Reviews

A Blizzard of Polar Bears by Alice Henderson

jacki_f's review against another edition

2.0

Alex Carter is a wildlife biologist who we first met in [b:A Solitude of Wolverines|56197443|A Solitude of Wolverines|Alice Henderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1627323766l/56197443._SY75_.jpg|73236182]. At that time she was working in Montana but at the end of that assignment she takes on a job monitoring the polar bear population in the Yukon. Very quickly it becomes apparent that someone is determined to sabotage the project.

It's a fast moving story but to the point where it totally defies credibility - there are crashes, intruders, dead bodies, poachers, killers, animal rescues - it's frenetic, there are sub-plots everywhere and then every now and then the pace suddenly lags and we get a two page lecture on polar bears and the importance of conservation. Also the writing was odd - for example people were variously described as having sienna, beige and sepia coloured faces.

If you have a passionate interest in polar bears or you want something super fast paced and undemanding this is a good choice but otherwise I'd skip it.

plantsandpints's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

goofyariel's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

3.5

smalltownbookmom's review

4.0

This follow up to A solitude of wolverines picks up right where that one left off and has Alex travelling from her study in Montana to the Canadian Arctic where she's to help with Polar bear research. I love how the author does such a great job combining an edge of your seat thriller with a badass woman wildlife biologist and teaches us about endangered animals and climate change without getting too preachy. We learn more about Alex's stalker from the first book and get to know more of her backstory and how her mother died. Great on audio. Now on to book three!

hmbb99's review against another edition

3.0

I could not seem to get into this book despite several attempts. It was slow and had to much going on at one time. It was bogged down with a lot of different storylines, a missing person, poachers, stolen research, and a stalker.
It is not a bad story. It just wasn't for me. I could see people who like science and multiple intertwined storyline enjoying this book. I will give it 3 stars because the book jas potential for others to enjoy.

asherz's review against another edition

adventurous informative tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

house_full_of_books's review against another edition

adventurous informative mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

heather626's review against another edition

3.0

Alice Henderson re-visits Alex Carter in her latest book, A Blizzard of Polar Bears. I really enjoyed her first Alex Carter book, A Solitude of Wolverines. I liked that despite being a fictional story, you still learned about conservation efforts for endangered animals. In A Blizzard of Polar Bears, Henderson transports us to the Canadian Artic. Alex Carter joins a polar bear study where she is tracking polar bears by helicopter. When she finds an untagged bear, she tranquilizes the bear and takes samples to study. And of course, there are people sabotaging her study from the very beginning. Alex's helicopter is sabotaged, she is attacked in the artic, her samples are compromised, and many other issues. This is when I lost interest. Henderson definitely follows the same pattern as in The Solitude of Wolverines. It really worked for me in the first book, but I was bored by the second book. I would have liked to learn more of the polar bears and not so much about the sabotaging. It just didn't work for me. Alice Henderson's writing is very easy to read and the book is easy to follow. Special thanks to NetGalley, Alice Henderson, and William House-Custom House Publishing for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 3 stars
#ABlizzardofPolarBears #NetGalley

liberrydude's review

4.0

A fast paced thriller set in Churchill, Manitoba. Alex leaves her wolverines in Montana to study polar bears in Canada. After some great days working on the ice from a helicopter she finds someone rummaging through her lab. What are they looking for? Her next trip to the floes her onboard supplies have been disturbed. She sleeps next to the helicopter. Her pilot leaves. Finally back in the air the helo is either hit by ground fire or a bomb disables it in flight. Thus ensues a mini Shackleton event of survival in storms while a crazed poacher and some thieves on snowmobiles hunt her and her assistant and pilot down. It’s all pretty wild and unrelenting. Somebody thinks she has something of theirs. There’s a missing marine archaeologist and a shady industrialist on the periphery too. Also a big reveal from the first book.

Alex has a PhD but she’s got some serious special skills. Her body count is not something to ignore. I’m ready for her next adventure with caribou in Washington.

julianairving's review against another edition

adventurous informative mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

My favourite in the series as Alex is around others with similar passions and the plot feels less claustrophobic