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Have you noticed how many of the horses in The Hobbit end up dead? And that's the children's book of that universe!
I don't know why I have suddenly been thinking about this subject, but it's one that enters my mind now and then. As a child, I had walls covered with posters of horses and horse figurines(mostly plastic) on every level surface. A normal little girl, of course. I lived in a flat, so no chance of owning one and anyway, they were expensive, so even finding an agistment paddock would have been out of the question.
But I dreamed of horses like Shadowfax. Oh, yes!
If I've got any of the details below wrong, please forgive me, Tolkien experts, and don't write rude comments about it! It has been a while since I read these books, though it was multiple time, and I just wanted a pleasant Sunday morning wander through them.
In The Hobbit, most of the horses are ponies. When Bilbo, Gandalf and the Dwarves leave Hobbiton, only Gandalf is tall enough to ride a full sized horse. And Tolkien gives his ponies personalities. And then he has the lot of them eaten by the goblins, when the company sleeps in that cave above the goblins' halls.
As if that isn't enough, several of the ponies lent to them in Laketown are eaten by the dragon,
The only ponies to survive to the end are Beorn's, lent to the Dwarves when he has hosted them and sent them on their way - and that's only because he insists on their return at the edge of the forest and lurks in bear shape to make sure it happens. He's not silly! And considering what happens to the company in the forest, it's even more sensible! Giant spiders, for starters. Beorn would know about them and other scary things in Mirkwood, even if it does also contain a colony of Elves. (But these are not aristocratic Elves like the ones in Galadriel's realm or Rivendell. They're the lower class of the Elven community.)
I suspect Tolkien got rid of the horses because he needed the Dwarves and Bilbo to be on foot when they encountered the various dangers along the way. If the goblins hadn't eaten the ponies in those dark caves, Gollum would have done so. And you can't lug them up the Lonely Mountain, can you?
In Lord Of The Rings, he's not so awful to his equine characters - and they are characters and they mostly have names. Who can possibly forget Shadowfax, king of the Mearas? Or Bill the pony? When the hobbits' ponies are scattered at Bree, the only horse they can get is a skinny nag bought at an outrageous price from an awful man called Bill. Bill the pony has to be left behind eventually, but he is reunited with his adoring master Sam Gamgee and even gets revenge on his former owner with a kick in passing. The other ponies, following Fatty Lumpkin, Tom Bombadil's pony, are not eaten or burned by dragon fire, as they would have been in The Hobbit, when the author needed to lose them. They end up quite happily employed at the inn in Bree.
In LOTR we meet an entire nation of horse lovers, the Riders of Rohan. Their horses are their life and soul. They are the best among ordinary horses, though there are also the Mearas, which are a truly special breed, stronger, faster, more intelligent than the regular variety. And the best of those is Shadowfax, who ends up carrying Gandalf. He is dazzlingly white and was performed by two Andalusian horses in the film version, as I was hoping and expecting.
Horses from Rohan, black ones, are stolen from the herds for the use of the Black Riders. They are brought up in Sauron's realm, so become used to it, but I always felt sad for those animals born to the light and the plains, living in the darkness of Mordor and carrying the Black Riders - and then being swept away at the ford along with their masters. After all, they were just ordinary horses, if the best quality, not flaming-eyed demons. And I do wonder whether the nasty Black Riders were at least kind to their horses, which, after all, they had to rely on.
The Ranger horses are special too. They aren't pretty, but they're tough. Rangers need that. And when they came to the terrifying Paths of the Dead, the Ranger horses were fine with it, while the Rohan horses had to be blindfolded, as I recall.
Apart from those poor Black Rider horses, the only equine death was Snowmane, King Theoden's mount, who died in battle and fell, crushing his master under him. The horse got a grave and a memorial anyway. Not his fault!
There were Tolkien elements in the SF TV series Babylon 5, in which the Black Riders were captured humans in black spaceships, unable to be separated from their "mounts". Even the villain, Bester, grieves over a beloved woman who had had that done to her.
Interesting, isn't it, how even Tolkien's horses made their way into our culture?
0 Comments on A Waffle About Tolkien's Horses as of 12/14/2016 5:14:00 AM
Imagine a Hollywood film about the Iraq War in which a scene at a clandestine Al-Qaeda compound featuring a cabal of insurgents abruptly cuts to a truck-stop off the New Jersey Turnpike. A group of disgruntled truckers huddle around their rigs cursing the price of gas. An uncannily similar coup de thèâtre occurs in an overlooked episode in 1 Henry IV.
Lately I've been writing book proposals for other people, and when one went out, two publishers responded right away. One offered a decent advance; the other wanted the book, but didn't want to pay for it.
"I've never sold a book for nothing," the agent wrote.
The editor was indignant; wanted the book and whined about uncertainty. The agent said that acquiring mss. ought not to be going for certainty (buying mss. that are like other best-selling books etc.) but "betting on the right horse."
I love that idea! And not just because it reminds me of John Steinbeck saying, "Publishing makes horse-racing look like a stable, secure business."
Betting on the right horse is a good way to think about my own books, too -- though for me it's like owning a horse as well as betting on one. If you muck out the stalls etc. yourself, owning a horse is a lot of work. And so is writing a book. You have to really love the creature to make all that work worthwhile, whether it wins the race or not.
0 Comments on Betting on the right horse as of 1/1/1900
I know, I know, I promised you interviews on Tuesdays and here I come with a book review. This is a book of passion and courage; a book championing, as I often do on my blog, the rights of other … Continue reading →
When horses were a common means of transportation, horseshit was as common as potholes are today. While actual horse feces is rare nowadays, horseshit is as common as ever in our vocabulary.The list of synonyms and euphemisms—such as horsefeathers, horse hockey, horse hooey, horse pucky, and horse apples—is huge, taking up many pages in the Dictionary of American Regional English, Green’s Dictionary of Slang, and the Historical Dictionary of American Slang.
I am often reluctant to reread childhood faves, because as I’ve aged, my reading tastes have changed. Since The Black Stallion was written almost 80 years ago, the age of the novel also gave me pause. I impulsively checked it out of the library anyway (I do have an ancient hardcover copy somewhere in my own book collection, but it’s so much easier to read a digital copy). I remember the first book in the series being one of my least favorites, but after finishing it again, a gazillion years after my first outing with the Black and Alec, I must have remembered incorrectly. I can’t see how later books can top the excitement and adrenaline rush of this one.
The book starts with young Alec on a freighter, headed home from a summer in India visiting his uncle. During the journey, two remarkable things happen; a wild black stallion is loaded during a stop in Arabia, and the violent storm breaks the ship apart. Saved inadvertently by the Black, Alec and the stallion are marooned on a small, desolate island. Alec struggles with all of the life skills he possesses to keep himself and the horse alive while awaiting rescue. They form a close bond, and Alec even braves several unplanned dismounts (he is quickly and powerfully tossed from the Black’s back and thrown to the ground) to ride him.
They are rescued, and when Alec and the Black finally, finally arrive back home in New York, the boy convinces his parents to let him keep the horse. In an incredible convenience, the Dailey’s, an older couple that live down the street, have a run-down barn and an acre pasture, and they agree to allow Alec to board the horse on their property. Henry Dailey, a former jockey and horse trainer, sees the potential in the wild stallion, and decides to help Alec train him.
I could not put the book down, and I’ve read it a number of times in the past. It’s been decades since my last reread, and I had forgotten many plot details. I completely forgot about the match race between Cyclone and Sun Raider, and was wondering how the Black would be able to race without papers. Now that I have horses of my own, I know how important registration papers are if you want to compete in breed events. That small detail wouldn’t have meant much to me during my first visits with the Black and Alec, when I was, what, eight?
Alec’s adventures are harrowing and leave you on the edge of your seat. Even his rides on the Black are exciting. Walter Farley makes the most of drama, giving the Black speed that blinds Alec, brings tears streaming down his face, and even weakens him to the point of losing consciousness. The Black is a wild, violent animal, always a hair-trigger away from coming completely unglued. Only the special bond he shares with his human keeps events from escalating into disasters. Is it very believable? No, but it makes for tense, hard to put down reading.
One thing I missed from this version of the story where the illustrations in my old hardcopy. They gave the story more depth and were just plain fun to look at. That’s the only knock I have for this edition. I’m glad I reread this, and I’ll probably read more of the series, because I have completely forgotten most of the other books.
Grade: A
Review copy borrowed from my local library
About the book:
First published in 1941, Walter Farley’s best-selling novel for young readers is the triumphant tale of a boy and a wild horse. From Alec Ramsay and the Black’s first meeting on an ill-fated ship to their adventures on a desert island and their eventual rescue, this beloved story will hold the rapt attention of readers new and old.
We live in a globalized world, but mobility is nothing new. Set on a huge continental stage, By Steppe, Desert and Ocean tells the story how human society evolved across the Eurasian continent from Europe to China.
A finely woven novel exploring grief, hope and friendship, Storm Horse by Nick Garlick moved me to tears, even though I started reading it with a great sense of wariness, my inner cynic poised to be proved right with the slightest hiccup in plot, writing or characterization.
Having recently lost his parents, a young boy can’t believe he’ll ever feel at ease with the relatives who have agreed to take responsibility for him. But all that changes when he makes friends with a horse. A growing sense of trust and (self) belief enables him to find a place where he’s happy to belong, even though in the process he comes face to face with some of his greatest fears, loss and sadness.
This page-turner, with dramatic, breath-taking scenes worthy of the vast gloomy shore skies under which it is set made me nervous before I turned the first page; Storm Horse is set on the Frisian islands off the north coast of the Netherlands and is partly inspired by a very emotive true life story about a lifeboat disaster that devastated an island community.
Surrounded by huge and exhilaratingly beautiful sandy beaches, the lifeboat on Ameland was traditionally launched by horses who pulled the boat over the sand and then into the tide, enabling launches where no pier existed. But in 1979 eight horses drowned during a lifeboat launch and in this small island community their terrible loss was felt deeply and powerfully and is still remembered with great sorrow, but also pride, for launching lifeboats with horses was something unique to this particular community, long after other Frisian islands had given up on this tradition.
As it happens I know Ameland and this story rather well (the photo above shows M and J visiting the grave and memorial to the eight horses back in 2012, whilst the photos below show a re-enactment I once saw of how the lifeboat used to be launched), and so when I found out about a novel set on the Frisian islands, centered on horses and lifeboat rescues I was both curious and anxious.
Starting a novel when you already have an emotional investment in it is a scary thing. What if it doesn’t live up to your hopes? What if you feel it betrays the beauty / the sorrow / the wonder you feel about certain events or places or times?
But I took the plunge and turned the first page and…
…Well here’s why I think you might enjoy this book as much as I did, even if you’ve never heard of the Frisian islands and have not one ounce of hope at stake when you come across it in your local bookshop or library:
Storm Horse is brilliantly plotted with chapter endings which demand you turn the page and read just a bit more. I actually read this book in a single sitting and couldn’t believe how the time and pages had whizzed by.
Garlick’s characterization is lovely, authentic and satisfying. From the most wonderful Aunt Elly, who exhibits the kindness, compassion and wisdom that we all wish we had, to the silent and imposing (and ultimately big hearted) Uncle Andries, via uncannily spot-on observations about life as a seven year old who wants to be a part of everything, to the thoughtfulness of old and lame Mr Bouten, the cast of this story is rich and not without humour.
Bereavement and how people cope with loss is explored in several different strands, each offering a different light and reflection on the grieving process and being able to eventually see light at the end of a sorrowful tunnel.
Quietly and powerfully Storm Horse gives its readers a sense that they can find a way to hold on to what matters to them, through perseverance, through patience, through resourcefulness and generosity. What a great gift from a book, don’t you think?
This is no literal re-telling of the terrible, heart-breaking events of the 14th of August 1979; Garlick sets his story on an imaginary island (though Ameland is briefly mentioned), and yet all the details ring beautifully true. The challenges of island life are not shied away from, but read this moving, convincing, vivid novel and I think you may nevertheless fall in love.
Now… what will my lifeboat-mad, Dutch husband who spent every childhood summer on Ameland think of this book? Well, somehow I’m going to have to find the time to read it aloud to him and the girls as I now know I needn’t have worried: Storm Horse is a cracker.
Disclosure: I was sent a free review copy of this book by the publisher.
I would expect to find this book in the part of the bookshop/library aimed at 8/9 – 12/13 year olds.
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This is such a beautiful post, Zoe. Thanks so much, yet again. I’m looking forward to see it arrive in Sydney.
Are you aware of ‘Flight,’ written by Nadia Wheatley and illustrated my the superbly gifted Armin Greber? Apologies if you’ve written about it! It is a very moving depiction of the plight of refugees, without taking a ‘sledgehammer’ approach.
Zoe said, on 8/31/2015 10:23:00 PM
Thanks Simon, no I didn’t know about this new book though I’ve just read a bit more about it (http://www.readings.com.au/products/19429014/flight). I very much like Greber’s earlier work addressing issues around immigration/migration/refugees. Thank you for the tip off!
I noticed The Girl Who Rode the Wind while trolling the shelves of my local library. How could I ignore a book with a horse on the cover? When I read that the book features Italy’s Palio, the world’s oldest, most dangerous horse race, I had to check it out. I had just seen a video short about the race, and I’d read about it when I was a kid. I have always found the race interesting, so I couldn’t wait to read this.
I have to admit that I was not immediately caught up in the plot, and I thought about putting it down. But then Lola describes an altercation with a bully, and I was hooked. After the academic achiever is suspended from school, her grandmother proposes a trip to Italy for the summer. Her grandmother hasn’t been back to her homeland since just after WWII, and she’s finally ready to face her past. She rarely discussed her childhood in Siena, and instead focused on the present and the family business; training racehorses.
The story revolves around horses. Lola wants to work with them when she’s older, but her father won’t hear of it. With her grades, he expects her to be a doctor or a lawyer. The only time Lola is happy, however, is when she’s with the horses. She’s angry because her older brothers are working on the track, training to be jockeys. Her father was a jockey, and Lola wants to be one, too. She doesn’t particularly want to go to Italy with her grandmother, but her father is so disappointed with her behavior that he refuses to allow her to help out at track over the summer. Suddenly, a summer in Siena doesn’t sound so bad!
Lola meets a local boy whose father trains racers for the Palio. They become friends, and Lola is invited to help work the horses. As Lola learns about the race and makes friends with the other exercise riders, her grandmother slowly opens up about her own past, and her history with the Palio. Her family bred horses for the race, and her older brother was a winning jockey several times. Then the war came, along with unbelievable hardships. The race was canceled, and it was hard to feed themselves, let alone the horses in their care. Her father was forced to join the army, even though he didn’t believe in the war, and her brother joined the freedom fighters. By the end of the war, her nonna’s world was torn apart, and she fled Italy for America and the chance to start over.
I did have a few issues with believability. I found it so difficult to swallow that a 12 year old American girl would be allowed to excise the horses, let alone ride in a dangerous race like the Palio. Think of the bad press if she was injured, or worse, during the rough, no holds barred race. Another thing that irked me was that everyone spoke English, a huge convenience for Lola, since she didn’t speak Italian. This is the second book I’ve read this summer that the youthful protagonist was in another country, and everyone else spoke English. It wasn’t believable in the first book, and I didn’t like it here, either, but that is a pet peeve of mine.
Despite the highly unlikely premise, this was an enjoyable read. The horse races were exciting, and Nonna’s acceptance of the past, after so many years of guilt, was touching. Lola’s struggles with bullying rang true, and her father’s insistence that she become a doctor or a lawyer instead of a track rat gave Lola another conflict to solve. There were also great characters, including the horses.
Grade: B
Review copy borrowed from my local library
About the book:
An epic, emotional story of two girls and their bond with beloved horses, the action sweeping between Italy during the Second World War and present day.
When Lola’s grandmother Loretta takes her to Siena, Italy, for the summer, Lola learns about the town’s historic Palio races – a fast and furious event where riders whip around the Piazza del Campo, and are often thrown from their horses while making the treacherous turns. Lola is amazed to learn her grandmother used to take part in these races – and had the nickname ‘The Daredevil’!
Nonna Loretta tells Lola that she used to race in a rival team to the boy she loved – who was captured by the Nazis in 1941. Lola develops a bond with a beautiful racehorse. She jumps at the chance to enter the Palio – can she win, in honour of her grandmother? And can she uncover the mystery of the boy’s capture and fate all those years ago?
Hard Winter, a watercolor painting on half sheet of watercolor paper. In this piece, I was experimenting with my own cut out shapes used as stamps (the blue horses). This piece has been in a couple of shows and received an award. More of my artwork can be seen on my website and my Etsy shop
If you're a watercolorist or just someone who likes dappling in watercolor, and you would like to join this site and share your work, send me a link to your blog or website in a comment, and I'll add you to the site.
0 Comments on "Hard Winter" by Linda T Snider-Ward, Louisiana artist as of 7/26/2015 11:20:00 AM
Mustang Holding Pen is painted from my reference photos taken at a mustang auction. It was pretty depressing to see all those beautiful horses crowded together in holding pens. Hopefully, they all went to great homes. More of my artwork can be seen on my website and my Etsy shop
If you're a watercolorist or just someone who likes dappling in watercolor, and you would like to join this site and share your work, send me a link to your blog or website in a comment, and I'll add you to the site.
0 Comments on "Mustang Holding Pen" by Linda T Snider Ward, Louisiana artist as of 1/1/1900
Plein Air Ponies is a small (8" x 8") watercolor done on site a few weeks ago. The horses, of course, moved constantly, so it was difficult to get a good drawing of them, but it was fun.
If you're a watercolorist and would like to join this site and share your watercolor efforts, send me a link to your blog or website, and I'll add you to this blog (see left side bar for rules).
0 Comments on Plein Air Ponies by Linda T Snider-Ward as of 7/13/2015 2:58:00 PM
Enter to win a copy of The Princess and the Pony, Kate Beaton!
Giveaway begins July 13, 2015, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends June 12, 2015, at 11:59 P.M. PST.
Tuxedo’s Tales is packed with sweet teachable moments and has a strong emphasis on friendship. This book offers the kind of wisdom kids can use on a daily base.
To gear up for the Derby, and to celebrate the start of the horse show season, I have a giveaway for Colette Auclair’s Aspen Valley series, thanks to Pocket Books! I loved Thrown, so I’m excited to share this giveaway with you!
The Kentucky Derby is just one week away and we are giving away promo codes for the EBooks Thrown, Jumped, and Branded in Colette Auclair’s award-winning Aspen Valley series!
THROWN(December 2013; $5.99) is the first book in The Aspen Valley Series. Professional horse trainer Amanda Vogel dreams of riding jumpers in the Olympics, but after seeing her best friend die in a riding accident, she’s so traumatized she can’t compete. Broke and desperate, she takes a summer job in Aspen teaching some big-shot widowed movie star’s spoiled daughters to ride—and braces herself for three miserable months. But the movie star is funny, down-to-earth, and gorgeous—and his spoiled daughters are just desperate for a mother figure. By Labor Day, she has to choose between capturing a gold medal…and the man who has captured her heart.
JUMPED (August 2014; $5.99), the second book in The Aspen Valley Series, is Colette Auclair’s steamy sequel to her “page-turning debut” (Library Journal), Thrown. A young woman in the equestrian fashion business finds herself head over heels for her ex-husband. Thoroughly enjoying herself at her best friend Amanda’s wedding, Beth is shocked when she is seated next to her ex-husband, Finn, at the reception. Determined to not let this fluster her, Beth strikes up a conversation only to learn Finn isn’t the same man she walked away from.
Relieved the reception is over, Beth is looking forward to a relaxing weekend against the beautiful backdrop of sunny Aspen at Amanda and Grady’s estate. Little does she know Finn will be partaking in the weekend activities. But just as Beth decides to keep as much distance between her and Finn as possible, Finn has a terrible accident and Beth is stuck being his bedside nurse. Over the course of the weekend, Beth and Finn discover that the wounds of their failed marriage are not all that’s left. There are sparks…and hope. But just as they decide to give it another try, Finn confesses a huge secret that could destroy everything he’s fought to get back—Beth, their relationship, and another chance at love. Will Beth turn away, or will she take a leap of faith and say “I do” once (again) and for all?
BRANDED (December 2014; $5.99), the third book in The Aspen Valley Series, will take readers on a wild and dreamy ride through the beautiful valleys and mountains of Colorado. Professional, polite, and pearl-wearing, dressage rider and resort consultant Cordy Sims is the last person anyone would expect to initiate a weekend of debauchery. And yet, that’s exactly what she does after meeting a handsome stranger at an Aspen resort. Agreeing that they’ll leave personal details at the door, they indulge in a memorable weekend of carnal recreation. On Sunday night, Cordy doesn’t want to leave this charming, seductive man, but she must play by her own rules. On Monday, Cordy sits in a meeting at the ad agency that’s hired her as a freelancer, and her professional and personal worlds collide. Turns out agency owner Jack Cormier looks just as good in the boardroom as he did in the bedroom. Forced to work together, Cordy and Jack can’t ignore the chemistry that crackles between them, or the deeper feelings that have developed. But secrets and scars from their pasts may prove too formidable, even for a love that’s as powerful as it is unexpected.
Praise for The Aspen Valley Series:
“The story portrays two convincingly flawed but likeable characters who find each other’s aults both provocative and exciting, as they try to decide whether a second chance at marriage is worth the risk.”
—Publishers Weekly on Jumped
“Harris, the Brunswicks’ chef, is a clairvoyant Cupid, full of honest evaluations of people and their love lives. He adds a spark to the story as Auclair continues to build her cast of series characters and develop their varied personalities.”
—Library Journal on Jumped
“In JUMPED, the author returns to the Aspen area with many of the same characters that were in her well–received debut novel, THROWN…Major and minor characters are interesting and likable, and the friendships add to the primary romance. There will be at least one more book in the series. Look for BRANDED to release in December. If you like horses, a tangled relationship, and a series that flows from one book to the next, check out these titles.”
—Romance Reviews Today on Jumped
“If you’re looking for a highly entertaining, fast-paced, horsey beach read, Jumped should fill the bill.”
—Horse Nation on Jumped
“There is enough tension among all the forces at play to keep the pages turning. Debut novelist Auclair is a 2012 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Finalist, winner of the 2011 Winter Rose Contest, and a finalist in the 2011 Cleveland Rocks Romance Contest. Recommended for most romance fans.”
—Library Journal on Thrown
“Romantic fiction with an equestrian theme gets a fun new twist in this novel which follows trainer Amanda Vogel… the star is single, handsome, and has the hots for Amanda. But both characters are carrying hefty loads of their own baggage, and as they navigate through various dramas and horse-related mishaps, the layers (both physical and psychological) start to come off. Thrown weaves horses into the story with a practiced tone, and the accuracy of equine knowledge and horse people adds to the plot. For a fun, entertaining read, be sure to pick up this debut novel by Colette Auclair.”
—Horse & Style on Thrown
“Totally accurate, as far as HorseGirls go…Colette Auclair nails the horse stuff…whether it’s describing Amanda’s selection of appropriate mounts for Grady’s beginner daughters, or setting up a human cross-country course for the girls to play Olympics over, or accurately detailing an episode of colic (including the joy when the horse finally poops), or explaining the feeling of connecting with a once-in-a-lifetime horse…my favorite part about the book, aside from the discussions of how horse training prepares just about anyone for human training…is the humor…Aside from getting the horse stuff right, the characters are also well-developed…The story is quite a page-turner, so be prepared to be completely unable to stop–like a runaway horse except actually fun. And the book does have one pretty detailed sex scene and multiple explicit make out sessions, so it’s not for kids. Bottom line: if you like romantic comedies, you’ll definitely enjoy Thrown.”
—Horse Nation on Thrown
Colette Auclair has been a copywriter for more than twenty years. She’s ridden and shown horses since she was ten and owns a lovely twenty-year-old Thoroughbred mare. Thrown, her first novel,was a 2012 Golden Heart finalist in the single-title contemporary romance category. It also won the 2011 Winter Rose Contest (Yellow Rose Romance Writers) and finaled in the 2011 Cleveland Rocks Romance Contest (NE Ohio Romance Writers Assoc.) Jumped is second and Branded is third in the Aspen Valley series. Please visit coletteauclair.com.
I’ve had my eye on Mounted for a while, so I was beyond thrilled when it was an Amazon Deal of the Day a few weeks ago. Cost? FREE! I loved this book, and once I finished, I promptly purchased book 2. At $2.99, I couldn’t resist finding out what happens next.
Talia is a 17 year old equestrian. She lives on her wealthy father’s farm, feuds with her half-sister Greer, and misses her mother who passed away after a painful illness. Greer’s indiscrete behavior has cost yet another equitation coach his job, and their overindulgent father has just hired Lockie to take his place. Lockie is young, handsome, and a talented rider, but Talia knows that he won’t stick around long. No man can resist Greer, and once she gets her claws in him, it won’t be long before he, too, is canned. Determined to put up with him until the inevitable, Talia is pleasantly surprised with his professionalism and coaching skills. And, Lockie doesn’t seem to be the least bit interested in Greer.
Mounted is an over the top soap opera, peopled with colorful characters and beautiful horses. Greer is someone you love to hate; she’s spoiled, selfish, and lazy, and expects everyone to cater to her every whim. When she keeps placing second to her number one rival, she blames her horses, and demands a constant string of replacements. Lockie mocks her work ethic, assures her that until she starts actually putting forth an effort that she’ll always place second, and rebuffs her advances with barely contained patience.
Talia is immediately drawn to Lockie, and she recognizes his swift mood changes for what they really are – indications that he’s in terrible pain. Ever since he suffered from a traumatic riding incident, he’s been plagued by horrible headaches. Though she’s reluctant to ask her father for favors, she asks if he’ll help Lockie find specialists to help manage his pain. Lockie reminds Talia of her mother and her final months, when nothing relieved the debilitating pain she suffered because of her illness. She can’t stand by and just watch the new trainer suffer, so she’s determined to do something to help him.
I found the dialog confusing at first, but once I got used to the author’s narrative style, I no longer had that problem. I really enjoyed the banter between Lockie and Talia, and how their love of horses brought them together. Talia would be more than content to never show again, and she dislikes jumping. When her old, trusted gelding pulls up lame, Lockie declares that they have to find a new horse for her. Talia is reluctant to retire her equine friend; he helped her through her mother’s death, and she trusts him. The prospect of a new horse isn’t exciting for Talia, it’s stressful and she doesn’t want to have any part of it. Greer, of course, ridicules her and laughs at her dislike of jumping, calling her a coward. I personally completely understood where Talia was coming from. I have no desire to jump, never did, never will, and so I ride saddleseat. Lockie finds Talia a warm blood and is excited to teach her dressage. Talia is not so excited, but at least she wouldn’t be jumping. I am interested to follow her progress in her new discipline.
The book ends on a cliffhanger, so I immediately downloaded the second book in the series. This was a very quick read for me. The chemistry between Talia and Lockie kept me turning the pages, as did the horsey parts. If you enjoy horses and soap operas, Mounted should appeal to you.
Grade: A-
Review copy purchased from Amazon
From Amazon:
Talia Margolin’s life has been marked by events completely beyond her control—her mother’s death, the move to her father’s horse farm, the retirement of her show horse.
Now she faces the arrival of a new coach whose job is to get Talia’s half-sister, Greer, qualified for the finals at the National Horse Show. Greer is brutal on trainers but Lockie Malone is different. Handsome, talented, and with a will of hardened steel, Lockie can be an immovable object. He also becomes the agent for change in the lives of everyone at Bittersweet Farm.
For seventeen year old Talia, change has never meant anything but loss. Will this time be different?
Mature content and sexual situations, nothing graphic.
It's 1940, and British soldiers have just been evacuated from Dunkirk, but Dodo (Dorothy) Revel and her younger brother Wolfie, 8, still haven't heard from their Pa, Captain Revel. When a telegram arrives, Spud, the children's housekeeper, tells them the sad news that their Pa is missing. Later that night, however, the children overhear Spud talking to someone that seems to indicate something else about Pa.
Next thing Dodo and Wolfie know, they are being evacuated to Dulverton, North Devon. Billeted with a reluctant woman whose son is off fighting, their only relief is at school with their kind teacher Miss Lamb. One day, on their way home from school, Dodo and Wolfie find a newborn foal. For Wolfie, it's a miracle. Pa had loved horses and knew a lot about them, much of which he had already taught Wolfie. Dodo and Wolfie decide to hide the foal, now named Hero for Captain Revel, with the help of a local boy named Ned.
When word breaks that Captain Revel is being charged with desertion and disobedience at Dunkirk, Mrs. Sprig decides she can't have his children living with her. Luckily, they end up with Miss Lamb and her elderly father, Rev. Lamb. There is even a place for the growing Hero there.
Life is better with the Lambs, though not at school. The whole nation is following Captain Revel's court-martial and his children are bearing the brunt of people's anger. It is a slow process and as time goes by life gets harder, with increasing shortages and rationing. Hettie Lamb has been watching over a small herd of Exmoor ponies, which are slowly disappearing. During a particularly cold snowy winter, the ponies are rounded up, and, along with Hero, put into a pen where they can be fed. But one night, the ponies and Hero disappear. Wolfie is devestated.
When Rev. Lamb dies, Hettie is told she must move and so the three of them go to live in County Durham, a coal mining area in Northeast England. There, Dodo gives art lessons to the children of a coal mine owner, while Hettie teaches school. The war has now ended and Captain Revel is serving a two year sentence and still hoping to have his name cleared. He had always worked to improve condition for coal miners, and now, even in prison is continuing that work.
But when the truth about Ned, the boy who had helped Wolfie with Hero back in Dulverton, and the shady activities he had been bullied into doing by his father come to light, things begin to change. Is it possible the Ned holds the key to what happened to Hero?
I really enjoyed reading Sam Angus's novelSoldier Dog when it first came out, so I was excited to read A Horse Called Hero. And I wasn't disappointed, it is a very compelling, though somewhat predictable, story with lots of coincidences. What is nice about this story are the glimpses the reader gets into so many aspects of life during the war.
There are the pacifist demonstrations in Knightsbridge the children witness while out shopping with Spud. Sometimes we forget that not everyone supports war. The crowds of children and parents on Praed Street heading to Paddington Station was palpable. And although evacuation was difficult under the best of circumstances, Dodo and Wolfie's story show how absolutely capricious the whole process was. Mrs. Sprig was a horrible, narrow-minded woman with friends just like herself and wasn't able to really welcome these two scared, displaced children into her home. It makes one wonder how often that or worst happened in real life.
However, Angus draws a lovely picture of the relationship between Wolfie and Captain Revel in the letters exchanged throughout the war, much of which was advice on caring for a horse. Wolfie's hero worship of his father is touching, never flailing even when the circumstances surrounding Captain Revel's arrest are revealed. Captain Revel was clearly a very compassionate character and it is one of the best fiction father/son relationships I've ever read.
The reader also learns so much about what life was life for coal miners and the pit ponies, as they were called. These horses pulled tons of coal out of the mine each day, never seeing daylight once they were deep in the mine. The men and horses labored under dangerous conditions and that was what Captain Revel was working to change.
Two things did bother me - we never find out how old Dodo is, only that she is older than Wolfie. And a map showing the relationship of London, North Devon and County Durham would have been nice (maps are almost always nice in historical fiction).
But, in the end, the novel really asks the readers to consider what makes a hero. For that, it is a novel well worth reading.
This book is recommended for readers 9+, but proably better for 11+
This book was purchased for my personal library
0 Comments on A Horse Called Hero by Sam Angus as of 9/22/2014 1:08:00 PM
I’m always excited for new horsey books, so I was happy for the opportunity to chat with Tudor Robins for her blog tour for her latest release Appaloosa Summer.
What are the 5 most important things you learned from working with horses?
As anyone who’s worked with horses knows, there’s always something new to learn about them, so on any given day, I could probably give you five completely different answers to this question. So, let’s start with what I just mentioned:
1) There’s always more to learn. Whether it’s learning about the actual horses, learning any of the sports associated with them, or keeping up with the latest changes and trends in the horse world, there’s something new to know every day. To me, this is a great parallel for life in general – especially my life as an author – where; again, there are always things to learn about the craft and business of writing.
2) Patience. This is a huge one! Lately I’ve worked with quite a few off-the-track thoroughbreds. These horses are sensitive by nature. They’re also young, and they’ve come to a completely new environment where we ask them to leg yield in a dressage ring, and jump over fences. Considering all this, I can’t believe how patient they are. If I ask them something they’re not sure of, they try, then wait for me to ask again, and try again. It’s an amazing experience, and one that reminds me to ask for what I want clearly, and calmly, and to be patient in return.
3) The value of reward / positive reinforcement. As humans we love positive reinforcement. As writers we crave it – we really want you to love our books! Horses have shown me just how important this is. My latest tactic, when riding a horse that has a reputation as a runaway, is to reach down and pat her neck every now and then. Every single time I pat her neck, she slows down, and her whole body relaxes. This has really brought home to me how powerful a kind word, or gesture can be.
4) The importance of having an outlet. It can be hard to find the time to ride. It can be hard to justify the expense. But it’s important. Being a rider is part of who I am. It adds dimension to my personality. It keeps me fit – mentally and physically. It’s the part of the week that’s mine alone. Your outlet may be riding, or it may be something different, but whatever it is, try to hold onto it.
5) The generosity of the horse world. The horse community is an amazing one. If you love horses, you’re in. My books have been supported by competitive hunter-jumpers, eventers, and dressage riders. They’ve been embraced by barrel racers and reiners. People who’ve never been on a horse, but just love looking at them, have read my books. No matter where you are in the world “horse” is a universal passkey.
Appaloosa Summer by Tudor Robins
ISBN: 978-0993683701
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary / Coming-Of Age / Romance / Horse-Themed
Format: Paperback and eBook
Sixteen-year-old Meg Traherne has never known loss. Until the beautiful, talented horse she trained herself, drops dead underneath her in the show ring. Jared Strickland has been living with loss ever since his father died in a tragic farming accident. Meg escapes from her grief by changing everything about her life; moving away from home to spend her summer living on an island in the St. Lawrence River, scrubbing toilets and waiting on guests at a B&B. Once there, she meets Jared; doing his best to keep anything else in his life from changing. When Jared offers Meg a scruffy appaloosa mare out of a friend’s back field, it’s the beginning of a journey that will change both of them by summer’s end.
I’m staring down a line of jumps that should scare my brand-new show breeches right off me.
But it doesn’t. Major and I know our jobs here. His is to read the combination, determine the perfect take-off spot, and adjust his stride accordingly. Mine is to stay out of his way, and let him jump.
We hit the first jump just right. He clears it with an effortless arc, and all I have to do is go through my mental checklist. Heels down. Back straight. Follow his mouth.
“Good boy, Major.” One ear flicks halfway back to acknowledge my comment, but not enough to make him lose focus. A strong, easy stride to jump two, and he’s up, working for both of us, holding me perfectly balanced as we fly through the air.
He lands with extra momentum; normal at the end of a long, straight line. He self-corrects, shifting his weight back over his hocks. Next will come the surge from his muscled hind end; powering us both up, and over, the final tall vertical.
It doesn’t come, though. How can it not? “Come on!” I cluck, scuff my heels along his side. No response from my rock solid jumper.
The rails are right in front of us, but I have no horsepower – nothing – under me. By the time I think of going for my stick, it’s too late. We slam into several closely spaced rails topping a solid gate. Oh God. Oh no. Be ready, be ready, be ready. But how? There’s no good way. There are poles everywhere, and leather tangling, and dirt. In my eyes, in my nose, in my mouth.
There’s no sound from my horse. Is he as winded as me? I can’t speak, or yell, or scream. Major? Is that him on my leg? Is that why it’s numb? People come, kneel around me. I can’t see past them. I can’t sit up. My ears rush and my head spins. I’m going to throw up. “I’m going to …”
**********
I flush the toilet. Swish out my mouth. Avoid looking in the mirror. Light hurts, my reflection hurts, everything hurts at this point in the afternoon, when the headache builds to its peak.
Why me?
I’ve never lost anybody close to me. My grandpa died before I was born, and my widowed grandma’s still going strong at ninety-four. She has an eighty-nine-year-old boyfriend. They go to the racetrack; play the slots.
If I had to predict who would die first in my life, I would never, in a million years, have guessed it would be my fit, strong, seven-year-old thoroughbred.
Never.
But he did.
Thinking about it just sharpens the headache, so I press a towel against my face, blink into the soft fluffiness.
“Are you OK?” Slate’s voice comes through the door. With my mom and dad at work, Slate’s been the one to spend the last three days distracting me when I’m awake, and waking me up whenever I get into a sound sleep. Or that’s what it feels like.
“Fine.” I push the bathroom door open.
“Puke?”
I nod. Stupid move. It hurts. Whisper instead. “Yes.”
“Well, that’s a big improvement. Just the once today.”
She follows me back to my room. She’s not a pillow-plumper or quilt-smoother – I have to struggle into my rumpled bed – but it’s nice to have her around. “I’m glad you’re here, Slatey.” I sniffle, and taste salt in the back of my throat.
I’m close to tears all the time these days. “Normal,” the doctor said. Apparently tears aren’t unreasonable after suffering a knock to the head hard enough to split my helmet in two, with my horse dropping stone cold dead underneath me in the show ring. I’m still sick of crying, though. And puking, too.
“Don’t be stupid, Meg; being here is heaven. My mom and Agate are going completely over the top organizing Aggie’s sweet sixteen. There are party planning boards everywhere, and her dance friends are always over giggling about it too.”
“Just as long as it’s not about me. I don’t want to owe you.”
“’Course not; you’re not that great of a best friend.”
Tudor Robins is an Ottawa-based young adult author whose first novel, Objects in Mirror, was named a Best Book for Kids and Teens by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre.
She gathered publishing-related experience in her roles as a magazine editor and publishing sales representative, as well as working in offset and digital printing. Tudor currently teaches writing workshops for adults and children, as well as developing writing contests and programming to motivate young writers.
Tudor loves reading, writing, and horseback riding, and spending time with her husband and two sons.
Receiving messages from readers is one of Tudor’s favourite things, so please feel free to visit her website and connect with her on Facebook.
The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba of The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. This is a weekly meme where we can share news of the week and highlight new books received.
I’m still trying to catch up from the Buckeye Morgan show. The show is a Friday – Sunday show, with a packed schedule, and it didn’t end until about 4pm on Sunday. Lots of early mornings and late evenings, with little time to leave the fairgrounds. After loading up the cars on Sunday, we still had an over 4 hours drive home! I didn’t get much reading accomplished, and because I was so tired by the end of the show, I didn’t get much squeezed in over the week either. It took a while to recover from this fun show!
Elle and Pixie both had phenomenal shows. Elle was very steady under saddle, and she was beautiful in harness. She finished the show the Classic Pleasure Driving Champion, and I was so glad I could watch her class, knowing that Sarah is a more than capable driver. It was enjoyable being able to watch her during the show, and I want to give a shout out to Sarah for her skillful handling of my horse. Thanks, Sarah!
Pixie had her best show yet. We ended up getting a Reserve in the English Pleasure Amateur division, and she was a very willing mount, always eager to please. I’m looking forward to next year, and I’m planning on taking both of them to Morgan Grand Nationals.
Monday was a weird, weird weather day. We had a strong storm dump over 4 inches of rain an hour on Metro Detroit, and it caused HAVOC! Most freeways flooded and were closed for days after, and thousands of people had basement flooding. My brother had 3 inches of sewer water back up in his, which meant that everything down there was a loss. It didn’t rain as much where I are, so we thankfully didn’t have any flooding, other than in the street, but many of my friends did. I’m thankful that all of them are safe, and upset that so many of them had to throw so much away. Municipalities arranged for extra garbage pick up, and the mountains of trash in front many houses was staggering.
How was your week?
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Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews to share new additions to our library. Click here to learn more about it.
New Arrivals at the Café:
These are books I received during the last two weeks
Sisters’ Fate (Love this series so much I pre-ordered this, and was so happy to see it on my Kindle Thursday morning)
Compulsion
The Beautiful Ashes
Wickedly Dangerous
Kiss Me, Captain
Nightingale
Free Agent
Heroes are My Weakness
Rebel Nation
Summer Moon
Dead, Undead, and Somewhere in Between
Not Quite a Wife
Dark Blossom
A great big thanks to the publishers for their continued support!
I always have the urge to read a horsey book right before a horse show. I kept seeing the Timber Ridge Riders series on Amazon, and wanted to check it out, so when I had the chance to do just that, I jumped at it. I don’t ride hunt seat, so I always find depictions of hunter shows interesting. The horse care details were spot on, and nothing made me cringe due to inaccuracies. I’ll tell you what did make me cringe: the behavior of Kate’s rival, Angela. What a spoiled, selfish girl! If I was her coach, she would have been booted from my barn. Her casual treatment of the animals and her teammates had me boiling mad!
Keeping Secrets is a middle grade book, but it will appeal to horse enthusiasts of all ages. I felt so awful for protagonist Kate. She has spent the last six months blaming herself for the death of a horse at her old barn. A convenient scape goat, she was kicked out, banished for allowing the horse to escape from his stall, get into the feed room, and colic. What a crappy thing to do to a 14 year old girl. The old trainer earned zero respect from me, and poor Kate, heartbroken over the loss of her favorite horse, decided that horses would no longer play a part in her life. Kate’s disinterested father didn’t help her with her grief. The guy, a professor, was never home, and he probably didn’t even know about the horrible experience Kate was struggling to deal with. Instead, he traipsed around the planet research butterflies.
With her father on a trip, she’s moved in with her aunt. Kate wants a job, so when she hears about a babysitting job, she applies for it. Her charge is actually her own age, and Holly has been confined to a wheelchair after an auto accident. Kate’s job is to be her companion for the summer, so her mom can continue coaching riders at the barn behind their small house. Barn? Yes, barn! So even though Kate wants nothing to do with horses, she is stuck having to deal with them every day. Holly’s dream is to get back in the saddle again, and she drags Kate to the barn every day. To hide her new discomfort around the animals, Kate lies and tells Holly that she’s terrified of them, and, oh, yeah, she’s allergic, too. When her secret is outted, she has to earn back Holly’s trust, as well as help save Holly’s mom’s job.
This is a very fast paced read, and I couldn’t put it down. Once Kate gets back in the saddle, things accelerate even more. She has to help win a team competition, but guess what? Angela is out to get her, because Kate rides better than she does, so Kate has to learn quickly to avoid Angela’s attempts to sabotage her. I loved all of the conflict Angela started. She’s the perfect girl you love to hate, but because her mother demands constant perfection from her, you feel a smidge, just a smidge!, of pity for her. She’s afraid that Kate will show her up in front of her mother, and all her mother cares about is that Angela is the best. Her mother also has a lot of control over whether or not Holly’s mother will keep her job, it turns out, so there’s even greater friction between the girls. Add in the fact that Angela is a bully and likes to pick on what she considers weaker girls, and you really have the perfect villain.
I enjoyed Keeping Secrets, and I’m looking forward to more adventures with Kate and Holly. I’m sure that Angela will continue to make trouble for the girls, making for more entertaining reading.
Grade: B/B+ (I love the cover – that gets an A)
Review copy provided by publisher
From Amazon:
A valuable horse is dead, and it’s all her fault, which is why 14-year-old Kate McGregor has banished horses and riding from her life … forever!
But her new summer job as a companion to Holly Chapman, a former riding star who’s now confined to a wheelchair, takes her back to the barn—the last place Kate wants to be.
Can Kate keep her terrible secret from Holly, who is fast becoming her best friend? And, more important, can she keep her secret from Angela Dean, a teenage bully who lives for only two things: winning ribbons and causing trouble?
Kate manages to keep her secret hidden until an accident forces it into the open … and it’s just the moment Angela has been waiting for.
In the Summer of 1941, the manager of the large animal reserve in the Ukraine, Askaniya-Nova, told his senior caretaker Maxim Borisovich Melnik to kill all the animals before the Germans arrived and did it themselves to replenish their dwindling food supplies.
But Max can't bring himself to do it, and when the Nazis arrive and take over the reserve, he is sure that the Well-educated, well-bred, well-spoken Captain Grenzman will spare the animals, especially his beloved untamable Przewalski's horses. But soon it is winter and the soldiers have to eat and little by little, the animals on the reserve are killed until only the small herd of Przewalski's horses are left.
Until the day Grenzman tells Max that he has received his orders from Berlin to "remove from the animal population of the Greater German Reich what is, after all, a biologically unfit species, in order to protect the line of decent domesticated horses…from possible contamination by your wandering pit ponies." (pg 25) Besides, the Nazis have run out of food again.
Meanwhile, Kalinka, 15, the only Jewish survivor of a Nazi mass shooting that included her entire family, has found her way to Askaniya-Nova, where she befriends and is befriended by the lead stallion and mare of the Przewalski's herd there, a most unusual thing for these horses to do.
Like Max, Kalinka witnesses and is horrified by the killing of the herd of Przewalski's horses and when it was over, she goes looking for the mare and stallion who had helped save her life to see if there is anything she can do for them. Not finding them, Kalinka returns to her hiding place, only to discover that the two horses have made their way back there, too. But the mare has a bullet lodged in her shoulder and Kalinka knows she needs to seek help from Max.
Max is overjoyed to see the two Przewalski's and welcomes Kalinka with open arms. He removes the bullet and puts the two horses and Kalinka in the abandoned waterworks buildings not far from his cottage. But soon, that becomes a dangerous place for them, as well, and the two hatch a plan to get both the horses and Kalinka to where they can find safety with the Red Army.
It's a dangerous plan, but if it doesn't work, it will be the end of the Przewalski's horses.
The Winter Horses is based somewhat on the real shooting of Przewalski's horses by the Nazis during WWII, but the rest of the story should not be seen as a history but as a legend, which contains only an element of historic fact, but also has a rather mythical quality. Or at least, that is how Philip Kerr introduces this story of an unlikely hero, heroine and the two horses they want to save, and which accounts for the very understated element of fantasy in the novel.
I though that because of this legend quality Kerr gave his story, that writing the novel with an omniscient third person point of view really worked well. It provided just the kind of distancing that a novel like this needs. In fact, it reminded me of the original Kinder- und Hausmärchen by the Brothers Grimm, which all had that same dichotomy of cruelty and kindness to them (unlike their prettified, disneyfied fairy tales counterparts of today) found in The Winter Horses.
Even so, I suspect that this is may be as difficult a story to read for others as it was for me. The calm cruelty of Captain Grenzman and his obsessive need to eradicate the all horses was almost unbearable, mainly because it was so analogous to what was being done to the entire Jewish population.
Still, I highly recommend The Winter Horses to anyone with an interest in WWII, and given what is going on in the Ukraine at the moment, readers may find this even more of an interesting read, asking themselves, as I did, will history be repeating itself here? After all, the Askaniya-Nova reserve still exists in the southern Ukraine.
Philip Kerr is a favorite author of mine, having written a wonderful mystery series about a detective named Bernie Gunther set in pre-war Berlin for adult readers. The Winter Horses is his first historical fiction for young readers (but not his first work for kids - as Ms. Yingling points out in her review, Philip Kerr also wrote a fantasy series, Children of the Lamp, under the name P.B.Kerr).
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was purchased for my personal library
Random House has an educator's guide to The Winter Horses complete with CCSS tie-ins that can be downloaded HERE
If you would like to know more about Przewalski's horses, you might this article in Scientific American interesting, or this entry on Wikipedia giving the history of Przewalski's horses or the history of Askaniya-Nova
0 Comments on The Winter Horses by Philip Kerr as of 8/2/2014 3:04:00 PM
The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba of The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. This is a weekly meme where we can share news of the week and highlight new books received.
I’ve had a busy week! Last weekend, Dean and I took a mini-vacation. We went to Columbus to visit the zoo, the Olentangy Caverns, and one of the Metro Parks, where we saw real, live, wild Bald Eagles. We also stopped at Coon’s Candy, which I drive by every time I go to a horse show in Columbus, but I have never had the time to stop before. We had a really good time. I tried to embed the “story” of the trip that Google+ built from pictures I took with my phone, but the service is so worthless I can’t find the embed link option. Sigh.
Tuesday night I had to take Poppy to the vet. I discovered to my dismay that she had developed an ear infection the night before we were leaving on our trip. A frantic call to the vet yielded an ointment to squeeze into her beet-red ear, which the kennel staff kindly took care of in our absence. Her ear was still very red Tuesday night, so we went home with a medication for pain and inflammation, as well as instructions to continue with the ointment for another 10 days. We have a recheck next weekend – hopefully the infection will cleared up by then, because it’s upsetting seeing how uncomfortable she has been.
Wednesday night after work there was a local open horse show, and I decided to take Pixie. I have been a little nervous to take her to an outside show because she can be so jumpy, but she was really good! Just a few bobbles, and I’m pleased with how well she did. We had a 2nd, 4th, and 5th place in fairly large classes. The bugs were bothering her by the last class, but overall, we both had a good time. I am looking forward to more of these smaller shows next summer.
And that’s my week! I was exhausted Thursday because I was out way past my bedtime because of the horse show, so I have just been lounging around this weekend. I guess I’m due a break after the busy week.
How was your 4th of July weekend? Did you do anything special?
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Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews to share new additions to our library. Click here to learn more about it.
New Arrivals at the Café:
This is two weeks of books
Poison Promise (This is a finished copy – I will be giving it away in a few weeks)
The Game and the Governess
The Return of the Discontinued Man
The Pearl That Broke its Shell (1.99 for the Kindle – this looked different, so I bit at the price)
The Honeymoon Trap (.99 for the Kindle, and since I love Kelly Hunter’s writing, I snapped it up)
I Adored a Lord
Falling for Max
Across the Line
Dangerous Calling
When I Fall
Taking it All (I’ll have a copy of this to give away, so check back next weekend!)
Black Dog
Zomburbia (I couldn’t resist – zombies!)
Generation 18
Falling for the Pirate
Heart of Dread: Frozen
Maplecroft
Ringworld Graphic Novel
Winning Ruby Heart (A sports scandal – I couldn’t resist this one, either)
The Texas Twins (I think the cover is so cute!)
Maverick for Hire
Captured by the Sheikh
Breaking All Her Rules (Maisey Yates is one of my favorite HQN authors)
Marine for Hire
A great big thanks to the publishers for their continued support!
K. Madill is touring with Pump Up Your Book this month with her young adult fantasy novel, The Stolen Herd.Read to the end to see how you can enter for your chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.
BLURB: Mandamus is only a foal when his herd is captured by the terrible Rakhana Army. Rescued and raised in secrecy, he knows nothing of his heritage until a dreadful incident in the woods brings him to the attention of the Forest council – and everyone else. Sent away for his own protection, he is determined to seek help on behalf of the many animals who have gone missing from the forest, including his own family.
With the help of a troubled man and a stout-hearted bat, can Mandamus save his fellow creatures before it’s too late?
COVER: I’m not usually a fan of dark covers, but this one is stunning. The black of the horse, the white glint of his eyes, and the purples and pinks of the sky make for a fabulous piece of art that attracts readers.
FIRST CHAPTER: As the Rakhana Army closes in on the herd, Gideon takes their foal and dashes him to Daleth and Mareva to raise in secrecy.
KEEP READING: Filled with flowing descriptions and a multitude of characters, this opening chapter sets the scene for what will become of Mandamus after his herd is captured by the Rakhana Army. A butterfly, a bat, a herd of horses, a ruthless human army, and a special foal with white eyes who may be the stuff of legends make for an interesting cast. The strength of the world building is easy to see early on. The hint of magic and the elegant writing in this first chapter definitely encourage me to follow along with the rest of Mandamus’ story.
I received a copy of this book from the author. I have been paid a fee to promote this book with a book tour through Pump Up Your Book. That fee did not include a review. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.
A chronic “head in the cloudser” K. Madill lives in a rickety house on a well treed street in British Columbia, Canada. When she’s not hanging out with her best equine friend in the woods she can be found trying to stay upright on her roller skates or mediating the affairs of her various furred and feathered friends that rule the aforementioned rickety house.
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A finely woven novel exploring grief, hope and friendship, 
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This is such a beautiful post, Zoe. Thanks so much, yet again. I’m looking forward to see it arrive in Sydney.
Are you aware of ‘Flight,’ written by Nadia Wheatley and illustrated my the superbly gifted Armin Greber? Apologies if you’ve written about it! It is a very moving depiction of the plight of refugees, without taking a ‘sledgehammer’ approach.
Thanks Simon, no I didn’t know about this new book though I’ve just read a bit more about it (http://www.readings.com.au/products/19429014/flight). I very much like Greber’s earlier work addressing issues around immigration/migration/refugees. Thank you for the tip off!