The Wastelands of Oz

Return to Oz #1

by Kasey Hill

Somewhere...down a wrong road...under the sea...across the desert...by earthquake, tornado, hurricane, and magick... exists the Land of Oz. But it's not the same land you loved and dreamed of. A new and more powerful evil than that of the wicked witches has taken over Oz by the name of the Red Sorceress. Oz is in shambles, a barren wasteland. Dorothy is sick with stomach cancer, so it is up to her daughter, Maryjane, to help bring Oz back to life. Maryjane isn't your average teenager in Kansas. She was blessed by the Elders of Oz with magickal powers as a thanks for the help her mother offered while living there. Glinda's son, Charlie, and Maryjane are the heirs to the throne of Oz, while the Red Sorceress intends to steal it away for her and her apprentice. Maryjane and Charlie have battled for years over their feelings for each other and have grappled with the idea of punishment, for Maryjane is a mortal from the human world, and it is forbidden. However, the only way to defeat this new monster of evil is together, and they alone share the hidden powers to bring Oz back to life and return the wastelands back into the voluptuous land it once was.

568 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2016

About the author

Kasey Hill has lived in Franklin County, VA for most of her adult life. Spending two years in journalism in high school, and a few articles published in the Franklin News Post, she built much of her young adult life around reading and writing. She has various book series published, various poetry books, and many short stories circulating for anthologies as she pushes her passions forth into the writing community. With various pen names, she has honed her craft genre-wise and has taken an interest in focusing on her nonfiction Wicca writings, Horror and all its subgenres, as well as anything Paranormal, strange, and unusual. Her debut Horror series for children The Whispering Spirits Series is underway as well as The Guardians of Light Series and House Sarkoczy Series. You can find her and her books anywhere online and in book outlet stores.

Reviews

[Nikki]

Wastelands is written as a sort of sequel to the Wizard of Oz. This book focuses on Maryjane who is Dorothy’s only child. She is destined to be the savior of Oz. When she was a child, she was able to visit Oz. She met Charlie and Glinda. Charlie is supposed to be her future husband. It has been five years since her last visit to Oz. She has been blocked from going back and she doesn’t know why. Dorothy has cancer and doesn’t have much time. Maryjane can’t do anything to make her better. And they decide to go back to Oz to get some help. Oz is nothing as it used to be when they return. An evil force has taken over the color and life of what Oz used to be. Can Maryjane find a way to return Oz to its former glory?

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read filled with many twists and turns that I did not expect.

Oz has changed in many ways. Instead of being bright and cheerful, it is now dark and gloomy. An evil sorcerer has taken over and it is up to Dorothy's daughter, Maryjane to restore Oz to its former glory.

I would love to see this story continue with a second book.

[Chris Snider · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! This so creative it's incredible. Kasey really shows her love for the land of Oz in her take on the events that might have taken place after the previous stories. I can tell she has been a fan since she was a little girl. No doubt she has what it takes to be a writer.

[Amanda M · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic story. This one gives you a read that's a different take on Oz. You'll be hooked from the beginning. It's well written with a great storyline. There's lots of suspense, action, twists and turns.

[Dona Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wastelands of Oz is so good I kept longing for illustrations similar to the ones that were in the OZ books I checked out of the library when I was little girl. In this book Dorothy is an adult with a teenage daughter, Maryjane, who has a secret. Maryjane had been sneaking back to OZ, until everything in OZ turned grey and a wall she couldn’t surmount blocked her path. Even though Maryjane has special powers, she can’t heal her mother’s illness, fix OZ, or get back to the boy she knew there.
I paused at the 75% point when it appeared all was lost to write the beginning of my review because I want you to know this is a book in which characters die. At this point, I am very involved in the story and I care what happens to Dorothy, her daughter Maryjane, and the familiar trio—the Lion, the Scarecrow and Nick the Tin Woodsman. I want good to prevail and this grey dystopian OZ to return to the emerald green of my childhood. As I said, I haven’t finished the book, but I’m fairly certain Dorothy may not make it out of this story alive and I will cry if she dies—but, I don’t know yet what will happen. So here my book lies open at 75%, and I find I’m so involved with the people, and OZ, it’s impossible to write a critical assessment and I guess that should be review enough . . . but I’ll continue.
Okay, now I’ve finished and I have to say the final 25% of the book is possibly the most exciting ending to a book I have ever read. Wow.

[Nikki]

Wastelands is written as a sort of sequel to the Wizard of Oz. This book focuses on Maryjane who is Dorothy’s only child. She is destined to be the savior of Oz. When she was a child, she was able to visit Oz. She met Charlie and Glinda. Charlie is supposed to be her future husband. It has been five years since her last visit to Oz. She has been blocked from going back and she doesn’t know why. Dorothy has cancer and doesn’t have much time. Maryjane can’t do anything to make her better. And they decide to go back to Oz to get some help. Oz is nothing as it used to be when they return. An evil force has taken over the color and life of what Oz used to be. Can Maryjane find a way to return Oz to its former glory?

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Story A Must Read

I have been a Wizard of Oz fan from a small child.
Kasey Hill took that wonderful story and created
a part 2. It's not all sunshine and daisies like OZ
used to be. Now it's a barren wasteland full of
Evil caused by The Red Sorceress. Dorothy is ill
and her teenage daughter Maryjane is the only
hope for OZ to be returned to its original beauty.

I love the twists and turns this story takes. Once
you start you won t be able to put this amazing story
down. I'm definitely looking forward to reading
more of Kasey Hill's books!!!!!