Rules for Riders

by Natalie Scott

Rules for Riders is a fast and furious coming of age novel set in the world of equestrian riding. After a near fatal riding accident, Bebe Barkley is banned from riding and sent off to boarding school. There, she meets her roommate and fellow equestrian rider, Finn Foxley. The girls devise a scheme to get themselves kicked out of boarding school in order to return to the world that they love. Once back on the circuit, former friends become deadly rivals. Enter Bebe's handsome trainer, Billy O'Reilly who will reinforce seven rules for riders in order for her to successfully compete. Through a series of tragic events, both girls are forced to abandon their dreams of Olympic gold. Bebe ventures down a dark road of self-destruction as she breaks every rule Billy taught her, only to be forced to relearn them in order to reclaim her life. Rules For Riders is a tale of lost dreams and the struggle to create new ones.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, New Adult, Horses, Drama

214 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2014

About the author

Natalie Scott grew up in Melbourne, often referred as the cultural capital of Australia because of its great restaurants, trendy cafes and great shopping! Natalie developed a love of books when her fourth grade teacher read the book Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis.
In high school Natalie devoured the classics, her favorite being Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger. At University she studied English Literature and Communications, though she will openly admit to spending a lot of time at the college pub where she liked to make up outrageous stories before traveling extensively through Europe and the United States.
Throughout her travels, she fell in love with sunny California where she attended classes at UCLA Writer’s Program. Natalie also attended numerous writers’ conferences including Santa Barbara, San Diego State and Grubstreet. She was the recipient of the Outstanding Fiction award given at the Southern California Writers Conference. In her spare time, Scott worked as a spokes model for companies including the AMC Network,, We Entertainment, Hasbro, Adobe and Sony.
The Aussie gal is a foodie who loves Vegemite and currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona where she enjoys sharing her passion for food, enjoys exploring new restaurants, happy hour, traveling, and a passion for books and fashion.
Scott’s debut novel, Rules for Riders, is a fast and furious, coming-of-age story set in the world of equestrian riding.
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Reviews

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-t-review basis. Thanks to Natalie Scott, and Kelsey McBride.)


"Bebe, if I'm going to train you, there are rules for riders."



This book started out alright, although I did struggle to stay interested to be honest, but then we got some twists, that became a little silly.


The main character in this story – Bebe, seemed okay, although she did seem to make some suspect decisions at times. She did claim to like horses and competing though, even if she didn’t show it.


Billy asks if I want to go riding. I shake me head, giving him some lame excuse how it's damp and cold outside.
"Don't give me that shit," he snaps, "If you really want to compete, you have to learn to ride through the rain, the sun, and whatever else you're feeling."



The storyline in this followed Bebe as she got her first horse, King, and started learning to ride competitively. But then we got some twists thrown in, that although at first livened things up a bit, started to get a bit silly.


I’m going to skip right to the big event that happened at 67% of the way into the book. What happened was absolutely life changing for Bebe, but I couldn’t quite believe that her father had been stupid enough to orchestrate this! I mean he’s a Colonel? Surely you have to have some brains to get to that position? Maybe I’m just being harsh, but for anyone who wants to know what he did, read this spoiler - He forces his 16-year-old son who is deathly afraid of horses, to get on Bebe’s massive, barely-tamed horse, who bolts and runs into a gate at speed, resulting in a broken leg for the horse, and a broken neck for Kevin. Leaving Bebe horse-less and brother-less. Absolutely gutting for the poor girl. Anyway, Bebe was obviously upset over this, and you couldn’t really blame her over being upset.



I’m now going to skip to the next big twists that I found a little unbelievable? Just a bit silly? I don’t know what word you’d use, but they just fell short for me. It’s difficult to really explain what happened, but lets just say that Bebe somehow ended up getting mixed up with some very suspect people, and her father then did something that came across as suicidal in order to ‘rescue’ her. If you want to know exactly - Bebe somehow ended up Puerto Rico with a ‘major drug lord’, and her father decided to turn up and put a gun to his head in order to try and rescue her. Suicidal. You don’t put a gun to a drug lord’s head and expect to walk away unharmed! So again, I found this unbelievable, and I found Bebe’s father’s actions to be short-sighted.




So, other than the silly twists, another thing I didn’t expect in this book was the sex. It wasn’t erotic or anything, but for me it seemed to come right out of the blue. There didn’t seem to be all that much romance in here, and what was in here didn’t interest me at all, but then all of a sudden she’s naked in a hotel room and losing her virginity. Where did that come from? And then by the end of the book she’s having sex with a different partner! Can’t say I was very impressed with that either.

"Then all of a sudden, things take a serious turn. Billy kisses my neck and then my lips as the candles appear to glitter through the white lace canopy."



The ending to this was a relief if anything, and although I’m pretty sure there will be more books in this series, I’m afraid it’s just really not something I would want to read.
4.5 out of 10

[Alexandra Black · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you read it and like it, I beg you to, please, NOT read this review as it is negative, emotional and someplace unfairly criticised.


*This book was given free by publisher for reviewing purposes*
Spoilers. Strong language. Sarcasm. Mostly sarcasm.

I did not finish the book. From the first sentences I knew I will either read to the end and write a really bad review, or won't finish and explain why in review. Second way.
Writing style is dumb. It is like this. Simple sentences. No punctuation, but a few comas. Even I, non-native English speaker write better // self-praising moment
One chapter's length is Kindle's page. Have you seen Kindle Paperwhite? It is a bit smaller than usual books plus four-five more lines. That is the length of each chapter in this book, except for the first one, I guess, that was the biggest one. Maybe that is some kind of a cut version for reviewing only, but then if it is I don't understand how anyone supposed to review nothing?
Characters are as non-realistic as they can be. Anime and manga, and Disney, and Nickelodeon characters all-together are more realistic than these. They are puppet-like: you can actually see the author, telling them what and how, not once why or what for, to do. Characters biographies, motives, personalities are untrustworthy as hell: what aristocratic would swear like a trooper and have such disregard for own parents? Where this sudden tender relationships between Bebe and Billy came from? Like, you accidentally kissed the girl you were teaching to ride, right before she's leaving to boarding school, and magically you both are in love with each other? Bebe meets her roommate (and what a coincidence, her horse, as she's also a Rider; and let's not forget, beautiful as goddess), disliked her, but then SUDDENLY 'I like this gurl she's da best let's get expelled from school and run back home together', like wtf? Then in boarding school they meet two handsome guys, who turn out to be the most popular guys at school, they fight, which was flirt, then they UNEXPECTEDLY fall for each other (two couples for the price of one!!) and then these mighty female riders SUDDENLY became silly light-headed frivolous creatures, who decide to 'stay awhile and enjoy being sluts'. And wow, let's all wonder how they got two hottest boys at school without any girl-fight from their former girlfriends. OH, YOU DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAD HOT BITCHY GIRLFRIENDS? OMG, HOW'S THAT HAPPENED!
Basically, I've deleted the book at this moment, because would I be...even when I was nine I wouldn't read this pinkish Mary Sue-ish shit in hopes of similar magically romantic teen life. This can only be read and loved by harebrained, idle romantic glam-blond gUrls, who'd be so occupied in all the big-pure-first-second first- many first-whorish-like-love to notice no plot, no logic, no real characters, no anything.
Comparing to such YA, I can see why John Green is believed to be genius.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

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What child hasn’t wanted to be either a cowboy/girl or maybe even own their own horse? What is it about the majesty and raw strength of horses that pulls those with the financial means in and makes the world of equestrian riding become part of the very air they breathe?

For Bebe Barkley, her world was torn out from under her after a serious riding accident that ended up with her being sent off to boarding school as punishment. Bebe lived for that feeling of freedom on her horse, they were a unit, but now life has another chapter for her to explore. Bebe’s life is in upheaval, but making a best friend with a rebellious side was just what she thought she needed to get booted from school and back into the saddle. Finn is just as competitive as Bebe and their friendship is frozen out by the fierce competitions they enter. Is winning really everything, no matter the cost? Maybe her new trainer, Billy O’Reilly can show Bebe the true meaning of being the best you can be, in and out of the arena.

Rules for Riders by Natalie Scott will take many readers back to their own glory days in the arena, no matter your riding style. One not so pleasant part was the competition, the need to take it all, the lack of true camaraderie in this amazing world. Her style of writing reads “true to life” in so many ways. Fast-paced, filled with angst and the mistakes of young riders as they forsake even their animals for the win, this tale is steeped in high emotional turmoil and intense plotting. Softening the edginess is the calming effect of Billy, his stability lends an air of maturity and an emotional warmth for Bebe, as she begins to understand what life, responsibility and being supportive is all about. I was jumping the hurdles, the water jumps and feeling these majestic animals gathering it all up for their rider as well as a fly on the wall to the struggles of youth when a freeing joy becomes an obsession.

I received a review copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: July 15, 2014
Publisher: Perfect Bound Marketing
Genre: YA Romance
Print Length: 235 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate to give a book such a bad review especially when the author was kind enough to give me a copy for review, but I just did not enjoy this book. In fact if i hadn't won it from goodreads i wouldn't have even finished it. Everything about the book was over the top...except the writing which was overly simplistic. Well maybe it wasn't actually but the first person present tense definitely made it read a little like a see spot run type of book. On the subject of language there are large portions of dialogue that read ridiculous for the character-like having a teenager say good golly miss molly (ok not really but stuff that was equally ridiculous). Most of the book also read like a teenage girl's diary which i imagine was the target audience but even once she had supposedly matured she still acted and talked like a young teen girl. Then there are the characters. The father who can't just be rigid he has to send his kids off to boarding school for being bullied and being in a serious accident. That makes no sense to me. There is Finn who is an overly malicious heifer the whole book for no apparent reason (and the heroine just makes excuses for her and is somehow surprised when true colors show). The girls go to boarding school intending to get thrown out but decide to just hang out when they meet guys and decide to stick around and be-well lets just say not very good girls. Which brings me to these guys. Zane didn't seem to serve much purpose and isn't terribly developed beyond causing a really random really dangerous event. There's Christian and I just have to ask...has this author ever met someone from the south? Because I've lived in Ga my entire life and never met ANYONE who talks that stereotypically southern. Billy isn't a bad character but his seriousness and wiseness reads as way older which is kind of awkward so I had to keep reminding myself he was only a few years younger than Bebe. Oh Bebe....how stupid can one heroine get? She takes the rebellious teen thing to absurd lengths. "oh you think this guy is trouble? well i'm going to run off to puerto rico with him even though i've known him for about 2 seconds." And actually a lot of the plot reads like that. Things happen quickly with little to no explanation and just as quickly we've moved on to another random scene that makes no sense. The plot was very shallow as a result. Even the jumping part which was supposed to be the main part only takes up a few chapters and its more like a recitation of statistics than a plot line. And maybe i even wouldn't have minded this so much if the scoring had been explained. I have no clue how faults work so I didn't know how people won or lost. It was also hard to have any sense of how much time had passed because of the pacing. It felt like the book took place over about a year but in the first chapter she's 15 and by then end she's at least 18 so i don't know if the first chapter was like a flashback or if i just couldn't tell how time progressed.

So this book would probably be great for younger readers who are already somewhat familiar with the jumping world. However the material wouldn't be very suitable for these readers since there's sex and drugs and abuse. Older readers and readers who never got to jump would probably find the plot and language of this book shallow and too young. So whoever is reading this review can take it all with a grain of salt but it definitely wasn't the dark gritty book i expected it to be

[Deniz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would first like to start off by saying that I enjoyed this book because I don't remember a time where I have read a book that has an "equestrian feel" to it, and I'm soo glad that this book was the one to introduce me to it.

So to cap what the book is about (if the description wasn't enough for you hungry readers), Bebe is a 15-year-old girl (at the beginning of the book) that is introduced to King, a horse that will soon have many adventures with her. With Bebe and King, it's kind of like "love at first sight", except that it's not the actual person-to-person love, and it's more of a friendship love, and... you get the point. Her father, Colonel Barkley (who is totally one of those "here's the money, just go and do whatever, just don't give me a bad name/reputation" fathers), finally agrees to buying King from the O'Reilley family, and Billy O'Reilley (the eldest son) becomes her trainer. From there, Bebe's budding love and passion for horseback riding sprouts into something fierce. Something competitive.

Needless to say, things are never what it seems, and Bebe's father sends her off to boarding school after she falls off King and gets injured. From there, she meets Finn, starts to rebel, and explores the life around her. However, nothing is ever what it seems, and Bebe ends up learning it the hard way.

This books had its ups and downs for me. I loved how Scott was able to create the voice of a 15-year-old through her writing and really show the journey and growth of Bebe. In the beginning, I really got the feel that these thoughts were from a new teen trying to get through life and whatever was thrown at her. In the end, I felt the mature voice seep into the writing while still keeping some of the childish tone that was originally presented, because after all, it's not like Bebe is suddenly an adult at the end of the book (...right? Guess you'll have to read to find out)!

The main thing that bothered me was the tense that was used throughout the book: present. I don't know, maybe it felt weird for me because I haven't read a story that is written in present tense in a loooooong time, but it definitely caught my attention and distracted me sometimes. Moreover, there were quite a few exclamation marks used throughout the story (like when the main character was thinking to herself). I'm not sure if this would bother many people, but I've always been taught to not use them as often when writing in my Literature/Language classes, so it stood out to me the first few times I came across it. Other than that, everything else was fine (in my opinion).

Overall, this book was a good read. The plot drew me in, and everything was unique. I really hope there is a sequel to this book, because I would love to read more about the characters and what happens after!

http://bookswithacupoftea.weebly.com/...

[Bill Kupersmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anton DiSclafari’s The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls is one of the best books I’ve read by a contemporary writer & I’ve been thinking how Rules for Riders belongs to the same genre of what some would term horsey stories about teenage girls. But that’s sort of like saying that a Chardonnay & a Moscato are both white wines. If Yonahlossee were a wine it’d be one of those oaky high-alcohol-content Sonoma county vintages with enough authority to punch through the glacis armor plate of a T-70 tank. OTOH Rules for Riders might be a nicely chilled Asti, perfect @ lunch with a salad.

Back in my ocean racing days I’d reflect how we now practice those arts for recreation & pleasure that in the days of sailing ships were needed for a serious & sometimes dangerous way of life. So true with riding - what now appears an elegant & expensive sport requires the character & skills essential to a junior cavalry officer in Wellington’s day - who would indeed have been scarcely older than Bebe, the main character in this story. Billy, Bebe’s riding instructor, best friend & sometime lover in Rules for Riders lays them down as Commitment, Gratitude, Discipline, Risk, Perseverance & Surrender. That last perhaps needs another name: it doesn’t mean giving up. I think it means the ability to be lost in the moment - to be @ one with your horse or whatever (& of course it has an erotic aspect too).

An Asti is best drunk young & Natalie Scott has tailored this book for a young audience & if you think about it too much as an artistic creation it may start coming apart. But I found Bebe attractive, the plot engaging, & the resolution appropriate. It seems too often in today’s world that athletic competition is the only area where the kind of moral & spiritual values that the rules for riders exemplify are honored, especially for young people. But I believe if we look carefully into our selves that we’ll see we need them @ every stage in life & in every calling.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. So, let's be real, I completely binge-read this book! In two sittings I read all 75 chapters. It is an intoxicating read that sucks you into the world of not only equestrian riding but even more so into the mind of the main character, Bebe's tumultuous life. I loved the writing style of this novel. It was incredibly easy to read but captivating at the same time. However, I do wish there had been a little bit more character/story development at times. In addition, I was not quite prepared for the amount of mature content (underage drinking, drug use, swearing, sleeping around, and such) but I must say that those things seem to be quite typical in the Young Adult genre so I can't dock too many points for that. On the bright side though, this book had a lot of really cool story elements incorporated (such as traveling to exotic and beautiful places and relationships with really dynamic characters). I also appreciated how fast-paced this story was. When one scene closed, a whole new storyline would pop up so there was never that lulling downtime that some novels have (hence, the genius of having 75 chapters). The flow of the story was engaging and the author does a fantastic job painting a picture in the reader's mind! I give a big thumbs-up to the abundance of figurative language! If you're looking for a fast-paced new twist on the coming of age storyline, then you should definitely give this book a try!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a wonderful look into the world of prestige and show-horsemanship. Just as the world of horse-racing has its dark side, show horsemanship does as well. After a headstrong Bebe goes against her father’s wishes and takes the not-quite broken horse, King out, she predictably suffers a horrendous accident which leaves her almost dead. Typically, her parents freak and send her off to boarding school. As a parent, I don’t understand her parents’ logic….my daughter has just suffered a near death tragedy, let’s ship her off to where she won’t be under our guidance. Makes no sense to me, but who am I to understand the overly-privileged?
So now, she meets up with another competitive horse rider, and they decide the only way they can get back into the circuit is to get kicked out of school. And it works wonders! They both manipulate their parents into letting them back into the showmanship circuit, thusly rewarding their bad behavior.
A tragedy once more ensues, and Bebe is thrown into a deep depression causing her to make some of the worst decisions of her life, but then what else is new? Bebe seems to be a spoiled little brat who is just so used to getting her way that she will do whatever it takes to get it, and when she finds herself in a situation way over her head, she turns to the one person she seems to dislike the most.
Overall, this is a great book, but I can’t get past the privilege and snobbery that I see in Bebe and Finn. They seem to perpetuate their own problems.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Synopsis: "After a near fatal riding accident, Bebe Barkley is banned from riding and sent off to boarding school. Finn Foxley, her roommate and partner in crime, devise a plan to get themselves kicked out of school, in order to return to the world they love.
Once back on the Equestrian circuit, best friends will become deadly rivals! Enter Billy O'Reilly, Bebe's handsome trainer, who will enforce 7 Rules that will turn Bebe's world up upside down forever."

My Review: This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review. As many of you know I am a little bit of a horse nut and so when offered any equine based book I snap at the chance to read it. Upon starting this book I found it very disconnected, it was almost like I was reading a cliffs notes or some other briefing. The sentences were short and abrupt only giving the necessary information. I did really enjoy Billy but couldn't really care less about the other characters. The storyline also jumps around, it is like the author couldn't decide what time of book to write, a high society book, an equine book, a romance, a crime novel, it is all there but not put together smoothly. I did enjoy the competitive portions of the book and of course the parts where Bebe is actually riding and training, but the rest just left a disconnect with me.

[Jen Cothran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book from a goodreads giveaway...I NEVER buy paperbacks, but I did it...I read a paperback that wasn't a required college choice...lol Even with tapping the page margins, wishing it was on my kindle, I got through it!

The book itself is kind of intriguing, you have this girl Bebe who is head-strong and a want-to-be professional horse-jumper. Her horse King is an amazing animal and completely worthy of the title 'King'. Between riding instructions from her teacher/trainer Billy (who is hot!) and her competition Finn (a real mean girl), Bebe is constantly comparing herself to others and just seems a bit 'blonde'. She does have moments where I absolutely adored her (if she didn't I would have put the book down) and others where I just wanted to smack her upside the head...LOL!

Overall, cute story, a little bit on the spoiled-rich-kid lifestyle, and an underlying love story. Family issues though out with over the top parents and tragedy that ripps your heart out. The story ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, but nothing too terrible, just leaving it open for the journey to continue.

If you get the chance, I would pick it up for a quick afternoon read that will leave you entertained. :)

[Ashley Durrett · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, I was very excited when receiving this book in the mail after the author graciously gave it as a give away, but overall after reading it the book was not my cup of tea. I liked the idea of a novel surrounding the equestrian realm, but this book suffered from a crisis identity—skipping between a coming-of-age novel, a romance driven story, and even a detective/crime scene thriller—and I had trouble with the incredibly fast pacing of the novel. Also, there were some character relations I could not comprehend as realistic (maybe that is a fault of my own limited experience) and times when I wanted to scream at the main character "Stop this instant! No one would do that in real life!" The writing itself teetered between eloquent description and crude dialogue questioning how each could be written on the same page. I hate to be critical of book I was given for free, but I also feel a necessity of honesty for improvement in the future.

[Lesli Kraft · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was given to me to read in exchange for an honest review.: This is a well written book that you can definitely get quickly engrossed in and finish in a short time. I didn't want to put this down and with short chapters you find yourself saying jus one more chapter. Bebe is a fierce competitor that just keeps pushing on. I loved that about her. She often gets herself into a bit of ( or a lot of) trouble but with her fighting spirit keeps rising to the top. I am keeping my fingers crossed for a follow up to this soon. You will fall in love with her and want to see where life leads her next!

[Lizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rules for Riders is full of gorgeous horse back riding scenery, the inseparable teenage love between Billy and Bebe, and unique and climatic chapters that keep you on the edge of your seat. I could not resist reading chapter after chapter of this very well written book because it makes you feel as if your one of the characters, in the arena about to perform or riding on your horse. Loved this book!”

[Alycia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I missed horse back riding, and after reading "Rules for Riders" it made me miss it even more! I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrill and wanting to read a book that pulls you right in. Oh and the trainer Billy, can I ask... where do I find me a Billy!!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book the first time I read it made me miss horse back riding the main character is so much like me in many way

[RoloPoloBookBlog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rules for Riders by Natalie Scott
Source: Author
My Rating: 3/5 stars
My Review:

The only thing Bebe Barkley has ever loved is horseback riding. Her father is an arrogant asshole but indulges his daughter with both a beautiful horse and riding lessons. Her mother has basically checked out of life and only seems to come out of her alcohol haze when her husband is gone. The only moments of true happiness in Bebe’s life are those spent with Billy O’Reilly and his family. Billy is a straight-laced kid who loves horses and has a knack for teaching others. From the moment they meet, Bebe and Billy have a strong connection that will continue throughout their lives, even during the times when they cannot be together. Both Billy and Bebe are driven to succeed and with they both have the same goal, see Bebe make the Olympic equestrian team and bring home the gold. Billy’s methods for training Bebe are very simple and very direct and as long as she follows the rules he sets for her, success if virtually assured. Thinking they will be together forever, both Billy and Bebe are thrown when Bebe’s father decides to send her to boarding school.

From the moment Bebe meets Finn Foxley her life irreversibly altered. Finn is a spoiled, angry girl whose parents indulge her every whim. Boarding school is not at all what Finn has on her schedule and within moments of arriving, she is hatching a plan to get herself kicked out. All Bebe wants to do is get back to her training and with Finn as a roommate she is sure to get kicked out and sent right back home. Though it takes the girls several months, several lies to every adult they know, one huge winter break party and, one call to the police, the girls do manage to get themselves kicked out of boarding school. Just as soon as Bebe and Finn get home, they both return to their training (yes, Finn is also a rider) and immediately set themselves up as rivals on the competition circuit.

It doesn’t take long for Bebe to become completely involved in competition and as she and as the season wears on, she and Finn’s rivalry becomes even more intense. At her core, Bebe is a good girl and with Billy by her side, she feels confident and capable. Finn is reckless and cunning and will do anything and everything necessary to win. Finn has no problem hurting people to get what she wants and even goes so far as to sicken Bebe to keep her from competing. Bebe is real competition for Finn but before Finn has to take any truly evil steps, Bebe’s father steps in and creates a horrifying tragedy that will tear his family apart and forever crush his daughter’s dream of earning an Olympic gold medal.

With nothing left but a broken dream and her parent’s money, Bebe embarks on journey of self-destruction that will lead her further and further away from home and the simple rules once given to her by Billy O’Reilly. True to form, Bebe never does anything in half measures and before she knows it, she is up to her neck in an abusive relationship, drug use and, no way out. With nothing but her life to lose, Bebe makes the only phone call she can think to make and prays her father can rescue her.

The Bottom Line: I really wanted to like Rules for Riders far, far more than I did. The synopsis is intriguing and offers something I don’t come across too often in my normal reading endeavors, professional level equestrian events. The parts of the book that involve Billy, Bebe and, the training and completion are really interesting and I blazed through these chapters at lightning speed as they flow smoothly and more easily than the rest of the read. It is in these chapters that I found the most convincing and interesting character and plot development. This, of course begs the question, what issues do I have with the other chapters in the book? In truth, the entire read feels like a series of short stories with the same characters thrown together to create a full-length novel. The transition from each period in Bebe’s life is not at all smooth and generally feels like jumping from one thing to the next without any logical transition. I did finish the read, cover to cover and found some of the ideas and characters interesting but think this read would be best served after another run through by a good editor to help create a greater sense of continuity.

[Danica is Booked · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

An Overview of the Novel: I went into this novel thinking I was going to get a book about a girl who liked horses, but other than that I didn't know anything about the book.

Yes, this book is about horses, but at the same time it's really about so much more. It was more like a dramatic coming-of-age story set to the backdrop of horse riding.

The novel spans several different stages in Bebe's life. Her discovering a love for riding, her time at Boarding school, her time riding, and several other things that I will not mention here because I don't want to spoil the book.

In my opinion, the plot jumped around a lot. I thought that there was enough going on in this story to last at least 3 books. Basically, anything and everything you can think of happens in this book.

The Characters: I had a hard time connecting to the characters. I thought Bebe was a great combination of naiive and a little bit of a jerk. She treated Billy and several other characters quite awfully and just did some really stupid things. She kept seeing the best in people who didn't deserve it and then pushed away characters who didn't deserve it.

I thought Billy should have stood up to Bebe more. He just kind of let Bebe walk all over him. He was a character I did like, but I thought he was an idiot for putting up with Bebe.

I felt like a lot of the characters weren't really developed all that well. They were one-faceted, there to serve a purpose and then they disappeared without us really getting to know them.

I love novels that focus a lot on character development and so that was a disappointment for me.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: This story had a lot going on and a lot of potential. I felt that the author should have broken this up into three novels and developed parts of the story more. It would have made the novel feel less jumpy and more realistic.

I also thought that the writing could have used a more thorough edit.

However, having said all of these things, I did enjoy the novel. It was a quick read and I thought that on the whole it was interesting. When I look at Goodreads, I see that most people seem to love this novel. If you love novels with a lot of action/drama and don't mind a story that jumps around a lot, I think you would really like this one.

For me, I would have liked to see a slower pace, more developed characters, and less jumping around.

However, the overall story was intriguing. Check out some other reviews and see if you think this one is for you.

So why 3 stars? For all of the reasons listed above. It felt jumpy and I couldn't connect to the characters on the level I wanted. For me, it's 3 stars. It wasn't terrible and I definitely think many people would enjoy it. It just didn't quite stand out for me.

Warnings/Side-notes: This novel included sexual references and drug references. It was done in a young adult fashion (not detailed).

The Wrap-up: A novel that had great potential but one that just didn't stand out in my mind. However, it was an intriguing debut and I would read something by the author again.

Love,

Danica Page

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rules for Riders by Natalie Scott

3 Stars

Bebe was a horse fanatic and when it came to buying her own, it took some fast-talking to convince her dad into allowing her to have the one she wanted. When Billy offered to train her she jumped at the chance and soon the highly-strung horse and Bebe became good friends. Out riding one day Billy encouraged Bebe to take a risk and jump the swelling river, unfortunately the horse became spooked and threw her leaving her unconscious with a dislocated shoulder. Angry and concerned, Bebe’s father decides to send her to boarding school but this opens up a whole new world to Bebe, and more problems for her father than a simple riding accident.

Bebe’s father was a bit of a dick to be honest, when his son was bullied, he just sent him to boarding school, and when Bebe had a riding accident, his answer to that was also to send her to boarding school? Very strange parenting choices to me! I’m not surprised that Bebe ended up in some of the trouble she did...though I think some of it was rather extreme. Palming your children off on someone else is a sure way to alienate them and cause them to feel angry and unwanted so for them to rebel shouldn’t be a huge surprise.

I think when Natalie began to write Rules for Riders she had 101 ideas and figured she would put them all down in this one story. So many things happen that you don’t have chance to settle into or digest one thing before the next issue comes along. It’s a very busy book that could do with slowing down and maybe thinning out on the dramas, it isn’t relaxing to read your way through a garbled and rushed story and it wasn’t helped by the fact that it was written in first person present tense, that in itself is a format that irritates me. What is wrong with plane old third person past tense? Or even first person PAST tense? Present tense is just so bleugh……..there is a reason it isn’t the most common way to write!

Rule for Riders is a YA, coming of age drama, and perhaps the target audience will be more excited and intrigued by the goings on than I was because for me it was all just a little too much and too unbeievable.

Copy supplied for review

[Ana · Rating 2 out of 5]

My reaction to this can best be summarised in one word "What?" I didn't really hate this book, but it didn't really impress me either. It feels like I was just taken on a roller-coaster when I should have been on a nice carousel, because this book moves fast. So fast that it was hard to really like the characters, or to understand their relationships to each other. At the end of the first chapter, I knew of Bebe's family: overbearing father, alcoholic mother, and younger brother. It felt like the characters were being introduced to me, then I'm moved along to something completely different.

The chapters for this are short, and maybe that also contributes to how fast this book feels. (Though I'm looking at the page count, and I guess it really us a short book.) SO MUCH happens, but of those things, it's not like I'm reading something completely new or unique. Boarding school, rich families with a lot of problems, the less rich but happier family, bitchy girls, etc. It just seemed fairly standard, and just didn't strike me as particularly fresh.

My main problem is that the book can't seem to settle on its tone. Overall, I suppose it's a story about a young girl growing up, making mistakes and learning from them, and becoming a better person. Great concept, sure, but not-so-great execution. The twists near the end seem right out of the left field, bordering on ridiculous. I was left scratching my head and wondering "where the heck did THAT come from?"

Overall: I didn't love this book, but I didn't hate it either. In the end, I feel more like this could have been done better somehow. It moves too fast. The characters and their relationships barely have time to be established before things get a move on, and I'm left feeling no real connection to any of them.

This review was originally posted on Read Me Away.

[Stefanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won my copy of Rules for Riders by Natalie Scott through GoodReads FirstReads. It's about a girl named Bebe Barkley who aspires to be a champion rider with her horse, King, and her trainer/boyfriend Billy O'Riley. But her dreams are interrupted when she is sent to boarding school where she befriends fellow rider and resentful boarding school student Finn Foxley. The two girls quickly discover a desire to somehow get out of boarding school and back to their horses and the show circuit. Once the girls are back to their horses an intense rivalry heats up between them. I absolutely LOVED the horse and competition parts, but I felt there just wasn't enough, too many "life" moments kept getting in the way. There were also some sex scenes that, for me, were a bit too graphic, but they might not be to everyone. And the story takes a gritty turn after Bebe has some tragedies to deal with, and her choices were not always the best. I did like the majority of the story, but could have done without the sex scenes (they would have been fine if more implied than described), and her trip to Puerto Rico.

[Katarina · Rating 2 out of 5]

A great disappointment.

There is enough plot here to last for 5 books, so everything is just glossed over in a few sentences or pages. This makes reading this choppy and disjointed.

It really isn't a book about riding. Yes, the main character has a horse, and she competes a bit, but the riding part is just a very small portion. Mainly it's about the main character, who comes across as a snotty brat, as she rebels against her father, gets a horse and competes, hooks up with her trainer, gets sent to boarding school, competes a little bit more, something bad happens, so she rebels again and runs off with a complete stranger to a tropical location, where she is held hostage by a drug lord....

See what I mean about there being enough plot to make several books? There's just too much going on, and it moves too fast from one plot to another, and doesn't give a chance to get into anything.

[Kasey Cocoa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel disappointed in the experience of reading this book. Perhaps it's because I have a long background in horses, including training and eventing younger ones and retraining those who were purchased for another focus. It was more than the shallow feel that the characters gave me. It wasn't just the writing style that felt inexperienced or juvenile to me. A big part was the ridiculous decisions the characters were making and not staying true to their original makeup. After one too many eye-rolls at the things that happened I just had to put the book aside. I don't believe everyone will have the same reaction, as our personal tastes vary - as they should. This was just not a good fit for me in any aspect. I stopped reading about 3/4 in and I don't plan to pick it up again. I'm sure one of our library patrons will love the book though. I received an ARC through the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influence my opinion, which may or may not mirror your own.

[Rachel Leanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I never actually managed to finish this book. I thought at first when I took the book on that it would be a funny, quirky teen romance a little like Wild Child but I was very wrong. I wasn't a big fan of the style of writing first of all and second, too much happened all at once. I got confused to what was going on. Last of all is that I really disliked the main character. She claimed to love the boy in the stables back at home but she was litteraly away at school for a few days before she was kissing some otherr boy. She was stroppy, arrogant and made out that her parents were evil and she was lonly but he dad was trying to do what's best for her and the family with the stables were lovely. She had it lucky but chose to complain all the time. I'm not sure if this book really was bad or if it is just that I disliked the genre. Either way I wouldn't recomend it to you, my readers.

[Keanna (JustKey) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was quick being shy of 200 pages that involved a lot of drama, toxic friendships and relationships. Bebe's naivety was the cause of th e tornado of bad choices.

Bebe is an equestrian rider that suffers an accident when praticing with her coach. So her father sends her to boarding school where she meets her best friend, Finn. She quickly realizes Finn is crazy. And not the good crazy either, she's dangerous.

After pushing aside of toxic relationships, they are caught after a slew of bad choices. So her parents want her return and there she realizes that Finn becomes her rival and will do anything to win. But she soon realizes that her biggest mistake was leaving the country and getting involved with a drug lord and has come to her lowest when she had to call ber father to help her.

[Susie H · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful author! She has really captivated the true meaning of rebellious through this wonderful novel about these young girls fighting for what they love. I have little to no experience with horses, however, the author included all types of audiences with her writing. I have fallen in love with each and every character for all they are worth, and I will most definately be waiting for my next page-turning novel by Natalie Scott! This book will make it to the top-sellers list, as it is a must-read!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rules for Riders took me back to my younger days when I used to take English riding lessons and also fell in love for my first time. This book is a exciting, fast read and coming of age novel. I read it on a plane and completed it within two days! I couldn't wait to see how it ended! Natalie Scott was able to integrate so many different issues of being a teen.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to seeing this author develop and put out more. While Im not an equestrian, the book was recommended to me by a friend who is, and lets be honest…is there any girl out there that went her entire life without wishing for a pony of her own?? I think not. Perfect E-Read. Goes by fast, and not overly complicated, so easy to follow if you’re on-the-go a lot.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book is great! I was riveted by the competition between the two girls. Even though I’m not from the Equestrian world, I found this book really entertaining. I enjoyed each and every page of this book from the characters, and all the twist and turns. I'm looking forward for what's to come next for Natalie.

[Angelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Once I started reading it, I had a hard time putting it down. The characters and situations were realistic and interesting.
Bebe is a force to be reckoned with and never gives up. She is a fierce competitor and a loyal friend a little naive at times but an all around interesting character. I am hoping for a part 2 soon!

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could NOT put this book down! Without giving too much away, it IS a must read. The love story - not just with the main characters- but the love of riding is riveting! It made me wish I was Bebe, it was so eloquently written. Natalie Scott is a new favorite author!