R&R Review Friday: Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Iain Reading

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Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency #1

Goodreads Blurb:

"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 climatic 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!"

Review:

Thank you to the publicist and the author, Iain Reading, for gifting me with a copy of Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold in exchange for an honest review!

1.  The characters.  The characters were one of my favorite parts of this book.  Frist and foremost, Kitty.  I loved her personality, her weird humor, her adventurous spirit, and her strange conversations she would have with herself.  It was so relatable how Kitty would have conversations with herself in her own head.  She would argue with herself and keep up a banter and it really kept the dialogue moving.  One thing I do wish is that the author would have made those conversation italicized or something of the sort so they would be more distinguishable from the out-loud conversations that were taking place.  The other characters are wonderfully developed as well and I felt like they simply popped right off the page.

2.  The plot.  The plot was really interesting to me.  I didn't really have all that much knowledge about the Alaska/Canada gold rush and the landscape until I read this book.  Obviously, pieces are probably fictionalized, but it gives you a good picture of the region and the culture.  The book mostly focuses on Kitty on her adventures as she documents whales and get roped into a gold expedition.  I really liked how the plot unfolded at a nice pace and I never felt too rushed or bored out of my mind.  There is always something going on.  Trying to figure out why the trio was trying to steal the gold was an excellent plot line, as well.

3.  The writing.  Like I mentioned in the characters section, I really loved Kitty's conversations with herself.  They brought humor to some dark scenes and helped me understand Kitty's mindset a bit more.  The writing style never felt like a nuisance to read.

The Final Verdict:

A fun, quirky mystery that keeps the tone light and the humor prevalent.  I especially loved how Kitty was developed and how relatable she was.

5 stars

Quotes:

"Mocha Bear?  I thought to myself.  What does that mean?  Is that some kind of code or something.  Apparently even in deadly serious situations boys simply can't resist the urge to play like they are secret agents or something."

"With the trees on the banks of the river rushing past us, we touched down on the river and gradually slowed as the pontoons settled into the water.  I turned to face the others with a big, wide grin on my face.

'Piece of cake,' I said calmly, feeling invincible. 'You can let go of the seats now.'"

"'Wherever we are in this world, we are not alone.  We are not the only creatures who find life in the sky and water and land.  We are not the only creatures who need it.  And we cannot just take and take and take.  We have to give.  And we have to respect.'"