Welcome to Litsy!

Bad Peter Pan? Let‘s go! As long as baby boy stays asleep that is…

12-1-22: My November Book Wrap Up part 2! These 8 books were all 4⭐️ and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

I loved this book. I did find it a little slow paced sometimes. However, I loved the characters and the story.Great book.

11-1-22: My 109th finished book of 2022! A fascinating take on the Peter Pan story. Holly Darling, a scientist, is the granddaughter of Wendy, from the Peter Pan story. She owns a successful skin care company in NYC. When her invalid daughter goes missing, she takes her son Jack to England to search for her. I don‘t want to give too many specifics because the author really worked in all the Pan characters so well.

Holly Darling, a descendant of the famous Darling family, suspects Peter Pan is behind her daughter‘s mysterious disappearance.

Motherhood ✨ Sinister ✨ Retelling

NOTES: I found the plot to be slow moving and boring, and felt robbed of a satisfying showdown at the end of the story. I also get incredibly frustrated with stories in which the character creates additional problems just because they refuse to ask for help or call the police.

Finished Darling Girl by Liz Michalski. It‘s a reimagining of what happened long after Wendy came back from Neverland. Peter is not a good guy - evil really. Why? There were lots of twists and interesting things that happened, but it was a little dark. Characters were rearranged. But I‘m still glad I read it. #92 #BookSpin #BFC22 #ReadMyRoom #OUBC #Pantone22 #NotSoScaryAthon #Autumnbingo2022 #FallReadathon #LitsyLoveReads

Started the tagged book for the #NotSoScaryAthon by @TheBrightSideGirl . It‘s a reimagining of Peter Pan and one of my Once Upon A Book Club selections. So glad to be getting to one of those! I have 3 more in my stack and undoubtably one on the way. Maybe if I sprinkle my pixie dust all will be well! 🧚📚😊 The other books are my TBR for this Readathon.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Pretty unique and interesting spin to Peter Pan. I loved the characters and different story lines. Especially Captain Hook, I mean Christopher Cook in this story 😍 Makes me want to rewatch Once Upon A Time!

#darlinggirl #lizmichalski

I‘m torn on this book. I liked the idea of the story but the execution wasn‘t quite there for me. It did fulfill a dark retelling of Peter Pan, I was just bored with the main character. There were plenty of other characters we really missed out on in this story. 3⭐️ #botm

The idea behind this book is great! What a twist to the Peter Pan story that many of us grew up with. Nobody is who they seem, and everything is backwards. The book did seem to skip around more than I‘m used to. I felt lost a few times. Other than that, it wasn‘t a bad read at all. I‘ve always loved the scene where the children flew around Big Ben. Take scene also appeared in the book.

That was a fantastic re-telling! I was getting impatient with the protagonist while recognizing she was written that way quite purposefully. This book may have opened up a whole new genre for me.

Time to start my next #ouabc book!! I‘m so far behind!

“In this beautiful, grounded, and darkly magical modern-day reimagining of J. M. Barrie‘s classic, to save her daughter's life one woman must take on the infamous Peter Pan—who is not the innocent adventurer the fairy tales make him out to be . . .”

FULL POST: https://tinyurl.com/yck6xzh4

@lizmichalskiauthor
@wunderbookspr

Sometimes it's easier to remember sorrow than joy, Sorrow doesn't hurt as much"

I thought this book was magical. This modern day retelling/ extension of Peter Pan was dark and suspenseful and everything I had hoped it would be. I didn‘t want to put it down and never wanted it to end. The author did a fantastic job of blending the fantasy with the modern time and I loved reading about the Darlings and her interpretation of what they would look like after a few generations. Excellent writing. Compelling story. I loved this!

I loved the twist on the narrative, I just wish there as a little more information on the world building. The way Neverland functions and the ability to get there and come back is quite important to the story, but never really explained. I was left with lots of questions, but I do think that was what the author was going for. To leave the reader in wonder.

"The way I see it , the ones who feel sorry for themselves don't survive. Not with any kind of life to speak of. So I could whinge or I could get on and make the most of what I still had, So that's what I did" - Christopher Cooke /Liz Michalski

Same Captn ? same

So I understand the mediocre reviews but surprised there aren‘t more overly enthusiastic reviews. Loved the concept, Peter is just as creepy as I thought he would be. It may have taken a little longer than necessary to get to the point but I enjoyed it.

3✨ I have very mixed feelings about this book. I think the main plot line is excellent. The writing is even better. I was hooked on finding out what exactly Holly was doing and trying to navigate through her past to understand what happened. It was her meeting with Peter that threw me off this story. Yes, it was necessary for this plot line. However, how I translated and viewed it was a pedophilic situation in the beginning. ⬇️

Okay… that just got weird… I mean still a good book, but that scene alone is unhauling this book from my shelf when I‘m done. 😱🥺🤢

This took me so long to finish! I kept picking the book up, putting it down to read something else, picking it back up again, over and over. The writing is beautiful but I just had such a hard time connecting to it or the characters. I ended up finishing it on audiobook and did enjoy it more that way. Sort of a bittersweet story. Neat concept though. 🌟🌟🌟

I started out liking this imagining of the life of Wendy Darling‘s granddaughter and her children. I became less enchanted (ha!) as the end grew nearer. I couldn‘t reconcile Eden going from here to there (no spoilers). Then as Peter became more prominent to the story - I mean, I just thought I knew him better ;)

Ehh. Feels like it tried to hard to be a retelling, since besides character names or similar aspects there really wasn‘t any connection. This Peter is manipulative. Hoped to get more of him fleshed out. The line of magic was so blurred it didn‘t make sense; where‘s Neverland? Slow storytelling is good, but this never picked up. Had trouble putting it down either way.
#ouabc

Reviews seem to be mixed for this darker, sadder reimagining of the Peter Pan story, but I‘m firmly in the loved it column.

For a fantasy, it‘s starkly realistic in dealing with grief, tragedy, trauma, and family relationships. It‘s not whimsical, but it has nice touches of joy and magic. I had a love/hate relationship with our main Darling girl (Holly—Wendy‘s granddaughter), but found her oddly relatable.

Great on audio!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really loved this book! I‘ve heard so many good things and I was not disappointed. I loved the story of Peter Pan when I was younger and I loved this much darker spin-off as an adult! I was so excited to get the book in my OUABC box. I loved all the gifts!

Wow! What a book! This was a dark retelling/reimagining of Peter Pan that managed to creep me out quite a bit. This book won‘t be everyone‘s cup of tea, but for me it worked.

I loved the dark take on Peter Pan. There is something inherently a little sinister about the original story and this book really delved into that.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2022/06/12/review-darling-girl/

Reviews for this book are all over the place, but I LOVED it. On the surface, it‘s a retelling of Peter Pan, and Peter is not the hero in any way, shape, or form (my favorite kind of Pan retelling!). More importantly, it‘s a novel about grief, loss, and how we cope with tragedy. It‘s also about forgiveness, empathy, and the power of a mother‘s love. It‘s brilliant.

I‘m quitting this book exactly halfway through. It‘s just giving me bad feelings. It also gave me mean dreams last night.
What a bummer of a novel.
I enjoy dark Pan retellings but this was not it. This book felt clinical and stale and sad.
There is no magic or beauty to this retelling, no feeling. No fantasy element to the darkness.
I‘m proud of myself for not forcing myself to finish it.
⭐️⭐️

This wonderful, painful book is about the tragedies wrought by keeping secrets from those we love. A retelling of Barrie‘s Peter Pan, this is not a story about youth and innocence: Peter has become evil, warped by a search for freedom without morality. He has haunted the Darling family for generations, and now needs to destroy his progeny to survive. Well worth reading, but buckle your seatbelt. “Sometimes it‘s easier to remember sorrow than joy”

Getting around to my May #BOTM pick on the last day of the month. Heard mixed reviews about this one, excited to see how it goes ✨

Join in at Freda's Voice: http://www.fredasvoice.com
#Friday56 #Instagram56 - @fredasphotos

I loved this dark reimagining of the classic Peter Pan tale. Michalski creates a sinister and manipulative version of Peter Pan. The author also works the fairy tale into modern times, mixing it with magical realism in an entertaining way. The surprising twists along the way kept the pages turning. If you like a good retelling and Peter Pan, then I think you will really find this one to be a satisfying take on this iconic character.

Pippin and I are enjoying a beautiful evening on the sun porch. So far I'm enjoying this dark, twisted take on Peter Pan, though I'm very glad I checked the trigger warnings before I started! 😳

⭐️⭐️

#BOTM usually doesn‘t steer me wrong, but this was a mess. Weird (but not in a good way), slow, underdeveloped, and confusing. Holly was unlikable and nonsensical. Can anyone recommend a different Peter Pan retelling?

Life hasn't been easy for Holly Darling (yes, those Darlings).

She lost her husband and one of her twin boys in a car accident and is keeping her surviving son healthy with the blood of his comatose half-sister.

The fairytale aspect of the story helps with the heaviness.

Peter Pan isn't young and innocent anymore, Tink now goes by Bell and is no longer loyal to Peter, and the guy with the hook isn't so bad after all.

I enjoyed this #botm 🙂

So when they say no redemption arc, and that this is not for children, they meant it… like it was a good book but damn. Imma need a sappy happy ending book or twelve to get past this traumatic book 😳😳😳

I was feeling ambitious, so I made my June #bookspin list 😊📚 My May bingo board is coming along really well! I think this might be the first time that I actually clear the board!

@TheAromaofBooks

I am so sad that this book was so not good. Utterly disappointing is the best I can describe it. Plot holes, very little character development, a complete lack of describing the setting. I love the idea of the book but I‘ve got pan this Peter Pan tale.

Ugh I‘m so conflicted about the rating for this book. I‘m going to give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️ because there was just something that kept me from fully connecting. Perhaps it was Holly the granddaughter of Wendy. She was rather difficult to like. It was though a unique take on the Peter Pan story. #peterpanretelling #mayread #springread

"In a very tall tree sits a girl."

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

I receive an average of 2-3 books in the mail every month. Book of the Month is the one I look forward to the most. I‘m looking forward to reading this, and have promised a Peter Pan obsessed family member that I‘d pass it on to her as soon as I finish it. 🧚‍♀️

1) My Book of the Month (Darling Girl) is out on an adventure in the land of late packages. I am most anxious to read it because it should have been here last week...

2) No. No music while reading.

@TheSpineView #Two4Tuesday @The_Penniless_Author - thanks for the tag 🙂

Not the Peter Pan we all know and love. That could be a good thing though... 3⭐

Read my full review and enter a giveaway: http://www.fredasvoice.com/2022/02/darling-girl-liz-michalski.html

I think this is the fastest I've ever gotten my #botm.

Excited about this one!! “The Change” also looks SO good - I pre-ordered it on Audible! #BOTM

My #BotM picks for May! I'm kind of sick of retellings, but Darling Girl sounds darker and more inspired by... but really, I just needed to pick something so I could get The Change. 🧡

What a great Birthday Month! Not only do I love and collect Peter Pan retellings but Holly Blacks new novel was an add-on and I was able to get it for free! I‘m so freaking excited! 🌷🎂🎈🎉🎀
#BOTM

I love when I lazily open Litsy and discover that the #botm picks are out!!

Fantasy is not normally my jam, but this one sounds so good 😁