I'm absolutely obsessed with this series so far. L.L. McKinney has written a fantastic series that I never want to end.

-Picks up right were the first ended
-Still love Alice's voice. Unapologetically black and proud and comfortable in her skin. No code switching for the white sensibility.
-Action packed.
-Moms in the know now
-Day with mom and grandma <3
-Courtney gets in on the adventure
-Meet more guardians and warriors
-More traveling in our world and Wonderland
-More backstory of the queens and knights
-Bi/pan/queer crushes/flirting/interactions. There's no real romancing or relationships going on with the battles and saving the worlds. Loads awkward feels and dancing around.
-Dragons!
-Monsters escalate
-Some mysteries solved...
-The fight continues
-VERY curious how things will go next. There's gotta be some talking and some lines drawn and a bigger picture end game going.

Also. it's not "random" or "pandering". PEOPLE BE GAY. It doesn't have to ~impact~ the story or them get *buried* to justify it, you fucking straight ding dongs!

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: A Dream So Dark

Author: L. L. McKinley

Book Series: The Nightmare-Verse Book 2

Diversity: Own voice main character and LGBT rep!

Rating: 4.5/5

Publication Date: September 25, 2019

Publisher: Square Fish

Pages: 416

Recommended Age:15+ (violence, gore)

Synopsis: Still reeling from her recent battle (and grounded until she graduates), Alice must abandon her friends to complete her mission: find The Heart and prevent the Red Lady's rise. But the deeper she ventures into Wonderland, the more topsy-turvy everything becomes. It’s not until she’s at her wits end that she realizes—Wonderland is trying to save her.

There’s a new player on the board; a poet capable of using Nightmares to not only influence the living but raise the dead. This Poet is looking to claim the Black Queen’s power—and Alice's budding abilities—as their own.

Dreams have never been so dark in Wonderland, and if there is any hope of defeating this mystery poet’s magic, Alice must confront the worst in herself, in the people she loves, and in the very nature of fear itself.

Review: For the most part I really liked this sequel. I thought it was well written and the characters are amazingly well developed. The world was very well built and the characters are well developed from the first book. We got a lot more of the characters, especially Alice and her mother, and we got LGBT rep! The author definitely evolved from the first book to this one and I'm excited to see what else she writes!

I still had some issues with pacing and the fight scenes (personal preference), but other than that it was a great read!

Verdict: I love this Alice.

I'll eventually post a longer, more formal review on Goodreads and my blog. For now, here are my initial thoughts about this.

I enjoyed the world, the characters, and the voice as much as I did the first book.

I got a little confused near the end, but it didn't interfere with my ability to enjoy the book.

I liked how while the mc did have lots of crushes on various characters, there wasn't a big romance thread. It was realistic enough to ground the story, added some suspense, but did not distract from the rest of the story

My biggest complaint was that at times, the mom felt more like an obstacle than a fully developed character.

There were a lot of loose ends left at the end. If this were the end of the series, that would be a problem, However, if there is a sequel, then it's a good thing.

A Dream So Dark was a spellbinding sequel! I love LL's writing and I look forward to more books from this author.

DNF @ 65%

I received an ARC of A Dream So Dark from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I tried so hard to keep going. I didn't mind A Blade So Black; it wasn't the greatest, but it definitely wasn't horrible, and it had potential. Unfortunately, in book 2, I'm still not seeing that potential be put to use.

The best part of this book is the representation and Alice's mother. I'm 100% here for a black Alice. & I'm definitely here for her mother & the relationship between the two. There's also some LGBTQ+ rep that (because I stopped reading) didn't fully get to but I'm sure woulda been great. However, from my understanding there are two love triangles -- and that just sounds like a damn mess.

What made me stop reading was the terrible pacing & large amounts of downtime. Basically, I stopped reading because I was bored & continuing this felt like a chore. Life's too short & there are way too many books to waste time on something you're just not feelin'. There's also just moments where the writing just feels Messy & hard to keep up with.

A Dream so Dark is the second book in L.L. McKinney's Nightmare-Verse trilogy and it picks up Alice's story immediately from where the previous book left off with Alice trying to explain her latest disappearance to her long suffering and very, very angry mother. As I mentioned in my previous review I really liked the fact that Alice's mum is involved in her life and constantly checking up on her daughter and it's no surprise to see her grounded and pretty much under house arrest after her latest antics. I don't want to say too much but I appreciated the fact that Alice is able to be more open with her mum in this book, it was just a shame that her mum was only really around in the beginning of the story.

In this book we get to spend much more time exploring Wonderland, we meet some great new characters along the way but there were parts of the book where I really found myself missing my favourites from the first book. There were also places where the story dragged a little even though it was fun seeing more of Wonderland and the creatures who live there. The pacing just felt off to me, very slow in the middle and rushed towards the end, and that meant I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first one.

The action scenes we do get were fabulous, L.L. McKinney has a way of hooking you in and she makes it really easy to picture exactly what is happening. There are some huge revelations that are going to make the final book really interesting and I'm definitely invested enough in these characters to want to see how their story ends.

It was amazing seeing Alive back at it with defending Wonderland. L. L. McKinney is a genius writer and I can't wait to read more from her.

I am bereft of words. LL crafts complex worlds. She crafts colorful characters. She writes boldly. She is a story-teller through and through. Read this book. It is a strong continuation of a strong series that should be adapted for the screen by Netflix or HBO.

L.L. McKinney writes spectacular fairy tales with a fresh urban twist. This sequel to A Blade So Black was everything I’d hoped for and left me hungry for more...

As submitted to Brian Mills Press on October. 24th, 2019:

It has been ages since I have been emotionally invested in a book series. Last year, I reviewed L.L. McKinney's A Blade So Black and was utterly delighted. When the sequel A Dream So Dark was announced, I couldn't wait to return to the Nightmare Verse series. Alice Kingston was a compelling and relatable heroine and I wanted to see where her adventures led her next.

After the tumultuous climax in A Blade So Black, Alice Kingston must journey into a corrupted Wonderland to rescue her friend Maddie, a powerful Poet who has been kidnapped by dark forces. Alice is also dealing with the grim betrayal of her best friend Chess and the ongoing peril of The Black Knight. With these dangers come inner turmoil that threaten to tear Alice apart.

One of the most engrossing things about this book is Alice's internal struggle with her fears. I have never liked so-called "strong female characters" who are allowed to be physically strong but not emotionally vulnerable, and this especially applies to Black girls and women. Black women are often expected to care for everyone but themselves, so to see Alice cry, be comforted, and learn to face her fears was wonderful.

Speaking of people who care for Alice, I really liked how Alice's mother was written in this book. In the first book, mother-daughter relationship was on thin ice because of Alice constantly breaking curfew with a secret superhero lifestyle. In this book, it becomes even harder for Alice to keep her Dreamwalker duties a secret. In spite of all the lying, worry, and frustration, Alice's mother still tries to understand her daughter as much as she can. Without giving away too much, I can say that it was really heartwarming to see the two grow closer in this book.

Another character that I liked caring for Alice is Alice's grandmother, Nana Kingston. She was casually mentioned in the first book, so it was a pleasant surprise to see more of her in this one. Nana Kingston displays signs of Alzheimer's disease, but belies strength and cheekiness that radiates warm and love to Alice. I especially liked the gift she gives Alice before she and her mom leave the nursing home.

Of course, Nana Kingston and Alice's mother were only two of the characters that made a good impression. Old characters like The Black Knight and Addison Hatta received some surprising character development that also added to the worldbuilding of Wonderland. In particular, The Black Knight's character development was interesting because it made him more than a one-dimensional villain lackey, but I wasn't too keen about seeing certain chapters switch to his point of view.

Meanwhile, this book also introduces some newer characters. There is Romi and Haruka, Japanese Dreamwalkers and protectors of the Eastern gateway of Wonderland. Both are strong warriors, but Haruka was the most intriguing as she serves as both a new friend and a new crush for Alice. Seeing those two bond over past battles and Sailor Moon was a lot of fun to watch. It was also nice to see Alice's bisexuality be so casually featured and confirmed, since I had my suspicions about Alice's orientation in the first book.

One other newer character that was enjoyable was the Big Bad of the book. I liked how cunning they were in terms of their plan to manipulate Alice, Addison, an evil version of Chess, and The Black Knight. I also liked how genuinely scary their power over the Nightmares were. Out of every aspect of this book, they embody the darkness of Wonderland to its fullest and the reveal of their identity was well done.

There wasn't much I disliked about the book. One improvement over the last book is seeing Chess and Courtney play bigger roles in Alice's adventure for better and worse. I ended up liking them more than I did in the first book and I'm a bit interested in seeing how the events in this book will impact them in the next. In fact, this book made me extremely impressed with how the author has managed to handle such a huge cast of characters in the series overall.

All in all, this book was a darker, entertaining return to Wonderland that hardly disappoints. Alice fights darkness from within and without to emerge as a better hero and plant the first seeds of Wonderland's return to its former glory. This was a thrilling continuation of the Nightmare Verse series and I eagerly await what will come next.

I was going to read this book but after recently learning about the author's racism I've decided not to continue this series. She shouldn't be attacking her readers and then try to play the victim card.

This is the second book in The Nightmare Verse and we pick up shortly after the first book. We follow Alice as she heads back into Wonderland fighting against a new villain who is trying to claim the Black Queens power. We get some new characters in this book, even though I wish there was more Hatta because he's my favorite! One of the things I enjoyed most about this was that we got more Wonderland, we got to see more of how the entries from Wonderland to our world works. One of my favorite part of this book has to do with Alice and her mother, I had fun reading the push and pull of a relationship. With that said, it's a twisted, drama-filled story, that grows Curiouser and curiouser with each book.

What a great sequel to A Blade So Black. Really enjoy reading this book and love all the action scenes. I hope there is a sequel to this book so things did not get revealed especially with Alice and the villain. Need answers!!!

L.L. McKinney writes spectacular fairy tales with a fresh urban twist. This sequel to A Blade So Black was everything I’d hoped for and left me hungry for more...
⁣⁣
Much thanks to NetGalley & Imprint for this advance copy for review. ⁣⁣

First off, I want to say that since book one I have the BIGGEST crush on Hatta! I don’t like romance like that but Mckinney gave me just enough to make me not gag. I loved this book and series so much. I’ve been a fan of Alice in wonderland since a kid and to show case an Alice that looks like me, brought tears to my eyes. So, is it possible to get a book three because I want more of these characters.

Thank you Macmillan Publishing & NetGalley for gifting this copy in exchange for an honest review. Y’all this one is a MUST have on your shelf.

Alice Kingston is back for another round of wild Wonderland adventure in A Dream So Dark, the sequel to L.L. McKinney’s A Blade So Black!

This flashy follow-up finds Alice’s two worlds-- one as a “normal” Atlanta teen with a very strict mother, another as a Nightmare-slaying warrior and protector of Wonderland-- colliding at full speed. Her best friend Chess has been lost to the terrors of Wonderland and when The Black Knight makes things personal, Alice can’t keep her mom in the dark anymore. She’s always struggled to separate these two parts of her existence, but things get especially interesting when she can’t anymore. Alice is ready to end The Black Knight once and for all, but what she discovers in her search for him is more harrowing than she ever suspected.

Like the first book, A Dream So Dark is filled with ultra-lush worldbuilding that makes you feel like you’re right in the middle of each scene, particularly in the vibrant Wonderland sequences. I loved the new details that were added to the world as it expanded into something that’s both more outrageous and more relatable. Meet new characters is a huge part of this journey and their unique personalities added a fresh later to the storytelling. Of course, the characters from book one are back in force as well! I really enjoy Alice’s repertoire with The Looking Glass crew, especially as Alice’s best friend Court becomes folded into the mix a little more.

The novel also delves into Hatta’s past, which is irrefutably tied, somehow, into what’s going on in Wonderland right now. It’s a fun dive, but I wish it was presented a little more thoroughly, perhaps with more flashbacks or conversations between characters who were there for the good times before everything went sour.

However, there’s one major problem I had with this novel: The pacing felt very off. A lot of time is spent on set-up, logistics, and travel. They focus didn’t really seem to be on the motion-forward of the plot until the last quarter or so of the novel, during which pretty much all the meaningful action happens and reveals are made. By the end of it all, we could see where things would go for the third book, but everything that happened leading up to that didn’t feel consistently compelling or necessary. I didn't feel this way about the first book at all, so it was a bit of a shock. What it boils down to is Middle Book Syndrome.

If you loved A Blade So Black, you’ll have fun reading the new developments in A Dream So Dark despite a slower pace and by the end of it all, you’ll be curiouser and curiouser about how things will play out in Book 3!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
***
A Dream So Dark is the follow up to McKinney’s debut novel A Blade so Black and picks up not long from where that book ends.

Alice had just finished one battle but things aren’t over. In fact she has an ever bigger battle ahead when her friends and loved ones are put into danger and Alice has to figure out how to balance life in her world and the work she does for Wonderland. The Black Knight continues to be a thorn in her side and Alice still has a lot to learn about herself and her own muchness.
Familiar characters and some new ones join the story as Alice must return to Wonderland to help keep both worlds safe from the Black Knight and whoever he works for because the danger they present is maybe more dangerous than the battle with the Black Queen years before.
***
I love this book and continue to love Alice and her friends and look forward to seeing where their next adventure takes them.

~ARC provided by NetGalley~

Well I definitely liked this one better than the first. I really enjoy the more urban take on Alice in Wonderland but the writing is just ok for me. Definitely a nice follow up - wonder if there will a third. It still has me interested.

A Dream So Dark is non-stop action. There are revelations, betrayals, and new friends. While you can certainly get lost int he action, battle scenes, what I enjoyed most was that A Dream So Dark looks at the nature of our choices. When our memories are taken away, when we lose touch with who we are, what kind of decisions can we make? At what point have we lost ourselves?