{Review} Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Tiger Lily
by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Released: July 3rd, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover, 292 pages
Genre: YA Romance, Fairy Tale Retelling
Source: Bought at B&N.
Buy: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .
Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything--her family, her future--to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the "New York Times" bestselling author of "Peaches" comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

Rating - 4 stars

To start this review off, I'd like to say that I used to love Wendy in the cartoon Peter Pan when I was a kid. And the last few chapters of this book made me despise her. If you're anything remotely like me, be warned.

This story is told in Tinkerbell's point of view, which I found very different/difficult/cute, seeing as how I've never read a YA romance or adult romance that's told in another person's eyes. So it took me forever to get through, because I couldn't connect with the main heroine/hero like I usually do. D: But I found it pretty cute that Tink was a huge part of this story, more so than expect. I actually thought that the book was in Tiger Lily's POV, obviously. x_x But this tells the little love story of Tiger Lily and Peter Pan, in which it is darker than the original tale, and definitely sadder and depressing. And it's more about lonliness, betrayal, and loss.

As the main heroine, Tiger Lily is the most alone character I've ever read about. It made me beyond depressed for her yet comforting to know that I'm not the only one who secluded myself from people. She's vicious, fierce, stealthy, and...well...an animal. But she's also lonely, fearful, and sad. Though I get why she's like the way she is, her father--her tribe's shaman, Tik Tok--has arranged a marriage to one of the most biggest pigs there is in the world of YA fantasy. His name is Giant, and his name represents everything he is. Giant. 'Nough said. I felt mixed emotions toward Tiger Lily, finding myself unable to choose which I felt most. But overall, she's a precious heroine that needs to be cared for with the utmost love. That's what she needs most.

Then there's Peter. Wild, savage, and basically everything Tiger Lily is. They fit so well together it's scary. They're both lonely, and it's almost to the point where I just want to email the author and demand a second book. But that obviously won't happen due to the...*chokes*...ending. ANYWAY. Peter wasn't exactly my favorite hero of all, but he's got some good traits that made me fall for him almost as hard as Tiger Lily did. And his little Lost Boys were cute as hell too. They were nothing but murders--as they are called in Tiger Lily's tribe. They're adorable, and they're caring for a baby named Baby. That's proof enough that they are just squishable. :3

As for the other characters, Pine Sap had to be my favorite. I always root for the underdog. x3 He's adorable and just plain likable. James Hook wasn't really a new take on Captain Hook, but he was different in his own way. Didn't really see much of him, though. So there's not much to say about him or Smee. But as for Wendy... Well let's just say she's basically the reason for the shitty ending to this book. Made me cry like Baby.

All in all, this was a great retelling of Peter Pan. The ending totally got me, it was so unexpected I had to retrack and reread a chapter or two because it was just so...BAMRIGHTINYOURFACE. ;_; The plot was definitely cool to keep up with, fast-paced but I think that was the point. There were a lot of awesome quotes in it as well, too many for me to type! I loved Jodi's writing style, it's beautiful and heartbreaking. I also found it interesting that there was barely any hint of romance in the book, considering that's what it's suppose to be about. Though, I understand it since Peter knows nothing about romance, as well as Tiger Lily. BUT OOHHH. Here comes Wendy who thinks she's the heroine in a book when she's in Neverland, and Peter the hero as he tries to show her around...all because she's read Jane Austen. *pukes*

I don't want to spoil the ending, but I just need to get it out there that I really...really...REALLY was not satisfied. It was an ending I've never actually experienced before, and I don't really want to again. xD But I'm glad that Tiger Lily got her--somewhat--happy ending. As well as Peter...somewhat. :3 I would give this book five stars, but with the Wendy situation and the ending... I just couldn't. *sniffles* ;w;