Oh wow... this was stunning. I did not want to put it down, and read it in 3 sittings over 1 weekend. First off, it was a lot darker than I was expecting. Please review trigger warnings before starting this, as there is a lot of heavy content in this story. However, it is handled sensitively.

The majority of this story takes place in Astoria, Oregon, but there are small flashbacks of Wendy's time in Neverland. Although the reader does not get to dawdle in Neverland, this story is still incredibly magical. This was one of my most anticipated books of 2021 and it really lived up to my expectations, even if it was heavier/darker than I expected. I will definitely be picking up something lighter after finishing this! After reading both Cemetery Boys and Lost In the Never Woods, I'm confident that Aiden Thomas is one of my new favorite authors and I will be buying everything he releases in the future.

I would recommend this to fans of The Wayward Children novella series by Seanan McGuire.

Most of my thoughts will be under the spoiler warning below.

TW: Lost In The Never Woods deals with some very heavy topics like disappearance of children, sick children in the hospital, death of children, grief, and anxiety disorder.


SPOILERS
SPOILERS
SPOILERS
SPOILERS
I'm curious to see what other readers and reviewers will think of this book. I personally loved it, but I think some readers will be unhappy with the bittersweet ending. It left me feeling heavy, but I think it should. It's not an easy ending, but it was magical and realistic at the same time. I'm so proud of Wendy and her growth throughout this book, as well as her decision to push herself towards achieving her goals. I loved how Aiden implied that Peter is still watching over Wendy, even after her returns to Neverland, leaving her behind. It HURT ME when Peter left our world to watch over the lost children in Neverland. Part of me was hoping Wendy would go with him, even though it's not possible and she would be giving up her own future if she did it.
The majority of the time you're reading this book, you're not quite sure what kind of retelling of Peter Pan this will be. At the end, it's revealed that Peter is a magical being who guides lost (dead) children, especially those who died violent deaths. He helps them come to terms with their deaths and allows them to pass over into the afterlife.

This was an incredible take on the traditional tales of Peter Pan.

Five years ago, Wendy’s younger brothers disappeared and they have never been found... and Wendy remembers nothing of that night in the woods. Now, when children are going missing again police are on her doorstep to find answers. Aside from the police presence, Wendy almost runs over a boy in the woods in her 18th birthday... a boy who claims to know her... a boy who claims to be Peter Pan, the boy whom her mother told her stories about and whom she, in turn, told her brothers stories about. But there is no way he could possibly be real.

This was exquisite! This was a masterfully told rendition of the traditional take on Peter Pan. This is darker and more twisted and with much, much more at stake. There is an entity that is taking the young children in their quiet town... and the reason is a total twist on the original story.

I absolutely loved this book! The idea behind the magic of Peter Pan and what it takes for him to lose his magic... what he must give up - is tragic and beautiful. I have come to the conclusion that there is NOTHING that Aiden Thomas writes that I will not completely devour!

I loved this more grown up version of Wendy and Peter. It took me a bit to get into the story but once I got in I was sucked in. I could really picture this as a movie. The shadow was perfect and not overly scary.
I give this book 4 stars. A seriously enjoyed story.

A Peter Pan retelling you say?
I'm intrigued!

Wendy Darling and her brothers disappeared, 6 months later only Wendy came home but with no memories and got on with her life. But what happens when where she's been comes looking for her 5 years later and needs her help?

I'm not going to say much more about the plot because you need to experience this. So good.

I will say that I'm loving this authors writing style and he has written the story and Wendy and Peter perfectly. They were completely adorable together. Also this book contained some sensitive issues, all respectively written.

Not going to lie, the ending had me in bits.

Disclaimer: I received a free eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Peter Pan stories are sort of my niche when it comes to reading and reviewing. I try my hardest to get my hands on every one I can find. I usually judge retellings or continuations based on a few factors: 1) uniqueness, or what makes it different from the original, 2) similarity to the original, and 3) overall tone. I think retellings of stories like Peter Pan need to keep some measure of that magical atmosphere. It's also difficult to find stories that walk the fine line of staying true to the original and creating something new in the process.

Lost in the Never Woods is not what I expected. The story takes place in Oregon and everything is modernized. Thomas dealt with some very heavy topics, such as trauma, anxiety, death, and fear. I appreciated this darker take on the story, because those elements have always been there and it's interesting to see them expanded on. Wendy is a more rounded-out character. I love that she is still shown as maternal while being a strong woman. Many of the recent feminist takes on Wendy have killed her maternal side in the process. I love an independent, warrior, badass Wendy, but I also love this Wendy, who is still soft and has real struggles and loves kids.

However, as much as I liked the concept of the story and the development of Wendy herself, I had several issues while reading.
The main problem, for me, was the writing style. There was so much telling instead of showing, and I felt like a lot of the conversations were just meant as exposition for the reader. Sentence structure was choppy and I found myself distracted by grammar mistakes and a lack of flow. The story also got fairly repetitive and drawn out in the middle. In the last thirty percent or so, the pace picked up and the writing style improved. The action and climax of the story contained some of the best writing in the whole piece, and were the first parts to bring out any emotion in me. Up until that point, I had been missing that sense of magic and the adventurous, dangerous atmosphere of Peter Pan.
SPOILER: I also struggled with the twist itself. It's a concept I have heard before, with Peter Pan guiding dead children to the beyond, but it's never been a favorite of mine. That being said, it did match the tone of the story. END OF SPOILER.

My one other complaint was the romance. While I definitely love the idea of Wendy and Peter liking one another and it's common in retellings, it felt a little off in this book. When Wendy first meets Peter again in this story, he looks like a 14 year old boy. She's 18, and we get a lot of hints about her being attracted to him. As he does begin to look older, and we eventually assume he's about the same age as her, it made me uncomfortable, especially at the times when we didn't know what age he looked like.

Overall, there is plenty to enjoy with this retelling. It picks up after the original story, albeit in a modern time period. The twist felt appropriate and brought a deeper, darker, more emotional dimension to the story. Thomas did keep the spirit of the original in some ways, but lost it in others. I did not get the vibrant, magical imagery I typically look for in a Peter Pan retelling, and I did feel its loss at times. The book was definitively its own, and I liked the changes made and the direction of the story. The themes of dark and light, fear and joy are not unusual for the genre, and I do wish there had been a little more creativity in that area.
SPOILER: Wendy being Peter's undoing, the one thing that made him want to grow up, and their doomed romance was a lovely, if not completely original, addition and it's the reason I return to Peter Pan retellings over and over. END OF SPOILER.
However, because of writing style and a few shortcomings, I found myself expecting just a little bit more out of this story.
I recommend this book for all Peter Pan lovers, and for those who struggle with anxiety like me. I found a sister in Wendy, and her growth felt very real to me.

Also, this cover is insanely gorgeous, and I might purchase a physically copy just so I can stare at it all day.

Best part of the book: the cover. Second best: the author's dedication to "every heavy heart that had to grow up to fast." Thomas' YA fascinating take on the legendary Peter Pan fairy tale consists of a strong albeit PTSD- ridden 18 yo Wendy Darling, and her search for the truth about her past.

Thank you Macmillan Children's, Swoon Reads and NetGalley for the delighful e-ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Swoon Reads for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. I have read a lot of retellings and twisted fairytales and it is a rare treat to come across a story as original and as vibrant as Lost in the Neverwoods.

Wendy Darling is an 18 year old hospital volunteer who went missing five years earlier with her two brothers. Wendy was found alone in the woods, but her brothers still remain missing and Wendy has no recollection of what happened. Regaled with stories about Peter Pan by her mother, Wendy starts to realize that they might not just be stories when children start to go missing and Wendy hits a boy claiming to be the infamous Peter with her car. Together, the two of them seek out Peter’s shadow and the truth behind what happened to the Darling children.

This book was unputdownable and I recommend for any fans of retellings or Peter Pan in general. Excellent read and Aiden Thomas has quickly become a new favorite author.

As an avid fan of retellings, this dark Peter Pan inspired novel flew to the top of my TBR and I was not disappointed.

While it is not mentioned on the page, our main character Wendy struggles with some survivor's guilt after she and her two brothers mysteriously disappear into the woods. Wendy is the only one to return and despite the countless questions from the police, she can't remember what happened or where they went. Five years later, children are once again starting to disappear and Wendy is, understandably so, affected by these occurrences. The novel takes off from there as Wendy partners with a mysterious boy to try and solve the mystery of where these children are and what happened to Wendy and her siblings all those years ago.

It was hard not to love Wendy who at 18 years old was carrying around the weight of her brothers' disappearances as well as the self-placed blame for the pain she caused her parents for their loss. Her character exhibited such strength; however, at the same time, it was clear how fragile and raw this experience had left her. I definitely wanted to wrap her in a mom hug several times throughout the book.

I will say that the pacing did seem a little off. When I first started reading this, I was hooked for the first several chapters; however, I did hit a lull about 30% through which didn't really pick up for me until the climax. We saw a lot of relationship-building in the meantime, but it felt a little unbalanced compared to the fast-paced ending.

Overall, I do plan on ordering this for my library system and I will certainly keep an eye out for more of the author's works. Now to just get my hands on a copy of Cemetary Boys....

Let me preface this with saying this is not my typical read. I know there’s a swath of fairytales reimagined and twisted versions of Disney stories, but I’ve never been able to get into them. However, when I saw that Aiden Thomas was coming out with a new book, you bet I requested that ASAP! Cemetery Boys was one of my first reads of 2020 and made me a devoted fan of Aiden Thomas’s writing. Lost in the Never Woods is a dark retelling of Peter Pan set in modern day Oregon. In this spooky and mystical retelling, Wendy finds herself working along the Peter Pan she’s been telling stories about for years in order to solve a mystery of missing children. Wendy has her own stake in this mystery, having lost her brothers a few years prior. Aiden Thomas weaves this story of friendship, romance, and the struggles of a family dealing with loss, with such talent that can’t be denied. This will definitely be an immediate buy for me when it’s released!

Lost In The Never Woods is a fresh take on what could have been an empty re-telling of a very beloved classic take. Aiden Thomas plays on the audience’s previous knowledge of Peter Pan to skip a lot of the conventional ways to introduce characters and instead focuses on this specific story of Wendy and Peter. I think they’ve done such an incredible job of layering Peter Pan and Hook tid-bits and nods throughout, without making it mundane or tiresome. I can see this novel become an instant favorite with younger and older fans of Peter Pan. It touches on mental health and the ways families can hurt after shared tragedies, in such a tender way. It’s impossible to not love Wendy and Peter, but Jordan also deserves a big shout out! Good friendships deserve Big Love and it was so meaningful to see how Jordan takes care of Wendy. I’m so excited for others to read this smoky tale of a grown up Wendy, navigating a time where she feels both lost and ready for the next step of life.

Really well written, creepier than I had thought. I had to stop part way and put it on pause for several weeks and then continue again in the daylight. Having grown up in the countryside, I know first-hand how creepy the woods can get.

This book is very different from Aiden Thomas' first book Cemetery Boys. In it he takes on a new and different approach to you typical Peter Pan story. It was thoughtful and interesting.

Five years ago, Wendy and her little brothers vanished. She returned after six months, traumatized and amnesiac. Her family never recovered. Now, more children are disappearing into thin air, and one has just as mysteriously appeared: Peter Pan, the character from the stories Wendy used to tell her brothers. Though she has her doubts about this impossible boy, she can't deny that they need each other: he has the answers she craves, and he needs her help to recapture his shadow before its evil grows too great. The retelling is about equal parts slow-blooming relationship, tense fight against the power of darkness, and unpacking of her trauma.

Aiden Thomas will surely be a household name in classroom libraries. Students craving non binary representation will love this novel. Beautifully written with magical elements, this reimagined fairytale will be a hit.

A part of me thinks that I could summarize everything I’ve felt about this book in a few short sentences…. That part of me is very naive, because I can’t…. Not entirely.

I guess if I had to summarize my feelings about Lost In The Never Woods, I would say this is the best retelling of Peter Pan I’ve ever read. One of my top favourite reads of the year, and even an all-time favourite of mine!

Aiden Thomas has managed to bring a new light to J.M. Barrie’s original story and they have created a complex world where characters like Wendy Darling and Peter Pan feel alive. This book tackles hard themes like grief or lost, but it does it in a superb way.

In Lost In The Never Woods, there’s room for all types of emotions. It’s really well-written, a story that catches you from the first page and it never leaves you… Or at least... I have the feeling that it will never leave me.

Lost in the Never Woods is Aiden Thomas' sophomore novel, but shares dark and spooky vibes which were apparent in his debut, Cemetery Boys. Other than that parallel, Lost in the Never Woods is incredibly different than its predecessor and deserves to be viewed as its own independent piece. Lost in the Never Woods is at its heart, a story about mourning and grief. Wendy Darling, despite nearly an adult, is traumatized by an incident she can't fully remember which resulted in becoming separated from her two younger brothers. As she volunteers at the hospital her mother works in, she tells the children there stories of the boyish and adventurous Peter Pan. Her memories begin to resurface in strange ways, which leads her to wonder if there's more to Peter than a figment of her imagination.

The strength of this novel is certainly its characterization of its secondary main character, Peter Pan. Peter is a growing boy who should not be tumbling towards adulthood, which is clear by his charismatic and boisterous actions and behaviors. Despite most Peter Pan retellings focusing on Peter being a static character, Thomas makes their story rooted in character development. As Wendy is trying to find answers to bury her own grief and find the other children who have gone missing in her small Oregon town, Peter has a secret which he needs to share in order to keep the missing children safe. What results is a clever twist in an age-old story which is satisfying despite its slow build up.

Lost in the Never Woods has a main female lead, but does not have much diversity outside of the narrative. Many of Wendy's conversations with her best friend Jordan are full of strife or "boy talk," which leaves their relationship feeling two dimensional throughout the story. Wendy's parents are an interesting study on grieving parents--with a mother consumed in work and a father who is overprotective--but they play a minor role in the story. The story is overwhelmed by Wendy and Peter's issues, meaning they are by far the characters readers learn about and emphasize with the most. Unlike Thomas' earlier work, there is also no clear LGBTQIA+ or BIPOC representation in the novel. Peter is described as a boy with "auburn hair and blue eyes," while Wendy's race is left ambiguous. While this is not necessarily a deficit to Thomas' story-telling capabilities, readers of Cemetery Boys may be surprised by the lack of representation throughout this novel.

Lost in the Never Woods was originally written as a thesis for Thomas' MFA in Creative Writing. When reading the novel, readers may be reminded of its more academic origins by the frequent use of motifs (such as the acorn introduced early in the story) and its over-arching theme (grief and mourning). In many ways, this story also feels less polished despite more editing time compared to Thomas' other works. The humor, while present, doesn't linger. Most of the relationships in the story are surface level, excluding the relationship Wendy shares with Peter. Despite this, the story is strong, easy to follow, and leaves the reader thinking about its ending long after the pages run out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Children's Publishing Group for an advanced copy of Lost in the Never Woods in exchange for an honest review. This book has a beautiful cover and will make a great addition to any bookshelf--young and old alike! Make sure to preorder the book or pick it up from your local bookstore on March 23rd, 2021!

LOST IN THE NEVER WOODS is a great mystery adaptation of the Peter Pan canon. Close enough to the Disney classic that you don't feel alienated, but original enough that you are constantly thinking about it when you are not reading it, I would heartily recommend this novel to any fan of Peter Pan and/or Aiden Thomas.

I knew I was going to love this book even before I read the first page because the previous book I read by Aiden Thomas was one of the best books I read in 2020 and I knew he wouldn't disappoint me. I absolutely love retellings of classic fairy tales and folklore so when I saw that this book was a retelling or more a continuation of Peter Pan, I got very excited. Set in Astoria, Oregon, we follow Wendy who disappeared into the dark woods and was kidnapped with her two younger boys years ago but somehow she reappeared months later but unfortunately her brothers never did. Now years later, Wendy is just trying to live a normal life but children are going missing again. Memories of her brothers and the events from years ago start coming back and they all seem centered around Peter Pan. But he is not real. Or is he? If you read Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, you will love this book. The story is very different but Thomas brings us characters that you can easily root for, a mysterious environment, and amazing writing in this new book.

I love a retelling of a well known story and this was just so well thought out and such a great concept. There are some really nice portrayals of friendship and the way grief is explored is nicely done.
I did feel that perhaps this was a little long-winded and I felt like the majority of the action was packed into the final 10% of the book. Despite this, the intrigue and familiarity of the characters kept me interested and wanting to read on.

Firstly, I would like to thank MacMillan Children's Publishing group for providing a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley as part of the Fierce Reads Recommends: W21 Sneak Peek sweepstakes from the Latinx KidLit Book Festival. Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Aiden Thomas' first novel, Cemetery Boys, I was looking forward to this. Lost in the Never Woods takes the story of Peter Pan into the modern day. Like Cetemetery Boys, Aiden Thomas sets up a central mystery around missing children and explores the theme of dealing with death. Wendy Darling is 18, volunteering at a hospital, yet still not completely sure of what specific career she wants. At the hospital, Wendy loves to tell stories of Peter Pan to patients. These stories were told to her by her mom when Wendy was a child. Five years prior, Wendy and her two brothers went missing after going exploring deep into the woods. Although her brothers were not found, Wendy was discovered several months after disappearing, without being able to remember anything. This loss of memory works well in the story as Wendy experiences flashes of memory that allow her to make connections in order to solve the central mystery of the novel. In the present day, several children she knows go missing. When Wendy meets the Peter Pan of her stories, this sets off a series of events that will lead her to uncover what happened to her siblings as well as to the missing children. I really enjoyed how the author used the tale of Peter Pan, exploring many of the ideas, people, places, and themes from it in new ways. I particularly enjoyed the author's take on NeverLand and the Lost Boys. Aiden Thomas did an excellent job of grabbing the reader's interest throughout. I found the villain at the center of the story interesting and I found the unraveling of the mystery well executed. The exploration of death in the book was also very well done. Lost in the Never Woods is a unique take on the tale of Peter Pan that will thrill readers of Cemetery Boys as well as readers who may be new to Aiden Thomas' work.