Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: The Looking-Glass Illusion (The Curious Realities #2) by Sara Ella

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. Freda is taking a hiatus right now, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over until Freda returns.

This week I'm featuring The Looking-Glass Illusion by Sara Ella. It's the conclusion to the Curious Realities duology and, oh my goodness! It's so good! It has to be the best Alice in Wonderland retelling I've read. 

About the Book

Step through the looking glass. Slay the Jabberwock. Seek the King.

Alice is not prepared to face what awaits beyond the Tulgey Wood. When she and the rest of Team Heart enter the fourth and final Wonderland Trial, it’s up to her to lead them to victory. But this Trial is more than a game. If Alice and the others fail to defeat the Jabberwock and reveal the truth about Wonderland, more than points and fame will be lost.

Chess Shire never believed he’d make it this far. Now he’s stuck navigating a Trial he’s seen but doesn’t remember, all while searching for the brother he left behind. Not everything is as black and white as the game that shares his name. And if Alice discovers his deepest regret? Chess might just lose her too.

Apart, Chess and Alice scour the eight squares of the Heart Trial in search of memories, truth, and an Ivory King who seems more illusion than reality. Will they learn to lead together to face their greatest fears? Or will they remain pawns in a queen’s game, never truly seeing the Wonderland they’ve come to believe in?

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Deep breath. She's all right.

We're all right.

As long as we stay together, everything will be all right.

Friday 56

I suddenly wish we could make this a lengthier goodbye. That we could spend hours and days and weeks filling in every blank and eliminating every question mark. But we have to keep moving forwards on the board. We did come to finish, after all.

And all of Wonderland - even if they don't know it yet - is counting on us to reveal the truth.

What have you been reading lately?