Lost Boy

Neverwood Chronicles #2

by Chanda Hahn

After nearly losing Wendy, Peter returns her to her family but fears she may not be safe from Hook. Torn between protecting Wendy and leading the lost boys, he must decide to fulfill his duty or follow his heart.

Wendy pans, and awakes in her bedroom, clothes stained in blood, with no memories of Peter or Neverland. Wendy struggles to return to her normal life, for shadows plague her during the day, and where shadows roam—monsters follow.

With Hook closing in on the lost boys’ hideout, Peter faces a betrayer from within the ranks of Neverwood. The final battle is on the horizon, and the secret to victory lies with the shadows, but only one can hear their voice, the Lost Girl.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retellings, Audiobook, Fairy Tales, Romance, Fiction

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2017

About the author

Chanda Hahn is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Reign An Unfortunate Fairy Tale. She was born in Seattle, WA, grew up in Nebraska and currently resides in Portland, Oregon with her husband and their twin children. She attended North Central University in Minneapolis Minnesota for Childrens Ministry. She was also a children's pastor, bookseller and children's librarian.

Books published by Chanda include the UnEnchanted series a.k.a. (Unfortunate Fairy Tale Series) and The Iron Butterfly series.

Chanda is represented by Mark Gottlieb at Trident Media Group. You can direct any inquiries regarding foreign, film, audio and translation rights to him. www.tridentmediagroup.com

Reviews

[Shelby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me start by saying Chanda Hahn is one of my favorite authors, and I have read all of her books, but I cannot believe I waited 13 months for this. I barely even wanted to finish this book. We got to a rough start in April when she announced that Lost Boy was to come out in June and Underlord in November. Then that was it, nothing. I do believe she moved last year during that time, but no blog posts or updates to inform us that it would be delayed. Suddenly in October, I received an email stating Lost Boy would be released in November. By the time I read it, I didn't remember much of Lost Girl, but something was not clicking.

After reading Lost Girl, we know that Wendy was shot and was resurrected with no memory. I don’t know if she was trying to make us feel what Wendy was feeling with new characters and no explanation, or what because it was poorly done.
The story is extremely repetitive and rushed. For example, Wendy is constantly kidnapped, and Jax gained a new love interest with a girl who has been unconscious since he first laid eyes on her. The two know everything about each other, though I don’t know how because she is UNCONCIOUS THE WHOLE TIME. Wendy and this girl seriously should be best friends with the number of times they have been unconscious.

I have every reason to believe that all the five-star reviews are her Chanda Liers. I’ve checked Amazon, KOBO, iBooks, BN (all the sites she requires Chanda Liers to review), and Goodreads. Every review has five stars, and let me tell you now: this is NOT a five-star book. (Her other books don’t even have five-star reviews, and on KOBO the only book of hers that has five stars is Lost, Boy. The same goes for BN). Now I understand if others truly found this book amazing, but I can’t tell between the two. If Chanda thought that this book was going to be as good as the others without support, then why would she create a support team? If people keep raving about books that continue to lack everything that makes a Chanda Hahn book good, then no one is going to trust her anymore and she will lose readers. This book makes me happy I didn’t sign up to be a Chanda Lier.

Something else that irritates me about the Chanda Liers is that she makes it a requirement to read at least one of her books before signing up, but when I checked out the form, under what books have you read, one option was:

“I haven’t read any yet but I’m willing to try!”

You're joking, right?

Also, she makes it pretty clear that if you haven’t reviewed her books at all, you’re not a true fan. Really? Just because I don’t feel like writing reviews for all of her books means I’m not a true fan? Even though I bought and read all her books (digitally and physical copies) and got all my friends to read them means nothing because I couldn’t write a review I guess.

“4. Must have left a review for my books. (AND leave a link to your review of my book from AMAZON, iBooks, BN, or KOBO. (This is how I know if your a legit fan and have read the books) You never know with people nowadays.” (Do you want to be part of my launch team? http://chandahahn.com/).

THERE IS EVEN A TYPO IN THERE! Just like there are typos in this book.

Characters: These were the main characters with the most change.

Wendy- I understand she lost her memory, but seriously she is annoying. She wants something in one sentence, and in the next she instantly hated it. And she does it way too often. Wendy is one of the most annoying, irritating, and indecisive characters I have ever read about.
Wendy decided she did not want to go on a date with someone she said yes to three sentences ago. Then on the way to the date she decided that

“dating was the worst." (Hahn, 100)

She is teetering on the edge of being a Mary Sue as well.

Peter- So remember how cute and bubbly peter was in the first book? Yeah, well forget about him. New Peter is now obsessive, and possessive. You can still see his little quirky remarks, but it’s just a shadow of who he was.

Jax- I just don’t know anymore. He is madly in love with Wendy and tries to protect her from the other side. Well, all of a sudden, some new girl is introduced, and he is madly in love with her now too. I guess Chanda is trying to create drama, but seriously?

“The time had come to choose a side. Neverland or Neverwood. Protect Alice or Wendy. He wasn’t ready to make that choice.” (Hahn, 92).

Tink- So, one injury by someone and she instantly loves them? She also cries often in this book. Other than that she is the same.

Plot:
Okay so it’s just a repetitive story. The same old same old. Wendy got captured, Peter goes after her, Tink curses, and the Red Skulls get angry. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Wow someone got hurt for someone else? Shocker. There are some random and scary situations randomly thrown in and a lot of situations left me confused. This book was so rushed, and it was so slow to read.
I do not understand Wendy’s new family at all. I think she got new parents again? And I don’t know when Michael left and John came in? I don’t know.

Love Interest:
Ahhhhhhhhhhh I really don’t know anymore. As the plot and characters were falling apart, I was still going for that strong love interest Chanda always pulls through with. Thalia and Kael, and Mina and Jared (Teague). Yeah, no. There was such an “intense” love-hate toxic relationship going on between Wendy and Peter, that I don’t even ship it anymore. I don’t ship anyone in this book anymore.

SPOILER SUMMARY

This is a summary for those who want a more in-depth view before purchasing it as a gift, or proof I’m not lying, or if you don’t even want to read this book anymore.
Okay so, we begin with Wendy waking up in her bedroom dazed and confused. Peter sits in a nearby tree watching her like a creep. Her brother, John (who I don’t even know where he came from), explains what her previous life was like and she goes to school. Everyone got the memo but the cheer squad that she has no memory of, but then she runs away crying and gets kidnapped all before we hit chapter 6. Then it takes like four chapters to save her and Peter somehow thinks that a vague explanation, a fly around town, and a kiss, will make her remember. Then she continuously gets hit on by her old crush and we get a prime example of Wendy being indecisive.

“She could feel Peter’s jealousy, and the full effect of him being near her washed over her, making her knees go weak, and her cheeks flushed.” (Hahn, 95). Three sentences later we get:
“In an attempt to save her, Peter gripped her arm and pulled her to his side. How dare he? He had to right to assume she needed his help.” (Hahn, 95).

OKAY, okay okay…………

She didn’t even really like the boy asking her out and she accepted to go on a date with him solely to piss off Peter. Later we find out he’s a drug addict, who just wanted a one-night stand for his collection. Then it’s date night and we see a glimpse of the old Peter, then Wendy fights a morphling, and she does it all by herself because she “remembers”.

Then Wendy goes home like nothing happened, and scared the crap out of people. Then she gets kidnapped (again) in the school library along with her ex-BFF and then all of a sudden, she is in her bedroom again, and guess who’s there? Yep, Peter. Then the police take her in for interrogation and blame her for everyone disappearing. Wendy’s parents show up and demand to take her home, and then a morphling appears and attacks the car. It hydroplanes, and they teeter on the edge of a quarry when it falls, and Peter saves Wendy from a fiery death. Wendy tells Peter she hates him for not saving her parents.

“Don’t you ever touch me again. I hate you, Peter, and your tales of Neverland. I wish I had never met you. I wish that you had never come into my life. If it weren’t for you, then they’d still be alive.” (Hahn, 184).

Then she goes to the hospital, and John is mad at her because she is the reason the morphling attacked the car and his parents died. Yes, he said his.

“My parents, not our parents. The word choice wasn’t lost on Wendy.” (Hahn, 189).

Dr. Mee shows up and injects Wendy with some serum and she gets all her memories back, and then a Red skull comes to kidnap her (again). Jax shows up and the two fight Wendy now can control the shadows and then they end up at neverwood. Blah blah blah, serious battle, Peter dies like two times, but he pans, and Neverland pretty much captures all the Lost Boys except for Jax, Tink, John, Michael, Tootles, Slightly, Ditto, and Wendy. They use Peter against the remaining Lost Boys but it was just a copy of what she did in Silver Siren when Kael was turned against Thalia. I understand Chanda uses copies of things in her books (Joss and Brody being the same). But, using the same conflict? Come on Chanda, you’re better than that.

I know there is a lot more, but I have over 20 pages of prime examples that irritated me to no end. I hope Chanda will improve with Lost Shadow, Underlord, and anything else she writes. I loved the Iron Butterfly series and an Unfortunate Fairytale series. Lost Girl was brilliant, and it is a shame to see the second book flop. This book just was not for me.

*I wrote this review when I was 15 and I've fixed the grammar here and there, but I don't feel like rewriting it - I lowkey think it's funny, and I still agree with it. Thanks for the support :)

{~* Want to follow me? https://linktr.ee/shelbyyyyyyrrrr *~}

[H]

ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod

HOW DID I NOT KNOW THE COVER CAME OUT.
I am a disappointment to the world.

[Taylor Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Hahn has out done herself! Lost Boy was everything I needed and wanted in a sequel!
The action and adventure she can pack into her books is truly awe inspiring. I always feel like I’m right in the middle of the action.
Once Neverland has its Hook in you, you can’t ever truly escape.
I’d love to see what she can do with other fairytale classics. If they could be anything like this, I’d jump on that bandwagon in a heartbeat.

[Lucy Anne Holland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Lost Girl! It is one of my favourite Peter Pan retellings. It was so original and exciting.
Lost Boy was enjoyable as well. It was fun to continue the adventures of Wendy, Peter, Jax, John, Tink, etc. I was especially intrigued by how Wendy would handle her situation since the last events of Lost Girl left her with no memories. This was an exciting twist and created numerous complications. Through it all, though, Wendy grew stronger and more independent. It feels as if in this story, she became a true warrior. I also enjoyed the development of the shadows and how they played a larger, more intimate, role in Lost Boy. Hopefully, this continues in Lost Shadow.
And about that ending… It broke my heart! No spoilers, so I won’t say anything else, but it was so distressing and left me worried about what will happen next.
Despite the exciting points, I felt that there was a lot left unsaid. Where exactly did Wendy and Peter’s relationship end off? Whose side is Jax really on? Why doesn’t he just tell the lost boys what’s going on instead of telling them that they must release him or else bad things will happen? And the movie theatre scene with Jeremey? A little cringy and unrealistic. If they had really been talking that much, the other viewers would have kicked them out.
There was also a number of grammatical errors which was disappointing because the first book was better in that department.
Lastly, this was a clean read, although, Tink’s swearing is frequently mentioned.

In spite of feeling a little let down by Lost Boy, I am still looking forward to reading Lost Shadow.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely insane! The plot twists were crazy!

[Melenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wendy remembers who she is, Peter faces off against Jax. There is a traitor you don't expect. As the battlefield clears and losses are assessed, Wendy and the remaining lost boys face a choice, and Wendy finally embraces who she is.

[Marcie · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you liked Lost Girl you will love this book. Because it’s the same book. I thought this might happen after LG’s ending, but I hoped resolution to that story would come quickly. It did not.

SPOILERS

Is Jax a traitor? Still don’t know. Are Peter and Wendy together? Nope. Did anything progress? Well, we got one sentence on Wendy and Michael’s past, and unfortunately the parents weren’t meshing with the whole orphan thing, so they had to go. In the end Peter’s dead and a traitor’s on the loose. Here we go again.

[Megan Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is AMAZING! Probably even better than the first. I love that Wendy isnt some helpless girl who needs a guy to come and save her. She is just as powerful if not more than the others. The ending was very good. Cant wait to read the next book!

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is... strange.

First of all, I think the typos and grammatical errors actually increased in number, so their replacement editor needs to be replaced.
Second, the characters... I guess I just felt like they really weren't consistent, either with the first book or the previous chapter. Wendy feels grief, and hate, and then suddenly it all fizzles down to nothing. She feels borderline panic and then calm, and she can't decide what to do about Peter. I thought he was pretty annoying in most of this book, too.
Third, what is up with all the plot repetition? Wendy is captured again and again, and then either Wendy or Peter dies at the end and then the next book has to circle back around to memory loss!

Perhaps the largest complaint I have is that this book read like a fanfic. I never really grasped what Wendy's shadows looked like or other important details -- maybe too much telling, not enough showing? Also, side note: there are so many freaking blondes in this book (and this detail is mentioned many times per character) that I wondered if everyone with darker hair color knew to stay away from this program in the first place.
The tone of this book was definitely darker than the tone of the last one, but I don't think the characters or the writing style ever really caught up. It was like trying to explain the evils of, forgive me for the extreme comparison, the Holocaust to a bunch of toddlers. The longer the story continued, the greater the gap between the content and the style.

Finally, I'd just like to state that I'm kind of offended by Hahn's biography. She says that she "uses her experience as a children's pastor, children's bookseller and librarian to write compelling and popular fiction for teens." What?? I'm a teenager, and while I did finish this book within a day it's also not very long and doesn't actually contain a lot of meat. At the very least, this should be changed to say "young teens" or something because once again, I felt like everything about this book was dumbed down. Teenagers are much more intelligent than adults would like to believe.

If I do read the next book, it won't be to finish the story. I've no experience with writing, but I'm sure my imagination is more exciting than hers.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an Arc for an honest review*

Amaze-balls! This was the perfect sequel to Lost Girl. We continue to follow the Lost Boys, Wendy, and Tink along their fight against Neverland and uncover more dark secrets to Hook's sinister plot. Once again the interactions between all of the characters and the fact that Wendy is not at all a damsel in distress makes the perfect combo in this story. Still full of adventure, action, thriller, magic and romance! There are so many unexpected surprises and twists that I found myself gasping and giggling at how creative and coy Ms. Hahn was and once the story ended I literally cried at how good it was and at the fact that I'd have to wait for the next one in this series. Chanda Hahn you've worked your magic again!

[Chrysta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this second installment of this series. Such a fun twist on the classic Peter Pan. I love how the twist continue and the twisted world of Neverland continues to be such a scary wild place. Wendy is starting to grow into her own and find out who she truly is. I’m so excited to continue on with the next book in this series!

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book in the Neverwood Chronicles series. Retelling of Peter Pan set in contemporary time. Captain Hook is an evil villain trying to create a serum that changes captured teens into super warriors. Wendy, Peter and the Lost Boys are determined to stop him. Destruction and death are inevitable.

[Christie Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I liked the characters in Lost Girl, but fell in love with all of the lost boys in this book. I definitely suggest picking up Lost Girl and this one if you’re looking for a good series.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maze runner/shatter me meets Peter Pan!!!

Omg!!! I absolutely loveeee this!!! wendy is sooo strong now, peter is a sweetheart!! I LOVE HIM and I love the lost boys and John, Tink and the others!!! The story is even more captivating!!! The shocking moments!!! More action and emotions!!!! Love it

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, a second in the series was one of the most original ideas I've ever read. Every time I read a line that reminded me of the story we all know of Peter Pan I smiled.
The characters continue to fight against Neverland and the project that has taken many lives, including some of the Lost Boys.
Between shadows, panning, and Hook this book is a non-stop ride. I cannot wait for the next book in the series. I will definitely be pre-ordering as soon as I possibly can!

5 AMAZING ORIGINAL STARS!!!!

[Kathy Osborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost Boy is the 2nd book of The Neverwood Chronicles and a must read from start to finish. I read the Lost Girl and was blown away and I wasn't disappointed in Lost Boy, as it to is a must read also.

The story continues with Peter and Wendy, but now we have more of Hook coming to make things a bit more interesting to say the least. Neverwood is a place where Peter, lost boys and Tink fled to after leaving Neverland. Now Neverwood is in danger and everyone who resides as Hook wants the boys back.

Wendy's powers have become an asset to her and I love how she adapts to learning how to deal with everything from the past to the present. Peter will do anything for Wendy, but now Neverwood is at risk. Does his love for her put them in danger of being returned to Neverland.

No spoilers here as this is too good to give away and wait until you get to the end if will blow you away....

Chanda Hahn does a fantastic job of weaving this classic tale into to something new and exciting. Come and enjoy the ride as it not one that will be forgotten and you will crave more. I highly recommend this series for all ages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Series: The Neverwood Chronicles Book 2 need to read book 1 to get the whole experience.
Characters: Very balanced, intriguing and engages the reader.
Writing: Smooth, developed and well paced.
Storyline: A unique twist of the classic tale of Peter Pan.

5 Koala Paws

[Maé · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I really loved Lost Girl, I absolutely had to start the sequel right away, especially with the way things ended. As Wendy completely lost all memory of Peter and her time at Neverwoods, the Lost Boys still try to take care of him from afar. But it will be even harder with her missing memories, as Hook and his Red Skulls are getting closer and closer.

“Never again,” he breathed, his voice stoic. “Each time, it almost kills me.”
“What does?” she said, feeling her walls crumbling as her anger toward Peter began to dissipate.
“Losing you. I can’t lose you again,” Peter said, his voice husky with emotion.
“Then, don’t,” she said, as she saw the desire in his eyes. “And if you do, make sure you find me.”
He didn’t hesitate this time as he pulled her toward him. His response came in the gentle claiming of her lips.
A silent promise of always.

Where the plot of the first book was consistently strong, this one completely lost itself in the beginning. The first part of the book is almost entirely a high school romance, as Peter is trying to get closer to Wendy, and she’s struggling with her feelings for him and the way she’s alienated at school. The second act completely changes perspective, as Wendy slowly gets closer to the Lost Boys, but keeps going back and forth on what she’s feeling, and the tragedy striking her doesn’t help her in resolving her feelings. And then we have the final part, which is definitely the strongest bit of the book, as the fight begins between the Lost Boys and the Red Skulls. Each part felt too distinctly different to the others, and it frustrated me a little bit.

I kinda felt like there were some plot holes at times, or just things that were told to us that never mattered whatsoever. For example, it’s told that the Lost Boys start to have distrust in Peter, as he gets more and more focused on Wendy. His leadership is wavering. Of course, this seems like a pretty big deal, especially on the verge of a war with the Red Skulls. Does it ever have any consequence whatsoever? Absolutely not. We only ever see the same Lost Boys, and they still follow Peter as closely as ever. We’re not even shown any doubt in their mind, and we just have to trust Tink saying these things. It was frustrating. And the book is riddled of discrepancies like this one.

“Are you afraid to die?” She laughed, and Wendy realized that despite the girl’s willingness to brag about her plans, she knew very little about Wendy.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Wendy answered, letting confidence fill her. (…) “Death is not the end. It’s the beginning.”

The POVs are still shared between Peter and Wendy, but we also get the POV of Jax for the first time. I was really excited about it, as he seemed like a very interesting and complex about it. Sadly, he just felt confused and confusing during the entire time. I genuinely don’t understand what he’s trying to do, and even his own feelings were always all over the place. One second he’s talking about his crush on Wendy, the next he’s saying he’s in love with a random sleeping girl he never even talked to. He’s definitely not the complex character I was hoping for, and definitely felt more like a mess.

Wendy completely lost me compared to who she was in Lost Girl. I understand that losing your memory and forgetting everything that you are can be really impactful to you as a character, and I was actually excited to see her struggle this fine line between what’s written in her being and what she learns anew. But that just made her to be a really fickle character. She keeps changing her mind all the time, especially regarding her feelings for Peter. She can hate him then wants to jump his bones in a matter of lines, and it was so annoying. Peter actively warned her about something, she decided to be selfish and ignore his warning, and she then blamed HIM when said thing happened later on. And it was never even acknowledged either, that she was in the wrong and accused someone else for it. Peter himself was the only one to apologise. It was so frustrating, and very out of character for MY Wendy, and the Wendy we used to know in the first book.

“I know you don’t believe me, Wendy, but I promise you it’s true. You know me . . . Can’t you feel it?” Peter took a few slow steps toward her and held out his hand.
She slipped her palm into his, as if transfixed, and he drew her into a nearby alley. Slowly, he pulled her close to him, and she moved in, willingly, longingly.
“You know me,” he said softly. “And I know you.”

Peter is faithful to how he was depicted in Lost Girl. He’s still a bit too perfect to be real, but honestly it just felt good to have a character I could 100% trust. He’s so caring towards the Lost Boys, even if his priorities in this novel were more cantered around Wendy. He’s ready to do anything to protect her, but he still respected her wishes if she wanted him to leave her (which was, every other page). He did feel a bit stalker-ish at times, with how he kept watching her from afar, but it made sense since Wendy literally had no sense of self-preservation at all.

This book has a lot more flaws than Lost Girl, but I still devoured it in barely a few days. I complained a lot, but I will say it’s very easy to read, and at least very entertaining. I know I’ll start the third book right away, though I’m terrified on how things will play out. Hopefully, as the third focuses more on the war between Lost Boys and Red Skulls, the plot will stay more focused, and I’ll be hooked to the story more easily.

[Lenore Kosinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://celebrityreaders.com/2019/07/...

3.5 stars — While this one had some ups and downs for me, I was still compelled by the story…so much so I stayed up until 3am finishing it.

Wendy was a bit harder to connect with in this one. Because of her loss of memories, we actually lost a lot of what connected us to her, and of course she didn’t know Peter, or her family, or anyone. I found that her emotions were all over the place and changed at the drop of a hat…she was very mercurial. I get that Ms. Hahn is trying to show us the confusion and effect of panning, but it really just made Wendy kind of unlikable. She wouldn’t listen to her heart, and so she was kind of a bitch to Peter. AND OMG HOT AND COLD. It dragged on for longer than I thought was necessary…it started to feel repetitive.

Peter was still super mischievous, but he was dealing with a lot of emotions as well. His reactions to Wendy could be kind of over the top as well. Honestly, I don’t know why he’s 3 years older than Wendy, because he certainly doesn’t act like it. And I get it, Peter Pan is supposed to be holding on to his childhood…but, I don’t know. He could have done that at 17 just as easily.

While Wendy and Peter were yo-yo-ing all over the place, I found what captured my attention was all the other little details in the story. From Michael’s gifts, Jax’s reasons, John’s introduction, John and Tink’s strange flirtations….just all those little things helped keep me wanting to read more and more. I also really enjoyed the development with Wendy’s gift, and the things she learned with the Shadows. It seriously fascinated me.

The ending was, like, super intense and tragic and I don’t know how to feel about it. I didn’t feel enough emotions at some of the tragedies as I feel like I should have. I don’t know why. But yet other things had me on the edge of my seat. It’s a super dark version of Peter Pan in so many ways. I mean, I get in the original story that Hook is horrible, and they have battles, but there is *death* and killing in this one. It was, just, unexpected.

The ending definitely has me one-clicking the final book to see how it’s going to “pan” out though (sorry, couldn’t resist).

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally published on my blog, Living a Hundred Lives

I was really looking forward to this book ever since I finished reading the Lost Girl! I used to love the story of Peter Pan and there was no way to stop me from reading the contemporary retelling of his story! I adored Chanda Hahn after I just finished the first book,

I remember how I marked the date on my calendar on the Lost Boy’s release on Kindle and I can gladly say that oh boy, it was really worth the wait and read! Everything is like a masterpiece, professionally and wonderfully written. I loved how the characters are made. I loved how Wendy is one of the lost boys, or a lost girl. Peter Pan is a leader like he used to in the classic fairytale.

The lost boys were all given unique names and powers like a super brain, medusa-like gaze that will turn everyone into stone, teleporting, flying and a lot more other things. I fell inlove with the characters and wished that I could all hold them and live with them in the academy.

I loved how Chanda Hahn managed to give The Story of Peter Pan a wonderful twist. I simply loved the unexpected twists and turns on the story. It was like a puzzle, the pieces were wonderfully put altogether. I recommend everyone to first read the Lost Girl although you wouldn’t feel really lost by reading Lost Boy first.

The book was filled with action-packed scenes and plot twists that will surely make readers ask and look for more! I was on the very edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it! I was easily hooked and managed to finished this read faster than I was expecting it. There were also scenes that will make you fall inlove or even cry. It’s like a roller coaster of emotions in one book.

I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars! I totally recommend this to every reader especially to Peter Pan fans and someone who loves fantasy.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. When I saw that Chanda Hahn had a Peter Pan style book series out, my interest was immediately peaked. However I held off until I knew the second novel would be out soon to start reading because I know she’s great for cliff hangers that leave you desperate for more immediately. Now that I’ve read Lost Boy I realize I should have waited for the release of book three for my little plan to work.

On the other hand though, seeing the progression of all the characters through the first to second book was amazing. Every single character has developed more back story, more depth, and even the ones you just want to slap endear themselves at some point.

Wendy begins the novel having recently “panned” and has no memory. She doesn’t know her family, her past, or who she really is. Her dreams are haunted by a beautiful boy with green eyes and falling only to have him catch her. Imagine her surprise when that boy suddenly appears, no longer just a dream, but real and trying to save her from the dreaded Red Skulls.

My favourite character development is Wendy’s adoptive brother Jon. I was never a fan of his character in the original cartoon, but I like him in this book. He finds his own niche among the group and even gets a love interest that had me squeeing out loud.

This novel keeps you guessing not just at what will happen next, but who each character will be next. Wendy, Jon, Jax, even Peter, are completely different people at the end then who they were at the start. I’m excited to see where they all finally end up when the next book does arrive.

[Carly Conner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wendy remembers nothing. She wakes up in a world she is unfamiliar with. There are people around her that she can tell she is close to but can't tell how she knows them. She meets her family, they know her, but she knows nothing about them. She sees herself in family pictures. She is trying to figure out who she was, who she is now, and who she is going to be. At school people recognize her as the girl that disappeared and came back without her memories. Wendy feels like people treat her as like a child. She doesn't like all the attention she is getting. On top of all that, people are going missing. She sees shadows. Then she starts seeing monsters and people around her start disappearing. Now Wendy is even more confused. Why does she see the shadows? Why doesn't she remember? Why is an attractive boy named Peter following her and trying to get her to go with him to this place he calls Neverwood. How could she have another brother? In the end Wendy decides who matters most in her life and where her loyalty lies. I felt like I was fighting Wendy's internal battles with her as she put the pieces of her life together. The book left me wanting more! I think we all can relate to the challenges Wendy faces in a way. We are all trying to figure out who we are and where we should go, who we should develop our relationships with, and who we have become. I personally am trying to figure this out. I loved how the story was different from the original Peter Pan story but had clever hints at similarities besides the obvious name similarities. I highly recommend reading this book!

[Samantha Colbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty solid overall. I felt it was a nice continuation of the story. It wasn't super deep or difficult to understand, but I don't think that it needs to be. It does leave a lot of unanswered questions, but that's why there's another book in the series. I saw the twist on this one coming from pretty far out, so that wasn't a big surprise to me (again, it's at the very end of the book). I felt that it did what it needed to do for a part two. It increased the drama, put the characters in a difficult spot and sets everything up for a climactic ending. I often don't like the 2nd part of a series because it feels like a bridge and nothing really happens. I found this book to be a lot of that, but I wasn't upset about it. I'm glad to know how we're going to get from book 1 to book 3 and this book was necessary, but maybe not the literary classic of our time.
That being said, the writing style, once again, was one that just encouraged me to keep turning pages to see what was going to happen next. What was going to be said, who was going to do what, it kept me engaged and interested, which is what I really like in a book, so that was all positive for me!
This is probably not my favorite book by this author, but I really did enjoy it, I don't regret reading it, and I'm excited to read the conclusion.
I'd recommend reading this book to people who:
Read the first one and liked it,
Enjoy a new twist on an old story,
Enjoy young adult literature.

[Laila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lost boy picks up a few weeks after Wendy’s panning from Lost Girl. Disoriented and unable to recollect her childhood before adoption with the Darlings and now weeks of missing. No one knowing where she went or how she got back. Trying to get back to normal is proving to be difficult and wendy can’t stop feeling as though she is somehow connected to the reports of kids disappearing.

Pan feels as though he did what was best for Wendy by bringing her back home to the Darlings, but worries he can’t protect her from Hook and the red sculls outside of Neverwood. With Jax missing and his betrayal fresh at Neverwood, peter struggles with his new responsibilities with the lost boys and understanding why Jax would leave.

This was a treat! I enjoyed this book so much. Wendy tires of being weak and vulnerable and finds her strength and gifts! I love her and Peter and want so much more of them together. I enjoyed learning more about each persons past and seeing how it plays a part in who they are.

I have many new questions about Jax and his mystery pod girl. I am looking forward to seeing the lost boys, Peter and Wendy find a way out of Hook’s grasp or defeating him in the next book!!! Pretty angry with Curly. More so than Jax!

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

With this second installment of The Neverwood Chronicles, I found myself swept away yet again on a wild ride of action, suspense, and witty dialog. This modern day reimagining of Peter Pan takes elements from the original fairy tale and transforms them into a modern day epic tale of love, loss, and sacrifice.

The pacing was perfect and felt effortless as the twists and turns of the story enticed me to read one more chapter, one more page. Just as with all her books, I never fully knew what was going to happen next. That kind of storytelling is immensely entertaining and exactly why I keep coming back for more. Hahn's writing style and voice propelled the story along, despite a few grammatical errors. In each setting, I found it easy to visualize the events unfolding and feel the atmosphere of the room. Her language was vibrant and compelling, though there were a few moments where I was wanting more from Wendy.

There was so much depth for her characters that made it easy to empathize with their struggles. The characters were engaging and individualistic, which only added to a vivid plot. I loved getting to see more of the lost boys and their powers and how each boy has something different to offer in their fight against Hook and the organization that hunts them. Peter and Wendy's relationship continues to develop, though not at all how I pictured it would, and I love it. As the characters gear up for an epic ending, I'm once again thrilled after this book and eagerly waiting for the next.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in the Nook format. The format was flawed with many errors, most I believe being typographical. Missing words I had to fill in. Some grammatical inaccuracies. Some misspellings and missing letters in word endings. There were problems, though, in character names and poor language usage, assumptions that as a reader I might fill in using context to make the story understandable. More than once, Wendy’s father was called John, her brother’s name, instead of George, which was actually her father’s name. It bothered me. An editor should really be scolded for letting these errors pass. Otherwise, the story’s premise is interesting, if not always delivered well in writing. I’m not really interested in reading the last installment. I’ve pretty much figured out what is going to happen and I don’t want to endure a long sequel of Wendy’s whining and pining over Peter. Overall, this second installment was lackadaisical. Better than a 2. Not quite a 3.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost Boy is absolutely amazing! The story is fascinating because it’s classic Peter Pan with a new and exciting twist. Chanda has a way of making me fall in love with most of her characters while greatly disliking the rest. I feel like there is no in between with her. I either love them or hate them. The sequel picks up a few weeks after Lost Girl ended when Wendy panned and Peter chose to take her back to her parents. Wendy has to learn everything all over again including her love for Peter. I find it fascinating how strong Wendy gets in this one. She spends so much time finding out who she is and how her power fits into her story. The twists and turns keeps it interesting and exciting. The ending came too soon and I already can’t wait until the third book comes out. I love it so much I highly recommend Lost Boy to any and everyone.

[Magi · Rating 5 out of 5]

No spoilers here really, just a fangirl.

Did you love Lost Girl? Well your Definitely going to love Lost Boy!
I fell in love with the Neverwood Chronicls and Chanda's spin on the 'Neverland' tale, already being a huge fan of her other books, she has not disappointed with Neverwood Chronicles.
(Just like I was with Lost Girl) I could not put it down, and even neglected my daily chores to finish this book and when I did I was already dying for the 3rd book, Lost Shadows!
I was on the edge of my seat! I laughed, I teared up, I felt for the characters and what they were going trough and every time Wendy and Peter had moments together I screamed internally because they are one of the cutest, purist, strongest pair I have ever read about. Do I ship them hard? Extremely.
It's amazing, thrilling, funny, adorable and fun!

[Megan | A Page to Turn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven’t read Lost Girl by Chanda Hahn… stop reading here and go pick it up! This is the second book in the series, and you need to read the first one to understand the world these books take place in. There is a lot of development in the first book that you don’t get here. This is a spin on a classic tale, but it’s done with so much care, and literally kept me at the edge of my seat for chapters at a time.

Lost Boy picks up shortly after we left these amazing characters at the end of Lost Girl. The Neverwood Chronicles started with a huge bang, and I felt like this book, book two, definitely kept up the momentum! I really loved that it didn’t feel like a typical sequel - more of an extension of Lost Girl. It gave us a whole new set of thrilling adventures, as well as some amazing and colorful characters! I can’t wait for the next book in the series to release!

[Kylee George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost boy- this one was alright. I’ve always loved Chanda’s works and will always recommend her. She’s my favorite author. She’s the main reason I fell in love with reading. I admit I’ve never been a huge fan of Peter Pan and have always thought Wendy was a snob in all the stories ever written, I do really like this one. Although the constant needing someone makes me feel like there’s too much clinginess.
Kind of an immature clinginess? It is cute, but feelings change. Maybe more of a real-world perspective is needed. There were grammatical errors, but to be completely honest I appreciate those because it reminds me that even the best authors are human. :) not only does it have a good storyline though, but all of Chanda’s covers are eye-catchers. (As always)