Synopsis: Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she’s always dreamed of.
That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.
As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.
If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she’ll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.
Rating: 3 emmys
Review: This is the second book in a series that started out pretty mediocre. I had a hard time empathizing with the main character. In the beginning of this book, I couldn’t quite remember what I needed from the last one. All in all, I would have given up on this series, except the author is REALLY good at writing endings that make you want to pick up the next one.
The Fabulous: The end. The rest of it is nothing to write home about, but dang-it if that last page doesn’t make you want to pick up the next one.
The Flaws: I still don’t really care for the main character, she needed to grow a bit of a backbone. Oh, and learn from her mistakes. And I’ll be honest, I’m an artist and all, but this is a little over the top.
Favorite Moments: The tea party at the end with Dad.
Best line: “you’ve been given a chance at two lives and two loves. That is nothing short of a miracle. Cherish the gift for what it is.”
AUTHOR BIO: 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.
Links: http://www.aghoward.com
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