Susan Count

Uhhh, review to come.

Updated with full review ...

Started with an intriguing beginning, a horse lover's perfect read ... If they don't mind the middle-grade story.

I saw in one review this was a good book for reads 8-80, I have to disagree, while Selah's Stolen Dream has a cute title its story is lacking in anything other than a love for horses making it a story for younger readers.

It was cute enough but I felt like the characters were too whiny, and at one point the dad told Selah that she needed to act older than her thirteen years though losing her horse … Um, why?

And the fact she met someone who contacted her online was a big turn off for me, so dangerous, and yes, her parents took away social media but Selah offered excuses about why she did it and I didn't feel she was truly repentant.

So, while it was an all right story I just didn't love it or even really like it, plus there were inconsistencies in the plotline. I dredged through the last 50% with barely any interest.

The parents in the book felt underdeveloped, and honestly, the girls seemed to know better than their parents in a disrespectful way and they undermine their parents with little to no consequences it seemed.

I had hoped to find something redeeming in the last half of the book but I didn't.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.… (meer)

Pony love abounds in this down-to-earth tale of a girl's hard work and important life lessons.

Abby loves horses, but her family doesn't have the money to let her join a riding school or anything else, which gets near the animals. When she sees a flyer and a job opportunity at a stable, she's sure her dreams can now come true. The work is hard, but when Abby falls in love with a certain pony, Glory, life seems perfect...but there's a catch. Abby's family can't afford to buy Glory for her. When someone else purchases the pony, Abby's upset and is sure they aren't handling Glory correctly. And she's not sure what she can do to change that.

This is an easy-to-read, quick and engaging tale for horse lovers. It dives right into Abby's problems and has the reader caught up before she even arrives at the stable. Her determination and work-ethic is inspirational, and she's a kind person, who does make some mistakes, but is also able to grow from them. There's a wonderful sense of family and new forming friendships to round this off into a wholesome read.

The situations and characters are realistic and relatable. It gives the entire tale a familiar atmosphere and allows readers to sink right in. The horse aspects are well done, never over-simplify or talk down, but do give a good glimpse into stables, pony care and such, without drudging through details. Those, who dream of having their own horse (or do own one), will find themselves drawn in.

I do recommend this for horse fans ages 7 to 12 and believe that even reluctant readers won't feel overwhelmed. I received a complimentary copy and found this to be a fun, wholesome read.… (meer)

When I was very young I inherited from my parents a complete set of the Colliers Junior Classics. For those of you not so lucky, it is a ten-book collection of some of the best stories ever told. This is where I discovered Aladdin, Aesop, Peter Rabbit, Black Beauty, Robinson Caruso, Gulliver, and Shakespeare, among many beloved others. It was my prized possession until it was lost during a move in my teens. I picked up a set when my son was seven from my local FOL. He adored it as much as I did. Much like myself, it shaped his expectations of fiction. Well written engaging plots, wonderful characters, and words that resonate across time and reading levels. They just don’t make stories like that anymore. Or do they?

As I read through The Firefly Warriors Club, I found myself thinking of my favorite volume of the CJC ‘In Your Backyard’. It was filled with adventure stories, mostly featuring young protagonists who had to step up to responsibility, much like the young boys I was reading about now. It was a warm and fuzzy feeling.

The Firefly Warriors Club is about Davy and his younger cousin Anderson. They both get to spend a week at their grandfather’s farm and they both have very different ideas about how to spend that time. Davy is a budding entomologist and he is looking forward to finding new bugs to study and to catch up on some reading. Anderson on the other hand is looking for a fun time and games. They both, however, are concerned about the declining firefly population. All the adults talk about catching fireflies in abundance in their youth, yet these boys have barely ever seen one. One late evening a search for one gets the boys lost in the woods on an unbelievable adventure where they are certain the fireflies have asked for help to save them and their dwindling habitat. Trying to convince the adults of the seriousness of the situation fails at first, but leads them to a possible way they can convince others to help.

Their week with Grandpa is anything but boring. In the midst of a raging forest fire, rounding up cattle, rescuing a cat with an attitude, and realizing that it is their differences from each other that is their strength, The firefly warriors never lose sight of their purpose to save the endangered insects that most people have already given up on.

This book is filled with adventure and fun insect facts. I say that as a person who definitely does not like bugs of just about any kind (though, I do love to watch the fireflies in my yard every summer). The information is wonderfully disseminated throughout the story. Middle-Grade readers won’t even realize they are learning important knowledge. Among the things I learned is that lightning bugs are really fireflies and glow worms are firefly babies and that despite their name they aren’t flies, but rather beetles. There is also a fun fact page at the end of the story.

The book is written for fourth to sixth graders and will be especially great for those interested in ecology or entomology.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.… (meer)

Rarely do I ever read a youth-oriented novel, but with so much seriousness going on in the world I thought it would be nice to read something chill that was also out of my comfort zone, and Selah's Stolen Dream definitely fit that bill. Being heavy in the equestrian world, and myself unfamiliar with that world and verbiage, there were times that I was a tad lost, but you can tell the author is very comfortable, and shows she is well versed in that lifestyle. Once you get into the book the language becomes easier to understand, and I was surprised with how much I learned from reading this novel.

My heart went out to Selah, not only having to deal with losing her beloved horse, but her best friend, her whole world, while at the same time reading about sweet Emma going through the joys and trials of owning her first horse. The parallel storylines lead your heart through emotional highs and lows right to the very end, but I will say the ending had me saying, "Awww!!" and was very satisfying.

I will admit it took me a bit to get into the book, but I was eventually won over. It written for a younger audience, meaning the writing was on a simpler caliber than I'm used to, but necessary to reach that audience, and it allowed me to transport back to a simpler time in my own life, remembering the innocence of a twelve year old. The lessons learned by both Selah and Emma are ones that are important for us all, and handled in a very realistic, down to earth way.

I was surprised with how much I ended up liking this book and would recommend for adults and youths alike, and hope I can read more in this sweet series.… (meer)