Blue Ribbon Trail Ride

Horses and Friends #4

by Miralee Ferrell

Thirteen-year old Kate and her friends came up with the perfect way to raise money for her autistic younger brother and others to attend summer camp—a horse scavenger hunt! As local businesses donate money and prizes, Kate keeps the entry fees in her mom’s antique jewelry box.

But when the box and the money disappear, Kate and her friends must unravel the clues, hold on to hope, and solve the mystery along the Blue Ribbon Trail Ride.

Genres: Childrens, Mystery, Christian, Middle Grade, Horses, Young Adult, Chapter Books

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Miralee Ferrell and her husband, Allen, live on eleven acres in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge in southern Washington State, where they love to garden, play with their dogs, take walks, and visit their grown children. She is also able to combine two other passions—horseback riding and spending time with her married daughter—since she lives nearby--and they often ride together on the wooded trails near their home.

Ironically, Miralee, now the author of over twenty books, with many more on the way, never had a burning desire to write—at least more than her own memoirs for her children. So she was shocked when God called her to start writing after she turned fifty. To Miralee, writing is a ministry that she hopes will impact hearts, and she anticipates how God will use each of her books to bless and change lives.

Reviews

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series! My nine year old also loves this series! Blue Ribbon Trail Ride continues the exploits of thirteen year old friends Kate, Tori, Colt, and Melissa. These kids continue to learn and grow with each story. They make mistakes and sometimes feelings get hurt. But there is always such a great lesson of kindness and forgiveness woven throughout each novel.

The set up for Blue Ribbon Trail Ride is such a great one. Kate’s little brother, Pete, has autism and the trail ride scavenger hunt will be a great way to earn money for him to attend a special camp. Each of these stories in this series does such a good job of illustrating Kate’s love for her brother. It doesn’t mean that she isn’t frustrated at times, but the way she wants what is best for Pete is inspiring.

The book also contains a mystery that will keep kids guessing right up to the end and wondering why someone would do what they did! Friendships deepen and new friends join the group. These kids work to include others and to try to be a good example of God’s love. I really enjoyed this story.

My nine year old’s thoughts: “I like that the trail ride is the first real thing they get to do to raise money other than boarding horses. I also really like that it is the first real book where Kate can trust that Melissa is her friend.”

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

You can read this review on my blog at:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...

You can read my review of books 1-3 (A Horse for Kate, Silver Spurs, and Mystery Rider) on my blog at:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...

[Nicki Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

_______________________________________________

*My Thoughts*

My sister has been following the Horses and friends series since book one and she has loved it since! When I realized that Miralee was offering the full series to review her final book, Blue Ribbon Trail Ride, Meghan's interest was a resounding yes!

I love this series! I had the pleasure of reading the first & fourth books and I loved how well written they were. The story was engaging and sweet and every horse loving girl's dream!

Meghan's thoughts:

This series is great! I'm not a reader but as a horse lover, this book is the best! I hope Miralee continues to write down and share her stories with the "kid world"!
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*My overall thoughts*

Writing clean, fun young adult fiction is steadily becoming harder then adult fiction, but Miralee passed the test with flying colors. Tweens everywhere should be reading this series!
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*My Rating*
I give Blue Ribbon Trail Ride by Miralee Ferrell...





5 stars!!
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*I received this book from the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review, which I have given. All thoughts were my own and I was not compensated in any other way.

[Carrie Daws · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story about friendship and growing up, a little in the spirit of a young Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys. If your pre/early teen likes contemporary stories and horses, this is a great series to try.

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 3 out of 5]

About this book:

“Thirteen-year old Kate and her friends came up with the perfect way to raise money for her autistic younger brother and others to attend summer camp—a horse scavenger hunt! As local businesses donate money and prizes, Kate keeps the entry fees in her mom’s antique jewelry box.
But when the box and the money disappear, Kate and her friends must unravel the clues, hold on to hope, and solve the mystery along the Blue Ribbon Trail Ride.”


Series: Book #4 in the “Horses and Friends” series. (Review of Book #1 Here! Book #2 Here! and Book #3 Here!)


Spiritual Content- A few Prayers; A bit of witnessing; Talks about God & prayers; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; A couple mentions of the Bible & a Scripture; A couple mentions of miracles & being blessed; A few mentions of Church; Mentions of prayers & praying.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: an ‘idiot’, a ‘sheesh’, a ‘wimp’, two ‘dumb’s, five ‘stupid’s; All about a box of money that was stolen & the thief; Kate & her friends plan things without her parents knowing & get into a bit of trouble; A few mentions of when Melissa was snooty; A couple mentions of divorce & drinking a lot; A couple mentions of vomiting & using the bathroom; Mentions of horse manure; Mentions of an older brother hitting & picking on his younger brother.


Sexual Content- A mention that Kate doesn’t have or want a boyfriend; A couple mentions of a girlfriend and guy who stole a girlfriend.

-Kate Ferris, 13
P.O.V. of Kate
208 pages

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
New Teens- Four Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
Very fun! I really like all the dialogue in “Blue Ribbon Trail Ride”. Quite a bit of Spiritual Content, which was really nice. Jake is so cute, and I hope he’ll be in any further books in this series. :)


Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (David C. Cook) for this honest review.

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really sweet, cute, and fun book written for middle grades but I enjoyed reading it as well. MG readers will really enjoy Kate and her friends, the horses, the dogs, and the adventure! Adults will appreciate the lessons that Miralee Ferrell incorporates into the story in a way that's easy but fun to absorb for young readers. The examples of true friendship and of kindness and forgiveness woven throughout particularly stood out to me.

My 12-year-old niece read this book as well and she said, "Blue Ribbon Trail Ride by Miralee Ferrell is an amazing story! I love how Kate, Tori and Colt are such good Christians and Melissa is learning a lot about God and how He cares for us. I think that my favorite character would have to be Kate. She loves animals, just like I do, and is also very caring and a great friend. However, the new boy named Jake is a close second. He is pretty funny and I love how he quotes sentences from tons of movies. He helps Kate and her friend solve the case of the missing money box as well as becomes part of this amazing friend group. I’d recommend this book to anyone that loves friendship, laughs, and a good mystery!"

(We received a copy of this book in exchange for only our honest review.)

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get ready for an incredible scavenger hunt as Kate, Tori, Melissa, Colt and Jake plan an amazing Trail Ride to help raise money for children with Autism to go to summer camp. Local businesses donate money and prizes while Kate and her friends collect the entry fees in a beautiful antique jewelry box.
All of a sudden, Kate discovers the jewelry box is missing, and it's up to her and her friends to solve the mystery or will the trail ride be canceled? Go on an adventure with Kate and her friends to discover the true meaning of forgiveness, how to solve a mystery and what it means to be honest. This book is one that will have you turning the pages and by the time it's over, you'll wish there was more.

I thoroughly enjoyed the content of this book and the overall theme. There are not many young fiction books that teach the message that author, Miralee Ferrell conveys in Horse and Friends. This is the fourth installment in the series and the best book by far. It is a clean read with a great message for young people that most adults don't even understand. I loved these books and look forward to future books from Miralee.
Thank you, David Cook, for providing me a complimentary copy for review. I was not compensated for a positive review.

[Laura Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter Amy is fourteen years old. She blogs at Living in Faith and Fun. When we received Books 1-4 of the junior fiction series Horses and Friends by Miralee Ferrell, she started reading. She finished the first book, then had to skip to the fourth book in order to read this by the review due date. I'll share some of her thoughts here.

Amy's thoughts:
I like the way Kate treats her autistic brother and how she doesn't get angry at him for being the way he is. No, she doesn't like the autism, but she doesn't blame Pete.

Pros:
The story keeps moving. It doesn't stop. I think a girl who likes horses may enjoy this book, though I don't know if she would love it. Me, I probably won't read this series over and over. I never was a horse lover, but I do like horses. This story really sounded like it was written by a person who has been around horses a lot.

Cons:
I don't like how the dialogue is written. It's hard to explain. It's a bit too modern day sounding. Some of the jokes and/or sarcasm could sound a little rude if taken wrong.

Overall, I think it's a pretty good book for girls 9 - 12.

Mom's Thoughts:
I thought that this was a good book for girls who have passed the initial hump of learning to read chapter books. I think it's a second level chapter book series. I liked that the kids ultimately worked out their differences. It's a great Christian novel set for young ladies. The setting and the kids are wholesome. The amount of freedom to go to and fro is more than my kids have, but it's necessary in books. I really liked the closeness of Kate's family and the way they worked together to help with her brother's autism.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Edward Arrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally the last book in the series, the story shares some more valuable lessons for preteen girls and everyone else. I admire Kate’s parents, who have played a role in each of the books. Her mother has been more prominent, since she is a stay-at-home mom and is in charge of running the barn. Both parents are level-headed and think things through rather than rushing ahead. They have done an exceptional job rearing Kate. Kate and her friends all get along well and work hard together. The story about a horse scavenger hunt to raise funds for Kate’s autistic brother to attend a special camp has them constantly on the go. Besides working out all the details for the scavenger hunt, they find themselves involved in a mystery over the disappearance of the antique jewelry box and the money from the entrance fees for the big event. What an exciting time for young teens! I chuckled when Kate mentioned Nancy Drew and Colt responded that he was a Hardy Boys fan. Although he was as involved as the girls in everything, he was quick to make it known that he wasn’t into girlie stuff. If you haven’t read this series, I recommend that you start with the first one and read through them, and then continue on to the next two books that were added later.

[Leena James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book for people who like to read about horses and friends. This is book #4 and there is a lot of exciting things going on in this book. There are five main characters Kate, Colt, Melissa, Jake, and Tori. These kids are 13 to 14 years old except for Jake he is 10 years old. Jake loves to me references about how real-life problems are just like movies. Malissa has a troubled past. Her dad left her and her mom broke and Malissa's mom drinks and sleeps to try to forget the past. Kate has a brother that is autistic and Kate loves to help her brother. Kate is very caring. Colt is a 13-year-old boy who loves horses and old tv shows and movies. Tori loves to help anyone she can. Jake is very helpful in this book.
Kate wants her brother Peter to go to this autistic camp so he can have fun there. So Kate and all of her friends come up with a plan to hold a scavenger hunt and the winners get cool prizes. Kate's mom kept the entry money in a family heirloom and one night the family heirloom got stolen.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Blue Ribbon Trail Ride" is set on a horse farm with a riding stables. This is the 4th book in a series, but you can understand this one without reading the others. The friends in this story are in middle school and love horses. They want to raise money for one of their brothers to go to a special summer camp. They learn how to put on a scavenger hunt trail ride, from approaching business owners to give prizes to finding hiding places and putting out the clues. When the entry money's stolen, they pray to God that the thief will return the money. They also try to sleuth out or trap whodunit, only to realize that they misjudged several people.

The main characters were likable and acted realistically. There was no bad language or sexual content. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable story to young horse lovers.

[Tom Mabie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book with a positive ending!

This was a great book that provided a story that you could see yourself in. It had a amazing redemptive conclusion. It was a great read. It reminded of a friend, an author who’s written a similar book. i want to share this with her.

[Kim Hampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the mystery in this book, and the message of friendship and forgiveness. This series is perfect for horse crazy kids, and their parents too!

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like this one that much

[Lily Scarlet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Same here. Good books, they just need younger readers.
Favorite Characters:
Capri
Colt

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have liked this when I was a kid. It's similar in many ways to a Trixie Belden book, if not quite as good. Unfortunately, it has a really weak ending, but it's a good book otherwise. My biggest complaint was there was not enough horse for the horse-loving kids but probably too much for the kids who don't care about them. If you're going to write a "horses and friends" mystery, then the horses should have more of a presence in the book.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blue Ribbon Trail Ride is the kind of book I want my kids to read. The kids are flawed by kind. They work hard and aren't afraid to try new things. They mess up and get into trouble but readily confess and try to make things right. They're dreamers and planners and believe that the sky is the limit.

That's what I want for my kids. I don't want them to see borders and boundaries on what they can do. I want them to dream big ideas for ways that they can make the world a better place and help other people. I want them to see potential friends in everyone, not just those who are very similar to themselves. I want them to see helping other people as an endeavor that's worthy of hard work and a big time investment, even when they don't personally directly benefit.

All of these themes are contained in Blue Ribbon Trail Ride, and they're carried throughout the entire series. I was impressed from the very first page of the very first book with the diversity that they contain. Kate's little brother is autistic, her best friend is Hispanic, and other friends are former snobs, guys, the elderly, and kiddie nerds. Unlike many commercials, though, it doesn't feel forced - it feels real. Our world is made up of many kinds of people, and that's exactly who Kate befriends. She doesn't always make the kindest friends immediately, which is the next best thing about the book: her consideration of her own actions.


Kate's not afraid to evaluate her own actions through fresh eyes. She thinks about how her actions make others feel, how they might line up with scripture, what her parents might have to say about them, and considers them from the perspective of other people. That might all sound boring and nerdy, and it's not like she second-guesses every cookie that she eats, but face it: friends are really important to tween kids, especially ones who are new to the neighborhood and are still settling in. They read too much into body language and word choice and make mistakes; who doesn't? That's what makes Kate so special, though: she's willing to admit to those mistakes and to try to make them right.

If your child hates horses, then s/he might not fall in love with Blue Ribbon Trail Ride as horses are integral to every book in the series; otherwise, s/he should definitely give this book a read.

I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character in this book (and series), Kate, has several faults, which is good because it makes her more relatable and realistic. She’s hasty to judge others and often needs to backtrack on her verbal actions to apologize and make amends. This flaw is great to tie-in to middle grade novels because we all need practice with choosing words. The horses are also a highlight of this book (and series). Most of the riders ride English (dressage, flatwork, and jumping), but mention is made of Western riding, as well. The connection between horse and rider is described well and very enjoyable to read. We also see the most variety in character personalities and backgrounds in this book of the series.

A few cautions: I feel most of the book “talks down” to the middle grade reader. Much of the book’s lessons are blatantly told to the reader through outright inner and external dialogue rather than allowing the reader to infer morals/themes from character actions and plot conflicts. (Lots of “telling” rather than “showing.”) Dialogue is also often used to move the plot along rather than actual action, dulling the reading experience at times. The “friends” characters within the book are around 13 years old, yet their dialogue is somewhat unrealistic (problems are solved too quickly, dialogue feels better suited to 8- and 9-year-olds talking at many points). Some readers and families may agree with many of the stereotypical boy-girl remarks made throughout the story, but some may find it limiting.
*Special note for families with special needs: I believe that the author genuinely tried to include a child with autism realistically, however I do have to warn that many special needs families may take offense to how autism is referenced in these books. I am a mother of a child with special needs (though not autism), and it stung to read that the child’s family refer to him as “needing to be fixed” or “growing out of autism.” I do not believe that the author meant any harm, but I feel it worth mentioning as a caution.

Horse-loving preteens will probably enjoy this series, regardless of its faults. It also teaches good lessons, though perhaps not always realistically solved, and the lesson become more of the focus of this story than the plot and adventure.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher as a part of the Litfuse blogging team in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read the first two books in Miralee Ferrell's series, and although I enjoyed both of them very much, I didn't have high expectations for this book. Series, with the exception of some very special few, usually go downhill with each sequel. But this was not the case for this series!
Blue Ribbon Trail Ride was is in my opinion better than the second book. It follows the story of Kate, and her friends, and I found it to be very well written.
The characters are all very nice. In the second book I found Kate to seem a little spoiled, but by the end of the book I saw a lot of character change. In this book she was very lovable. The characters all were very believable, and growing up with an autistic brother I can see that she portrays Pete very well.
My favorite characters are probably Kate and Colt. Kate shows a lovely spirit of selflessness and forgiveness in this book. She stays encouraged for the most part, and has a cheerful mindset even when things don't go the way planned.
Colt also is still his old humorous self in this book, which probably is what makes him so like-able. I am home-schooled, so I always am a little biased towards home-schooled characters though.
The plot is surprisingly well done for a book aimed towards middle-school children. Usually books for that age are very predictable, but I found this one really good, I would even go so far as to say as good as some of the adult christian fiction I've read! It was fast paced, and not boring. I was kept guessing through the whole book, and at the edge of my seat.
I love Miralee's style of writing, as it isn't too flowery, neither dry. It is a great example of showing not telling when writing. It flows smoothly, and has a sense of humor and mystery to it.
This book has many great lessons to it. Kate shows faith in God, selflessness and a love for others that even adults can learn from. She and her friends also learn forgiveness, and the dangers of presumption.
Overall I would rate it 5/5, and I would definitely recommend it to girls or boys ages 8-16. I found it better than most YA fiction, so even those older who have a love for horses would enjoy it.
Good work yet again Miralee Ferrell, I look forward to reading more of your books, and I will be reading the third book in this series, which I missed.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth in the Horses and Friends series and is another fun book to read.

Thirteen year old Kate is concerned that her parents don't have enough money to send her younger autistic brother to a camp that would be so good for him. Her friend Melissa comes up with a trail-ride fund raising idea and Colt adds a scavenger hunt to it. Kate and her friends get planning. They want to send a bunch of kids to the camp. They'll ask businesses to donate prizes. What could possibly go wrong? When the antique jewelry box Kate's mom was using to store the registration money goes missing, Kate and her friends have a mystery to solve.

I continue to really like this youth fiction series. The dialog between Kate and her friends is a great mix of affection and teasing. As with the others in the series, there are moral lessons to learn from the actions of the characters in the novel. Kate and her friends do some things without telling the parents and one really backfires (and lands on Kate's dad). Readers will learn that it's best to be open and honest with parents and others. They'll also read about a very good example of forgiveness and restoration.

Kids will get some insight into setting up a trail ride as well as a scavenger hunt. They'll also learn about hoarding when the kids visit an elderly man. “Maybe he was cranky because he needs a friend.” (184)

I love the new character, Jake. He's a kid with a huge St. Bernard named “Mouse” and a bunch of quirky knowledge he loves to share. He's my kind of nerdy kid and I hope he'll be in future novels. It is fun to see Kate's circle of friends expand.

Perhaps the best part of this book for me, an older reader, was the mention of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys mysteries. I grew up on those books and this novel would be a good way to introduce them to contemporary young readers.

I recommend this whole series to girls aged 8 - 12 who like horse stories. It is a fun one containing some great moral lessons.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Litfuse for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

[Sherry Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Y/A was a fun read for me. (even as an adult) I was super impressed with the authors knowledge about horses and riding disciplines. She did an excellent job propelling the reader into the story.
The story is about Kate and her friends Tori and Colt and their plan to host a Trail Ride to raise money for autistic children to go to a special camp just for them.
Everything is going well until the money box disappears just before the event! The three decide the only thing to do is try to find it kind of Hardy Boys style as suggested by Colt.
I loved the story because it reminded me of my years of reading Trixie Belden.

I expected the other books in the series would be 'mysterish' storylines but they are not.

What I enjoyed most about the book(s) besides the horse theme was that the author brought into the storyline some other themes/life struggles that the youngsters learned to cope and deal with.

This book includes Autism (Kate's younger brother is autistic) as well as the struggles of the elderly. (the neighbor is a hoarder)

Kate learns to trust God and to ask him for direction in many situations. Sometimes only after making a few mistakes on her own.

I loved the the additional 'A Little More' follow up at the end.
And the 'Secrets for your diary' questions.

This was an easy read. I would love to share these books with my grand children when they are a little older.
I think these would be excellent books to read together as a family.

This series would be a great addition to a school library.

I highly recommend this series Horses and Friends by Miralee Ferrell 5 Blue Ribbons

Buy yours today at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Christian Book(dot)com
(click on the bold for a direct link to purchase)

I received this book from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review.

This post is linked at
Blue Monday, The Art of Homemaking, Titus Tuesday at Cornerstone Confessions,Titus 2sday
at Time Warp Wife

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miralee Ferrell in her new book, “Blue Ribbon Trail Ride” Book Four in the Horses and Friends series published by David C. Cook gives us another adventure with Kate Ferris.

From the Back Cover: A horse scavenger hunt suddenly becomes filled with mystery and adventure…

Thirteen-year old Kate and her friends came up with the perfect way to raise money for her autistic younger brother and others to attend summer camp—a horse scavenger hunt! As local businesses donate money and prizes, Kate keeps the entry fees in her mom’s antique jewelry box.

But when the box and the money disappear, Kate and her friends must unravel the clues, hold on to hope, and solve the mystery along the Blue Ribbon Trail Ride.

With Book Three I thought Ms. Ferrell had hit her best. I was wrong. Let me assure you far and away with this book Ms. Ferrell has outdone herself. This time up the spotlight is on Kate’s little brother, Pete, who has autism. In an effort for him to attend a special camp the gang stage a horse scavenger hunt. Once the money is stolen it is up to the team to solve who is responsible for the theft and return the missing money. This is a very interesting mystery that is going to keep you guessing. Kate, Tori and even Melissa are remarkable characters that you fall in love even more and root for to succeed. This is one exciting book that will keep you reading as fast as you can to keep up with the story. You and your kids are going to enjoy this book. I am hoping that there is a next book in this series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Book Tours for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blue Ribbon Trail Ride by Miralee Ferrell is the fourth book in the Horses and Friends series. Kate Ferris (thirteen) and her friends, Colt, Melissa, and Tori have come up with a way to raise money so her autistic brother, Pete (and others like him) can attend a special summer camp. They are going to have a scavenger hunt trail ride. They have askes businesses in local towns to donate prizes and are collecting entry fees from the people who wish to participate. Kate’s mother, Nan is having them use a beautiful antique jewelry box as the cash box. Several people have commented on the beautiful box and even asked to purchase it, but it is not for sale. The kids collected quite a tidy sum when the box goes missing (with the money in it). The box was locked, but it was not hidden (it was in the barn office). Kate and her friends set out to find the culprit. Will they be able to find the box and the entry fee money (which will pay for Pete and other kids to attend a wonderful camp)?

Blue Ribbon Trail Ride is a cute story. It is nicely written with a good moral lesson (about forgiveness and helping others). I found the book to be engaging with a good (though simple) mystery. This is the perfect book for children and adults. I give Blue Ribbon Trail Ride 5 out of 5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of Blue Ribbon Trail Ride from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Check out my blog for additional details: http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogs...

[Callie Domingues · Rating 5 out of 5]

How many times, as a young girl, did you dream about horses? I’ll be honest, I was never a horse kind of girl. But my lovely 11 year old daughter absolutely is a lover of horses. She can name a bunch of the different breeds and can draw some of them quite well! So, when the opportunity came to review this book, Blue Ribbon Trail Ride, I just knew that she would be the perfect candidate to review this book for me!

This is a wonderful story about Kate and her friends, Tori, Melissa, and Colt. After much time and thought Kate comes up with a plan to help raise money for her brother Pete to attend camp. During the fundraiser Kate is using her mother’s antique jewelry box to hold the money. But now, the money and the box have disappeared and Kate is desperate to find it!

The adventure Kate shares with her friends is full of fun, excitement, and surprises. Will they find the missing jewelry box and the money in time? And how could the thief do this to Pete?

My daughter loved this book, and all of the other books in this series. It is a great book that often shares about God and how much He can do for you. I am so pleased that the author writes about God throughout her books.

We are both thrilled that we were able to read a well written story that is full of goodness, grace, and true friendship. This series is a fantastic series for young girls that love horses and want to read wholesome stories.

* I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion and review. No other compensation was given.*

[Just Commonly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A scavenger hunt on horses - more like riding the horses on a trail to hunt for clues. How fun does that sound?! Blue Ribbon Trail Ride is the 4th book in Miralee Ferrell's Horses & Friends series for middle school children. I find this series endearing and engaging for young kids to learn about horses, as well as friendship and doing the right thing. It's also full of great little tidbits for young kids to ponder about.

Blue Riboon Trail Ride is a great story about using the resources they have, and bringing in the community to raise awareness and money for children with autism to attend a special camp. When something goes wrong, do we want our kids to pout and complain or, to rise beyond that and do something about it? I love how at the end, it's not about the money, or the praise, but about working together as a team, about forgiveness and learning to lend a helping hand, even to our enemies. Yes, it sounds a little heavy, but it really isn't. It's an easy and fun read. It's about old and new friendships, and about learning to be patient when all you want to do is get on with it. A great book for horse lovers, and those who love a good scavenger hunt filled with clues! Parents, a great book to learn the value and meaning of patience and forgiveness, perfect for the youngsters in your life!

Review first posted on Just Commonly Blog: justcommonly.blogspot.com/2016/02/blu...

NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book through Litfuse Publicity Tour for an honest review.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently, the "Horses and Friends" series arrived at our house, and my eldest daughter instantly snatched them up and within days had devoured the entire series, emphatically declaring that she loves each and every book! But definitely one of her favourites was "Blue Ribbon Trail Ride", as she enjoyed watching Kate, Tori, Colt and Melissa solve the particular mystery in the book. The novel is well-written, and features the spunky characters that became as real as friends by the end of book 4. My daughter and I liked the humorous moments sprinkled throughout the pages, and also the fact that the characters make mistakes, just like kids in the real world. And as a typical girl, my daughter absolutely loved that there are horses not only in this book but the whole series.

As a parent, I can heartily recommend this book, knowing that it will not only entertain children but instil good, clean values in them along the way. The characters are unique and diverse, and I appreciate that characters have disabilities or struggle with feeling different. And the way that the group of kids accept people for who they are is an inspirational message that us adults should pay attention to!

Parents looking for fun, wholesome books aimed at their daughters and sons aged 8 - 12 should definitely plan on adding this book and the entire series to their collection. If your kids are anything like mine, they will be thanking you!

Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher, David C. Cook, and the Litfuse Publicity Group, for the purposes of this unbiased review.

[Michelle]

"Blue Ribbon Trail Ride" is the perfect chapter book for ages 9-12. It is the fourth in a series of books entitled 'Horses and Friends' written by author Miralee Ferrell. It is available as a paperback or ebook, with short, easy to read, chapters. The topic is horses with a bit of mystery and adventure. I believe this series is a great pick for reader's who are ready for chapter books without being too long.
Thirteen-year-old Kate Ferris and Tori Velasquez are best friends. They do almost everything together. Kate's brother is autistic and in this fourth book Kate looks for a way to raise money so her brother can attend summer camp.
I believe author Miralee Ferrell has an outstanding perceptive of horses since she has been around them her whole life. Because of that, the author brings the reader into the book alongside her. If the reader enjoys this fourth book I highly suggest reading the first three.
Miralee has been an avid reader of Westerns all her life. However, she did not think about writing her first book until she was 50. That goes to show it's never too late to accomplish your dream, or dream new dreams.

I would like to thank Litfuse Publicity and Miralee Ferrell for sending me the complete series.
I received the complete series in exchange for my honest review of book four.

[Jalynn Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

About the Book:
Thirteen-year old Kate and her friends came up with the perfect way to raise money for her autistic younger brother and others to attend summer camp—a horse scavenger hunt! As local businesses donate money and prizes, Kate keeps the entry fees in her mom’s antique jewelry box.

But when the box and the money disappear, Kate and her friends must unravel the clues, hold on to hope, and solve the mystery along the Blue Ribbon Trail Ride.

My Review:
There is never a dull moment with Kate and her friends. Kate is a very spirited and very bright young 13 year old girl that loves to be a help to others.So Kate have come up with a brilliant way to help her autistic brother and some other children attend summer camp. Kate felt like she had planned everything pretty well until something really bad happens and the entire project will be in jeopardy.

The Horses and Friends series is a very engaging mystery series targeted for young girls ages 8-12 years. It is very light hearted and spirited so you as a parent does not have worry about anything negative. Very safe series and a very good one for young girls.

Miralee Ferrell is a brilliant author that has created a great series for young girls! The characters are really rich and strong and the story holds together well throughout the book.

**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author.

[LeAnne Klopfenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Blue Ribbon Trail Ride' is the first book by Miralee Ferrell that I have read, but this certainly will not be our family's last. It is the fourth book in Ferrell's 'Horses and Friends' series, and it is a great book for tween readers (although I enjoyed it, too!). My 11 year old daughter is beginning with the first book in the series (A Horse For Kate), and I believe this will really enhance her experience & enjoyment of the characters by reading all four books. That said, 'Blue Ribbon Trail Ride' can be read independently from the other books. Ferrell's descriptions of the main characters are extremely well-developed and easy to follow.

One reason I chose to review this book was to hopefully find a book (and, better yet, a series) that my 11 year old would enjoy and would be interesting, intriguing, and appropriate. The book is a wonderful balance of friendships, mystery, conflicts, family interactions, positive resolutions, and Christian perspectives. Horses are also a prominent part of each book's setting and plot, as this fourth novel revolves around a horse scavenger hunt. The hunt takes place to help raise money to send Kate's brother Pete to a summer camp held for autistic children. The "who done it" mystery begins when the money raised disappears. I definitely know my daughter will enjoy this book, and I feel very comfortable recommending it to everyone.

*I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.*

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thoughts:

Have you ever had a love of horses? This great series by Miralee Ferrell is going to be a hit in your house then. I was sent the whole series in conjunction with this review. They’re geared towards young adults and are a quick read for me. I also then passed them on to my 11 year old daughter and 9 year old son to read. They became instant fans and are ready for more books in the series!

We all loved getting to know our characters. I do have to say that my kids were a little disappointed that the kids didn’t all ride western because we ride western here at our house. Both of my children are getting riding lessons from their daddy and could relate to many aspects of the story in not only Blue Ribbon Trail Ride but the other three books that came prior as well.

Even though these are written for a younger audience, I thoroughly enjoyed them. They have earned a spot on our shelves and will be read by the other children as they reach this reading level as well. That’s the true sign of a great book, wanting to share it with others and feeling the need to tell everyone about it. That’s definitely how my children felt about this book. This author has a gift with words and weaving a story together to capture and keep the attention of young readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own or that of my children and not influenced in anyway.

[ASC Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome! I REALLY love this kids book! This is the first book I've completely read in this series and I can't WAIT to go back and start from number one and read them all the way through! Miralee immediately throws you into the plot and action of the story which I always LOVE! When I was younger if a book didn't grab me and start right off I would get bored quickly and not want to finish so jumping right in is always a plus to me. I also enjoy the mystery! Twisty from the beginning, many suspects are introduced and it's entertaining how the kids go about trying to figure out who done it! Some of these scenes are HILARIOUS! And the messages of Forgiveness, Faith, and Serving as well as the outcome are FABULOUS! This is an excellent book that can be read in the series or as a stand alone, but if the others in the series are as good as this one the whole series is excellent! I highly recommend this book!

Songs: "Proverbs 3:5-6 (Trust in the Lord)" performed by The Rizers
Songs etc. May be changed and/or added in the future. ~ASC

Philippians 4:19, Matthew 5:44, Proverbs 25:21-22

~ASC

*I requested and received this book as a member of Litfuse for the purpose of reviewing it. This in no way affected my opinion and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about Blue Ribbon Trail Ride. ~ASC

http://litfusegroup.com/author/mferrell