Synopsis
Rating: 8/10
Second Star to the Left by Megan Van Dyke
Series: Reimagined Fairy Tales
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
Intended Age Group: Adult
Pages: 350ish
Published: February 15, 2022
Publisher: City Owl Press
Tinker Bell, banished from her homeland for doing the unthinkable, selling the hottest drug in Neverland—pixie dust—wants absolution.
Determined to find a way home, Tink doesn’t hesitate to follow the one lead she has, even if that means seducing a filthy pirate to steal precious gems out from under his…hook.
Captain Hook believes he’s found a real treasure in Tink. That is, until he recovers from her pixie dust laced kiss with a curse that turns the seas against him. With his ship and reputation at the mercy of raging storms, he tracks down the little minx and demands she remove the curse. Too bad she can’t.
However, the mermaid queen has a solution to both of their problems, if Tink and Hook will work together to retrieve a magical item for her.
As they venture to the mysterious Shrouded Isles to find the priceless treasure, their shared nemesis closes in. However, his wrath is nothing compared to the realization that achieving their goal may mean losing something they never expected to find—each other.
Not Your Kid’s Neverland · Two Words: Strip Dice · But Why Is the Rum Gone?
Review
Thank you to Escapist Book Tours for allowing me on this tour and Justin!
Second Star to the Left certainly left me impressed. It’s a completely different interpretation of Peter Pan’s story. It’s not too grimdark, but it has so many elements of a light-hearted adventure with plenty of action, joy and a lot of steamy action. Sometimes the elements of the story made me feel as if I was reading a story from my childhood. I really enjoyed many parts of this novel and the entire basis of Blackbeard featuring in this story plays a big role in this book.
Tinker Bell has a charming personality, which allows her to mingle around with Captain Hook. She’s running away from a past she wants to forget, after having a deal with the Merfolk. But what she finds herself is bigger than herself. However, I was conflicted with her character at some points as she often seemed to react to events rather than take control of some scenes. She often gets drunk which is quite fun, and I have no idea why but it reminds me of Amy from Brooklyn Nine-Nine (an odd reference but I was just randomly reminded of that). However, she’s smart enough not to get in trouble. Or I wonder, is she? Hook’s a charismatic character, one who has an obvious attraction to Tinker. I’d describe Tinker and Hook’s chemistry as water and fire. That’s what I’d say.
The story is relatively easy to read, and easy to follow. There’s a vast array of characters that have been given their unique twist, their unique personality and agendas. I really liked the way naval combat was written, and I also liked the descriptions in this book. I don’t wish to spoil much, but perhaps the climax and the twist could have been a bit deeper. Otherwise, I totally recommend this novel!
Book Links:
Universal buy link: https://books2read.com/FairyTales1UBL
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58709297-second-star-to-the-left
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Author Bio & Information:
Megan Van Dyke is a fantasy romance author with a love for all things that include magic and kissing, especially fairytales and anything with a happily ever after. Many of her stories include themes of family (whether born into or found) and a sense of home and belonging, which are important aspects of her life as well. When not writing, Megan loves to cook, play video games, explore the great outdoors, and spend time with her family. A southerner by birth and at heart, Megan currently lives with her family in Colorado.
Social Links
Website: https://www.authormeganvandyke.com/
Newsletter: https://www.authormeganvandyke.com/newsletter/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMeganVanDyke
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Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authormeganvandyke
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21709261.Megan_Van_Dyke
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/megan-van-dyke
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