What do you think?
Rate this book
Looking Glass Chronicles #1
Jabberwock’s Curse
A dragon on the run.
An evil curse.
A Queen willing to sacrifice anyone to keep the power she craves.
Alice didn’t ask to come to Wonderland. And she certainly didn’t ask to be tasked with breaking a curse.
But thanks to a snarky cat on a mission that’s what she’ll have to do if she ever wants to return home again.
Good thing growing up in the notorious slums of turn-of-the-century London taught her to be resourceful. She’s going to need all her wits to defeat the Queen, break the curse, and restore the crown to its rightful heir before time runs out.
Can Alice succeed without losing her head- or her heart?
An evil curse.
A Queen willing to sacrifice anyone to keep the power she craves.
Alice didn’t ask to come to Wonderland. And she certainly didn’t ask to be tasked with breaking a curse.
But thanks to a snarky cat on a mission that’s what she’ll have to do if she ever wants to return home again.
Good thing growing up in the notorious slums of turn-of-the-century London taught her to be resourceful. She’s going to need all her wits to defeat the Queen, break the curse, and restore the crown to its rightful heir before time runs out.
Can Alice succeed without losing her head- or her heart?
360 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2022
15 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 30, 2023
This follows Alice who is trying to escape an engagement with a boorish boy when Chess, a black cat, arrives, steals her necklace which causes Alice to chase him into the forest where he knocks her into the Rabbit Hole to the Kingdom of Wonderland. This is where Alice learns she has the Creature Gift which allows her to speak with creatures and Chess tells her she’s the only one who can break the Jabberwock’s curse.
So so good!!!! One of the best Alice in Wonderland retellings ever! It has quirky moments like you expect from the original story which just made me smile and giggle, and then some Tim Burtonesque moments with some darker elements to the story. You come to recognize a lot of the characters from the original story in their unique way in this book. There are also Fae and half-Fae which I’m hoping we learn even more about in the next book! Just a unique world!
Alice is one of the best female characters I’ve ever read! So many books today either have the female acting spoiled and only thinking about herself and freaking out over her situation(or going into hysterics as Chess would say 😉), or they just stab everyone and talk later 🙄 like let’s be real here and understand that not all girls stab first talk/ask questions later. Alice was such a refreshing female main character! She acted exactly how I would have. Being sucked into this world that you have no idea about, but not going into hysterics because that’s not going to solve anything, and then basically just accepting your situation and making the best of it. She was willing to help and despite being essentially kidnapped(naughty Chess), she was willing to do what she could to help. I like that she got emotional, but not annoyingly so. She got emotional or upset when it made sense. But she is tough, had a dry sense of humor and can throw a punch! I just adored her!
And….I was shipping her and Chess so hard. Those two need to be endgame for me. Period.
This was such a fun read! I can hardly wait for the next book! I received a free digital copy to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
So so good!!!! One of the best Alice in Wonderland retellings ever! It has quirky moments like you expect from the original story which just made me smile and giggle, and then some Tim Burtonesque moments with some darker elements to the story. You come to recognize a lot of the characters from the original story in their unique way in this book. There are also Fae and half-Fae which I’m hoping we learn even more about in the next book! Just a unique world!
Alice is one of the best female characters I’ve ever read! So many books today either have the female acting spoiled and only thinking about herself and freaking out over her situation(or going into hysterics as Chess would say 😉), or they just stab everyone and talk later 🙄 like let’s be real here and understand that not all girls stab first talk/ask questions later. Alice was such a refreshing female main character! She acted exactly how I would have. Being sucked into this world that you have no idea about, but not going into hysterics because that’s not going to solve anything, and then basically just accepting your situation and making the best of it. She was willing to help and despite being essentially kidnapped(naughty Chess), she was willing to do what she could to help. I like that she got emotional, but not annoyingly so. She got emotional or upset when it made sense. But she is tough, had a dry sense of humor and can throw a punch! I just adored her!
And….I was shipping her and Chess so hard. Those two need to be endgame for me. Period.
This was such a fun read! I can hardly wait for the next book! I received a free digital copy to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 2, 2023
Alice in Wonderland will forever be my favorite classic children’s tale, and I’m always looking for any and all retellings. I absolutely jumped at the chance to join this tour and I’m so happy I did. RV Bowman’s Looking Glass Chronicles is a fantastic reimagining of the classic tale of Alice, filled with plenty of unique elements that give the overall story a fresh feel while still remaining true to the bones of the original.
The Jabberwock’s Champion picks up right after the events of book 1, and Alice is no closer to going home. Things take a decidedly darker turn as she’s faced with two impossible choices and, as if that isn’t bad enough, she has to decide quickly or risk death. Stakes are higher this time around, the storyline is definitely darker and filled with even more danger, and I loved the tension-filled storyline of this second book.
The world continues to enchant me with its mix of magic and mayhem, and it’s so easy to get lost in both this book and this series. Alice is a fantastic and strong MC, and she’s just as enchanting as the world is. All told, a delightful second installment, and certainly a series I recommend for anyone who likes retellings and immersive magical fantasy worlds. 4 stars. Many thanks to @r.v.bowmanfantasyauthor and @sapphire_ink_press_ for gifting a copy of the book for the tour.
The Jabberwock’s Champion picks up right after the events of book 1, and Alice is no closer to going home. Things take a decidedly darker turn as she’s faced with two impossible choices and, as if that isn’t bad enough, she has to decide quickly or risk death. Stakes are higher this time around, the storyline is definitely darker and filled with even more danger, and I loved the tension-filled storyline of this second book.
The world continues to enchant me with its mix of magic and mayhem, and it’s so easy to get lost in both this book and this series. Alice is a fantastic and strong MC, and she’s just as enchanting as the world is. All told, a delightful second installment, and certainly a series I recommend for anyone who likes retellings and immersive magical fantasy worlds. 4 stars. Many thanks to @r.v.bowmanfantasyauthor and @sapphire_ink_press_ for gifting a copy of the book for the tour.
May 23, 2023
Jabberwock's Curse(Looking Glass Chronicles #1) by R.V. Bowman LOVED IT. Ten years after Alice is adopted from the slums, just when a new life is on the horizon, a snarky cat on a mission hijacks Alice and sends her headfirst into Wonderland to free a fire-breathing Jabberwock. In a land where not all is as it seems, one good deed doesn't always lead to another. When Alice's path takes her all the way to the palace she discovers the Red Queen hides a darker secret. I enjoyed reading and definitely recommend this book. This book is available on Kobo, Barnes and Nobel and Amazon.
March 23, 2025
Love, love, loved this book. It's just what I needed after the flops that I have been reading. My cover however is different with flowers on it.
January 17, 2025
a wonderful twist!
One of my favorite retellings of this classic! I loved how different this was - it made for such a fun, new, exciting ride that I didn’t want to get off of!
One of my favorite retellings of this classic! I loved how different this was - it made for such a fun, new, exciting ride that I didn’t want to get off of!
June 12, 2022
This is a fantastic retelling of Alice in Wonderland that be warned once you start this you will not escape the rabbit hole till the very end! On this journey of wonder we of course meet Alice, Chess who gets turns into a snarky cat and Zander who’s turned into a dragon ( the Jabberwock). Each has a role to play and Alice’s is to save the day , end the curse and defeat the evil red queen. Alice is such a great character, strong and sassy and she is on one hell of an adventure. It’s an exciting and enthralling read that grabs you from the beginning and draws you into wonderland with the incredible world building. Told with fantastic twists I am so looking forward to the next book.
February 3, 2023
Such a fun read! I could easily have read this in one sitting if I had the time. I can’t wait for the rest of the series to come out.
June 7, 2022
So ready for the next book! Such a good story so far!
I am a fan of anything Alice in Wonderland. This book did not disappoint at all. From the very beginning of reading I was totally drawn in. I love the story line and the characters! Is it strange that apart of me is shipping Alice and Chess? It would be so perfect if they ended up together somehow! this story is just as fascinating and awesome as the original Alice in wonderland story. I can’t wait to read more! That ending left me anxious to find out what happens next. So good! Highly recommend this.
I am a fan of anything Alice in Wonderland. This book did not disappoint at all. From the very beginning of reading I was totally drawn in. I love the story line and the characters! Is it strange that apart of me is shipping Alice and Chess? It would be so perfect if they ended up together somehow! this story is just as fascinating and awesome as the original Alice in wonderland story. I can’t wait to read more! That ending left me anxious to find out what happens next. So good! Highly recommend this.
June 9, 2022
I have always loved Alice in Wonderland so when Ms. Bowman asked for ARC readers, I was happy to volunteer. This is a voluntary review as I received this book for free. I love the retelling. I have never read an Alice one before and I was not disappointed. Alice is still a tenacious girl and the twist to the retelling makes me excited to see the next book. I also love the dynamic between Alice and Chess. Citrine was a pleasant surprise and I hope she gets be with Zander. I also enjoy the aspect of Gifts, it's unique and I like that they're just a born gift rather than something acquired or given; it's a nice change to the magic systems and rules as well. I can't wait for the next book!
April 25, 2024
Last week I all of a sudden ended up with some kind of Wonderland and Neverland mood. I don't know where that mood all of a sudden came from, but I didn't really have any unread Wonderland and Neverland books anymore. Luckily there was a nice bonus from work added to the monthly paycheck and I could feed my craving by ordering a few books. It was even better that the cover of this book had a lock and a key and therefore also fitted into the Magical Readathon.
I loved this book from the very first chapter. This book is in every possible way a true homage to the original Wonderland story. Just like the original story, the book starts in our world, with a girl on the brink of being married to a guy she really really really doesn't want to marry. Luckily there is a, familiar, cat coming to the rescue. Although he has his own reasons to push Alice into the rabbit hole to bring her to Wonderland.
And I loved this version of Wonderland. We haven't seen that much from it, but I especially love how both the Jabberwock and Chess are cursed humans desperate to break their curse. The Jabberwock is often villainized and I loved it that he got to be a nice and good guy this time! And luckily the red queen is still very much the red queen and still uses games of croquet to distract her victims and screams for heads being chopped off even when there's no valid reason for that kind of punishment.
I also really liked how the author blended the madness of Wonderland and all the possible adventures with a plot that kept all these characters on the tips of their toes. I was also very positively surprised by the ending of the book. After the finale the author came up with an amazing starting point for the sequel. And since I've grown attached to the characters and can't wait to see more of this Wonderland I hope to be able to dive into the sequel soon!
I loved this book from the very first chapter. This book is in every possible way a true homage to the original Wonderland story. Just like the original story, the book starts in our world, with a girl on the brink of being married to a guy she really really really doesn't want to marry. Luckily there is a, familiar, cat coming to the rescue. Although he has his own reasons to push Alice into the rabbit hole to bring her to Wonderland.
And I loved this version of Wonderland. We haven't seen that much from it, but I especially love how both the Jabberwock and Chess are cursed humans desperate to break their curse. The Jabberwock is often villainized and I loved it that he got to be a nice and good guy this time! And luckily the red queen is still very much the red queen and still uses games of croquet to distract her victims and screams for heads being chopped off even when there's no valid reason for that kind of punishment.
I also really liked how the author blended the madness of Wonderland and all the possible adventures with a plot that kept all these characters on the tips of their toes. I was also very positively surprised by the ending of the book. After the finale the author came up with an amazing starting point for the sequel. And since I've grown attached to the characters and can't wait to see more of this Wonderland I hope to be able to dive into the sequel soon!
June 14, 2022
I loved getting to see the character of Alice from The Pirate Princess Chronicles ten years later, older, more refined. Well, at least on the outside. But I loved on the inside she's still a young lady struggling to discover who she is and what she wants in life--and being whisked to rescue a cursed Jabberwock in Wonderland only adds to her confusion. This book was full of whimsy, witty banter, and the frightening possibility of death. Such fun and I can't WAIT for the sequel . . . and I'm looking forward to possibly a deepening romance for two of the characters!
April 29, 2024
A fun romp in Wonderland with Alice, a dragon, and a talking cat! Lots of action with some hints of a maybe-romance in the works. I don't know the Alice in Wonderland story the best, but I did recognize some details here and there and enjoyed that too. Onto book #2!
July 1, 2023
“𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙧. 𝘽𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙨. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙬 𝙣𝙤𝙬.”
꧁Book Review꧂
Retelling. Quirky. Fairytale vibes.
The story follows Alice as she is pulled into Wonderland by an obnoxious cat, all in the name of saving The Jabberwocky. But all is not as it seems. She finds that she is the key to breaking a wicked curse set by none other than Her Majesty, the Queen of Hearts.
Now you know I love an Alice retelling but honestly, this story was so good. It took all the elements of the well-known story of Alice with fairy tale vibes interwoven in. I loved Alice, she was just enough stupid and heroic to be believable without being irritating and my heart wholly belongs to that asshole, Chess!
Tropes:
🤴 Cursed Royalty
🔮 Riddled Prophecy
🐈⬛ Talking Animals
🪄 Gifted MCs
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling and it was topped off by the addition of the fae!
Rating: 🐉🐉🐉🐉
꧁Book Review꧂
Retelling. Quirky. Fairytale vibes.
The story follows Alice as she is pulled into Wonderland by an obnoxious cat, all in the name of saving The Jabberwocky. But all is not as it seems. She finds that she is the key to breaking a wicked curse set by none other than Her Majesty, the Queen of Hearts.
Now you know I love an Alice retelling but honestly, this story was so good. It took all the elements of the well-known story of Alice with fairy tale vibes interwoven in. I loved Alice, she was just enough stupid and heroic to be believable without being irritating and my heart wholly belongs to that asshole, Chess!
Tropes:
🤴 Cursed Royalty
🔮 Riddled Prophecy
🐈⬛ Talking Animals
🪄 Gifted MCs
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling and it was topped off by the addition of the fae!
Rating: 🐉🐉🐉🐉
June 25, 2024
I sincerely loved this twist on one of my all time favorites from childhood! Alice doesn’t just fall down the hole into Wonderland, she’s pushed… by one sneaky cat, Chess. She’s destined to break the Jabberwock’s curse and take on the Red Queen (who creeped me out in the best possible way!) I loved the twists on all the familiar characters and the addition of Fae magic!! This one had me enthralled from start to finish and I can’t wait for the Jabberwock’s Champion this fall!
August 1, 2022
I love a good retelling and this story did not disappoint! It was an exciting and unique twist on the classic Alice in Wonderland tale and I enjoyed every second of it. I can't wait to read the next book! I need to know what happens next!
June 2, 2022
This story is a retelling of Alice In Wonderland. The story follows Alice, Chess and Zander. Alice is living in the Mirror World. Chess and Zander live in Wonderland and both have been cursed. Chess is turned into a cat and Zander is the Jabberwock (Dragon). They both need Alice to help them lift the curse and stop the evil Red Queen from taking over Wonderland. Alice is forced down the rabbit hole and her adventure begins.
This story is full of wonder and enchantment. The likeness to the original fairy tale is there but R. V. Bowman has added so much to the characters. Alices is strong and full of sarcastic comebacks, Chess is the cocky, self-important cat and Zander is the sweet, always worried about everyone els....dragon. I love each and every moment with these 3. The Red queen is evil and manipulative...such a wonderfully written villain. This story ends on a semi-cliffhanger. You do find answers to the majority of the mystery within the story but new questions arise at the end. I look forward to reading more and spending more time with these characters. I did find a few spots within the book didn't flow as well as others. This did not take away from the story so I give this book 4.5 stars. I have rounded up since there is not a 1/2 star rating.
This story is full of wonder and enchantment. The likeness to the original fairy tale is there but R. V. Bowman has added so much to the characters. Alices is strong and full of sarcastic comebacks, Chess is the cocky, self-important cat and Zander is the sweet, always worried about everyone els....dragon. I love each and every moment with these 3. The Red queen is evil and manipulative...such a wonderfully written villain. This story ends on a semi-cliffhanger. You do find answers to the majority of the mystery within the story but new questions arise at the end. I look forward to reading more and spending more time with these characters. I did find a few spots within the book didn't flow as well as others. This did not take away from the story so I give this book 4.5 stars. I have rounded up since there is not a 1/2 star rating.
May 22, 2024
LATE REVIEW!
First of all, the introduction to this Alice in the Wonderland retelling is perfect, straight to the point of the plot line and what Alice's job is going to be. Second, i love how the wonderland characters are specified as what they would be in the mirror world (our world). For example, I thought the Jabberwock was like this greek mythological weirded headed beast thing because that's usually what there described as and it's hard to imagine them, but in this retelling the Jabberwock is actually a dragon! That's something that's easy to imagine and also dragons are sick. Third, i love how in every retelling of this story i fall in love with the cheshire cat character, he's always a irritatingly lovable character, he's my favorite. Fourth, i love the cliche teenage dream of having everything planned out just to hit a new adventure and realize something new about yourself. Lastly, instead of reading about one character's self-discovery about themselves, it's multiple main characters. We have Alice, Chess (cheshire cat), Zander (jabberwock, red prince), and Citrine (white queen).
10/10
First of all, the introduction to this Alice in the Wonderland retelling is perfect, straight to the point of the plot line and what Alice's job is going to be. Second, i love how the wonderland characters are specified as what they would be in the mirror world (our world). For example, I thought the Jabberwock was like this greek mythological weirded headed beast thing because that's usually what there described as and it's hard to imagine them, but in this retelling the Jabberwock is actually a dragon! That's something that's easy to imagine and also dragons are sick. Third, i love how in every retelling of this story i fall in love with the cheshire cat character, he's always a irritatingly lovable character, he's my favorite. Fourth, i love the cliche teenage dream of having everything planned out just to hit a new adventure and realize something new about yourself. Lastly, instead of reading about one character's self-discovery about themselves, it's multiple main characters. We have Alice, Chess (cheshire cat), Zander (jabberwock, red prince), and Citrine (white queen).
10/10
February 15, 2025
RHIS BOOK IS SUPER UNDERRATED I LOVE IT SO MUCH LIKE HOW IS THIS BOOK NOT GOING POPULAR ALSO CHESS IS MY MANZ
June 25, 2022
Review
I loved this book!!!! And I have to say that with a few caveats; I don’t like fairytale retellings, and I have always considered Alice and Wonderland to be my least favorite of the fairytales. This is not a book I would normally pick up for those reasons.
However Bowman left me wonderfully surprised! This story had all the whimsy of Wonderland with fresh and exciting new twists on the classic; yet remained true to the original writings of Lewis Carrol, with plenty of references every Alice in Wonderland fan is sure to appreciate.
This book is full of adventure and mystery, humor (there were parts I was actually laughing out loud) and a real page turner! I can’t wait to read the next books in the series.
I loved this book!!!! And I have to say that with a few caveats; I don’t like fairytale retellings, and I have always considered Alice and Wonderland to be my least favorite of the fairytales. This is not a book I would normally pick up for those reasons.
However Bowman left me wonderfully surprised! This story had all the whimsy of Wonderland with fresh and exciting new twists on the classic; yet remained true to the original writings of Lewis Carrol, with plenty of references every Alice in Wonderland fan is sure to appreciate.
This book is full of adventure and mystery, humor (there were parts I was actually laughing out loud) and a real page turner! I can’t wait to read the next books in the series.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews