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Never Ever #1
Never Ever
Wylie Dalton didn’t believe in fairy tales or love at first sight.
Then she met a real-life Peter Pan.
When Wylie encounters Phinn—confident, mature, and devastatingly handsome—at a party the night before her brother goes to juvie, she can’t believe how fast she falls for him. And that’s before he shows her how to fly.
Soon Wylie and her brothers find themselves whisked away to a mysterious tropical island off the coast of New York City where nobody ages beyond seventeen and life is a constant party. Wylie’s in heaven: now her brother won’t go to jail and she can escape her over-scheduled life with all its woes and responsibilities—permanently.
But the deeper Wylie falls for Phinn, the more she begins to discover has been kept from her and her brothers. Somebody on the island has been lying to her, but the truth can’t stay hidden forever.
Then she met a real-life Peter Pan.
When Wylie encounters Phinn—confident, mature, and devastatingly handsome—at a party the night before her brother goes to juvie, she can’t believe how fast she falls for him. And that’s before he shows her how to fly.
Soon Wylie and her brothers find themselves whisked away to a mysterious tropical island off the coast of New York City where nobody ages beyond seventeen and life is a constant party. Wylie’s in heaven: now her brother won’t go to jail and she can escape her over-scheduled life with all its woes and responsibilities—permanently.
But the deeper Wylie falls for Phinn, the more she begins to discover has been kept from her and her brothers. Somebody on the island has been lying to her, but the truth can’t stay hidden forever.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 21, 2016
50 people are currently reading
9901 people want to read
About the author
Sara Saedi
5 books222 followersSara Saedi was born in Tehran, Iran smack-dab in the middle of a war and an Islamic Revolution. She received a B.A. in Film and Mass Communications from the University of California, Berkeley and began her career as a creative executive for ABC Daytime. Since then she's penned three TV movies for ABC Family and a pilot for the Disney Channel, won a Daytime Emmy for What If..., a web series she wrote for ABC, and worked as a staff writer on the FOX sitcom The Goodwin Games.
Her first novel for young adults, Never Ever, was published in 2016 and its sequel, The Lost Kids, was published in spring 2018. Her memoir, Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card was released in February 2018. Her latest novel, I Miss You, I Hate This comes out in October 2022.
She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and pug, where she writes for the hit CW show iZombie. You can find her on Twitter at @saaaranotsarah or at SaraSaediWriter.com
Her first novel for young adults, Never Ever, was published in 2016 and its sequel, The Lost Kids, was published in spring 2018. Her memoir, Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card was released in February 2018. Her latest novel, I Miss You, I Hate This comes out in October 2022.
She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and pug, where she writes for the hit CW show iZombie. You can find her on Twitter at @saaaranotsarah or at SaraSaediWriter.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
Want to read
May 3, 2016I mean, OBVIOUSLY I will read this.
August 11, 2016
This is The Book Bound Society's pick of the month! Video review to come.
Want to read
March 26, 2017A Peter Pan retelling!
...With a Summer 2016 release date.
Well, then.
Want to read
August 4, 2014You had me at Peter Pan, Sara.
September 8, 2017
"People lie to each other all the time, Wylie. It's what human beings do. They lie to each other until they think it's safe to be honest.'"
Having never read Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, I can’t really compare it to the original. However, I have a sneaky suspicion that Barrie would be a little weirded out by this retelling. And while I wasn’t totally weirded out, I did think some aspects were a little strange.
Wylie, Josh, and Micah Dalton are teens living in New York City with two successful parents. But their life is anything but fabulous. Their parents are getting a divorce, fight constantly, and generally ignore their children. Not to mention the fact that Josh is about to go to jail for driving under the influence and putting the other driver into a coma. So sneaking out for one last night of freedom is nothing. That is, until Wylie bumps into the mysterious and charismatic Phinn. And when he promises to take the Daltons to a place to get away from their troubles, they accept. What they don’t expect is to be taken to an island where no one grows up; Minor Island. And the longer they stay, the more volatile Phin gets. Maybe living forever and forgetting your troubles isn’t all that it cracked up to be.
I appreciate what the author was trying to do, but I think the main problem this book has is that the author tried to hard to make it a ‘hip’ and ‘cool’ retelling of Peter Pan. Instead of Minor Island sounding like the perfect place to be, it sounded more like something out of Teen Beach Movie. Even the names were over the top hipster. I mean, Tink? Wylie? I get Josh and Micah, but Wylie? Why couldn’t she still have been Wendy.
And then there’s Phinn (yet another horribly sounding hipster name).
Do you remember the Peter Pan film from 2003?
I was in the third grade when it came out, and I remember that every girl in my class had a crush on the boy playing the character. But in the film, he portrayed Peter Pan as a cheeky tweenage boy who may be immortal and able to live forever, but still has the innocence of a boy who has experienced so much yet so little? Well, if you were expecting that Peter Pan to show up in this book….
You’ll be severely disappointed.
The best comparison I can give for this version of Peter Pan is that this version is more like Once Yoin a Time’s Peter Pan with the charisma cult like behavior of Jim Jones.
Basically, he’s a psychopathic cult leader on an island of teenagers.
Another thing that kind of irked me in this book (and it could very well just be me), was the Wylie herself. The fact that Wylie isn’t a sympathetic character to begin with makes her story arc much less compelling to believe in. I know some authors and readers have a problem with adults reading YA because they think we expect teenagers to not act like... well, teenagers. But here's the thing in my book. It's a truth universally acknowledged that when you fuck up, you look back at your mistake to understand what said mistake was so you don't fuck up again. It's a basic human behavior. Common sense. And while I don't expect some teenagers to have common sense, it seems like such a simple thing to understand. And I didn't get that from Wylie. She kept making the same mistakes over and over and over and over again. It drove me absolutely bonkers.
Never Ever is a retelling of Peter Pan that starts out strong, but loses most of its pixie dust and falls flat on its face into the waiting jaws of a crocodile. Minor Island didn’t sound nearly as appealing as Neverland, and this book was more akin to a tepid Disney Channel movie than an edgy retelling of the boy who never grew up. Phinn was compelling but overcharacterized, Wylie was unsympathetic and mercurial, and the overall message in the original got lost in translation.
Use your pixie dust with extreme caution.
Having never read Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, I can’t really compare it to the original. However, I have a sneaky suspicion that Barrie would be a little weirded out by this retelling. And while I wasn’t totally weirded out, I did think some aspects were a little strange.
Wylie, Josh, and Micah Dalton are teens living in New York City with two successful parents. But their life is anything but fabulous. Their parents are getting a divorce, fight constantly, and generally ignore their children. Not to mention the fact that Josh is about to go to jail for driving under the influence and putting the other driver into a coma. So sneaking out for one last night of freedom is nothing. That is, until Wylie bumps into the mysterious and charismatic Phinn. And when he promises to take the Daltons to a place to get away from their troubles, they accept. What they don’t expect is to be taken to an island where no one grows up; Minor Island. And the longer they stay, the more volatile Phin gets. Maybe living forever and forgetting your troubles isn’t all that it cracked up to be.
I appreciate what the author was trying to do, but I think the main problem this book has is that the author tried to hard to make it a ‘hip’ and ‘cool’ retelling of Peter Pan. Instead of Minor Island sounding like the perfect place to be, it sounded more like something out of Teen Beach Movie. Even the names were over the top hipster. I mean, Tink? Wylie? I get Josh and Micah, but Wylie? Why couldn’t she still have been Wendy.
And then there’s Phinn (yet another horribly sounding hipster name).
Do you remember the Peter Pan film from 2003?
I was in the third grade when it came out, and I remember that every girl in my class had a crush on the boy playing the character. But in the film, he portrayed Peter Pan as a cheeky tweenage boy who may be immortal and able to live forever, but still has the innocence of a boy who has experienced so much yet so little? Well, if you were expecting that Peter Pan to show up in this book….You’ll be severely disappointed.
The best comparison I can give for this version of Peter Pan is that this version is more like Once Yoin a Time’s Peter Pan with the charisma cult like behavior of Jim Jones.
Basically, he’s a psychopathic cult leader on an island of teenagers. "It took a special kind of person to pull off a kidnapping the way he did. The kind of person who couldn't, under any circumstances, be trusted."Couple it with the fact that he’s a teenage psychopath and you get probably the best character in the book. Although that isn’t saying much, because I thought most of it was kind of ‘meh’.
Another thing that kind of irked me in this book (and it could very well just be me), was the Wylie herself. The fact that Wylie isn’t a sympathetic character to begin with makes her story arc much less compelling to believe in. I know some authors and readers have a problem with adults reading YA because they think we expect teenagers to not act like... well, teenagers. But here's the thing in my book. It's a truth universally acknowledged that when you fuck up, you look back at your mistake to understand what said mistake was so you don't fuck up again. It's a basic human behavior. Common sense. And while I don't expect some teenagers to have common sense, it seems like such a simple thing to understand. And I didn't get that from Wylie. She kept making the same mistakes over and over and over and over again. It drove me absolutely bonkers.
Never Ever is a retelling of Peter Pan that starts out strong, but loses most of its pixie dust and falls flat on its face into the waiting jaws of a crocodile. Minor Island didn’t sound nearly as appealing as Neverland, and this book was more akin to a tepid Disney Channel movie than an edgy retelling of the boy who never grew up. Phinn was compelling but overcharacterized, Wylie was unsympathetic and mercurial, and the overall message in the original got lost in translation.
Use your pixie dust with extreme caution.
September 8, 2016
Review to come !
Want to read
April 19, 2015OUAT Neverland Fanfiction?
August 6, 2016
Title: Never Ever
Author: Sara Saedi
Publisher: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2016
Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Fairy Tale Retellings, YA Classic Revamp
This review can also be found on my Goodreads page or TeacherofYA's Tumblr
My Review:
I really wanted to have the Pan character be the good guy! I really did! ::sobs::
Why can't there be a retelling where "Pan" is the good guy?
Ok. I'm over it. Just disappointed. Not in the book, though. The book was awesome!
I loved every minute of it. Here's what happens...
Wiley and her brothers Joshua and Micah have a strong bond. This keeps them as their own small family unit, staying strong despite their parent's frequent fights and impending divorce. On the night before Joshua is to go to jail for a drink driving accident, Wiley sneaks them all out to a party to celebrate her birthday and send Joshua off. When a handsome stranger approaches Wiley at the rooftop gathering, Wiley is nervous, but goes with him to get some food and talk. When he starts to fly, she can't believe her eyes. Phinn is handsome, mysterious, and seventeen, just like Wiley. Before they know it, they are partying on Phinn's boat, flying through the air with help from a special flower they ate.
In the morning, Wiley realizes that Phinn's has kidnapped them. Joshua, Micah, and Wiley are scared...but Phinn promises them a way out of Joshua's jail time: he has a special place he knows they'll love. All he asks is 24 hours of their time. Joshua has already missed his court appearance, and their in the middle of the ocean, so what else can they do?
When Phinn shows them an island paradise where no one ages past seventeen, they're skeptical to say the least. But they vote to stay...what else do they really have waiting back for them in New York? Just parents that fight and soon, a painful separation, the three realize. So they stay...but they don't seem to follow the old adage: if it seems to good to be true, it probably is.
Is It Classroom-Appropriate?
Oh, definitely yes. The way the classic fairy tale is retold is amazing. Yes, there's a hint of intimacy, but only an insinuation. No swearing. It's perfect for a fairy-tale unit or working with classics in contemporary literature. It's not too high fantasy for teens to relate to it, but it has enough fantasy to make it interesting. It also deals with real world problems like substance abuse and divorce. It's an excellent anchor text or an example to use when having students do narrative writing as well. It can help them see how to take a classic and make it your own, and make it work.
Age Level:
The book is not currently featured on Lexile.com, probably because it is so new...or maybe because it is not popular enough. I don't know. My estimate would be 13 and up. It's clean but still has an edge with the drinking and partying references, and of course there is that one time that intimacy is alluded to. I would feel comfortable letting mature middle graders read it.
End Result:
★★★★★. With a great premise and a fast pace, I breezed through this. And I enjoyed every minute of it. At 310 pages, I thought it would be a labor, but it was such a quick read. And the plus side/bonus? It includes a chapter for the sequel, The Lost Kids. I'll be putting that on my TBR list!!
I can't say this enough: go pick up a copy of this book. Amazing cover, great story, adventurous plot. There's no drawbacks to this book. I only wish there was more right now.
Author: Sara Saedi
Publisher: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2016
Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Fairy Tale Retellings, YA Classic Revamp
This review can also be found on my Goodreads page or TeacherofYA's Tumblr
My Review:
I really wanted to have the Pan character be the good guy! I really did! ::sobs::
Why can't there be a retelling where "Pan" is the good guy?
Ok. I'm over it. Just disappointed. Not in the book, though. The book was awesome!
I loved every minute of it. Here's what happens...
Wiley and her brothers Joshua and Micah have a strong bond. This keeps them as their own small family unit, staying strong despite their parent's frequent fights and impending divorce. On the night before Joshua is to go to jail for a drink driving accident, Wiley sneaks them all out to a party to celebrate her birthday and send Joshua off. When a handsome stranger approaches Wiley at the rooftop gathering, Wiley is nervous, but goes with him to get some food and talk. When he starts to fly, she can't believe her eyes. Phinn is handsome, mysterious, and seventeen, just like Wiley. Before they know it, they are partying on Phinn's boat, flying through the air with help from a special flower they ate.
In the morning, Wiley realizes that Phinn's has kidnapped them. Joshua, Micah, and Wiley are scared...but Phinn promises them a way out of Joshua's jail time: he has a special place he knows they'll love. All he asks is 24 hours of their time. Joshua has already missed his court appearance, and their in the middle of the ocean, so what else can they do?
When Phinn shows them an island paradise where no one ages past seventeen, they're skeptical to say the least. But they vote to stay...what else do they really have waiting back for them in New York? Just parents that fight and soon, a painful separation, the three realize. So they stay...but they don't seem to follow the old adage: if it seems to good to be true, it probably is.
Is It Classroom-Appropriate?
Oh, definitely yes. The way the classic fairy tale is retold is amazing. Yes, there's a hint of intimacy, but only an insinuation. No swearing. It's perfect for a fairy-tale unit or working with classics in contemporary literature. It's not too high fantasy for teens to relate to it, but it has enough fantasy to make it interesting. It also deals with real world problems like substance abuse and divorce. It's an excellent anchor text or an example to use when having students do narrative writing as well. It can help them see how to take a classic and make it your own, and make it work.
Age Level:
The book is not currently featured on Lexile.com, probably because it is so new...or maybe because it is not popular enough. I don't know. My estimate would be 13 and up. It's clean but still has an edge with the drinking and partying references, and of course there is that one time that intimacy is alluded to. I would feel comfortable letting mature middle graders read it.
End Result:
★★★★★. With a great premise and a fast pace, I breezed through this. And I enjoyed every minute of it. At 310 pages, I thought it would be a labor, but it was such a quick read. And the plus side/bonus? It includes a chapter for the sequel, The Lost Kids. I'll be putting that on my TBR list!!
I can't say this enough: go pick up a copy of this book. Amazing cover, great story, adventurous plot. There's no drawbacks to this book. I only wish there was more right now.
March 17, 2016
I've read 2 pretty fantastic Peter Pan retellings/re-imaginings this year that were fantastic (Unhooked and Everland). But this wasn't one of them for me sadly. It wasn't horrible like Tiger Lily was but it wasn't great. It was just ok for me. With the way it ended I'm assuming it's a series or at least a duology so I'll probably give the next book a shot just to see how it all ends.
July 20, 2016
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Never Ever is a contemporary re-telling of Peter Pan. Unfortunately, I couldn't take this book seriously, and me not liking something Peter Pan-related is just unheard of. It goes against the very core of my being.
"How old are you guys?" Phinn asked the rest of the party. They answered in unison:
"Seventeen."
"And when will each of you turn eighteen?"
Again, they responded at the same time:
"Never."
The night before her brother is to go to juvie, Wylie meets the irresistible (insert eye roll) Phinn, who shows her how to fly and then whisks her and her brothers off to Minor Island, offering them a life free of grown-up responsibility and full of endless parties. However, as the residents of Minor Island begin to disappear one by one, Wylie slowly begins to unravel a darker side to this new world.
I couldn't take this book seriously, starting with the character's names. What kind of name is Wylie? Why not just call her Wendy or Winnie or something cute? I hate this name. I hate the way it rolls off my tongue. And who the heck spells Finn like Phinn? Is this real?! Someone please tell me this isn't real.
And I could not stand Wylie herself. Everyone keeps saying how smart she is, but she doesn't do anything to convince me of her intelligence. She goes off with a boy she doesn't know, she partakes of what he gives her (which she suspects are drugs), and gets drunk when she's the designated driver. I mean, I know smart people make bad decisions, but isn't she supposed to be the mature one? As far as I can tell, all evidence points to the contrary. Character inconsistencies such as these draw me out of the story because I can't reconcile or fit them together.
In fact, I didn't find any of the characters particularly endearing or relatable.
Furthermore, I wasn't crazy about the depiction of Minor Island, aka Neverland. It wasn't whimsical or fun. And a lot of environmentalism was spewed at me in the meantime. Just to disclaim, I am all for conservation and respecting the earth. But it felt like too much of an agenda to me.
The book had potential in some of the issues that are tied in with the story. Divorce, family bonds, mistrust, feminism, underage drinking, even the conservationism. But the surface was barely scratched. What could've been further explored and added more raw emotion to the story was skimmed over. The topics are simply thrown in to move the story along as opposed to being true driving forces. As a result, it felt cliched.
"Never forget to live life to the fullest.
Do it for the troubled; do it for the lost.
The days may feel shorter; the nights may feel long.
But when we remember, our memories grow strong."
The book felt tired to me. I didn't feel that there was anything particularly new or invigorating about this retelling. Modern Peter Pan? Done. Romance between Peter and Wendy? Done. Done and done.
To be fair, there was one interesting plot twist that I didn't see coming towards the end. That was the saving grace of the novel for me. It, and it alone, was compelling enough that I will read the sequel.
All in all, I know many other die-hard Peter Pan fans are gobbling this book up. Unfortunately, I'm just not one of them. We'll see what happens when the sequel is released.
Never Ever is a contemporary re-telling of Peter Pan. Unfortunately, I couldn't take this book seriously, and me not liking something Peter Pan-related is just unheard of. It goes against the very core of my being.
"How old are you guys?" Phinn asked the rest of the party. They answered in unison:
"Seventeen."
"And when will each of you turn eighteen?"
Again, they responded at the same time:
"Never."
The night before her brother is to go to juvie, Wylie meets the irresistible (insert eye roll) Phinn, who shows her how to fly and then whisks her and her brothers off to Minor Island, offering them a life free of grown-up responsibility and full of endless parties. However, as the residents of Minor Island begin to disappear one by one, Wylie slowly begins to unravel a darker side to this new world.
I couldn't take this book seriously, starting with the character's names. What kind of name is Wylie? Why not just call her Wendy or Winnie or something cute? I hate this name. I hate the way it rolls off my tongue. And who the heck spells Finn like Phinn? Is this real?! Someone please tell me this isn't real.
And I could not stand Wylie herself. Everyone keeps saying how smart she is, but she doesn't do anything to convince me of her intelligence. She goes off with a boy she doesn't know, she partakes of what he gives her (which she suspects are drugs), and gets drunk when she's the designated driver. I mean, I know smart people make bad decisions, but isn't she supposed to be the mature one? As far as I can tell, all evidence points to the contrary. Character inconsistencies such as these draw me out of the story because I can't reconcile or fit them together.
In fact, I didn't find any of the characters particularly endearing or relatable.
Furthermore, I wasn't crazy about the depiction of Minor Island, aka Neverland. It wasn't whimsical or fun. And a lot of environmentalism was spewed at me in the meantime. Just to disclaim, I am all for conservation and respecting the earth. But it felt like too much of an agenda to me.
The book had potential in some of the issues that are tied in with the story. Divorce, family bonds, mistrust, feminism, underage drinking, even the conservationism. But the surface was barely scratched. What could've been further explored and added more raw emotion to the story was skimmed over. The topics are simply thrown in to move the story along as opposed to being true driving forces. As a result, it felt cliched.
"Never forget to live life to the fullest.
Do it for the troubled; do it for the lost.
The days may feel shorter; the nights may feel long.
But when we remember, our memories grow strong."
The book felt tired to me. I didn't feel that there was anything particularly new or invigorating about this retelling. Modern Peter Pan? Done. Romance between Peter and Wendy? Done. Done and done.
To be fair, there was one interesting plot twist that I didn't see coming towards the end. That was the saving grace of the novel for me. It, and it alone, was compelling enough that I will read the sequel.
All in all, I know many other die-hard Peter Pan fans are gobbling this book up. Unfortunately, I'm just not one of them. We'll see what happens when the sequel is released.
August 26, 2019
This is a Peter Pan retelling in a modern day setting. Neverland exists but in a different way than you'd think. Wylie doesn't want her brother to go to juvie, but the reality is in less than 24 hours, he'll be sentenced for a DUI. At a party, she meets Phinn who is mysterious and sweeps her off her jaded feet. He offers her a way for her and her brothers to be free, Wylie believes it's a joke and agrees. When she wakes in real life Neverland, she's not sure if she made a mistake or the best decision of her life.
Wylie was a good protagonist. I like how skeptical she was of the more shady aspects of Neverland. Especially the part where all the girls are forced to take birth control everyday, so none of them gets pregnant. That part of Phinn's society made me mad. And the whole "must protect the girls" attitude. Luckily, Wylie was not about to stand for it.
I did love the how the relationship between Wylie and her brothers was tested throughout this book. The siblings were super close and this adventure has definitely impacted their closeness. I wonder how they'll repair it in the next book.
I was a bit shocked when this ended. So many things had been revealed and there was all this build up to a satisfying revenge comeback, but it just ended?? Clearly that will be dealt with in book 2, which I didn't realize existed. I am kind of curious as to what will happen next, so I'll probably pick up book 2 eventually.
Wylie was a good protagonist. I like how skeptical she was of the more shady aspects of Neverland. Especially the part where all the girls are forced to take birth control everyday, so none of them gets pregnant. That part of Phinn's society made me mad. And the whole "must protect the girls" attitude. Luckily, Wylie was not about to stand for it.
I did love the how the relationship between Wylie and her brothers was tested throughout this book. The siblings were super close and this adventure has definitely impacted their closeness. I wonder how they'll repair it in the next book.
I was a bit shocked when this ended. So many things had been revealed and there was all this build up to a satisfying revenge comeback, but it just ended?? Clearly that will be dealt with in book 2, which I didn't realize existed. I am kind of curious as to what will happen next, so I'll probably pick up book 2 eventually.
September 13, 2017
У меня неоднозначное отношение к ретеллингам. С одной стороны приятно посмотреть на знакомую историю в других декорациях, но с другой стороны авторы, за частую, могут настолько испортить персонажей и историю, что читателям остаётся только гадать о том, как сильно автор ненавидел данный ему материал. Благо, мисс Саэди смогла грамотно обойтись с оригиналом и рассказала историю вполне себе достойно.
Сюжет повествует об Уайли, Джошуа и Майка Далтонах, для которых (ну, естественно) жизнь мёдом не намазана. Родители на грани развода, а Джошуа вот-вот должны забрать в исправительную колонию за то, что он сбил девушку на дороге.
Мне понравилось, что у Уайли Далтон трезвая оценка ситуации, но, тем не менее она дает волю чувствам. Она близка с братьями и не хочет расставаться, но одновременно понимает, что Джошуа должен ответить за испорченную жизнь пострадавшей девушки. За день до суда у Уайли день рождения и она с братьями едет праздновать. На вечеринке она встречает рыжего парня по имени Финн. Волей судьбы, весь вечер она и её братья проводят с вышеупомянутым подозрительным гражданином. Когда Финн спрашивает Уайли, хочет ли она вместо, где реальность её не потревожит, она отвечает "да", а дальше... А дальше Неверлэнд!
Мне понравилось, как Саэди обыграла персонаж Финна, хотя всем и так понятно, что списала она его с другого, не менее подозрительного, кабачка.
Всем фанатам Питера из "Однажды в сказке " читать рекомендуется!
Питер Пэн здесь представлен не милым символом детства и побега от реальности, а человека с синдромом бога, которому доставляет удовольствие манипулировать людьми. Финн - довольно занимательный образ, но он здесь не единственный, на кого стоит обращать внимание. Хоппер, он же Капитан Крюк - вот кто является изюминкой в этой истории. Парень без пальцев на одной руке, с которым Далтонам почему - то запрещено общаться.
Из местного Неверлэнда вырисовывается полноценная вселенная и Саэди ориентируется в ней довольно хорошо. Так как местным потерянным мальчикам 16-17 лет, то матери они более не нуждаются. Нет, местным пацанам подавай голубенький порошок, чтобы летать.
И... это все! Книга закончилась на самом интересном месте, и тут действительно больше нечего сказать. А еще я недавно узнала, что это дилогия, и у книги будет сиквел. Спасибо тебе, преподобный Гудридс, за эту информацию. Будем надеятся, что мисс Саэди меня не разочарует.
Сюжет повествует об Уайли, Джошуа и Майка Далтонах, для которых (ну, естественно) жизнь мёдом не намазана. Родители на грани развода, а Джошуа вот-вот должны забрать в исправительную колонию за то, что он сбил девушку на дороге.
Мне понравилось, что у Уайли Далтон трезвая оценка ситуации, но, тем не менее она дает волю чувствам. Она близка с братьями и не хочет расставаться, но одновременно понимает, что Джошуа должен ответить за испорченную жизнь пострадавшей девушки. За день до суда у Уайли день рождения и она с братьями едет праздновать. На вечеринке она встречает рыжего парня по имени Финн. Волей судьбы, весь вечер она и её братья проводят с вышеупомянутым подозрительным гражданином. Когда Финн спрашивает Уайли, хочет ли она вместо, где реальность её не потревожит, она отвечает "да", а дальше... А дальше Неверлэнд!
Мне понравилось, как Саэди обыграла персонаж Финна, хотя всем и так понятно, что списала она его с другого, не менее подозрительного, кабачка.
Всем фанатам Питера из "Однажды в сказке " читать рекомендуется!
Питер Пэн здесь представлен не милым символом детства и побега от реальности, а человека с синдромом бога, которому доставляет удовольствие манипулировать людьми. Финн - довольно занимательный образ, но он здесь не единственный, на кого стоит обращать внимание. Хоппер, он же Капитан Крюк - вот кто является изюминкой в этой истории. Парень без пальцев на одной руке, с которым Далтонам почему - то запрещено общаться.
Из местного Неверлэнда вырисовывается полноценная вселенная и Саэди ориентируется в ней довольно хорошо. Так как местным потерянным мальчикам 16-17 лет, то матери они более не нуждаются. Нет, местным пацанам подавай голубенький порошок, чтобы летать.
И... это все! Книга закончилась на самом интересном месте, и тут действительно больше нечего сказать. А еще я недавно узнала, что это дилогия, и у книги будет сиквел. Спасибо тебе, преподобный Гудридс, за эту информацию. Будем надеятся, что мисс Саэди меня не разочарует.
February 7, 2017
To see review with gif click here.
I DNF’d this book within 40 pages.
It just wasn’t for me.
I am going to bullet point this review and it’s probably going to be really short. If you want a more thorough review of this book I suggest you check out other reviews because honestly I gave up on it so soon that I don’t even know if this review is worth a shit.
Anyway, here’s the reasons I DNF’d it.
*Stiff Style: It was one of those hard to connect to styles that just kind of hard to get into. This might not bother a lot of people, but it bothered me.
*Another Evil Peter Pan. At least there’s no sexy Hook (so far) so it’s not a complete Once Upon a Time rip off yet.
*A MC who gives a rat’s ass about anything else other than her love life even though she claims to care about her family.
*Note, she treats her family like crap.
*Usual sullen teenager dealing with divorce trope.
*Modernization of the characters names from the original because you know you can’t name characters Wendy, John, and Michael anymore. Wylie, Joshua, and Micha sound better and Phinn sounds better than fucking Peter Pan.
*Because everyone has a party on a roof top in New York.
*That whole going into Neverland drug induced scene-yeah, I stopped after that because that was just so stupid.
Like I said, not really a lot to go off of here if you’re really interested in the book, but just for you to know, it didn’t work for me. It was just really bad and cliche…and when it’s only redeeming feature is not having the obligatory Sexy Hook! (or at least as far as I know, he still might’ve popped in there after the thirty or so pages I read).
I DNF’d this book within 40 pages.
It just wasn’t for me.
I am going to bullet point this review and it’s probably going to be really short. If you want a more thorough review of this book I suggest you check out other reviews because honestly I gave up on it so soon that I don’t even know if this review is worth a shit.
Anyway, here’s the reasons I DNF’d it.
*Stiff Style: It was one of those hard to connect to styles that just kind of hard to get into. This might not bother a lot of people, but it bothered me.
*Another Evil Peter Pan. At least there’s no sexy Hook (so far) so it’s not a complete Once Upon a Time rip off yet.
*A MC who gives a rat’s ass about anything else other than her love life even though she claims to care about her family.
*Note, she treats her family like crap.
*Usual sullen teenager dealing with divorce trope.
*Modernization of the characters names from the original because you know you can’t name characters Wendy, John, and Michael anymore. Wylie, Joshua, and Micha sound better and Phinn sounds better than fucking Peter Pan.
*Because everyone has a party on a roof top in New York.
*That whole going into Neverland drug induced scene-yeah, I stopped after that because that was just so stupid.
Like I said, not really a lot to go off of here if you’re really interested in the book, but just for you to know, it didn’t work for me. It was just really bad and cliche…and when it’s only redeeming feature is not having the obligatory Sexy Hook! (or at least as far as I know, he still might’ve popped in there after the thirty or so pages I read).
November 7, 2016
This is such a GREAT Peter Pan retelling! 2016 has been the year of retellings for YA, especially Peter Pan ones, it seems, and this is definitely the best one that I've read so far. Everything from the writing, the world-building, the characters, and their relationships were wonderful. I loved the blend of the fairytale aspect with the modern world - that was unexpected but it was so well-done. The diversity within the characters was refreshing and I found them all so interesting. I loved that there were characters who paralleled Tinkerbell and Tiger Lily - all of my favorites from the fairytale itself were their own character in this novel, and they were so well-written.
Wylie is a fantastic main character and I loved the relationship between her and her brothers. Neverland is SO FREAKING COOL in this, and the descriptions of it were dreamy. Saedi has such a gorgeous writing style and I was so into the world-building in this. The plot twist was WILD and so unexpected but it tied everything into place and it honestly made the story so unique and so cool, I'm still not over it. I love that Peter is written as the deceiving little shit that he actually is and UGH, this retelling was just so freaking good, guys. My only complaints are that the pacing was a little weird in some places and the middle seemed to drag on forever - up until the plot twist was revealed - and then it started getting good. But this was honestly so wonderful and such a fun book to read! I'm so excited for the sequel.
Wylie is a fantastic main character and I loved the relationship between her and her brothers. Neverland is SO FREAKING COOL in this, and the descriptions of it were dreamy. Saedi has such a gorgeous writing style and I was so into the world-building in this. The plot twist was WILD and so unexpected but it tied everything into place and it honestly made the story so unique and so cool, I'm still not over it. I love that Peter is written as the deceiving little shit that he actually is and UGH, this retelling was just so freaking good, guys. My only complaints are that the pacing was a little weird in some places and the middle seemed to drag on forever - up until the plot twist was revealed - and then it started getting good. But this was honestly so wonderful and such a fun book to read! I'm so excited for the sequel.
August 25, 2016
I don't get it...I'm sorry I just don't...
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I was so excited to read this book but ended up sorely disappointed. It's a Peter Pan retelling and also had good review. But I guess I missed something...
The writing was juvenile and awkward. I couldn't believe I made through the whole book. Most of the events were either cringe-worthy, predictable, or cliche.
Then there are the characters..........sigh...
Almost everyone in this book is selfish. For me, none of the characters had redeeming features because of how selfish they all were. I was even more disappointed in Wendy's character development. She went from insecure teenager to an even more selfish teenage. Wendy's brothers love her and follows her directions. Except Wendy's selfish. She always ends up getting her brothers into trouble and when her brothers refuse to follow her, she pushes them to bend to her every command.
I apologize for being so harsh on this review but I really disliked this book.
[image error]
I was so excited to read this book but ended up sorely disappointed. It's a Peter Pan retelling and also had good review. But I guess I missed something...
The writing was juvenile and awkward. I couldn't believe I made through the whole book. Most of the events were either cringe-worthy, predictable, or cliche.
Then there are the characters..........sigh...
Almost everyone in this book is selfish. For me, none of the characters had redeeming features because of how selfish they all were. I was even more disappointed in Wendy's character development. She went from insecure teenager to an even more selfish teenage. Wendy's brothers love her and follows her directions. Except Wendy's selfish. She always ends up getting her brothers into trouble and when her brothers refuse to follow her, she pushes them to bend to her every command.
I apologize for being so harsh on this review but I really disliked this book.
August 15, 2017
I enjoyed this a LOT. I wasn't expecting to love it as much as I do, tbh.
Also, WHY IS THERE NO NEWS ABOUT THE SECOND BOOK??
Full review to come soon.
Also, WHY IS THERE NO NEWS ABOUT THE SECOND BOOK??
Full review to come soon.
April 18, 2021
Never forget to live life to the fullest. Do it for the troubled, do it for the lost.
The days may feel shorter; the nights may feel long. But when we remember,
our memories grow strong.
★★★☆☆
I've grown very fond of retellings. Maybe it's because they tend to give me some sort of twisted nostalgia with their underlying themes/concepts, or because they provide a different aspect to a story I grew to treasure. Whatever it is, I'm obsessed, and I need more. So, obviously, I couldn't turn my back on a Peter Pan retelling.
But unfortunately, unlike the previous retellings I've read, this one lacked depth. There was no underlying theme that grasped my attention, or beautiful descriptions that led me to this new world filled to the brim with adventure. The characters didn't have much personality, because when they were not mentioned, it seemed like they simply never existed. Without dialogue tags, I wouldn't be able to pick whose talking.
The main character, Wylie, I couldn't seem to figure out. She was bold and certain one moment, and then whimpering in the corner the next. I couldn't connect to her, and at times she acted a lot like a horror movie character; oblivious. I don't want to give much away, but I saw much of the twists coming. Except the really big one, kudos to the author!
I remember when I was younger, and had watched Peter Pan about a million times. All I ever wanted was Peter to end up with Wendy. SERIOUSLY, it broke my little heart to see them apart. All I'll say is, if you're looking for a book to pacify that small bit of resentment towards Disney for not letting them be together, this is not for you, or maybe it is?
While in those departments I was disappointed, the ending was refreshing. I think the book really redeems itself in the last 50 or so pages, so if you decide to pick it up, don't judge it in its initial approach.
Overall, this book was okay. Not something I'd re-read, but it's good for a quick breezy read under the sun. Though I'll have to warn you, it ends in a huge cliffhanger. Which begs the question; will I buy the next book?
Only time will tell (and my wallet).
instagram | goodreads
The days may feel shorter; the nights may feel long. But when we remember,
our memories grow strong.
★★★☆☆
I've grown very fond of retellings. Maybe it's because they tend to give me some sort of twisted nostalgia with their underlying themes/concepts, or because they provide a different aspect to a story I grew to treasure. Whatever it is, I'm obsessed, and I need more. So, obviously, I couldn't turn my back on a Peter Pan retelling.
But unfortunately, unlike the previous retellings I've read, this one lacked depth. There was no underlying theme that grasped my attention, or beautiful descriptions that led me to this new world filled to the brim with adventure. The characters didn't have much personality, because when they were not mentioned, it seemed like they simply never existed. Without dialogue tags, I wouldn't be able to pick whose talking.
The main character, Wylie, I couldn't seem to figure out. She was bold and certain one moment, and then whimpering in the corner the next. I couldn't connect to her, and at times she acted a lot like a horror movie character; oblivious. I don't want to give much away, but I saw much of the twists coming. Except the really big one, kudos to the author!
I remember when I was younger, and had watched Peter Pan about a million times. All I ever wanted was Peter to end up with Wendy. SERIOUSLY, it broke my little heart to see them apart. All I'll say is, if you're looking for a book to pacify that small bit of resentment towards Disney for not letting them be together, this is not for you, or maybe it is?
While in those departments I was disappointed, the ending was refreshing. I think the book really redeems itself in the last 50 or so pages, so if you decide to pick it up, don't judge it in its initial approach.
Overall, this book was okay. Not something I'd re-read, but it's good for a quick breezy read under the sun. Though I'll have to warn you, it ends in a huge cliffhanger. Which begs the question; will I buy the next book?
Only time will tell (and my wallet).
instagram | goodreads
April 18, 2018
I could very easily give this book a one or two star. I could complain about instalove and tropes and throw in a couple quotes that would have you rolling your eyes. I’m not going to do that, though, because this book is thoroughly entertaining. It is one of the more worthy Peter Pan retellings, and it’s fantastic for a debut novel, so I’m giving it a strong 3 ½ stars.
I initially took this book off my tbr due to it not having stellar reviews but when I heard this was written by one of the writers for iZombie, one of my favorite shows, I knew I had to pick it up. I really enjoy how the writers of the show balance humor and drama, so I knew if this was anything like that I needed to try it.
This is a Peter Pan retelling set in modern day New York City. We follow Wylie, a somewhat troubled young girl. Her parents are in the process of divorcing and her brother is going to be sent to juvie for some sort of mysterious event. At a rooftop party Wylie meets a strange boy who invites her to get dinner. Before they know it Wylie and her brothers end up on an island full of teens that never grow up. It seems all fun and games at first, but things are obviously more sincere than they seem.
This is a very addictive novel. It’s a fast and easy read that I found myself happy to pick up. The writing style worked very well for me, a 3rd person POV that feels close to the main character.
Wylie borderlines on TSTL at times, as Phinn, our Peter Pan character, is obvious bad news. The red flags are everywhere! She’s a little oblivious, but other than that I like Wylie. I also love that she’s a cook! I love seeing characters with interesting hobbies.
The beginning felt a bit rushed, and it has super long chapters, but for the most part I had a lot of fun with this book. I’m particularly impressed that this is a debut, and I’m looking forward the next book and anything else the author writes. Recommended to those looking for a light YA fantasy read!
I initially took this book off my tbr due to it not having stellar reviews but when I heard this was written by one of the writers for iZombie, one of my favorite shows, I knew I had to pick it up. I really enjoy how the writers of the show balance humor and drama, so I knew if this was anything like that I needed to try it.
This is a Peter Pan retelling set in modern day New York City. We follow Wylie, a somewhat troubled young girl. Her parents are in the process of divorcing and her brother is going to be sent to juvie for some sort of mysterious event. At a rooftop party Wylie meets a strange boy who invites her to get dinner. Before they know it Wylie and her brothers end up on an island full of teens that never grow up. It seems all fun and games at first, but things are obviously more sincere than they seem.
This is a very addictive novel. It’s a fast and easy read that I found myself happy to pick up. The writing style worked very well for me, a 3rd person POV that feels close to the main character.
Wylie borderlines on TSTL at times, as Phinn, our Peter Pan character, is obvious bad news. The red flags are everywhere! She’s a little oblivious, but other than that I like Wylie. I also love that she’s a cook! I love seeing characters with interesting hobbies.
The beginning felt a bit rushed, and it has super long chapters, but for the most part I had a lot of fun with this book. I’m particularly impressed that this is a debut, and I’m looking forward the next book and anything else the author writes. Recommended to those looking for a light YA fantasy read!
Want to read
March 9, 2016I effing hate Peter Pan (not the story, but the boy himself), but I'll give this a chance.
March 7, 2017
He looks older and he´s ridiculously hot, He´s sitting with Micah. He has not taken his eyes off you.
Of course, he´s pretty and perfect and why shouldn´t you trust the handsome stranger? I mean, he is hot.
Earlier this year, when Unhooked was released, I was a tad disappointed in the story. Now I feel really bad about my rating. Now, I feel like Unhooked deserves 5 stars and my eternal love.
In hindsight it offered everything I expected from a Peter Pan retelling. Darkness, twisted creatures, creep and plain difference from all we´ve known about the story until now. I need a retelling to be like that.
So what the heck is Never Ever supposed to be? I certainly won´t ever content myself with a truckload of idiocy, naivety and generally, truly unbelievable decisions.
When Wylie meets Phinn at a party, shit hits the fan. Although said shit arrives in the costume of a pretty boy with pretty speeches and pretty drugs.
Here´s a short summary in two acts.
Act One: On Stranger´s Tides
Teaser:
There was nothing but confidence in his voice. Most guys shuffled their feet and kept their hands in their pockets when they spoke to Wylie, but this one was an entirely different creature, and she wasn´t sure how to respond.
Phinn: Hey, i´m Phinn. I´m hot, as you can see, I like Fast Food, as you can hear and I think you should come with me. Let´s go!
Wylie: Look at that, you can fly!! Let me just bring my brothers along, so we can all fly together. We´ll be the best of friends and I will lay my life in your hands!
Phinn: I read your brother´s going to jail. Wanna help him escape his fate?
Wylie. Hell yes! (blacks out on a stranger´s boat with her brothers)
Daltons: Woah, where are we? (after waking up in the middle of the ocean, facing a wild island)
Phinn: Relax, guys. Welcome to Minor Island, which I reign like a sovereign. My favorite pastimes are ordering my citizens around and letting them worship me like a god. Wanna stay?
Joshua: Nah.
Micah: Hmm…
Wylie: Oh come on! Please guys, can´t you see he´s hot??
Phinn: Also, you won´t age.
Joshua and Micah: Well, we can´t deny Wylie anything, anyway. Okay, we´ll stay!
Wylie: (squeals loudly and does a victory dance) WIN!
Phinn: Awesome. Joshua, future-politician-you-won´t-ever-be, you´ll be my second. Absolute loyalty, no questions and blind obedience are the only skills required. Tinka, you go hook up with Micah and keep him occupied. Wylie, down there´s my bungalow. Just hop into bed and wait there for me. I love you. Also, you can help in the kitchen. Welcome on board, guys!
Wylie: (shouts after him, since he´s already walking away) I love you too! I´ll wait for you! Have fun!
Act Two: Kill the boss
Teaser:
And she didn´t breathe a word of that night a couple years ago, when she´d snuck a bottle of whiskey into Micah´s room and gotten him drunk while their parents and their worst fight ever. And the fact that since that night, he never left the house without his flask.
Wylie: We´ve been living here for months, blissfully and without worries, but something feels wrong. Could be the archaic structure of suppressing and underestimating girls. Could be Phinn´s constant lying. Could be the weird rules around here. Maybe I just ate something bad last evening. Because why would anything be off on an island full of teenagers?
Citizens: Right! Don´t you offend Phinn. He´s our god and we worship him. We´ll follow him anywhere and believe every word he says. He is our hero and we don´t need our brains, anyway.
Wylie: Okay, I take it back. I won´t ever criticize holy Phinn again. (silently holds on to her thoughts)
Phinn: Don´t ever talk to me like that in front of anyone again. You did it last night and I gave you a pass, but now you´re making a habit out of it.
Wylie: But you lie. A lot.
Phinn: omg, girl. I love you.
Wylie: Well, then. I love you too.
Wylie: I found something.. And I do not think it´s good.
Phinn: Oh, no you don´t. Off with her head! Or at least dump her into prison and taker her brothers with you. They haven´t done anything, but better safe than sorry.
Wylie: But I thought you loved me??
Phinn: I do, actually. I will show you how much by letting you waste away in a cage. Don´t boyfriends do that on the mainland?
Wylie: I can´t find anything tropic in the way you're acting.
Phinn: And I think you behaved really elder.
Me: God, I hate invented slang words.
Also Me: (quotes) We don´t need to know about your favorite albums or movies or websites. We certainly don´t need to know what all the cool kids are saying. We have our own slang words and phrases. You´ll adopt them along the way. We want to make the cultural shift as seamless as possible. Yeah, right, because knowledge is lethal and information could kill you and every single integration minister of every single state will delightfully declare: We don´t want to know about your culture and your thoughts, just fit in and be quiet.
Me again: Sorry for disturbing the play. It shall proceed.
Wylie: I will kill you for this! Also, I still love you!
Granted, the end kind of saves the story.
As for the rest, very little fits here. The writing is way too simple (With the debate finally over, it was time to go to sleep) and the plot borders on ridiculousness in the beginning.
I couldn´t believe one second of the romance or the whole island life.
Since the whole story evolves around said romance and island, not getting into it is a huge deal breaker for a pleasant read.
Maybe the 2nd installment will do a 180? Maybe?
Of course, he´s pretty and perfect and why shouldn´t you trust the handsome stranger? I mean, he is hot.
Earlier this year, when Unhooked was released, I was a tad disappointed in the story. Now I feel really bad about my rating. Now, I feel like Unhooked deserves 5 stars and my eternal love.
In hindsight it offered everything I expected from a Peter Pan retelling. Darkness, twisted creatures, creep and plain difference from all we´ve known about the story until now. I need a retelling to be like that.
So what the heck is Never Ever supposed to be? I certainly won´t ever content myself with a truckload of idiocy, naivety and generally, truly unbelievable decisions.
When Wylie meets Phinn at a party, shit hits the fan. Although said shit arrives in the costume of a pretty boy with pretty speeches and pretty drugs.
Here´s a short summary in two acts.
Act One: On Stranger´s Tides
Teaser:
There was nothing but confidence in his voice. Most guys shuffled their feet and kept their hands in their pockets when they spoke to Wylie, but this one was an entirely different creature, and she wasn´t sure how to respond.
Phinn: Hey, i´m Phinn. I´m hot, as you can see, I like Fast Food, as you can hear and I think you should come with me. Let´s go!
Wylie: Look at that, you can fly!! Let me just bring my brothers along, so we can all fly together. We´ll be the best of friends and I will lay my life in your hands!
Phinn: I read your brother´s going to jail. Wanna help him escape his fate?
Wylie. Hell yes! (blacks out on a stranger´s boat with her brothers)
Daltons: Woah, where are we? (after waking up in the middle of the ocean, facing a wild island)
Phinn: Relax, guys. Welcome to Minor Island, which I reign like a sovereign. My favorite pastimes are ordering my citizens around and letting them worship me like a god. Wanna stay?
Joshua: Nah.
Micah: Hmm…
Wylie: Oh come on! Please guys, can´t you see he´s hot??
Phinn: Also, you won´t age.
Joshua and Micah: Well, we can´t deny Wylie anything, anyway. Okay, we´ll stay!
Wylie: (squeals loudly and does a victory dance) WIN!
Phinn: Awesome. Joshua, future-politician-you-won´t-ever-be, you´ll be my second. Absolute loyalty, no questions and blind obedience are the only skills required. Tinka, you go hook up with Micah and keep him occupied. Wylie, down there´s my bungalow. Just hop into bed and wait there for me. I love you. Also, you can help in the kitchen. Welcome on board, guys!
Wylie: (shouts after him, since he´s already walking away) I love you too! I´ll wait for you! Have fun!
Act Two: Kill the boss
Teaser:
And she didn´t breathe a word of that night a couple years ago, when she´d snuck a bottle of whiskey into Micah´s room and gotten him drunk while their parents and their worst fight ever. And the fact that since that night, he never left the house without his flask.
Wylie: We´ve been living here for months, blissfully and without worries, but something feels wrong. Could be the archaic structure of suppressing and underestimating girls. Could be Phinn´s constant lying. Could be the weird rules around here. Maybe I just ate something bad last evening. Because why would anything be off on an island full of teenagers?
Citizens: Right! Don´t you offend Phinn. He´s our god and we worship him. We´ll follow him anywhere and believe every word he says. He is our hero and we don´t need our brains, anyway.
Wylie: Okay, I take it back. I won´t ever criticize holy Phinn again. (silently holds on to her thoughts)
Phinn: Don´t ever talk to me like that in front of anyone again. You did it last night and I gave you a pass, but now you´re making a habit out of it.
Wylie: But you lie. A lot.
Phinn: omg, girl. I love you.
Wylie: Well, then. I love you too.
Wylie: I found something.. And I do not think it´s good.
Phinn: Oh, no you don´t. Off with her head! Or at least dump her into prison and taker her brothers with you. They haven´t done anything, but better safe than sorry.
Wylie: But I thought you loved me??
Phinn: I do, actually. I will show you how much by letting you waste away in a cage. Don´t boyfriends do that on the mainland?
Wylie: I can´t find anything tropic in the way you're acting.
Phinn: And I think you behaved really elder.
Me: God, I hate invented slang words.
Also Me: (quotes) We don´t need to know about your favorite albums or movies or websites. We certainly don´t need to know what all the cool kids are saying. We have our own slang words and phrases. You´ll adopt them along the way. We want to make the cultural shift as seamless as possible. Yeah, right, because knowledge is lethal and information could kill you and every single integration minister of every single state will delightfully declare: We don´t want to know about your culture and your thoughts, just fit in and be quiet.
Me again: Sorry for disturbing the play. It shall proceed.
Wylie: I will kill you for this! Also, I still love you!
Granted, the end kind of saves the story.
As for the rest, very little fits here. The writing is way too simple (With the debate finally over, it was time to go to sleep) and the plot borders on ridiculousness in the beginning.
I couldn´t believe one second of the romance or the whole island life.
Since the whole story evolves around said romance and island, not getting into it is a huge deal breaker for a pleasant read.
Maybe the 2nd installment will do a 180? Maybe?
July 13, 2016
Don't you just love when you're pleasantly surprised? Of course I am because it's 10:15pm (way past my bedtime) and I've just closed the book on this one. Double points that I had actually just serendipitously read Peter Pan because I had never and it had nothing to do with having been mailed this, but because I'm reading classics.
This is Lord of the Flies meets Peter Pan meets sappy romance meets family. There is something so easy in reading the book (and not in the condescending "it's so easy", but in that it was fluid and delivered exactly how a reader would want it. Wylie's family is falling apart with her parents readying to divorce and her brother ready to spend time in jail for maiming a girl in a car accident that was somewhat Wylie's fault as well. So when the opportunity presents itself to be whisked away (two brothers and Wylie together, when they've been pretty inseparable all their lives), they take it and decide to stay on the magical island Minor, where everyone stops growing up at age seventeen. The world is well since he can avoid jail and they don't have to live with the consequences of a divorce as well as growing up. And Wylie is the object of Phinn (read: Peter Pan)'s affections even though Tinka (curious) seems have a bit of a temper as it relates to newbies on the island and Phinn specifically.
But what unfolds halfway to 2/3 of the way through the book is shocking revelations and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children-level craziness that you'd want to read to find out about. The darker elements compliment the lighter elements in a magical way.
I'm on board for the sequel-- serve it up!
This is Lord of the Flies meets Peter Pan meets sappy romance meets family. There is something so easy in reading the book (and not in the condescending "it's so easy", but in that it was fluid and delivered exactly how a reader would want it. Wylie's family is falling apart with her parents readying to divorce and her brother ready to spend time in jail for maiming a girl in a car accident that was somewhat Wylie's fault as well. So when the opportunity presents itself to be whisked away (two brothers and Wylie together, when they've been pretty inseparable all their lives), they take it and decide to stay on the magical island Minor, where everyone stops growing up at age seventeen. The world is well since he can avoid jail and they don't have to live with the consequences of a divorce as well as growing up. And Wylie is the object of Phinn (read: Peter Pan)'s affections even though Tinka (curious) seems have a bit of a temper as it relates to newbies on the island and Phinn specifically.
But what unfolds halfway to 2/3 of the way through the book is shocking revelations and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children-level craziness that you'd want to read to find out about. The darker elements compliment the lighter elements in a magical way.
I'm on board for the sequel-- serve it up!
August 7, 2016
Okay. So I had no idea this was part of a series. I thought it was a stand alone. I need the next book. I did not see the plot twist coming, and it really surprised me. Wylie was an okay character, even if she did annoy me at times. But Phinn. There is so much more to him than what meets the eye. Starting out, this was a good Peter Pan retelling. But as the end of the book came closer, this turned into something much more than that. This is probably my favorite retelling of Peter Pan that I've ever come across, and I can't wait to read more of it.
July 26, 2016
I really enjoyed Never Ever, though it has it's faults. In the beginning, everything was happening a bit too fast for me to really connect especially the romance. We didn't get to see the romance slowly progress we were just thrust into it which felt a little flat for me. It's a small book so I kind of wished it was longer so we can connect better with the characters. The story itself I really liked, it definitely took a turn I wasn't expecting and I'm happy that it didn't follow the traditional story but instead became its own.
July 25, 2016
3.5/5
I ended up enjoying this more than I thought I was going to! It started slow and pretty innocent but 2/3 of the way everything starts to turn dark and the smoke clears to reveal the evil. It was definitely more twisted than I thought it would be. Overall, it was an interesting retelling and I will probably read the next book in the series when it comes out.
July book for The Book Bound Society.
I ended up enjoying this more than I thought I was going to! It started slow and pretty innocent but 2/3 of the way everything starts to turn dark and the smoke clears to reveal the evil. It was definitely more twisted than I thought it would be. Overall, it was an interesting retelling and I will probably read the next book in the series when it comes out.
July book for The Book Bound Society.
January 19, 2018
"She never liked the way some people ogled her, like they were trying to decide if her glossy hair, enormous green eyes, and pronounced dimples meant she was a stuck-up bitch. "
Umm. Yeaaaah.
Did not finish, though I did skip to the end to learn that the author dragged this nonsense out into a second book.
Umm. Yeaaaah.
Did not finish, though I did skip to the end to learn that the author dragged this nonsense out into a second book.
Read
August 16, 2016Nope, nope, NOPE. DNF.
Want to read
March 8, 2016So many Peter Pan retelling stories this year! YASS!
I WILL.
I WILL.
July 24, 2016
3.5 stars.
May 25, 2023
Wylie and her brothers go out to celebrate her birthday as a last hurrah before her brother Joshua gets shipped off to juvie for a DUI. At the party Wylie meets a boy named Phinn who acts a lot older than he looks. He offers them a way out of all their problems and an adventure.
The three siblings wake up on a boat and realize they have been kidnapped. Phinn says he will let them leave if they don't want to stay, but demands they give him 24 hours to impress them. The island he takes them to is essentially a Neverland. No one ages, no adults, and endless fun.
I hated this book. I wanted to stop reading, but I was moreso just hoping it would get better. Wylie is as childish and irritating as she starts out. For a 17 year old it is impressive how stupid the stuff she says is. Phinn comes off as pushy and over the top and that is what he is. He is worshipped by everyone on the island and it is clear from the start that he let it get to his head.
In my opinion, this was a bad attempt of a retelling that goes into the potential dark side of a fairy tale.
Overall I thought this book was highly predictable and juvenile. It might be a better book for a kid in middle school to read rather a 22 year old like myself.
The three siblings wake up on a boat and realize they have been kidnapped. Phinn says he will let them leave if they don't want to stay, but demands they give him 24 hours to impress them. The island he takes them to is essentially a Neverland. No one ages, no adults, and endless fun.
I hated this book. I wanted to stop reading, but I was moreso just hoping it would get better. Wylie is as childish and irritating as she starts out. For a 17 year old it is impressive how stupid the stuff she says is. Phinn comes off as pushy and over the top and that is what he is. He is worshipped by everyone on the island and it is clear from the start that he let it get to his head.
In my opinion, this was a bad attempt of a retelling that goes into the potential dark side of a fairy tale.
Overall I thought this book was highly predictable and juvenile. It might be a better book for a kid in middle school to read rather a 22 year old like myself.
January 27, 2021
As i`ve seen someone state in their reviews, alot of scenes were awkward and cringe-worthy and the characters - all of them was a degree of selfish. It was one of my first Peter Pan retellings but it just wasn`t my cup of tea sadly.
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