Post by Claire on Jul 22, 2012 14:00:57 GMT 1
RACING INTO TROUBLE by MAGGIE DANA
MAIN CHARACTERS:
Kate – our heroine
Holly - teenager confined to wheelchair after an accident, whom Kate is acting as summer companion to
Angela – a rich winning-obsessed girl with an overbearing mother
Magician – Holly’s horse, a black gelding
Buccaneer – a new livery, beautiful but wilful
Adam – a local boy whom the girls both like
Jennifer – new girl to the stables, Angela’s friend
SUMMARY:
This is the second book in the Timber Ridge Riders series. In book one – Keeping Secrets (see separate review) – we were introduced to Kate who, despite loving horses had vowed to keep away from them after feeling she had caused the death of a horse by her own actions. She takes a summer job as companion and helper to wheelchair bound horse mad Holly whose mother owns a stables. As the two girls become friends, Holly persuades Kate to overcome her guilt and start riding again. In this next story Kate is overjoyed when she is allowed to ride Buccaneer, the gorgeous but wilful new livery. But her joy turns to misery when things start going wrong at the stables and she is accused of being the culprit. Things come to a head when she is completely banished from the stables and even her friendship with Holly looks in danger! Can the two girls put things right…?
REVIEW:
The second book in a series is always a tricky proposition for a writer, especially if the first book has been favourably received. However if there were any problems for the author in this regard, they certainly don’t show. Rather than taking the easy route of re-creating the first story with just a few little tweaks, this book takes a completely different turn. Book one concentrated largely on a riding competition, this story is instead centred around the stableyard and the relationships and dynamics of the people who work and play there. There are some new characters to add extra interest but the main focuses is once again on Kate and Holly and their arch enemy Angela.
At the end of book one it seemed that both Kate and Holly were overcoming their personal demons, but there is still plenty of conflict and strife to keep the reader turning pages in book two. Whereas in the first book Kate was tormented by her own guilt and self-doubt, in this story she has to overcome the problem of others doubting her. Kate is a very sympathetic character and easy to identify with, which gives the reader an emotional investment in the story. As the book goes on and Kate becomes the scapegoat for a number of mishaps, and is very unfairly treated, I felt a real indignation on her part. I wanted to reach in to the book and give Liz a shake for believing the word of Angela over Kate! I had to keep turning the pages to see how she would be vindicated.
Holly too is having problems, still struggling with her paralysis which has not yet been miraculously cured as she had hoped at the end of book one. In fact this book concentrates a lot more on Holly and her problems than does the first story. Holly’s actions are far more integral to the plot, and she gets a meatier role to play.
The relationship between Kate and Holly is extremely well done, their dialogue and interaction is completely realistic. And it is this relationship which is at the heart of the book. Whilst both show personal courage and integrity in overcoming their problems, I feel it is their friendship which gives them the extra strength needed to do so. In fact this story is more a story of relationships and friendships than a pony story as such. Although there is plenty of horsy interest, the dynamics between the girls will appeal to all children who are experiencing the ups and downs of teen life, not only pony lovers. In this respect I think it may have wider appeal than the first book in the series.
I do like the fact that the author has two completely different characters in Kate and Holly. Whereas Kate is the archetypal horsy girl, more interested in ponies than fashion or celebrity, most comfortable in jeans, Holly tempers her love of equines with an interest in the latest celebrity goss, and likes to wear glittery make-up. Most teen readers will be able to identify with one of the pair.
The author has also done an excellent job of portraying the teenage world without overdoing it. Yes there are mobiles and texting and facebook, but they are just a backdrop to the story without taking it over completely and giving it that phoney feel of adult writers who try just a little bit too hard to ‘get down with the kids.’ However despite the modern setting, this series still manages to retain some of the feel of the classic pony stories of my youth. I have often thought to myself that many a good old fashioned pony story plot (such as galloping off for help and the like) would be foiled by the fact that kids are now all equipped with mobile phones. However Maggie Dana gets round this problem with barely a break in her stride, giving us a nail-biting episode of danger in which the heroine has to rely on her fortitude rather than pressing a few buttons to get herself out of a sticky situation. But you will have to read the book to find out how she does it!
The book ends on an exciting note with a tantalizing preview of what is to come in the next instalment, in which a film is planned to be shot at the stables and one of the girls to be a stunt double! This promises to be another excellent addition to the series and, with the author’s personal experience of the world of film making, is sure to have an air of authenticity.
In summary, as with the first book in the series this is a modern, up-to-date read which at the same time does not forgo old fashioned values such as friendship, integrity and battling on against the odds, values which are sadly lacking in many of the shallow, style over substance stories offered to children nowadays.
Rated as 4 Horseshoes/very good.
MAIN CHARACTERS:
Kate – our heroine
Holly - teenager confined to wheelchair after an accident, whom Kate is acting as summer companion to
Angela – a rich winning-obsessed girl with an overbearing mother
Magician – Holly’s horse, a black gelding
Buccaneer – a new livery, beautiful but wilful
Adam – a local boy whom the girls both like
Jennifer – new girl to the stables, Angela’s friend
SUMMARY:
This is the second book in the Timber Ridge Riders series. In book one – Keeping Secrets (see separate review) – we were introduced to Kate who, despite loving horses had vowed to keep away from them after feeling she had caused the death of a horse by her own actions. She takes a summer job as companion and helper to wheelchair bound horse mad Holly whose mother owns a stables. As the two girls become friends, Holly persuades Kate to overcome her guilt and start riding again. In this next story Kate is overjoyed when she is allowed to ride Buccaneer, the gorgeous but wilful new livery. But her joy turns to misery when things start going wrong at the stables and she is accused of being the culprit. Things come to a head when she is completely banished from the stables and even her friendship with Holly looks in danger! Can the two girls put things right…?
REVIEW:
The second book in a series is always a tricky proposition for a writer, especially if the first book has been favourably received. However if there were any problems for the author in this regard, they certainly don’t show. Rather than taking the easy route of re-creating the first story with just a few little tweaks, this book takes a completely different turn. Book one concentrated largely on a riding competition, this story is instead centred around the stableyard and the relationships and dynamics of the people who work and play there. There are some new characters to add extra interest but the main focuses is once again on Kate and Holly and their arch enemy Angela.
At the end of book one it seemed that both Kate and Holly were overcoming their personal demons, but there is still plenty of conflict and strife to keep the reader turning pages in book two. Whereas in the first book Kate was tormented by her own guilt and self-doubt, in this story she has to overcome the problem of others doubting her. Kate is a very sympathetic character and easy to identify with, which gives the reader an emotional investment in the story. As the book goes on and Kate becomes the scapegoat for a number of mishaps, and is very unfairly treated, I felt a real indignation on her part. I wanted to reach in to the book and give Liz a shake for believing the word of Angela over Kate! I had to keep turning the pages to see how she would be vindicated.
Holly too is having problems, still struggling with her paralysis which has not yet been miraculously cured as she had hoped at the end of book one. In fact this book concentrates a lot more on Holly and her problems than does the first story. Holly’s actions are far more integral to the plot, and she gets a meatier role to play.
The relationship between Kate and Holly is extremely well done, their dialogue and interaction is completely realistic. And it is this relationship which is at the heart of the book. Whilst both show personal courage and integrity in overcoming their problems, I feel it is their friendship which gives them the extra strength needed to do so. In fact this story is more a story of relationships and friendships than a pony story as such. Although there is plenty of horsy interest, the dynamics between the girls will appeal to all children who are experiencing the ups and downs of teen life, not only pony lovers. In this respect I think it may have wider appeal than the first book in the series.
I do like the fact that the author has two completely different characters in Kate and Holly. Whereas Kate is the archetypal horsy girl, more interested in ponies than fashion or celebrity, most comfortable in jeans, Holly tempers her love of equines with an interest in the latest celebrity goss, and likes to wear glittery make-up. Most teen readers will be able to identify with one of the pair.
The author has also done an excellent job of portraying the teenage world without overdoing it. Yes there are mobiles and texting and facebook, but they are just a backdrop to the story without taking it over completely and giving it that phoney feel of adult writers who try just a little bit too hard to ‘get down with the kids.’ However despite the modern setting, this series still manages to retain some of the feel of the classic pony stories of my youth. I have often thought to myself that many a good old fashioned pony story plot (such as galloping off for help and the like) would be foiled by the fact that kids are now all equipped with mobile phones. However Maggie Dana gets round this problem with barely a break in her stride, giving us a nail-biting episode of danger in which the heroine has to rely on her fortitude rather than pressing a few buttons to get herself out of a sticky situation. But you will have to read the book to find out how she does it!
The book ends on an exciting note with a tantalizing preview of what is to come in the next instalment, in which a film is planned to be shot at the stables and one of the girls to be a stunt double! This promises to be another excellent addition to the series and, with the author’s personal experience of the world of film making, is sure to have an air of authenticity.
In summary, as with the first book in the series this is a modern, up-to-date read which at the same time does not forgo old fashioned values such as friendship, integrity and battling on against the odds, values which are sadly lacking in many of the shallow, style over substance stories offered to children nowadays.
Rated as 4 Horseshoes/very good.
