I received a free eBook of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kim Heacox's "On Heaven's Hill" is a captivating tale set in rural southeast Alaska, where three families, including a pack of wolves, intertwine in unexpected ways. The story revolves around Kes, a smart and environmentally conscious young girl; Salt, a former trapper grappling with his past actions; and Silver, a wolf who matures into a pack leader. Through skillful storytelling, Heacox seamlessly integrates themes of religion, politics, science, and environmental awareness. Amidst the backdrop of a controversial development project, Heacox's vivid descriptions transport readers to the Alaskan wilderness, immersing them in the sights and sounds of nature. The book's descriptive style and compelling narrative make it a compelling read, leaving readers eager to uncover the fate of these intertwined families.

Some books are page turners and some books are thought provoking. This book was both. Often after reading the storyline about the wolves, I would just close the book and relish the words. The human characters are well developed and I found myself caring about all of them. I wanted the best for all of them (except the politicians) and that was the page turning part. If I were younger I might want to move to Alaska.

Excellent tale x 3 as the story, which needs to be told comes to us from three different, and worthy perspectives. Educational, heart-warming, and frustrating at times, I enjoyed my time in Alaska.

This was at its core a heart warming story about community and found family. I loved the story told from the different perspectives and the setting in Alaska. I also liked it showier real estate developers as they are in that the will stop at nothing to get rich sacrificing people and the environment along the way ,

Told from three different perspectives, this book will take you through the struggles, heartache, and tenacity for the underdog. Follow the journey of Kes as she fights for those without a voice, for Salt as he journeys to find truth and for Silver as he bravely leads his family. This was a heart warming story about survival and the depths people will go to for their family.

"On Heavens Hill" is stunning and so relevant

Based in a small town in Alaska, it tells of how the area is threatened by unscrupulous developers and this results in the most unlikely people working together against the commomn enemy. A young girl who is passionate about protecting the eco-system as well as her father who has PTSD. A trapper who is desperate to provide medical treatment for one of his children, and is a risk of giving into the temptation of money from the developers, and more.

The use of a wolf is absolutely genius, the POV had me gripped

Kim Heacox is clearly very knowledgable about Alaska and its people. This is reflected in his outstanding ability to describe how very different characters feel about and are connected to the area. As a reader, I was captivated by Heacox's illustrative writing style, there is an exceptional empathy there

Thank you to Netgalley and the Turner Publishing Company for this incredible book of our times. My review is left voluntarily

Something I find really interesting about this book is the way is written so we have the tree perspectives in a very accesible way. The most enjoyable thing for me was the character development and that got me hooked in the book. I like to the ambiance around the Alaska comunity, is a solid 3.5 book for me

A lovely Tale from three very different and important perspectives. Very well written, characters are fun and memorable, I would love to see this become a television series.

This is a tale of change, a wonderfully written story about acceptance of others, passion for our natural environment, and it all ties together with remarkable viewpoints provided by a young, intelligent girl, a very conservative man, and an extremely intelligent wolf, with lots of amazing characters in between.

This is one I went into skeptical, but I came through it feeling like I gained a whole new family, a rekindled passion for Mother nature, and Brother wolf.

Starting off, not being familiar with wolves knowledge, I didn’t know where this book was taking me. The author did great in hooking me in with the characters and their stories. All species we have some sort of battle we must face and sometimes our stories intertwine for the good or bad. Really enjoyed this book and would recommend to other readers.

I thought it was an interesting approach to tell the story from 3 perspectives, particularly with one of them being a wolf. I think this worked well because it was able to tie in some interesting information from different viewpoints.
The story being focussed around the development of a road and bridge in a small Alaskan community is something that is very relatable to many since this is happening everywhere right now. The characters were well developed and each brought something to the story. I enjoyed this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and West Margin Press for this advance reader’s copy, in exchange for an honest review.
“On Heaven’s Hill” is scheduled for publication in November 2024.
In Plato’s The Republic, circa 375 BC, the Greek philosopher first noted that art imitates life. More recently, Kim Heacox has followed that philosophy in his soon-to-be-released novel “On Heaven’s Hill.” Think environmental and nature issues, protests, people vs. government, and wounded war veterans, and you get the picture.
One of the problems, however, is that the picture gets a little too preachy in spots. But more on that later.
The narrative flows from three different perspectives. Salt D’Alene is a former wolf trapper now working in an auto repair shop in Strawberry Flats, Alaska, and struggling to support his wife and four sons – one of whom, Solomon, has been diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. Medical bills are a huge concern.
The second voice belongs to 12-year-old Kes (short for Kestrel) Nash. Her father, Danny, was a successful singer/songwriter in a Texas-based band called Whoa Nellie until Grandpa (we never learn his actual name) convinced him to join the Texas National Guard for some extra money. He winds up getting sent to Afghanistan where he’s almost blown to bits and has both legs amputated below the knee. His older brother, Ty Nash, convinces the family to move to Alaska as part of Danny’s rehabilitation.
Lastly, Heacox offers us a unique perspective – that of Silver, a young wolf living in the wilds of Alaska, traversing the landscape with his family.
As you may have guessed, these three perspectives, or storylines, begin to intersect about midway through the book. Salt is secretly offered a lot of money by some government folks to track wolf movement as part of the state’s coalbed methane project. Kes and her friends get wind of the project and somehow mobilize hundreds of local residents and veterans from all over to form a resistance. Silver and his family begin to live in fear over the changing landscape.
And of course, everything comes to a head when the National Guard is brought in to quell the resistance.
The three narrative perspectives alternate nicely, and offer a pretty in-depth understanding of the main characters and related family members. Salt wants desperately to provide for his family. Kes wants to preserve the wildlife.
Heacox’s bias comes through periodically with references to the current Washington, D.C. administration, such as this president “watches a lot of television” and “thinks windmills (wind turbines) cause cancer.” And that’s okay. But toward the end there are lengthy diatribes characters launch into that sound more like candidate speeches than normal dialogue. The point of the story comes through naturally; the sermons are too over the top.
There are also some inconsistencies. I was left wondering how someone signing up with the Texas National Guard, which requires one weekend per month and one month per year of service, winds up in Afghanistan. And how a group of 12-year olds is able to marshal the forces of an entire community, and then some.
Still, “On Heaven’s Hill” is an interesting read that throws light on some of the polarizing and potentially explosive issues facing our country today. I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars, but will round down to 3 rather than up due to too many inconsistencies that left me scratching my head.

This review will also be posted to my person book blog, Raised on Reading (raisedonreading.com) on Feb. 5, 2024.

Brilliantly written. Full of passion, love of wilderness, and love. I loved how the wolves were woven into the human story, and in this story the environment won.

On Heaven's Hill is a story of survival and redemption as three very distinct perspectives intertwine to ensure the survival of a local Alaskan wolf pack.