Customer Reviews

Take the Reins

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Yes, any horse-loving girl will be attracted to the cover. But there's more to the story than just horses in this first book of the Canterwood Crest series. From Sasha's lip gloss addiction, to her first boyfriend, to the challenges she faces in adjusting to a new school and equestrian team, this is a realistic character that every girl can root for.

This book is awesome. I didn't want it to end. I can not wait for the rest of the series to come out. I feel like the book is real. You will love this book.

This is the best book I ever read in my whole entire life. It is all really good. I love the horses. I love the characters. I feel like I am at Canterwood. I wish it were my school. I highly recomend this book to every one.

This is an amazing book, and series. I know that there are some problems that people have posted here, for example, horses do not have muscles below their knees, and also there are a few showing problems. However, the book itself is great! The main character, Sasha Silver, is fun and like able. She has a funny addiction to lip gloss, which most girls can relate to. We've all had some crazy addiction at one point or another. Also, Sasha isn't perfect. Any character who has no flaws and is perfect, is just plain annoying. Sasha describes her girly-frenzy she goes into with Jacob, and getting a few bad grades, which make her all the more like able, as girls will be able to relate to her. She makes friend mistakes, how many of us have done that? Most of us. Another plus is that there is plenty of drama. It keeps you thinking throughout the book, wondering what will happen next. There is boy drama, and friend drama too, which makes the book realistic. This is a great, fabulous book. I never get tired of reading and re-reading this book and the series. You'll be rooting for Sasha and cheering her on through her ups and downs. All in all, this is a book series that is definitely worth the read.

This is a great book. I actually started this serries on the 3rd book, Behind The Bit but I have come to love all of the books. I just finished reading this one so now I know what happen before the 3rd one. This book has quite a bit less drama than the other books and there is not a real big cliff hanger at the end but I still think it is a great book. Go Canterwood!!!!!!!!! ~ Macy

I heard about this book from a friend, and at first thought it was one of those cheap-o books about girl cat fights. It isn't! I was sorta expecting something like rich girls ganging up up on an "innocent small-town girl," and the innocent girl will do anything to please the other girls. Instead, a wonderful rider goes to the best equestrian boarding school in the nation, as a prize for all of her hard work, and along the way goes through all of the obstacles of a 7th grader. The story is written so vivedly, it makes you feel like you're actually there. It's like the book-form of a script written for a TV show. I found it a nice change from the junk of The Twilight Saga, The Clique, etc.

The edition itself, was wonderful, I found no mistakes.

Usually I like to take horse books with several grains of salt, because they tend to involve a lot of weirdness and wish fulfillment that I, as a person who rides horses, could do without. With a horse book series aimed at tweens, I'm even more cautious, because even authors who are experienced with horses will tend to write a total horse fantasy for this audience.

Jessica Burkhart, being a Thoroughbred series fan, could have stumbled with this series, but she doesn't. The book opens with Sasha Silver moving to Canterwood Crest, a boarding school for the elite that is in the top ranks in equestrian competition. Now is the point where you have to worry about the substance, being that this book is not only a horse book, but a cliquey book aimed toward fans of shows like Gossip Girl. The last thing we need is another book series suggesting that a closet full of Manolo Blahniks is a necessity for a teenager. Canterwood Crest avoids this easily, focusing on Sasha's attempts to fit in at her new school like a normal (albeit wealthy) twelve-year-old, balancing school, friends, a Zac Efron look alike and riding so she can get into the ultra competitive advanced team.

Unlike so many other determined yet ultimately irritating horse story protagonists, Sasha is a character that you can't help liking. She isn't devoid of humor and stoically predestined for horse riding greatness. She acts like a kid that other kids can identify with, and, alternatively, her antagonist isn't a total flat and predictable foil.

Drawbacks on the book are mostly kinks in the writing, such as spotty, sometimes confusing description and unnecessary scenes that drive up the page count and create lulls in the action. Overall, these are common to first time authors and forgivable. Jessica's humor and Sasha's quick thinking definitely outweigh any con. I'm definitely looking forward to the next in the series.

From my blog, nataliekreinert.com:

In some ways, Take The Reins is the most accurate horse story ever written. Everything is perfect in life, except for the horse part. Sasha's roommate is perfect and amazing. Sasha's schoolwork is challenging, but she's capable. Sasha's crush actually seems like he's into her. Socially and academically, Sasha is succeeding.

But in the stable, she hasn't been there ten minutes before she has got herself her very own nemesis, a talented rider named Heather, who doesn't want any competition for a coveted spot on the advanced team. Heather quickly proves that she is willing to go to insane lengths, even putting her own horse in danger, to stop Sasha from challenging her supremacy as top rider. Her tricks are cruel and clever, and somehow Sasha finds it impossible to prove to the riding coach that the girl is causing trouble. And so Sasha's Canterwood life, so attractive on the academic end, seems to be collapsing around her at the equestrian end.

As I read about Sasha's determination to protect her horse, stave off attacks from Heather, and balance riding with studying in order to prepare for the advanced team auditions, Take The Reins suddenly became very realistic to me. All the girls in Canterwood's equestrian team loved their horses, loved riding, and were desperate to prove themselves. That much is familiar. I knew these girls. I'd grown up with these girls. I'd been these girls. And after I realized that, Take The Reins was a page-turner to the very end.

(Might have micro-spoilers)

I've read this book a few times, and I have learned more and more about horses and a girls life. I'm a certified tomboy, but to tell the truth, I can relate to Sasha's obsession with Lip Smackers.

First of all, the beginning of the book immediately catched my interest and up to the part with Charm getting loose until the end of the book. The first thing I noticed is Sasha's personality. She is very girly, and goes what every girl goes through; Crushes, mistakes, and friendship. Her charisma and self-esteem aren't the best, though. And that sometimes irritates me, but most of it is pretty amazing.

The story goes through a good pace and I like how Sasha describes what she sees through her point of view. I love horsey books and I've been through ALOTTA reading with other horse books. They just weren't for me. But this one IS.

I would reccomend you to get this book yourself. I just ordered books 1-12 and I'm eagerly, excitedly waiting for them to arrive. (Yes, I have read this book)

Get it. You'll love it.

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My daughter received this book as a gift. I always read every book before she reads it. I was pleasantly surprised with this book. It kept my interest and I couldn't put it down. Great book for kids.