Nessa Luna
Written on May 19, 2015
Actual rating: 3,5. After reading and reviewing the first book in this series, I got asked if I wanted to read the rest of the series as well. I gladly accepted and got the books via Amazon. But still it took me a while to actually start reading this second book, fully titled: Kitty Hawk and the Hunt for Hemmingway's Ghost.
In this second book, Kitty is preparing to leave for her journey around the world but decides to go on a vacation first. A week at the Bahama's with her parents, and after that a flight to Florida Keys and an island called Dry Tortugas. This book is full of adventure and detective-ing (is that a word? It's a word now), and I really enjoyed reading it. Like with the previous book, Kitty finds out something is happening on the small secluded Dry Tortugas island and decides to investigate. I'm going to have to say I liked this book a bit better than the previous one.
My main problem with the first book was that there was a lot of story telling. As in - a character would be telling a story and it would go on and on for a couple of pages and it felt kind of annoying after a while. In this book, there was only one major story-telling part that went on for I think a chapter or two (the chapters are very short though, but still). But other than that, there were some minor parts where some thing would be explained (through means of a tour through a fort), but they didn't bother me that much. I don't know how accurate the history is in these books (though I think it's pretty accurate, seeing as the author even recommends some books about the events that were talked about in the book at the end of it), but I think these books are a great way of learning about history in a fun way.
Personally, the earliest thing I like learning about is the Second World War, and anything before that doesn't really interest me that much, but I still like how the author is writing about historical events in these books. I have to admit the title of this book is kind of misleading, because the story doesn't really revolve around Hemmingway at all. Kitty visits the town he was born in yes, and she thinks she's heard/seen his ghost (and his boat) but that's about it. The rest of the story is more about Spanish shipwrecks but yeah, we go back to Hemmingway's ghost in the last chapter after all which kind of makes the title fitting.
Kitty met some new friends in this book, two of them were Jack and Jodi, a retired policeman and his wife, who were also staying on the island. And then there's James, who -according to Kitty- looked like (a younger version of) Johnny Depp. Oh I would love to meet that guy! I personally loved Jack and Jodi, and the roles they played in this story. I was kind of afraid they would end up being 'evil', but they didn't and I am so grateful for that.
The setting of this story was completely the opposite of the first book - which happened in Alaska and Canada - and it kind of made me want to go there and see the fort, sleep on a boat (no way you're getting me to sleep in a tent, NO WAY) and swim in the ocean (though I am terrified of swimming in open waters, see what you are doing to me Kitty Hawk? You make me want to swim in open water!!!!). But yeah, I'll just keep to my bathtub and build a fort out of blankets and pillows.
Will I be reading the next book? Yes of course! I want to read more about Kitty Hawk the flying detective, and I want to read more about her adventures and her journey across the world. Maybe she'll make a stop in the Netherlands? Oh well, we'll see! I will be reading Kitty Hawk and the Icelandic Intrigue as soon as I can! If you like Nancy Drew, history and Amelia Earhart, you should definitely check out this series!
My opinion on this book in one gif: