Review ~ The Hunger Games

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Barnes and Noble

Review:

NOTE: My computer is not letting play the copy and paste game right now for some strange reason...so if you click on Barnes and Noble it will take to the page for The Hunger Games.
......Now back to our regularly scheduled programming......OH MY GOODNESS! WHERE HAS THIS BOOK BEEN "ALL MY LIFE?!" Since I've started book blogging I've come across many reviews of this book and the vast majority of them have been really shining reviews. But it wasn't until last week that I actually took the book off my shelf and read it. I'd like to thank my co-workers for that....They were talking about the book at work and started giving me crap cause I hadn't read it yet. As my co-workers say....."It's Awesome Sauce!"

I really don't know what to say beyond the above words that are in all capital letters. I don't want to say to much because I don't want to give anything away....I'm occasionally bad about putting in unintentional spoilers. I LOVED this book. I LOVED the story line, I totally felt like I was there. The main character is very real and relatable, you totally feel her pain. The secondary characters are also written in a very real and relatable fashion. The games themselves are written in a way that it paints a vivid and brutal picture of what it must be like for these kids. I guess the only problem I had with the book was the end....I didn't want it to end....cause when the book came to an end I'd have to wait to start reading Catching Fire because I lent it to a friend to read.

Cinderella Society review

Cinderella Society

Kay Cassidy

336 pages

Category: YA/romance

Source: Purchased/own

Rating:

Challenges: YA, Chick lit, 100+, Debut Authors

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Jess Parker survives by staying invisible. After nine schools in ten years, she's come to terms with life as a perpetual new girl, neither popular nor outcast. At Mt. Sterling High, Jess gets the chance of a lifetime: an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret club of the most popular girls in school, where makeovers are the first order of official business. But there's more to being a Cindy than just reinventing yourself from the outside, a concept lost on Jess as she dives tiara-first into creating a hot new look.

With a date with her popular crush and a chance to finally fit in, Jess's life seems to be a perfect fairy tale. That is until the Wickeds—led by Jess's archenemy—begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers her new sisterhood is about much more than who rules Mt. Sterling High School. It's a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and the Cindys need Jess on special assignment. But when the mission threatens to destroy her new dream life, Jess is forced to choose between this dream realized and honoring the Sisterhood. What's a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?

Review:

I had read soooo many really great reviews of this book that I thought that I would check it out as well. Though I didn't absolutely HATE the book, I didn't absolutely LOVE the book either. I guess some parts of it cut a little bit to close to home. But anyways, that's neither here nor there.

Writing wise I thought that Kay did a pretty good job of writing from the mind of a teenager. Jess is "the new kid" and is being bullied by her secret crushes sister. Which leads to an invitation to join the secret Cinderella Society, which in the beginning Jess is skeptical about. Because she feels it is an elaborate prank against her by her nemesis, but then she starts to really enjoy it UNTIL she is asked to gather info about a Reggie (regular kids) that she's tried to befriend in the past and is basically told that you can't "save" everyone. That's the point where Jess starts to resent being a member of the society.

Lexy is Jess's nemesis and is REALLY good at it. There was a very traumatic event that happened in her life that caused her to go from a "good girl" to a "wicked girl" that I'm not going to give away. Lexy's whole goal in life is to make Jess and a select few others lives miserable and for a while she succeeds in spades. Then Jess grows a backbone and decides not to take it anymore.

All the while Jess has a super huge crush on Lexy's older brother Ryan. And the feeling is mutual. Ryan is a pretty complex guy. At first you think he's just your typical high school jock (AKA...A Jerk) but then you get to the mini golf date and you realize that there is oh so much more to him than that.

I guess my only faults with the book are that Lexy is written with basically NO redeeming qualities and Jess is written in almost a "it's all about me" sort of fashion....You know typical TEEN mentality. Like I said earlier I liked the way that Kay was able to write from the teen perspective, I just didn't particularly care for the way that the two main characters were written. I thought that the supporting characters were written very well though.

Even though I am middle of the road on this book I totally would recommend reading it. A LOT of people have enjoyed it A LOT. Here are what others are saying about Cinderella Society:

The Compulsive Reader
The Page Turners
Chick Lit Teens
Bookworming in the 21st Century
The Book Cellar

Rules of Attraction review

Rules of Attraction

Simone Elkeles

336 pages

Avaliable April 13, 2010

Rating:

Challenges: YA, Chick Lit, 100+

Synopsis:

Carlos Fuentes doesn't want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him in Boulder, Colorado. He wants to keep living on the edge, and carve his own path?just like Alex did. Unfortunately, his ties to a Mexican gang aren't easy to break, and he soon finds himself being set up by a drug lord.

When Alex arranges for Carlos to live with his former professor and his family to keep him from being sent to jail, Carlos feels completely out of place. He's even more thrown by his strong feelings for the professor's daughter, Kiara, who is nothing like the girls he's usually drawn to. But Carlos and Kiara soon discover that in matters of the heart, the rules of attraction overpower the social differences that conspire to keep them apart.

As the danger grows for Carlos, he's shocked to discover that it's this seemingly All-American family who can save him. But is he willing to endanger their safety for a chance at the kind of life he's never even dreamed possible?

Review:

I was visiting one of my favorite book webpages recently and they had posted about an opportunity to win one of 20 advance copies of Rules of Attraction. This book was at the TOP of my I MUST HAVE list so I filled out the form, I actually didn't think I'd win, but I was pleasantly surprised when I checked my mailbox last Thursday and found a copy. Maybe my luck is changing?!

I had a very hard time putting this book down. I had read Perfect Chemistry not all that long ago and I LOVED Alex and Brittany's story, so I was really excited to read about Carlos and Kiara. Like with Perfect Chemistry I was NOT disappointed. Think West Side Story only with a happy ending.

Carlos plays the part of a bad ass real well. Though there are times when his "softer" side shows. You really start looking forward to seeing the "softer" side even though they are far and few between....cause believe me he's pretty much in bad ass a good chunk of the book. Then he meets his match in a little goody two shoes named Kiara. Oh how the "mighty" have fallen!

Kiara is as I just said above a little goody two shoes. She's never cut class, she's never done this, she's never done that. But she has a quirk....She stutter's and as a result has been picked on because of it. She's into cars, preferably VINTAGE. She volunteers to be Carlos' peer guide and this is were an unoffical WWIII starts. Pranks, trash talk you name it it happens.

Then Carlos get's himself into a little bit of trouble and comes and lives with Kiara and her family and things start to change. Yup. A little bit predicatable but I still love it!

In the end good prevails over evil and everyone lives happily ever after...Until book three....which I can hardly wait for.

The Iron King review ~ May contain a few spoilers

The Iron King
Julie Kagawa

368 pages

Rating:

Synopsis:

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Review:

OMG! I absolutely LOVED this book! Fan-freaking-tastic! I'm usually NOT a real big fan of faery books..Vampires, werewolves and those sorts of paranormal are more up my alley. But once I started reading it I had a VERY hard time putting it down.

Julie Kagwa is VERY vivid and thorough of her descriptions of not only the characters, but of Nevernever land and the overall landscapes of the various Fey Courts. I felt like I was right there with Meghan and crew while they were on their journey.

There is action and "weird" things happening almost from the very start of the book. So your

on a fast track to Nevernever land real quick. See Meghan's life is turned upside down when her little brother (technically he's her 1/2 brother but who's being technical?) is kidnapped and a super nasty changeling (who attacks both Meghan and her mom) is left in his place.

But this is where Meghan's best friend Robbie comes into play. See in actuality Robby is the prankster Puck from a Midsummer's Night Dream. And off they go through the "trod," which is the portal into Nevernever land (conviently found in the closet of Meghan's brother.) As beautiful as Nevernever is a VERY dangerous place and you never really know who your friend or your foe is.

Pretty much everything keeps going wrong, more so when Grimalkin, who is a cat sith gets involved. Meghan keeps finding herself in one pickle after another, which makes her goal of finding her little brother seem almost unattainable. She's fighting trolls, gremlins, other faeries, each other, and other mythical creatures. It seems that Meghan and crew just couldn't catch a break if their lives depended upon it.

There were a couple parts of this book that were predictable. Like...Meghan is the daughter of the Summer king, so naturally she's gonna go and fall for the son of the Winter Queen. In all honesty I think that that piece of predictability was key to the story. I would have been severly dissapointed if it wasn't written the way it was. But for the most part the story kept me on my toes and guessing what was going to happen next.

Unlike Meghan (who is there looking for her brother and wants to get back to her life ASAP), it seems that pretty much all the rest of the characters in the story have a hidden agenda or have something that is brewing right there under the surface.

I think that Robbie/Puck takes the cake in this one, with his wicked sense of humor. Meghan is a very likeable character and seems to grow as the story goes along. Sometimes you think she's not real bright....Like bargaining with a faery. But just when you think she's going to go and do something dumb yet again, she throws you for a loop.

Which brings us to Ash, who is the prince of the Winter Court. He's written as a total hottie who is seriously cold in so many ways. He's attracted to Meghan but at the same time he wants to kill her. He even thinks about it several times but manages to stop himself. Ash is a superior swordsman with his sword of iciness and if his sword isn't cutting it....he likes to drop his predators by shooting icicles at them. Which I think is pretty cool.

I have to agree with Alyssa from Teens Read and Write. I just don't think that there was enough Ash in the story. We see him a little bit in the beginning but after that we don't really see him again until your well over a 100 pages into the book. Really that is my only complaint with the book....I wanted MORE Ash.

I can hardly wait until the second book comes out in the series. The Iron Daughter is being released in August. August seems so VERY far away!

A Match Made in High School review

A Match Made In High School
Kristin Walker
278 pages


Ratings:






Synopsis:

When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can't get any worse. That's until she marries her "husband": jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona's long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very dorky, very big Johnny Mercer.


Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes.

Review:


There is a reason this book got 5 boots out of 5 boots....It's FREAKING AMAZING! Not only is the plot one that I've never read before....a MANDATORY marriage education program....the humor is pretty dang AWESOME too! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! I'm actually writing this review on 4 hours of sleep...and once I post this I'm gonna go get some more that's for sure! I picked this book up because all the ARC reviews I had read on it said pretty much the same thing....."Read this book! Awesome and totally hilarious!" Again, I'm jumping on the bandwagon and saying READ THIS BOOK! IT'S AWESOME AND TOTALLY HILARIOUS!


Here's a small passage, just to showcase a little bit of the humor:


"I could tell Maggie Klein realized the problem at the last second, because she made this squeaky inhalation. But it was too late. Zoe fell backward into the trembling arms of Izzy McCully, and continued falling with him beneath her. They thudded to the floor, and all that could be seen of Izzy were his spindly arms and legs flailing from Zoe's sides, making her look like a Hindu goddess on her back."


When we first meet Fiona she is in love with Gabe. But Gabe doesn't even know she's alive. Marcie is Fiona's best friend who has been helping her with her "Gabe craze" for a VERY LONG time. On the first day of senior year, the boom is dropped....They find out that the entire senior class must participate in a mandatory marriage education program for the whole year and will be randomly paired up with a partner. Of course Fiona has been having some pretty crappy luck and ends up being paired with uber-jock Todd Harding....One of the few people that Fiona can't stand! Marcie get's Johnny Mercer who is a bigger guy, quiet with a secret crush on one of the characters. And Gabe? Well Gabe get's paired up with Amanda (uber-jerk...I mean jock Todd's girlfriend).


From the first time Todd and Fiona converse in the book you can tell that they pretty much hate each other. The pranks and name calling start and the surprises start happening. Some of the surprises you expect, which I think actually helped the story in my opinion. Some were not so expected....Which made it all that much more fun and funny, for me anyway. So for real....If you haven't read this book yet....DO! NOW! YOU WON'T BE SORRY!


What we're really thinking:


Jamie - I LOVED this book! I haven't laughed that hard or that often in a pretty long time!

Gus - I'm glad you enjoyed , but you kept waking me up! The upside....LOTS of cuddle time!

Laci - I'm with Gus on this one!

Never Cry Werewolf review **Tiny Spoiler**

Never Cry Werewolf
Heather Davis
224 pages
Rating: 4/5

Source: Public Library
Challenges:

Synopsis:

Moonlight can totally change your life.
And it all starts so simply.
You. Him.
The moon.
You're toast.
Okay, so maybe Shelby has made a few mistakes with boys lately (how was she supposed to know Wes had "borrowed" that Porsche?). But her stepmother totally overreacts when she catches Shelby in a post-curfew kiss with a hot senior: Suddenly Shelby's summer plans are on the shelf, and she's being packed off to brat camp. It's good-bye, prom dress; hello, hiking boots.
Things start looking up, though, when Shelby meets fellow camper (and son of a rock star) Austin Bridges III. But soon she realizes there's more to Austin than crush material—his family has a dark secret, and he wants Shelby's help guarding it. Shelby knows that she really shouldn't be getting tangled up with another bad boy . . . but who is she to turn her back on a guy in need, especially such a good-looking one? One thing's for sure: That pesky full moon is about to get her into trouble all over again.

Review:

I picked this one up at the library after waiting for what seemed like an eternity for my number to come up. Is it just me or does the girl on the cover look at least a little bit like Kate Hudson only brunette?! I really liked this book....I am really happy with it! Shelby has some issues...She's got a stepmom from hell, her dad would rather just believe her stepmom than try and communicate with Shelby, her mom passed away and on top of that Shelby doesn't trust anyone...herself included! After this last "miscommunication" Shelby finds herself shipped off to "brat camp" where she hopes she doesn't screw up (because if she does she get's sent to an even eviler "brat camp") and meets some interesting people....some good, some not so good and then there's Austin.

See Austin has his own set of troubles to deal with. See his family is "blessed" genetically....they turn into werewolves. And because his medication to keep his "condition" was confiscated from him he is endanger of turning into a werewolf while he's at camp! That and he has a super HUGE crush on Shelby and the feeling is mutual.

I guess in the end it all works out for the best. I was a little disappointed though...it wasn't anything terrible. It was a little disappointing that I had to wait until the LAST PAGE for Shelby and Austin to kiss!

What I was really thinking:

The Beginning: UH OH!

The Middle: I like Austin a lot! I could be friends with him.

The End: FINALLY! (A good finally...not a bad one.)

For Keeps review

For Keeps
Natasha Friend
272 pages
Available: April 6, 2010
Rating: 3/5

Source: Around The World Tours

Synopsis:

For sixteen years, Josie Gardner and her mom, Kate, have been a team. It’s been the Gardner Girls against the world, and that’s how Josie likes it. Until one day, in the pet food aisle of Shop-Co, they run into the parents of Paul Tucci, Kate’s high school boyfriend—the father Josie has never met. If Mr. and Mrs. Tucci are back in town, it’s only a matter of time until Paul shows up. Suddenly Josie’s mature, capable mother regresses to the heartbroken teenager she was when Paul moved away. Meanwhile, Josie’s on the verge of having her first real boyfriend, while her free-loving best friend, Liv, begins yet another no-strings-attached fling. When Josie learns some surprising truths about Paul Tucci, she finds herself questioning what she’s always believed about her parents—and about herself. In FOR KEEPS, Natasha Friend tells a fresh, funny, smart story about what happens when a girl gets the guy she always wanted and the dad she never knew she needed.

Review:

I got this book Monday afternoon in the mail and sat down and devoured it on Tuesday. I honestly don't know how I feel about this book. I sort of felt that it was a little bit predictable (but in a good way...if that makes sense)....Mom had a baby as a teen, baby is now 16 and has yet to meet her dad, dad's parents move back to town (only a matter of time until dad shows up), mom freaks. Bring on the chaos!

Overall, I liked the characters...but the one that kind of wore me the wrong way a little bit was Liv. Every girl needs her BFF but I think Liv was a little bit overboard (for my taste anyway.) In the beginning it was ok but as the story went along it kind of got old. Loved Josie's relationship with her mom! Even in the "rough" moments. Writing wise...I didn't particularly like the way Josie and Rigg's relationship was written....it made Josie look like Riggs was more important than her mom. I also didn't care for how everytime Rigg's does something wrong she's mad at him for hardly no time at all and then just up a forgives him. But on a postive note....The book (characters and all) is written in a manner to keep the book very "real."

So overall, I didn't dislike the book but I didn't LOVE it either. I think that it was very "real" fiction.

What I really thought:

The Beginning: Wow those two really ARE close!

The Middle: LIV YOUR DRIVING ME CRAZY! I'm NOT enjoying Josie and Rigg's relationship AT ALL!

The End: I'm pretty sure I've seen this in TV show form somewhere?

Fat Cat review

Fat Cat
Robin Brande
336 pages
Rating: 3/5
Source: Purchased with my own money
Challenges:
Synopsis: (from Barnes and Noble)
You are what you eat. . . .Cat smart, sassy, and funny—but thin, she’s not. Until her class science project. That’s when she winds up doing an experiment—on herself. Before she knows it, Cat is living—and eating—like the hominids, our earliest human ancestors. True, no chips or TV is a bummer and no car is a pain, but healthful eating and walking everywhere do have their benefits. As the pounds drop off, the guys pile on. All this newfound male attention is enough to drive a girl crazy! If only she weren’t too busy hating Matt McKinney to notice. . . .This funny and thoughtful novel explores how girls feel about their bodies, and the ways they can best take care of their most precious resource: themselves.
Review: I just got done reading this one a couple days ago. I was very surprised at how accurate the author was....writing from a teens perspective and all. Cat is an overweight teen, who until she is assigned to do a crazy science project that takes up 7 MONTHS of her life, doesn't feel the need to change. During the course of her science project Cat takes to living like our very earliest human ancestors....That means NO chips, TV, junk food (if the Hominids didn't have it neither did Cat, with a few safety exceptions though) and walking pretty much everywhere. As Cat gives up pretty much all of the unhealthy habits of today's teens the pounds start dropping and the guys start to pile up. The only downside is that Cat is to busy hating her former best friend Matt McKinney.
I enjoyed the book a lot but I thought that Cat's "hatred" for Matt kind of got old as the story went on. Sure he did something that hate-worthy but at the same time Cat spent 4 YEARS dwelling on it. I did like how the author took something as mundane as a science project and turned it into something that actually makes you think twice about that Twinkie. I thought that certain aspects of the ending were a little bit predictable but it was still a good ending. I do like a story with a happy ending!
What I really was thinking:
The Beginning: I have no idea how she's going to pull off this science experiment. I wonder why she hates Matt so much?
The Middle: Really re-thinking those Hershey Kisses. Now that I know why she's mad at Matt I wish she would just get over it!
The End: I could totally see parts of this ending coming. The rest of it totally out of left field!

The Secret Year review

The Secret Year
Jennifer R. Hubbard
208 pages
Rating: 4.75/5
Source: Purchased at Barnes and Noble
Challenges: 2010 YA Challenge, Debut Author Challenge, 144 books in 2010, 100+ Challenge, Once Upon a Time Challenge

Synopsis: from Barnes and Noble
Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.
Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia’s boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can’t mourn Julia openly, and he’s tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia’s journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he’s desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?
Review: I had read all sorts of great reviews all over the book blogging community about this book enough so that I HAD TO HAVE a copy of it for myself. I’m really glad that I decided to spend the money on it because IT TOTALLY LIVED UP TO THE HYPE! This is another one of those stories that has a “Romeo and Juliet” feel to it…not so much a re-telling but it most definately has that feel to it. See Colt and Julia were seeing each other secretly for a year and then Julia is killed in a car accident. Shortly after the school year begins Julia’s brother gives Colt a notebook that Julia had written letters to him in and Colt goes through the process of reliving their year together while also trying to get over Julia and move on. Which isn’t so easy for him.
Overall, I really enjoyed this debut novel. I really liked the author’s writing style and even went above and beyond to make even the worst character(s) in the book sort of likeable. I guess the only reason this book doesn’t get a 5/5 is because I was a little luke warm on the ending….It wasn’t a terrible ending but it also wasn’t the best ending I’ve ever read either.

Perfect Chemistry review

Perfect Chemistry

Simone Elkeles

368 pages

Rating: 4.75/5

Source: Purchased off of bookcloseouts.com
Challenges: 2010 YA Challenge, 144 Books in 2010, 100+ Challenge, 10 in ‘10 Chicklit Challenge, 2010 Once Upon A Time Challenge

Synopsis: from Barnes and NobleA fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers. When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she’s worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Review: I had heard so many AWESOME things about this book all over the book blogging community that I felt that I needed to read this book in order to determine if it lived up to all the AWESOME things that I had read about it. Needless to say, I am pleased to report that it most definately did. While I was reading Perfect Chemistry I almost automatically thought of it as a retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet only with a happier ending. I really loved the characters…You felt for them both. Both of their lives are basically one big lie to keep themselves from being too vulnerable, but the scary part for both of them is that they both see right through each other. The story itself was pretty great….once I got started reading the book I soooo did NOT want to put it down. I really liked that the story was told from each character’s point of view so you always knew what the characters were thinking. Overall, I most definately have found a new author to add to my list of favorite authors!

Going To Far review

Going To Far
Jennifer Echols
256 pages

Source: Public Library
Challenges: YA challenge, Support Your Local Library Challenge

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble):
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?
All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far…and almost doesn’t make it back.
John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won’t soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won’t be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge — and over….

Review: I checked this one out of my local library. I waited like a good little girl until my number came up in the system and when it came up I was really excited because I had read so many great things about this book. The very unfortunate thing was that I just could not get into the book AT ALL. This is my first EVER Did Not Finish.

King of the Wind Review

King of the Wind
Marguerite Henry
176 pages

Source: Public Library
Challenges: Support Your Local Library Challenge, 2010 YA Challenge, 144 Books in 2010, 100+ Challenge

Synopsis:
He was named “Sham” for the sun, this golden-red stallion born in the Sultan of Morocco’s stone stables. Upon his heel was a small white spot, the symbol of speed. But on his chest was the symbol of misfortune. Although he was swift as the desert winds, Sham’s pedigree would be scorned all his life by cruel masters and owners.
This is the classic story of Sham and his friend, the stable boy Agba. their adventures take them from the sands of the Sahara. to the royal courts of France, and finally to the green pastures and stately homes of England. For Sham was the renowned Godolphin Arabian, whose blood flows through the veins of almost every superior thoroughbred. Sham’s speed — like his story — has become legendary.

Review: I’ve always been a big fan of animal stories. I am also a HUGE fan of horses…They’re just so beautiful to look at! Marguerite Henry has been one of my all time favorite YA authors since I was young…Well since I got my first library card anyway. I picked up this book while pursusing the MG shelves at my local library and I came home and devoured this book in one sitting. This book is fiction but it is based on ACTUAL events that took place. There are MANY famous racehorses that can trace their ancestory back to “Sham.” The characters are endearing, Sham the bay colt that nobody took a liking to for a VERY long time and Agba a mute boy who is put in charge of Sham. The story itself is a roller coaster for both Sham and Agba but in the end everything works out for the best. Overall, I will most definately be reading more of Ms. Henry’s books in the future!