Title: The Gathering Author: C. J. Tudor Publisher: Ballantine Publication date: April 9, 2024 Length: 336 pages Genre: Horror Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
A detective investigating a grisly crime in rural Alaska finds herself caught up in the dark secrets and superstitions of a small town in this riveting novel from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man
Deadhart, Alaska. 873. Living.
In a small Alaska town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body. The inhabitants of Deadhart haven’t seen a killing like this in twenty-five years. But they know who’s responsible: a member of the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the woods.
Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called in to officially determine if this is a Colony killing—and authorize a cull. Old suspicions die hard in a town like Deadhart, but Barbara isn’t so sure. Determined to find the truth, she enlists the help of a former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker, whose investigation into the previous murder almost cost him his life. Since then, Tucker has become a recluse. But he knows the Colony better than almost anyone.
As the pair delve into the town’s history, they uncover secrets darker than they could have imagined. And then another body is found. While the snow thickens and the nights grow longer, a killer stalks Deadhart, and two disparate communities circle each other for blood. Time is running out for Atkins and Tucker to find the truth: Are they hunting a bloodthirsty monster . . . or a twisted psychopath? And which is more dangerous?
In the world of The Gathering, vampyrs are a protected species, living in small, isolated communities called Colonies, with certain rights but also many restrictions — such as being forbidden to mix with human or to hold jobs. Alaska is a natural choice for a vampyr settlement, given the long hours of darkness and the remote landscape.
When the town of Deadhart reports a vampyr killing — the first it’s experienced in 25 years — the Department of Forensic Vampyr Anthropology sends veteran detective Barbara Atkins to investigate. If her investigation confirms that vampyrs are responsible, she’ll be authorized to call for a cull — a government-sanctioned hunt to kill the vampyrs of the nearby Colony in order to remove a deadly threat to the humans in the area.
Deadhart residents are ready to start the hunt immediately, but Barbara senses that there’s more to the story, and very quickly finds inconsistencies related to the murder that lead her to dig deeper. Through her investigation, she discovers new facts related to the previous vampyr killing in Deadhart, including highly unsavory information about the town’s sordid treatment of vampyrs decades earlier. The pressure is on — if Barbara doesn’t sanction a cull quickly, the townspeople may just take matters into their own hands. But the more she uncovers, the more Barbara believes that the culprit may not be a member of the Colony after all — and as the bodies pile up, her own safety is on the line as she makes fresh enemies among the humans of Deadheart.
The Gathering has a terrific premise — the existence of vampyrs, the protections around them, but also the laws allowing them to be hunted and destroyed if warranted. It’s a fascinating dynamic, especially once we’re introduced to members of the Colony and see inside their settlement.
The claustrophobic nature of winter in Deadhart is vividly portrayed. The town is isolated, cut off by unpredictable weather, and very insular. Its residents go back generations, and there are countless old rivalries and grudges to unpack. Barbara makes an excellent viewpoint character, arriving as an outsider into a community already on edge, seeking to carry out her work despite the mounting tensions and lack of cooperation from the townspeople.
I was intrigued by the history of the town and the Colony. Likewise, I found the descriptions of the supporting cast of characters endlessly interesting, with trouble-prone teens, a rabble-rousing preacher, old-timers who remember the bad old days, and people just trying to get by. Still, the characters themselves are perhaps my one small area of complaint — there are so many named characters that keeping them and their backstories straight can be challenging at times.
Overall, though, I loved reading The Gathering. The Alaska setting and the unique status of vampyrs combine to provide a truly fresh take on a vampire story. There’s gore, but it’s not overwhelming — I’d consider this book something of a horror/mystery mashup. Both genres are well-represented, and blend together seamlessly for an absorbing read.
The epilogue ends on a note that leaves the door open for another story set in this world. I’d love to read a sequel! Meanwhile, this was my first book by C. J. Tudor, and now I’m eager to explore more of her books. If you have recommendations, please let me know!
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible audiobook – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
Title: Black Woods Blue Sky Author: Eowyn Ivey Publisher: Random House Publication date: February 4, 2025 Length: 320 pages Genre: Contemporary fiction Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestselling author of The Snow Child Eowyn Ivey returns to the mythical landscapes of Alaska with an unforgettable dark fairy tale that asks the question: Can love save us from ourselves?
Birdie’s keeping it together; of course she is. So she’s a little hungover, sometimes, and she has to bring her daughter, Emaleen, to her job waiting tables at an Alaskan roadside lodge, but she’s getting by as a single mother in a tough town. Still, Birdie can remember happier times from her youth, when she was free in the wilds of nature.
Arthur Neilsen, a soft-spoken and scarred recluse who appears in town only at the change of seasons, brings Emaleen back to safety when she gets lost in the woods. Most people avoid him, but to Birdie, he represents everything she’s ever longed for. She finds herself falling for Arthur and the land he knows so well.
Against the warnings of those who care about them, Birdie and Emaleen move to his isolated cabin in the mountains, on the far side of the Wolverine River.
It’s just the three of them in the vast black woods, far from roads, telephones, electricity, and outside contact, but Birdie believes she has come prepared. At first, it’s idyllic and she can picture a happily ever after: Together they catch salmon, pick berries, and climb mountains so tall it’s as if they could touch the bright blue sky. But soon Birdie discovers that Arthur is something much more mysterious and dangerous than she could have ever imagined, and that like the Alaska wilderness, a fairy tale can be as dark as it is beautiful.
Black Woods, Blue Sky is a novel with life-and-death stakes, about the love between a mother and daughter, and the allure of a wild life—about what we gain and what it might cost us.
Black Woods, Blue Sky is a creative take on motherhood and the longing for freedom, set in the remote mountains of Alaska, with a fairy tale feel that lends the story a dark, otherworldly undertone.
Birdie is a young single mother working at the bar of a roadside Alaska lodge, often drinking too much, hooking up with random men, and mostly just getting by. She’s devoted to six-year-old Emaleen, even though she sometimes leaves Emaleen sleeping alone in their cabin while she works. She’s doing the best she can, but life is hard and full of frustration. Birdie aches for something more — and daydreams about the mountain peaks she sees from the picnic table out back of the lodge.
When quiet, scarred Arthur retrieves a lost Emaleen from the woods, his gentleness and strangeness appeal to Birdie. Their talks turn into more, and eventually, Birdie and Emaleen go off to live with Arthur in his remote cabin.
It was strange, no one knowing where they were in that immense wilderness. Like free-falling.
At first, it’s perfect. The cabin is in rough shape, and Birdie delights in turning it into a home, cleaning it and making it cozy and safe for the three of them. Sure, Arthur disappears at nights and won’t talk about where he goes, but when he’s home, he’s attentive and kind, and he introduces Birdie and Emaleen to the wonders of the land, the animals, and the wildflowers that surround them.
Birdie wanted to be at ease in her own skin. She wanted to be content. All those afternoons, she’d sat on that picnic table behind the lodge and daydreamed about taking Emaleen away, across the Wolverine River, up into the mountains. Now they were here, and she should be entirely happy. But the hours were circling and meandering and bleeding into each other, and it was like the wilderness had the pull of a dangerous eddy.
Their wilderness idyll takes a dark turn eventually, and the final third of the book follows Emaleen as a college graduate, returning to Alaska for the first time in over a decade, confronting her past and coming to terms with her memories and the truth of what happened up on their mountain.
Black Woods Blue Sky is a hard book to describe. It starts slowly, but a particular revelation about a third of the way into the book takes this book in an unexpected, startling direction. Without saying more about that, all I can share is that the grit and hard work of wilderness living is interspersed with a fairy tale-like element that makes the entire story feel every-so-slightly off-kilter: We’re in our own world, but not quite.
I loved the natural setting and the author’s evocative descriptions. The writing is stellar, and made me yearn for my own little cabin in the wilderness (but perhaps with fewer deadly animals and life-threatening hazards around every turn).
It was the golden hour, the low sun casting a glow that turned the colors to richer shades — the brilliant magenta of the fireweed blossoms, the leafy green across the hayfields and the dark green of the forest with it spruce and cottonwood and birch. In the distance, the evening light brought the mountains into heightened relief so that the rock faces and ravines and jagged, snowy peaks stood out vividly. The air was warm and gentle, and everything was quiet, except for the echoing, lovely trill of the hermit thrush songbirds.
The side characters who interact with Birdie and Emaleen are a mixed bag — they’re supposed to be important to the main characters, but I didn’t always have a very good sense of who they were as individuals. Birdie is a bit of an enigma; her ache for meaning in her life and her passion for living freely are clearly shown, but it’s hard to approve of the choices she makes when they so clearly put Emaleen at risk over and over again.
Black Woods Blue Sky is fascinating and tricky and moving. It’s a book that begs to be discussed — it would make a fantastic pick for a book group book. Readers who loved The Snow Child will love this book too. Its blend of nature and fantasy, plus its focus on parents and children, is affecting and thought-provoking, and it’s a reading experience that stays with you even after reading the final pages and closing the covers.
Title: Not the Ones Dead Series: Kate Shugak, #23 Author: Dana Stabenow Publisher: Head of Zeus Publication date: April 11, 2023 Length: 336 pages Genre: Mystery/crime Source: Purchased Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The gripping new Kate Shugak novel by New York Times bestselling author Dana Stabenow. What seems a tragic accident soon becomes a murder investigation as Kate is drawn into a case of political intrigue.
A mid-air collision in the Alaskan wilderness between two small aircraft leaves ten people dead. Was it a bird strike, pilot error… or premeditated murder?
Then an eleventh body is found in the wreckage: a man shot gangland style, twice in the chest and once in the head.
In an investigation that reaches to the highest levels of government, justice may not be served, but Kate Shugak is determined that the truth will out, even at the risk of her life and the lives of those she loves most.
The Kate Shugak series is 23 books strong (with a 24th book announced for publication in 2025)… and when I say strong, I mean it! This series shows absolutely no signs of running out of steam. I enjoy every new addition to the overall series, and Not the Ones Dead is no exception.
In Not the Ones Dead, we open with glimpses of outsiders in the Park (the fictional national park in Alaska where most of the Kate stories take place). The residents of Niniltna and the surrounding area, known affectionately as Park rats, are an eclectic mix, but they look out for their own… and these strangers seem to be nothing but trouble.
As the story unfolds, strange and threatening incidents occur, culminating in the midair collision between two small aircraft. At roughly the same time, a beloved local is run off the road, and there’s a blatant case of arson that impacts the entire community. When Kate is hired to look into the midair, she begins to uncover a web of secrets and violence, not without danger to herself and her chosen family.
I won’t go into plot — there’s really no need. Kate Shugak is a terrific character in her own right, and the series is filled with a cast of characters who’ve come to each have a role in the community Kate inhabits. When I read a Kate Shugak book, it’s less for the crime/mystery story and more for the chance to revisit these amazing people, the settings, and the interwoven connections between all the various people in Kate’s orbit.
(I need to give my standard shout-out to Mutt, as I do whenever I write about a Kate book. Mutt is a Very Good Dog, definitely a top contender for best dog in fiction, and no review of a Kate Shugak novel would be complete without a salute to Mutt.)
I’ll give my standard disclaimer: Yes, you could probably pick up Not the Ones Dead and follow the overall mystery storyline… but I tend to think you’d be lost overall, without the context of who these people are, what the different factions, associations, and aunties represent, and reference points to earlier events in Kate’s life and career.
As always, I’ll simply suggest starting with book #1, A Cold Day for Murder. It might feel daunting to start at the beginning of a 23-book series, but trust me, it’s worth it!
Not the Ones Dead is an engaging, satisfying read, and I’m always thankful for the chance to spend time in Kate’s world. Can’t wait for #24!
Sometimes you need serious reading material. And sometimes, fluffy reads rule! I’ve been leaning into light, not-too-serious reading lately, especially when it comes to audiobooks, and these sweet romances with an Alaska setting have been just right for my mood.
When Graham Barnett named his diner The Tourist Trap, he meant it as a joke. Now he’s stuck slinging reindeer dogs to an endless parade of resort visitors who couldn’t interest him less. Not even the sweet, enthusiastic tourist in the corner who blushes every time he looks her way…
Two weeks in Alaska isn’t just the top item on Zoey Caldwell’s bucket list. It’s the whole bucket. One look at the mountain town of Moose Springs and she’s smitten. But when an act of kindness brings Zoey into Graham’s world, she may just find there’s more to the grumpy local than meets the eye…and more to love in Moose Springs than just the Alaskan wilderness.
The Tourist Attraction introduces us to the split-personality town of Moose Springs, Alaska — a quirky little town set amidst magnificent mountains, which both relies on its high-end luxury resort for economic survival and detests all outsiders.
Graham is rude and gruff, but you just know there’s a heart of gold underneath it all, and he falls head over heels for Zoey, despite his no-tourists rule. After an awkward incident in which Zoey thinks she’s about to get murdered by a chainsaw wielding maniac (don’t ask), Zoey and Graham find themselves repeatedly thrown together, and of course, sparks fly.
The setting is charming and sounds beautiful. While Moose Springs is fictional, from the description, I can’t help picturing it as based on Girdwood, a small-ish town that’s home to the beautiful Alyeska Resort.
The romance is cute and somewhat predictable, but chapters that delve into the corporate machinations of The Montgomery Group (which owns most of the town’s property) left me cold. (Cold! ‘Cuz it’s Alaska!) Zoey’s best friend Lana Montgomery is her host during her Alaska getaway, and Lana is one of the Montgomery family’s chief businesswomen and heir apparent — and while Lana seems like a good person, there’s perhaps too much focus on the business dealings for my taste.
There’s an appealing cast of supporting characters, a beautiful setting, a few moose wandering through, and some small-town hijinks. Also, a perfect border collie who is blind, has an extensive wardrobe, and is the most beloved dog in the entire town. The book as a whole is absurdly cute, and is a nice mix of romantic fluff and emotional connection.
Title:Mistletoe & Mr. Right Published: 2020 Length: 400 pages Rating:
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
How the moose (almost) stole Christmas.
Lana Montgomery is everything the quirky small town of Moose Springs, Alaska can’t stand: a rich socialite with dreams of changing things for the better. But Lana’s determined to prove that she belongs…even if it means trading her stilettos for snow boots and tracking one of the town’s hairiest Christmas mysteries: the Santa Moose, an antlered Grinch hell-bent on destroying every bit of holiday cheer (and tinsel) it can sink its teeth into.
And really…how hard could it be?
The last few years have been tough on Rick Harding, and it’s not getting any easier now that his dream girl’s back in town. When Lana accidentally tranquilizes him instead of the Santa Moose, it’s clear she needs help, fast…and this could be his chance to finally catch her eye. It’s an all-out Christmas war, but if they can nab that darn moose before it destroys the town, Rick and Lana might finally find a place where they both belong…together.
In the 2nd Moose Springs book, it’s about six months later, Zoey and Graham are bonkers in love, and Lana Montgomery takes center stage. Lana has been visiting Moose Springs since childhood and has been mostly tolerated by the locals, but her plans to build luxury condominiums and revitalize the local economy are being met with hostility by the townsfolk, who resent her intrusion and the likelihood of even more tourists messing up their lives.
Lana ends up falling for Rick, the owner of the local pool hall, who is equally smitten. There’s a silly subplot about a moose who hates Christmas decorations, but mainly it’s about Lana and Rick deciding to have a holiday fling, then realizing that their feelings go much deeper.
I hate that the synopsis and the book itself keep referring to Lana as a “socialite”. What does that even mean? Yes, she’s a gazillionaire, but she’s a businesswoman heading up her family’s corporate investments in Alaska, not just some flighty rich person attending lavish parties.
This is an opposites-attract plot for sure, since Rick is not rich, polished, interested in “society”, or used to luxuries. But, he falls for Lana, the feeling is mutual, and they have great chemistry and some pretty goofy adventures.
I did feel extremely angry at this book when, toward the end, it feel into a romance trope I hate — the “I’m breaking up with you despite being in love with you because I’ll only hold you back” plot device, which is just, ugh, so emotionally unfair and manipulative. So you know better than the other person what they really need? Yuck.
Of course, there’s an HEA, because hey, this is a romance, not real life. And I enjoyed it enough to want to keep going!
Title:Enjoy the View Published: 2021 Length: 352 pages Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
A grouchy mountaineer, a Hollywood starlet And miles of untamed wilderness… What could possibly go wrong?
Former Hollywood darling River Lane’s acting career is tanking fast. Determined to start fresh behind the camera, she agrees to film a documentary about the picturesque small town of Moose Springs, Alaska. The assignment should have been easy, but the quirky locals want nothing to do with River. Well, too bad: River’s going to make this film and prove herself, no matter what it takes.
Or what (literal) mountain she has to climb.
Easton Lockett may be a gentle giant, but he knows a thing or two about survival. If he can keep everyone in line, he should be able to get River and her crew up and down Mount Veil in one piece. Turns out that’s a big if. The wildlife’s wilder than usual, the camera crew’s determined to wander off a cliff, and the gorgeous actress is fearless. Falling for River only makes Easton’s job tougher, but there’s only so long he can hold out against her brilliant smile. When bad weather strikes, putting everyone at risk, it’ll take all of Easton’s skill to get them back home safely…and convince River she should stay in his arms for good.
Enjoy the View feels pretty different from the previous two books, since most of the action happens outside of Moose Springs, on the (very scary) nearby mountain Mount Veil.
Easton is a familiar character, good friend to Graham and Rick, a huge mountaineer who doesn’t say much, but — as we see here — has a heart of gold and untapped emotional depths. When Easton encounters River, he doesn’t recognize her from her movie career — he just sees a strange tourist walking down the side of the road with a suitcase. He doesn’t realize that by stopping to offer assistance, he’s interrupting a shot for her movie. Oops!
River’s Hollywood career seems to have stalled. At the ripe old age of 29 (!!), she’s not being offered great roles any longer, and she’s turned her attention to producing and directing. She and her trusty crew have been hired by the Alaska tourism board to make a movie about Moose Springs, but unfortunately, the tourist-hating town wants nothing to do with them and impedes their filming at every turn. With no other options, they turn to the big attraction outside of town — Mt. Veil, the intimidating mountain that only the most skilled climbers can successfully summit.
Of course, River needs a guide, and of course, Easton is the man assigned to her climb. As they work together, their attraction deepens into an emotional connection. River is feisty and argumentative, Easton is quiet and strict when it comes to his safety rules, and they clash incessantly — but we just know that beneath it all, they’re falling in love.
I enjoyed reading about the climb and how scary it is, but I pretty frequently wanted to give River a good shake. She repeatedly ignores Easton’s rules and ends up endangering herself and others because of it. Somehow Easton keeps forgiving her, and I assume we’re supposed to find River’s rebelliousness charming and a sign of her independence, but her actions seem downright foolhardy at some points. I would not be nearly as forgiving as Easton, never mind falling in love!
As is typical of this series, there’s cute banter, some adorable wildlife (including a memorable marmot), and lots of breathtaking scenery. I wish the familiar characters from the town had bigger roles in Enjoy the View, but even in their brief appearances, it’s fun to see Graham, Zoey, and Easton’s sister Ash.
Enjoy the View is a fun way to end a three-audiobook binge!
Wrapping it all up…
This is clearly not a series that’s meant to be taken too seriously. It maintains a casually funny tone throughout, even when there are more emotional moments taking place. The town of Moose Springs is full of small-town quirky personalities, and the setting makes it really fun.
My two main complaints are:
1 – The male leads are cookie-cutter outdoorsy-loner types with a soft, gushy intererior. There’s really not much to distinguish them apart from their different occupations and physical builds (although they’re all versions of gorgeous, muscular hunks who look great in flannel). Really, I found Graham, Rick, and Easton to be fairly easily interchangeable (although, I admit Graham’s humor does set him apart to some extent). Not to say that I don’t like them, just that there’s not much distinctive about them.
2 – A more serious complaint is that there is just no Native representation, and that bothers me. Yes, these are fluffy romances, but the books seem to present Alaska as being populated strictly by the above-mentioned flannel-wearing white outdoorsmen. This omission is pretty glaring and is an irritant throughout the books.
Complaints aside, I have to admit that these books are addictively fun, with lots of silly misadventures and cute scenarios. And who can resist big, gruff men becoming marshmallow soft as soon as they fall in love?
I see on Goodreads that book #4 (no details or title provided) is due out sometime in 2022. Hmmm, who will the romantic focus be for whatever tourist wanders into town next? Easton’s sister Ash? Resort owner Jax? I guess we’ll have to wait to find out.
Title: Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town Author: Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock Publisher: Random House/Wendy Lamb Books Publication date: April 20, 2021 Length: 208 pages Genre: Young adult – short stories Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
A lyrical and heartfelt collection by an award-winning writer that connects the lives of young people from small towns in Alaska and the American west. Each story is unique, yet universal.
In this book, the impact of wildfire, a wayward priest, or a mysterious disappearance ricochet across communities, threading through stories. Here, ordinary actions such as ice skating or going to church reveal hidden truths. One choice threatens a lifelong friendship. Siblings save each other. Rescue and second chances are possible, and so is revenge.
On the surface, it seems that nothing ever happens in these towns. But Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock shows that underneath that surface, teenagers’ lives blaze with fury, with secrets, and with love so strong it burns a path to the future.
In this collection of interconnected short stories, a varied group of teen characters each face the challenges and rewards of small-town life. Through ordinary events, showing brief moments in the characters’ lives, we see their inner struggles, how they deal with pain or boredom or being left behind, and how they find new paths and moments of healing.
Set in the mid-1990s, the stories are set in Alaska and in small towns scattered across the American west. We meet hitchhikers, kids with reputations, girls who grew up wild and free, siblings who’ve suffered loss. Some common threads are apparent across multiple stories — the early warnings of a wildfire in one story turn into an out-of-control inferno in another; the aftermath of certain events are sprinkled throughout several characters’ lives, but we only get the full picture in a seemingly unrelated story later on.
I loved seeing the way the characters’ lives intersect and have impacts big and small on other characters’ lives, even when there’s no obvious connection. In fact, these characters for the most part will never know the threads that connect them, even though we as readers are treated to the bigger picture and have the pleasure of seeing where all theses lives overlap.
The author’s first novel, The Smell of Other People’s Houses, is one of my favorite books, and is a must-read. In Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town, we’re once again treated to her simple yet affecting approach to language, the realistic-feeling dialogue, and the tour of the inner workings of teen minds and hearts.
I wouldn’t normally be drawn to a short story collection, but I picked this one up because of the author, and I’m so glad I did. It’s a slim, lovely book, and I’m sure I’ll read it again to gain new appreciation now that I know how the very different pieces all fit together.
Highly recommended.
**********
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Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.
Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! For more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.
Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!
Title: Dogsong Author: Gary Paulsen Published: 1985 Length: 162 pages
What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):
“In the Old Days There Were Songs”
Something is bothering Russel Susskit. He hates waking up to the sound of his father’s coughing, the smell of diesel oil, the noise of snow machines starting up.
Only Oogruk, the shaman who owns the last team of dogs in the village, understands Russel’s longing for the old ways and the songs that celebrated them. But Oogruk cannot give Russel the answers he seeks; the old man can only prepare him for what he must do alone. Driven by a strange, powerful dream of a long-ago self and by a burning desire to find his own song, Russel takes Oogruk’s dogs on an epic journey of self-discovery that will change his life forever.
How and when I got it:
My daughter bought a copy for my son about 5 or 6 years ago. (He never ended up reading it, but I still want to!)
Why I want to read it:
My first experience with Gary Paulsen was only about a year ago, when I read Hatchet as part of a challenge to read books from PBS’s The Great American Read list. I really enjoyed Hatchet — after all, I’m always a sucker for a good survival story!
Dogsong sounds like another good choice for me. I mean, right off the bat, it’s set in Alaska, which is always a plus. I enjoy coming of age stories, and I like the sound of the boy in the story setting out to learn more about himself and about his elders.
Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.
Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! For more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.
Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!
Title: Journey Author: James A. Michener Published: 1988 Length: 366 pages
What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):
One of the premier novelists of the twentieth century, James A. Michener captures a frenzied time when sane men and women risked their very lives in a forbidding Arctic land to win a dazzling and elusive prize: Yukon gold. In 1897, gold fever sweeps the world. The promise of untold riches lures thousands of dreamers from all walks of life on a perilous trek toward fortune, failure—or death. Journey is an immersive account of the adventures of four English aristocrats and their Irish servant as they haul across cruel Canadian terrain toward the Klondike gold fields. Vivid and sweeping, featuring Michener’s probing insights into the follies and grandeur of the human spirit, thisis the kind of novel only he could write.
How and when I got it:
Here’s my super-battered paperback copy:
I bought it at a used book store ages ago — probably 10 years, at least!
Why I want to read it:
Michener books are essential travel prep for me — I read his Alaska before my first trip to Alaska, and I can’t even express how much richer my experience was because of this.
Journey focuses on the Klondike gold rush, which does come up in Alaska as well, and I’ve always wanted to read more about it. Plus, Michener just knows how to spin a great tale, and thankfully, this book is much shorter than some of the hefty novels of his that I’ve read.!
Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.
Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! For more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.
Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!
Title: Two Old Women: An Alaska Legen of Betrayal, Courage and Survival Author: Velma Wallis Published: 1993 Length: 140 pages
What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):
Based on an Athabascan Indian legend passed along for many generations from mothers to daughters of the upper Yukon River Valley in Alaska, this is the suspenseful, shocking, ultimately inspirational tale of two old women abandoned by their tribe during a brutal winter famine.
Though these women have been known to complain more than contribute, they now must either survive on their own or die trying. In simple but vivid detail, Velma Wallis depicts a landscape and way of life that are at once merciless and starkly beautiful. In her old women, she has created two heroines of steely determination whose story of betrayal, friendship, community and forgiveness “speaks straight to the heart with clarity, sweetness and wisdom” (Ursula K. Le Guin).
How and when I got it:
I bought a copy several years ago.
Why I want to read it:
I love Alaska, and love reading fiction set in Alaska. I also love myths and legends. Sooner or later, reading lists related to Alaska, legends, or a combination of both feature Two Old Women — a book I’ve seen displayed prominently on the Native Alaskan fiction shelf in giftshops across Alaska. I think I’ve been missing out by not reading this sooner, and considering the length, I imagine it’s a quick read.
Title: No Fixed Line (Kate Shugak, #22) Author: Dana Stabenow Publisher: Head of Zeus Publication date: January 14, 2020 Length: 400 pages Genre: Mystery/crime Source: Purchased Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
… though there is no fixed line between wrong and right, There are roughly zones whose laws must be obeyed.
It is New Year’s Eve, nearly six weeks into an off-and-on blizzard that has locked Alaska down, effectively cutting it off from the outside world.
But now there are reports of a plane down in the Quilak mountains. With the National Transportation Safety Board unable to reach the crash site, ex-Trooper Jim Chopin is pulled out of retirement to try to identify the aircraft, collect the corpses, and determine why no flight has been reported missing. But Jim discovers survivors: two children who don’t speak a word of English.
Meanwhile, PI Kate Shugak receives an unexpected and unwelcome accusation from beyond the grave, a charge that could change the face of the Park forever.
A quick word before diving into the review: The synopsis above is not entirely accurate. The details of finding the children are off. Kate gets something from a dead man, but not exactly an accusation. The whole thing is not quite right… just know that ahead of time if such things matter to you.
Anyhoo… let’s talk about No Fixed Line!
Kate Shugak is one of my favorite fictional characters, and naturally, I’m beyond thrilled to get a new volume in this terrific ongoing series — three years after the last book came out, and believe me, it’s been a long three years!
Kate is a Native Alaskan of Aleut descent, a former investigator for the Anchorage DA’s office who now works as a private investigator, generally at risk to her own neck in one way or another. She lives on an isolated homestead in the fictitious Niniltna Park, and associates with a wide array of quirky and unusual characters, from aunties to state troopers to law enforcement types to bush pilots and beyond.
The Kate books also feature a Very Good Dog. Mutt is half wolf, half husky, is Kate’s constant companion, and is truly one of the very best dogs in fiction.
In No Fixed Line, book #22, Kate finds herself drawn into a mystery after two young children are recovered from a plane crash in the remote mountains, leading to a complex conspiracy involving drug distribution and human trafficking. The case itself is harrowing and disturbing.
But beyond the mystery driving the plot, one of the main pleasures of the Kate books is the community that we come to know over the course of the series. I love the beautiful Alaska setting, the gritty reality of life in Anchorage as well as the more remote locations, and the variety of characters who represent the different factions and strata within Alaskan society, from tribal elders to oil and mining tycoons to isolationist homesteaders — it’s a unique and eclectic bunch. All are present and accounted for in No Fixed Line, and the web of politics and corruption and influence sneaks its way into all of the day-to-day concerns of the Park folks just trying to live their lives.
As in all of the books, Kate herself is marvelous — fierce and loyal and strong as steel, but with internal and external scars that she carries with her always. She’s incredibly devoted to her family and the wide group of people she considers hers, and will do whatever it takes to keep the people she loves safe.
I would not suggest starting anywhere but at the beginning of the series, with book #1, A Cold Day for Murder. It’s worth the effort, I promise! I binged the entire series a few years ago, and loved every moment.
No Fixed Line is an engaging addition to the Kate Shugak series, and leaves me hungry for more! Here’s hoping that #23 will come along before another three years go by.
Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.
Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! For more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.
Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!
Title: Denali’s Howl: The Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America’s Wildest Peak Author: Andy Hall Published: 2014 Length: 272 pages
What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):
Denali’s Howl is the white-knuckle account of one of the most deadly climbing disasters of all time.
In 1967, twelve young men attempted to climb Alaska’s Mount McKinley—known to the locals as Denali—one of the most popular and deadly mountaineering destinations in the world. Only five survived.
Journalist Andy Hall, son of the park superintendent at the time, investigates the tragedy. He spent years tracking down survivors, lost documents, and recordings of radio communications. In Denali’s Howl, Hall reveals the full story of an expedition facing conditions conclusively established here for the first time: At an elevation of nearly 20,000 feet, these young men endured an “arctic super blizzard,” with howling winds of up to 300 miles an hour and wind chill that freezes flesh solid in minutes. All this without the high-tech gear and equipment climbers use today.
As well as the story of the men caught inside the storm, Denali’s Howl is the story of those caught outside it trying to save them—Hall’s father among them. The book gives readers a detailed look at the culture of climbing then and now and raises uncomfortable questions about each player in this tragedy. Was enough done to rescue the climbers, or were their fates sealed when they ascended into the path of this unprecedented storm?
How and when I got it:
I stumbled across this book when it first came out, but didn’t actually pick up a copy until last year when I found it at a used book store.
Why I want to read it:
I love reading about Alaska, and I love true adventure stories, so this book checks a lot of boxes for me. I loved Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, so I’m curious to see if this reading experience is at all similar. A couple of summers ago, on a trip to Alaska with my daughter, we flew in a small plane around Denali, and we could spot — way, way down below — a group of hikers on the way to start their climb. Seeing these teeny, tiny people at the foot of this huge mountain was an incredible moment, and I couldn’t even imagine what it must take to make the attempt.
This is my 2nd non-fiction Shelf Control book in a row! I don’t tend to read a lot of non-fiction, but I have quite a few non-fiction books on my shelves, so it’s probably time to branch out a bit with my reading.
What do you think? Would you read this book?
Please share your thoughts!
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Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
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