Source: the pr firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: December 3, 2012
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Blurb from goodreads:
Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the thrilling first installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This first book of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series introduces Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations.
After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climactic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush.
Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is a perfect book to fire the imagination of readers of all ages. Filled with fascinating and highly Google-able locations and history this book will inspire anyone to learn and experience more for themselves as Kitty prepares for her next adventure - flying around the world!
I loved mysteries when I was a kid. I was hooked on Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden so this seemed right along those lines and I decided to give it a try. I am always looking for those types of books to add to my collection.
The setting of the book is awesome. The author did a lot of research on the area he was writing about and there is quite a bit of history and stories about landmarks. The detail is amazing but not overwhelming. It was a fun way to learn about new places and makes me really want to go visit my cousins in Alaska.
I really liked Kitty. In a world where many people are complaining about books without strong female characters, this book gives them one. Kitty is smart and thoughtful, even if she does a few stupid teenager things. (Like we all did at that age) She is a great role model for teenage girls.
It did take a while to get into the mystery part of the book or maybe it just seemed that way since the chapters are very short. I almost want to say too short but it might just be me. However once the mystery started, I found myself unable to put the book down.
I had a few questions on the intended age range for the book. Kitty has just finished high school and some of the conversations (and some language used) that she has make me want to put this book at high school age level. However, the cover art made me think it was for maybe a little younger reader. I do believe that readers from 13+ will enjoy the book. The font used in the print book might make it a little daunting for younger readers (or those of us getting a little older, lol)
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I want to read others in the series. I love the strong female lead, the detail in the setting and the mystery. It's fun and there are some lessons to be learned from Kitty and her adventures. I would have no problem passing this book on to my 16 year old niece. I would like to caution some parents on the fact that there are some curse words in the book. It’s not like reading Game of Thrones but the language MIGHT be questionable for some more conservative parents.
Beautiful new cover!
ReplyDeleteIt always bothered me a bit that the old one wasn't as nice as the ones for the following books.