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Phantom Stallion #17
Mountain Mare
The further adventures in the wildly popular series about Samantha and her mustang the Phantom. In Mountain Mare , Sam finds a beautiful horse in the mountains. The mare seems to belong to someone, but can Sam figure out who–before the Phantom Stallion claims the mare as his own?
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
3 people are currently reading
440 people want to read
About the author
Terri Farley
128 books416 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 - 17 of 18 reviews
January 8, 2024
Another great entry in this series! I keep waiting for one book in this long series to be boring or feel like filler, but they never do. They all serve a purpose of growing Sam and continuing the overarching story.
In this installment, Sam once again faces a new aspect of growing up because someone has offered her $3,000 to buy her beloved riding horse, Ace, as a therapy horse. It's not uncommon in horse owning culture for horses to get sold throughout their lives, especially when there's a financial need. Sam struggles with feeling that the adult thing to do would be to sell Ace so her father can fix their ranch truck (note that she didn't tell her father about the offer at first), but also loving Ace and wanting to keep him, though she fears that's selfish. I was nervous through most of the book because I love Ace too, and didn't want Sam to have to sell him. It ended up being yet another good example of Farley balancing writing a realistic teenager's perspective with also showing that she can make still mistakes and get council from adults. I'll put it in spoiler code just in case, but after struggling with it through the whole book, Sam ultimately I was glad that Sam took the time to think instead of impulsively doing what she thought was the "adult thing." Thinking it through was far more mature than trying too hard to look "grown up," which is something that I think most people can say they struggled with as teens. I was also glad that when she finally told her dad about the offer he
Alongside this, we also have Sam finding a clearly domesticated horse out in the wild and trying to figure out who the owner is. There were some mild mystery vibes with this one, and I really liked how multiple plot threads came together on this one to reach a satisfying conclusion.
I was also very glad that the Phantom's turned out to be temporary. For a fictional horse, I was very worried about him. XD
My one critique is that I think the synopsis overemphasized the risk of the "mountain mare" getting claimed by the Phantom. There was literally one scene where this was a possibility and then the story moves on.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed this 17th book and I'm excited to be past the halfway point in the series now.
Content Advisory:
Slocum acts very arrogant and rude to Sam, as usual. Somebody commits an illegal act by setting a domesticated horse loose in the wild. Somebody tries and fails to steal a horse. Somebody shoves Sam into a closet and locks her in, but she's rescued quickly.
In this installment, Sam once again faces a new aspect of growing up because someone has offered her $3,000 to buy her beloved riding horse, Ace, as a therapy horse. It's not uncommon in horse owning culture for horses to get sold throughout their lives, especially when there's a financial need. Sam struggles with feeling that the adult thing to do would be to sell Ace so her father can fix their ranch truck (note that she didn't tell her father about the offer at first), but also loving Ace and wanting to keep him, though she fears that's selfish. I was nervous through most of the book because I love Ace too, and didn't want Sam to have to sell him. It ended up being yet another good example of Farley balancing writing a realistic teenager's perspective with also showing that she can make still mistakes and get council from adults. I'll put it in spoiler code just in case, but after struggling with it through the whole book, Sam ultimately I was glad that Sam took the time to think instead of impulsively doing what she thought was the "adult thing." Thinking it through was far more mature than trying too hard to look "grown up," which is something that I think most people can say they struggled with as teens. I was also glad that when she finally told her dad about the offer he
Alongside this, we also have Sam finding a clearly domesticated horse out in the wild and trying to figure out who the owner is. There were some mild mystery vibes with this one, and I really liked how multiple plot threads came together on this one to reach a satisfying conclusion.
I was also very glad that the Phantom's turned out to be temporary. For a fictional horse, I was very worried about him. XD
My one critique is that I think the synopsis overemphasized the risk of the "mountain mare" getting claimed by the Phantom. There was literally one scene where this was a possibility and then the story moves on.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed this 17th book and I'm excited to be past the halfway point in the series now.
Content Advisory:
Slocum acts very arrogant and rude to Sam, as usual. Somebody commits an illegal act by setting a domesticated horse loose in the wild. Somebody tries and fails to steal a horse. Somebody shoves Sam into a closet and locks her in, but she's rescued quickly.
December 14, 2024
This is basically THE SAME PLOT from two books ago Kidnapped Colt, just with a couple of different variations. Lazy, lazy storytelling.
EDIT: It turns out there is a reason for the repetition, but you don't find this out until later in the series. It would've been better to have revealed it in this book to make it less annoying.
Extremely disappointing book, although it did have some good moments, such as a focus on Ace. Barely nothing about the Phantom. He just makes a couple of cameo appearances.
EDIT: It turns out there is a reason for the repetition, but you don't find this out until later in the series. It would've been better to have revealed it in this book to make it less annoying.
Extremely disappointing book, although it did have some good moments, such as a focus on Ace. Barely nothing about the Phantom. He just makes a couple of cameo appearances.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 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 Stars
This was one of my favorite series from my childhood books 11-24 I did not have the pleasure of reading them during childhood I am reading them now.
Samantha would be thrilled to be helping drive cattle to the Darton Rodeo, but she's worried. A strange horse shows up at the rodeo, and the mare's definitely tame. But who is her owner?
Sam is determined to solve the mystery, even when she starts being threatened by someone, who will do anything to stop her.
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 Stars
This was one of my favorite series from my childhood books 11-24 I did not have the pleasure of reading them during childhood I am reading them now.
Samantha would be thrilled to be helping drive cattle to the Darton Rodeo, but she's worried. A strange horse shows up at the rodeo, and the mare's definitely tame. But who is her owner?
Sam is determined to solve the mystery, even when she starts being threatened by someone, who will do anything to stop her.
February 10, 2009
I like how she shows the phantom stallion that he is not as scary as he thinks he is!! lol
January 27, 2021
I know I said I wasn't going to add these books to my Read list but I saw this at my local library, realized I never read this installment before, and I couldn't resist.
This was a shorter and more contained addition to the Phantom Stallion series. It takes place over two days and we spend just a little time with the newly introduced characters. However, while Sam is focused with helping the lost mare return to her owners, the real issue of this book is her decision to sell or keep Ace after she gets an offer for $3,000, which happens to be the exact amount her dad needs to put a down payment on new truck after his finally conks out for good. Naturally, the lost mare and her owner help Sam work through this problem.
I mostly enjoyed this book, but I found the ending to be rushed. I wanted to know more about how the lost mare's situation was resolved when she and her owner returned to their home even if it was just a quick phone call update.
This was a shorter and more contained addition to the Phantom Stallion series. It takes place over two days and we spend just a little time with the newly introduced characters. However, while Sam is focused with helping the lost mare return to her owners, the real issue of this book is her decision to sell or keep Ace after she gets an offer for $3,000, which happens to be the exact amount her dad needs to put a down payment on new truck after his finally conks out for good. Naturally, the lost mare and her owner help Sam work through this problem.
I mostly enjoyed this book, but I found the ending to be rushed. I wanted to know more about how the lost mare's situation was resolved when she and her owner returned to their home even if it was just a quick phone call update.
August 8, 2024
First of all, what gorgeous colouration on that mare! And she has such a sweet personality too. I love the storyline about her and how it wraps up.
The other major thread is Sam struggling with whether to sell Ace for the money to replace the truck, which has broken down for the last time. This series has long shown how tight money can be for ranchers, so it's a critical dilemma. It's beyond lucky how this gets resolved, but I love the affirmation that Ace is staying for good. Love that clever little gelding.
The other major thread is Sam struggling with whether to sell Ace for the money to replace the truck, which has broken down for the last time. This series has long shown how tight money can be for ranchers, so it's a critical dilemma. It's beyond lucky how this gets resolved, but I love the affirmation that Ace is staying for good. Love that clever little gelding.
May 9, 2017
Another great book in the Phantom Stallion series!
October 1, 2024
3.5 stars
This is the prettiest cover of them all! (Dawn Runner is a close second)
Sam has a very hard decision to make. Does she do the grow-up thing that helps the family even though it will break her heart or be selfish and keep her horse? In the midst of this, she and Jen discover a horse in the wold who is clearly not wild. A rodeo is in town too, so there are all kinds of things going on. Sam learns a bunch more grown-up lessons.
This is the prettiest cover of them all! (Dawn Runner is a close second)
Sam has a very hard decision to make. Does she do the grow-up thing that helps the family even though it will break her heart or be selfish and keep her horse? In the midst of this, she and Jen discover a horse in the wold who is clearly not wild. A rodeo is in town too, so there are all kinds of things going on. Sam learns a bunch more grown-up lessons.
February 7, 2017
Well it was an wonderful book, I love horses and adventure so these books by Terri Farley are perfect for me. I love all horse books but these ones are AMAZING!!!
Read
January 29, 2008pretty good
June 16, 2008
Good to pass time. Can be interesting/exciting-but def. for horse freaks!
December 14, 2012
This is one of the few Phantom Stallion books I did not read as a child. So it was pretty exciting reading this one. I loved it!
April 19, 2014
was mysterious and awesome.
July 9, 2014
Tho book is cool read it if you like horses.
November 30, 2014
A great series for the young horse-lover! I read the whole series as a kid and each book keeps you interested and racing for the next!
September 25, 2010
See the first book in the series for a full review.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 18 reviews