Wendy reviews ‘Mad About the Hatter’ by Dakota Chase, Narrated by Joel Froomkin. Published by Dreamspinner Press September 19, 2017, audio book is 7 hours and 8 minutes.
This isn’t his sister’s Wonderland….
Henry never believed his older sister Alice’s fantastic tales about the world down the rabbit hole. When he’s whisked away to the bizarre land, his best chance for escape is to ally himself with the person called the Mad Hatter. Hatter – an odd but strangely attractive fellow – just wants to avoid execution. If that means delivering “Boy Alice” to the Queen of Hearts at her Red Castle, Hatter will do what he has to do to stay alive. It doesn’t matter if Henry and Hatter find each other intolerable. They’re stuck with each other.
Along their journey, Henry and Hatter must confront what they’ve always accepted as truth. As dislike grows into tolerance and something like friendship, the young men see the chance for a closer relationship. But Wonderland is a dangerous place, and first they have to get away with their lives.
A promotional credit for this audio book was offered by the narrator in exchange for an honest review.
Where to buy:
Where to add:
Why I listened to this audiobook: I saw a promotion from the narrator, Joel Froomkin. I love his work and have learned that when he recommends a story we all should listen.
The story:
This is a fantastic fantastical story! Maybe not the AIW that we all know and love, but this Wonderland is every bit as wonderful and frightening. The world that Dakota Chase has written is so well developed. I could envision the sights, imagine smelling the smells (both the good and the bad) and feel the feels. Very well written. And the characters… the MCs, Henry and Hatter were a delight to read/listen to as they navigate their way through Wonderland as well as through the beginning of their relationship. They are both thoroughly lovable with their quick wit and charm. Even their faults were just minor quirks that made them even more lovable and believable as characters in the world of Wonderland.
The secondary characters were amazing. Some cute, some scary and all with little twists that make them more than what they appear to be. In fact the whole of Wonderland is more than it appears. I love that I got the feeling that I was the one on the adventure right next to Henry and Hatter.
The narration:
I’ve listened to several stories narrated by Joel Froomkin (aka Joel Leslie) and I have enjoyed them all, but this story… this story was MADE for him to narrate! Absolute perfection!
I loved this story so much that I bought it in both ebook and audiobook versions so I can have it forever.
If you like YA, if you like fantasy, YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK!
Dakota Chase writes stories of the fantastical, of ghosts and monsters, and time travel. She lives right on the border of Normal, and has been known to take quick trips into the next town over, Crazy, although she usually finds her way home again without little trouble. She shares her home with “Nibbles,” her Shar Pei/Labrador mix breed that may or may not be a werewolf in disguise, and a husband who definitely isn’t a werewolf even though he’s been known to be shaggy, and howl from time to time. She has four grown children, one of whom has spawned, resulting in two grandchildren whom she adores. When she isn’t writing, Dakota likes to crochet odd things, like killer shark slippers and skull dolls. She loves sushi, spicy foods, and grapes, but is highly allergic to any form of math.
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