A Certain Sort of Madness

Return to Amar #1

by Nicki Chapelway

She thinks she made him up.
He knows that she is bonkers.
Together they just might accomplish the impossible.

Alicia Hareton is crazy. But that’s nothing new. Her insanity is inherited from her mother, just like her magical abilities and her blood ties to the strange and alluring world of Amar. She’s spent her life on Earth and yet Amar has always called to her, an intoxicating melody that she cannot ignore. Returning to Amar would put her life in danger, but Alicia has never let such technicalities stop her before.

However, when her mother is captured due to her reckless actions, Alicia will do anything to rescue her. That includes trusting her grumpy, sarcastic imaginary friend, who claims he doesn’t know her and doesn’t seem that imaginary anymore. Or that trustworthy. Together, with the help of her cousin and a band of misfits, they partake in an extremely ill-advised heist on the faerie court in order to find a way to defeat the most powerful mage in all Amar, who also happens to be Alicia’s grandfather. But not everything in the faerie court is as it seems, and soon this unlikely group find themselves fighting for their lives as well as the lives of those they love.

In a world of madness and magic, the lines between lies and loyalty are blurred and sometimes the only option you have left is to let the insanity loose.

This portal fantasy adventure is perfect for fans of clean ya who love whimsical stories that have a twist of magic, a tinge of humor, and a touch of romance.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retellings, Adventure, Clean Romance

406 pages, Paperback

Published October 13, 2018

About the author

Nicki is a twenty-something author of swoony romantic fantasy. She has been writing since she was eleven and has since published several works. She enjoys creating stories with twisty-stabby faerie romances, retellings that take a darker turn, and epic fantasies in worlds full of monsters and magic.

Nicki lives in Ohio where she spends far too much time watching TV, playing video games, and sleeping. She listens to music basically all the time, and adores obsessing over mythologies, her shows, and her slew of fictional boyfriends. When not writing, she can usually be found at her desk with either a paintbrush or a pen in her hand.

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Reviews

[Nicki Chapelway · Rating 5 out of 5]

All my life my mother has told me about the impossible. She told me that I had magical abilities, that Earth was not my home. That I could fly if I tried. But when it came to my imaginary friend she was always adamant. He. Did. Not. Exist.

When I first got the idea for this story, it was after watching Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass. I heard the credit song for the end of Alice Through the Looking Glass and I just knew that I needed to write a story about a slightly insane girl traveling to another world and the people she would meet along the way. But I already had a story about characters traveling to another world...

It didn't take long for my twisted mind to come up with the idea to make this a companion to My Time in Amar. I plotted and brainstormed and then I grew bored. I set the story idea aside for a couple years then suddenly I got inspiration for the titles and started working on it again around my birthday last February. I always considered this book a birthday present for me because I started it around my birthday. Unfortunately I'd forgotten all the ideas I had previously and all the plot points I had already come up with ("I don't need to write this down, I'll remember it" is the biggest lie I've ever told myself) so I had to figure out a way to tie everything into the world of My Time in Amar not once, but twice. I still to this day do not remember what the previous plot was, but I can assure you, it did not involve a faerie court. Which would have been a shame because that is my favorite part.

“Welcome to the faerie court. I hope you enjoy your stay because there’s always the possibility that you will never leave.”

I was working on this book during the last half of my senior year. I'd been reading a lot of literature that year so I named all of my major characters, with the exception of one, after the characters or authors of the literature I had been reading.

Alicia Hareton (named after my favorite character in Wuthering Heights, plus Alicia is roughly based off of the original Alice's name)

Olivia Linton (her last name is another name from Wuthering Heights)

Dante (named after the author of the Divine Comedy)

Jane (named off of Jane Austen- or Jane Fairfax from Emma- take your pick)

Antony (named after my favorite character in Julius Caesar)

Hector (named after my favorite character in the Iliad)

...And Eugene is the only character who wasn't named after a classical character or author that I had read this past year. He was originally going to be named Earnest from The Importance of Being Earnest, but the name Eugene got in my head instead and stuck.

You can find its Pinterest board here: https://www.pinterest.com/nickichapel...

And the song that inspired it all here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7uLC...

Happy readings!

[Katrina Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

REREAD NOVEMBER 2020:

Just as delightful as the first time! It's shocking how much of the ending I forgot, so it was almost like reading it for the first time all over again. This book is an absolute masterpiece, one of my all-time favorites, and I'm clamoring for book 2 like never beforeeeee.


ORIGINAL READ SEPTEMBER 2018:

My review for this book is loooooong overdue, so I'mma sit down and just start SPEWING my thoughts and we shall see what comes of it.

So. A Certain Sort of Madness. Nicki Chapelway is a friend of mine, but I can assure you that this book hasn't received a glowing five-star rating just because of that. It can be easier than we realize to be biased in this way, but when I think about the characters, plot, setting, and other aspects of this fantasy story, I can't imagine giving it any less than five stars. I couldn't be more sincere in this: I found this novel to be AMAZING.

It's always a good sign when everything about the first few pages - the mood, the style, the main character - sucks me in and makes me feel like I'm THERE. The first few scenes took my breath away and already had my mind reeling like, I wanna keep reading. I wanna. keep. READING.

Alicia as a protagonist intrigued me from page 1. So many YA female protagonists feel like almost-clones, but Alicia is so incredibly different. She brings a unique perspective to the table, one that fits the mood of the plot and the vibe of the setting absolutely PERFECTLY. And most intriguing of all is that she's not all there. ;)

One smol gem I was delighted to encounter was how well-executed the respective POVs of Alicia and Olivia were. Their voices couldn't have been more distinct, and whenever the POVs swapped, each was like a breath of fresh air from the other. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed them both.

It's hard to talk about Dante because I legit FELL IN LOVE WITH THE GUY, so my brain sort of turns to mush when I try to formulate words about him. Suffice it to say that he's real and complex and soft and savage and quiet all rolled into one mysteriously attractive package. <333

In fact, ALL the characters are real and complex. Fun-loving Eugene wasn't just a blob of fun, like some comic relief characters can seem sometimes. He was funny, all right, but there are more layers to him than that. (He's like a puzzle trying very hard not to look like a puzzle. XD) Hector and Jane and Alicia's mother and even little Chandler... everyone had a fascinating edge to them.

As for the setting (I'm mostly talking about the fairy court here), it was descriptive enough for me to be able to picture it but vague enough that I had to wonder what exactly I was picturing. Which was an odd but also REALLY cool feeling! In short, the setting was a weird sort of aesthetic that I loved.

The plot was solid, sprinkled with clever twists that gave me metaphorical whiplash. XD Gotta love a delicious or devastating surprise, and A Certain Sort of Madness was full of such surprises.

The romance turned my heart inside out and had me SWOONING. *pause* Well, grinning like an idiot. The ships are just perfect. <3

It was just so, so, SO well-done in every way. The only negative thing I can say is that there were quite a few typos, but I did read an ARC, so the book wasn't in its final form. I expect that a lot of the typos were cleaned up before publication.

And as for the ending, all I dare say is that it stomped on my heart. I cannot WAIT for book 2.

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not generally a big fan of portal fantasy. Or of retellings. So you might be able to see how I did not expect to like a portal fantasy retelling very much. And yet, here I am, shortly after finishing my first Nicki Chapelway book and thoroughly impressed with the author’s skill, the book’s quality, and my own affection for it. (As if last week's incident wasn’t enough to remind me never to underestimate indie authors again.) I really, really enjoyed A Certain Sort of Madness, and here are a few reasons why.

Reasons I Enjoyed A Certain Sort of Madness (and you might, too)
- Alicia was an extremely well-written heroine. She was incredibly well-developed, and her narration was the highlight of the book for me. It was funny, refreshing, and charming. (Which does sort of present its own issue . . . one I will get into later.)
- Speaking of great characters, the main cast had several standouts. Besides Alicia, there’s also the loyal fighter, Hector; the clever + gruff huntsman, Dante; and the debonair thief, Eugene. (Who does, I will admit, pale a little when compared to the likes of Locke Lamora, Jack Sparrow, or Kaz Brekker, but one cannot expect every grandstanding thief who comes along to be the next Thorn of Camorr, and Eugene is perfectly delightful on his own.)
- I feel like I would be remiss if I wrote an entire review without mentioning the plot, so I will say here that it was highly engaging and interesting. Was it the most unique premise that has ever existed in the history of God’s green earth? No, but it was more unique than many, and I was glued to the page all the same. Which is mostly what I care about when looking at plot, to be honest. So many gold stars for Chapelway on this one.
- Also, just . . . it’s well-written. Chapelway is a good writer. There were some small slip-ups here and there, but generally, it’s a very well-written book. It’s probably the area where I was most thoroughly impressed, and I was thoroughly impressed in a lot of areas.
- You know your girl’s a sucker for allusions to classic literature. Wuthering Heights, Emma, The Iliad, Inferno . . . it’s all here. (I’m even giving points for Chapelway almost-but-not-even-actually including references to The Importance of Being Earnest, just because I love Oscar Wilde that much.)
- That cover. This is an entirely superficial reason that has nothing to do with the actual quality of the book, but that cover.

Now, let’s discuss the couple of things I didn’t like so much.

The first issue is easier to delve into, so let’s handle it first. Although I loved most of the main cast, Jane and Olivia fell pretty flat for me. Olivia’s narration often felt cartoonish and childish, and despite her being around for over half the book, I know basically nothing about Jane. As in I know her backstory and one other fact about her and that is Literally It. Whenever one of them took the lead, I felt an instant disconnect from the book because I had such a disconnect with them.

Okay. Be warned: this might get a little long. But my second major issue with this book is its portrayal of mental illness. It leaves a lot to be desired, and by a lot, I mean a lot. It’s easy to see that insanity is a theme in A Certain Sort of Madness; just look at the tagline or the blurb. But how is that insanity portrayed? As quirky. As fun. As interesting. As a breath of fresh air, according to reviews I’ve read. Yes, Alicia’s not-quite-thereness does make her a more charming and interesting narrator. It’s easy to get blinded by that (as I was for a while) and not think critically about what Chapelway is actually communicating. But here’s a truth: mental illness, real mental illness, the kind that can destroy lives and people in the way it did to Alicia’s mother, is not quirky or fun or interesting or refreshing. It is not a personality trait that girls should wish to emulate so that they, like Alicia, can be intriguing and have a fun adventure. It is devastating, it is difficult, it often requires therapy and medication and real support from friends. It can lead to huge issues in a person’s professional and personal lives. It can steal away years of their life, if not the very life itself. And just how much of this is shown in A Certain Sort of Madness? Approximately none. First of all, besides the fact that Alicia says or does odd things sometimes, what exactly makes her “insane?” There’s never an attempt to informally diagnose her mental illness (or code it as something) or, through that, to provide representation for a specific minority group and showcase their story. There’s never an examination of the negative effects Alicia’s symptoms might have in different aspects of her lives—other, of course, than occasional weird looks from other characters. And what even are Alicia's symptoms? Other than sounding insane to other characters because she possesses knowledge of other worlds they don't and being easily distracted, she doesn't seem to have any actual symptoms of an actual mental illness. However, she relentlessly claims she does. The blurb seems to claim she "let[s] the insanity loose" at the end of the story, but I can't for the life of me figure out what that could possibly be referring to. Furthermore, Alicia’s mother, who is obviously meant to be quite insane, has a mental illness that is always portrayed in of itself in an incredibly cartoonish way, mostly, I think, for the humor of it. I want to make 100% clear that I believe Chapelway only had good intentions here. I think these issues stem not from malice of any sort, but in fact from either ignorance or a disconnect between what she thinks she wrote and what she actually wrote. Nevertheless, this book only offers an outdated, unhelpful portrayal of mental illness that seems entirely rooted in what would make a fun story as opposed to what those with mental illness actually go through. It makes zero attempt to provide actual help to those hurting or a voice to those without, choosing instead to focus on quirky internal monologues and humorous character interactions. Due to this, I don’t think I can ethically give A Certain Sort of Madness five stars. I can not give my full-hearted support to a book that presents mental illness in such a way, no matter how well-meaning that presentation may be.

I want to reiterate that other than these couple of things, I loved A Certain Sort of Madness. But serious discussion of mental illness inevitably contains loads of nuance and different angles from which the situation must be examined, and I wanted to take my time dissecting this aspect of Chapelway's book to make sure I got it right and explained myself as well as I could. (Especially given that I haven't seen any other reviewers bring it up so far.)

tl;dr From addicting writing to engaging characters, I enjoyed a lot about A Certain Sort of Madness. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a whimsical, fun fantasy story. However, any serious discussion of the book must also include a caveat about its portrayal of mental illness and an acknowledgment of the inaccuracies and exclusions, accidental or not, within. Overall, though, if you’re capable of having that discussion and willing to do so, I’d highly recommend A Certain Sort of Madness. It just might require, I think, a certain sort of mindset.

[Alyson Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book: A Certain Sort of Madness
Author: Nicki Chapelway
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the author, Nicki Chapelway, for providing me with this ARC.

This is the third one of Nicki’s books that I have read and I must say that I really enjoyed it. Nicki has a great grift of writing amazing world building and taking you on such amazing rides. I love how well-developed her worlds are, but, yet, they aren’t really all that complicated. I also like the traditional elements of fantasy are there but with a more modern touch. I don’t know if Nicki was going for this touch or not, but I kind of got an Alice in Wonderland feeling from this one.

I love Alicia. She is kind of typical of young adult characters anymore, but that’s okay. I really do like the kind of female leads that young adult is putting out there. She is well-developed and written in a way that simply fits the story, which is the way that characters are supposed to be written. She has a great view of the world that she is thrown in. However, she’s not all there-if you know what I’m talking about. It’s great that she has this almost magical element to her, like she is trying to figure out just what she is supposed to be doing. I don’t know how other to put it than she really did remind me of Alice from Alice in Wonderland.

Dante was great male lead. He’s really one of the characters that we know a lot about, but at the same time, we don’t. We don’t actually know if he’s real or just in Alicia’s head-I think he’s real, but that’s just my opinion. He really does fit into the story very well.

I loved the changing of the point of views. I also like how Nicki stuck with first person clear through the book, which is something that a lot of young adult authors need to work on. I really do hate how a lot young adult authors change points of view. It’s really annoying and just doesn’t flow right. Anyway, we get to see the points of view of Alicia and Olivia, her cousin. Both of these characters are very different and that comes across on the page. I also like how well-woven they are and just how opposite they are of each other. It’s very well done.

I can’t say it enough. This is a very nicely done book with a hint of Alice in Wonderland. I really do think most people will enjoy this one.

[Gray Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicki does it again!

First off this story's setting and the vibe is so mystical and strange, I love it so much.

Secondly, Niki's writing is so strangely familiar, her main characters always feel like old friends, Alicia was no exception.

That ending was not fair though.

[Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story!
It was super unique, and takes you on a fast paced, magic doused adventure. Alicia was such an interesting character, and she really is a bit mad. Which just added to the 'Alice in Wonderland' flavor that seems to coat everything. Nothing is quite what is seems.
The characters were my favorite part! They were a crazy, sassy bunch. Eugene and Chandler, were probably my favorites. I always seem to love the scoundrels. Olivia also grew on me throughout the story, and she was probably the most relatable. Alicia and Dante's interactions together were hilarious! I love the awkward, reluctant friendships that formed, when everyone was forced together.
None of them really trust each other, or know quite what they're doing as they wind up in some life threatening situations. Which just made the whole thing that much better.
I also enjoyed the inclusion of the fae court, the beauty that fails to cover the evil and danger that lurk there. The descriptions were stunning. You can't go wrong with glass flowers and giant libraries.

I enjoyed everything about this story, and the end has me screaming for a sequel.
It's a fun, action packed story that any fantasy or 'Alice in Wonderland' fan would adore!

(Thanks to the author for giving me a copy, in exchange for my honest review.)

[Elizabeth Dragina · Rating 5 out of 5]

*takes a deep breath* *sobs* ( isn't that cover amazing!!? )

This book is just so beautiful.... yet terrifyingly heart breaking. It crushed my heart. To pieces.

[ I will mention my ONLY dislike before we get into the good stuff... XD I do have a problem with magic and seriously the whole book was about magic so I faltered. A. Lot. But I don't mind the actual abilities being given to you... so I wavered on that. All in all I enjoyed it. Immensely. ]

And that ending... I did not see coming. Surprising and unique.

Description : It was wonderful! Loads of big words that make the whole world come to life. Amar is so unique and beautiful. A fantasy with marvelous creatures and yet, the people are medieval!! I mean how awesome is that!?

Characters : So well built! Their personalities and conducts are all their own! Along with a fascinating new world Nicki Chapelway has now brought to live extremely lovable characters. And I assure you, you will want to come along for the ride.

Alicia : The main character... and let's just say we all know her to be CRAZY. Her way of thinking is INSANE. And her adventure is MAD. Even through all that I found myself loving her to death, for her insanity especially.

Dante : Okay just so we all get this straight ~ THIS GUY IS MY FAVORITE AND HE BROKE MY HEART A MILLION TIMES!! The ever serious and thoughtful young man and yet do you truly know him? Truly?

Olivia : Yes I will admit it. I despised her at first, but over time she has grown on me. Probably the only one in the whole group who actually had her head screwed on straight, which made her way to suspicious of the others. Although it did keep her alive...

Eugene : Oh man... *dies of laughter* You gotta love this guy. A definite coward. But his sarcasm could fill multiple books! This guy kept me laughing even through the stress full times. ( his monkey is probably the most important thing to him... btw )

Jane : So sweet. She fit right in there with the rest of this unscrupulous bunch!

Hector : Can we talk for a minute about how ironic it was for him to be the "Hunter" and hunting the people on his side? Seriously dude.... although I finally caught the warning in his suspicions.

Content : Multiple kissing scenes but not to much detail. A lot of blood and gory topics.... Multiple wound scenes and death was always knocking on someone's door...

Note : I beta read this! Thanks to the author for allowing me to have such an opportunity!! My review is not in anyway biased.

[Mimi 'Pans' Herondale · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!

I LOVE this book. Its my favorite from all of the books by Nicki Chapelway that I have read.
AHHH! I CAN'T WAIT TILL THE SECOND BOOK!
I SO SHIP DANTE AND ALICIA

I LOVE OLIVIA
AND EUGENE
AND HIS MONKEY BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER ITS NAME
AND DANTE
AND ALICIA

[M Shen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Augh this book is so amazing!! I never expected it to be this good. Well, I have learned some now, and I shall never expect to be disappointed by Nicki Chapelway, because her writing. seriously. ROCKS.

Where do I even begin? A Certain Sort of Madness is the first novel of the Return to Amar series, which is companion to the My Time in Amar series. Although the Snow White retelling series of hers is still undoubtedly my favorite, Alicia's story definitely found second place with ease. This book was seriously so good that I read it in one sitting (okay, actually I did get up several times, but hey it's a pretty full novel and anyway I got right back to it-- yes, yes, thank you vacation). Each chapter left me hanging, and I probably would have been much aggrieved to put it down if I had to, which I am afraid I had to do when it ended. Because that. ending. was. cruel.

Only reeeeeallllyyy good authors can end their books with a smirk and a cliffhanger without being the receiving end of reader rage. Even if it is my personal opinion that the world of literature should outlaw the use of cliffhangers as book endings, I forgive this author because ACoM was so good that I probably needed a break from bookish goodness anyway.

The. characters. were. so. precious.

I loved them all! Let's see here...

Alicia~ Her "madness" wasn't annoying for me; it was kind of hilarious. She was so sweet too, and so sincere, unlike any heroine I've ever read. Alicia somehow ended up being my favorite character and that is crazy because girl protagonists (and all girl characters... and really all main protagonists in general, xD) are never my favorites, never ever ever. But Alicia was strong and sweet and brave, and I just loved that.

Dante~ *fangirls* I LOVE DANTE SO MUCH Y'ALL IT'S CRAZY but don't we all?

Olivia~ 'Kay, so originally she kind of grated on my nerves, but after her first chapter I decided that if ever there was a kick-butt girl in designer heels, that's Olivia, right there. :)

Eugene~ I... mainly liked him because of Chandler... I mean come on this guy is like Aladdin incarnate. Just minus the daring, y'know?

Hector~ <3 <3 <3 that is all

Jane~ okay i ship her with hector the end

The worldbuilding was good. I guess I focused a lot on the descriptions of the Faerie Court instead of Amar, but that is hardly my fault. She did an awesome job on describing the Faerie world. :)

Besides that, this book cruelly ripped my heart out and then left me to deal with surviving without a heart, and all I can say is, I can't wait to read the next book of hers that I'll be picking up. Yeah, I'm not even that angry at having my cardiac muscle which I kind of treasure but apparently authors don't broken. Again.

So yeah... there's my long rambly weird review. Now does anyone here work on the lawmaking committee for the Government of World Literature?

[Allyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world of Amar is back with an all-new cast of characters in A Certain Sort of Madness. This time around, we begin in England and meet Alicia, a character similar in nature to Alice from Alice in Wonderland. Although I didn't quite relate to Alicia's story as much as that of Miss Chapelway's A Week of Werewolves, Faeries, and Fancy Dresses, this story stands strong on its own merit. I'll now review the highlights and lowlights of the novel:

Highlights
Olivia: My favorite part of this book overall were Olivia's (Alicia's step-cousin) chapters. Olivia is the polar opposite of Alicia and has an over-the-top personality that offers comic relief in the midst of the dangerous circumstances the characters face in Amar.
Cast of Characters: I really liked Hector from the beginning, and how protective he becomes of a new friend the characters meet in another realm. Olivia was my favorite character, and I shipped her hard with a certain male character. Though I didn't particularly like Eugene at first, he eventually grew on me.
World Building: It is apparent to the reader that Miss Chapelway has taken the time to create a believable and descriptive world in the Amar universe, complete with different species, realms, and towns.

Lowlights :
Pacing: The first few chapters started out slow for me. It wasn't until I reached Olivia's first chapter that I became invested in the story.
Lack of Connection to Alicia: The above bullet point is due to my lack of connection with the main character, Alicia. Though we have similar personalities, I felt she was too naive and trusting at times. However, I enjoyed the story of her connection to the Amar realm and feel that other readers could better connect to her.

Overall, I think the author has written a solid first installment to her second Amar series. I'm interested to see where she'll take the series next! :)

I received a free ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the aforementioned thoughts are my own, and a positive review was not required to receive the ebook.

[Cecily Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has a very Alice in Wonderland feel while still being very unique in characterization and storyline, and I was completely absorbed in it as the chapters were sent to me for beta reading. There are surprises, romance, and drama along with this adventure, which has a special charm of its own. Fans of Shannon Messenger's Sky Fall series, I Coriander by Sally Gardner, and Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult should enjoy this series starter, which is appealing to adult fans of clean fantasy as well as teen readers.

[Grace Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please note that the review down below is for an earlier edition of this book.



First read on September 22, 2018

Special thanks to the author for giving me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. The author did not pay me for a review and all the thoughts here are my own honest opinion.

WOW!!! This book was sooo good!!! Somebody please give me another 5 stars to give to this book!!! It needs it! That ending though.... :,( I don't think I will ever be the same again.... I need the next book now! *cries forever*

There were just so many things I loved about this book! Arggg!!! It was just so good! And there was this dragon, and these killer fairies, and this wonderful banter between characters! And, And, AND!!! I'll try to contain myself from fangirling tooo much, BUT, honestly if you don't have this on your TBR yet, then where have you been!!! This book was so fantastic!!!

Okay, going to professional review mode.

The cover of this book is soooo gorgeous! I mean its BLUE!!! (The whole world should know by now that BLUE is my favorite color and I love to capitalize it, so there!) I LOVE BLUE!!! (The cover is so beautiful!)

*Ahem*.... Back to the review.

So all the characters have this banter between them. Sarcasm. But yet it fits so well with each character. Each has their own unique personality and was able to fit in their roles so wonderfully. Alicia is supposed to be a little insane, so when she finds Dante she claims that he is her imaginary friend, I nearly died with laughter with what Alicia was saying and how Dante responded to her. It fitted so well with their characters and I loved every moment.

Sometimes, I do get annoyed with too much sarcasm at inappropriate times, but this book, THIS BOOK, masters it so well, that I had no problem with it at all.

Characters:

I have never read a book before that has a relationship like an imaginary friend. AND I LOVED IT!!! Since it almost felt like Alicia knew Dante for like, forever, the relationship just seemed to grow better because of that. If what I said even made sense.

And though I can't relate to Olivia, I liked her? She was pretty cool. Down to earth. I could really see why she was terrified of things at first. And those high heels.... Man, she really has to have some strong ankles in order to do that much walking in another land with those on, I mean, wow. She was a little annoying, maybe, and I couldn't believe some of the stuff she did in her past. (But I liked her, sooo.... *shrugs*)

Eugene!!! Chandler!!! I mean, Eugene couldn't be Eugene without his monkey. He was a thief who was maybe a coward at times??? He flirted with Olivia a lot. He was probably one of my most favorite characters!!! He was an illusionist, with a pretty grand introduction, if you ask me.

Actually, if you ask me, all the characters have a grand opening.

Hector.... I wasn't sure what to think about him at first. Especially at the scene So he is shooting flaming arrows in a library burning books, to do what? Kill Dante??? Really??? If burning the library isn't bad, killing Dante??? I was actually liking Dante at this point, so yeah. However, Hector trying to kill Dante made the stakes rise in the story, and believe it or not, I also love this part, so.... It must have been because of the books. *Shrugs* He grew on me though, and I ended up loving him, like a lot. ;)

Jane.... I liked her. Though I always felt that I didn't really know enough about her.

Description:

Trust me when I say: "You believe you are right there with them." The description had me in the forest, a library, and the fairies court. It was beautiful, and fitted with either Alicia's or Olivia's POV.

Content in Book:

1. Magic. (Putting enchantments on people, being able to control different elements, making portals to go to different worlds, mind control, etc. It sounded like you had to be born with these magical abilities.)

2. Violence. (Shooting flaming arrows in a library, shooting arrows intending to kill, creepy fairy like creatures trying to kill, a dragon and it trying to eat his dinner, stabbing someone with a knife, trying to bury someone alive, hand-to-hand combat, threatening to kill, etc.)

3. Mentions of werewolves.

4. Some creepy fairies. (Supposedly based off of Scottish fairies.)

5. Mentions of Dante swearing in Italian. The words were never used; the book just said he swore.

6. Mention of a child being born out of wedlock.

7. Some implied cases of drinking alcohol.

8. Stealing stuff.

9. Some characters who were a little crazy. (But, hey, insanity is catching.)

Will I Read the Next Book???

Ummm, YES!!!! I mean, how could I not? With that kind of an ending I have to know what happens next!!! I loved this book so much, that I can't wait to spend more time with these precious characters! But 2020 is a lonnnnnnng time to wait, so I will be counting the days one by one until the book is in my hands. ;)

Who I Would Recommend This Book to:

Those who like urban fantasy. Those who like fantasy. Those who like sarcastic characters who will make you laugh, cry, and will probably break your heart at the end.

[Abigail McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Just know that if either of you tries to kill me, I'll have Chandler kill you both."

Wow. Wow, wow, wow, NEW FAVORITE BOOK ALERT.

Full review on my blog: https://novelsdragonsandwardrobedoors...

Because I knew I'd be practically brain-dead while writing this Goodreads review, I did something a little different (that I'm totally going to be doing from now on because it was super helpful and fun) and I wrote down thoughts that I had as I was writing. So now, I present to you, my Thoughts.

- Alicia reminds me the most of the OUAT season 7 Alice. The way she's only really crazy in our world but once she's in her own she's fine. Just... the way she talks reminds me of that so obviously I started picturing her as that actress which I'm fine with, tbh.
- Dante is the sassmaster supreme and I love him.
- Olivia's POV at first threw me off because it's so different from Alicia's, but in that I applaud Nicki because they're so distinct and it's great.
- also Olivia is hilarious and I love her "what. the. heck." at any given moment.
- during the attack on the library I'd like to say I'd be like Dante but in all honesty I'd probably be
Olivia.
- "... it looks like they have the same cloak. But then, maybe Hate Dante Anonymous meets right outside of Brown Hoods R Us. One never knows." I almost choked on my burger at this bit.
- "and we're still talking. why are we still talking?" "because that's how people communicate." I ship it.
- Eugene was my favorite oh my gosh he's hilarious for example:
- "that's why I like him - he likes me." "I don't like you."
- "Dante?" I call. "Olivia?" "Eugene!" Eugene yells.
- "sounds like a cave troll." "no, it's me." "even worse."
- I LOVE THE COMEDY. The banter has such a Psych-esque quality to it and I adore it.
- considering I can barely stand an hour in heels, I am thoroughly impressed with Olivia.
- "I'm a mess. We're in a mess. When did things get so messy?" - me, on a daily basis


Overall, I absolutely loved it. The magic, the humor, the heist, the banter, the sass, the found family dynamic, did I mention the humor? Ahh it was such a pleasant surprise.

5 stars from me!

**I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review**

[Lilian · Rating 4 out of 5]

ohhh myyyyyyy gooooooddddnnnneesssssss this book was seriously amazing and wow

First off. Let me say that Nicki is a true master of building fantasy worlds, deep + rich backstories of characters, and enthralling plots. I STILL CAN'T GET OVER how good she is at this fantasy thing... and it's been a month since I've read this. I read this book after reading A Week of Werewolves because I needed another glimpse of Amar after that fantastic ending (thanks Nicki!!), and I'm glad to say it held up to my expectations (of course)! I loved it as much as I did A Week of Werewolves- I loved everything except for one thing- when Chelsea learns of her powers and fails to tell Easton. That's my #1 pet peeve in fiction- when characters don't tell their friends / partners about something that might kill all of them and it ends up nearly killing them. Ughhh. But other than that, I'm so happy to say that I loved it!

Definitely a must-read for those who love fantasy, for sure. :) 4 stars.

*FTC DISCLOSURE: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.*

[Jes Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This brilliant book has such a dynamic cast of characters- including my precious Eugene and his precious monkey-thrown together to do a series of impossible tasks in a strange land- namely pull a heist on the faerie court to save a woman whose death has been prophecied. It also has this Alice in Wonderland aura, with the strangeness of it all, only a bit darker and even more mad. I recommend this to everyone looking for clean, exciting YA.

[allison riera :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

/ 4 stars

found this while skimming kindle unlimited books. <3 i loved her other books, "A Week of Werewolves..." & "Winter Cursed", so i was excited to read this. and yes, i read it in one day (two hours, to be specific *goggles eyes*)

/ what i loved
- DANTE. also EUGENE <3 <3 and Chandler. basically everyone.
- the unique plot. also, how it's a companion novel to the My Time in Amar series (totally caught those little easter eggs ;)
- have i mentioned my love for Eugene? he was definitely my favorite character.

/ what i disliked
- um, how old are they? i thought Alicia said she was fifteen. and i'm sorry, but that's really young to be dating / etc.
- also Alicia wasn't my favorite. i know that she's kinda insane, but still. :/
- also how old is Eugene? i thought that he was at least 20, and how old is Olivia? idk. not sure how i feel about that.
- the writing style isn't my favorite. also, there were some typos and errors (just a few).

also i need the sequel now, please. ;)

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this was a charming book that I really enjoyed. This fairy tale retelling employed a few likeable characters in a story that drew me in. Alicia thinks she is crazy because everyone thinks her mother is crazy, and she thinks she has inherited this problem (though I didn't find either of them insane-- I admit, her mother while on Earth seemed as if she was a bit disconnected from reality-- but when she was needed to step in and save her daughter, I thought she was very sane--- and Alicia, I thought maybe sometimes ditzy, sometimes too literal or illogical, but never insane).... Alicia has been raised on stories of Amar, a magical land that her mother had always made to seem so real; then she got older and found out is was real! It was her and her mother's native land (or actually, world), and they had come here to escape Alicia's evil grandfather who wanted them both dead. Alicia had also always had dreams about an (what she thought was) imaginary friend, but she finds him living in Amar! When she must go there, along with her snarky, sarcastic cousin Olivia (she's got a tough outer shell, but she really isn't that bad) to save her mother, who has been kidnapped trying to protect her (don't get confused here), and have to enlist the help of Dante, her imaginary friend (who I liked, then not, then liked again), and his friend Eugene. A dragon is battled, evil fairies must be overcome, and then their kingdom must be entered in a quest to steal a book that the fairies value above all else to rescue Alicia's mother from certain death at the hands of her grandfather, who just happens to be the most powerful man in the universe and has made himself immortal, i.e. they can't kill him--- not to much to ask right? I do think Ms. Chapelway has weaved a adorable tale that has enchanted me! I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review-- thank you!
 

[Loretta Marchize · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this!! But now I'm mad at Nicki because it ends on a cliffhanger... Niki! Write faster!
Anyways, I'm looking forward to the sequel!
stars

Prose: 5/5
Romance: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Prose:
Lovely! I've always liked Niki's style of writing.
Romance:
Very well-done. I do think it's a little odd that all the members of the group were in love with a different member from the group... but I've done that myself so... Dante and Alica... Olivia and Eugene... squeal!
Characters:
I love Niki's characters. I think it's one of her strong suits. (Dante!!!!)
Plot:
Very good! One or two moments were I felt it was too fast or too slow, but overall very well done.
Overall:
A great story, and it left me waiting for the next!
Content:
One kiss, some (light) romance, one death, some blood/injury not super detailed.

[♠ TABI⁷ ♠]

cue a fairly long session of screeching and flailing over the absolutely BEAUTY of that cover

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicki does it again. I was on the edge of my seat as I read this creative fantasy. And talk about an ending! I was not expecting that! Nicki has definitely grown in her writing and I loved watching her characters develop as the story went on.

The characters themselves were all great. I loved all the characters that Alicia and Olivia met in Amar. Dante being my personal favorite so you can imagine how I felt about that ending. Jane and Hector also brought a lot to the story and I feel like they have a lot more to tell in the future—Eugene, too!

I would definitely recommend this amazing story. It does have a lot of graphic, extreme things in it so I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone under the age of 15. Besides that though, anyone that loves fantasy is going to have a ball with this lovely piece of art.

[Sarah Ryder]

Full review and rating to come!

[S. Daisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a YA fantasy about a teenage girl named Alicia Hareton, who happens to be quite ordinary. Except for the fact that her mother is crazy, and she may have inherited the trait. And the fact that she has never been allowed to set foot off of their property. And the fact that she only ever wears blue dresses that she numbers as first favorite, second favorite, etc. even though they all look exactly alike. And, oh yeah, she has this weird thing where she can summon the winds, control the elements, and open portals to parallel universes.

Maybe, on second thought, she isn't quite that ordinary.

I loved this book, and found it to be sassy and engaging from beginning to end. I am NOT a fantasy buff, and honestly did not have high expectations, but from Chapter One this book was pure fun and a delight. The many subtle literary and movie references added to the appeal greatly. Even the fact that it ends in a semi-cliffhanger did not stop my enjoyment of the book, although books that do that often annoy me. The book was very skillfully and entertainingly written, and I cannot wait to read more by this author. It is clean for all audiences (although there are a couple kissing scenes and a very brief episode of mild innuendo), which I can appreciate in any book.

[Grace Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

New, updated review for the republished 2025 edition coming closer to publication date!

[Sarah Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your typical teen, Alicia Hareton lives with her crazy mother, Carolyn and stepfather. Alicia seems to have the same touch of madness as her mother. When her mother finds out Alicia has been opening portals and traveling to Amar, Carolyn decides it is time to put a stop to the person they have been hiding from, Alicia's grandfather, and travels to Amar alone. Alicia finds out and heads back to Amar to go after her mother - and good thing since her mother has been taken by her own father. Now Alicia and the team she has managed to put together must race to save her mother before Alicia's grandfather finishes what he started many years ago.
These characters are all different from the first 2 books. Alicia is a young girl who is quite delightfully "mad". She knows she is a little bit eccentric and knows her mother is more so. Having magic from Amar and using it has taken its toll on the both of them. She knows she is a little weird but just goes with it. As I read her story, it was actually pretty funny. She reminded me of a young Sarah Sanderson at times. Her cousin Olivia was a great character as well. I wish she had her story told a little more, such as why she acts the way she does, but maybe that will come in a later book. (You do get to understand what she's trying to gain, but don't get too much background.) Dante is a difficult one since you never know what to think of him. He is more of a dry, sarcastic type when there is humor to be found. He's been by himself for most of his life and doesn't have anyone he calls family or friends. Even after you find out his secrets, you just know there is something more to him than he lets on. There were several other characters who were all wonderful in their own ways as well. Especially Eugene and Chandler.
This is a fast-paced book, all the events happening to them in a few days. It is absolutely crazy all the things that can happen in Amar in 2 days! Or in Faerie as well since they travel there as well. This book has an Alice in Wonderland feel to it and I love Alice in Wonderland, so I was loving the loose feel of that story. There are some similarities (Alicia/Alice, a maze, an evil queen) but enough differences to make it unique and definitely interesting. There are lots of "oh no" moments where you wonder will they make it out to save Alicia's mother. There are plot twists after plot twists and you are always left guessing.
It is never specifically stated, but I am going off the assumption that this happens some time after the first 2 books in the Mage's War saga. There is a reference to the 4 heroes from the other books which leads me to believe it has already happened. I am about to read the next book in this series and can't wait to see what leads up to this set of events.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 Stars
POV(s): Dual—First Person (FMCs)
Relationship: M/F
Genre(s): Young Adult Fantasy/Paranormal

“Here I am trying to think rationally in an irrational place.” —Alicia

I’m currently lacking the eloquence to write a proper review, so I’m going to let Nicki’s writing—and whimsical prose—speak for itself.

“I’ll figure out who you are for you,” I holler after him. “Then you won’t have to think that you’re no one anymore.” —Alicia to Dante

This was the moment that Alicia won me over.

“Then I suppose that I shall simply have to keep my mouth shut because while it could be argued that I may be slightly insane, that has nothing to do with this world or my imaginary friend or the dragon that tried to eat me yesterday. Because those were all real.” —Alicia

Did I laugh out loud when I read this? Yes. Yes I did.

”It’s horrible when a crazy person is being condescending to you, because then you start to wonder if you happen to be the crazy one instead.” —Olivia

Olivia is the most relatable character (except when it comes to her high heels).

❥

Editing Issues:
➢ Grammar and Spelling
➢ The text in Chapter 11 is duplicated (Kindle Edition: pp. 121-128).
➢ Chapter 26 (Kindle Edition) is from Olivia’s POV, but is titled “Alicia”.

Title: “A Certain Sort of Madness (Return to Amar #1)” by Nicki Chapelway
Interconnected Series: Yes
Standalone: No
Cliffhanger: Yes
HEA: HFN—End of book #2
Tags/Tropes:
➢ Adventure
➢ Alice-in-Wonderland
➢ Mages
➢ Magic
➢ Multiple-Worlds
➢ Quest

[MissFaerieKaiti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. That just... wow. Hang on a sec while I gather the feels.

First of all, I adore the story's tone, most clearly set forth in scenes from Alicia's point of view, but coming across even in Olivia's scenes - that tone of being slightly off balance, slightly not normal, yet so utterly and perfectly human in its embraced paradoxical logic. Things that annoy me in most stories, such as the main characters' sniping at and distrusting each other or irrationally trusting each other, just seemed to FIT the tone established from the beginning and only sustained throughout with every decision and mindset shift.

I also can't believe how much I loved that ending. Of course, I say this knowing that it's not the END end, but I feel like a child at Christmas who was promised a toy car and given a box of socks instead, only to find a deed to a real car under all the socks. I just... can I just... wow.

The characters were great. Sometimes petty, sometimes unreasonable, but at base, BELIEVABLE and beautiful for it. I won't get into it because spoilers, but also because their stories aren't done yet. There's a whole lot of fallout they need to wade through yet, and I look forward to seeing what sort of people they hopefully grow into.

The story has definite Alice in Wonderland vibes, but it's not a retelling - not unless the next book introduces us to all of the characters aside from Alice, who's the only character in this book who can be traced back to what I assume was a source of inspiration for this story. But to go back to the tone, if you like that "certain sort of madness" in Alice in Wonderland, you'll find it embedded here with a pleasantly surprising amount of sweetness.

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this was definitely 5 stars. And I am stingy with my 5 stars! The author did crazy so good here. The things Alicia said were off the wall and hilarious. Dante’s reactions were priceless too.

Also one of the cutest, funniest cute meets I’ve ever read.

This book is mostly Alicia’s POV, and I love it. But I also didn’t mind the few chapters that were Olivia’s POV. Olivia is a bit bratty, but in a fun way. If that makes any sense. You could definitely tell when POV’s changed. Each girl had their own
distinctive voice.

Not a complaint really, just a preference, I do wish they were a bit older. Alicia is 15 in this book. Great thing though is everyone seemed so mature. If no age was mentioned I would have guessed 17, or 18.

I’ve already read the second book before I wrote this review and it was great also, but I recommend reading the other series in the world, because book 2 brings in someone’s POV from the other series and I had no clue who it was. The author has the recommended reading order in the back of the book.

[Brianna Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun! Alice in Wonderland has always been one of my favorite fairy tales and this retelling didn’t disappoint on any level. Nicki’s sarcastic sense of humor is on full display, and I loved it! This story had so many twists I never saw coming especially towards the end. I didn’t want the story to end, but I needed to know what happened next! Thankfully, there’s a book two so the story’s not over yet! This book is YA and is meant for a younger teenage audience, but it’s story that people of all will be able to enjoy. Nicki’s a very talented writer, and I always enjoy reading her books.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this. It has so much going for it in the beginning of the book but once Alicia (Alice) gets into Amar it just turns into a D&D game run by bickering 10 years olds. Two characters turns into four and then they pick up extras and then it's like 12 people and they're all chattering cryptic half sentences to each other through the whole book. It was exhausting trying to keep up with what's actually going on.

[Adena Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this hard to read tho fascinating, being as it is a demented mashup of Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz. It was difficult trying to match up novel characters with tale beings. A good argumentcan be made for either interpretation, but where does Olivia fit in? At least, Marius' role is obvious. Hopefully, the next book will clarify the situation - hopefully.

I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.