Customer Reviews

The A Circuit

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Ever since Gossip Girl and The A-List, two of my favorite guilty pleasure series, ended, I have been trying to find the next flashy and light series to replace them. Luckily, I think I just may have found what I have been looking for in The A Circuit, Georgina Bloomberg & Catherine Hapka's new look into the exclusive would of horses, wealthy girls, and the secrets that tie them together.

For Kate and Tommi, the world of horse showing is everything. Addictive, fun, and fully of plenty of rewards, both are willing to sacrifice nearly anything to be the best of the best. For Kate, this means working herself to the ground so she can compete and work with one of the best trainers in the country, and for Tommi, this means going against what her father and sister think is the best for her. However, everything changes when Zara comes to town. Flashy, wealthy, and snarky, Zara is the queen of mean, and because of this, she quickly winds up on the bad sides of Tommi and Kate. What happens, though, when you throw in one bad boy player, a party, and a disaster that may change everything? Will Kate, Tommi, and Zara come to the rescue? Or will their bitter feud ruin everything? Only time and more pages can tell in this glossy read sure to enchant even the most reluctant of readers.

While this book did not continue the most developed of characters, I still did enjoy reading about Kate, Tommi, and Zara in their alternating perspectives. My favorites out of the bunch would probably have to be Kate and Tommi, because not only did I find their friendship an interesting side to the story, but I also enjoyed how they were more "real" then Zara. The addition of Fitz, the player, was also interesting, though I sometimes felt his character was all over the place, and because of it, I never knew if I should like him, love him, or hate him.

The most exciting part of The A Circuit though would have to be the focus on horses. When I was little, I used to love horse reads- even though I was terrified of riding horses myself- and because of this, I loved seeing the behind the scene of horse shows and all the determination and work that is put in to be the best of the best.

The ending is this was also good enough to make me not only curious to see what will happen next the characters, but also happy that it was not exactly cliff-hanger-ish.

Full of horses, drama, and a dose of depth, The A Circuit is a great lazy day read.

Grade: B

I'm a rider, and let's face it, there are not enough horse novels out there for the likes of us! But while I was happy to find 'The A Circuit', the book fell flat for me.

There's not much of a plot, as the story simply follows the lives of four riders for part of a show season, but that doesn't have to be a problem (remember Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants?). The main issue, as others have mentioned, is that none of the characters are very likeable. Kate is a basket case in the making. Fritz seems to be riding because it puts him at the center of an ocean of readily-available girls, and Zara is riding for kicks. It must be hard to be the child of a rock star, and I think Zara could have been a very interesting character, but any sympathy we might have felt for her is quashed by the fact that she has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Tommi comes across as a pretty typical wealthy girl living in a bubble.

After a while you begin to wonder why any of the characters chose riding as a sport, because none of them seem particularly fond of horses, as evidenced by the scene where the horse got hurt - everyone seemed more worried about getting in trouble than about the horse. Some people might think that's the way things are on the A circuit, but in other horse books (The Perfect Distance, Blaze of Glory) the characters riding at that level actually CARE about their horses, which adds much-needed depth to the story.

As a side note, the language started to bother me by the end - I don't know any actual teenagers who use the words 'like' and 'whatever' in every second sentence. If you're looking for a Gossip-girl-type of story about rich people interacting without ever really connecting, you'll like this book. But if you're looking for something with heart, this isn't it.

Last night, I finally finished reading The A Circuit, the first in a series of young adult novels that gives the down and dirty DL on the glamorous lives of top equestrians.

It was the absolute worst book I have ever read. Its vapidity is second only to that of its author, Georgina Bloomberg, daughter of the mayor of New York, and on whom the book is obviously based. In fact, all of the actually writing was done by the co-author, Catherine Hapka, who seems only too happy to cater to Bloomberg's egotism and wealth.

As far as plot, The A Circuit reads like an episode of The Hills. Events are based purely on the characters' motivations for sex and success, and very little horsemanship is discussed. As for the cast populating this scintillating novel, the main character is a dead-ringer for the "author" herself - so good, so driven, so talented, and, of course, so beautiful. Everyone else is some crony or another, enemies and frenemies alike.

And, as if that weren't enough, the pages are filled with sexism, homophobia, and racism. The only males featured in the story are either chauvinistic playboys or don't "swing that way," thus rending themselves irrelevant. The stable staff is largely Hispanic, the most prominent of which is, of course, an illegal immigrant. Add copious doses of under-aged drinking and drug use, and, well, you really don't have much of anything at all - only what Stephen King's mother would anecdotally refer to as "bad trash."

Overall, this book was a mind-numbing disappointment. It was hyped by all the major publications and blogs, but for what? I bought it knowing full well that it would be dishy, but I had no idea it would be so remarkably bad. Needless to say, I will not be following the adventures of Tommi, Zara (yes), and Kate. I see no need, and can only imagine where their tiny little fictional lives will lead them. Really, one star is one too many.

Allow me to begin by saying horse lovers will thoroughly enjoy this book. It's a fun, light read and Catherine Hapka and Georgina Bloomberg truly immerse the reader in the world of competitive equestrian riding with charming characters that sparkle on the pages. Unfortunately, if you are a reader who doesn't know much about horses or equestrian, I think this book will be a tough sell.

Hapka and Bloomberg throw equestrian jargon around with alarming frequency and do not always take the time to explain what things are. Some people might be confused by what "tack" is. Or where exactly a horse's withers are and what posting is. Luckily I grew up owning horses and had a good friend who excelled in jumping and showing thoroughbreds, otherwise I might have felt quite a bit lost. I also believe this is where they will lose readers. This book really reads like Gossip Girl with horses, but unless you are a horse enthusiast or fan it doesn't work. The quirky character traits that made Gossip Girl work fall flat here.

While the book was a breeze to read, by the end of it I felt hardly anything for the characters. I felt like I barely got to know them past the superficial level. I get that Kate and Tommi are best friends at the barn and occasionally hang out, but what makes them friends other than a strong love of horses? Take horses out of this book and it's simply a bunch of kids standing around. I loved the horses more than I loved the main characters by the end. Like Zara--I understand the authors trying to vilify her, but to what end? She is a weak villain and a worthless friend. She irritated me to no end, and the small steps taken to make me like her meant nothing because she was such a whiny brat for all but the last two chapters.

This book isn't a bad read. I'd recommend you snag it from the library if you want something mindless and unchallenging to read. If you love horses? Go buy it. You won't be sorry. I just believe the writers have boxed themselves in by focusing so heavily on the horses that they lost sight of the characters. I hope they rectify that issue in the next book.

I was really looking forward to The A Circuit (especially since I'd already burned through the other horse novel that came out this year), but I have to admit I wasn't overly impressed. I thought the authors could have done more with the story. Not that it wasn't enjoyable, but I found myself coasting through it without ever really connecting to the characters, or caring much what would happen to them. Perhaps it's because they are all such consummate stereotypes: Tommi, the rich girl out to prove that there's more to her than Daddy's money; Kate, the beautiful and hardworking but oh-so-insecure working student, Fritz the inveterate player, and Zara the self-absorbed daughter of celebrities. Sure, stereotypes sometimes have a basis in truth, but I felt the characters never moved beyond them, and I wanted to get to know them better. We probably hear the most about Kate, and she did begin to feel like a 'real' person to me by the end.

The only part of the story that evoked any emotion for me was the fiasco with the horse at the end. I'm shocked that it was glossed over so casually, as though horses are mere chattel and their suffering of no significance. That horse spent the night alone in his stall in agony, and none of the characters seemed too concerned. When the seriousness of his injuries was reported, the general attitude seemed to be, "oh well, we'll buy the owner a new one"! I thought at least one character should have considered criminal proceedings - if any of those drunken idiots had injured someone while driving, they would have been held accountable. The same should apply here. Instead, the characters stand by Zara, who will doubtless continue to be a spoiled, shallow brat, never having to deal with the consequences of her actions. If she had shown any remorse, tossed & turned all night, or spent the night with the horse to make sure he was all right, I'd be more forgiving. But horses who are no longer deemed 'useful' rarely fare well; the injured horse will, if he's lucky, end up as a school horse at Happy Acres. If he's unlucky he'll end up as pet food. To have everyone (except the horse) walk away unscathed, and apparently unconcerned, did not sit well with me.

Something to be aware of, if you're not a rider, is that the book does use a lot of jargon. I enjoyed it enough for a light summer read, but I probably won't buy the sequel.

Readers who enjoy peeking into the elite world of Gossip Girl or The A-List will feel right at home in this new series with its friendships, drama, and privilege set against the backdrop of competitive horseback riding.
The characters were all very different. Some were well developed and others seemed to stop halfway through the book. I really liked Kate, because she worked hard for what she wanted and didn't seem spoiled at all. Zara annoyed me till the end, because she didn't really think about anyone and was so selfish. She also didn't have any self discipline. Tommi, while being spoiled, at least wanted to make a plan for her future and wanted it to be in horses. The plot was interesting, even though I have never rode horses. I do know that the training and horse facts was accurate, because one of my friends showed them growing up. This is a fun series that I enjoyed and think that it will be prefect for teen fans of horses.

My daughter and both enjoyed this book. It was a very good representation of the many personalities that make up life in an equine barn. We're both looking forward to the next book!

3.5 stars

The A Circuit was a very fun book. Horses have always been animals I have absolutely loved, but I've never actually ridden more than 2 times since I have really severe allergies. I substitute that for just reading about horses whenever I can :) It was a slower read, but a good one none the less.

The were a lot of characters. At first, it made things a bit confusing as I was trying to keep everyone straight. Once I had that time, it made the book that much more fun to read - as there were so many stories and they were all so different. I really liked Kate. She was so sweet and was just a really good person.Tommi was a lot of fun as well. When the story involved Kate or Tommi I found those to be my favorite sections. Dani was a total riot - I absolutely loved her. She lightened the story every time she walked on to the page. I was not a fan of Zara at all - even when the story moved over to her thoughts she came off to witchy for me to like her.

I loved the plot. It was really cool how in depth it got into the world of the A Circuit. Everything was really well explained so I didn't ever get confused. The plot takes you into the characters home lives and stable lives which was nice.

I would have liked a bit more closure at the end. I felt the ending was a bit abrupt - like I was reading, and then all at once there was no more. I really love the cover - I think the hot pink writing is quite nice and the rest of the cover is just so pretty.


I haven't read anything by Catherine Hapka before now and obviously not by Georgina Bloomberg as this is her first book, but I am very excited to see more from both of these authors. I would love to see what this fabulous duo may come up with next!

The A Circuit was a really enjoyable read. It may not be a book I would rush out to read this instant, but it's definitely worthy of your time in the near future. It was slower to start out, but as the book went on the story picked up more and more. By the end, I didn't want it to end and was disappointed to turn the page and find out there was nothing more.

This trio of girls who battle in the highest rung of horse competitions all have something to prove. Tommi is a billionaire's daughter who wants to be taken seriously for something other than her family's financial status. Zara has a rockstar father, and she wants to prove that she is a determined rider. Finally there's Kate, who must clean horse stalls to pay for her lessons. She wants to be accepted even though she doesn't come from a wealthy background like the others.

Their personal struggles along with the pressures of the circuit bring out the drama in these girls. It's like fireworks in the barn, the penthouse, and the show ring. Since both authors actually ride and compete, they are able to capture the tension and rivalry of the circuit.

My favorite character is Tommi. She is not all high and mighty because of her family's money. Instead, she is the first to befriend Kate and stand up for her. I think that Georgina Bloomberg, who is Mayor Bloomberg's daughter, can relate to Tommi just wanting to fit in.

The setting is so fantastic. The barn, practice rings, wood chips, saddles, competition rings, adoring fans, and (of course) horses. I love the descriptions of the horses that seem to come to life on the pages. Both Catherine Hapka and Georgina Bloomberg put their horse-related knowledge to good use as they create a realistic and intriguing setting.

I enjoyed this story of being true to yourself and standing proud. I hope you do too.

RATING

5 Loved

COVER COMMENTS

Look at that beautiful horse! I think the girl is Tommi, my favorite character. The wooden background makes me feel like we are in the horse barn.

The A Circuit has been described as a cross between Canterwood Crest and The A List. I can definitely say that that's a pretty good description of it and I can also say that I enjoyed it greatly. It's not going to become one of my all-time favorites but I think it's a great book for horse lovers!

Kate, Tommi, and Zara have one thing in common: their love of horses. Kate is a poor student who happened to fall into the good graces of Jamie, the trainer at Pelham Lane Stables. Tommi is the daughter of a billionaire who is looking for a way to make horses her career. Zara is the daughter of a rock star who is just looking for the next party. It doesn't seem like anything could bring these girls together but the stable does and it also brings new challenges that each girl must face.

Kate and Tommi were very likable characters but Zara was not. She was rude, spoiled, bratty, and just plain inconsiderate. There was nothing about her that I liked through the whole book. Hopefully she will grow up as the series goes on. As for Kate, she was nice but she was naive and so obsessed with the barn and horses. Tommi was smart, practical, and very cool. She was my favorite of the three girls.

The plot was a bit slow. Nothing seemed to happen for a while and even when it did, it wasn't all that exciting. I don't know anything about horses or shows so everything was also a little confusing to me. Not so bad that I couldn't read it though.

Overall, The A Circuit is one I would recommend to people who actually know something about horses already. It's a really quick read and I think the series holds great appeal.