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Adventures in Neverland #1
Neverland
There is an alternate cover edition for this ASIN here.
“Any last words?”
“Go to hell, you freaking…filthy…godforsaken…”
Our noses almost touch as he dips his head and brushes a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Angel, the word you’re looking for is pirate.”
Strange things are happening in Neverland…
Although Angelina McFarland loves reading fairytales, she never dreamed of falling right into one herself. Literally! But who is this flying boy who saved her? And why doesn’t he want to grow up?
Desperately trying to find a way off this cursed island, Angelina runs into a ruthless pirate. Hook captures her and keeps her trapped on his ship, the Jolly Roger, to lure the flying boy out of his hiding.
But is Hook really the heartless man she heard about? The more time Angel spends with him, the more she starts to wonder. Her growing feelings for him are as intense as shocking, and soon she can’t stop thinking about how soft his lips felt on hers when he kissed her under the stars.
As time passes, an old train ticket to London is all she has left to remind her of her former life and why she can’t give up trying to find a way home.
Or is staying in Neverland forever the better choice after all?
Grab a happy thought and follow Angel on an adventure that will keep you breathless and smiling long after you read the last page…
Mind the cliffhanger! (I’m sorry!)
The sequel PAN’S REVENGE is already available.
“Any last words?”
“Go to hell, you freaking…filthy…godforsaken…”
Our noses almost touch as he dips his head and brushes a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Angel, the word you’re looking for is pirate.”
Strange things are happening in Neverland…
Although Angelina McFarland loves reading fairytales, she never dreamed of falling right into one herself. Literally! But who is this flying boy who saved her? And why doesn’t he want to grow up?
Desperately trying to find a way off this cursed island, Angelina runs into a ruthless pirate. Hook captures her and keeps her trapped on his ship, the Jolly Roger, to lure the flying boy out of his hiding.
But is Hook really the heartless man she heard about? The more time Angel spends with him, the more she starts to wonder. Her growing feelings for him are as intense as shocking, and soon she can’t stop thinking about how soft his lips felt on hers when he kissed her under the stars.
As time passes, an old train ticket to London is all she has left to remind her of her former life and why she can’t give up trying to find a way home.
Or is staying in Neverland forever the better choice after all?
Grab a happy thought and follow Angel on an adventure that will keep you breathless and smiling long after you read the last page…
Mind the cliffhanger! (I’m sorry!)
The sequel PAN’S REVENGE is already available.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 10, 2014
197 people are currently reading
4192 people want to read
About the author
Anna Katmore
104 books665 followersIf I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 353 reviews
July 18, 2014
First:
This is what I how I expect a pirate should be:
when he's bad:
And When He's charming:
Anna's Jamie hook is not as bad as Killian of OUAT, but he sure is sweet! I re-read Neverland, cause I felt like I was missing something, I didn't like Anna's Hook at my first read, but on the 2nd, I fell in love with Jamie! and that ending was so perfect! I know its a cliff hanger, but there's just something about that last line that made it seem bitter sweet! (I'm talking about the scene before "three months later" the one before she falls asleep)
next book<3
January 25, 2016
A Peter Pan retelling with Hook as the main love interest? Sign me the F up!
Update--
DNF at 52%
This is not a Peter Pan retelling, this is a Captain Hook fan fiction. I kept trying to push myself a little further, but I just couldn’t. The writing felt flat, it was just too simple. There were no engaging sentences, no quotes I’d like to highlight, nothing.
Neverland takes a bold engaging premise, takes out the bold engaging part, and gives you the premise. Like, come on, a Peter Pan retelling with a twist; with Captain Hook as the main love interest; and a supposedly ending that’ll make me gasp out loud, it had all the elements of a fantastic Peter Pan retelling, but it just didn’t give it justice.
Angel, our protagonist, is this too perfect to exist English girl that enjoys baby-sitting her sisters and keeping her clothes neat. She was just so dull, and too flat for my liking. I felt like I was reading a badly written fan-fiction (and I’ve never even read fan fiction). Authors, perfection is overrated, give me flawed, dark characters and make me love them; that is when I can call you a good writer.
Overall, I learned having high expectations leads to disappointing circumstances. I won’t tell anyone to avoid this book, if any of the things I mentioned above don’t bother you then go for it. Also, I’d like to recommend a Peter Pan retelling that could be considered one of my top 3 favourite books; Tiger Lilly, trust me on this one. It may be slow, but it’s worth it.
Update--
DNF at 52%
This is not a Peter Pan retelling, this is a Captain Hook fan fiction. I kept trying to push myself a little further, but I just couldn’t. The writing felt flat, it was just too simple. There were no engaging sentences, no quotes I’d like to highlight, nothing.
Neverland takes a bold engaging premise, takes out the bold engaging part, and gives you the premise. Like, come on, a Peter Pan retelling with a twist; with Captain Hook as the main love interest; and a supposedly ending that’ll make me gasp out loud, it had all the elements of a fantastic Peter Pan retelling, but it just didn’t give it justice.
Angel, our protagonist, is this too perfect to exist English girl that enjoys baby-sitting her sisters and keeping her clothes neat. She was just so dull, and too flat for my liking. I felt like I was reading a badly written fan-fiction (and I’ve never even read fan fiction). Authors, perfection is overrated, give me flawed, dark characters and make me love them; that is when I can call you a good writer.
Overall, I learned having high expectations leads to disappointing circumstances. I won’t tell anyone to avoid this book, if any of the things I mentioned above don’t bother you then go for it. Also, I’d like to recommend a Peter Pan retelling that could be considered one of my top 3 favourite books; Tiger Lilly, trust me on this one. It may be slow, but it’s worth it.
June 11, 2014
Foiled by a Goodreads rating again! I really wanted to like this Peter Pan retelling, and I thought I would. The reviews are, for the most part, good. But, once again, I'm left scratching my head and wondering if I missed something. How can something this bad generate so much praise?
First, I have to give credit where credit is due. The author had the nugget of a good idea here. She switched things up a little and gave Peter and Hook a bit of a different relationship than what we're used to seeing. It could have been a really interesting dynamic... but some of her other choices really didn't work.
In this version of the story, we've got a nineteen-year-old Captain Hook (presumably so he can be a suitable insta-love interest for the seventeen-year-old heroine). I found that pretty unbelievable. And then, to make matters worse, Hook isn't even the ruthless one-handed pirate we all know and love. He's a watered-down, touchy-feely teenager who's so sexy that Angel can't stop thinking about him. Why bother using these characters as a basis for the story if you're going to strip them of everything that makes them who they are?
After the first few chapters from Angel's point of view, we're treated to switching points of view between Angel and Hook. The problem is that they both speak exactly the same way, down to using similar metaphors. The only difference is that Hook swears constantly. And these are not the swears you'd expect from a pirate. These are full-on, can't-air-during-primetime swears that sound more like they're coming out of a 21st-century teenager's mouth than a 19th-century pirate's. I found it to be a pretty lazy way of differentiating the characters, and when Hook wasn't swearing, I kept forgetting whose point of view I was reading; that's how similar they were.
There were also so many, many problems with... well, everything. Angel is supposed to have lived in London, England all her life... but she talks about eating fries and wearing tennis shoes and a sweater. I'm not English, but I'm pretty sure she would've been talking about chips, trainers, and a jumper. The Lost Boys have things like zippers (is there a zipper factory in Neverland?) and Peter Pan even wears a t-shirt with a pocket on the chest (maybe they have The Gap, too). Then there were the things that just didn't make physical sense... like when Angel steals a knife and hides it in her pocket:
No, she didn't cut her hand to ribbons. I really don't know how she managed not to unintentionally kill herself since she tried to stow a knife in her pocket with the blade facing out and then stuck her hand in there as well!
The author is Austrian, and the writing is actually not all that bad in places (especially considering English might not be her first language). But there were a few slip-ups, such as when Angel looked simultaneously forlorn and full of hope. I'm not sure if that's even possible. The writing was also very, very casual in places. At times, I felt like I was reading something like a blog rather than a book. I don't like seeing the word "helluva" in fiction unless the character's unique voice calls for it; this particular one's didn't.
My biggest complaint, however, was that for much of the last quarter of the book, it's nothing but making out. Angel and Hook can't keep their hands off each other. It's tongues and fingers and touching and groping and nestling and nuzzling, all culminating in something much more adult than the cute little cover suggests. I didn't find it romantic or titillating. Actually, I found it all pretty awkward because I felt like I was reading a fantasy that someone had written in their diary.
While the spark for a really interesting Peter Pan retelling was there, it was, unfortunately, just that: a spark. Weak writing, weak characters, and a weak plot left me frustrated. Even the cliffhanger ending doesn't make me want to read more.
http://theladybugreads.blogspot.ca/20...
First, I have to give credit where credit is due. The author had the nugget of a good idea here. She switched things up a little and gave Peter and Hook a bit of a different relationship than what we're used to seeing. It could have been a really interesting dynamic... but some of her other choices really didn't work.
In this version of the story, we've got a nineteen-year-old Captain Hook (presumably so he can be a suitable insta-love interest for the seventeen-year-old heroine). I found that pretty unbelievable. And then, to make matters worse, Hook isn't even the ruthless one-handed pirate we all know and love. He's a watered-down, touchy-feely teenager who's so sexy that Angel can't stop thinking about him. Why bother using these characters as a basis for the story if you're going to strip them of everything that makes them who they are?
After the first few chapters from Angel's point of view, we're treated to switching points of view between Angel and Hook. The problem is that they both speak exactly the same way, down to using similar metaphors. The only difference is that Hook swears constantly. And these are not the swears you'd expect from a pirate. These are full-on, can't-air-during-primetime swears that sound more like they're coming out of a 21st-century teenager's mouth than a 19th-century pirate's. I found it to be a pretty lazy way of differentiating the characters, and when Hook wasn't swearing, I kept forgetting whose point of view I was reading; that's how similar they were.
There were also so many, many problems with... well, everything. Angel is supposed to have lived in London, England all her life... but she talks about eating fries and wearing tennis shoes and a sweater. I'm not English, but I'm pretty sure she would've been talking about chips, trainers, and a jumper. The Lost Boys have things like zippers (is there a zipper factory in Neverland?) and Peter Pan even wears a t-shirt with a pocket on the chest (maybe they have The Gap, too). Then there were the things that just didn't make physical sense... like when Angel steals a knife and hides it in her pocket:
I don't take another minute to think, just a moment to hide the silver dagger in the side pocket of my dress. It's too long and the tip of the blade stands out, so I cover it by sliding my hand into the pocket, too.
No, she didn't cut her hand to ribbons. I really don't know how she managed not to unintentionally kill herself since she tried to stow a knife in her pocket with the blade facing out and then stuck her hand in there as well!
The author is Austrian, and the writing is actually not all that bad in places (especially considering English might not be her first language). But there were a few slip-ups, such as when Angel looked simultaneously forlorn and full of hope. I'm not sure if that's even possible. The writing was also very, very casual in places. At times, I felt like I was reading something like a blog rather than a book. I don't like seeing the word "helluva" in fiction unless the character's unique voice calls for it; this particular one's didn't.
My biggest complaint, however, was that for much of the last quarter of the book, it's nothing but making out. Angel and Hook can't keep their hands off each other. It's tongues and fingers and touching and groping and nestling and nuzzling, all culminating in something much more adult than the cute little cover suggests. I didn't find it romantic or titillating. Actually, I found it all pretty awkward because I felt like I was reading a fantasy that someone had written in their diary.
While the spark for a really interesting Peter Pan retelling was there, it was, unfortunately, just that: a spark. Weak writing, weak characters, and a weak plot left me frustrated. Even the cliffhanger ending doesn't make me want to read more.
http://theladybugreads.blogspot.ca/20...
August 25, 2015
Although this book has a fanfiction vibe in it, I enjoyed reading the sexy James Hook and the somewhat boring Angel. I would have been interested in reading Part 2 because the ending in this one is frustratingly good but when I saw the blurb for the second book, I decided to not give a fuck anymore.
October 14, 2016
Have I ever mentioned before that Peter Pan is one of my favorite fairy-tale characters of all time? Well, next to Cinderella, that is. I have always loved Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. When Hook was included in the TV show Once Upon A Time a few years back, I immediately got hooked! And never looked back..
Anna Katmore’s Neverland series is my newest favorite Peter Pan retelling. Oh, let me rephrase that. This isn’t actually a retelling. This is a story of Angelina McFarland who fell down from the clouds, caught by a spritely flying boy named Peter, forgot her name, discovered Neverland, met the boys that never grew old, desperately tried to return to London, and captured by Captain Hook.
Sounds familiar?
Well, believe it or not, this isn’t like any Peter Pan & Hook stories that you’ve grown to know and love. Not at all.
In my opinion, this book, Neverland, is more of Captain Hook’s turf. James Hook is a far cry from the ugliest, meanest and scariest pirate in the land. No, he is the kind of villain-hero you would grow to love, apples, included. While Peter Pan is the hero that you’d rather choose to hate.
This is definitely not your typical Disney story. I applaud Anna Katmore for a meticulously written and fantastically narrated book. She's got our attention from the first page onwards. I actually read this with my kids in two nights, and during those two storytelling sessions, I swear I saw sparks, fireworks and mischief in their eyes. We can’t wait to read the next book and fill our dreams with happy thoughts! What can I say, I’m a kid at heart, too!
Anna Katmore’s Neverland series is my newest favorite Peter Pan retelling. Oh, let me rephrase that. This isn’t actually a retelling. This is a story of Angelina McFarland who fell down from the clouds, caught by a spritely flying boy named Peter, forgot her name, discovered Neverland, met the boys that never grew old, desperately tried to return to London, and captured by Captain Hook.
Sounds familiar?
Well, believe it or not, this isn’t like any Peter Pan & Hook stories that you’ve grown to know and love. Not at all.
In my opinion, this book, Neverland, is more of Captain Hook’s turf. James Hook is a far cry from the ugliest, meanest and scariest pirate in the land. No, he is the kind of villain-hero you would grow to love, apples, included. While Peter Pan is the hero that you’d rather choose to hate.
This is definitely not your typical Disney story. I applaud Anna Katmore for a meticulously written and fantastically narrated book. She's got our attention from the first page onwards. I actually read this with my kids in two nights, and during those two storytelling sessions, I swear I saw sparks, fireworks and mischief in their eyes. We can’t wait to read the next book and fill our dreams with happy thoughts! What can I say, I’m a kid at heart, too!
August 4, 2017
“Any last words?”
“Go to hell, you freaking...filthy...godforsaken…”
Our noses almost touch as he dips his head and brushes a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Angel, the word you’re looking for is pirate.”
Strange things are happening in Neverland…
Although Angelina McFarland loves reading fairytales, she never dreamed of falling right into one herself. Literally! But who is this flying boy who saved her? And why doesn’t he want to grow up?
Desperately trying to find a way off this cursed island, Angelina runs into a ruthless pirate. Hook captures her and keeps her trapped on his ship, the Jolly Roger, to lure the flying boy out of his hiding.
But is Hook really the heartless man she heard about? The more time Angel spends with him, the more she starts to wonder. Her growing feelings for him are as intense as shocking, and soon she can’t stop thinking about how soft his lips felt on hers when he kissed her under the stars.
As time passes, an old train ticket to London is all she has left to remind her of her former life and why she can’t give up trying to find a way home.
Or is staying in Neverland forever the better choice after all?
Grab a happy thought and follow Angel on an adventure that will keep you breathless and smiling long after you read the last page…
I would highly recommend this book for fans of Peter Pan and Season 3 of Once upon a time because you get the vibes from season 3 because of the different personalities on the characters.
CHARACTERS-
I loved the changing of the points of view. We got to see the story from Angel, Jamie and peters point of view and it was so cool and very interesting.
ROMANCE-
The romance was gorgeous and really nice to read about. The romance was quite a gradual realationship because they do hate eachother at the start but then start to fall for eachother.
PLOT-
The plot obviously isn't 100% unique because it's a retelling but I loved how the author changed the story of neverland and Peter.
ENDING-
I cried. The ending was so sad but I know it will get better because it's a duology and the next book will hold different things.
Characters-9/10
Romance-10/10
Plot-9/10
Ending-9/10
Speed-10/10
“Go to hell, you freaking...filthy...godforsaken…”
Our noses almost touch as he dips his head and brushes a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Angel, the word you’re looking for is pirate.”
Strange things are happening in Neverland…
Although Angelina McFarland loves reading fairytales, she never dreamed of falling right into one herself. Literally! But who is this flying boy who saved her? And why doesn’t he want to grow up?
Desperately trying to find a way off this cursed island, Angelina runs into a ruthless pirate. Hook captures her and keeps her trapped on his ship, the Jolly Roger, to lure the flying boy out of his hiding.
But is Hook really the heartless man she heard about? The more time Angel spends with him, the more she starts to wonder. Her growing feelings for him are as intense as shocking, and soon she can’t stop thinking about how soft his lips felt on hers when he kissed her under the stars.
As time passes, an old train ticket to London is all she has left to remind her of her former life and why she can’t give up trying to find a way home.
Or is staying in Neverland forever the better choice after all?
Grab a happy thought and follow Angel on an adventure that will keep you breathless and smiling long after you read the last page…
I would highly recommend this book for fans of Peter Pan and Season 3 of Once upon a time because you get the vibes from season 3 because of the different personalities on the characters.
CHARACTERS-
I loved the changing of the points of view. We got to see the story from Angel, Jamie and peters point of view and it was so cool and very interesting.
ROMANCE-
The romance was gorgeous and really nice to read about. The romance was quite a gradual realationship because they do hate eachother at the start but then start to fall for eachother.
PLOT-
The plot obviously isn't 100% unique because it's a retelling but I loved how the author changed the story of neverland and Peter.
ENDING-
I cried. The ending was so sad but I know it will get better because it's a duology and the next book will hold different things.
Characters-9/10
Romance-10/10
Plot-9/10
Ending-9/10
Speed-10/10
June 29, 2020
This rating is based solely on the fact that I kinda enjoyed it if I had rated the book by any other measurement it would’ve been 1.
The writing is horrendous, the pace is super fast, the characters are so flat and indistinguishable from each other, there’s exchanging “I love you” after only five days. There’s an idea, but even that may not be that original, although I did like Hook and Pan being brothers.
The writing is horrendous, the pace is super fast, the characters are so flat and indistinguishable from each other, there’s exchanging “I love you” after only five days. There’s an idea, but even that may not be that original, although I did like Hook and Pan being brothers.
April 7, 2014
After reading Peter Pan to her twin sisters for bed, Angel soon finds herself falling from the clouds.
It seems she's fallen into Neverland and into the middle of a serious conflict between Peter Pan and Captain Hook.
Turns out their story isn't what Disney would have you believe.
I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!
I liked Peter right away. But fell in love with Hook almost immediately.
This is not the story from your childhood.
But it's perfect and leaves me waiting desperately for the next one.
It seems she's fallen into Neverland and into the middle of a serious conflict between Peter Pan and Captain Hook.
Turns out their story isn't what Disney would have you believe.
I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!
I liked Peter right away. But fell in love with Hook almost immediately.
This is not the story from your childhood.
But it's perfect and leaves me waiting desperately for the next one.
July 24, 2014
To see full review click here.
Not bad.
Not great.
But utterly horrible.
No.
It’s actually one of the better reads I had when exploring the vast world of self pub (though to be honest, I usually don’t have the best of luck with self pub).
The premises intrigued me and since I imagine Captain Hook love interest (or really any Captain Hook) looking like Colin O’Donoghue I think it’s obvious that I’ll read any Peter Pan retelling for the mind candy. And the whole twist with Peter Pan was good too if not original (cough, Once Upon a Time had Evil!Pan first, cough).
But other than a great premises and some okay kissing scenes this book blew.
Oh, yeah.
Though compared to it’s sequel (spoiler alert) it is a freaking masterpiece.
Let’s talk about what didn’t work since there’s a lot.
Angel:
First of all that name. Sorry to the Angel’s in the world, but when a YA author names their character Angel alarm bells immediately go off especially when they have a personality as bland as cardboard like this angel is.
Also, it probably doesn’t help when you state that a character is British but she uses American English and slang. Um, Brits don’t call fries fries. They call them chips.
Oh, and when she has hobbies like a forty-year-old. Because most seventeen year olds I know, don’t like babysitting their four-year-old sisters all the time. Just saying.
Then there’s Hook:
Never was there never a Hook like this. Honestly, I think Ms. Katmore was just charmed with Colin O’Donghue so much that she decided to have him star in her book but as a blonde to make him different.
Yeah…didn’t work.
The big twist that Hook and Pan were brothers in this book might’ve also not have hit me so much because there was a similar twist on Once Upon a Time involving Pan’s genealogy with one of the main characters. Though that twist had a bigger payoff.
In the end, I just didn’t know what Katmore wanted to do with these characters. Because other than saying oh he’s my brother and it being the catalyst for the curse…really, no connection.
Much like I didn’t really get the Hook and Angel relationship. Oh yeah, there were some halfway decent written kissing scenes but it was insta love complete with leather pants.
Well, that part was original.
Oh, wait, never mind they have leather pants on that show too.
Well, that blows.
But this Hook’s blonde and likes feathers so that counts. Well, the Disney Hook liked feathers too.
Never mind..
Not bad.
Not great.
But utterly horrible.
No.
It’s actually one of the better reads I had when exploring the vast world of self pub (though to be honest, I usually don’t have the best of luck with self pub).
The premises intrigued me and since I imagine Captain Hook love interest (or really any Captain Hook) looking like Colin O’Donoghue I think it’s obvious that I’ll read any Peter Pan retelling for the mind candy. And the whole twist with Peter Pan was good too if not original (cough, Once Upon a Time had Evil!Pan first, cough).
But other than a great premises and some okay kissing scenes this book blew.
Oh, yeah.
Though compared to it’s sequel (spoiler alert) it is a freaking masterpiece.
Let’s talk about what didn’t work since there’s a lot.
Angel:
First of all that name. Sorry to the Angel’s in the world, but when a YA author names their character Angel alarm bells immediately go off especially when they have a personality as bland as cardboard like this angel is.
Also, it probably doesn’t help when you state that a character is British but she uses American English and slang. Um, Brits don’t call fries fries. They call them chips.
Oh, and when she has hobbies like a forty-year-old. Because most seventeen year olds I know, don’t like babysitting their four-year-old sisters all the time. Just saying.
Then there’s Hook:
Never was there never a Hook like this. Honestly, I think Ms. Katmore was just charmed with Colin O’Donghue so much that she decided to have him star in her book but as a blonde to make him different.
Yeah…didn’t work.
The big twist that Hook and Pan were brothers in this book might’ve also not have hit me so much because there was a similar twist on Once Upon a Time involving Pan’s genealogy with one of the main characters. Though that twist had a bigger payoff.
In the end, I just didn’t know what Katmore wanted to do with these characters. Because other than saying oh he’s my brother and it being the catalyst for the curse…really, no connection.
Much like I didn’t really get the Hook and Angel relationship. Oh yeah, there were some halfway decent written kissing scenes but it was insta love complete with leather pants.
Well, that part was original.
Oh, wait, never mind they have leather pants on that show too.
Well, that blows.
But this Hook’s blonde and likes feathers so that counts. Well, the Disney Hook liked feathers too.
Never mind..
July 5, 2015
Zu Beginn des Buches war ich nicht begeistert. Es kam mir vor, als ob ich eine Nacherzählung von Peter Pan lesen würde. Aber mit dem Zusammentreffen der Protagonisten Angel und Hook begann eine tolle, liebevolle und spannende Geschichte.
Die Charaktere hatten jeder für sich eine Vergangenheit, eine Geschichte, die sie prägte. Außerdem machten sie während der Handlung eine Entwicklung durch, die nachvollziehbar war. Man konnte sich wirklich gut in die Gefühle und Gedanken hinein versetzen. Die Atmosphäre war einfach idyllisch und lud zum Träumen ein. Die Perspektivwechsel machten die Geschichte sehr unterhaltsam. Der Schreibstil war im Allgemeinen leicht und erfrischend. Genau richtig für heiße Sommertage.
Ich fühlte mich durchweg gut unterhalten. Der holprige Anfang und manch abrupte Wendungen führen zu einen Stern Abzug. Aber Alles in Allen 4 Sterne, sehr empfehlenswert und ich bin gespannt, wie es weiter geht.
Die Charaktere hatten jeder für sich eine Vergangenheit, eine Geschichte, die sie prägte. Außerdem machten sie während der Handlung eine Entwicklung durch, die nachvollziehbar war. Man konnte sich wirklich gut in die Gefühle und Gedanken hinein versetzen. Die Atmosphäre war einfach idyllisch und lud zum Träumen ein. Die Perspektivwechsel machten die Geschichte sehr unterhaltsam. Der Schreibstil war im Allgemeinen leicht und erfrischend. Genau richtig für heiße Sommertage.
Ich fühlte mich durchweg gut unterhalten. Der holprige Anfang und manch abrupte Wendungen führen zu einen Stern Abzug. Aber Alles in Allen 4 Sterne, sehr empfehlenswert und ich bin gespannt, wie es weiter geht.
January 13, 2022
What if Captain Hook wasn't the horrible mean pirate we thought he was?
After falling from her balcony, Angelina finds herself in Neverland. Captured by Captain James Hook. All she wants is to find her way back home to London and to her sisters. But as she gets to know the pirate Captain she realizes he is not who she was led to believe. And as her feelings for him grow her heart is torn in two directions.
Ok, I loved this book. Retellings are generally some of my favorite books. But a Peter Pan romance where Hook gets the girl. I was like 'sign me up'. I admit I've been a bit fangirl about Hook ever since Once Upon a Time. I mean, yummy. So I just knew I had to read this book when I saw it, and it did not disappoint. I'm so excited for book two. It ended on a cliffhanger but book two is out already so I will be reading that soon.
I would recommend this for 14+
No content warnings. It's a pretty clean romance story.
Follow me on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/darklittomes/
After falling from her balcony, Angelina finds herself in Neverland. Captured by Captain James Hook. All she wants is to find her way back home to London and to her sisters. But as she gets to know the pirate Captain she realizes he is not who she was led to believe. And as her feelings for him grow her heart is torn in two directions.
Ok, I loved this book. Retellings are generally some of my favorite books. But a Peter Pan romance where Hook gets the girl. I was like 'sign me up'. I admit I've been a bit fangirl about Hook ever since Once Upon a Time. I mean, yummy. So I just knew I had to read this book when I saw it, and it did not disappoint. I'm so excited for book two. It ended on a cliffhanger but book two is out already so I will be reading that soon.
I would recommend this for 14+
No content warnings. It's a pretty clean romance story.
Follow me on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/darklittomes/
July 14, 2014
Warning: This review will probably seem very scattered but that's just how my brain works lol. I don't post reviews very often so please be nice.
Neverland by Anna Katmore is a fun easy read
If you like fairytale retellings and pirates of the hot variety (okay the more accurate term is pirate - there is only one hot pirate the others are old and well… for lack of better word gross).
Peter Pan is not the hero of this story but he’s not the bad guy either. He is exactly as is his description no matter what version of the tale- the boy who refuses to grow up. Everything is just a game to him, and when he doesn’t get what he wants he storms off.
James ‘Jamie’ Hook is the lovable anti-hero. A ruthless (not a word I would use to describe him but the book often uses that word) pirate who also has the capacity to be very loving, kind and thoughtful.
James and Peter are half-brothers. James hates Peter because Peter is responsible for everyone in Neverland never being able to grow up. And Peter hates James because he’s ‘an evil pirate’.
Both Jamie and Peter resent each other. Their father- a pirate was married to both their mothers at the same time, and when Jamie’s mother dies his dad doesn’t see the point in continuing on being a part of the boy’s life and returns to his other family. Jamie finds out about said family and begins to bully Peter and eventually he reveals that they are brothers- this leads to a tragedy that causes Peter to hex the whole of Neverland into an estate of eternal youth where no one ages no one dies and no one is born (can you imagine being pregnant for- forever? Yikes!).
Then Angelina ‘Angel’ McFarland arrives in Neverland by way of falling. One minute she’s falling off her balcony and the next she’s falling through clouds and towards a strange island. But before she crashes to her death a flying boy scoops her up into his arms. Angel is then introduced to Peter Pan and his lost boys.
Angel is having trouble with her memory. At first she can’t even remember her name, but luckily for her earlier that night one of her adorable little sisters tattoos the word Angel on her wrist- Peter sees said tattoo and dubs her Angel. Slowly some of Angel’s memory returns the strongest of which is the memory of her little sisters, but she still can’t remember everything, and as each day passes the more memory she loses.
Desperate to return home and to her family she asks Peter to help her find her way back home- except Peter doesn’t want her to leave and when he realizes there’s no convincing her to stay he storms off and abandons Angel in the jungle. Angel travels through Neverland until she finds civilization where she hopes to find a ship that can take her back to London. In town she meets a handsome young man that happens to know of a ship that could get her home. But once on board Angel realizes she’s been played and is actually on a pirate ship.
I won’t say anymore I’m sure I’ve already given out a bunch of spoilers. You’ll just have to read the book yourself.
If you like story retellings pirates and sweet romances I recommend this book.
Neverland by Anna Katmore is a fun easy read
If you like fairytale retellings and pirates of the hot variety (okay the more accurate term is pirate - there is only one hot pirate the others are old and well… for lack of better word gross).
Peter Pan is not the hero of this story but he’s not the bad guy either. He is exactly as is his description no matter what version of the tale- the boy who refuses to grow up. Everything is just a game to him, and when he doesn’t get what he wants he storms off.
James ‘Jamie’ Hook is the lovable anti-hero. A ruthless (not a word I would use to describe him but the book often uses that word) pirate who also has the capacity to be very loving, kind and thoughtful.
James and Peter are half-brothers. James hates Peter because Peter is responsible for everyone in Neverland never being able to grow up. And Peter hates James because he’s ‘an evil pirate’.
Both Jamie and Peter resent each other. Their father- a pirate was married to both their mothers at the same time, and when Jamie’s mother dies his dad doesn’t see the point in continuing on being a part of the boy’s life and returns to his other family. Jamie finds out about said family and begins to bully Peter and eventually he reveals that they are brothers- this leads to a tragedy that causes Peter to hex the whole of Neverland into an estate of eternal youth where no one ages no one dies and no one is born (can you imagine being pregnant for- forever? Yikes!).
Then Angelina ‘Angel’ McFarland arrives in Neverland by way of falling. One minute she’s falling off her balcony and the next she’s falling through clouds and towards a strange island. But before she crashes to her death a flying boy scoops her up into his arms. Angel is then introduced to Peter Pan and his lost boys.
Angel is having trouble with her memory. At first she can’t even remember her name, but luckily for her earlier that night one of her adorable little sisters tattoos the word Angel on her wrist- Peter sees said tattoo and dubs her Angel. Slowly some of Angel’s memory returns the strongest of which is the memory of her little sisters, but she still can’t remember everything, and as each day passes the more memory she loses.
Desperate to return home and to her family she asks Peter to help her find her way back home- except Peter doesn’t want her to leave and when he realizes there’s no convincing her to stay he storms off and abandons Angel in the jungle. Angel travels through Neverland until she finds civilization where she hopes to find a ship that can take her back to London. In town she meets a handsome young man that happens to know of a ship that could get her home. But once on board Angel realizes she’s been played and is actually on a pirate ship.
I won’t say anymore I’m sure I’ve already given out a bunch of spoilers. You’ll just have to read the book yourself.
If you like story retellings pirates and sweet romances I recommend this book.
November 14, 2014
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
Neverland is the fourth book that I've read by Anna Katmore, and it is far and away my favorite. The only major downside is the pesky book one thing... I had to go and buy book 2-- you know how I hate cliffy endings. This novel is full of adventure, romance, and suspense. It's one of those books I just couldn't put down after I started reading. Definitely one of my favorites this year.
Somehow Angel managed to land in Neverland after she fell from the balcony at her home in London. Desperate to return home to her family, she searches for a way back. After being abandoned by a petulant Peter Pan, she finds herself a prisoner aboard the dreaded Captain Hook's pirate ship. Little does she realize how fortunate a turn of events this is.
James Hook-- what can I say but *sigh*. I loved his character. Ms. Katmore's take on the whole Peter Pan fairy tale was fascinating. Smee and Hook were by far my favorite characters in the novel. A far cry from the Disney adaptation we're all used to, her Hook and Smee were young men. Sure they were pirates, but other than fighting with Peter, I don't think they did much in the way of looting and pillaging. I can't get into the whole relationship between Hook and Pan without spoilers, but suffice to say it was intriguing.
Fast-paced, fun, adorable-- I just couldn't get enough of this book. Beloved characters mixed with new introductions made for an interesting read. The romance between Angel and James was sweet even though it was insta-love at its finest. They just seemed so perfect together that it didn't really matter. I can't wait to read the sequel, Pan's Revenge, since the cliffhanger ending is killing me!
Neverland is the fourth book that I've read by Anna Katmore, and it is far and away my favorite. The only major downside is the pesky book one thing... I had to go and buy book 2-- you know how I hate cliffy endings. This novel is full of adventure, romance, and suspense. It's one of those books I just couldn't put down after I started reading. Definitely one of my favorites this year.
Somehow Angel managed to land in Neverland after she fell from the balcony at her home in London. Desperate to return home to her family, she searches for a way back. After being abandoned by a petulant Peter Pan, she finds herself a prisoner aboard the dreaded Captain Hook's pirate ship. Little does she realize how fortunate a turn of events this is.
James Hook-- what can I say but *sigh*. I loved his character. Ms. Katmore's take on the whole Peter Pan fairy tale was fascinating. Smee and Hook were by far my favorite characters in the novel. A far cry from the Disney adaptation we're all used to, her Hook and Smee were young men. Sure they were pirates, but other than fighting with Peter, I don't think they did much in the way of looting and pillaging. I can't get into the whole relationship between Hook and Pan without spoilers, but suffice to say it was intriguing.
Fast-paced, fun, adorable-- I just couldn't get enough of this book. Beloved characters mixed with new introductions made for an interesting read. The romance between Angel and James was sweet even though it was insta-love at its finest. They just seemed so perfect together that it didn't really matter. I can't wait to read the sequel, Pan's Revenge, since the cliffhanger ending is killing me!
April 23, 2015
Angelina aka Angel slips on her balcony in London and the next thing she knows she's in Neverland. There shes introduced to Peter Pan, the lost boys, pixie dust, mermaids and pirates. In this retelling of Peter Pan, Captain Hook is a misunderstood 19-year-old romantic hero. This is cool, except that the guy is (a) not a very good pirate nor ruthless and (b) he doesn't actually have a hook for a hand (only a tattoo of a hook...yeah kind of lame) I expected some sense of danger and uncertainty when it came to this character but he was an open book since some chapters were in Hook's POV and they were that of a teenage boy.
Neverland could have been a really fun adventure (think of all the possibilities that come with pixie dust and travelling the seas) but the focus was on romance and little else. Unfortunately the romance wasn't to my liking as it was too instant and forced. Actually, the only person Angel got to know was Hook! What's the back story of some of the lost boys or the pirates? There was zilch on that and yet she seems to act as if she knows everyone just cause she knows their names.
This was an okay retelling with interesting take on Peter Pan but there was much to be desired in the character development department.
Neverland could have been a really fun adventure (think of all the possibilities that come with pixie dust and travelling the seas) but the focus was on romance and little else. Unfortunately the romance wasn't to my liking as it was too instant and forced. Actually, the only person Angel got to know was Hook! What's the back story of some of the lost boys or the pirates? There was zilch on that and yet she seems to act as if she knows everyone just cause she knows their names.
This was an okay retelling with interesting take on Peter Pan but there was much to be desired in the character development department.
September 16, 2021
4.5
Una caduta cambierà per sempre la vita di Angelina trasportandola in un mondo che credeva possibile solo nei libri di favole.
Ma Angel non è interessata a restare , vuole soltanto tornare a casa dalle sue sorelline perchè sono le persone a cui vuole più bene al mondo, ma più passano i giorni più i ricordi diventano sbiaditi e dopo un incontro inaspettato diventa sempre più difficile capire a quale realtà il suo cuore è disposto a rinunciare.
Lettura consigliata a chi cerca una nuova avventura sull'Isola che non c'è in compagnia di un Peter non troppo innocente e un Pirata non esattamente come le dicerie dicono.
Insieme ad Angel scopriamo una versione inedita di Hook del quale è inevitabile innamorarsi almeno un pochino.
Nonostante i sentimenti dei personaggi cambino un pò velocemente ho apprezzato che l'effetto "istant -love /amore a prima vista" venga evitato.
Più Angel trascorre del tempo con James più la linea tra giusto e sbagliato diventa sottile e mentre tenta di rimanere attaccata ai ricordi delle persone che ama che diventano ogni giorno più deboli, Hook dovrà venire a patti con i suoi sentimenti e decidere se essere egoista o fare la cosa giusta.
Cliffhanger finale che costringe inevitabilmente a proseguire la lettura.
Una caduta cambierà per sempre la vita di Angelina trasportandola in un mondo che credeva possibile solo nei libri di favole.
Ma Angel non è interessata a restare , vuole soltanto tornare a casa dalle sue sorelline perchè sono le persone a cui vuole più bene al mondo, ma più passano i giorni più i ricordi diventano sbiaditi e dopo un incontro inaspettato diventa sempre più difficile capire a quale realtà il suo cuore è disposto a rinunciare.
Lettura consigliata a chi cerca una nuova avventura sull'Isola che non c'è in compagnia di un Peter non troppo innocente e un Pirata non esattamente come le dicerie dicono.
Insieme ad Angel scopriamo una versione inedita di Hook del quale è inevitabile innamorarsi almeno un pochino.
Nonostante i sentimenti dei personaggi cambino un pò velocemente ho apprezzato che l'effetto "istant -love /amore a prima vista" venga evitato.
Più Angel trascorre del tempo con James più la linea tra giusto e sbagliato diventa sottile e mentre tenta di rimanere attaccata ai ricordi delle persone che ama che diventano ogni giorno più deboli, Hook dovrà venire a patti con i suoi sentimenti e decidere se essere egoista o fare la cosa giusta.
Cliffhanger finale che costringe inevitabilmente a proseguire la lettura.
February 12, 2015
3.5 stars.
I can't believe it just ended like that! Of course I now need to go and buy the second one!
It took me a while to get into the story but once it got going I kinda devoured it. I liked the whole Captain Hook isn't so bad and the plotline about him and Peter Pan. I also liked the romance aspect and really want to know what's going to happen next with this note that's been left!
Ugh! Off to hunt it out on Amazon!
I can't believe it just ended like that! Of course I now need to go and buy the second one!
It took me a while to get into the story but once it got going I kinda devoured it. I liked the whole Captain Hook isn't so bad and the plotline about him and Peter Pan. I also liked the romance aspect and really want to know what's going to happen next with this note that's been left!
Ugh! Off to hunt it out on Amazon!
June 30, 2020
I was pleasantly caught off guard when this turned into a Captain Hook romance.
The book itself is not that great, it's lacking in plot and character depth. There's no real villain just the ultimate goal of getting Angel back to London and finding the treasure Peter stole from Hook. But with every passing day she loses a little more of her memory until she wakes up one morning in Neverland, having forgotten everything. Hook ends up being her anchor, love interest, the best kisser, a shoulder to cry on...
*clears throat*
Anyways, while the Hook romance was great, I would have preferred more pining. A little more confused feelings on Angel's part. I mean, he's a pirate! Scumbag and whatnot...But then she'll be softened by him and being caught off guard finds her self kissing Hook. Unfortunately it doesn't really happen this way. They both catch feelings far too quickly but it's all sweet and fluffy and I can't complain. I just have my preferences.
I thought it was funny/interesting that the author wanted Angel to be seventeen and played on the fact that Hook was a good five years older until he revealed his true age which only made him two older. Personally, I would have preferred if Angel was already eighteen or nineteen and then Hook could have been in his twenties. But that might just be me, the older I get the older I want my characters to be. I don't want teen romance anymore.
I will read book two, no doubt about it. This book does end in a cliffhanger, so be ready for that.
I have one more thing to say, that's truly minor. The names of the characters kind of bothered me. They felt really random and didn't seem to fit the world. Hook also uses language that doesn't seem to fit, he knows modern slang but not what a car is. It was a little discombobulating and I struggled to really pin down what sort of era they were in. A bit of a rush job on the world building part.
This book is truly a romance in the softer PG-17 sense.
Rating 17+
Sexual Content:
while the two never do the deed they do have some heavy make-out sessions
Language:
surprisingly a lot, it's pretty heavy with taking the Lord's name in vain, Sh**, dam* and so on and so forth
Plot:
Romance driven
The book itself is not that great, it's lacking in plot and character depth. There's no real villain just the ultimate goal of getting Angel back to London and finding the treasure Peter stole from Hook. But with every passing day she loses a little more of her memory until she wakes up one morning in Neverland, having forgotten everything. Hook ends up being her anchor, love interest, the best kisser, a shoulder to cry on...
*clears throat*
Anyways, while the Hook romance was great, I would have preferred more pining. A little more confused feelings on Angel's part. I mean, he's a pirate! Scumbag and whatnot...But then she'll be softened by him and being caught off guard finds her self kissing Hook. Unfortunately it doesn't really happen this way. They both catch feelings far too quickly but it's all sweet and fluffy and I can't complain. I just have my preferences.
I thought it was funny/interesting that the author wanted Angel to be seventeen and played on the fact that Hook was a good five years older until he revealed his true age which only made him two older. Personally, I would have preferred if Angel was already eighteen or nineteen and then Hook could have been in his twenties. But that might just be me, the older I get the older I want my characters to be. I don't want teen romance anymore.
I will read book two, no doubt about it. This book does end in a cliffhanger, so be ready for that.
I have one more thing to say, that's truly minor. The names of the characters kind of bothered me. They felt really random and didn't seem to fit the world. Hook also uses language that doesn't seem to fit, he knows modern slang but not what a car is. It was a little discombobulating and I struggled to really pin down what sort of era they were in. A bit of a rush job on the world building part.
This book is truly a romance in the softer PG-17 sense.
Rating 17+
Sexual Content:
while the two never do the deed they do have some heavy make-out sessions
Language:
surprisingly a lot, it's pretty heavy with taking the Lord's name in vain, Sh**, dam* and so on and so forth
Plot:
Romance driven
August 8, 2014
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
So I admit it what with the description and despite the slightly horrid cover, I had high expectations for this book. I mean it promises the sweetest romance in fairytale history...I think it lied. I am so confused on my thoughts and feelings for this book, I wanted to like it so bad and I feel like if just a few small things had been different this easily could have been an epic fairytale love story, but it fell flat.
Angel is a fairly normal 17 year old girl, brought up in a rich family where she's expected to wear dresses and high heels when all she wants is to be normal. And then she falls off her balcony and ends up in Neverland where she meets the lost boys and Peter Pan and Captain Hood, forgetting her past and struggling to find her way home.
Let's Talk -
Character development - This is where this book is really lacking. There were so many good things that were ignored, that if developed better could have made this an epic book. Let's start with Peter Pan, in the beginning I got the sense that he was almost slightly evil, wanting to keep the lost boys and Angel with him, wanting them to forget. And eventually we find out more about his past but I wanted more, I wanted the author to build on that, make me feel sorry for him, or make me hate him or Hook, just something. It's like the author wanted to have you guessing over who the bad guy was when really neither of them were developed enough to be a bad guy or a good guy. Then we have Hook and honestly he was too much of a "good guy", like I get you're not totally evil and you have feelings for Angel but you've been a pirate for at least fifty years, you're supposed to at least be a badass. With Angel I felt like she was naive, to say the least and I kinda hated her, she was a weak character.
Plot development - Again so lacking. The whole book takes place over a week(maybe?) and it should have been longer. Right away Hook basically gives up on looking for the treasure to help Angel because he apparently loves her, insta love of course, and just there was basically no plot as far as I could see. This book has a great premise and nothing else.
Romance - Insta love anyone? I've tried to stop judging a book on it's insta love factor but this was horrible. They didn't get to know each other at all, the reader doesn't get to know them, it's a lot of kissing and thinking about kissing and worrying they're falling for each other and then falling for each other and no development at all! And then I think there might have been a hint of a love triangle with Peter...? Maybe?
Characters - I can't honestly think of any character I liked. Hook was probably my favorite and that's not saying much. It's just Angel acted like she knew everyone when they'd barely met, she saw the lost boys for a couple hours and suddenly they're like old friends? Peter was the worst. We knew nothing abut him yet he felt betrayed because Angel didn't want to stay with him and...it was just bad.
Dialogue - Okay, Captain Hook should not say things like "What's up" and "fancypants"....just no. The dialogue really took me out of the story and just irritated me.
Final Thoughts - There were so many things that could have been better, that could have made this book great. Pretty much everything needed just a bit more development, I get that this is a romance book first but even that needed a little more time to make it feel real and to make readers feel it was real, make it so that when they have to break up it pulls on my heartstrings, this didn't. I feel like even another 100 pages filled with character and plot development and just more everything and this book could have been great.
One final final thought is that I didn't like how Angel had no idea what Neverland was, she had just read Peter Pan to her sisters and I think it would have been better if she remembered the story. Then it would have made sense that she knew Peter Pan was the good guy and Hook bad rather than just blindly believing what Peter told her.
Overall - I still have hopes for this story and I am going to read the sequel because I want it to be what I was hoping this one would be, but honestly this was a disappointment. It had a great premise but it fell short for me.
More reviews at The Story Goes...
So I admit it what with the description and despite the slightly horrid cover, I had high expectations for this book. I mean it promises the sweetest romance in fairytale history...I think it lied. I am so confused on my thoughts and feelings for this book, I wanted to like it so bad and I feel like if just a few small things had been different this easily could have been an epic fairytale love story, but it fell flat.
Angel is a fairly normal 17 year old girl, brought up in a rich family where she's expected to wear dresses and high heels when all she wants is to be normal. And then she falls off her balcony and ends up in Neverland where she meets the lost boys and Peter Pan and Captain Hood, forgetting her past and struggling to find her way home.
Let's Talk -
Character development - This is where this book is really lacking. There were so many good things that were ignored, that if developed better could have made this an epic book. Let's start with Peter Pan, in the beginning I got the sense that he was almost slightly evil, wanting to keep the lost boys and Angel with him, wanting them to forget. And eventually we find out more about his past but I wanted more, I wanted the author to build on that, make me feel sorry for him, or make me hate him or Hook, just something. It's like the author wanted to have you guessing over who the bad guy was when really neither of them were developed enough to be a bad guy or a good guy. Then we have Hook and honestly he was too much of a "good guy", like I get you're not totally evil and you have feelings for Angel but you've been a pirate for at least fifty years, you're supposed to at least be a badass. With Angel I felt like she was naive, to say the least and I kinda hated her, she was a weak character.
Plot development - Again so lacking. The whole book takes place over a week(maybe?) and it should have been longer. Right away Hook basically gives up on looking for the treasure to help Angel because he apparently loves her, insta love of course, and just there was basically no plot as far as I could see. This book has a great premise and nothing else.
Romance - Insta love anyone? I've tried to stop judging a book on it's insta love factor but this was horrible. They didn't get to know each other at all, the reader doesn't get to know them, it's a lot of kissing and thinking about kissing and worrying they're falling for each other and then falling for each other and no development at all! And then I think there might have been a hint of a love triangle with Peter...? Maybe?
Characters - I can't honestly think of any character I liked. Hook was probably my favorite and that's not saying much. It's just Angel acted like she knew everyone when they'd barely met, she saw the lost boys for a couple hours and suddenly they're like old friends? Peter was the worst. We knew nothing abut him yet he felt betrayed because Angel didn't want to stay with him and...it was just bad.
Dialogue - Okay, Captain Hook should not say things like "What's up" and "fancypants"....just no. The dialogue really took me out of the story and just irritated me.
Final Thoughts - There were so many things that could have been better, that could have made this book great. Pretty much everything needed just a bit more development, I get that this is a romance book first but even that needed a little more time to make it feel real and to make readers feel it was real, make it so that when they have to break up it pulls on my heartstrings, this didn't. I feel like even another 100 pages filled with character and plot development and just more everything and this book could have been great.
One final final thought is that I didn't like how Angel had no idea what Neverland was, she had just read Peter Pan to her sisters and I think it would have been better if she remembered the story. Then it would have made sense that she knew Peter Pan was the good guy and Hook bad rather than just blindly believing what Peter told her.
Overall - I still have hopes for this story and I am going to read the sequel because I want it to be what I was hoping this one would be, but honestly this was a disappointment. It had a great premise but it fell short for me.
More reviews at The Story Goes...
April 29, 2014
"This is Neverland. The land of treasures and pixies and rainbows. Nothing to be afraid of."
I don't know if I could possibly explain how much I loved this book! This is not a retelling of the story of Peter Pan. This is the telling of the story you never knew.
What if what you thought you knew about Neverland wasn't what was true? What if Peter Pan wasn't the kid you loved? What if Captain Hook was the one person you never knew you needed?
For Angelina McFarland, her life was anything but a fairy tale. She was a few months from finishing school and she was ready to see where life would take her. Her parents were never around and she found friendship and comfort with her five year old twin sisters, Paulina and Brittney Renae. The three of them had wonderful imaginations and loved the story of Peter Pan. Angel's sisters would dress as fairies and they would act out the story.
On one night, that story became a reality. While trying to reach for something on her balcony, Angel falls. And keeps falling and falling. Next thing she knows, she's being caught by a young man who seems to be flying. Flying!!
"Welcome to Neverland, Angel."
Peter Pan brings Angel into the jungle and introduces her to the Lost Boys. They tell her about their life in Neverland, the games they play and about the horrible Captain Hook. She enjoys their time together, but she knows that she needs to get home. What must her sisters think of her being gone? Are they scared? Worried?
After expressing to Peter that she needs to find a way home, he gets upset and can't believe that she would ever want to leave. Why would anyone want to leave a place as wonderful as Neverland?
As Angel is walking around the island, she runs into a charming man. But looks can be deceiving.
"You-You're one of them...You're a pirate."
"And the ugliest, meanest and scariest of them, I was told."
"Hook."
"Welcome aboard the Jolly Roger."
Being trapped on a boat with a bunch of pirates isn't Angel's cup of tea. But there is one perk...Hook. She might just be changing her mind about how she feels about his handsome stranger. Hook is having the same thoughts about this lost girl.
"Her hand slips away from the railing. She takes a shy step forward. There, almost. I can already feel the warmth of her body. Her fingers come up. She's going to touch me in a second, and it shocks me how much I anticipate it."
The attraction between Angel and Hook feels so real even when reading. It makes your heart race and you want so badly for these two to be happy.
"There's something beneath his ruthlessness. He tries to hide it. But sometimes it flashes through. And it shocks me as much as it seems to shock him. It makes him adorable, turning the cruel Captain
Hook into just Jamie. I find I like Jamie. If that's a smart thing to do remains to be seen."
"She's the only person in my world who gets to see this side of me. The side that tempts me to loose myself. My pirate side starts to crumble in front of her. And I'm in no hurry to pick up the pieces."
Oh SWOON!!!! I really wanted to trade places with Angel so bad!! This book made me smile, my heart race and swoon and made me believe in fairy tales more than I already do. Also, tangerines and seawater never sounded so good;)
Forget what you know about the story of Peter Pan and dive into this amazing new adventure that's sure to bring a tear to your eye, but also a huge smile!
Can't wait for the next adventure Anna has in store!!!
I don't know if I could possibly explain how much I loved this book! This is not a retelling of the story of Peter Pan. This is the telling of the story you never knew.
What if what you thought you knew about Neverland wasn't what was true? What if Peter Pan wasn't the kid you loved? What if Captain Hook was the one person you never knew you needed?
For Angelina McFarland, her life was anything but a fairy tale. She was a few months from finishing school and she was ready to see where life would take her. Her parents were never around and she found friendship and comfort with her five year old twin sisters, Paulina and Brittney Renae. The three of them had wonderful imaginations and loved the story of Peter Pan. Angel's sisters would dress as fairies and they would act out the story.
On one night, that story became a reality. While trying to reach for something on her balcony, Angel falls. And keeps falling and falling. Next thing she knows, she's being caught by a young man who seems to be flying. Flying!!
"Welcome to Neverland, Angel."
Peter Pan brings Angel into the jungle and introduces her to the Lost Boys. They tell her about their life in Neverland, the games they play and about the horrible Captain Hook. She enjoys their time together, but she knows that she needs to get home. What must her sisters think of her being gone? Are they scared? Worried?
After expressing to Peter that she needs to find a way home, he gets upset and can't believe that she would ever want to leave. Why would anyone want to leave a place as wonderful as Neverland?
As Angel is walking around the island, she runs into a charming man. But looks can be deceiving.
"You-You're one of them...You're a pirate."
"And the ugliest, meanest and scariest of them, I was told."
"Hook."
"Welcome aboard the Jolly Roger."
Being trapped on a boat with a bunch of pirates isn't Angel's cup of tea. But there is one perk...Hook. She might just be changing her mind about how she feels about his handsome stranger. Hook is having the same thoughts about this lost girl.
"Her hand slips away from the railing. She takes a shy step forward. There, almost. I can already feel the warmth of her body. Her fingers come up. She's going to touch me in a second, and it shocks me how much I anticipate it."
The attraction between Angel and Hook feels so real even when reading. It makes your heart race and you want so badly for these two to be happy.
"There's something beneath his ruthlessness. He tries to hide it. But sometimes it flashes through. And it shocks me as much as it seems to shock him. It makes him adorable, turning the cruel Captain
Hook into just Jamie. I find I like Jamie. If that's a smart thing to do remains to be seen."
"She's the only person in my world who gets to see this side of me. The side that tempts me to loose myself. My pirate side starts to crumble in front of her. And I'm in no hurry to pick up the pieces."
Oh SWOON!!!! I really wanted to trade places with Angel so bad!! This book made me smile, my heart race and swoon and made me believe in fairy tales more than I already do. Also, tangerines and seawater never sounded so good;)
Forget what you know about the story of Peter Pan and dive into this amazing new adventure that's sure to bring a tear to your eye, but also a huge smile!
Can't wait for the next adventure Anna has in store!!!
July 17, 2014
It did not just end there! Gah! Need the next book ASAP!
--
Peter Pan is one of my all-time favorite tales. I loved the classic story and have always been captivated by retellings of it. I've read quite a few of them and they have ranged from amazing to meh. Neverland by Anna Katmore was somewhere in between for me.
The start was really promising for me. It intrigued me and I wanted to see where the story would go. I really liked Angelina. I loved her fierceness and her determination to get back to her baby sisters.
Hook was an interesting character. In the start he seemed really ruthless but once he spend more time with Angelina he softened up. Actually, he softened a little too much for my liking because I was really intrigued by the cruel Hook. I get that for this romance to work between him and Angel, he couldn't be too heartless but still... And I had some problems with the words Hook used when he talked. Neverland is supposed to excist in another time, like a century or so ago, as Angel says in the book. Everyone even has the clothes from that age and yet the way Hook talked seemed so modern. Maybe this is just a silly pet peeve on my part but it's just my opinion. But aside from that I did really like him. He was quite swoon-worthy!
I don't really have a really straight forward opnion on Peter. However, I do like his relationship with Hook (of course I won't tell you what it is, you'll just have to find out for yourself). It's a very interesting twist on what we know from other books and movies so I think that was pretty original of the author.
The writing was pretty good and the book was a quick read. I went through it in only a day so that was also really great! The romance was very sweet and I can't wait to see where the story goes next. Dang that cliffhanger!
This has been one trip to Neverland I'll remember for a while to come!
--
Peter Pan is one of my all-time favorite tales. I loved the classic story and have always been captivated by retellings of it. I've read quite a few of them and they have ranged from amazing to meh. Neverland by Anna Katmore was somewhere in between for me.
The start was really promising for me. It intrigued me and I wanted to see where the story would go. I really liked Angelina. I loved her fierceness and her determination to get back to her baby sisters.
Hook was an interesting character. In the start he seemed really ruthless but once he spend more time with Angelina he softened up. Actually, he softened a little too much for my liking because I was really intrigued by the cruel Hook. I get that for this romance to work between him and Angel, he couldn't be too heartless but still... And I had some problems with the words Hook used when he talked. Neverland is supposed to excist in another time, like a century or so ago, as Angel says in the book. Everyone even has the clothes from that age and yet the way Hook talked seemed so modern. Maybe this is just a silly pet peeve on my part but it's just my opinion. But aside from that I did really like him. He was quite swoon-worthy!
I don't really have a really straight forward opnion on Peter. However, I do like his relationship with Hook (of course I won't tell you what it is, you'll just have to find out for yourself). It's a very interesting twist on what we know from other books and movies so I think that was pretty original of the author.
The writing was pretty good and the book was a quick read. I went through it in only a day so that was also really great! The romance was very sweet and I can't wait to see where the story goes next. Dang that cliffhanger!
This has been one trip to Neverland I'll remember for a while to come!
January 20, 2015
I have long awaited to come across a YA Neverland retelling, and this one has everything I had ever hoped to be included in it.
A main character who fall's in love with Hook? yes please! Sign me up for some sexy pirate action.
She gets to live amongst the pirates for a while...yes. yes. yes!
But what I can't get over is the Peter Pan character. I didn't like him. No, not one bit. And this stems from the very beginning when he tries to convince her to stay in Neverland by showing her the treasure that he stole from Hook. She could have been a spy Peter? What was the point...honestly. For a character that is supposed to be the epitome of resourcefulness and great plans...you messed up big.
I found this character flaw to be true with most of her characters that were derived from the original. A nineteen year old Hook character that is more concerned with getting it on than being a crooked villain? Oh stop it right now, because it slightly annoyed me. Everything that is engaging about the Hook character was just stripped down to nothing but a name. When reading from his point of view you felt like you were in the mind of a thirteen year old girl. How could he possibly be captain of the Jolly Roger?
I felt like there was so much Katmore could do with this novel. So many avenues that this story could take. The element regarding why Neverland's occupants never aged was so unique, but the story was missing the darkness needed to suck a reader in till the end.
I was in it for the romance, not the plot. It was sweet, nothing I hadn't read before, but still nice enough to keep me reading.
A main character who fall's in love with Hook? yes please! Sign me up for some sexy pirate action.
She gets to live amongst the pirates for a while...yes. yes. yes!
But what I can't get over is the Peter Pan character. I didn't like him. No, not one bit. And this stems from the very beginning when he tries to convince her to stay in Neverland by showing her the treasure that he stole from Hook. She could have been a spy Peter? What was the point...honestly. For a character that is supposed to be the epitome of resourcefulness and great plans...you messed up big.
I found this character flaw to be true with most of her characters that were derived from the original. A nineteen year old Hook character that is more concerned with getting it on than being a crooked villain? Oh stop it right now, because it slightly annoyed me. Everything that is engaging about the Hook character was just stripped down to nothing but a name. When reading from his point of view you felt like you were in the mind of a thirteen year old girl. How could he possibly be captain of the Jolly Roger?
I felt like there was so much Katmore could do with this novel. So many avenues that this story could take. The element regarding why Neverland's occupants never aged was so unique, but the story was missing the darkness needed to suck a reader in till the end.
I was in it for the romance, not the plot. It was sweet, nothing I hadn't read before, but still nice enough to keep me reading.
June 20, 2019
OH.MY.GOSH!!! This book is so good!! I have no words to describe how great this book was. I feel like one of the reasons why I enjoyed this story so much is because we didn't have Wendy in it. Man, as much as I LOVE Peter Pan and Captain Hook, I have always hated Wendy. She just got on my nerves, so to have a new girl character come to neverland as the first lost girl really made me love this book. If you like Fairytale retellings, pirates, romance (that is clean), and adventure. Well then this book is for you! I cannot wait to read the next book, because this one left off on a cliff hanger but because I know that there is another book I am not worried!! But still people you need to read this book, it is AMAZING!!!
Content note: There is a decent amount of swearing, but there are no f-bombs..
And there are a few passionate kisses but nothing more then that. Other then that this book was completely clean!!
I recommend it for teens 15+. But really people go read this amazing book!!
Content note: There is a decent amount of swearing, but there are no f-bombs..
And there are a few passionate kisses but nothing more then that. Other then that this book was completely clean!!
I recommend it for teens 15+. But really people go read this amazing book!!
January 27, 2021
This book had a lot of potential to be a fun, and thrilling book. But that did not happen.
The story was very focused on the romance between Hook and Angel, and that would have been fine if the romance felt a little more real.The relationship between them also seemed a bit force.
It also seemed like hook was the only one she actually really talked to, she knew the others by name, and did talk to Peter, but only had 'real' conversations with Hook.
I found the language in the book to be amusing, even when I'm quite sure that wasn't the intention.
Overall the book was a dissapointment.
The story was very focused on the romance between Hook and Angel, and that would have been fine if the romance felt a little more real.The relationship between them also seemed a bit force.
It also seemed like hook was the only one she actually really talked to, she knew the others by name, and did talk to Peter, but only had 'real' conversations with Hook.
I found the language in the book to be amusing, even when I'm quite sure that wasn't the intention.
Overall the book was a dissapointment.
never-finished
April 13, 2014I think I only made it 5-10% in? I wouldn't have minded the amnesia if it hadn't been so damn selective. She knows where she lives, she knows what she was doing before she fell, she knows her sisters names, but she doesn't know her name or the story of Peter Pan? It just seemed way too convenient. Either it's a full on case of amnesia or she remembers it.
January 12, 2015
Very cute and sweet story about a girl who travels to Neverland and falls for Captain Hook. He's not the Hook of the Disney cartoon. He's more like a blond version of the Hook from Once Upon a Time. I will add a visual later. I'm watching the Golden Globes!
October 10, 2015
Wanted to like it. Didn't. And so continues my stretch of poor reading choices.
May write a proper review for this tomorrow or...sometime. Right now I can't think of anything much I feel like saying about it.
May write a proper review for this tomorrow or...sometime. Right now I can't think of anything much I feel like saying about it.
January 28, 2016
3.5 :) looking forward to the sequel!
Before reading:
I LOVE retellings! Super excited for this!! And since it's written by Anna I know it's going to be awesome :)
Before reading:
I LOVE retellings! Super excited for this!! And since it's written by Anna I know it's going to be awesome :)
August 17, 2023
Ich dachte zuerst das wäre eine Peter Pan love story. Jedoch ist es eine Captain Hook love story. Das ganze Buch hatte einen fanfiction und wattpad vibe. Trotzdem habe ich es geliebt dieses Buch zu lesen. Es war einfach zu gut und aufgrund des Endes muss ich den zweiten Band unbedingt auch noch lesen.
4/5 ⭐️
4/5 ⭐️
September 19, 2023
A different Hook
I enjoyed this adventure in Neverland and the idea of Hook falling in love. A wonderful spin on a classic story. Definitely looking forward to the 2nd adventure!
I enjoyed this adventure in Neverland and the idea of Hook falling in love. A wonderful spin on a classic story. Definitely looking forward to the 2nd adventure!
April 17, 2014
The story isn’t just a retelling of Peter Pan. There are some similarities with the original story but the it’s also very different. There some neat twists in the story. It is a really creative spin on a classic. Like the cover for the book.
The story starts off with Angelina babysitting her two five year old twin sisters Paulina aka “honey bunny” and Brittney Renae aka “fairy bug”. Their favorite story is Peter Pan so Angel read it to them. Later, Angel ends up on her balcony and drops her sweater. When she goes to retrieve it she falls over the railing but she land in Neverland instead of hitting the ground. She ends up meeting Peter and the Lost Boys. Only this isn’t the story of Peter Pan that she has read countless times to her sisters.
Many years ago there was a spell cast upon Neverland because Peter wanted to remain a child forever. Now everyone in Neverland is frozen in time. When people come to Neverland they start to lose their memory. The longer Angelina stays on the island the more her memories of her family and her life begin to fade.
“Rumor has it every now and then a stranger comes to Neverland. But they usually don’t remember where they come from. They just show up and stay forever.”
Peter wants Angel to stay in Neverland but she doesn’t belong there and she is desperate to find a way home. She tries to get off the island but the island won’t seem to let her leave. Angelina’s little sister put a press on tattoo on her arm that says “Angel”. I liked the idea of her press on tattoo fading as her memory fades.
Peter and his friends tell Angel all about the ruthless Captain Hook.
“Ooh, Hook is the ugliest, meanest and scariest man in Neverland.”
There is feud between Peter and Hook but Peter stole Hooks treasure. Peter wants to find out what is in Hooks treasure chest but Hook has the key. There might be more to this battle than meets the eye. James Hook is very different from the original Captain Hook. I really like how Hook and Angle meet. There is some definite heat between Hook and Angel.
“You’re a ruthless man, James Hook,” she whispers as I trail a path of kisses down the column of her throat.
It makes me chuckle against her downy skin. “Yes, I am.”
Angel goes on a life changing adventure in this story.I really enjoyed Neverland. There is some sad stuff in it but it is not to heavy. I liked Jamie’s tattoo,The Pirates of the Caribbean sweater, and the reference to Downton Abbey.
There is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of the story but don’t worry it’s not a bad cliffhanger. I actually liked I liked the cliffhanger. It does leave the reader hanging a bit. It got me hooked for the sequel. There will is going to be a sequel to the story.
I can’t wait to read the next story to see how it end! I hope everything works out in the end.
Anna Katmore's Grover Beach series is really good. The first book is Play with Me.
You can read the first three chapters of Neverland on Anna Katmore's (formerly she went by the pen name Piper Shelly) website. Here is the link:
http://annakatmore.com/neverland/
You can read the first couple chapters of all of Anna's books on her webiste under the Excerpts tab.
http://annakatmore.com/home/
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