A Touch of Southern Grace : The Yonalossee Riding Camp For Girls

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

The Yonalossee Riding Camp For Girls

I am still slightly in disbelief that it snow somewhere around 10 inches in Nashville this past Friday. It really was such a beautiful sight to behold, snow was coming down in sheets at the crack of dawn Friday morning; it looked so magical I would not have been surprised if the Sugar Plum Fairy was dancing across my front yard.

In a post I wrote last week I mentioned that I was being hopeful that it would snow so I could sit in front of a crackling fire with a cup of hot chocolate {with extra whip cream, of course} and read a book – my wishful thinking came true! I finally read The Yonahlossee Riding Camp For Girls by Anton Disclafani. In truth this book had been on my ‘books to read list’ for quit some time, but I kept passing it over opting for either books that were getting a lot of hype, books by favorite authors, other book recommendations, etc. Well back in December I finally picked up a copy and it did not disappoint. I started reading this book {a 416 page book} the first day of the snow storm {Friday} and was finished by Sunday morning; needless to say The Yonahlossee Riding Camp For Girls is indeed a page turner.

Thea Atwell, a fifteen year old living in the 1930s during the midst of the Great Depression. Following a tragedy Thea’s family blames her, she is cast out of her Florida home and sent to an equestrienne boarding school for girls in North Caroline. Yonahlossee Riding Camp is located high in the Blue Ridge Mountains with a complex social structure order of its own. Yonahlossee structured system is much different from the free-roaming childhood Thea shared with her twin brother back in Florida. As Thea reflects and tries to come to terms with the events that unfolded back home in Florida, she finds herself in new order that will give her new perspective and change her sense of what is possible for her and her family.

TheYonahlossee Riding Camp For Girls has a powerful narrative that reveals the true reason for Thea being sent away. Thea soon learns how the decisions of her past play a roll in shaping her future and other decisions are simply viewed as a series of events. This is a book full of love, scandal, heartbreak, and family drama - a must read!