The Scorpio Races were good. I liked the idea and the events but it was way too slow. It didn't stat getting really good until halfway though the book. And I thought there were parts in the book where the Author just skipped over where they could have been better. Like romance scenes or important parts of the book. But the plot was ok and the events were great but some of them were too fast and could have been better. In some ways the author seemed as though she started this book with this great plot in mind then didn't want to do it anymore so she just rushed though it.

I must start off with the fact that overall I really loved the concept of this book and the way the author wrote it. Her idea of water horses is very unique, I loved how she didn't make them into a magical loveable creature that little girls fantasize about. Another great thing about this book is the lack of a love triangle. Finally someone wrote a book in a girls perspective where she isn't juggling all of these impossible romances and making very rash and stupid decisions. The only issue I have with the book is at the ending I find myself questioning the point of the races. However that aside I am throughly impressed with The Scorpio Races.

Stiefvater has once again done a marvelous job in creating a world that's enticing and exhilarating by inhabiting it with murderous fey horses and putting them alongside the lives of the characters in an epic race. This book blends fantasy, magic and romance for a high adventure race to the finish. The dual narration of the story between the two characters and the imagery the author uses enriches the reading experience by plunging readers right into the action. Everything leads up to an ending which will leave your heart pounding in your chest and absolutely nervous to see who will win… and who will fail. This book is a must read for fans of Stiefvater and anyone looking for a gripping tale of adventure.

Guys. GUYS. Words will not describe how much I loved this book (because, unlike Maggie Stiefvater, I'm not a lyrical genius)! The Scorpio Races is definitely one of the most beautiful and breathtaking and original novels I've ever read, and I can't believe I ever had any doubts! Maggie is such a talented writer, and she brings everything to life: the magical yet deadly water horses, the small yet beautiful island of Thisby, and just about everything else. The whole idea of the races was brilliant and perfectly executed. I didn't dislike one thing! And the characters — where do I even start?? The whole cast was awesome, but I just LOVED Kate (nicknamed Puck) with her short temper, attitude, and undeniable strength, and Sean was a man of few words but he definitely made my list of Boys I Wish Were Real! I also loved everything about the romance in this book. It wasn't the main focus at all — so unlike The Wolves of Mercy Falls series — but it was magical and realistic and beautiful and, in my opinion, just perfect! They didn't love each other instantaneously, and made it feel all the more real. Maggie made it so easy to see why these characters cared about each other. In short, The Scorpio Races is a MUST-READ book! Everything about it was brilliant and magical and beautiful. And the hopeful ending made it a perfect standalone, although I wouldn't complain at all if Maggie decided to make this a series! ;) BUY or BORROW?: You absolutely do not want to miss out on the opportunity to own this book! Buy it for sure!

I had the pleasure to meet Maggie Stiefvater this past summer at a book signing in London, Ontario for the last book in her Wolves of Mercy Falls series. The Scorpio Races had not yet been released, but by the way she hinted about this novel she was already making me believe that it might have been the best one she had written. I was right - it is! Puck and Sean live on an island where the deadly capall uisce, waterhorses, come ashore and wreak havoc on the land. In turn, the islanders attempt to catch and train these animals to race in the yearly Scorpio Races. Sean has raced for years and won, and Puck is racing to save her family. Their unlikely relationship sees them through treachery, terror and loss - and that's all before the race begins. This book had me hook, line and sinker from the first page. Filled with real characters and familiar heartache, Maggie's books continue to impress me in their manner and complexity. While written for teens, The Scorpio Races would be equally enjoyed by adults who read fantasy and/or paranormal fiction. I remain waiting ever impatiently for the next of Maggie's books!

Maggie Stiefvater is an amazing author! She writes like a literary goddess and she communicates with her fans in the friendliest of ways. Upon the release of her final novel in her "Wolves of Mercy Falls" series, Forever, I was extremely happy to attend her book signing at a local Indigo book store. She was wonderful, energetic, friendly and responsive. She also spoke of her upcoming novel, The Scorpio Races. Initially, upon reading the synopsis for The Scorpio Races, I noticed a significant resemblance between the premise of the story and the film "Hidalgo", starred by one of my favorite actors Viggo Mortensen. Not the entire idea behind the dialogue of course, but the initial mention of a long running horse race where the riders have a great chance of perishing seemed to ring a bell with the connection. Was I sold? Not immediately, but the great enjoyment I received from reading her "Wolves of Mercy Falls" series did play a big part in whether or not I would pick it up. Detailed And Unique Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races is told in two alternating point of views; that of both Sean and Puck. For the most part, I lacked very little confusion as I typically do in novels with more then one perspective. Maggie Stiefvater did a wonderful job distinguishing both characters from one another very well. Sean and Puck were two characters I varied on admiring. Sean was very closed off, whereas Puck was far more open and honest. Additionally, I found myself enjoying their relationship quite a bit, it wonderfully resembled something realistic and true. Something I enjoyed greatly from The Scorpio Races' dialogue was it's aspect of the "Capaill Uisce", roughly translated to "Water Horse". It really struck me as an interesting and unique thing to write about. I mean, come on now, man eating and ferocious horses?! That's genius in my opinion. Despite that, though, I found myself a little too overwhelmed with the detail Maggie dished out. It appeared to be the main focus throughout most the novel, and took my attention away from the story more then once. That and The Scorpio Races' slow pace had me, at times, loosing my patience quite quickly. Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races was unique, interesting, exciting and wondrous - a novel about ferocious water horses being put against each other in a race that could mean both life and death for it's riders.

I'm having a hard time with this book. At the beginning I couldn't get over that fact that there were horses (water horses) that were so violent they ate people. I tried to accept this fact and continued reading and was surprised at how good the story actually was. It is definitely a unique story, a story about a boy and a girl and a story about a boy and a horse. While I really enjoyed the novel I'm not quite sure who I would recommend it to.

For a long while now, I've been stumbling to formulate words that could possibly describe Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races. Every time I began to write a sentence, I would immediately delete everything and start over from scratch. But I've come to the realization that no matter how hard I try to rearrange my words, I'm sure I will still fail to capture what an extraordinary novel Maggie Stiefvater has crafted in her first standalone novel. There's a certain elegance to Maggie Stiefvater's prose which is truly her own style. Her words flow so seamlessly that you barely notice the pages eagerly turned as the story progresses. And in The Scorpio Races, she sweeps you away into a world that's at once enticing and exhilarating... but also frighteningly dangerous and cold at the same time. I was utterly fascinated by the capaill uisce, these ferocious water horses who were drawn to the Scorpio Sea in mysterious and magical ways. They’re incredibly deadly and wild creatures, and while they continue to be drawn to land as November approaches, they’re still only a heartbeat away from being beckoned back to the turbulent waters whence they came from. I would have thought the actual Scorpio Races would have been longer, but really, Maggie Stiefvater emphasizes the challenges which both Puck and Sean needed to face in order to even make it race day. They both enter the races for very different reasons, but in the end, their goals are the same: freedom. Puck was courageous and brave to stand up for her family, and no matter how unfair life had been to her, she pulled herself together when it counted and carried on. Sean’s strong, quiet demeanour may have hid his sweet heart… but it was his love for riding with Corr, his capall uisce, which had my heart completely reaching out to him. The relationship that unfolds between Puck and Sean builds with a slow-burning intensity, but showcased how they were such a well-matched pair... You'll be hard-pressed to find another novel as original and beautifully written as Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races. Everything leads up to an ending which will leave your heart pounding in your chest and absolutely nervous to see who will win… and who will fail. Even if you’re not a fan of horses in novels, I’m quite sure it won’t stop you from absolutely enjoying The Scorpio Races! You can also read this review at: http://midnightbloomreads.blogspot.com/2011/11/scorpio-races-by-maggie-stiefvater.html

Maggie Steifvater posted an entry in her livejournal a few weeks ago that completely moved me. It was about one of the things she hoped readers would takeaway from her books. "Be the Hero in Your Own Life" I printed it out and posted it on my bulletin board in a place where I could see it everyday. http://m-stiefvater.livejournal.com/212810.html While I was reading The Scorpio Races, those words repeated over and over through the characters of Sean and Puck. Both enter the races for seemingly different reasons, but really both are entering to win their freedom. I loved Sean Kendrick, his rough exterior masking his love for Corr. Puck (Kate) was my favourite. Strong, courageous, she fought to save herself and her brothers. Water Horse Mythology was new to me, but I found the thought of these powerful and ruthless animals terrifying and fascinating. The writing was incredible. There is a depth, tone and style to Maggie's writing that stands out, and I think I could pick out her writing anywhere. Vivid and dark she gets to the heart of the matter often pulling out my heart in the process. But her words are beautiful and I felt like I was riding along side Dove and Puck smelling the salt in the air and having the wind rip through me. Highly recommended. www.lostinthelibrary.com

The Scorpio Races is one of those books that kept me longing to have in my hands since I first read the summary. The promising world of Horses, the animal I most love and that fills my childhood memories, invaded my thoughts making this wait almost unbearable. Then, the day my own copy arrived to my door was a relief and excitement. I finally got to see this book between my hands and when I opened the cover and flipped to the first page, The Scorpio Races radiated its own glow towards my face. A world of wonders was being revealed right in from of my eyes. She draws back and looks into my face. I have not moved, and she barely has, but the world feels strange beneath me. "Tell me what to wish for" I say. "Tell me what to ask the sea for". "To be happy. Happiness" p.360 How can I do this book justice? How can I possible express the beauty of its content? Even the most eloquent person would have a hard time trying to do it. So, I'll do my best, even though I know it won't be enough. The dual narration of the story is one of the things that, for me, enriched my reading experience. I loved being in Puck and Sean's head. I loved to see their world through their eyes and most important, I loved to feel all the love they have in them. Their love for horses, their love for family and the love for each other. I It was absolutely heartwarming. Regardless Puck and Sean's live difficult circumstances, I love and highly value the hours I spent with them, as them.The reflective and touching thinking of our two main characters, Puck and Sean, made me often stop between paragraphs to think about their lives... and my own. Also, their motivation and struggles for wining the Race kept cracking my heart and I wished, there were two first places for them win. Stiefvater's imagery excels in The Scorpio Races and, hours after turning the last page, I still feel everything so vivid! I can still see and feel the Island, the sky, the sea and the horses. All of them. Maggie Stiefvater does it in such beautiful and brilliant way that I would never tired myself of reading this book over and over again. There are so many things I love about this book. I specially love the Man/Beast relationship and the love these two express to each other. Puck and her horse Dove, Sean and his horse Corr. This was, indeed, one of the most beautiful and moving things The Scorpio Races provided me along with an ending that made me shed countless silent tears. Sometimes, some tiny little things have the greatest meaning. The Scorpio Races has little details here and there that, at the end, they connect to each other becoming touching moments with beautiful and gratifying messages. I love it! and I love it so much that I would like to say a lot more about it. I would like to tell you everything about it! This was one of the most beautiful and touching stories of the year and it will still be, for sure, in the next years to come. I Think, The Scorpio Races is like Ravel's Bolero of Young-Adult literature. In fact, the quiet and detailed growing of the story, gently and wonderfully, nourished the crescendo in this experience that completely overpowered me and guided to reach reach the finish line. My reward?...an explosion of emotions! This prize can also be yours...go and race, go and read it!