Review: Never Look a Polar Bear in the Eye:

  A Family Field Trip to the Arctic's Edge in Search of Adventure, Truth, and Mini-Marshmallows by Zac Unger

More than anything else, this book has to do with Zac Unger's search for truth about the polar bears and adventures related to them, mini-marshmallows not so much. Also, the parts mentioning his family, while entertaining and interesting, play a small part overall in the book.

The big question seems to be: Are polar bears going to become extinct as a result of global warming? The answer seems to be: Depends on who you ask and when. There's plenty of information to make up your own mind as well as the conclusions that Zac draws. There are of course lots of little questions as well and memorable people to meet like Linda Gormezano and Brian Ladoon. This mostly takes place in and around Churchill in Manitoba, Canada.

Churchill is a town on the shore of the Hudson Bay famous for the number of polar bears that move toward the shore from the inland in the fall waiting for the bay to freeze over.Churchill has developed quite a tourism industry around the presence of the polar bears during this time of  year. The tundra buggies and their similar counterparts roll out for tours. People show up from all over the world. Even Zac Unger takes a tour on one of these vehicles in an effort to get closer to the polar bears.

It's an interesting book. He finds some truth for himself. It gets a little bogged down in the science in places. For the title, it could have used more involvement with his family. I was expecting it to be a little bit of a lighter read because of the title. It's still an enjoyable book. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Review: Forever Werewolf by Michele Hauf

Forever Werewolf  by Michele Hauf is really a compilation of 2 books: Forever Werewolf and Moon Kissed. 

Forever Werewolf is kind of a sweet love story between a werewolf, Alexis, and a werewolf/vampire, Trystan. It's almost a Romeo and Juliet set up. Alexis belongs to a pack and is the leader's daughter and acts as if second in command while her father is so very ill. Trystan's family is on it's own since his mother is a vampire and his father is a werewolf and he has acted as courier to bring something to help Alexis's father. Alexis finds herself drawn to Trystan for so many reasons among them his helpfulness when there is an avalanche. She also finds he just might be the one to help her change to wolf form completely, something she has been unable to do, but her father forbids her to become romantically involved with Trystan. The subplots add to the story making it more intriguing and fleshing it out. It's an enjoyable read.

Moon Kissed comes across as a little more dangerous in some ways and passionate. Honestly at times it seems there is power play involved between the main characters of Bella and Severo because they are both fiercely independent. To begin with, Severo saves Bella from 3 vampires who were chasing her on her evening run. He crushes her to him and holds his hand tightly over her mouth. And at the end takes a kiss as payment and tells her that he can find her any time because he has her scent. In other words, he is in control. On another occasion at her apartment, he relinquishes control to her. And back and forth they go.

Bella didn't even know that vampires existed until that night. When she tells her best friend Seth about what happened, he not only confirms they exist, but says he is dating one and that her encounter was most likely with a werewolf. To me, she seemed to accept the existence of these supernatural creatures a little too easily.

The rest of the novel is a combination of romance, power play, and vampire vs werewolf. There is a subplot involving her best friend, but it doesn't really add much to the story in my opinion. Still, overall I found it to be enjoyable reading. It is a little sexier and a little more passionate than Forever Werewolf. Fans of one might not like the other because they are so different from each other while others might enjoy both like me.

I gave the book 3 stars over all. It's likable. It's enjoyable.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Review: Quarantine by John Smolens

Quarantine takes place in the town of Newburyport, Massachusetts  in the year 1796. A ship arrives whose crew has suffered and continues to suffer losses from a mysterious illness. There is hope of containment, but it slips away as the boats row away from the ship under cover of night. Soon people in the town become ill. As the epidemic spreads, fear, greed, and instances of mob rule become common place.

Quarantine is basically well written. The characters you should like, no matter their flaws, are likable. The villains are not. Physician Giles Wiggins who quarantines the port and establishes a pest house to isolate the sick from the rest of the population and Leander Hatch are particularly well developed. Particularly unlikable is the black marketeer from Boston.

While the book basically delivers what it has promised, it does have flaws. The pacing in Part I is faster than the rest of the book. And much of the action seems to be described as if from at a distance.

The inclusion of the nastiness by the religious fanatics was perfect. This would be especially true I think in New England where just a century before they had hung the last witches to be hung in America to the south of  Newburyport in Salem.

The bits and pieces of romance were not really well developed, but were a nice touch. I didn't really see Enoch, Giles brother, vying much for Marie as he was indisposed much of the time due to drink. Giles on the other hand was quite taken with her and it showed.

Apart from the sickness finally ending, there are surprises to the ending of the book. It was somewhat unpredictable, yet believable, which made it more enjoyable.

I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimer: I was provided with an advance copy of this book to provide my unbiased opinion.