A Beast of a Book Masquerading as Fantasy

Title: The Great Hunt
Author: Wendy Higgins
Series: The Great Hunt, book #1
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: March 8, 2016
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Kill the beast. Win the girl.

A strange beast stirs fear in the kingdom of Lochlanach, terrorizing towns with its brutality and hunger. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.

Princess Aerity understands her duty to the kingdom though it pains her to imagine marrying a stranger. It would be foolish to set her sights on any particular man in the great hunt, but when a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention, there’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.

Paxton is not keen on marriage. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast and protecting his family—yet Princess Aerity continues to challenge his notions with her unpredictability and charm. But as past secrets collide with present desires, dire choices threaten everything Paxton holds dear.

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale, “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, outlawed magic, and a princess willing to risk all to save her people.

I think I'm just going to have to come to terms with the fact that I've outgrown this author's writing. I had so much fun reading Sweet Evil all that time ago, but now that I think about it, I read it as part of a read-along, and maybe the group atmosphere contributed to my enjoyment more than anything? Because I only rated each subsequent book around three stars, and I couldn't bring myself to read the final book, written from the love interest's perspective. And I read her indie See Me, with basically the same results. She did write a contemporary novella that I probably enjoyed the most out of all her writing. It was short, to the point, and it felt like the author knew what she was doing with the story.

I was really excited for The Great Hunt, but now I find myself rather disappointed with its execution. This book was so very fantasy light; only at the end did the magical elements even make a play for my attention. Magic is outlawed in Lochlanach and throughout the land, so people with the ability are scared to use it. The Lashed, as they're called, are already persecuted simply for having the ability. The mark of magic usage is the equivalent of a pregnancy test in the user's nailbed: purple line for positive, no mark otherwise. So it's necessary for all citizens to keep their hands clean and uncovered as proof of no misdeed. I mean, really? There wasn't a more clever way to mark magic wielders? I guess it's different, at least...

Aerity is the main character and Paxton is her would-be love interest, but this story focuses on six, nay seven, characters overall. It's kind of a big ole heptagon up in here, with all these hunters vying for a chance to win Aerity's hand in marriage but them all falling for Aerity's sister and cousin, in addition to that. Also, I'm beginning to wonder if the author knows how to write a love interest who isn't gruff, obtuse, and irascible, at least when it comes to her full-length novels. Her leading men tend to prefer to push a girl away for her protection rather than you know, actually sticking around and protecting her. I am so ridiculously over that trope.

This story was just way too long and the pacing bordered on tedious. Cut out some of the meandering and hemming and hawing and this could have been one book instead of a duology. I like duologies; they're kind of my new favorite type of "series". But only when it makes sense to extend the story to two books, much as I only like trilogies when three books are warranted.

I can't believe I forced myself to read the entire book, especially when I knew it wasn't a stand-alone. But above all else, I was insanely curious about the beast and where it came from. I have my answer now, so I'm not doubtful that I'll pick up the sequel. I shouldn't have expected so much from this novel, especially considering my previous experiences with the author's work, but I just can't seem to help myself when it comes to fantasy and love/hate relationships.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Wendy Higgins is the USA Today and NYT bestselling author of the Sweet Evil series from HarperTeen, the high fantasy duology The Great Hunt, and her independently published Irish fantasy, See Me. She is a former high school English teacher who now writes full time, and lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia with her veterinarian husband, daughter, son, and doggie Rue.

Wendy earned a bachelor's in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a master's in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford University.

Find Wendy:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Facebook | Tumblr

Read More

Labels: beautiful covers, disappointments, fantasy, harper-collins, reviews, the great hunt, wendy higgins

Waiting on Wednesday: The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...








's Pick:



Title: The Great Hunt
Author: Wendy Higgins
Series: The Great Hunt, book #1
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: March 8, 2016

Kill the beast. Win the girl.

A strange beast stirs fear in the kingdom of Lochlanach, terrorizing towns with its brutality and hunger. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.

Princess Aerity understands her duty to the kingdom though it pains her to imagine marrying a stranger. It would be foolish to set her sights on any particular man in the great hunt, but when a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention, there’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.

Paxton is not keen on marriage. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast and protecting his family—yet Princess Aerity continues to challenge his notions with her unpredictability and charm. But as past secrets collide with present desires, dire choices threaten everything Paxton holds dear.

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale, “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, outlawed magic, and a princess willing to risk all to save her people.

Oooh, sounds like a hate-to-love story if there ever was one, and those are my favorite types of romances. =) Also, I've never read The Singing Bone as far as I remember, but this premise intrigues me greatly. I'm sure Wendy will do it justice.


What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

Read More

Labels: beautiful covers, fantasy, harper-collins, retellings, the great hunt, waiting on wednesday (wow), wendy higgins

{Audiobook} Review: Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins

Title: Sweet Reckoning
Author: Wendy Higgins
Narrator(s): Erin Mallon
Series: The Sweet Trilogy
Length: 10 hrs 14 mins
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: April 29, 2014
Source: from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

It’s time.

Evil is running rampant and sweet Anna Whitt is its target. Nobody knows when or how the Dukes will strike, but Anna and her Nephilim allies will do anything necessary to rid the earth of the demons and their oppressive ways.

The stakes are higher than ever, and Anna is determined that the love she feels will be her strength, not a liability. But trying to protect the ones she loves while running for her life and battling demonic forces proves to be perilous—especially as faces are changing and trust is fleeting. When the Duke of Lust sends Anna’s great love, Kaidan Rowe, to work against her, Anna must decide how much she’s prepared to risk.

In the most sensual and fast-paced installment yet, Sweet Reckoning brings all the beloved Neph together one last time to fight for their freedom.

After loving the first book in this series, I had high hopes for the end of it. But after the somewhat disappointing sequel last year, I was hesitant to finally get to my copy of this novel. Which is why I ended up borrowing the audiobook from my library a couple of weeks ago. And maybe that was also a mistake because this book was narrated by Erin Mallon, same as the others, and though she does a great job of making Anna sound all sweet and Southern, Anna shouldn't still sound so naive. She has a higher purpose, a calling, and yet I still found her so annoying at times.

And I know I'm going to get beat over head for this, but I much preferred when Kaidan was denying his feelings and acting a right arse toward Anna. I did like the genuine sense of togetherness in this final installment, with all the Neph working in tandem to defeat the Dukes, but I think because of that, the banter and general fun have gone out of the series in favor of the impending battle between Good and Evil. I get that that's where the series has always been headed, but the tone just changed so much between the three books.

There are some seriously shocking twists in this final book, and it's loaded with action and tension and everything that a series finale should include. But I just didn't connect with the story in the same way that I did Sweet Evil. I wanted to...I wanted to go back to loving the dynamic between Anna and Kai and the other Nephilim, but it felt a little forced to me. I also dislike when premarital sex is made into such an issue, and though I understand why in this particular instance, I'm still frowning at the result of the whole ordeal and why it was necessary to begin with.

The romance also seemed especially cheesy this time around, probably because of the aforementioned issues and how everyone else seemed to be coupling up, too. The stakes were high, too, in this last book, and yet it still didn't feel like enough. I can't really put my finger on it, but it just lacked that certain je ne sais quoi. Everyone else seems to have loved this final installment, though, so maybe it's just me that changed. Maybe the religious elements, especially the purity aspect, finally got to me. I don't know. I'm not opposed to reading the author's future work, but I'm honestly glad to be done with this series.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

After earning a bachelors in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford, Wendy taught high school English until becoming a mommy. Writing Young Adult (YA) stories gives her the opportunity to delve into the ambiguities of those pivotal, daunting, and exciting years before adulthood.

She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, and son. Sweet Evil is her debut novel.

Find Wendy:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Facebook | Tumblr

Read More

Labels: angels, audiobooks, demons, harper-collins, reviews, the sweet trilogy, wendy higgins

{Mini} Reviews: Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill and See Me by Wendy Higgins

Title: Being Sloane Jacobs
Author: Lauren Morrill
Narrator: Shelby Lewis, Devon Sorvari
Series: n/a
Publisher: Listening Library
Publication Date: January 7th, 2014
Source: purchased audio
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.

When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.

Being Sloane Jacobs was just okay for me. I knew what it was about going in. I knew it wasn’t going to be all that deep. That it was a cross between Parent Trap and The Cutting Edge…. I knew all that. Did it stop me? Nope. I thought that was the kind of read I was in the mood for.

I think maybe part of me hoped it would be more original, less predictable. My biggest issue I think was the Narrators. I loved the Narrator for Sloane Devon. The Narrator for Sloane Emily though annoyed me. By the end of the book she didn’t quite sound like nails on a chalk board at least. If not for Sloane Devon, I probably would have DNF’d.

In a nutshell, you have two Sloane Jacob’s who want to run away from their lives. They meet at a hotel before summer camp and decide to switch places. One goes to Hockey, the other goes to Figure Skating. While I found some of their adventures entertaining, I didn’t particularly find them believable. I rolled my eyes a little, but I did laugh. There were some funny moments.

One thing I detested was the talk of Sloane Devon’s smelly hockey gear. Guys, this bothered me. They mentioned how it smelled like dead fish on more than one occasion, and I was so grossed out. They switched clothes, right, so they switched skates and stuff. So Sloane Emily was wearing Sloane Devon’s nasty smelly gear and I just wanted to gag. In fact, I think I did at one point. At least they thought to keep their own undies because that would just be crossing the line.

Overall, it wasn’t bad, just not that great. I loved Meant to Be, so maybe I was expecting more. I do think this will appeal to some readers though, maybe a younger crowd.

Throw these bitches on skates and presto!! you have a book

About the author:


Lauren Elizabeth Morrill is many things, including, but not limited to, a writer, an educator, a badass roller derby skater, a former band nerd, an aggressive driver, and a die-hard Mac person. She also watches a lot of TV, eats a lot of junk food, and drinks a lot of Coke. It's a wonder her brain and teeth haven't rotted out of her head.

Her first novel, Meant to Be, sold in a two-book deal to Wendy Loggia at Delacorte for Paper Lantern Lit.

Find Lauren:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Title: See Me
Author: Wendy Higgins
Series: n/a
Publisher: Self Pub
Publication Date: March 17th, 2014
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

While most seventeen-year-old American girls would refuse to let their parents marry them off to a stranger, Robyn Mason dreams of the mysterious McKale in Ireland, wondering how he’ll look and imagining his cute Irish accent. Prearranged bindings are common for magical families like her own, however when she travels to the whimsical Emerald Isle she discovers there’s more to her betrothal and McKale’s clan than she was led to believe.

What starts as an obligatory pairing between Robyn and McKale morphs over time into something they both need. But one giant obstacle stands in the way of their budding romance: a seductive and deadly Fae princess accustomed to getting what she wants—and what she wants is McKale as her plaything. Love, desire, and jealousies collide as Robyn’s family and McKale’s clan must work together to outsmart the powerful Faeries and preserve the only hope left for their people.

See Me is my first experience reading Wendy Higgins. It was my friend Jess’s pick that week and it looked cute so we dove right in. I liked it, it was adorable, but it wasn’t great.

Robyn has been betrothed since she was a baby, to son from another magical family. So it starts off with them getting ready to head out to Ireland so she can finally meet him before they get hitched. Ahh the mysterious McHale, there is more too his family than Robyn knows, and when she finds out it’s pretty darn funny.

The Fae play a big part in this story, especially the Fae Princess who wants McHale all to herself. I enjoyed watching Robyn and McHale get to know each other but I felt like the Fae presence wasn’t written as strongly as it could be. That’s to be expected though. I believe this was something Higgin’s wrote ages ago before she published anything.

Also the ending was kinda lame, both Jess and I were left saying to each other… “That’s it?” It was a fun quick read though, and I’d be willing to try other works by this author.

What kind of ending was that? 

About the author:

After earning a bachelors in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford, Wendy taught high school English until becoming a mommy. Writing Young Adult (YA) stories gives her the opportunity to delve into the ambiguities of those pivotal, daunting, and exciting years before adulthood.

She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, and son. Sweet Evil is her debut novel.

Find Wendy:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Facebook | Tumblr

Read More

Labels: being sloane jacobs, contemporary, faeries, lauren morrill, paranormal, parent trap, reviews, see me, wendy higgins

Review: See Me by Wendy Higgins

Title: See Me
Author: Wendy Higgins
Series: n/a
Publisher: indie/self-published
Publication Date: March 17, 2014
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

While most seventeen-year-old American girls would refuse to let their parents marry them off to a stranger, Robyn Mason dreams of the mysterious McKale in Ireland, wondering how he’ll look and imagining his cute Irish accent. Prearranged bindings are common for magical families like her own, however when she travels to the whimsical Emerald Isle she discovers there’s more to her betrothal and McKale’s clan than she was led to believe.

What starts as an obligatory pairing between Robyn and McKale morphs over time into something they both need. But one giant obstacle stands in the way of their budding romance: a seductive and deadly Fae princess accustomed to getting what she wants—and what she wants is McKale as her plaything. Love, desire, and jealousies collide as Robyn’s family and McKale’s clan must work together to outsmart the powerful Faeries and preserve the only hope left for their people.

If you enjoy Higgins' Sweet Trilogy at all, I think you'll have fun with this book, though it is a departure from the author's previous subject matter. This time around, we're dealing with magic; an arranged marriage -- to a Leprechaun, no less; and powerful fae in beautiful Ireland.

I think this story might have been a bit more fun had Robyn's intended actually been a typical Leprechaun, but then the romance might have taken a nosedive, and as it was, McKale wasn't winning me over at the start. Truth be told, he was a tad boring and standoffish and maybe a little bit ostracized because of his unwieldy height, thanks to his people's preconceived notions of what normal was. However, Robyn's acceptance of his larger than normal stature won him and the Leprechauns over.

This story is cute and funny and absolutely fluffy, even when it tries to hit on a deeper subject. (That one story arc was completely over the top and absolutely unnecessary.) But it also makes fun of itself and the situation: "Do me a favor," she said to Rock. "Say 'They're always trying to steal me Lucky Charms.'" Also, I swore there was a Twilight dig in there, whether unintentional or not, and those are always a treat. =)

But if you're a hardcore feminist, you'll probably want to steer clear. That whole "arranged marriage" thing should have been a dead giveaway, but the Little People are living the way that have been for hundreds of years: the men toil away in the shoe house -- where it's considered bad luck for a woman to step -- making fancy shoes for the fae, and the women do all of the cooking and cleaning. The women aren't necessarily subservient to the Chaun men, but they have their place in the village, and it's definitely not out on the field playing ball with the men.

The world-building is a little sparse, and even venturing into Faerie didn't provide much detail. And then there's the Clourichaun, who I've never heard of before. There's a little backstory on them, but I'd have liked to have known more, especially with the importance one of them had to the story. I did, however, like the importance place on family and duty in this story. And I liked the Irish lore that was explored in this novel. The progression of the romance was probably my favorite aspect, though. Robyn was stubborn and McKale was shy. And once they did start to fall for each other, the faerie princess Khalistah proved vengeful.

All in all, See Me was a fun read, one that I'd been looking forward to since I'd first heard that the author was planning to self-publish it. The story wasn't as deep as I had hoped for, but what it lacked in depth, it made up for in heart. This was a great palate-cleanser, and it's made me even more eager to get to Sweet Reckoning.

GIF it to me straight:

There was a lot of hot & cold in the beginning, but it turned into a cute little story.

About the author:

After earning a bachelors in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford, Wendy taught high school English until becoming a mommy. Writing Young Adult (YA) stories gives her the opportunity to delve into the ambiguities of those pivotal, daunting, and exciting years before adulthood.

She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, and son. Sweet Evil is her debut novel.

Find Wendy:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Facebook | Tumblr

Read More

Labels: faeries, indies, magic, paranormal, reviews, see me, wendy higgins

{Audiobooks} Mini Reviews: Sweet Peril, Reboot & Tiger Lily

So, it's no secret that I love audiobooks.  And I listen to quite a few each week.  But I have the hardest time sitting down to write the reviews for them.  The actual writing of the review isn't what's difficult, though.  It's just...as soon as I finish one, it's quiet and the voices in my head start up again, so I immediately start another audiobook to silence them.  I'm only half-kidding.  I am an over-thinker.  Way too analytical for my own good sometimes.  But that's beside the point.

The point is, I tend to rack up a ton of audio that needs reviewing and I thought I'd pick up on the current trend of mini-reviews for those times when I don't feel like -- or don't have the time for -- writing a full-blown review, dissecting every element of a novel or audiobook.  So, instead, I'm going to just break down a few audiobooks based on the narration and how the story culminated in general.  This will be my first attempt at that.  Let's see if I can avoid being as long-winded in my mini reviews as I was here in this introduction.  ;0)

Title: Sweet Peril
Author: Wendy Higgins
Narrator: Erin Mallon
Series: The Sweet Trilogy, book #2
Publisher: HarperAudio
Publication Date: April 30, 2013
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

For some reason, Sweet Peril just didn't hold the same magic for me that it's predecessor did.  I could blame it on the fact that Kaidan is absent for the first half of the book or so, but even when he did enter the picture, I still wasn't wowed.  I was never intrigued by the idea of a love triangle featuring Kopano as one of its points either.  And Anna was even more of a Mary Sue this time around.  I get it...she's speshul and everyone should love her and help her defeats the evil.  More battling less coddling, please.  Too many gums flapping and not enough action.

The audio was on par with the first book's.  Anna's still got that Southern accent.  Kaiden's accent is, well, less than satisfactory for a Brit but it's passable, I suppose.  The audiobook was fun, though.  I didn't hate this sequel...I just think maybe I was in a different frame of mind when I listened to it than I was with Sweet Evil.  Or I needed more Anna/Kai hawtness.  It could definitely be that.

Rating:   1/2

Title: Reboot
Author: Amy Tintera
Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Series: Reboot, book #1
Publisher: HarperAudio
Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

I was hesitant to read this, so I didn't request it for review.  And then bookish friends whose opinions I really trust said it was a different kind of zombie book.  Okay, I'm intrigued.  I love zombie stories.  But they meant it when they said different.  I mean, toward the end, there are hints that my good ole "Braaaaaiiiiinssss!!!" screaming zombies are coming, but this book just didn't do it for me, as a standard sci-fi or as a zombie novel.

I like books where a character has to find, recall, or be taught humanity.  But in Wren's case, it felt like she wasn't human and then all of sudden she felt the feels.  I didn't see the progression...it was 0-to-feels in 90 seconds or less.  And then there was Callum.  I kind of adore the tough girl/nice guy pairings, but in this case, the nice guy was just too nice for his own good.  I didn't find him endearing; I found him annoying.  And the story wasn't anything new or exciting to me.  Maybe my friends don't read enough sci-fi, but despite the rebooting and being used as weapons, this story was pretty generic.

Even one of my very favorite narrators didn't make the book any better.  I've loved everything I've heard Khristine Hvam narrate, but the audiobook for Reboot was only meh.  I didn't hate it, but I also didn't love it.  I guess I just prefer when Hvam gets to show off her ability to voice really different characters in the same setting, especially those with accents.  And she definitely didn't have the opportunity to do that here.

Rating:  

Title: Tiger Lily
Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson
Narrator: Cassandra Morris
Series: n/a
Publisher: Listening Library
Publication Date: May 14, 2013
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

Poor Tiger Lily.  This book was sad, y'all.  I was not expecting just how sad it was.  The original story is fun and fanciful, but this one is just a story about heartbreak.  And it vastly changed my opinion of both Wendy Darling and Tiger Lily...and maybe even Peter Pan and Tinkerbell.  Though, it did make me anxious for a re-read of the original tale.  I think I've watched the Disney version with my daughter too many times and it's warped my sensibilities.

The narrator for Tiger Lily had a childish lilt to her voice that was unappealing at first until I realized that Tink was the narrator and would therefore probably have a childish lilt of her own, being a tiny fairy and all.  But that same voice did not carry over to the other characters, which was a comfort.  Overall, the narration was pretty great.  It kept me grounded and reminded me that this was a retelling, an alternate point-of-view, for a beloved children's story and that I shouldn't be too broken up over it.

Rating:  


No new favorites in this group, unfortunately, but I enjoyed the experience nonetheless.

Read More

Labels: afterlife, amy tintera, angels, audiobooks, demons, harper-collins, jodi lynn anderson, reboot, retellings, reviews, sweet evil, tiger lily, wendy higgins, zombies