Splintered (Splintered, #1) in The Wide Web of Friends in YA Books

May 18, 2012 Booknut 101 rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy-tales, betrayal, favorites, mystery-and-sherlocking, strong-and-kickass-heroines, down-to-earth-stories, knight-in-shining-armour, forever-re-read, to-die-for-book-covers, curses

Be prepared for a hat-raising trip down the rabbit hole in Splintered - be sure to hold onto your teacups!

Alyssa Gardner has always had an eerie fascination with insects, using them to create artworks whose images reflect the remnants of dreams she can only just recall. But her main reason for her use of medium lies in the fact Alyssa can hear the chattering of bugs and flowers, and despite the entertaining aspect of listening to their conversations, Alyssa wishes she could rid her head of them Be prepared for a hat-raising trip down the rabbit hole in Splintered - be sure to hold onto your teacups!

Alyssa Gardner has always had an eerie fascination with insects, using them to create artworks whose images reflect the remnants of dreams she can only just recall. But her main reason for her use of medium lies in the fact Alyssa can hear the chattering of bugs and flowers, and despite the entertaining aspect of listening to their conversations, Alyssa wishes she could rid her head of them - secretly fearing that she'll end up in a loony asylum like her mother, who drinks ice-cream from teacups and insists that they're descendants of Alice Liddell.

Alyssa uncovers the source of her mother's madness and comes to the shocking realisation that the world her mother glimpses is all far too real and closer than either of them suspects. When faced with ultimatum, Alyssa ventures into Wonderland with her handsome best friend Jeb to break the family curse and hopefully rid their lives of the unsettling place forever.

But Wonderland is no longer full of Disney-goodness and never-ending tea parties. Grotesque, peculiar and as mad as a hatter, Wonderland and its occupants are a fruit salad of personalities, each with their own agenda - and none more so than the seductive and debonair Morpheus, who Alyssa cannot help but feel a connection with, despite the danger he represents.

Becoming acquainted with the White Rabid, Hattington, the Ivory Queen and Chessie, Alyssa feels herself slowly losing her grip on her world and falling deeper and deeper into the clutches of Wonderland with every passing second...though she still has the tickling sense that there is something bigger at work than simply curse-breaking and that those that she meets are all apart of an elaborate masquerade - who can she trust?

With enough eccentric, tantalising and twisted imagery to have to dancing on tabletops, Splintered is sure to have you wishing for your mallet and a top hat - the lure of Wonderland far too strong, and bittersweet, to resist.

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Re-read: 14/1/14

I love re-reading this book! It gets better every time I come back to it, and I knew that the only way to start off 2014 was to grab this book - and my Splintered playlist - and sit back and enjoy the magic that is AG Howard's storytelling :) ...more

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May 22, 2012 Rachel (aka Ms4Tune) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, romance, fantasy, series-read, a-hardback, favourites, bought, 2013

(January Choice for the 24 books of 2013 Challenge)

I'm gonna keep this short and sweet. This is just how I wanted Wonderland to be. Loved the characters, the world was well developed and the descriptions were gorgeous. Loved Morpheus, so dark, beautiful and twisted.

MORE PLEASE Ms A G HOWARD! :)

(note to other readers: I went into this with no expectations I had read a few reviews but they were so varied in opinion they cancelled one another out - so give this a try if you like the dark and beaut ...more

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Sep 15, 2019 Mandy Sickle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: love-the-cover, love-it, magic, fantasy, fiction, first-in-series, favorites, fairy-tales, paranormal, new2you-author

Alyssa's life has been far from easy growing up knowing that she's descendant of The Alice from that classic Lewis Carrol story. She knows it's only a matter of time before she goes mad just like all the other women in her family have. Alyssa has watched her mom go mad and after a recent episode, it looks like the only option to help her mom is electric shock therapy. Alyssa knows that if her mom has electric shock therapy she will never be the same and one day she will be in her shoes. The only Alyssa's life has been far from easy growing up knowing that she's descendant of The Alice from that classic Lewis Carrol story. She knows it's only a matter of time before she goes mad just like all the other women in her family have. Alyssa has watched her mom go mad and after a recent episode, it looks like the only option to help her mom is electric shock therapy. Alyssa knows that if her mom has electric shock therapy she will never be the same and one day she will be in her shoes. The only hope for her mom is to venture down the rabbit hole and figure out how to break the curse.

With no time to wait Alyssa takes off on an adventure that will change her life forever. Little did she know when she jumped down the rabbit hole it would be dragging Jeb her neighbor and crush with her. Forced to work together to fix what was put wrong by the original Alice is the only way that they will make it home. Together they will challenge risking it all life and limb to get out alive.

I've had Splintered on my TBR list forever after all I pre-ordered it when it came out so it's been on my pile for a while. At first, I was waiting for the series to be completed as I knew that I would gobble them up one after another. I am after all an Alice in Wonderland addict. Splintered just happened to fit a reading challenge so it was a perfect time to dive into the story.

I really liked Alyssa right from the start I found her easy to connect she's unique which I found refreshing. She may be a descendant of The Alice but she's as different as she can get. I wasn't sure at first about Jeb her love interest but the more we got to know him the more I liked him. I wanted to dislike Morpheus but he has this charm about him. The concept for Splintered was captivating it has the classic charm with a modern spin. I truly enjoyed each page and found it hard to put down. I ended up devouring most of it in one afternoon. I loved every page and can't wait to read the rest of the series and see what happens in wonderland. ...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Yassie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-ebooks, 2013-reads

"Mysterious. Rebellious. Troubled. All those qualities women find irresistible." ~ Morpheus

Three things made me read this one, the cover, ratings and the plot. The story started okay, we were introduced to Al's life in the mortal world and her connections with Alice etc. but the moment she fell through that rabbit's hole I though, okay this is it! But she basically just did or undid everything Alice had done before and it wasn't as exciting as I had hoped it would be, after all I've watched many "Mysterious. Rebellious. Troubled. All those qualities women find irresistible." ~ Morpheus

Three things made me read this one, the cover, ratings and the plot. The story started okay, we were introduced to Al's life in the mortal world and her connections with Alice etc. but the moment she fell through that rabbit's hole I though, okay this is it! But she basically just did or undid everything Alice had done before and it wasn't as exciting as I had hoped it would be, after all I've watched many versions of Alice in Wonderland and I guess the strangeness of Wonderland was something expected that I didn't find it fascinating anymore that is until...Morpheus!!

OMG I cannot describe my fascination with him. Maybe it's his connection to Al? the lost memories, his eccentricities? His personality, the secrets he's hiding? His real intentions? I don't know what but it feels like Wonderland came to be because of him!

He's like a master storyteller, every happening all comes back to him, his mere presence rocks the balance between Al embracing her true self and her wish to go home. Of course a love triangle is expected and here I find his existence even more fascinating! If this is an ordinary YA adventure, I'd like Al to be with Jeb, their moments are sweet, it's realistic, I like them to be. BUT when Al is with Morpheus the atmosphere is on another level! I can't point out what it is exactly! Maybe because she can be with her true self with him? It feels like when they're together it feels so right. It makes you forget she lives on the human world. It makes you believe in forever~ Not the mushy forever type, it's more of eternal, magical, everlasting! I know I don't make sense, this book doesn't make sense! But that's how it makes sense! Confuse yet? Haha!

I particularly love the last third of the book! Wonderland is a place of nightmare full of weird logic and dream like experiences and this book did justice! Even the characters are insane! Starting from the major revelation of Al's identity and her destiny, the story became a kaleidoscope of mystery, secrets, like a maze full of twist and turns but never finding an exit. You think you've known everything then again thrown back to zero the next.

And can we just get back to Morpheus? O.M.G. he's indescribable! Some people started taking sides on which ship to sail with, but the moment I saw him I knew...planks of wood or titanic, I'm sailing with this moth~!! He's a dream, THE dream, ugh! It's so frustrating how I cannot describe him, even more because I can't post spoilers, but gosh if you ever read this book, you'll know~!

So for my conclusion for this review: we all know what kind of place Wonderland is, whichever interpretation you've seen or read, so it follows that events that happens in that world is something that cannot be in the normal world. And this shows every time Al switches back and forth between Jeb and mortality vs Morph and insanity, most people might find it annoying but, if you read this with an open mind you'll find it fascinating~ Think, what would you do if you were Al? It's definitely something to reflect on~!

And have I said how I loved the ending yet? Gosh, I know, it ended on the mortal side BUT remember she wears the key and I for one, don't really care who or what she chooses to be or with, personally but the thought that she's hiding a secret like that just makes me sigh and wonder what will happen next? Good thing it's going to have a book2!!!!!! xD ...more

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Oct 05, 2013 Krystal rated it it was amazing

Shelves: magic

OMG OMG...ok....ok.. Where to start ooooh I know this book was freaking fabulous. I love love it, who know Alice in Wonderland could be so twisted. Howard did a great job twisting Alice in wonderland into this amazing action pack book. All the characters was great. Alyssa, Jeb, and Morpheus are my favorite characters. There is a little bit of a love triangle. I can't decide who I like the best Jeb or Morpheus. Jeb is Alyssa knight in shinning armor. He is always there when Alyssa needs him. Morp ...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Catherine Keaton rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, read-in-2012

This take on the Alice in Wonderland tale is so unique, it makes me wonder how nobody else ever thought of it before. Wonderland, in Splintered, is rather an underworld of the dead than a bizarre playground for children. Isn't that fantastic?

The protagonist, Alyssa, is the descendant of Alice Liddell, the girl who inspired Lewis Carol's original novel. She has a set of strange powers that she inherited from Alice and her mother, Allison, who is living in a psychiatric hospital. She fears she wil This take on the Alice in Wonderland tale is so unique, it makes me wonder how nobody else ever thought of it before. Wonderland, in Splintered, is rather an underworld of the dead than a bizarre playground for children. Isn't that fantastic?

The protagonist, Alyssa, is the descendant of Alice Liddell, the girl who inspired Lewis Carol's original novel. She has a set of strange powers that she inherited from Alice and her mother, Allison, who is living in a psychiatric hospital. She fears she will eventually end up in the hospital with her mother, just as all the other Alice descendents have.

But, Alyssa discovers a way to break this so-called family curse of craziness by going into Wonderland, and she sets out to save her mother from her own mad mind and electroshock "therapy" that will likely lobotomize her. Her best guy friend and next-door-neighbor Jeb ends up tagging along, accidentally, and they are in for the adventure of a lifetime with the dead.

Alyssa struggles with her existing feelings for Jeb, who already has a girlfriend, plus her very old and now much more mature feelings for Morpheus, the Wonderland moth boy she spent time with in her dreams as a child, who is now all grown up and hot like Edward Scissorhands. It makes for a nice love triangle that feels realistic and not just there to create romantic drama. Although, Alyssa's chemistry is far better with Jeb than Morpheus, in my opinion.

I see a lot of reviewers saying they don't like the characters in the novel, but what are they all smoking? I loved the characters more than I normally love the characters in the YA books I read. They are great, even if not perfect, but they are so realistic and fun to read about. So what if Morpheus lies to Alyssa a lot for his own agenda. Does he have to be perfect in order to be lovable? No. And, Jeb behaves rather possessively of Alyssa while in Wonderland, but he's used to treating her like a sister, so I get that. Plus, he changes his tune in the end, anyway.

This books is super fun and unpredictable without a boring part in sight. For those already enamored of Alice in Wonderland and love YA fiction, this is the perfect fit. It's so much better than the Johnny Depp Alice in Wonderland movie that came out a few years ago, which was good, but not great. I think this story would make a much better film.

*Thanks go to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Carie rated it really liked it

4.5 – I really loved this book!! It’s a unique, mostly unpredictable story with vivid and imaginative characters, landscapes, and plot turns. And, I LOVED the romance and the possibility at the end that Alyssa might (view spoiler) 4.5 – I really loved this book!! It’s a unique, mostly unpredictable story with vivid and imaginative characters, landscapes, and plot turns. And, I LOVED the romance and the possibility at the end that Alyssa might (view spoiler). I loved the crazy, creative Wonderland places, creatures, craziness, and twists. I was very surprised by a few developments (view spoiler).

This story totally held my interest and kept me fascinated, surprised, tense over what would happen, and sighing over the romantic parts. And the ending was just perfect! Only one thing really bugged me: (view spoiler)! And, although I really LOVED the ending, everything was wrapped up a little too neatly and conveniently…

P.S. I just noticed that there’s going to be a sequel to this book! What?! I wonder what/who it’s about…? I actually really liked the way SPLINTERED ended, so I hope a sequel won’t mess too much with what I liked about the first book… But, regardless, I will definitely read it, since I liked SPLINTERED so much :)

...more

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Oct 10, 2013 Amber rated it really liked it

This was definitely one of the better reads I've had this year. To be honest, I've been really disappointed by almost everything I've new I've read and I was starting to lose hope in YA, but this really set me back on track. I'm not sure if it was the characters, the plot, or that hint of nonsense that would obviously be present in a book about Wonderland, but I thought it was a fantastic story.

Alyssa, to my great pleasure, was not as annoying as I'd thought she'd be. She was slightly moody and ...more

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Aug 28, 2013 Tracy rated it really liked it

Shelves: dark-and-creepy, holy-sizzle-batman, unique, fast-paced, physical-books-i-own

What a crazy tale! I'm not usually a fan of Tim Burton (he can be a little too dark/twisted for my taste) but I think in this case, for a story like "Alice in Wonderland", Burton's influence is both brilliant and necessary. The author has done a fabulous job of creating a Wonderland that is beautiful yet creepy and dark at the same time. This is sooooo not your Disney's Wonderland.

I enjoyed getting to know the main characters. I loved the artsy aspect. I especially loved Morpheus, and I am NOT t ...more

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Dec 28, 2013 Anna rated it really liked it

Wow. So interesting and unique.

I'm not always a fan of retellings, so some parts of this "darker twist" I wasn't always a fan of....BUT I can tell you what I WAS a fan of....you can probably guess.

Alyssa and Jeb! Ugh, so cute...especially that ending. I don't know what to do with Morpheus though, mixed feelings (same as Alyssa felt!).

I don't know how they could continue this because it seemed pretty complete to me.

Overall, I loved Alyssa's story, very cute! ...more

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Nov 10, 2013 Michelle rated it liked it

This was definitely an interesting retelling of Alice in Wonderland. I had put off reading it for a very long time, because I was worried that it would disappoint me. I had nothing to fear, because the book was a pretty decent read. It was not my favorite book of all time by any means, but it is a book that I would not mind reading again. I will probably also read the other two books, provided that they are decent quality like this one.

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