This book was so beautifully written and instantly draws you in. The language is poetic without being too wordy or "flowery." The story is compelling and moving. Definitely a page turner and worth the read! If you love fantasy or horses, be sure to check out this book; but even if you don't, you may just find yourself drawn in by the characters and story of Agalrae.
This is a beautifully written fantasy novel centered around horses. My daughter was given a copy to review for the HorseCrazyGirls website and she found the story compelling and well written. She reads and reviews a lot of equine themed books and says the qualify of the writing was very high. Great story, great writer. We both predict that horsecrazy girls are going to love it!
The Story
Lauren is about to lose her horse, Emblem. In an attempt to keep her animal, she pursues an escaped bright-red horse for a ten thousand dollar award. That’s when she disappears into Agalrae, another realm and faces Chase, another story.
My Thoughts
From the first pages, I enjoyed this book. It brought back memories of when I had a horse. Sydney crafted words that came alive on the pages, ones I could see myself back of a pony.
After the style of Narnia, Chase is a story of love, romance, and hate. Tension builds that keeps me reading; twists surprise that keeps me interested.
Each chapter has a different point of view, alternating with Lauren and Chase, giving the reader a wider perspective. It’s like a camera zooming in and zooming out for the best angle. As I read each chapter, I find myself looking forward to the next character to find out how they interpreted what just occurred.
“Chase” is full of phrases such as, “An ice storm stirs my belly,” and “my insides liquefied.” It’s creative writing in excellence. I enjoyed this book and look forward to other books by Sydney.
Sydney Scrogham started writing when she was 12. Her first book “series” developed as My Little Pony, Horse Angel, and Beanie Baby fan fiction. Sydney’s writing progressed, and during her teenage years, she had a long-distance suicidal friend. The story for CHASE birthed in that relationship.
“My friend was always asking, ‘How do you know that God is there and that He cares?’,” Sydney said. “I wanted to show her that God cared and wanted to romance her, not just have a relationship based on religious rules.”Sydney also used her love for horses to write CHASE, and the story wouldn’t have been possible without her horse named Blue. CHASE opens with a young girl named Lauren willing to do anything to keep her horse, Emblem. Lauren’s journey launches her through a portal to an alternate reality, much like Lucy stumbled through a wardrobe to find Narnia. Except this world is called Agalrae, based off of Skyline Drive scenery from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, and Alicorns inhabit the land.What is an Alicorn? It’s a combination of a pegasus and a unicorn. Sydney said, “The best part about the Alicorns is that they talk! What girl hasn’t wanted her horse to talk to her?”CHASE is a fast read with a plot for murder twisted into Lauren’s drive to keep her horse. It’s a gripping story perfect for a young audience and comes with a hint of innocent romance. Chase, the story’s namesake and hero, was raised by the Alicorns. In order for Lauren to communicate with him, she has to think like a horse.Sydney Scrogham is a recent graduate of Bridgewater College. She lives in Virginia and spends as much time as she can with her horse named Snowdy. Sydney is planning to release other novels in a series surrounding CHASE.
