The Fairest Beauty

By Melanie Dickerson

Sophie has long wished to get away from her stepmother’s jealous anger, and believes escape is her only chance to be happy. Then a young man named Gabe arrives from Hagenheim Castle, claiming she is betrothed to his older brother, and everything twists upside down. This could be her chance at freedom—but can she trust another person to keep her safe?

Gabe knows he defied his parents Rose and Wilhelm by going to find Sophie, and now he believes they had a right to worry: the orphan girl has stolen his heart. Though romance is impossible—she is his brother’s future wife and Gabe himself is betrothed to someone else—he promises to himself he will keep her safe, no matter what.

When the pair are forced to run to the Cottage of the Seven, they find help—but also find their feelings for each other have grown. Can they find a way to protect Sophie while also safeguarding their hearts?

I have found myself, like I so often do, devouring a series of books that I have found enjoyable to read. This is the latest in the series from Dickerson that I’ve read, based on the fairy tale Snow White. Her re-tellings are more fact-based and down to earth. Not magical, but practical. The villains are just people with evil intent. The good people are God-fearing and kind. I had a little trouble with this story because I liked Gabe but he seemed really wishy-washy. We’re told that he’s irresponsible and rash, but the whole time we as readers know him he is nothing but kind, respectful, and responsible. I was thrown by this, and a little irritated. Sophie is your typical nice sort of blah character. This wasn’t my favorite from Dickerson, but it doesn’t mean I won’t keep reading her books (eventually. I’m taking a break). Although it was fun to read about Rose and Wilhelm's children.

I give it a 3 out of 5 

The Healer's Apprentice

By Melanie Dickerson

A young healer’s apprentice named Rose believes she will never marry…until she meets Lord Hamlin, the future ruler of her village. Hamlin is everything she could ever want—kind, understanding, and a man of faith—but her low station and the fact that he’s already betrothed to a mysterious woman makes their romance impossible. As Lord Hamlin seeks to find the sorcerer who cursed his future bride, Rose’s life spins toward confusion. A creative retelling of the classic Sleeping Beauty tale.

This was my first read from Melanie Dickerson, whom I’ve been trying to read for about a year now. After reading this book I promptly read two more of her books. I’m a nerd about fairy-tale retellings. This was an interesting take, putting a Christian spin on the fairy tale as well as a medieval historical setting was intriguing. I was right there loving the story and the faith behind the characters up until the very end. Without spoiling anything, I just got uncomfortable. Demons came into play, and I’m really antsy about occult stuff. I like magic and fantasy as much as the next Harry Potter fanatic, but when someone starts in on possessions, pentagrams, and black magic, I back away as quickly as possible. This towed the line for me. In fact, it tainted an otherwise very likeable story.

Overall I give it a 3.5 out of 5 (would’ve been higher if not for the above mentioned stuff) 

The Merchant's Daughter

By Melanie Dickerson

An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf’s bailiff—a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past. Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff’s vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf’s future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

Hey look, I found another retelling of Beauty and the Beast! This is a Christian themed, and medieval set telling of the fairy tale. It is the second book written by Melanie Dickerson, The first of which is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. While I worried at first that Dickerson favored having her heroines’ virtue come into jeopardy, I was relieved to note that she always has them rescued and never has it go anywhere beyond being chased and sometimes hit. Being Christian myself, I enjoyed the religious aspect of this novel, especially how God answers Annabel’s petition to be able to read the Bible through placing her in a position to read it to Lord Ranulf. I particularly enjoyed the perspective of someone reading the Bible for the first time, it was sweet and endearing. Lord Ranulf’s back story was different than any other “Beast” character than I’d previously read and that made me like the story quite a lot more than I would have, but at the same time I didn’t like the story as much as The Healer’s Apprentice because of the horrible Bailiff that had ill intentions towards Annabel, which made me nervous the entire time I was reading. For a Beauty and the Beast retelling, it was alright, though not a favorite.

I give this a 3.5 out of 5- mostly for the religious aspect that I appreciated.