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Curses of Never #2
A Sea of Eternal Woe
As Captain Wendy Maynard...
I have everything I ever dared dream of. A ship all my own. Friends by my side. A purpose—and a home.
I should have known it would all go to shit.
The exhausting combination of storms and outrunning monsters have left The Jolly Serpent battered and broken, and my crew no longer trusts me to pick up the pieces. Just when it looks like Peter and I are about to be thrown overboard, the unlikeliest of saviors shows up…
My father.
I didn’t plan on seeing Captain Hook again so soon, but he needs me, and I need him. The sea witch Ursa is hiding far more than secrets, and if the rumors are to be believed? Her realm makes the horrors of Neverland look warm and fuzzy in comparison. Failure to retrieve what we’ve lost simply isn’t an option. If we do, it’s not our lives Ursa wants.
It's our very souls.
A Sea of Eternal Woe is book two in the Curses of Never Series: dark fantasy retellings inspired by Peter Pan and The Little Mermaid. Perfect for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean and Lost Boy by Christina Henry, these LGBTQ+ friendly adult reimaginings are filled to the brim with monsters, magic, and pirates. This installment contains language, violence, sexual content, gender dysphoria, and instances of transphobia, including misgendering.
I have everything I ever dared dream of. A ship all my own. Friends by my side. A purpose—and a home.
I should have known it would all go to shit.
The exhausting combination of storms and outrunning monsters have left The Jolly Serpent battered and broken, and my crew no longer trusts me to pick up the pieces. Just when it looks like Peter and I are about to be thrown overboard, the unlikeliest of saviors shows up…
My father.
I didn’t plan on seeing Captain Hook again so soon, but he needs me, and I need him. The sea witch Ursa is hiding far more than secrets, and if the rumors are to be believed? Her realm makes the horrors of Neverland look warm and fuzzy in comparison. Failure to retrieve what we’ve lost simply isn’t an option. If we do, it’s not our lives Ursa wants.
It's our very souls.
A Sea of Eternal Woe is book two in the Curses of Never Series: dark fantasy retellings inspired by Peter Pan and The Little Mermaid. Perfect for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean and Lost Boy by Christina Henry, these LGBTQ+ friendly adult reimaginings are filled to the brim with monsters, magic, and pirates. This installment contains language, violence, sexual content, gender dysphoria, and instances of transphobia, including misgendering.
399 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 30, 2022
97 people are currently reading
4510 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Davennor
17 books330 followersRaelynn Davennor writes fantasy romance and fairytale retellings—usually of the darker variety—and is the author of the Curses of Never and The Phantom of Notre Dame series, both of which became viral BookTok hits.
She is known for her diverse and morally complex characters, as well as her ability to craft heart-wrenching plots that explore heavy themes. While she is a firm believer that light cannot be fully appreciated without first traveling through heaps of darkness, Raelynn always ensures that her characters find their well-deserved happily ever afters—especially the LGBT+ ones.
When not obsessing over her latest idea, she enjoys pampering her menagerie of pets and pretending she isn’t an adult.
She is known for her diverse and morally complex characters, as well as her ability to craft heart-wrenching plots that explore heavy themes. While she is a firm believer that light cannot be fully appreciated without first traveling through heaps of darkness, Raelynn always ensures that her characters find their well-deserved happily ever afters—especially the LGBT+ ones.
When not obsessing over her latest idea, she enjoys pampering her menagerie of pets and pretending she isn’t an adult.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
September 13, 2022
Fairytale retellings have always been a favorite from mine, and these Curses of Never books are definitely one of my favorites, and probably my favorite Peter Pan retelling yet! I liked the first, but I loved the second even more.
This sequel picks up after Never After, with Cedric and Elvira in Afterport searching for information on Scarlett and Wendy on the Jolly Serpent on the way to find Ursa. I thought the story was written really well, and I am really liking being able to see more of this world, histories and stories/lore. I can’t wait to see more!
CWs (in beginning of book):graphic violence+death, explicit spice and language, mentions and brief depictions of gender dysphoria, and transphobia, including misgendering
I liked Wendy a bit more in this one, and I can see her character growth and am LOVING it. I think she’s an incredibly strong character, especially considering her age, but I wish that she could see outside of herself a little bit more. She jumps to conclusions without thinking often, and if she thought about her actions just a liiittle bit more, maybe she wouldn’t get herself into some of the situations she is in. It is starting to annoy me, though, how the other male characters (like the crew and Ced sometimes) talk down to her, whether it’s because of her age, or because she’s a girl. She literally saved them all in the previous book, yet they all still treat her like a child. I do hope that the magical element that seemed to pop up is developed more in the next book, because it sounds really interesting.
Cedric and Scarlett’s reunion was definitely worth the wait and I LOVED Cedric’s POVs in this story. His character has quite a bit of development, and I really liked seeing that. I do wish we could have had a little more of Peter. Wendy was on this journey to find Ursa to get help for him, but he doesn’t have much page time. I miss him. I feel like I have even more questions now, BUT that ending definitely leaves the door open for some fun character development, and I can’t wait to see it! I also thought the villain was super cool too, and I really liked her (except for the whole, you know, evil bit that happened with Scarlett).
So as far as the plot, I thought it was really interesting. The dual POVs of Wendy and Cedric added an extra element to it that I enjoyed. The two are on separate journeys that overlap about midway through. The overlap is when it definitely starts to pick up and from there I flew through the rest of the book. It’s very fast-paced and full of action, and the mythological aspect was really cool too (hope we get more of that too, especially with what we learned about a certain character in this one). I also loved the poems and songs included in this!
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy! I can’t wait to see where the next book goes :)
This sequel picks up after Never After, with Cedric and Elvira in Afterport searching for information on Scarlett and Wendy on the Jolly Serpent on the way to find Ursa. I thought the story was written really well, and I am really liking being able to see more of this world, histories and stories/lore. I can’t wait to see more!
CWs (in beginning of book):graphic violence+death, explicit spice and language, mentions and brief depictions of gender dysphoria, and transphobia, including misgendering
I liked Wendy a bit more in this one, and I can see her character growth and am LOVING it. I think she’s an incredibly strong character, especially considering her age, but I wish that she could see outside of herself a little bit more. She jumps to conclusions without thinking often, and if she thought about her actions just a liiittle bit more, maybe she wouldn’t get herself into some of the situations she is in. It is starting to annoy me, though, how the other male characters (like the crew and Ced sometimes) talk down to her, whether it’s because of her age, or because she’s a girl. She literally saved them all in the previous book, yet they all still treat her like a child. I do hope that the magical element that seemed to pop up is developed more in the next book, because it sounds really interesting.
Cedric and Scarlett’s reunion was definitely worth the wait and I LOVED Cedric’s POVs in this story. His character has quite a bit of development, and I really liked seeing that. I do wish we could have had a little more of Peter. Wendy was on this journey to find Ursa to get help for him, but he doesn’t have much page time. I miss him. I feel like I have even more questions now, BUT that ending definitely leaves the door open for some fun character development, and I can’t wait to see it! I also thought the villain was super cool too, and I really liked her (except for the whole, you know, evil bit that happened with Scarlett).
So as far as the plot, I thought it was really interesting. The dual POVs of Wendy and Cedric added an extra element to it that I enjoyed. The two are on separate journeys that overlap about midway through. The overlap is when it definitely starts to pick up and from there I flew through the rest of the book. It’s very fast-paced and full of action, and the mythological aspect was really cool too (hope we get more of that too, especially with what we learned about a certain character in this one). I also loved the poems and songs included in this!
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy! I can’t wait to see where the next book goes :)
September 7, 2022
I recieved an arc from the author in exchange for an honest review, and my review is just that.
3.5 ⭐ rounded up.
I was happy to see that the writing and the pacing were significantly improved upon from the first book in the series, but I still didn't like this as much as I hoped to. It took me forever to finish, and I feel so bad to have received an arc only to not finish it before release. I tried my hardest, but my interest really dropped because I really couldn't stand Wendy. She is so insufferable. I really couldn't understand her motivations with her anger towards Cedric. She's nothing but a brat, and I was disappointed to not see any character growth from her until the last 40 percent of the story. I feel like she was a caricature of a teenager to the extreme, and I wasn't into it. She's been through so much to not have matured at all from the first book. The only thing that kept me going was the plot. There are really good ideas in here, just like in the first book, and I wanted to see how it all played out. I loved how the two stories of Pan and the Little Mermaid were woven together. My favorite characters were definitely Cedric and Scarlett, so I'm glad for the ending we got. I'm just upset that I didn't get the enjoyment from this series I wanted/expected to get.
3.5 ⭐ rounded up.
I was happy to see that the writing and the pacing were significantly improved upon from the first book in the series, but I still didn't like this as much as I hoped to. It took me forever to finish, and I feel so bad to have received an arc only to not finish it before release. I tried my hardest, but my interest really dropped because I really couldn't stand Wendy. She is so insufferable. I really couldn't understand her motivations with her anger towards Cedric. She's nothing but a brat, and I was disappointed to not see any character growth from her until the last 40 percent of the story. I feel like she was a caricature of a teenager to the extreme, and I wasn't into it. She's been through so much to not have matured at all from the first book. The only thing that kept me going was the plot. There are really good ideas in here, just like in the first book, and I wanted to see how it all played out. I loved how the two stories of Pan and the Little Mermaid were woven together. My favorite characters were definitely Cedric and Scarlett, so I'm glad for the ending we got. I'm just upset that I didn't get the enjoyment from this series I wanted/expected to get.
September 6, 2022
First of all thank you to the author for allowing me the opportunity to read an EArc of this book before its release!
This was a great and entertaining read! I don’t read too many fairytale retellings but I really enjoyed the Peter Pan and little mermaid elements in this story! Mix in some pirates and a little mythology and I think that this gives you such a great summer read!
I was mostly here just waiting for Cedric and Scarletts reunion and development! And it was worth the wait! I found Cedric’s POVs to very compelling and definitely took me for an emotional rollercoaster. Wendy continues to be a strong female lead and I really enjoyed her chapters as well.
This book has so many great elements! Dark fantasy, fairy tale retellings, morally grey characters, pirates, LGBTQ+ rep, it makes you feel all the emotions and if any of this sounds interesting to you guys I highly suggest you pick these up!
Thank you again to Davennor and I look forward to the next book!
This was a great and entertaining read! I don’t read too many fairytale retellings but I really enjoyed the Peter Pan and little mermaid elements in this story! Mix in some pirates and a little mythology and I think that this gives you such a great summer read!
I was mostly here just waiting for Cedric and Scarletts reunion and development! And it was worth the wait! I found Cedric’s POVs to very compelling and definitely took me for an emotional rollercoaster. Wendy continues to be a strong female lead and I really enjoyed her chapters as well.
This book has so many great elements! Dark fantasy, fairy tale retellings, morally grey characters, pirates, LGBTQ+ rep, it makes you feel all the emotions and if any of this sounds interesting to you guys I highly suggest you pick these up!
Thank you again to Davennor and I look forward to the next book!
November 22, 2022
A Sea of Woe is the second book in the series. The sequel to A Land of Never After. It's a dark fantasy with great lgbtq representation. R.L. Davennor did a great job writing this book. I was hooked all the way through the story and managed to finish it in one evening. I love fairytale retellings and this one did not disappoint. This one is based on Peter Pan where Peter is a trans guy which I absolutely love. After I read A Land of Never After I couldn't wait to read a sequel and I am very happy I finally could! I totally recommend A Sea of Woe and if you haven't read A Land of Never After, go read it right now!
September 6, 2022
I love a good retelling and The Sea of Eternal Woe didn’t disappoint. The characters were well rounded and the LGBTQ+ representation was fantastic. the author covered mental health issues in a very respectful way, highlighting its importance. I’m looking forward to seeing where this story takes us. I definitely want more of the little mermaid element
May 14, 2023
Original combination of two popular fairytales (Peter Pan and the Little Mermaid)
After having read both the prequel and book one of this series, I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to read this sequel too. The writing style is still really fluent and straightforward, which makes it easy to be carried along in the story. Unfortunately, this is somewhat (I repeat somewhat, definitely not entirely) negated by the fact that the content of the story seems to have been stretched a bit. In number of pages, this book is much thicker than the first book, in my opinion it could have been a bit shorter, more in line with the first one (for example, in the first hundred pages it takes a while before anything really happens). But nevertheless the story was well developed, the characters (and their maelstroms of inner thoughts) were also given more attention in comparison to the previous book. It's nice to get more insight in both Wendy and Cedric through the dual POV, in what they think, why they do certain things, ... Their hostility towards each other is also nicely worked out, but in the end it drags on a bit too long in my opinion. Miscommunication as a trope is very clearly present here (unfortunately, it's a trope I don't really like myself). I also continue to find the character of Peter (and Tink) very interesting, a lot of question marks are raised in this book, which are only partly answered by the end. This makes me very curious about the next book in the series. The mythological elements and recognisable elements from the classic stories are also nicely combined here. The fact that the book is advertised as dark fantasy with LGBTQ+ elements is entirely true, and this is also woven in nicely. Once you get to the end of the book, the epilogue, I was a little surprised, in a positive sense. It is written a little differently than the other chapters, but wow, it really makes you want to start reading the third book right away. Be sure to take the time to read the author's note as well, it is very sincerely written and gives a lot of insight into the author behind this story (R.L. Davennor, you are doing a great job, writing amazing stories that leave your readers asking for more, remember that and never give up). The biggest drawback for me personally with this book is that I don't really feel a click with any of the characters, even though they are well conceived and fleshed out. But that is something very personal to me as a reader, who needs to feel a connection with the characters.
So if you like such retellings, with a twist, with dark fantasy vibes and LGBTQ+ representation, I definitely recommend checking this series out. Because if what the epilogue promises is yet to come... it's going to be a wild ride, in the best way possible.
I received an advanced copy of this book for review.
After having read both the prequel and book one of this series, I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to read this sequel too. The writing style is still really fluent and straightforward, which makes it easy to be carried along in the story. Unfortunately, this is somewhat (I repeat somewhat, definitely not entirely) negated by the fact that the content of the story seems to have been stretched a bit. In number of pages, this book is much thicker than the first book, in my opinion it could have been a bit shorter, more in line with the first one (for example, in the first hundred pages it takes a while before anything really happens). But nevertheless the story was well developed, the characters (and their maelstroms of inner thoughts) were also given more attention in comparison to the previous book. It's nice to get more insight in both Wendy and Cedric through the dual POV, in what they think, why they do certain things, ... Their hostility towards each other is also nicely worked out, but in the end it drags on a bit too long in my opinion. Miscommunication as a trope is very clearly present here (unfortunately, it's a trope I don't really like myself). I also continue to find the character of Peter (and Tink) very interesting, a lot of question marks are raised in this book, which are only partly answered by the end. This makes me very curious about the next book in the series. The mythological elements and recognisable elements from the classic stories are also nicely combined here. The fact that the book is advertised as dark fantasy with LGBTQ+ elements is entirely true, and this is also woven in nicely. Once you get to the end of the book, the epilogue, I was a little surprised, in a positive sense. It is written a little differently than the other chapters, but wow, it really makes you want to start reading the third book right away. Be sure to take the time to read the author's note as well, it is very sincerely written and gives a lot of insight into the author behind this story (R.L. Davennor, you are doing a great job, writing amazing stories that leave your readers asking for more, remember that and never give up). The biggest drawback for me personally with this book is that I don't really feel a click with any of the characters, even though they are well conceived and fleshed out. But that is something very personal to me as a reader, who needs to feel a connection with the characters.
So if you like such retellings, with a twist, with dark fantasy vibes and LGBTQ+ representation, I definitely recommend checking this series out. Because if what the epilogue promises is yet to come... it's going to be a wild ride, in the best way possible.
I received an advanced copy of this book for review.
December 7, 2022
What a ride this was—from start to finish!
I have always enjoyed reading fairytale retellings, it’s one of my very favorite type of reads since childhood and I loved how R. L. Davennor was able to spin familiar tales in her own unique way. The action is fast-paced, the characters layered and compelling, and the story intriguing and engaging.
For me, the star of this one was Cedric. He was the character I enjoyed most in this sequel’s predecessor, so he happily became my favorite POV to read. Sometimes he frustrated me, sometimes he made me worry, but most times I just loved his complexity and was intrigued to see where the narrative would push him. He’s a very layered character, whose journey is so worth following.
That said, I have to admit in one disappointment. The mermaid of this retelling— she wasn’t present much. But when we did get her, I loved her wholly. And I leave this story desperate to learn more about her because I think she has the makings for an epic POV to read. But for what is considered a Little Mermaid retelling, I did find it a bit disappointing how lacking the character was in this tale.
Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to the next installment. You can 100% absolutely count me in! I have become a true fan of Davennor, and can’t wait to see where this story (and all their future stories!) heads next.
3.5✨
I have always enjoyed reading fairytale retellings, it’s one of my very favorite type of reads since childhood and I loved how R. L. Davennor was able to spin familiar tales in her own unique way. The action is fast-paced, the characters layered and compelling, and the story intriguing and engaging.
For me, the star of this one was Cedric. He was the character I enjoyed most in this sequel’s predecessor, so he happily became my favorite POV to read. Sometimes he frustrated me, sometimes he made me worry, but most times I just loved his complexity and was intrigued to see where the narrative would push him. He’s a very layered character, whose journey is so worth following.
That said, I have to admit in one disappointment. The mermaid of this retelling— she wasn’t present much. But when we did get her, I loved her wholly. And I leave this story desperate to learn more about her because I think she has the makings for an epic POV to read. But for what is considered a Little Mermaid retelling, I did find it a bit disappointing how lacking the character was in this tale.
Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to the next installment. You can 100% absolutely count me in! I have become a true fan of Davennor, and can’t wait to see where this story (and all their future stories!) heads next.
3.5✨
October 28, 2022
Maddening and intense. Filled with monsters and mayhem!
Oh my goodness, what a wild ride this book has dragged me onto 😱
" Sometimes it wasn’t about standing up. It was about refusing to sit back down. "
When you say Peter Pan + Little Mermaid + Pirates of the Caribbean + Sinbad + Once Upon A Time, please just shut up and give me everything, okay? 🤩
A Sea of Eternal Woe is much darker than A Land of Never After, in the emotional sense rather than the visual. I remember needing to read Never After with my lights on, but I always waited for nightfall before reading Woe. There's something so freeing about being emotionally exposed after dark 🤷🏻♀️
Although this book may be twice as long as the first book, there really is never a dull moment. Every single chapter has something to offer to the bigger picture, and though it might be fast-paced, it also felt very slow burn at the same time.
I especially love that book 2 is longer because it opens up space for more lore and world-building, and allows us to take a deeper dive into these characters and their motives.
Wendy is as recklessly headstrong as ever, but I admire her for dealing with her mental health instead of running from it, and helping her friends with their troubles too, no matter how messy things got. Despite encountering numerous setbacks, Wendy is always determined to keep pushing through.
" Allow yourself to be as worthy as I know you are. Allow yourself to be loved. "
I need some more Wendy & Hook bonding soon, please, because Wendy's stubborn hate is killing me 😖💔 I think she needs more hugs 😢
Her friendship with Peter Pan however, melted my heart 🥹 I adore seeing them work together, and just them knowing what the other needed without speaking is very endearing.
Also, I hope we get to explore Wendy's connection to magic in the next book, since that revelation still has me excitedly baffled!
Peter Pan is yet a huge mystery, and I am more intrigued than ever about where his story is going from here. I never fully trusted or even liked him that much in the first book, but being able to witness more of his character this time actually made me soft for him 🥺 (He's okay though, right? Pfft, I know he's fine, but that ending has me panicking, okay?? 😰)
The author handled Pan's gender identity so well. Besides the leering pirates, him being trans was so normal to everyone else. Even Captain Hook — his sworn enemy — had defended and respected Peter for it.
I mean, not even the ruthless, villainous Captain Hook believes in utilizing gender dysphoria as a weapon?!? YES, THANK YOU. 🙌🏼
Cedric "Hook" Teach, that miserable wreck of a character, had me glued to all of his chapters. He's an absolute tortured, unfortunate soul who can never properly function without his one true love, and (poor boy) I found that very entertaining to read 😂 Perhaps in book 3 we finally get to see him think more coherently? 🤭
" Only you would stand at the gates of hell and still ask to be shown the way. "
^ this line gave me chills 👀
Calypso was such a great addition to the cast, even though she was mostly a seductive little bitch. She was so electrifying, she could charge a scene full of tension just by standing in the room 😳
Elvira Teach is turning out to be one of my favorite characters as well. I absolutely adore her in this book. During the previous stories, I thought she'd only remained by Cedric's side for her own benefit/agenda, but Woe proved that she was loyal to no end. There is a great amount of love inside that heart of stone of hers. Elvira truly cares about her brother, and would follow him to the ends of the earth even if she thought he was stupidly sailing toward his death, if only to make sure he didn't actually get dead in the end.
Elvira's relationship with her brother (though sometimes terrifyingly brutal) was everything. I honestly did not expect to love that dynamic so much, but I did?? 🥺💖
I am very excited for more of Elvira, especially after that ending!!! 👀
I had hoped to see more of Scarlett than we got in this book though. I'm guessing she'll get more page time in the next book, and I cannot wait! I want to witness more of her badassery, but especially combined with maternal instinct?? How much more formidable could she be??? 😱
That and more spicy power couple scenes, perhaps? 🙈 Scarlett & Cedric's reunion is probably my favorite in the entire book 🥹❤️🔥
I do recommend reading the prequel A Dance with the Devil before diving into Woe, since it brings up quite a number of references from there.
❗️tiny spoiler❗️
One thing I would like to know however, is how Scarlett was able to communicate with sirens before she was cursed into a mermaid?
(side note : is Prince Herbert's physical description actually based on Prince Eric?? I mean, a Little Mermaid retelling wouldn't let me picture him any other way, and I couldn't stop laughing because what the hell, that guy?!? 🤣
Also, Arktos is definitely a combination of Max and Spike, and he's insanely adorable 🥹)
Anyway, Woe made me feel alllll of the feels, and I truly enjoyed following and getting to watch these characters' stories unfold.
I personally connected with this book more than I did with A Land of Never After. I'm guessing it's from all the pirate elements, but more likely it's the rollercoaster of emotions A Sea of Eternal Woe has allowed me to feel, especially those in the grayer areas.
There are moments when I feel like I'm losing my mind, and so I understood Cedric in his loneliness; in him fighting so hard to rescue Scarlett so that he might regain his will to live so that he would have a reason to feel alive again.
But how does one lash out without destroying much of anything?
" We’re powder kegs waiting to explode, and either of us could be holding the matches. "
It was as though getting to experience how completely and desperately unhinged Cedric could become made me feel a little better, and getting to live inside his head was like I could contain my rage on the page too.
These characters just have so much soul. (Damn, books are therapeutic.)
Also, can I just say ❗️spoiler❗️ . . . . . . . the audacity of one Captain James Cedric "Hook" to double cross such powerful entities as literal gods is beyond me. I'm surprised he hasn't been smitten off the face of the earth yet 😂🙌🏼
Moreover, I dearly missed getting to listen to featured musical numbers, as those were some of the best parts of reading Never After and Devil. Obviously it's not a must, but it helped immerse the reader even further with the previous stories, and gave us such a refreshing and unique reading experience.
I was fangirling from all of the references to Pirates of the Caribbean as well (it's my fave film franchise 🤷🏻♀️), especially how Kaara's realm was basically Shipwreck Cove, because it makes perfect sense! (took me back to those days my brother & I would play the PotC 3 game on our PS2; Shipwreck City was my favorite because the ramshackle location was such fun to explore 😍)
Also, the OUAT vibes . . . ❗️spoiler❗️ . . . Don't even get me started on Cedric's journeying into the underworld sea of eternal woe to save his beloved, all the while harboring such guilt for risking everyone else's lives, but unapologetic in the slightest for his decision to go anyway because how can he live without half of his soul in the fair lady Swan Scarlett, and knowing as well that that soul is bound to Hades Kaara by some twisted form of eternal torment and no one but him could save her if she can't save herself so they can power couple their way to go up against the gods??? . . . . . . . plus, Killian Scarlett gave Belle Wendy her very own shellphone™️, just in case she needed help. It’s all in the details 🐚😉 . . . and all these parallels are making my heart very happy 😌
I also felt the urge to rewatch Sinbad immediately after reading, because why not? Fairytale mashups make me nostalgic 😏
The Author's Note at the end of the book was a really nice addition too. I related so much with their struggles with mental health & other personal areas, and am inspired by what Davennor wrote.
" What if all you needed was a reason to believe in yourself? "
I genuinely needed to hear this; a motivation to keep fighting ❤️🔥 A great reminder within a great book from a great series so far, and if it isn't still obvious, I want the next book right now, pretty please! 🤓✨
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2022
◦ I've received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ◦
⮞ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 ⮜
The story follows Wendy and her close ones on a new and more dangerous adventure, to meet Kaara - Ursa herself. Each with a different bargain in mind will have to lose something before being able to gain something and as things don't always go as planned, chaos ensued before things even begin.
⮞ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⮜
The characters each hold a dear piece of my heart! On one hand, I love the dark and morally grey characters on the other hand I love the innocence some still possess.
In general, I had a love/hate relationship with Wendy, and I've enjoyed and hated her character at the same time. I've loved her because she is indeed selfless and would give her life for those who she loves but at the same time, she's so stubborn that she doesn't see how much the people around her love her and would do anything for her to be happy and safe, instead she is just causing trouble where there is no trouble. I mean I totally get it, she's a teenager and she's going through that rebel phase where she thinks everything's the way she sees stuff and other opinions don't really matter or are correct, however, she definitely has grown a lot from the first book and I am enjoying her for the fact she's trying to get closer to her parents - but there's still a long way for them to be a happy family.
Hook has definitely changed during this book, we've seen so many soft parts of him and how deep he loves but also how messed up his childhood has been that he has trouble knowing what a good parent is - which is understandable. In my opinion, he and Elvira have the biggest character growth throughout this book, they have changed so much from the first book and I've loved the growth.
Peter Pan, on the other hand, didn't show up that much throughout the book to be able to see how much he grew as a character but the end of the book definitely leaves the door open for his transformation and definitely a new adventure to come and I'm definitely excited to know another side of Peter Pan that we've never seen before - especially since his words at the end were full on the promise of revenge.
⮞ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⮜
The world-building has definitely caused me to be anxious on more than one occasion especially when water was involved - being underwater is just a nightmare for me lol and the adventure they've gone through definitely made me hold my breath together with them. Kaara's place was fantastic but also claustrophobic at the same time, her world is as chaotic as herself. The trials they had to go through were definitely interesting and made me hold my breath for a good outcome.
⮞ 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 ⮜
The magic system felt a bit confusing to me because out of a sudden we've had Wendy who sort of has some magical powers but just like the reader, no one exactly knows where her power comes from or why is she sensitive to the magic around her and she's able to communicate with the strange creatures that lay under the water. It's definitely an interesting subject that I hope is going to be a bit more developed in the next book because I'd love to know why Wendy's affected by magic the way she is and where her powers come from - just as her we're clueless and hopefully we'll find it together.
⮞ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 ⮜
If you love spice in books then this one is for you. I'd put the spice in the book round 4 peppers flames because you've got enough details on some scenes and hard language. The spice and the sexual tension were just perfect, I loved the new change.
⮞ Overall opinion ⮜
If you enjoy retellings with a twist then this is a perfect read. I enjoyed the story, the pace, the characters, and the world-building. The whole story kept you going from the very beginning and also the LGBT+ inclusions into the book were amazing. I legit had no dull moments and everything was an ongoing action, sarcasm and lots of trouble.
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⮞ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 ⮜
The story follows Wendy and her close ones on a new and more dangerous adventure, to meet Kaara - Ursa herself. Each with a different bargain in mind will have to lose something before being able to gain something and as things don't always go as planned, chaos ensued before things even begin.
⮞ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⮜
The characters each hold a dear piece of my heart! On one hand, I love the dark and morally grey characters on the other hand I love the innocence some still possess.
In general, I had a love/hate relationship with Wendy, and I've enjoyed and hated her character at the same time. I've loved her because she is indeed selfless and would give her life for those who she loves but at the same time, she's so stubborn that she doesn't see how much the people around her love her and would do anything for her to be happy and safe, instead she is just causing trouble where there is no trouble. I mean I totally get it, she's a teenager and she's going through that rebel phase where she thinks everything's the way she sees stuff and other opinions don't really matter or are correct, however, she definitely has grown a lot from the first book and I am enjoying her for the fact she's trying to get closer to her parents - but there's still a long way for them to be a happy family.
Hook has definitely changed during this book, we've seen so many soft parts of him and how deep he loves but also how messed up his childhood has been that he has trouble knowing what a good parent is - which is understandable. In my opinion, he and Elvira have the biggest character growth throughout this book, they have changed so much from the first book and I've loved the growth.
Peter Pan, on the other hand, didn't show up that much throughout the book to be able to see how much he grew as a character but the end of the book definitely leaves the door open for his transformation and definitely a new adventure to come and I'm definitely excited to know another side of Peter Pan that we've never seen before - especially since his words at the end were full on the promise of revenge.
⮞ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⮜
The world-building has definitely caused me to be anxious on more than one occasion especially when water was involved - being underwater is just a nightmare for me lol and the adventure they've gone through definitely made me hold my breath together with them. Kaara's place was fantastic but also claustrophobic at the same time, her world is as chaotic as herself. The trials they had to go through were definitely interesting and made me hold my breath for a good outcome.
⮞ 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 ⮜
The magic system felt a bit confusing to me because out of a sudden we've had Wendy who sort of has some magical powers but just like the reader, no one exactly knows where her power comes from or why is she sensitive to the magic around her and she's able to communicate with the strange creatures that lay under the water. It's definitely an interesting subject that I hope is going to be a bit more developed in the next book because I'd love to know why Wendy's affected by magic the way she is and where her powers come from - just as her we're clueless and hopefully we'll find it together.
⮞ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 ⮜
If you love spice in books then this one is for you. I'd put the spice in the book round 4 peppers flames because you've got enough details on some scenes and hard language. The spice and the sexual tension were just perfect, I loved the new change.
⮞ Overall opinion ⮜
If you enjoy retellings with a twist then this is a perfect read. I enjoyed the story, the pace, the characters, and the world-building. The whole story kept you going from the very beginning and also the LGBT+ inclusions into the book were amazing. I legit had no dull moments and everything was an ongoing action, sarcasm and lots of trouble.
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August 30, 2022
First of all, I'd like to thank the author for sending me an early copy of the book, because I absolutely loved being an ARC reader for A Sea of Eternal Woe.
I read A Land of Never After in about an hour about a month ago for the first time and loved it, though wished it was longer because I prefer getting to spend more time with the characters through lengthier books. When I heard about Woe being 400 pages, I was excited to change that, and that's exactly what I got and more. One of my favorite thing about this series was the retellings of Peter Pan and the Little Mermaid with aspects of Pirates of the Caribbean, but all adult and dark, with swearing and realism. Personally, I love dark books and don't mind a lot of swearing and some smut, so Woe was perfect for me. The new characters, plots and conflicts were all so exciting, so much so that I read the entire book in one day, the one day being my most packed day of the week, class-wise. I was reading it between classes, during breaks and anytime else, because the story had me hanging on every word, waiting for more.
As for characters, Cedric and Elvira stayed my favorite, as I knew they would. Disney's Peter Pan was my favorite as a child, and Captain Hook was my favorite in that movie (for some reason), which was brought back through Cedric in both books. I also really loved the new characters, even the ones who are not such wonderful people (looking at you, Kaara), because each of them were interesting and I wanted to know what each of them did next. They all kept me guessing, which was why it was so hard for me to put the book down, even when I should've been working on a lab report.
I also really appreciated the casual LGBTQ+ representation, because typically, all I find that from is through fanfiction. While the casual representation was really exciting for me, Peter's story made me feel the most emotions of anything throughout the book, both for myself and for my friends. My experience and his are not the same whatsoever, but many of his thoughts and feelings were relatable to me in a way that a lot of queer stories aren't. It's certainly set my expectations high for the next book I read.
So long story short, A Sea of Eternal Woe was amazing. While my calculus notes are a little lacking because my focus was on pirates instead of math, Woe got me out of a reading slump and got me through a long day so easily. My roommate can attest that I, several times, would put down my phone and start rambling, and that I got mad when I finished the book because I couldn't read it for the first time again. I am absolutely so excited for book three, and can't wait to see what Cedric, Wendy, Elvira and Peter do next.
I read A Land of Never After in about an hour about a month ago for the first time and loved it, though wished it was longer because I prefer getting to spend more time with the characters through lengthier books. When I heard about Woe being 400 pages, I was excited to change that, and that's exactly what I got and more. One of my favorite thing about this series was the retellings of Peter Pan and the Little Mermaid with aspects of Pirates of the Caribbean, but all adult and dark, with swearing and realism. Personally, I love dark books and don't mind a lot of swearing and some smut, so Woe was perfect for me. The new characters, plots and conflicts were all so exciting, so much so that I read the entire book in one day, the one day being my most packed day of the week, class-wise. I was reading it between classes, during breaks and anytime else, because the story had me hanging on every word, waiting for more.
As for characters, Cedric and Elvira stayed my favorite, as I knew they would. Disney's Peter Pan was my favorite as a child, and Captain Hook was my favorite in that movie (for some reason), which was brought back through Cedric in both books. I also really loved the new characters, even the ones who are not such wonderful people (looking at you, Kaara), because each of them were interesting and I wanted to know what each of them did next. They all kept me guessing, which was why it was so hard for me to put the book down, even when I should've been working on a lab report.
I also really appreciated the casual LGBTQ+ representation, because typically, all I find that from is through fanfiction. While the casual representation was really exciting for me, Peter's story made me feel the most emotions of anything throughout the book, both for myself and for my friends. My experience and his are not the same whatsoever, but many of his thoughts and feelings were relatable to me in a way that a lot of queer stories aren't. It's certainly set my expectations high for the next book I read.
So long story short, A Sea of Eternal Woe was amazing. While my calculus notes are a little lacking because my focus was on pirates instead of math, Woe got me out of a reading slump and got me through a long day so easily. My roommate can attest that I, several times, would put down my phone and start rambling, and that I got mad when I finished the book because I couldn't read it for the first time again. I am absolutely so excited for book three, and can't wait to see what Cedric, Wendy, Elvira and Peter do next.
August 30, 2022
This newest installment of the Curses of Never, is not one to miss!
After the events of A Land of Never After, Wendy becomes captain of the Jolly Serpent with the goal for Peter to visit the sea witch, but it's not smooth sailing. After a series of events, Wendy & Peter find themselves facing a watery grave. Enter Cedric "Hook," the last person Wendy wants to see. Turns out, Hook's path has lead him to the sea witch, too. As Wendy and Hook's quests become intwined, the two must join forces.
I really enjoyed the multiple POV's. This book is told almost exclusively in Wendy & Cedric's POV, and it's interesting to see both sides of their story. (Also there's more Elvira and Peter so yay!). Also, this book dives more into the NA fantasy than the first installment, which was more YA.
A Sea of Eternal Woe is an adventure and I enjoyed most of the ride! I really like how we got more backstory (& more questions) about Cedric, Elvira, and Pan. The Curses of Never is shaping up to be quite the action-packed adventure series! Also, I love how some elements of the original Peter Pan come into play in ASoEW.
All in all, if you're a fan of Peter Pan, pirates, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, or the Once Upon a Time tv show, this is the book for you! Especially if you've always wanted more LGBTQ+ rep in fantasy!
TW/CW: transphobia, assault, transphobic comments, violence (see author's note for more details)
After the events of A Land of Never After, Wendy becomes captain of the Jolly Serpent with the goal for Peter to visit the sea witch, but it's not smooth sailing. After a series of events, Wendy & Peter find themselves facing a watery grave. Enter Cedric "Hook," the last person Wendy wants to see. Turns out, Hook's path has lead him to the sea witch, too. As Wendy and Hook's quests become intwined, the two must join forces.
I really enjoyed the multiple POV's. This book is told almost exclusively in Wendy & Cedric's POV, and it's interesting to see both sides of their story. (Also there's more Elvira and Peter so yay!). Also, this book dives more into the NA fantasy than the first installment, which was more YA.
A Sea of Eternal Woe is an adventure and I enjoyed most of the ride! I really like how we got more backstory (& more questions) about Cedric, Elvira, and Pan. The Curses of Never is shaping up to be quite the action-packed adventure series! Also, I love how some elements of the original Peter Pan come into play in ASoEW.
All in all, if you're a fan of Peter Pan, pirates, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, or the Once Upon a Time tv show, this is the book for you! Especially if you've always wanted more LGBTQ+ rep in fantasy!
TW/CW: transphobia, assault, transphobic comments, violence (see author's note for more details)
September 7, 2022
I truly enjoyed the first book in this series, A Land of Never After, my only complaint being that there wasn't enough of it!
Cue A Sea of Eternal Woe, with the same great characters and a lot more oomph. A fast-paced magical reinvention of the fairy tales we are all familiar with, the creative mish-mash of worlds and a fresh perspective align with ALoNA, but with much more character development, added perspectives to enjoy, and even more adventure.
We follow Wendy and Peter where they left off, with the added bonus of chapters switching between them and Captain Hook's mission, which was welcome, as I'd wanted to know more about him and his history during ALoNA. He's much more nuanced than in your standard Hook retellings and it was great to see how his character changed and stayed true to the ideas presented in the first novel.
Another great book from this author, who graciously provided this copy to me as an ARC reader and I look forward to book three!
Cue A Sea of Eternal Woe, with the same great characters and a lot more oomph. A fast-paced magical reinvention of the fairy tales we are all familiar with, the creative mish-mash of worlds and a fresh perspective align with ALoNA, but with much more character development, added perspectives to enjoy, and even more adventure.
We follow Wendy and Peter where they left off, with the added bonus of chapters switching between them and Captain Hook's mission, which was welcome, as I'd wanted to know more about him and his history during ALoNA. He's much more nuanced than in your standard Hook retellings and it was great to see how his character changed and stayed true to the ideas presented in the first novel.
Another great book from this author, who graciously provided this copy to me as an ARC reader and I look forward to book three!
September 6, 2022
I received a free ARC of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Another wonderful retelling and this one incorporates multiple fairy tales, in this case wrapping in Little Mermaid vibes in addition to the Peter Pan tale which we are airways invested with. It is certainly a fun addition and gives the book a unique flavor.
The characters continue to impress, with the much desired reunion being a highlight! I couldn’t wait to see how that panned out and Scarlett did not disappoint! I loved when more than one character were together the most because they’re interactions were pure gold.
The mermaid for this tale was lovely but her presence felt lacking. Oh, she’s brilliant when she shows up but I feel like it would have benefited the story for her to be more involved than she was.
All in all, a very strong second book and I look forward to seeing more in the future!
Another wonderful retelling and this one incorporates multiple fairy tales, in this case wrapping in Little Mermaid vibes in addition to the Peter Pan tale which we are airways invested with. It is certainly a fun addition and gives the book a unique flavor.
The characters continue to impress, with the much desired reunion being a highlight! I couldn’t wait to see how that panned out and Scarlett did not disappoint! I loved when more than one character were together the most because they’re interactions were pure gold.
The mermaid for this tale was lovely but her presence felt lacking. Oh, she’s brilliant when she shows up but I feel like it would have benefited the story for her to be more involved than she was.
All in all, a very strong second book and I look forward to seeing more in the future!
January 28, 2025
For a book that claims to be a Little Mermaid retelling, it had very little of the actual mermaid in it.
Now I love me a fairytale retelling, especially if it combines two of my favorite stories (Peter Pan & The Little Mermaid), but this story fell really flat. For 400 pages all you get are more questions that either don't get addressed fully or the answers literally come in the last 10 pages. In my opinion, this story didn't have to be this long, especially because 70% of it, the characters spend in the same place, doing the same thing (which is arguing and not letting others finish their sentences). The idea behind this story is so great, but the delivery just wasn't it for me.
Now I love me a fairytale retelling, especially if it combines two of my favorite stories (Peter Pan & The Little Mermaid), but this story fell really flat. For 400 pages all you get are more questions that either don't get addressed fully or the answers literally come in the last 10 pages. In my opinion, this story didn't have to be this long, especially because 70% of it, the characters spend in the same place, doing the same thing (which is arguing and not letting others finish their sentences). The idea behind this story is so great, but the delivery just wasn't it for me.
November 23, 2022
I LOVEEEEEED IT!!!! ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!! LOVEEEE WENDY!!! love the fairytale references!! Love the story!!!!
Spoiler!!!!
OMG SCARLETT IS THE LITTLE MERMAID!!!!
AND LOVEE THE DYNAMICS BETWEEN ALL THE CHARACTERS!!! Loveeeee Evidia!!!!! And can't help it, but I LOVEEEE HOOK!!!
HOLY SHIT THAT ENDING!!! he left Peter and he want REVENGE THROUGH HIS SHADOWWWWW
I NEED ANSWERS!!!!
Spoiler!!!!
OMG SCARLETT IS THE LITTLE MERMAID!!!!
AND LOVEE THE DYNAMICS BETWEEN ALL THE CHARACTERS!!! Loveeeee Evidia!!!!! And can't help it, but I LOVEEEE HOOK!!!
HOLY SHIT THAT ENDING!!! he left Peter and he want REVENGE THROUGH HIS SHADOWWWWW
I NEED ANSWERS!!!!
September 10, 2022
This book just shocked me to my core. The ending was just heart-pounding and surprising, the characters were amazingly crafted, and the plot was simply jaw-dropping (in a great way!). As the follow up to A Land of Never After, I need to say that the way this book continued the story was really well done! My interest remained on it the entire time and I’m so glad that i was able to read this!
December 20, 2022
I could not put this book down! I love the characters and the storyline. You will be pulled in from the very first page.
August 27, 2022
An amazing book with amazing characters. If you’re thinking about pre-ordering please do. I was given the privilege of reading this early and I loved it. I really didn’t know if I’d give it five stars but after reading that is the only right rating I can give it.
The characters are brilliant and feel real and alive. The world feels so lived in and well written. Not to mention the representation in this book is amazing.
I mean making Peter Pan trans is just amazing. It explains him wanting to stay a kid better than most stories because let’s be honest—most kids want to grow up. But a trans kid wanting to avoid puberty makes perfect sense to me. Not to mention how well they handle transphobia and misgendering. Sorry, ramble. As a trans masc person I personally love how they handled this character. I was so attached to Peter.
Then again every character in the story is there own shade of amazing. Even the villain. Basically: I definitely recommend reading this book and this series.
The characters are brilliant and feel real and alive. The world feels so lived in and well written. Not to mention the representation in this book is amazing.
I mean making Peter Pan trans is just amazing. It explains him wanting to stay a kid better than most stories because let’s be honest—most kids want to grow up. But a trans kid wanting to avoid puberty makes perfect sense to me. Not to mention how well they handle transphobia and misgendering. Sorry, ramble. As a trans masc person I personally love how they handled this character. I was so attached to Peter.
Then again every character in the story is there own shade of amazing. Even the villain. Basically: I definitely recommend reading this book and this series.
August 25, 2022
I read book one and two in two days. This series is fast paced, full of characters who are well developed, full of darkness and light. The plot holds strong, always moving forward. While our main character, Wendy, is young (16), she doesn't have the whining immaturity that so many girls seem to have in books. She has a purpose, she has setbacks, resolve, skill and bravery. And all these things without being overly sexualized.
This is a story about family, friends, belonging, being there for the people you care about.
This story is inspired by Peter Pan, but is so much more than that. It is about owning who you are, embracing mental health, and putting your own perceptions aside to be there for the ones you love.
Oh, and there's also some great adventures with gods and goddesses, mermaids and nymphs, fairies and pirate kings! Also, there might be a dragon. This is a very good, fun, thought provoking read.
This is a story about family, friends, belonging, being there for the people you care about.
This story is inspired by Peter Pan, but is so much more than that. It is about owning who you are, embracing mental health, and putting your own perceptions aside to be there for the ones you love.
Oh, and there's also some great adventures with gods and goddesses, mermaids and nymphs, fairies and pirate kings! Also, there might be a dragon. This is a very good, fun, thought provoking read.
September 5, 2022
This may be my favorite retelling of Peter Pan.
The author has reimagined the Neverland world as a dark fantasy retelling with the same characters we grew up with. Full of rot, deceit, death and under all of the decay- love in some form.
The characters are all struggling during this roller coaster of an emotional ride.
Read if you like:
>> Fairytale Retellings
>> Dark Retellings
>> Queer Rep
>> Mental Health
>> Strong FMC
>> Sea Monsters
>> Crazy Parents
I’m with Wendy, let’s save Tink and hopefully get Peter.
Also, this is book two, so definitely read book one first.
The author has reimagined the Neverland world as a dark fantasy retelling with the same characters we grew up with. Full of rot, deceit, death and under all of the decay- love in some form.
The characters are all struggling during this roller coaster of an emotional ride.
Read if you like:
>> Fairytale Retellings
>> Dark Retellings
>> Queer Rep
>> Mental Health
>> Strong FMC
>> Sea Monsters
>> Crazy Parents
I’m with Wendy, let’s save Tink and hopefully get Peter.
Also, this is book two, so definitely read book one first.
November 1, 2022
As far as retellings go this has been one of my all time favorite series of the last couple years. This installment of the series was no exception to the vast imaginative storyline I had grown to adore from books 0 and 1. Davennor’s writing flows and is so easy to navigate it’s easy to get lost in the story line. This book brought back some of the heavy subjects that were touched upon in the last book and I felt it was woven in perfectly to make sure it was a pivotal message in the book, but that it wasn’t over done in a way to deter from the story it’s self. The world building was back on par for the series, and I found myself really enjoying the sea journey. I love the characters in this book, if I had to choose a favorite it would be Cedric. I think his growth and development has been the most vast of the characters. Pan would be a close second, but I will admit Wendy really got on my nerves in this book. I don’t know if it was intended to set something up for book three but her audacity in several spots in the story was absolutely frustrating. If I had been on her crew I’d have thrown her over too. That aside I am really excited for book three and cannot wait to see what happens to these characters.
December 1, 2022
** My views here are entirely my own, and I absolutely loved this book. **
Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, severely fractured family dynamics, and beautiful, emotional, chaos wrapped up in a novel.
This book pulled on my heartstrings and affected me profoundly in so many ways.
Following A Land of Never After, Wendy and Cedric both set out to find and save Scarlett (Wendy’s mother and the love of Cedric’s life) and, of course, nothing goes smoothly.
Wendy is such a powerful main character. She is strong, fierce, and wildly independent, and she truly is magical to read. You are constantly rooting for her and simultaneously screaming for her to communicate with the people in her life!
As a trans man, Peter holds such a special place in my heart and his pain is my pain. Also, Peter is such a morally grey character and I love it. He is a perfect character for such rich and detailed world-building, because he is entirely a product of his environment.
Cedric is a wonderful, terrible man. I adored him in the first book, and I love him even more in this one. You feel and understand his traumas so deeply through the writing, and his character is fully fleshed… he is real to me, and I will not accept criticism on this.
And for the settings, I truly felt like I was there in each location. The descriptions took me aboard the pirate ship, freezing water-wind hitting my face. I’ve never seen real human bones before, but yikes could I feel them under my feet!
I loved this book and wholeheartedly recommend it!
Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, severely fractured family dynamics, and beautiful, emotional, chaos wrapped up in a novel.
This book pulled on my heartstrings and affected me profoundly in so many ways.
Following A Land of Never After, Wendy and Cedric both set out to find and save Scarlett (Wendy’s mother and the love of Cedric’s life) and, of course, nothing goes smoothly.
Wendy is such a powerful main character. She is strong, fierce, and wildly independent, and she truly is magical to read. You are constantly rooting for her and simultaneously screaming for her to communicate with the people in her life!
As a trans man, Peter holds such a special place in my heart and his pain is my pain. Also, Peter is such a morally grey character and I love it. He is a perfect character for such rich and detailed world-building, because he is entirely a product of his environment.
Cedric is a wonderful, terrible man. I adored him in the first book, and I love him even more in this one. You feel and understand his traumas so deeply through the writing, and his character is fully fleshed… he is real to me, and I will not accept criticism on this.
And for the settings, I truly felt like I was there in each location. The descriptions took me aboard the pirate ship, freezing water-wind hitting my face. I’ve never seen real human bones before, but yikes could I feel them under my feet!
I loved this book and wholeheartedly recommend it!
September 17, 2022
“Living in the past will do nothing but detract from your future”
This book continues on from the events of book one, and we follow Wendy as she is now Captain of The Jolly Serpent and in search of Ursa to help Peter with his immortality, as well as Cedric’s side story of finding Scarlett (Wendy’s mother)
I love the way that both stories entwined with one another to make it that all characters were after the same villain (Ursa/Kaara) and I was completely engrossed in this book from start to finish, I adore every single character and their development is fantastic, it was really great to see the authors little snippets of other stories to make this a retelling, I have seen some complaints that there isn’t enough of “The Little Mermaid” but I don’t think as a character she was needed that much it was more about the story of how Ariel had her voice stolen, and I really like the way that the author was able to weave all these stories together and I am very intrigued and interested to see which fairy tale she will be taking from for book three
I loved all the characters in this book, they all had their faults such as Wendy’s childish behaviour towards her father sometimes, it did come across as quite bratty, but she is a 16yo who has had no relationship with either of her parents so definitely feels some abandonment issues, plus Cedric’s focus on Scarlet and how he must do all he can to find her does wear a little thin in some places but it definitely pays off, and the last few scenes will warmed my heart, plus I liked how much Elvira and Peter were changing throughout the book too, I feel that really gave them more room to grow, as well as develop their relationships with others.
I love the fact that this book tackles gender dysmorphia as well as transphobia, there are a number of times in which Peter is verbally and even physically assaulted because of this, but the author has done a fantastic and careful job of exploring this and writing about it in a careful way, I will say that there is a particular ship scene that can be very triggering, so please bare that in mind, but I am grateful for the diversity and awareness that the book has brought.
Also, this book is spicier than the rest too, especially the Cedric and Scarlett scene at the end, phew, but it made for great writing development and you can see the series development in how the characters are changing and again, and I am curious for their behaviours in the next book, wither way I would like the next book as soon as, as this is one series I am completely invested in
I would sing my praises for this book and series forever, there is just so much love and thought and depth put into this book, and the authors note at the end was really poignant and honest, and I am grateful she felt comfortable enough to share that, so thank you.
This book continues on from the events of book one, and we follow Wendy as she is now Captain of The Jolly Serpent and in search of Ursa to help Peter with his immortality, as well as Cedric’s side story of finding Scarlett (Wendy’s mother)
I love the way that both stories entwined with one another to make it that all characters were after the same villain (Ursa/Kaara) and I was completely engrossed in this book from start to finish, I adore every single character and their development is fantastic, it was really great to see the authors little snippets of other stories to make this a retelling, I have seen some complaints that there isn’t enough of “The Little Mermaid” but I don’t think as a character she was needed that much it was more about the story of how Ariel had her voice stolen, and I really like the way that the author was able to weave all these stories together and I am very intrigued and interested to see which fairy tale she will be taking from for book three
I loved all the characters in this book, they all had their faults such as Wendy’s childish behaviour towards her father sometimes, it did come across as quite bratty, but she is a 16yo who has had no relationship with either of her parents so definitely feels some abandonment issues, plus Cedric’s focus on Scarlet and how he must do all he can to find her does wear a little thin in some places but it definitely pays off, and the last few scenes will warmed my heart, plus I liked how much Elvira and Peter were changing throughout the book too, I feel that really gave them more room to grow, as well as develop their relationships with others.
I love the fact that this book tackles gender dysmorphia as well as transphobia, there are a number of times in which Peter is verbally and even physically assaulted because of this, but the author has done a fantastic and careful job of exploring this and writing about it in a careful way, I will say that there is a particular ship scene that can be very triggering, so please bare that in mind, but I am grateful for the diversity and awareness that the book has brought.
Also, this book is spicier than the rest too, especially the Cedric and Scarlett scene at the end, phew, but it made for great writing development and you can see the series development in how the characters are changing and again, and I am curious for their behaviours in the next book, wither way I would like the next book as soon as, as this is one series I am completely invested in
I would sing my praises for this book and series forever, there is just so much love and thought and depth put into this book, and the authors note at the end was really poignant and honest, and I am grateful she felt comfortable enough to share that, so thank you.
September 20, 2022
This series is the reason I read and love retellings so much. It takes the details of the fairytales and stories we know and love and twists them up, turns them inside out, and transforms them into something new.
The book picks up pretty much where the last one left off. Wendy is captain of The Jolly Serpent sailing towards Ursa with Peter Pan and Tink, and Cedric, along with Elvira, are off in search of Scarlett. Unfortunately, neither of these things go entirely to plan, leaving the two groups to end up back together...much to Wendy's dismay.
I may be the only person who thinks this, but Cedric is what Jack Sparrow would have been if Elizabeth had loved him instead of Will. A little less Johnny Depp-ish of course but nonetheless what I see and feel. He is complex and yet so single-minded. He loves Scarlett and he wants her back so bad, the tiniest chance of that even happening makes him do some less than sane things. To the point where his already horrible relationship with Wendy gets stretched and snapped back like a rubberband so much.
The author did a fabulous job of showing how damaging it can be to have such an immense amount of family trauma. Wendy comes off as a volatile brat, but she grew up in a place where she was unwanted and told to 'sit down and shut up'. She was Wayward Wendy, abandoned by her mother, and never adopted. She is suddenly thrust into a relationship with her father, who is a murderous pirate with a not-so-long fuse himself. It's not so easy to just fall in love with a father who never knew, let alone one who did the things that Cedric did, and continues to do. He tries, he really tries, but again it's all a rubberband. Wendy is only sixteen and under so much pressure, the confusion, and coming to terms with everything isn't going to be something that happens over night. Especially given the circumstances. Is she my favorite character? No, but I understand her. I see myself in her sometimes and I get it. She has growing up to do and I see the potential for greatness in her.
As for the ending. Oh the ending. I don't complain much about cliffhangers, but this one got me. I am so ready for the next book, I know it's going to be fantastic and it will be worth the wait.
The book picks up pretty much where the last one left off. Wendy is captain of The Jolly Serpent sailing towards Ursa with Peter Pan and Tink, and Cedric, along with Elvira, are off in search of Scarlett. Unfortunately, neither of these things go entirely to plan, leaving the two groups to end up back together...much to Wendy's dismay.
I may be the only person who thinks this, but Cedric is what Jack Sparrow would have been if Elizabeth had loved him instead of Will. A little less Johnny Depp-ish of course but nonetheless what I see and feel. He is complex and yet so single-minded. He loves Scarlett and he wants her back so bad, the tiniest chance of that even happening makes him do some less than sane things. To the point where his already horrible relationship with Wendy gets stretched and snapped back like a rubberband so much.
The author did a fabulous job of showing how damaging it can be to have such an immense amount of family trauma. Wendy comes off as a volatile brat, but she grew up in a place where she was unwanted and told to 'sit down and shut up'. She was Wayward Wendy, abandoned by her mother, and never adopted. She is suddenly thrust into a relationship with her father, who is a murderous pirate with a not-so-long fuse himself. It's not so easy to just fall in love with a father who never knew, let alone one who did the things that Cedric did, and continues to do. He tries, he really tries, but again it's all a rubberband. Wendy is only sixteen and under so much pressure, the confusion, and coming to terms with everything isn't going to be something that happens over night. Especially given the circumstances. Is she my favorite character? No, but I understand her. I see myself in her sometimes and I get it. She has growing up to do and I see the potential for greatness in her.
As for the ending. Oh the ending. I don't complain much about cliffhangers, but this one got me. I am so ready for the next book, I know it's going to be fantastic and it will be worth the wait.
August 25, 2022
First and foremost, thank you to the author for giving me the chance to read an ARC of her amazing book that was the result of hard work and dedication !!!
“To all those who have ever found comfort, even light, in the dark.”
“With her as a mermaid, and with me… whatever I was. Broken and damaged, scarred and monstrous.”
I thought book one was good … but nothing if compared to book two !!!
This series seems to be getting better and better the more I read it !!
The characters, the plot, the world building and the way the author entwines the Peter Pan and The Little Mermaid retellings are just otherworldly amazing !!
I’m absolutely in love with this story and when I didn’t think the author could do a better job when it comes to lgbt representation… she comes up with a whole experiences of struggles and truths about life and gender that I think I’ve never truly read about before !!!
Peter is always more simple to read yet complicated.
Wendy is always more selfless and caring but also resentful towards this one only parent she has (not that I blame her actually)
Cedric is always more twisted and more in love with the only “mermaid” of his life … but he is still Captain Hook so …
And these new characters coming up … I was intrigued from the very first time they appeared on page!!!
The twists and turns of this book were truly something else and, while reading about the struggles about a father- daughter relationships, I’m glad this one turned on a bit more adult level of writing when it comes to the story of Hook and Scarlett.
Despite the very long chapters, I didn’t have problems or major issues reading it and the action and magic, dealt with in this one were truly addicting!!!
And that ending … OMG OMG !!! I was expecting many things but not what I read !!!!
I’m so happy that there’s a continuation to this beautiful world and that I’ll have more time to explore it because it’s more than worth it!!
“You left my side, yet you refused to leave my fucking mind. I began to see you everywhere”
“Allow yourself to be as worthy as I know you are. Allow yourself to be loved”
“To all those who have ever found comfort, even light, in the dark.”
“With her as a mermaid, and with me… whatever I was. Broken and damaged, scarred and monstrous.”
I thought book one was good … but nothing if compared to book two !!!
This series seems to be getting better and better the more I read it !!
The characters, the plot, the world building and the way the author entwines the Peter Pan and The Little Mermaid retellings are just otherworldly amazing !!
I’m absolutely in love with this story and when I didn’t think the author could do a better job when it comes to lgbt representation… she comes up with a whole experiences of struggles and truths about life and gender that I think I’ve never truly read about before !!!
Peter is always more simple to read yet complicated.
Wendy is always more selfless and caring but also resentful towards this one only parent she has (not that I blame her actually)
Cedric is always more twisted and more in love with the only “mermaid” of his life … but he is still Captain Hook so …
And these new characters coming up … I was intrigued from the very first time they appeared on page!!!
The twists and turns of this book were truly something else and, while reading about the struggles about a father- daughter relationships, I’m glad this one turned on a bit more adult level of writing when it comes to the story of Hook and Scarlett.
Despite the very long chapters, I didn’t have problems or major issues reading it and the action and magic, dealt with in this one were truly addicting!!!
And that ending … OMG OMG !!! I was expecting many things but not what I read !!!!
I’m so happy that there’s a continuation to this beautiful world and that I’ll have more time to explore it because it’s more than worth it!!
“You left my side, yet you refused to leave my fucking mind. I began to see you everywhere”
“Allow yourself to be as worthy as I know you are. Allow yourself to be loved”
September 26, 2022
I have loads of bookcases. Most of my bookcases are organized by theme or sometimes authors even have an entire shelf for themselves. One of my themed bookcases is a Neverland bookcase. Another one is a fairytale retelling bookcase. So, when I saw the first book in this series I had to have it and when BookSirens let me know that the sequel was up and that I could request a copy I didn't hesitate either, especially because I was really looking forward to this journey.
Like the first book this book is only very loosely a retelling of the tale of the Little Mermaid. There are a few epic scenes that make an appearance and there are a few elements those stories have in common, but the author mostly wrote a completely original story with characters slightly based on fairytale characters. Which makes this an exciting adventure with a few familiar faces and elements, but most of all a lot of surprises and unexpected twists and turns.
It's also an adventure because our characters ARE literally having an adventure, a big one, outside of Neverland. And the author made quite clear how dangerous this adventure was, how often our characters had to fight for their lives and how often things can and will go wrong. The stakes are incredibly high and it's quite clear from the start that it's very possible that not every character will find their happily ever after.
This book also has an amazing storyline starring a Trans-character. I can't imagine how horrible it must be to know that you're a man and to be not only confronted with stupid pirates denying that claim, but to also be confronted with a body desperate to show you that you're quite clearly stuck in the wrong body. It's not the most prominent storyline in the book, it's basically one of the many personal challenges our characters face. It's however the one that hurt the most to read about.
I therefore, especially for this character, can't wait to read the next book!
Like the first book this book is only very loosely a retelling of the tale of the Little Mermaid. There are a few epic scenes that make an appearance and there are a few elements those stories have in common, but the author mostly wrote a completely original story with characters slightly based on fairytale characters. Which makes this an exciting adventure with a few familiar faces and elements, but most of all a lot of surprises and unexpected twists and turns.
It's also an adventure because our characters ARE literally having an adventure, a big one, outside of Neverland. And the author made quite clear how dangerous this adventure was, how often our characters had to fight for their lives and how often things can and will go wrong. The stakes are incredibly high and it's quite clear from the start that it's very possible that not every character will find their happily ever after.
This book also has an amazing storyline starring a Trans-character. I can't imagine how horrible it must be to know that you're a man and to be not only confronted with stupid pirates denying that claim, but to also be confronted with a body desperate to show you that you're quite clearly stuck in the wrong body. It's not the most prominent storyline in the book, it's basically one of the many personal challenges our characters face. It's however the one that hurt the most to read about.
I therefore, especially for this character, can't wait to read the next book!
September 9, 2022
ARC Book Review
Title: A Sea of Eternal Woe
Author: RL Davennor
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Smut Rating: 🌶🌶🌶
TW: contains graphic depictions of violence and death, disturbing imagery, adult language, explicit sexual content, gender dysphoria, and transphobia, including misgendering.
Read at your own discretion.
I don’t even know where to begin with this book. It was, simply put; AMAZING!
The story picks up right where we left off, with Wendy and Peter embarking on their journey to find the witch Ursa, and Hook with his sister on another quest to find what happened to Scarlett.
The flow of the story was smooth and everything clicked together perfectly. The plot was complex and very interesting, but at the same time easy to follow. It was fast-paced and action-driven, which I loved. I am not a fan of slow pacing; my mind wanders way too easily.
The characters really came to life! And I really connected with each and every one of them.
The dialogue was one of the most interesting parts. It made the story seem so real, it gave it a soul. You can tell if a book is well written by the dialogue and this one passed with flying colors.
Wendy’s and Hook’s relationship was one of my favorite things in the book. I am a sucker for a villain and let’s be honest Hook is defiantly one. But I loved seeing him trying to mend his relationship or rather make one with his daughter. The father-daughter thing had me in tears more times than I want to admit, probably because it hit a nerve, but anyway...
Peter is such an interesting character, there are so many things we don’t know about him, and the world RL Davennor created, it is driving me crazy. I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out.
Overall, if you haven't picked it up yet, what are you waiting for?
Title: A Sea of Eternal Woe
Author: RL Davennor
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Smut Rating: 🌶🌶🌶
TW: contains graphic depictions of violence and death, disturbing imagery, adult language, explicit sexual content, gender dysphoria, and transphobia, including misgendering.
Read at your own discretion.
I don’t even know where to begin with this book. It was, simply put; AMAZING!
The story picks up right where we left off, with Wendy and Peter embarking on their journey to find the witch Ursa, and Hook with his sister on another quest to find what happened to Scarlett.
The flow of the story was smooth and everything clicked together perfectly. The plot was complex and very interesting, but at the same time easy to follow. It was fast-paced and action-driven, which I loved. I am not a fan of slow pacing; my mind wanders way too easily.
The characters really came to life! And I really connected with each and every one of them.
The dialogue was one of the most interesting parts. It made the story seem so real, it gave it a soul. You can tell if a book is well written by the dialogue and this one passed with flying colors.
Wendy’s and Hook’s relationship was one of my favorite things in the book. I am a sucker for a villain and let’s be honest Hook is defiantly one. But I loved seeing him trying to mend his relationship or rather make one with his daughter. The father-daughter thing had me in tears more times than I want to admit, probably because it hit a nerve, but anyway...
Peter is such an interesting character, there are so many things we don’t know about him, and the world RL Davennor created, it is driving me crazy. I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out.
Overall, if you haven't picked it up yet, what are you waiting for?
November 2, 2022
Reviewed in Canada on November 2, 2022
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of A Sea of Eternal Woe (as well as a copy of A Land of Never After) from the author and enjoyed them both so much I'll be purchasing physical copies of the whole series!!
This is not your average fairy tale retelling!! (A Land of Never After is a Peter Pan retelling, A Sea of Eternal Woe is The Little Mermaid retelling).
I was absolutely enthralled with both of these books. I really enjoy the writing style used by R.L. Davennor, it is easy to follow and has a great pace.
I find Wendy a tad annoying and bratty (but I think that's par for the course with a teenager in any book) but any annoyance I felt with Wendy was erased by Hook!! He is so well developed with such phenomenal character development, I really enjoyed his chapters.
I love the interactions between Elvira and Hook as well as Wendy ad Elvira.
Now for the Litter Mermaid part (Hook, Pan and Wendy are all introduced in the 1st book), we are introduced to Kaara and Scarlett who act as the villain and protagonist. I LOVE THEM BOTH EQUALLY!!!
I don't want to spoil anything but I really enjoyed the development of this story, there were some great twists and turns that kept me guessing (and that Epilogue!!!! WWWWWOOOOOOWWWWWWW)
Overall a solid 4.5 out of 5! I don't love Pan (never have been a Peter Pan fan) but I do love Tink, I wish we had more Tink this book, especially in the Sea of Eternal Woe, she would have been awesome there!
I can't wait for the 3rd book in this series!
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of A Sea of Eternal Woe (as well as a copy of A Land of Never After) from the author and enjoyed them both so much I'll be purchasing physical copies of the whole series!!
This is not your average fairy tale retelling!! (A Land of Never After is a Peter Pan retelling, A Sea of Eternal Woe is The Little Mermaid retelling).
I was absolutely enthralled with both of these books. I really enjoy the writing style used by R.L. Davennor, it is easy to follow and has a great pace.
I find Wendy a tad annoying and bratty (but I think that's par for the course with a teenager in any book) but any annoyance I felt with Wendy was erased by Hook!! He is so well developed with such phenomenal character development, I really enjoyed his chapters.
I love the interactions between Elvira and Hook as well as Wendy ad Elvira.
Now for the Litter Mermaid part (Hook, Pan and Wendy are all introduced in the 1st book), we are introduced to Kaara and Scarlett who act as the villain and protagonist. I LOVE THEM BOTH EQUALLY!!!
I don't want to spoil anything but I really enjoyed the development of this story, there were some great twists and turns that kept me guessing (and that Epilogue!!!! WWWWWOOOOOOWWWWWWW)
Overall a solid 4.5 out of 5! I don't love Pan (never have been a Peter Pan fan) but I do love Tink, I wish we had more Tink this book, especially in the Sea of Eternal Woe, she would have been awesome there!
I can't wait for the 3rd book in this series!
September 25, 2022
What a journey this Peter Pan/Little Mermaid mash up takes us on! I really enjoyed continuing on with this story with Wendy, Peter, Tink and the rest of the crew. The recap from book one at the beginning of the book was a great addition for anyone who needs a refresh!
I liked how there were two characters points of view given - Wendy & Cedric's, and getting to know them both even more. In addition to Wendy and Cedric, I also enjoyed learning more about Peter Pan, Elvira, and Wendy's mother.
As with book one, A Sea of Eternal Woe has a dark spin to it which I love. I love the idea of the mash up between Peter Pan and The Little Mermaid! I do wish however that there was a little more mermaid to the tale.
That ending! I cannot wait to get my hands on book 3 and find out what happens next!
If you're a fan of retellings, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, dark fantasy, books with pirates, spice and LGBTQ+ rep. you should definitely consider giving the Curses of Never series a read sometime!
Trigger Warnings: graphic depictions of violence and death, disturbing imagery, adult language, explicit sexual content, mentions and brief depictions of gender dysphoria, and transphobia, including misgendering. While A Sea of Eternal Woe may contain a handful of teenage characters, it was written and intended for a mature adult audience.
I liked how there were two characters points of view given - Wendy & Cedric's, and getting to know them both even more. In addition to Wendy and Cedric, I also enjoyed learning more about Peter Pan, Elvira, and Wendy's mother.
As with book one, A Sea of Eternal Woe has a dark spin to it which I love. I love the idea of the mash up between Peter Pan and The Little Mermaid! I do wish however that there was a little more mermaid to the tale.
That ending! I cannot wait to get my hands on book 3 and find out what happens next!
If you're a fan of retellings, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, dark fantasy, books with pirates, spice and LGBTQ+ rep. you should definitely consider giving the Curses of Never series a read sometime!
Trigger Warnings: graphic depictions of violence and death, disturbing imagery, adult language, explicit sexual content, mentions and brief depictions of gender dysphoria, and transphobia, including misgendering. While A Sea of Eternal Woe may contain a handful of teenage characters, it was written and intended for a mature adult audience.
September 3, 2022
A Sea of Eternal Woe picks up right after the events of A Land of Never, with Wendy becoming captain of the Jolly Serpant. However, she's had a rough time of it and after facing many challenges, she and her ship and crew are all battered. Her crew no longer believes she can lead and after she thinks a mutiny will happen, her father Cedric "Hook" shows up. The pair have the same mission of going to see the see witch, and the pair will need to join forces in order to do that.
I loved the previous book and the set up of the characters. Since it was a much shorter read, hearing that this book was longer just made me even more excited for it. Wendy has progressed so much since the beginning, having learned to lead while taking a few lessons from her father.
The story is mainly in Wendy and Cedirc's POVs and we get to see more of Peter and Elvira. We also see some great representation on the LGTBQ+ side as well. The overall story was interesting and I was invested in the characters since the start. Everything was fast paced and you never felt like you were waiting for something interesting to happen.
Overall rating:
5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I loved the previous book and the set up of the characters. Since it was a much shorter read, hearing that this book was longer just made me even more excited for it. Wendy has progressed so much since the beginning, having learned to lead while taking a few lessons from her father.
The story is mainly in Wendy and Cedirc's POVs and we get to see more of Peter and Elvira. We also see some great representation on the LGTBQ+ side as well. The overall story was interesting and I was invested in the characters since the start. Everything was fast paced and you never felt like you were waiting for something interesting to happen.
Overall rating:
5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
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