Customer Reviews

Taking the Reins (Thoroughbred #60)

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

 

 

This is a great book. It is extremely sad that Callie died, but it wasn't Christina's fault or the trainer's fault. It was an accident. I cant wait until Thoroughbred #61 Parker's Passion comes out. I have a felling it will be amazing just like this book.

Would u peoples stop whining? This book was great, I mean, the authors aren't perfect and can't make everything realistic. Afterall, the Heartland series is very realistic, but boring. Anyway, Chris is not a brat. She didn't get everything she wanted, like her mom's support when she loved eventing or her "dream horse" (Sterling) to behave or Star to stay at Whitebrook for a while... Whatever. The list goes on. By the way, Chris dumped Sterling for a good reason. It wouldn't be fair to Sterling to keep her but not event her properly because she didn't have the time. So quit whining. This series rules!!!

Being a die-hard Thoroughbred fan, I couldn't possibly not like one of the books. However, this one was definitely not one of the best. The basic idea of the story is that when Chris is riding Callie in a race, Callie stumbles and gets injured, eventually having to be put down. Christina spends most of the book wallowing in self-pity, which is where I think the book's downfall is. Her reaction is very similar to Melanie's when Image broke down after the Derby, but Image was actually Melanie's horse. Callie was just a horse that Christina rode. Some people may think I'm being a little unfair, but in my opinion Chris (and Mel) needs to grow up. We don't need to read 120 pages of Christina being convinced that it's her fault that Callie had to be put down, despite the fact that she loves being a jockey and everyone constantly convinced her it wasn't, and the stewerds even blamed Callie's owners! The book was kind of overly-dramatic and I can't help but feel that as the Thoroughbred series goes on the focous is being shifted from it's origanal theme of horses to teenage issues. Think back to the early books, when Joanna Campbell was still writing. Did we ever have love triangles? No; Ashleigh and Sammy both ended up marrying their first boyfriends. I bet if Joanna Campbell had kept writing then Cindy would've ended up married to Max, too. Did Ashleigh even consider completely give up her jockeying career after Wonder was injured in that workout and have to be retired? No, she and Mr. Townsend bred Wonder and Ashleigh went out and bought Fleet Goddess. Did Ashleigh continually try to convince herself that it was her fault that Wonder was so high-strung at Belmont and Saratoga? No, she just accepted that things happen and rose to the challenge of riding Wonder herself. I know that the Thoroughbred series is over, but I think the stories just kept going downhill after Joanna Campbell stopped writing.

I loved this book, it's sooo good. But it's really sad that Callie died. I would suggest this book to anyone who loves horses, and any of the books in the Thoroughbred series. I just heard that they are going to end the Thorougbred series. I didn't even know they were going to make more, but they have. I love the Thoroughbred books, so DON'T STOP WRITING THEM!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all, I love that this book was written from both Christina and Melanie's point of view. Finally, the authors realize that they can fit more than one character's point of view into one book.
In this book, Calm Before The Storm, aka Callie, dies when he fractures his leg. Christina blames herself, saying that she didn't stop him soon enough. She realizes that being a jockey might not be the best thing after all.
Melanie is bored not being able to race Image, and she doesn't know if she wants to go through the whole 'buy a racehorse and train it' thing again. She went through enough with Image.
Lastly, I'll touch on the fact that Christina and Parker get back together. I wish people would stop calling her a brat, I admit I'm not fond of her, but basically, you have to remember that she was given just about everything she wanted since she was young, so it's not entirely her fault.
Also, in the case of Parker's decision to get back together with Christina, consider this: maybe he actually liked her(OMIGOSH!) I am personally not sure how, but he must have seen something in her that he liked.
So all in all, this is a pretty good book. Mel and Chris are trying to decide what to do next in their lives, and although this story gets unrealistic here and there, it's still a great read.

Okay this was a great book but i have a lot of questions.Like on the next book who is on the cover? Is it Chris? Well it was a great book and i'm so happy chris & parker got back together i hope they make the write decisions!! I love this book!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I thought this one was okay, and I did like how it had two points of view; I loved the opening as a description of Belmont and all as well. I'm happy Chris and Parker got together, too! THis book also makes me wonder if Amanda and Patrick are trustworthy trainers or not... they gave some hints to make you think they were a bit untrustworthy. Still, a good read.

Christina and Parker get back together!!! It is a great book.