Aiden Thomas’s YA Peter Pan retelling is moody and entrancing. It’s been five years since Wendy and her brothers went missing and only she came back with no memory of her time away, and now someone is snatching kids from her small town again. A mysterious boy who claims to be Peter Pan lands at Wendy’s feet and slowly her memory returns as they unravel the mysterious disappearances. I thought the twist/explanation at the end was brilliant and answers so many questions about the original Peter Pan as well.

Even though I enjoyed Thomas’ debut more, this was still such an amazing read. I loved the dark and twisty elements which tied to the original Peter Pan more than the Disney version. I adored all the characters, especially with how morally grey they all were. This was genuinely so much fun and I need ten thousand more books by Aiden Thomas.

This young adult rewrite of Peter Pan was full of mystery and romance. Although it didn't end up being my personal favorite, I appreciated the creativity and unique story that Aiden Thomas was able to bring to this classic story. Wendy and Peter were able to come alive as young adults and still hold on to their childhood dreams and innocence.

Without giving anything away, Lost in the Never Woods is a perfect read for someone looking for mystery mixed with a classic tale, topped with a dash of romance.

This book had me wanting to find out what happens in the end desperately. Aiden Thomas can tell a story very well (there were a few spots that felt slow or repetitive but very few). The interactions & relationships between the characters weren't consistently build up well. Some relationships were more developed than others. Wendy's family was in a bit of shambles & I wish that there had been a proper support system for them. My copy on NetGalley expired before I could finish, but I will be taking it out of the library because I need to know how it ends!

First thig I have to see is this book has such a beautiful cover!! This book was so good, I loved that it had a bit of creepiness and romance all in one. I loved how the author changed peter pan completely. It was unlike any other retelling I have ever read.

I’ve heard such great things about Aiden Thomas from my friends who have read Cemetery Boys (so much so that I bought a copy for myself, but haven’t gotten to it yet), so I was super excited to receive a digital ARC of this one. Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed.

I was looking forward to the Peter Pan retelling aspect, but a lot of it was confusing and/or inconsistent. It made sense to me that by leaving Neverland, Peter’s power weakened, but the growing up really really quickly part felt unnecessary to me, and the romantic tension between him and Wendy weirded me out a lot. Also, since everyone could actually see Peter, how did no one figure out that Barry was just Peter in disguise? I thought that maybe eventually someone would put two and two together, especially Wendy’s mother, but no one ever did. I will say, though, I did really like the shadow as an evil alter ego of Peter, that was cool.

Aside from all of this, I found the book to be incredibly slow-paced, which is why it took me so long to finish it. I did want to finish it though, because in my experience, sometimes the slowest books have the biggest unexpected surprise endings, and this was certainly true for Lost in the Never Woods. I certainly did not expect this ending - the reveal of what happened to John and Michael and what Neverland really is and what it represents in this retelling - and that was when I finally was on the edge of my seat, turning and turning the pages until I reached the end. I’m not sure the rest of the book was worth the ending, but I’m personally glad I stuck it out until the end.

Overall, this book really wasn’t for me and I wouldn’t recommend it, though I think people who like slow-paced atmospheric mystery will appreciate it more. I do still want to read Cemetery Boys because I have seen so much love for it, and I hope that I enjoy it more than I did Lost in the Never Woods.

Children start to go missing in the woods. Wendy and her two brothers also disappeared, but 5 years later Wendy reappeared without her brothers. No children are disappearing again and Wendy works with Peter to try and bring them home.

Full disclosure, I recently read Cemetery Boys and he has become one of my favorite authors. So I had preordered Lost in the Never Woods before I was even approved to review the copy through Netgalley. The cover is beautiful. Between the shades of purple and the silloutes of the boys in the trees it is one of my favorite covers. I want to buy a second copy so I can display the artwork.

Normally I am not a fan of Peter Pan stories, but Aiden Thomas is so talented. I could not put this down and spent a few sleepless nights because I could not put it down to go to sleep. I needed to know what would happen next. And that ending! WOW! I will once again be recommending this book to anyone and everyone, whether they are looking for a book or not.

5 stars

I wasn't expecting a Peter Pan retelling to deal with such heavy topics. The contrast between Peters bright playfully innocent bubble and Wendy guilt and grief was wonderfully done. Never having closure really took a toll on the whole family, leaving the parents withdrawn and echo's dealing with their own trauma. I will always be a sucker for a creepy forest setting.
Overall the book was sweet but heartbreaking and well written.

This retelling of the classic Peter Pan story starts with childlike wonder and magic and blends into an increasingly devastating story of trauma and loss. Five years ago, Wendy’s brothers disappeared in the woods behind their house. Now more children are going missing, and Wendy is forced to confront her missing memories about her brothers’ disappearance as well as the sudden appearance of the magical boy from her childhood stories. Intense and traumatic, a very different retelling but doesn't quite hit the mark for me.

I thought this was a very creative Peter Pan retelling. I didn’t see where it was going which was great.

This is a story about a found girl in search of lost boys.

I went into this expecting similarities to the author’s prior work, and as somewhat thrown to find a middle grade fairy tale telling. I’m not mad, just disappointed. It was fine- the writing is lovely, none of the characters are awful and it does function well enough as a unique reimagining…. But it also didn’t feel compelling in the way I anticipated. Also, Peter is described as a child, a rather dirty one- and then is suddenly attractive? I do get that he’s aging by the day but that felt particularly awkward.

Thank you so much Netgalley & Macmillan for this eArc!

Helllooooooo gorgeous cover! If I'd never read anything else by this author, this cover alone, would've drawn me in. The colors, the eeriness, the fonts, the silhouettes... EVERYTHING! 🙌🏼
.
Lost in the Never Woods is a fairytale with a dark twist. The characters from the classic Peter Pan tale are revisited, after children from the small town of Astoria, Oregon go missing. 👀 Five years ago, Wendy Darling and her two little brothers went into the woods one night, but only she returned bruised & bloodied. She'd been unable to recall anything from that fateful night, but when children start to disappear once again and she meets a certain lost boy by chance, her memory is triggered. Could it hold the answers to where her little brothers are? It has to, because accepting anything else is unfathomable.
.
Y'all think THAT was dark? The ending had me bawling & it completely changed my view of Peter Pan. 😧😰😢😩
.
Overall, this book was good. It kept me entertained and the creepiness was there. However, there were some things that I felt could've been done differently with the delivery & in turn, created a better flow and more of an impact upon the reader.

A modern-day Peter Pan retelling with a twist I did not see coming. I loved Cemetery Boys and while this topic was different to Aiden Thomas's first book, the tone was similar and super enjoyable to read.

Much like Alice in Wonderland and the Nutcracker, Peter Pan seems to be one of those stories that doesn’t translate well in a retelling, and Lost in the Neverwoods was unfortunately no exception.

The plot here is intriguing on the surface, but once we find out who is taking the missing kids (yawn) and where they went (not Neverland-sigh), the whole thing feels very dull.

Peter is basically just JM Barrie’s Peter and Wendy is...kind of a drag? Obviously her circumstances explain her sadness, but we don’t get much from her that makes us want to root for her to battle through it other than pity, which isn’t a great primary trait for a protagonist.

The setting too is a letdown. Why are they American rather than British and living in the Pacific Northwest instead of London? I would understand this sort of reimagining if the setting were evocative and important to the book, but it’s just...woods. Again, yawn. We never even make it to Neverland in the book, which probably would have stopped me from picking this up at all if I’d known ahead of time.

The pacing is glacially slow, and it’s mostly just Wendy’s repetitive and not very interesting inner monologue. The exchanges between Peter and Wendy are pretty simplistic. The only other dialogue we get in any kind of volume is between Wendy and Jordan (who is probably the best character in the book despite having very little importance to the plot) and the chatter of the small children at the hospital (which was clearly supposed to be cute but just comes off as insipid and obnoxious).

I’m not sure why Thomas felt the need to turn this into a romance. I don’t think it’s good that we encourage this as a focus for teens to the point where it has to be in every book. Peter Pan is an adventure story, and I don’t see why teens shouldn’t have the opportunity to value things other than romantic relationships in prose. Peter Pan is the perfect opportunity for that because it’s such a terrific story of adventure, bravery, and friendship.

But the thing that really put me off this book is the way it speaks to its audience. This book is listed as age 13 and up, which makes me think that neither the author nor the publisher has ever met a teenager. The tone and wording used in this is very, very young, and I cannot imagine a teenager being even remotely interested in this.

Teens absolutely hate being talked down to by adults, and I imagine most of them would be borderline offended by the almost babyish writing. This is frustrating because Thomas (as we know from their other work) is certainly not a bad writer and is perfectly capable of not pandering.

It’s possible that a tween audience might enjoy this, though the slow pacing makes that seem unlikely. Which leaves me wondering, who is this book really for? I can’t envision a receptive audience for it.

Nostalgic. Insightful. Exasperating. After reading Thomas' debut CEMETERY BOYS, I couldn't not pick up LOST IN THE NEVER WOODS. I have never been so happy with a decision! This is the ultimate fairytale retelling: all of the intensity and magic from the original Peter Pan story was restructured and designed to lure in modern young adults with a heart for the LGBTQ+ community and book boyfriends and/or girlfriends. Every scene, every page, every word of this tale will leave you gasping for air or squealing with joy. I couldn't have asked for a better way to begin my summer than taking a walk down memory lane while simultaneously facing new characters, archetypes, and subplots. There's no other way to describe it: LOST IN THE NEVER WOODS is the most unique retelling I've come across!

A feature I especially appreciate is Thomas' writing style. Intense books where the characters face dangerous situations often trigger my OCD so much that I can't enjoy the book. However, Thomas made the impossible possible: LOST IN THE NEVER WOODS was electrifying and exhilarating but not stressful! I was able to relate to the characters without experiencing second-hand embarrassment or fear, which automatically validates this book as a 5-star read in my eyes. Reading is meant to be a hobby, not a job, and Aiden Thomas succeeded in carrying this out for me a second time.

Overall, I recommend LOST IN THE NEVER WOODS if you're passionate about fairytale retellings, enjoy a bit of fantasy here and there, and are looking for an eventful but relaxing read. When they say reading allows you to escape from reality, this is the book they are referring to.

In this beautifully written and imaginative story Thomas truly takes readers on a journey. I’m a huge fan of Aiden and at this point I will pick up anything he writes. I found this retelling to be so unique. I’ve read a handful of Peter Pan retellings and this one definitely stood out!

After Aiden Thomas’ debut novel Cemetery Boys, I was sold. I could not pass down the opportunity to read this as soon as possible.

Following Wendy Darling as she tries to figure out what is happening in her town with kids disappearing left and right. And how it may be related to her brothers disappearance 5 years prior.

This fell short for me. I was completely sold on the romance and there were lots of spots that were just meh. But this will not out me off from reading their future releases!

I went into this book pretty uninformed. I LOVED Cemetery Boys, so I knew I wanted to read this, and I knew it was related to Peter Pan. That was about it.

Enter 18-year-old Wendy and an aging-before-our-eyes Peter Pan, and off we go on a rather dark adventure to wrangle Peter's malicious shadow and find John, Michael, and a collection of other missing children.

The reader learns that Wendy went missing with her brothers five years ago, and while she reappeared after being gone for six months, John and Michael never returned. Wendy has no memory of what happened while she was missing, but when children start going missing again, she knows it's time to face her fear of the woods.

I really liked this twist on the traditional Peter Pan tale, and although it was honestly darker than I expected, I thought Thomas did a good job handling the effects of trauma and grief on all members of the Darling family. The characters were well-developed, the plot was interesting, and overall, I'd confidently recommend this book (with some content warnings).

Thank you to NetGalley and Swoon Reads/Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review!

Aiden Thomas has been all over my feed following the success of their novel Cemetery Boys. And while I’ve been meaning to pick up that book, I decided to start with Thomas’s newest story, Lost in the Never Woods, which came out in 2021. I had high expectations for this one, primarily because I’ve only heard glowing reviews of Cemetery Boys. While there are elements in Never Woods that I enjoyed, there were things that really kept me from falling in love with this story.

Wendy Darling is turning 18 and all she wants to do is finish her volunteer shift at the hospital and go home. While trying to leave, she discovers a group of nurses and cops huddling at the front desk. Even though she is filled with dread, Wendy begs to hear what’s going on and learns that another child has gone missing in Astoria. This is not easy for Wendy to digest. You see, Wendy and her two brothers, John and Michael, disappeared in the woods five years ago. But only Wendy returned, with her brother’s blood under her nails and no memory of what happened. Wendy has been in survival mode, and her past is slowly creeping back up. As kids continue to mysteriously disappear, Wendy comes face to face with Peter Pan, a boy she thought only existed in stories. Peter needs Wendy’s help to capture his shadow before he loses all his magic in the real world. So the pair decides to team up, find Wendy’s brothers, save the kids, and confront the secrets about Wendy’s mysterious past.

Before I jump in and share why this story wasn’t for me, I have to say how much I appreciated the portrayal of grief and trauma, especially in a story that skews toward a younger reader. Wendy’s family is devastated after Michael and John go missing. We see Wendy’s father isolate himself and give into drinking while her mother withdraws from parental duties and has energy only for her shifts at the hospital. Wendy sadly reminds them of what they’re missing, and she largely has to take care of not only herself but both her parents all while dealing with her grief, guilt, and trauma. I would have appreciated seeing those real, human emotions and reactions in the stories I was reading in my formative years to help me process my stuff. So major shout out to Thomas for exploring some great themes.

To me, all the great fantasies effectively produce a suspension of disbelief. The stories should pull you into the world and keep you there, so I always expect that the trivial, real-world elements of life shouldn’t dramatically affect the story. But these little moments happened frequently in Never Woods, and it totally messed with my head. For instance, we’re made to believe that the stakes are high - kids are missing and no one but Wendy and Peter has an idea of what is happening. They’re the ONLY people who can save the day, but this larger-than-life task never felt important because Wendy would legit stop searching because she self-imposed a curfew on herself to get home before her parents. My adult brain was like, “You have a chance to find your missing brothers, the thing that haunts your every waking moment, and you’re calling it a night?” It may be my age showing here, but I couldn’t get past these instances. My suspension of disbelief was shattered and so was the urgency to solve the problem.

The pacing of the story is very slow. We swirl around in Wendy’s head a lot, hearing her thoughts but not actually seeing action for a good chunk of the book. Now, there was a twist at the end that is good, like so good. When that moment was revealed I couldn’t help but think that this was the story I had been waiting for. There were glimmers of greatness in Never Woods; the writing was good and the overall story was promising. I think at the end of the day I just wanted...more?

Lost in the Never Woods can easily be a good, maybe even great book for some readers out there. Overall this is going to largely appeal to a younger demographic as the characters are at that coming of age phase right at the cusp of high school graduation. And while those days are more than a decade behind me, I can normally vibe with these stories. But my age must have been in the way because I simply couldn’t buy into curfews when lives were at stake. Maybe I’m old and a total dud. But someone out there, with a great Neverland-esque imagination that Peter Pan thrives on, will enjoy this tale.

Rating: Lost in the Never Woods - 6.0/10

Peter Pan is one of my favorite childhood stories, so picking up this retelling was a no-brainer, especially with the beautiful, captivating cover. This is my first Peter Pan retelling, and I had no idea what to expect. Without a doubt, this book was a pleasant surprise.

My review may contain a mild spoiler.

The story follows the main character, Wendy, through a life-changing event. As a child, Wendy spent time in the woods with her brothers, John and Michael, and they all came up missing. After a time, Wendy reappeared, but she couldn’t remember anything, and she had no idea where her brothers had disappeared to. Time moved on, and Wendy became a young adult. Now she volunteers at the local hospital aspiring to be a nurse like her mother. People still question what happened to her brothers--mainly because other children have gone missing since. Wendy's parents are stuck; they're workaholics and neglect her, while Wendy moved on after this tragedy--anxiety and all. Her parents have never gotten over losing the boys, and while they don’t directly blame Wendy, the vibes are there. Other people don’t seem to be accepting of Wendy’s amnesia either. Why can’t she remember what happened that day? Are her brothers still alive? Who’s kidnapping the other children in the area, and are all of these events somehow connected?

This retelling follows the original Peter Pan narrative and conflicts for the most part. The author omitted the problematic parts, built off the original narrative, and made this book quite inventive though. In this story, Peter asks for help after losing his shadow. Wendy needs help discovering what happened to her brothers and the other missing children because her depression and guilt are a heavy load to carry. They work together to solve their problems. The premise is intriguing, the story is written well, and it kept me engaged for the most part, but while the first third of the book hooked me, the middle slowed down substantially. Eventually, it picks back up with an unpredictable ending. I liked being in the same position as Wendy: you don’t know what happened with her brothers until the very end. There were some hints in the story as to who could’ve been involved, but it's left a mystery until everything comes together for the conclusion.

This is a fantasy, but some of the real events in the book weren’t believable, especially with the police investigation. Also, Wendy’s parents were an issue for me with how they completely shut down after losing the boys too. My first response to how they acted in this story was incredulity, but everyone deals with trauma differently, and I tried to keep that in mind. I’ve never been in the position of losing a child, but I imagine some people would deal with the grief in the same way Wendy’s parents did, even when it’s incredibly damaging to others. After all, there wasn’t closure for anyone, and without help, they were all coping with this tragedy on their own. Wendy becomes the acting adult after her brothers’ disappearance. This is where some of the deeper themes came in. Wendy was just a child herself when her brothers wound up missing, and believe it or not, she considers herself having some responsibility for it. This is thought-provoking and got me thinking about some of the adult responsibilities we delegate to our children.

Another small issue I had was the romance, which felt out of place. It barely amounted to anything and could’ve been omitted altogether, in my opinion. The ending, although not an issue, was extremely emotional for me too. This likely stems from some of my own personal feelings on childhood, growing up, letting go, and moving on after trauma, and it's these parts of the book that were very heavy to me.

As far as the book cover: I find it stunning but somewhat deceiving because it led me to believe this was a middle-grade book. It’s geared toward young adults, not that there’s any questionable content for certain age groups, but the book does explore mental illness and some deeper themes that would be better suited for older readers.

Overall, I found this retelling dark, haunting, imaginative, and emotional. It’s a story of love and loss, growing up, facing your fears, and holding onto hope. I plan to read some of the author's other books in the future.

4****