Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In the chariot races of Rome, it is only male riders who are accepted into the games. Female riders are forbidden. Dido, a twelve-year old girl, is determined to break this tradition. She has even discovered a wild horse she longs to train and race to become the best rider in all of Rome. One day, anyway.

For now, she has to be satisfied with helping her father – the trainer of Rome’s most popular racing team – instead and watch others attempt to reach her dream. But one day, her family home is threatened and she is forced to flee leaving behind her beloved horse, Porcellus, and her dreams.

Just when she thinks she’s out of danger she discovers her life is threatened by the most powerful enemy she can have. The new emperor of Rome: Caligula.

Set in historical Rome, this is an action-packed adventure that will take you on a ride. Dido is a feisty and determined girl who wants to make her mark on the world of racing. She fights for what she wants, even if it means going a different route to the easy one. She wants revenge, to overcome challenges and to prove that girls can race as well as boys! Dido is an interesting main character and her interactions with all the other characters are complex without being complicated. There’s a helpful guide at the front too!

With an enemy in the emperor, the story delivers on its promise of excitement. There is fast-paced drama in each chapter, which keeps you gripped to the story. I love the historical element which feels authentic. You can get a real feel of what it might have been like watching the chariot races! Part of the historical element I really enjoyed, is that some of the characters were genuine figures from the Roman era.

If you want an exciting read, then this is definitely a book you’ll enjoy!

Like the sound of this book? Buy it here: https://amzn.to/3hHownd

Emily x