Second Star is billed as a modern retelling of Peter Pan. I think this is why the book falls a bit short in terms of expectations. 
 I didn't expect the Disney version--but what I read wasn't what I expected either. 
 Wendy Darling is a straight-laced, straight-A gal who has just graduated high school. Her family is wealthy and she's due to enter Stanford in the fall. The only problem in Wendy's fairytale life is the absence of her younger brothers, Michael and John. The boys were twins, and surfing addicts who often took off for a day or two at a time to chase the gnarly waves. 
 Well, nine months ago they disappeared without a trace. Then, in January remnants of their surfboards were discovered washed up at a dangerous surf beach called Witch Tree. Her parents have been in a fog since, barely eating, working or interacting since their devastating loss. 
 While out at graduation beach bonfire, Wendy sees a lone surfer in the water and wades out to find him--nearly drowning herself. The unknown surfer brings her to shore, and Wendy makes an instant connection. In the days following she drives along the coast to track down her rescuer. 
 Turns out Pete isn't too hard to find. And Wendy just knows he knows something about John and Michael, despite his protests. Soon she joins Pete's group of homeless surf dudes. Belle isn't too happy with this arrangement as it seems Pete's romantically interested in Wendy. They co-habitate for a bit of time, all the while Wendy learns to surf and befriends the others in the group, but a giant complication surfaces and Wendy leaves. She stops at a neighboring squatter-site meeting Pete's rival Jas. 
 Jas is a surfer, with a side business in fairy dust sales. In order to get close to Jas and inquire about her missing (possibly dead) brothers, Wendy accepts a hit of the dust. She's high for days and comes to consciousness on her friend's door step. Days go by and Jas comes to visit--promising to help her find her brothers. 
 Wendy leaves and travels to Witch Tree, where there are some giant revelations regarding her brothers, fairy dust, Jas, Pete and even Belle. Wendy is injured, and when she awakes from a coma it seems that the story has taken a whole different (and not very satisfying) direction. 
 I had actually liked the story until the last bit--but in the end I felt I had been duped, and not in a good way. The last three pages notwithstanding, the ending didn't satisfy. 
 There's a lot of grief, and little resolution, in my opinion. I didn't like the way Wendy's parents and closest friends treated her. They were either completely absent or completely smothering. 
 I received a copy of this book via NetGalley for review.