I recently downloaded The Equine Spirit for free on Amazon as the subject matter appealed to me. I love fiction horse books, but I also really enjoy those that can teach me something! So as an Australian, I found that I learned a lot about America’s history through the horse in The Equine Spirit.

This book is a great collection of articles, short stories, poems and songs. All are in tribute in one way or another to the equine species. It could be for the working horse, a mule or donkey (burro), depending on the historical event being discussed and the location of said event.

I was amazed to learn about the Erie Canal where boats were towed down a canal by mules! What a unique way to make things work.

Of course the rebuilding of cities, breaking through new frontiers or fighting in wars were all made that much more possible with the aid of equine partners. Alongside each short chapter, there are many photos and paintings to further illustrate the works that equines have played in America’s history.

The Equine Spirit

This book is a great introduction to the research work that author C S Purdy has done. At the end, readers are encouraged to find out more through another book by the same author – The Equine Legacy. I would be interested to read this, having learned a little about events I am mainly ignorant to. Do you know about:

• the Erie Canal
• the Pony Express
• Horse Latitudes?

The equine species has indeed played an incredible part in history. This book touches on some of the many things that were possible with the help of our equine friends. A great tribute to horses, mules and donkeys. The Equine Spirit is an interesting read.

Author – C S Purdy
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14320702.C_S_Purdy
Non-Fiction – historical
In my library – on Kindle it is!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.

I recently gained a free electronic copy of this book via Instafreebie. This is a cool tool where authors upload their books – or a preview of their book – for people to download for free. First you need to enter an email address and subscribe to said author’s mailing list. Then your book is delivered via email. Unicorn Magic appealed to me from the cover and then reading the blurb so I signed up to receive a free copy!

Unicorn Magic is book 1 in the Celtic Fey series. It is a short story focused on Corinne MacArthur. Corinne is a Scottish teenager who is struggling to get over the loss of a loved one. To distract herself from everyday life, she gets caught up in a new computer game known as Feyland.

The game quickly becomes addictive to Corinne and she is more interested in the ‘reality’ of this mythical world than her own. As her everyday life brings the game into her dreams and even seems to interrupt her walks outside, she questions if the game is only available to her through a computer.

The dangers of the world definitely appear real when she is being chased by hounds whilst astride a unicorn. As Corinne battles the loss of her beloved equine, she finds herself drawn to the mythical horse in the game. But is this desire to consistently live in a simulated world a healthy one?

Unicorn Magic by Roz Marshall

Unicorn Magic is a great introduction to this series. The story is well and truly a short story – a quick and enjoyable read. Being so short, I felt it was lacking a little in explanations. The descriptions of the environment Corinne was in were great – lots of detail. But some things weren’t explained. I am curious to know what happened to her horse and why she feels that the people she rode with wouldn’t want to have anything to do with her. Did she cause an accident that resulted in the death of her horse? Perhaps this is explained in the follow on book, I hope so!

Author – Roz Marshall
https://rozmarshall.co.uk/
Fiction – fantasy
In my library – as an eBook, yes!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.