4-4.5 stars

What a fun, topsy-turvy adventure Alice in Wonderland fans will adore! Nothing is impossible! This creative dystopian story puts a new twist on the Lewis Carroll classic. I loved the way Sara Ella took the familiar characters from the book and made them unique. I also loved all the nods to familiar quotes and situations from the original.

The story begins with a London divided. A famous scientist discovered the Wonder gene which gives the recipient untold abilities and talents. The current Queen of England is “Normal” or “Wonderless”and tries to destroy all who have the gene including her own sister. But, an underground community of Wonders ruled by the Queen of Hearts exists in a secret Wonderland within the realm.

Sixteen year old Alice is trying to find Wonderland and solve the mystery of her parents’ disappearance 10 years ago. When her sister Charlotte who’s taken care of her these 10 years is arrested and Alice is invited to participate in the annual Wonderland trials, she decides to trust the mysterious Wonders and enter the trials. But, like the Hunger Games, these trials are dangerous, with teas that can poison, and circumstances that can injure or kill. There’s also several people who’ve disappeared when they reach the last trial. Will Alice be able to solve the mystery of her parents’ disappearance, and her sister’s arrest, and survive the trials?

Alice aka Ace is such a fun character. She’s much like Alice in Wonderland in that she has that curiosity and do it yourself personality, but more street smart and an expert at card games. It’s hard for her to trust and I enjoyed how she tries to navigate Wonderland and working with a team. Chess Shire has the charming, mercurial personality of the beloved cat from Alice in Wonderland, but with more depth and caring. He’s very charming and I love the budding romance between him and Alice. (I can’t wait to see how things progress in the next book.) There’s a host of other characters including Madi Hatter, Jack, and Knave who add even more layers to the story.

This book is a roller coaster ride! It’s hard to know whom to trust and what’s real. Just when you think you’ve figured out part of the mystery, there’s another surprise. I loved the world building. The challenges were creative and yet were recognizable to Alice fans, like the unique way the author incorporates hedgehog croquet, the Jabberwocky, the mome rathes, and tea that makes people change. There are clever, subtle references to faith in the story as well.

I can’t wait to read the second book in the series! Highly recommend to YA fiction fans and anyone who loves Alice in Wonderland! It’s a clean read I would definitely recommend to those 12 and up. I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review. ( )

“Nothing is impossible.”
“Wonderland is for Wonders. Outsiders don’t belong.”
Hmmm…This is definitely a YA novel in terms of the mental processing going on, the quick changing of allegiances, the uncertainty of knowing one’s own mind. Seems to me that Sara Ella captured the thought processes of a young adult very well in her retelling of Alice in Wonderland as she pens The Wonderland Trials.
I am going to go out on a limb and say this is an allegorical novel, reminding me loosely of the allegory of C S Lewis’s Narnia. I loved that part. If you love chess, you will certainly want to read this novel. Also, if you love the nonsense of Alice in Wonderland (which I always struggled with), you will love this remade tale. Sara Ella does a fantastic job of incorporating many of the characters and sayings of the original work and making some of them very endearing to a nonpreferred reader of the Lewis Carroll novel like myself. I found an affinity to Chess, Alice, and Dinah that I did not expect out of this novel that contained more nonsense than I thought I could handle. It worked together enough to make a believer out of me by the end of the book! For that reason, while this read is not my chosen cup of tea, it certainly is a great antidote for the skeptic like myself, and I am accordingly giving it 5 stars! One caveat-reader beware- this book builds in intensity to a near frenzy (how fitting!), then ends in a cliff-hanger. That is something I always want to know before starting a book, and I do not consider that a spoiler!!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. ( )

As a retelling of the story of Alice in Wonderland, I found The Wonderland Trials to be an interesting book. The combination of characters and world-building drew me into the story. Having never read the original book Alice in Wonderland, I found myself unable to put this book down.

Vanishing people, a dangerous annual game, and more fill the pages of this book. I enjoyed seeing how this dystopian novel unfolded. So if you enjoy take-offs of fairy tales, you should check out this book for yourself.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own. ( )

I would think it would be a challenge to retell a fairy tale and give it enough imagination that it captures readers attention. The author has achieved that in this book with one of my all time favorite fairy tales. When I was in elementary school I played Alice in a play. It was fun and I never forgot how the story gave me chills and intrigued me. To say that I was excited about this book would be an understatement. I have to give a big shout out to the cover as well. It is everything you would want to grab the attention of readers.

The journey in this story is familiar yet different in ways that broadened my imagination. All the characters are represented but with a slight twist. We are caught in a world where fear seems to reign and a game where the outcome could change everything. Alice is thrust into a rabbit hole where she finds strange decor and a game where players disappear. I loved the descriptions that made me feel like I was sitting beside Alice as she looked at her cards.

The relationship between Alice and her sister is filled with intense moments. Alice clearly understands that Charlotte wants to control her and perhaps hides a secret that Alice must not find out about. I enjoyed the dynamics between these two and wondered if Charlotte could be trusted. Does she want what is best for Alice?

I did like little references that could be used as faith lessons. One example was Chess and Alice talking about believing in the impossible. Alive is adamant that she has to see things in order to believe. Chess tells her, “You have to know it here. In your heart.” Faith is like that. We may not see God working, but in our heart we need to believe in Him.

The story is definitely a page turner with unexpected twists that kept me glued to the book. The author captures the characters with precision yet gives them a little something that adds her own touch to each one. The action gets going as Alice gets closer to entering the game and investigating where people are disappearing to. The Trials are dangerous for some and Alice will have to have her wits about her to stay safe. Alice learns a valuable lesson in working as a team which is more powerful than doing things alone.

As they go into the last door there awaits something different for everyone. Their biggest fear is facing them in that moment. With riddles and puzzles to decipher, Alice and her team work together to expose secrets that have been hidden for so long. The author kept me entertained throughout the story and just as I saw the ending coming, the author does the cliff hanging wait till the next book to find out what happens farewell for now see you later entry. Now I must wait till next time to continue my journey.

“Fear makes people do senseless things.”

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion ( )

"But it is when we are not ourselves that believing in the impossible - in the unseen - becomes most vital. We must believe in something beyond you or I."

The book truly is a Wonderland filled with adventure, mystery, and secrets and populated by memorable and fantastic characters. I loved the author's writing style, spoken in first person present tense through a sixteen year old named Alice. This reimagining of Alice in Wonderland is fascinating, creative, exciting, and completely captivating. You never know what will happen next and the adrenaline keeps pumping, even at the end of the book.

I loved Alice and her stubborn yet creative, loyal, believing heart. Chess is still a character I'm trying to figure out. Their friendship is fraught with tension and distrust but also with dependency. I can't wait to see how this relationship unfolds in the second book. I also enjoyed the subtle faith thread of needing to believe in something greater than the seen and the journey to finding the King. This Wonderland the author has created is complex, intricate, and enchanting and how she weaves the elements from the original story into her world is mind-blowing. It ranks in the top 20 of the YA fantasy books of all time for me and you absolutely need to read this if you're a fan of the genre.

I received the book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own. ( )