Witchling Wanderer: I Ship It!!

Get ready... To have your minds blown away... By this deliciously and good-looking retelling of Peter Pan!! It also had a swoon-worthy pirate!! Two of some of my favorite things in the world!!

This was one of my highly-anticipated releases of this year and I was just blown away by how captivating and yet eery the world was. You won't be disappointed!!

Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell

Release Date: February 2, 2016
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Format: E-ARC
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Retelling
Series: Standalone
Pre-order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

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For as long as she can remember, Gwendolyn Allister has never had a place to call home—all because her mother believes that monsters are hunting them. Now these delusions have brought them to London, far from the life Gwen had finally started to build for herself. The only saving grace is her best friend, Olivia, who’s coming with them for the summer.

But when Gwen and Olivia are kidnapped by shadowy creatures and taken to a world of flesh-eating sea hags and dangerous Fey, Gwen realizes her mom might have been sane all along.

The world Gwen finds herself in is called Neverland, yet it’s nothing like the stories. Here, good and evil lose their meaning and memories slip like water through her fingers. As Gwen struggles to remember where she came from and find a way home, she must choose between trusting the charming fairy-tale hero who says all the right things and the roguish young pirate who promises to keep her safe.

With time running out and her enemies closing in, Gwen is forced to face the truths she’s been hiding from all along. But will she be able to save Neverland without losing herself?

*Thank you so much to Simon Pulse for providing me with an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.*

All the summary of Unhooked had to say was roguish pirate and Neverland and I was in!! I wasn't sure what to expect but within a few pages, I was hooked!! It was very refreshing to read such a wicked and twisted retelling of Peter Pan.

All her life, Gwen has been moving place to place because her mother thinks monsters are out to get them. Now they've come to London, which is farther then they've ever come before. After ignoring the warning of an old man, Gwen and her best friend, who's visiting for the summer, are abducted to the far away land, where they start to lose memories of who they once were.

The story completely swept me off my feet! By the time I looked up, I was already 30% in and I had trouble putting it down. There was the right amount of romance to satisfy me!! The plank scene was almost the death of me. SWOONS! Captain Hook was just an irresistible male specimen. And I loved all his interactions with Gwen.

I loved how even though Gwen was taken and put into an unthinkable situation, she wasn't losing it. And she doesn't let it stop her from trying to find a way home. While I didn't exactly connect with her, I still think she was still very intriguing to read about. And it saddened me to see what she was put through.

I loved that Lisa used the original premise of Peter Pan but then we get dwelled deep into the story and it starts to become it's own thing. And I really mean it when I say that Neverland is dark. Some scenes were creepier than I expected!

When I got to the last 40% of the book, things started becoming complex and confusing. I had trouble keeping up with everything being thrown in. But I think I will just go back to re-read and I'll grasp the situation better. I mean the second time's the charm when reading a book, right? We catch things we didn't the first time around. And the book is completely worthy of a re-read!!

Overall, Unhooked was unlike anything I've ever read!! This is only my second Peter Pan retelling but it was very original and strays away from the original classic, which I loved!!

Is this a standalone because I want more?? I need more of Captain Hook in my life!!

I can almost picture this as Gwen but older.

Don't trust the mermaids!!!!

*shivers*

That's right Peter! You swim on with those mermaid sisters!!

Lisa Maxwell is the author of Sweet Unrest, Gathering Deep (Flux, Fall 2015) and Unhooked (Simon Pulse, Spring 2016). When she's not writing books, she's an English professor at a local college. She lives near DC with her very patient husband and two not-so patient boys.