Book Review: The Piper's Price

The Piper's Price (The Neverland Wars #2)

Author: Audrey Greathouse

Published by: Clean Teen Publishing

Publication Date: 21 February 2017

Page Count: 300

Buy it at Barnes & Noble or Amazon

Source: ebook provided by author

Audience: Young Adult - Fairy Tales/Fantasy

Review of Book #1: The Neverland Wars

Once again, we find ourselves immersed in the magical worlds of Peter Pan and other fairy tale creatures. I loved the first book in this series, and was so excited to start the next one. The Piper's Price didn't disappoint. It was full of magic and adventure, and a fun read.

We return to The Neverland Wars a couple weeks after the first book ends. Gwen is back in Neverland with Peter Pan, and they're working on a strategy to keep the adults from stealing all the magic from the land. They need the Pied Piper's help, however, and it will take a lot of strategy and planning to find him. Gwen, shortly after arriving in Neverland, finds herself back in the real world, only not at her house with her family. She is to stay with Tiger Lily, working on that end to get what is needed for the Piper. She meets former fairy tale princesses, pirates, hypnotized rats, and more fairies than she could ever imagine. Her adventure takes her to the secret labs where experiments on magic are being held, and into a deeper romance with Jay. Gwen, along with Peter, and the lost children must fight for Neverland, but soon she realizes she must fight for Jay as well.

The imagination behind this book is great. I love the storyline, the idea of fairy tale characters being relocated to the real world, having their magic taken away. I love the thought process of the author, what it would be like if adults harnessed the magic for their own mundane and boring uses. But what I love most is the kids fighting back, striving to save what little magic is left, to cherish it for what it is, not for what it can do to make their lives easier.  It is such a wonderful, fun, and imaginative plot.

I loved revisiting with all the characters from the first book, but also meeting the many new characters. I loved Tiger Lily, and the way she was incorporated into the story. I was curious about her in the first book, where she was when the Lost Children visited the Redskins, what had happened to her. You find out in this story, and it's a bit sad, but she's a great supporting character. The Piper is another good character add. He's a bit cynical and severe, but he adds another deeper element to the story.

Again, I loved reading the story through Gwen's eyes. She is stuck between the real, grown-up world, and the imaginative world of magic that is just for kids. She wants to move on as her relationship blooms with Jay, but at the same time she wants to remain a kid, protecting wonderland and flying with innocence. She is more decisive in her decisions in this book, but she still faces the same dilemmas. I think it's something we all face in a way as we are growing up, going from child to preteen to teen and then into adulthood. We never really want to completely grow up, but find there's nothing that can stop us, but our own imaginations.

I'm looking forward to reading further into The Neverland Wars, finding out how the kids and Peter will save Neverland, and what will Gwen ultimately decide once the war is over. Audrey Greathouse has an amazing fairy tale voice.

Favorite Thing About this Book: I loved the incorporation of other fairy tale characters into the story of Peter Pan.

First Sentence: Gwen lurched forward like a wounded bird

Favorite Character: Tiger Lily

Least Favorite Character: The Black Coats

Synopsis

Peter is plotting his retaliation against the latest bombing. Neverland needs an army, and Peter Pan is certain children will join him once they know what is at stake. The lost boys and girls are planning an invasion in suburbia to recruit, but in order to deliver their message, they will need the help of an old and dangerous associate—the infamous Pied Piper. Hunting him down will require a spy in in the real world, and Gwen soon finds herself in charge of locating the Piper and cutting an uncertain deal with him. She isn't sure if Peter trusts her that much, or if he's just trying to keep her away from him in Neverland. Are they friends, or just allies? But Peter might not even matter now that she's nearly home and meeting with Jay again. The Piper isn't the only one hiding from the adults' war on magic though, and when Gwen goes back to reality, she'll have to confront one of Peter's oldest friends… and one of his earliest enemies.