Second Star to the Left: 1 (Reimagined Fairy Tales)

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fantastical world that feels both familiar and fresh.” — Paulette Kennedy, International Best-selling Author of Parting The Veil

The same quote had also been used in a few other Star Trek works. In Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Handbook of Production Information, the goal of making Star Trek: The Motion Picture was said to be " to dazzle the senses, to make visions soar. To make possible that journey to the second star to the right, straight on until morning." In the penultimate scene from the script for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Kirk told Saavik, " Lieutenant, new course: 'Second star to the right and straight on till morning.'" [1] Although the line didn't make the final cut of that film, it appears in the novelization of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, written by Vonda N. McIntyre. Second Star to the Left is fast read. The banter is fun and immersive. The plot keeps moving and does not stagnate in one spot. I felt that it spent the right amount of time on each of the characters and having the two perspectives of Cook and Tinker helped add dimension to both characters and keep things interesting. I enjoyed Captain Hook’s crew and their adventures (or mishaps) on the sea. I loved that this retelling didn’t Center on Peter (he makes an appearance but it’s fairly short) as most recent retellings seem to and feel having Tinkerbell as a protagonist gave us a better narrative overall. I also nice to see Hook in a new, less villainous light too. Brought together by feud, curses and an unexpected mutual treasure hunt style quest, these two must work together to obtain their common goal. Putting aside their differences and opinions of each other seems out of the question - until an undeniable passion and some new understandings begin to change everything.

Mrs. Darling

First, I just have to say that I absolutely LOVED the writing which is fast paced, full of humour, plot twists and a deliciously satisfying romance that I didn’t want to end. It also has just the right level of spice and some really compelling characters that I found thoroughly entertaining, particularly Smee who soo very different (and sexier) than the original and definitely needs his own book. If you are interested in Second Star to the Left, add it to your TBR on Goodreads. If you have read it already, tell me your thoughts in the comments or link to your review and I will give it a read.

I loved the themes of found family within the story as well as the main romance. The world felt familiar yet otherwordly which was a good mix. There were some good twists and turns to raise the stakes and I love how both the hero and heroine had to question everything about themselves, their mission and what they believed in. And while I love the two main characters and their saucy dynamic, my absolute favorite character is Smee. However, I wasn’t convinced by the romance. It only seemed to be based on physical attraction and that was pushed in my face way too much. Not to mention that it made me incredibly uncomfortable. I wish there was more attention on the plot rather than intimacy. I never wanted to DNF a book so badly specifically because of this. It was all physical and then 2% of “thank you for saving my life”. I wished there was more emphasis on her brains. 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. The beginning was a solid 3 stars. I’m a huge fan of Peter Pan and although a Hook-Tinker Bell romance isn’t something that I’d usually go for… I was willing to keep an open mind.

but, the Mermaid queen has a solution—work together to find her an irreplaceable magical item and she’ll solve both of their problems. As they set off to the mysterious Shrouded island to find the priceless treasure, their shared nemesis begins to close in… but that’s nothing compared to the realisation that achieving their goal mag mean losing each other forever.

I wished there was a little more to the betrayal plot. I liked the twist. But the reasons didn’t land for me. Too much of a 180. I also wished for a more 3D portrayal of Hook as an amputee. More of his daily challenges, how he adapts. Routine stump & prosthesis care. Atrophy/skin breakdown considerations. Prosthesis design details & suspension method. What his recovery would have entailed. There was a bedroom scene when his stump ‘disappears’ partway through, something akin to “white-room syndrome,” which I don’t think was intentional at all, but it was something I noticed. If his stump was something Hook was self-conscious about and continuing to hide, I would have liked for Tink to have noticed and to have continued trying to reassure him/build up his confidence. Second Star to the Left falls somewhere between being an alternate timeline retelling and an origin story prequel to the classic Peter Pan story, but this time the male lead and sympathetic "hero" is Captain Hook (James) and the POV character is Tinkerbell herself. His lover. Yup, you read that right!Overall, I really loved Second Star to the Left and I cannot wait for the next book in the Reimagined Fairy Tales series! The subtle ways in which the author changed the core characters to meet the narrative were the perfect choices to tell the story she wanted to tell. A beautifully written love story is at the core of this novel, but surrounding it is grand adventure, found family, and pirate ship battles. Can you think of a greater pairing? Tink, banished from her homeland for selling Pixie Dust (the hottest drug in Neverland), is determined to find a way home and doesn’t hesitate to follow her only lead—even if it means seducing a filthy pirate to steal precious gems out from under his… hook.

Another thing that bothered me was that they found the scale easily. The witch gave them a riddle — okay — but are you really telling me that it was just that easy? Save for the fog? Like Tinker Bell just managed to spot everything coincidentally? It was boring and anticlimactic. 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. The road from Tortuga to Neverland feels so natural and organic, you could almost look at a starry sky and sense Hook’s homeland within reach. I also loved that they are a couple that rescues each other (several times over), and anytime Tink’s wings glow, because she is happy 🥺😭😍 One Christmas Eve a parcel falls from Santa's sleigh and lands in a small shed. From this moment the lives of Archie, Babs and Duke are changed forever. Three pets whose normal, but boring lives are disrupted by discovering this missing parcel, embark on an exciting new adventure when they decide to return the parcel by morning. Through their adventures, each character learns that however small and insignificant we think we are, we can make a difference.

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The writing style was absolutely gorgeous and flowed really nicely. This high sea's adventure was fast paced and had me completely entranced from the very first chapter. I think fans of Sarah J Maas and Olivia Wildenstein will devour this beautifully written romantic fantasy! Tinker Bell, banished from her homeland for doing the unthinkable, selling the hottest drug in Neverland—pixie dust—wants absolution. Without spoiling anything, there’s a big “trust fall” moment that I loved, because of Hook’s complete faith in Tink. It’s a moment when he could’ve easily said, “No, don’t. You’re too hurt, too weak,” but he doesn’t because she said she could do it. He trusts and respects that she knows her own body and capabilities. I had the privilege of beta reading this novel, and I am excited to finally have the chance to share my superlatives with the world!