Wonderland Academy: Year One by Melanie Karsak

Let's start with some harsh truths.
  1. I loved Melanie Karsak's Chasing the Star Garden, but I have struggled with her recent works. I tried the Scottish "Highland" series and was never drawn in. The zombies and werewolf genres I just avoided. 
    • Sub-point--kudos to her for writing multiple genres and not becoming a redundant author.
  2. This cover certainly proves the old mantra, "don't judge a book by its cover." I absolutely would not have ever picked this book off a shelf. It does not do this story justice. At all.
  3. I am super leery of fairy tale retellings (especially super overdone ones like Alice in Wonderland) and am super picky about them.
46147418. sy475 Now for why all those points don't matter after reading Wonderland Academy. 

I signed up for the author's newsletter with the continual hope that she is going to announce the conclusion of the "Airship Racing Chronicles." I am still really hopeful. Her last newsletter managed to hook me with her enthusiasm for this new project and a sample chapter. Enough that I requested an ARC...and I'm glad I did.

This is an excellent blend of Carroll and Disney. It's an Alice retelling that absorbs all the lore and embraces the heart of the fairy tale. The whimsy and color really lit up my imagination and made it an absolute joy to read. I was never happy when I had to put the book down and eager to pick it back up again. 

 My favorite scene of the whole book was during the school orientation because you could feel the authenticity. (The author is a Florida girl who clearly goes to amusement parks often.) The magic was quirky just in that Wonderland kind of way. The creatures were imaginative. I just absolutely loved the atmosphere.

Some of the foreshadowing hints were a little heavy handed, but the action of the classroom activities were wonderfully paced. I definitely want to keep reading this series.

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