I LOVE reading and I LOVE books. I have even created my own personal library in my home. Complete with floor to ceiling bookcases and big comfy reading chair. Since my son was born and I started this blog I have not had much time for reading. I really miss it. So when I received the opportunity to do a book review of the novel Blaze of Glory I was super excited because it meant I HAD to make time to read.
{My Book Synopsis}
Blaze of Glory is written by fellow Canadian and Quebec mom, M. Garzon.The book is set in Ontario Canada on a ranch owned by the main character's step-father. Tea is a teenage girl with a love of horses and a rebellious nature that often gets her into trouble with her strict stepfather. She is talented in the horse jumping ring and has big dreams until they are tragically cut short. Jaden enters the picture as a protective older step-cousin. Jaden and Tea's relationship is stormy and forbidden. They try to deny their growing feelings until they have no choice but to relent. (Meant for ages 14+).
{Read the First 10 Pages}
{My Review}
I absolutely LOVED this book. The characters are very well written and complex. They have subtleties to them that are not always evident in young adult novels. You can see yourself in Tea's shoes and you can understand why she does what she does, no matter the consequences. She provides a strong independent character that teenage girls can look up to.
Jaden is more than just the sexy male lead, he has great depth and morals. He is so easy to fall in love with that you can definitely understand why Tea is having such a hard time trying to stay away.
Any teenage girl would love this book, that I am absolutely sure. What surprised me was the fact that as a married woman and mother, I was just as enthralled as any teenager. During one of the juicer scenes I actually caught myself with my nose almost pressed up to the computer screen!
Speaking of computer screen, I received this book as a PDF file and I was kind of worried that I wouldn't be able to get into it the same as I would a paperback. I had never read an electronic novel before this. Once I started reading however I was completely captivated right off the bat. I did not even notice the computer screen until I found my nose almost touching it. ; ) This ebook has actually made me want to get an eReader because now I know I can get lost into an electronic book just as easily as a paperback. It is the quality of the story not the format that is important.
I think it is important to note if you are interested in this book for your daughters that there are sex scenes in this novel. They are not explicit or many but they are evident and detailed in some respects. The sex is between unmarried young adults (aged 17+). As an adult I thought these passionate scenes really added to the story. I am sure there are more conservative parents out there though that may not want their younger teens reading this story, so I would recommend ages 15-16 and up. The best thing would be for you to buy the book and read it yourself first. I'm sure any adult woman would love it. Then you can decide if you are comfortable letting your daughter read it after you.
The only somewhat negative thing that I could find with this book is the cover. It is beautiful and artistic but my first impression was that it looked like a book for children. The young cover model reminded me of my 11 year old niece and I thought that she would have been more interested in this book than me. Which is not the case at all, my niece is too young for Blaze of Glory and I absolutely loved it. It is definitely NOT a children's book. This just proves the old adage: "Don't judge a book by its cover." I personally prefer books that have abstract covers which do not showcase people because I don't like to have an image in my mind before reading the story.
To me, Blaze of Glory, it is not just a "horse" book, it is a wonderful, romantic, intriguing story taking place in a horse setting. You do not need to know anything about horses to enjoy this book. I know next to nothing about the horse competition world and it did not affect my enjoyment one bit. All of the horse references are clearly explained and intertwined seamlessly throughout the book.
{Conclusions}
{Buy It}
Blaze of Glory by M. Garzon
Stay tuned for the sequel Renaissance Man coming soon.
{Connect with the Author}
M. Garzon on Facebook
M. Garzon on Twitter
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{Disclosure}
I was given an electronic version of this book to review free of charge. All opinions expressed are my own and truthful. I will not be compensated for any sale of this book. Full Disclosure Policy.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
Excellent Review! Sounds like a great book and one that I would love to read and then pass on if appropriate :o) Thank you for doing this.
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