Shay James is a fourteen year old girl who has been bumped through different foster homes, finding that the main constants in her life are loneliness and disappointment. In spite of this, Shay has found a place where she feels she belongs – in the local stable. Able to trade her labour for free lessons, Shay is concerned when her social worker raises questions about the safety of the stables for a young teen.

Some fast talking from herself and her foster mother result in the teen being left alone – and the stables. An attack on the elderly gentleman who owns the stables results in the horses potentially being sold and Shay not allowed to visit with the horses in the mean time.

Keen to solve the mystery of who attacked Mr. Fletcher, Shay finds her earlier life of growing up with drug dealing parents bodes her in good stead for dealing with some more unsavoury characters. Alongside the help of her younger foster sister and friend Grace from school, the three girls take matters into their own hands in a desperate attempt to stop the horses from being sold.

Good Enough a Shay James Mystery is a down to earth tale of three young girls wanting their life to be more than good enough. In spite of the age of the main characters, some of the themes within the novel have me questioning if it is suitable for the younger reader. The writing isn’t too graphic, but I’m not sure I’d want young teens reading about people doing drugs and pornography.

Author: Brenda McCreight
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1343450.Brenda_McCreight
Fiction – teen
In My Library? As an ebook that was a free Kindle download, yes!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.

“I live in a house but my home is in the stable.” – Author unknown

Women of Spirit, True-life Stories of Inspiring Country Women explores the hardships and triumphs of nine different women in the Australian outback.  Author Anne Crawford has obviously done her homework, taking the time to visit with each person profiled and has aptly depicted what life was like for each woman.

Family histories are explored, the Great Depression, wars, drought, fires and other devastating events in each woman’s life.  Amongst these negatives, the virtues of persistence, courage and a love of the great outdoors appear to be consistent in each woman’s life.

The women profiled live in different states of Australia, and may be involved in cattle farming, sheep, racing horses or even governessing in remote areas.  Women of Spirit is an interesting and inspirational read set in a vast barren land that in spite of it’s trials and tribulations, has a lot to offer those who love it.

 

Author: Anne Crawford
http://www.annecrawfordphotography.com/books.htm
Non Fiction
In My Library? It is indeed – I’m always up for inspirational non fiction!
Want it? Get it now at Amazon.

“Four things greater than all things are women and horses and power and war.” – Rudyard Kipling

The first book in the Jumping into Danger series, Doubletake focuses on twelve year old horse fanatics, Jessica and Kristin.  Both girls ride ex-racehorses and find themselves unintentionally aware of a racing scandal at the neighbouring racing farm.

Jessica and Kristin live and breathe horses and this is obvious throughout the story.  There doesn’t appear to be one non-horsey moment!  I love this and the storyline is an interesting one, although a little predictable.

The two girls discover that a famous racehorse has a sporadic race record and yet seems to win whenever the owner bets on it.  Over time they realise that ‘Micro Man’ is actually two horses, but they wonder how two 12 year old girls can prove it or be taken seriously.

The story moved along well, but seemed to have a few inconsistencies that irked me.  One horse was originally referred to as a colt and then as a gelding for the rest of the novel.  A reference to wanting to ride on the beach at sunset becomes a sunrise excursion.  Small things!

The story is summed up well and will be an entertaining read for the younger reader.

Author: Elizabeth A. Reeves
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5835604.Elizabeth_A_Reeves
Fiction
In My Library? It was available for free on Kindle, so yes!
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

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