Review: Unhinged by A.G. Howard

Source: Goodreads First Reads
Publisher: Amulet
Series: Splintered #2
Edition: ARC, 384 Pages
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository*
*I receive a small monetary kickback from Amazon purchases
Rating: 5/5

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.

Oh goodness! Where to begin?  Should I start with the screaming professions of love or should I save that for the end? I’ll just go ahead and get it out of the way. I ADORE this series! The first one was really good but this one, oh god this one was just amazing! *hugs book to chest and dances frantically* Okay…I think I got it out of my system.

Unhinged picks up some time after Splintered and Alyssa is focused on her school’s upcoming prom as well as Jeb and his budding career as an artist. Wonderland is far from forgotten though since Morpheus won’t stay out of her dreams and her art is becoming more  disturbing. Unhinged starts out at a brisk pace and by the end of the book it felt like I just attempted to sprint farther than my lazy legs could carry me. It’s full of ups and down and true to Wonderland style parts of it will send your heart and head reeling. Plus the ending…oh god the ending…I need the third book so badly it feels like I might die.

Most of this one takes place in the real world, but don’t let that disappoint you because there is no shortage of Wonderland-y goodness or Morpheus, and for all of you Team Jeb fans out there he’s in fine form as well.  Alyssa is still struggling to find balance in her life and Morpheus and Jeb are physical manifestations of the two lives she can lead. Jeb is her anchor to normal and the life she’s always wanted, and even though I’m not a Jeb fan I really think their relationship is strong and sweet. Morpheus is her wild and untamed (not to mention attractive) link to Wonderland, and he’s one that she desperately tries to distance herself from but can’t. I can’t believe I’m saying this but this is one love triangle I actually enjoy. I can’t get enough of these two guys. One person I hadn’t counted on becoming such a big part of the book was Alyssa’s mother, who is so much different than I thought she would be. I enjoyed getting to see more of her past and learning more about her connection to Wonderland.

Unhinged takes on a wild ride without sending us down the rabbit hole, from the curious beginning to the heart stopping end. I can honestly say that  A.G. Howard has a real talent for creating fantastical and twisted creatures, and this series has become a favorite of mine.