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She’s a mad hatter. He’s a loyal brother. Together they must survive a world steeped in blood.
Maddie has been trying to rescue her sister from the Queen of Hearts’ prison for two years. When her last hope to infiltrate the palace fails, Maddie is left with no choice but to join forces with a sexy man from outside of Wonderland.
Noah's life has become a repetitive cycle ever since breaking up with his long-time girlfriend. But then his sister, Alice, arrives at his doorstep sporting a new pair of fangs. Noah vows to cure her, even if it means sacrificing himself.
Tensions rise when the Queen of Hearts threatens to take down Maddie and Noah's sisters, putting both their worlds in peril. They must combine their strengths to bring their enemy to her knees and protect their hearts … or risk losing them.
Perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Sarah J. Maas. Maddie is the first in a series of sizzling romance, sexy vampires, and devious villains.
Maddie has been trying to rescue her sister from the Queen of Hearts’ prison for two years. When her last hope to infiltrate the palace fails, Maddie is left with no choice but to join forces with a sexy man from outside of Wonderland.
Noah's life has become a repetitive cycle ever since breaking up with his long-time girlfriend. But then his sister, Alice, arrives at his doorstep sporting a new pair of fangs. Noah vows to cure her, even if it means sacrificing himself.
Tensions rise when the Queen of Hearts threatens to take down Maddie and Noah's sisters, putting both their worlds in peril. They must combine their strengths to bring their enemy to her knees and protect their hearts … or risk losing them.
Perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Sarah J. Maas. Maddie is the first in a series of sizzling romance, sexy vampires, and devious villains.
246 pages, ebook
Published May 18, 2022
153 people are currently reading
1123 people want to read
About the author
Candace Robinson
61 books1,112 followersI spend my days consumed by words and hoping to one day find my own DeLorean time machine. My life consists of avoiding migraines, admiring Bonsai trees, watching classic movies, and living with my husband and daughter in Texas—where it can be forty degrees one day and eighty the next!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
April 17, 2025
Vampires, werewolves, sibling rivalry/bonds, two queens fighting ruthlessly for control, and curious revenge... that's the Alice in Wonderland setting from a new fantasy crossover series written by Candace Robinson and Amber R. Duell. And it's only just begun! I read the short prequel last winter to learn about some of the characters, but when this book kicked off, a whole new take on the tale flourishes beyond expectations. Through rich descriptions and elaborately detailed worlds, Alice's brother, Noah, tries to protect her after she's been turned into a vampire, but he must trust Maddie, a hatter in a devious world who has alternative motives herself, namely to save her own sister, Mouse, from the Queen of Hearts. A epic battle of worlds, scarlet and ivory, is coming, and there will be many twists and alliances readers need to follow. I'm excited to meet the intriguing characters and explore the underground dimensions, which aren't always accessible simply through a hole in the ground! Darkness prevails in this foreign place, and a ravenous physical appetite, a lustful need to survive, pours from the pages when Maddie and Noah align their vision and talents to reach their goals. Where and when might some of our other favorite characters make an appearance? Will they be werewolves or vampires? Lots of questions percolating in my mind, and I'm excited to find out about the next release. When Duell and Robinson team up, their creativity knows no bounds, and it's guaranteed to push the envelope on everything we thought we know about our childhood fairy tales and favorite stories.
April 8, 2022
Vampires are indeed in Wonderland in this sexy and fun romance!
April 26, 2022
Is it just me, or do Vampires make everything better?
Add Vampires to the fantasy world of Wonderland and you have a winner.
Robinson & Duell capture the quirky tone of the original tale and give this story their own unique, sexy spin with a lot of *bite that's sure to keep readers entertained until the very last page--and beyond.
Add Vampires to the fantasy world of Wonderland and you have a winner.
Robinson & Duell capture the quirky tone of the original tale and give this story their own unique, sexy spin with a lot of *bite that's sure to keep readers entertained until the very last page--and beyond.
October 4, 2023
I think this one had a lot of promise. The world had some really interesting vibes and the story and characters felt like they could be really good but the execution was lacking. It felt like someone’s first go at a novel and i fully expected this to be a debut but it’s very much not. However this writing duo publish a lot quickly so i think the issue here may be that this was just so rushed it wasn’t given time for the story and characters to develop in complexity.
I think given more breathing time and better writing this could be a great book and series but at the moment the execution is just too … underdeveloped for me to continue reading. I can overlook grammatical errors and typos in self-published works but it was odd how sometimes the completely wrong word was used or used in the wrong way/tense. I feel like if there’s two authors involved surely one of you can pick up those errors so i think maybe these get churned out.
It was also disappointing how the conflicts are built up to be a big thing i.e oh no one has been able to do that in two years! But then our characters manage to conquer the conflict in a matter of pages with literally zero planning and zero strategy and the only difference is a blond guy with muscles is now involved 🤷♀️
I would give this a miss unless they re-edit and re-release sadly :(
I think given more breathing time and better writing this could be a great book and series but at the moment the execution is just too … underdeveloped for me to continue reading. I can overlook grammatical errors and typos in self-published works but it was odd how sometimes the completely wrong word was used or used in the wrong way/tense. I feel like if there’s two authors involved surely one of you can pick up those errors so i think maybe these get churned out.
It was also disappointing how the conflicts are built up to be a big thing i.e oh no one has been able to do that in two years! But then our characters manage to conquer the conflict in a matter of pages with literally zero planning and zero strategy and the only difference is a blond guy with muscles is now involved 🤷♀️
I would give this a miss unless they re-edit and re-release sadly :(
February 22, 2022
Maddie as a girl??? Perfection! I love this quirky, caring, loving, broken main character so much!! This darker fantasy Alice in Wonderland, with steamy romance is amazing!! I cannot wait to read about more characters!
September 22, 2023
The book suffers from a lot of "telling not showing' and as a result dumps a lot of characters and back story up front. Although there's some nice descriptive language, it is very confusing to take in a lot of what's going on when we're still trying to connect so many dots of how these characters relate to each other.
This is not a spicy book at all so don't expect pearl-clutching moments of steamy action.
This is not a spicy book at all so don't expect pearl-clutching moments of steamy action.
June 12, 2022
VAMPIRES ARE BACK!!!!!!
I know many people credit Crave with bringing back vampires, but in my humble opinion, Maddie is bringing vampires back!
Like, I’m kind of speechless, honestly. I don’t know what to say other than I LOVE this book. This is really a fresh take on the whole Wonderland lore and I’m here for it!
Maddie is awesome! I love the gender flip. I won’t lie. Normally, I’m not into gender flipping. I don’t know why, it’s just not my thing, but here. I love our female Mad Hatter! She’s quirky, but without being overdone. She’s strong and yet still sweet as can be. Ugh. I love her.
Noah is great too! I loved watching their romances as they embark on a plan to save their sisters. It was pretty slow burn too, which is just perfect for these two.
Honestly, this is great!
*Thank you to Candace for this review copy. *
I know many people credit Crave with bringing back vampires, but in my humble opinion, Maddie is bringing vampires back!
Like, I’m kind of speechless, honestly. I don’t know what to say other than I LOVE this book. This is really a fresh take on the whole Wonderland lore and I’m here for it!
Maddie is awesome! I love the gender flip. I won’t lie. Normally, I’m not into gender flipping. I don’t know why, it’s just not my thing, but here. I love our female Mad Hatter! She’s quirky, but without being overdone. She’s strong and yet still sweet as can be. Ugh. I love her.
Noah is great too! I loved watching their romances as they embark on a plan to save their sisters. It was pretty slow burn too, which is just perfect for these two.
Honestly, this is great!
*Thank you to Candace for this review copy. *
Read
December 31, 2023I DNF’d this at 5 chapters in. I wasn’t a fan of the writing style- it was very chaotic. However I think the concept deserves an A+ because an Alice in Wonderland retelling with Vampires! That’s genius BUT I just couldn’t get into this, it wasn’t for me.
March 11, 2022
"I suppose I ought to eat or drink something or other; but the great question is ‘What?’”
I think you can guess "what" in this new, dark and sexy twisted tale into Wonderland, where nothing is quite as it seems.
I think you can guess "what" in this new, dark and sexy twisted tale into Wonderland, where nothing is quite as it seems.
March 10, 2023
Just didn't vibe
The writing was good enough. The premise interesting and the twists to Alice and wonderland was different. Just didn't vibe. Would have dnf but had the audible so I was able to finish it due to that.
The writing was good enough. The premise interesting and the twists to Alice and wonderland was different. Just didn't vibe. Would have dnf but had the audible so I was able to finish it due to that.
April 9, 2022
I'm bias as one of the co-authors but it was so fun to combine vampires & Wonderland!
April 26, 2022
The queens of Oz return with another heart-pounding tale.
Read
February 9, 2024DNF @56%
June 10, 2022
If you write a book that is Wonderland inspired, there is a very big chance I need to have it. If you mix the world of Wonderland with the world of Vampires there is an even bigger chance I want to have it. If you then give said book a wonderful atmospheric cover it's impossible NOT to get it. So, I just had to have this book even though I wasn't gonna order any new books anymore and since it came in yesterday I had to read it as soon as possible. Which was today.
And I really enjoyed this story! I liked how the author clearly tried to incorporate as many elements from the original Wonderland story as possible. And yet, the author also made this an entirely original novel filled with surprises and new angles. The characters have personality traits and such in common with their original novel counterparts, but they also have new traits and new functions in Wonderland creating a completely new dynamic.
I especially loved the politics in this version of Wonderland. Literally every character has a role to play in the bigger tale and is being used, abused or in control. And even though Maddie's part of the story is finished at the end of the book, it's clear that there is a lot more story to tell when it comes to the politics. Although we only got a glimpse of the white queen in this book I can't wait to see her starring in her own story in the next one.
However, it will also be hard to let Noah and Maddie go. Of course, this book isn't that long and there could have been more details and more depth, but for me there was more than enough to fall in love with. I loved how Maddie dealt with her stress, how she sometimes acted before thinking and then did what she could to fix it. I loved how Noah was willing and capable to look further than just actions and could therefore forgive a lot if it was done for the right reasons.
And I really enjoyed this story! I liked how the author clearly tried to incorporate as many elements from the original Wonderland story as possible. And yet, the author also made this an entirely original novel filled with surprises and new angles. The characters have personality traits and such in common with their original novel counterparts, but they also have new traits and new functions in Wonderland creating a completely new dynamic.
I especially loved the politics in this version of Wonderland. Literally every character has a role to play in the bigger tale and is being used, abused or in control. And even though Maddie's part of the story is finished at the end of the book, it's clear that there is a lot more story to tell when it comes to the politics. Although we only got a glimpse of the white queen in this book I can't wait to see her starring in her own story in the next one.
However, it will also be hard to let Noah and Maddie go. Of course, this book isn't that long and there could have been more details and more depth, but for me there was more than enough to fall in love with. I loved how Maddie dealt with her stress, how she sometimes acted before thinking and then did what she could to fix it. I loved how Noah was willing and capable to look further than just actions and could therefore forgive a lot if it was done for the right reasons.
December 29, 2022
Vampires in Wonderland? A creatively dark twist of a fairy tale, where the lore of vampires become real and a clever retelling brings our favorite Wonderland characters into a whole fresh, colorful, and sinister light giving us quite an exciting adventure to follow. I’m captivated by the imaginative world these authors created, the brilliant spins and twists of the original story and the conflicts these characters face, as well as the overall redefining of the characters and their significance to one another. This book focused on the Mad Hatter, Maddie, and she was a sure delight as she contemplated between good and evil, saving the day, and giving in to her heart’s true desires. I do recommend to start this series with the prequel novella, Rav, as that’s truly where the story begins and Maddie’s book continues from there. This series has me thoroughly intrigued and I look forward to more!
Listened on audio: Eva Caine continued her flawless performance, as she breathed life into a quirky and devious cast of characters, elevating the emotional overtones in a rather dark and dangerous world, and allowing us to become connected as if we were in the story ourselves. A fabulous listening experience that made this ingenious tale all the more enjoyable.
Listened on audio: Eva Caine continued her flawless performance, as she breathed life into a quirky and devious cast of characters, elevating the emotional overtones in a rather dark and dangerous world, and allowing us to become connected as if we were in the story ourselves. A fabulous listening experience that made this ingenious tale all the more enjoyable.
May 17, 2022
Oh my cheese!!! I LOVED THIS!!!
Maddie the Hatter is my favorite character! She so cute and quirky, she makes fancy hats and sells them to people (or Vampires) of Wonderland. I loved it when she’d sing her words at times…so perfectly Wonderland! She’s so adorable and relatable in many ways. She���s vulnerable and insecure, because she’s always been considered the oddball. BUT not by Noah!! Totally HOT and SWEET Noah!! They are so cute together!! I just LOVE this couple and need more of them, please!!!
The other characters, Ferris, Mouse, Alice, Ever and Chess were also really well written. All the characters really had that Wonderland feel to them. So kudos to the authors for that!!
The world building is FANTASTIC, it truly felt like a Vampire (and even Werewolf) Wonderland!!
Robinson and Duell did a fabulous job with the Faeries of OZ series! And the way they’ve started out the Vampires of Wonderland, I think it’s going to be another very popular series!! I’m really excited for more of these Wonderland Vampires!!
Maddie the Hatter is my favorite character! She so cute and quirky, she makes fancy hats and sells them to people (or Vampires) of Wonderland. I loved it when she’d sing her words at times…so perfectly Wonderland! She’s so adorable and relatable in many ways. She���s vulnerable and insecure, because she’s always been considered the oddball. BUT not by Noah!! Totally HOT and SWEET Noah!! They are so cute together!! I just LOVE this couple and need more of them, please!!!
The other characters, Ferris, Mouse, Alice, Ever and Chess were also really well written. All the characters really had that Wonderland feel to them. So kudos to the authors for that!!
The world building is FANTASTIC, it truly felt like a Vampire (and even Werewolf) Wonderland!!
Robinson and Duell did a fabulous job with the Faeries of OZ series! And the way they’ve started out the Vampires of Wonderland, I think it’s going to be another very popular series!! I’m really excited for more of these Wonderland Vampires!!
June 15, 2022
a wonderfully twisted Wonderland!
I kept the original wonderland tucked in my mind while I read this and used it to guide me as each new character was introduced. I fell in love with Maddie from the start. It took me a few chapters to accept the rest.
The vampire twist breathes new life into a favorite classic tale. I am disappointed that Chess is portrayed as a bad guy, as the Cheshire Cat is my favorite mysterious character. With the settle hints, I’m hoping he redeems himself in the next book!
All in all I couldn’t put it down, which means a sleepless nite, which also means a excellent read.
I kept the original wonderland tucked in my mind while I read this and used it to guide me as each new character was introduced. I fell in love with Maddie from the start. It took me a few chapters to accept the rest.
The vampire twist breathes new life into a favorite classic tale. I am disappointed that Chess is portrayed as a bad guy, as the Cheshire Cat is my favorite mysterious character. With the settle hints, I’m hoping he redeems himself in the next book!
All in all I couldn’t put it down, which means a sleepless nite, which also means a excellent read.
September 13, 2025
2.5⭐️
This was honestly just kinda meh.
This was honestly just kinda meh.
July 22, 2022
I loved this Wonderland the authors have created! Maddie quickly stole my heart and I actually liked how insignificant Alice was lol! And then to have vampires and wolves added to this tale?!? WOW!! Amazing!! Love love loved it and Maddie steals the show with wielding the scythe!!
September 30, 2024
DNF at 20%. The story seemed unfocused. There wasn’t a clear purpose for anything that happened within the part of the book I read. It seemed like somebody just rambling in Alison Wonderland shell
September 5, 2024
DNFed. Cheesy, corny, bad writing.
April 10, 2022
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass combined is my all-time favorite book, so I was super excited to read this NA take on the world and characters. And it was great!!! I really loved that this book wasn't centered on Alice (or rather that it didn't follow her) and that a character like the Mad Hatter could inspire someone like Maddie. I had so much fun meeting new characters and tying them back to their counterparts from the original story. Noah was a great addition and the scenes between him and Maddie were 🔥. A few random call-outs that I especially enjoyed:
⭐Maddie holding herself back from gutting people with her hat-making tools (made me smile every time).
⭐"A Book was an extraordinary way of getting into one's mind, even more so than talking to them." I loved this line, and as a writer, this hits so true!!
⭐The blood-drinking descriptions. Weird, I know, but they were so erotic and well done and gave such a great look into the lust, craving, euphoric aspects of drinking blood within this world. I felt like I was actually drinking the blood myself and feeling the emotions that went along with it.
⭐The abundance of schmexy time. 😈
⭐The hat making stuff—it was so beautifully descriptive.
It was all-in-all a super fun and creative spin on Wonderland. And vampires? Somehow, it all totally works. I love this new darker version of Wonderland, and I'm really looking forward to reading more in this series, especially with how this one left off (and knowing what the title of the next is 🙃). Loads of potential in this world!
Recommended for fans of fairytale retellings looking for ample spice peppered throughout, anyone looking for a unique, action-driven vampire romance, or even those that enjoy dark Wonderlands, alike that of American McGee.
⭐Maddie holding herself back from gutting people with her hat-making tools (made me smile every time).
⭐"A Book was an extraordinary way of getting into one's mind, even more so than talking to them." I loved this line, and as a writer, this hits so true!!
⭐The blood-drinking descriptions. Weird, I know, but they were so erotic and well done and gave such a great look into the lust, craving, euphoric aspects of drinking blood within this world. I felt like I was actually drinking the blood myself and feeling the emotions that went along with it.
⭐The abundance of schmexy time. 😈
⭐The hat making stuff—it was so beautifully descriptive.
It was all-in-all a super fun and creative spin on Wonderland. And vampires? Somehow, it all totally works. I love this new darker version of Wonderland, and I'm really looking forward to reading more in this series, especially with how this one left off (and knowing what the title of the next is 🙃). Loads of potential in this world!
Recommended for fans of fairytale retellings looking for ample spice peppered throughout, anyone looking for a unique, action-driven vampire romance, or even those that enjoy dark Wonderlands, alike that of American McGee.
February 4, 2024
OK, so something to know about me before reading this review is that Alice in Wonderland is by far one of my favorite stories of all time, so I was super excited to read this book and see a new take on the elements of the story I loved, so I might be a bit harsher on this book than others I have reviewed in the past.
So enough about me and on to the book! So, Maddie is by far the best character in the whole book. She is a manic pixie goth girl with just enough madness to make her lovable instead of annoying. Maybe this is just me and my aesthetics, or I've consumed too much Alice in Wonderland content, but this character wrote herself, which is a credit to the author for respecting the legacy of the Hatter for sure, but also made her feel basic in a way that had my eyes rolling a bit. The Hatter, and the Mad Tea Party, are my favorite elements of Alice in Wonderland, so that's why I will always be more critical of these parts than others in any Alice-adjacent story.
The other main character, Noah, was also basic to the point where he felt like a generic character than you are supposed to imagine yourself as. Having his motivation mirroring Maddie's was a nice touch, but I largely felt "meh" towards him to the point where I didn't care if he survived the transition or not. On the positive side, I enjoyed the chemistry and the relationship-building between Noah and Maddie. It's definitely a slow burn, which I enjoy.
Speaking of the relationship, I have to talk about the spice. All of these scenes felt sooooooo cringy to me because the author uses phrases like "he slid into her warmth" and that really pulls me out of those feelings. She also describes Maddie's parts as "folds" so much that it definitely gives the ick. I am curious to see if the author's writing style will evolve in later volumes and works much like Sarah J. Maas did from Throne of Glass to A Court of Thornes and Roses.
Aside from Maddie's and Noah's motivation to save Mouse and Alice, everyone else felt very basic in terms of motivation. Chess wants to find the White Queen (which is the plot of the next book), and his mother, Imagen (the Red Queen) wants to torment Maddie because she thinks that Maddie knows where the White Queen is, but why not just torture her instead of playing the long game with keeping Mouse as a prisoner for 2 years? Like if you are *that* convinced Maddie knows where Ava is, then just torture the information out of her (which is not outside this character at all). Imagen felt like such a default device used to engineer the plot of the book to the point where I didn't understand her motivations at all, which undercut her death to me. I would have liked to get a better understanding of the political ramifications of the Red Queen's death other than Maddi and co being fugitives. Like how will Wonderland be impacted and what changes will happen? I'm sure this will be covered in subsequent books, but other than my love for the property, I honestly am not sure what my motivation would be in continuing this series, which is sad because I love the premise of it all.
Speaking of the plot, I felt like certain parts of the book were done really well (like after Noah turned and the process of him learning how to be a vampire), and other parts felt absolutely rushed (like the quest for the cure). The scale of the quest for the cure made it sound like that was going to be the main plot of the book with the rescue of Mouse being in the next book, but it felt like they got it done in one day once they crossed into werewolf territory, which also made me feel like having Dee and Dum (love the use of the Tweedles BTW!) be guides feel completely unnecessary. This made the book feel inconsistent in terms of timeline and scale.
One of the things I would like to highlight is the setting of Wonderland. On the whole, I was very happy with how Wonderland was designed. It felt magical and it piqued my curiosity (which is paramount for me to like any Alice in Wonderland content). One thing I never really thought about was whether Wonderland had a sun or not, so not having one made it even more interesting to me. It felt like Wonderland was underground, but it still had the impression of having an open sky overhead which is exactly what Wonderland is for me. Having the cities of Scarlett and Ivory was also interesting and I'd like to get a better understanding of the layout of the land. As far as I know, Scarlett and Ivory are a day and a half apart with a forest between them, and werewolf territory is on the other side of Ivory. It just feels linear in my head, which Wonderland should be the exact opposite of. I think this series would benefit from some serious world-building to flesh out Wonderland and why this one is different and unique than every other Wonderland.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the vampirism and the rules surrounding vampires. We are talking super classic vampires that are immortal, the sun kills them, their fangs descend, and they have superhuman strength and senses. When it comes to feeding, they were using dried powder mixed with water (which I am obviously picturing like the Kool-Aid packets), and live feeding. One of the elements I really liked about the live feeding was that Maddie and Ava put *a lot* of focus on consent. I even enjoyed that there was a whole company that would send consulting humans around to feed the vampires! That was a nice touch!
On the whole, I had high hopes for this book, and I felt like I was unfair in my expectations going into it. If you like vampires and Wonderland, I would still recommend this book and let you make your own decisions on what you like/don't like about it. I'm giving it 3 stars because the concept has so much potential and there are parts I really enjoyed, but like I said, I'm not motivated to read the next one or anything.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Representation: 0/5
Spice: 2/5
Kink: 1/5
So enough about me and on to the book! So, Maddie is by far the best character in the whole book. She is a manic pixie goth girl with just enough madness to make her lovable instead of annoying. Maybe this is just me and my aesthetics, or I've consumed too much Alice in Wonderland content, but this character wrote herself, which is a credit to the author for respecting the legacy of the Hatter for sure, but also made her feel basic in a way that had my eyes rolling a bit. The Hatter, and the Mad Tea Party, are my favorite elements of Alice in Wonderland, so that's why I will always be more critical of these parts than others in any Alice-adjacent story.
The other main character, Noah, was also basic to the point where he felt like a generic character than you are supposed to imagine yourself as. Having his motivation mirroring Maddie's was a nice touch, but I largely felt "meh" towards him to the point where I didn't care if he survived the transition or not. On the positive side, I enjoyed the chemistry and the relationship-building between Noah and Maddie. It's definitely a slow burn, which I enjoy.
Speaking of the relationship, I have to talk about the spice. All of these scenes felt sooooooo cringy to me because the author uses phrases like "he slid into her warmth" and that really pulls me out of those feelings. She also describes Maddie's parts as "folds" so much that it definitely gives the ick. I am curious to see if the author's writing style will evolve in later volumes and works much like Sarah J. Maas did from Throne of Glass to A Court of Thornes and Roses.
Aside from Maddie's and Noah's motivation to save Mouse and Alice, everyone else felt very basic in terms of motivation. Chess wants to find the White Queen (which is the plot of the next book), and his mother, Imagen (the Red Queen) wants to torment Maddie because she thinks that Maddie knows where the White Queen is, but why not just torture her instead of playing the long game with keeping Mouse as a prisoner for 2 years? Like if you are *that* convinced Maddie knows where Ava is, then just torture the information out of her (which is not outside this character at all). Imagen felt like such a default device used to engineer the plot of the book to the point where I didn't understand her motivations at all, which undercut her death to me. I would have liked to get a better understanding of the political ramifications of the Red Queen's death other than Maddi and co being fugitives. Like how will Wonderland be impacted and what changes will happen? I'm sure this will be covered in subsequent books, but other than my love for the property, I honestly am not sure what my motivation would be in continuing this series, which is sad because I love the premise of it all.
Speaking of the plot, I felt like certain parts of the book were done really well (like after Noah turned and the process of him learning how to be a vampire), and other parts felt absolutely rushed (like the quest for the cure). The scale of the quest for the cure made it sound like that was going to be the main plot of the book with the rescue of Mouse being in the next book, but it felt like they got it done in one day once they crossed into werewolf territory, which also made me feel like having Dee and Dum (love the use of the Tweedles BTW!) be guides feel completely unnecessary. This made the book feel inconsistent in terms of timeline and scale.
One of the things I would like to highlight is the setting of Wonderland. On the whole, I was very happy with how Wonderland was designed. It felt magical and it piqued my curiosity (which is paramount for me to like any Alice in Wonderland content). One thing I never really thought about was whether Wonderland had a sun or not, so not having one made it even more interesting to me. It felt like Wonderland was underground, but it still had the impression of having an open sky overhead which is exactly what Wonderland is for me. Having the cities of Scarlett and Ivory was also interesting and I'd like to get a better understanding of the layout of the land. As far as I know, Scarlett and Ivory are a day and a half apart with a forest between them, and werewolf territory is on the other side of Ivory. It just feels linear in my head, which Wonderland should be the exact opposite of. I think this series would benefit from some serious world-building to flesh out Wonderland and why this one is different and unique than every other Wonderland.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the vampirism and the rules surrounding vampires. We are talking super classic vampires that are immortal, the sun kills them, their fangs descend, and they have superhuman strength and senses. When it comes to feeding, they were using dried powder mixed with water (which I am obviously picturing like the Kool-Aid packets), and live feeding. One of the elements I really liked about the live feeding was that Maddie and Ava put *a lot* of focus on consent. I even enjoyed that there was a whole company that would send consulting humans around to feed the vampires! That was a nice touch!
On the whole, I had high hopes for this book, and I felt like I was unfair in my expectations going into it. If you like vampires and Wonderland, I would still recommend this book and let you make your own decisions on what you like/don't like about it. I'm giving it 3 stars because the concept has so much potential and there are parts I really enjoyed, but like I said, I'm not motivated to read the next one or anything.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Representation: 0/5
Spice: 2/5
Kink: 1/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2022
Vampires in Wonderland.... I couldn't resist. Two of my favourite things combined, and the authors done it so well! There is enough of Wonderland there to make you feel the ties to the Wonderland we know but it is also unique and has its own vibe that makes it feel very like the authors own Wonderland.... and this is definitely not a children's story.
Maddie (the mad hatter), is trying to rescue her sister, Mouse, who is being held captive by Imogen (the queen with a penchant for hearts). She is doing this with the help of Noah, who got roped up in this all trying to help his own sister, Alice. It's nice to have a Wonderland story that the MC isn't and Alice and Maddy holds the main stage well, with a great supporting cast.
I cannot wait for the next book and to see what Chess has to bring to the table!
Maddie (the mad hatter), is trying to rescue her sister, Mouse, who is being held captive by Imogen (the queen with a penchant for hearts). She is doing this with the help of Noah, who got roped up in this all trying to help his own sister, Alice. It's nice to have a Wonderland story that the MC isn't and Alice and Maddy holds the main stage well, with a great supporting cast.
I cannot wait for the next book and to see what Chess has to bring to the table!
March 20, 2023
I swear I did a review for this already, but when I checked Goodreads it wasn't there. Anywho... The Alice in Wonderland aspect of this story was well done. However, there were way too many characters introduced in this first book. Figuring out who was who, which AIW character they were supposed to be, as well as the plot was way too much. While I thought this story was OK I don't think I will be continuing the series.
Check out Bonded Books Podcast for our episode on this book!
Check out Bonded Books Podcast for our episode on this book!
April 7, 2022
Noah is trying to protect his sister, Alice, after she's been turned into a vampire. Maddie is trying to save her sister from the Queen of Hearts. Without much choice, the two team up in an effort to save their sisters.
I got to read the prequel for this when it came out last year, and it did not do this series justice! Maddie is a thrilling story that brings Alice in Wonderland and vampires together in a hot romance. I loved the author's take and their writing is absolutely phenomenal. I was hooked from the start! I am dying to see what happens next!
I got to read the prequel for this when it came out last year, and it did not do this series justice! Maddie is a thrilling story that brings Alice in Wonderland and vampires together in a hot romance. I loved the author's take and their writing is absolutely phenomenal. I was hooked from the start! I am dying to see what happens next!
May 18, 2022
Loved this book! I was never "into" Alice and Wonderland, but when you add vampires, snarky characters and a female hatter who makes stunning hats, it just makes it all better.
This book is murdery, sexy, intriguing and will leave you wanting more! Luckily for us, more books are coming 😉
TW: sexual assault, assault, blood, violence
Thanks to the authors for the gifted arc which I voluntarily read and chose to review
This book is murdery, sexy, intriguing and will leave you wanting more! Luckily for us, more books are coming 😉
TW: sexual assault, assault, blood, violence
Thanks to the authors for the gifted arc which I voluntarily read and chose to review
March 31, 2023
DNF 40% chapter 12, page 99
Don’t know how this book has so many high ratings. I kept struggling through hoping for something to grab me but when I get nearly half way in and it’s still shit. I’m counting my losses.
It is very easy to read. Storyline is basic. Characters one dimensional and the spice is cringy.
Don’t know how this book has so many high ratings. I kept struggling through hoping for something to grab me but when I get nearly half way in and it’s still shit. I’m counting my losses.
It is very easy to read. Storyline is basic. Characters one dimensional and the spice is cringy.
March 17, 2022
Maddie, a hat maker in Wonderland, is determined to get her sister back from a cruel queen and finds help in an unexpected way.
Noah just wants to return to London (or does he?) with his sister Alice.
This book was a fun twist on a classic story. I can’t wait for what comes next.
Noah just wants to return to London (or does he?) with his sister Alice.
This book was a fun twist on a classic story. I can’t wait for what comes next.
March 24, 2022
Great re-imagining of Wonderland! Sexy and fun!
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