Thief of Happy Endings

April 15, 2018
A teen is sent to a remote Wyoming horse camp to recover from the trauma of her parents' impending divorce.Sixteen-year-old Cassidy gets to spend the summer with mostly-troubled, mostly-rich teens at Point of No Return Youth Ranch, working off part of the cost of her stay by cleaning latrines. At camp she's expected to ride the horses--despite her fear of them--and also work with yearling mustangs, accustoming them to human handling before they're auctioned at the end of the summer. Slowly, Cassidy begins to open up to a few of her fellow campers and counselors, particularly her tentmate Alice and the junior counselor, Justin, who sneaks out at night to set penned mustangs loose. Told from Cassidy's first-person point of view, it's a complex story that unfolds slowly, with no startling transformations or revelations, just a real-life sense of growth, accomplishment, and purpose. In the end, Cassidy says, ."..the space between what I thought happiness looks like and all the things I didn't want to happen is the space where I found a new happiness...." A white default is assumed, with a few diverse characters present. Unfortunately, Asian-American Alice has a two-dimensional, clichéd backstory that feels inauthentic, and African-American camper, Ethan, behaves in a way that feeds negative stereotypes of black males in a tone-deaf, cringeworthy scene seemingly intended to evoke feel-good anti-racist solidarity.A thoughtful book apart from its well-intentioned blunders around diverse representations. (Fiction. 12-18)

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April 30, 2018
When she was seven, Cassidy showed great promise as a horseback rider, but then she was violently bucked and stopped riding. Now, as a teenager, she’s deathly afraid of getting on a horse, yet she’s spending the summer in Wyoming on her grandfather’s former ranch, where herds of wild mustangs run free. Despite being surrounded by unkind fellow workers who don’t think she can live up to her grandfather’s legacy, Cassidy slowly works her way up to riding again. Her love and knowledge of horses is evident, as is her expertise about living and working on a horse ranch, including her awareness of animal rights issues. Through Cassidy, Chandler showcases the upside of ranch living (being among beautiful horses), but she also isn’t shy about its downsides (hard work, scarce showers, cleaning outhouses). Cassidy’s life is multilayered, as she navigates new friendships and family difficulties, and finds romance with another rancher, but the real romance is between Cassidy and the horses as she learns to overcome her fears. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jamie Weiss Chilton, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

June 1, 2018

Gr 7 Up-Cassidy used to be a natural rider, but a nasty fall, the death of her grandfather, and her parents' crumbling marriage made getting back on a horse all but impossible. Years later, she is being dropped off at a ranch in the middle of Wyoming. The thought of riding makes her toes curl up in her cowboy boots, but she's expected to help show off the mustangs at a local auction in hopes that the horses will be adopted. Cassidy's insomnia leads her to make a connection with one of the wildest steeds and the mysterious cowboy willing to risk it all for the horses he loves. Chandler manages to weave a story rich with a variety of relationships, such as Cassidy dealing with her divorcing parents, navigating new friendships, and confronting a bully roommate. Finding her voice and self-confidence are her biggest hurdles, but she manages to do so with wit and a big heart. Questioning what it means to do the "right thing" even if it means breaking the rules will resonate with teens. Fans of Sarah Dessen will enjoy the complex personal dynamics, while younger readers who love horse books will latch onto the equine backdrop to this YA selection. Although the action can flatline at times, those who stick it out will be rewarded with a feel-good story of self-discovery. VERDICT For readers who crave adventure, romance, and a touch of dry humor. A good choice for YA collections.-Carrie Finberg, South Park High School, PA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2018
Grades 7-10 As a child, Cassidy was a horse-riding prodigy, but after a terrifying accident, she never wants to get on a horse again. In an effort to get away from all the drama and the impending divorce of her parents, Cassidy finds herself heading to a ranch in Wyoming, owned by an old family friend, where she'll help take care of the place and train wild mustangs. Through the course of the summer, Cassidy learns to trust again, fall in love, and literally get back on the horse. This slow-paced novel is contemplative and observant. Cassidy is a well-developed character whose gradual growth is meditative and still progressing at novel's end. The rest of the diverse cast, however, lacks depth, and Cassidy's romance with a misunderstood and troubled boy skews stereotypical. Chandler gives lots of details about wild horses and land management, making this a good choice for libraries where novels involving horses and cowboys are popular.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)