Unhinged Audiobook by A. G. Howard, narrated by Rebecca Gibel

Posted by on Feb 5, 2014 in Reviews | 14 comments

Review of: Unhinged Audiobook
Audiobook:
A.G. Howard

Reviewed by:
Rating:
4
On February 5, 2014
Last modified:August 24, 2022

Summary:

Unhinged Audiobook

By: A. G. Howard

Narrated by: Rebecca Gibel

Published by: Angry Robot and Brilliance Audio 1/08/2014

Unhinged audiobook cover - Hot Listens

Warm

4 Hearts rating image Hot ListensSplintered Series # 2

13 hrs and 12 mins

YA Fantasy logo

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole. She was crowned Queen of the Red Court and faced the Bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the boy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly appealing Morpheus. Now all she has to do is graduate high school.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up at school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland – where she (partly) belongs.

 

Could she leave Jeb and her parents behind again, for the sake of a man she knows has manipulated her before? Will her mother and Jeb trust her to do what’s right? Listeners will swoon over the satisfying return to Howard’s bold, sensual reimagining of Carroll’s classic.

©2014 A.G. Howard (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc

Unhinged Audiobook Sample

I like to thank the Audiobook Jukebox and Blackstone Audio for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

My thoughts

If you are new to the series, you can read  my thoughts on Splintered (book # 1) HERE.

While the world of Wonderland was offstage in Unhinged, the relationship between the characters, the progress in their development,  and  Alyssa’s  parents back story made Unhinged an entertaining listen despite its slow beginning.

Unlike its predecessor Unhinged  (book # 2 in the series) lacked a little  of the wonder and the richness I enjoyed so much in Splintered, that’s  not to say I didn’t enjoy it, I did.

If you are a  big fan of Splintered you might be a little disappointed, the human world could never be as entertaining as  Ms. Howard’s Wonderland; nevertheless, the advances in the  story make Unhinged a worthy sequel of this fascinating series.

We still see  and enjoy much of the magical imagination from Ms. Howard. Her story telling is unique, dark, creepy and original as ever.

There is a  spin on a main  character that might have felt awkward and not really believable since it’s so different from the impression I got in Splintered, but Ms. Howard managed to make it work in Unhinged, adding an unexpected twist that just enriched the story.

Ms. Howard teases and pulls our streams in two different directions, although, in my case, I know which way I want it to go; I’m a big fan of that cover, so you can imagine my heart’s direction, plus I just love mysterious, dark and a bit unreliable characters; those are the kind that keep me on my toes……And I love that!

So yes, I got a favorite, but I don’t blame you for falling for the good, and all too loyal  boy.

No crazy trip down to the rabbit hole in Unhinged, but  that doesn’t stop wonderland for coming for Alyssa, and for making this entry another thrilling ride.

Morpheus, the constant companion and what seems to be a permanent fixture in Alyssa’s mind, is determined to make her come back to rescue Wonderland, and between the eminent danger Alyssa faces from the Red Queen, and the added strain in her relationship with Jeb (due to her inability to talk to him about what transpired in Wonderland) we find our little heroine struggling to find her placement, when she should be just a happy teen getting ready for her school  graduation.

Just when we think we know where the story is heading, another twist derails our thoughts…. And that’s another part I found very enjoyable

I’m not a huge fan of cliffhangers, but yet again, I found myself in another one, and  I’ve been left with my heart torn, and dying for the next book.

The Author

A. G. Howard

 

A. G. Howard Author of Unhinged

Unhinged Audiobook narration

by

Rebecca Gibel

B +

Rebecca Gibel

My thoughts about Unhinged are just from a listener’s point of view; I have only experienced this series on audio.

I’m happy to say once again that narrator Rebecca Gibel does a terrific job with the interpretation of the story and its characters.

Her tempo, pace, and  her array voices make these books a great listen.

Although, when I first listened to Splintered, I thought Ms. Gibel’s interpretation of Morpheus was just adequate, I LOVED it in Unhinged. She really makes you feel the devilish nature behind the character.

She does a wonderful job with Alyssa; she delivers a likable character by softening some traits  that I might have found frustrating if  they weren’t delivered in such sympathetic manner.

And a big YES for Jeb’s fans, she does a great interpretation.

All in all, this is a good performance by  this talented narrator that once again knows how to get out of the way, and just lets the characters tell the story while she nicely  transports you to the setting and accurately lets you experience the magic in A. G. Howard’s writing.

Reviewed by:

Loupe Duffy Lupdilup

  • 4
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Loupe Duffy
A mom, a wife, a friend, a happy ending addict, an Audiobook junkie, a wine lover and geek wanna -be. I'm constantly looking to be blown away.
Loupe Duffy

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