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Hook & Crown #1
Hook & Crown
You've heard of Neverland and its inhabitants... fairies, pirates, mermaids, and a boy who didn't want to grow up. But you can't always believe the stories. In the vein of Aiden Thomas’ Peter Pan retelling, Lost in the Never Woods , Hook & Crown is perfect for readers who crave fresh, modern twists on classic tales.
“Where do I even begin with this book?! As a lifelong fan of Peter Pan I am a sucker for retellings and this one blew my mind. This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions that I can only hope to share with the world. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a dark and gritty retelling with some plot twists that will leave you breathless!”
- Verified Reviewer
Elena Hart arrives in London, bound for a new boarding school operated by her estranged uncle. A fresh start is exactly what she needs. But when strange things begin happening, things she can't explain, she begins to wonder if she’s losing her senses. Then, a strange girl appears in her room one night, claiming to be a fairy tasked with bringing Elena to Neverland at the request of its ruler.
Skeptical, Elena refuses, until a young man with strange green eyes appears. Although she tries to resist his charm, something about him allays her doubts, and Elena is whisked away from the world she knows to one she always thought was make-believe.
But Neverland is nothing like the stories Elena grew up hearing, and she quickly learns that the boundary between the righteous and the wicked is hardly clear-cut. She must decide for herself who the heroes and villains are, or if there are truly any at all.
“Where do I even begin with this book?! As a lifelong fan of Peter Pan I am a sucker for retellings and this one blew my mind. This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions that I can only hope to share with the world. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a dark and gritty retelling with some plot twists that will leave you breathless!”
- Verified Reviewer
Elena Hart arrives in London, bound for a new boarding school operated by her estranged uncle. A fresh start is exactly what she needs. But when strange things begin happening, things she can't explain, she begins to wonder if she’s losing her senses. Then, a strange girl appears in her room one night, claiming to be a fairy tasked with bringing Elena to Neverland at the request of its ruler.
Skeptical, Elena refuses, until a young man with strange green eyes appears. Although she tries to resist his charm, something about him allays her doubts, and Elena is whisked away from the world she knows to one she always thought was make-believe.
But Neverland is nothing like the stories Elena grew up hearing, and she quickly learns that the boundary between the righteous and the wicked is hardly clear-cut. She must decide for herself who the heroes and villains are, or if there are truly any at all.
212 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 11, 2019
125 people are currently reading
1396 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Knapp
3 books45 followersNicole Knapp is originally from California, currently living in Oklahoma. She loves to read and write Young Adult Romance, fantasy, and the classics. The Missing Piece is available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle version. Hook & Crown, a dark and twisted retelling of Peter Pan, is set to release in Autumn 2019 from Parliament House Publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
June 11, 2019
Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the publisher, The Parliament House Press, for an honest review.
Opinion:
A retelling of Peter Pan where Neverland isn’t the free and magical place that we all remember.
It’s a beautiful place with a dark and sinister atmosphere.
And one where pretty girls are pulled from their bedrooms to be Queen.
I have been waiting months for this release.
…
Unfortunately.
The result was…not stellar.
I wanted to LOVE this book. I have been SO incredibly excited for it’s release, and even more happy that I was gifted a copy of the book by the publisher in exchange for a review. So when I started Hook & Crown, I dove RIGHT in and started devouring it. But the problem was…well…
There was a lot of problems.
There is ZERO connection to characters, barely any world building in London or Neverland (though there is SLIGHTLY more in Neverland), there is an excessive amount of useless information thrown at the reader, the story takes way too long to get going, there is Insta-love like you wouldn’t believe, and a lot of contradictory moments by way of dialogue and plot. It felt like the author was rushing towards certain moments that she was really excited to write about, but when she got there, she rushed through those moments too until everything felt disingenuous.
Elena is seventeen and starts out complaining profusely about men and how she doesn’t trust them, even though her first glance at a guy results in immediate eyelash batting and awkwardly forced flirting. Kind of contradictory, right? The funny thing is, Elena does this the ENTIRE book! She INSTANTLY switches her opinions/feelings if someone contradicts them, characters who don’t even know her say that she’s fiery, but the reader is never shown proof, and it takes her an embarrassingly short amount of time to fall for a guy and get naked before she goes back to a different guy.
Aiden (Peter Pan) and Will (Captain Hook) are two other main characters, but I really don’t have much to say about them since I made no connection to them at all. They are both possessive and obsessive with Elena, and it’s not an enjoyable love triangle in the slightest. It’s weird, uncomfortable, forced, and I really don’t get it. There is also an instance where Aiden comes into his quarters and finds Elena drunk, makes a comment about how drunk she is and how he wishes he were more drunk, and then they have sex.
Yea. That’s super dreamy.
There isn’t a buildup of danger or mystery anywhere during this book either. Everything is given away to the reader WAY too soon. It’s a repetitive cycle of “Hey, guess what happens. But before you do, I’m going to give you the answer”. The writing is very “list” oriented – “I ate, then I showered, then I put these series of clothes on, then I sat down in bed, then I dreamed of this, then I woke up, then I did all that again” – and doesn’t let the reader come to any conclusions on their own. The author has a habit of telling the reader everything about the characters, but in a way that isn’t believable and leaves you feeling turned-off and annoyed. Things are brushed over too quickly and left unexplained, names are thrown out at random (Elena doesn’t even learn Will’s name until AFTER she has sex with him -_-), and you barely meet any other characters.
I feel like this review turned way more negative than I intended, but it was really hard for me to find a lot of positives. I appreciate the effort and intention this author put into this work, but it just needed a LOT more edits. It seems like this could also be the first book in a series, but I do not plan on continuing. This was enough for me.
Opinion:
A retelling of Peter Pan where Neverland isn’t the free and magical place that we all remember.
It’s a beautiful place with a dark and sinister atmosphere.
And one where pretty girls are pulled from their bedrooms to be Queen.
I have been waiting months for this release.
…
Unfortunately.
The result was…not stellar.
I wanted to LOVE this book. I have been SO incredibly excited for it’s release, and even more happy that I was gifted a copy of the book by the publisher in exchange for a review. So when I started Hook & Crown, I dove RIGHT in and started devouring it. But the problem was…well…
There was a lot of problems.
There is ZERO connection to characters, barely any world building in London or Neverland (though there is SLIGHTLY more in Neverland), there is an excessive amount of useless information thrown at the reader, the story takes way too long to get going, there is Insta-love like you wouldn’t believe, and a lot of contradictory moments by way of dialogue and plot. It felt like the author was rushing towards certain moments that she was really excited to write about, but when she got there, she rushed through those moments too until everything felt disingenuous.
Elena is seventeen and starts out complaining profusely about men and how she doesn’t trust them, even though her first glance at a guy results in immediate eyelash batting and awkwardly forced flirting. Kind of contradictory, right? The funny thing is, Elena does this the ENTIRE book! She INSTANTLY switches her opinions/feelings if someone contradicts them, characters who don’t even know her say that she’s fiery, but the reader is never shown proof, and it takes her an embarrassingly short amount of time to fall for a guy and get naked before she goes back to a different guy.
Aiden (Peter Pan) and Will (Captain Hook) are two other main characters, but I really don’t have much to say about them since I made no connection to them at all. They are both possessive and obsessive with Elena, and it’s not an enjoyable love triangle in the slightest. It’s weird, uncomfortable, forced, and I really don’t get it. There is also an instance where Aiden comes into his quarters and finds Elena drunk, makes a comment about how drunk she is and how he wishes he were more drunk, and then they have sex.
Yea. That’s super dreamy.
There isn’t a buildup of danger or mystery anywhere during this book either. Everything is given away to the reader WAY too soon. It’s a repetitive cycle of “Hey, guess what happens. But before you do, I’m going to give you the answer”. The writing is very “list” oriented – “I ate, then I showered, then I put these series of clothes on, then I sat down in bed, then I dreamed of this, then I woke up, then I did all that again” – and doesn’t let the reader come to any conclusions on their own. The author has a habit of telling the reader everything about the characters, but in a way that isn’t believable and leaves you feeling turned-off and annoyed. Things are brushed over too quickly and left unexplained, names are thrown out at random (Elena doesn’t even learn Will’s name until AFTER she has sex with him -_-), and you barely meet any other characters.
I feel like this review turned way more negative than I intended, but it was really hard for me to find a lot of positives. I appreciate the effort and intention this author put into this work, but it just needed a LOT more edits. It seems like this could also be the first book in a series, but I do not plan on continuing. This was enough for me.
October 25, 2019
2...2.5 stars? I’ve been putting off this review because it kills me that I didn’t enjoy the book. Especially by an indie publisher and especially having received an arc....
This is a 1st person pov but with 3rd person recap/blurbs in two other character’s povs....I feel these are unnecessary.
The beginning was slow and dull and descriptive. I was excited about the setting which was a boarding school in London. Who doesn’t want to read about that?!! But nothing cool or atmospheric happened there except an odd smell in the foyer that our MC (Elaina, I think her name is) complains about too much and a lot of descriptive showers. Like showering. We get to read about every shower and bath this girl takes, I don’t want to hear about how nicely your loofa lathers over your back *yawn*
The characters are dull. There’s an uncle who sits in his office and a random boy who are among the only people at the boarding school during holiday. And maybe appear twice. Boring. The boy is introduced as of course handsome and rude (bc who doesn’t love a hot guy that treats you like shit *eye roll*). And is player number one in the love square. Yup love square.
Finally “Peter Pan” comes in, here known as Aidan....and suddenly everything is rushed and feels forced. We’re a third in at this point, halfway?....can’t remember but I’m not getting any feels and just feel completely disconnected.
Quickly “Hook” makes an entrance, called William, with some more rushed drama. Elaina switches her heart eyes immediately over to him and thus our love square has been cast.
*************** Spoilers below****************
Some more drama happens. Aidan and William go at it over ancient fueds and Elaina.
I won’t divulge anymore spoilers but basically love-square player one somehow comes back into play and instantly Elaina is like, “He really is handsome.” and they go on a date and she’s seriously considering him.
Here the books ends. Could be a standalone of course but a slight cliffhanger is inserted. But I will not be back for sequel.
This is a 1st person pov but with 3rd person recap/blurbs in two other character’s povs....I feel these are unnecessary.
The beginning was slow and dull and descriptive. I was excited about the setting which was a boarding school in London. Who doesn’t want to read about that?!! But nothing cool or atmospheric happened there except an odd smell in the foyer that our MC (Elaina, I think her name is) complains about too much and a lot of descriptive showers. Like showering. We get to read about every shower and bath this girl takes, I don’t want to hear about how nicely your loofa lathers over your back *yawn*
The characters are dull. There’s an uncle who sits in his office and a random boy who are among the only people at the boarding school during holiday. And maybe appear twice. Boring. The boy is introduced as of course handsome and rude (bc who doesn’t love a hot guy that treats you like shit *eye roll*). And is player number one in the love square. Yup love square.
Finally “Peter Pan” comes in, here known as Aidan....and suddenly everything is rushed and feels forced. We’re a third in at this point, halfway?....can’t remember but I’m not getting any feels and just feel completely disconnected.
Quickly “Hook” makes an entrance, called William, with some more rushed drama. Elaina switches her heart eyes immediately over to him and thus our love square has been cast.
*************** Spoilers below****************
Some more drama happens. Aidan and William go at it over ancient fueds and Elaina.
I won’t divulge anymore spoilers but basically love-square player one somehow comes back into play and instantly Elaina is like, “He really is handsome.” and they go on a date and she’s seriously considering him.
Here the books ends. Could be a standalone of course but a slight cliffhanger is inserted. But I will not be back for sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2019
See this full review on my blog along with others at: foalsfictionandfiligree.com
I received an ARC of this book from Parliament House Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! In now way does this affect my rating and review.
All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.
Did somebody say Hook? ;)
Content Warning: Abduction-like situation, Attempted murder, Sex
To be honest, I’ve never been a huge fan of Peter Pan and Neverland. While the original tale has its charms, it just hasn’t been one that really interested me. When I heard about this dark retelling of the tale, I just had to give it a go.
Elena is the main character and protagonist. An American teenager recently having gone through a rough breakup, she decides to head to London and stay with her estranged Great Uncle. Great Uncle Henry is an odd character---aloof and more of a shadow filling a space. Almost immediately, Elena mentions that she can’t wait to meet new guys in London at her new school. This was an inconsistency that bothered me, as she mused between hating guys and boyfriends, to wanting to meet her next dating prospect as soon as possible. There was no room for healing, evaluation, or contemplation about if getting right back into dating would be a good idea.
Shortly into her adjustment to her new surroundings, Elena notices strange things occurring in her apartment. She soon encounters the boy with unnaturally green eyes, Aiden (Peter Pan). Aiden, with very little convincing, spirits Elena off to Neverland with him to become his queen.
Granted, him having special abilities made this easier, but Elena has an obvious tendency to be very impulsive in her decision making. I don’t believe that a person would just up and leave their world without more convincing and proof.
Upon arriving in Neverland, we get a glimpse of Hook---Will, in this story. Then, a very brief segment between Aiden and Elena takes place before Will comes back on the scene. Through a series of quick events, Elena finds herself upon Will's ship, and held captive, or Will calls it, "rescued" from Aiden. It is throughout this duration that Elena discovers that there is much that doesn't meet the eye about Aiden, and the truth is much darker than she anticipated.
From this point, the plot arc lulls, and gets a bit stuck. Aiden is removed from the picture, and a budding romance takes front and center. While I don’t mind the romance so much, it was the lack of much forward motion that because disengaging.
It was when this romance blossomed that Elena’s true character emerged even more. I didn’t like the philosophy she stood by in gauging why men in past relationships didn’t want to stay with her. I just wished that she had more appreciation for herself and not throwing herself at any guy she was with. If anything, I respect a character who doesn’t do this.
Let's talk about the main reason why we are here...Hook aka Will. If you like Hook from the Once Upon A Time television series, then you are going to love Will's character. He definitely has the same vibe going on, just a bit less sinister. I feel like Will was best represented as a character, and felt very real.
While there were some issues with this book, I quite enjoyed the story. I loved how “Peter Pan” and “Hook” were written. Unfortunately, I did not like the main character Elena. She was superficial, flippant, and far too moody for my tastes. I also liked how the story ended, as it leaves the window open for a definite sequel. The cliffhanger definitely has me intrigued to keep reading.
Vulgarity: Minimal.
Sexual content: There is an intimate scene but it is not explicit.
Violence: Moderate, but not graphic.
My Rating: ★★★
My Blog ¦ Bookstagram ¦ Twitter ¦ Pinterest ¦ Facebook
I received an ARC of this book from Parliament House Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! In now way does this affect my rating and review.
All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.
Did somebody say Hook? ;)
Content Warning: Abduction-like situation, Attempted murder, Sex
So, he launches into a story. A dark, twisted story that he never told me in our time together in Neverland.
To be honest, I’ve never been a huge fan of Peter Pan and Neverland. While the original tale has its charms, it just hasn’t been one that really interested me. When I heard about this dark retelling of the tale, I just had to give it a go.
Elena is the main character and protagonist. An American teenager recently having gone through a rough breakup, she decides to head to London and stay with her estranged Great Uncle. Great Uncle Henry is an odd character---aloof and more of a shadow filling a space. Almost immediately, Elena mentions that she can’t wait to meet new guys in London at her new school. This was an inconsistency that bothered me, as she mused between hating guys and boyfriends, to wanting to meet her next dating prospect as soon as possible. There was no room for healing, evaluation, or contemplation about if getting right back into dating would be a good idea.
Shortly into her adjustment to her new surroundings, Elena notices strange things occurring in her apartment. She soon encounters the boy with unnaturally green eyes, Aiden (Peter Pan). Aiden, with very little convincing, spirits Elena off to Neverland with him to become his queen.
Apparently, I really need to evaluate my decision-making skills…
Granted, him having special abilities made this easier, but Elena has an obvious tendency to be very impulsive in her decision making. I don’t believe that a person would just up and leave their world without more convincing and proof.
Upon arriving in Neverland, we get a glimpse of Hook---Will, in this story. Then, a very brief segment between Aiden and Elena takes place before Will comes back on the scene. Through a series of quick events, Elena finds herself upon Will's ship, and held captive, or Will calls it, "rescued" from Aiden. It is throughout this duration that Elena discovers that there is much that doesn't meet the eye about Aiden, and the truth is much darker than she anticipated.
From this point, the plot arc lulls, and gets a bit stuck. Aiden is removed from the picture, and a budding romance takes front and center. While I don’t mind the romance so much, it was the lack of much forward motion that because disengaging.
The thought of him seeing me, seeing all of me, is terrifying and exciting all at once. I’ve never let anyone get that far before. That’s probably why every guy I’ve ever dated has chosen someone else eventually.
It was when this romance blossomed that Elena’s true character emerged even more. I didn’t like the philosophy she stood by in gauging why men in past relationships didn’t want to stay with her. I just wished that she had more appreciation for herself and not throwing herself at any guy she was with. If anything, I respect a character who doesn’t do this.
Let's talk about the main reason why we are here...Hook aka Will. If you like Hook from the Once Upon A Time television series, then you are going to love Will's character. He definitely has the same vibe going on, just a bit less sinister. I feel like Will was best represented as a character, and felt very real.
While there were some issues with this book, I quite enjoyed the story. I loved how “Peter Pan” and “Hook” were written. Unfortunately, I did not like the main character Elena. She was superficial, flippant, and far too moody for my tastes. I also liked how the story ended, as it leaves the window open for a definite sequel. The cliffhanger definitely has me intrigued to keep reading.
Vulgarity: Minimal.
Sexual content: There is an intimate scene but it is not explicit.
Violence: Moderate, but not graphic.
My Rating: ★★★
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February 18, 2021
I'm going to have fun with this review.
Let me start by saying that I feel awkward because the author and I follow each other on Instagram, so talking about how much I just did not enjoy this book on my stories... it's eventful. I did stop her from viewing my stories for the next 24 hours while my thoughts are up there because I felt it wasn't something she should have to see! That being said, I have to write a review for this book so... here goes.
I bought this book immediately after I saw the author post on her stories that Will, the 'Hook' character, was inspired by Colin O'Donoghue's portrayal of Hook/Killian in Once Upon A Time. Now, I have an intense love for that character, so I can honestly say that this was the best part of the entire book for me. I will also say, though, that there's a difference between inspiration and just taking a character, changing their name and putting them in your story. Everything from the way he dressed to the way he spoke was pure OUAT Killian Jones. Something to think about, I suppose!
The writing style of Hook & Crown simply did not work for me. Let me just say that I have read fanfiction written by 13-year-old girls in 2012 that had more depth and structure than this. I wrote fanfiction in 2012 that had more depth and structure than this. The prose itself is very overdramatic and chock full of lists, i.e. putting on a tank top then jeans then a cardigan and then tying hair into a messy bun and putting minimal make-up on (yes, this is in the book, I haven't taken this from the aforementioned 2012 fanfiction that I wrote. I had a personal aversion to messy buns and tank tops at the time).
The writing style itself was confusing for me because the author made the decision to write the same chapters twice but from two different points of view. So a fight scene would be happening (I still don't know how she suddenly became this really great fighter in the span of 3 pages), but then it would change to the italicised version of the chapter but from Aiden's or Will's POV, except it was exactly the same, just with changed pronouns. If that doesn't scream 2012 fanfiction, I do not know what does.
This book was 208 pages long and, while I always suggest in reviews that books could be shorter to cut out some of the waffle, this book needed more waffle. It needed at least another 100 pages added on to really allow the story and the characters to have been fleshed out. On these pages, they're one-dimensional caricatures of what they could have been with proper editing. All the descriptions are about physical appearance, nothing about emotions or histories. As soon as you meet Will, the first thing his narrative explores is how hot our main character, Elena, is. It's superficial and not in a way that any reader after 2010 should have to experience. It feels almost misogynistic.
Instalove is the first thing that comes to mind for Elena. She comes to London from America, I believe, to stay in her great uncle's boarding school. I would have loved so much more about the boarding school than just 'it was empty for Christmas and you couldn't open the windows'. This would have been so much more interesting if she had to navigate her Neverland life around students bustling through corridors. Neverland was ever so slightly better built than London, but barely. I needed more information about her parents, not just that they'd died - how had they died, when had they died, what was her relationship with them like, did she miss them, what was her relationship with her great uncle like? Knocking on the door and checking in every 75 pages is hardly building a relationship.
Speaking of relationships, I'm really not sure what they were all about in this book. She immediately falls in love with Aiden, then realises he's an asshole, then falls head over heels in love with Will, who officially declares that he can't imagine his life without this 17-year-old girl. I really don't know where the chemistry was, where the connection began, how their relationship actually developed. It was like... one minute she was in Neverland and the next she was in his bed. Whenever they got into arguments about things, it was over within 2 paragraphs. There was just no depth to this whatsoever. It was all so shallow, almost as if the author was too excited to get to the major plot points that she just didn't put much effort into actually building the world or the relationships she wanted to write about.
There's a bit at the end where a character is talking about "the darkness within". It was a good element - this was the type of depth of storytelling that would've really elevated this story. However, it came much too late in this book and definitely needed to be interspersed within the story rather than a sort of forgotten addendum. The very end of this book definitely sets up for a sequel (I believe it's called Stars & Steel?), which I honestly did see coming. Things happened around the 75% mark and it was hard to believe that anything but that ending would happen. I also felt somewhat like the ending was a little too convenient (i.e. Hook not being 'Hook' anymore if you catch my drift).
Basically, this book will stay with me for two reasons: firstly, because Colin O'Donoghue is a dish that I would love to be served, and secondly because it was so badly written I will never truly forget the time I made myself read an entire book that needed about seven more rounds of author editing and a better professional editor tied to a publishing house.
Content: the death of parents, Stockholm Syndrome type relationship, potential ableism, misogyny.
Let me start by saying that I feel awkward because the author and I follow each other on Instagram, so talking about how much I just did not enjoy this book on my stories... it's eventful. I did stop her from viewing my stories for the next 24 hours while my thoughts are up there because I felt it wasn't something she should have to see! That being said, I have to write a review for this book so... here goes.
I bought this book immediately after I saw the author post on her stories that Will, the 'Hook' character, was inspired by Colin O'Donoghue's portrayal of Hook/Killian in Once Upon A Time. Now, I have an intense love for that character, so I can honestly say that this was the best part of the entire book for me. I will also say, though, that there's a difference between inspiration and just taking a character, changing their name and putting them in your story. Everything from the way he dressed to the way he spoke was pure OUAT Killian Jones. Something to think about, I suppose!
The writing style of Hook & Crown simply did not work for me. Let me just say that I have read fanfiction written by 13-year-old girls in 2012 that had more depth and structure than this. I wrote fanfiction in 2012 that had more depth and structure than this. The prose itself is very overdramatic and chock full of lists, i.e. putting on a tank top then jeans then a cardigan and then tying hair into a messy bun and putting minimal make-up on (yes, this is in the book, I haven't taken this from the aforementioned 2012 fanfiction that I wrote. I had a personal aversion to messy buns and tank tops at the time).
The writing style itself was confusing for me because the author made the decision to write the same chapters twice but from two different points of view. So a fight scene would be happening (I still don't know how she suddenly became this really great fighter in the span of 3 pages), but then it would change to the italicised version of the chapter but from Aiden's or Will's POV, except it was exactly the same, just with changed pronouns. If that doesn't scream 2012 fanfiction, I do not know what does.
This book was 208 pages long and, while I always suggest in reviews that books could be shorter to cut out some of the waffle, this book needed more waffle. It needed at least another 100 pages added on to really allow the story and the characters to have been fleshed out. On these pages, they're one-dimensional caricatures of what they could have been with proper editing. All the descriptions are about physical appearance, nothing about emotions or histories. As soon as you meet Will, the first thing his narrative explores is how hot our main character, Elena, is. It's superficial and not in a way that any reader after 2010 should have to experience. It feels almost misogynistic.
Instalove is the first thing that comes to mind for Elena. She comes to London from America, I believe, to stay in her great uncle's boarding school. I would have loved so much more about the boarding school than just 'it was empty for Christmas and you couldn't open the windows'. This would have been so much more interesting if she had to navigate her Neverland life around students bustling through corridors. Neverland was ever so slightly better built than London, but barely. I needed more information about her parents, not just that they'd died - how had they died, when had they died, what was her relationship with them like, did she miss them, what was her relationship with her great uncle like? Knocking on the door and checking in every 75 pages is hardly building a relationship.
Speaking of relationships, I'm really not sure what they were all about in this book. She immediately falls in love with Aiden, then realises he's an asshole, then falls head over heels in love with Will, who officially declares that he can't imagine his life without this 17-year-old girl. I really don't know where the chemistry was, where the connection began, how their relationship actually developed. It was like... one minute she was in Neverland and the next she was in his bed. Whenever they got into arguments about things, it was over within 2 paragraphs. There was just no depth to this whatsoever. It was all so shallow, almost as if the author was too excited to get to the major plot points that she just didn't put much effort into actually building the world or the relationships she wanted to write about.
There's a bit at the end where a character is talking about "the darkness within". It was a good element - this was the type of depth of storytelling that would've really elevated this story. However, it came much too late in this book and definitely needed to be interspersed within the story rather than a sort of forgotten addendum. The very end of this book definitely sets up for a sequel (I believe it's called Stars & Steel?), which I honestly did see coming. Things happened around the 75% mark and it was hard to believe that anything but that ending would happen. I also felt somewhat like the ending was a little too convenient (i.e. Hook not being 'Hook' anymore if you catch my drift).
Basically, this book will stay with me for two reasons: firstly, because Colin O'Donoghue is a dish that I would love to be served, and secondly because it was so badly written I will never truly forget the time I made myself read an entire book that needed about seven more rounds of author editing and a better professional editor tied to a publishing house.
Content: the death of parents, Stockholm Syndrome type relationship, potential ableism, misogyny.
July 16, 2019
I wanted to love that book so much but I'm still screaming inside with everything that was wrong for me in that book... Again it is my own opinion, and it might be your next favourite book...
I love the idea, I love dark retellings, and I guess I had high expectations for that one...
What I loved:
- the idea
- the ending quite surprised me (just a bit)
What I didn't like:
- the way the characters were acting or feeling or changing so fast. They were happy then mad then happy in less than 5 minutes all the time... Like really all the time. One would be angry with another character, would be ready to scream or fight and then would be "I love you"... So not relatable, believable...
- the characters were discribed in a certain way and acted another way. Like Elena was a strong and fierce female character but I didn't see it in the book. I saw quite the opposite. She spent her time contradicting herself...
- Will or Captain Hook, then Aiden or Peter Pan... I don't know what to say about them except that they were both so obsessed by Elena that it didn't make sense at all. I really couldn't connect to them and didn't like them the slightest...
- Yes, you guessed it, there is a love triangle. Love triangle, instalove... I will not say that that love triangle wasn't making sense, but more than it wasn't well played, well done...
- everything was just going so fast, falling in love in two minutes... I feel like I had answers to my questions before even having the questions in mind. It really hard to describe that feeling...
- we had different point of views but not at different time. Like you would have the same dialogue from one point of view to the other like "Ellen said she was happy and smiled" "Henry heard Ellen saying she was happy and saw her smiling" I didn't understand why it was done that way...
- it's all about how awesome and attractive everyone is. "He knew what effect his body had on her" etc... All the time. It was a bit too much for me...
- You will read, mostly, about three characters and again and again...
Believe me, I finished that book because I was curious until the end. I hoped until teh very end that that book would take me by surprise and would make sense at the end. It wasn't the case for me. But aybe it will be your next favourite story :)
I love the idea, I love dark retellings, and I guess I had high expectations for that one...
What I loved:
- the idea
- the ending quite surprised me (just a bit)
What I didn't like:
- the way the characters were acting or feeling or changing so fast. They were happy then mad then happy in less than 5 minutes all the time... Like really all the time. One would be angry with another character, would be ready to scream or fight and then would be "I love you"... So not relatable, believable...
- the characters were discribed in a certain way and acted another way. Like Elena was a strong and fierce female character but I didn't see it in the book. I saw quite the opposite. She spent her time contradicting herself...
- Will or Captain Hook, then Aiden or Peter Pan... I don't know what to say about them except that they were both so obsessed by Elena that it didn't make sense at all. I really couldn't connect to them and didn't like them the slightest...
- Yes, you guessed it, there is a love triangle. Love triangle, instalove... I will not say that that love triangle wasn't making sense, but more than it wasn't well played, well done...
- everything was just going so fast, falling in love in two minutes... I feel like I had answers to my questions before even having the questions in mind. It really hard to describe that feeling...
- we had different point of views but not at different time. Like you would have the same dialogue from one point of view to the other like "Ellen said she was happy and smiled" "Henry heard Ellen saying she was happy and saw her smiling" I didn't understand why it was done that way...
- it's all about how awesome and attractive everyone is. "He knew what effect his body had on her" etc... All the time. It was a bit too much for me...
- You will read, mostly, about three characters and again and again...
Believe me, I finished that book because I was curious until the end. I hoped until teh very end that that book would take me by surprise and would make sense at the end. It wasn't the case for me. But aybe it will be your next favourite story :)
Want to read
July 19, 2019I see that something is about my childhood love Peter Pan and I question nothing
June 9, 2019
HOOK & CROWN
•
•
• ⭐️:3,7/5
•
•
💬: I received a complimentary copy of the book and that a positive review is not required.
Elena Hart after getting her heart broken decides to stay with her estranged uncle in London, reaching her new home she starts to feel like she is being observed when there is no one around her. One night, a strange girl claiming to be a fairy appears on her room asking Elena to come to Neverland with her, of course, Elena didn’t go. The next night then, a green eyed boy, someone that Elena thinks is Peter Pan comes to ask her to come with him to Neverland. Charmed by him, she goes to Neverland and leaves her old life behind. Aiden, aka Peter Pan, asks her to be his queen and take care of the lost children with him...of course, nothing is simple in life and there is a certain pirate that will enter her life and make her question everything she knows.
The idea of the book was what caught my attention at the beginning, and then the twists in the story were what made me stick around. Although the romance seemed rushed, I guess under circumstances and that magic exists (lol) I had to accept it, but it was a little bummer for me.
The whole dark twist in Aiden aka Peter Pan's personality and story was refreshing and surprising, as well as the contrast with Captain Hook character. It’s interesting to see Elena trying to discover in who to trust and who is the villain while dealing with her feelings. The whole Neverland world-building was the same we remember but with some modifications making me both nostalgic but hooked with the new things.
Another thing that got me a little skeptical was the whole hot and cold temperament of Helena who keep changing her mind about a devilishly handsome pirate, without explaining and then suddenly ending. She kept being mad but then it was all resolved so quickly that it was confusing.
The epilogue made me curious to see if something is going to happen next in the story, I hope we get a sequel to explore a little bit more of what happened on the last pages.
•
•
• ⭐️:3,7/5
•
•
💬: I received a complimentary copy of the book and that a positive review is not required.
Elena Hart after getting her heart broken decides to stay with her estranged uncle in London, reaching her new home she starts to feel like she is being observed when there is no one around her. One night, a strange girl claiming to be a fairy appears on her room asking Elena to come to Neverland with her, of course, Elena didn’t go. The next night then, a green eyed boy, someone that Elena thinks is Peter Pan comes to ask her to come with him to Neverland. Charmed by him, she goes to Neverland and leaves her old life behind. Aiden, aka Peter Pan, asks her to be his queen and take care of the lost children with him...of course, nothing is simple in life and there is a certain pirate that will enter her life and make her question everything she knows.
The idea of the book was what caught my attention at the beginning, and then the twists in the story were what made me stick around. Although the romance seemed rushed, I guess under circumstances and that magic exists (lol) I had to accept it, but it was a little bummer for me.
The whole dark twist in Aiden aka Peter Pan's personality and story was refreshing and surprising, as well as the contrast with Captain Hook character. It’s interesting to see Elena trying to discover in who to trust and who is the villain while dealing with her feelings. The whole Neverland world-building was the same we remember but with some modifications making me both nostalgic but hooked with the new things.
Another thing that got me a little skeptical was the whole hot and cold temperament of Helena who keep changing her mind about a devilishly handsome pirate, without explaining and then suddenly ending. She kept being mad but then it was all resolved so quickly that it was confusing.
The epilogue made me curious to see if something is going to happen next in the story, I hope we get a sequel to explore a little bit more of what happened on the last pages.
Want to read
March 2, 2019chief called,,,,
he said this cover is IT.
he said this cover is IT.
June 21, 2019
"To die would be an awfully big adventure. And I am not quite done with this one yet."
There were many things that I loved about this book, but I believe there is also a lot of room for improvement as well.
The first few chapters, as well as the last few chapters of this book, I genuinely enjoyed. I believe it started out super strong, laying out a great foundation for an epic retelling of the well-known, and loved, fairytale; Peter Pan. It also had a phenomenal and well thought out ending, that really made the reader crave more.
While the opening and closing of the story soared high above all expectations, I feel the middle was lacking in some areas and felt rather rushed. The main area I felt could have used a little improvement was the detailing and explaining of events. I felt rather confused throughout most of the book as to why Aiden and Will differed so greatly. Without giving away any spoilers, it is revealed at the end of the book. I feel that I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if I had known this information in the beginning. Maybe as a background story, or prologue.
World Building: The story focuses around 2 different worlds. The “real” world in London, and the “dream” world of Neverland. Both settings were explained in great detail. I could literally smell the salt of the Never sea, hear the waves crashing against the Jolly Roger, feel the dew on my skin around the island, smell the awful foyer at the school, feel the chill of the snowy London air, and the heat caused by traveling through a star. Nicole did an exceptional job at building the worlds for the reader to imagine.
Character Building: The physical appearances of each character was described in a good amount of detail. However, while we got a great amount of detail about Elena and Will, constantly commenting on some physical attribute on one of them throughout the entire story, Aiden’s main focus was his green eyes and how beautiful he was, not particularly venturing out from that attribute. Aiden’s appearance was not as big a focal point as it should have been, being that it was a huge focal point for the other characters. As for personality, Will’s and Aiden’s personalities were consistent to who they were. Elena on the other hand, confused me. She left for London, because she was crushed that her boyfriend slept with her best friend and she walked in on it, and she wants to get away from him and all other guys. Okay, understandable. Then a couple days later she is swooning over a mystical dreamy boy who appears in her room.. okay, also understandable, due to an explanation revealed at the END of the book… Then there is ANOTHER GUY, who she ends up sleeping with after knowing him for an evening. Then she supposedly loves this guy.. after only what appears to be a few days after they sleep together.. which is also a few days after her MAJOR break up.. well, then, she meets yet another guy later on and tells him she just got over a really major break up and she can’t date him/kiss him because of it…. But it didn’t stop her before? Her character really confused me.
Pace: The pace of the story was a little all over the place. The beginning pace started out very steady, but the minute the setting changed from London to Neverland it became way too rushed. I feel there was a lot of detail that was missed, a lot of time that wasn’t accounted for, and a lot of confusion. The events that passed while in Neverland are said to have happened within several weeks’ time, but while reading it, it felt more like a couple of days’ time. Once the setting changed from Neverland back to London, the original pace steadies as it was in the opening of the book.
Like I stated previously, I did enjoy this book. The action scenes were great, the Romance was very rushed and confusing, but the general idea was great. There was a lot of repetition, and I found myself skimming over the details that were already stated, but the multiple perspectives were a nice treat! Overall, I would rate this book 3-3.5 stars, so somewhere between “I liked it” and “I really liked it.” For GR purposes I decided to round up.
I do plan on reading the second one when it is finished and released and LET ME TELL YOU! THAT ENDING?!?! That ending alone will make you CRAVE the next book!
There were many things that I loved about this book, but I believe there is also a lot of room for improvement as well.
The first few chapters, as well as the last few chapters of this book, I genuinely enjoyed. I believe it started out super strong, laying out a great foundation for an epic retelling of the well-known, and loved, fairytale; Peter Pan. It also had a phenomenal and well thought out ending, that really made the reader crave more.
While the opening and closing of the story soared high above all expectations, I feel the middle was lacking in some areas and felt rather rushed. The main area I felt could have used a little improvement was the detailing and explaining of events. I felt rather confused throughout most of the book as to why Aiden and Will differed so greatly. Without giving away any spoilers, it is revealed at the end of the book. I feel that I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if I had known this information in the beginning. Maybe as a background story, or prologue.
World Building: The story focuses around 2 different worlds. The “real” world in London, and the “dream” world of Neverland. Both settings were explained in great detail. I could literally smell the salt of the Never sea, hear the waves crashing against the Jolly Roger, feel the dew on my skin around the island, smell the awful foyer at the school, feel the chill of the snowy London air, and the heat caused by traveling through a star. Nicole did an exceptional job at building the worlds for the reader to imagine.
Character Building: The physical appearances of each character was described in a good amount of detail. However, while we got a great amount of detail about Elena and Will, constantly commenting on some physical attribute on one of them throughout the entire story, Aiden’s main focus was his green eyes and how beautiful he was, not particularly venturing out from that attribute. Aiden’s appearance was not as big a focal point as it should have been, being that it was a huge focal point for the other characters. As for personality, Will’s and Aiden’s personalities were consistent to who they were. Elena on the other hand, confused me. She left for London, because she was crushed that her boyfriend slept with her best friend and she walked in on it, and she wants to get away from him and all other guys. Okay, understandable. Then a couple days later she is swooning over a mystical dreamy boy who appears in her room.. okay, also understandable, due to an explanation revealed at the END of the book… Then there is ANOTHER GUY, who she ends up sleeping with after knowing him for an evening. Then she supposedly loves this guy.. after only what appears to be a few days after they sleep together.. which is also a few days after her MAJOR break up.. well, then, she meets yet another guy later on and tells him she just got over a really major break up and she can’t date him/kiss him because of it…. But it didn’t stop her before? Her character really confused me.
Pace: The pace of the story was a little all over the place. The beginning pace started out very steady, but the minute the setting changed from London to Neverland it became way too rushed. I feel there was a lot of detail that was missed, a lot of time that wasn’t accounted for, and a lot of confusion. The events that passed while in Neverland are said to have happened within several weeks’ time, but while reading it, it felt more like a couple of days’ time. Once the setting changed from Neverland back to London, the original pace steadies as it was in the opening of the book.
Like I stated previously, I did enjoy this book. The action scenes were great, the Romance was very rushed and confusing, but the general idea was great. There was a lot of repetition, and I found myself skimming over the details that were already stated, but the multiple perspectives were a nice treat! Overall, I would rate this book 3-3.5 stars, so somewhere between “I liked it” and “I really liked it.” For GR purposes I decided to round up.
I do plan on reading the second one when it is finished and released and LET ME TELL YOU! THAT ENDING?!?! That ending alone will make you CRAVE the next book!
June 10, 2019
I want to thank The Parliament House for giving me a eARC of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.
”A dark, twisted story that he never told me in our time together in Neverland. A story about two brothers who were willing to do anything to avoid being drafted into war.”
This was a fantastic retelling of Peter Pan! It was a darker version, which I really enjoyed, and it was a unique way to look at the story and relationship of Peter Pan and Captain Hook.
The story kept me wanting to read. You got all the background information as the action was happening. This type of format is what I enjoy. If there is too much information in the beginning, or a “waiting” period in the middle, I tend to lose interest and start to get bored. Hook and Crown kept every part interesting even if there wasn’t an intense moment.
The one thing I did not enjoy was the love at first sight, or the insta-love. This is something I personally do not like in books, and it happened a couple of times in this one. Basically our MC is done with the treatment she gets from boys and is sick of falling so hard for them. Then she goes off and repeats the choices and actions she was so against in the beginning.
Overall I did enjoy this book. I was a bit annoyed at the insta-love troupe, but other than that I thought that this book had action and mystery. It was a great twist to the Peter Pan story we all know and love.
Hook and Crown will be available on 11JUN2019
Also, please note that I was reading an eARC, which means quotes and details may have changed by the final publication of the book.
”A dark, twisted story that he never told me in our time together in Neverland. A story about two brothers who were willing to do anything to avoid being drafted into war.”
This was a fantastic retelling of Peter Pan! It was a darker version, which I really enjoyed, and it was a unique way to look at the story and relationship of Peter Pan and Captain Hook.
The story kept me wanting to read. You got all the background information as the action was happening. This type of format is what I enjoy. If there is too much information in the beginning, or a “waiting” period in the middle, I tend to lose interest and start to get bored. Hook and Crown kept every part interesting even if there wasn’t an intense moment.
The one thing I did not enjoy was the love at first sight, or the insta-love. This is something I personally do not like in books, and it happened a couple of times in this one. Basically our MC is done with the treatment she gets from boys and is sick of falling so hard for them. Then she goes off and repeats the choices and actions she was so against in the beginning.
Overall I did enjoy this book. I was a bit annoyed at the insta-love troupe, but other than that I thought that this book had action and mystery. It was a great twist to the Peter Pan story we all know and love.
Hook and Crown will be available on 11JUN2019
Also, please note that I was reading an eARC, which means quotes and details may have changed by the final publication of the book.
June 12, 2019
3.75 stars
I kindly received an e-Arc of this book by Parliament House publishing for an honest review.
Hook & Crown, as the title suggests is a modern retelling of the wonderful story of Peter Pan! It centers around 17 year old Elena, who arrives in London to attend a boarding school run by her Uncle and is the only family she has. I don't want to give too much away, but she soon comes in contact with the characters of Peter Pan and Tink, in this case Aiden and Tatiana. Aiden's piercing green eyes and confident personally ( I know, swoon) soon encourage Elena to drop the life she knows and venture to a world she only ever thought imaginary! Neverland!! The author takes us through a reimagined Neverland , with interesting twists and familiar characters. different, but still the world that fascinated us Peter Pan lovers! and what about hook you say? oh just you wait and see!!!!
so why 3.75 stars? well two reasons, firstly I found it quiet hard to connect with Elena, her personality goes between immature 17 year old and strong female independence... I wanted to root for her but struggled! secondly, I found the book a little rushed once I hit the halfway mark. some people enjoy that, which is totally fine! I just happen to enjoy lots of details and description 😁
all in all though, I did like it!!
I kindly received an e-Arc of this book by Parliament House publishing for an honest review.
Hook & Crown, as the title suggests is a modern retelling of the wonderful story of Peter Pan! It centers around 17 year old Elena, who arrives in London to attend a boarding school run by her Uncle and is the only family she has. I don't want to give too much away, but she soon comes in contact with the characters of Peter Pan and Tink, in this case Aiden and Tatiana. Aiden's piercing green eyes and confident personally ( I know, swoon) soon encourage Elena to drop the life she knows and venture to a world she only ever thought imaginary! Neverland!! The author takes us through a reimagined Neverland , with interesting twists and familiar characters. different, but still the world that fascinated us Peter Pan lovers! and what about hook you say? oh just you wait and see!!!!
so why 3.75 stars? well two reasons, firstly I found it quiet hard to connect with Elena, her personality goes between immature 17 year old and strong female independence... I wanted to root for her but struggled! secondly, I found the book a little rushed once I hit the halfway mark. some people enjoy that, which is totally fine! I just happen to enjoy lots of details and description 😁
all in all though, I did like it!!
June 25, 2019
I was so excited this book! And it did not disappoint. I flew through a huge chunk of it in one sitting!
I’m really enjoying Knapps modern twist on a fairytale we all know so well!
Her writing drew me in from the very beginning. And I found myself having to flip through the pages quickly to find out what happens next!
.
A young girl named Elena looses her parents and is then bought to London to live with her uncle who runs a boarding school. After being there for only a few nights she notices strange things beginning to happen ...
.
The reader is then whisked into a magical world of stunning scenery, dancing fairy’s and charming (extremely handsome) dangerous characters! ( just wait until you get a load of Aidan & Will...*she drools*🤤)
.
We follow Elena’s swashbuckling adventures in Neverland and see her grow from a young girl into a strong, fierce, no nonsense girl-pirate 💪
.
But not all is as it seems in this retelling ... 😏
.
I’m so happy I got to read this arc of Hook & Crown and my lovely friend @author.nicole.knapp deserves all the praise for the wonderful tale and exciting characters she’s created
I’m really enjoying Knapps modern twist on a fairytale we all know so well!
Her writing drew me in from the very beginning. And I found myself having to flip through the pages quickly to find out what happens next!
.
A young girl named Elena looses her parents and is then bought to London to live with her uncle who runs a boarding school. After being there for only a few nights she notices strange things beginning to happen ...
.
The reader is then whisked into a magical world of stunning scenery, dancing fairy’s and charming (extremely handsome) dangerous characters! ( just wait until you get a load of Aidan & Will...*she drools*🤤)
.
We follow Elena’s swashbuckling adventures in Neverland and see her grow from a young girl into a strong, fierce, no nonsense girl-pirate 💪
.
But not all is as it seems in this retelling ... 😏
.
I’m so happy I got to read this arc of Hook & Crown and my lovely friend @author.nicole.knapp deserves all the praise for the wonderful tale and exciting characters she’s created
May 7, 2019
An interesting take on the Peter Pan story. Ms. Knapp moves the story from 1800s London to modern times. Which gives the story a new set of twists and turns that tries and and times succeeds to stay true to the original story. I liked the changes that she made in Neverland, she recreated a world that has fascinated so many and made it her own. The one thing I did find annoying was Elena. There were times that I just couldn't understand her mind set. One minute she would read like a seventeen year old and another she read like she was twelve. Otherwise, Hook & Crown made for a fun and interesting read.
January 31, 2019
I saw the cover on Facebook! It is stunning!!! This book is going to rock.
November 5, 2019
3.5 stars; check out my blog for a detailed review.
www.thebookishwiccan.wordpress.com
www.thebookishwiccan.wordpress.com
August 21, 2019
*I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review, so thank you to Parliament House Press for sending this my way. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
"Everyone has heard of Neverland. It's the magical world made famous by many different books and movies, starting with the classic story written by J.M. Barrie. Neverland is home to fairies, mermaids, pirates like the infamous Captain Hook, and Peter Pan. But those are just stories. Not real. Unless... it is real. Maybe it's always been real."
This book is a twist on the classic story of Peter Pan, where Pan is the villain and Neverland is not as it seems. We follow Elena after she leaves the US to go to London and live with her great uncle at the boarding school he runs, and our story starts from there.
THINGS I LIKED:
- Twist on the original story: I really liked the spin that Nicole Knapp took on this story, one that I grew up on. You don't get to see a version where Peter Pan is actually the villain and Captain Hook is the good guy, and I felt like it was done really well here.
- Conflict Between Will and Aiden: Will is Captain Hook and Aiden is Peter Pan. The conflict between these two is just as strong as it is in the original story, and I loved seeing how this constant fighting between these two was similar when everything else in this story is so different.
- Descriptions of Neverland: The descriptions in this story were amazing, but the descriptions of Neverland were great. It gave a really good description of what places looked like without it getting too flowery and drawn out (like some descriptions tend to do).
- The Relationship between Elena and Will: I felt like this was the couple that would end up together from the time Will was introduced, and I definitely liked seeing how their relationship changed from the time they first met through the end of the book.
- Plot: The plot was really solid, and I liked seeing how crazy things got and how things progressed throughout this story. There were twists and turns and I was happy to see everything.
- Aiden as the Villain: This story is a take on Peter Pan where Peter is the villain, and it was done really well. You could see at the beginning that he was not exactly like what he seemed and that was just shown more and more as the story went on.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
- The Insta Love Love-Triangle: This was a love triangle with two different cases of insta love. As someone that does not tend to like that trope, it got very annoying and it felt extremely unnecessary.
- Elena: Elena as a whole frustrated me throughout the entire book. She made very impulsive decisions and was extremely naive. Like, her boyfriend in the states cheats on her so she just up and leaves to go to London? I'd be mad too, but seriously? And she is the main narration in the story, so I eventually hit the point where I was just waiting until I got to see the little bits of Aiden and Will's POV.
- Pacing: The pacing felt weird in a lot of spots. It felt like the story was just dragging the entire time, and then it was super fast the next. I feel like the pacing could have been a little more consistent considering what all was going on in the story.
WOULD I RECOMMEND?
I would recommend this for people who really like the story of Peter Pan, people who love retellings, and those who don't necessarily mind love-triangles or insta-love. This is one of those books where it's really good for what it is and what you're in the mood for, but I would say not to read it if you are not huge fans of the tropes I mentioned, you don't tend to like retellings, or the story of Peter Pan.
"Everyone has heard of Neverland. It's the magical world made famous by many different books and movies, starting with the classic story written by J.M. Barrie. Neverland is home to fairies, mermaids, pirates like the infamous Captain Hook, and Peter Pan. But those are just stories. Not real. Unless... it is real. Maybe it's always been real."
This book is a twist on the classic story of Peter Pan, where Pan is the villain and Neverland is not as it seems. We follow Elena after she leaves the US to go to London and live with her great uncle at the boarding school he runs, and our story starts from there.
THINGS I LIKED:
- Twist on the original story: I really liked the spin that Nicole Knapp took on this story, one that I grew up on. You don't get to see a version where Peter Pan is actually the villain and Captain Hook is the good guy, and I felt like it was done really well here.
- Conflict Between Will and Aiden: Will is Captain Hook and Aiden is Peter Pan. The conflict between these two is just as strong as it is in the original story, and I loved seeing how this constant fighting between these two was similar when everything else in this story is so different.
- Descriptions of Neverland: The descriptions in this story were amazing, but the descriptions of Neverland were great. It gave a really good description of what places looked like without it getting too flowery and drawn out (like some descriptions tend to do).
- The Relationship between Elena and Will: I felt like this was the couple that would end up together from the time Will was introduced, and I definitely liked seeing how their relationship changed from the time they first met through the end of the book.
- Plot: The plot was really solid, and I liked seeing how crazy things got and how things progressed throughout this story. There were twists and turns and I was happy to see everything.
- Aiden as the Villain: This story is a take on Peter Pan where Peter is the villain, and it was done really well. You could see at the beginning that he was not exactly like what he seemed and that was just shown more and more as the story went on.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
- The Insta Love Love-Triangle: This was a love triangle with two different cases of insta love. As someone that does not tend to like that trope, it got very annoying and it felt extremely unnecessary.
- Elena: Elena as a whole frustrated me throughout the entire book. She made very impulsive decisions and was extremely naive. Like, her boyfriend in the states cheats on her so she just up and leaves to go to London? I'd be mad too, but seriously? And she is the main narration in the story, so I eventually hit the point where I was just waiting until I got to see the little bits of Aiden and Will's POV.
- Pacing: The pacing felt weird in a lot of spots. It felt like the story was just dragging the entire time, and then it was super fast the next. I feel like the pacing could have been a little more consistent considering what all was going on in the story.
WOULD I RECOMMEND?
I would recommend this for people who really like the story of Peter Pan, people who love retellings, and those who don't necessarily mind love-triangles or insta-love. This is one of those books where it's really good for what it is and what you're in the mood for, but I would say not to read it if you are not huge fans of the tropes I mentioned, you don't tend to like retellings, or the story of Peter Pan.
November 29, 2019
I enjoyed this re-telling of Peter Pan and Captain Hook. This follows a teenage girl who doesn't have much to look forward to in life. Without her parents, she travels to extended family for a place to stay. A few things happen, and she ends up in Neverland. Well, it isn't like the stories. The real Neverland, Captain Hook isn't the bad guy, and Peter Pan, well, he isn't called Peter Pan, but he abducts girls for a different reason. Despite how charming he is, the girl begins to see through his facade with the help of Hook. The problem? She begins to fall for him.
Well, first let me just say, the narration of the Audio Book was fantastic. Anne Marie Lewis does a fantastic job with it! I've heard her before, and she's really talented.
The bad about the book? A little bit of a love triangle, and a bit too much instalove. It needed to be drawn out, with the characters really getting to know each other before the romance element slipped in.
Other than that, a fantastic read and fun adventure. I'll be keeping an eye out for more to come!
Well, first let me just say, the narration of the Audio Book was fantastic. Anne Marie Lewis does a fantastic job with it! I've heard her before, and she's really talented.
The bad about the book? A little bit of a love triangle, and a bit too much instalove. It needed to be drawn out, with the characters really getting to know each other before the romance element slipped in.
Other than that, a fantastic read and fun adventure. I'll be keeping an eye out for more to come!
April 9, 2020
The Boy that Never Grows Up?
The main premise of the Peter Pan stories is that he is a little boy that will not grow up while living in Neverland yet Aiden needs bloodshed to keep him young. Yet their are multiple characters also human that don’t age who don’t commit murder to get rid of the wrinkles. I feel like the character is too immature and uneducated enough to grasp what romance is and needs to take a long look at herself and her choices in life. For a retelling it missed the mark and became a screen play for a pornographic parody of the Disney movie. I sure hope tinker bell can sue for slander.
The main premise of the Peter Pan stories is that he is a little boy that will not grow up while living in Neverland yet Aiden needs bloodshed to keep him young. Yet their are multiple characters also human that don’t age who don’t commit murder to get rid of the wrinkles. I feel like the character is too immature and uneducated enough to grasp what romance is and needs to take a long look at herself and her choices in life. For a retelling it missed the mark and became a screen play for a pornographic parody of the Disney movie. I sure hope tinker bell can sue for slander.
March 21, 2020
Oh man, I wanted to like this so much more than I did.
Pros:
It's short. Fast paced. Not dull. The fairies, mermaids and pirates were well done and interesting.
The cover is absolutely gorgeous.
Cons:
It's short.
A freaking love square 🙄 Ughhhh
MC started off pretty interesting, but once the boys showed up, her love was the only personality trait left.
Why is Peter called Aidan? William, I understand, isn't that James Hook's middle name? But Aidan?
Elena was so wishy-washy. I realize the author blames this on Aidan's power of obsession, or whatever, but it was annoying to read.
Pros:
It's short. Fast paced. Not dull. The fairies, mermaids and pirates were well done and interesting.
The cover is absolutely gorgeous.
Cons:
It's short.
A freaking love square 🙄 Ughhhh
MC started off pretty interesting, but once the boys showed up, her love was the only personality trait left.
Why is Peter called Aidan? William, I understand, isn't that James Hook's middle name? But Aidan?
Elena was so wishy-washy. I realize the author blames this on Aidan's power of obsession, or whatever, but it was annoying to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2020
This was a really fun reimagining of Peter Pan which followed more of the original tale of kidnap and magic. I really liked the characters and the use of Fairies and I think any Pan enthusiast will really enjoy this story!
I do wish there was MORE :( It was so short and I read it so fast I was left feeling as though there should have been more, haha. Knapp did a lovely job at this retelling and I hope there's more to come!
I do wish there was MORE :( It was so short and I read it so fast I was left feeling as though there should have been more, haha. Knapp did a lovely job at this retelling and I hope there's more to come!
September 4, 2023
This is the first retelling of Peter Pan I've ever read and wow, not what I expected at all... I read it in a day because I just could not put it down! Can't wait for the second book, that ending omfg!
June 12, 2019
I received this book from Parliament press house to review.
So I really wanted to love this book, it has a gorgeous cover and the synopsis is great, and who doesn’t love a Peter Pan retelling.
I loved the setting of the book, making Peter Pan the villain, after The tv show Once Upon A Time who doesn’t see Hook as the hero?! So all in all I was really excited to read the book.
But unfortunate it fell kind of flat for me, it felt a little bit immature in it’s writing. The language wasn’t great, and everything happened really fast, but it was also very YA, and I think that I was maybe bot the right reader for it.
Because the book had some great things about it, the plot was great, it could have been better executed but with more experience this author will write a masterpiece.
I also loved that you hot scenes from different POV’s, that is something that I love in books, love seeing every characters emotions and thoughts to the same actions.
And I did like that the ending wasn’t as happy as we originally was led to believe.
So I really wanted to love this book, it has a gorgeous cover and the synopsis is great, and who doesn’t love a Peter Pan retelling.
I loved the setting of the book, making Peter Pan the villain, after The tv show Once Upon A Time who doesn’t see Hook as the hero?! So all in all I was really excited to read the book.
But unfortunate it fell kind of flat for me, it felt a little bit immature in it’s writing. The language wasn’t great, and everything happened really fast, but it was also very YA, and I think that I was maybe bot the right reader for it.
Because the book had some great things about it, the plot was great, it could have been better executed but with more experience this author will write a masterpiece.
I also loved that you hot scenes from different POV’s, that is something that I love in books, love seeing every characters emotions and thoughts to the same actions.
And I did like that the ending wasn’t as happy as we originally was led to believe.
August 20, 2025
Enjoyable read. a different take on Peter Pan.
April 10, 2020
I loved this story! Just finished it and already wanting to reread it. Amazing retelling of Peter Pan that is a totally different spin from the original but keeps just enough of those classic details to make me fall in love with the characters and world all over again.
Can’t wait to see if it gets a sequel. The ending leaves the story open-ended enough for it.
Can’t wait to see if it gets a sequel. The ending leaves the story open-ended enough for it.
May 19, 2019
HOOK & CROWN
* NICOLE KNAPP
* APPROX 300
* Parliament House Press
* Young Adult
* RELEASE DATE: June 11th, 2019
* Paperback POD | Available in Hardcover
http://Instagram.com/gwendalyn_books_
Disclaimer:
Before I begin my review, I would like to thank Parliament House Press and Nicole Knapp for providing me with an eARC of this magical book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are completely my own.
You've heard of Neverland and its inhabitants... Fairies, pirates, mermaids and a boy who didn't want to grow up. But you can't always believe the stories.
Elena Hart arrives in London, bound for a new boarding school operated by her estranged uncle. A fresh start is exactly what she needs. But when strange things begin happening, things she can't explain, she begins to wonder if she has lost her mind.
Until the night a strange girl appears in her room, claiming to be a fairy from Neverland, come to take her to the fantasy world at the request of its ruler.
Skeptical, Elena refuses. But the following night, a young man with strange green eyes appears, and though she tries to resist his charms, something about him draws her in and Elena is whisked away from the world she knows, to a world she always thought was make believe.
But when she arrives in Neverland, it is nothing like the stories and Elena realizes that she must figure out for herself who the true heroes and villains are.
Everything you thought you knew about the real story of Peter Pan is about to change. What if the villain is really not a villain after all.
___☆・★・.
My REVIEW __☆・.★
An imaginative fairytale retelling with a creative dark twist on Peter Pan.With an unconventional cast of characters and brilliantly thought-up plot that takes the fairy tale you know as a child and upgraded it into a riveting YA novel. Nicole Knapp grabs your attention early on, when she masterly mixes first and third POV perspectives. Engaging fantasy world building, vibrant characters, and interesting plot. Knapp takes you to never land, in this adventures read. This was a fast read for me, and I was intrigued and curious to see where this inventive twist of of Peter Pan would take me.
I especially enjoyed the backstory, and the ending. I am looking forward to reading more of Knapp writing in the future.
What I especially enjoyed was visionary twist in the switch of hero~villain roles.
Well developed supporting characters are definitely worth noting and interesting.
Absolutely love that dramatic, striking, breathtaking and extremely fitting cover, that represents the spellbinding world of Hook & Crown. __________________________________________________________________________________Hook & Crown, a dark and twisted retelling of Peter Pan, will be released Summer 2019 by The Parliament House.
* NICOLE KNAPP
* APPROX 300
* Parliament House Press
* Young Adult
* RELEASE DATE: June 11th, 2019
* Paperback POD | Available in Hardcover
http://Instagram.com/gwendalyn_books_
Disclaimer:
Before I begin my review, I would like to thank Parliament House Press and Nicole Knapp for providing me with an eARC of this magical book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are completely my own.
You've heard of Neverland and its inhabitants... Fairies, pirates, mermaids and a boy who didn't want to grow up. But you can't always believe the stories.
Elena Hart arrives in London, bound for a new boarding school operated by her estranged uncle. A fresh start is exactly what she needs. But when strange things begin happening, things she can't explain, she begins to wonder if she has lost her mind.
Until the night a strange girl appears in her room, claiming to be a fairy from Neverland, come to take her to the fantasy world at the request of its ruler.
Skeptical, Elena refuses. But the following night, a young man with strange green eyes appears, and though she tries to resist his charms, something about him draws her in and Elena is whisked away from the world she knows, to a world she always thought was make believe.
But when she arrives in Neverland, it is nothing like the stories and Elena realizes that she must figure out for herself who the true heroes and villains are.
Everything you thought you knew about the real story of Peter Pan is about to change. What if the villain is really not a villain after all.
___☆・★・.
My REVIEW __☆・.★
An imaginative fairytale retelling with a creative dark twist on Peter Pan.With an unconventional cast of characters and brilliantly thought-up plot that takes the fairy tale you know as a child and upgraded it into a riveting YA novel. Nicole Knapp grabs your attention early on, when she masterly mixes first and third POV perspectives. Engaging fantasy world building, vibrant characters, and interesting plot. Knapp takes you to never land, in this adventures read. This was a fast read for me, and I was intrigued and curious to see where this inventive twist of of Peter Pan would take me.
I especially enjoyed the backstory, and the ending. I am looking forward to reading more of Knapp writing in the future.
What I especially enjoyed was visionary twist in the switch of hero~villain roles.
Well developed supporting characters are definitely worth noting and interesting.
Absolutely love that dramatic, striking, breathtaking and extremely fitting cover, that represents the spellbinding world of Hook & Crown. __________________________________________________________________________________Hook & Crown, a dark and twisted retelling of Peter Pan, will be released Summer 2019 by The Parliament House.
June 17, 2019
“ ‘Second star to the right, and straight on ‘til morning!’ he calls over his shoulder. At least I know one part of the story is true, I grin to myself.“
Peter Pan, the Disney version, was one of my favorite movies while growing up. I always wanted to visit Neverland and fly with Pixie dust. When I read that this was a retelling of Peter Pan - a bit dark and with romance, I knew I had to check it out.
This story starts out with the main character Elena, heartbroken and making an important life changing decision that leads her to move to London. What she certainly doesn’t expect is to end up in Neverland and to realize that the story of Peter Pan as she’s always known it, is not at all accurate.
“He looks like an angel in the soft golden glow surrounding the tree—an angel with neon green eyes.”
Peter Pan, here known as Aiden, is just as we know him. A handsome boy, mischievous and full of energy. Or is he? This story gives Peter Pan’s character an interesting twist. I’ve never read any Peter Pan retellings, so I really enjoyed reading about Peter Pan’s character in a different light and I really enjoyed his portrayal in this story. I’ve only ever seen him different from the Peter Pan we know in the TV show Once Upon A Time. Now after reading this, it seems that the darker side of Peter Pan is quite popular.
“ ‘I thought Captain Hook was supposed to be old,’ I say, regretting the words as soon as they leave my mouth. His blue eyes narrow. ‘Who is spreading these filthy lies?’ he demands. ‘The boy? I’ll gut the little monster like a fish!’ “
Ah, Captain Hook. This Captain Hook, who we meet as Will, will have you swooning. If you’ve watched Once Upon A Time then you will understand why I say this - his character in the show was who I imagined the whole time I was reading this book. I love tortured souls who fall in love and want to be better - they always make for a more interesting romance novel.
“Fire like yours is rare. Beautiful. Do not let him snuff it out. Do not let anyone snuff it out. Not ever.”
This story was part dark fantasy, part romance. A nice little romantic twist on your typical Peter Pan story. I don’t want to go too much into the story for fear of spoiling it. Hook & Crown sheds a different light on Peter Pan and Hook - Elena gets caught up in between them, trying to decide right from wrong, good from bad and who to really trust. There are fairies, pixie dust, mermaids, pirates and pirate ships, lost children, and of course the beautiful Neverland.
If you enjoy Peter Pan, then check out this romantic and dark retelling.
*A huge thanks to The Parliament Press for providing me with and eARC for review. All thoughts are my own.*
Peter Pan, the Disney version, was one of my favorite movies while growing up. I always wanted to visit Neverland and fly with Pixie dust. When I read that this was a retelling of Peter Pan - a bit dark and with romance, I knew I had to check it out.
This story starts out with the main character Elena, heartbroken and making an important life changing decision that leads her to move to London. What she certainly doesn’t expect is to end up in Neverland and to realize that the story of Peter Pan as she’s always known it, is not at all accurate.
“He looks like an angel in the soft golden glow surrounding the tree—an angel with neon green eyes.”
Peter Pan, here known as Aiden, is just as we know him. A handsome boy, mischievous and full of energy. Or is he? This story gives Peter Pan’s character an interesting twist. I’ve never read any Peter Pan retellings, so I really enjoyed reading about Peter Pan’s character in a different light and I really enjoyed his portrayal in this story. I’ve only ever seen him different from the Peter Pan we know in the TV show Once Upon A Time. Now after reading this, it seems that the darker side of Peter Pan is quite popular.
“ ‘I thought Captain Hook was supposed to be old,’ I say, regretting the words as soon as they leave my mouth. His blue eyes narrow. ‘Who is spreading these filthy lies?’ he demands. ‘The boy? I’ll gut the little monster like a fish!’ “
Ah, Captain Hook. This Captain Hook, who we meet as Will, will have you swooning. If you’ve watched Once Upon A Time then you will understand why I say this - his character in the show was who I imagined the whole time I was reading this book. I love tortured souls who fall in love and want to be better - they always make for a more interesting romance novel.
“Fire like yours is rare. Beautiful. Do not let him snuff it out. Do not let anyone snuff it out. Not ever.”
This story was part dark fantasy, part romance. A nice little romantic twist on your typical Peter Pan story. I don’t want to go too much into the story for fear of spoiling it. Hook & Crown sheds a different light on Peter Pan and Hook - Elena gets caught up in between them, trying to decide right from wrong, good from bad and who to really trust. There are fairies, pixie dust, mermaids, pirates and pirate ships, lost children, and of course the beautiful Neverland.
If you enjoy Peter Pan, then check out this romantic and dark retelling.
*A huge thanks to The Parliament Press for providing me with and eARC for review. All thoughts are my own.*
March 26, 2020
Awesome
Awesome retelling of this classic fairytale. Highly recommended. It's one of the best retelling I've ever read of any fairytale.
Awesome retelling of this classic fairytale. Highly recommended. It's one of the best retelling I've ever read of any fairytale.
March 23, 2020
I do believe in fairies.
Oh captain, my captain.....when one falls in love with a ship's captain, anything can happen. I believe in the magic of my dreams and this story will make you believe, too. What a delicious twist on an old favorite. So head towards the second star to the right, straight on til morning, where this adventure begins......
Oh captain, my captain.....when one falls in love with a ship's captain, anything can happen. I believe in the magic of my dreams and this story will make you believe, too. What a delicious twist on an old favorite. So head towards the second star to the right, straight on til morning, where this adventure begins......
May 9, 2019
A Peter Pan retelling not quite as you’ve ever heard before . I’m actually giving this book a 3.9 rating lol I know I know . I’ll explain why in a moment .
First , the plot .... :) we have a 17 year old girl attending college in London . She arrives during Christmas vacation , so no one is there . Soon she meets “Peter Pan and Tinkerbell” ... or who she knows as Peter and Tink from story books . In this story, they are known as Aiden and Tatiana.
Naturally , she goes on this adventure to Neverland . It is while in Neverland that we start to find out truths about the island and it’s magic. We also meet Hook , which is known as Will here. I absolutely loved him because his narrative reminded me a lot of Killian from Once upon a time . Like I hear his voice in my head lol.
The book is written in first person and third Person points as well. I found it neat to get a little more info from certain scenes , extra vantage points .
There are twists in the story that I loved because we all know the Peter story all too well. I truly enjoyed this book.
I honestly took longer to read this solely because I didn’t want it to end lol I want to stay with Hook on the Jolly Roger forever .
Now, why did I give it a 3.9? I just felt things went too quickly . Which isn’t a bad thing for some people . I just love the details and slow build ups . That’s just me . I wanted more between certain characters . I love being in Neverland in my head ... I wanted the story to go on and on . Elena is our MC here, and honestly I wanted to punch her sometimes lol but that’s expected because she’s 17 and has no idea about life lol
All in all, it was a fun read and I am excited for a sequel ! Fingers crossed !!!!
I want to thank the publisher for blessing me with an eArc of this book as it was on my top 3 most anticipated reads of the year. It did not disappoint!
Hook and Crown will be released in June and I hope you all pick it up!
First , the plot .... :) we have a 17 year old girl attending college in London . She arrives during Christmas vacation , so no one is there . Soon she meets “Peter Pan and Tinkerbell” ... or who she knows as Peter and Tink from story books . In this story, they are known as Aiden and Tatiana.
Naturally , she goes on this adventure to Neverland . It is while in Neverland that we start to find out truths about the island and it’s magic. We also meet Hook , which is known as Will here. I absolutely loved him because his narrative reminded me a lot of Killian from Once upon a time . Like I hear his voice in my head lol.
The book is written in first person and third Person points as well. I found it neat to get a little more info from certain scenes , extra vantage points .
There are twists in the story that I loved because we all know the Peter story all too well. I truly enjoyed this book.
I honestly took longer to read this solely because I didn’t want it to end lol I want to stay with Hook on the Jolly Roger forever .
Now, why did I give it a 3.9? I just felt things went too quickly . Which isn’t a bad thing for some people . I just love the details and slow build ups . That’s just me . I wanted more between certain characters . I love being in Neverland in my head ... I wanted the story to go on and on . Elena is our MC here, and honestly I wanted to punch her sometimes lol but that’s expected because she’s 17 and has no idea about life lol
All in all, it was a fun read and I am excited for a sequel ! Fingers crossed !!!!
I want to thank the publisher for blessing me with an eArc of this book as it was on my top 3 most anticipated reads of the year. It did not disappoint!
Hook and Crown will be released in June and I hope you all pick it up!
June 11, 2019
3.5/5 stars
Nicole Knapp’s Hook and Crown is a retelling /next chapter of the ever classic Peter Pan, or in our case Aiden. However, there’s a twist to Knapp’s story that’s very reminiscent of the Peter Pan storyline in the TV show Once Upon a Time!
The only way I can describe the male characters is dark and sexy. They are by far the best part of the novel.There’s a captivating mystery that surrounds both Aiden (Peter Pan) and William (Captain Hook) and their feud is what drives the story.
Elena, on the other hand, fell completely flat. Both Aiden and William said there’s a fire to her, yet I only saw this fire at the very end. She ended up being a pretty dependent, indecisive female protagonist. I wanted more from her. Aiden and William were great. They had something driving them; they had purpose from their backstories. Elena didn’t have purpose, which I think is due to the overall novel being rushed.
Everything was almost immediate. I was expecting a slow stalking vibe to allow me to really invest myself in the relationships, but it didn’t happen, everything was so immediate. I wanted a build up so the twist would smack me in the face. While the concept is spot on, dark, intriguing, and sexy, (I loved the Peter Pan storyline in Once Upon a Time) and there are several twists and surprises, I, unfortunately, was left unfulfilled. But, I would love a William!
Thank you to The Parliament House for the eSRC in exchange for an honest review.
Nicole Knapp’s Hook and Crown is a retelling /next chapter of the ever classic Peter Pan, or in our case Aiden. However, there’s a twist to Knapp’s story that’s very reminiscent of the Peter Pan storyline in the TV show Once Upon a Time!
The only way I can describe the male characters is dark and sexy. They are by far the best part of the novel.There’s a captivating mystery that surrounds both Aiden (Peter Pan) and William (Captain Hook) and their feud is what drives the story.
Elena, on the other hand, fell completely flat. Both Aiden and William said there’s a fire to her, yet I only saw this fire at the very end. She ended up being a pretty dependent, indecisive female protagonist. I wanted more from her. Aiden and William were great. They had something driving them; they had purpose from their backstories. Elena didn’t have purpose, which I think is due to the overall novel being rushed.
Everything was almost immediate. I was expecting a slow stalking vibe to allow me to really invest myself in the relationships, but it didn’t happen, everything was so immediate. I wanted a build up so the twist would smack me in the face. While the concept is spot on, dark, intriguing, and sexy, (I loved the Peter Pan storyline in Once Upon a Time) and there are several twists and surprises, I, unfortunately, was left unfulfilled. But, I would love a William!
Thank you to The Parliament House for the eSRC in exchange for an honest review.
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