Review: Home Sweet Drama (Canterwood Crest series #8) by Jessica Burkhart

Title: Home Sweet Drama (Canterwood Crest Series #8)

Author: Jessica Burkhart

Release Date: April 6, 2010

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing (Aladdin)

Length: 240 pages

Format: ARC

Summary:

If the girls have learned anything, it's that only the strong survive at Canterwood Crest Academy. Just ask Jasmine.... Oh, whoops. You can't — she's back at Wellington Prep. Well, then, ask Heather Fox. After all, she's the lone Queen Bee left standing.

But Sasha Silver has more than proven that she's worthy competition on — and off — the arena. Is there a new queen in the making?

Review:

I am a horseback rider myself, and to find a series focusing in on the lives of other teenage riders, I was pretty excited. Since I first picked up the initial Canterwood Crest novel, Take the Reins, this series has been my comfort series despite targeting a younger crowd.

In Home Sweet Drama, the eighth installment, I was relieved to find that it was more focused on the main character’s, Sasha’s, riding since the last few books have leaned more towards her social life/drama. The increase of riding made me more interested in Sasha, and how she would handle it without being distracted. In previous books she had a hard time concentrating on her horse, Charm, because her thoughts would drift to her social life and comparing herself to other riders. But in this one, however, she gave Charm the attention he needed and therefore we have watched her mature as a rider throughout the series.

But while the amount of riding increased, the emphasis on her social life decreased, which was a major part of fueling the storyline. In comparison to other books, Home Sweet Drama was more predictable and low key. The amount of major events diminished, and while I appreciated the boost in Sasha’s riding life, I would have enjoyed some more twists and turns in her social life.

Grade: B