5 madnening stars!! This was my first book by Stacey and I'm completely enchanted with her writing. I read this book in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. A slow burn romance, inside an epic fantasy, Descending Into Madness will transport you to another world where you'll feel like you are inside the story. Can't wait to read the next book in this duet.

I'm so sorry that I can't give this book a better rating. My biggest problem was the heroine. She was so horny all the time AND at the most inappropriate and inconvenient times ever (actually both of them but bc the book was written in her POV, so yeah. Like when they were on the run and they still had time to feel aroused and give each other heated glances or when she's suddenly aware of his hard body or whatever, I mean this is war, there's a fight, what are you doing, run!). Her reactions were so over the top sometimes and her "impulsive nature and mouth" really got on my nerves after a while.
I also didn't like their dynamics. They had this camaraderie bc they were in this together but it was kinda hard for me to understand. The Hero would be cruel with his words, she'd hurt for a minute and then just rebounce and come back for more (or they'd have this sexy moment, the H would push her away and then they'd be back to normal and talk like nothing happened). Then, thinking that she shouldn't do this with the H anymore, that she has to be careful bc she could get hurt again, she does it anyway bc that sexual energy between H and h is just so strong and amazing that she couldn't help herself. Such a wishy-washy heroine. The Hero always sending mixed signals didn't help either.

2 stars for the absolutely amazing secondary characters Dum and Dee, Penguin, Hare and Rudy!

This is the first book in the Winterland Tale Series. This story is totally mind blowing. This retelling of Alice in Wonderland fairytale, with a Christmas twist, has it all! Hilarious, Sexy, action packed and totally crazy! Alice, Scrooge and the crazy gang are captivating! Now, I can't wait until the next book in this Series. I received a free review copy of this book and I have voluntarily left this review.

I received a copy from Netgalley for review purposes.

I have never read a fairy tale re-imagined before and at first there was several things different and several that were like the original like the character being named Alice and "I'm very late" that I wasn't sure I was going to like it. Then she fell into the winter wonderland and I really started to enjoy the story. I liked the combination of similar and different to the original story. The Winter Wonderland twist to the story fascinated me. I was hooked by the story and drawn to the pages. I can't wait for book 2 in the series.

Descending into Madness was unique, captivating and highly entertaining. It was a fascinating retelling of Alice in Wonderland fairytale mixed with Christmas to create a world unlike any other. This story had me hooked from start to finish as nothing was as it seemed. I did not know what was up from down, what was right from wrong.
The story took us on a heart pounding journey, with twists and turns you would not see coming. It was well written and highly imaginative, hilarious yet emotional, dark and dangerous, fast-paced and adventurous. It was filled with sexual tension without the sex, quirky unusual characters who you will love and an ending that will have you anxious for more.
This was my first Stacey Marie Brown novel and I was totally captivated. I loved it and would highly recommend it to all Fantasy lovers. Definitely worthy of a 5 star status I can't wait for the next book.

4.5 Alice Stars

OMG I know its July but I'm now in a Christmas mood.

SMB has done a phenomenal job with this very clever twist on Alice in Wonderland mixing it with Christmas. Once you start this book you will be hooked and jumping down the rabbit hole of crazy willingly. It was well written and fast paced so make sure you have no interruptions when you start this one as you will be so captivated in the crazy you will get annoyed if interrupted.

You never know what is going to happen next. I loved the crazy suspense from this book. These characters are completely crazy and highly entertaining.

I honestly can't wait for Ascending into Madness to see what happens next.

Descending Into madness is Alice In wonderland but Christmas themed. Which sounds amazing right?

Instead of the mad hatter he becomes Scrooge, instead of the rabbit always being late, he’s a reindeer etc..

I’m loved the way Alice swears with Christmas themes/songs.

While she’s there she meets the mad hatter aka Scrooge and it’s not a great first impression, but they slowly come together because of the events that follow.

Scrooge decision to go to the land of the lost to go and get Santa Claus doesn’t go well with the group and everyone is scared he won’t come back. He feels like he’s the only one that can. After Scrooge is gone for 4 days Alice takes it upon her self to go and save him. Will she be able to? Or will she end up being lost?

The ending was something that I wasn’t expecting but while reading it made perfect sense. Stacy does an amazing job combining Alice In Wonderland and Christmas. I can only imagine what the next book is going to hold.

A sexy, fantastical spin on a “mad” classic, with a holly jolly twist. Winterland is a magical land built from the creative, inventive mind of one of my favorite authors. Not like anything I have read by Stacey Marie Brown, but still with her signature humor, wit and edge of your seat action. The adventure never stops and this crazy rollercoaster ride will have you wondering if you have “given in to the madness, or just accepted it in yourself.” A Beautifully written tale woven with meaningful, loveable characters you can’t help but root for. The only downfall is the wait for book 2. Don’t pass this one up!

4.5 stars Descending Into Madness is a creative with a somewhat naughty mashup of Alice in Wonderland and Christmas. I am not always certain how things are going to play out when there is a retelling of a popular fairytale, but this has got to be one of the most masterful versions that I’ve ever read. The author’s detailed descriptions of the characters and of Winterland itself made me feel as though I too had fallen down the hole and into this world where everyone is a little bit nutty. Her world building is spectacular and the way the story unravels is clever.

This story has a lot of action as well as humor and then there is Scrooge . . . the hot, sexy, and eccentric man who has more to him than meets the eye. I honestly adored Scrooge! Alice is a fun character. She is a bit of a free spirit who occasionally lacks a filter and tends to jump into things. This is a slow burn romance and the intense heat between Scrooge and Alice nearly melted my kindle. Then there are the secondary characters who really make the book as entertaining as it is as well - I absolutely loved Hare, Pen, Dee, and Dum and then the evil villains I wanted to whack over the head with a candy cane. I received Descending Into Madness for free and I cannot wait until the next book.

***5 ‘Losing Oneself Takes Time’ Stars***

Ever since reading a little tease of this story in Such Violent Delights: A Paranormal Romance Holiday Anthology (Sorry it’s no longer available but was chock full of some really great stuff) I’ve needed/wanted/died for more the story, because you doesn’t love a good twist on the already trippy Alice in Wonderland tale? Especially when that twist has it meeting and melding with practically every Christmas story, or story that happens around Christmas time (sooo did not see that one coming. At. ALL)?

And let me tell you I got way more than ever expected.

This book is Christmas on crack. I’m mean “Holy Massive Stocking’ on crack. It was a tinsy bit overwhelming at times, but considering what Winterland is/was I got it. I got used to it and have to hand it to Ms. Brown for going big on that point.

And then there are Alice and Scrooge are, of course, absolutely fascinating. I loved Alice’s free spirit and at times lack of an edit button. But this woman is fierce and even though this is just the beginning of her journey, I loved watching her become more. Scrooge is everything is name implies, but his heart isn’t as black as he wants everyone to believe. He has some HUGE demons riding him, but the man is all that a huge bag of Christma Cookies (Ok...that was lame, but, hey, I tried). Their relationship is a rocky one, but that spark is there and I NEED to see how it all plays out in the next book.

But, if you know me, you know I ADORE well written secondary characters and this one has them in spades. The baddies I want to gut with a spoon, but...that’s pretty normal. But Hare, Pen, Dum and Dee own my heart as much as Alice and Scrooge. They are the most imperfectly perfect group I’ve ever met and want to hang out with (with lots of mead though)

I have to say, Ms. Brown went big with this one. She took Alice, mashed up a ton of Christmas...everything, and basically birthed a crazy, dark, dangerous and chaotic yet intriguing world. No, this ain’t the happy happy animated kids version. Yes, there are triggers (so beware). This is also a duet and there a cliffy of sorts at the end, but it was done well and as I’ve already said once before, I NEED Ascending From Madness ASAP!

~ Copy provided by The Next Step PR & voluntarily reviewed ~

It's 🅲🅷🆁🅸🆂🆃🅼🅰🆂 in July ya'll 🎄 and this book was all kinds of 𝓪𝔀𝓮𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮. 👍👍 An 𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕀𝕟 𝕎𝕠𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕 reimagining with a 🅲🅷🆁🅸🆂🆃🅼🅰🆂 twist and a smokin' hot 𝕾𝖈𝖗𝖔𝖔𝖌𝖊 thrown in for good measure. 🔥🔥 It was ridiculously ¢αмρу. 😝 Laugh out loud ϝυɳɳყ. 😂 Excellent 𝐬𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 (but 🅩🅔🅡🅞 sex). 🙈 Original. 👍 Well written. 👍 Entertaining. 🎬 A fantastic cast of ĔŃŤĔŔŤĂĨŃĨŃĞ secondary characters. 🐧 🐰 🎅 ☃. And two ҜICҜ-ДSS main characters (🅰🅻🅸🅲🅴 and 𝕾𝖈𝖗𝖔𝖔𝖌𝖊). 💑 This was heading towards 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 right until the end. 👀 I didn't realize that this book would end on a 🅒🅛🅘🅕🅕🅗🅐🅝🅖🅔🅡 and I wasn't a huge fan of the t̳w̳i̳s̳t̳ at the end. 😒 That said, I still 𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓰 enjoyed the 🅷🅴🅻🅻 out of this book and can't wait to get my hands on book two. 🙌