What do you think?
Rate this book
The Etiquette of Being Mad
Alice Gray came to the house because she was told it would help.
The rules are simple. Stay calm. Be reasonable. Learn how to speak in ways that don’t make rooms tighten. Learn which parts of yourself to keep quiet. Learn how to be believed.
The house rewards progress. It rewards composure. It rewards people who adapt.
Guides appear when she needs them. Doors open when she learns the right tone. The mirror never lies, it only reflects what works.
This is not a story about losing your mind.
It is a story about what happens when you learn how to keep it.
A dark psychological retelling of Alice in Wonderland that asks one dangerous question.
What would you become if survival depended on being unpunishable?
The rules are simple. Stay calm. Be reasonable. Learn how to speak in ways that don’t make rooms tighten. Learn which parts of yourself to keep quiet. Learn how to be believed.
The house rewards progress. It rewards composure. It rewards people who adapt.
Guides appear when she needs them. Doors open when she learns the right tone. The mirror never lies, it only reflects what works.
This is not a story about losing your mind.
It is a story about what happens when you learn how to keep it.
A dark psychological retelling of Alice in Wonderland that asks one dangerous question.
What would you become if survival depended on being unpunishable?
361 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2026
About the author
Wolf Gunnar
8 books53 followersWolf Gunnar writes immersive, unflinching dark fiction that pushes readers to the edge of their comfort and into places they didn’t know they craved. Known for blending psychological terror with sensual intensity, Gunnar’s stories strip characters bare, exploring obsession, dominance, and the thin line between desire and destruction.
When not writing, he is building, creating, and plotting the next story that will leave readers breathless, unsettled, and wanting more.
When not writing, he is building, creating, and plotting the next story that will leave readers breathless, unsettled, and wanting more.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 25, 2026
“Wonderland is not a place you go. It is a way of thinking that behaves like a room.”
This is the third book in the Once Upon a Fractured Mind series by Wolf Gunnar and I was lucky enough to be given an advanced reader copy.
This is an Alice in the looking glass retelling, that is transformed into something dark and twisted and psychological. Compliance and composure are rewarded while opinions and authenticity are punishable.
When you think you know what’s happening the reflection changes and morphs into something else entirely. It’s filled with lessons written as poetic riddles. The was intense and creative and wonderfully strange and unique. I devoured this book. Truly a mindf*ck.
This is the third book in the Once Upon a Fractured Mind series by Wolf Gunnar and I was lucky enough to be given an advanced reader copy.
This is an Alice in the looking glass retelling, that is transformed into something dark and twisted and psychological. Compliance and composure are rewarded while opinions and authenticity are punishable.
When you think you know what’s happening the reflection changes and morphs into something else entirely. It’s filled with lessons written as poetic riddles. The was intense and creative and wonderfully strange and unique. I devoured this book. Truly a mindf*ck.
April 27, 2026
I was so excited to receive the ARC for Etiquette of Being Mad because I loved Surviving Neverland and now after this, I’m needing to read The Fairest Way to Die (Book 2 in this series).
The prelude pulled me in immediately, and any idea I thought I had about where this story is going? Gone. Wolf Gunnar has a way of keeping you constantly thinking, questioning, and needing to read just one more chapter. It’s addictive and, once again, a total mindf*ck.
Alice Gray is supposed to go to a house, get a signature and leave, but the second she arrives, nothing is normal. It feels like the house has been waiting for her, and leaving isn’t an option until she learns how to exist within it.
Reading this feels like being stuck in an open maze. Alice is trying to figure out what the house wants, and at the same time, so was I. The house looks normal on the outside but inside it’s like another dimension, time feels off, everything is calculated, and the rules keep shifting.
Each character feels like they’re pushing Alice toward something different, to teach her to bend without breaking. Theo’s humor was such a good balance in all the chaos though.
I loved how the repetition made me question everything like scenes feeling familiar but slightly different, like time is looping. It put me right in Alice’s head. Watching her go from resisting it all to realizing she has to participate and rewrite the rules if she wants control was so interesting.
And that epilogue... Needed. It closes things just enough while still leaving me thinking.
Wolf Gunnar really is the master of the mindf*ck.
The prelude pulled me in immediately, and any idea I thought I had about where this story is going? Gone. Wolf Gunnar has a way of keeping you constantly thinking, questioning, and needing to read just one more chapter. It’s addictive and, once again, a total mindf*ck.
Alice Gray is supposed to go to a house, get a signature and leave, but the second she arrives, nothing is normal. It feels like the house has been waiting for her, and leaving isn’t an option until she learns how to exist within it.
Reading this feels like being stuck in an open maze. Alice is trying to figure out what the house wants, and at the same time, so was I. The house looks normal on the outside but inside it’s like another dimension, time feels off, everything is calculated, and the rules keep shifting.
Each character feels like they’re pushing Alice toward something different, to teach her to bend without breaking. Theo’s humor was such a good balance in all the chaos though.
I loved how the repetition made me question everything like scenes feeling familiar but slightly different, like time is looping. It put me right in Alice’s head. Watching her go from resisting it all to realizing she has to participate and rewrite the rules if she wants control was so interesting.
And that epilogue... Needed. It closes things just enough while still leaving me thinking.
Wolf Gunnar really is the master of the mindf*ck.
Review of advance copy
This book coined a new phrase for me. A Whisper mindf**k.
It was haunting, uncomfortable and eerie in a bizarre .. settled way; with moments that jolt you away from a sense of calm the author surreptitiosly lulls you into.
It has parts that will have you furrowing your brows; you will pause to think, shake your head but continue on, this time paying a LITTLE more attention to the precise wording and cadence of the characters.
Then you will give in, flipping back to to make sure you're not going mad. You'll think you know what happened but then you'll clock something that makes you completely lose the certainty you managed to grab hold of.
You'll give in again, telling yourself to trust the process and stop being an over thinker (just me? Fair.)
You will buckle in, hoping your questions are answered and your confusion becomes untwisted and things will make sense.
It will, and it wont.
The whole essence of the story will have transformed into something unrecognisable before you notice it started. You are the proverbial frog in boiling water.
Honestly I have never felt so ill at ease inside a narrative this calm and collected.
I am blown. Away.
It was haunting, uncomfortable and eerie in a bizarre .. settled way; with moments that jolt you away from a sense of calm the author surreptitiosly lulls you into.
It has parts that will have you furrowing your brows; you will pause to think, shake your head but continue on, this time paying a LITTLE more attention to the precise wording and cadence of the characters.
Then you will give in, flipping back to to make sure you're not going mad. You'll think you know what happened but then you'll clock something that makes you completely lose the certainty you managed to grab hold of.
You'll give in again, telling yourself to trust the process and stop being an over thinker (just me? Fair.)
You will buckle in, hoping your questions are answered and your confusion becomes untwisted and things will make sense.
It will, and it wont.
The whole essence of the story will have transformed into something unrecognisable before you notice it started. You are the proverbial frog in boiling water.
Honestly I have never felt so ill at ease inside a narrative this calm and collected.
I am blown. Away.
April 28, 2026
This was an easy five stars for me, my first time reading Wolf Gunnar, and I was not prepared for how completely this story would take over my mind, what I found was something far darker, sharper, and more consuming than I expected.
The writing feels deliberate and unsettling in the best way. Every sentence has an edge to it, like the author knew exactly where to press to make the reader uneasy. There is a strange, eerie pull to the story that never loosens, and I found myself thinking about it long after I put it down.
What surprised me most was how deeply it pulled me out of my own head. I have had a lot of thoughts weighing on me lately, and this book managed to quiet them in a way nothing else has. The story consumed me so completely that it gave me a break from myself, and I did not realize how much I needed that until it happened.
It is dark, twisted, and intentionally disorienting, but it is also the kind of story that lingers. It demands to be sat with and thought about, long after the final page.
The writing feels deliberate and unsettling in the best way. Every sentence has an edge to it, like the author knew exactly where to press to make the reader uneasy. There is a strange, eerie pull to the story that never loosens, and I found myself thinking about it long after I put it down.
What surprised me most was how deeply it pulled me out of my own head. I have had a lot of thoughts weighing on me lately, and this book managed to quiet them in a way nothing else has. The story consumed me so completely that it gave me a break from myself, and I did not realize how much I needed that until it happened.
It is dark, twisted, and intentionally disorienting, but it is also the kind of story that lingers. It demands to be sat with and thought about, long after the final page.
May 9, 2026
I feel like I’m a little biased when it comes to Gunnar. It’s like he knows the inner workings of my mind all too well. Every single one of his books pulls me into these worlds and lets me live out these twisted fantasies as if they were my own. I’m not a Disney kind of girl. This is right up my alley. So much better. I love how this crawled into the deepest recess of my mind and took up residency. And I didn’t mind at all. This was dark a total mind fu*k. I lived and breathed this one. It was twisted and so wicked. This is a story that makes one question their sanity. Unless it’s already lost. Then you’re just reading this hoping to maybe find it, or not. An absolutely dark and wickedly twisted story.
April 27, 2026
Wow!! Wolf Gunnar has a fantastic way of using his stories and words to create visceral reactions.
This is a twisted and dark retelling of Alice in Wonderland that will leave you questioning your involvement in the story.
I was sat all day reading this book and did not want to put it down. I questioned reality, reflections, sanity, and the power of suggestion and conformity. This is dark and heavy.
I do not want to spoil anything but from the moment I read the prologue until I finished the epilogue I was invested in Alice and this story.
This is not a romance, it is not a thriller,.....this is a psychological mindfvck!!!
Enjoy your trip down the rabbit hole!!!
This is a twisted and dark retelling of Alice in Wonderland that will leave you questioning your involvement in the story.
I was sat all day reading this book and did not want to put it down. I questioned reality, reflections, sanity, and the power of suggestion and conformity. This is dark and heavy.
I do not want to spoil anything but from the moment I read the prologue until I finished the epilogue I was invested in Alice and this story.
This is not a romance, it is not a thriller,.....this is a psychological mindfvck!!!
Enjoy your trip down the rabbit hole!!!
May 1, 2026
What an amazing dark and twisted journey this book was , it’s a dark retelling of Alice in wonderland and let me tell you I was freaking hooked from the very beginning, I devoured it!! I do love a really good dark Alice retelling and Wolf Gunner did not disappoint.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Five stars without hesitation.
The Etiquette of Being Mad by Wolf Gunnar completely consumed me in the best and most unsettling way. This is the third book in the Once Upon a Fractured Mind series, and somehow it raises the bar even higher. I went in expecting something dark and thought provoking, but what I got was an experience that felt almost too real at times.
Wolf Gunnar is a true artist with his writing. The way he takes something familiar and twists it into something haunting and deeply psychological is honestly incredible. His storytelling does not just pull you in, it grips you tight by the throat and refuses to let go. There were moments where I could actually feel the tension in my chest, like I was right there with Alice, trying to navigate a world where every word and every reaction could determine your survival.
Alice Gray is such a fascinating and heartbreaking character. Watching her learn how to exist within the rules of the house, how to reshape herself to be accepted, to be safe, felt both mesmerizing and disturbing. The idea of being rewarded for composure and punished for authenticity hits in a way that lingers long after you put the book down. It makes you question how much of ourselves we silence just to be understood or believed.
The atmosphere in this book is everything. It is eerie, suffocating, and beautifully controlled. The house almost feels like its own character, always watching, always judging, always guiding. Every detail, from the mirrors to the doors to the quiet presence of the guides, adds to this sense of unease that never really lets up.
What I loved most is how this story flips the idea of madness. This is not about losing control. It is about learning how to control yourself so well that you become something else entirely. That question of what you would become if survival depended on being unpunishable is explored in such a raw and powerful way.
This book is dark, intelligent, and emotionally intense. It is not just a retelling, it is a complete reimagining that feels bold and fearless. If you love psychological stories that make you feel something deep in your bones and stay with you long after, this is one you need to read.
*Please read the trigger warnings.. This book is dark and twisted.*
The Etiquette of Being Mad by Wolf Gunnar completely consumed me in the best and most unsettling way. This is the third book in the Once Upon a Fractured Mind series, and somehow it raises the bar even higher. I went in expecting something dark and thought provoking, but what I got was an experience that felt almost too real at times.
Wolf Gunnar is a true artist with his writing. The way he takes something familiar and twists it into something haunting and deeply psychological is honestly incredible. His storytelling does not just pull you in, it grips you tight by the throat and refuses to let go. There were moments where I could actually feel the tension in my chest, like I was right there with Alice, trying to navigate a world where every word and every reaction could determine your survival.
Alice Gray is such a fascinating and heartbreaking character. Watching her learn how to exist within the rules of the house, how to reshape herself to be accepted, to be safe, felt both mesmerizing and disturbing. The idea of being rewarded for composure and punished for authenticity hits in a way that lingers long after you put the book down. It makes you question how much of ourselves we silence just to be understood or believed.
The atmosphere in this book is everything. It is eerie, suffocating, and beautifully controlled. The house almost feels like its own character, always watching, always judging, always guiding. Every detail, from the mirrors to the doors to the quiet presence of the guides, adds to this sense of unease that never really lets up.
What I loved most is how this story flips the idea of madness. This is not about losing control. It is about learning how to control yourself so well that you become something else entirely. That question of what you would become if survival depended on being unpunishable is explored in such a raw and powerful way.
This book is dark, intelligent, and emotionally intense. It is not just a retelling, it is a complete reimagining that feels bold and fearless. If you love psychological stories that make you feel something deep in your bones and stay with you long after, this is one you need to read.
*Please read the trigger warnings.. This book is dark and twisted.*
Review of advance copy
MUST READ THE SERIES IN ORDER!
At first glance, this series reads like three separate retellings-Wendy, Snow White, and Alice. Each one seems to center on choice: growing up or staying safe, innocence or awareness, trust or control.
But sitting with them, it becomes clear they’re not really about choice in the way we like to believe.
In Wendy’s story, the mind becomes the setting-building entire internal worlds to hold what can’t be endured directly. Neverland isn’t escape. It’s structure. Something that contains the pain long enough to survive it.
In Snow White, that shifts inward. Control becomes conditioning. Approval becomes survival. The voice that once protected her turns into something she carries-measuring, correcting, reinforcing. Not forced. Learned. Repeated.
And then Alice removes the last bit of distance.
Here, everything is visible. Structured. Precise. Behavior is measured. Calm reads as credibility. Regulation becomes proof. Adaptation starts to look like identity.
What looks like strength starts to feel like something else. Composure…learned. Control…maintained.
The writing pulls you in quietly. Steady. Almost rhythmic. Your heart beat in your chest the metronome as you turn each page. You keep reading, waiting for something to break, for a moment that shifts everything.
It doesn’t.
Instead, something darker settles in.
And that’s where the series gets its name.
You start to see it differently. Not from the outside-just enough above it to notice the patterns. The adjustments. The way things move and how you’re expected to move with them. Like a mezzanine in your own mind-still inside it, just aware of it.
Nothing announces itself. Nothing forces a conclusion. It just…continues.
And that’s where the earlier distance disappears.
Wendy and Snow White still let you imagine what you would do. Let you believe you’d recognize it.
Alice doesn’t.
It stays in the quieter moments. The small shifts that don’t feel like decisions at all.
Where you adjusted.
Where you stayed.
Where you kept doing what worked.
Until it stopped feeling like a choice.
It’s this-
What have you already become…simply because it worked?
And how much of that would you even recognize as your own?
At first glance, this series reads like three separate retellings-Wendy, Snow White, and Alice. Each one seems to center on choice: growing up or staying safe, innocence or awareness, trust or control.
But sitting with them, it becomes clear they’re not really about choice in the way we like to believe.
In Wendy’s story, the mind becomes the setting-building entire internal worlds to hold what can’t be endured directly. Neverland isn’t escape. It’s structure. Something that contains the pain long enough to survive it.
In Snow White, that shifts inward. Control becomes conditioning. Approval becomes survival. The voice that once protected her turns into something she carries-measuring, correcting, reinforcing. Not forced. Learned. Repeated.
And then Alice removes the last bit of distance.
Here, everything is visible. Structured. Precise. Behavior is measured. Calm reads as credibility. Regulation becomes proof. Adaptation starts to look like identity.
What looks like strength starts to feel like something else. Composure…learned. Control…maintained.
The writing pulls you in quietly. Steady. Almost rhythmic. Your heart beat in your chest the metronome as you turn each page. You keep reading, waiting for something to break, for a moment that shifts everything.
It doesn’t.
Instead, something darker settles in.
And that’s where the series gets its name.
You start to see it differently. Not from the outside-just enough above it to notice the patterns. The adjustments. The way things move and how you’re expected to move with them. Like a mezzanine in your own mind-still inside it, just aware of it.
Nothing announces itself. Nothing forces a conclusion. It just…continues.
And that’s where the earlier distance disappears.
Wendy and Snow White still let you imagine what you would do. Let you believe you’d recognize it.
Alice doesn’t.
It stays in the quieter moments. The small shifts that don’t feel like decisions at all.
Where you adjusted.
Where you stayed.
Where you kept doing what worked.
Until it stopped feeling like a choice.
It’s this-
What have you already become…simply because it worked?
And how much of that would you even recognize as your own?
Review of advance copy received from Author
First, I want to thank Wolf Gunnar and Dragonfly Design PR for the gifted eARC of The Etiquette Of Being Mad in exchange for my honest and spoiler free review.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
Wolf Gunnar is becoming one of my favorite fractured/twisted retelling authors. This is the third book in the fractured mind series and I am loving each and every installment. Wolf has such a way of making these fairytale retellings feel so dark, raw and relatable. He makes you question reality and who the true villain is in life and everything that he writes makes sense and opens your eyes to reality of all the darkness in the world.
This third book is a twisted retelling of Alice In Wonderland/Through The Looking Glass. I was immediately drawn into the story from the very beginning. The prologue already had me questioning what would happen to Alice in this story and I just knew it was going to be another incredible book. The moment Alice arrives at the house for what she thinks will be a simple job, turned into something so much more. The house rules, the premise of learning etiquette and being watched and surrounded by mirrors brought an eerie atmosphere to this story. The tests that Alice goes through and the added scenes written in the pov of the mirror really was such an eye opening experience.
Seeing Alice’s character change the more she looks into the mirrors and seeing how her strength and purpose there morph into something different even when others kept trying to see if she would crack made for such an interesting yet slightly uncomfortable experience. It’s like you as the reader are being looked at as you look into this story. Sort of like an abyss where they say that the longer you look, the more the abyss stares back into you. I feel like that’s how it was reading this book and I absolutely enjoyed every moment of it! The ending epilogue was an incredible wrap up and I cannot wait to see what else this author brings in future books!
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
Wolf Gunnar is becoming one of my favorite fractured/twisted retelling authors. This is the third book in the fractured mind series and I am loving each and every installment. Wolf has such a way of making these fairytale retellings feel so dark, raw and relatable. He makes you question reality and who the true villain is in life and everything that he writes makes sense and opens your eyes to reality of all the darkness in the world.
This third book is a twisted retelling of Alice In Wonderland/Through The Looking Glass. I was immediately drawn into the story from the very beginning. The prologue already had me questioning what would happen to Alice in this story and I just knew it was going to be another incredible book. The moment Alice arrives at the house for what she thinks will be a simple job, turned into something so much more. The house rules, the premise of learning etiquette and being watched and surrounded by mirrors brought an eerie atmosphere to this story. The tests that Alice goes through and the added scenes written in the pov of the mirror really was such an eye opening experience.
Seeing Alice’s character change the more she looks into the mirrors and seeing how her strength and purpose there morph into something different even when others kept trying to see if she would crack made for such an interesting yet slightly uncomfortable experience. It’s like you as the reader are being looked at as you look into this story. Sort of like an abyss where they say that the longer you look, the more the abyss stares back into you. I feel like that’s how it was reading this book and I absolutely enjoyed every moment of it! The ending epilogue was an incredible wrap up and I cannot wait to see what else this author brings in future books!
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ x infinity
By: @authorwolfgunnar
The third book in Wolf's Once Upon a Fractured Mind series does not disappoint. In this dark Alice and Wonderland retribution, we follow Alice as she enters Ashdown where the rules are simple.
Stay calm.
Be reasonable.
Who would you become if survival depended on being unpunishable?
We all have parts of ourselves we keep hidden in order to survive the room. In an effort to keep our sanity we choose who we are going to be for a given situation or around certain people. Alice had to learn this. Where to tighten, where to hide, where to be quiet, how to be believed. How to survive.
Wolf presents this dark, all-consuming psychological story in such a way that you will be able to envision yourself as Alice. You will be part of the experience. You will hurt with her, you will learn with her, you will root for her. You will figure out what happens not when you lose your mind but, rather, what happens when you keep it.
"Your body asked. I just listened."
"They like being guided. They like being chosen. The like being understood before they've explained themselves."
"You're beautiful when you try to be in control."
"The part of you that wants control also wants relief."
Highly recommend this book as well as the rest in the series. Please Wolf write more of these. I need an entire library of your dark fairytale retellings. This is some of the best reading I have ever experienced.
#TheEtiquetteofBeingMad #darkfairytaleretelling #psychological #fractured #OnceUponaFracturedMind
By: @authorwolfgunnar
The third book in Wolf's Once Upon a Fractured Mind series does not disappoint. In this dark Alice and Wonderland retribution, we follow Alice as she enters Ashdown where the rules are simple.
Stay calm.
Be reasonable.
Who would you become if survival depended on being unpunishable?
We all have parts of ourselves we keep hidden in order to survive the room. In an effort to keep our sanity we choose who we are going to be for a given situation or around certain people. Alice had to learn this. Where to tighten, where to hide, where to be quiet, how to be believed. How to survive.
Wolf presents this dark, all-consuming psychological story in such a way that you will be able to envision yourself as Alice. You will be part of the experience. You will hurt with her, you will learn with her, you will root for her. You will figure out what happens not when you lose your mind but, rather, what happens when you keep it.
"Your body asked. I just listened."
"They like being guided. They like being chosen. The like being understood before they've explained themselves."
"You're beautiful when you try to be in control."
"The part of you that wants control also wants relief."
Highly recommend this book as well as the rest in the series. Please Wolf write more of these. I need an entire library of your dark fairytale retellings. This is some of the best reading I have ever experienced.
#TheEtiquetteofBeingMad #darkfairytaleretelling #psychological #fractured #OnceUponaFracturedMind
April 23, 2026
If you are looking for a story that takes you on a journey, twists your perceptions and leaves you thinking about it long after you've finished it - this is the book.
This is a dark psychological retelling of Alice in Wonderland, and as the previous two books in the series it has a detailed, eerie world. It's written in a way that puts you in the center of it and lets you experience it through Alice's eyes. The details this time were focused on Alice's emotions and reactions, so whatever she felt, I did, too.
The story kept surprising me. It's not the kind of story that gives you all of the answers. In fact it gave very few. Instead it makes you ask questions. Like "was she right to do that?" , "would I act differently in her place?" , "have I done this, too?"
This is a story about adapting and fitting in, about presenting a face that is acceptable. Even though usually not to this extreme degree, this is something that everyone does.
This is the third book in a series. Each of the books seems to be a strandalone, and can be read as that, but to fully experience the effect of this story, I think the books should be read in order. This was a journey, the book itself, but also the whole series. The first book made me question reality, the second one - the cost of meeting someone else’s expectations. This one made me question myself. It's definitely my favorite one in the series.
This is a dark psychological retelling of Alice in Wonderland, and as the previous two books in the series it has a detailed, eerie world. It's written in a way that puts you in the center of it and lets you experience it through Alice's eyes. The details this time were focused on Alice's emotions and reactions, so whatever she felt, I did, too.
The story kept surprising me. It's not the kind of story that gives you all of the answers. In fact it gave very few. Instead it makes you ask questions. Like "was she right to do that?" , "would I act differently in her place?" , "have I done this, too?"
This is a story about adapting and fitting in, about presenting a face that is acceptable. Even though usually not to this extreme degree, this is something that everyone does.
This is the third book in a series. Each of the books seems to be a strandalone, and can be read as that, but to fully experience the effect of this story, I think the books should be read in order. This was a journey, the book itself, but also the whole series. The first book made me question reality, the second one - the cost of meeting someone else’s expectations. This one made me question myself. It's definitely my favorite one in the series.
May 7, 2026
WOW... Such A Mindfaaawwk!
Besties... "The Etiquette of Being Mad" had me questioning my OWN sanity at times during this read. From that eerie prologue with the Mirror pulled me right back into this fractured world, and I was instantly obsessed. The suspense is absolutely suffocating. I kept telling myself “just one more chapter” and suddenly hours disappeared because I needed answers.
The atmosphere of the story made me feel that the house was alive. Every mirror made me feel like I was being watched alongside Alice. The tension never relaxes. It just tightens little by little until you’re fully trapped in the madness.😳
What really got under my skin was the way this story redefines madness itself. This is not about spiraling out of control. It is about becoming so controlled, so careful, so composed that you stop recognizing yourself entirely. That concept was deeply unsettling and honestly brilliant.
This dark "Alice in Wonderland" retelling is intelligent, haunting, emotionally sharp, and an absolute psychological mindfawk. Distorted reality, morally grey themes, and constant unease make this one of those books that lingers in your brain long after you finish. Besties… this series is a must read. 👍🏼
My Ratings: ⭐ 4.5/5 ▪︎ 🥵 1/5
🥀 My ratings and review are my own. For my rating scale breakdown, head over to my Goodreads &/or Amazon profile! 🖤
Besties... "The Etiquette of Being Mad" had me questioning my OWN sanity at times during this read. From that eerie prologue with the Mirror pulled me right back into this fractured world, and I was instantly obsessed. The suspense is absolutely suffocating. I kept telling myself “just one more chapter” and suddenly hours disappeared because I needed answers.
The atmosphere of the story made me feel that the house was alive. Every mirror made me feel like I was being watched alongside Alice. The tension never relaxes. It just tightens little by little until you’re fully trapped in the madness.😳
What really got under my skin was the way this story redefines madness itself. This is not about spiraling out of control. It is about becoming so controlled, so careful, so composed that you stop recognizing yourself entirely. That concept was deeply unsettling and honestly brilliant.
This dark "Alice in Wonderland" retelling is intelligent, haunting, emotionally sharp, and an absolute psychological mindfawk. Distorted reality, morally grey themes, and constant unease make this one of those books that lingers in your brain long after you finish. Besties… this series is a must read. 👍🏼
My Ratings: ⭐ 4.5/5 ▪︎ 🥵 1/5
🥀 My ratings and review are my own. For my rating scale breakdown, head over to my Goodreads &/or Amazon profile! 🖤
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Etiquette of Being Mad is book 3 in the Once Upon a Fractured Mind series. Wolf has a real talent! He can manipulate everyday life into incredible stories! So much so, that when reading his books, you place yourself within them. This is the second book I have read by him, and his books will leave you wanting more! Dark fiction done right, just the way you want it. You’ll want more with turn of each page.
“Do not be the problem, be the proof.”
I find myself comparing my life to the characters in his books. This is a deep psychological retailing, but at its core it is about adapting, surviving and the recognition of a rewarded outcome. Something we all want and do. It is not about what is right or wrong and to me that is the hardest part to digest. This being a psychological series, something is going to sink in and set you off. In true Wolf fashion you will continue thinking long after you lay the book down.
“Do not be the problem, be the proof.”
I find myself comparing my life to the characters in his books. This is a deep psychological retailing, but at its core it is about adapting, surviving and the recognition of a rewarded outcome. Something we all want and do. It is not about what is right or wrong and to me that is the hardest part to digest. This being a psychological series, something is going to sink in and set you off. In true Wolf fashion you will continue thinking long after you lay the book down.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Etiquette of Being Mad by Wolf Gunnar is book 3 in his Once Upon a Fractured Mind Series.
No one...and I mean no one writes a mindfuck book quite like Wolf. I have loved each and every book but this one well I have to say is my favorite. I'm still processing what I read but that being said you can't help but feel for Alice from the very beginning.
Now while I know this is a fairytale retelling...that actually means nothing to me. Yes I'm familiar with the Alice in Wonderland characters but know zero about the story itself so it didn't play into my reading of this book.
When you read this you see and feel yourself in Alice. How she learns to play the game by their rules. For acceptance, for compliance because we all recognize what we need to do to survive.
This book is just another infinity ♾️ ⭐️ read by this amazing author. If you haven't discovered him...dive in the deep end.
No one...and I mean no one writes a mindfuck book quite like Wolf. I have loved each and every book but this one well I have to say is my favorite. I'm still processing what I read but that being said you can't help but feel for Alice from the very beginning.
Now while I know this is a fairytale retelling...that actually means nothing to me. Yes I'm familiar with the Alice in Wonderland characters but know zero about the story itself so it didn't play into my reading of this book.
When you read this you see and feel yourself in Alice. How she learns to play the game by their rules. For acceptance, for compliance because we all recognize what we need to do to survive.
This book is just another infinity ♾️ ⭐️ read by this amazing author. If you haven't discovered him...dive in the deep end.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is book 3 in the series and at this point I’m fully invested on the way the author reshapes these fairy-tales into something much darker and more disturbing.
This one follows Alice, but there’s nothing whimsical about it. Everything feels controlled, deliberate, and just slightly off, in a way that keeps you uneasy the entire time.
There’s this line : “Madness, the kind that lasts, is etiquette…” and yeah… that’s how book works. That constant feeling that adapting is necessary, but also something you’re not supposed to question.
His writing flows in a precise and calculated all the way.
This kind of dark, psychological spin just works for me.
ARC
This one follows Alice, but there’s nothing whimsical about it. Everything feels controlled, deliberate, and just slightly off, in a way that keeps you uneasy the entire time.
There’s this line : “Madness, the kind that lasts, is etiquette…” and yeah… that’s how book works. That constant feeling that adapting is necessary, but also something you’re not supposed to question.
His writing flows in a precise and calculated all the way.
This kind of dark, psychological spin just works for me.
ARC
Review of advance copy received from Author
As all of you know by now there is a lot wrong with me. This book once again had me questioning myself and not in the way the author intended. At one point I was sitting in a hotel room with my bestie absolutely losing my shit over this book. More specifically Alice.
I won't go into detail, but I will say this; I loved this book. Yes, I yelled and screamed but I wouldn't have enjoyed a book if it didn't bring out my emotions. This book takes you on a (confusing) journey not just for our FMC Alice but for ourselves. Absolutely terrifying, right?
Worth it. Go on this journey and learn about yourself through Alice.
I won't go into detail, but I will say this; I loved this book. Yes, I yelled and screamed but I wouldn't have enjoyed a book if it didn't bring out my emotions. This book takes you on a (confusing) journey not just for our FMC Alice but for ourselves. Absolutely terrifying, right?
Worth it. Go on this journey and learn about yourself through Alice.
April 23, 2026
This is my first experience reading something by Wolf Gunnar, and wow, what an experience it was. Going into it, I was intrigued by the idea of it being an Alice in Wonderland retelling. I love fairytale retellings, and this one went beyond what I was expecting.
The writing is sharp, calculated, and quite unlike anything I've read before. It feels very distinct. From the prologue, I was hooked. It felt like someone staring into my soul. It was eerie, unsettling, and that uncomfortable feeling never let up. Mindf*ck is the perfect descriptor. It's a dark and twisted story that demands to be thought about, and deeply.
The writing is sharp, calculated, and quite unlike anything I've read before. It feels very distinct. From the prologue, I was hooked. It felt like someone staring into my soul. It was eerie, unsettling, and that uncomfortable feeling never let up. Mindf*ck is the perfect descriptor. It's a dark and twisted story that demands to be thought about, and deeply.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Another absolutely fantastic mind warping read from this author. Emotional turmoil, epic dark poetry, and trigger warnings for days. I will say i still missed the chapter titles like in book one. I cannot wait for more work from this author. I will absorb every drop of his writing.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is even more twisted then the other books, are you going to mad? Or is it just the book? The writing is excellent and Gunnar Wolf knows how too write a book that makes you drown in it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
"You're quiet"
"I'm thinking"
"That's dangerous"
OMG what a book!!
I had the absolute privilege of Alpha reading this incredible mindf*ck of a story!
You are NOT prepared ...
This story was phenomenal! I was questioning my own sanity while reading this... and no doubt Wolf was too with my crazy voice notes (sorry not sorry) 🤣🤣🤣
Wolf writes very strong FMC's and Alice was no different.
This story really ties up the series and I have to say this is my favorite of all 3!
The way Wolf writes trauma and healing is beautiful because in with all the crazy there is always an underlying meaning running throughout the story.... this in turn really gets you thinking and looking within yourself.
There rules, systems and structure which kinda get comfortable in while reading.
I don't want to spoil anything but I will say a certain side character had me in hysterics 😅🤣
I really enjoyed this and I can not wait for my next story with Wolf... I shouldn't be so crazy with the next one coming 😅🤣
"I'm thinking"
"That's dangerous"
OMG what a book!!
I had the absolute privilege of Alpha reading this incredible mindf*ck of a story!
You are NOT prepared ...
This story was phenomenal! I was questioning my own sanity while reading this... and no doubt Wolf was too with my crazy voice notes (sorry not sorry) 🤣🤣🤣
Wolf writes very strong FMC's and Alice was no different.
This story really ties up the series and I have to say this is my favorite of all 3!
The way Wolf writes trauma and healing is beautiful because in with all the crazy there is always an underlying meaning running throughout the story.... this in turn really gets you thinking and looking within yourself.
There rules, systems and structure which kinda get comfortable in while reading.
I don't want to spoil anything but I will say a certain side character had me in hysterics 😅🤣
I really enjoyed this and I can not wait for my next story with Wolf... I shouldn't be so crazy with the next one coming 😅🤣
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews