Follow the White Rabbit

Beautiful Madness #1

by Kellie Sheridan

For centuries, Wonderland thrived as the domain of beautiful bedlam and unapologetic madness. It was a place like no other. All it took was one girl slipping in through the cracks of the universe to start chaos spiraling toward order. In the 150 years since Alice’s visit, the realm has become tainted—almost normal. Rabbits in waistcoats and playing card minions are little more than creatures of myth, and Wonderland is literally falling to pieces.

For Gwen, Rose, and Lucky, Wonderland is home, and yet they know little of its former glory. When the Alice prophecy resurfaces, they’ll have one chance to use Wonderland’s own legends to bring a little mayhem back into their reality. For she who controls Alice controls the fate of Wonderland.

(Novella, 21k words)

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retellings, Fairy Tales, Paranormal

100 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 20, 2013

About the author

Kellie has been in love with stories in all of their forms for as long as she can remember. Admittedly, sometimes that means falling into places like Stars Hollow and Sunnydale, but books have always been her true love.

Kellie spent part of her twenties living in Galway, Ireland and swooning after various lilting accents but is now back home in Ontario, Canada.

Reviews

[Jillyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

For decades, Wonderland has cried out, desperate to follow the pattern that it had followed until Alice threw everything for a loop. But change is approaching, according to the constant studies of Gwen. Everything is in position for the pattern to continue once more... And Alice is coming. The people of Wonderland- namely Gwen, Lucky, Rose, and Marc, must play the roles that they were born to, and for the good of Wonderland, Alice must return and be the catalyst that the once beautiful Wonderland needs to return itself to its former glory.

----

I have a love/hate relationship with novellas. Sometimes, a novella is just enough. A quick read with a short tale. This is not one of those times.

But first, let's point out the good.

+Wonderland is detailed beautifully. Kellie Sheridan does a good job luring the reader into, well, the wonders of the land. Whether she is describing the rural white kingdom and the dangerous forest, or the urbanized, high glam streets of the red's rule, it's very easy to imagine oneself within the story.

+I rather like the characters. Rose is the new white queen, growing into her position despite previous naivety. Lucky is a hunter of sorts, who must retrieve Alice. Gwen is my personal favorite, a quirky girl who gets lost in her studies and dresses all mix matched. All must work together if Wonderland is to change.

+I really like the cover of this work. It's simple, but cute.

But, of course, there were some not so nice bits.

-This is a great start to a series. But I can't help but to feel like I'm a beta reader. I don't feel like this is an already published work, just an idea that's being tested and presented. I'd much rather see this as the first half of a great book instead of an incomplete, mediocre novella, which is how this title comes across. This is a setup for drama-to-come, but unfortunately, that drama doesn't happen at all in this story.

-Though this wasn't enough to hinder my reading, I do feel that it's worth mentioning that this plot is a little environmentally preachy. Cities and expansion are killing Wonderland, depleting the forests, and Wonderland is mourning and crying for the loss. Meh. That is all.

As my regular readers/followers know, I am a huge fan of not only Alice in Wonderland, but fairy tale retellings as a whole. I would love to read the next book of this series. I think it has great potential. But as a stand alone short story, I cannot give it more than a very average three stars. I wouldn't run out to grab it any time soon.

Thanks to Netgalley and Patchwork Press for my copy. This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose.

[Honest Mabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

All reviews also posted on Slave to Books

I am going to start this off rationally.

Dear Ms. Sheridan,

I hate you. I hate you a lot. We are no longer BESTIES. I thought going in we could totally be, you know, BFFLs but obviously I mean so little to you that we are in dire need of relationship counseling.

Sincerely,

ME.



Okay, so now that my entirely rational letter has been posted…I feel better. So, you may be wondering why I hate Kelly Sheridan. It’s simple. BECAUSE I WANT THE REST OF THE SERIES RIGHT THIS EFFING SECOND.

Honestly, I do have beef with this. It shouldn’t have been a novella or a series of novellas. It really should have been maybe 2-3 full length novels. I think reading her reviews you’ll see they are all highly rated but the constant complaint is that it was too short. You have built a very interesting and excellent world. But, when you jip our readers like you did by only making this 21,000 words…well, you suck. I am just putting it out there. Because, right now, you’re not on my Christmas card list. So, I suggest you put out the next novella NOW.

This book was very short there isn’t much I can say about it. As soon as it started getting really good and you made that connection to the characters it was OVER. DONE. FINISHED. TO BE CONTINUED. I HATE YOU. FINIS!

So, this entire review is going to be one long complaint on how I loved this book and she jipped me. So, if you want to just go ahead and buy the book because its only .99 cents well…DO IT. Then, you can join my I hate Kelly club until she puts out the next book. Then I will love her, and it will be the I love Kelly club only to hate her again when I have to wait for the following installment. Honestly, this entire thing is going to be a very unhealthy relationship.

Rating: A- ONLY BECAUSE YOU MADE ME WAIT. *gives Sheridan the evil eye*

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit disappointed with this. First off, this was just a long introduction it seemed. It doesn't really go anywhere. We meet a lot of characters, get a small glimpse into each of there lives as they start to weave to gather and then it ends. No answers about Alice, definitely no resolution. And to make matters worse it is like the next part does not exist! We get a cool prologue that drew me in and then it just confuses us in a mass of characters. Each is a bit unique but we don't get a chance to get a real feel for anyone before it ends. If feels like someone took a book, tore off the first 100 pages and said" there's the story!"

To get a proper feel for this, I needed more and it seems I never will this book isn't even available on any official site. Not amazon, Barnes and Nobles or even smashwords. So if the first book is so hard to find, who only knows about the next part and I hate a book series just dwindling. Worse feeling ever, even if I don't love a book I want an actual ending! I want to learn more about the White Queen, Rose. Or the Mad Hatter, Gwen! Or what ever happened at the very beginning and how does everything tie together but I am stuck wondering, not even fully sure what to wonder about and I have no answers to any of it. Interesting premise though.

*I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice in Wonderland has always been one of my favorite classics. I love it in any format I can get it, whether that be books, movies, tv shows, or video games. I've read a lot of Alice in Wonderland re-tellings over the years. Therefore, I'm fairly picky when it comes to reading them. Unfortunately, Follow the White Rabbit, while enjoyable, didn't meet my high expectations.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy reading Follow the White Rabbit. The plot was interesting. I enjoyed the concept of a "normal" Wonderland. It was almost like the reverse of the classic story. Having a fresh take on the classic that I had never seen done before was great. I wish there was a bit more world building though. I wanted more details about how Wonderland was brought to normalcy after everything that had happened with Alice, and before the reader meets the new main characters, Gwen, Rose, and Lucky.

Even though I wanted a little bit more from Follow the White Rabbit, I did enjoy it. I didn't see the sequel on Amazon, but I plan on reading the sequel when it is released, and seeing how the main characters help to get Wonderland back into the crazy, kooky land that we all know and love. I also plan on reading more of Kellie Sheridan's books. I have a feeling that I will enjoy them. I hope she creates more intriguing twists on favorite classics.

[Ashley Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always loved Wonderland. and how it's so versatile that it can be taken to be so many different things by so many different authors. It's interesting how people pick and choose what parts they want to show, and how they take different things to be literal or figurative. The white rabbit is not always a rabbit, the mad hatter has a variety of different backstories, the card soldiers may not always be literal cards, and so on. This story presents a unique version of Alice's impact on Wonderland, and what Wonderland is really about. Madness used to abound, but now it's become like any other world, and the only way to return it to its former glory is by controlling the new Alice.

I love the new characters that are introduced in this story, especially after I figured out who they were supposed to be in the traditional Alice story. All of our favorite classic characters are there, it just might take a while to figure out who they are. Gwen and Lucky were my favorites, and I can't wait to learn more about them in the next novella. It also amazes me how much world-building there really is. I mean, we all know the basics of Wonderland, but Sheridan takes them and warps them to make her own, new Wonderland.

The timeline is a little different than I was expecting, but I think it works well. We start near the end, and then are thrown into the past and work our way up to the present. But I don't think this story would have worked any other way, and it's pretty neat to see the characters become who they need to be to make the Alice prophecy come true. There are still a few characters that I'm unsure about, and I can't wait to find out who they are as the story progresses. Although I think this could have been a full novel, I'm actually kind of excited that it's going to be released as smaller novellas. I just feel like it's more effective as novellas.

Overall, I think this was a nice little story set in a new and exciting Wonderland. The characters are well done, and the story is even better. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a quick read that gives a new take on a classic. I can't wait to continue the series, and I hope the next novella comes out soon! This short story gets a 4/5 from me.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Patchwork Press and Netgalley.)
It’s 150 years since Alice first set foot in Wonderland, and the problems she created haven’t been forgotten. Now a new Alice is set to return.

Rose is the white Queen, she sees the future, and knows that change is coming, the question is; will the change be in her favour?
Gwen has been reading signs and is waiting for the arrival of the white rabbit to signal Alice’s arrival. When will Alice finally get there though?
Lucky is minding her own business when she’s sucked through to another dimension. What does this mean and how can she stop it from happening?
When and how will Alice arrive? And what will it mean for Wonderland when she does?


This was an interesting start to the start of a new ‘Alice in Wonderland’ retelling series. However, while knew that this was a novella, I didn’t really realise that this was more like a story split into a serial rather than a series of stories.

This first novella introduces us to a lot of different characters. We learn that it’s a long time since Alice come to and then left Wonderland, and we also learn that she’s about to return.
This part of the story give us a little insight into Alice, and the main players in the story – the white and red queens, Lucky ‘the white rabbit’, and Gwen another Wonderland inhabitant. This really is little more than an introduction to the story, and will definitely leave you wanting more. The scene is set for the rest of the story, and it seems that there will be multiple people involved, but we get little else.
I think that personally I would be tempted to wait until all the parts are released so that I could read them straight through like a normal book, I think otherwise there would be a chance that certain intricacies of the story could be forgotten from one part to the next. I did like this first part though, but I would have liked to have had the full book in one go!
Overall; this was an interesting start to the story, but it is only the start!
7 out of 10.

[Fangs for the Fantasy · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Alice was last in Wonderland, 150 years ago, she ushered forth an era of change. Wonderland has never been the same and now that a new Alice is about to make her appearance, the residents of Wonderland are trying to find a way to control what is going to happen for their own benefit. All of the prophecies regarding her return which were once believed to be nonsense and a waste of time, are turning out to be far more accurate than once thought.

Coming in at 100 pages, Follow the White Rabbit is a novella and the introduction to the Beautiful Madness series. I am not a fan of a writer using a novella to start a series. It makes me feel like a beta reader, testing whether or not the idea is viable enough for a book. Due to it's format, Follow the White Rabbit falls prey to the predictable problem of nothing and I do mean nothing at all happening. Essentially, Sheridan used this first hundred pages for world building. Considering that most people are quite familiar with Wonderland, thanks to Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel all we learned was who the White Rabbit is and who the Cheshire Cat is. I am not convinced this much world building was necessary in a story which is familiar to the masses.

In essence, what Sheridan offered was a glimpse at a world which most readers are already well familiar with. It's clear that there are going to be political machinations but beyond that, I have no real sense of what the ensuing plot will be. I cannot even tell you for sure who the protagonist is because little time was spent with Alice and there were several characters who received equal treatment.

Sheridan has set up Wonderland as a matriarchy, with the world being divided in two and run by a white queen and a red queen. The white queen is new to her position and full of ambition. In the 100 pages of Follow the White Rabbit, she moved from being unsure of her self to confidant. The problem is that we were given no real reason for this rapid growth. We learned that the red queen is calculating but really, what else would you expect from the red queen? Other than being a matriarchy, thus far, most of the characters were women and all had different strengths.

If there should be a follow up book to Follow the White Rabbit, I would absolutely read it because while this is essentially a revamp of a story which most are familiar with, Sheridan's writing is engaging and very descriptive. It was easy to get lost in the world building and Follow the White Rabbit left me wanting more because it felt like the story was just about to start in earnest when it ended.

Read More

[WTF Are You Reading? · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was quite a wonderful surprise. The author manages to both introduce the reader to a Wonderland of her own making, and create a buzz for the continuation of the series in a mere 100 pages.
Readers will find the new Wonderland one 150 years post Alice, and divided between the Queendoms of the Red and White.
Rose, The White Queen, is new to ruling and wishes to see Wonderland returned to the wild fanciful place that it was under Alice
Rose has seen both the coming of Alice and the future of Wonderland if The Red Queen has her way.
Delilah, The Red Queen, is all about progress. The progress she wants however, has nothing to do with Alice's Wonderland.

Lucky, The White Rabbit, is the key to the coming of Alice and there are a few people that are hot on her trail.
The problem...
She can hop through time.
The White Queen has sought out the services of Wonderland's best problem solvers, Gwen and Marc.
Can they find Lucky and convince her to help them before it's too late?

This is a wonderful start to a great series. The Wonderland found here is familiar enough to be welcoming, and different enough to allow one to be excited about it's newness.
This world promises to be one full of vibrant, larger than life characters and titillating plot twists.
The only negative about this read comes at the beginning. The character introduced at the beginning of the story may or may not be Alice. That not knowing coupled with the incongruity of her part in the story is confusing. Hopefully this will be rectified later in the story.
This reviewer is very excited about the promise of both this book and it's coming series. - more here: http://www.wtfareyoureading.com/2013/...

[Oana D. L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since i am a fan of Alice and her story i started reading "Follow The White Rabbit" wondering what this will be about.It wasn't bad and i admit that i liked it,but honestly it was too short.Yes,i want more.

The battle between the Queens-White and Red- continues,but this time one is focused on bringing back Alice in Wonderland,and the other one is trying to figure it out how to use Alice or kill her.

Mostly this was about Lucky,Gwen and Rose.Three girls who are trying to save Wonderland ,but the only way they can do that is with Alice's help.One is the White Queen.One is just a simple girl who knew that there was a way to bring back Alice.And the other one might be their last hope.
Yikes!Even if it wasn't too long and even if i wanted to read more about their plan,i thought it was good.Yes,i think it could have been much better if this book had more information about what really was happening in that place.At least that's my opinion.
Every time when Alice's name is involved i know that it has to be something good,and it was.Even if she wasn't present,only her name.But Rose,Lucky and Gwen made me want to know more.

The white rabbit-just thinking about him it's enough to wonder what will happen next and since i know who is the white rabbit in this book,i'm not sure i can wait until the next book.
Right now in my mind i'm screaming because i wanted this book to be longer,but in a way i'm glad that i could read this.

[Megan (The Book Babe) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.

I don't really know why I started this one-- I think it was because of the "Alice in Wonderland" re-telling point, but I can't be sure. Turns out that I really enjoyed it! My only issue? Way too short. I feel like the story had really only just started by the end of the book.

I was just starting to understand everything that was going on and to piece it together. I want to read more. I want to look more into the similarities between the original Wonderland characters and the new ones. I love the idea that "Wonderland" exists in cycles, and that it wants to repeat them over and over again.

I just loved the idea of this one. I loved the atmosphere, and the creepy vibes that I kept feeling were absolutely amazing. In the beginning, I wasn't sure how I would like it, because I knew that it was a novella-- but I actually enjoyed it! My only issue was the length, and that at first the changing POV's was confusing. I got used to it, though, and Gwen and Lucky were my favorite characters.

Two guesses as to who they are! All in all, I liked this re-telling of "Wonderland", but I wanted it to be longer.

[Up All Night Book Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for something different from the normal reading. I found it here in this book. Not your typical paranormal book. I don’t know if I would call it a paranormal book per say. It is, but it isn’t like anything I have ever read.
This story is told from many different perspectives, but is not hard to follow. It flows well, and keeps your attention from start to finish.
I was a little apprehensive on reading a book based on Alice in Wonderland. Apprehension was gone quite quickly. It is nothing like you have ever read. The white rabbit with magical powers. The anticipation of Alice returning to Wonderland. Both queens wanting to control Alice once she returns.
The book has very unique characters and a page-turning plot. This is definitely a book to take a chance on. I am really anticipating the next book in this story, whenever that may be.

[Readgig · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover drew me in instantly. The image enticed me no end, aesthetically unpleasant font colour and style aside. The upon reading the blurb I was hooked. This book is third person, which I must say, I’m not a big fan of. I feel like when you’re reading in first person you’re substantially more immersed. Although for this book I found was an exception to my rule. In order for it to work you had to have the perspective of several characters. And although this is confusing to begin with, you begin to make links quickly, as get to know who each character is.
Reviewed by Georgia.

Read the whole review on our website.

[Ashley Finnegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok I have to admit that the majority of this book was character development and not really any plot and so two thirds of the way through I even thought about stopping BUT I'm glad I didn't because although it ends abruptly the reason I decided to give it three stars is because I do know that there will soon be an addition to this story and right there toward the end I began to see what potential this series has, there was something there when it felt like the story was just beginning that just said to me, don't give up, there is greatness yet to come so with that I am ready for Awake and Dreaming!

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

What fun this book is, an revisit to Wonderland is like a visit to an old friend. A new white queen, an older Red Queen, who is bent on having all the power. But things are shaking in Wonderland, an Alice is returning after 150 yrs. and the last time that happened things were certainly shaken up. Some delightful characters and a quirky story-line, this is only part I, looking forward to the next part.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given its short length it took just a couple hours to read Follow The White Rabbit by Kellie Sheridan. With its strong use of description and interesting characters I actually enjoyed this book enough to want to continue on.

[Wendy-Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received courtesy of Net Galley. Loved this!!! What a great new take on the classic Alice in Wonderland. Can't wait for the next installment.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

So loving this story!

[Justine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book free from Netgalley for an honest review.

This was a decent book but my issue was that there were too many characters at the beginning lol. I liked the end better. But I do feel like it was too short.

[SARIT · Rating 3 out of 5]

The White Rabbit is not going to get that high a rating from me. Why is this you may ask me?
The answer is basic; this book is way too short but I still see some serious potential for something awesome. But 1st let's get one thing straight - This isn't a full book, it's a novella to set up the series of books that Sheridan has written. ( And usually I am not a fan of novellas).

This novella is less than one hundred pages long and spends about 75% of that setting up the world and introducing readers to the characters and who they are and what they mean for Wonderland, and that's fantastic because what is is setting up is something fantastic and new for Alice in Wonderland retelling.
This part give us a little insight into Alice, and the main players in the story – the white and red queens, Lucky ‘the white rabbit’, and Gwen another Wonderland inhabitant:

* When Alice was last in Wonderland, 150 years ago, she ushered forth an era of change. Wonderland is now only a mere shadow compared to the former glory it once possessed before that first fated trip from Alice over a century before. There are no more singing flowers, no hookah smoking caterpillars, and certainly no rabbits on a tight schedule! In fact, Wonderland is starting to look a lot like the world that you and I see every day. Wonderland is falling apart; she needs chaos to thrive. The prophecies tell of Alice's return, and it looks like that day is fast approaching.

I appreciated the description of Wonderland as a living thing, and not just a planet, or an alternative universe. I liked it when one of the characters said something along the lines of: you don't control the fate of Wonderland, Wonderland controls your fate. I like the idea that the queens serve the land, and the relationships set up by this glimpse are kind of fascinating. And I also like that Other than being a matriarchy, thus far, most of the characters were women and all had different strengths.

* Gwen - is studying the history books and learning as much as she can about the old Wonderland because she can feel a change coming to her homeland. As a problem solver she is taking an important part in trying to find a way to control what is going to happen for Wonderland own benefit. All of the prophecies regarding her return which were once believed to be nonsense and a waste of time, are turning out to be far more accurate than once thought. Gwen come to conclude that Alice the key to restoring Wonderland to the way it once was and Lucky is the a key player in helping bring her in.

* Rose The white queen - Rose, is a newly acquired title of Queen, she’s pretty easy to sympathize with as she navigates the treacherous waters of leadership while still trying to do the right thing for her kingdom. In the 100 pages of Follow the White Rabbit, she moved from being unsure of her self to confidant. The problem is that we were given no real reason for this rapid growth. She also been seeing signs that Alice could be on her way back to Wonderland and She come to Gwen to work together to find a way to bring Alice to their home.

* The battle between the Queens - White and Red- continues,but this time one is focused on bringing back Alice in Wonderland,and the other one is trying to figure it out how to use Alice or kill her.

* Delilah, The Red Queen - is all about progress. The progress she wants however, has nothing to do with Alice's Wonderland. We learned that the red queen is calculating but really, what else would you expect from the red queen? And she certainly don't want to been thrown away from her royal position again ( in this light she don't hesitate to use her own sun for this purpose).

If there should be a follow up book to Follow the White Rabbit, I would absolutely read it Sheridan's writing is engaging and very descriptive. It was easy to get lost in the world building and Follow the White Rabbit left me wanting more because it felt like the story was just about to start in earnest when it ended. Soooo....I cannot wait to see what happens and were the story goes.

[Frances · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review was originally posted at: http://francesandlynne.wordpress.com/...

“In the 150 years since Alice’s visit, the realm has become tainted—almost normal. Rabbits in waistcoats and playing card minions are little more than creatures of myth, and Wonderland is literally falling to pieces.”
Follow the White Rabbit by Kellie Sheridan

Thanks to NetGalley I was able to read Follow the White Rabbit, a novella written by Kellie Sheridan. The book is published by Patchwork Press which is a different kind of publisher. Essentially, Follow the White Rabbit is self-published, but a group of fellow authors help with the editing process (I believe this is correct: see Patchwork Press website: http://www.patchwork-press.com/about/).

Follow the White Rabbit is a retelling of Alice in Wonderland. The story is set 150 years after Alice visited Wonderland. Alice’s visit changed Wonderland, which is becoming less chaotic/mad and more orderly/sane. The animals no longer speak, and the Red Queen’s kingdom is becoming more and more like a city in our World. Can Gwen, Rose, and Lucky, return Wonderland to its former glory? They have only one chance to use Wonderland’s legends to bring Alice into Wonderland. All they need is a white rabbit that can jump through different universes. Things have changed beyond recognition in Wonderland though, so the white rabbit might not be a literal white rabbit anymore. Can they find the white rabbit in time and before Red Queen learns of Alice’s return?

I enjoyed reading Follow the White Rabbit. I thought the idea of Wonderland becoming less mad was interesting. I particularly liked how all the well-known characters from Alice and Wonderland were still in the book, but they had changed beyond recognition. I had fun trying to figure out who was who. Some of the characters are easy, like the Red Queen and the White Queen. The reader is told which characters they are. I liked that the Mad Hatter was female. I figured out which character she was by her strange dress sense. I liked that she put on a misshaped hat at the end of the book! The characters that represent the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat were my favourite characters though. I liked that the author gave clues to the characters identity from quite early on. For example, the White Rabbit jumps through different universes and the Cheshire Cat can teleport (and leaves his smile behind).

While I enjoyed the book, there are two things that I disliked. First, the first chapter takes place in the present, the next chapter jumps into the past (without warning), and then final chapter finishes back where the book started. On the one hand, I like that the book started and ended the same. However, the jump into the past was rather jarring, and I had trouble getting into the book because the first 3-4 chapters were about a different character. The switch for each chapter was jarring. None of the characters were connected initially and so they had very different things going on in their lives. It’s later in the book that they all come together. Second, when I reached the end of the book, I said, “Where’s the rest?” I know this is a novella so I expected the story to be short. I also knew this was a series, so I expected the story to end on a cliff hanger. The problem is that the story felt unfinished. I felt like I’d read half a book. This needed to be expanded into a novel. It feels like the author wanted to write a novella and so hacked off half of the book to make it fit into the word count. It just didn’t work.

Final Verdict: A different take on a classic children’s story, but the story stops abruptly so be prepared to read books 1 and 2 back-to-back.

Frances

[S.M. Blooding · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has all the makings of something I’d go dingy over. It’s in Wonderland, for one thing. There’s a bunch of zany characters to choose from. It should be, for all intents and purposes, the perfect book to add to my shelf.

I couldn’t focus on the story through the entire book.

*hands-wide shrug* I don’t know. I’ve looked at this book every to Sunday. The elements were there. The world-building was GREAT! Ms. Sheridan did a fantastic job of laying out the foundation of this world without a lot of info-dumping. There were some pretty thick paragraphs of information. Don’t get me wrong, but it wasn’t for world-building. It was for character-building. We’ll get to that in a second. The setting was brilliantly penned.

The character building wasn’t. It was passive. There were large chunks of information that slowed the story so much with backstory and why-saying that I had to stop and ask myself where the story was. Yes. I understand that’s sometimes necessary. I enjoy it occasionally. I do. Not every book has to be a wild-roller-coaster ride. I think it was simply the fact that there seemed to be so much of it. It left the story itself feeling bogged down.

It didn’t help that we had multiple POV’s going on. I’m not opposed to that. I’m not, but it makes it tougher for me to keep straight especially during weeks like this week where I barely have three brain cells to scrap together. This book was a struggle for me to stay on top of. It wasn’t the fact that there was anything that complicated because there just wasn’t. But as I was reading/skimming/reading, I kept running into instances where I thought I’d missed something, only to go back, force myself to read through the parts I’d skimmed and come up just as blank as I was the first time. Here’s an example:

A knock at the door shattered the moment, causing Marc’s eyes to pop back open just quickly enough to catch the look of horror Gwen was wearing. A flush crept into his cheeks, and immediately Gwen felt as though she should apologize. But for what?

“I’ll get it.” Gwen took several steps back, stopping only when the sharp corner of an end table hit her hip.

“It’s for me.”

“Oh. I didn’t know you were expecting anyone,” Gwen said, fumbling for words, for a way to fill the silence.

It’s small, I know, but there’s a missing emotional connection here. I didn’t feel what happened in this moment. I feel like I’ve missed something. The book has a lot of these small, missing emotional transition moments. I can’t tell if it’s a mix of over-exaggerated non-verbal emotional descriptors, or…I don’t know…reactions that didn’t make sense to me. Why would she feel the need to apologize because he blushed? When I read that scene, the look on his face said, “Oh, that was awesome. We should do that again. Oh, crap! Wait! What if she thought I was acting inappropriately? Oh, shoot! What’s she thinking? Why won’t she say something?” It also feels a bit over-dramatic. They kissed. Big deal. Maybe I’m just showing my cranky, callous side. I don’t know.

Anyway, I found myself chasing down missing emotional reasoning more than actually reading the book. The plot was fun. The world was great. But all in all, it’s not a book I’ll read again. I found it to be a frustrating, and I just can’t put my finger on why.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I applaud Kellie Sheridan for taking a classic and putting a new spin on it! And it's a tough thing to try, when you think about it. Alice has been reworked time and time again, from Zombies to Steampunk. So it only makes sense that her paranormal twist should find a good home.

Alice has been gone from Wonderland for over a hundred years, and since that time, things have changed. There are no more singing flowers, no hookah smoking caterpillars, and certainly no rabbits on a tight schedule! In fact, Wonderland is starting to look a lot like the world that you and I see every day. Wonderland is falling apart; she needs chaos to thrive. The prophecies tell of Alice's return, and it looks like that day is fast approaching.

I'm not sure if this is just a novella prequel, or if it will be more like a serial with more novellas to come. This is a quick read, basically just introducing the characters and setting up the plot. In fact, Alice herself only has one scene. I only vaguely got a sense of who she is, and barely more for the other characters. My interest is definitely piqued, but I was left wanting more, and not necessarily in a good way.

Every child who has ever read the books, or seen the movies, will grow up with a certain vision of Wonderland in their minds. It is the stuff dreams are made of! Lewis Carroll portrayed such a perfectly painted world, that we can still see it in our mind's eye, even decades later. To take this world and change it requires a lot of description. You have to make me believe that it has changed. I really needed MORE! More descriptions, from the scenery to the characters. And frankly, more pages. It's such a huge endeavor that more pages would definitely have helped flush this out.

The writing is enough to hook me, though. I enjoyed the style immensely, and will definitely read the next story, whether it be novel or novella.

A copy of this book was provided by Netgalley.

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[Dawnsaskatchewan · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Tabitha (Bows & Bullets Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The review is also available on my blog, Bows & Bullets Reviews

Wonderland is no longer the magic place it once was. After Alice’s first visit, the madness slowly seeped out, leaving it tainted with normality. Gwen, Rose, Marc, and Lucky call it home, but don’t remember all that it was…except that Gwen is fascinated by their history and obsessed with the Alice prophecy, which states that they get one shot at using her to bring Wonderland back into its former glory. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

This novella was pretty intense, but also a little disappointing. You get tossed headfirst into Wonderland and you keep bouncing from perspective to perspective that it’s hard to keep up and make sense of it all. That would have been fine in a longer novel, but it’s a bit jarring in a novella that doesn’t allow for the recovery time. I did really enjoy Gwen’s character though, as well as Rose’s. Gwen, with all her knowledge of Wonderland’s history and her obsessive need to know all things Alice, felt very real and solid while some of the other characters felt a bit flatter. The same goes for Rose, with her newly acquired title of Queen, she’s pretty easy to sympathize with as she navigates the treacherous waters of leadership while still trying to do the right thing for her kingdom.

Even with its minor issues, I still would love to see where this all goes. I’m one of those odd ducks who didn’t like the Carroll story or the first Disney cartoon, but I LOVED the Tim Burton one and have become more than a little enamored with Alice retellings. I think this is definitely worth a read, though most should probably wait until the next novella is out so you aren’t left with quite as bad of a cliffhanger.

****Thank you to Patchwork Press and Kellie Sheridan for providing me with an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review****

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

First let me say when you get ready to read this book it is the first in a series so it is rather short. The build up of what to expect in the next book and I can’t wait to read more.

The book starts sort of haunting with an unknown person driving trying to reach Chicago. After seeing a ghost girl the driver is in an accident….

Wonderland is pretty much a normal place, sort of, it still is considered a place ruled by both a Red Queen and a White Queen but things are not like they use to be. Wonderland doesn’t have giant talking flowers or talking animals. It’s lacking a lot of madness.

The story follows three girls all who have a part to play in the story. Rose is the NEW white queen who has seen the coming of something huge. Gwen knows something is coming and believes wonderland will make it happen. Everything seems to be aligning just right. Lucky is a little shy but for some reason she keeps passing out and goes someplace else for a while before returning back to her body. You meet a few more people and it’s is pretty much a build up to the next book.

I have to tell you just with the information that was given in this book. I am all in. I cannot wait to see what happens and were the story goes. I loved the writing, I loved the story and I really loved the characters. It is officially a favorite for me even without reading the next book. Since the book is so short I really can’t give that much away. I really don’t want to spoil it. It's a great new twist on the wonderland story. Really look forward to reading more and reading more from this author

4/5 ~ TOTALLY recommend this book.

check out a full review and more like this at love2readalways.blogspot.com

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow the White Rabbit is a novella and part one of the Beautiful Madness series. It’s not a retelling of the Alice stories; rather, it takes place in a post-Alice Wonderland. Prophecies have been made about the return of Alice, among other things, but not everyone in Wonderland is keeping an eye on the skies. Rather, they go about their lives, unconcerned about the welfare of their home. Except for Gwen. She’s a faithful student of the prophecies and anticipates the return of Alice via the white rabbit. She and her housemate, Marc, are approached by the White Queen and asked to help determine when and where Alice will arrive.

Kellie Sheridan does a fine job of capturing the essence of Wonderland: the quirky, the everyday, the magical, the unexpected. Citizens of Wonderland are like us, but they are different, too, which makes them even more interesting. Old characters have been reimagined, but they’re still there, still recognizable, if you look closely enough.

There’s an undercurrent of the struggles between chaos and order, between nature and technology, that makes for a beautifully twisted mirror of our civilization. I really can’t wait to see where this is all headed.

My only complaint is that a novella doesn’t give the reader much time to really get to see the characters in action. I feel like I know about them because I’m told about them, not because I’ve actually gotten to know them. And I really love getting to know a character over time. But my only complaint is that I wanted more, so there are worse things that could happen, you know?

All in all: Check this out if you love Alice, or fantasy, or if you’re looking for a quick but interesting read.

Note: I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Chiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by Patchwork Press via Net Galley.
Follow the White Rabbit is a reimagining of Carrol's classic Alice in Wonderland. The last time Alice visited Wonderland, everything changed. Now, over a century later, Wonderland is not what it used to be. The Red Queen has ultimate power, and the essence of Wonderland is fading. Now, it is up to three girls to change the fate of Wonderland. Now, it is time to bring Alice back.
Follow the White Rabbit is a really cute novella. I finished it so quickly, and I was left wanting more.
An aspect of this novella that I particularly enjoyed was the subtle hints as to which original characters the three girls represented. I had no clue who Gwen was supposed to be until she spoiler bought a hat - which I thought was so cute, and was my favourite part of this novella end spoiler.
I appreciated the description of Wonderland as a living thing, and not just a planet, or an alternative universe. I liked it when one of the characters said something along the lines of: you don't control the fate of Wonderland, Wonderland controls your fate. I'm sure I have gotten that wrong; it may not even be 'fate' that was used. But you get my point. You can't change Wonderland in this world; Wonderland changes you. I like that idea.
I am a fan of Sheridan's writing style, and have loved her previous works that I have read, and I must say that I was not disappointed with the writing in Follow the White Rabbit. It was easy to read, and yet was not lacking in style, either.
I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment of the Beautiful Madness series, for Follow the White Rabbit ended all to quickly, and with so much left open.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted here: http://moniquesmobooks.blogspot.ca/20...



My Review

Wonderland is now only a mere shadow compared to the former glory it once possessed before that first fated trip from Alice over a century before. Gwen has been studying the history books and learning as much as she can about the old Wonderland because she can feel a change coming to her homeland.

Gwen is not alone in felling this way, Rose has also been seeing signs that Alice could be on her way back to Wonderland. They work together to find a way to bring Alice to their home and that's when Lucky is discovered. She's the key to restoring Wonderland to the way it once was and Lucky has no clue.

I thought this book was a excellent start to this series. It was short but still managed to give me a full story suited for a prequel. I enjoyed each of the characters and the plot for the story itself which was predicting and preparing for Alice's arrival in Wonderland. Each of the main characters will shadow a character from the classic story of Alice in Wonderland starting with Lucky playing the role of the White Rabbit.

I have always been a big fan of Alice in Wonderland and I love re-tellings of fairy tales so I not surprised that I fell in love with the story very early on. Gwen, for me, was the glue that held the story together. While Rose was aware that Alice was coming its Gwen that knows that Alice is going to usher on a change that could dethrone the Red Queen and return the wonder to Wonderland.

I give this story a 4 out of 5 stars and eagerly await the next installment.
Would I read it again? No

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am sure I have mentioned in my previous reviews that I am an Alice and Wonderland fan. I have the complete Lewis Carroll, I hunt down version/spin offs/spoofs and read as many as I can. Many I haven’t read are waiting for me on my Kindle. So, if you enjoy the Wonderland stories this is a fun one to check out… provisionally.
Kellie Sheridan has come up with an interesting follow up to Alice in Wonderland. Since Alice came to Wonderland that first time, Wonderland has been spiraling to…normalcy. Rabbits don’t dress in waist coats, the Red Queen has created a metropolis and life is well… kinda normal, way to normal for Wonderland. So, some see it as a good thing that the signs are pointing to Alice coming back to town and once again turning the world around and some don’t.
I really liked Sheridan’s creation of the “typical” characters. The white rabbit is a female hunter who thinks she is going crazy as she starts to jump between worlds, the Mad Hatter is a quirky girl lost in her books and theories of Alice, and the Cheshire Cat is a young boy who hasn’t aged in many years. Sheridan does a great job of introducing the characters and giving a very clear view of her Wonderland and then as you start to get interested in the story… it ends.
Here is why I give it a provisional suggestion. The title calls this Book 1 of the Beautiful Madness series but I don’t think this can be considered a full book. This is a prologue. It ends before the story really gets going and while the end gives the next book’s title, I have yet to hear any more about it or when it may be out. 3/5 stars

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating – 3 ¾ Stars

*I received a digital copy of this novel from Netgalley on behalf of Patchwork Press*

Alice is traveling alone a night, freaked out because a girl keeps appearing randomly next to her moving vehicle.

Rose has been the White Queen of Wonderland for a day. She has no idea what she’s doing but her visions are telling her something is coming.

Gwen is waiting for a white rabbit to appear before her, a sign that change is coming to Wonderland.

Lucky encounters a white rabbit and suddenly has the ability to travel between dimensions.

When Alice landed in Wonderland 150 years ago, she tore it apart. Now the signs are pointing towards Alice’s return and each side wants her for their own reasons.

This was a novella, just the beginning of the story and I have to say though it seems a little cheesy at times, it was an interesting start to an Alice in Wonderland retelling. Not much really happens in this book, which is a little disappointing. It’s really more of a teaser. But an interesting teaser. There a lot of questions that need to be answered. You just get little tidbits of different citizens of Wonderland and how they play a part in Alice's return.

I will definitely be reading the next book because I have no idea what’s going on. I would recommend this book but maybe wait until the second comes out if you really don’t like being left hanging.

Read this review and more at Punk's House of Books