Tag: North Oak

Hard Check Holiday (North Oak: Book 8.5) by Ann Hunter

~ Jolie ~ Leave a comment

Publisher: Rebel House Ink

Date of publication: December 1st, 2023

Genre: Christmas, Horses, Young Adult, Romance

Series: North Oak

Born to Run—Book 1 (review here)

Yearling—Book 2 (review here)

Morning Glory—Book 3 (review here)

To Bottle Lightening—Book 4 (review here)

Far Turn—Book 5 (review here)

Dark Horse—Book 6 (review here)

Against the Odds—Book 7 (review here)

Ride for Glory—Book 8 (review here)

Hard Check Holiday—Book 8.5

Hard Boot—Book 9

Inquiry—Book 10

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

Taking place between the events of Ride for Glory and Hard Boot, this Christmas special visits North Oak over the holidays. A happy one- finally!
At least that’s how it seems on the outside.

Inside, 17-year-old Alexandra Anderson is struggling with her heart, both physically and emotionally. She is ready to commit to a relationship with Dejado Augustun, until a minor accident with best friend Carol changes everything.

Forced to do a hard check on her life, Alex realizes chances only come once. Can she pull herself together in time to start the racing season?
Or will heartache and heart trauma hold her back?

The Triple Crown & Tiara are on the line.

HARD CHECK– definition (verb), when a jockey is forced to restrain his mount at speed to avoid catastrophe.

First Line:

Laura came home for Christmas. But no one told seventeen year old Alex.

Hard Check Holiday by Ann Hunter

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pacing of Hard Check Holiday was medium-paced, with the book amping up to a fast pace in certain spots. There was some lag towards the end when Alex chose between Dejado and Carol. But it was nothing that disrupted the flow of the book or my enjoyment of it.

POV: Hard Check Holiday is told from Alex’s 3rd person point of view.

Series: Hard Check Holiday is a holiday book in the North Oak series. It is 8.5 and comes after Ride for Glory but before Hard Boot. You can read this as a standalone. But, I recommend reading books 1-8 to understand Alex and other characters’ relationships and backgrounds.

Trigger/Content Warning: Hard Check Christmas has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Rape (minor, off page)
  • Abandonment of a child (minor, off page)
  • Anxiety & Anxiety Attacks (moderate, on page)
  • Miscarriage (minor, off page)
  • Death of parent (minor, off page)
  • Transphobia (minor, on page)

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Hard Check Holiday. Alex and Dejado kiss a couple of times, but it stops there.

Language: There is mild swearing in Hard Check Holiday. There is some mildly offensive language used to describe a trans girl getting kicked off the basketball team when she told her coach she was transitioning.

Setting: Hard Check Holiday is set entirely on the grounds of North Oak (a racing barn) in Kentucky.

Tropes: Afraid to Commit, Emotional Scars, Orphan, Friends to Lovers, Found Family

Age Range: I recommend Hard Check Holiday to anyone over 16

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

It is Christmas, and Alex is praying that this Christmas will be the first non-drama-free one in the four years she has lived at North Oaks. And, for the most part, it is. Alex is forming a relationship with her sister, Gina, and her relationship with her adoptive parents and sister is stronger than ever. She also has two essential races to look forward to in the New Year.

But, some things are preventing Alex from thoroughly enjoying her holiday. The main issue is that she has feelings for Dejado and Carol. Alex is ready to start a relationship with Dejado, but her feelings for Carol keep getting in the way. Alex needs to make a choice and ensure it is correct. Because the more she waits, the more she risks losing Dejado and Carol. Who will Alex choose, and will that choice be the right one?

Main Characters

Alexandra Anderson: I liked seeing this noncompetitive, vulnerable Alex. In the other books, she is always on the go and involved in various things around the barn. But seeing her slow down a little in this book was nice. Her eye was still on the upcoming races, but Alex was able to unwind a bit and enjoy Christmas. The only issue I had with her was her treatment of Gina. But, considering that Gina was sprung on her, I didn’t blame Alex for how she acted. And she had every right to be angry with Gina after what Gina said to her in the barn.

My review:

I went into Hard Check Holiday thinking this would be another racing book set over Christmas and New Year’s. I was wrong. I didn’t expect the author to leave out the actual racing (there were mentions of the upcoming races, and the horses had cameos). So, it was different from her other books, and you know what, I liked it!

Hard Check Holiday’s main storyline follows Alex as she celebrates Christmas with her family and friends. It also followed her as she came to terms with her feelings and then chose who she wanted to be in a relationship with. It was well written, and it got emotional during parts of the book. But overall, Alex made the choice that she felt was right. My question now is, how will her friendship with the other person be affected?

As I stated above, I liked seeing Alex being more relaxed. It made her seem like a normal seventeen-year-old. However, she did have her issues, and the author addressed several of them in the book. As someone who suffers from severe anxiety, I felt for her during her panic attack scenes (the one Gina caused was awful).

Alex’s sexuality has been a big topic during the last few books. I liked how the author approached and portrayed her feelings for Carol and Dejado. I did get somewhat angry during this angle, and it was because of what Gina said. I have a very mouthy ten-year-old, and that little girl pushed the limits there. But, in a way, it pushed Alex to open up to Laura about her feelings and paved the way for Alex to make her own decision.

The author also handled Alex’s reactions to any sexual touch in a way that was appropriate for a rape victim. Dejado was gentle and respected her boundaries. He never pushed her past what she was comfortable with and ensured she was OK with anything he did, mostly kissing.

I was surprised by the end of the book. Alex’s choice was surprising because she kept going about the other person. I wonder if her decision will affect her friendship with that person (and I stated that above). I guess I’ll have to read the next book to find out.

Many thanks to Ann Hunter for allowing me to read and review Hard Check Holiday. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Other books by Ann Hunter:

Ride for Glory (North Oak: Book 8) by Ann Hunter

~ Jolie ~ 2 Comments

Publisher: Rebel House Ink

Date of publication: November 2, 2022

Genre: Young Adult, Equestrian

Series: North Oak

Born to Run—Book 1 (review here)

Yearling—Book 2 (review here)

Morning Glory—Book 3 (review here)

To Bottle Lightening—Book 4 (review here)

Far Turn—Book 5 (review here)

Dark Horse—Book 6 (review here)

Against the Odds—Book 7 (review here)

Ride for Glory—Book 8

Hard Boot—Book 9

Inquiry—Book 10

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Can Alex handle the pressure of stardom?

When Alex scores berths into The Breeders Cup aboard Dreamer’s Song and Venus Nights, she discovers she may have to choose between them. But how can she choose between the filly she brought into the world, and the headstrong colt who is teaching her so much about the sport she loves?

Her kid sister, Gina, isn’t making the choice any easier. The rambunctious 10-year-old is nothing but a distraction, and a danger to the horses themselves. She’s always underfoot and asking too many questions. It’s all Alex can do to keep her wits about her.

Worse yet, Alex is on shaky ground with her feelings for Dejado and Carol. She can’t dare risk being anything less than perfect while the tabloids are blowing up over her skyrocketing career. Every move must be measured. No word can be mistaken.

The world is watching, and the clock is ticking…

First Line:

Sixteen year old Alexandra Showman frowned at the clay grit in her teeth.

Ride for Glory by Anne Hunter

Alex is ecstatic when she scores berths into The Breeder’s Cup on Dreamer’s Song and Venus Nights. But, that happiness is tempered when she finds out that she must choose between her heart horse (Venus Nights) or the horse that could take her places (Dreamer’s Song). On the homefront, Alex isn’t doing too great. She is trying to figure out what to do about Gina, her ten-year-old sister, and feels that Gina is overtaking her life. Also, adding to everything is that Alex is trying to figure out her feelings for Carol and Dejado. Can Alex hold everything together until The Breeder’s Cup? Or will she become tabloid fodder?

Ride for Glory is the 8th book in the North Oak series. While this could be read as a standalone book, I recommend reading the series so that way; you will understand Alex’s backstory better and her relationship with different people in the book.

Ride for Glory is a fast-paced book. The pacing of this book does suit the storyline. Seeing that everything happens over a couple of months (or a month, not sure), it made sense for the book to be fast-paced. There was very little lag in the book, which was enjoyable too.

The main storyline for Ride for Glory is centered around Alex, racing, and Alex’s personal life. The storyline was well-written and emotional (yes, emotional). I liked that even when I thought I figured out certain parts of the storyline; the author was able to surprise me by doing the opposite of what I thought.

The storyline with Gina and Alex was well written. As a mother of 3 and a sister to 8 (9 including me), I can safely say that Gina was written as a typical, obnoxious 10-year-old. Alex’s reaction to her made me laugh. She looked at her like she was another species; if you have ever had a ten-year-old, you know they are. But, I disagreed with how Alex treated Gina throughout the book. But, Alex did turn a corner with their relationship around the middle of the book.

The storyline regarding The Breeder’s Cup, the other jockeys, the horses, and Alex’s choices was interesting. I thought Alex was slightly immature regarding the horses, and I couldn’t believe what she said to North. He, of course, put her right in his place, but still. She had zero rights to go and demand what she did. As for how she handled the other jockeys, I did like her maturation in that sense, and the bully did get what he deserved.

The love triangle involving Carol, Alex, and Dejago had me confused but hopeful. At a point, I thought Alex had lost them both, and you know what? I thought it served her right. She was playing a game with Dejago, and he didn’t deserve that. She also spoke about Carol’s boyfriend (Alex’s cousin), and Carol got pissed and, again, served her right. Now, why was I confused? I thought Alex had made a choice by her actions towards the end of the book and was surprised when it went in the opposite direction. Talk about having my head spin.

The end of Ride for Glory was, well, glorious. I enjoyed reading about that final race. I got hyped for her and what her future plans involved. I was also stunned by what seemed to be her choice for romance. That alone made me super excited to read book 9.

I recommend Ride for Glory to anyone over 16. There is mild language, mild violence, and no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Ann Hunter for allowing me to read and review Ride for Glory. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Ride for Glory, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Ann Hunter

Against the Odds (North Oak: Book 7) by Ann Hunter

~ Jolie ~ Leave a comment

Publisher: Rebel House Ink

Date of publication: July 24th, 2019

Genre: Young Adult, Equestrian

Series: North Oak

Born to Run—book 1 (review here)

Yearling—book 2 (review here)

Morning Glory—book 3 (review here)

To Bottle Lightening—book 4 (review here)

Far Turn—book 5 (review here)

Dark Horse—book 6 (review here)

Against the Odds—book 7

Ride for Glory—book 8

Hard Boot—book 9

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Alex’s racing career starts with Venus Nights, the filly she helped birth into the world, and a head case mare named Florescent Cheerio who Brooke has claimed.

When things go missing around the North Oak barns, Alex is sure she is being stalked. What’s more is Venus Galaxies has foaled twins, fighting for their lives to survive. Can they beat the odds?

First Line:

Sixteen-year-old Alexandra Anderson zipped her racing silks, tucking the tails into her bright white breeches.

Against the Odds by Ann Hunter

Alex is finally getting her life back in order and is ready to start racing. She is racing again and excitedly waiting for Venus Galaxy to foal. But, when Alex notices that her belongings are going missing, Alex immediately thinks she is being stalked. Then she has an accident while warming up a horse known for being unpredictable and is benched while her arm heals. During that time, Alex is confronted by the past she left behind and her soul horse giving birth to twins. Will Alex be able to face her past? Will the twin foals and Venus Galaxy survive?

When I started to get ready to read this book, I did some brush-up reading about horse racing, horse farms, and jockeys. What I read fascinated me. Women make up 27.2% of jockeys in horse racing (stated in this article), making it a male-dominated sport. So, to have a teenage girl (OK, woman) trying to break into this world was fascinating. What I read aligned with what the author portrayed (the sexist remarks made to Alex at the beginning of the book). That, along with a twist I genuinely didn’t see coming (even though the author warned me), made this book fantastic.

Against the Odds is the 7th book in the North Oak series. While this could be read as a stand-alone book, I recommend reading books 1-6 first. That way, you better understand Alex, her background, and the backstories of the other people in the book.

Against the Odds is a fast-paced book mostly set on a horse farm in Hamlin, Kentucky. I feel that the book’s pacing was perfect for it. It matched Alex’s energy and her whip-fast responses to people and situations. I had no issue following the storyline. There was no backtracking or me going, “Huh, what?” at any point in this book.

The main storyline of Against the Odds is focused on Alex, her continuing recovery from rape, her racing ambitions, her relationships (romantic and otherwise), and her love of horses. Against the Odds was a well-written storyline that kept me glued to the book. There was also a massive twist in the storyline that I didn’t see coming.

I liked Alex, but was she stubborn, like her being mad at her foster mother about something I can’t mention because of spoilers. That went on for more than half the book!! I worried about her health, mainly when she started skipping meals and throwing herself up. I worried about how it would affect her racing (which it did) and how the people in her life would help her. I also worried for her mental well-being and wondered (out loud, which earned a look from my SO). But the author addressed my worries and some in the book. I also loved her interactions with the horses. Her respect and love for these animals shone through the book.

I was thrilled when the author let Brooke have her chapters. It was nice to see Alex through someone else’s eyes. It was also nice to see the races/training of the racehorses through someone else other than Alex. I did laugh when she rescued Fluorescent Cheerio (the name alone made me giggle), but I didn’t laugh when I realized precisely what horse Flo was and how she was treated.

Alex’s relationships were still as messy as in the previous six books. She still had feelings for both Dejado and Carol. But, what was interesting, was that the author threw Brooke into the mix. Brooke had feelings for Dejado, which he didn’t return. While I want a resolution to the jumble, I like figuring out who will end up with whom.

The horses were still the main focus of the book. I was on pins and needles with Venus Galaxies foaling. That whole chapter had me biting my nails. I know that twin foals sometimes don’t survive birthing, and I wondered if that was how the author would go with the storyline. Also, Fluorescent Cheerio was a welcome distraction to the book. I loved her personality. She also came so far in the book. From an abused horse to one that was happy but had quirks. I loved it!!

I didn’t see the twist in this storyline coming. Honestly, I thought it was Brad stalking Alex. I didn’t expect what was revealed. My jaw dropped, and I had to put my Kindle down. After the shock wore off, I got very angry with North. This was something that Alex should have known way before she found out the way she did. But, at the same time, I was pretty excited to see how this twist will affect Alex.

The end of Against the Odds was interesting. It set the stage for book 8. There were no endings of storylines; everything was left in the air.

I recommend Against the Odds to anyone over 16. There is language, mild violence, and no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Ann Hunter for allowing me to read and review Against the Odds. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Against the Odds, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Ann Hunter:

Dark Horse (North Oak: Book 6) by Ann Hunter

~ Jolie ~ 2 Comments

Publisher: Rebel House Ink

Date of publication: March 1st, 2019

Genre: Young Adult, Equestrian

Series: North Oak

Born to Run—Book 1 (review here)

Yearling—Book 2 (review here)

Morning Glory—Book 3 (review here)

To Bottle Lightening—Book 4 (review here)

Far Turn—Book 5 (review here)

Dark Horse—Book 6

Against the Odds—Book 7

Ride for Glory—Book 8

Hard Boot—Book 9

Inquiry—Book 10

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Just when Alex could hardly stand waiting another second to test for her jockey license, a brutal attack sends her spiraling into a depression. She’s a failure as a person, a rider and friend. Even Dejado and Carol can’t seem to reach her. Can they help her pull through, and realize her potential in time to get Venus Nights ready for her first race?

On the heels of Joanna Campbell’s beloved Thoroughbred Series, and Walter Farley’s Black Stallion, comes a brand new teen equestrian series that will sweep you away like a runaway Thoroughbred.

First Line:

Alex woke to the sensation of her arm suspended.

Dark Horse by Ann Hunter

On the eve of her second test for her jockeying license, Alex is brutally attacked by a person she thought was a friend. This attack sends her into a deep depression. Feeling like a failure to everyone, Alex retreats inside herself. With her career as a jockey on the line, can her family and friends get through to her?

I was surprised when the author contacted me to review the rest of this series. I had reviewed books 1-5 years ago (back in 2018ish, I think) and figured she hadn’t written anymore. When I got that email, I jumped on it. I enjoyed the previous books and couldn’t wait to read this one. I wasn’t disappointed.

Before I get into the review, I want to throw a warning up. I haven’t been doing this because of Amazon, but it is warranted. Dark Horse deals with the after-effects of rape. The author detailed the rage towards the rapist, the blame the person raped deals with (internally and from other people), and the frustration that the person raped deals with (police seemingly doing nothing and the rapist walking free) perfectly. These scenes in this book are raw and can be triggering. So read cautiously and keep a Kleenex close because some of these scenes will make you cry.

Dark Horse is a fast-paced book in Hamlin, Kentucky. This book starts fast and keeps the pace up for the entire book. There is no lag, which pleasantly surprised me.

The main storyline in Dark Horse centers around Alex, the after-effects of her rape, her racing dreams, and the horses she loves. My heart broke for Alex while reading this book. She was obviously in pain, and I wanted to reach into the book, hug her, and tell her it would be alright. I also couldn’t understand why her foster parents didn’t put her into counseling afterward. I couldn’t put this book down because I wanted to know what would happen to Alex. I needed to know if she would get better if she would get her jockey’s license, and if the police would do anything about what happened to her.

I liked Alex, but I didn’t like seeing her this way. I wanted old Alex back, but I understood that Alex would never be the same after what happened to her. I think she had a lot of guts to show up at school, still having a bitten lip and black eye from Brad. It disgusted me to see how Brad initially tried to intimidate her, which escalated to him stalking her in school. How the principal treated Alex when she was told about Brad also disgusted me. And don’t get me started on the police. Why is it always the women’s fault when reporting a rape? And the excuse that he was from a good-standing family disgusted me. Guess what? People from good-standing families do bad things, like beating and raping women. My heart almost imploded with sadness in the middle of the book when Alex discovered something was being kept from her. While keeping something important secret was wrong, I understood why Hilary did. But, the cherry on top of everything made Alex make a very rash decision.

The racing angle of the book was fascinating. While I am somewhat knowledgeable about show jumping/dressage, I am not knowledgeable about racing. So, I enjoyed reading about how she got her license and how she had to prove herself to the officials.

I also loved the horse angle of the book. I was pleased to see that Morning Glory, Venus Nights, and Promenade were in this book. Those horses were a big part of Alex’s healing.

The author did touch upon Alex’s sexuality several times during the book. She had an on/off-again relationship with Dejado. She also was romantically attracted to Carol. The hint of a love triangle is given during the huge confrontation scene with Brad and Dejado. But I am wondering if it will be like that. Something tells me that Carol doesn’t feel the same way about Alex.

The end of Dark Horse was excellent. I liked how Carol and Alex decided enough was enough (after Alex’s accident with Promenade). They wanted to nail Brad’s butt to the wall and make him pay. That was one of the best and most satisfying scenes in the entire book. But the author didn’t exactly end the storyline. Instead, if felt suspended (I am sure there will be a trial). The author also didn’t end any of the other storylines. Instead, they will be continued into the other books.

I recommend Dark Horse to anyone over 16. There is violence and mild language, but there are no sexual situations. There is also talk of rape (off-page), depression, one scene of self-harm (cutting), and reckless behavior around horses.

Many thanks to Anne Hunter for allowing me to read and review Dark Horse. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed this review of Dark Horse, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Ann Hunter:

Far Turn (North Oak: Book 5) by Ann Hunter

~ Jolie ~ 4 Comments

Far Turn (North Oak Book 5)

Title: Far Turn

Author: Ann Hunter

Publisher: Rebel House Ink

Date of publication: May 4th, 2017

Genre: Young Adult

Number of pages: 184

POV: 3rd person

Series: North Oak

Born to Run – Book 1 (review here)

Yearling – Book 2 (review here)

Morning Glory – Book 3 (review here)

To Bottle Lightning – Book 4 (review here)

Far Turn – Book 5

Where you can find Far Turn: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A silent killer has come to North Oak.

EHV is taking the lives of the farm’s best and brightest. Alex, Brooke, and Dejado must team together to save Promenade and Morning Glory, or be devastated by the virus.
Already rocked by Carol’s absence over the summer, Alex’s time with Dejado kindles first romance. But when Carol returns at summer’s end, she’s grown up and Alex is forced to question her own feelings for her.
Furthermore, Brad Hopkins is still up to no good, and after a close friend of the girls’ commits suicide from his bullying, it’s up to Alex to bring him down once and for all.
Or will Brad uncover her own secret and send Alex into a dark, downward spiral where Carol and Dejado cannot follow?

Find out in Far Turn

My review:

Far Turn is one of those books that left me going “Wow” at the end of it. I was warned, by Ann, that this book was a bit darker than her other ones but I wasn’t expecting what I read. When I finished the book, last night, I turned to BK and went “This book just blew my mind“. I actually couldn’t get this book out of my head for the rest of the night, it affected me that much.

Alex had kind of a rough start to the book. Promenade was brought home from his last race and almost immediately fell ill with a deadly virus called EHV (click for definition). EHV spreads through North Oak like wildfire, taking horses out left and right. Alex lived at the stables, leaning on Hilary and Dejado for support when he was struck with a different strain of the virus that was brought back by Morning Glory (aka Mags). Horses are dying from this virus and both Alex and Brooke are willing to do anything to help their horses survive. I was so upset when Chauncey was put down and when  Venus Galaxies foal died.

Alex’s friendships with Katie, Carol, Brooke, Laura, and Dejado were put to the test also. Her friendship with Katie because of Katie’s confession that she liked Alex in a romantic way and there was another confession that honestly made me very mad…considering the events later in the book. Alex’s friendship with Carol because of Carol visiting her grandmother over the summer and again, another confession that actually took me by surprise because I didn’t see it coming. Her friendship with Brooke because of Prom getting better and Mags was doing bad but that righted itself. Her friendship with Laura because well, Laura was being emotional and there was other stuff going on that I can’t get into without revealing stuff (read the book). And lastly, her relationship with Dejado because of his feelings for her.

The whole bullying situation with Brad, which goes back to book 2, gets worse in Far Turn. I do admire that Alex was secure enough with herself to not let Brad’s bullying affect her. I also thought that the school’s handling of Brad was very realistic. I have 2 kids, one which was relentlessly bullied from 1st grade to 3rd grade and I can tell you, the school did jack and actually made excuses for my daughter’s bullies (it was a group thing)….like the principal did for Brad. Her bullying ended when we moved but in Alex’s (and Carol and Katie’s) case, moving wasn’t an option. And unfortunately, his bullying and harassment of Katie took a very tragic turn. I will include a link to an anti-bullying site at the end of the blog (if you are reading this on Amazon….sorry it won’t show and just google).

I also liked how Alex’s sexuality was handled. For the last couple of books, I did have questions if she was a lesbian or if she liked guys. Her summertime romance with Dejado and her feelings for Carol now point at maybe her being bisexual. And like I said with the other books, her sexuality is not the focus of the book. The focus is on the horses, Alex, and her friendships. That she has strong feelings for Carol and Dejado is just another aspect of the story that actually flushes Alex out as a character.

Alex’s jockeying journey was never its end. I can’t wait to see if/when she’ll get her license and I can’t wait to read about her riding. The training sounded very painful (this is coming from an overweight, middle-aged woman….lol) but it was worth it for her. She lived and breathed horses and jockeying was a natural next step.

The ending of the book was very unexpected and to be honest, I cried. Now, I was warned by the author that something was going to happen but I wasn’t expecting that. While it was very dark, it actually fit with this book and I can’t wait to see where the books go from then on. The only small complaint that I had was that the book ended on a cliffhanger. Like I said above, I closed my Kindle and said “Wow” because the ending just blew me away.

I never do this but the author’s note at the end of the book took my breath away. Again, to reiterate what she said, no one deserves to be bullied. Please, if you are being bullied, tell someone. A friend, a parent, a teacher or a trusted adult. You are not alone and you do not deserve to be treated that way. No one does. If you witness bullying, do not stay silent. Tell a trusted adult what is going on or report it. You can make a difference!!

StopBullying.gov

How many stars will I give Far Turn: 4

Why: Relatable characters and great plotlines.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Older Teen

Why: Violence. This is a dark book that has some triggers in it: Bullying and suicide are the two main ones.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

To Bottle Lightening (North Oak: Book 4) by Ann Hunter

~ Jolie ~ 6 Comments

To Bottle Lightning (North Oak #4)

Title: To Bottle Lightning

Author: Ann Hunter

Publisher: Rebel House Ink

Date of publication: September 30th, 2016

Genre: Young Adult

Number of pages: 156

POV: 3rd person

Series: North Oak

Born to Run – Book 1 (review here)

Yearling – Book 2 (review here)

Morning Glory – Book 3 (review here)

To Bottle Lightning – Book 4

Where you can find To Bottle Lightning: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Alex is almost fifteen and convinced she’s ready to train for jockeyhood. Only one man stands in her way: North Oak’s gruff old trainer, Joe Hendricks.
Joe doesn’t think Alex can handle the demands of being a real rider– she’s reckless, doesn’t follow instructions, and not exactly humble.
Dejado Augustun, on the other hand, is already licensed to ride, does as he’s asked, and does it well.
He drives Alex nuts.
No way can this Dejado guy be a match for Promenade in the upcoming Breeders Cup Juvenile. It would be easier to hate him if he weren’t so darn nice. Worst of all for Alex, he likes her, and Promenade likes him.

Can Alex overcome her pride and realize she may not be the rider Promenade needs?

My review:

To Bottle Lightning answered a lot of questions that I had leading up to it. Questions that I posted at the end of my review for Morning Glory. Questions that I was happy to find out, were answered in To Bottle Lightning.

I was really happy to see that Alex had come a long way as a person in this series. She is still battling her demons, though, and I was waiting for someone to tell her to get help. Well, color me surprised when not only did Cade and Hilary bring it up but Carol did too. I wanted to cheer when I read that scene. For Hilary to bring it up to her actually meant something to me. It meant that Hilary cared.

What I also liked was that Alex was finally getting answers to her questions. She wanted to know why Cade and Hilary weren’t adopting her and they kept telling her to ask North. Well, North wasn’t answering that question and Hilary finally had enough. She brought Alex to North and told him to answer her questions and left. Which he did and surprised Alex. If you had read Born to Run, then you already knew the secret. But I’m not going to ruin the surprise. Read the books to find out. Oh and I thought his answer why things were left the way they were was bullsh*t. Pardon my French but it was.

I also liked that the author made Alex’s friendships realistic. Her friendship with Carol, which was wonderful, hit a bumpy patch when they started high school. Alex met another girl and Carol started spending time with Dejado…..the jockey that came in between Brooke and Alex’s friendship in Morning Glory. But what I liked, even more, was that Alex was questioning her sexuality and it was done in a way that didn’t take away from the book. She was attracted to her new friend and she also had feelings for Dejado. Even her new friend asked her if she liked girls and Alex couldn’t really answer that question. I loved it!!

Speaking of Dejado, I really liked him but felt he was put in an unfair position with Brooke. Brooke had a huge crush on him and he knew it but he liked Alex. He was very honest about it with Brooke but it did end up hurting her and damaging her relationship with Alex and Dejado. Meanwhile, Alex could care less about Dejado and let him know it. Why he kept on chasing after he is beyond me but I figured because he’s a teenage boy and that’s what they do. But with Alex’s new feelings towards him, I smell romance in the air. Or could the romance be with Carol, who is getting driving lessons from him?

As with Morning Glory, part of this book focuses on a different character. This time, it is Joe. His chapters went back from the time he met Dot, his wife, to when he was offered a job at North Oaks to when Dot was diagnosed and eventually passed away from cancer to when Rowan, Brooke’s mother, showed up pregnant, at his doorstep shortly after Dot’s funeral. What got me was how deeply he cared about everyone, including Alex. That was not something I was expecting when I read his chapters. It made me feel bad for him and I kind of wished that he would open up to Brooke about how he cared about her.

I did think that Alex training to be a jockey was a great move on North’s end. She was a natural rider and she had talent. Her only issue was that she was 15 and she wasn’t trained. So having Brooke, Alex’s frenemy, was a good choice. The two girls actually bonded, which I liked. They had so much going on in their friendship that it was tough to read their scenes. Then Joe took over and Alex started bonding with him too. It was weird to read that because Joe was so against Alex in the first few books.

The end of the book was a nail-biter, for sure but I loved it. I am so ready to read book 5, it isn’t even funny. I do have a couple of questions that I hope are answered in book 5:

Will Alex ever race? (the most important one)

Will she have to choose between Katie or Dejado?

Will Brooke ever get over Dejado?

How many stars will I give To Bottle Lightning: 4

Why: Another great installment in the North Oaks series. Great plot lines, great characters

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Young Adult

Why: Mild language.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Morning Glory (North Oak: Book 3) by Ann Hunter

~ Jolie ~ 4 Comments
Morning Glory (North Oak, #3)

Title: Morning Glory

Author: Ann Hunter

Publisher: Rebel House Ink

Date of publication: February 5th, 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Middle Grade

Number of pages: 184

POV: 3rd person

Series: North Oak

Born to Run – Book 1 (review here)

Yearling – Book 2 (review here)

Morning Glory – Book 3

To Bottle Lightning – Book 4

Where you can find Morning Glory: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Sequel to Born to Run and Yearling

Can Alex & Brooke help Morning Glory overcome her racing slump?

When a terrible accident shakes the Showmans, Alex finds herself questioning her place in the family. Feeling like a second class citizen, she turns once again to find her solace in horse racing.
With a new filly to manage with Brooke, and Venus Galaxies’s first foal on the way, the girls must rely on each other to make things work out.
But will a handsome, foreign newcomer split them apart once again?

Find out in MORNING GLORY

To learn more about Morning Glory, check out this cool video by former jockey, Frankie Lavato:

My review:

Morning Glory picks up shortly after the events of Yearling. What I liked is that instead of focusing solely on Alex, the book shifts focus to Brooke and examines her relationship with Alex (which had been touched upon in the first two books), Laura and her grandfather, Joe….who is the head trainer at North Oaks. I thought that it was great that Brooke’s story got to be told in tandem with Alex’s because they shared so many similarities. The only thing is that Brooke was raised with love and Alex, well, if you read Born to Run, you know what happened to her.

Alex was still the wise guy as in the first 3 books but she was settling in with Cade, Hilary, and Laura. She was part of a family, something that she never had before and she was coming out of her shell. She even had a best friend (and I will get into more of her relationship with Carol a little later). Then there was a horrible accident involving Laura, and Alex was there (she didn’t cause it). Even though she saved Laura’s life, she was still shunted off to the side while Cade and Hilary dealt with every parent’s worse nightmare. I felt awful for her during those scenes because she went from being included and loved to being ignored by the person she needed the most.

Speaking of that, I really wanted to smack Hilary upside the head. What the heck was she thinking and it was almost like she blamed Alex for the accident. No words of thank for Alex, who dragged Laura out of a burning car. Just a cold shoulder and she freaked out on Alex two separate times, almost injuring Alex once when she pulled Alex from Prom. I seriously got mad and Cade explanation didn’t cut it. It took Alex taking a personal item and giving it back to Hilary while freaking out on her to wake Hilary up.

Alex’s friendship with Carol was a beautiful thing to read. Carol loved her unconditionally and wasn’t afraid to tell Alex that she needed to face her demons before they got worse and consumed her. I just couldn’t get a grip on how Alex felt about Carol. I didn’t know if it was romantic love or friendship love. There were a few scenes where it seemed like romantic love (because of the way they were written) but then it would morph into a more friendship like love. Not that it had any bearing on the story but it was definitely something that I was wondering about as I read it. And for the record, even if Alex turned out to like girls, I would let my 11-year-old read the book. As I tell her, “Who a person loves doesn’t define them. Their actions do, so never a judge a person by who they love“

Alex’s PTSD and her survivor’s guilt came across very strong in this book also. My heart bled for her when Carol found her in her room on the 4th of July, hiding from the fireworks. I could not understand why she wasn’t put into therapy after the first book. She was dealing with everything by herself, well with Carol’s help, and I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. But again, it goes back to the theme I talked about it Yearling, about her issues not magically going away and to be honest, it was refreshing to read a book where everything was out in the open and the character was struggling to come to terms with her traumatic events (and yes, I phrased something very similar in Yearling‘s review).

I like I said above, I liked that Brooke got some love in this book and I liked how similar she was to Alex, in ways. She was independent and was able to make adult decisions at the age of 16. She also took care of her grandfather, Joe and made sure that his drinking didn’t get out of control. She was also a great trainer in training (mouthful much). But she was a teenager and made decisions that are well, teenager like. Like taking her earnings and buying a racehorse who was a dud. While I thought Joe was a jerk, because of how he treated Alex but there is a back story there, I thought he was right in telling Brooke that she needed to find another place to board Morning Glory. I also thought that North was right to do what he did towards the end of the book.

The end of the book was pretty standard and like Yearling, it did leave the book open for book 4. There are a few questions that I want to be answered that will, hopefully, be answered in book 4. Like, will Alex ever find out who North is to her? Will Joe ever accept Alex? Will Dejado make an appearance in book 4 and will he ever be more to Brooke? So many questions!!!

How many stars will I give Morning Glory: 4

Why: Complex characters and an engaging storyline kept me reading until late into the night.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Early teen

Why: Mild language

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Yearling (North Oak: Book 2) by Ann Hunter

~ Jolie ~ 6 Comments

Yearling (North Oak #2)

Title: Yearling

Author: Ann Hunter

Publisher: Rebel House Ink

Date of publication: October 1st, 2015

Genre: Young Adult, Middle Grade

POV: 3rd person

Series: North Oak

Born to Run – Book 1 (review here)

Yearling – Book 2

Morning Glory – Book 3

To Bottle Lightning – Book 4

Where you can find Yearling: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A new year has come to North Oak and with it a new life for Alexandra Anderson. Will she be able to open her heart to others when it’s still battling demons from her past? Or will she go so deep into herself where no one can touch her, and risk losing Promenade in the Keeneland Yearling Sale?

Don’t miss this sequel to North Oak #1: Born to Run!

On the heels of Joanna Campbell’s beloved Thoroughbred Series, and Walter Farley’s Black Stallion comes a brand new young adult horse racing series that will sweep you away like a runaway Thoroughbred.

EXCERPT:
“I should be happy,” Alex sighed. “These folks, they’re really nice. For the first time in my life, I’m wanted. Well, they say that they want me. I almost feel needed sometimes. I don’t have to steal food anymore, or run away from what I’ve done, I’ve even got a warm bed. But the fact is… when I think of Ashley, I just want her back and nothing else. I want a life she exists in. And wanting that… it spoils what I have. I feel so ungrateful when I think of the life we could have made if we ran away from Haven together like we planned. I feel ungrateful because I would rather have a life on the streets with Ashley than a warm bed and you. I mean who in their right mind wants something like that? There’s something wrong with me.”

My review:

I am always on the hunt for a good middle-grade book for my 9 and 11-year-olds. Mainly my 11-year-old, who is an insatiable reader. So when Ann approached me to review Yearling, I gladly accepted. I am glad I did because this book was fantastic. There was no sophomore slump and honestly, that along with the vivid characters and background is what sold me on the book. Also, what sold me, was that it is a great book for anyone 11 and older (and the main reason I read it).

Alex, I wanted to reach through the book and give her a hug and tell her “It will be alright”. I am glad that the author made her as flawed as she did because it made her more relatable. I also liked that the author showed that traumatic events and losses (if you want to know what…read Born to Run) aren’t magically healed in between books. But, the author also showed how animals, in this case, a yearling named Promenade, can help a person with their healing….along with a support system and people who love unconditionally.

Now, saying what I said above, Alex was a very funny, sarcastic tween. Looking at my tween, I can say that the author is dead on with the mannerisms and attitude that Alex had. Gave me some really good laughs when I was reading. The biggest laugh was when Alex started her monthly and thought she was dying. I was outside and started laughing my butt off. Then when Hilary finds out and finds out that Alex doesn’t know anything about puberty or even had “The Talk“, she goes into Mom mode big time. Which included having Alex watch “A League of Their Own“(which personally is one of my favorite movies) and that becomes a running joke through the rest of the series. Also, Alex’s sex ed lesson was very interesting as was her reaction….lol.

The friendship storyline was fantastic and I like how the author took the time for Alex and Carol to build up their friendship. It went from Alex keeping her at arm’s length to embracing her as a friend and she was willing to do anything to protect her. Which meant standing up to Carol’s bully.

Now, I will be the first one to admit, I know nothing about Thoroughbred racing, racing farms or horses so I loved that the author explained everything in the book in ways that were understandable and interesting. From the stud services (see, I know that much…haha) to foaling to training the yearlings to training the racehorses, everything was explained in a way that never made you go “Eh”. Instead, it makes you go “Oh, well that makes sense”.

The end of the book really didn’t feel like an ending. While certain storylines were wrapped up, new ones were revealed and there are old ones that weren’t wrapped up. There was definitely an opening for book 3 (Morning Glory) and I will be posting my review of that soon!!

How many stars will I give Yearling: 4

Why: A wonderfully written middle grade book that actually brings to mind The Black Stallion series. I loved the plotlines, the characters…everything about the book.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Young Teen

Why: Mild cursing, no sex or violence

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Born to Run (North Oak: Book 1) by Ann Hunter

~ Jolie ~ 8 Comments
Born to Run (North Oak Book 1) by [Hunter, Ann]

Publisher: Rebel House Ink

Date of publication: March 1st, 2015

Genre: Horses, Young Adult, LGBT, Coming of Age

Series: North Oak

Born to Run—Book 1

Yearling—Book 2 (review here)

Morning Glory—Book 3 (review here)

To Bottle Lightning—Book 4 (review here)

Far Turn—Book 5 (review here)

Dark Horse—Book 6

Against the Odds—Book 7

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Experience the glamorous, fast-paced world of horse racing in the young adult series North Oak.

Running away from the scene of a murder is not how Alexandra pictured spending her thirteenth birthday.

Then again, she wasn’t expecting to be swept into a world of high stakes racing and multi-million dollar horse flesh a few days later either.

Alexandra Anderson is on the run from the law. When the thirteen-year-old orphan can run no further, she collapses at the gates of the prestigious racing and breeding farm, North Oak. Horse racing strikes a deep chord in her. She hears a higher calling in the jingle jangle of bit and stirrup and in the thunder of hooves in the turn for home. It tells her she has a place in the world. But when the racing headlines find her on the front of every sports page, she realizes North Oak is no longer a safe haven… or is it?

This is a fantastic book for tween/teen readers, even younger!! When I was reading it, I immediately flashed back to The Black Stallion series (one of my all-time favorite horse books!!!).

Alex’s story isn’t an easy one to read. She had been abandoned in the foster care system. Which treated her badly. She ended up doing something that could change her life. I wanted to cry when it was revealed how she had been treated where she was.

There are some twists in the book, but the major plot twist was the one that came at the end. Not going to reveal it.

If you enjoyed reading Born to Run, you will enjoy reading these books: