diaryofthebookdragon's review
2.0
When I started reading Her Mad Hatter I expected sexy retelling of Alice in Wonderland. So imagine my surprise when on the first page I met Danika, “fairy godmother extraordinaire” (her description not mine). And when she described a setting for the story all I could think was: YES!
Kingdom series by Marie Hall is not set in any specific fairy tale. Instead the world is a delightful mix of all popular stories. Although I must notice that a lot of time Disney versions were used, not original fairy tales. No matter, it was my favorite type of fairy tale retelling. It sounded too good to be true. And Danika was just the kind of narrator I like: quirky and with a big mouth. Just read what she has to say about some of her colleagues:
"Of course that stupid fat cow- oh what was her face, the one who worked with Cinderella- thought she was the best. But honestly, what was her claim to fame? Turning a pumpkin into a coach? Or, how about making mice footmen?
Preposterous.
She was a disgrace to all the fairy godmothers out there with her ridiculous bippity-boppity-booing.
Not to mention her clientele. That simpering little doll– a classic Mary Sue if ever there was one. Oh save me, Prince Charming, for I am pretty and cannot do a thing for myself. *Bat lashes, wiggle bottom, ad nauseum.*
Blah!
Pathetic little creature. Danika would rather gouge her eye out with a spoon. A rusty one! And… and… roughened at the edges."
Obviously Danika likes to have different proteges. She calls them “the bad boys of the Kingdom”. And in Her Mad Hatter we get to read how Danika helped the first bad boy find true love. As the title suggests it, it’s the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. But imagine something more similar to Tim Burton’s version, not Disney’s.
After the delightful introduction and interesting world I was ready to swoon, to be swept off my feet with romance. Sadly, this is the part of the story that fell short for me. I just couldn’t care less for the couple. I was not sorry for the Hatter, who was going slowly insane. And all I can say about Alice is that her childhood crush felt kinda creepy. Sometimes the story about destined couples and mates work for me. But not this time.
Most of the book was, as expected, about Alice and Hatter, and was boring for me. I could not wait for it to end. Still, I am not sure if I do not like how Marie Hall does romance or only this couple was the problem. As I said I loved the setting and Danika. Also the descriptions were very nice:
"She grabbed hold of the smooth wood, the hum of its power echoing down her fingertips like the swelling vibrations of water dripping on thin metal."
I will have to investigate further. Luckily for me, I managed to grab first three books of Kingdom series as they are free Kindle ebooks. The next part Gerard’s Beauty is inspired by Beauty and the Beast, one of my favorite fairy tales. Lets hope I will like the characters this time.
In The End…
Her Mad Hatter is a typical paranormal romance set in Wonderland. Recommended if you like to read the version of story where Alice and Hatter get together and you don’t mind that romance will be instant, because they are destined to be together.
This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
Kingdom series by Marie Hall is not set in any specific fairy tale. Instead the world is a delightful mix of all popular stories. Although I must notice that a lot of time Disney versions were used, not original fairy tales. No matter, it was my favorite type of fairy tale retelling. It sounded too good to be true. And Danika was just the kind of narrator I like: quirky and with a big mouth. Just read what she has to say about some of her colleagues:
"Of course that stupid fat cow- oh what was her face, the one who worked with Cinderella- thought she was the best. But honestly, what was her claim to fame? Turning a pumpkin into a coach? Or, how about making mice footmen?
Preposterous.
She was a disgrace to all the fairy godmothers out there with her ridiculous bippity-boppity-booing.
Not to mention her clientele. That simpering little doll– a classic Mary Sue if ever there was one. Oh save me, Prince Charming, for I am pretty and cannot do a thing for myself. *Bat lashes, wiggle bottom, ad nauseum.*
Blah!
Pathetic little creature. Danika would rather gouge her eye out with a spoon. A rusty one! And… and… roughened at the edges."
Obviously Danika likes to have different proteges. She calls them “the bad boys of the Kingdom”. And in Her Mad Hatter we get to read how Danika helped the first bad boy find true love. As the title suggests it, it’s the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. But imagine something more similar to Tim Burton’s version, not Disney’s.
After the delightful introduction and interesting world I was ready to swoon, to be swept off my feet with romance. Sadly, this is the part of the story that fell short for me. I just couldn’t care less for the couple. I was not sorry for the Hatter, who was going slowly insane. And all I can say about Alice is that her childhood crush felt kinda creepy. Sometimes the story about destined couples and mates work for me. But not this time.
Most of the book was, as expected, about Alice and Hatter, and was boring for me. I could not wait for it to end. Still, I am not sure if I do not like how Marie Hall does romance or only this couple was the problem. As I said I loved the setting and Danika. Also the descriptions were very nice:
"She grabbed hold of the smooth wood, the hum of its power echoing down her fingertips like the swelling vibrations of water dripping on thin metal."
I will have to investigate further. Luckily for me, I managed to grab first three books of Kingdom series as they are free Kindle ebooks. The next part Gerard’s Beauty is inspired by Beauty and the Beast, one of my favorite fairy tales. Lets hope I will like the characters this time.
In The End…
Her Mad Hatter is a typical paranormal romance set in Wonderland. Recommended if you like to read the version of story where Alice and Hatter get together and you don’t mind that romance will be instant, because they are destined to be together.
This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
cancourtneyread's review against another edition
4.0
Loved it. Hatter is as crazy and yummy? As ever. Believe it or not the mad hatter made mad sexy ;)
mrose21's review against another edition
3.0
I loved this read.
Its hot, and I just can't help it. I needed this.
Its hot, and I just can't help it. I needed this.
myzanm's review against another edition
4.0
Surprisingly good.
A quick read. Maybe too quick. I wouldn’t have minded a few more chapters, because the one thing I had problems with was the jump from dislike and lust to love was a bit too fast for me. I would have loved to see both of their feelings turning.
A quick read. Maybe too quick. I wouldn’t have minded a few more chapters, because the one thing I had problems with was the jump from dislike and lust to love was a bit too fast for me. I would have loved to see both of their feelings turning.
xxjustplainjessxx's review against another edition
4.0
Alice in Wonderland has always been a favorite of mine. It’s always made the little girl in me happy. This version…well, this version makes the big girl in me happy, for lack of better terms. Spicy, dramatic, and not without twists, Her Mad Hatter delivers a grown up twist on a childhood favorite and doesn’t fail to amuse and break your heart at the same time.
foreverbeautifulbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I have to say I bought this one quite some time ago. I wasn't sure about it--yet I was very intrigued with the idea of the baddies getting their stories.
I really didn't know that the Mad Hatter was a 'baddie' but I can see how that could be skewed within the classic Alice in Wonderland tale. Especially, after watching Alice on Sci-fi.
Honestly, this story really surprised me. The author did a brilliant job of writing the insane ramblings of Hatter. The little riddles and how he tries to explain things while lost in the world of his own making because of all the crap that has happened in his life. How, he can never leave that world. How his very thoughts create the insanity around him. Not just that but Alice Hu was his perfect match. She was a little crazy in her own right. But not in a bad way--in the way that it perfectly compliments what the Hatter needs in a mate.
It wasn't just the genius of the retelling of such a well known tell, it was also sexy too. It wasn't too much, but when the fire lit--it was quite impressive!
This is what the show Once Upon a Time should be--the writing on that show is really lacking, perhaps they should read this series! LOL!
I loved how the author spun in the possibility of this not being real, all in her head at the end. It had the perfect blend of tension, sexy, and gut-wrenching story-telling!
I really didn't know that the Mad Hatter was a 'baddie' but I can see how that could be skewed within the classic Alice in Wonderland tale. Especially, after watching Alice on Sci-fi.
Honestly, this story really surprised me. The author did a brilliant job of writing the insane ramblings of Hatter. The little riddles and how he tries to explain things while lost in the world of his own making because of all the crap that has happened in his life. How, he can never leave that world. How his very thoughts create the insanity around him. Not just that but Alice Hu was his perfect match. She was a little crazy in her own right. But not in a bad way--in the way that it perfectly compliments what the Hatter needs in a mate.
It wasn't just the genius of the retelling of such a well known tell, it was also sexy too. It wasn't too much, but when the fire lit--it was quite impressive!
This is what the show Once Upon a Time should be--the writing on that show is really lacking, perhaps they should read this series! LOL!
I loved how the author spun in the possibility of this not being real, all in her head at the end. It had the perfect blend of tension, sexy, and gut-wrenching story-telling!
purpl3_vix3n's review
5.0
For this being something completely out of my regular read, I'm happy I picked it up. Just from the first few sentences I was hooked. I don't know what it was but something drew me to it. It was heart breakingly beautiful. I loved how Alice wasn't the usual blond girl, no she was completely different then what I was expecting, but that's what a good book does. Hatter was just as sad, and depressing as I could imagine him. Though the book art is "pretty" I pictured him nothing like the art. I loved that sometimes he didn't make sense which was perfect because that is how he is. Bravo!!!
the_bibliophile_pile's review
4.0
Not bad, definitely better than I thought it was going to be. Sorta skipped through the beginning a bit, because it was blah, but about halfway through it got better.
frogglodite's review
4.0
This one was so fun. I loved the idea that Hatter has to be with an Alice, and the fairygodmother has been bringing him Alices for ages. Good story, hardly any errors at all. I love retellings of myths and fairytales! SO FUN!
I'm looking forward to Gerard's story.
I'm looking forward to Gerard's story.