Recently I downloaded Whirlaway by Mara Dabrishus for free on her website.  I’ve just discovered that it is also free on kindle!

Whirlaway is a short story that introduces the characters that are found in the horse racing novel Stay the Distance.  Two girls raised by their father whilst their mother is chasing the dream of becoming a top jockey make up the main characters of Whirlaway and Stay the Distance.

Mara Dabrishus obviously has a passion for horses and knows the racing industry.  Her main character, July Carter is hurt by her mother’s abandonment.  She can’t understand how horses could be put before family – as much as she loves them herself.

July finds things make sense whilst she’s on the back of a horse.  Her life is a mess otherwise.  She cannot come to terms with a mother who has all but abandoned her.  Whirlaway is a short story that introduces this idea to the reader.  It is a great prequel to the racing story Stay the Distance.

Better yet, Whirlaway is free to download.  If you’re interested in checking out Mara’s writing, why not consider downloading this short story for free?

Author: Mara Dabrishus
http://www.maradabrishus.com/
Fiction – teen or adult
In My Library? As an ebook copy, that it is!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon (free).

“A horse is the projection of peoples’ dreams about themselves – strong, powerful, beautiful – and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence.” – Pam Brown

Ricky Barker is a nineteen-year-old Irishman with an incredible dream.  His passion for breeding thoroughbreds has lead to his dream to one day own a stud farm and breed prize racehorses.  In the meantime, he works as a stud hand for politician and wealthy man Sam McArdy.

An unexpected discovery of his boss’ relationship to a well known woman leaves Ricky unsure about how to treat this information. Good at being discreet, he chooses to hold onto this information. Once Sam McArdy discovers Ricky knows, he is eager to do something good for the young man to encourage his silence.

A chance purchase of a filly finds Ricky suddenly the owner of a foundational broodmare for his dream. As the filly’s worth increases, the previous owner is desperate to reclaim her. This starts an ongoing saga for Ricky who only wants to keep what is rightfully his.

Green Lodge weaves an obvious knowledge of the thoroughbred breeding industry in the United Kingdom, romance and the lengths people can go to, to get what they want. The story is definitely a read for adults as it contains sexual content.

Although an entertaining story, Paddy Cummins’ novella starts out with a sex scene and has other moments that are too graphic for my liking. Add to this, consistent changes of tense and I found the story a little difficult to read. Green Lodge covers one of my favourite topics in the form of thoroughbred breeding, but this novella would rate higher for me if it was better proof read and had less sex in it.

Author: Paddy Cummins
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6455076.Paddy_Cummins
Fiction – adult
In My Library? As a free download it is.
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.

“A racehorse is an animal that can take several thousand people for a ride at the same time.” – Author unknown

A part of the Treasured Horses Collection, Pride of the Green Mountains by Carin Greenberg Baker focuses on 10 year old Rosalie and her beloved Morgan horse.  Rosalie is missing her father terribly.  He is off fighting in the US Civil War.  Rosalie, alongside her mother, younger brother and sister are left to tend the farm they earn their living on.

Prices rise and their cattle herd has dwindled in numbers due to ill health.  This has resulted in a decline in the family’s income, which was earned from the herd’s milk production.  Rosalie finds her days brightened only by Major, her family’s 10 year old Morgan horse.

Mortgage payments soon fall due and Rosalie’s mother sees no way to meet them.  The 10 year old is devastated to learn they may have to sell Major to be able to cover costs.

Pride of the Green Mountains is an educational read about the versatility of the Morgan horse breed.  It is also a great children’s tale of a young girl’s desire to keep her beloved friend and turn the family’s financial situation around.  This book is a delightful read with beautiful illustrations.

Author: Carin Greenberg Baker
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/99187.Carin_Greenberg_Baker
Fiction – children
In My Library? It is indeed!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.

“The wagon rests in winter, the sleigh in summer, the horse never.” – Yiddish Proverb

A part of the Treasured Horses Collection, Spirit of the West tells the story of 10 year old Wind Dancer (Jessie). Jessie is an Indian and has been raised in a tipi with her tribe.  She has grown to love and work with the Appaloosa breed.

Things change greatly when her father is offered a job on a large ranch to work with the horses there.  Jessie is excited but apprehensive about the move. As she settles into life on the ranch, she realises how different her Indian roots are from the ‘civilised’ white people she is surrounded by.

Eager to fit in, the young girl finds it easier to ignore her roots and try to live like the others – wearing boots instead of moccasins, sleeping under a roof and between four walls rather than on the floor. Jessie’s riding skill came on account of the roots she is trying to hide.  Yet it may just be the thing that gains her acknowledgement with her classmates.

She is only able to do this however if she goes against her father’s wishes. Spirit of the West is the tale of one girl’s pride and determination to fit in, in spite of how she’s been raised. The story has a great moral, beautiful illustrations and ends nicely. Spirit of the West is also an interesting historical read that teaches young readers about the Appaloosa breed and doing what is right.

Author: Jahnna M. Malcolm
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6039.Jahnna_N_Malcolm
Fiction – children
In My Library? It is indeed!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.

“To see the wind’s power, the rain’s cleansing and the sun’s radiant life, one need only to look at the horse.” – Author Unknown