"The Last Ride" by Susan K. Marlow

About this book:

  “Andi's newest adventure may be more than she can handle--even with her family's help
  Andrea Carter is turning sweet 16 and life could not be better. She's about to finish school, her sister Melinda is getting married, and her older brother Justin has a new baby to spoil. There will be plenty of time to work with the colt of her treasured palomino horse, Taffy, and best of all, Andi will finally get to work full-time for the ranch she loves.
  There's just one problem: a city-slicker cousin named Daniel. Left there by his father, with a cryptic warning that New York City life has done damage to the young man's character, Daniel wants nothing to do with the ranch. He ignores Andi's lessons, walks away from responsibility, wrecks valuable equipment, and even runs away to San Francisco.
  The Carter family is in a frenzy trying to keep Daniel under control. When Andi discovers a horrifying secret about him, he forces her to stay silent. But all that changes when Daniel's actions put lives in danger. Andi's anger over her loss threatens to destroy not only Andi but her entire Circle C world. Can anyone break through the wall around Andi's bitter heart and help her find healing?”


Series: Book #3 in the “Circle C Milestones” series. (Review of Book #1 Here! and Book #2 Here!) {This series is a continuation of this author’s other series “Circle C Beginnings” (for ages 6-8) and the original, “Circle C Adventures” (for ages 8-14). {More about this new series: “Picking up the story line of Andrea Carter and the Price of Truth, Thick as Thieves sees Andi growing up just in time for her loyal readers to grow alongside her. The Circle C Milestones series will follow Andi from age 14 to 17, as she begins to tackle the more serious issues facing an older audience and--eventually--discovers love.”} }

Spiritual Content- Colossians 3:13 at the beginning; Prayers; Scriptures are quoted and mentioned; Church going; Thanking God; Talks about God & forgiving; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; At one point, Andi stops talking to God (she gets over her anger); Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers; Mentions of sins; A few mentions of those in the Bible; A few mentions of Church & sermons; A couple mentions of miracles;

*Note: A couple mentions of Pandora’s box & Greek mythology.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘biddy’, a ‘dumb’, a ‘shut up’, two ‘doggone’s, and two ‘stupid’s; Two curses are said not written; Daniel disrespects & talks back to his elders; Eye rolling; Blood, Pain, being slapped & mentions of it all (up to semi-detailed); A horse is injured & later put down (up to semi-detailed); A story of another horse that had to be put down (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of gambling, saloons, drinking & whiskey; Mentions of fights; Mentions of stealing & thieves; Mentions of jail; Mentions of threats, pranks, bullies & fires; A couple mentions of a boy who tried to drown a cat (he was stopped); A couple mentions of murders.

Sexual Content- a hand kiss; A couple mentions of kissing; A couple mentions of past boys trying to steal kisses from Andi; Mentions of blushes & complements; Daniel is a flirt; A bit of Noticing & Attraction.

-Andrea “Andi” Carter, age 15-16
                                        P.O.V. of Andi

                                              Set in 1884
                                                        175 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

{Warning for sensitive horse/animal lovers.}

Oh goodness! Poor Andi! Not only did she have to deal with The Jerk in the last book—in this one she’s got a stuck-up, threat-making cousin and argh! If I had read the previous series about Andi, I’m sure I would be more excited about Riley (though, I’m still excited about him. I like him for Andi.) and sobbing at the sad parts. Still, I did tear up quite a few times reading “The Last Ride”. Which I just realized the title….! Oh goodness. I should have known this book would be sad. Please, oh please, don’t let Book #4 be sad. Or have a cad in it.

See y’all on Monday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Kregel Publications) for this honest review.

"Heartbreak Trail" by Susan K. Marlow

About this book:

  “Andrea Carter can ride, rope, and cut out cattle with the best of her brothers’ ranch hands. Yet, her mother has always held the family’s youngest daughter back from fully participating in ranch activities.
  With the approach of her fifteenth birthday, even the ranch boss, big brother Chad, can’t deny that his baby sister is better at ranch skills than some of his cowhands. When Andi announces that her quinceañera birthday wish is to join the upcoming cattle drive, her family is stunned. But after further discussion and multiple newspaper clippings about spirited women who balked at society’s expectations, even Mother agrees that the only way to get this cattle-drive notion out of Andi’s head is by letting her and her cousin Levi go along as Cook’s helpers. Andi is elated. What can go wrong on a two-week drive to Los Angeles?
  Andi quickly discovers that a cattle drive is a dirty, dangerous business with little sleep and the same food day after day. Between late nights, dust, mosquitos, and an abrasive cowhand trying to win Andi’s attention, it is definitely not a holiday. Andi grimly determines she will stick it out. When a river crossing goes wrong and Chad is shot in a gunfight with suspicious men who have been shadowing the herd, Mitch the trail boss finds himself dangerously shorthanded. Andi and Levi can no longer just give Cook a hand. It’s time to pitch in and help Mitch get their cattle to market―any way they can.”


Series: Book #2 in the “Circle C Milestones” series. (Review of Book #1 Here!) {This series is a continuation of this author’s other series “Circle C Beginnings” (for ages 6-8) and the original, “Circle C Adventures” (for ages 8-14). {More about this new series: “Picking up the story line of Andrea Carter and the Price of Truth, Thick as Thieves sees Andi growing up just in time for her loyal readers to grow alongside her. The Circle C Milestones series will follow Andi from age 14 to 17, as she begins to tackle the more serious issues facing an older audience and--eventually--discovers love.”} }

Spiritual Content- Philippians 4:13 at the beginning; Many Prayers; A Scripture is remembered; an ‘H’ is capital when referring to God; Mentions of God; A mention of a plague from the Bible; A mention of church; A mention of Heaven.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dadblasted’, a ‘shut up’, a ‘sucker’, a ‘what in blazes’, a ‘what in tarnation’, two ‘doggone’s, and two ‘dumb’s; A couple curses are said not written; Almost drowning (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of deaths, blood, gunshots, injuries & wounds (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of threats of pain; Mentions of fighting & hitting (up to semi-detailed); A few mentions of eating cows & camels; A mention of saloons; A mention of throwing up.

Sexual Content- a blown kiss, an attempted kiss & a forced kiss; Being touched (barely-above-not-detailed, mostly the waist); A flirt makes Andi’s insides feel whirly; A jerk says he’s a good kisser; A couple mentions of a kiss; Mentions of beaus, good-looking cowboys & pretty girls; Mentions of protective & loyal cowhands over the Carter women.

-Andrea “Andi” Carter, age 14
                                                P.O.V. of Andi

                                                    Set in 1883
                                                        168 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

I found this one to be good, but I didn’t really enjoy it due to The Jerk. (Yes, capital ‘T’ and ‘J’.) I was ranting about him out loud while I read. On the positive side, there were quite a few prayers, which was nice. I hope to see Andi growing in her faith as the series continues. :)

See y’all on Monday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.