Crossing the Gates of Alaska by Dave Metz

Crossing the Gates of Alaska is the tale of Dave Metz's incredible trek across 600 miles of Alaskan wilderness with his two dogs. Pulling all his supplies in sleds -- and later carrying them on his back -- Metz set out to traverse the forbidding Brooks Range. His journey took him out into true wilderness, eventually into places where he may have been the first modern human to set foot. The journey demanded an immense amount of physical and mental resilience, both from Metz and from his two dogs. I found the book interesting, if a little preachy at times about the evils of modern society. The scale of the trek itself is truly monumental, and the book will probably appeal to anyone interested in wilderness adventures. I loved reading about the beauty and peace Metz found, though I know I'd never be able to undertake a similar journey myself!


I received a free advance review copy of Crossing the Gates of Alaska through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. I am not being compensated in any way for this review.

Truly, Madly by Heather Webber

Lucy Valentine's family has been in the matchmaking business for generations, using their psychic gifts to introduce soulmates. When her father is caught in a compromising position, he jets off to St. Lucia to lie low until the whole thing blows over, and leaves Lucy in charge of the family business. But Lucy has a problem -- her psychic gift was short-circuited by an electrical shock at age 14, and now all she can do is find lost objects. With no choice but to fake it until she makes it, Lucy attempts to settle in at the matchmaking agency.

Almost immediately, things begin to get complicated. A client still carrying a torch for a lost love lands Lucy in hot water with the police and in the middle of a murder investigation. She finds herself dodging the interference of her nosy grandmother, Dovie, and helping a friend weather an identity crisis. And then there's Sean Donahue, the sexy private eye she gets wrapped up with, despite her fear of the Valentine Curse. For it seems that even though they're born to unite true loves, the Valentines themselves have never had success in love or marriage.

I found Truly, Madly to be a smart, sexy, and really enjoyable novel with a twist that I didn't see coming. I definitely recommend it for fans of Stephanie Plum and Sookie Stackhouse, as well as anyone looking for a well-written and entertaining mystery with a terrific protagonist. I'm really looking forward to the second Lucy Valentine book, Deeply, Desperately, which is due out in August.



I had hoped to have this review and giveaway up in time for Valentine's Day, but the whole having a baby thing threw me off schedule. I'm still going to do a giveaway, but instead of a Valentine theme it'll be a psychic theme. For a chance to win my copy of Truly, Madly, leave a comment and tell me...If you had a psychic gift that only had one purpose (like matchmaking or object-finding), what would you want your talent to be? I will accept entries with valid email addresses until Sunday, April 25, at midnight. US & Canada only, please!


I received a free advance review copy of Truly, Madly through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. I am not being compensated in any way for this review.