Welcome To Jenuine Cupcakes
This stop on the Things I Can't Forget Blog Tour!
*hands you a cupcake*
and
*scrapes all my green beans onto Matt's tray*
Author: Miranda Kenneally
By: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication: March 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7190-8/Ages 13+
Some Rules Were Meant To Be Broken.
Kate
Kelly has always been labeled the good girl. Too good, according to
some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she
carries. Kate turned her back on everything she’s been taught to help
her best friend Emily, who accidentally got pregnant. And the guilt over
her decision is weighing on her. This summer, she’s a counselor at
Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her.
Unexpectedly, she runs into Matt – 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. He’s inspiring feelings in her
that make her question everything she’s been taught about the world –
and help her understand what Emily experienced. Kate used to think the
world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn’t that
easy.
BUY
*FM Radio's "Be My Only" reminds me of Kate and Matt.
My Thoughts:
I have enjoyed all of Miranda Kenneally's books thus far but this one, THIS ONE, with THIS BOOK BOY sent me spiraling into the land of "I LOVE THIS AUTHOR AND I WILL READ ANYTHING SHE WRITES!"
What I loved: Matt Brown. OK, I'll come back to him in a minute. Miranda Kenneally is a master at covering the hot button issues with grace, honesty and compassion. She has the ability to make the reader see both sides of a situation and creates characters and stories that are realistic and completely relateable. Regardless of whether or not you agree with the choices being made, you're still able to empathize with what these characters are going through.
Life isn't black and white and a person's faith and beliefs are just that, personal, but there comes a point in life when you have to decide what you believe and why. You have to own it. Or not. Kate struggles with a lifetime of expectations and it isn't until she finds herself reeling with guilt over helping her friend that she truly begins to understand this. While spending the summer at church camp, Kate comes face to face with people and situations that go against everything she's ever been taught is "right". She finds herself challenged in ways she never imagined and she'll have to decide for herself what's most important, rules or relationships which is easier said than done especially when she runs into Matt again.
Fans of Miranda Kenneally's know that she writes AMAZEBALL BOOK BOYS! I mean, I loved Sam Henry in Catching Jordan and Will Whitfield in Stealing Parker but Matt Brown is truly one of the Things I Can't Forget! Matt is the kind of boy you want your daughter to bring home and your son to be. He's smart, funny, artistic, and definitely not riding the ugly train especially with those biceps. *fans face* Matt is also grounded in his beliefs and he helps Kate see that nobody is perfect, he teaches her how to forgive and how to see good in others.
Matt also shows Kate how to love. *swoons* These two could be open and honest with each other about every aspect of their relationship which is not always easy to do and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it grow.
What left me wanting: Not.enough.Matt.Brown. In fact, I could read an ENTIRE book dedicated to Matt and his love for music, literature, green beans and of course, his biceps. *hint hint Miranda* ;)
Final verdict: Things I Can't Forget is a beautifully written story about faith, love and becoming the person you were meant to be. READ.IT!
Top Ten Places Sam Henry and Jordan Woods from CATCHING JORDAN have been caught kissing.
1. Waiting in the security line at the airport. TSA was not amused.
2. Study hall. When the teacher confronted them, Henry said, “But we’re studying!” The teacher replied, “What exactly are you studying?” And Henry said, “Anatomy.”
3. The
“Kiss-Cam” at a Nashville Predators game. Henry and Jordan didn’t even
notice, because they were kissing even before the cameras were trained
on them.
4. On
top of the Franklin city water tower. Yes, the police were called. But
no charges were pressed, so all was okay. Don’t try this one at home!
5. The
paint sample aisle at Home Depot. They were there to buy mulch for
Jordan’s mom, so how they ended up in the paint sample aisle isn’t
clear. You are free to try this one “at home.”
6. In
the garage in the bed of her father’s truck. Her father subsequently
dragged Henry out of the garage by the collar of his shirt.
7. At
the automatic carwash following an afternoon of “mudding.” The carwash
manager gave them a lecture stating, “This is a family establishment!”
8. Inside a tent in the camping section at Wal-Mart. They claimed they were “testing out the sleeping bags.”
9. In
Jordan’s grandfather’s favorite La-Z-Boy recliner. Her grandfather
subsequently dragged Henry out of the house by the collar of his shirt.
Not because he kissed Jordan, but because he dared to sit in Gramps’
recliner.
10. At
the movies. What’s sad is that they didn’t even make it into the
theater. They started kissing out in the lobby and missed nearly all of
Pitch Perfect.
About the Author:
Miranda Kenneally writes and works for the State Department in Washington, D.C., where George W. Bush once used her shoulder as an armrest. She is also the co-creator of the website DearTeenMe.com.
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