The first in the Secret Refuge series, this book leaves you wanting to know more!  Another great read by Lauraine Snelling, Daughter of Twin Oaks follows the lives of eighteen year old Jesselynn Highwood and her two younger sisters who are battling to enjoy life in the midst of the civil war.

Jesselynn’s brothers and father went off to war, and upon her father’s return, his dying wish is that his daughter should take their thoroughbreds – their livelihood – from Kentucky to Missouri to protect them from soldiers in need of horses.  Fighting against a desire to stay at home and oversee the tobacco plantation, Jesselynn realises she must act fast as someone lets soldiers know that they have horses on the farm.

Jesselynn battles the loss of comfort, raising her two year old brother, the loss of both parents and another brother whilst another is not known to be dead or alive.  As she carries these heavy burdens, she has to take on a new identity to ensure the safety of herself and the emancipated black people who travel with her.

Having sent her two younger sisters off to live safely with their Aunt, Jesselynn is desperate for news of their daily lives, wondering if she will survive with her own life.

The story is well written and interesting and finishes with many questions unanswered – a great way to gain your interest in the second book!  I’m dying to know what will happen with the horses, where Jesselynn will go and what has happened to her sister Louisa’s soldier – a great read!

Author: Lauraine Snelling
http://www.laurainesnelling.com/
Fiction – historical
In My Library? As an ebook I was able to download it for free from Amazon – well worth it!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.

“I pray that gentle hands may guide my feet; I ask for kind commands from voices sweet; At night a stable warm with scented hay, where, safe from every harm, I’ll sleep till day.” – Pony’s prayer – Author unknown

This story I’ve had for awhile sitting in my kindle collection, and am surprised by its topic that I haven’t read it earlier! This non fictional work by Lynn Baber has my two favourite things as the focal point: God and horses.

Lynn uses examples from her daily dealings with and training of horses to describe how our relationship with Christ should be.  The book is about ‘pursuing relationship with God, horses and one another.’

Baber uses examples of her training horses – in particular her two greys Bo and Swizzle – to show how our relationship with Christ should be. Each analogy cleverly depicts how we should be trusting in and following Christ’s guidance in our lives.

This story starts out a little too political for my liking, but once I got past this, I really enjoyed the lessons explored in each chapter. Baber writes in a style that is easy to follow and each training lesson is aptly summed up in a lesson about our relationship with and to God. An interesting and enlightening read.

Author – Lynn Baber
http://www.lynnbaber.com/
Non fiction
In my library?  As a kindle version, yes!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.

“Horse person’s glossary – pinto: green coat pattern found on a freshly washed gray horse left unattended in the stall for 10 minutes.” – Author unknown

Breed of Giants by Joyce Stranger is a tale of hard working farmers and their life in a small country town.  Josh Johnson breeds Shire horses on his farm, eager to keep alive a breed that is no longer being solely utilised for farm work.

Josh and his wife Peg struggle to keep things afloat financially and an attack on one of Josh’s great stallions dashes his dreams of promoting the breed further whilst also earning a nice income.  The tale takes an amusing turn as Josh promises vengeance on a badger that he is convinced attacked his horse.

A local show that brings all of the inhabitants – animal and human alike – together seems to be a great way to raise spirits.  However, it was also the perfect opportunity to spread foot and mouth disease, as one farm is found with affected stock and all others are placed on a time watch, to see if their stock show the tell tale signs.

The story highlights the hard times that farmers face and the issue of aging men who lose their homes and dread the thought of entering a home and losing their much loved pets on top of this.  It has a melancholy twist to it that thankfully picks up at the end.  An interesting read that is enlightening though at times a bit slow paced and sad.

Author – Joyce Stranger
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2550.Joyce_Stranger
Fiction
In my library? – It is.  It’s nice to find another fictional piece aimed at adult readers.
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.

“The old mare watched the tractor work. A thing of rubber and steel, ready to follow the slightest wish of the man who held the wheel. She said to herself as it passed by, you gave me an awful jolt. But there’s still one thing you cannot do, you cannot raise a colt.” – Author unknown