Customer Reviews

Cindy's Bold Start (Thoroughbred)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book was really good. It was nice to know what happened to Cindy, over all those years. It was almost like she dissapeared after she raced Champion. It was good to find out about all her experiences at Belmont and when she came home. The ending on this book is really good and suprising, but I won't tell or it will ruin it.

Now, that we know what happened to Cindy over those years what about everyone else? Did hay all just take a 10year break in life or did something happen. It would be nice to know about the foals Woder must have had, and how some of our favorites did in those years. What happened to some of our favorite characters, or interesting charaters like Mandy. Also what went on in Ireland? Hopefully there will be more books about these type of things soon.

This book was well written and had a good ending. Before you read this read Cindy's desert adventure, it will give you a better idea of what is going on.

Firstly, I have to say that this book was a major improvement compared to its companion. We haven't run off to La La Land to avoid secondary characters such as Max, Heather, and Mandy. But it's also strange. Instead we go to Belmont Park where all the major trainers seem to have been brainwashed into not remembering the Dubai World Cup winner who has been living on the same farm as the famous Ashleigh Griffen. Why on earth people wouldn't recognize her is beyond me. She holds a valid apprenticeship and was known around the nation as Glory's groom. SO the fact that Cindy goes and makes things harder on herself by insisting on working up from the bottom makes things very confusing. And the fact that people let her is even stranger.

There are, of course, tiny mistakes that everyone has to expect at this point. Honor a chestnut? Wonder an orphan? Since when did all this happen? Is there a chestnut obsession with this series?

I do wish Cindy had actually gone back to Whitebrook before heading off to Belmont. The fact that she so stubbornly stayed in New York after coming back from the UAE is stilted. And then having Ashleigh come back with Honor and people still not recognizing who Cindy is...well, there's just no explaination for what's going on there.

Then there's Ben. If Cindy could just wake up for a second and realize that just because he gave her a kiss good night does not mean she should fall in love with him I'm sure I would like this more. As it is, he was using sarcasm at the end of Cindy's Desert Adventure? Sure didn't look it to me.

Anyway, this was fairly good except we are still left hanging about what happened to Max and Heather and Mandy. I'd especially like to know what went on with Max. And I'd like to know why the people behind this series think we shouldn't read about him. I'll be awaiting an explaination.

I have been reading this series since it first started. i also read the ashleighs series too. Anyways i have read all of the books in the thoroughbred series in fact i own all of them. i also have been reading some of the reviews and i agree with alot of them. this series has gone dramatically different. There are way to many questions that need answers and you fans out there know what i mean. the writers need to come out with at least 4 more super specials to explain what happened to alot of the other characters and horses. Thank you

I would like to give a huge, huge round of applause to author Mary Anderson for turning Cindy, one of the worst TB characters ever written, into a person I actually liked. Though I wasn't too thrilled that this book had almost absolutely nothing to do with Whitebrook, and I also wasn't thrilled that Cindy's still in love with Boring Ben, I enjoyed reading this book simply because it was written well. It was nice to have Cindy think a FEMALE jockey was a bad rider, and it was nice to see Cindy actually having to get her hands dirty. I give props to Mary Anderson for knowing Cindy's REAL last name (Blake), and for writing this book in a realistic, enjoyable manner. I was also thrilled that Sierra was mentioned, even though it was only for one sentence.

Of course, there were sill the little technical errors (Since when is Sierra a gelding, Honor a chestnut, and Wonder an orphan?) But then again, I'm too nit-picky. Plus, those errors are, unfortunately, to be expected.

My only complaint about this book was that there wasn't enough about Whitebrook. I thought the purpose of these past two diary specials was to fill us in on what happened during the ten year black hole that seems to have sucked up most of the series' old characters. I enjoyed reading the book because it was well written, but I'd much rather read about Mandy, Max, Heather, Princess, Shining, Fleet Goddess, Mr. Wonderful, etc. We still need about two more books to fill us in on what happened to all our old favorites.

And what's the deal with Samantha and Ireland? I still feel like there was absolutely no reason for her to move there. Oh, Tor and I get to train with a top eventer, so we're just going to leave Kentucky and horse racing and both of our families, plus our well-established careers, and move around the world so that the new authors won't have to deal with us. Yay! What I think is that the next Super Edition should be about Samantha and Tor's move to Ireland. Hey, maybe Tor's long lost mother (remember her? His parents divorced and his mother remarried) moved there, and her second husband died so she needs some help? I also agree that the diaries should have been Super Editions. Then they could have been longer and more in-depth. I mean, this is a best selling series with devoted fans (I've been reading the books for 8 year). It's not going to hurt the publishers that much to shell out for the extra paper.

But for what it was, this book was well written and enjoyable, and it was nice to hear about Honor, and read that bit about Sam and Sterling in the beginning, though there are still some huge questions that have been left unanswered.

I did like how this book filled in the gaps, but I don't like Cindy. I always thoought she was a very selfish and snotty person. You think being an orphan, she'd be a little more greatful. And I believe what the book ment was Jazzman was bred to be a jumper, but proved to be a better racehorse. I think this book was good, in that it filled in the gap in the time period and I would recomend it to other TB fans!

This was not a bad book, but there were a few things that bugged me........ First of all, since when is Jazzman a showjumper by breeding? He was Mike's champion race horse and the reason he and Ashleigh met! Also, it should have told what happened to the rest of the Whitebrook crew. What about Wonder? It's kinda hard to swallow that she didn't have any foals in the 10 years between Champion and Star. And that other one of hers, Legacy, whatever happened to him after Christina traded him (stupidly). I want to know the deal with Sammy tooo, she was my favorite. I think there should be a series written for those ten years, each from a different character's point of view. It should tell about Wonder's other foals and about Honor and the rest!

This book (along with #47) answers a lot of questions. I'm SOOOO happy to find out what happend to Champion (He is my favorite)!! Even though Cindy is my least favorite(Except for Brad and all "the others")the book was intresting and a little more realistic than some of the others. I'll be glad when the focus goes back to Christina and her pals though. Love the TB books, keep it up =)

Ok first of all i have to congradulate Mary on once again writing an EXCELENT book! It's soooo good!!!! Ok im gonna say it now.. if u continue to read, it will spoil the book for you. So dont say i DIDNT warn u!!! I can't really say whats so "special" about it, but i like how Cindy trys to earn her way to the top, not get a free ride on Whitebrooks name, colors, or horses. and my absolute fave fave part.. at the end.. when Ben buys Tall Oaks, and Cindy becomes his "partner" in business....(yea yea, how long till they hook back up?) but the BEST BEST part.. Champion is comin back to Kentucky!!! YAY!! hes my fave!!!

Okay. Here's how it is. I thought this book was fairly decent. I really appreciated the fact that they finally told what happened to Cindy after all these years. I was also wondering what had happened about Ashleigh. First she was pregnant and then she wasn't? The first book in the diary series (Cindy's Desert Adventure) really helped me figure that one out. However, like everyone else, I am still wondering to this day about Heather, Max, Mandy and all the rest of them like everyone else is? Did she just up and leave Max or what? I think that it is great that she and Ben made up. I DO believe that he was being sarcastic unlike some other people. He seems really into her. Why would he want to hurt her feelings? Duh. Think about that. Also how everyone is wondering about Wonder's Legacy....that was back in book 24. He was only 2 then and Christina was what, 12. So now that she is 17 or 18 that would make him 7 or 8. HE IS PROBABLY RETIRED!!!! Also, if Legacy isn't a Whitebrook horse anymore, why would they write a book on him? Sure I'd like to know if he won any big races like the Derby but I'm not that worried about it. So, in the end I personally feel that these two books about Cindy were pretty good. It helped answer a lot of questions. Hopefully more of my questions will be answered in the future books.

You first two have NO taste. Cindy's one of the best charachters in the series and she always gets her hands dirty. Ben is NOT boring. And female riders [are not bad]. Ever heard of Julie Krone? And when I become a jockey, the boys won't stand a chance. And why would we want Samantha in Ireland? Don't we have enough books about eventing in this world? I totally agree with Kali. But I think that is we have to wait two whole months for every new book, the authors of the should at least try to get the facts. I would be on this computer all day if I had to name all the mistakes in the Thoroughbred books that I can remember.