Showdown - Adrienne's Alchemy

Dakotaroo #3

by Krista Michelle Breen

The third in Krista Michelle Breen's adventures of Dakotaroo. Adrienne Brooks travels far from home to train with the famous Tico Walsh. It's the opportunity of a lifetime, but things don't go the way she planned. The horses are crazy, there is nothing good to eat and somebody is out for revenge.

196 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Krista Michelle Breen lives in Rockwood, Ontario, with her two children, Walker and Aniela and her husband Doug. Krista's grade school teachers repeatedly asked her to stop talking about horses, stop writing about horses and to please draw something other than horses. When not thinking about T.J. and Adrienne, Krista spends her time teaching young riders, doing laundry and trying to fit her horse trailer through the drive-thru at Tim Hortons. She is an Equine Canada certified Instructor and a Canadian Pony Club alumni.

Reviews

[Nikki Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a kid, but I am horse crazy, so I thought I'd give this a read. This is not the first book in the series, so I wish I had read the other two first--they would have clarified some questions I had, but luckily, the story is well-written so you can figure it out.

Although this story revolves around the eventer world, the horses are peripheral to the plot. This is a story about revenge more than anything. The herione of the story - Adrienne - is the unwitting scapegoat of this revenge and it is up to her to deal with the perpetrator--a seriously messed up in the head competitor--and figure out how to come out on top. Aided by her friends, Adrienne rises to the challenge, confronts her enemy, and comes out victorious.

I liked how the author handled dialogue between the kids--it flowed naturally and didn't sound forced. I liked the mixture of decent and nasty adults--Nelson was an adult I particularly wanted to kick in the pants--and the kids in the story are well fleshed out.

There is enough tension and drama to keep this story moving along nicely; I never felt like I had to struggle to get through any slow-moving sections. There were, however, some instances in the story that added some nice tension but came across to me as implausible, although if I were a kid, I probably wouldn't even notice them. As a critical adult, I did. Nevertheless, I'm intrigued enough to read the first books in the series, and am off to do so now!

[Devynne_M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great book!!! You get so involed in the middle of the book and then cling to the end wanting the next book. And sepically for a horse girl this hits home and you know things like this really does happen with people who have horses or want revengen.

Book 3 is about the girl Adrienne given the oppurtiny to train with top trainers and young riders like her who want to go all star after her horse Annie hurts her leg. it's all nice and easy at White Manre Farm until one of the head brothers Tico leaves for korea to train others and leave his other brother Nelson in charge. With dealing with Amy's physconess and Nelson's bossieness it's a struggle for Adrienne sepically when she finds out something wrong with the horse Nelson is riding. It's up to Adrienne and her friends Mickey and T.J to stop Amy's plain and to show Nelson that she is the best rider that he doesn't believe she is.

I gave this book five stars! It was hard to keep up at first because I didn't read book one and two first, so word of adivce read those first then book three, but as it got real juicy I couldn't stop reading and want book four to come out now!!! It's a must read for all you horse people :)

[Brittney. Break my heart why dont ya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book that all horse lovers will love no matter what age they are! Mystery,Adventure and more all packed into one amazing series