One girl’s victory is another’s tragic defeat.Thirteen-year-old Selah’s perfect life unravels when her beloved horse is stolen. Then ten-year-old Emma buys the dream of a lifetime at a horse auction. When she learns the horse was stolen, even removing her hearing aid won’t drown out the voice telling her to make it right.But two girls can’t divide the horse they both adore. So will life surprise … will life surprise them with an answered prayer?
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This book was so enjoyable that I couldn’t put it down.
I’m a horse lover and I love reading books that has horses in them. When I seen this book I knew I had to have it. I wasn’t disappointed that’s for sure.
This new to me author had me riding along Selah and Dream. I felt like I was in the story with them.
I’ve always wanted a horse of my own but I never got one because we’ve never had a place to keep it. Boarding was expensive.
I loved the plot of this book and I thought the characters were well rounded out.
My heart broke for Emily. I think it was because I could picture myself as her. I thought she was special.
I thought Selah was a snob. At least I thought she was. Maybe others don’t. In my experience with horses most people with horses generally are. I don’t know why that is. But Selah didn’t deserve to have a tragedy happen to her. Some people are just mean! I don’t like mean people!
I truly appreciated this story.
I thought the author has done a great job with this book!
The cover is simply gorgeous!! Someone has very artistic talent!!
My thanks to Just Reads for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.
Perfect for young children and teens.
Susan Count delivers a wonderful tale for everyone to read with a heart of a child. Filled with wonderful lessons.
I’ve always had a secret admiration for horses and this book will fan your flame for horses and life.
There are other wonderful books in the series too.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion
The new YA release by Susan Count, Selah’s Stolen Dream, is a fabulous book for all ages. I have no personal experience with horses, but love reading about them. Selah’s Stolen Dream continues the adventures of Selah, now 13 years old, but background is provided so that it easily stands alone.
I highly recommend this story for many reasons. The writing is excellent and well-paced, with good character development. I was caught up from the beginning and loved the emotional pull of this story.
The narrative flows from two young girls’ perspectives, Selah and Emma, and growth is seen in both. In the beginning, Selah is a little too caught up in her “perfect” life revolving around Sweet Dream, winning competitions, and a possible film contract – until her precious horse is stolen. She quickly learns that the horse world has a dark side where greed is involved.
What I loved most about Selah’s Stolen Dream is the invaluable life lessons skillfully woven throughout. 10-year-old Emma is deaf, yearning to be treated normally in spite of her handicap. Her determination is an inspiration, and Black Velvet (Sweet Dream) gave her a new-found confidence and companionship. Although Selah never gave up the hope of finding Sweet Dream, she learned what life’s most valuable treasures are.
One life lesson resonated greatly with me, that of doing the right thing. Selah learned empathy as she came to realize how her victory brought heartbreak to another. The author brings this story to a beautiful conclusion with far-reaching effects, emotional and heartwarming.
Selah’s Stolen Dream may be written for YA readers, but I loved everything about this moving story. It would work well for book club discussion and home school curriculum. And it offers some great teachable opportunities for families.
Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Selah’s Stolen Dream by Susan Count is a fantastic tale with two such unique characters that hook the reader into the story.
Will Selah ever find Dream again?
Selah
Selah is our primary and titular character. I loved being with Selah and seeing how having Dream in her life made her so happy. Then all of a sudden, not having Dream changed her whole world. Selah is only thirteen and shows a lot of promise of growing into a great young lady but also a smart horse trainer and rider. She is a great older sister to her two younger brothers.
I loved a lot about her, but the one thing that I kind of didn’t like, and that she is fixing in this novel is sounding a bit bratty. Seriously, she is thirteen, and we remember how challenging that can be. She does grow throughout the book, and it’s impressive to see that.
Emma
Emma, on the other hand, is our ten-year-old point of view character that is deaf in one ear. She so badly wants a horse of her own and finally gets it in the form of Velvet (Dream). Emma loves her new horse and has done a great job of caring for her. She is a shy character that grows just like Selah. Thanks to having a horse, Emma is opening up and learning how to talk normally despite not hearing well in one ear. I haven’t found a lot of things that I dislike about her.
Five Stars
Selah’s Stolen Dream by Susan Count was such a fantastic book that I felt like I already have read the first three books in the story. Ms. Count has a whimsical way with her writing that makes the reader believe that they are there with the characters. I loved this book from beginning to end.
I am giving this book five stars and recommending it to all readers who love horses, especially young girls.
Lori Sanford illustrated this cover.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Selah’s Stolen Dream by Susan Count.
Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
What a wonderful book! This is a well written book that the author brought to life with her words. It is a heartwarming read that is full of emotions. I recommend this book for anyone who loves horses, ages 8 – 80. I absolutely loved it. I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own. This book deserves more than a 5 star rating!
Rarely do I ever read a youth-oriented novel, but with so much seriousness going on in the world I thought it would be nice to read something chill that was also out of my comfort zone, and Selah’s Stolen Dream definitely fit that bill. Being heavy in the equestrian world, and myself unfamiliar with that world and verbiage, there were times that I was a tad lost, but you can tell the author is very comfortable, and shows she is well versed in that lifestyle. Once you get into the book the language becomes easier to understand, and I was surprised with how much I learned from reading this novel.
My heart went out to Selah, not only having to deal with losing her beloved horse, but her best friend, her whole world, while at the same time reading about sweet Emma going through the joys and trials of owning her first horse. The parallel storylines lead your heart through emotional highs and lows right to the very end, but I will say the ending had me saying, “Awww!!” and was very satisfying.
I will admit it took me a bit to get into the book, but I was eventually won over. It written for a younger audience, meaning the writing was on a simpler caliber than I’m used to, but necessary to reach that audience, and it allowed me to transport back to a simpler time in my own life, remembering the innocence of a twelve year old. The lessons learned by both Selah and Emma are ones that are important for us all, and handled in a very realistic, down to earth way.
I was surprised with how much I ended up liking this book and would recommend for adults and youths alike, and hope I can read more in this sweet series.
*I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author and/or publisher through JustRead Tours. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.
When I was younger (and on into my teen years), I loved all things horses and would have devoured this series from Susan Count. But even middle grade girls who don’t care for horses will enjoy this book. I jumped in at book four in the series and, though I don’t recommend it because reading a series in its entirety makes for a richer, more rounded experiences, Selah’s Stolen Dream never left me scratching me head wondering what was going on. It did, however, interest me in reading the previous three books.
Count weaves themes of grief, responsibility, and sacrifice within the pages of this book. There are also a couple of cautionary situations that are relevant to tweens today.
Both Selah and Emma are extremely likable characters (although Selah took a little longer to warm up to. I doubt this would have been the case if I had read the previous books, though) and the entire time I was reading this story, I wondered how both girls would get their happy endings. The ending was completely satisfying yet I could have hung out with these two girls and their families longer.
Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
A lovely story for young girls, especially young girls who love horses.
Selah was devoted to Dream, her horse, and committed to her care. But for a thirteen-year-old, I found her childish and immature. Conversely, some of Emma’s actions seemed more like fifteen than ten.
There were a few notable malapropisms, and I felt the story got bogged down several times, especially with Selah’s whining.
Mostly though, this story is a great window into the world of horses—riding lessons, caring for them, horse shows. And sadly, the reality of horse theft.
In the end, it’s a story of compassion and kindness, and I was glad of Selah’s choice [SPOILER.]
ROBIN’S FEATHERS
THREE FEATHERS
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day-on-Saturday, #TRD, Book Review, Selah’s Stolen Dream, Susan Count, Dream Horse Adventures, JustRead Publicity
If you’ve got a tween daughter, granddaughter, niece, etc., who loves horses, you need to introduce her to Selah. Selah’s Stolen Dream is the fourth book in the Dream Horse Adventures series. Though it can be read as a standalone, it helps to begin at the beginning!
My daughter has always loved horses. She read a lot of horse books! I was never like those girls who go through the horse love phase (some never grow out of it!), so it was fun for me to buy her horse books and toys. She’ll never get rid of them even though she’s not as obsessive about horses as she once was.
I think my daughter would have enjoyed reading the Dream Horse Adventures series. Selah’s Stolen Dream has characters that young horse lovers can relate to especially if they ride. As you can read in the synopsis, this book involves a moral dilemma in which a young girl, Emma, has to make a very hard choice.
Emma has wanted a horse of her own for a very long time. When the pony she’s been riding becomes too old to handle Emma’s riding lessons, she becomes even more desperate for a horse of her own. Imagine her dilemma when Emma finds out that the horse she’s finally been able to buy turns out to be Dream, Selah’s horse that was stolen.
This would be a good book to use teach your daughter about making hard choices. Check this one out for your horse loving girls.
Started with an intriguing beginning, a horse lover’s perfect read … If they don’t mind the middle-grade story.
I saw in one review this was a good book for reads 8-80, I have to disagree, while Selah’s Stolen Dream has a cute title its story is lacking in anything other than a love for horses making it a story for younger readers.
It was cute enough but I felt like the characters were too whiny, and at one point the dad told Selah that she needed to act older than her thirteen years though losing her horse … Um, why?
And the fact she met someone who contacted her online was a big turn off for me, so dangerous, and yes, her parents took away social media but Selah offered excuses about why she did it and I didn’t feel she was truly repentant.
So, while it was an all right story I just didn’t love it or even really like it, plus there were inconsistencies in the plotline. I dredged through the last 50% with barely any interest.
The parents in the book felt underdeveloped, and honestly, the girls seemed to know better than their parents in a disrespectful way and they undermine their parents with little to no consequences it seemed.
I had hoped to find something redeeming in the last half of the book but I didn’t.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.