If you haven't heard about DOROTHY MUST DIE, you must be living under a rock. I mean, I hear things about this one EVERYONE I go -- and now, I can definitely understand the hype! This book is CRAZY -- but, in a good way, I promise! 
 If you LOVE Oz, you really *must* read this! And, even if you don't adore The Wizard of Oz, which I really can't even fathom at this moment, I still think you should give this book a shot. It's fresh, fun, and totally unique, taking a totally familiar story and giving it a crazy twist! Who could ask for more? 
 In case you're not familiar with the plot, the story centers around Amy Grumm, "the other girl from Kansas". Amy has a tough life -- she basically cares for herself in a beaten down trailer park while her mother parties and drinks the day away... every day. After a brutal tornado, Amy wakes up in a land of chaos and devastation, only to discover that this is the new Oz. 
 Dorothy let her fame go to her head, and she returned to Oz only to overtake the land, stealing magic and happiness from everyone around her to fuel herself and her entourage. The Scarecrow has become a mad scientist, torturing others to extend his own knowledge. The Tin Man is a brutal murderer, destroying everything around him in hopes of gaining Princess Dorothy as his one true love. And then there is the Lion, who has let his courage go so far too his head that he now asserts his power through brutality towards all of Oz. All of the hate and fury, though, ultimately comes from Dorothy, who is extremely proud of her tyrannic reign -- and THIS is why Dorothy Must Die. 
 Since Amy comes from Kansas, surely she must be able to relate to her enough to murder her, right? And with Oz turned upside down, Glenda is the most evil witch in town -- and the former "wicked" witches (those who Dorothy didn't already kill with her house, that is) have united to fight for the most noble cause... freedom for all of Oz, once Dorothy is fully removed. 
 Now, I can't deny that this book may have been a bit longer than necessary. Since Amy was given a quest to steal the Scarecrow's brain, the Tin Man's heart, and Lion's courage *and* Dorothy's life, I expected her to get a bit further than she did -- given the length of the novel over all. But, of course, with this being a series, and with so much world building being necessary to depict the utter devastation of the land -- I *do* understand that book one is ultimately a set up for the rest of the series. And, I DO look forward to seeing where things go from here, for sure. 
 If Goodreads let me do half stars, I think I might even round this one up to 4.5! In a slew of books that all run together in my memory, I am pretty sure that DOROTHY MUST DIE might just be one that stands out for a good long while!