Thoroughbred #49: Rising Star

I already wrote a review on this book. But a little while after I wrote it I re-read the book and I disagree with what I wrote. I still think that Ashleigh was a little too stubborn and Brad and Lavinia should leave Ashleigh alone but I disagree with what I wrote about the Whitebrook horses. (sort of) I didn't exactly mean "the Whitebrook horses win all the time which makes you wish they could lose a race for once." I guess what I meant was the authors need to make Whitbrook horses lose every once in a while. Just wanted to clear that up.

Ever since Wonder's Star got sick at Belmont everyone has given up on him. Christina Reese is convinced that even her mother, the racing legend Ashleigh Griffen, doesn't believe that Star has what it takes to race anymore. And when a reporter asks her for an interview about Stars amazing recovery from Death's door, Christina jumps at the chance to tell the world how great Star still is. But everyone is calling Star a has-been, and Christina is furious that no one believes in her beloved colt anymore. When her cousin, Melanie, and another of Whitebrook's jockeys, Naomi, leave for the races in Florida, Christina finds herself and Star left behind. Will she have to break the rules again, and ask her boyfriend, Parker Townsend, to van them to the Florida track? But Ashleigh has other plans in mind. She wants Star to race in a small race at the Fair Grounds track. But when she tells Christina to look through the program for a race for Star, Christina doesn't have any nice, small race in mind. When she comes across the Lousiana Derby she knows it's the chance Star needs to prove himself. But her scheme seems to have gone terribly wrong when she gets to Fair Grounds for the race. Celtic Mist, the colt her mother had not wanted Star to race against, was running in the same race. Christina is confident Star can blow Mist away until the other colt sets a new track record. Two seconds faster than Star's last workout. Christina is losing faith in her colt, and she is losing the bond that she has always had with the colt, just like what had happened right after Star's illness. Before, she had turned to her talented friend, Lyssa Hynde, to help her get back together with Star. Can Lyssa help them again? And only a day before the Louisiana Derby?This is a really great book! I just don't get it--what happened with the cover? Someone who reviewed another Thoroughbred book said the new covers aren't as good as the old ones, but I still thought they were okay. But the cover on Rising Star could at least be more colorful. Even though you could make an excuse that it's just all the dust kicked up by the horses in a race. The only other problem is that in 'Without Wonder' it says that Star had a heart on his forehead, and in 'Star in Danger it was a heart. But now his star is shaped like a diamond. Assuming that is Star on the cover...

I've always liked the Star and Christina books, and now that Star is back in racing form, he's doing better than ever! A must read, especially if you've read the books that have mentioned Celtic Mist in them. I'm sooooo happy the books are about racing, I love it! I love jumping, but racing is much more origonal. I can't wait for Team Player to come out!

Star is finally coming back to racing. Christina knows he will have to race in a bigger prep race for the Kentucky Derby if he will be eligable! But her mom, Ashleigh, thinks a smaller stakes race would be better for him. Christina is determind to enter him in the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds but didn't realize Celtic Mist, Brad's expencive, fancy racehorse would be running too, after she convinces Ashleigh to let him run in it...Very well written and definatly a cliff-hanger!

I think that the Thoroughbred book Rising Star is an excellent book to read. I have read all of the Thoroughbred books in the series so far because i own them all. Rising Star is based on how Christina's courage gets her places and her faith in Star never gives out. it all pays of when they win their first race back together! THIS IS MOST DEFINITELY A BOOK YOU MUST READ!