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The Secret Horses of Briar Hill
by
The Secret Horses of Briar Hill shows readers everywhere that there is color in our world -- they just need to know where to look. There are winged horses that live in the mirrors of Briar Hill hospital -- the mirrors that reflect the elegant rooms once home to a princess, now filled with sick children. Only Emmaline can see the creatures. It is her secret.
One morning, Emm ...more
One morning, Emm ...more
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Hardcover, 220 pages
Published
October 11th 2016
by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
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Start your review of The Secret Horses of Briar Hill
Nov 27, 2016
Maggie Stiefvater
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
middle-grade,
recommended
Sometimes a book feels like it has always existed. It’s not that it’s predictable nor unadventurous, merely that you can’t shake the feeling as you turn pages that it is familiar — you’ve read it before or just known that it existed for so long that it feels as if you had.
The Secret Horses of Briar Hill was that way for me. Other blurbs for it compare it to The Secret Garden (it does have a secret garden) or The Chronicles of Narnia (it does have tiny British children in big houses), but really, ...more
The Secret Horses of Briar Hill was that way for me. Other blurbs for it compare it to The Secret Garden (it does have a secret garden) or The Chronicles of Narnia (it does have tiny British children in big houses), but really, ...more
Oct 22, 2016
karen
rated it
really liked it
Recommended to karen by:
Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽
Shelves:
kiddiwinx
i definitely enjoyed reading this book, but like Rooftoppers, i have a feeling it would have been something i enjoyed even more if i had read it when i was a little girl, one of those books you read during those soft, impressionable whitebread years, which stick to your soul and become a part of who you are. i have a lot of those books, the most important of which was Island of the Blue Dolphins, and while this is nothing like that in theme or tone, it gives me the same impression of having that
...more
Emmaline May has a secret: there are winged horses living in the mirrors of Briar Hill. Once the home of a princess, Briar Hill is now a hospital for sick children whose parents are fighting in the war. When Emmaline sneaks into Briar Hill's forbidden garden, she discovers a winged horse who cannot return home to the mirror-world until her injured wing is repaired. Only Emmaline can see the horse, so she alone must save it, but a creature of darkness prowling the skies and her own failing health
...more
This book is too sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He hands me a blue ticket. He uses the tickets so the Sisters will know what treatment we need each week. There are three colors: Blue for patients who are well enough to go outside for exercise and fresh air. Yellow for those who must limit their activity to indoors. Red for the ones-the one, because it is only Anna-too ill to leave their beds
That's all I have, it's too sad! The author's note is sad too. But it is what happens or happe ...more
He hands me a blue ticket. He uses the tickets so the Sisters will know what treatment we need each week. There are three colors: Blue for patients who are well enough to go outside for exercise and fresh air. Yellow for those who must limit their activity to indoors. Red for the ones-the one, because it is only Anna-too ill to leave their beds
That's all I have, it's too sad! The author's note is sad too. But it is what happens or happe ...more
Now available! 4.5 stars. Final review, first posted on Fantasy Literature:
Emmaline knows a secret: Briar Hill, a Shropshire mansion turned into a children’s hospital during World War II, has beautiful winged horses that live in the mirrors of its elegant rooms. They move in and out of the mirror-rooms, walking through doorways, nosing half-finished cups of tea. But only Emmaline can see them, and she keeps the secret to herself. She knows the boys like Benny and Jack will tease her mercilessly ...more
Emmaline knows a secret: Briar Hill, a Shropshire mansion turned into a children’s hospital during World War II, has beautiful winged horses that live in the mirrors of its elegant rooms. They move in and out of the mirror-rooms, walking through doorways, nosing half-finished cups of tea. But only Emmaline can see them, and she keeps the secret to herself. She knows the boys like Benny and Jack will tease her mercilessly ...more
This book...this book! It does something to you. All the emotions, from joy and true happiness to almost unbearable pain, all of it is so worth it! At war times, sometimes your own fantasy and magical world can be your saviour. And that's exactly what this book is all about. It's a mix of true facts and wonderful fantasy, created by Emmaline, one of the sick children at Briar Hill hospital. Since the war is upon them and dark days lay ahead, they try to find laughter and joy wherever they can. B ...more
Actual rating 4.5
The images within this book are evocative, gorgeous, and just downright perfect, with occasional double spread images that help to fill out the picture. But the words in themselves will reach right into your heart and pull on those strings. In truth, my feelings about this book actually grew overnight, between staying up late to finish the last few chapters and sitting down to write this review the following evening.
Upon closing this book, I felt there were too many things left ...more
The images within this book are evocative, gorgeous, and just downright perfect, with occasional double spread images that help to fill out the picture. But the words in themselves will reach right into your heart and pull on those strings. In truth, my feelings about this book actually grew overnight, between staying up late to finish the last few chapters and sitting down to write this review the following evening.
Upon closing this book, I felt there were too many things left ...more
Nov 17, 2016
Neil (or bleed)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Neil (or bleed) by:
Lola Reviewer
Shelves:
i-loved-it-aka-all-time-faves,
middle-grade
Whether I believe the horses in this book are truly magical or just a figment of imagination from the main character's mind, the impact is still the same. I loved this book! And I loved reading it!
The Secret Horses of Briar Hill is an evocative, profound middle grade novel that reminds us of hope despite the tragedies this world brings.
It's a enchanting tale of friendship, of love, courage and determination to push through with life. It's a great novel that stays with you for a long time and wi ...more
The Secret Horses of Briar Hill is an evocative, profound middle grade novel that reminds us of hope despite the tragedies this world brings.
It's a enchanting tale of friendship, of love, courage and determination to push through with life. It's a great novel that stays with you for a long time and wi ...more
Beautiful book!
Set during WWII, a young girl at a hospital for tubercular children in Britain makes a startling discovery: there are winged horses you can only see in the mirrors of the hospital. But are they real, or a product of a fevered brain? And is it the horses who need her help, or does she need theirs?
Very much reminded me of books like The Secret Garden, which Shepherd cites as an inspiration and childhood favorite in her Author's Note. ...more
Set during WWII, a young girl at a hospital for tubercular children in Britain makes a startling discovery: there are winged horses you can only see in the mirrors of the hospital. But are they real, or a product of a fevered brain? And is it the horses who need her help, or does she need theirs?
Very much reminded me of books like The Secret Garden, which Shepherd cites as an inspiration and childhood favorite in her Author's Note. ...more
Jan 19, 2016
Megan Shepherd
rated it
it was amazing
· (Review from the author)
·
review of another edition
I've never rated one of my own books before, but this one has a special place in my heart. I'm giving it five stars for that beautiful cover, for the blood, sweat, and tears between the pages, and for all the many people who helped and inspired me along the way. Thank you all, and happy reading.
...more
Oct 28, 2016
Ivonne Rovira
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone with a heart
Recommended to Ivonne by:
NetGalley
Shelves:
children-literature
Some children’s books are simply wasted on children: The Little Prince, Outside Over There, The Polar Express, The Book Thief, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the Harry Potter series, Flotsam, The Magic Thief and its sequels.
Add to that select list Megan Shepherd’s The Secret Horses of Briar Hill.
Like so many English children during World War II, Emmeline May has been sent to Shropshire; however, unlike those other children, Emmeline and the other children at Briar Hill hospital has not been sent ...more
Add to that select list Megan Shepherd’s The Secret Horses of Briar Hill.
Like so many English children during World War II, Emmeline May has been sent to Shropshire; however, unlike those other children, Emmeline and the other children at Briar Hill hospital has not been sent ...more
Trapped in a hospital, surrounded by children inflicted with stillwaters, Emmaline keeps a secret: she can see winged horses in the mirrors. When one of those winged horses arrives injured in her world, it’s up to Emmaline to protect it – but how can you protect something so magical when you’re barely able to stand? The Secret Horses of Briar Hill pushes the boundaries of magical realism, leaving readers entirely uncertain as to whether or not the magic is in Emmaline’s heart or in her hospital
...more
This book was so beautiful, I just can't take it! This book truly is magical and I believed every word.
RTC ...more
RTC ...more
I cried no fewer than four times -- including during the author's note.
...more
A serious reading slump kept me from finishing this book sooner, but wow guys. This book is amazing. All I can say is if you have middle grade aged children, please read this book with them. (Or just read it for yourself - it’s not to be missed no matter your age) It’s truly a modern children’s classic. There are no ideas that children are not equipped to handle hard and complicated topics/emotions in this book. RTC.
The book is really makes me feel happy and inspired. This book is a rollercoaster of emotions that make me love it. The main character is supposed to be helpless but she overcomes so much. Even though she's really young she lost so much but still hopes and believes in the beauty of the world. Her struggles make this book real and relatable that made me enjoy it. I predicted a little bit of the plot but I was still shocked sometimes. When she endures the grief of her friend really made me love he
...more
”I have a secret.
But I’ll tell you.
There are winged horses that live in the mirrors of Briar Hill hospital.”
Synopsis: A little girl stuck in a hospital dares to make us cry with her visions of horses haunting the halls and mirrors of the rooms and corridors she dwells in.
Biblio-Babble
It’s a Hard Knock Life: Emmaline has tuberculosis, known to her as the still-waters. She lives in a converted mansion that was transformed into a hospital along with other children who have her condition ...more
But I’ll tell you.
There are winged horses that live in the mirrors of Briar Hill hospital.”
Synopsis: A little girl stuck in a hospital dares to make us cry with her visions of horses haunting the halls and mirrors of the rooms and corridors she dwells in.
Biblio-Babble
It’s a Hard Knock Life: Emmaline has tuberculosis, known to her as the still-waters. She lives in a converted mansion that was transformed into a hospital along with other children who have her condition ...more
What a magical book... it reminds me alot of NARNIA but with more simple story and magic system! (well its a standalone so its understandable)
Even tho the book cover looks cute... this story is actually dark and gloom and SAD 😭🤧
Took setting at a lonely children hospital in the middle of WorldWar with Wintery season.. youll follow Emmaline an orphan little girl who can see Horses with wings behind the miror, she told some people ofc but no one believe her.. until one day she met a winghorse at th ...more
Even tho the book cover looks cute... this story is actually dark and gloom and SAD 😭🤧
Took setting at a lonely children hospital in the middle of WorldWar with Wintery season.. youll follow Emmaline an orphan little girl who can see Horses with wings behind the miror, she told some people ofc but no one believe her.. until one day she met a winghorse at th ...more
This was a genuinely nice story. The length was perfect for a Middle Grade, too. So many of the MGs I have read lately have been too long. The story dealt with war, sickness and death, but still managed quite a bit of Magical Realism whimsy. The historical elements seem to have been well researched.
Another aspect I appreciated with this book is there was no adult thinking. Too many MGs as of late either have the MC thinking and acting like an adult, or are heavy on the adult secondary character ...more
Another aspect I appreciated with this book is there was no adult thinking. Too many MGs as of late either have the MC thinking and acting like an adult, or are heavy on the adult secondary character ...more
I didn't make a single note on this book, didn't save a single highlight. That's unusual for me; I usually take full advantage of my Kindle's abilities to augment my memory.
Then again, I don't really need notes in order to remember this book. I'll remember it for a long time. It's a sweet, sad book set in the middle of WWII about a girl sent to a mansion deep in the English countryside that has been converted to a hospital. They're quarantined there, with an alarming disease – which is why Emma ...more
Then again, I don't really need notes in order to remember this book. I'll remember it for a long time. It's a sweet, sad book set in the middle of WWII about a girl sent to a mansion deep in the English countryside that has been converted to a hospital. They're quarantined there, with an alarming disease – which is why Emma ...more
Megan Shepherd has such a great writing voice...I instantly felt that it was her writing, when I picked this up. a lovely story, perfect for kids but lots of deeper meanings for adults as well. I loved it!!
Oh, this book. I borrowed this on a whim from the library, and I'm so very glad that I did. Megan Shepard has woven a beautiful tale in The Secret Horses of Briar Hill. One that manages to mix fantasy and reality in a way that is both heartbreaking and sweet. I fell in love with Emmaline from page one, and I honestly wish that her story had gone on a little longer.
The writing in this book felt so familiar. Like an old friend, that I hadn't picked up in a while. I'd most easily compare this to so ...more
The writing in this book felt so familiar. Like an old friend, that I hadn't picked up in a while. I'd most easily compare this to so ...more
I can't begin to tell you how happy it makes me to have been able to read and review this book so early, when it isn't even out until October. It means the very most to me. Thank you so, so much to Anna for sending me this print ARC for review. <3 Simply the most gorgeous. This cover is truly something special. I adore it.
I'm unsure about how to review this stunning book, though. Because I didn't love it. But I liked it so so much. The writing is gorgeous. The characters are so interesting to re ...more
I'm unsure about how to review this stunning book, though. Because I didn't love it. But I liked it so so much. The writing is gorgeous. The characters are so interesting to re ...more
"I have a secret. I won't tell Benny and the other boys. They are like dogs in the night, snarling at anything that moves. I won't tell Anna either, even though she is nice to me and shares her colored pencils.
But I'll tell you.
This is my secret: there are winged horses that live in the mirrors of Briar Hill Hospital."
Review to come. ...more
But I'll tell you.
This is my secret: there are winged horses that live in the mirrors of Briar Hill Hospital."
Review to come. ...more
I really enjoyed this book, but it was so so sad!!! I can honestly say that I feel really ignorant for not knowing all that has happened in history. Children going to live away from others because they have TB so others don't catch it from them. Leaving their families and homes behind. According to the Author's note this truly did happen back then. I've been very interested in World War II since I was young and never even knew about this happening.
I loved the winged horse plot of the story and ...more
I loved the winged horse plot of the story and ...more
I’ve always liked Megan Shepherd’s work, but the first indication that I had that The Secret Horses of Briar Hill was going to be something truly special, was when I described the book to a coworker’s thirteen-year-old daughter, and I watched her eyes light up.
The idea of winged horses seemed magical to her, and I quickly learned that she was right. Because The Secret Horses… is a magical book, and I can easily see this book becoming a new American (and likely, global) classic.
In a short but imp ...more
The idea of winged horses seemed magical to her, and I quickly learned that she was right. Because The Secret Horses… is a magical book, and I can easily see this book becoming a new American (and likely, global) classic.
In a short but imp ...more
It was sad, it was happy, it was hopeful. It was far more of a roller coaster of emotions than I'm used to crediting a middle-grade novel with. I had no trouble reading it in just under a day.
But in the end, though I loved it while I was reading it, something feels missing for me, some spark. It felt rote at times, even predictable, and that's not just me reading something far below my age group. It never surprised me, which isn't a requirement for a book to be enjoyable, but it never gave me mu ...more
But in the end, though I loved it while I was reading it, something feels missing for me, some spark. It felt rote at times, even predictable, and that's not just me reading something far below my age group. It never surprised me, which isn't a requirement for a book to be enjoyable, but it never gave me mu ...more
This was an all around nice story; it's a bit of a compliment and an insult rolled into one. It didn't stick out to me as the kind of story that would maintain a hold on me for any length of time, but I do think it would have that desired effect on someone the right age.
In THAT mindset, what's not to love? A headstrong little girl, colorful pegasi, a quest that involves finding the colors of the rainbow. And our little girl is the guardian of one precious pegasus in particular.
I think my bigges ...more
In THAT mindset, what's not to love? A headstrong little girl, colorful pegasi, a quest that involves finding the colors of the rainbow. And our little girl is the guardian of one precious pegasus in particular.
I think my bigges ...more
I finished this in a couple of hours and I absolutely loved every second of reading this!! The writing is wonderful and I love Emmaline with all my heart! From the first page, I loved her and I couldn’t wait to read the 228 pages ahead of me. She’s such a precious girl! You can’t possibly don’t like her.
I loved the concept of this and younger readers will too!! It’s also good that I takes place while a war is raging, to let kids know that this happened in reality. I think it’s very important to ...more
I loved the concept of this and younger readers will too!! It’s also good that I takes place while a war is raging, to let kids know that this happened in reality. I think it’s very important to ...more
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New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd grew up in her family’s independent bookstore in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She is the author of several young adult and middle grade novels. She now lives and writes on a 125-year-old farm outside Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband, two cats, and an especially scruffy dog.
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“I am a monster because I have too much of something.”
—
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“You and me, we look out for each other. But I will take care of you a little extra, because I am your person, and you will always be my special horse.”
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