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Phantom Stallion #6
The Challenger
For the Phantom, there is only one girl.
For Sam, there is only one horse.
Wildcats are threatening the mustangs that live near Samantha's ranch. Can she save the wild horses without harming the cougars?
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 11, 2009
11 people are currently reading
549 people want to read
About the author
Terri Farley
128 books415 followersTerri Farley is the best-selling author of books about the contemporary and historic West. Her PHANTOM STALLION series has sold over 2 million books world-wide and it relaunches with new art & content in March 2023.
Terri's most recent non-fiction book Wild at Heart: Mustangs and the Young People Fighting to
Save Them (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) is a Junior Library Guild selection; winner of the
Sterling North Heritage award for Excellence in Children's Literature.
Terri's only contemporary fantasy is SEVEN TEARS INTO THE SEA.
Terri is an advocate for the West's wild horses and for young people helping to make their voices heard.
https://www.facebook.com/PhantomStall...
https://twitter.com/Terri_Farley
https://www.instagram.com/terrifarley/
Terri's most recent non-fiction book Wild at Heart: Mustangs and the Young People Fighting to
Save Them (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) is a Junior Library Guild selection; winner of the
Sterling North Heritage award for Excellence in Children's Literature.
Terri's only contemporary fantasy is SEVEN TEARS INTO THE SEA.
Terri is an advocate for the West's wild horses and for young people helping to make their voices heard.
https://www.facebook.com/PhantomStall...
https://twitter.com/Terri_Farley
https://www.instagram.com/terrifarley/
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 2, 2023
I enjoyed this one a lot. The issue of cougars being spotted in the region added a lot of tension as Sam and her friends and family tried to figure out if there was a way to get the cougars to leave the area without having to kill them. I also enjoyed seeing the relationship between Bryanna and Sam's dad progressing and always thought they were cute. At the same time, I always thought that the author did a good job of showing how a girl like Sam would naturally feel about her widowed father discovering a new love and dealing with her feelings about having a stepmother soon.
Looking forward to continuing my reread of the series.
Content Advisory:
Slocum (sp?) continues being a generalized self-absorbed jerk. After shooting the mother mountain lion (which occurs off the page, so no descriptions) he stops Sam and her friend and insists they "admire" his kill, even though he knows full well Sam didn't want it killed. There's mild description of the dead animal, including mention of blood on the blanket covering it, but it's brief and there's no description of the killing wound. Sam is disturbed by the dead animal and the fact that Slocum seems to feel the need to gloat over two high-school kids.
A starving young mountain lion tries to attack Sam, but it's inexperienced with hunting and she's so covered in a puffy coat and riding gear that she only suffers a bunch of bruises and tears in her clothes.
Some mentions of wild horses having blood on them because they're fighting each other.
As always, Sam takes some risks that the adults in her life would not always approve of. However, also as always, the majority of adults in her life are doing their best to try to guide and correct her as needed and she does learn lessons.
Looking forward to continuing my reread of the series.
Content Advisory:
Slocum (sp?) continues being a generalized self-absorbed jerk. After shooting the mother mountain lion (which occurs off the page, so no descriptions) he stops Sam and her friend and insists they "admire" his kill, even though he knows full well Sam didn't want it killed. There's mild description of the dead animal, including mention of blood on the blanket covering it, but it's brief and there's no description of the killing wound. Sam is disturbed by the dead animal and the fact that Slocum seems to feel the need to gloat over two high-school kids.
A starving young mountain lion tries to attack Sam, but it's inexperienced with hunting and she's so covered in a puffy coat and riding gear that she only suffers a bunch of bruises and tears in her clothes.
Some mentions of wild horses having blood on them because they're fighting each other.
As always, Sam takes some risks that the adults in her life would not always approve of. However, also as always, the majority of adults in her life are doing their best to try to guide and correct her as needed and she does learn lessons.
March 2, 2021
I was glad that this involved cougars and wasn't another strictly horse centered plot as they all have been before.
Rachel comments on Jake’s strong arms and he actually smiles faintly! Even though Sam thought he wouldn't give her the time of day, & he barely talks or is emotional ever. So annoying.
Sam is almost bipolar with her feelings regarding Brynna and Brynna and her dad together. I knew they were getting married, it was obviously heading in that direction, but I thought it was rude her dad told her after he proposed and hadn’t asked Sam what she thought about it before. It would have been nice if he had gotten her opinion on it.
Sam said she wasn't shocked or sad and congratulated them, when in the last book, she acted like she didn't like them together & she wasn't a fan of Brynna's. No immediate feelings for her deceased mom being replaced. It isn't mentioned until later. She's not very emotional as if the author doesn't know what feelings she should have.
I’ve been dreading the marriage since Brynna came into the picture. I hate how soon it is in the series. I liked things the way they were, just Sam, her dad and grandma. I don't like change, & I never liked them together.
It’s interesting that native tribes owned part of the land out west, and they were a country within itself, with their own laws and so don’t have to obey US or BLM laws.
It made me mad when Brynna’s talking and Sam isn’t saying much she’s like “idk if you’re trying to be difficult—"
And ‘“It’s just that I keep thinking of my mom,” Sam admitted.
Brynna sighed. “I don’t blame you, but it’s not our fault your mom is gone,” Brynna said gently. “You might as well blame the herd of antelope your mother swerved to miss.”’
Oh no you didn’t.
‘“I was hoping,” Brynna said, slowly, “that you’d be glad your father’s finally happy.”
“He was happy with me and Gram!” Sam heard how bratty the words sounded as soon as she uttered them.
Brynna could have snapped right back, but she didn’t. Instead, her voice softened. “Of course he was, but this is different.”’
That's not her place to say. She was so rude for saying that.
I always love the info on horses, how they try to stay with their family herd.
Brynna said “stallions do a lot of pretending. I’ve always heard they don’t fight unless they must.”
Stallions don’t want to draw blood. Even the sure winners know they could be hurt,& even small injuries could make them closer which wouldn’t be good for the herd.
Sam can be pretty immature at times. Being mad that Jen’s dad is hunting the cougar for Slocum, even when Jen explains they don’t want to but the cougar could attack Slocum if he hunts it alone or attack a rider. & that they’d rather do that than leave their home and she’s only concerned for the animals!
Jake had told her it made sense to pet horses in the same places they groom each other.
It's interesting learning that ranchers hide their feelings & how Jake thinks it’s wrong to name wild things.
So if Sam doesn’t have horses to worry about, it’s gonna be other wild animals, like cougars.
The poem Tyger Tyger burning bright in the first of the night was used in Forests of the Night by Atwater-Rhodes, I think.
Sam didn’t even care that one of her gram’s hens were lost and probably eaten by the cougar.
‘Even if the young cat was inept and Blaze was furious, the dog would be hurt. If Blaze was in danger, Dad would protect him. Dad’s rifle was in a locked case in the living room, but he could have it out and loaded in seconds.’
So she’s not even worried about her dog just that her dad will go after the cougar.
‘Sam couldn’t let it happen. There’d be a whirling tumble of fur and teeth and one of the animals would probably die.’
Her picture of Jake carrying the foal at the hot springs won second place. I thought she’d tell him and his mom about it, but she never did! This book is seriously lacking at times.
Since horses in the wild scratch each other’s back and get flies from each others faces, if you did it to them they think of you as part of their herd.
To get control of her horse, Jen turned his head to face his tail and made him go in circles.
Jen also read mustangs aren’t territorial but I don’t see how that’s true.
‘Moon approached at a weaving lope.
“He’s acting like it’s a game.” Sam heard her own dread.
“No,” Jen said. “I think he’s unsure of how they’ll treat him. He’s acting like a baby, so they won’t hurt him.”
If that was Moon’s strategy, it didn’t work.
As if they were launched by a starting gun, the two herd stallions charged. Moon stopped.
“My gosh, listen to them.” Jen gasped.
Eight galloping hooves sounded like thunder.
Moon’s hesitant nicker asked a question, but no horse answered. Trying to hold his ground against the stallions’ onslaught would be suicide, and finally Moon figured that out.’
Poor Moon! I felt bad for him.
“Bad deeds have a nasty way of coming home to roost. So do good deeds. You just have to decide which ones you want returning.”
A flock of gulls means a storm at sea.
I was so irritated when Sam’s at Jen’s being fitted for her wedding dress and Rachel shoes up saying the Shetland ponies got loose and headed into the mountains. It’s always something going on.
It was never clear how Sam ended up helping Rachel pick out a horse, anyway.
There’s Shetland ponies from the Shetland islands, and also American Shetland ponies which I didn’t know.
It was too much to have all the horses trot back at the sound of their grain. Nope, two were still lost.
I hated the problems between Jen and Sam, Jen thinking she was friends with Rachel.
Jake works at Sam’s ranch but he was never there as if he didn’t even work there.
‘“So, knowing how cute you think Rachel is—“
“You just talked yourself out of a partner,” Jake said.
Sam didn’t remind him of the lingering looks he’d given Rachel, because she knew the truth. Jake thought Rachel was cute, but he didn’t trust her. She also noticed he hadn’t walked away.’
Why would she even joke about that when she’s jealous of her?
‘“I’ll go, but I’m doing it for the pony,” he said.
“Not for Rachel?”
“Not for you. I’m only bringing you along for cougar bait.”’
‘The black sidled away, eyes rolling white. He tossed his head in a come-with-me gesture. From birth, Moon had learned to flee humans. Only loyalty to this new herd member had kept him here this long.’
‘He wished Chipper would come along, and he gave a low nicker to tell him so.’
Poor Moon, finally found a friend and they have to take him.
‘He jogged toward Moon. When he’d reached him, Chipper stretched his neck up. The tall stallion lowered his head and the horses touched noses.’
‘Moon moved in certain leaps up the hill, out of Aspen Creek canyon. The young stallion wouldn’t endanger his freedom, even for his friend.
He’s smart to see that, Sam thought, because it never would have worked out for the two buddies. Moon had been taught to flee and Chipper had been taught to follow.’
I really hoped Moon would find a female or his own herd to join.
Sam’s dad and Jake took in horses that needing training. Jake trained them and when they were sold or their owners took them back, they split the money.
There’s a frozen fog they call pogonip, a Native American word for the fog that hung over Nevada’s Great Basin.
I was glad Mikki sent Sam the horsehair bracelet after hearing from Brynna about how the Phantom had been stolen and hasn’t been coming around as much. But I hope she never makes a reappearance in these books.
To mount the horse without a saddle they stood shoulder to shoulder, with her facing the tail, her left palm on his withers. It was used to steady both of them. She swung her right leg over the horse, her stomach rested on his neck, she kissed the right side of his neck then pushed herself upright.
She sighted the way ahead, through the stallions ears.
It was so cool she saw petroglyphs of horses, maybe made by Paiutes or Shoshone or even older.
‘She’d confessed every detail of the cougar attack, but Brynna hadn’t even let her finish. She’d insisted on speaking to Jake. Then she’d talked Jake through an embarrassing evaluation of Sam’s physical condition.
Jake had checked her joints, the pupils of her eyes, and a bunch of other things, then Brynna had made him promise to stay with Sam until Wyatt and Gram came home.’
Don’t skip over the eval!!
I couldn’t believe Sam still cared about the cougars safety after it attacked her!!
I’m so glad Moon finally got himself a mare.
Not much happened in this one. At least the plot didn’t center entirely on horses in this one, which was a nice break from the usual. Idl her and her friend being at odds. As with the last book, I’m realizing things aren’t concluded. I’ll have to read the next to get the wedding.
And what else was Jake’s dream about that he didn’t tell her?!? You cannot not answer that and leave it unfinished.
I hope Ryan plays more of a role and is used to make Jake jealous or it’s a total waste.
The ending wasn’t great. I mean, it was ok, cute how Jake brought her a kitten.
‘“Jake?” she asked. “What was that?”
He shrugged. Then, looking embarrassed, Jake unbuttoned his jacket with one hand.
“Since you’re mustangs are gonna be out of touch for the winter, I brought you a house pet.”
He gives her a kitten.
‘“I love him!” Sam released her grip on Jake’s neck and held the kitten next to her chest.
“It’s no big deal,” Jake said, but the grin on his face said otherwise.’
I hope the flirting Rachel does to Jake is dropped and comments of him thinking she’s cute. So not ok. You can’t get away from that crap, even in a kids book.
This had a red sticker on it, indicating it was a Christmas novel but Christmas didn’t take place in here.
And they’re getting married so soon. It was before thanksgiving when they announced it and they want it after Christmas, before the new year I believe.
I did like how Jake was going to track the cougar, and she left that morning to join him, but she couldn't find him, then a cougar attacked her. When she finally finds him, he checks her and sees how the cougar ripped through her coat, and sees how close a call it was. I always love his concern for Sam.
I’m always shocked to read at the back cover that the author moved from Cali to Nevada, because she writes as if she grew up on a ranch her whole life. So knowledgeable about horses and ranch life.
There’s so little progression in each book that it feels like the author sat down and wrote a full length novel or two and split them all up into short books. I keep thinking his friend Darrell will be used to make Jake jealous and then the author picks it up and drops it back. Nothing was ever said in the last book when she made up a boy that she was “hanging out” with. Then Ryan appears and the book ends! Stop drawing things out!
Rachel comments on Jake’s strong arms and he actually smiles faintly! Even though Sam thought he wouldn't give her the time of day, & he barely talks or is emotional ever. So annoying.
Sam is almost bipolar with her feelings regarding Brynna and Brynna and her dad together. I knew they were getting married, it was obviously heading in that direction, but I thought it was rude her dad told her after he proposed and hadn’t asked Sam what she thought about it before. It would have been nice if he had gotten her opinion on it.
Sam said she wasn't shocked or sad and congratulated them, when in the last book, she acted like she didn't like them together & she wasn't a fan of Brynna's. No immediate feelings for her deceased mom being replaced. It isn't mentioned until later. She's not very emotional as if the author doesn't know what feelings she should have.
I’ve been dreading the marriage since Brynna came into the picture. I hate how soon it is in the series. I liked things the way they were, just Sam, her dad and grandma. I don't like change, & I never liked them together.
It’s interesting that native tribes owned part of the land out west, and they were a country within itself, with their own laws and so don’t have to obey US or BLM laws.
It made me mad when Brynna’s talking and Sam isn’t saying much she’s like “idk if you’re trying to be difficult—"
And ‘“It’s just that I keep thinking of my mom,” Sam admitted.
Brynna sighed. “I don’t blame you, but it’s not our fault your mom is gone,” Brynna said gently. “You might as well blame the herd of antelope your mother swerved to miss.”’
Oh no you didn’t.
‘“I was hoping,” Brynna said, slowly, “that you’d be glad your father’s finally happy.”
“He was happy with me and Gram!” Sam heard how bratty the words sounded as soon as she uttered them.
Brynna could have snapped right back, but she didn’t. Instead, her voice softened. “Of course he was, but this is different.”’
That's not her place to say. She was so rude for saying that.
I always love the info on horses, how they try to stay with their family herd.
Brynna said “stallions do a lot of pretending. I’ve always heard they don’t fight unless they must.”
Stallions don’t want to draw blood. Even the sure winners know they could be hurt,& even small injuries could make them closer which wouldn’t be good for the herd.
Sam can be pretty immature at times. Being mad that Jen’s dad is hunting the cougar for Slocum, even when Jen explains they don’t want to but the cougar could attack Slocum if he hunts it alone or attack a rider. & that they’d rather do that than leave their home and she’s only concerned for the animals!
Jake had told her it made sense to pet horses in the same places they groom each other.
It's interesting learning that ranchers hide their feelings & how Jake thinks it’s wrong to name wild things.
So if Sam doesn’t have horses to worry about, it’s gonna be other wild animals, like cougars.
The poem Tyger Tyger burning bright in the first of the night was used in Forests of the Night by Atwater-Rhodes, I think.
Sam didn’t even care that one of her gram’s hens were lost and probably eaten by the cougar.
‘Even if the young cat was inept and Blaze was furious, the dog would be hurt. If Blaze was in danger, Dad would protect him. Dad’s rifle was in a locked case in the living room, but he could have it out and loaded in seconds.’
So she’s not even worried about her dog just that her dad will go after the cougar.
‘Sam couldn’t let it happen. There’d be a whirling tumble of fur and teeth and one of the animals would probably die.’
Her picture of Jake carrying the foal at the hot springs won second place. I thought she’d tell him and his mom about it, but she never did! This book is seriously lacking at times.
Since horses in the wild scratch each other’s back and get flies from each others faces, if you did it to them they think of you as part of their herd.
To get control of her horse, Jen turned his head to face his tail and made him go in circles.
Jen also read mustangs aren’t territorial but I don’t see how that’s true.
‘Moon approached at a weaving lope.
“He’s acting like it’s a game.” Sam heard her own dread.
“No,” Jen said. “I think he’s unsure of how they’ll treat him. He’s acting like a baby, so they won’t hurt him.”
If that was Moon’s strategy, it didn’t work.
As if they were launched by a starting gun, the two herd stallions charged. Moon stopped.
“My gosh, listen to them.” Jen gasped.
Eight galloping hooves sounded like thunder.
Moon’s hesitant nicker asked a question, but no horse answered. Trying to hold his ground against the stallions’ onslaught would be suicide, and finally Moon figured that out.’
Poor Moon! I felt bad for him.
“Bad deeds have a nasty way of coming home to roost. So do good deeds. You just have to decide which ones you want returning.”
A flock of gulls means a storm at sea.
I was so irritated when Sam’s at Jen’s being fitted for her wedding dress and Rachel shoes up saying the Shetland ponies got loose and headed into the mountains. It’s always something going on.
It was never clear how Sam ended up helping Rachel pick out a horse, anyway.
There’s Shetland ponies from the Shetland islands, and also American Shetland ponies which I didn’t know.
It was too much to have all the horses trot back at the sound of their grain. Nope, two were still lost.
I hated the problems between Jen and Sam, Jen thinking she was friends with Rachel.
Jake works at Sam’s ranch but he was never there as if he didn’t even work there.
‘“So, knowing how cute you think Rachel is—“
“You just talked yourself out of a partner,” Jake said.
Sam didn’t remind him of the lingering looks he’d given Rachel, because she knew the truth. Jake thought Rachel was cute, but he didn’t trust her. She also noticed he hadn’t walked away.’
Why would she even joke about that when she’s jealous of her?
‘“I’ll go, but I’m doing it for the pony,” he said.
“Not for Rachel?”
“Not for you. I’m only bringing you along for cougar bait.”’
‘The black sidled away, eyes rolling white. He tossed his head in a come-with-me gesture. From birth, Moon had learned to flee humans. Only loyalty to this new herd member had kept him here this long.’
‘He wished Chipper would come along, and he gave a low nicker to tell him so.’
Poor Moon, finally found a friend and they have to take him.
‘He jogged toward Moon. When he’d reached him, Chipper stretched his neck up. The tall stallion lowered his head and the horses touched noses.’
‘Moon moved in certain leaps up the hill, out of Aspen Creek canyon. The young stallion wouldn’t endanger his freedom, even for his friend.
He’s smart to see that, Sam thought, because it never would have worked out for the two buddies. Moon had been taught to flee and Chipper had been taught to follow.’
I really hoped Moon would find a female or his own herd to join.
Sam’s dad and Jake took in horses that needing training. Jake trained them and when they were sold or their owners took them back, they split the money.
There’s a frozen fog they call pogonip, a Native American word for the fog that hung over Nevada’s Great Basin.
I was glad Mikki sent Sam the horsehair bracelet after hearing from Brynna about how the Phantom had been stolen and hasn’t been coming around as much. But I hope she never makes a reappearance in these books.
To mount the horse without a saddle they stood shoulder to shoulder, with her facing the tail, her left palm on his withers. It was used to steady both of them. She swung her right leg over the horse, her stomach rested on his neck, she kissed the right side of his neck then pushed herself upright.
She sighted the way ahead, through the stallions ears.
It was so cool she saw petroglyphs of horses, maybe made by Paiutes or Shoshone or even older.
‘She’d confessed every detail of the cougar attack, but Brynna hadn’t even let her finish. She’d insisted on speaking to Jake. Then she’d talked Jake through an embarrassing evaluation of Sam’s physical condition.
Jake had checked her joints, the pupils of her eyes, and a bunch of other things, then Brynna had made him promise to stay with Sam until Wyatt and Gram came home.’
Don’t skip over the eval!!
I couldn’t believe Sam still cared about the cougars safety after it attacked her!!
I’m so glad Moon finally got himself a mare.
Not much happened in this one. At least the plot didn’t center entirely on horses in this one, which was a nice break from the usual. Idl her and her friend being at odds. As with the last book, I’m realizing things aren’t concluded. I’ll have to read the next to get the wedding.
And what else was Jake’s dream about that he didn’t tell her?!? You cannot not answer that and leave it unfinished.
I hope Ryan plays more of a role and is used to make Jake jealous or it’s a total waste.
The ending wasn’t great. I mean, it was ok, cute how Jake brought her a kitten.
‘“Jake?” she asked. “What was that?”
He shrugged. Then, looking embarrassed, Jake unbuttoned his jacket with one hand.
“Since you’re mustangs are gonna be out of touch for the winter, I brought you a house pet.”
He gives her a kitten.
‘“I love him!” Sam released her grip on Jake’s neck and held the kitten next to her chest.
“It’s no big deal,” Jake said, but the grin on his face said otherwise.’
I hope the flirting Rachel does to Jake is dropped and comments of him thinking she’s cute. So not ok. You can’t get away from that crap, even in a kids book.
This had a red sticker on it, indicating it was a Christmas novel but Christmas didn’t take place in here.
And they’re getting married so soon. It was before thanksgiving when they announced it and they want it after Christmas, before the new year I believe.
I did like how Jake was going to track the cougar, and she left that morning to join him, but she couldn't find him, then a cougar attacked her. When she finally finds him, he checks her and sees how the cougar ripped through her coat, and sees how close a call it was. I always love his concern for Sam.
I’m always shocked to read at the back cover that the author moved from Cali to Nevada, because she writes as if she grew up on a ranch her whole life. So knowledgeable about horses and ranch life.
There’s so little progression in each book that it feels like the author sat down and wrote a full length novel or two and split them all up into short books. I keep thinking his friend Darrell will be used to make Jake jealous and then the author picks it up and drops it back. Nothing was ever said in the last book when she made up a boy that she was “hanging out” with. Then Ryan appears and the book ends! Stop drawing things out!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2020
My rating system
5- Gush/Absolutely Loved
4- Low Love/High Like
3- Like
2- Meh
1- Dislike/Hate
If it is a .5 star I round up
4.25 Stars
This was one of my favorite series from my childhood, although I only read books 1-6,8-10 due to the fact that the local libraries didn't have them and the book stores didn't have them in stock whenever I went to them. So I am re-reading the books that I have read and reading for the first time the books I missed out on.
Cougars have been spotted nearby, but they haven't hurt the ranch horses - yet. So Samantha is outraged when a neighboring rancher vows to kill the cats on sight.
Her family's horses may be safe, but out on the range Sam spots a wild young stallion without a herd. Being alone puts this horse in danger. But can Sam protect the rebellious mustang and still save the cougars?
I understand that Sam cares about all wildlife but it irritated me that she was essentially thinking that anyone that would shoot the cougar to protect themselves and their livestock is a monster.
5- Gush/Absolutely Loved
4- Low Love/High Like
3- Like
2- Meh
1- Dislike/Hate
If it is a .5 star I round up
4.25 Stars
This was one of my favorite series from my childhood, although I only read books 1-6,8-10 due to the fact that the local libraries didn't have them and the book stores didn't have them in stock whenever I went to them. So I am re-reading the books that I have read and reading for the first time the books I missed out on.
Cougars have been spotted nearby, but they haven't hurt the ranch horses - yet. So Samantha is outraged when a neighboring rancher vows to kill the cats on sight.
Her family's horses may be safe, but out on the range Sam spots a wild young stallion without a herd. Being alone puts this horse in danger. But can Sam protect the rebellious mustang and still save the cougars?
I understand that Sam cares about all wildlife but it irritated me that she was essentially thinking that anyone that would shoot the cougar to protect themselves and their livestock is a monster.
May 22, 2025
This was probably one of my favorite books in this series so far, the excitement and thrill drew me in. There are so many things that happen in this book that made me feel the character’s emotions, Rachel, trying to impress her brother. Sam, trying to help her phantoms son, and take in her dad, and Brenna’s news. Jake, getting over his injury and helping Sam out with her cougar troubles.
Read
June 16, 2008Good to pass time. Can be interesting/exciting-but def. for horse freaks!
November 13, 2012
Cougars wander dangerously close to Sam's beloved mustangs.
November 1, 2012
Good book. I was sad about Jen's parents though......
March 14, 2025
Another winning story about 13-year-old Samantha Forster as she grapples with walking the fine line between loving all creatures and those that harm her beloved horses.
With the threat of an orphaned cougar possibly eating the chicken eggs and killing foals, "Free Again" shows the interconnectivity of men and animals and how we can help each other as well as cause a chain of events which can only mean a shake in the balance of things.
I am personally torn about this issue, as the premise of the book itself seems that mankind has, in a way, inserted themselves into wildlife with Sam adopting a mustang and eventually setting itself free. When do we step back and when do we just leave things be? I understand the hierarchy of beings and can agree with Dallas and Wyatt on their view of anumals, which, I feel, Sam tends to go overboard with.
Nevertheless, it can provoke a healthy discussion with younger readers about the reality of things and the ideals we wish were.
The book does explain that if Linc Slocum did not kill the mama cougar, then the baby cougar would not have acted the way it did. However, animal instincts will always kick in, won't it?
With the threat of an orphaned cougar possibly eating the chicken eggs and killing foals, "Free Again" shows the interconnectivity of men and animals and how we can help each other as well as cause a chain of events which can only mean a shake in the balance of things.
I am personally torn about this issue, as the premise of the book itself seems that mankind has, in a way, inserted themselves into wildlife with Sam adopting a mustang and eventually setting itself free. When do we step back and when do we just leave things be? I understand the hierarchy of beings and can agree with Dallas and Wyatt on their view of anumals, which, I feel, Sam tends to go overboard with.
Nevertheless, it can provoke a healthy discussion with younger readers about the reality of things and the ideals we wish were.
The book does explain that if Linc Slocum did not kill the mama cougar, then the baby cougar would not have acted the way it did. However, animal instincts will always kick in, won't it?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2024
Another strong instalment in this series! Two cougars, a mother and her cub, have been spotted in the area, and the Phantom's son New Moon keeps challenging him, wanting his own herd. I like the way the cougar storyline is resolved, and the end of this book sees - sooo cute! My sister and I fondly recall that.
On the human side of the story, Jen's parents are fighting and she isn't happy with Sam's relationship with Rachel; meanwhile, Brynna and Wyatt get engaged. In a children's book like this, I think it's great that the author includes young characters dealing with changes in their households.
On the human side of the story, Jen's parents are fighting and she isn't happy with Sam's relationship with Rachel; meanwhile, Brynna and Wyatt get engaged. In a children's book like this, I think it's great that the author includes young characters dealing with changes in their households.
October 11, 2025
Another good book in the series! I was a bit surprised Sam was so okay with her dad and Brynna's marriage considering how she's been so averse to their relationship throughout the series up until them, but I like the bonding she and Brynna went through.
The cougar plot was nice, it showed both sides of the situation: that the cougars are dangerous, but they don't deserve to be killed, either.
The small callback to Mikki was nice, too!
The cougar plot was nice, it showed both sides of the situation: that the cougars are dangerous, but they don't deserve to be killed, either.
The small callback to Mikki was nice, too!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2018
An average teen series.
December 23, 2024
Nostalgi🥹
September 10, 2024
3.5 stars
Sam has a good heart. She is handling change better than I am. The cougar storyline is interesting and introducing Ryan adds a new wrinkle. Jake is getting less mysterious by the book and really is a sweet, protective friend underneath it all.
Sam has a good heart. She is handling change better than I am. The cougar storyline is interesting and introducing Ryan adds a new wrinkle. Jake is getting less mysterious by the book and really is a sweet, protective friend underneath it all.
April 18, 2025
"Sometimes people and animals just click."
I love New Moon and his little band of bachelors. I feel so bad for him trying to find his own herd. Jake should really adopt him.
I love New Moon and his little band of bachelors. I feel so bad for him trying to find his own herd. Jake should really adopt him.
September 15, 2024
Now Terri Farley is just getting lazy and is not bothering to check for continuity. Two Shetland ponies with the name Chipper in a herd of seven? And the Chippers are the only two in the herd to get lost? Really?
This is a book you can safely skip, since it's not a crucial book in the series.
This is a book you can safely skip, since it's not a crucial book in the series.
February 9, 2009
Awesome book!!!! I like how they add a cougar to the story!! i was practicly on the edge of my seat when sam got attacked by the cougar!! It also makes you hate scholum more!!!
June 1, 2009
Awesome!
September 25, 2010
See the first book in the series for a full review.
December 22, 2012
I really liked this one. Moon is an adorable character, and I loved the introduction of the cougars (even though it was sad).
February 18, 2016
This is the best series ever written! This one's about a young cougar and Jake's birthday and everything on River Bend Ranch!
October 10, 2008
Pretty horse, liked it a lot.
April 19, 2014
it was sad but awesome.
July 31, 2016
Oh my gosh I loved this ending!!!!!
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