Ace the Black Stallion by Ann Feifel

I was recently approached by Ann Feifel about reading and reviewing her first novel: Ace the Black Stallion. This story explores the lives of the Beemer family, namely young adult Julia Beemer.

Julia grows up on a farm with parents that love and raise horses. Julia learns much from her riding and instructing mother. She also inherits her way of reading and working with horses. As Julia comes to grips with the loss of a family member, she pours her energy into the horses and spending as much time with them as she can.

In time she is able to raise and handle a beautiful black colt. The unusual white marking on his forehead in the shape of an ace of spades helps her to name him Ace. And so starts Julia’s journey with the beautiful black colt.

Ace the Black Stallion is a very informative read. Whether you’re horsey or not, the events that happen from Ace’s birth, through to his weaning and later starting under saddle are explained well by the author. This is well compared also, to the ranching neighbour who is heavy handed with horses.

As Ace grows older, Julia’s life moves on from school years to gaining employment. Throughout the years, horses are a constant although Ace vanishes without a trace, leaving the teenager devastated. In time though, Julia finds herself with a consolation prize. And so her horse training journey begins again. Ace the Black Stallion is a read that spans many years. A small mystery arises in this novel, though it doesn’t occur until more than halfway through the story. From here, things build nicely and the story has an enjoyable ending.

Author: Ann Feifel
Fiction – young adult
In My Library? As an eBook.