So this novel’s due to be released July 15th and I’m rapt to have been able to read it before then and offer a review for potential buyers! Now I haven’t really read fantasy/adventure novels before, so I’m glad such a unique horse filled tale was the first offered to me to read in this genre!

Campbell writes the tale of Sabaska, a bay Arabian mare who has a little more to offer than one would usually expect from an equine. Caught in a battle against good and evil, Sabaska is a Traveler, an intelligent being in the body of a horse.

The Travelers have partnered with humans to fight against an evil source that is seeking to destroy worlds.

After the event of her grandmother’s death, 16 year old Anna is devastated at the idea that her grandmother’s beloved horses may be sold off to random people. Determined to find them good homes, she puts forward an argument to her parents that she can spend the summer advertising and looking after the horses.

This starts Anna on an incredible journey of discovering why her grandmother loved her bay Arabian mare Sabaska so much.

Anna finds herself unintentionally caught up in the battle that was being fought well before she was born.

Sabaska’s Tale is an imaginative and entertaining read that looks at horses from a different angle. Although they are mythical creatures, the author’s horse knowledge is factual and put to good use in describing events that occur.

The book has some mild language and fighting scenes feature in it, but otherwise is friendly to the younger reader and will no doubt be enjoyed for its story line. When it comes out July 15, why not grab a copy?

Before then, you can add it to your ‘to be read’ list on Goodreads.

Author: J. A. Campbell
http://writerjacampbell.wordpress.com/
Fiction – fantasy
In my library? As an eBook it is!
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.

“Since the dawn of civilization, the horse and the Muses have been boon companions in all the heroics of mythology and history.” – Robert Frothingham

A couple of weeks ago I was asked if I would be willing to read and review a horse book that has just been released. Of course I said yes!

So Catch Rider is the second novel that I’ve been given to read on an eReader. It was made available to me via NetGalley and I had to download a (free) reader called Blue Fire. That was easy enough to do and then I was able to get reading!

Lyne writes this great story that follows the unfortunate life of Sidney, a 14 year old girl that loves her horses and loves to ride. Having ridden from a young age, Sid is an accomplished rider. It’s the one thing that she has to cling to in a town where teens finish school and gain work at the paper mill, or they drop out of school and start at the mill earlier.

The people in the town aren’t educated, don’t speak well and don’t aim high. Sid has a dream though – she’s going to be a catch rider. A catch rider is someone who can ride any horse thrown at them and perform well.

Whilst avoiding her mother’s abusive boyfriend, Sid clings to her uncle Wayne and through him gains a position as a stable hand at a posh riding barn. The kids here ride horses that are worth more than Sid could ever dream of earning in a lifetime. In spite of her low stature in society, she knows she can out ride any of them, she just needs to be given a chance.

Catch Rider has some mild language in it, but otherwise is a great read. The author portrays the horse industry realistically, whilst also helping the reader to learn about horse terms and the jumping scene.

This book so far is perhaps one of the most informative horse novels I’ve read and for that reason, it get’s high marks in my books! I love a read that’ll enlighten and entertain you, leaving you a more informed horse person once you’ve finished it.

The main character is someone with a hot temper and a lot of guts. Although appearing a bit brash at the start, it was easy to warm to her and to be rooting for the underdog as the story progressed. A great read.

Seeing as this is a new release, purchases are available in eBook and Hard copy:

• Catch Rider at IndieBound
• Catch Rider at Amazon

Author: Jennifer H. Lyne
http://www.jenniferhlyne.com/
Fiction
In my library? As an eBook it is!  I’ll have to look into a hard copy to add to my collection!
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.

“A good rider can hear his horse speak to him.
A great rider can hear his horse whisper.
But a bad rider won’t hear his horse even if it screams at him!”

Tags: horse story, equine book review, equine author, horse library, horse writing, Jennifer H. Lyne

So it shouldn’t be news to readers of this blog that I’ve written a book.  Although it’s yet to be released (July 1 is the big day!), I’m thinking on to what I could be writing next. The idea of a Christian horse series for pre teens has been on my mind for a little while and in light of this, I’ve started reading books that target this genre and around this age group.

Cue the second book in Lauraine Snelling’s High Hurdle series.

I really came to feel for DJ in the first book in the series Olympic Dreams, thinking that this young girl was indeed getting the short end of the stick on many an occasion. Thankfully, things turned around.

Now in this second novel, DJ is excited about getting her first horse – a big step forward toward her goal of competing at the Olympics. Shortly after this acquisition and after having had her beloved grandmother marry and move away, DJ finds that this achievement could be turned on it’s head if her mother accepts a job offer in LA.  This would cause them to have to move from Northern California.

In spite of struggling to communicate with her mother and missing her gran terribly, DJ works hard to balance a new year at school, teaching riding at the Academy, exercising her new horse and completing household chores. Although life seems to be going by so fast that she can’t keep track, DJ is left consistently thinking of how things might change due to her mother.

DJ’s challenge is a great story about how a 14 year old girl needs to rely on God to set things to work together for the good of everyone. Another great novel by Lauraine Snelling.

Author – Lauraine Snelling
Fiction – early teen
In my library – it is indeed! I’ll continue to aim for this whole series.
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.

“Been there… Jumped that!” – author unknown

So recently I decided that I wanted to start writing a christian horse series for pre teens.  Eager to get myself familiar with books in this age group, I started by reading Horse Crazy of the Saddle Club series by Bonnie Bryant.  This was followed by book 1 of the High Hurdle series by Lauraine Snelling.

High Hurdles is a horse christian series for children in their early teens.  Olympic Dreams is the first novel in this series.

DJ Randall works down the road at an Academy for riding.  She finds herself struggling with envy daily as she views those lucky enough to have their own horse.

DJ’s biggest dream is to compete at the Olympics.  She hasn’t been riding long, but is a natural when it comes to horses and riding.  As her dream to become a top eventer is increased due to the start of jumping lessons, DJ dreams up ways to generate an income that will help her pay for a horse.

In spite of her ambitions, life seems to be getting in the way.  DJ’s mum isn’t an effective communicator and isn’t around often.  This ache is dulled by the love DJ receives from her grandmother.  Her world is turned upside down however, when her grandmother announces that she is moving out.

Things continue to stack against DJ, making you really feel for the main character!  I believe I would have behaved more childishly than she did in the story, and love the fact that she acted maturely eventually setting right the wrongs that had occurred.

It’s easy for people to focus on what happens to them, rather than what they’re doing to do about it.  Olympic Dreams focuses on the joys of a gigantic ambition, as well as having the integrity of character to do what’s right.  A great read about a girl’s passion with horses and her journey with God to be a respectable person.

Author: Lauraine Snelling
Fiction – early teenage years
In My Library? It is!  A great introduction to a horsey christian series
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.

“If I had a horse, I’d ride off in the sunset, where dreams, and shadows lie. To a life, where pain and sorrow don’t exist, and to where hopes, and dreams become reality.” – Lindsay Turcotte

tag: horse story, equine book review, lauraine snelling, equine author, horse library, horse writing

Check out other book reviews and what is currently in my equine library.