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kpeet's review
2.0
**2 Stars**
Let us go back a year and a half ago. Picture me sitting on my bed in my parent's house with my Kindle in my hands. With a sigh, I set it down and pick up my laptop lying next to me. My fingers were poised above the keys, ready to let the world know my opinion. But something was stopping me. What had I just read? Would I ever really be the same anymore?
Fortunately I gathered my life together long enough to review that first book in this series, Splintered. It definitely had its flaws, as evidenced by my semi-poorly written first review. However, I did enjoy it (I think) and I had planned on reading the second book, Unhinged. That was written in April of 2014, so you can only imagine what I still remembered when I actually got around to reading the second book. So before I read Unhinged, I reread a.k.a. skimmed Splintered, and boy, was it ugly. I don't know how critically I was looking at things a year and a half ago, but my impressions of the book back then were pretty misguided.
For instance, I had thought Alyssa was really torn between Jeb and Morpheus. During my reread I discovered that she was FIRMLY PLANTED in the Jeb camp. Stuff like that was everywhere. Everything I thought I knew was a lie! But while I'm not quite sure I stand by my old review (I do, but I don't agree with it), this review is really about Unhinged.
What of Unhinged? Well, it's a sequel, and it falls into that sequel trap of I-need-to-bridge-a-first-and-third-book-so-nothing-important-is-really-going-to-happen. It suffers from this BAD. A lot of the dramatic stuff happens to Jeb, who I literally couldn't care less about, so in essence there was no plot.
First of all, I was extremely disappointed that this took place in our world. I don't really care what happens in Texas or what it looks like, I LIVE in this world, I think I understand it pretty well. I wanted the amazing, crazy wilds of Wonderland. I wanted to see something EXCITING AND NEW THAT I CAN'T GET TO WITH A QUICK FLIGHT. Without that, it's just this weird punk girl going on fantasy adventures...in a world we live in everyday. NO. STOP.
Second, the plot is pretty boring. It's pretty much an entire book of clashes between two axes in a love triangle and how the girl axis keeps switching between the two, breaking both of their hearts in the process. I don't like Jeb (does anyone?) but even I could respect her sticking by his side the entire time AND THEN SHE KISSES MORPHEUS. Nope. Get your ass out of here, Alyssa! Other than that there's some forced tension with Alyssa's parents and her mom is a huge liar and also Sister Two from the first book is randomly 1,000% more evil than the main antagonist, for some reason. I still don't understand why she's so upset after all this time to the point where this whole book is about her and not the bloodthirsty murderer from the first book.
Speaking of the main antagonist, we do see Red eventually, at the very end, but she's literally A FLOWER IN A POT and can't really do anything. Alyssa just kinda walks away while Red is shouting stuff at her but Alyssa just laughs like "lol you're in a flower pot" and then tells everyone to go handle Red because she's dangerous. She's dangerous??? She doesn't even have legs! She literally has to drag herself across the floor by her leaf-hands. If I wanted revenge and could possess any living thing, I would have at least possessed something with legs. Like the bandersnatch! That would've been a GREAT conduit for your revenge, Red!
Third, is the cover supposed to be Morpheus? Please tell me that's NOT Morpheus. I know that this series is completely smothered with Myspace-punk culture but he really deserves better than that. I was picturing something much easier on the eyes. If that's how I'm supposed to have been imagining him this whole time, I don't even want to finish this series. Considering some of the rumors I've heard about the last book, Ensnared, I actually don't want to finish this series.
Overall, I'm just really disappointed. I can't even express how disappointed I am. I was so bored while reading this entire book. All this random drama with Alyssa's mom AND NOW HER DAD is really wearing on me. Things are already thrown at you with few clues, so I'm having a hard enough time trying to figure out all the "secrets" as it is. Why not just throw the dad in?? And some best friend drama? I went from really liking this series, to rereading Splintered and realizing it wasn't that great, to reading this and deciding that maybe, just maybe this isn't for me.
Let us go back a year and a half ago. Picture me sitting on my bed in my parent's house with my Kindle in my hands. With a sigh, I set it down and pick up my laptop lying next to me. My fingers were poised above the keys, ready to let the world know my opinion. But something was stopping me. What had I just read? Would I ever really be the same anymore?
Fortunately I gathered my life together long enough to review that first book in this series, Splintered. It definitely had its flaws, as evidenced by my semi-poorly written first review. However, I did enjoy it (I think) and I had planned on reading the second book, Unhinged. That was written in April of 2014, so you can only imagine what I still remembered when I actually got around to reading the second book. So before I read Unhinged, I reread a.k.a. skimmed Splintered, and boy, was it ugly. I don't know how critically I was looking at things a year and a half ago, but my impressions of the book back then were pretty misguided.
For instance, I had thought Alyssa was really torn between Jeb and Morpheus. During my reread I discovered that she was FIRMLY PLANTED in the Jeb camp. Stuff like that was everywhere. Everything I thought I knew was a lie! But while I'm not quite sure I stand by my old review (I do, but I don't agree with it), this review is really about Unhinged.
What of Unhinged? Well, it's a sequel, and it falls into that sequel trap of I-need-to-bridge-a-first-and-third-book-so-nothing-important-is-really-going-to-happen. It suffers from this BAD. A lot of the dramatic stuff happens to Jeb, who I literally couldn't care less about, so in essence there was no plot.
First of all, I was extremely disappointed that this took place in our world. I don't really care what happens in Texas or what it looks like, I LIVE in this world, I think I understand it pretty well. I wanted the amazing, crazy wilds of Wonderland. I wanted to see something EXCITING AND NEW THAT I CAN'T GET TO WITH A QUICK FLIGHT. Without that, it's just this weird punk girl going on fantasy adventures...in a world we live in everyday. NO. STOP.
Second, the plot is pretty boring. It's pretty much an entire book of clashes between two axes in a love triangle and how the girl axis keeps switching between the two, breaking both of their hearts in the process. I don't like Jeb (does anyone?) but even I could respect her sticking by his side the entire time AND THEN SHE KISSES MORPHEUS. Nope. Get your ass out of here, Alyssa! Other than that there's some forced tension with Alyssa's parents and her mom is a huge liar and also Sister Two from the first book is randomly 1,000% more evil than the main antagonist, for some reason. I still don't understand why she's so upset after all this time to the point where this whole book is about her and not the bloodthirsty murderer from the first book.
Speaking of the main antagonist, we do see Red eventually, at the very end, but she's literally A FLOWER IN A POT and can't really do anything. Alyssa just kinda walks away while Red is shouting stuff at her but Alyssa just laughs like "lol you're in a flower pot" and then tells everyone to go handle Red because she's dangerous. She's dangerous??? She doesn't even have legs! She literally has to drag herself across the floor by her leaf-hands. If I wanted revenge and could possess any living thing, I would have at least possessed something with legs. Like the bandersnatch! That would've been a GREAT conduit for your revenge, Red!
Third, is the cover supposed to be Morpheus? Please tell me that's NOT Morpheus. I know that this series is completely smothered with Myspace-punk culture but he really deserves better than that. I was picturing something much easier on the eyes. If that's how I'm supposed to have been imagining him this whole time, I don't even want to finish this series. Considering some of the rumors I've heard about the last book, Ensnared, I actually don't want to finish this series.
Overall, I'm just really disappointed. I can't even express how disappointed I am. I was so bored while reading this entire book. All this random drama with Alyssa's mom AND NOW HER DAD is really wearing on me. Things are already thrown at you with few clues, so I'm having a hard enough time trying to figure out all the "secrets" as it is. Why not just throw the dad in?? And some best friend drama? I went from really liking this series, to rereading Splintered and realizing it wasn't that great, to reading this and deciding that maybe, just maybe this isn't for me.
rokinkrys56's review against another edition
4.0
So this book really seemed slow but I did like it over all. I especially liked the ending and I'm very excited for the next book.
pixelski's review against another edition
3.0
That was insane in a good way! I can't get over how fabulous Howard's imagination is because the world-building and imagery in this never fails to stun me. And this time she did it in reality too, bringing Wonderland to the mortal world. I love how Howard doesn't hold back on the macabre, gruesome and slightly gothic nature to the story and world. The way the standard story has been altered into the weird and wacky and terrifying is plain cool. And that ending was nicely played.
em013's review against another edition
4.0
This love triangle is killing me!! I love this story and the world. I think the concept is amazing. But this back a forth between Jeb and Morpheus is exhausting. With all of that being said I can't to continue this series.
jenacidebybibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
I don’t want to give anything away that could ruin the story, so I am going to be as descriptively cryptic as possible. This book was a little less exciting compared to the first story, Splintered, but it was still packed with new turmoil and headaches. I feel like it might just be a stepping stone for the reader to prepare themselves for the third book (remember how they split the last Harry Potter book into two movies? This book is like the part 1, you need it to get to part 2). Don’t get me wrong, there is A LOT going on in this story. Alyssa almost drowns while on a date with Jeb, Morpheus starts showing up to school tempting Alyssa as usual, and she starts making mosaics with her blood. Her mother Allison is completely overbearing and overprotective, but considering she has been away for years in an insane asylum, you can’t really blame her.
The main issue I had with this book is that my mind kept wandering, never a good sign. I just wasn’t as wrapped up in this book as I was with Splintered. This book was centered in the human realm and not in Wonderland, so it felt more like a teenage drama story than the awesome take on Alice in Wonderland that it was in the previous book. There are so many more important things that Alyssa COULD have been focused on, like the fact that Red is destroying Wonderland. Jeb’s character is played up so much by the author that Alyssa seems to always be looking like she’s less than him, which is probably why I am not the only reader who prefers Morpheus. The reader gets a bit more insight on the other sides of the characters in this story, but I could still care less about Jeb. Morpheus starts to show his sincere side to Alyssa to prove that not everything he does is selfish (apart from the vow he made Alyssa make :o) , and Jeb is shown as having more faults and makes mistakes which is always refreshing for a character who seems so perfect. But in the end, it seems like the author really wants the reader to know that Morpheus is the darkness and Jeb is the light.
I think the story finally started coming together and grabbing my interest again towards the end. Jeb finally has his memories back and remembers everything, and the craziness of Wonderland is brought to the human realm for an awesome battle. So in less words than more, you really need to read this book just so you can read Ensnared and know what is going on. I just started Ensnared today, but so far it is proving to be the epic wrap up to the series that I was hoping for.
The main issue I had with this book is that my mind kept wandering, never a good sign. I just wasn’t as wrapped up in this book as I was with Splintered. This book was centered in the human realm and not in Wonderland, so it felt more like a teenage drama story than the awesome take on Alice in Wonderland that it was in the previous book. There are so many more important things that Alyssa COULD have been focused on, like the fact that Red is destroying Wonderland. Jeb’s character is played up so much by the author that Alyssa seems to always be looking like she’s less than him, which is probably why I am not the only reader who prefers Morpheus. The reader gets a bit more insight on the other sides of the characters in this story, but I could still care less about Jeb. Morpheus starts to show his sincere side to Alyssa to prove that not everything he does is selfish (apart from the vow he made Alyssa make :o) , and Jeb is shown as having more faults and makes mistakes which is always refreshing for a character who seems so perfect. But in the end, it seems like the author really wants the reader to know that Morpheus is the darkness and Jeb is the light.
I think the story finally started coming together and grabbing my interest again towards the end. Jeb finally has his memories back and remembers everything, and the craziness of Wonderland is brought to the human realm for an awesome battle. So in less words than more, you really need to read this book just so you can read Ensnared and know what is going on. I just started Ensnared today, but so far it is proving to be the epic wrap up to the series that I was hoping for.
synergysel's review against another edition
5.0
I knew this book would be worth the wait and it sooo was. First of all I love how Alyssa doesn't do the whole Whiney why me thing. She complains a bit but keeps going. Jeb is about the same and even though I love him, y'all, Morpheus completely steals the show. I mean. Just all I could think towards the end of this book is if the overall Alyssa/Morpheus ending doesn't happen the way I want I'll be devasted and pissed off at the same time. Which sucks cause I love Jeb I do!!!! But ugggghhhhh!!!! Glad we get to see more about Alyssa's mom and dad and their story. I really do enjoy how there is so much riddle work going on it took me a bit to figure out some parts and I liked that no loved that! exciting when I am surprised by a situation. So yea the next book cannot come fast enough. I'm already ready for it :)
epgr's review against another edition
3.0
I really liked the first book in this series, but didn't love this second one as much. I think mostly because I kept waiting for the setting to change back to Wonderland, and kept being disappointed when it didn't happen. If I had realized the characters were going to spend so much time in the real world, then maybe I would have just enjoyed it more from the beginning. I'll look forward to the next book, because I think the story will get good again.
novahkiin's review
2.0
Sweet baby Jesus, that was quite the second book slump.
I wouldn’t say I had the HIGHEST of hopes for this second book since I wasn’t a huge fan of the first, but to say the bar was as low as it probably should have been would be a little bit of a lie. I felt like the first book set up the story pretty well for what I expected to happen in the second book, but then it just… didn’t.
Well, okay. It kind of did. At the end. Everything up to that point was just a long line of “but why this” running through my brain. Like. I didn’t care. At all. Even a little, about what was happening with Alyssa and her annoying boyfriend Jeb and her creepy former friend Morpheus. I only really cared about the last third of the book when things started to really happen, which are not great statistics.
The ONLY reason this is getting two stars instead of one is because I still firmly stand by my previous statement that Howard is a very good writer. Description-wise, at least. Plot? Still not sure about that one, because while I enjoyed all the parts without romance, the romance and the tropes within the romance basically shot me dead in my own backyard. I hated them so much. And they all were in the first two-thirds of the book with a heavy concentration at the start. I am here for Alice in Wonderland madness — not teenaged jealousy and drama that has literally nothing to do with the plot aside from creating a boring plot dilemma that ends up spanning almost the entire book.
I don’t know. With how it ended, I once again have unfortunately high hopes (well, mediocre hopes, I guess) for how the last book will go. I’m thinking maybe it’ll be what I had hoped the second book would have been. But! We’ll find out when we get there, I guess.
First posted on my blog, Confessions of a Literary Addict!
I wouldn’t say I had the HIGHEST of hopes for this second book since I wasn’t a huge fan of the first, but to say the bar was as low as it probably should have been would be a little bit of a lie. I felt like the first book set up the story pretty well for what I expected to happen in the second book, but then it just… didn’t.
Well, okay. It kind of did. At the end. Everything up to that point was just a long line of “but why this” running through my brain. Like. I didn’t care. At all. Even a little, about what was happening with Alyssa and her annoying boyfriend Jeb and her creepy former friend Morpheus. I only really cared about the last third of the book when things started to really happen, which are not great statistics.
The ONLY reason this is getting two stars instead of one is because I still firmly stand by my previous statement that Howard is a very good writer. Description-wise, at least. Plot? Still not sure about that one, because while I enjoyed all the parts without romance, the romance and the tropes within the romance basically shot me dead in my own backyard. I hated them so much. And they all were in the first two-thirds of the book with a heavy concentration at the start. I am here for Alice in Wonderland madness — not teenaged jealousy and drama that has literally nothing to do with the plot aside from creating a boring plot dilemma that ends up spanning almost the entire book.
I don’t know. With how it ended, I once again have unfortunately high hopes (well, mediocre hopes, I guess) for how the last book will go. I’m thinking maybe it’ll be what I had hoped the second book would have been. But! We’ll find out when we get there, I guess.
First posted on my blog, Confessions of a Literary Addict!