Literary Coffee

Raising the Horseman by Serena Valentino

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Katrina, Kat, Van Tassel is the last in a long line of Katrina Van Tassels. Every generation has a daughter, and she is named Katrina, and she carries on the history of the Van Tassels. She will marry. Her husband will work the farm. She will take care of the house and have a daughter named Katrina. Sounds sweet and cozy, but what if you are a ‘Katrina’ and you don’t want that life? 

Kat is a typical teenager, and she is thinking about her future. It does not include staying in Sleepy Hollow. Her mother gives her a diary. It’s the original diary of Katrina. As Kat starts to read through the diary and learn the real story, eerie things begin to happen around her. She also meets a new girl at her school who has her opening up about her hopes and dreams. But can she trust this new girl? And truthfully, can she trust her boyfriend? He doesn’t seem all that great either. As Kat’s story and ‘The Original Katrina’s’ story start to play out, there seem to be some similarities in their lives. What really happened all those years ago between Katrina, Ichabod, Brom, and the headless horseman? 

I liked how the book jumped between Kat in the present and Katrina in the past as you read her diary. I was more interested in Katrina’s diary than I was in Kat’s life. I would say that if you enjoy the story of Sleepy Hollow, you will probably enjoy this book as well. I know I didn’t give it that high a rating. It was good, I think I wanted more. I didn’t feel like I really got to know the characters as much as I wanted to. 

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Three out of Five Magical Coffee Cups