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Resident Witch #1
My Name Is Not Alice
Librarian's Note: Alternate-cover edition for ISBN10: 1517335701 / ISBN13: 9781517335700
Alice is a high school princess. Blonde. Beautiful. Shallow.
Until she meets a little white rabbit, and her world turns upside down. The line between reality and fantasy blurs, then vanishes altogether.
And Alice becomes a girl who attracts Trouble. Trouble with a capital T.
Alice is a high school princess. Blonde. Beautiful. Shallow.
Until she meets a little white rabbit, and her world turns upside down. The line between reality and fantasy blurs, then vanishes altogether.
And Alice becomes a girl who attracts Trouble. Trouble with a capital T.
318 pages, Paperback
First published September 13, 2015
5 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Angelika Rust
23 books41 followersAngelika Rust was born in Vienna in 1977. These days, she lives in Germany, with her husband, two children, a despotic couple of cats and a hyperactive dog. After having tried almost every possible job from pizza delivery girl to HR consultant, she now makes a living knowing a little English.
She doesn't know yet what she wants to be when she grows up, whenever that may be. In the meantime, she writes the occasional book.
She doesn't know yet what she wants to be when she grows up, whenever that may be. In the meantime, she writes the occasional book.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
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September 18, 2015
I had the privilige of reading this book right before publication, and would heartily recommend it to fantasy lovers, or basically fans of quality reads in pretty much every genre. It's engaging, with great adventure, hints of romance, quirky characters, an epic quest...
While you're at it, you really ought to grab copies of the Tales of Istonnia series books by Ms. Rust. Her trilogy is fantastic too! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
While you're at it, you really ought to grab copies of the Tales of Istonnia series books by Ms. Rust. Her trilogy is fantastic too! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
December 24, 2017
I loved this book. It is book one in the "Resident Witch" series, and sets everything up nicely and probably means I have to buy the rest of the series... It deals with some issues that could be triggering, such as sexual violence and bullying, but there is nothing explicit, and in today's climate especially, it is important to face these things rather than hide from. What I both liked and found disturbing in equal measure in a YA book is that there was really no moral compass. The characters were real, made real mistakes and had real flaws, and there was no retribution or learning curve, just like real life. Alice, the main character, for example, chastises herself for not wanting to have sex with her boyfriend, fearing what he'll think of her, the way a teenage girl might, but there is never the realisation that it's her body and her choice, the thought is never addressed again.
Trouble, the main love interest is also morally dubious, and I didn't like him, but I'm told that most women do, so, maybe that's just me. Heh. I failed to understand the attraction, or the love. So far this review sounds negative, and I don't mean for it to be. It was a fast paced urban fantasy with demons, shifters, witches and more. Well written and the scene is well set, I will definitely be going back to see what happens next. The lack of any real moral message gave me pause, and as I read on I kept hoping that maybe there would be one at the end. As with life, there wasn't. Nonetheless, a thoroughly enjoyable read and I will return to the series.
Trouble, the main love interest is also morally dubious, and I didn't like him, but I'm told that most women do, so, maybe that's just me. Heh. I failed to understand the attraction, or the love. So far this review sounds negative, and I don't mean for it to be. It was a fast paced urban fantasy with demons, shifters, witches and more. Well written and the scene is well set, I will definitely be going back to see what happens next. The lack of any real moral message gave me pause, and as I read on I kept hoping that maybe there would be one at the end. As with life, there wasn't. Nonetheless, a thoroughly enjoyable read and I will return to the series.
October 2, 2015
My Name Is Not Alice is a wonderful story told in five parts about a young girl called Alice,who hates all references made by the girls around her in the context of Lewis Caroll's Alice in Wonderland. This story is a symbol of personal growth of the protagonist Alice in particular and human life in general.
The story introduces Alice as a highly underconfident, inhibited and sensitive person who has a severe inferiority complex. Alice, slowly but surely, learns about true friendship and gains enough self- confidence to face bullies like Jenny even if means being out of the popular gang. Alice, thus, starts off on a path of self-discovery as she openly befriends Amy Walker. She starts realizing that there is magic within her. However, her strained relationship with her mother stops her from asking questions about family history. The entry of Pepper Burns and Trouble Walker does shake her belief in the goodness of people, but her friendship with Amy helps her to learn about herself and understand the people around her.
It is universally known and established that love can conquer even the worst of the demons. Alice discovers true love on her journey of self exploration and does everything she can, to help people close to her, to fight Jenny, a demon in reality. And yes, all is well that ends well, and this story definitely ends on a positive note.
I couldn't help but compare the story with today's world. Ask those with names that have a resemblance to a literary character or real life famous personalities. Jokes and leg-pullings are bound to happen. Besides, the openness in relationship between parents and children is slowly on the decrease. Also, friendships and peer pressures can make or mar a growing child. However, the story reaffirms the faith in the power of true friendship and true love.
Written beautifully, magical realism is brought out in an exquisite manner by Angelika Rust. She has successfully etched characters who are powerful and play their part well. Alice is a show stealer, Amy is the perfect friend in need, Trouble is attractive rogue, Jenny is the appropriate antagonist who is everything that Alice is not.
The story is not all magical in terms of use of mystical creatures et al. Instead, the story is a briliant mix of the real world and the magical realm, thereby making it an interesting read.
P.S- I finished the book in a single sitting
The story introduces Alice as a highly underconfident, inhibited and sensitive person who has a severe inferiority complex. Alice, slowly but surely, learns about true friendship and gains enough self- confidence to face bullies like Jenny even if means being out of the popular gang. Alice, thus, starts off on a path of self-discovery as she openly befriends Amy Walker. She starts realizing that there is magic within her. However, her strained relationship with her mother stops her from asking questions about family history. The entry of Pepper Burns and Trouble Walker does shake her belief in the goodness of people, but her friendship with Amy helps her to learn about herself and understand the people around her.
It is universally known and established that love can conquer even the worst of the demons. Alice discovers true love on her journey of self exploration and does everything she can, to help people close to her, to fight Jenny, a demon in reality. And yes, all is well that ends well, and this story definitely ends on a positive note.
I couldn't help but compare the story with today's world. Ask those with names that have a resemblance to a literary character or real life famous personalities. Jokes and leg-pullings are bound to happen. Besides, the openness in relationship between parents and children is slowly on the decrease. Also, friendships and peer pressures can make or mar a growing child. However, the story reaffirms the faith in the power of true friendship and true love.
Written beautifully, magical realism is brought out in an exquisite manner by Angelika Rust. She has successfully etched characters who are powerful and play their part well. Alice is a show stealer, Amy is the perfect friend in need, Trouble is attractive rogue, Jenny is the appropriate antagonist who is everything that Alice is not.
The story is not all magical in terms of use of mystical creatures et al. Instead, the story is a briliant mix of the real world and the magical realm, thereby making it an interesting read.
P.S- I finished the book in a single sitting
September 27, 2015
I have enjoyed all of Angelika Rust's previous work, so I was pleased to beta read two drafts of her new YA novel.
My Name is Not Alice is a dark urban fantasy that avoids the trap of humorlessness. Darkness and trauma are balanced with genuine humor and human affection in this tale of girl so estranged from her true self that she doesn't use her given name. In the beginning, she doesn't seem oppressed at all: blond and pretty, Lizzy (as she calls herself) is a popular high school princess, part of the in crowd. But her life -- what she wears, who she eats lunch with, what she thinks is important -- is ruled by an evil queen, Jenny. As she begins to think about breaking free, she has a strange and frightening experience in the park one night. This leads to new friendships, infatuation that turns to love, and startling discoveries about her family and herself. It turns out monsters and demons are real, but so are magic and heroism. Working with her new friends, Lizzy/Alice chooses to join the fight her own mother abandoned. She develops from anxious and desperate to fit in through powerful and reckless to humble and wanting to be part of the solution.
Magic in this story comes at a price: the practitioners have to work at learning to use their power, and there is a physical toll from using too much too quickly. Love, too, is not easy. People in this book make difficult choices -- sometimes wrong, sometimes right -- because of love. Alice's mother has made catastrophic choices, for all the best reasons, and Alice -- and the reader -- could easily see her as the villain, except that she is written humanely as another victim. The romance subplot is important to the main plot, and manages to be awkward, touching, funny, believable, and ultimately satisfying in unexpected ways.
The book ends on a hopeful but unresolved note, fueling anticipation for a sequel.
My Name is Not Alice is a dark urban fantasy that avoids the trap of humorlessness. Darkness and trauma are balanced with genuine humor and human affection in this tale of girl so estranged from her true self that she doesn't use her given name. In the beginning, she doesn't seem oppressed at all: blond and pretty, Lizzy (as she calls herself) is a popular high school princess, part of the in crowd. But her life -- what she wears, who she eats lunch with, what she thinks is important -- is ruled by an evil queen, Jenny. As she begins to think about breaking free, she has a strange and frightening experience in the park one night. This leads to new friendships, infatuation that turns to love, and startling discoveries about her family and herself. It turns out monsters and demons are real, but so are magic and heroism. Working with her new friends, Lizzy/Alice chooses to join the fight her own mother abandoned. She develops from anxious and desperate to fit in through powerful and reckless to humble and wanting to be part of the solution.
Magic in this story comes at a price: the practitioners have to work at learning to use their power, and there is a physical toll from using too much too quickly. Love, too, is not easy. People in this book make difficult choices -- sometimes wrong, sometimes right -- because of love. Alice's mother has made catastrophic choices, for all the best reasons, and Alice -- and the reader -- could easily see her as the villain, except that she is written humanely as another victim. The romance subplot is important to the main plot, and manages to be awkward, touching, funny, believable, and ultimately satisfying in unexpected ways.
The book ends on a hopeful but unresolved note, fueling anticipation for a sequel.
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February 8, 2016I love Angelika Rust, simply stated. Just look at all the love I've given her books on this blog over the past couple years and it's pretty obvious. So, I'll understand if you'll ignore this post as yet another rant of love for her...but you shouldn't ignore this post, or this book, because My Name is Not Alice is not your standard Rust book.
Sure, it's a quirky look at a rather standard subject. Sure, it's got oddball characters being put into even further oddball situations. Yes, it's glorious prose will have you imagining things you never thought you'd imagine before (okay, yeah, that might be just a little over the top...I couldn't think of a third thing to put in with my rather limited time set aside to write here).
But it's different.
And in a fantastic way.
You know all those stories where a kid finds out that they are part of a grand tradition of magic and whatever? Yeah, your Harry Potters, Star Wars's, and (sheesh, my rule of three is failing me today!). At a very simple glance, this would fall into that category. Yet, the world of magic is wonderland, and the character in question is named Alice...although she seems to not want you to know that.
Well, this is where things quickly separate from the norm. Because things aren't easy in the world of Wonderland. There aren't happy stories to arise for these characters. It seems that everywhere they look there is really only a great deal of trial and tribulation...although one of the central characters does come up with a rather unique weightloss technique.
Anyways, I really can't do this book justice with just a few words in a review...it's great, it's fun, and it really deserves a read. So do it already!
Buy it now!
Sure, it's a quirky look at a rather standard subject. Sure, it's got oddball characters being put into even further oddball situations. Yes, it's glorious prose will have you imagining things you never thought you'd imagine before (okay, yeah, that might be just a little over the top...I couldn't think of a third thing to put in with my rather limited time set aside to write here).
But it's different.
And in a fantastic way.
You know all those stories where a kid finds out that they are part of a grand tradition of magic and whatever? Yeah, your Harry Potters, Star Wars's, and (sheesh, my rule of three is failing me today!). At a very simple glance, this would fall into that category. Yet, the world of magic is wonderland, and the character in question is named Alice...although she seems to not want you to know that.
Well, this is where things quickly separate from the norm. Because things aren't easy in the world of Wonderland. There aren't happy stories to arise for these characters. It seems that everywhere they look there is really only a great deal of trial and tribulation...although one of the central characters does come up with a rather unique weightloss technique.
Anyways, I really can't do this book justice with just a few words in a review...it's great, it's fun, and it really deserves a read. So do it already!
Buy it now!
September 22, 2015
There is a motif of Alice in Wonderland that runs through this book, but this is very much a Young Adult or Teen Story. Does the knife in the picture give that away? It should probably be a blood covered stiletto, but hey it's all good. There is a rabbit hole, but don't expect Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum. This isn't the same Alice written by Lewis Carrol, this Alice is battling much darker forces in her own home town...wherever that may be.
I was captivated by this story. It is extremely well told, then again, having read Rat Paths, by the same author, I had high hopes it would be. There are psycho parents (more than one), deadly battles with evil were-creatures, love sucking incubus bad boys and all sorts of teenage angst going on in this tale. Is it all just a role playing game? Could be. Lot's of stuff that teenager's and those who have been teenagers can relate to, geeks who crack into the hidden websites of the 'Community', blonde bitches who rule the school, muscle heads who are easily led by same. There are those on the outer, and those on the inner. Alice (Lizzie, her name isn't Alice) strides through these worlds, crossing more boundaries than one, but where will she end up? That would be giving the story away. Down a rabbit hole, but that's a given.
I was captivated by this story. It is extremely well told, then again, having read Rat Paths, by the same author, I had high hopes it would be. There are psycho parents (more than one), deadly battles with evil were-creatures, love sucking incubus bad boys and all sorts of teenage angst going on in this tale. Is it all just a role playing game? Could be. Lot's of stuff that teenager's and those who have been teenagers can relate to, geeks who crack into the hidden websites of the 'Community', blonde bitches who rule the school, muscle heads who are easily led by same. There are those on the outer, and those on the inner. Alice (Lizzie, her name isn't Alice) strides through these worlds, crossing more boundaries than one, but where will she end up? That would be giving the story away. Down a rabbit hole, but that's a given.
May 31, 2016
There are some books that really inspire me to push on with this writing gig.
'My Name Is Not Alice' is one of them.
Other reviews have touched on plot etc, so I won't go there in this review. Instead, I will just talk about how much I enjoyed this wonderful read.
I'm a huge fan of urban fantasy and this book is up there with some of the classics.
It's dark at times, humorous, touching, thought-provoking, and extremely well written. The voice throughout is fantastic. I was truly in Alice's head for the ride. And what a ride it was.
Do yourself a favour. Go grab a copy. I'm sure you will love this book as much as I did.
I'm now off to go read some of Angelika's other books. Perhaps you will do the same after finishing Alice's tale.
Bravo, Angelika! You've got yourself a new fan. :)
'My Name Is Not Alice' is one of them.
Other reviews have touched on plot etc, so I won't go there in this review. Instead, I will just talk about how much I enjoyed this wonderful read.
I'm a huge fan of urban fantasy and this book is up there with some of the classics.
It's dark at times, humorous, touching, thought-provoking, and extremely well written. The voice throughout is fantastic. I was truly in Alice's head for the ride. And what a ride it was.
Do yourself a favour. Go grab a copy. I'm sure you will love this book as much as I did.
I'm now off to go read some of Angelika's other books. Perhaps you will do the same after finishing Alice's tale.
Bravo, Angelika! You've got yourself a new fan. :)
May 31, 2016
I enjoyed this YA novel.
This is a dark urban fantasy that weaves it's spell on you. It was a little slow in the beginning but the pace pick up quickly after that. Alice/Lizzy thinks she's an ordinary girl with an ordinary family but as the story unfolds she discovers may truths which turns her life upside down.
She hangs with the IN crowd and gradually sees that they are really not her friends. She turns to Amy, who is her true friend.
Alice/Lizzy discovers she has powers but these come at a cost.
There are deadly battles with evil were-creatures and love-sucking incubuses.
Her journey takes her to another world where she must vanquish a demon.
There is plenty teenage drama, love and lust, all suitable for YA readers.
Some great writing.
This is a dark urban fantasy that weaves it's spell on you. It was a little slow in the beginning but the pace pick up quickly after that. Alice/Lizzy thinks she's an ordinary girl with an ordinary family but as the story unfolds she discovers may truths which turns her life upside down.
She hangs with the IN crowd and gradually sees that they are really not her friends. She turns to Amy, who is her true friend.
Alice/Lizzy discovers she has powers but these come at a cost.
There are deadly battles with evil were-creatures and love-sucking incubuses.
Her journey takes her to another world where she must vanquish a demon.
There is plenty teenage drama, love and lust, all suitable for YA readers.
Some great writing.
November 7, 2015
A quirky fairy tale that's definitely not for little children: Lizzy (which may or may not be her real name) is in thrall to the sort of popular, but poisonous, girl at school who you'd wish would break out in a bad case of facial carbuncles: anyone who's not in Jenny's gang is nobody and going nowhere. With distant parents, Lizzy wants desperately to fit in and grudgingly follows the 'in' crowd to do just that - until strange and dangerous occurrences beginning in the local park lead her to realise the life she leads is simply a thin veneer of normality, and that she is far more resourceful than she ever could have imagined.
January 2, 2016
'My Name Is Not Alice' is the young adult fantasy novel of a girl named Alice whose world becomes terrifying and strange once she turns away from the popular crowd at school.
The story is not a typical YA tale. The characters are realistic and serious issues are tackled without sugarcoating. It has some wonderful humorous moments but is quite dark overall. There's a good mix of mystery, action and romance. I think this will appeal well to older teens who want a more realistic YA paranormal read.
Overall this was an excellent read and I would recommend it highly to fans of urban fantasy.
The story is not a typical YA tale. The characters are realistic and serious issues are tackled without sugarcoating. It has some wonderful humorous moments but is quite dark overall. There's a good mix of mystery, action and romance. I think this will appeal well to older teens who want a more realistic YA paranormal read.
Overall this was an excellent read and I would recommend it highly to fans of urban fantasy.
November 23, 2015
So you take this rather selfish, self absorbed girl, throw her from a normal high-school world into a fantasy, add a were-bear, A handsome stranger who's name literally spells 'Trouble', a succubus, a bunch of witches and a white toy rabbit and you get an incredible adventure of the type normally only achieved with the use of hallucinogenics.
It was nice to watch Alice grow up as the story went on, find herself a group of friends who accept her and help her rather than the crowd she has to work to fit into - though there is more going on there than meets the eye.
It was nice to watch Alice grow up as the story went on, find herself a group of friends who accept her and help her rather than the crowd she has to work to fit into - though there is more going on there than meets the eye.
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May 26, 2016I loved this book. The characters are really likeable and imaginable, as well as well-moulded with their backgrounds and personalities. The fantasy roles are varied and interesting. It's a well-written book that will hold your attention throughout and not only for young adults, but that's probably the audience that it's aimed at. If you like Buffy, witchcraft, werebears, shapeshifters, magic and demons then you'll love this book and it's probably the first in a series, as it's open to many more adventures for Alice, Lizzie or Al, depending what name she chooses to go by in the future.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews