Reviewed by Cindy
TITLE: Wonderland City
AUTHOR: Rhys Ford
PUBLISHER: DSP Publications
LENGTH: 101 Pages
RELEASE DATE: April 28, 2020
BLURB:
When Xander Spade went through the Looking Glass, he wasn’t looking for salvation. He’d been running from the devil who took his soul, only to fall prey to the greatest monster in Wonderland City, the Queen of Hearts. Years later, the Queen is dead and Xander has a chance to go through the Looking Glass and back home where he belongs.
Xander’s devil wants him to find a little girl who escaped into Wonderland City, before her presence brings down an apocalypse of uncontrollable chaos to the already mad world. Along with Jean Michel, the former Knave of Hearts, Xander now is in a race against time to find the missing child before all Hell breaks loose and he loses his chance to go home.
REVIEW:
The thing about Rhys Ford is that when one of her stories captures me, it creates a world I can absolute see in my head. Sometimes I can even heara, smell and taste it!
Xander is offered a chance to “redeem” himself and be free. He’s not sure he trusts the devil who made him the offer, but he’s willing to do anything to find his way home. But maybe home isn’t where he thought is was?
Jean Michel is and isn’t the love interest in this story. Xander’s actions really aren’t about him. They are about figuring out who you are and what it will take to make yourself happy. If you can’t make yourself happy, how can you bring true joy to anyone else’s life?
Rhys literally paints a picture with her words. Wonderland City feels like an adult 18+ version of the land so many of us visited in our childhood. It’s funny how the things that a child woudn’t miss in a fairytale world are the most precious ones to an adult who’s trapped there.
It’s dark and dank where it should be shining with color and I could feel how it was draining the brightness out of Xander. I think it speaks to Xander’s character that he is determined to save the world he’s been living in, even if he’s no longer trapped there. It’s also a lesson in how accepting who you are lets your accept the people around you for their true colors.
I loved this story so much and it’s been a long while since I’ve been so entranced by a book. It’s short, and I could have read ton’s more about Xander and Jean Michel. But it truly is a complete story that isn’t missing anything, although I would love to read a prequel to this. I would love to know how Xander broke free of his chains.
PS: My second favorite character is a dog…who reminds me of a certain author’s real life pet. Dogs really are too good for us.
RATING: 
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