Without spoiling too much, we still have the bit of a love triangle as in the first book, Alyssa with Jeb and Morpheus. Now, it is Morpheus on the beautiful cover of this book. But as wonderful as he is, and of course I haven't seen Jeb, I'm still Team Jeb. I've just never been into that type of "androgynous" guy, as he is described in the story. I'm more of the boy next door, although things about Jeb make him not quite that way, I have been into a little bit more of the tattooed "bad boy" that Jeb has kind of become. Jeb has come home from London, where he has been working on getting a place set up for himself and Alyssa to go after she graduates. He's come back in time to go to prom with her. His sister Jenara is so excited that she got Alyssa to go, mainly because Alyssa found a dress from a movie about zombies I think, that she wanted to wear. Of course Alyssa has been getting dreams from Morpheus again, about how horrible things are in Wonderland, and how Red is loose and wreaking havoc. And Alyssa's paintings come to life with just a drop of her blood, and it turns out that they are prophetic, predicting what is going to happen in this fight with Red to save Wonderland. Finally Morpheus comes back to try to convince Alyssa to return to Wonderland to help defeat Red.
We learn so many things about the past in this one though, really interesting things! Alyssa's mom Allison was able to come home at the end of the last book, and we learn what her life might have been like, and how she might have known Morpheus, and what her time in Wonderland did to affect Alyssa. We also learn that there is something about Alyssa's dad that makes him more than just another "human." There are also some mysterious characters around. Like Ivy, the art agent that is trying to help Jeb succeed. At first Alyssa is jealous of her, until she begins to have premonitions that something might not be quite right about this situation. And then in Alyssa's mosaics there is a shadowy unknown woman in them, and when they find out who it is, well let's just say it is one more dangerous obstacle in their way to not only save Wonderland, but to go on living.
The tension between Morpheus and Alyssa is there, but she knows she loves Jeb. To the point that she even sees how much she hurts Morpheus when she tells him that she is in love with Jeb. But she knows that her netherling side does want to be free, and does want Morpheus. And while I said that I didn't think I would find Morpheus "hot" right off the bat, he is very sarcastic, and can be quite amusing. So I can see the attraction in that way.
This book does not suffer from what I will call the "sophomore syndrome". Not sure if I heard that somewhere, or what, but 2nd books often are not that great, you can tell they are only a bridge in a way to get to the 3rd. This book is just as exciting as the first one, although we don't really spend any time in Wonderland proper. We do get many flashbacks to times in the world, as well as get to experience many of the creatures as they come over to our world.
So, yeah, lots of gushing on my part, but I feel this was kind of an all over the place review, I didn't want to spoil anything, but had to talk about some of the story! Now, if you still haven't read the first one, Splintered, or have, but would just like to own your own copy, I'm having a giveaway right HERE. I'm also having a giveaway for a book of your choice up to $18 from when I reached 1800 followers, so go enter that HERE if you are a follower.
Now, off to start harassing Ms. Howard for how long I'll have to wait to read what happens to Jeb and Alyssa and Morpheus and her mom, and her dad, etc.
