DNF Review: Unhinged (A.G. Howard)

Title: Unhinged
Series: Splintered, Book 2
Author: A.G. Howard
Publisher: Amulet Books
Release Date: January 7, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Dark Retelling
Told: First Person (Alyssa), Present Tense
Content Rating: up to Chapter 6 (sensuality, disturbing situations)
Format Read: ARC (trade)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase On: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Summary:

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. 

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I did not finish this book. I stopped at Chapter 6.

Series: This is the second book in the three-book Splintered series. You can read my 2013 review of Book 1, Splintered, here, and my 2019 re-read notes here.

While I somewhat enjoyed Splintered, there was always something about it that rubbed me the wrong way, although I could never put my finger on it. Still, I decided to try and binge the entire trilogy. 

As I began Unhinged, I quickly realized that my earlier problem was probably a lack of happy mediums. The overall story is one of madness and normalcy, but while the madness is expectedly disturbing, the normalcy is almost just as unsettling with dark art and fashion, unsavory hangout spots, and unstable families - not a happy medium to offer a madness respite. Then there's Alyssa: she is so strong and yet also so weepy and weak - I recall her screaming and generally flailing a lot in Splintered but it didn't fit her actions or personality. And then there are the boys, aka love interests: on the "normal" side we have a suffocatingly protective human who would rather Alyssa be a damsel in distress who can't do a thing for herself, and on the "mad" side we have a man who would actually kill her to force her to do everything herself. I have never liked either, and Unhinged escalated my dislike of both boys by leaps and bounds in only the first 6 chapters.

Conclusion: Although I am an Alice's Adventures fan and will always try a retelling, with its constant madness, contrasting MC, and no boy worth shipping I just can't bring myself to waste any more time on this series.

Paragraph Manga Review: The Young Master's Revenge Series (Meca Tanaka)

Title: The Young Master's Revenge
Original Title: Kimi no Koto nado Zettai ni (Japanese)
Author: Meca Tanaka
Volumes Reviewed: 4 (complete series)
Publisher: VIZ Media
Release Date: March 6, 2018 - December 4, 2018
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance Comedy
Content Rating: Teen (bare buttocks, light bullying)
Format Read: Paperback (purchased)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase On: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Summary (for Volume 1):

Love's revenge can be sweet.

When Leo was a young boy, he had his pride torn to shreds by Tenma, a girl from a wealthy background who was always getting him into trouble. Now, years after his father's successful clothing business has made him the heir to a fortune, he searches out Tenma to enact a dastardly plan--he'll get his revenge by making her fall in love with him!

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The Young Master's Revenge is a 4-volume story about the fine line between love and hate, and a boy who straddles it. The story follows a sweet but somewhat sadistic boy whose love for an oblivious but good-hearted girl has become warped after a mortifying childhood incident. After years away he returns to exact revenge on her for his embarrassment, but instead discovers the root of his protective and possessive feelings towards her and must work to become a better person. While some could have a little trouble with the way he initially bullies her, I thought this was a sweet young romance with strong characters, good humor, and an engaging plot drawn in a cute style. The end was a little weepy for me, but otherwise it was a rather adorable happily ever after.

Conclusion: If you enjoy short, lighthearted young romances with fun characters, a little light sadism, and adorable pig dogs, then definitely give The Young Master's Revenge a try! All 4 volumes are available now from VIZ Media.

Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles

Paragraph Review: Ink and Bone (Rachel Caine)

Title: Ink and Bone
Series: The Great Library, Book 1
Author: Rachel Caine
Publisher: New American Library (NAL)
Release Date: July 7, 2015
Genre: Young Adult Alternate Fantasy
Told: Third Person (Jess), Past Tense
Content Rating: Older Teen (violence, death, war, intense situations, kissing)
Format Read: ARC (trade)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase On: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Summary:

In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time…

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When his friend inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn…

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Ink and Bone was one of those books I really enjoyed but can't put my finger on exactly why. It was just a really good read as a whole: an engaging voice, a strong cast of characters I (mostly) kept straight, vivid settings and description, and an intriguing alternate history and story. If there was one thing that did stand out for me though, it was a lack of foreshadowing. I had little idea what would happen next at any given moment, but I enjoyed it that way as I shared in Jess's surprise, shock, and anguish. It wasn't a light story with its smugglers and book burners and countries at war, but I wouldn't call it a heavy story either. It had the comfortable weight of Harry Potter, an elite society with a full history and world power, and the boy who joins its ranks and discovers the light but also very dark sides of it. The book ended on a complete arc with no cliffhanger, although there is definitely more to Jess's story. Like what came before I have almost no idea what to expect from the next book or the rest of the five-book series, and very much look forward to finding out what happens to Jess and the Great Library in Book 2, Paper and Fire.

Series: There are 5 books in The Great Library series. As of this review, 4 are currently available, with the 5th and last releasing September 3, 2019. You can check out the entire series, along with a few short stories, on Goodreads here.

Scribble Rating: 

4.5 of 5 Scribbles