review: a very good chance

Everyone who knows me well knows how much i absolutely adore The Apple Tart of Hope. I was beyond excited to find out that Sarah Moore Fitzgerald had a new book coming out, and oh my god that cover is just way too gorgeous. Out of the two books(i still haven't read her first book – Back to Blackbrick – but i will soon), i still love The Apple Tart of Hope more but it's safe to say that i was not disappointed with A Very Good Chance. I'm rating this book 4.5 stars!

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Set in Dublin and Siena, with its dizzying, dare-devil Palio horse race, this is a story about taking chances, being brave and learning the best way to see the world. 
Some people step through a wardrobe to find adventure, but Minty follows the twisty-turny trees into Nettlebog. There she finds Ned Buckley - the moody, mysterious boy who never talks at school. As Minty's world disintegrates around her she searches for refuge in Nettlebog, and she discovers more about Ned: he's able to ride wild horses. And he knows things about the human race that will save her. 
Or there's a very good chance at least.

This book has a lot of focus on friendship – the kind that doesn't start off on the right foot but once given the chance, becomes powerful and inspiring. It's about family – about it falling apart and the consequences of it. It's also about horses, which i found to be random at first but i was touched and amazed with the relationship between horse and rider.

I absolutely love the writing. I thought that the plot was decent, but it didn't stand out as much as the writing. There were so many beautifully-constructed thoughts and sentences that made me want to write them on stick-it notes and paste them on my walls, tweet them to the world, and mark them with colourful tabs. Some captured how i felt about friendship and love, while others inspired me with hope about life and having the power to choose how you want to live it.

The writing does have a Middle Grade vibe to it, so I'd say its more MG than YA. It's very innocent and appropriate for anyone to read.

I can't say that i adore the characters much, but i really appreciated seeing development in the main character, Minty. I got a bit emotional reading about the family issues she had to face, and i was proud of how she learnt to stand up for herself when nobody wanted to listen or consider what she wanted.

All in all, i really enjoyed A Very Good Chance and would recommend it to everyone who loves Middle Grade books. It's short(around 180 pages), but wonderful. If you liked The Apple Tart of Hope, i think you'll like this too. Thank you Sarah Moore Fitzgerald for another beautiful book!