Monday, July 21, 2014

Reviews: Things I Can't Forget (Hundred Oaks #3) and Racing Savannah (Hundred Oaks #4) by Miranda Kenneally

Since Miranda Kenneally's newest book in the Hundred Oaks series, Breathe, Annie, Breathe just came out, I thought I'd post my reviews on the two books from the series that I've read :)


Things I Can't Forget coverThings I Can't Forget (Hundred Oaks #3)
by Miranda Kenneally
March 1, 2013
308 pages


Goodreads Summary:
Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different…

This summer she’s a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He’s the first guy she ever kissed, and he’s gone from a geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt--with her.

Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn’t that easy…


Review

A very quick and enjoyable read. I read the third book in the series, Racing Savannah, first but I like this one more because it had more of an interesting plotline for me. While I'm not religious, I think that part of the book raised some great points.

Going into this book, I was cautious. I knew there would be talks about God and such and while I didn't love it, I didn't dislike it either. It was incorporated nicely seeing that Kate was extremely devoted. When she helped her best friend, Emily do something against her own belief, I admired her. She was there for her friend and even though she began struggling with her decision, she never gave up (on herself and her beliefs).

I did completely love the summer camp side of the story. I can't pick out any one thing because everything was just so much fun!! It makes me want to go to a summer camp even though I'm way too old, haha.

I did get a little annoyed with all the questions Kate kept asking herself but at the same time, I think I can relate to why she asks them. I'm very glad she got to be herself while getting to be with Matt. He's definitely the ideal boyfriend for accepting her and her beliefs (eg. no sex before marriage). I like that he's honest that, being a guy, he's not going to stop asking either.


Not sure why I'm reading this series in reverse order but it seems to work. I will definitely check out the first two books when I'm in the mood for a quick contemporary read :)
 

Racing Savannah cover
Racing Savannah (Hundred Oaks #4)
by Miranda Kenneally
December 3, 2013
304 pages


Goodreads Summary:
They’re from two different worlds.

He lives in the estate house, and she spends most of her time in the stables helping her father train horses. In fact, Savannah has always been much more comfortable around horses than boys. Especially boys like Jack Goodwin—cocky, popular and completely out of her league. She knows the rules: no mixing between the staff and the Goodwin family. But Jack has no such boundaries.

With her dream of becoming a horse jockey, Savannah isn’t exactly one to follow the rules either. She’s not going to let someone tell her a girl isn’t tough enough to race. Sure, it’s dangerous. Then again, so is dating Jack…


Review

This is a simple and straightforward contemporary book, just like I expected. I liked all the human and animal interactions where I can just imagine the horses whinnying and nudging Savannah and the hounds circling Jack.

Everything was very predictable in the book. From Rory getting together with Vanessa to Alex breaking if off with Savannah (so that she'd be available to Jack once more), predictable. There wasn't any real climax in the story. Savannah and Jack's relationship obstacles were too easily hurdled.

I did enjoy the scenes with the characters goofing around like at the Back to School dance. The "Will-You-Go-To-Homecoming-With-Me" scenes were pretty funny too. What better way to ask a girl to homecoming than organizing a flash mob or displaying it on the scoreboard? Any girl would swoon.

This book is nice in the way that it encourages you to realize your potential. Don't just settle. Take the path least travelled and discover all the possibilities!

I didn't read the previous books in this series but I'll definitely go back to them when I want some quick reads!

2 comments:

  1. I really love this series but the first book is still by far my favorite out of all of them. I am so glad you enjoyed both of these, if you haven't read the first book then I highly recommend it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ok, if it's your favourite out of the series then I'm definitely going to read it!

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