This book was not for me. And I’m also very sorry that I did not finished this book, because I mentally couldn’t go on.
Let me explain everything:

I was on one of my first searches on NetGalley when I found this book.
The plot was not very attractive but I literally said: Surprise me.
It really did, because the plot didn’t tell a lot of things.

I can’t criticize this book other than saying: it was not for me. In the plot no one told me that people quoted the Bible in dialogues and that Christianity was so present. I am an atheist, I don’t have problems with Christians but at a certain point It felt weird reading Bible quotes out of nowhere, also because I didn’t understand them, I’ve never read the Bible nor anything religious. Let me specify: it felt weird to me because I’m not used to.
Another thing that I couldn’t understand and therefore it made the book not for me were the political reference. Again, I’m European, I know very little of American politics.

I’m sorry to say this because my review wouldn’t exist if these things would have been said or even just mentioned briefly in the plot. Because I’ve wouldn’t have read the book and just the people who are the perfect target would have read it.
To completely understand a book like this for a person like me, it would had need a lessons about american politics and a christian lecture.
It felt obvious that the author knew very well both topics and therefore spoke about it taking everything for granted. This is not a bad things, but it makes the book for just a few people.
And I’m sure that the people of the right target would appreciate this book.

Putting aside this incomprehension I unfortunately found other things that I didn’t like.
Basically: I couldn’t identify with any character but in a very particular way. I felt like I was watching a play but the actors were made of wax and the stage empty of prompts.
I felt something, like a supernatural force putted between me and text. I was not in the narration, not even part of the audience. This feeling even scared me a little, I’ve never had such feeling. This is mostly why I did not finished this book.
It’s ironic to say but the chapters where I felt mostly comfortable were the ones narrated by the wolf Silver, and also if the book would have been more about Silver and his pack and the human had a very little part, maybe I would have really liked it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Turner Publishing for a free copy in exchange of an honest review.

I really struggled through this book. I found the characters to be pretty flat and one-dimensional, the dialogue felt forced and inauthentic, and the desire to make Christians the villains of the story felt really unrealistic. Not that there aren’t bad people from all faiths and beliefs, but this was to such an extreme, with no back story, no complexity to said villains, that it was not at all written in a believable way.
Maybe that IS the way Christians behave in Alaska. I guess I wouldn’t know, but this book screamed of an author with a political agenda, which many do, but this just wasn’t executed well.
Kes’s father’s back story made ZERO sense. He had just broken into the music business and hit his stride with his band selling first 10,000 and then 30,000 albums, and his brother then convinces him to enlist in the service for extra money? What? Why?
I liked the small bits of the story that followed the wolves, and would have loved more of that. The wolves kept me from giving this book only one star.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF at about 30 percent in. I loved the idea of this book but couldn’t get into it. There were too many characters and three seemingly different POVs to learn about so it felt a bit confusing. I am not sure I truly understand what the book was supposed to be about and what I thought it was about still didn’t really feel explained at about 30% in. Some parts were beautifully described and some felt choppy, vague, or confusing.

You can see how much Kim Heacock knows about Alaska and that area, and for that reason, I appreciated so much of the descriptive writing of the land. It just didn't connect me to the characters or the plot enough.

This story is a poignant tale set in the remote Alaskan town of Strawberry Flats, where the tranquility is threatened by controversial development plans. Through the perspectives of former trapper Salt d'Alene, young Kes Nash, and a watchful wolf named Silver, the novel intricately weaves together themes of family, resilience, and the beauty of the natural world. With heartfelt storytelling and vivid imagery, the author captures the essence of hope and healing in the face of adversity, making this a compelling read filled with warmth and compassion.

This was as interesting story. It's always enlightening when you get an animal POV and that definitely added another dimension to the story. Would definitely recommend.

I would rate this book 3.5 stars. The story was about an Alaskan town that became divided when a fracking company came wanting to commercialize the area. The story was told by 3 characters including Silver, a wolf. It was interesting hearing the perspective of the wolf as people started to take over its land. I didn't realize this was Christian fiction. There are scripture references sprinkled in however I found them forced. A character would be speaking and suddenly give a quoted line from the Bible. At times, I appreciated the references, but how they were included didn't seem realistic.

I also appreciated the author's stance on a number of current issues. Although I agreed on the message, it sometime felt preachy. I would have like to see more character development with these lessons learned throughout the book. It was an interesting read and not something I would typically have chosen on my own.

***Thank you NetGalley, Kim Heacox, and Turner Publishing for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.***

Thank you to NetGalley and Turner Publishing company for an advance copy.

On Heaven's Hill is a novel about family, the role of religion on our view of the world, and the importance of standing up for what you believe to be right. Chapters alternate between perspectives of a young girl named Kestral who has had her world turned upside down, an adult man named Salt walking a moral line to support his family, and a member of a wolf pack called Silver that is pivotal to the story. While the animal perspective was unexpected, and only appears occasionally throughout the book, I really enjoyed those chapters.

This book started out really nicely for me. It's not a genre I typically read, but I connected with each character right away. I appreciated the fairness with which members of different walks of life, religion, and politics were represented. I kept waiting to see the author's personal biases bleed through the narrative, but now I don't think I can say for sure where they stand. Much respect to Kim Heacox for that. Each character was represented very fairly regardless of their opinions and perspectives.

I gave it three stars because the story lost its hook from me around 75% of the way through. I think it cared more about the characters personal lives than I did about the major event in the book which connected them all. Once the foundations were laid for each character and the plot moved on to the event, I stopped caring. And I would have loved more of Silver.

Please see my complete review on this book, “On Heaven’s Hill” on my Goodreads.
There I talk about how this story is about the humans but also the story from the wolves perspective. This is a must read.

On Heaven's Hill is one of the most entertaining books I read so far in 2024. It's an ode to our planet and all living things, it also talks about respect, friendship, family values, faith, leadership, respect for our environment, and how one person when supported by a few others can make a movement grow and acquire an unpredictable dimension. The story is beautifully written, the descriptions of Alaska and the wolves are extremelly good so much the reader can picture the animals and places easily. This story is easy to read and really entertaining!
I thank the author, his publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

Meh. There are lots of good books. We need to take care of the environment. War is terrible. There can be no quarrel with either of those statements, but this book is a little much. Kes's father lost his legs in Afghanistan and suffers from severe traumatic stress. Traditional medicine has healed his body but not his soul, so friends fly him to an unincorporated settlement in Alaska run by other victims and survivors of war to let nature help him heal. The magic of being close to nature, does, indeed help her father heal but there is a plan by government agencies to disturb their peace with a highway. All government and traditional religion are held in a bit of contempt as is any attempt to encroach upon their wilderness, and they are successful in stopping a plan to build a road. They are very environmently proper, but have no qualms about flying their personal plane about to obtain all the supplies they purchase from civilization. The book is also about wolves, but if you are interested in wolves, read Never Cry Wolf. It is better.

Told from the viewpoints of a man, a girl, and a wolf, On Heaven’s Hill is the story of finding yourself, family, and determining what you truly value. As the characters face realistic life circumstances, their decisions will impact not only themselves, but also those around them, and ultimately each other.

I was expecting it to be odd to have a wolf narrator alongside two human ones, but it actually read very smoothly. As the book progressed, I did find the sermonizing of the author on his viewpoints regarding politics, the environment, and education to be somewhat overbearing and diminishing to the human story this book so richly told.

People are part of nature. Nature heals and nature kills. Just like us humans. What´s the difference? Wild nature doesn´t kill itself, unlike us.
Home made philosophy aside, this book is about healing and the importance of family (among many other topics).
There are three parallel stories of two families of humans and one of the pack of wolves. These come together at some point to teach readers some universal truths (sarcasm!).
I like the writing and characters, but I really don´t like it when someone tries to force opinions and beliefs on me. Unfortunately, way too often I felt while reading like a student who was being lectured, and looked down at.

A wonderful story of healing, growing, and standing up for what you believe in.

4.5 stars rounded up.

„As pastel evening light plays over the rooftops and trees and fireweed seeds drift about, catching the last light breaking, it occurs to Kes that you have to invent words for the way beauty expresses itself in Alaska. She remembers a similar evening from one year before, soon after she‘d arrived in Strawberry Flats, when uncle Ty told her that while the land is young and shaped mostly by glaciers, the processes are timeless - the rivers and tides, the seasons, the abundant life flowing and ebbing, the people rounded by water yet sharpened by ice, engaged in the country and committed to its flourishing. „All in all,“ he said, it‘s a fine place to stand upon, and to defend.“

Set mostly in Southeast Alaska, „On Heaven‘s Hill“ is filled with vivid descriptions of the area‘s innate natural beauty. Alaska becomes as much of a character in the book as its three main protagonists: Silver, a young gray wolf roaming the area around the town of Strawberry Flats with his family; Salt, a former trapper and devoted father clinging to his Christian faith while desperately trying to hold together his own family and get medical help for one of his sons; and Kes, a plucky twelve-year old whose father returns from the war in Afghanistan seriously wounded and a shelf of his former self, who just wants to see her dad whole again - and who, in the process, finds a deeper purpose and passion.

Examining timeless and often controversial subjects such as family, faith, science, nature, progress, environmental responsibility, rebellion, and healing, as well as the current state of American politics and society, this book will not be for everyone, though it should be. I found it utterly compelling and well-written, a lyrical testament to the beauty of Alaska, the importance of nature, and the incredible resilience of the human spirit.
Thank you to NetGalley and Turner Publishing Company / West Margin Press for the Reader‘s Copy in exchange for my honest review.

I am not sure if I like this book or not, except for the wolf chapters. This are easy and interesting to read while the ones involving humans seemed a challenge to the author (the nature ones flow but the others seem like they were very hard to write, or were translated from a different language). I keep putting this one East, then trying over and over to make progress with the story. I'm not sure if it'll be DNF or not but I hope it gets better.

Kim Heacox’s book, On Heaven’s Hill is, on the surface, a story about a brave girl who stands up to protect her quiet, peaceful, town from government officials who wish to destroy the surrounding wilderness in the name of progress. But this story is about so much more.
Heacox alternates the narrative between Salt (a Christian, ex-trapper, with 4 kids, ones who is disabled and one who is very troubled), Kes (a young girl from Texas, whose mother died, whose father is a veteran suffering from PTSD), and a wolf (young but capable, determined to protect his pack). Dealing with issues such as conservative vs liberal, war politics, Christianity, radicalism, environmental protection, and disabilities (both physical and mental), this book is beyond packed with controversy. Unfortunately, Heacox seems to use this to push his own personal agenda as well as air his own issues with government. If the book wasn’t so heavy with his own opinions it would have been a great story. However, more often than not, I felt like I was being lectured at. Also, he mentioned one of his characters wearing “Nike Air Jordan” shoes at least 5 different times which was incredibly irritating and came across as very pretentious.
On another note, the narrative from the view point of the wolf at first bothered me because he personifies the wolf quite a bit. But, as the story progressed, I grew to really enjoy those chapter the most. It helped me feel more empathetic toward the wolves and really worked for the overall story.
***Thank you NetGalley, Kim Heacox, and Turner Publishing for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.***

Another great book by this author. Reading books that take place in Alaska is a favorite trope of mine. This author really knows how to tell a story. I enjoyed this very much and look forward to more by her.

I was really excited to read this book, but for some reason, I had a hard time getting into it. I was taken aback with the first chapter being a wolf's perspective, which should not be an issue as it had Jack London vibes. I started and stopped a few times, and I think this is a book that needs the reader to be in the right head space, and I don't think I was.

By the time I thought I could sit and read it, it expired. I am looking forward to getting a copy and giving it a good read- maybe my next Adirondacks trip. Thank you for the opportunity.

The small town of Strawberry Flats sits on a remote Alaska coast, peacefully left to itself—until controversial plans for a road and a bridge threaten to upend everything. Former trapper Salt d’Alene never thought he’d find himself in the midst of such a dispute, but he’ll do anything to provide the best care for his son Solomon, recently diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. Eleven-year-old Kes Nash just wants her father—back from war in Afghanistan—to be normal again. And circling the perimeter of the town is a wolf, Silver, and his pack, quietly watching. Told from three alternating perspectives, On Heaven’s Hill is a vividly powerful story about rediscovering hope and finding new life in the aftermath of trauma. Filled with humor and compassion, it depicts the best of America, a place composed of wildness and kindness.

Having lived in Alaska as a child, I was intrigued by a book that explores the vast beauty of the region. It did not disappoint. Getting the perspective of Silver, the wolf was a new twist that I found interesting and fascinating . Very emotional story and the imagery was written in a beautiful way. The substance of the novel felt a little lost among these three different perspectives at times. I think this has "classics" vibe to it that moves slowly but determinedly. This book may not have been the right book at this time for me but it actually is a beautiful story that I would love to revisit in the cold of winter when a cozy book is called for.

This novel, set deep in rural Alaska, was both thought provoking and a compelling call to action. This book should be able to appeal to so many audiences, from high school students (ecology classes, etc.) to book clubs.

It has some beautiful community and found family themes. The beginning of the book has very little establishment of time passing or place (especially in Kes's viewpoint), and I believe that this was completely intentional. Kes's whole world has been upended after her father was sent to Afghanistan and shortly thereafter injured in an IED explosion. All she is trying to do is make it through until her dad "comes back". I would imagine also being disoriented in her situation. After their move to Alaska, Kes's father begins to make much stronger progress. Heacox is able to provide us beautiful and detailed visions of Alaska and the home that the community of veterans (envisioned and pioneered by Kes's Uncle Ty) have created. The author clearly has great respect for this last frontier and its people.

I will admit that this was not the novel I expected to read based on the title and cover, but in the best way. Some may be uncomfortable with the amount of religious references in the book, but they don't feel preachy. Salt is simply religious and trying to raise his family to be good people. They are not a family of Christian Nationalists, until the oldest, Abe, begins spending a little too much time with extreme right wing media, but we see Salt trying to fight this, to figure out how to help his son reject the close-mindedness that he has found. We also get very clear views into the author's political beliefs, which again some may be uncomfortable with, but this is a book about shady government deals and trying to destroy every little piece of nature left in the country.

I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed reading from Silver's (our wolf MC) perspective.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review which will be shared on my Goodreads closer to the publication date.

Hello. I was not able to finish this.

The story holds great promise, but ithere were so many character introduced in the first 10% of the book that it did not allow for the development of any of them and so I felt little affinity as a reader. - Papa, Uncle Ty, Salt, Kes, Uncle Charles, Rita, Kathy, Celia, Allison - the list goes on. In these first chapters, we jumped back and forth between characters, scenes and traumas so quickly that the 'story' did not progress.

I got 20% into the book at which point the story began to pick up, but the first chapters were hard work. I had no sense of progression story or characters, there was very little 'world building' or establishment of 'place''. I liked Salt as a character. Kes adds nothing so far to the story and the juxtaposition of an old wizened "Salt" with a young niece woman is hard to take work.

The story would be more engaging of the Kes and Salt stories were told as separate parts of the novel and then find away to bring them together.

Thanks,

MJ