In the second volume of Carson's fantasy historical fiction Gold Seer's trilogy, Leah Westfall has teamed up with Jefferson, Becky, Tom, and the others as they trek across the country to finally settle in California. Together they form a town ory, California d begin to mine the area for gold. But Leah is never free of the worry that her uncle Hiram will track her down and force her to use her "witchy" powers to make him wealthy. Carson paints a sober picture of America's gold rush, one in which Native American, Chinese, and black people are abused and enslaved to make white settlers wealthy. There are subtle d not so subtle ferences to racial and gender prejudices, women's rights (or lack thereof), and unspeakable violence. This is also a celebration of great courage, the ability of people to come together as family, and the healing power of love. The exciting, sweet, and satisfying ending is probably only temporary, however, as the final book in the trilogy is forthcoming.

The middle volume of Carson's Gold Seer trilogy. Young, white Leah Westfall's mystical ability to sense when gold is near is both a beneficial and a dangerous trait during this era of the forty-niners. She is traveling through California with a band of friends who are looking to prospect and settle. Knowing her uncle Hiram-her only living relative, who knows of her power-is on her trail, Leah is forced to reveal her secret to her friends so that they know the risk of accompanying her. Utilizing Leah's gold sense, this small group begins to stake their claims along the American River when uncle Hiram's men find her. The construct of this historical narrative fails by creating a female protagonist with absurd mystical powers that make her a cash cow (literally). The relationships are muddled, as she has a half-white, half-Cherokee sweetheart, Jefferson Kingfisher, a fact that is hard to reconcile with their prospecting on Indian land. Aside from Jefferson, the Native Americans mostly act as the stereotypical backdrop of decimated Indians. By keeping them largely naked and hidden, Carson diminishes the historical Native American resistance against Western expansion in the Sacramento area, and she adds insult to injury by ultimately making them collaborators in Leah's theft of their land. An author's note describes Carson's research but cannot account for this portrayal. Another indulgence in a Western narrative that undermines both history and its female protagonist instead of enlightening. (Fantasy. 14 & up)

Gr 9 Up- Not as strong or as enchanting as Walk on Earth a Stranger , the first book in the trilogy, this follow-up has plenty of action but falls short on substantive plot. Leah Westfall, 16, has the ability to sense gold and has made it from Georgia to California seeking both safety and her fortune at the start of the Gold Rush. Her talent has also drawn the interest of her purely nefarious uncle, Hiram, who is hot on her trail. After divulging her secret to her close group of trail mates and staking claims in a prosperous spot, Leah and her half-Native American best friend (and love interest) Jefferson are kidnapped and imprisoned by Hiram and his henchman. Every character is an archetype worthy of the soap opera-style drama that ensues, including offbeat old miners, lovestruck and ever-hopeful Jefferson, a reluctant but helpful prostitute housekeeper, a stoic "bodyguard" for Leah, and the lecherous uncle who will stop at nothing, including murder and brutal Indian enslavement, to get what he wants. As Leah and her compatriots hatch a plan to escape, an Indian uprising is planned, and the stakes grow deadly for many. VERDICT Fans of the first book may enjoy the nonstop histrionics, but others can pass this by.- Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library