Unhinged A.G. Howard *ARC Review*

WONDERLAND WAS JUST THE BEGINNING

I'M SO EXCITED!! I'm thrilled I won this beauty...and that I get to share my review of Unhinged with you before the release date!

Even better, I'm sharing the love by giving away my ARC to one lucky winner! (Giveaway will be at the bottom of the post.) 

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Once again, A.G. Howard delivers a fantastically creepy spin on Lewis Carroll's Alice and Wonderland & The Looking Glass.

Brilliant and riveting, the tale continues the story of Alyssa, Jeb, and Morpheus...along with a host of friends (and foes) from Wonderland.

Three need-to-know details before I get into specifics:

A) If you enjoyed Splintered, you will love Unhinged. I didn't want to stop reading until the end...and then I was very, very sad because 1) it was over T_T and 2) I realized the next book coming out IS Unhinged, not the last book of the trilogy (I had a moment ^_^’)...and the ending was such a cliff-hanger!! *SMF* I really want the last installment! And so will you, because it was THAT stellar.

B) If you're looking for the most satisfying Unhinged experience, re-read Splintered before you start reading Book 2. I suggest doing so even if you don't much care about the experience (though I can't fathom why you wouldn't...) because Unhinged refers to very specific events in Splintered throughout. 

Part of the fun of reading is guessing what is coming next--or better, predicting what is coming and still being surprised--because of an author's deliciously clever hints. It's fun to note all of the connections Howard has made, and to piece them together as you're reading.

C) Don't start Unhinged under the impression that Alyssa will be going into Wonderland immediately. I know, I know...it's hard not to. But don't, because it won't happen. And if I say anything more, I may spoil it for you, so I'll be quiet.

*I won an ARC of Unhinged from Bibliopunkk. This is my honest and fair review.* 

So Unhinged is stellar :). Its versatility, wild creativity, whimsical fashion, and somewhat macabre artistic expressions easily distinguish Unhinged from other humdrum 'down the rabbit hole' spinoffs. I enjoyed every bit of it, even the bits that I normally wouldn’t have found enjoyable. 

What I enjoyed the most:

A.G. Howard’s PROSE! Howard’s writerly skills dazzle me. I’m a complete nerd when it comes to writing—especially with its finer points, like diction—and that side of me frolicked between the pages of Unhinged with abandon. Writing with such beauty it exhilarates an audience is a feat many writers have yet to accomplish. Some of my personal favorites are Franny Billingsly and Jessica Khoury…and after devouring Splintered and Unhinged, A.G. Howard has made my list.

Alyssa’s character arc! It’s stunning. While attempting to live a ‘normal’ life with Jeb, she searches out Morpheus’ heart, her family history, and herself. Her constant vigil for her betrayer adds at least 20ft of depth to her character and humanity. Like Alina in Siege and Storm, Alyssa matures rapidly; she has a lot to figure out in a short span of time. I’m most impressed, however, by her determination  after  accepting the challenge near the end of the story.

Howard’s surprises (erm, plot twists)! They delighted me. Even though she wove elements from Splintered throughout the text and loaded Unhinged with tons of clues, the plot still wasn’t predictable.

How Morpheus, my personal favorite of the men squabbling over Alyssa, is showcased (beautiful cover!). I love the mystery of him. Does he mean well? Is he really trying to help Alyssa, or help himself? On the outside, he seems contradictory, but when you delve into the center of his madness, you see the paradox…and the deeper you go, the more clarity you gain about his heart.

As he did in Splintered, Morpheus keeps us and our fashionable protagonist guessing about his ‘true nature’ throughout Unhinged. But this time, it feels different. Maybe it’s just me, but I felt I began to genuinely understand him, which is one of the reasons I’m anticipating the last book in the trilogy: I may finally reach the center of his paradoxical heart.  

What I enjoyed the least:

Obviously, I enjoyed all of Unhinged, so I don’t have much to say here.

But.

I have a confession: love triangles are one of my biggest pet peeves! I despise them, think they are the stupidest plot device (or lack of plot device) *ever*. I mean, why can’t she/he just choose one?! Is the character incapable of loyalty??

That said, I found the love triangle thing to be a bit frustrating…and yet, I admit that Howard's approach to and delivery of the triangle between Jeb, Alyssa, and Morpheus is uncannily well done. It's believable, understandable, and really does leave the reader wondering which relationship will bloom in the end. And…it actually  is  an effective device to understanding the plot and characters.

Final verdict: 4.8!

If Unhinged isn’t on your TBR list, add it! You won’t be disappointed.

*Unhinged will be released January 7th, 2014!*

About the Author

Author photo by pamlaryphotography.com 

A.G. Howard was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. Her pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.

Her debut YA fantasy, SPLINTERED, a dark Alice in Wonderland spinoff, is now available from Amulet Books. The sequel, UNHINGED, is due to launch January 2014.

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And now, for the giveaway :)

Know you are loved. Giving up this copy was not easy lol ^_^

Because it seems suiting, I'm going to borrow Bibliopunkk's method for this giveaway. It's easy to enter; all you need to do is guess a number 1-10,000. 

First guess is free. Every subsequent guess can be earned by sharing this giveaway on any social media site--twitter, facebook, goodreads...even shelfari. Just show me the link and you've got a guess!

It's first come, first serve, though--the first person to guess the correct number will win the ARC--so act quickly! (And don't forget to add your email to your guess so I can contact you if you win!)

Ends 12/12/13
 U.S. only (sorry, I can't ship outside US T_T) 

One winner will have an Unhinged ARC 3-5 days afterward!

So...what number am I thinking of?