This contemporary retelling of Peter Pan focuses on college-bound Wendy, who is still putting the pieces of her life back together after she and her brothers went missing five years prior. She returned from the woods, but her brothers did not, and though she has been questioned thoroughly by her parents, friends, and the police, she cannot remember anything. More kids have gone missing recently, and Wendy is thinking about her brothers more than ever when Peter Pan - previously, someone she thought only existed in the stories told by her family - enters her life. He remembers Wendy and their trip to Neverland, but she doesn't remember him or how she once sewed his shadow back on; this is unfortunate because Peter's shadow is missing again, and it may have something to do with those missing kids.

This book didn't click for me. I'm not sure if it's because Cemetery Boys was such a breath of fresh air, and this feels like a standard retelling, or if it's because I don't particularly care for Peter Pan, but I struggled to get through the first 60% of it. Peter is a compelling character, and he and Wendy have some charming scenes together, but I didn't feel connected to the story. I will certainly read more Aiden Thomas in the future as they are talented, and I think this book will have its audience in younger teen readers, but unfortunately, it didn't work for me.

Lost in the Never Woods is a retelling that stands on its own, but has some treats for anyone who is familiar with the original - I noticed a couple little easter eggs that reminded me of either the original Peter Pan, or Finding Neverland.

Thomas is a genius, and has managed to lift up the original Peter Pan and make it their own. From the dedication of Lost in the Never Woods — “Dedicated to every heavy heart that had to grow up too fast” — I already knew this book would have a special place in my heart. It’s been a long time since I last reread Peter Pan (or watched the movie, or any other adaptation of it that isn’t the Finding Neverland musical), but one of the things Peter Pan is most known for is not wanting to grow up. So for Thomas to use Peter Pan as a framework for exploring childhood trauma and more importantly, healing from that trauma, was simply so clever.

With their vivid imagery, and descriptive words, Aiden Thomas has easily managed to transport us into Astoria, Oregon, and its haunted woods. More than once, I felt like I was in the story with Wendy Darling myself, trying to solve the mystery of what happened to her brothers, the other missing children, and Peter Pan. I’ve never so badly wanted to get in my car and drive the four hours to Astoria — In fact, driving down to Astoria is now on my list of places to go to post-pandemic. By the end of Lost in the Never Woods, I actually found myself in tears.

If you follow Aiden on Twitter, you might’ve seen their thread introducing our favorite trio - Wendy Darling, Peter, and The Shadow. Wendy, our main character, has gone through so much and I just want to wrap her in a warm blanket and tell her everything’s going to be okay. We’ve got Peter, who is truly a puppy dog personified — totally chaotic, absolutely adorable, and someone who is really just trying his best. In most Peter Pan retellings, Wendy is the one that’s curious and wonderstruck by Peter - after all, he’s magical and comforting and something safe, whereas it felt like both parties were equally fascinated by the other. After what happened five years ago, Wendy has spent so much time blending into the background; stepping into the caregiver role at home, diminishing her feelings, just holding on until she’s able to leave Astoria for college. Through Peter, Wendy’s given a second chance at redemption - the possibility to remember what she’s forgotten, an opportunity to find the missing children, and a way for her family to finally heal. Peter and Wendy’s dynamic was truly just the hurt/comfort trope, and I loved how they helped the other person heal. Both Peter and Wendy often have this sense of responsibility to take care of others; Peter, with the “Lost Boys”, and Wendy, with her family.

“If you’re busy taking care of everyone else, who takes care of you?”

Lost in the Never Woods was a reminder that we can’t pour from an empty cup, that we have to take care of ourselves too, and we’re never as alone as we think we are. It’s a story about growing up and healing from your trauma. One of my favorite things about Lost in the Never Woods was how Wendy’s trauma was handled. It was evident how her past impacted all of her decisions, how it seeped into her personality, and I loved watching her slowly heal from her past. Lost in the Never Woods also contains some of my favorite tropes; from only-one-bed to oblivious pining.

I won’t go into too much detail about The Shadow — our antagonist, but I loved reading about them, and their motivations. While I pieced together who was behind all the missing children very early on, I felt like the mystery of Lost in the Never Woods was more of a how and a why. I’m not the most observant reader — there are several (okay, many) instances where I won’t figure out plot twists in books ahead of time, but then realize in hindsight that it made sense all along. In Lost in the Never Woods, however, I would come up with my own theories, and have them be confirmed shortly after - which is something I really appreciated. Partially because it made me feel smart for once, but more importantly, because it was really good foreshadowing! There’s a lot of satisfaction in being able to piece things together before the protagonist, and it really shows how well thought out every detail and every clue was.

Overall, I absolutely loved Lost in the Never Woods. If you’re a fan of character-driven stories, darker retellings, or stories about healing from trauma, I can’t recommend Lost in the Never Woods enough! A major thank you to Swoon Reads and Netgalley for providing me with this eARC.

First and foremost, thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an e-Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This book follows 18 year old Wendy, 5 years after her little brothers' mysterious disappearance. Wendy has no memory of the events that took place before she was found in the alone in the woods 6 months after her disappearance, but after kids in her hometown begin to go missing, detectives think there may be a link between these disappearances and her brothers'. After a mysterious stranger from Wendy's past shows up, she is determined to solve the case of these missing children once and for all.
This was definitely not the sort of Peter Pan retelling I was expecting, although that really didn't hinder my enjoyment of the novel. Aiden Thomas took such a unique direction with this story that I would have never come up with myself. Wendy is the main protagonist in this story, and she was so much fun to read about. She felt so realistic, and wasn't this "super-hero" who in unrealistically strong. Instead, she was thrown into a situation and felt scared and hesitant. Nonetheless, she rose to the occasion and became the hero the story needed, but didn't become unrealistic in the process. She is anxious about college, she feels bad about lying to her best friend, she is getting butterflies from a boy. Reading about a hero who is so relatable made her so much fun to read about.
And of course, I absolutely adored the way Aiden Thomas wrote Peter! Peter is not an exact replica from the Disney film, which was so refreshing to read about. He is child-like, but also knows when it is time to act like an adult. Peter is also a teenager in this story, so the relationship between him and Wendy is so precious. At first, I was a bit skeptical about the romance, but by the end it just felt so well developed and was just so much fun! (Also, if you are a sucker for there's only one bed... this is for you!).
There was also great representation for mental health in this story. Wendy talks about her anxiety and the medication she takes for it, and how it has really helped her. I feel like there is a stigma about taking anti-anxiety medication, so this addition was just so refreshing to see.
All in all, this was a really great story and I am so thankful that I got the chance to read it before it came out. I am positive you all are going love this one!

Five stars easy-peasy! It's a great fantasy for YA or adult readers and will be fun to recommend to both. It's was surprising that the story took place here in Astoria. But those woods are kinda creepy so I totally get the setting. This will be a fun hand sell.

This was an interesting retelling of the Peter Pan story. Although Peter Pan's shadow as a somewhat gothic villain was a little over the top and there were some obvious plot inconsistencies and improbabilities. At the same time, it is a worthwhile effort. Aiden Thomas explores a more complicated relationship between Wendy and Peter Pan--which obviously cannot be sustained if one of them cannot grow up. Be forewarned that this retelling fully explores the darker side of the disappearance of children.

I thought this was okay. I enjoyed the chemistry between Wendy and Peter, my nostalgic heart always loves the two of them together in any retelling so that was fun to read but I found the ending and the climax of the story to ultimately be lackluster and anticlimactic. Still a fun read, just not great for me.

Lost in the Never Woods is a dark retelling of the fairytale, Peter Pan with romance and mystery. Wendy Darling wakes up in the woods without memory of her disappearance, the previous five years, and the whereabouts of her two brothers. When the children in the town begin disappearing, people are once again left wondering what happened and Wendy, not wanting to face her past again, attempts to run away. However, she gets pulled into the town's mystery when she meets the real Peter Pan who tells her that if they don't do something, then the kids will meet a horrible fate like that of her brothers.

I was initially drawn to this book because I am a real sucker for fairy tale reimaginings. Although I thought it was slow to start, I was eventually sucked into the lives of these classic characters in a modern world at about the 2/3 mark. I didn't feel all that connected to Wendy except for when she has to deal with the repercussions of her father's alcohol abuse, but I did enjoy the ending and that TWIST had me screaming. I haven't read any of Aiden Thomas' other books, but I plan to after this one simply because of how much I enjoyed reading the last third of the book.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lost in the Never Woods is a modern twist of the classic Peter Pan.

I absolutely LOVE Peter Pan, it has been one of my favorite books growing up and I was so excited to read this modern version of it.
This book has so many twists to it and the biggest twist I caught on early to it, which made me want to scan read until that part.
The characters are well developed which makes this book fun to read.

I would highly recommend this book to my students!

Interesting twist on the peter pan and wendy darling. slight romance and loved the friendship. I had an idea of the big bad in the book. Also liked the town where it takes place reminded me of goonies. There was a lot of talking til about 60% and then the action took place. Great book and I didn't read their other book. I didn't really see a diverse cast of characters.

Peter is what really shines in this book. The author clearly had a solid vision of what their Peter Pan should look like, feel like, act like, and the book really brings him to life. I appreciate that Peter is slightly different from the usual incarnations of a boy who refuses to go up and constantly runs from trouble. Peter is a shepherd of sorts, in a way that I won't go too deep into since I don't want to give spoilers. He's generous, compassionate, and merciful, a very sweet boy with a universe of stars in his eyes. And all the emotions that go along with first love.

I had a bit of a harder time pinning Wendy down. Peter's obvious right from the beginning, and I love him, but Wendy is difficult to like. You feel bad for her, yes. Grieve for her, absolutely. But liking her is a different thing altogether. She would be a very heavy weight in anyone's life, so I have to say that Jordan is a much, much better friend than I would be capable of being. I did love Wendy's fairy lights that she's got strung up by her window. It makes sense since I have fairy lights too. And once she's acknowledged that Peter is who he says he is, well, it makes her more relatable. Along with all the girly emotions of crushing on Peter Pan because, seriously, he's always been one of my crushes. So, as the story progresses, I grew to like Wendy more, and she becomes quite a courageous heroine by the end.

One thing I did think was a little difficult was the prose. It feels a little too juvenile for the age of the characters, and that's unfortunate. There's also a ton of passive descriptors used instead of active ones. Active sentences are my jam in fiction so I hate it when authors don't use them enough. I also get tired of the anti-police trope that's in full force right now. I just can't go along with that stereotype. And unfortunately, Lost in the Never Woods is full of incompetent, bullying cops. Not cool. One of the reasons I love the tv series Teen Wolf is because Stiles' dad is the town sheriff and he's amazing, a great dad, and a terrific sheriff. It would have been nice to see something similar done here.

There's also a distinctive gap of action in the middle of the novel, but at the same time, this is when we see Peter and Wendy really interact, so it's a toss-up. They're charming when they're together, and their physical attraction is very real. Peter cherishes her, if that's even a thing anymore, and I loved watching their relationship grow stronger. Kisses are nice.

Also, I'm not sure if the author has seen the Rise of the Guardians film, but Peter and his Shadow have a LOT in common with Jack Frost and Pitch Black. I mean, a LOT. So that was a bit, mmm, on the iffy side for me. I'd seen it before, so that plot device didn't feel very original. That being said, I liked the use of shadows in this retelling, and that they're built of people's fear. That was pretty neat.

Overall, it was a light-hearted read with just a few hiccups. My favorite Peter Pan retelling at the moment is Dust by Kara Swanson, but I did enjoy most of Lost in the Never Woods. It'll be interesting to see if there's ever a sequel since the book finishes a little open-ended. I'm good either way, sequel or no sequel.

On a completely random note, the cover is super pretty.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Swoon Reads for a free ARC. I was not required to give a positive review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fun read with interesting ties to the Peter Pan stories I know and love. Wendy's character was mostly compelling with understandable motivations and relateable reactions.
My one qualm is HOW MUCH the villains talked at the end, it almost made it feel like a deus ex machina ending where the shadow explained everything, was quickly conquered, and then Mr. Davies immediately confessed when Wendy remembered it was him. That type of ending makes me think the book may be more popular among middle school readers (despite the occasional "shit") than high school readers who are more used to murkier endings and villain motivations.
All in all, an enjoyable read and one I will recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly I would like to say I felt dumb when I started this book and realized it was a Peter Pan retelling. How had I missed ALL of the signs on the cover and in the title and in the description?? Moving on....

Saying that, it definitely felt like a fan-fiction of peter pan, and here's why. Most of the story is focused on the relationship building between the two main characters. They take walks in the woods, they go swimming at a waterfall, they get ice cream together - and oh yeah I guess a plot is thrown on at the last 15%. No for real I paid attention the main plot/antagonist didn't show up until the 85% mark. There was also the ending which felt like someone was writing it for fans. While I caught myself struggling to care through most of the story (because who really cares about two characters getting ice cream when you don't have any connection to them) the ending was rushed and wrapped up too perfectly. When I found out the final "who done it" in relation to the missing brothers, there was a lot of sighing as it felt that nothing pointed to that being it.

The two main character have no chemistry, the entire time they were on page it felt like they were being forced into a relationship. They made great friends so I am not sure why everyone around them kept asking if they were dating. On top of that Peter first enters the story at around 12 years old and then quickly ages to our main characters age of 18/19 in order to make it less creepy. But like he was just 12 two days ago which means he still has the maturity level of a 12 year old in an adults body.

I also was very confused by the mental health representation. Wendy clearly is dealing with some issues in some compulsive ways (always needing to wash her hands, organizing and cleaning the whole house, zoning out for periods of time with no memory of that time) and her parents are very distant (Wendy cooks every meal and does all of the chores, her dad forgets to check up on her the first half of the book, when Wendy gets home she doesn't want to wake her father because she is scared of him, her dad enters a room and she tenses up). All of these were great details to add, especially when you think about the family dealing with losing two children, but as the two missing boys' story gets told, nothing happens to Wendy or her family relating to their mental health. We get this epilogue at the end where Wendy seems to be doing great, but nothing talking about how she overcame those issues, or built back her relationship with her parents (or didn't). I was honestly shocked after having read Cemetery Boys and those types of issues were handled so well, and then here it was just forgotten about. I hope if one thing changed from the ARC to the publishing date it would be going back and fixing this.

If you are looking for any real magic or visiting of Neverland this is not the story for you. I went in hoping for a real world with some elements of magical realism, and truly that is all it is. I was not disappointed when it came to the magic in this book, it was absolutely the perfect amount for the story that is being told.

My biggest issue was what I said before though with nothing happening for a majority of the story. If you like REALLY character driven stories you might be more into this one than I was.

Overall it wasn't a horrible book, and I think a lot of people will enjoy it, but I was hoping for something more from it.

Thanks again to Swoon Reads and Netgalley for this copy.

I was really disappointed with this title after reading Cemetery Boys, which is a title I recommend to all my university students. I kicked off this semester with this title because of it's trans representation, wonderful characterization, and engaging plot. I absolutely love Yadriel and Julian, and I was hoping that Lost in the Never Woods would offer me the same type of connection.

I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it either. The beginning is quite slow and I wonder what shaving off a bit would do to the pacing. I like character-driven plots, but having a character that doesn't know much from the past and isn't acting on it all that much made the shifts in characterization a bit too slow.

I will not be assigning this in my classes. I'll stick with Cemetery Boy and will absolutely follow Thomas's career, which I expect to continue to impress! I will, however, recommend this book to my students.

As a kid, Peter Pan was probably one of my least favorite Disney movies. I HATED how nothing made sense in Neverland, and didn't understand why everyone who lived there appeared to be extremely unwell from Captain Hook and that horrible crocodile to the Lost Boys and Tinkerbell and Peter Pan himself.

So I am extremely pleased to report I absolutely DELIGHTED in this book, which is both heartwarming and charming. Lost in the Never Woods isn’t a “retelling” of Peter Pan (thank God) - rather, Thomas takes the most charismatic and enchanting elements of Peter Pan mythos and weaves them into a deeply moving modernized tale of innocence and loss and grief and love.

The usually crime-free coastal town of Astoria, Oregon is shaken to its core when 11-year-old Wendy Darling and her two younger brothers, Michael and John, chase their dog (Nana, of course) into the woods and promptly vanish without a trace. Six months later, Wendy turns up, filthy, with her brothers’ blood caked underneath her fingernails.

Michael and John are never found; at 18, Wendy continues to struggle, powerfully and daily, with grief and guilt and trauma of her losing her baby brothers in such a horrific way, without a hint of closure.

Driving home through the woods one particularly creepy night, something hits Wendy’s car, and she, in turn, almost hits a boy. The night gets even weirder when the boy tells her his name is Peter Pan. And weirder yet: he needs Wendy’s help because he’s missing his shadow, which she has, according to him, sewn on before.

Though Wendy is certain she’s never seen this strange, mesmerizing, potentially unwell boy before, something about him is familiar and warm and safe. She’s quickly forced to come to the science-defying conclusion that Peter who he says he is: THE Peter Pan. The magical, flying, pirate-fighting, never-grows-up boy Wendy used to make up stories about to entertain her brothers.

When children start to vanish in the woods, and Peter’s shadow - a manifestation of dark thoughts and fear - appears to be responsible, Wendy and Peter team up to basically fight the forces of evil while exploring their undeniable mutual attraction in a very YA and wholesome way.

This book was so much fun, and so, so bittersweet. I don’t want to spoil anything - YOU HAVE TO READ IT - Peter has a purpose in Lost in the Never Woods that is so much more fulfilling and poignant than the original tale. He is, in the words of Feyre Archeron, extremely easy to like and even easier to love. I ended up crying at 1 AM because the whole endgame of Peter Pan is very snap-your-heart-in-two.

Taylor Swift said it best: I knew you tried to change the ending / Peter losing Wendy.

Thank you to Netgallet, Swoon Reads, and MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I am quite torn on a 3/4 for this book. In the first half, I was not enjoying myself a ton. It was a bit slow and I found myself really disliking the parents of the book.

The 2nd half picked up, but I still didn't like the parents, I get why they were the way they were, but still, a lot of their characterization bothered me as the typical "aloof uncaring parents in YA fantasy so that the kids can be off doing whatever without parental supervision" .

Once I finally got into it, about 50% of the way, I enjoyed where the story was going though it was a tad predictable as it is a Peter Pan retelling. I didn't find any of the reveals shocking or surprising in the least.

**** Spoilers from here on out, you have been WARNED**************

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I kind of guessed that the two brothers were dead, and I guessed who did it based on this one very strange conversation between the neighbor and the cops when they asked about him having guns in the house...... really obvious here.
Peter Pan has always, in my mind, been the one to help the souls of dead children pass on, so it wasn't a very unique retelling in that aspect.
The romance was a little cringy because peter was a child, then an all of a sudden teen who was in love with Wendy.....who also knew her mom....
The part that bothered me the most though, was the parents. While I have never experienced the death of a child, I am a parent and they just struck me as not believable. They were both (parents) very much in need of some severe counseling after the disappearance of their children that they obviously never got. Wendy became basically the caretaker of the home and never seemed to get ANY love or affection, which was heartbreaking to me because this is their only child left with them, you would think they would treasure her. Then after the reveal and discovery of the bodies of the boys at the end, they were fine and sorry and completely changed their temperament and selves right away, which was again, very unbelievable.

SO while I liked the book, it just wasn't for me but I can see why people do like it for the exploration of grief and magic and the really beautiful writing.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Lost In The Never Woods is a Peter Pan reimagining and it was very well done! However, it's not a magical telling and quite frankly it's a bit sad. It follows Wendy who saw Peter as a young girl and he reappears when she's 18 to help her find out what happened to her missing brothers that went missing when she was younger. He also helps her try to figure out what is happening to children that have recently gone missing. When he reappears though, he's older than a child and tells Wendy he needs help finding his shadow... Which is a bit sinister. I really enjoyed what the author did with this story. It reimagines the Peter Pan story into a more adult version with less magic and more real life scenarios.

4.5 Stars

CWs: Explorations of familial loss, grief, and trauma; some descriptions of anxiety/anxiety attacks, compulsion, and alcoholism (in parents); allusions to night terrors and insomnia; instances of kidnapping; some descriptions of injury and violence

☆ Check out my spoiler-free reading vlog for LITNW!

As someone who absolutely loved Cemetery Boys , the bar was pretty high for Lost in the Never Woods, but Aiden Thomas did not disappoint.

LITNW is a story that goes hard in the paint when it comes to exploring trauma, reactions to trauma, and mental health. Wendy is an extremely traumatized, extremely anxious person, who is still grappling with the disappearance of her brothers and how that's completely shifted her family's entire dynamic. While she's surrounded by people who intellectually know what she went through all those years ago, very few people actually understand how she feels and how the situation haunts her. That desperation and uncertainty she feels really underpins the writing style in the story. It's a narrative that moves quickly, almost frantically, and leaves the reader feeling breathless with each new discovery and the terrifying implications of those discoveries.

I think that's what makes the dynamic between Wendy and Peter so fascinating and so emotional. Peter represents magic, wonder, and in many ways safety, and Wendy is slow to trust him because everything he represents is just another unknown. Wendy is terrified and alone when the story begins, and she's used to making herself small to make everyone's life easier. But Peter is gradually breaking through her walls, offering her a potential connection to her brothers and her past, and sort of reintroducing her to wonder and joy. At the same time, he's validating her fears and feelings, which she has always thought to be "irrational." Peter also represents a chance for redemption, because Wendy has spent all this time harboring guilt over the fact that she couldn't keep her brothers safe, especially since she sees it as her job to protect the people she loves.

She and Peter are very similar in that way. They see it as their responsibility to take care of others, even if it means taking on their pain, and they are both convinced that all the bad things happening in town are because of their own failings, because they weren't able to "be better" in some way. I think that really speaks to the lasting impact of trauma and nursing guilt instead of addressing it. I think the story also has a lot to say about how the act of growing up is almost traumatic in itself, because in many ways, growing up means learning how to be hurt, and Wendy and Peter are being forced to confront that pain in a very literal, magical sense.

To me, Peter and Wendy represent a reconciliation between pain and joy, and this evil shadow magic growing in the woods represents how pain is a living, breathing entity that grows stronger and strengthens its hold over us the more we feed into it. When we learn to extract joy from painful moments, hope from hardship, and love from loss, we become more powerful for it. That concept is what really struck me the hardest in this story, and I really appreciate how the story converts survivor's guilt into power.

It is such a different story from Thomas' debut, but in some ways it is very much cut from the same cloth. There's joy, there's humor, there's an impossibly tragic yet hopeful romance, but there's also a really honest look at the hard choices survivors have to make and the destructive power of grief. While there were some supporting characters I wanted to see more from, I was still completely immersed in this creepy, atmospheric story and I was completely blown away. Aiden was already an auto-buy author and this tremendous story just solidified that fact even further!

As children go missing in the woods, Wendy is given a dark reminder of what happened to her and her brothers. With holes in her memory, she is haunted by the gaps and people watching her every move with each loss. Trying to escape the reminders that her brothers are still missing she finds an unconscious boy outside the Neverwoods and Peter Pan worms his way back into her life. In order to save the kids and find her brothers, she will have to work with Peter Pan, the boy she thought only existed in her stories. Can Peter Pan and Wendy find the missing children and save the town from a sinister force? Action-packed and engaging, the author does a great job of mixing dark and light themes. The characters are well-developed and unique while still remaining true to the classic tale. Readers who enjoy dark fantasy, adventure, and retellings of classic tales will enjoy reading this book. 4.5 stars, Grades 7 to 10

First off, I want to say thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Children's Publishing Group for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think I'm becoming a big fan of dark retellings. I'll be honest, I'm not super familiar with Peter Pan, but I'm glad to say that did not hinder my understanding of this story. I loved how dark and creepy this book was, I wasn't sure how dark it could get with it being YA, but it worked so well.

I really enjoyed Peter and Wendy. I giggled at some of their banter and was captivated when they were in the scenes together. There were also moments where I just wanted to hug them both. Wendy has been through a lot and her emotions and trauma was described well. As a reader I felt connected to her and really understood her thoughts. Peter was also going through so much and trying to help everyone around him. They were partners in crime and helped each other when they needed it.

The mystery of the story held my attention and kept me guessing. I had quite a few theories going on in my head that kept changing the longer I read. I was surprised by some of the revelations near the end which I loved. My heart was racing as everything was going down and being revealed and I couldn't put the book down. I definitely recommend this book to other readers, especially if you enjoyed Cemetery Boys.

*Slight Spoilers*
I will say I was a little bothered at first with the romance because when she first saw Peter he looked fourteen and Wendy was eighteen. It made me feel somewhat better as he was later described as older due to the aging. I kept picturing him as older, but the reminders that he wasn't supposed to be older kept me going back to how young he is supposed to be compared to her.

I also loved that it wasn't a "happily ever after" ending. I know some readers may be upset by this, but I think it's hard to have a super happy endings in dark retellings. I think the ending provided closure and that is more than I could have asked for. I think this was a perfect ending to this story.

It's a rare book that makes me ACTUALLY laugh and cry the way this book has.

Somehow I over looked the names "Wendy" and "Peter" when reading the description, so a Peter Pan retelling was not what I was expecting. Fairytale retelling aren't usually my thing, but this book was so wonderful that I just couldn't put it down.

I felt like I was living this story with Wendy, feeling her confused happiness and her devastating heartache with her. I'm telling the truth when I say that I sobbed when I found out the truth about her brothers.

Even though Wendy didn't get a traditional happy ending, she got something better. Peace and closure.

*This eARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.