They call me the dagger.
I’m a famed assassin.
It’s all I’ve ever known.
All that I can remember.
So when a white rabbit tells me that loved ones are waiting for me in the Wonderland Court of Faerie, it’s surprising. And then, I learn something even more shocking.
The Red Queen stole the crown from my mother—who she murdered. The queen singlehandedly created my reality of death and blood … Queen stole the crown from my mother—who she murdered. The queen singlehandedly created my reality of death and blood and murder.
While that’s devastating, I can handle it. As long as I get revenge.
What I don’t know how to handle is Henri Hatter.
He’s a rebel leader loved by everyone. A man who sings in the streets because people ask for aether’s sake. A faerie who knows more about my past than anyone—including me.
A good man who could crush my heart if I let him in. Which I can’t do.
Not if I want vengeance against the queen who ruined my life. Despite my claims that I work alone, Hatter and two nosey little pixies insist on sticking with me.
Only one thing is for sure, with them by my side assassinating the Red Queen will be unlike any other job I’ve ever tackled.
Alice the Dagger is a fae romance. Readers who love adventure, slow-burn romances, whimsical worlds, spunky sidekicks, and lots of action will love Alice the Dagger.
more
All the characters from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland are here, but nothing like the Disney or Carroll versions. We meet Alice as an assassin trained by and working for the vampire, Xavier Doru. He sends her on missions to assassinate bad people. On the way to her next job, she is met with a white rabbit, a pooka, named Herald, who insists they are late to go to the Wonderland Court to help the rebel leaders and be reunited with her true parents. Alice finds out she is a pure-blood faerie and enters a portal to Wonderland. Many adventures ensue. Lunch at the Carpenters Pub ends badly for many. Tweedle Dee and Dumtalora are pixies. Alice learns the Red Queen AKA the Queen of Hearts killed her parents to take the throne, and adding insult to injury, she is Alice’s aunt and has a contract out on her. Henri Hatter, son of the Mad Hatter, is a handsome, attractive guy to whom she is becoming attracted. A frustrating encounter with a Cheshire cat. Encounters with Bandersnatches and other hostile beings. Then a search in the Enchanted Forest for the caterpillar to learn how to release her aether. In return, Alice agrees to kill the caterpillar’s mortal enemy. Finally the dramatic, exciting showdown with the usurper Red Queen.
Alice the Dagger is one of the best fairytale retellings I have read – and I have read alot! The author transforms the tale completely but keeps certain elements and characters that you love from the original. Cheshire has always been my fave and I really enjoy how he is portrayed in this story. Alice’s transition into an assassin is absolutely brilliant but I have to say I also fell in love with Tweedle Dee & Dum. I truly had a hard time putting this book down – it was a page turner that captivated me from start to finish. I did not want the book to end and am looking forward to book 2 and diving back into this world.
This was a fun and interesting retelling of Alice in Wonderland. I liked Alice from the start, strong, determined and fierce … good at heart despite her upbringing by the Vampire Lord. That upbringing also gives her the strength and good part of the skill set needed to hell the Fae of Wonderland.
Looking forward to the next book!
I received this as an Advance Reader Copy from Booksprout with the hopes I would like it and review it.
Thank you to the author, Ashley Mcleo, for providing a copy of Alice the Dagger (The Wonderland Court Series book 1). In exchange, I have reviewed honestly.
Throne of Glass goes to Wonderland!
Alice is an assassin. When an anxious rabbit in a waistcoat appears and reveals her true identity, Alice’s entire world flips upside down. Journey to wonderland with Alice, a handsome Hatter and pixie twins as they attempt to overthrough the usurping Queen of Hearts. This Alice in Wonderland retelling is a quircky, fun and exciting fae tale.
Alice the Dagger features, but is not limited to, the following themes:
NA fantasy
Fae
Retelling
YA romance
Corrupt royalty
Adventure
Tournament/Games/Competition
My overall rating for Alice the Dagger is…
4.5 Stars!
Ok, I am a huge Alice in Wonderland fan and an even bigger fan of fae! This book was exquisite! The adventure, the quircky incorporations in a traditional tale, the sass and bad-ass-ary (I swear, it’s a word!), the handsome Hatter and the sly evil queen, all work together to make this book complete and empowering. I love the growing attraction between Alice and Hatter; like, who even knew the Hatter could be so sexually tantalising? I can’t wait to see their romance blossom in the books to come!
An urban fantasy heroine thrown into the whimsical world of Wonderland. Fast paced enjoyable read with plenty of humor, a bit of slow burn romance, lots of action and all the feels. There were many nods to the classic books, but McLeo put her own twist on them, playing up some of the darker and more sinister elements hinted at in the original and re-imagining some of the sillier and kookier ones. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum as pixies were my favorite (but don’t call them that!). Cheshire and the Caterpillar were well done too.
This story seems to take place about a generation after the events of the original books and imagine some interesting family dynamics culminating in a final battle that requires all of Alice’s wits, skills and new friends to win.
I liked that Alice was given a backstory that supported her skills but it almost seemed non-sequitur after she went through the rabbit hole. I enjoyed watching the relationships unfold through the book. I do think that she had a vulnerability that was necessary to the story, but not necessarily realistic to her background. It made her far more likeable as a character. I think maybe what was missing was who or what helped her cling to her humanity through her brutal upbringing.
The book ends in a way that indicates it is the beginning of a series. I hope this is so as these are characters and a world I would enjoy spending more time with.
I loved this authors retelling of Alice in Wonderland. She created a whimsical fantasy world that I wish I was a part of! It was great. I even love how she added some slow-burn romance to this story!
Alice the Dagger is another fairy tale told in a different light. Let me say OH MAN THIS WAS A GOOD BOOK! Who knew Alice could be lethal. Alice is an ASSASSIN! She is a tough chick and I loved it. There is a bit of a mystery in the beginning and then we find out she is a FAE! There are other things we find out as well and it was shocking. I have to say that the flow of the story was smooth and the descriptions of wonderland were vivid. I enjoyed the adventure that Alice went on. The Hatter? Is there something there with these two? Will Alice bring about peace in Wonderland? So much happens in this book. A lot of fighting and passion. It is definitely refreshing. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.
If you want non stop action and drama then this is the book for you!
Alice is a paid assassin for a Vampire Xavier Doru. She is counting the days until her contact is up. She is on her way to Xavier’s when a white rabbit in a top coat appears in front of her. She thinks she is crazy when he starts speaking to her. The things he tells her prompts her to go and confront Xavier. She is astonished by what she learns and so begins her journey down the path to find out more herself.
This book will keep you riveted and I strongly recommend this book.
Alice the Dagger is a retelling of the well loved fairy tale Alice in Wonderland.
The Author has done an amazing job bringing well loved characters with a twist of a Fae paranormal romance.
This book captured my attention from the beginning and I can’t wait to see how the story evolves.
I received this book as ARC copy, and I’m giving my voluntary, honest review.
Alice the assassin
A different twist to Alice! If you enjoy unique-retellings- than give this one a try!
An interesting take on a classic. Well done
I received this book as ARC copy, and I’m giving my voluntary, honest review.
I love Alice in Wonderland stories. The vivid imagery and quirky characters. Ashley’s retelling of the classic captures those favorite characters and adds unique twists to them. While nowhere near as dark as American McGee’s Alice video game, some of the plot points are darker than the Disney version, but they help create a bond with Alice and the secondary characters.
I love that Alice is a strong female character. She always has been as it would be trying to fall into another world, but Ashley’s Alice the Dagger has earned that nickname and is a kick butt strong heroine. I also enjoyed seeing Hatter as the strong leader he’s known to be and the different, more leading male way he’s portrayed. The chemistry between the two has me looking forward to a sequel.
Dee, Dum and the Cheshire Cat (admittedly always a favorite) characters are fantastic, and I loved their twists.
The story reads quickly, is full of adventure from the very beginning and has a slow burn romance. There is some violence, as the title alludes to, but romance and language-wise, this is very age appropriate and won’t leave anyone blushing.
If you’re looking to escape reality into fantasy, like me, this is a wonderful retelling that has plenty of action and the stakes are high enough, especially during the last several chapters, that’ll make you skip your nap in favor of just one more chapter.
This is a frigging amazing Alice in wonderland retelling that I just could not put down! Well written this is a fae romance and part of the Once Upon a Fairytale Night world. It’s twisted, full of adventure, slow-burn romances, whimsical worlds, spunky sidekicks, tons of action and some fantastic characters! I am so glad I read this!
A new variation on the Alice in Wonderland story. Ashley takes the reader on a roller coaster ride into a world beyond Alice’s imagination. While her job as an assassin employed by a vampire ensures she knows of the supernatural world, little did she know she was a big part of it. Until a white rabbit enters the scene and seemingly has answers about her family. Of course she’ll follow him!
Things are not right in Wonderland. A small band of rebels are trying to survive and effect change, but not getting far. The Red Queen is a dictator of the worst order, and has a magical strangle-hold on the populace. Though Alice wants to seek her revenge, fortunately Hatter is there to help her see reason. Through perilous journeys, Alice is able to find herself and her magic.
The showdown between Alice and the Queen is epic, and shows what our girl can accomplish. I cried with the losses she faces, but rooted her on in her battles. Looking forward to book two!
So I’m not going to lie. I wasn’t sure what I was going to think about a fairy tale getting retold with a supernatural theme. I am so glad that I decided to give it a chance. This book had everything. Alice as an assassin??? Awesome! She is such a brave character and following along with her as she discovers her history about her family was great. This story had all the best characters from the story we know and love in wonderland but twisted in a way that made them even more lovable! I would read this again/recommend it to all and I can’t wait for part 2!!!
I’ll be honest, I was skeptical about how much I would enjoy this book. Alice in Wonderland is a treasured story to me, largely due to the memories of sitting on my grandpa’s knee while he indulged my requests to read it yet again. I tend to be a harsher critic when it comes to things I hold dear. Still, fairytale retellings are my favorite genre. It seemed worth a shot.
Ashley McLeo’s story feels less like a retelling and more like a tribute. Many characters are recognizable in name only, but this works to her favor. I would never have imagined Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum recast as a pair of pixie sisters, but now I can’t imagine a better version of them. Likewise, all of the fantastical background characters have been given a well-crafted backstory and fleshed out beyond Lewis Carroll’s original whimsical ideas. Classic characters from the White Rabbit to the Bandersnatch have had new life breathed into them, and are joined by new faces who fit seamlessly. Alice herself was exquisitely written. I initially felt she was a little cold and lacked depth, but it becomes clear early on that this is an intentional character flaw, and not a mark of poor writing. One of the most enjoyable parts of this story is watching Alice grow as a person and come into her own.
The plot is no less inventive than the characters. In a fantastical world populated with vampires, shifters, and faeries, McLeo still manages to keep things balanced and believable. The world is masterfully built, and the magic system is well thought out. There is never a moment that you feel certain the heroes will prevail, and there are times that they don’t. With the fast-paced story and nail-biting action, Alice the Dagger kept me engaged from start to finish. I’m anxiously awaiting the sequel to find out what becomes of Wonderland and its inhabitants.
I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a great start to a new Alice retelling! In this version, Alice is an orphan and assassin who longs for her freedom. She journeys into Wonderland Court, a land of fae, in hopes to learn more about her true family. I really liked most of the characters in this book. Dee and Dum, besides the Cheshire Cat, were probably my favorite characters. I loved their fierceness and loyalty to Alice and their complete wrong use of the fist bump once she teaches them about it. I always find myself loving the Cheshire Cat in each version of this story and Ashley managed to put a special twist on the magical creatures in the land. Henry was a sweetheart and took care of others before himself, no matter the cost. Alice is determined, deadly, and very caring underneath her tough exterior. There’s a hint of romance, but it wasn’t enough to take away from the plot. The only thing I had an issue was was the animal cruelty, even though they aren’t real animals. This retelling was full of fae, magical creatures, a battle for the justice and revenge, and nonstop action. It left on a cliffhanger and I honestly can’t wait to see what’s next for Alice and her crew!
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review
Amazing retelling!!!
Love, love, love this book… Action-packed, page-turner, easy to read, fast pace, full of magic, wonderful characters, great world building and an amazing plot… WOW!!!
This Alice in Wonderland retelling is outstanding… Alice is a strong, determined, badass FMC, a fae raised in the human world, as an assassin working for a vampire lord, who knows nothing about her past and heritage… But her life is about to change when a talking white rabbit came to take her to the Wonderland Court
Please go and grab your copy, Henri Hatter is … recommended!!!
This author has really done an amazing job in this Alice in Wonderland retelling.
Nonstop action, secrets, drama, and oh my god moments. This book captured me from the first page and held my attention until the very end. Never a dull moment.
We meet Alice, aka Alice the Dagger, who is an assassin in the human realm. She’s sassy, smart, lost in a world where she’s all alone, and a bada** warrior. Give her a dagger and she’s a lethal weapon. She’s fast thinking and deadly. Then there’s Dee and Dum who are twin sisters! Yes, I repeat they are girls. Bada** twins. I’m all for the girls all being lethal and deadly. The three hit it off really well. And Hatter. We can’t forget him! In this book he’s gorgeous. And like the others has wings. He’s the troubled artist type and who doesn’t love that?
Lots of secrets are revealed to Alice that she has been forced to forget. But while we get answers we are also left with a few unanswered questions that leave us wanting more. And what a wonderful new world we are able to explore right alongside with the characters we can’t help but love. Colorful trees in shades of blues, pinks, and purples. Amazing beasts we know from stories. Krakens, bandersnatches, and so many more. Werewolves, vampires, witches, faeries. What’s not to love so far? Give this book a read. You definitely won’t be disappointed.
I can’t wait for book two!!
I recieved an ARC copy of this from the author and here are my thoughts on the book –
Ashley McLeo has absolutely knocked this so far out of the park, it’s hit the solar system! Fabulous writing, stunning characters with huge depth to each of them and world building that enables you to imagine being right there with Alice and friends, in the midst of the action!
A fun read with all the original characters and names (some slightly twisted) that remind you of Alice in Wonderland but modernized with more action.
An absolute page turner worthy of 5 stars!
This is my first fairy tale retelling and if they’re all like this, I’m definitely up for reading more!
Can’t wait to see what Alice and Henri get up to next in book 2!
Ashley McLeo