manda_kaye's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mrsginthelibrary's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
katja24's review
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
the_fabric_of_words's review
5.0
This book is for horse lovers and deals with cruel treatment of horses on a fictional racing circuit.
Sonnia dreams of buying her own horse one day, a gorgeous horse in the King's stables named Ricochet who has captured her heart. But while she helps out in his stable, and the stablemaster tolerates her presence, she doesn't get paid much for the work she does, and she must run her parents' pony rides during the day to bring in the family's rent.
Then Ricochet gets chosen to accompany a high-spirited racing horse, and he's taken out of the fleet stables where she's been allowed to visit him. To follow him to the racing stables, she makes her own opportunity to care for him, asking the only woman jockey -- who also coincidentally used to be her babysitter -- if she can be hired to take care of him. She is, and the promised money's good enough she thinks she can quit running the pony rides and put some aside to save to eventually buy Ricochet.
But while she's there, she learns of a dangerous practice -- a Night Ride, where the stable hands ride the horses at night through a wooded area. The rides are bet upon by the upper classes. It's really dangerous to the horses and the riders, who aren't properly trained jockeys or trained in jumping horses, and at first she refuses to participate.
But when her pay comes up short (minus her rent and food and uniform, of course) and her family is facing being evicted for lack of rent, she's backed into a corner. At the same time, the apparent head of the races announces Ricochet is up for riders to choose to ride in the next Night Ride. Sonnia relents and rides Ricochet.
It's a win all around -- they win the race, she gets a cut of the bettors' winnings, and she keeps Ricochet safe.
Except now all the other riders want to ride him and win, too. So she has to continue doing the Night Ride.
I won't spoil how it ends, or how she saves Ricochet and does the right thing in the end. Enjoy this trilling ride of a read!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
Sonnia dreams of buying her own horse one day, a gorgeous horse in the King's stables named Ricochet who has captured her heart. But while she helps out in his stable, and the stablemaster tolerates her presence, she doesn't get paid much for the work she does, and she must run her parents' pony rides during the day to bring in the family's rent.
Then Ricochet gets chosen to accompany a high-spirited racing horse, and he's taken out of the fleet stables where she's been allowed to visit him. To follow him to the racing stables, she makes her own opportunity to care for him, asking the only woman jockey -- who also coincidentally used to be her babysitter -- if she can be hired to take care of him. She is, and the promised money's good enough she thinks she can quit running the pony rides and put some aside to save to eventually buy Ricochet.
But while she's there, she learns of a dangerous practice -- a Night Ride, where the stable hands ride the horses at night through a wooded area. The rides are bet upon by the upper classes. It's really dangerous to the horses and the riders, who aren't properly trained jockeys or trained in jumping horses, and at first she refuses to participate.
But when her pay comes up short (minus her rent and food and uniform, of course) and her family is facing being evicted for lack of rent, she's backed into a corner. At the same time, the apparent head of the races announces Ricochet is up for riders to choose to ride in the next Night Ride. Sonnia relents and rides Ricochet.
It's a win all around -- they win the race, she gets a cut of the bettors' winnings, and she keeps Ricochet safe.
Except now all the other riders want to ride him and win, too. So she has to continue doing the Night Ride.
I won't spoil how it ends, or how she saves Ricochet and does the right thing in the end. Enjoy this trilling ride of a read!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
ashleyreadsanything's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jennybeastie's review
4.0
J. Anderson Coats is a really great writer -- her storytelling just flows onto the page. This is a great book for fantasy-focused young readers who have the deep love of horses in their hearts. Even if they don't, it has a fast-paced adventure in an interesting world.
The only criticisms I have -- the world is a bit simplistic -- there's inside the city kingdom, where the horse-mad live, and there's the greenwood full of bandits. While that does get fleshed out and explored to a degree, it very much feels like a kids point of view, where the larger contexts of the rest of the world aren't relevant or visible -- it works for this story, but only if you don't push too hard on the walls. Sonnia is almost painfully naive in parts, but I think that works really well for the story also. Finally, it left me with a burning question: why are the horses in this kingdom so much more important than the people? I don't think that depiction is unrealistic at all, but I love that Coats leaves us to answer that troubling question ourselves.
Really enjoyed it!
Advanced readers copy provided by Edelweiss.
The only criticisms I have -- the world is a bit simplistic -- there's inside the city kingdom, where the horse-mad live, and there's the greenwood full of bandits. While that does get fleshed out and explored to a degree, it very much feels like a kids point of view, where the larger contexts of the rest of the world aren't relevant or visible -- it works for this story, but only if you don't push too hard on the walls. Sonnia is almost painfully naive in parts, but I think that works really well for the story also. Finally, it left me with a burning question: why are the horses in this kingdom so much more important than the people? I don't think that depiction is unrealistic at all, but I love that Coats leaves us to answer that troubling question ourselves.
Really enjoyed it!
Advanced readers copy provided by Edelweiss.
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