Unbirthday is the tenth book in the A Twisted Tale series and it is written by author Liz Braswell. I love the idea behind the A twisted tale series. Each of the books takes a different, and often times darker, spin on a classic Disney story. They are written by different authors and they can be read as standalone novels, but they are all so much fun that I would recommend reading them all. Unbirthday is a twist based on Alice in Wonderland. So This is Love takes the original Alice in Wonderland story line and adds a pretty big twist into the mix- What if Wonderland was in peril and Alice was very, very late? Unbirthday felt different than some of the other books I have read in the series. Instead of it feeling like a twist on the original story, it felt more like a sequel to the wonderland tale that we know and love, which I was super excited to read. If you know me, you know I am a huge Wonderland fanatic! Bring on all the re-tellings, re-imaginging and all of the wonderland shenanigans! 

In Unbirthday, we get to meet a more grown up 18 year old Alice, living back in "the real world" with her family. Alice is a budding photographer and she doesn't go anywhere without her camera. When Wonderland characters start to pop up in the pictures she is taking, Alice decides it is time to pay her childhood fantasy land a visit again. I loved the way Liz Braswell decided to lure Alice back into Wonderland. I thought it was brilliant, and felt like a very natural progression and hook to the story. When Alice gets back to Wonderland, the Queen is just as evil as ever. Will Alice be able to save Wonderland, or did she arrive too late this time? 

Unbirthday is told both in real world England as well as Wonderland, and there are different problems in both lands. I loved the zaniness of Wonderland, but it was juxtaposed but some very serious issues being tackled in real world England. That was an interesting side plot line for me. One that I wasn't expecting, and while part of me wanted to stay lost in the fantasy world of Wonderland, I appreciated the messages that the author was incorporating on the real world side. We also have a minor romance plot woven into the story that I just adored! That was such a welcome surprise for me while I was reading Unbirthday! I also loved the more grown up Alice that we get to meet in Unbirthday. She is just as curious as ever, but she is also a strong and resilient young woman. 

All in all- Liz Braswell did a great job with Unbirthday. I really enjoyed the story and it was a lot of fun revisiting Wonderland. She also managed to really surprise me with the direction that the story took as she wove in real world England into the plot. Unbirthday is a great addition to the Twisted Tales series, and I think by now you guys know what a big fan I am of these stories. I love that they are each standalones written by a variety of authors. I want to read the Mulan story- Reflections next, but really- bring on ALL OF THE TWISTED TALES. I love this series. If you have not read any of the books in this series, you are missing out.