Taking the Reins by Dayle Campbell Gaetz

Yep, I'm back. With a horse book. It was bound to happen sometime, so I guess the time is now. I got this book for free, out of my book camp, but at first, I had my doubts-- on whether or not I would actually come to enjoy this book,

Set in the 1860s, I didn't expect myself to be reading a book set on the past, due to my seeming unwillingness to go back into the tales of history. However, I didn't mind it so much in this book, since it didn't have to do with the history, but rather the adventure. I was especially interested in this story due to the setting of British Columbia. It's set in the very place I am living in right now, which I thought was interesting. Therefore, I picked it up, and decided that I would give it a shot. Telling the tale of two girls and a horse, Taking the Reins is a wonderful story about ingenuity, courage, friendship, and the love of a horse.

Our two characters, Katherine and Emma are very different from one another. Katherine was lead to British Columbia by a father who wished to obtain free farm land, yet knew nothing of farming, while Emma's father left Emma and her mother to chase the fantasy of gold. Living in poverty, Emma's story is not a warm one, while Katherine has lived comparatively comfortably, give or take a few unfortunate events. Although they are much different from one another, they must help each other as their situations are getting more and more desperate. Could Nugget, the beautiful bay mare that brought them together in the first place be able to help them solve their differences?

Dayle Campbell Gaetz is an author like no other. Although her story doesn't have the complexity of a sci-fi novel or the shrouding air of mystery from mystery novels, her book contains the magic of friendship, love, and horses. She has sealed what matters most into the writing. Heart.

I recommend this book to horse lovers and adventure lovers alike. Perhaps even to the people who just want to disappear into a really good story one day.

***I give this book a 9.1 out of 10***