“Oakes continues to weave literary magic as she pulls you down the rabbit hole into a Wonderland like you’ve never read before.” —Chanda Hahn, New York Times bestselling author
Fans of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland will enjoy the twists Oakes gives to familiar characters. Heart-stopping action makes the pages fly, and Dinah’s struggle to stay true to herself amid impossible expectations resonates. —Publishers Weekly
This latest in fairy tales retold makes the classic villain less villainous by showing her tenderhearted backstory. —Booklist
Every good villain deserves an origin story, and Oakes offers a fascinating glimpse into the mad queen’s complex and heartbreaking past. The novel offers some wonderful reinventions of Carroll’s classic, and fans of Alice’s more sinister elements will appreciate Oakes’ macabre touches. —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Featured Peer Reviews: 2
Much Love from 15 Peers 
The first novel in Colleen Oakes’s epic, imaginative series tells the origin of one of the most infamous villains—the Queen of Hearts.
Dinah is the princess who will one day reign over Wonderland. She has not yet seen the dark depths of her kingdom; she longs only for her father’s approval and a future with the boy she loves. But when a betrayal breaks her heart and threatens her throne, she is launched into Wonderland’s dangerous political game. Dinah must stay one step ahead of her cunning enemies or she’ll lose not just the crown but her head.
Evil is brewing in Wonderland and maybe, most frighteningly, in Dinah herself.
Colleen Oakes’s vivid reimagining of Wonderland proves heroes can become villains and fairy tales can become nightmares. Readers will delight in this fresh take on an infamous villain.
Colleen 
Oakes is the bestselling author of books for both teens and adults, including the Elly in Bloom series, and the Wendy Darling Saga. She lives in North Denver, CO, with her husband and son, and surrounds herself with the most lovely family and friends imaginable. When not penning new books, Colleen can be found swimming, traveling, reading, or advocating for adoption and literacy.