Book Report: Sonora

At First Glance: My mind immediately thought… Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken

The Gist: Inspired by a true story of one of the first female horse divers, Sonora explores a world of daring feats and extraordinary adventures set in the heyday of the American carnival scene.

My Thoughts: As someone who grew up loving Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken🎬🐎 I was immediately drawn to Sonora…and it did not disappoint. Jenni L. Walsh brings the remarkable story of Sonora Webster Carver to life in such a vivid & heartfelt way💫I’ve always been fascinated by stories inspired by real people and events, and this one hit all the right notes. The world of horse diving is both thrilling and emotional…and Walsh captures the grit…courage….and resilience it demanded. Her determination and spirit are truly inspiring.

While there were a few slower moments in the pacing…they didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. If anything…they gave me time to reflect on the weight of what Sonora was experiencing. I still found myself fully immersed and eager to learn more with every page.This book is a must read for anyone who loves historical fiction with a strong female lead…and especially for fans of Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken.

My Question for Jenni: Are you a lifelong horse lover, or did writing Sonora turn you into one?

Thank you Uplit Reads & Harper Muse

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After rewatching Wild Hearts Can’t be Broken with my grandson, I was eager to read Jenni Walsh’s book, Sonora. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Piper Goodeve. Ms. Walsh did a great job researching and writing this book and the narrator was perfect for the story. It’s hard to believe that the practice of diving on horses went on until 1978. What an unusual thing! The story of Sonora and her dedication and courage is amazing. According to the author, she changed very little about the story, except for the fact that Sonora hid her blindness from the public for five years. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of horse diving, or brave women. Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Muse audio for the opportunity to preview this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version of this book. The narrator enhanced the story, and many times I felt like I was observing the scenes as they were read. This was a wonderful story about a courageous woman who found herself on the back of a horse diving. She persevered through struggles and was an inspiration to many. I really enjoyed rhe authors note at the end with tidbits of informations for those that knew Senora

Before I picked up this book I had never even heard about female horse divers, so the subject matter was brand new to me, and I found it very interesting. I’m amazed at these women who risked their lives for the sake of entertainment. I don’t think I could’ve been so brave. (Also, I'm deathly afraid of heights so there’s that. LOL) From the very beginning, Sonora Webster is an admirable character, and I enjoyed learning about her life in the circus and the personal struggles she overcame. I’m thankful the author explained more details about the real Sonora and her life following the circus, since the story itself seemed to end kind of abruptly and left me wondering and wanting more information. I believe the book is labeled as adult fiction, but throughout the whole story I felt it leaned more toward the young adult genre. Overall, I would happily recommend it.

Jenni L. Walsh has done it again - she has beautifully brought to life the story of a name lost to history. The story of an inspirational woman who pursued her dreams, and rose again following a major setback.

Sonora was one of the world’s first female horse divers who suffered a life-changing accident. Sonora graciously learns to live with something that society considers a ‘disability’ and I love the way in which she showed the world that a disability does not prevent a person or animal from living a happy and fulfilled life (I include ‘animal’ here because my dog has the same disability as Sonora and she is also a happy girl who is loved and gives much love to us). Sonora’s adjusting to life in a different way and adaptations in her environment are described splendidly.

The audio narration eloquently and vividly brings to life the story and the characters. I am left in no doubt as to Sonora’s fun, tenacious and courageous spirit. Sonora and her horses were clearly surrounded by love.

Jenni L. Walsh’s books are prime examples of why I love historical fiction, and Sonora is no exception. This novel is an informative and entertaining re-telling of the life of the inspirational Sonora Webster Carver; and I have no hesitation in recommending this outstanding work of historical fiction.

Thank you to Harper Muse Audiobooks for an advance audio copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Sonora" by Jenni Walsh is a really well written historical fiction book based on a real life individual and her family and friends. Sonora was one of the first horse divers and performed by diving off of a 45 foot diving board on top of a horse into water.

Sonora's story is inspiring and the research the author did to make this story come to life was incredible. Sonora was extremely resilient after tragedy and this book and the explanation of the true life events at the end were intriguing.

This story is a great one for ages 14+ to read. It's cleanly written and just really well done. I listened to the audiobook and it was performed well.

Thank you to Harper Muse and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Fans of Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken will love this fiction book based on real people and events. It's the perfect companion to the Disney movie, but it may surprise die-hard fans that a few things are different, including that in this version, Sonora lives with her mom and another sister in addition to Arnette. In this version, her mom has a good relationship with her daughters and wants Sonora to try diving, though she does hesitate when it means saying goodbye to her daughter. I liked that much better than the abandonment storyline from the film.

I recommend this book to those who have seen and loved the movie, and those who are just learning about Sonora, Doc Carver, and the diving horses.

I did speed up the narrator, as she has a slight southern twang that slowed down the pace for me. Otherwise I liked the narration.

I absolutely loved this story; the character development, the very slow burn romance that naturally happened, the absolute grit shown, and the found family that came together.

Sonora is encouraged by her mother to join a traveling show- one less mouth to feed after her father’s departure would be helpful. While it sounded dangerous and the man in charge came across as being very strict- she couldn’t resist the change to travel and see the world. She soon has to wonder what she got herself into! A 40 ft jump into a small pool, on a horse?!?! Maybe she isn't as brave as she thought.

This book is a perfect example of why books are better than movies. So much detail, you really feel like you understand the characters and their feelings, helping you can create your own movie in your head. While I enjoyed the movie- this book had everything I love in literature. Suspense, historical elements, bravery, grit in the face of adversity, and strong characters. If you liked the movie, you will LOVE this.

It is more than a historical fiction story, it is a story about going after your dreams, getting up again after you fall, handling adversity, encouraging others to do their best, and surrounding yourself with people who believe in you. I'm a big fan of Jenni L Walsh's writing and this one kept that going strong.

Do NOT skip the authors notes at the end- there is some strong information in it.

I received an arc audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for my review.

Based on the true story of one of the first female horse divers, Sonora sweeps you into the glittering yet perilous world of a traveling carnival during the Great Depression, where penniless but determined Sonora Webster rises to fame in a breathtaking, high-risk act. When a life-altering accident threatens both her career and the future of the show, she must summon every ounce of courage to face the forty-five-foot dive again and protect the life she’s fought to build.

I was so lucky to get an advance copy of this audiobook, and it was such an incredibly enjoyable listen. First, I have to give all the flowers to Piper Goodeve for bringing such life to Sonora and every other character. She made Sonora feel vivid and relatable, letting you connect with all her pluck and moxie through Goodeve’s skilled narration. The story itself was a rollicking, tender, courageous, and sensationally good time. I love how Walsh took a real historical snapshot and breathed fiction into it in such a compelling way. Her author’s note at the end shares her desire to stay true to the real Sonora, and I think she succeeded beautifully in fleshing her out for readers to enjoy. I love a strong, determined female protagonist who isn’t just an accessory to a man but forges her own path. This is a charming story that’s perfect for both adults and younger readers, showing exactly what can be accomplished with imagination, courage, pluck, and resolve.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the opportunity to listen to this advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I loved the 90s Disney movie Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken when I was a kid, so when I saw this book on NetGalley, I had to grab it. Initially it was nice to fill in the gaps that the movie didn't portray, but it got to a point when I felt like the movie was so different and I started to not enjoy the book, assuming that the author was adding details for the sake of fiction. I pushed through because I knew how it ended and wanted that feel good feeling and then I got to the Author's note where she explained a few things and caused my rating to increase. Listening to the author's note also caused me to add Sonora Carver's Autobiography to my TBR. While we now know that horse diving was not kind to the horses, Sonora's story is so incredible and I highly suggest you check it out. This book and her story is definitely appropriate for as young as older elementary/middle school, although this book doesn't read like that in my opinion. Well worth checking out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for this Advanced Listener Copy.

I fell in love with Sonora's story as a kid growing up watching Disney's Wild hearts can't be broken and I'm sooooo happy to report that Jenni Walsh did her story justice in her latest book about the high diving horses of the 1920s. Full of romance, show magic and a strong female character that doesn't let blindness get her down. This is a story everyone can root for and it was especially great to read during Disability Pride Month. Easily my new favorite by the author and one I will continue to recommend over and over again!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!!

Sonora, at her mother's urging, answers an advertisement for a brave young woman who loves diving and horses. Little did she know where it would lead. She finds herself touring the country diving off a high dive while riding a horse. She cannot think of doing anything else with her life.
I not only simply enjoyed the story, I love learning more about the diving horses and their riders. It was a thing that happened in the 1920's and 30's in the US. People flock to these circuses/fairs to see all kind of acts and I have always been interested in the divers. It was dangerous and exciting all at the same time. Walsh brings their stories to light and with great detail, helps us understand how careful the owners of these companies were with not only their human employees but also the equestrian ones.
Walsh seems to find these little know stories in history and then pens a delightful story for us to learn more about them. I recommend her books highly.