Heartland

After the Storm (Heartland #2)

Amy Fleming is a talented young rider and horse trainer whose mother recently died while trying to rescue an abandoned stallion. Amy's mom was a famous horse trainer who founded Heartland, a horse-training center for abused, neglected, and problem horses. In the weeks following her mother's death, Amy, her older sister Lou, and their grandpa try to cope with the sudden loss of the woman who was the heart of Heartland, but they're overwhelmed by the pressures of running the horse farm while dealing with their grief. Fifteen-year-old Amy focuses on training Spartan, the horse she and her mom were trying to rescue, and achieves spectacular results as he turns out to be a talented jumper. Lou tries to take over the business side of the farm, but Amy fights every change she tries to make, even though Heartland needs Lou's guidance and business sense to survive. Over the course of the summer, Amy and Lou learn to respect each other's talents and contributions, and they strike a new balance that will enable Heartland to continue its work of "healing horses, healing hearts."

Horse lovers who liked the movie The Horse Whisperer will appreciate the descriptions of training methods and alternative therapies used at Heartland. Young readers who enjoy the Saddle Club, Pine Hollow, and Thoroughbred series of horse stories will also like the Heartland series, which began with Coming Home. (Ages 8 to 12) --Marcie Bovetz

Although Amy is helping out with the horses at Heartland again, she still feels guilty about her mother's death. To make matters worse, she is trying to care for Spartan, the horse she and her mother rescued before the accident. For Amy, Spartan is an everyday reminder of the wreck. And Amy is a reminder for Spartan as well. Finally, Amy realizes that Spartan will never forgive her until she forgives herself.

Every New Day (Heartland #9)

Amy is only 15, but she inherited countless responsibilities when her mother died. Most of all, she is expected to fill her mother's role as the horse healer at Heartland. Amy is talented, but still a novice. She can't admit that she needs time to grow and understand. When she can't cure Mercury, and she and Ty argue about his treatment she decides to visit a Native American horseman who knew her mother. Amy takes Mercury to the mountain-top stable searching for answers, but she ultimately learns that she can't always chase down solutions. Sometimes she has to wait for them to find her.

Coming Home (Heartland #1)

Heartland is a horse farm with the special mission of healing abused or neglected horses and finding them new homes. Fifteen-year-old Amy works alongside her talented mother, a gifted horse trainer who uses techniques similar to those of the trainer in The Horse Whisperer. While rescuing an abandoned stallion in a thunderstorm, Amy's mother is killed when a falling tree hits their car, and everything at Heartland--and everything in Amy's life--is thrown into turmoil. Amy's older sister, Lou, leaves her job to come to Heartland to help, and Amy begins to cope with the new circumstances of her life, relying on her work with her beloved horses to help her face the future without her mom.

Fans of the Saddle Club, Pine Hollow, and Thoroughbred series of horse novels will enjoy this sensitively told story that combines lots of authentic horse-farm details with Amy's challenges in dealing with her bossy older sister and her mom's sudden death. The story of Heartland is continued in After the Storm. (Ages 8 to 12) --Marcie Bovetz

The daughter of a respected horse healer, 14 year-old Amy has a powerful connection with horses. With her mother's help, she is developing her skills as a horse whisperer while tending to the animals at Heartland, a refuge for horses that have been emotionally or physically traumatized. But when her mother is killed in a tragic trailer accident, Amy realizes she will never see her world the same way again.

Breaking Free (Heartland #3)

Heartland is a horse farm nestled in the hills of Virginia, but it's much more than that. Heartland is like no other place - it's a place where scars of the past can be healed, where frightened and abused horses can learn to trust again. Pegasus is all Amy has left of her past, but he's steadily growing weaker. Amy's trying to care for him and hold Heartland together. She's trying to do just what her mother would have done, but everything is beginning to unravel. It will take all Amy's courage to let go of her mother's legacy, but it is the only way she will break free.

Tomorrow's Promise (Heartland, Book 10)

When Amy meets Daniel, she is stunned by his defensive nature. She can't figure out how someone with so much love for his horse could be so cold to everyone else. But as Amy gets to know Daniel, she begins to understand him. She respects that he won't give in to the pageantry of the elite show circuit - and that he doesn't care what others say about his horse. Daniel rides Amber like it's the two of them against the world. And Amy wants to do everything she can to help them conquer it.

Sooner or Later (Heartland #12)

Amy's dreams have come true. She is still caring for damaged horses like her mom, and now she's showing in high-level jumping competitions like her dad. It's all possible because of Storm, the talented dapple gray thoroughbred that was a gift from her father. But having it all can take a lot out of you, and Amy is realizing that she can't keep up with her work at Heartland and dedicate herself to the show world. Storm needs more attention, and so do the other horses. Sooner or later, she'll have to make a choice.

Out of the Darkness (Heartland #7)

Amy is enlisted to help Prince, a former champion racehorse, recover from devastating burns caused by a stable fire. While Prince¹s physical wounds are obvious, his emotional state is more scarred and even harder to treat. When Amy learns that Prince¹s groom was also injured in the fire, she believes he might be the key to the horse¹s recovery.

Taking Chances (Heartland #4)

Amy¹s life has drastically changed. She¹s found herself taking on the huge responsibility of running Heartland, the horse refuge that was her mother¹s life work. The one constant for Amy has been her friendship with Ty, Heartland¹s 17-year-old stable hand. But the arrival of a new hand, Ben, throws everything off balance. By the time Amy realizes she¹s taken Ty for granted, it could be too late.

One Day You'll Know (Heartland #6)

Amy's grandfather has been hospitalized with a case of pneumonia, and her sister, Lou, has left for England on a mission to track down their estranged father. Independent as ever, Amy takes on the responsibility of maintaining Heartland with her usual dedication. But as the hours and stress begin to wear on her, she realizes she can¹t deal with it all alone. This is book number six in the HEARTLAND series.

Thicker Than Water (Heartland #8)

Amy¹s father is scheduled to visit Heartland. Any hasn¹t seen him since he abruptly left the family following his debilitating accident. Eleven years and countless tragedies later, Amy doesn¹t know how she feels about him. But his arrival affects Amy in a way she had not anticipated when she sees so much of who she is in him. And when she watches him work with horses, she realizes that what they share goes beyond blood.