot of things don't make sense and there were so many moments I was laughing out loud. Characters were being their stupid selves, the famous T.A.R.T.S. might be the most insane weapon I've ever encountered and although it's a real challenge for your brain to keep up with everything and to understand every nuance, I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel! What's going on with our favorite Hatter?

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Returning to Wonderland is always a favorite time for me. To return with a story that's written so well as a sequel, that's something new! Westhoff's writing is so well done that half of the time you're reading it seems that Lewis Carroll himself wrote this book.

The banter between characters is as random as ever. Alice has grown by a few years (she's 12 this time around), but the story sets off right back when she originally left Wonderland.

I loved returning to Wonderland with a brand new adventure and can't wait for the next installment in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the e-arc.

[Priya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun retelling of Alice in Wonderland that features an older Alice going back after 5 years for new adventures!

This time she's tasked with being a spy for Wonderland and retrieving the Knave of Hearts and a potentially dangerous weapon that he has stolen from the Looking Glass world.

I loved the nonsense part of the original and that's done really well in this one so I enjoyed it. It was a fast-paced read with a lot of humour.

Thanks to BookSirens and the author for the eARC. This is my honest review of the book.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story! I love retellings in general, and have read at least one other retelling of Alice, but this has probably been my favorite. To begin with, I think the author did a great job capturing the humor, feeling, and imagination of the original, and made this feel like a real sequel. The story takes place after the original two books, when Alice's sister and friends have become tired of hearing her stories and she's starting to feel out of place in her world. Thankfully, her dear cat has never tired of hearing her stories, so when she ends up on this adventure, she can't wait to eventually get back and tell her cat the new stories.

What I loved about this sequel is that it was a lovely combination of Lewis Carroll and Ian Fleming, both of whom are favorite authors of this author. Alice's presence has been requested by the King and Queen of Hearts to act as a spy to help them retrieve something important. She meets many previous characters and I love how true to the originals they were. The ending left me feeling very satisfied and wanting further adventures!

I would highly recommend this sequel to any fans of the original story. It's cleverly done and has its own enjoyable story. I hope the author will definitely write another adventure!

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mollie Bradford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun story of Alice set five years after her original adventures in Wonderland and Looking-Glass land. I went in thinking this was going to be YA, but it is acceptable reading for children and teens as well, in my opinion.

Alice is pulled back into Wonderland, older and wiser. This time she needs to solve a mystery that her last adventure set into motion. Many of the characters from the original Lewis Carroll books make appearances as Alice navigates new areas of the beloved lands.

I feel the author does a good job conveying the whimsy and rhetoric of Carroll’s style with his own spin. Wonderland is a great venue for a children’s/teen’s mystery series. There are so many characters and locations that could be explored!

Personally, I loved visiting Alice and Wonderland again. It brought me such warmth. It was an easy read with no harsh language or things not appropriate for kids. The mystery itself wasn’t very complex, more a construct for the characters and setting to lean on. I will add this to my wishlist for future books to see if things get a little more involved as it continues!

Great first foray into Wonderland for this author!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

i felt like i was reliving my childhood while reading this. it managed to capture the essence of lewis carroll's original alice in the wonderland which was incredible.

the storytelling was so well written and i rly liked this rendition of the story. so glad to see all the original characters in this book as well and my fav the cheshire cat😭🙏 enjoyed this very much

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a life long fan of all things Alice in Wonderland this book felt like a warm hug. To be able to experience another adventure in Wonderland with characters I love so much is such a beautiful experience. All the characters are well crafted and true to their original personalities. I can’t recommend this book enough, I’ll be looking forward to Tinker, Tailor, Hatter, Spy!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this incredible ARC!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book. It is absolutely charming. The voice and the characters are the Alice we all know and love, and the spy layer is a delight! I will be purchasing for all of the middle grade readers in my life.

[Bcs (Sarah. B) · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Wonderland, With Love Jeffrey Westhoff

Thank you Netgally, and Jeffery Westhoff for allowing me to read this ARC of From Wonderland, With Love.

Five Stars

Alice is recruited as a spy by the King and Queen of Wonderland to retrieve the 
Knave of Hearts, and the T.A.R.T.S. that he stole, from Looking-Glass Land.

My Synopsis:
Five years after Alice comes back from Wonderland for the first time, she is called back for a special mission. Retrieve the T.A.R.T.S that the Knave of Hearts has stolen. She is recruited as a spy, given special equipment, and sent through a mirror to Looking-Glass Land. She races through the land, meeting old characters and new as she tries to stop the Knave of Hearts before his nefarious plan to spread chaos begins.

This is the first book in a series; the second book, ‘Tinker, Tailor, Hatter, Spy’ is in progress. This book is a continuation of the two Alice in Wonderland books from Lewis Carroll. Even though this book mentions and talks about the events in the two previous books, it is not necessary to read them to enjoy this book.

Overview of Content:
Pages: 264
Profanity/Language: None — unless one takes exception to ‘bloomin’.
Sex/Romance: There is none in this book.
Other: The White Rabbit is startled that the rabbits here don’t wear 
clothes…   He says, ‘Do you mean the rabbits in your land are nudists?’

Personal Take:
    This is an amazing middle-grade/teen fantasy book. It has all the cool elements of a different world: including plenty of action, adventure, and mystery.Perfect for middle-grade readers and 
teen and young adult who love fantasy and adventure mixed with spies and spy gadgets. As my first book from this author, I was slightly concerned that something nasty would pop up, but there was nothing like that at all. It was perfectly clean and fit for younger readers.
    The characters were all enjoyable, their personalities giving life to the story; Alice’s personality especially made the book all the more interesting as we got to see the world from a twelve-year-old’s perspective. One of the other most interesting characters was the Knave of Hearts. He had such compelling arguments about how the King and Queen were always higher than him… although he must not know of 
Crib.
   There were no plot holes or inconsistencies in the story, and the the ending was well written, making me interested in the next book in the series. 
The story never dragged, keeping me completely interested till the very end. The writing style was different from most books I have read as Alice’s thoughts are fully known, and we see everything from a twelve-year-old’s perspective, which gives a different view of the world.
    I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series and would like to find more books like this. Definitely a five-star read.

John 19:30 (KJV) When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

[Eden R · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so whimsical and nostalgic and very very alice in wonderland. The silly sayings and everything. I admit it's not what I thought it was going to be, I thought it was going to be a full retelling but based more modern and the spy storyline was parallel to the story in the original, I think that was my fault though for not fully comprehending the blurb. Very fun book though I'm happy I finally got round to reading it.
Thank you Net Galley and Jeffery Westhoff for this ARC <3










Quotes/annotations:
Stop that's so cute it's written the same was as Lewis carol with the brackets like further developing Alice's thoughts and feelings
"'Goodness' Alice said, 'This must be important business for then to sign their names in latin'
'It is extremely importand' the White rabbit said 'Didn't you read the part about 'utmost national security'?'" Please I forgot how nonsensey alice in wonderland was, love it
"'Do you mean the rabbits in your land are nudists?'"
All the code names and stuff being acronyms that corelate to the land there in is quite nice like C.A.R.D.S For wonderland bc it's the queen of hearts and everything and then C.H.E.S.S for looking glass bc the entirety of Alice thorugh the looking glass was a chess game with the Red(black) and white chess sets
Tweedledee and Tweedledum being villains
EVEN THE.CHAPTER HEADINGS VEING RELATED TO THE OG Alice's Gambit
AWW THE CHESHIRE CAT SPOKE TO HER CATS SO CUTE
"'What sort of assignment?'
'Its the hater' the Cheshire cat purred 'hes madder than ever'"

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

From Wonderland, With Love by Jeffrey Westhoff is a third person-POV Middle Grade fantasy continuation of Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. At twelve years old, Alice is no longer popular among her peers for her stories in Wonderland and even her own sister told her to create new stories. The Queen and King of Hearts offer Alice a chance to become a spy for them in the looking glass land, giving her another new adventure.

As the title implies, this is just as much of a love letter to the James Bond franchise as it is to Carroll’s work. Several chapter titles also make reference to well-known spy films and the scene where Alice gets her gadgets for the mission is reminiscent of the scenes found in Bond movies. I think older readers who are fans of both Bond and grew up on classic children’s literature could have a good time reading it to their own children or reading on their own.

The prose reminded me a lot of what I remember of Carroll’s prose. The absurdity of the inhabitants of Wonderland and the looking glass realm are highlighted without feeling overly exaggerated and there are callbacks to the original works beyond the world and characters. Because Alice is twelve, she does feel a bit older, but that same curious nature and that Victorian pattern of speech is still present.

I would recommend this to fans of both 007 and Alice in Wonderland and young readers who are looking for a fantasy where someone their age gets to be a spy

[Chimene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Jeffrey Westoff and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read: From Wonderland, With Love.

Alice has grown up. Now 12 years old, it's been 5 years since she has dreamed of Wonderland and 4 and a half years since she dreamed of Looking Glass Land.

Just when she think the adventures are done and she'll never dream of these worlds again, the White Rabbit comes to her with a summons back to Wonderland. The Knave of hearts has stolen tarts... that is T.A.R.T.S (Totally Automatic Random Targeting System) an extremely powerful weapon - and the King and Queen of Hearts want to send Alice as a spy to The Looking Glass Lands to retrieve both Knave and weapon.
Armed with an assortment of gadgets from the Chesire Cat (♡) and the Caterpillar, the plan is simple... But being Wonderland it rarely ever is the case.

Curiouser and curiouser

I understand I wasnt part of the book's intended target audience, it states Middle Grade/ Teen / YA ... and I'm years past that, but my inner child almost inhaled this book - I couldn't turn (tap) the pages quick enough. I finished within a day.

As an Alice in Wonderland fan I really appreciated the references to the cast of characters I grew up with.

I especially appreciate that the voice of Alice is done so well in the book- she's growing up, she's now 12 and this is portrayed within her dialogue and reflections.

I couldn't help smiling reading this book and chuckling at the conversations and observations of Alice.
It's an easy, and very welcome world to slip back into.

I think the author did a fantastic job in imagining Alice as a spy. The book ends with the reader knowing that another story is in the works and I would definitely love to read more.

A book packed full of fun, adventure and light heartedness. I need a physical copy for my bookshelf.

[Eel Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Wonderland, With Love by Jeffrey Westhoff
Comes out November 5th this year.
Thank you to @booksirens and Jeffrey for this Advanced Reader Copy. I loved the book.

If you are someone who loved Alice & the world of wonderland and wished there was more- this is the perfect place to start. This is just the beginning and a continuation! There is a second book in progress.

5 years after her return home Alice is called back by the King & Queen of Wonderland and recruited as a spy!! Along the way you meet old characters and new as she tries to stop the Knave of Hearts from inacting some nefarious plans. Also the dedication tugged at all the heart strings and I choose to believe that she was able to read the finished product through you. 🖤

[kimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars :)

First of all, I'd like to say thank you to Jeffrey Westhoff and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this arc.
This whole review is fully my opinion

This book is a sequel to the two 'Alice In Wonderland' novels, but by a different author.

I'd just like to talk about how well-written this book was. You can tell the author put a lot of hard work into it by the writing style. It seemed exactly like the books by the original author himself and the plot included many of the past characters in it, incorporating their stories in so it felt like a continuation, instead of a new series. I think the way Jeffrey changed the part about the tarts was genius and that I can't wait for the next book.
I can see why people might not like this, seeing as it feels almost the same, but in my opinion I loved the original books, so it wasn't a problem.

Anyways, thank you again :)))

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“From Wonderland, With Love,” by Jeffrey Westhoff

This was a quirky Alice in Wonderland retelling that is perfect for small and young children. I think this is a great book for elementary and middle school aged kids. It was fast paced with tons of banter and mystery and the book isn’t very long. I would say that the book isn’t for older teenagers or adults but perfect for young kids. 4 out of 5 stars.

-Alice in Wonderland Retelling
-Children’s, Middle Grade, YA

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

[Athena &#x1f497; · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a darling book! Jeff Westhoff takes us on a journey back to Wonderland 5 years after Alice’s last visit. This is a fun new take on the beloved story of Alice In Wonderland. All of the same quirky characters we know and love make an appearance but we get to experience new adventures with lots of humor along the way. This book’s targeted audience is for middle school but is appropriate for all ages. I can’t wait to add it to my shelf and share this story with my children.

I owe a big thank you to Jeff Westhoff for sharing this ARC with me. The dedication to your late wife in the beginning of the story touched my heart. I’m so glad she was able to experience some of the book. I wish you the best of luck on pub day and I can’t wait to grab a copy for my family.

[AMBER CLARK]

An Alice in Wonderland-inspired tale! Enchanted all the way through! Many of the characters from the original Lewis Carroll books make appearances. I love visiting Alice and Wonderland. Alice is recruited as a spy by the King and Queen of Wonderland to retrieve the Knave of Hearts, and the T.A.R.T.S. that he stole, from Looking-Glass Land. This is the first book in a series, and I am on pins and needles waiting for the second! Clean and fit, both for younger readers and readers of all ages.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an immersive retelling of the classic Alice In Wonderland story with a clever spy twist equivalent to Get Smart.
In the story, Alice (whilst visiting both Underland that she aptly renames Wonderland as well as Looking Glass Land) takes on an exciting role for two main bosses in each land with unforeseen yet positive outcomes.
A wild ride down the rabbit hole and I am looking forward to delving into the sequel once it is released.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful new take on Alice in wonderland I got sucked into wonderland immediately to the characters we love and to the story we love with a new twist

I do feel like it can be a bit too wordy and I feel like this is more a second book then first it reads like I missed a book which is why I took a star away but I love how the story came to end
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars for this Wonderland-ful book! Alice has grown up a bit since her last adventure down the rabbit hole. Fans of Alice in Wonderland and Alice through the Looking Glass will love being reintroduced to the characters they know and love, as Alice goes in search of the secret weapon: T.A.R.T.S. Humorous, quirky, adventurous, and overall a good read, you will love adding this to your children’s reading collection.

[Claire Ingram · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun and whimsical

It took a minute for this to get into its stride and it missed perfect moments to add that wonderland magic but once it hit its stride it found the perfect balance.
Alice is back in wonderland as she embarks on a whole knew adventure or spies and espionage and treachery
With the return of beloved characters and the introduction of new ones Alice visits wonderland and looking glass land trying to complete her mission
Alice is older in this one and apart from the very start is actually quite likeable (unlike the original, yes I said it)
I really enjoyed this book and it reads really easily and quickly

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book feels like a warm hug. I enjoy the writing style and the ease of reading this book. The pacing is nice and the chapters are a good length. Even though this is middle grade level, it's still enjoyable as an adult. I can imagine if you love the original Alice in Wonderland books, you will love this too.

[Sakura_ lostinbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read ALOT of Alice retellings, but this isn’t feel like an Alice retelling. The style of writing was so spot on that it felt like a continuation of the original Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass and it was awesome, sucked back into the story or wonderland with a slightly older Alice who was hired as a spy. Then madness and adventure pursues! Must read for any classic Alice fans!

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Alice in Wonderland/James Bond mashup for middle-graders (and beyond) was a smashing fun and clever adventure! Read my full review here.

Publication is expected November 5.

#BookSirens #NetGalley #RingtalePublishing #FromWonderlandWithLove

[Izzy Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute and clever book and while it’s been a long time since I’ve read Alice, I thought the author did a good job of writing in a similar style while adding intrigue and mystery.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

While I enjoyed the premise and thought it was well-written, I found it hard to finish and had to push through some parts. If you’re an Alice fan, I think you’ll really like this. I’ve also never read Through the Looking Glass, so I think a lot of references went over my head, and I had to stop and look up a summary of the book to help me make sense of the plot and characters.