I enjoyed reading the book. I heard so much hype about Aiden Thomas' s first book Cemetery boys, ( which I have not read yet) I think I went in with my expectations a little too high. While I found the book a fun and cute read , I figured out the twist well before the reveal. I also found the characters a little flat. The romance while not the main focus was cute and what kept me reading. I felt the story did deal with grief well. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes retellings. I gave it 3.5 stars

After reading Cemetery Boys I eagerly jumped onto this book waiting to once again feel the thrill of adventure and character development that the author was able to create in their other work. But sadly this book missed the spot for me. For starters the pacing was off for me and I felt myself at times having to force myself through the story. It seemed like the book was sprinkled with some plot building here and there, but overall nothing really happened until the last quarter of the book.
What i did like was how the author was able to bring up loss and grief in the book. And yet while we are dealing with such heavy and much needed topics, the characters felt one dimensional, most of the characters didn't feel like they were really flushed out. Maybe the author was relying on us to have read Peter Pan or at least watched a few movies to understand the depth and personalities of the character, but the mark was missed on that.

I was so excited for this dark, YA Peter Pan retelling after hearing so many great things about Cemetery Boys but unfortunately, Lost in the Never Woods didn’t work for me. I found the pacing was a little off; about 80% of the story is spent following Wendy and Peter wander around aimlessly while they ‘try’ to find/save boys that have gone missing in her town and then stuff actually happens in the last 20% of the book. Also, I wasn’t a huge fan of the ‘relationship’ that’s hinted at between the two, since Peter is introduced as a maybe 13 year old and she’s 18 (over the course of a few days he does age to be around 18 too, but it’s still a bit cringe-y to think about).
I will say, I did appreciate how Aiden Thomas handled the topic of grief and losing a loved one,
All in all, I would still recommend this to people looking for a different take on Peter Pan. Sadly, it wasn’t a new favorite of mine but it doesn’t mean it won’t work for others!

I tried to read this book twice and for some reason I couldn't get into it.
I don't know if I wasn't in the right head space, if this book just isn't for me, if it was the writing style, or if it was the characters I couldn't connect with.

Maybe someday in the future I'll try to pick it up again for a third-time's-the-charm.

"Lost In The Never Woods" is a YA Peter Pan retelling.

I loved just how creative this story was. The writing was so descriptive and really made me feel like I was in the world of the story while I was reading it.

This was a very well-written fantasy book, and I believe readers will be captivated by it from the moment they pick it up.

Listen. This book was everything I wanted in a Peter Pan retelling. It was dark and gripping and I could not put it down. The horror that Wendy goes through and the trauma she has to live through is incredible. And the ending!! Ahhh man so good. I did NOT see that coming! Aiden will forever be an auto buy author.

Lost in the Never Woods is the creepy Peter Pan twist I didn't know I needed. It was spooky and thrilling and mysterious. It had me laughing and crying and feeling all the things inbetween. I love Aiden Thomas's work and can't wait to see what they come up with next!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this retelling of Peter Pan. Seeing Wendy and Peter in a different light was very interesting. The chemistry, the drama, the twists were just...wow!! I didn’t know how much I needed to read a retelling of Peter Pan until I started reading Lost In Never Woods. I highly recommend anyone read this! Aiden did a phenomenal job!

A Peter Pan Retelling.. sign me up!!
this is not like your regular retelling oh no this one goes deep, and it takes you on an adventure through the atmospheric setting of a town in Oregon and In the Woods beyond.

We follow the characters we know from the original classic...Wendy Darling being our protagonist and Aiden Thomas has put their own spin on these characters and made them Their own!! This really was such a all Round Great read!! It has that touch of a Magical realism/fantastical Small town Mystery element... like I said at the start it has Atmospheric writing and you can envision in your head just the vibe of the town and the eerie-ness it sometimes had to it aswell.

Lost in the never woods is a very much slow paced novel.. that at times I’ve got to say could maybe have cut some things shorter and picked up it’s pace a little bit But other than that like I said it was such a great novel, touched on quite a lot of topics Some being on Mental health and Grief and in my opinion feel they were handled with care.

One last thing I’d like to say is
I’ve seen a few people say in reviews... this book isn’t like cemetery boys.. it’s completely different and it truly is... I would not expect to be seeing Aiden Thomas to write the same sort of novels each time.. and it’s good that we are seeing the range in What Thomas can produce and the stories they can tell now and in the future.
If your looking for something just like Cemetery boys I feel you won’t get that from this one and be let down.. so I’d say keep expectations low and go into and just enjoy the ride!!

This retelling of Peter Pan is one of the most amazing things I have EVER read. I love the dark tone to it, it's made it mature in a sincerely unique way without losing the original whimsy of the book. The delicate balance between unsettling and reminiscent is just perfection. I love how the cast of characters were translated into this story, especially the gritty edge that Wendy gained. This was such a fun and nostalgic read!

This book was so magical.

The symbolism and callbacks to Peter Pan meant the world to me.

It also really takes trauma and turns it on it's head

A retelling of Peter Pan, Lost in the Never Woods tells the story of Wendy Darling. She went into the woods with her two brothers, but she is the only one who came back out. The whole town of Astoria is baffled by the mystery of the two boys’ disappearance and Wendy remembers nothing about that day. When a young man called Peter appears and asks her to help him find his shadow, Wendy’s world is turned upside down by magic and unexplained events. She and Peter must work together to conquer their worst fears in order to defeat whoever it is who continues to snatch small children from the safety of their homes. The whole time I was reading this book I could hear Mary Martin’s voice in my head: Think. Lovely thoughts. Think. Lovely thoughts... I think Wendy must have heard me.

I ended up enjoying this one! I really liked how the author re-imagined the story of Peter Pan. I do think it got a bit slow in the middle and there were times at the end where I felt like the villain was being a little too over-the-top, but ultimately I really liked the way this ended and how unique it was!

Aiden Thomas has done it again. Ever since I read Cemetery Boys, I've been hooked on his storytelling prose, high stakes plot and character development. Lost in the Never Woods did not disappoint. Thomas made the story of Neverland and Peter Pan his own, adding a dark, spooky twist. From jump, Wendy is a relatable character with past trauma that she carries with her like a second skin. I was immediately rooting for her. I loved how there's a sense of urgency almost on the first page with the plot. This book was definitely a page turner. I wanted to know what was happening not only to the present plot, but also what happened to Wendy. This is the sign of a great writer. The book is descriptive, lyrical, heart wrenching, but also heartwarming. I love a spooky woods, character-driven story, and Thomas delivered. This book lives up to its hype. It's everything you need wrapped in a pretty purple cover.

I went into this with (maybe unfairly) high expectations; I read Cemetery Boys last year and loved it to bits. But this one didn’t have the magic or depth for me that the author’s previous work had.

Wendy’s all-consuming grief, and the exploration of her parents’ grief too, were the deepest & most real part of this novel. Naturally, the parts that dove into that were my favorite sections. I could definitely feel the loss in the Darlings’ home and their struggle to function and move forward was palpable.

But the chemistry between Peter & Wendy wasn’t quite believable - which is disappointing in particular because it’s meant to be a second chance romance and those two have a big past together already - and the magic/fantasy system didn’t make sense to me; it seemed surface level and just there to drive the book forward unnaturally. Given that Wendy + Peter and Peter’s magic are the 2 main elements of a Peter Pan story, that’s a let down for me for sure.

Maybe the lack of depth has to do with the fact that Wendy’s history is not given enough time. We as readers are meant to believe that she had a LOT of adventures in Neverland and that she developed a strong bond with Peter as a result of all of that time spent together and the fun they had. But any time Peter talks about their past adventures, it’s glossed over. Maybe that was a conscious choice by the author; because Wendy doesn’t have the details of her past, we as readers aren’t privy to them either. But it left me confused and skeptical of the motivations of Wendy and Peter.

Between the surface level plot, pacing issues, and forced romance, I was left underwhelmed. The word choice and use of language was top-notch though. And when all is said and done, I will continue to read Aiden Thomas’ future works for sure. If you enjoy Peter Pan retellings, then I would give this book a go so that you can revisit your favorite characters in a new way.

Lost in the Never Woods had a great premise. It is a Peter Pan retelling and so much darker than Thomas’ debut - Cemetery Boys. Unfortunately I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The story did not hold my attention and I had a few issues with the pacing.

For the past few years, Wendy and her parents have been torn apart by the disappearance of the Darling boys, John and Michael. Wendy and her brothers went into the woods behind their house one night . . . but only Wendy came out again. Even now, Wendy can't remember what happened. But her past seems to be coming back to haunt her. Eighteen-year-old Wendy is disturbed as children from her hometown start disappearing into the woods again and a boy named Peter—a boy that seems vaguely familiar—appears and claims to know Wendy from "before."

Sadly, while the premise of this book sounds intriguing, Lost in the Never Woods reads like a first draft.

Characters are pancake flat, the plot is riddled with holes, and the dialogue is cliché café.

Wendy's relationships with every other character—her "best friend" Jordan, her mother, her father, the head nurse, and Peter—are all caricatures. Here's just one example: Mr. Darling is only ever drunk, angry, or yelling at Wendy (who is a legal adult) about her safety. Aiden Thomas skirts around the obviously toxic relationship Mr. Darling has with his daughter, never hinting that it's a problem nor that it needs to be healed. All possible nuance for Wendy's father (and every other character) is lost to simplistic black and white, wholly predictable characterization.

The plot makes zero sense for so many reasons. Is it or is it not imperative that Wendy and Peter solve the mystery of the missing children? It seems more like Wendy and Peter are on a Friday night date night than on a race to save children's lives. The two take flirty detours to ice cream shops and pool parties, even when they know the dire nature of the children's situation. Their nonchalant attitude seems dangerously misplaced in a situation where children are being kidnapped and terrorized.

And how many times have you heard a villain cackle and say, "Looks like you'll never see your precious [insert romantic interest] again"? If you read Lost in the Never Woods, you'll get to hear that original little phrase again. It's this unimaginative speech that makes up the majority of the story.

Lost in the Never Woods had the potential to be a winner. Unfortunately, it really wasn't. The book was sorely disappointing, especially since I've heard such good things about Aiden Thomas's first book.

I can't recommended this.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

BOOK REPORT for Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas

Cover Story: Optical Illusion
BFF Charm: Let Me Love You
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: Retelling
Bonus Factor: Oregon
Anti-Bonus Factor: Absent Parents
Relationship Status: Maybe MFEO?

Content Warning: Lost in the Never Woods includes elements of repressed childhood drama, kidnapping, grief, and death.

Cover Story: Optical Illusion
This cover reminds me of those "is this a crone or a young woman or both" optical illusions from the days of yore. It's a very clever use of the woods and darkness, however, that ties really well to the story within. It's also a great use of illustration that doesn't (thankfully) look like the many, many illustrated covers that are out in the world right now.

The Deal:
Five years ago, Wendy Darling and her brothers went missing in the woods behind their house in Astoria, Oregon. Wendy returned, six months later, but had no memory of what happened to any of them.

When kids start to go missing again, people turn to Wendy. She doesn't have the answers, but when a strange boy named Peter—someone she thought a figment of her imagination—shows up and asks for her help saving the children and returning her shadow, Wendy realizes that there's more to the gaps in her memory than she'd ever imagined.

BFF Charm: Let Me Love You
Wendy has a best friend, Jordan, who's always been there for Wendy, no questions asked. But when kids start to go missing again, and Peter shows up literally out of thin air, Wendy feels herself closing off from everyone, even Jordan. I'm sure she'd do the same thing to me, if we were friends IRL; it can be hard to open up to friends who might not believe something magical is happening, even if they are the most open-minded of folks. But I'd still love to be her friend, and not only because of the magical elements of her life. She's a strong, passionate young woman with a lot of (well-deserved) confidence that is lurking just below the surface. Let me help bring it to the forefront, Wendy!

Swoonworthy Scale: 6
I'm a shipper at heart, so I was hoping for something more between Wendy and Peter. And I knew from the start that there was something there, but it was hard for me to lean into that chemistry, particularly because Peter's depicted as a young teen at the start of the book. Peter eventually matures as part of the story, which makes it a bit easier to understand their connection, but I couldn't help but feel a bit like Wendy was interested in her little brother's friend, which dampened the swoon. Their age difference, which at most was 4–5 years, would matter little later in life, but when it's early high school vs. an 18-year-old, it's a struggle.

Talky Talk: Retelling
For those who didn't put the Wending Darling/Peter/missing kids connection together yet, Lost in the Never Woods is a Peter Pan retelling. But it's a retelling that leans heavily toward the horror genre; Peter's shadow is a much more malevolent entity, and the lost boys/kids are … something else. The original tale of Peter and Wendy lends itself nicely to that darkness, and Thomas does a great job of setting up a reveal that both fits the original and feels totally new (and surprising). Wendy is also a sympathetic character who deals with trauma and grief in a really believable, albeit heartbreaking, way.

It took me a bit to get into the story, however. The writing, at the start, was a little clunky and overly tell-y. But I'm chalking that up to the version I read being an ARC. The story certainly grabbed my attention and kept me reading, making it easy to overlook my early struggles with the book's flow.

Bonus Factor: Oregon
I've never been to Astoria, home of The Goonies Wendy and the Darling family, but it's close enough to where I grew up that I was excited to see that the book was set there. And then someone drank a Dutch Bros coffee, which made me grin. I'll never not get suckered into feeling home state nostalgia, y'all.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Absent Parents
The Darling parents used to be fabulous, but since their incident—and only Wendy's return—they've shut down. I can't blame them, and I have no doubt that I'd likely do something very similar if I were to lose two-thirds of my kiddos. But it broke my heart to see how alone Wendy felt, and how much their distance was driving home her feelings of guilt.

Relationship Status: Maybe MFEO?
It took a minute for us to click, Book, but as soon as we did, I knew we had something unique. You're a bit too broken to start something serious right now, but I'm content to be here waiting and see what the future might bring us.

Aiden Thomas manages to sprinkle a bit of pixie dust on Lost in the Never Woods.
It’s been five years since Wendy returned from being lost without her brothers. Her family doesn’t know what happened to her, the cops asked every single question they could think of, and even Wendy herself can’t remember anything that happened. Five years since it all went down, until suddenly children start going missing again, and Wendy’s past comes back to haunt her.

Let me start off by saying that Peter Pan is one of my favorite fairy tales. I used to dream about going to Neverland all the time and have watched the Disney movie countless times. So when I heard the news of the book from Aiden Thomas, I was immediately on board. And while reading it, I was extremely happy to see that Thomas got the voice of Peter spot on. Especially towards the beginning. There was just one tiny problem.

I’ve been a huge fan of Aiden Thomas ever since I first read Cemetery Boys, their first published book. I loved how magical they made the world and how magical the words felt as I read them. My problem, and I wouldn’t exactly call it a problem, with this book was that the magic was almost lost. The way the story was told was at this half way point between being grounded and being magical. It tried really hard to not stray too much to the other side but almost lost itself in the middle of all that. It wasn’t a huge problem, nor did it take away from the book at all, but it was more of an expectation I had going in.

Another drawback for me was some of the characters could have been a bit more fleshed out at times. Often we see main characters refuse to ask anyone for help because they feel like no one would understand. But this seemed like one of those moments where if Wendy had talked to her best friend, Jordan, things would have been a bit more simple. I understand why it wasn’t done this way, but it was almost frustrating, which was the point.

There were also times when I would’ve loved to see certain characters interact more, such as Peter and Mrs. Darling. We got hints and tidbits about a story that could’ve been so magical, but all it did was tease us with bits and pieces.

Aside from that, I immensely enjoyed the story itself. I thought it was a great sequel moment that expanded on the original tale, and made it even darker than normal. I enjoyed seeing Peter and Wendy interact all these years later. And I really enjoyed how Thomas wasn’t afraid to go places. Certain scenes made me gasp as I read them because I just wasn’t expecting them to happen. The ending scene in particular was one of those moments, and made for one of the better parts of the book.

Lost in the Never Woods was the first book that Aiden Thomas wrote, but the second one they published. Which makes sense because I think they definitely found their rhythm and magic after this one was written. Not to say the book was bad, because it wasn’t at all. I’m definitely going to find myself remembering it at random times, but it just wasn’t my favorite. With that being said though, I can’t wait to see what else Thomas comes out with next.

I really wanted to love this book.

I absolutely adored Aiden Thomas’ debut novel, Cemetery Boys, and was very intrigued by the premise of this Peter Pan re-telling. The writing is beautiful, but the book is very slow paced and just never hooked me. Someone else might love this novel, but it wasn’t for me.