Product Description
Welcome to Chestnut Hill, a prestigious boarding school with a rich tradition of academics, horses, and rivalry. This year, five girls from different backgrounds will challenge the Chestnut Hill stereotype. There's witty, spunky Dylan; secretive Malory; western tomboy Lani; Honey, the soft-spoken Brit; and polished New Yorker Razina. None is prepared for the social or riding rigors, and they all doubt they will fit in -- certainly not if queen bee Lynsey and her clique have any say. But if this unlikely fivesome can band together, they may prove themselves the true stars of Chestnut Hill.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 30 reviews)

NOT ENOUGH HORSES!

Personally, i've never read the Heartland books, but my friend tells me they are WAAAYY better than the Chestnut Hill ones. Well, i read this book and all i can really say is that it was so boring in some parts i almost stopped reading.
I like the fact that it isnt none-stop HORSES HORSES HORSES,and that it also talks alot about school, friends, homework and stuff like that--but i also think that it talked WAY TOO MUCH about homework, school and friends and WAY not enough about horses. I really wouldnt say that this is a book for a die-hard horse crazy girl (yes, it's DEFINETLY just for girls) but i will say that it is a good book. but it sometimes goes on boring chapters full of just classes and grades and gossip and all that.
The characters in the book lack reality, and all but one are spoiled and rich.
Here's a summary of what happens in the book:
Stylish, spoiled, rich Dylan Walsh comes to Chestnut Hill thinking it's going to be the best time of her life. she's looking forward to seeing her beloved pony and her aunt, the riding instructor of CH. She makes friends, and also makes an enimie with one of CH's most snootiest girls, by taking a stupid dare to jump her horse in the dark of night. She's also upset since she's not her aunt's shining star in the riding class. she thinks she should get special treatment for being family. Along with a few other small things that happen in this book, that's about all. So please, only read it if you are hard up for a book. It's really not worht the time.
June 12, 2007

Hated it

This book was terrible compared to Heartland. Dylan, the main character in the story, should have been suspended for stupidly taking a dare that two other rich girls gave her. The dare was to jump a course in the dark. Dylan could have injured her mount, badly. But she didn`t care. All she cared about was being the best jumper on the team. Dylan also expected special treatment from her aunt, who is a riding instructor at Chestnut Hill. But her aunt is too moody to pay attention to Dylan. To sum it up, this book is not really about horses. It is about fitting in. Heartland, however, is about listening to the horses. No one at Chestnut Hill really and truly listens to the horses.
February 23, 2007

Great for horse lovers of all ages

For Dylan Walsh, riding her favorite horse, Morello, on the equestrian team at Chestnut Hill would be a dream come true. But Dylan quickly learns that getting along with the other girls at the school is going to be complicated. She gets a quick lesson in humility, peer pressure, and the reality of putting pride before safety. Dylan also worries that her classmates my suspect favortism if they find out that her Aunt Ali is one of the riding instructors at the school. Knowing which friends she can trust, and how to be trusted herself, becomes a difficult balancing act for Dylan. This is a great coming-of-age story for horse lovers.

Chrissy K. McVay
author of 'Souls of the North Wind'
December 07, 2006

One of the Best Books Ever!

Chesnut Hill follows four (not five!) girls who are all different from eachother, yet have at least one thing in common: their love of horses and riding! Spunky,witty, and stylish Dylan Walsh is embarking on her first year at Chestnut Hill boarding school in VA. There she befriends Felicity "Honey" Harper, a quiet yet kind Brit, Malory O'Neil, the secretive girl who has a special connection to horses, and Lani Hernandez, a true cowgirl from CO who has a need for speed. CH seems promisisng, especially when Dylan, Honey, Malory, and Lani find out about the Jr. Jumping Team!

But during a secret dorm party one night, queen bee Lynsey Harrison and her clone, Patiecence Duvall, challenge Dylan to a dare that almost suspended her from CH! And now Mal and Dylan have gotten into a fight, to make matters worse.

This is a better series than Heartland, because Heartland is very dark and Chesnut Hill is more bright and is more about a different type of social class than Heartland. I tried reading Heartland when I was 8, but (personally) I thought the book was extremly depressing and didn't exactly tell about the thrill of riding, like CH does. Chesnut Hill is a great series to read!
November 26, 2006

Chestnut hill vs. Heartland

Chestnut hill is great but heartland is a little better. Heartland got more susppensful than chestnut hill and thats what i like in a book. It would be great if more heartland books came out and more chestnut hill ones too.
October 01, 2006

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