Pages: 310
Publication date: August 23, 2011

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

How I got the copy: ARCycling for review 

Rating:  4 Stars
  

     
  

From Goodreads:

As a child, Gretchen's twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch's forest threatening to make them disappear, too.

Years later, when their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak, South Carolina. They're invited to stay with Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who molds sugary magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion.

Life seems idyllic and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past -- until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel. He tells her the witch isn't gone -- it's lurking in the forest, preying on girls every year after Live Oak's infamous chocolate festival, and looking to make Gretchen its next victim. Gretchen is determined to stop running and start fighting back. Yet the further she investigates the mystery of what the witch is and how it chooses its victims, the more she wonders who the real monster is.

Gretchen is certain of only one thing: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry.

    I've never read Hansel and Gretel, but I knew the base of the story.  Two kids are lost in the forest leaving a trail of breadcrumbs and find the candy house with the witch inside that wants to eat them.  I wasn't sure how Jackson was going to be able to make this into a YA friendly retelling.  somehow she took this really disturbing story and made it fun and entertaining.  And yet she captured that dark and creepy tone that made it feel true to the original tale.

     Gretchen's character really grew during the story.  I'm such a fan of character development so I was very happy to see this progress over time.  What I did find odd was her strange trust in Sophia, the chocolatier.  As someone who was so scared of the witch, why would she trust a complete stranger especially when things started getting weird?

    But with that said, I found myself trusting Sophia too.  I wanted to like her even when things started making her seem shady.  I wish I had read Sisters Red first because I feel like I wasn't understanding everything that was going on.  Also, for anyone who has read this.  Is the chocolate supposed to have magical powers?  I was really confused by the confidence inducing chocolate oranges.  This was definitely a page turner and probably my favorite retelling so far. 

Number of Pgs.: 371 

Publication date: January 1, 2013

Publisher: A. G. Howard
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fairytale Retelling

How I got the copy: library

Rating:  3.5/4 stars

From Goodreads:

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. 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.

Plot: 5/10

Characters: 7/10

Setting: 8/10

Pacing: 7/10

Style: 5/10

Cover: Even after staring at this cover for months in anticipation, I still think it's gorgeous.  I love how all the colors pop.  Feels like it should be holographic or something.

32+50=82 (4 Stars)

After talking about how excited I was for this book for almost a full year...

I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but I almost DNFed this book.

Why you ask?  I was having trouble getting into the story.  The first half of the book was kind of slow and there was hardly any action.  I was confused because I thought I signed up for a book that took place in Wonderland and I didn't want to wait 100 pages to get there.  Once I got past the first half of the book I literally could not put it down.  I read the last 200 pages in one sitting and stayed up  late.  It wasn't until the last few chapters that I was incredibly hooked and decided I'd continue the series.  I havvveee to know who Alyssa decides to be with and what Wonderland holds in the future.

Alyssa was such a unique character.  She's more of a tomboy which you hardly ever see in YA, even books where the main character is kick ass.  Alyssa skateboards, blue highlights and dreadlocks her hair(is that even a verb?).  Once she's in Wonderland she has a pretty funky outfit that I plan to try to create for my next Passion for Bookish Fashion so keep an eye out for that.  It involves striped socks!  I found it hard to connect with her character though.  I think she didn't really have any layers.  Even though she was unique she was kind of bland.  Her character did really grow up and change which I enjoyed watching.