Splintered
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publication date: 1/1/2013
Praise for Splintered:
"Wonderfully dark, weird, and twisted, this richly drawn refashioning of Carroll’s classic fantasy...is equal parts thrilling fantasy adventure, poignant family drama, and journey of self-discovery, offering a distinctive and original story that remains faithful to the spirit of its source."--Starred Review from The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books “Splintered is dark, twisted, entirely riveting, and a truly romantic tale.” USA TODAY online
"Splintered is a delicious, mad, wonderful read. I can't recommend it highly enough." --Melissa Marr, author of the New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series
"Attention to costume and setting render this a visually rich read..." --Kirkus Reviews
"Weaving magic and mystery, danger and duality, self-discovery and romance, this is one for the keeper shelf. I am officially a fan!"--Tera Lynn Childs, award-winning author of Oh. My. Gods., Forgive My Fins, and Sweet Venom
"A deft, complex metamorphosis of this children’s fantasy made more enticing by competing romantic interests, a psychedelic setting, and more mad violence than its original." --Booklist
"Madder than the Hatter’s tea party and way more fun, A.G. Howard’s Splintered is a beautifully-evoked, lush, wild tale of illusions, hysteria, magic and love." -- Lauren Oliver, bestselling author of Before I Fall
"Howard's visual imagination is superior; a cavalcade of weirdness dances across the pages ... its hypnotic tone and setting, at the intersection of madness and creativity, should sweep readers down the rabbit hole." --Publisher's Weekly
“Never has anyone captured so beautifully the tale that Lewis Carroll spun like a web into an innocent child’s heart...” -- Amy Shane, Dark Discoveries magazine, Issue #23
"Not simply a modern retelling of the Alice story, but an extension of the original tale that gives the familiar characters new histories--with a contemporary kick. Splintered is an inventive, well-written novel that will interest fans of Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Twilight, and The Looking Glass Wars." --Shelf Awareness
“A stunning debut! A. G. Howard creates an evocative and velvety world where even bugs are harbingers of magic. I’ve cancelled my pest control service.”--Jordan Dane, bestselling and critically acclaimed thriller and young adult author of In the Arms of Stone Angels
"[Alyssa is] a compelling heroine, and her story will satisfy those who are fans of Wonderland already and those who are new to its surreal realms alike." -- NorthJersey.com
"Wonderland is filled with much that is not as wonderful as might be expected, and yet, it is in Wonderland that Alyssa accepts her true nature. The cover with its swirling tendrils and insects surrounding Alyssa will surely attract teen readers who will not be disappointed with this magical, edgy tale." --Reading Today Online
"While readers will delight in such recognizable scenes as Alyssa drinking from a bottle to shrink, the richly detailed scenes that stray from the original will entice the imagination. These adventures are indeed wonderful." --BookPage Reviews
"...Ambitious, inventive, and often surprising — a contemporary reworking of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,’’ with a deep bow toward Tim Burton’s 2010 film version." --The Boston Globe
"Satisfyingly sensual, delightfully dark, and absolutely riveting."--School Library Journal
"Howard maintains a lush atmosphere throughout, reintroducing Carroll’s characters as truly nightmarish monsters. A creepy, descriptive read with a generous dollop of romance..." --School Library Journal
“Splintered is a twisted Alice in Wonderland spinoff unlike anything you've ever read. So rich in sensory detail you'll feel as if you've fallen through the rabbit hole yourself!” -- Jennifer Archer, author of Through Her Eyes
"Dark, seductive and impressively imagined. Wonderland will never be the same again." --Claire Merle, author of The Glimpse
"...Extraordinarily vivid! Welcome to the real Wonderland, here there be monsters!"--Gabrielle Carolina, The Modge Podge Bookshelf book reviews
"(Splintered) brings to life some of the most terrifying creatures you might imagine living in Wonderland, in a dark fashion worthy of a Burton movie. It’s a beautiful and compelling read, imaginative and last but not least, fun." --Ioana, Bookloversity book reviews
"Howard has written a beautiful spin off to Carroll's original tale . . . It is fantasy and paranormal rolled into a fairy tale dripping with darkness and magic."--Brooke Watts DelVecchio, The Cover Contessa book reviews
"Grotesque, peculiar and as mad as a hatter, Wonderland and its occupants are a fruit salad of personalities, each with their own agenda ... Be prepared for a hat-raising trip down the rabbit hole in Splintered (and) be sure to hold onto your teacups!" -- Booknut, 21st Century Once Upon a Time book reviews
“… A darkly enticing tale that turns Wonderland on its head-- in a way that only respects and amplifies the original. Howard is definitely an author to watch.” -- Christina, Ensconced in YA book reviews
"Howard has written a beautiful spin off to Carroll's original tale . . . It is fantasy and paranormal rolled into a fairy tale dripping with darkness and magic."--Brooke Watts DelVecchio, The Cover Contessa book reviews
"Grotesque, peculiar and as mad as a hatter, Wonderland and its occupants are a fruit salad of personalities, each with their own agenda ... Be prepared for a hat-raising trip down the rabbit hole in Splintered (and) be sure to hold onto your teacups!" -- Booknut, 21st Century Once Upon a Time book reviews
“… A darkly enticing tale that turns Wonderland on its head-- in a way that only respects and amplifies the original. Howard is definitely an author to watch.” -- Christina, Ensconced in YA book reviews
Splintered Synopsis:
Welcome to the real Wonderland... Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on.
There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.
Unhinged
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publication date: 1/7/2014
Wonderland was just the beginning... 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 appealing 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 too-tangible 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.
Can she turn her back on her human life, Jeb, and her parents for the sake of a man she knows has manipulated her before? Will her mother and Jeb trust her to make the right choice not only for herself, but for the good of Wonderland?
Wonderland was just the beginning... 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 appealing 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 too-tangible 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 leaves, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.
Can she turn her back on her human life, Jeb, and her parents for the sake of a man she knows has manipulated her before? Will her mother and Jeb trust her to make the right choice not only for herself, but for the good of Wonderland?