Alaskan Holiday

Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber  243 pages

Josie Avery takes a Summer job cooking in a lodge in Ponder, Alaska up past the arctic circle.   Her dream job os to work as a sous chef under the famous Chef Anton who is opening a new hot restaurant in Josie's hometown of Seattle, Washington.    While living and working in Ponder she soon falls in love with its beauty, the great people living there, in particular Palmer Saxon and his husky as well as a crusty older fellow named Jack Corcoran, who adores her cooking..    Josie never makes any illusion she plans to stay iun Ponder and always talks about her dream job working with Chef Anton.   When things heat up between her and Palmer she turns down his marriage proposal knowing she is not about to give up her dream nor does she have any desire to live her life in the outskirts of humanity in Ponder.    the tory is happy, sad ,but, Debbie Macomber may give you lot of twists, som laughs and the occasional broken heart along the way but her writing will never disappoint.   I recommend this book to middle schoolers on up and especially to Cooking show fans.

- Shirley J.

Open Carry

Open Carry by Marc Cameron            Audio Book:  11 hours, 31 mins.   Mass Market Paperback:  448 pages                    

Good mystery novel.    I found out today it is the first in the Arliss Cutter Novels.    Good characters, believeable scenarios and often funny dialogue.   The author speaks with knowledge and authority come to find out he spent 29 years in law enforcement so he knows that of which he speaks, also, he has been on assignments just about everywhere in the northern hemisphere so I am sure he has a lot of stories he can make into books.    When a reality t.v. series called, “Fish Wives,” comes to Alaska it was a love /hate relationship.   Many locals saw it as a boom for tourist trade others thought the disruption to people’s lives and industry, not to mention the attitudes of the staff, crew and some of the talent brought in pissed off area locals.    And as happens in with the good came some low lifes, letches,  pedophiles, kidnappers all disguised under new names and identities though their proclivities were still active.   Throw in a drug cartel for extra measure, lots of salty types, former hippies and biological explorers – it makes for a very entertaining novel.    I highly recommend this book if you like mysteries,  there are so many potential killers here all with motives.    A good read, very good author.  I will be looking up number 2 in the series.  

 - Shirley J. 

Sitka

Sitka by Louis L’Amour     Paperback: 352 pgs.         

     This book, originally published in the 1950’s, was somewhat of a departure for Louis L’Amour, who was known for his Westerns.  You could consider this novel a Western, but it’s also different than most books of that genre.  Though it largely takes place in Alaska, our westernmost state, I doubt many people think of Alaska when they think of the Old West!  There are no cowboys, as you would expect to find in a Western, but there is a shootout and a few Indians appear in it (though they are inhabitants of Alaska, not the Great Plains).

     Jean LaBarge, the main character, would easily fit into a Western novel or film.  He is tough, self-reliant, determined, observant and resourceful.  An orphan growing up in the woods of the Northeast, he realizes a dream of becoming a fur trader and becomes a wealthy resident of San Francisco.  But his ultimate dream is to trade furs in the Alaska.  The Russians control that vast territory in this time period (the 1850’s and 1860’s) and forbid outsiders from engaging in that occupation, but that doesn’t stop LaBarge.  He succeeds both in trading furs in Alaska and evading Russian patrols until the very end of the book.  He is quite a Renaissance man— a fur trader, sailor and successful businessman who knows how to get things done.  He even influences events in the halls of Congress and the palace of the Russian czar.


     Some of LaBarge’s exploits are so amazing, in fact, that they seem unbelievable.  This made it a less-engrossing story, since it was more difficult for me to “suspend disbelief”, so as to better enjoy the fictional story.  It’s worth noting that Sitka is not a very “deep” novel— you don’t see a lot of character development.  It’s very much a simple “good guy vs. bad guy” adventure story; unlike many present-day novels, we don’t see an evil side to LaBarge, nor do we see any goodness in the villain, a Russian named Zinnovy.

    As I weigh all the positives and negatives, L’Amour’s “Alaska Western” earns 3 out of 5 stars in my book.  ★★★

 - John W.

Thin Ice: A Mystery

Thin Ice: A Mystery by Paige Shelton  275 pages  I read a galley - book is due out in December, 2019

On the run after a horrifying kidnapping ordeal, Beth Rivers goes to Alaska to hide out while her kidnapper is still on the loose. Her new home seems to be sparsely populated, with people who all seem to be hiding from something or someone, so she actually feels pretty safe . . . until someone mentions a local (suspected) murder. With a background of working in her sheriff grandfather's office, and the knack for getting to the heart of a good story, Beth tries to help solve the local mystery. Complicating things is the fact that memories of her kidnapping keep coming back in bits, making her wonder if she can ever reclaim her old life.

The author is well known for her cozy mysteries so here, she takes a darker turn and adds some elements of a thriller to this mystery.  I admittedly have not read her other books, but I can see where she might be a writer of other kinds of stories --- there was something about the character development that had a Jessica Fletcher-esque feel to it.  I liked this book, although I sometimes got annoyed with Beth. I felt like she didn't give people enough time to get to know them a little before launching into questions about the murder (something which, actually, another character points out to her).  At times, she seems vulnerable and at other times, pretty brash.  I also wondered about a character who would choose to go to Alaska without really packing clothes for that climate.  Good thing she has plenty of money and someone who can help her out once she gets there.

A good read, and the first in a series.


LibraryReads summary: Trying to hide from her kidnapper who is still on the loose, Beth Rivers escapes to Alaska, where she finds herself in the middle of solving a (suspected) murder.
This is something new from cozy mystery writer Shelton, who takes a darker turn in this thriller/mystery.

The Great Alone

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah    440 pages

In 1974, Ernt Allbright, a former Vietnam POW, makes the decision to move his family north to Alaska, where they will live off the grid. Ernt's wife, Cora, and daughter Leni, aren't sure if this is best idea, especially since Ernt is a man with a volatile personality. And, as soon as they arrive in Alaska and see where they're going to live, it becomes clear that none of them are in any way prepared for life in Alaska. At first, Alaska seems to be the balm to the troubled marriage of Ernt and Cora, even as the family struggles to learn how to prepare for the coming winter. The small community they've moved into is supportive, and even Ernt seems more at peace. However, as winter approaches and the nights grow longer, Ernt's fragile mental state starts to unravel, putting Cora and Leni in danger. Soon, the two of them learn the awful truth: they are truly on their own, with no one to save them but themselves.

I devoured this story, becoming irritated when I had to put the book down (like when I had to go to work). Hannah creates such a compelling story that I found I was just caught up in it. It's easy to visualize not only the characters, but Alaska, itself, complete with all of its beauty and danger. There's a true sense of unease through much of the story, and you don't get a sense that everything will be ok for Cora and Leni (which I liked because it made me turn the pages even faster). The relationship between Ernt and Cora is complicated, and heartbreaking --- and thus, pretty realistic. The entire story, actually, rings very true --- whether it's the characters, the setting or the storyline, it's all completely believable. Really a good book.

How To Flirt With A Naked Werewolf

HowTo Flirt With A Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper, 371 pages

“Even in Grundy, Alaska, it's unusual to find a naked guy with a bear trap clamped to his ankle on your porch. But when said guy turns into a wolf, recent southern transplant Mo Wenstein has no difficulty identifying the problem. Her surly neighbor Cooper Graham--who has been openly critical of Mo's ability to adapt to life in Alaska--has trouble of his own. Werewolf trouble.  For Cooper, an Alpha in self-imposed exile from his dysfunctional pack, it's love at first sniff when it comes to Mo. But Cooper has an even more pressing concern on his mind. Several people around Grundy have been the victims of wolf attacks, and since Cooper has no memory of what he gets up to while in werewolf form, he's worried that he might be the violent canine in question.  If a wolf cries wolf, it makes sense to listen, yet Mo is convinced that Cooper is not the culprit. Except if he's not responsible, then who is? And when a werewolf falls head over haunches in love with you, what are you supposed to do anyway? The rules of dating just got a whole lot more complicated. . .”  I really enjoyed the humor and romance.  People who like the supernatural romances will want to check this out.