Christa’s Luck Book Tour and Review #TLCBookTours #ChristasLuck
Inspired by a real horse rescue, Christa’s Luck is a teen fiction novel about Christa’s love for an endangered herd of wild horses and how her special connection with them inspires her to look beyond her own unforgivable mistakes and try again. She rises up to become a horse advocate at fourteen, whose passion and heart move an entire town to take action.
"In Michael and Jennifer Grais’ YA novel, a 13-year-old’s fate intertwines with that of the legendary Lost Herd of wild mustangs that roam the canyons of Nevada. Christa Cassidy knows that she’s lucky. She lives with her parents and older sister on a small ranch in a beautiful part of the world; she has a grandmother who loves her; and she’s expecting a baby sister before the end of the summer. She even has her own horse named Lucky. But like any other teenager, she’s suspended between childhood and adulthood, unsure of her place in the world, at odds with her family, and uncomfortable with the way she looks, talks, acts, and feels. She’s really only at home when she’s sitting on a horse—particularly when she’s trying to track the Lost Herd through the canyons around her home. But when something horrible happens to Lucky, Christa’s world is upended, and things only get worse when it becomes clear that the Bureau of Land Management intends to round up the mustangs. With the help of a strong, troubled horse named Jenner, Christa is determined to figure out what’s going on. She soon finds that she must rein in her own passions as well as her horses, and that she won’t accomplish anything without friends and help." Kirkus Reviews
In the vein of The Horse Whisperer and the Black Stallion, Christa’s Luck is an epic adventure story of courage, friendship and freedom.
Praise "Michael Grais, the co-screenwriter of the 1982 film Poltergeist, and his wife, Jennifer, develop the plot handily, with a slow build toward a final, cinematic crisis in which Christa and her friends enact a daring rescue. ...[T]his is a satisfying YA novel—with a bold, visionary, and active young heroine, to boot. Highly recommended for young fans of horse-related fiction." --Kirkus Reviews
"I just finished reading Christa's Luck. All I can say is I haven't finished a book since Harry Potter that I wanted the author to hurry up with the second. I don't even know what Jennifer and Michael have planned but I sure hope their pens are moving right now. Well, for now I will just reread their great book." --Susan Pommer, Gold Medalist Grand Prix Dressage winner
"I instructed everyone to stay away as I read Christa's Luck. I was so emotional and drawn into the story. The book just keeps rolling and rolling and rolling and building on itself like waves. I totally loved it. I had a spring in my step for days thinking about it and I still miss that family. I can see it on the big screen too." --Jean Dillon, Plymouth, MN
"I was biting my fingers during the climax!" --Janet Hogue, Portland OR
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Decades ago, in my elementary school years, I read Misty of Chincoteague. I may not remember the story line exactly but the feeling of that book has stayed with me.
Christa's Luck is another book that is exciting to read, should be shared with children, younger siblings, and will be remembered for decades. The writing is excellent and captures the tone of a teenager perfectly.
While the main subject is protecting the wild mustangs in Nevada from being rounded up, their lifestyle and freedom taken away, there are other things going on worthy of sharing in a family read.
Relationships, sibling tensions, the circle of life. I admit at one point I was brought to tears.
Christa and her grandmother have a special relationship.
Christa's mother is dealing with health issues.
Her sister is boy crazy.
The organization that is supposed to be looking out for the best interests of the area and the horses is not doing the best it can.
All things mix well to keep the story moving and interesting.
Then there is Jenner who has his own challenges and brings complications to Christa's life; not to mention her impulsive nature. She may also be beginning to notice boys.
The writing perfectly captured the tone of a teenager.
The Lost Herd is a legendary myth until Christa (with help from beloved pony Lucky) discovers they are still nearby. With the help of her sister and a new friend, the three girls become heroes.
I received this book in exchange for a review but it has become a favorite.
I recommend it to any animal lovers and young readers of both genders.
While the main subject is protecting the wild mustangs in Nevada from being rounded up, their lifestyle and freedom taken away, there are other things going on worthy of sharing in a family read.
Relationships, sibling tensions, the circle of life. I admit at one point I was brought to tears.
Christa and her grandmother have a special relationship.
Christa's mother is dealing with health issues.
Her sister is boy crazy.
The organization that is supposed to be looking out for the best interests of the area and the horses is not doing the best it can.
All things mix well to keep the story moving and interesting.
Then there is Jenner who has his own challenges and brings complications to Christa's life; not to mention her impulsive nature. She may also be beginning to notice boys.
The writing perfectly captured the tone of a teenager.
The Lost Herd is a legendary myth until Christa (with help from beloved pony Lucky) discovers they are still nearby. With the help of her sister and a new friend, the three girls become heroes.
I received this book in exchange for a review but it has become a favorite.
I recommend it to any animal lovers and young readers of both genders.
About Jennifer Grais
Jennifer Grais is a singer-songwriter who recorded several albums in Los Angeles and Nashville and toured as Jackson Browne’s background singer. When she met Michael and they moved to the rural area of Topanga Canyon, CA, her childhood passion for horses was rekindled. She completed a year-long program of study with Linda Kohanov, best-selling author of “The Tao of Equus”, and “Riding Between the Worlds,” and began exploring a deeper relationship with horses. In December 2006, she was captivated by footage of a horse rescue that took place during a flood in the Netherlands at the hands of women riders. The drama of the rescue inspired the novel, “Christa’s Luck,” a young adult novel co-authored by Michael Grais. Research for the novel exposed Jennifer to the unfolding drama of the wild mustangs in the western United States and became the primary plot of the book. Read more about Jennifer and the inspirations behind Christa’s Luck.
This sounds like such a sweet story and it definitely reminds me of the Misty books which I loved.
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Thank you for reading Christa's Luck. Glad you enjoyed Christa's story and we enjoyed your review.
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