Good Enough

by Brenda McCreight

Shay James is a teenage foster child who wants nothing more than to belong and she believes she has found her place at a run down stable and makes friends for the first time in her life. Shay's fragile sense of belonging is threatened when the stableowner is hurt by a mysterious attacker and in the aftermath decides to sells his horses if the criminal isn't found. When the police fail to properly investigate, Shay and her two best friends determine to find the criminal and save the horses - but will it be at the cost of their own lives?

Genres: Mystery, Horses, Fiction, Young Adult

76 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 2, 2010

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hm. Weird combo of prose for 8-year-olds, storyline and themes for (minimum) 12+ and a lack of horsiness despite the pony on the cover. There are horses in there but they are just the backdrop to a crime/kid-detective story. Didn't really work for me but not so bad I want to give it a negative rating.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading a bunch of reviews, I was expecting this to be real . I was braced for the sadness and realness of fostercare.
What I wasn't ready for was a teenage porn ring and bad guys locking kids in trunks and threatening to shove them in lakes. I guess I should have been?

The weird part is that it feels like its for a young reader. It reads like the subject is who stole the gooseberry pie from the fair not teenagers stuck in a porn ring.

I liked the friendships but this was really not my cup of tea.

[Ireland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t have a complete idea about what to expect with this book. I was surprised that this book had less than 100 pages. Nonetheless, I was thoroughly impressed with how much happened in so few pages. What I didn’t expect was to have such an intense story play out. With a horse on the cover and mention of horses in the description amongst girls trying to play detective? I thought it would be more geared towards a younger audience. But young teenage foster kids finding out about and ending a local porn ring and getting an adult arrested? That definitely threw me off. Definitely for an adult audience.

[Rachel Conlin-McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very heartwarming and enjoyable read.

I truly love the direction of this story. I am immediately invested in Shay and her story and life and adventures. So much depth here and yet a very tight and enjoyable mystery and light horror. The Canadian backdrop seems like a perfect and ideal escape. I hope to read more about Shay and look forward to reading of an adoption story and more adventure.

Touching coming of age story with great development and attention to growth and identity.

Best wishes, Rachel Conlin-McLeod, author

[J Alyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to read more!

Ms. McCreight knows her stuff. I really felt the anguish of Shay as she struggled with her history as the child of drug addicts and a foster child who never stayed in one place long enough to form bonds. The story held excitement as well as suspense. The horses were very secondary to the story.

[A. Powers · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and easy read but also seemed like its target audience was more like middle-grade readers rather than young adult. The writing style just made me feel like I was way too old to be reading this story, despite the topics and use of language within the book. Nothing wrong with it, I suppose, it just wasn't my style.

[Donald Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever

This book is the best book I have ever read it has the most amazing story plot and it is so realistic 😊

[Allen C. Rothman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

A really nice short read. Enjoyed it alot! Will recommend it to all my reading friends! I'm sure they will enjoy it too!

[Dawn W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent fast paced mystery suitable for young adult readers.

[Dee Renee Chesnut · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Nancy Drew were a teenager who lived in foster care

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A full-length teen/YA mystery with horse crazy kids, including two foster kids with a special outlook on life. They're all strong and capable characters, well developed and realistic, and I love the positive ending. I'm not a fan of swearing in teen books (although I must admit that added to the realism) and I'd've liked to have seen more interaction with the horses. But a good read despite my gripes. We'll say four stars.

[Christine Meunier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shay James is a fourteen year old girl who has been bumped through different foster homes, finding that the main constants in her life are loneliness and disappointment. In spite of this, Shay has found a place where she feels she belongs – in the local stable. Able to trade her labour for free lessons, Shay is concerned when her social worker raises questions about the safety of the stables for a young teen. More at http://equus-blog.com/good-enough/

[Calle Junker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book

I liked it. It seemed very realistic, though from the cover and being a horse lover I thought that it would be more about horses. Other than that I thought that it was a great read.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, its ok and good at the same time

The r swears So watch out and the story doesn't really involve the horses. It mentions them sometimes but nothing really to do with them. It makes sense and is real so like it

[michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book ever in the world !!!!!

his book is the best book I have ever read because it teaches you lessons about horses and some other important things you need to know thx this was the beast book I have ever read

[Hildegart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt this book was between three and four stars, but closer to three.

[Gianna Mary Holcomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book

totally get it it's a great amazing book.
best book I have ever read
not recommended for ages 10 and under though.

[kassidy brooks]

That was so good

it's a real mystery but the only part I didn't like was when they swore. But I think it's just a good book

[Josey Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but sweet

Very good I know people who are in foster care and who works for the system stuff like this is a major problem

[Ashley Rosica · Rating 1 out of 5]

would not use

Would not reccomend sorry.
Not enough concept/details.
Lots of better books.
Sorry guys just my opinion.
Never liked it sorry.

[Heather Kessel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nightwingish

It is an excellent book some bad words in it but otherwise you will find that it is amazing book

[Tamsen Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

It's a really good book if I wanting school I would have been reading it all day. If u likes this book try the black stallion series

[John Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well worth the read

This was about horses and true friendships. It has a good life lesson thrown in too. I would recommend it for both child and adult to read.

[keira crowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

It has a lot of adventure and kindness this is a great book. Hope you like this book like I did

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is a great book to read

[Anne-Kathrine · Rating 3 out of 5]

On Note 2.
Not a bad story, enjoy a happy ending :)