We are almost to the end of the week! But that is not the most exciting part…today is my tour stop for Second Star to the Left! This is a BBNYA tour. What is BBNYA you ask?
BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.
If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.
I have loved being a part of this team. It is such a joy and I have met so many amazing people and bloggers along the way. But, let’s get on to the book shall we?
Second Star to the Left 
Author: Megan Van Dyke
Published: February 15th 2022
Publisher: City Owl Press
Book Length: 304 Pages
Genre: Fantasy, Retelling, Romance, Adult
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ (3.5)
Buy the book: Amazon
*I received a free copy for an honest, unbiased review.*
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.
This story is a retelling of Tinkerbell and Hook. I was not sure what to expect, but it did grab my attention quickly and keep me entertained. I mean, with the opening line, how could it not grab your attention?
“Nothing attracted attnetion like free booze.”
This also lets the reader know it is an adult book…you technically have to be an adult to drink that, so obviously, the main character is not meant to be geared toward younger readers. This is not the Tinkerbell we all knew as children; it is far from it, actually. They did mention the Jolly Roger, so there is a hint of the classic. In this retelling, Tink has braided hair and is depicted drinking beer and thinking of stealing from Captain Hook. What a way to start, essentially seducing him to get what she is after.
“One look and she hooked Hook.”
There were some things that did bother me. The book repeated Tink’s plan over and over and over again, becoming annoying at times. It may have been to get the point across or remind the reader what the goal was, but it was too much for me. Tink also reminded me of a snobby person, storming off with an idea of the situation in her head without asking the person for clarity. Immature at times. I was also confused about why the emotions of pixies and what it does to their skin were not mentioned until later on in the book. Surely, if it colored their skin, Tink would have had color changes at different times, and others would have noticed? There was also a point where the character fans herself, but it mentioned the sun going behind the clouds, so you’d think the opposite would happen.
Other than that, the book reads very well. It was a quick read with a fast-paced plot, and it gets pretty graphic in the spice at one point. My husband looked over and read part then questioned what I was reading. The romance in the book is not slow burn but not quick either. It follows the enemy to lovers theme, which I love! I am a sucker for that trope, always. I loved the worldbuilding, sticking to some of the classic tale but adding new twists and touches. Pixie dust is there, but not entirely how you think. I really enjoyed getting to know more of who Hook was rather than Tink. He was more interesting to me, and I loved hearing his story and knowing what he was thinking. Where Tink was annoying and immature, his emotions had depth, and his story was far more interesting. There is a twist thrown in at one point, and I hated that Tink caused Hook not to trust his gut, and they all suffered because of it but at the same time, I liked that he trusted and cared about her enough to let her make that choice but still stand cautious.
“Captain’s Hand wouldn’t have the same ring to it.”
I think I will be recommending this to a few people who may love retellings as much as I do. If you love a quick read with a fast-paced plot and steamy enemy-to-lover romance, this is a great choice!
Meet the Author
Megan Van Dyke is a fantasy romance author with a love for all things magical and romantic, 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 spend time with her family, cook, play video games, and explore the great outdoors. Megan currently lives with her family in Florida.
Website: https://www.authormeganvandyke.com/
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