After reading A Blizzard of Polar Bears in one day (#2 in the Alex Carter series), I crossed my fingers that author Alice Henderson wasn't done with this series yet. That was a five-star read for me, an unputdownable "delight of an adventure in the Canadian Arctic."

Unfortunately, the two books since have not been favorites.

I'd liken the Vanishing Kind more to a non-stop action thriller than anything else, and that's the biggest reason it didn't work for me. I like Alex as a character, and in the second book I noted that, "I loved the descriptions of the Aurora Borealis and the scenes of polar bear moms with their cubs." In this one, it felt like everything took the backseat to the action-packed plot. That's a selling point for some, but it was just too much for me.

Narrator Eva Kaminsky is great for this series; well-cast and easy to follow along with.

This is a tough review for me to write. I love Alex Carter as a character and love the overall arch of this series - following a biologist as she works on jobs related to different endangered animals in the US is super interesting to me. I love the variety of locations and animals the series has explored. The first two books were favorites for me.

Unfortunately the two most recent books were both misses. In this latest one - Alex is working to locate jaguars in New Mexico. If you’re interested in a lot of over the top action - a Mission Impossible: Biologist if you will - perhaps this is for you. It was a big miss for me and it took me forever to get through the last bit of the book because I kept getting distracted and not wanting to read it. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free ebook and audiobook to review.

Thank you to William Morrow for this gifted copy! And thank you to Harper Audio for the ALC.

The Vanishing Kind left me so damn empty and desolate, while simultaneously being charged with hope and a sense of action. This book is described as a novel of suspense, and yes, but it is also a harsh look in the mirror for America. There are so many aspects in which we need to improve as a country. Caring for and respecting our land, empathizing and being considerate of our people, and the people seeking refuge.

I went into this richly written book blind. I did not expect to learn so much, and to nearly be brought to my knees with emotion. It hurt, frankly. It reminded me of Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy in the sense that it taught me about environmental conservation, about a species dangerously close to extinction, and how they are essential to our eco system. I knew next to nothing about Jaguars in America before this book, and now it is my hyper fixation.

I’ve felt so helpless these last few weeks. Watching the constant ticker of breaking news. The dismantling of every environmental safety net. The barreling steam engine of climate change coming at us. But this book made me feel like I could make a change in my immediate world, the same way Once There Were Wolves made me feel I was making a difference in rewilding my yard.

I cannot recommend this book enough. 🐆