A fairly good wilderness adventure story starring a girl. North of Toronto, a Canadian family is spending time together at a remote cabin. When her father is called away, Hannah is desperate to make things right and find help for her mother, who needs insulin. She is may be a bit of a nuisance, but means well.

Loved reading this! I wasn't sure what to expect, but this book is so much more than I first thought! So good!

This is an action-packed wilderness survival drama particularly for teenagers and young adults.

Hannah and her family are trapped in their home which is a remote cabin in northern Ontario. It is typical of that area to experience severe snow storms that confine people to their homes. This was definitely not a good time for fourteen-year-old Hannah’s mother to have no insulin for her diabetic condition.

Bravely, Hannah takes matters into her own hands and sneaks out in the very early hours of the morning with her dogsled and family dogs. Not surprisingly things went wrong for Hannah, and she found herself in great danger having to stop off at sixteen-year-old Peter’s home for help. But here she had ended up in more danger and an unwanted, irritating passenger being Peter. Peter had to escape with Hannah on her dogsled.

There is plenty of danger and action while Hannah and Peter try to get to the nearest town for the insulin and emergency care now as well. If you enjoy survival drama particularly in freezing snowstorms, this is a book well worth the read. Heads up for Jo Storms first novel.

BonnieK

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

I’ve never read a survival story like this one before, so i didn’t know what to expect but I was very excited to get stuck into it. A fourteen year old girl out on a rescue mission with her sled dogs.. I couldn’t wait to see what happened.

Overall I enjoyed it a lot, the story was gripping and there was always something happening to keep me reading. It was detailed enough, but not too much to bore me and the atmosphere was brilliant, I was thoroughly wrapped up in the story.
It would have been a 5 star if it ended better though, I feel like I have a million questions to ask now. I would have been a lot better if there was an epilogue.. I needed to know if there dogs were okay, if Hannah’s mum and Jeb were okay, and whether they’d even bothered looking for the kids?? The whole mission was to get insulin and we actually never found out whether Hannah got any.. I would also liked to know why Peter was so scared of the dogs..
But putting that aside, I enjoyed the story a lot, I was only disappointed with it when I got to the end and realised The was no epilogue. Definitely recommend if this is your sort of book!

Thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for my ARC copy.

While I am grateful for the review copy this book was not for me. I did not really enjoy Hannah as a character and so couldn't really get into the book. I also thought the insulin subplot was weak. I hope this book finds its proper audience. I am not it.

There are a lot of things Hannah Williams doesn't understand. She doesn't understand why her family bought a cabin in the middle of nowhere. She doesn't understand why she has to be respectful to everyone, even her annoying younger sister. She doesn't understand why she can't go to away camp like all the other kids her age do. She's tired of being treated like a kid. Tired of staying at a cabin with her family. Tired of her dad's Learning Face every time she whines about his lessons on survival, building a fire, taking care of the dogs......

Hannah is just tired of everything.

In the middle of their family winter camping expedition, her father is called to report for duty with the Army ahead of a massive snowstorm. The storm changes direction, heading for the area where the Williams are camping, dropping huge amounts of snow and ice. Then an accident leaves Hannah's mom without the insulin she needs. Hannah has to stop being angry, use her survival skills and strike out for town to get help.

I read this story while snow and sleet was falling outside so it was perfect timing. :) It is completely obvious that the author is experienced with outdoor skills, sled dogs and survival skills. It made for such a realistic, vibrant story. Hannah puts her skills to the test and faces dangerous weather conditions to help her family. She learns several important lessons during her journey and puts the knowledge her parents taught her to work. It made for perfect reading on a snowy night.

I will definitely be on the lookout for more outdoor adventure tales from this author!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Dundurn via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

A quick read about a young girl trapped in a snow storm trying to fetch vital medical supplies for her family. I don't know a lot about sledding, but the details all seem realistic and the story moved along well. However, the ending was very abrupt and left a lot of threads unfinished. I did like that there was no hint of romance between the two characters thrown together, and that they didn't magically get along perfectly just because they'd got caught up together in this dangerous situation.

A good story, but a very abrupt ending.

Hannah is a smart young girl. Who had to survive a brutal storm. The story was a little long and slow for me. But i liked it. I would recommend this book to my friends and others.

I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Hannah, 14 years-old, and her family spending part of their winter vacation at their cabin in a remote part of Ontario, 440 miles from Toronto. Her father, who is in the Reserves, is called up to go to Quebec to help with a massive storm that's about to hit the area. Weather being what is is, the storm winds up hitting the area of their cabin. Hannah accidentally breaks her mother's insulin ampules so now she is desperately low on her medication. Power is out and so are the phone lines. Hannah makes the decision to go get help from a neighbor several hours away by dogsled. Things go horribly wrong and now Hannah and 16-year-old Peter try to get to the city to get the medicine. By dogsled in one storm after another.
I normally like survival stories but unfortunately there was not much to like about this one. The characters are hard to like. Hannah is a typical know-it-all teenager and Peter is just obnoxious. Usually characters experience growth by the end of the story. Not so in this one. Also, way too much time was spent with the details about hooking up the dogs to the sled. At the beginning, definitely, but not every time! And I was not thrilled with the ending. It just ended with nothing being wrapped up. Because of those reasons, I cannot recommend this book.

My Review: When I was younger, I was obsessed with dogsled teams and this book really cued into that love. I did struggle a bit to get into this one, I was not a huge fan of Hannah, throughout the book, even though it appears she is doing her best. The urgency of the situation and the dangers that she must overcome felt a little disconnected. I feel like this is a book that would have been even better in 1st person, to put you more in the situation with the characters. I was also very frustrated by the decisions made throughout this story, maybe it is because I am an adult reader but several of choices Hannah made were clearly not the correct decisions to make. I am also a little surprised by the fact that she is a city girl who visits the cabin only on holidays and vacations but somehow knows how to survive in blizzard conditions and all the dog psychology required to train new sled dogs. The ending is rather abrupt and doesn't fully close out the story or tie up any of the loose ends, honestly as an parent with a child potentially reading this book I want to see the families reunited, consequences handed down and medical attention delivered to all parties. It ended up being rather unbelievable as an adult reader, though I think that a younger reader who may not have the knowledge that I do may enjoy the adventure behind the story more.

Snowhook
by Jo Storm
Dundurn

Teens & YA
Pub Date 19 Feb 2019


I am reviewing a copy Of Snowhook through Dundurn and Netgalley:


Hannah looks at the massive ice storm that traps her and her Mom in the remote cabin, it seems like a practice of the survival skills she's been learning. That all changes after an accident leaves her Mother dangerously low on Insulin. With no power and no way to contact the outside world, Hannah must go get help with the four family dogs tied to an old dogsled.


All Hannah can do is to make it to the nearest cabin and find a working phone to save the day. A wrong turn and worsening weather leave her in grave danger as well as saddled with a passenger she did not expect. Hannah must use all her skills and resourcefulness to get help before her family freezes to death in the wilderness.



I give Snowhook five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I found this book totally unbelievable with too many catastrophes just happening over and over. The endless descriptions of how to dog sled became very monotonous, did not add to the story line, and I had no investment in what happened to the characters.. The author dropped the ending badly and it felt very unfinished. I don't see teenagers wading through the descriptions either.

My thoughts
Snowhook is like something I have never read before, and it is unique in its genre. It's nice to read this book, about the dogs and the sled, it was educational. I'm just not sure if this book is even enjoyable for Teens/YA. It feels like a lot of things are made up during the writing to make the story exciting. I was never scared or afraid for the main character and the story overall felt like something that could've been avoided easily...

Pros
Unique: Like I said; the book is unique in its genre. I have read a lot of books, but not one about dogs and the sleds and I actually learned a lot about it. I could definitely read that Jo Storm did her research or maybe already knew a lot about this.
Hannah: She is fierce! I love how passionate this 14 year old is. Also the fact that she is very positive and always tries to find a solution is something that is nice to read in a character. It's nice that she also has her quirks, like having a big mouth and being a bit stubborn. It makes her character believable.

Cons
Long: The book felt SO long. When I started writing this review I saw it was "only" 288 pages. It definitely felt much longer. Maybe because the surroundings were described with a lot of details and sometimes I felt that it was unnecessary for that certain part in the book.
Unlikely: The story felt SO unlikely. A girl taking off to get her mother insulin, to help her family. Hannah is gone for a pretty long time and it was so unlikely to me that no one tried to find her even that first day already...
Electronics: Why are there no electronics like cell phones or stuff like that? I don't know what year it is in this book, but were living in 2018, everybody has a mobile phone? Or is there no reception? It was a big question throughout the book for me.
Tension: I felt like the things happening in this book were just to give it some tension and that some of those things were made up while writing. It was just way too much to be happening to one girl. Hannah is very unlucky in this story and it didn't feel believable anymore ate one point.

Overall
Don't get me wrong: The writing was not bad and the biggest pro was Hannah's character. This book just didn't catch me. I always wonder if I'm too old, but I'm not really sure if any teen would like this story. I haven't seen that much reviews, so I'm very curious how the community will welcome this book. This just wasn't a hit for me, sorry.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for this suspenseful story of wilderness survival. I am decades beyond the target YA audience for the book but such an adventure book has always been high on my list.

I had several problems with the story which may be my fault. I may have missed the reason why the family were at their isolated cabin during the school term in Toronto, and why they would be there with the possibility of snowstorms and blocked roads. When the father was called away to help with the results of a snow/ice storm in Quebec did no one at the weather office predict that the storm was heading toward their cabin in Ontario?

My biggest problem was in visualizing the way the rigging and harnesses fastened the dogs to the sleigh, the snow hook and the design of the sled. This was thoroughly explained for the reader but I thought diagrams would be most helpful. I would have also wished for diagrams covering the track to Jeb’s cabin, the various trails traveled by sled and finally the way to Timmins.

I found Hannah to be a whiny. Discontented 14 year old, which is no surprise as she would rather be in the city with her friends, the malls and smart phones. When she accidentally knocks over her mother’s insulin supply during a snowstorm she decided to sneak off during the night with the dogs hitched to the sled. Her plan was to reach Jeb’s nearby cottage and call for help. She desperately wants to obtain insulin and save her mother’s life but she also envisions being a hero and maybe be featured in the newspaper. Riding in the sled which is pulled by two experienced sled dogs and two house dogs she arrives at Jeb’s yard. On approaching the cabin plans go astray. She and Jeb’s nephew, 16 year old Peter, are forced to run away in the dog sled.

Hannah had met Peter previously and found him to be rude, sarcastic and argumentative. Peter tells her about a cottage where it’s owner had a snowmobile and a phone and they head there. Their plans take a drastic turn when they find the place deserted. Peter plans to return home to Jeb’s but Hannah is anxious to proceed to Timmins for her mother’s medication. Much argument ensued until Peter seriously injured his leg. They have no choice but to carry on along barely visible trails through blizzards, rain and ice. They are wet and cold and hungry. The dogs are exhausted. Much of the food, clothing and other supplies have been lost or damaged along the way.

Near the end of their ordeal the two teenagers develop a grudging respect for each other and learn to cooperate. I wanted to know the outcome for her diabetic mother and if the father made it back already and how the family regarded what Hannah did.

A thrilling young adults book that sees 14yo Hannah caught in her family cabin with a massive blizzard on the way. Her father has been called away to help elsewhere, not realising that the worst of the storm is heading for his family. When an accident breaks all her mother's supply of insulin, Hannah sneaks away in the middle of the night with her team of sled dogs to go and get help. However, nothing is straight forward! Through various mishaps and an unexpected passenger, our intrepid heroine and her trusty canines battle the winter wilds of Canada as they race time and the storm to raise help.
This book is an easy read and I sped through it quickly. In one place my heart started racing as I worried about a poor dog that got itself into trouble! I feel that the novel could have done with a bit more information at the end, perhaps an epilogue, giving more details about the aftermath of the storm, but in no way did this detract from the exciting, heart pumping story. We get to know Hannah as a brave, resourceful girl, and of course, each of her four wonderful dogs, each with their own personality, as they come together as a team. I recommend this book to everyone who appreciates a good animal tale and feisty teenage heroines.
My thanks to NetGalley and Dundern Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

First off, I really wanted to love this book, because I love survival stories generally. But this one was a little off for me,and a whole lot of that came from the main character, Hannah. She was honestly one of the worst 14 year olds I've ever met; whiny, selfish. foolhardy. There is very little to like about any of the characters actually (like Peter for example, and his attitude towards the dogs) or why the dads would go off with a storm about to hit, and leaving Jeb who obviously needs help in the middle of nowhere with Peter- the list goes on.

Honestly, all the things I disliked about this book made it too hard to like anything. The writing is weirdly stilted, and sometimes goes poetical and then jumps back more basic structure. It was confusing. I'll give this two stars for the dogs, but that's it.

It was ok read I thought it was brave for Hannah to go into the storm to get help for her family even if I thought she was a bit annoying at times. I don't know it was ok read but some plot didn't really get resolved and I won't go into what thoses plot were you'll have to read it yourself. I really like the book I'll recommend it. Thank you for free copy I hope to read more from this author.

*I received an eARC from Netgalley for review. All Opinions are my own.*

This book had a lot of potential with me. I like wilderness books. I like novels where teens have to survive serious situations by using their smarts and working things out. I love stories with animals as a main part, especially dogs. So, there was a lot of hope here for me.

Unfortunately, it was undone by a few factors. I held out hope as long as I could but I ended up getting drug behind the back of the dogsled.

I didn't like the main character. Hannah was whiney and drove me insane. However, I am many years past 14, so it could be I was a bit too old to appreciate her. She does try to right the wrong of breaking all of her mom's insulin, yet the way she goes about it is so irresponsible it was hard to be on her side. Some times Hannah would be thinking through things vert smartly, then she would just be irrational. It gave me whiplash.

This also has my least favorite troupe in YA. Where all the adults are stupid or are trying to repress the smarts of the child. Or that all adults are gun toting and trying to kill you. It drives me insane!

Also, Peter drove me nuts. I hated him. I didn't want him around. It was too much childish bickering and I tuned him out most of the time.

Finally, the amount of explanation of every little thing is a bit like the Hatchet series, but way overboard. I'm not saying younger kids won't like the details, but they had me snoozing.

So, I'm giving this one 2 stars. The premise was good, I was hoping for more.

Thank you Netgalley for the free copy to review.

So there is a massive storm coming and the father is called in to work to help in the storm (he must have been some type of coast guard or something). Despite of being with his family in a remote cabin, the father chooses to go to save people rather than stay and protect his own. Wow! I guess his sense of duty was bigger than his sense of family. But fine, in YA parents have to be gone for the teenager to be a hero. However, something more convincing wouldn't hurt.

So the family stays trapped in the storm and our little hero suggests to go for help but mom says "no" because the wind is too strong. However, a couple of hours later (or maybe just later) she is allowed to go for help because... The wind is stronger? Again, write something that makes sense!

But, what am I saying? This book is for tweens and teens so there is a chance that they will not catch these little inconsistencies.

Lastly but not least, our little hero has to save, not only herself, but also an inept adult. Was there more people to be saved? I don't know as I DNF it.

However, I see how this blqnd survival nonsense could appeal to a young audience.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this title.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanceThe love that the author has for the outdoor lifestyle comes across, but with it the book seems a little instructional at times - it would have been great to see the mechanics of dog sledding narrated and explained in a way that felt a little less like a 101 class.

The ending comes abruptly - the book could do with another couple of chapters in my opinion. It felt like a book full of build up that slightly cheated the reader out of the climax.

But for a young reader, it takes you on a great adventure, set in an environment that not many books seem to be of a dangerous rural Canada winter. It's also nice to read a story about a hero who makes mistakes along the way, and learns from them - and for that reason, Hannah feels real, relatable, and human.

*** minor spoilers ahead ***

There are a lot of questions left unanswered by the abrupt ending though. Does Hannah's mother remain healthy? Does Peter's leg survive? What is the reaction of Hannah's parents, and of Jeb, upon their return? When does Hannah's dad make it back? Is Hubbard trustworthy? He obviously seems to be, but given that the book is a string of disasters that Hannah and Peter escape, you're left wondering about that too.