📖 Overview
A.G. Howard (Anita Grace Howard) is an American author primarily known for young adult fantasy novels, particularly her dark reimagining of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland in the Splintered series.
The Splintered series, beginning with the novel Splintered in 2013, established Howard in the young adult literary world and became a New York Times bestseller. Her work frequently incorporates gothic elements and explores themes of romance, family legacy, and supernatural worlds that exist alongside reality.
Howard's other notable works include the Haunted Hearts Legacy series, a gothic Victorian saga beginning with The Architect of Song, and the standalone novel RoseBlood, which reimagines The Phantom of the Opera. Her writing style typically features detailed world-building and complex female protagonists.
Howard continues to write within the young adult and new adult genres, maintaining a focus on dark fantasy and gothic romance themes. Her books have been translated into multiple languages and are distributed internationally.
👀 Reviews
Readers praise Howard's imaginative world-building and gothic atmosphere, particularly in the Splintered series. Many reviews highlight her vivid descriptions and creative takes on classic stories. A Goodreads reviewer notes: "The dark, twisted version of Wonderland feels fresh and original."
Fans connect with her complex female characters and romantic subplots. The dark fantasy elements and Victorian aesthetics draw consistent praise, with readers noting the atmospheric writing style.
Common criticisms include pacing issues and heavy reliance on love triangles. Some readers find the romance overshadows the main plots. Several reviews point out repetitive character descriptions and occasional overwrought prose.
Ratings across platforms:
- Splintered: 4.0/5 on Goodreads (100,000+ ratings)
- RoseBlood: 3.7/5 on Goodreads (8,000+ ratings)
- The Architect of Song: 4.1/5 on Amazon (200+ ratings)
The most frequent complaint on review sites focuses on predictable romantic storylines, while the strongest praise centers on Howard's unique reimaginings of classic tales and detailed worldbuilding.
📚 Books by A.G. Howard
Splintered - A dark reimagining of Alice in Wonderland following Alyssa Gardner, a descendant of Alice Liddell, who must enter a twisted version of Wonderland to break a family curse.
Unhinged - The second book in the Splintered series where Alyssa faces the consequences of her previous choices as Wonderland begins to seep into her regular life.
Ensnared - The conclusion of the Splintered trilogy where Alyssa must navigate both AnyElsewhere and the real world to save those she loves.
Untamed - A companion novel to the Splintered series containing three short stories that expand on the series' universe and characters.
Roseblood - A modern spin on The Phantom of the Opera set in a French boarding school, following a young opera singer who discovers her mysterious connection to the original story.
Stain - A retelling of The Princess and the Pea set in a world split between perpetual day and endless night, following a mute princess who must reclaim her identity.
The Haunted Hearts Legacy Series - A four-book Gothic Victorian saga including The Architect of Song, The Hummingbird Heart, The Glass Butterfly, and The Phantom's Lair following different generations of a family dealing with supernatural encounters and romance.
Unhinged - The second book in the Splintered series where Alyssa faces the consequences of her previous choices as Wonderland begins to seep into her regular life.
Ensnared - The conclusion of the Splintered trilogy where Alyssa must navigate both AnyElsewhere and the real world to save those she loves.
Untamed - A companion novel to the Splintered series containing three short stories that expand on the series' universe and characters.
Roseblood - A modern spin on The Phantom of the Opera set in a French boarding school, following a young opera singer who discovers her mysterious connection to the original story.
Stain - A retelling of The Princess and the Pea set in a world split between perpetual day and endless night, following a mute princess who must reclaim her identity.
The Haunted Hearts Legacy Series - A four-book Gothic Victorian saga including The Architect of Song, The Hummingbird Heart, The Glass Butterfly, and The Phantom's Lair following different generations of a family dealing with supernatural encounters and romance.
👥 Similar authors
Holly Black writes YA fantasy with dark fairytale elements and morally grey characters. Her Cruel Prince series features a human girl navigating the treacherous fae courts, similar to Howard's fantastical reimaginings.
Melissa Marr creates contemporary fantasy stories about the intersection of the mortal and supernatural worlds. Her Wicked Lovely series explores dangerous fae courts and romance themes that align with Howard's storytelling approach.
Julie Kagawa focuses on fantasy worlds with complex world-building and supernatural creatures. Her Iron Fey series combines classic fairy tale elements with modern twists, comparable to Howard's treatment of Alice in Wonderland.
Kerri Maniscalco writes gothic fantasy with mystery elements and Victorian settings. Her Stalking Jack the Ripper series features strong female protagonists solving dark mysteries, sharing Howard's gothic sensibilities.
Rosamund Hodge specializes in dark retellings of classic fairy tales and myths. Her work Cruel Beauty combines Beauty and the Beast with Greek mythology, matching Howard's style of reimagining classic stories.
Melissa Marr creates contemporary fantasy stories about the intersection of the mortal and supernatural worlds. Her Wicked Lovely series explores dangerous fae courts and romance themes that align with Howard's storytelling approach.
Julie Kagawa focuses on fantasy worlds with complex world-building and supernatural creatures. Her Iron Fey series combines classic fairy tale elements with modern twists, comparable to Howard's treatment of Alice in Wonderland.
Kerri Maniscalco writes gothic fantasy with mystery elements and Victorian settings. Her Stalking Jack the Ripper series features strong female protagonists solving dark mysteries, sharing Howard's gothic sensibilities.
Rosamund Hodge specializes in dark retellings of classic fairy tales and myths. Her work Cruel Beauty combines Beauty and the Beast with Greek mythology, matching Howard's style of reimagining classic stories.