Book Review - Splintered

Title: Splintered
Author: A.G Howard
Publisher: Abrams
Release Date: 1 Jan 2013
ISBN-13: 978-1419706271

Synopsis
Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers, precisely the problem that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. Surely, she tells herself, it has nothing to do with the fact that she is directly descended from Alice Liddell, the real life inspiration for Alice's Adventures In Wonderland. But when her mother takes a turn for the worse and the whispers grow too strong to bear, Alyssa learns that she's not mad but she must find the origins of a secret family curse. A series of clues leads her through a cracked mirror into the real Wonderland, a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There she must 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 all of his own. 

My Review
I will admit, I totally picked this up because of it's cover - isn't it gorgeous. So beautiful, and the more you look at it, the more you see hidden in it. I just love it. Then once I had picked it up I saw the word 'Wonderland' on the front - I'm sold! I love anything to do with Alice and Wonderland. Then I read the synopsis and I knew this book was one I was going to love. It's beautifully presented throughout as well. A very well packaged book.
I do tend to get a bit nervous if I am that excited for a book in case it doesn't live up to my expectations but I was in good hands with this book.
My first reaction was just 'this is awesome'. Even from the first chapter I had to know more, full of intrigue and a sense of magic and of course Wonder. 
We are introduced to Alyssa, a feisty girl with quite an attitude to her, but she puts on a brave face to hide her worries. Her mother is in a mental hospital and Alyssa is scared she is heading the same way. She is actually the great, great, great grand-daughter of Alice Liddell - the original girl to go to Wonderland who then told Lewis Carroll of her tales. And it has come to the time that Alyssa must find her way into Wonderland and put right everything that Alice changed, or her family may be destined to madness forever.
The concept right off is amazing, the sort of thing that had me thinking 'how come no-one thought of this before? It's genius!'
And it didn't disappoint at all, it carried me through, desperate for more, with surprise twists and turns, the story didn't turn out anyway I thought it would but it was so much better.
There is a bit of a love conflict, her best friend and secret crush Jeb from the real world, the one who's always been there for her but never really shown much love until now, or Morpheus, her strange guide in Wonderland, they share a strange bond, but he's also a bit untrustworthy. Alyssa must decide which one she wants if either of them are right for her. I have to admit I was backing Jeb all the way through, no question, although Morpheus does have that whole dark, mysterious thing about him. 
I liked the changes and adaptations to the original story whilst still reflecting it. I have to say this is one of the best books I have read this year. I will definitely be buying a copy (as I borrowed it from Library). I will be waiting eagerly for more by this author, she is amazing!
This is a must read, grab a copy now!

My Rating