Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Series: Cruel Beauty Universe
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: January 28th 2014
Source: Publisher [Edelweiss]

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Cruel Beauty was one of my most anticipated releases of 2014. From the cover so the synopsis, I just couldn't wait for this book to be released. And then I was able to download a review copy from Edelweiss and I was so excited! Cruel Beauty is a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. Rosamund Hodge mixes in demons and magic to her re-telling and gives it a completely different feel from the original story. This one is a lot darker.

Cruel Beauty has been my favourite Beauty and the Beast re-telling so far (and I think it'll be extremely hard to beat). I loved all the magic, demons, dark secrets and twists. I was pulled in straight away by this story and I loved every second of it.

I really did like Nyx. She's angry at her father for offering her to Ignifex and she's angry at her sister because she gets to live. Nyx is harbouring a lot of anger and it just keeps building and building inside of her. She's feisty and stubborn, extremely determined but she's also broken and feels unloved. Nyx was a complex character and I enjoyed seeing the changes in her throughout the book.

Ignifex was a character that I hated to love. I knew I shouldn't like him because he's a demon! But there was just something about him that I loved. He made deals with people that usually ended up with that person or someone else dying, so that makes him a pretty horrible character. But Ignifex could also be sweet and kind, especially when he was around Nyx. I thought he was actually pretty hilarious and I did really like him.

I wasn't a massive fan of Shade. I mean, he's a creepy shadow thing and I just never trusted him. He seemed to be up to something and I just couldn't make myself like him.

The romance was slightly weird. I enjoyed Nyx and Ignifex's connection (when Nyx finally allowed herself to like him) and I enjoyed seeing their relationship progress. What I didn't enjoy was Nyx and Shade because that was just pretty weird. Plus, Nyx threw herself at him on the first night so I lost all interest in their relationship.

Like I said before, I loved Hodge's twist on the original story. Adding demons and magic in just made this a lot more interesting and a hell of a lot darker. I loved the mythology as well. Mythology is one of my favourite things to read about so I loved wrapping my head around the mythology in Cruel Beauty. There were a lot of secrets that had to be uncovered throughout the book and I really enjoyed discovering them. I loved exploring the castle with Nyx and finding out what was in every nook and cranny (even if some of it wasn't very pleasant). I also really enjoyed Nyx's relationship with her sister. Even though Nyx hates being the one chosen, she still wants to protect her sister. They've got a really strong bond.

The ending, however, was the only part I was slightly disappointed with. It was just too perfect of an ending after everything that had happened, and also not really the way I was hoping it would go. But it was still a great ending. 

Overal, Cruel Beauty was a fantastic read! It was full of mythology, demons, darkness and Ignifex (which is a major plus!), and I adored everything about it. Cruel Beauty is a book I definitely recommend to everyone because it was just amazing.

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
Series: The Testing #1
Publisher: Templar Publishing
Publication Date: August 1st 2013
Source: Bought

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

The Testing was one of those books I'd been eyeing for quite a while. I liked the sound of it and as I came across more reviews for this book I just knew I had to get my hands on a copy. I was slightly worried, however, because there were a lot of people saying this was very similar to The Hunger Games. While I noticed some similarities at the beginning, The Testing definitely wasn't a carbon copy of The Hunger Games. It was a lot more brutal, gruesome and shocking than The Hunger Games. 

The Testing is set in a world that was destroyed by war and the future generation are put through The Testing to see who is up to the task of saving the world. If the candidates pass The Testing, they are rewarded with a chance at further education. Cia and three other students from her town have been chosen for The Testing. Cia is delighted since this is the first time in years that students from her town have been selected. But Cia's father warns her about The Testing. He went through it and can only remember flashes, but he tells her to be careful and trust no one. But Cia decides to trust her childhood friend Tomas because she's sure he's a trustworthy person. Cia must fight to get through The Testing and uncover the secrets that have been hidden.

As soon as I read the first chapter I was hooked. I read this one in a day because it just pulled me in and I had to know what was going on!

I actually really liked Cia's character. She was determined, strong and she never lost sight of her morals. Cia was always helping others throughout the competition and while this may have made they seem slightly naive, it also showed that no matter how much The Testing threw at her, Cia was never going to lose sight of who she really is. I really adored that about her character. She was also extremely smart when it came to the trials for The Testing. She seemed to know exactly what she should (and shouldn't do) and her intelligence saved her life on countless occasions. 

Tomas was an alright character. I was glad that he and Cia teamed up so that they would both have someone to rely on throughout The Testing. He was a nice enough guy, funny and smart, but as The Testing went on I started to get doubts about Tomas (especially during the last trial). And if what Cia thought is true, then I'm not sure I can trust Tomas.

I wasn't a major fan of the romance in this book. Sure Cia and Tomas had know each other for years and Cia had probably had a crush on Tomas for a while, their relationship just never stuck with me. Maybe it was because they were in the middle of the fucking testing and their relationship was extremely unnecessary throughout it. I liked their friendship and the way they worked as a team, but I never enjoyed their relationship. Maybe I will in the second book, but I just didn't care for it in this one.

I honestly wasn't prepared for how shocking, gruesome and horrifying this story line was. I was completely shocked at half of the stuff that went on in this book! Honestly, it was definitely a lot more gruesome that I'd expected. As The Testing went on the trials got tougher and more deadly and I was unprepared for the consequences of a wrong answer. But despite how horrifying this story/world was, I adored it. It kept me on the edge of my seat and that's what made this book great.

And then that ending happened and I'm just super excited to see what Cia is going to do now and what the information will do to her.

Overall, The Testing was a brilliant dystopian novel. It was packed full of action, it was shocking, the world was completely screwed up and it was just fantastic. The Testing is definitely a book I recommend to anyone who is a fan of dystopians because it's one that you'll definitely enjoy.

Slated by Teri Terry

Slated by Teri Terry
Series: Slated #1
Publisher: Orchard Books
Publication Date: May 3rd 2012
Source: Bought

Kyla’s memory has been erased, 
her personality wiped blank, 
her memories lost forever.

She’s been Slated.

The government claims she was a terrorist and that they are giving her a second chance - as long as she plays by their rules. But echoes of the past whisper in Kyla’s mind. Someone is lying to her, and nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust in her search for the truth?

Slated is a dystopian I've had my eye on for a while. I've been told countless times that I had to get around to reading this book because it was amazing, and I had seen a lot of great reviews for it. I got this book quite a while ago and it's been sitting on my bookshelf unread for months even though I've been dying to read it. So I finally decided to add it to my TBR for this month, and now I regret not reading it sooner.

Slated had me hooked from the very first page. Who was Kyla running from? Why must she build a wall? I had so many questions before the first chapter so I knew this was going to be a great book.

Kyla has been slated which means she has no memories of her past or who she used to be. She's had to learn everything from scratch again. The government claim she was a terrorist and that they slated her to give her a second chance. Kyla must play by their rules or her life will be in danger. But Kyla keeps having strange dreams and starts to wonder if they're memories of her previous life. Kyla decides to do some digging and realises she's been lied to. But who can she trust to help her find out the truth?

Kyra wasn't a character that I instantly connected with. Because she'd been Slated, she basically had to re-learn everything and sometimes came across quite robotic and unfeeling to me to begin with. But, gradually as the book went along, I started to connect with Kyra. It wasn't an instant connection, but the connection developed throughout the whole book. Kyra was constantly learning and questioning things and her questioning led to a massive secret being revealed about her. She also started to notice that the Government were taking drastic steps and a lot of pupils from her school were disappearing, which led Kyra to wonder what was really going on. Kyra was an intriguing character. She was inquisitive, extremely intelligent, strange and perceptive. Kyra noticed everything around her and had an unbelievable memory. She could remember her way around the places she went - every twist and turn - and she could draw a map from her memory. I'm still extremely curious to find out about Kyra's previous life. 

There was a bit of romance in this book, but it never really stood out for me. There were times when I was invested in it, but most of the time I was indifferent towards it because I mostly wanted to find out what the hell was going on.
Ben wasn't a stand out character. He was nice enough and he did help Kyra a lot, but I never really saw a huge connection between the two of them. To be honest, I preferred them as friends. Ben was a great help to Kyra when she first moved to her new home and he helped her integrate, and then Ben started to help her grow as a character. But still, I felt their romance was un-needed in this book and I kind of wish their relationship could have taken slightly longer to progress to the next stage because then I might have had a chance to actually get to know both of these characters. Plus, by the end I thought Ben was kind of an idiot.

I will say that the world building in this book was slightly confusing to start with. At first I had absolutely no idea what was going on in this world. I was trying to understand the whole Slated process, what the hell the government were up to, who were the bad guys and the good guys and also try to figure out what the hell is up with Kyla and why she was so different from other Slated's. Also, her 'father' is up to something and I'm pretty sure I know what it is so I guess I'll just have to get the next book and see if I'm right. But everything came together for me eventually and I did really love the world that Teri Terry created. It's a slightly scary dystopian world that I could totally see happening. 

The ending of Slated left me with even more questions than I had at the start of the book so I'll have to grab a copy of Fractured some time soon!

Overall, Slated was a great dystopian novel. It was set in a creepy world with a screwed up government and you never know who you can trust and who you can't. It was full of unexpected twist and shocking reveals that kept me hooked. I definitely recommend Slated and I'll be grabbing a copy of Fractured ASAP!

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay
Series: No
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: July 23rd 2013
Source: Bought

In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.

Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.

As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

Of Beast and Beauty is one of the most unique and intriguing retellings I've ever read. Based around the fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast, this book tells the story of Isra and Gem. 

Isra has been raised in the city of Yuan and has always know that she would have to sacrifice her life to save her city. Isra lost her sight when she was very young and her father has kept her locked up in his castle because of her monstrous traits. She wants to help the city and help the citizen who possess monstrous traits.
Gem is a Monstrous who lives in the desert with his people. He's willing to risk everything to save his people from starvation. Gem gets caught in Yuan trying to steal the enchanted roses and his freedom is bargained away by his father. Gem and Isra strike up an unlikely friendship. Secrets and betrayals are revealed and Isra has to choose between her city and Gem.

It took me a while to warm up to Isra. Sure, I felt bad for her because she was blind and locked away in her tower, but I didn't instantly like her. Isra was so obsessed with her appearance even though she couldn't see herself. She was constantly going on about her monstrous appearance and how horrible she must look, and it did start to get on my nerves. She never really seemed to care about anyone else to start with. But Isra did grow on me throughout the book. After she regained her sight, Isra started to focus on more important things like trying to treat everyone in her city with the same respect and help everyone. She also became less focused on her appearance and all of the secrets that had been kept from her and the lies she was told were revealed when she regained her sight. Isra grew from a whiny, self-obsessed character into a very driven and determined character who I really admired.

Gem was another character that I was unsure of. I admired his determination to save and protect his people, and also how far he would go for them. But Gem had his secrets and he was deceiving Isra for most of the book, but I did strangely like him. Gem is a thoughtful, strong and determined character. But he had his sweet moments that melted my heart. I loved hearing his stories and even though he tried really hard not to, he started caring for Isra. 

Isra and Gem's relationship is one you know is going to happen right from the start (because it's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast so it was pretty obvious). Just like in the Disney version, I loved seeing the changes in both Isra and Gem as they became involved in each others lives. They both taught each other and help each other grow and it was really nice seeing that all happen. 

There was a lot going on in this story that I just didn't expect. The amount of secrets and lies, backstabbing, twists and unexpected moments was unbelievable. I honestly couldn't believe half of the things I was reading because they were just so horrible! Everything that Isra was put through was awful and terrible and I sympathized with her. I honestly couldn't even imagine being in her position and learning all of the things that she found out. 

I did enjoy the whole take on the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. The whole city of Yuan, the magical roses, the dark magic and the Monstrous were all just amazing. Stacey Jay created such an original and fascinating world and I just lost myself in this book. I adored hearing all of the stories and background to the curse and the city of Yuan, and what caused the Monstrous in the first place. Everything about this book was just enchanting.

Overall, Of Beast and Beauty was a wonderful retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It was full of intriguing stories and unbelievable twist and turns that completely shocked me and drew me further and further into the book. I absolutely adored this retelling and it's definitely one that I recommend.

Alienated by Melissa Landers

Alienated by Melissa Landers
Series: Alienated #1
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: February 4th 2014
Source: Publisher [Netgalley]

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

Alienated is a book I've been looking forward to for so long! I heard about it waaaay back at the start of 2013 and have been dying to get my hands on a copy ever since. So, when I came across a copy on Netgalley I just had to request it and then I was even more excited when my request was accepted! I've been trying not to read this book for so long since I wanted to wait until nearer the release date, and it was definitely worth the wait. I absolutely adored this book!

Alienated follows our main character Cara Sweeney who is going to be sharing her house with an alien. The aliens made contact two years ago and Cara has been picked as one of the first to be involved in the L'eihr exchange program. Cara gets a free ride to any college she wants by participating in this exchange and she thinks her future is set. But then Aelyx arrives and Cara isn't sure what to think of him. He looks identical to her, but he couldn't seem more alien. Cara's town starts rioting and petitioning against the L'eihrs and Cara stars to receive threatening notes. Cara and Aelyx start to grow close, but she doesn't know that Aelyx has been hiding something from her. Something that will have deadly consequences. 

Right from the start I was hooked because Aliens! Ever since reading The Lorien Legacies and The Lux series, I've became a massive fan of aliens and that's the first thing that drew me to this book (well, second because that cover <3) and I was super excited to read it. Luckily, I wasn't let down by Landers aliens. The L'eihrs were... interesting. They physically resembled humans, but they didn't have the same emotions as humans. It was like they were kind of detached from anything that could invoke emotions, so it was definitely an interesting concept. There were also a few other things we learnt about the L'ehirs but I can't really mention because it'll slightly spoil things, so you'll just have to read it and find out for yourselves.

I really loved Cara. When she first heard that she'd been chosen for the program she initially doesn't want to do it but then the money/scholarship to any college she wants sways her. Obviously you're going to be swayed by the opportunity to get into any college you want and I probably would have done the same. But as the book goes on, Cara starts to learn about Aelyx and the L'eihrs, and realises that she's glad she's taken part in the exchange because she's got to meet Aelyx. Cara is a tough character with a strong spirit and she always fights for what she believes in. She's such a sweet and caring character and goes out of her way to make Aelyx feel at home on Earth. Her blog entries had to be one of my favourite parts of the book though. They were hilarious most of the time and always showed how strongly she supported the L'eihrs.

What can I say about Aelyx. Well, he's an alien, he's snarky, arrogant, sweet and I completely fell for him. I will admit that there were moments when I wanted to shake some sense into him, but for the most part I loved him. Aelyx was completely out of his comfort zone on Earth. He doesn't know anything and it was actually pretty hilarious seeing him integrate into the human world because he was just completely baffled by it. As the book went on, Aelyx developed into such a fantastic character. He was so different from the boy alien that he was at the start of the book and I adored the change in him. 

Aelyx and Cara's relationship is now one of my favourites. It took a while for their friendship to develop at the start. Cara instantly liked Aelyx, but Aelyx was holding back and was too focus on his 'mission' to think about making friends. But they're basically thrown together and their friendship is definitely one of my favourites. And then their friendship developed into romance and it was just so adorable. There was just this connection between then and when they both finally acknowledged it, it left me so happy. Melissa Landers can definitely write make out scenes *fans self* I mean, just, wow.

The story line actually surprised me. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. There were a lot more thing going on than I'd anticipated. Obviously I adored seeing Aelyx and Cara's friendship develop, I also enjoyed seeing Aelyx adjusting to life on Earth. Cara was being targeted by the anti-L'eihr and it let to threats and acts of violence against her, so that was definitely interesting to see even if it did make me sick to my stomach that people were willing to take their protests that far. I also enjoyed seeing what Aelyx was doing for his 'mission' even if it did make me want to punch him after the consequences were revealed. I never expected there to be a lot of action in this book, but the ending was craaaaaazy! And I'm not even exaggerating because it totally was and was totally unexpected. But I loved it. I'm super excited for Invaded now because I'm looking forward to learning more about L'eihr and the aliens, plus, I'm looking forward more Aelyx and Cara because they're just adorable.

Overall, I ended up enjoying Alienated a lot more than I thought I would. I loved the aliens, the story line, the romance and everything else about this book. I need to buy my own copy purely to have that pretty cover on my shelf (It's totally not so that I can re-read the make out scenes. Definitely not...) It's definitely one I'd recommend if you're looking for something light and fluffy with a bit of action thrown in because it'd be perfect.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick
Series: No
Publisher: Headline
Publication Date: August 15th 2013
Source: Won - Goodreads First Reads

How would you spend your birthday if you knew it would be your last?

Eighteen-year-old Leonard Peacock knows exactly what he'll do. He'll say goodbye.

Not to his mum - who he calls Linda because it annoys her - who's moved out and left him to fend for himself. Nor to his former best friend, whose torments have driven him to consider committing the unthinkable. But to his four friends: a Humphrey-Bogart-obsessed neighbour, a teenage violin virtuoso, a pastor's daughter and a teacher.

Most of the time, Leonard believes he's weird and sad but these friends have made him think that maybe he's not. He wants to thank them, and say goodbye.

I've been meaning to get around to Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock ever since I won a copy back in August, but I just haven't been in the mood for it. It's one of those books that I just had to be in a certain mood to read and every time I went to read it previously, I just couldn't get through it. But I finally got around to reading it! It did take me a bit longer than expected to get through, but I did end up enjoying this book. 

It follows 18 year old Leonard Peacock who has decided to kill himself on his 18th birthday. He's decided he's going to say goodbye to his 4 friends and kill his ex-best friend before killing himself.

Leonard was a very odd but interesting character. He has his own way of thinking which I found really interesting and hearing about why he wanted to kill himself was heartbreaking. His mother basically didn't care about him, his father has disappeared off the face of the Earth and Leonard just feels like he's all alone. He doesn't fit in and he just wants to find his place in the world. He wanted to find someone who loved him. 

The letters from the future did slightly confuse me to start with because I was wondering where the fit in to this whole story, and then I found out the truth behind them and it did slightly break me. It just made my heart ache for Leonard. The letters also showed how talented Leonard was though. 

Finding out Leonard's reason behind why he wanted to kill Asher (former best friend) was interesting. Throughout the whole novel I was wondering what caused Leonard to hate him so much, and then we found out. What Asher did was unforgivable, but Leonard was taking things to the extreme wanting to kill him. But Leonard never had anyone to talk to, or anyone that he could confide in so his anger towards Asher just built up inside him. 

I enjoyed the story line of this book and I really did enjoy seeing Leonard's journey from start to end. Leonard went through a lot throughout this whole book and I did really love seeing his journey. It was an emotional journey, but it was a brilliant one.

Overall, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock was a brilliant novel. I didn't know if I was going to enjoy it, but it was just such a fantastic novel and I love Matthew Quick's writing style. 

Unhinged by A. G. Howard

Unhinged by A. G. Howard
Series: Splintered #2
Publisher: Amulet
Publication Date: January 7th 2014
Source: Bought

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.

Ever since I read Splintered last year, I've been dying to get my hands on the sequel! After all the twists and surprises at the end of the book, I was excited to see what Unhinged had in store for me. I actually ended up loving Unhinged more than Splinitered. Maybe it was because there was more Morpheus, or maybe it was just because the story line of this one was so much more interesting and shocking (but I definitely think Morpheus played a part in me enjoying this one more). 

Unhinged had me on my toes from the moment I started reading it. It's been a year since Alyssa took her trip to Wonderland and she's doing her best to forget it and move on with Jeb. But Morpheus refuses to let Alyssa forget since Wonderland has gone into chaos because Queen Red has escaped. Morpheus does everything in his power to convince Alyssa to come back to Wonderland and Alyssa starts to realise that Morpheus might actually be telling the truth. Alyssa realises that if she stays in the human realm, she'll be endangering the people she loves but if she goes to Wonderland, she might lose a lot more.

Alyssa is such a strange and weird character, but I love her. She's feisty, stubborn and extremely determined. I loved seeing her fight for herself in this book because she's just got this power about her that I love seeing. I also really loved when Alyssa was true to herself and just let herself go. Those were the times when Alyssa was truly herself and were the times that I just completely loved her.

I know you guys will probably be wondering whether I'm Team Jeb or Team Morpheus, well, I'm definitely Team Morpheus. I know, I know! He's a deceitful, cunning, untrustworthy character... but I can't help but love him. A lot about Morpheus' character is revealed in this book and it helps you understand why he is the way he is, which just made me love him more. Morpheus can be sweet and caring when he wants to be and I just adore seeing that side of him. But I do like his bad side too.
Jeb is a sweetheart and I do really like him. He's protective and a really nice guy, but he's just missing something for me. I do like him and Alyssa together, but I'm rooting for Morpheus and Alyssa.

The story line of this book was craaaazy! And that's no exaggeration. Every time there was a twist dropped, it wasn't long before another one came along and messed everything up again. Alyssa was having an inner battle with herself because she didn't know who she wanted to be for most of the book. She was trying to ignore her true feelings. Jeb was off trying really hard to make sure he and Alyssa would be comfortable in London, and some really weird and crazy stuff happens to him. Morpheus was being his usual lying and cunning self, trying to deceive Alyssa and get her to come back to Wonderland with him. Alyssa was trying to build a relationship with her mother now that she understands why her mother did what she did, but her mother is hiding things from her. Red has escaped into the human realm and is determined to get Alyssa. Sister Two has also made into the human realm and is out for revenge. So yeah, there was a hell of a lot going on in this book and I loved every single second of it.

The ending was jaw dropping. The action and the fighting at the end had me on my toes because I just knew something bad was going to happen (I'd been warned to have tissues near so I was prepared for the worst). It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be, but it was still very shocking and unbelievable and I kind of just sat and stared at the book for a while trying to wrap my head around what had happened. It was just insane! The last chapter was really intriguing because now I just can't stop thinking about what's going to happen next!

Overall, Unhinged was a fantastic follow up to Splintered. Definitely my favourite of the trilogy so far. I can't believe I've got to wait until 2015 for Ensnared, but I'm just super excited for it so I'm kind of hoping this year goes by pretty fast!