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lila_still_reads's review against another edition
I loved this book as a little kid. As a young adult revisiting it- meh.
I also had less fun with it than I could have because in the intervening years, I’ve had a traumatic experience involving poisoned horses. That’s not on the book. The nonsensical, fast wrap up of the mystery, on the other hand, is. Thjs could have been a cool, closed room mystery for young readers- all the suspects are at the station, how will Annie solve the case?- instead, we don’t even know the name of the culprit, let alone his motivation, until a random, one paragraph character hands it to Annie. Literally this character only exists for this purpose. It felt lazy- kids deserve better constructed mysteries!!
The horse girl bonding was well done. That’s definitely why I liked it- I don’t think a kid who loved horse could get through this book without wanting to be a pony express rider.
It makes me want to revisit Riding Freedom, another pony express book I loved as a kid.
In short- only read if you’re eight and love horses. Not one I’d seek out for kids unless they’re completionists or super into horses and historical fiction.
I also had less fun with it than I could have because in the intervening years, I’ve had a traumatic experience involving poisoned horses. That’s not on the book. The nonsensical, fast wrap up of the mystery, on the other hand, is. Thjs could have been a cool, closed room mystery for young readers- all the suspects are at the station, how will Annie solve the case?- instead, we don’t even know the name of the culprit, let alone his motivation, until a random, one paragraph character hands it to Annie. Literally this character only exists for this purpose. It felt lazy- kids deserve better constructed mysteries!!
The horse girl bonding was well done. That’s definitely why I liked it- I don’t think a kid who loved horse could get through this book without wanting to be a pony express rider.
It makes me want to revisit Riding Freedom, another pony express book I loved as a kid.
In short- only read if you’re eight and love horses. Not one I’d seek out for kids unless they’re completionists or super into horses and historical fiction.
fallingletters's review against another edition
A favorite growing up...I just found the boxed set of three of these books and may give them a reread.
littleseal's review
It really is crazy that the Pony Express only lasted 18 months. They truly made it sound like it lasted years while I was in elementary school.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Blood, Excrement, Racial slurs, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Xenophobia
ellykate's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ellabhart's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
hunkydory's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
emlickliter's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Hoofbeats of Danger (American Girl History Mysteries #2) by Holly Hughes – I have never been a huge mystery person, but this series was pretty cute! Happy Reading!