Wonderland

Wonderland

Robert McKay

If the title of this book sounds familiar, it is. Wonderland is the story of Alice and the Looking Glass with a twist. A superbly science-fiction otherworldly twist. In McKay’s take on the classic Alice story, Alice is more than the humble Lewis Carroll version, she is a feisty 13 year old who seeks adventure and the life of a pirate. Her mother isn’t supportive of her daughter’s dream and this begins the adventure of Alice in an intergalactic setting.

Don’t be expecting a talking white rabbit in this story! In this adaptation, the White Rabbit is a pirate ship/creature that speaks, and is, of course, late for a very important date. The Cheshire cat is a cat-man, Tweedle-Dee and his brother Tweedle-Dum are characters that you might expect to meet on South Beach pumping iron and showing off their muscles. So if you are expecting a Disney cartoon type tale, forget it. This retelling brings new life to some characters we thought we knew.

It was nice to read a book where each and every character added to the overall story and plot movement. The characters were memorable and each one we remember from the Carroll novel, Disney film or other version has an integral part to play in Alice’s adventure. Even if you have never read the original or seen the Disney movie, this is a book you will enjoy reading. I even liked the evil Queen! What a solid and lovingly evil character she is!

All in all I enjoyed the plot, the story and characters, I found it intriguing the way he changed the feel and look of the story.

Ambrosia Chronicles

Ambrosia Chronicles

By K.C.Simos  

Genre YA Fiction/Fanasty

Books 1-3 The Discovery,The Initiation,The Curse

Law student Alex is pretty normal as the average girl goes. After the worries of exams are over she runs into her crush from high school, Ian. After an encounter with some brutal strangers she is trusted with the great responsibility of keeping a powerful lock safe until she reaches the final destination. Along the way, she gets to know her former high school teacher and her professors’ younger brother. She came to some shocking realizations about the world she lives in. Sudden betrayal, action and adventure lurk around every corner in the series drama and romance also make an appearance.

My Thoughts.

Alex is a nice girl who is definitely relatable. The story seemed to move along nicely and had just enough information about the characters and didn't over-do it with descriptions about what they were wearing. The book included unexpected twists and a bit of violence. I didn't want to stop reading, it blended perfectly, and the plot was well thought out. The books didn't go off topic like similar stories or throw too much at me so I didn't know what was going on. The characters progressed wonderfully they all became different and definitely grew in their own way.

I felt a little bit of disappointment when I read about her having multiple powers. I  hoped this wouldn’t turn into a (oh she's so powerful overnight thing) but instead showed her struggles with getting along with certain people and with handling her powers. I loved the shocking revelations and the sad ending it was a wonderful way to complete the series. As more characters were introduced i found myself liking them and enjoying what they brought none felt unneeded to the story they all seemed to go well together.

This story is best suited for ages 13 and up (any younger have parent read it and see if its’ alright for you to read.)

Book 1: 252 pages

Book 2: 266 pages

Book 3: 233 pages

Total: 751 pages