There’s No Place like Oz: Vicious Wonders

Vicious Wonders #2

by Leann Belle

The road to Hell is paved with Yellow Bricks....

I was perfectly single and content up until the wild winds brought me to this strange world of Oz. Suddenly I'm a hero who killed a wicked witch, and my dog, Toto, is startlingly a tall, gorgeous, dark-haired one at that, who's ready to ruthlessly protect me from all of the strange creatures along the Yellow Brick Road.

Then the scarecrow showed up, a so called tin man, and a "lion." They all want something from me, and I don't know if I can give it to them. Not with the Wicked Witch of the West hot on my ruby red heels. My only hope is that this Wizard everyone keeps talking about will break all of our curses. If he doesn't, I may just have to take matters into my own hands. Then they'll all be sorry.

At least I'll be getting some cute shoes out of it.

There's No Place Like Oz is a reimagining of Wizard of Oz with a reverse harem twist. This darker, grittier version of a classic tale will keep you as on edge as our heroine, with touches of horror and lots of heat amidst the twisted romance. You'll love it if you prefer your enemies to lovers and your friends to lovers romances with multiple possessive, morally gray love interests who love to put their "good girl" to the test.

Genres: Fantasy, Dark Romance, Retellings, Dark, Romance, Why Choose, Paranormal

Audible Audio

First published May 22, 2023

About the author

Leann Belle was born and raised in Los Angeles as an eternal dreamer, a hardcore gamer, and obsessive anime, manga, and JRPG nerd. Having fallen in love with countless villains, she immediately fell in love with the dark side of romance, and her lifelong love affair with Japanese horror and fantasy has heavily influenced her writing style as she crafts vicious and magical worlds.

When she’s not typing away behind her laptop, she’s living out of a tent off the back of her motorcycle on her quest to ride around the world. The wilderness is the best place to catch up on reading, after all!

Reviews

[Anastasia ｼ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars, dnf - 22% (pg. 86/87)

I'm not sure what to say, I just couldn't get past 22%, when Dorothy and Toto got to Oz.

Toto "Tobias" becoming a human (and assuming he's in the harem - couldn't get past the thought of her possibly fucking her DOG!), Scarecrow felt very 'pervy' or too much?, also the bit with Scarecrow and Tin Soldier at the beginning (I'm not opposed to MM) but it just felt weird as in creepy weird and awkward/wasn't done right IMO.

Maybe I'll come back to this at some point since its on KU... but ahh I'm sorry I couldn't.

[Blue · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf -45% - It reads like a fanfic, wasn't really into this. I love Dorothy and Oz but not this version.

[Leann Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally get to share this book with everyone, and I am so ridiculously excited about it! This ended up being a way more ambitious project than I thought it would be when I first imagined it, but you're definitely in for a ride with this one!

When I first decided to twist Wizard of Oz, I went back and read the original book by Frank Baum that was published in 1900, and it was so different than what I'd expected from my knowledge of the movie. It ended up being a camping filled road trip with some cute little side stories instead of the linear tale of Dorothy meeting misfit friends and dumping water on a wicked witch, and I stared at my word document like "What have I gotten myself into" for weeks.

And then I sat down and got to know these characters, and I started just falling in love with hanging out with each of the guys. Everyone's trauma and quirks gave me so much to explore, and I hope everyone finds something to love in each of them!

I love road trips and camping as much as I love epic fantasy, and as you've probably guessed if you read We're All Mad Here, I also love horror, so this is a big package of all my favorite things. It's perhaps a bit darker than We're All Mad Here in some ways, and a bit more sweet in others (would love to hear opinions on that though!), and I think it will successfully ruin this children's book for everyone forever, haha

That said, happy reading, and I hope everyone enjoys their stay in Oz!

[SmuttyBooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was just ok, the smut was p good. but the dialogue was.. kinda cringe and it felt like a fanfic

[Rebekah (Bekah) · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off this is the second book in her series of retelling’s but you don’t need to read the first to follow this book. I didn’t and I love this book!

I’ll say this I was excited to read this retelling of Oz simply because I’ve never been a true Wizard of Oz fan but this dark twisty plot kept me entranced. I started reading it May 2nd and finished it by May 8th. Only took that long because I’m a single mom and I had to take care of my kiddo.

This story was so fun, super descriptive and loads of entertaining for me. The first twist thrown at us readers almost made me stop reading but because I desperately wanted to know if I was right about what was going to happen I kept reading and you know what? It was worth it to continue the ride. Her descriptions of Oz and the characters were intriguing and so very enticing and made me feel like I was there with Dorothy and her male counterparts on this journey.

We all know Dorothy and in this journey she’s similar but not really. She talks about her insecurities and faces them which I love. She’s daring and unsure about so much it’s wonderful to relate to her.

Tobias (Toto) meeting him in Oz was what almost made me stop reading. But his gentle soul made me want to know if I was right.

Meeting Crowe (scarecrow) was what kept me reading. I love his dark edge and her descriptions of him!

Leon (lion) I love him I want to keep him forever, bite me please Leon.

Talos (tinman) I’ll take him too! He’s sweet and quiet but you know he’s always there and I want his metal bones to love me forever.

I’m so grateful I got to be an arc reader for this book because it truly made me want to read more by Leann Belle and I plan to. I love finding new authors to support in my reading adventures.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kirsten | Bookish.kir · Rating 4 out of 5]

- Dark
- Why Choose (mmfmm)
- Wizards of Oz reimagining
- Touches of horror/gore (check TWs)

Shortly after moving back to Kansas to help her Aunt Em, Dorothy is caught up in a tornado that drops her and her emotional support pup, Toto, in Oz. Where she is then caught accidentally killing the wicked witch and stealing her shoes by the munchkins who now believe she is some sort of sorceress who’s there to fulfill a twisted prophecy. Dorothy travels with her four male companions to Emerald City in search of the wizard who will hopefully grant their wishes and break their curses.

I had read Leann’s Alice in Wonderland retelling and when I saw she was writing a Wizard of Oz one I just knew I had to read it!
I was not disappointed, it’s dark and twisted and oh so good. I thought the twists on the original story were interesting, I found the characters likable (Dorthy took a bit, but we got there) and the overall spice was pretty decent. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🔥🔥.5

[Sienna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐
3/5 🌶️

Tropes
- Small Town Girl Trying to Make It Big
- Reverse Harem
- "The Quest"
- The OG Isekai
- Dark Romance
- Fairytale Retelling

📖 My Thoughts
As a dark retelling of The Wizard of Oz, I wasn't sure what I was getting into. I'm glad I didn't go in with any expectations, because they would have been blown away the moment the slaughter started. 😂 We start off with our FMC Dorothy, who is a small town girl who tried and failed to get her big break in Hollywood. She's on her way home to Kansas with more trauma in her bag than clothes, alongside her emotional support pup, Toto. Honestly the modern language and slang threw me off at first. I got used to it, but it's definitely something I didn't end up liking. Que tornado and one way trip to Oz, and here's where things start to take a turn. Everything happy and light about the original book and movie has been twisted and warped into something horrifying and sick. And I loved every minute of it! There's blood, and gore, and murder, and cannibalism, as well as extreme kinks and messed up situations. Really this book had it all. And the twist at the end? Never saw it coming! Overall, the Scarecrow "Crowe" was my favorite character, and I wish we had gotten even more of him than we already did.

What I liked:
- The darkness of the world of Oz is really intriguing and gives the story something unique.
- I also really liked the characters. Each of them are traumatized and broken in their own ways and the metaphor of them healing mentally while physically on a quest to break their curses is very satisfying.

What I didn't like:
- The tonal shifts. One moment you're covered in blood and gore, and the next you're joking around. It was very jarring and I feel like it could have been handled a little better if the author wanted something like a dark comedy, which is essentially what this is.
- I also felt like this could have been a little darker. Each witch is supposed to be evil and we kind of get an explanation as to why, but I feel we needed more time to explore Oz and really see the fruits of their crimes. This book just needed to be longer and have less filler/more worldbuilding.
- By the same token, I felt like I didn't get enough time with the MMCs either even with all the camping and traveling, with Tobias (Toto) being the exception. Even when it was the MMC's pov, I felt like we didn't learn as much about them as I wanted. Two of the MMCs don't get together with Dorothy until the last 3rd of the book, and it just feels like their relationships had no time to develop.


⚠️ Triggers
Dubious Consent, Gore, Violence, Kidnapping, References to Cannibalism (not depicted), Murder of minor characters, Fear and Blood used in sexual context, Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, Threats of dismemberment (not depicted), Knife Play, Blood Play, Choking, Abusive/Toxic Relationships

!!! Representation
Two of the MMCs seem to have a thing with eachother. There's one small scene and then some mentions, but I wish it was more explicitly explored.

🌶️ Spice
The spice was certainly interesting, and well-written. There's approximately eight spicy scenes in this book, most of which are pretty vanilla apart from one very messed up Dubious Consent scene that has some fear and bloodplay, and ends in murder. 😂 As well as an end scene with DP.

[Twyla Rae Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 solid stars! Shockingly titillating, and oh so satisfying.

Leann Belle gave me something for my fantasies that I didn't know I needed. I want an unfeeling, devoted man like Crowe. Don't judge me for enjoying the depravity that is the land of Oz.
The author is masterfully wicked.



Trigger warnings. There are many potential triggers. There is dubcon, gore, blood, torture, and hardcore sexual content that isn't for everyone. Dorothy frankly states that her men are "hot psychopaths with trauma".

This is bizarre and brutal dark fantasy. Yet, it is completely captivating, pulling you in chapter by chapter toward all four directions of Oz. You can't unsee what you've seen on Dorothy's quest.

"We were all broken and vicious things in this twisted world of Oz."

The unique broken nature of each character is ingenious writing. I didn't expect to become so emotionally invested in the outcome of their individual journeys. As dark as this novel is, the author writes beautifully crafted three dimensional characters that quickly become beloved by the reader.

This novel has everything I expected in an erotic reverse harem, and more. There is so much depth in the author's descriptive writing. Travelling the yellow brick road is a blend of ongoing foreplay and significant world building.

I don't want to give away spoilers. This book is full of delightful (and sometimes shocking) surprises as the author reveals alternative identities for the familiar characters from the original Wizard of Oz universe. There's No Place Like Oz is a drastically different erotic reworking of the PG friendly version we all grew up with.

I thoroughly enjoyed (and squealed over) the anticipation of wondering what the author's versions of the well loved Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Toto would be, as they were revealed one by one. I know all four men will captivate your heart...if you are as bizarrely drawn to sinfully twisted and mysterious characters as I apparently am.

I hugged my kindle and shed a tear. All while grinning ear to ear.

It's only a short way into the novel that the jarring reality of Oz makes itself known. I think specifically when Dorothy meets Crowe. (That's all I'll reveal). The author did a masterful job of choosing that moment for the reader to decide whether or not to step onto the yellow brick road with Dorothy.

For me, it was like a dousing of ice cold water that quickly became a sizzling warmth that worked its way into every intimate part of my body. I had to keep walking alongside Dorothy.

Leann Belle writes with a frankness that might read like a slap in the face to some. But it left me thankful for the jarring reality check that is her version of Oz.

I look forward to more Vicious Wonders.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nicole Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received and Advanced Reader Copy and am voluntarily reviewing it. This Oz ain't the Oz we know. The witches are crazy and sadistic. Some things are still the same. Dorothy is caught up in a storm in her farm house in Kansas with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. Sheltering with her emotional support dog, Toto. The tornado lifts the house up and it lands in Oz on top of the Wicked Witch of the East. The munchkins declared her and Toto (who is now a human), Tobias, as sorcerers and their blood needed to revitalize their crops. Up on the post is were the meet a scarecrow named Crowe. Finding companions gave Crowe a reason to get down. The only solution to Dorothy's problem lay with the Wizard of Oz and they journey down the yellow brick road to OZ.

On their journey they find a tin man, Talos and a lion, Leon. The four of them journey to Oz to meet with the Wizard. The wizard tells them the only way to release the spells on each of them is to continue to kill the rest of the Wicked Witches in the West, South and North. Each mission is somehow worse than the one before. Will the connection they are forging be one that will stand the test of time? Will everyone get what they want?

This book is definitely a different take on the original story. It is much darker and a lot steamier. The relationship between the four main characters evolve in ways readers will not believe. I can't wait to read the other books in this series. These retellings make you look at those fairytales in a different light. A darker light and I am here for it.

[Alysha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wizard of Oz why choose retelling?? Sign me up!

The book starts out with Dorothy and her emotional support dog Toto leaving LA and heading back to Kansas. A massive cyclone rips her house apart and she lands in Oz and kills the wicked witch. But Toto isn’t exactly the cute dog that he seems.

During her journey, she meets the scarecrow, the lion, and the tin man. All of her guys, including Toto (Tobias) have been cursed by different witches in Oz and forced to be what they are now. They make their way to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard who tells her she must bring him back each magical artifact from each witch to cure her guys.

It’s a whole ass adventure they go on with secrets and truths revealed along the way.

The world building was great. The spice was good. Overall I enjoyed the book.

I received an arc from BookSirens for free and am leaving this review voluntarily

[Lauren Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second book in the Vicious Wonders series. Wizard of Oz retelling but make it smutty. Healing toxic mindsets! I didn’t expect things to go that way at all! Sexual fluidity. Mate bonds. Multiple MMC’s. It was so fun & extremely dark. Thier powers transfer to her by their *winky face you know what. Lmfao! Loved this one!

[A]

I'm unsure why so many people didn't finish the story. Maybe it was too graphic because of how intense some themes could be, including erotica, killing, bondage, and same sex interactions. I am a fan of anything related to the Wizard of Oz period. Of course, you have the same characters that go by different names, and as you delve deeper, you realize why they came to be, which holds a twist of its own.

However, a notable change is that the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Lion were all puppets of the wicked witches and endured torture, which they used to do their bidding when it came to torturing others in their realm. Wanting to gain something that was lost or taken from them by the witches still holds true in which they will have to go to the great wizard of oz. Oz asks them for one relic from the wicked witches before they can get their hearts' desire. As the story progresses, they all create a bond that hits "deep" (pun intended).

To me, the spice factor was high. The story is only a few chapters in where the characters are not intertwined with one another. If you prefer not have multiple characters sharing at the same time this book may not be for you. Or if you’re looking for a Wizard of Oz story that has a heartwarming feel, this might not be for you either. However, it still explores bonds, friendships, and even forgiveness, both for oneself and others.

I liked this book, and the author also has recreations of Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland. I can't say I'm not tempted to pick up at least those two to see how those stories unfold.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️’s for There’s No Place Like Oz by Leann Belle. This is a dark romance, paranormal, RH, retelling of the Wizard of Oz. The Oz books are some of my favorites. I own the series and now I want to read them again. The author does the retelling from the book rather than the movie and fans like myself can tell the difference.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for character development. This is always tricky for authors as there are so many characters in a RH. In this one you have the Wizard and three additional witches as major characters too. The author does a great job developing these characters to her book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for plot/storyline. Although the author utilized quite a bit of the original story in the beginning, her unique retelling really begins when Toto finds Dorothy after the house lands in Oz. I wasn’t overly fond of the beginning of the book without any unique twists.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for grammar, spelling and word choice. This book is well written.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ for spice. I wish I could rate this higher but there is zero sexual tension in the first half of the book. I count sexual tension as spice because it makes the spice so much better.

If you are a fan of The Wizard of Oz and a fan of dark romance RH books, then you will love this book. I recommend giving the book a try even if you are not a fan of Oz.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent book! Yes, there are potential triggers. Make sure you read the list!

This was a fantastical book taking place mostly in Oz. The author took the story from what was originally written and made it her own. The house, the slippers (OMG - I can't say anything other than the author made them silver like they should be :) - I won't say anything more about that! You need to read the book to find out more about the slippers), the wicked witches, Oz… Taking this story and bringing it to life with her own interpretation was skillful and a total success!

If you find that you can get past the triggers, READ THIS. It's so much more than a retelling. It's a work of art !!

I'm about to read the third in this series and am so excited about it along with any of her books.

Of note, I did receive an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[mistylovesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is dark why choose Wizard of Oz retelling. It starts basically the same as the real one. Dorothy comes home with her dog Toto to live with her Auntie Em after not making it in Hollywood and gets swept up in a tornado.
When they land in Oz Dorothy accidentally unalives the wicked witch and gets her shoes.
What’s different is Toto is now a man named Tobias. The munchkins attempt to sacrifice them to get their crops to grow and that’s where they meet Crowe. Crowe saves them and agrees to help them get to the Emerald City.
Along the way they meet Talos, the tin man, and Leon, an alpha lion shifter. All cursed by different witches.
Their adventure is quite different from the original. The Wizard asks much more from them.
This was an interesting retelling that I really enjoyed.

[Alicia BookNookAtoZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted in the Best Way

This book was exactly the kind of unhinged dark smut I didn’t know I needed. Leann Belle throws you headfirst into a corrupted version of Oz that’s equal parts seductive and sinister. It’s a fast-paced, high-heat read with just enough plot to keep you grounded while everything else spirals deliciously out of control.

The spice? Off the charts. The twists? Genuinely unexpected. And the vibes? Absolutely not safe for work—in the best way.

If you’re looking for a filthy, fantastical escape with a very dark edge and a whole lot of heat, this one’s for you. Just make sure to check the trigger warnings—because Oz is not for the faint of heart.

[Mary Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had received this book as an ARC and was excited to read this one after reading We’re all mad here as an ARC and had high expectations for this one and it did not disappoint. The different stories and backgrounds with each character where very interesting and I really loved the ending. Crowe probably was my favorite out of all of them. I did find it interesting that they all had to find the magical artifacts from each which to break the curse and Hysterically laughed when one of them was a dildo 😭😂. Overall was a really good book.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 // 5

A dark, twisted retelling of The Wizard of Oz.

Do not go in with any expectations or ideas of the plot. Although it does stick to the generic Dorothy finds herself in Kansas and must make her way to the emerald city to return home story, it is so much more than that.

I would highly recommend checking the TW for this before committing to the book, it is darker than her Alice in Wonderland retelling I think.

Tobias (Toto) turning into a human almost made me stop reading, it seemed a step too far. But actually Leann managed his character arc better than I could expect.

[Smutty Books Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Oz hath no fury like a wicked witch scorned.”

Dorothy is a struggling actress in LA who heads back to Kansas to help her Aunt and Uncle on the farm. A wild tornado that sends her to the strange world of Oz with her emotional support dog, Toto, who is strangely human…tall, dark and handsome too. Dorothy meets strange and interesting creatures along the way to search for the Wizard who can send her back home to Kansas.

I really enjoyed this dark, RH/Why Choose, reimagining of the Wizard of Oz. The characters were so unique and interesting. Crowe “Scarecrow” is by far my favorite out of the bunch and I enjoyed the connections between all of the characters. I loved watching Dorothy’s character grow from beginning to end.

Rating: 4.5/5
Steam/Spice: 4/5
Tropes:
- why choose/reverse harem/MMFMM
- dark romance
- wizards of oz reimagining
- enemies to lovers
- friends to lovers
- touch her and I’ll unalive you
- multiple morally grey psychopaths and trauma bonds
*Check trigger warnings*

“But just let him try and touch you, sweet girl, and I’ll drench those shoes with his blood.”

“You deserve men who will place the world at your feet, not a heartless monster who will light that world on fire. I’m not willing to be another mistake that makes you cry behind closed doors.”

Final thoughts: This was a great dark reimagining of the Wizard of Oz. I was on the edge of my seat during the 2nd half.

[Sydnie Nova · Rating 4 out of 5]

So excited to see a why choose retelling of one of my favorite classics! This was dark, spicy, and a little bit gory. It immediately captured my attention and I devoured the book in one sitting. The characters were dynamic and had interesting backstory and the way Dorothy meets her "sidekicks" along the way and deals with the Wizard's commands was super thrilling.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This retelling was everything! I got pulled in immediately and did not want to stop listening. But boy was it an experience! I loved that there was a little bit of banter and a lot of flirting but the spice? It was not something I could not listen to at work but it made it all worth it to come back to!! I can’t wait to see what happens next!!

[Chubby Romance Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy freaking heck! Leann Belle did such an amazing job doing a retelling of The Wizard of Oz! To say I was hooked is an understatement! It was dark and twisted and so freaking good, it pulled me back into its world whenever I had time! This was an adult retelling and it did not disappoint!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this retelling. The Toto part did throw me off at first.

[Rebecca Fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I originally received this as an ARC but ended up reading it on KU.

Honestly, this took me a while to read. I found the first half boring. It is a slow burn, which isn't my thing. The action picks up in the second half and the spice in the last quarter. In the end, it still didn't have quite enough spice for me, but that's a me thing.

At the end of the book, she writes an afterward and makes the first half make sense. She based the retelling on the original book, which I have never read, and not the movie where most of us know the story from, so keep that in mind.

I enjoyed the characters and the darkness of the land of Oz. And this is a dark retelling. Crowe is my favorite, but then I always prefer the psycho ones.

In the end, I enjoyed the book just like I enjoyed her Alice in Wonderland retelling. I look forward to her future stories.

[Ana Pau ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

🖤🖤🖤/5

It’s been a while since I read something that felt this original.

And yes, I know what you may be thinking already: “But… isn’t this a retelling?” And technically, yes. It is. But tell me why this book somehow managed to feel fresh in a way a lot of retellings don’t? Because genuinely, this felt less like someone recreating a story and more like an author fully taking inspiration from something beloved and building an entirely new emotional experience around it.

And honestly? I need to applaud Leann Belle for that because this was SUCH a good book 🖤

When I read the first book in the Vicious Wonders series (an Alice in Wonderland retelling), I really liked it. I rated it 4 stars and had a good time with it, but it didn’t fully consume me the way this one did. Still, one thing I immediately noticed even back then was how talented the author is at building characters.

The way she writes trauma, motivations, emotional contradictions, beliefs, relationships… it all feels very intentional. And when authors handle emotionally complicated characters well, I notice.

So I went into this one curious but not fully prepared for how obsessed I would become.

Especially because, unlike Alice in Wonderland, I actually don’t have much personal attachment to The Wizard of Oz. I’ve seen adaptations and movies, obviously, but I’ve never read the original book nor watched the theater version, so I had no idea what direction this story would take.

Which honestly made the reading experience even better because EVERYTHING felt unexpected ✨

First, we follow Dorothy. And not the sweet little child version people usually imagine either. No, this Dorothy feels like a realistic Hollywood disaster in the best possible way. She’s messy, emotionally layered, trying so desperately to survive within a society she doesn’t fully fit into while still wanting to do good and matter and make a difference.

And maybe it’s because that internal contradiction feels painfully human, but I connected with her immediately.

She’s tough, but not cruel. Cynical at times, but never heartless. And throughout the book, watching her slowly evolve emotionally without losing the parts of herself that make her her was genuinely one of my favorite things.

Then we meet Toto 🐾

Or Tobias, technically.

And listen… when I first realized the emotional support dog situation, I was VERY curious about how the author planned to make that work naturally. But somehow? She absolutely did.

Tobias has this warmth to him that immediately balances Dorothy’s sharper edges, but what I appreciated most is that he never feels like he exists solely to emotionally support her.

He has his own fears. His own flaws. His own emotional wounds.

And honestly, those flaws made me love him more because they made him feel approachable instead of idealized. He has such comforting energy while still feeling deeply human. The kind of character that knows how to love people while also quietly struggling himself.

Which… yeah. That got me 🥹

Then the tornado happens, they arrive in Oz, and suddenly the story fully opens up 🌪️

That’s where we meet Crowe, the scarecrow, and oh my GOD this character worked for me.

Because here’s the thing: one of my biggest issues with the whole “cold dangerous morally grey man” archetype is when authors excuse absolutely horrible behavior solely because the character has trauma. And this book does something I appreciated SO much instead.

Crowe is emotionally disconnected. Dangerous. Loyal almost to a fault. Morally complicated. But the story never acts like trauma gives him permission to become cruel for cruelty’s sake.

If anything, his loyalty and commitment become some of the most compelling parts of his character.

And I loved that.

He isn’t sweet in the same way Tobias is sweet, but he has this quieter appeal. The kind that slowly sneaks up on you until suddenly you’re deeply attached to him emotionally 🐦‍⬛

Then there’s Talos.

My sweet emotionally damaged Tin Man🩶

And honestly? Talos may have had some of my favorite emotional moments in the entire book because there’s something so deeply vulnerable about a character who has every reason to close himself off completely and still chooses softness anyway.

He struggles with self-worth. With trust. With feeling broken because of everything he’s endured. But despite all of that, he still contributes so much warmth and humor to the group dynamic.

Watching him slowly learn to trust others genuinely made my heart ache in the best way.

And I think that’s one of the reasons this book worked so well for me emotionally: the trauma here never feels performative. The characters’ emotional wounds actively shape the way they interact with the world, with each other, and with themselves.

The emotional development happens through actions, reactions, loyalty, vulnerability, and relationship dynamics instead of endless exposition telling you how sad everyone is.

Which makes SUCH a difference.

And lastly, we get Leon, the lion shifter who has been robbed of his ability to shift 🦁

What I loved most is how all of these characters are missing something fundamental in different ways, which is amazingly integrated into the plot.

Tobias lost his shifting abilities.

Crowe lost emotional connection.

Talos lost his voice.

Dorothy lost the ability to truly feel like enough.

And Leon kind of becomes the final emotional piece that completes the group dynamic.

He shifts the energy of the story in such an important way and helps introduce a more active layer of conflict while still strengthening the found-family feeling that slowly develops throughout the book.

And yes, I absolutely ate up the dark found family vibes here.

The pacing also deserves praise because this book somehow balances emotional character exploration, worldbuilding, relationship development, plot progression, and multiple POVs without ever feeling overwhelming.

The original Wizard of Oz elements were adapted in ways that actually ADDED depth instead of existing solely for recognition points.

And the plot twist???

INSANE.

Like… genuinely one of those moments where I had to stop reading for a second just to process what had happened. 😭

Also, small thing, but I loved the repeated “There’s no ___ like ___” phrases at the climax of the story. Such a clever way to tie the title into the emotional themes of the book without making it feel forced.

Now for the spice.

Because yes, we need to talk about it 🌶️

The thing I appreciated most is that the spice actually felt connected to the emotional and narrative context of the story instead of existing separately from it.

The shifter dynamics, emotional intimacy, tension, vulnerability… it all enhanced the scenes rather than making them feel randomly inserted for shock value.

So while I wouldn’t call this completely unhinged spice-wise, it was VERY good.

Like… emotionally satisfying spice.

Which, in my opinion, matters more sometimes.

✨Vibes & Tropes✨

༄ Dark fantasy retelling
༄ Shifters
༄ Multiple POV
༄ Morally grey MMCs
༄ Found family
༄ Emotionally damaged characters learning to trust
༄ Loyalty over everything
༄ “Searching for home” themes
༄ Character-driven romance
༄ Emotional healing & vulnerability
༄ Group dynamics that slowly become everything

Overall, I gave this 5 stars because I genuinely had an amazing time reading it. The spice gets a 4 from me because while it was REALLY good, it wasn’t completely feral-level unhinged. And the darkness rating sits at a 3 because I’ve personally read darker books, though I still absolutely recommend checking trigger warnings since there are multiple darker themes, implications, and discussions throughout the story.

And honestly? This book reminded me why I love reading romance-centered fantasy retellings in the first place.

Not because of the references or nostalgia, but because when they’re done right, they make familiar stories feel emotionally new again.

So yeah… if you made it all the way through this review, thank you for listening to me yap 💖 But I genuinely loved this one, and enjoy your reading!!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had me as dark Wizard of Oz retelling! I was beyond excited to read it and give it a try. It took me a while to get into it and start to enjoy it. Some parts were a bit confusing for me because I would forget who was who or what “curse” they had fallen under. I started to warm up to the story once they began their actual quest and it was easier for me to follow. I would recommend to anyone who loves a good retelling!

💙💙💙

[GingerSpice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deliciously dark! I truly loved all of the characters and their morally grey… black souls. I loved the story and actually did not guess how it would play out which is what usually happens. I hope she continues this series, because I’m loving all of the twisted worlds and I NEED more!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I’m editing this review to include a rating for the audiobook. It’s still a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me! The narrators did a great job and it really brought the story to life!!

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg. There are no words. I was eagerly anticipating this book after We're All Mad Here, and to my delight, was given an advanced review copy by the author. This book felt like a dark turn from We're all Mad Here, and the dark intimacy I was anticipitaring was a long but VERY worthwhile wait. If dark romance is your thing, read this ASAP. What I love about these books is that despite the darkness, there is healing, and that feels so true and life affirming.

[Robin.Bookish.Escape · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW: Dark and spicy why choose romance retelling of The Wizard of Oz. I read quite a bit of fairytale retellings and love them. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get behind this one. The writing just wasn't for me.

[Trista Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it!! The first Wizard of OZ retelling I have read. Leann did an awesome and interesting take on ALL the characters. Can’t wait to read more from her. Greatly written and awesome character and world building.