mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
I wish I had known about this book before I had read the Lauren books. Yes, you can read this after you read the Lauren books, it does give some insight in the character and you can understand her better, but for some reason I think I would have loved this book some more if I had gotten in it fresh, without knowledge of Lauren in Canterwood Crest Academy.
Why? Because I knew what would happen to Lauren, I knew what would happen between her friends and her ex. And I think I went into this with all that knowledge. At times I just wanted to warn her, tell her to watch for signs, tell her to not miss whatever is going on between her friends/ex.
But all that aside, I am also delighted to have read this book. As I said, it gave me some insight on the Lauren before CCA, and it was really interesting. Though at times it was a bit fast. For instance what happens to Taylor? It happens near the end, and it was over in a flash. It just felt a bit off, since it is a major event, a very important event in the life of CCA Lauren.
I also liked that we could see her pick a horse, it made me like the combo of Whisper and Lauren even more, now we know that it wasn't instant horse love, but instant a search, a search that was accompanied by tears and worries.
The book starts off with the one event that CCA Lauren was afraid to tell to her friends (and enemies), and while I knew about it, it is still a bit of a shock to read about it from this point of view. It is now not the distant eyes of the onlooker, no, we are now with the girl who had the accident.
Lauren was a bit annoying at times. I didn't like how much trust/confidence she lacked in this one. I could handle the: Oh I am not going to be accepted, boohoho thing once, or even twice, but sorry, 10? 10+ times? No, no thank you. I can imagine she is insecure, worries, but does it really need to be this overly there. No.
Then we have the friends of Lauren, and I have to say I liked them more than I normally did, but considering I knew what would happen, I couldn't like them too much. I also didn't really liked how they thought at times. Thinking about popularity and all that, it just didn't match.
Also, I knew Lauren was rich, but seriously, this rich? Three garage spaces, a gardener, a cleaner, a swimming pool? Wow.... I can imagine that she can buy anything apparently (which we have seen her doing in the Lauren books). Even though she was all like she works for the money, I haven't seen her do anything like that in the Lauren books themselves.
Taylor was really cute in this book and I liked seeing him and Lauren together. They made a really cute couple!
I know, I know, I have said this a few times in the other books, but sorry, I don't see these girls/guys as 11/12. They go out on date nights, they have a full make-up schedule that would even put a 20-year old girl to shame, and several other things. So like I said, I will just see them as 14 to 16, which feels more natural considering the stuff they do.
All in all, this is one book that I really liked, and that I would recommend to everyone. I would recommend that people read this one first, before reading the Lauren books.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Why? Because I knew what would happen to Lauren, I knew what would happen between her friends and her ex. And I think I went into this with all that knowledge. At times I just wanted to warn her, tell her to watch for signs, tell her to not miss whatever is going on between her friends/ex.
But all that aside, I am also delighted to have read this book. As I said, it gave me some insight on the Lauren before CCA, and it was really interesting. Though at times it was a bit fast. For instance what happens to Taylor? It happens near the end, and it was over in a flash. It just felt a bit off, since it is a major event, a very important event in the life of CCA Lauren.
I also liked that we could see her pick a horse, it made me like the combo of Whisper and Lauren even more, now we know that it wasn't instant horse love, but instant a search, a search that was accompanied by tears and worries.
The book starts off with the one event that CCA Lauren was afraid to tell to her friends (and enemies), and while I knew about it, it is still a bit of a shock to read about it from this point of view. It is now not the distant eyes of the onlooker, no, we are now with the girl who had the accident.
Lauren was a bit annoying at times. I didn't like how much trust/confidence she lacked in this one. I could handle the: Oh I am not going to be accepted, boohoho thing once, or even twice, but sorry, 10? 10+ times? No, no thank you. I can imagine she is insecure, worries, but does it really need to be this overly there. No.
Then we have the friends of Lauren, and I have to say I liked them more than I normally did, but considering I knew what would happen, I couldn't like them too much. I also didn't really liked how they thought at times. Thinking about popularity and all that, it just didn't match.
Also, I knew Lauren was rich, but seriously, this rich? Three garage spaces, a gardener, a cleaner, a swimming pool? Wow.... I can imagine that she can buy anything apparently (which we have seen her doing in the Lauren books). Even though she was all like she works for the money, I haven't seen her do anything like that in the Lauren books themselves.
Taylor was really cute in this book and I liked seeing him and Lauren together. They made a really cute couple!
I know, I know, I have said this a few times in the other books, but sorry, I don't see these girls/guys as 11/12. They go out on date nights, they have a full make-up schedule that would even put a 20-year old girl to shame, and several other things. So like I said, I will just see them as 14 to 16, which feels more natural considering the stuff they do.
All in all, this is one book that I really liked, and that I would recommend to everyone. I would recommend that people read this one first, before reading the Lauren books.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
olivianoack's review against another edition
3.0
This really felt like a filler book that I don't fully think was necessary. It was really repetitive reading Lauren's thought process as she flip flops between wanting to go to Canterwood for a fresh start and thinking she's better off and safer if she stays at home. I also thin she makes such a big deal about her accident. I get that she was young and I'm sure it was scary but she didn't even get hurt at all and I really don't understand why she thinks everyone will dismiss her as a rider based off her falling off when she was still very young and is still currently taking lessons.
lorithereadingfairy's review
3.0
I'm rating this three stars as it was a different perspective from someone else than Sasha Silvers, it was weird. I liked it but sadly I couldn't give it more than three stars.
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