McKenna's Path

A tale of survival against all odds, this book definitely kept you captivated. I was rooting for Suzie the entire time, and was praying that she’d be found. 

This book follows Suzie, a young teenager who has grown up riding horses through the Tetons. After one last leer from her mom’s perverted boyfriend, she decides to ride cross country to her dad’s house. After a fall from her horse, she is left alone in the wilderness, with search parties days away, leaving her with only her wits.

I think the switching of perspectives worked great in this book. In most survival books, we only get the perspective of the survivor. In this one, we got to read about her parent’s search, which added a whole new element of urgency. I honestly preferred their chapters, because I loved watching them work through all of their problems. 

The cover of this definitely doesn’t prepare you for what’s to come, I was expecting a light story, with a bit of romance. Instead, I got something that kept you guessing. I really loved how this didn’t focus on romance though, it would’ve detracted from the story. Suzie’s parents reconciling was one of the best written elements of this, and I was really rooting for them. 

I could really picture this book in my head. It helped that I was driving through area similar to where it was set, so I could just see people riding horses across the land. Although I normally avoid survival stories, I really enjoyed this book. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Kasey Riley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

Terrified that her mother’s fiancé will follow through on his perverted threats and with no help from her enamored mother, Suzie and her beloved mustang Gypsy trek through the mountains towards the safety of her father’s ranch. We see Suzie’s travels, her parents’ reconnecting and beginning to mend the hurt from their divorce, and get a glimpse into the wilderness of the Tetons.  

As a whole, this was a quick read that involved plenty of character growth and tied up all the loose ends in a satisfying way.  I won’t say this is a light read, as the author does not hide the reality of Suzie’s home situation, but it shows some very real emotions and takes you on an adventure through the twists and turns of the mountains and of life.

However, I did not feel that I could give this book five stars.  There were a few ‘pet peeves’ of mine; the pacing felt a bit rushed in spots and slow in others, and the dialogue did not flow as well as I think it could have.  I also felt that there were some questionable views towards women that were expressed by the male characters.  These observations detracted from the story for me; it does not make sense that a police officer should be driven away from helping someone because he is uncomfortable around tears, and a father whose child just went through a harrowing experience might feel a little more empathy for her tears.  

That being said, there were plenty of good moments. We see Suzie's parents reminisce over heartwarming family memories, and relationships grow stronger through the course of the novel. What starts out as a desperate flight for safety resolves in something no one could have imagined.


Thanks to NetGalley for the free copy to review!

Wonderful Teton Mountains Horse Adventure
This is a wonderful adventure story. It was written for a teen audience, but this Grandma. The description of trail riding in the mountains is spot-on.  From packing the animals to feeding them and helping them on dangerous terrain, the author definitely speaks from experience. The backstory about the family is also very realistic. The way many loose ends are tied up at the end was the icing on the cake. The author leaves just enough unsaid to give the reader something to ponder for quite a while. I will be looking for more of this author's books to read as well as giving them as gifts to my teenage grandchildren. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

This was a good story of a teens journey on her mustang horse Gypsy,  after confronting her mom about her boy friend coming on to her and isn't believed. 
She plans to ride her horse through the Bridger-Tetons National Forest from her moms place in Victor Idaho, to her Dads place in Dubois, Wyoming .
When tragedy strike and her horse Gypsy is found riderless and injured by a group of riders, the search for the rider begins and Suzie's father and mother come together as well to find her.
A good story of a parents journey to rediscover what had gone wrong with their marriage, as they ride into the mountains to find their daughter. 
It is also an eye opening journey for Suzie, injured and without her horse having to brave the elements of the wilderness.
This books really keeps you reading to see what happens in the story. Well written and full of knowledge about how to survive in the wilderness, and about horses.
I would like to thank BooksGoSocial and Netgalley for a copy of this book.

What a wonderful book! It hooks you on the first page and doesn't let go. This is a book for all ages that loves horses and a good adventure story. This book is a winner!!  Thank you BooksGoSocial via NetGalley for the complimentary  copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.