10 books like The Lady

By Anne McCaffrey,

Here are 10 books that authors have personally recommended if you like The Lady. Shepherd is a community of 8,000+ authors sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Comet in Summer

By Grace Wilkinson,

Book cover of Comet in Summer

Genevieve Mckay Author Of Defining Gravity

From the list on about horse actually written by horse people.

Who am I?

In addition to being a writer, I am an avid horse-person who has been obsessed with these amazing creatures my entire life. I was a pretty feral child so I spent my teen years riding bareback around the countryside, daydreaming about going to the Olympics or thwarting horse thieves or discovering a herd of Unicorns…the usual. I’ve worked at many barns, taken internships, volunteered, and have been lucky enough to own a few horses of my own over the years. The horse books I’m drawn to always have realistic protagonists who are also kind, empathic, and who understand how special and magical these animals are.  

Genevieve's book list on about horse actually written by horse people

Discover why each book is one of Genevieve's favorite books.

Why did Genevieve love this book?

This book is a great summer read. The relationship between young eventer Rio and her project horse is really special and the author does a good job of introducing us to this fun, quirky family, their many pets, and their dilapidated country house. The descriptions of the French countryside and the differences in how horses are cared for in France were really interesting. It is a fun, captivating read.

Comet in Summer

By Grace Wilkinson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Comet in Summer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The moment Rio sees the skinny black gelding standing in the local meat man’s field, she resolves to save him. Gentle and exceptionally bred, Comet is the kind of horse Rio has always dreamed of owning - a horse to take on hacks through the vines, ride bareback at sunset, and maybe even compete in an event or two. Comet seems too good to be true, and Rio soon suspects that his past involved more than standing around in a field… But Rio has more to worry about than Comet. With five sisters to deal with - including Clemmie the…


Working Trot

By Jessie Haas,

Book cover of Working Trot

Genevieve Mckay Author Of Defining Gravity

From the list on about horse actually written by horse people.

Who am I?

In addition to being a writer, I am an avid horse-person who has been obsessed with these amazing creatures my entire life. I was a pretty feral child so I spent my teen years riding bareback around the countryside, daydreaming about going to the Olympics or thwarting horse thieves or discovering a herd of Unicorns…the usual. I’ve worked at many barns, taken internships, volunteered, and have been lucky enough to own a few horses of my own over the years. The horse books I’m drawn to always have realistic protagonists who are also kind, empathic, and who understand how special and magical these animals are.  

Genevieve's book list on about horse actually written by horse people

Discover why each book is one of Genevieve's favorite books.

Why did Genevieve love this book?

This is a great novel about a young man who is deciding if he wants to dedicate the rest of his life to training dressage horses. He interns with his cousins who are professional horse trainers and gets a crash course in classical dressage. It follows the real triumphs and struggles of working with horses for a living as well as his personal journey to become a better rider and a stronger person. 

Working Trot

By Jessie Haas,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Working Trot as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

James MacLiesh shocks his conventional parents when he chooses to work with horses instead of going to college—can he make it happen?

Bucking his parents—and tradition—seventeen-year-old James MacLiesh decides he wants to be a horse trainer. When he arrives at his cousins’ farm, James enters a world completely different from that of his privileged, boarding-school upbringing. Not quite prepared for the rambling, ramshackle old house, he knows he made the right decision the minute he goes into the barn. The horses are magnificent. Ghazal, an obedient if aloof white stallion, is to be James’s first training project. But first, James…


The Dressage Chronicles

By Karen McGoldrick,

Book cover of The Dressage Chronicles

Genevieve Mckay Author Of Defining Gravity

From the list on about horse actually written by horse people.

Who am I?

In addition to being a writer, I am an avid horse-person who has been obsessed with these amazing creatures my entire life. I was a pretty feral child so I spent my teen years riding bareback around the countryside, daydreaming about going to the Olympics or thwarting horse thieves or discovering a herd of Unicorns…the usual. I’ve worked at many barns, taken internships, volunteered, and have been lucky enough to own a few horses of my own over the years. The horse books I’m drawn to always have realistic protagonists who are also kind, empathic, and who understand how special and magical these animals are.  

Genevieve's book list on about horse actually written by horse people

Discover why each book is one of Genevieve's favorite books.

Why did Genevieve love this book?

This true-to-life series follows dressage rider, Lizzy, who gives up her job, her boyfriend, and her whole life in order to become a working student with a top trainer. It has a great cast of authentic characters, both humans and horses, and the training parts are spot on. A very enjoyable series.

The Dressage Chronicles

By Karen McGoldrick,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Dressage Chronicles as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

You know what happens to all those girls who are just crazy about horses?
Once they discover boys, the horses are history.
Or maybe not.
For Lizzy, and others like her, no boy, no man who knows what’s good for him, speaks the unspeakable.
“It’s me or the horse.”
It’s no contest.
And so Lizzy snips the threads that hold her, however tenuously, to a conventional life, and begins her journey into the world of horse sports.
She signs on as a working student for dressage superstar Margot Fanning, heading to south Florida with her six year old mare, for…


The Stake Night

By Susan Archer,

Book cover of The Stake Night

Genevieve Mckay Author Of Defining Gravity

From the list on about horse actually written by horse people.

Who am I?

In addition to being a writer, I am an avid horse-person who has been obsessed with these amazing creatures my entire life. I was a pretty feral child so I spent my teen years riding bareback around the countryside, daydreaming about going to the Olympics or thwarting horse thieves or discovering a herd of Unicorns…the usual. I’ve worked at many barns, taken internships, volunteered, and have been lucky enough to own a few horses of my own over the years. The horse books I’m drawn to always have realistic protagonists who are also kind, empathic, and who understand how special and magical these animals are.  

Genevieve's book list on about horse actually written by horse people

Discover why each book is one of Genevieve's favorite books.

Why did Genevieve love this book?

This whole series is so interesting. It follows the interconnected lives of top trainers and the (mostly wealthy) riders who show upper-level Saddlebreds. This is a world I’d known absolutely nothing about before. So, reading this series was fascinating and eye-opening. It’s like getting a glimpse of a completely different, and sometimes over-the-top, world. The author knows her subject so well that it’s like being transported to those high-stakes shows.

The Stake Night

By Susan Archer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Stake Night as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Stake Night is the story of a single year in the glamorous and competitive world of show horses, where the rewards are large and so are the lengths to which people will go to win. For the owners, it is about wielding power through money in their quest to proudly hold the prestigious World Championship trophy. For the riders, it is about demonstrating technical skill and nerve by out-riding their competitors and maneuvering their horse in the frenetic ring so the judges notice it. For the trainers, it is about finding the key that makes your horse out-perform others that…


Magic's Pawn

By Mercedes Lackey,

Book cover of Magic's Pawn

Kit Caelsto Author Of The Pegasus Project: A Musimagium Story

From the list on fantasy for horse lovers.

Who am I?

“Horse Crazy” isn’t a description; it’s a way of life for me. I’ve loved horses since I could remember, selling Girl Scout cookies to finance my way through three years of horse camp, working weekends cleaning stalls, even pursing a degree in Equine Science. Discovering fantasy books with magical, sentient horses not only introduced me to fantasy fiction, but also just made my own experience with horses seem real. Currently, I write equestrian fantasy as well as equestrian literature (horse books for those who chose not to grow out of being horse crazy” and live on my homestead with my herd of rescue horses, who inspire me every day.

Kit's book list on fantasy for horse lovers

Discover why each book is one of Kit's favorite books.

Why did Kit love this book?

It’s the early 1990s, and a “horse crazy” teenager discovers a fantasy novel with a striking white horse and a handsome, dark-haired young man on the cover at her local K-Mart. Okay, so I’ve dated myself, but I’m not going to lie. A horse and a cute boy got me into reading Mercedes Lackey’s tales of Valdemar, and Magic’s Pawn was the first book I discovered. A fantasy novel with a horse that could talk to you and magic powers was the perfect escape for a teenager, and I’m not alone. Many readers discovered Valdemar, and more importantly, a gay protagonist, through these books, and Mercedes Lackey’s work has touched us all in the decades since.

Keep the tissues handy, but this series remains one of my favorite comfort reads. Reading any Valdemar book is like coming home to old, dear friends, and Vanyel’s story sets the stage for so…

Magic's Pawn

By Mercedes Lackey,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Magic's Pawn as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Groundbreaking epic fantasy series in Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar universe • Lambda-Award winning novels with heartfelt high adventure and magic  
 
Though Vanyel has been born with near-legendary abilities to work both Herald and Mage magic, he wasn’t no part in such things. Nor does he seek a warrior’s path, wishing instead to become a Bard.
 
Yet such talent as his, if left untrained, may prove a menace not only to Vanyel but to others as well. So he is sent to be fostered with his aunt, Savil, one of the fame Herald-Mages of Valdemar.
 
But, strong-willed and self-centered, Vanyel is a…


Virtual Mode

By Piers Anthony,

Book cover of Virtual Mode

Kit Caelsto Author Of The Pegasus Project: A Musimagium Story

From the list on fantasy for horse lovers.

Who am I?

“Horse Crazy” isn’t a description; it’s a way of life for me. I’ve loved horses since I could remember, selling Girl Scout cookies to finance my way through three years of horse camp, working weekends cleaning stalls, even pursing a degree in Equine Science. Discovering fantasy books with magical, sentient horses not only introduced me to fantasy fiction, but also just made my own experience with horses seem real. Currently, I write equestrian fantasy as well as equestrian literature (horse books for those who chose not to grow out of being horse crazy” and live on my homestead with my herd of rescue horses, who inspire me every day.

Kit's book list on fantasy for horse lovers

Discover why each book is one of Kit's favorite books.

Why did Kit love this book?

Having enjoyed Piers Anthony’s Incarnations of Immortality series, and again finding a horse on the cover, I remember picking up this story at Waldenbooks. (Oh look, I’ve dated myself again!). In this case, the book requires a content warning for mental health issues and self-harm, but the heroine struck a note with me, and when she befriends a telepathic horse and goes on adventures, I was hooked. 

Virtual Mode

By Piers Anthony,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Virtual Mode as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Romance, danger, adventure, and intrigue intertwine as fourteen-year-old Colene and Darius, a stranger who dresses oddly and speaks an unfamiliar language, travel through alternate realities where anything is possible


The Mountain's Call

By Caitlin Brennan,

Book cover of The Mountain's Call

Kit Caelsto Author Of The Pegasus Project: A Musimagium Story

From the list on fantasy for horse lovers.

Who am I?

“Horse Crazy” isn’t a description; it’s a way of life for me. I’ve loved horses since I could remember, selling Girl Scout cookies to finance my way through three years of horse camp, working weekends cleaning stalls, even pursing a degree in Equine Science. Discovering fantasy books with magical, sentient horses not only introduced me to fantasy fiction, but also just made my own experience with horses seem real. Currently, I write equestrian fantasy as well as equestrian literature (horse books for those who chose not to grow out of being horse crazy” and live on my homestead with my herd of rescue horses, who inspire me every day.

Kit's book list on fantasy for horse lovers

Discover why each book is one of Kit's favorite books.

Why did Kit love this book?

The author of this book is a horsewoman herselfI follow her on social media just for her horse stories—and it shows in this volume. Where white horses are gods and a girl dresses as a boy as she is called to serve them, this book introduces a lush world with a rich depth of character and mythology. It’s always refreshing to read horses in fantasy written by someone with equestrian knowledge, and this book doesn’t disappoint.

The Mountain's Call

By Caitlin Brennan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Mountain's Call as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Mountain's Call by Caitlin Brennan released on Aug 25, 2004 is available now for purchase.


By the Sword

By Mercedes Lackey,

Book cover of By the Sword

Kit Caelsto Author Of The Pegasus Project: A Musimagium Story

From the list on fantasy for horse lovers.

Who am I?

“Horse Crazy” isn’t a description; it’s a way of life for me. I’ve loved horses since I could remember, selling Girl Scout cookies to finance my way through three years of horse camp, working weekends cleaning stalls, even pursing a degree in Equine Science. Discovering fantasy books with magical, sentient horses not only introduced me to fantasy fiction, but also just made my own experience with horses seem real. Currently, I write equestrian fantasy as well as equestrian literature (horse books for those who chose not to grow out of being horse crazy” and live on my homestead with my herd of rescue horses, who inspire me every day.

Kit's book list on fantasy for horse lovers

Discover why each book is one of Kit's favorite books.

Why did Kit love this book?

If Magic’s Pawn introduced me to Valdemar, then By the Sword, based on the ballad Kerowyn’s Ride, stole my heart forever. This is a standalone book in the world of Valdemar, and Kero spoke so much to me as a tomboy that it instantly became my favorite Mercedes Lackey book. If you don’t want to start out with a trilogy, and yet want a taste of Ms. Lackey’s writings, then By the Sword is a great place to start.

By the Sword

By Mercedes Lackey,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked By the Sword as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. When an attack on her home leaves her father slain, her brother wounded, and her brother's fiancee kidnapped, Kerowyn prepares to face the enemy who has shattered her family's dreams.


Through the Barricades

By Denise Deegan, Aimee Alexander,

Book cover of Through the Barricades

Mahrie G. Reid Author Of The Left-Behind Bride

From the list on women who are unconventional, gutsy survivors.

Who am I?

In the 50s I was a shy minister’s daughter in small-town Canada. Friends, life skills, coping skills, and career skills were in short supply. My refuge came in books where I found sisterhood, ordinary courage, and life skills. I learned my skills from the heroines who faced trials, solved mysteries, and never gave up. I gravitate to women who persevere, risk, and make their way in life against all odds. Several careers, a family, and decades later these story elements still inform and inspire me. They are what I read and what I write.

Mahrie's book list on women who are unconventional, gutsy survivors

Discover why each book is one of Mahrie's favorite books.

Why did Mahrie love this book?

I have a soft spot for women during times of war or adversity. This story spans the early years of the 1900s as Maggie lives her father’s legacy to “make a difference in the world.” She never gives in, or gives up, and contributes to the safety of those around her during the end of the Great War and troubles in Ireland. Setting is a big thing for me, and in this book the location, the surroundings, and the times evoked an understanding of Ireland and the Irish. As with the fictional characters I like most, Maggie is a person I’d love to have as a friend.

Through the Barricades

By Denise Deegan, Aimee Alexander,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Through the Barricades as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BOOKLIFE ‘BOOKS TO WATCH’

Her country overtaken by a foreign power, Maggie Gilligan signs up to fight for her people's freedom. Daniel Healy, in love with Maggie, joins the enemy - to try to save her.

Falling in love is never easy. At times of war, it's lethal.

Through the Barricades is a story of friends to lovers at a time of war, of two people who are prepared to die: Maggie for her country, Daniel for Maggie. Their conflicting duties put them on opposite sides. Will they and their love survive?

This friends-to-lovers story is inspired by…


One Night on the Island

By Josie Silver,

Book cover of One Night on the Island

L.E. Wagensveld Author Of Breaking Down

From the list on romance with “more”.

Who am I?

I’ve loved romance stories for as long as I can remember. When I was a child, we’d make the long drive to visit my grandma, and I would always sneak into her room, perusing the Harlequin romance books she was never without. As I grew older, I turned to novels with love stories to escape the hard times in my life. If I could rely on anything, it was that I would get a happy ending when I delved into those pages. When I began writing my own books, that feeling was what I became most passionate about giving to my readers. An escape from the everyday. The promise of a happy ending.

L.E.'s book list on romance with “more”

Discover why each book is one of L.E.'s favorite books.

Why did L.E. love this book?

I loved this book. It wasn’t just a romance. It was a love story for a place.

An ode to an age when women begin to learn their power. It was a love story about friends who become family and the people who touch us along the way.

I closed this book feeling so many emotions and have recommended it repeatedly to anyone who needs to lose themselves in a book. 

One Night on the Island

By Josie Silver,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked One Night on the Island as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Day in December . . . When a double-booking at a remote one-room cabin accidentally throws two solace seekers together, it feels like a cruel twist of fate. But what if it’s fate of a different kind?

“A perfectly executed and quintessential romantic comedy.”—Christina Lauren, author of The Unhoneymooners

Spending her thirtieth birthday alone is not what dating columnist Cleo Wilder wanted, but she plans a solo retreat―at the insistence of her boss―in the name of re-energizing herself and adding a new perspective to her column. The remote Irish island…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in romantic love, Ireland, and horses?

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