Stars by Colleen Oakes

Wendy Darling has a perfectly agreeable life with her parents and brothers in wealthy London, as well as a budding romance with Booth, the neighborhood bookseller’s son. But while their parents are at a ball, the charmingly beautiful Peter Pan comes to the Darling children’s nursery and—dazzled by this flying boy with god-like powers—they follow him out of the window and straight on to morning, to Neverland, an intoxicating island of feral freedom.

As time passes in Neverland, Wendy realizes that this Lost Boys’ paradise of turquoise seas, mermaids, and pirates holds terrible secrets rooted in blood and greed. As Peter’s grasp on her heart tightens, she struggles to remember where she came from—and begins to suspect that this island of dreams, and the boy who desires her, have the potential to transform into an everlasting nightmare.

Book Overview:

Author: Colleen Oakes | Series: Wendy Darling Series | Format: Paperback | Length: 317 pages | Publish Date: October 13, 2015 | Genre: YA Fantasy/Retelling | Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ | Recommend: Maybe

“If the stars above saw what I felt for you, they would pour out their wonders...”

Almost every single Peter Pan movie out there is about Peter. I guess it makes sense since those movies are often called "Peter Pan". But what about the Darlings? What about Wendy Darling, the only human girl to ever set foot in Neverland and become a mother figure to all the Lost Boys that live there? What was it about her that made Peter Pan come into her nursery and take not only her, but her two younger brothers on the adventure of their lives?

This story talks all about it, and it's not pretty.

Forget everything you know about Peter Pan, or even Wendy herself. This book turns the knowledge we have of the Disney version of this story and makes Neverland a much more formidable and dangerous place to be. It's not a happily ever after kind of place, filled with violence and death and secrets.

Think of Peter in the Disney version. He's a nice guy for the most part, maybe. He is just a boy that won't grow up, so he has the tendency to be immature. We think that he's not always as smart as he should be, but boy, are we wrong. Peter Pan is so much smarter than we give him credit for, and it makes him an extremely dangerous "god-boy" as Wendy likes to call him. He has the power to control all of the Lost Boys with his charisma alone, and at times it can be downright scary. These Lost Boys are willing to lay down their lives for him, all for the sake of an adventure.

“I knew I was bound for something different. Something better. I was meant to rule the stars, not gaze at them from under our poverty.”

I will say that Peter is not a good guy in this book whatsoever... but to avoid the risk of spoilers, that's all I will say about that.

Wendy on the other hand... poor Wendy. All she wanted was to love a boy below her station. It's not her fault that she lives in London's past, where you risk losing everything if you fall in love with someone that doesn't come from a rich enough family. It sucks, and it's not fair to her when this boy actually makes her feel something. She loves him, he loves her, and he wants her to be brave and let their parents know. But before she can really, truly be brave, Peter shows up.

She has so much growing up to do, and she's forced to do it in such a strange world with no adults except for the ones that want to kill her and the rest of the Lost Boys. Mostly the pirates, I mean. Can she survive here? Will she ever go home, or will the thrall of Neverland keep her here forever? Will Peter Pan win her heart, even though she is in love with a boy back home?

I'll make a note here and say that there is violence and some gore in this book, so please be aware of that if that's something you don't like reading. There is also some form of abuse (I won't say to avoid spoilers) so be wary of that as well.

Author Spotlight

Courtesy of Goodreads

Born: in Denver, The United States

Website: http://www.colleenoakes.net

Twitter: ColleenBlooms

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy

Goodreads Member Since: September 2007

Colleen Oakes is the author of books for both teens and adults, including YA fantasy retellings The Queen of Hearts Saga and The Wendy Darling Saga, and the Elly in Bloom series which is women's fiction. She lives in North Denver with her husband and son and surrounds herself with the most lovely family and friends imaginable. When not writing or plotting new books, Colleen can be found swimming, traveling and totally immersing herself in nerdy pop culture. She currently at work on another YA fantasy series and a stand-alone YA novel. 

You can visit her webpage at: www.colleenoakes.net