The Warrior Maiden (Hagenheim)

Title: The Warrior Maiden

Series: Hagenheim (Book #9)

Year: 2019

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Summary: Mulan isn’t afraid to pretend to be a son and assume her father’s soldier duties in war. But what happens when the handsome son of a duke discovers her secret?

Mulan is trying to resign herself to marrying the village butcher for the good of her family, but her adventurous spirit just can’t stand the thought. At the last minute, she pretends to be the son her father never had, assumes his duties as a soldier, and rides off to join the fight to protect the castle of her liege lord’s ally from the besieging Teutonic Knights.

Wolfgang and his brother Steffan leave Hagenheim with several other soldiers to help their father’s ally in Poland. When they arrive, Wolfgang is exasperated by the young soldier Mikolai who seems to either always be one step away from disaster... or showing Wolfgang up in embarrassing ways.

When Wolfgang discovers his former rival and reluctant friend Mikolai is actually a girl, he is determined to protect her. But battle is a dangerous place where anything can happen — and usually does.

When Mulan receives word that her mother has been accused of practicing witchcraft through her healing herbs and skills, Mulan’s only thought is of defending her. Will she be able to trust Wolfgang to help? Or will sacrificing her own life be the only way to save her mother?

Review: After a bunch of Dickerson books that weren't so great and regretfully cliche, The Warrior Maiden was a breath of fresh air. I was a bit skeptical going into this book, but once I got into it, I was hooked. The one thing you want in a good Mulan tale (a tale of a girl dressing as a man and going to WAR) is battle scenes. And we got battle scenes. I was sooooo impressed.

Mulan is the illegitimate child of a soldier and a foreign mother. Her father's wife, the woman she calls mother, has raised her and loved her, and Mulan would do anything to protect her. After a priest prophecies that she will be a great warrior one day, Mulan begins training with her father's young friend, Andrei, who accompanied the great Mikolai into many battles and knows how a soldier should act.

Disaster strikes when her father dies two weeks before being conscripted into service again. Forced with the possibility of losing their home, Mulan takes his place, with Andrei at her side. She knows pretending to be a man is a dangerous position, not only because battles can be deadly and because they're going to face the bloodthirsty Teutonic Knights, but also because the Church forbids a woman from dressing as a man.

She earns quick repute among her fellow soldiers when she leads a successful attack on the Teutonic Knights. The duke of Hagenheim's son, Wolfgang, at first feels threatened by her apparent prowess in archery, but soon learns to accept and trust her as a fellow soldier.

The character of Mulan was spot-on. She's fierce and brave, but still feminine in her own right. Melanie Dickerson really made me believe that she was a real person. Mulan loves her mother, and she's incredibly loyal to her. Her fighting skills are incredibly believable, and I loved that (FOR ONCE) she didn't get kidnapped!

I wasn't crazy about Wolfgang, but he's a good-enough hero, once you can get behind him. Mulan really stole the spotlight. Andrei was great, and I wish there could have been more of him. I actually really liked Wolfgang's brother, Steffan, and the complexity that he added to the story. Really looking forward to reading more of him in Dickerson's next novel The Piper's Pursuit (a Pied Piper retelling), and I'm hoping she doesn't water him down too much to become the next Hagenheim hero.

The whole historical aspect of this novel was super interesting. Mulan must keep her secret of dressing as a man because it's against Church law for a woman to wear men's clothing. And then you've got the whole angle of her mother creating a special healing salve that people think could be demonic, and how THAT all plays into the story. Dickerson really pulled out all the stops to impress me with this one.

The religious language and preaching in this book seemed a bit heavier than Dickerson usually does, but it didn't bother me. Since so much of the plot is dependent on Church laws and tradition, I didn't think it was terribly overdone. I had a lengthy talk with a history expert/snob about the book once I was done reading it, and we agreed that most of the historical details in this novel were really well done. (Teutonic Knights for the win!) Except for the Church's Trial by Combat. I'm sorry; for that, I really think Dickerson just wanting to write another dramatic jousting scene. So, it's really cool, but (in my opinion) stretching the historical accuracy a little too far.

Advisory: One of the things that did kinda annoy me was the romance. But as usual, for a Dickerson novel. It doesn't take Mulan to be attracted to our hero, and once he discovers her secret, he's fairly quickly attracted to her. They think an awful lot about kissing each other before it actually happens, and then they share a number of kisses before the book ends.

Fighting/violence. Since there are battles and sieges, people are injured and killed, but nothing is too terribly descriptive.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Orphan's Wish (Hagenheim)

Title: The Orphan's Wish

Series: Hagenheim (#8)

Year: 2018

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Summary: From the streets to an orphanage in a faraway kingdom, Aladdin has grown up alone. Until he meets Kirstyn. With a father who is the duke of Hagenheim and a mother who is the patroness of the orphanage where Aladdin lives, Kirstyn is a member of the most powerful family in the land . . . and way out of his league. Despite the difference in their stations, Aladdin quickly becomes Kirstyn’s favorite companion for taking walks in the forest, and their childhood friendship grows along with them.

Through his scrappy skills, intelligence, and hard work, Aladdin earns a position serving in the duke’s house. But he knows it isn’t enough to grant him his one desire: Kirstyn’s hand in marriage. If he hopes to change his station in life and feel worthy of marrying Kirstyn, he must leave Hagenheim to seek his fortune.

But once Aladdin leaves, no one is around to protect Kirstyn, and the greedy men desperate to take advantage of her father’s wealth take notice. Now, more than Aladdin’s background stands in the way of the future he’s worked so hard to obtain. His only hope is to rescue Kirstyn and somehow manage to win her hand as well.

Main Characters:
~ Kirstyn
~ Aladdin

Review: I got really excited when I saw that Melanie Dickerson was planning an Aladdin retelling. Fairytale retellings by themselves are just peachy keen, but there aren't many Aladdin ones that I've found out there. I love finding a less-popular fairytale being retold. 

Ala ad'din is a small boy living in the streets of the Holy Land. As an orphan, he doesn't have a lot of options for survival and is forced to steal under the hand of a harsh master. A chance encounter with a kindly priest gives him the freedom he craves, but even in his new life at Hagenheim he fears how people will react to his thieving past. 

Now called Aladdin (since the people in Hagenheim can't seem to pronounce Ala ad'din properly), he becomes the favorite friend of Kirstyn, the duke's daughter. A childhood friendship blossoms into a romance that neither are quite aware of, and Aladdin decides to leave Hagenheim to make his fortune. 

And then Kirstyn gets kidnapped and goes missing for months, and Aladdin's world is turned upside-down. 

Honestly, other than the name Aladdin, I didn't catch many Aladdin fairytale references in this book. Other than the obvious other nod to the Disney film by naming a little street boy Abu. It was a little disappointing. The story seemed more like a retelling of the Biblical account of Joseph; Aladdin is hired to take care of a merchant's business and does so well that he's considered a sort of King Midas (i.e. everything he touches turns to gold). And the man Aladdin works for isn't the evil sorcerer from the fairy tale; there are no lamps involved. In the beginning of the novel, Aladdin made a big deal about his thieving background -- keeping it secret from everybody in Hagenheim -- yet as the novel progressed I thought everybody forgot about it. His childhood thefts really didn't have any part to play in the plot. Unless there's something obvious I'm missing, calling this an Aladdin retelling is kinda stretching it. 

But if you're just looking for an adventure in the Dickerson style that you've come to love, this book tastes just the same as all of her other Hagenheim novels. 

Advisory: Some violence. One character is kidnapped; another is suggested to have been molested. 

Romance, typical in the style of Dickerson. Although I was happy to note that the love interests didn't focus on kissing until the last couple chapters -- after they finally realized they were in love with each other. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

The Silent Songbird (Hagenheim)

Title: The Silent Songbird

Series: Hagenheim (Book #7)

Year: 2016

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Summary: Evangeline longs to be free, to live in the world outside the castle walls. But freedom comes at a cost.

Evangeline is the ward and cousin of King Richard II, and yet she dreams of a life outside of Berkhamsted Castle, where she might be free to marry for love and not politics. But the young king betroths her to his closest advisor, Lord Shiveley, a man twice as old as Evangeline. Desperate to escape a life married to a man she finds revolting, Evangeline runs away from the king and joins a small band of servants on their way back to their home village.

To keep her identity a secret, Evangeline pretends to be mute. Evangeline soon regrets the charade as she gets to know Wesley, the handsome young leader of the servants, whom she later discovers is the son of a wealthy lord. But she cannot reveal her true identity for fear she will be forced to return to King Richard and her arranged marriage.

Wesley le Wyse is intrigued by the beautiful new servant girl. When he learns that she lost her voice from a beating by a cruel former master, he is outraged. But his anger is soon redirected when he learns she has been lying to him. Not only is she not mute, but she isn't even a servant.

Weighed down by remorse for deceiving Wesley, Evangeline fears no one will ever love her. But her future is not the only thing at stake, as she finds herself embroiled in a tangled web that threatens England's monarchy. Should she give herself up to save the only person who cares about her? If she does, who will save the king from a plot to steal his throne? (from Goodreads)

Main Characters: 
~ Evangeline
~ Wesley le Wyse

Review: This book honestly surprised me. It thoroughly reawakened my interest in Melanie Dickerson retellings. Yes, I very much enjoy her stories, but some of them were getting to the point where they felt bitterly cliche. However, this one had some new life to it. For those of you who know me, you know I love fairy tale retellings. But there haven't been very many good, *clean* Little Mermaid retellings that I can get my hands on. So, when I saw that Melanie Dickerson was working on a story inspired by the Little Mermaid, I actually got a little bit excited. And so when I could get a copy, I read it. 

In about a day.

It's not perfect, granted. But it was exactly what I was hoping for in a Little Mermaid retelling by this author.

Evangeline is the king's ward, and while that entitles her to a fine life, she hates it. Along with being noble and rich comes imprisonment. But she's able to content herself with singing out the window (hence the title of Songbird) and watching life go by without her. That is, until the king informs her that he's betrothed her to an older and somewhat dangerous man. Evangeline fears this marriage, and thus makes the decision to flee the castle. Because her voice is so remarkable and recognizable, she pretends to be mute. 

In some ways, this felt very much like Little Mermaid. I was skeptical at first how some of those elements would fit into the story - I mean, come on. This didn't have mermaids; it didn't have a sea witch; it didn't even have an ocean! But Melanie pulled it off quite nicely. True, she had to chop out those mermaid-y things, but even so - I was impressed. There are still several distinct nods to the fairy tale. Even some almost-subtle hints toward the original fairy tale - NOT the Disney version. Imagine that, folks. But I will refrain from spoilers.

Anywho, lots of action, good characters, etc. so I'll let the high praise stop there. If you're looking for a non-sea, non-fish Little Mermaid retelling, put this on your list. 

Advisory: Some violence, but typical of this author's stories. 

Also, romance. Evageline, true to her original character inspiration, thinks a lot about kissing the guy. There were some scenes when I'm fairly sure I could hear Sebastian singing in the background. It got on my nerves a little, just because it came up so much. However, I can read that as a nod to the original, given the infamous kiss the little mermaid has to obtain to stay human. As far as actual kisses go, there weren't many that I could remember, but obviously a few to take note of. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Beautiful Pretender (A Medieval Fairy Tale)

Title: The Beautiful Pretender

Series: A Medieval Fairy Tale (Book #2)

Year: 2016

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Summary: The Margrave of Thornbeck has to find a bride, fast. He invites ten noble-born ladies from around the country to be his guests at Thornbeck Castle for two weeks, a time to test these ladies and reveal their true character.

Avelina is only responsible for two things: making sure her deception goes undetected and avoiding being selected as the margrave’s bride. Since the latter seems unlikely, she concentrates on not getting caught. No one must know she is merely a maidservant, sent by the Earl of Plimmwald to stand in for his daughter, Dorothea.

Despite Avelina’s best attempts at diverting attention from herself, the margrave has taken notice. And try as she might, she can’t deny her own growing feelings. But something else is afoot in the castle. Something sinister that could have far worse—far deadlier—consequences. Will Avelina be able to stop the evil plot? And at what cost? (from Goodreads)

Main Characters: 
~ Avelina Klein
~ Lord Thornbeck

Review: After the adventure of The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest, Melanie Dickerson has brought us back for another fairy tale romance. I can't say that this book has topped Huntress for my favorite of this author's novels. Definitely an interesting story, but it had its ups and downs.

I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more of The Princess and the Pea in this tale. I know that this is technically a retelling of that fairy tale, and you can definitely see the connections (the margrave actually talks about putting a pea under the bed mattresses with one of the prospective brides -- a cool touch, I thought), but I wouldn't define this as a strict Princess & Pea retelling. In truth, there's more of Beauty and the Beast than anything else. And on that note, I loved all the nods to that fairy tale (i.e. the wolf attack). So, satisfying, but I do wish there could have been more of Princess & Pea. 

Avelina surprised me as a heroine. Normally, you'd expect her to be the typical heroine of these type of novels. While she does have her share of sappy thoughts and wishes for true love, she has backbone where a lot of heroines don't. AND she keeps that backbone even after she's entirely and completely smitten with the handsome margrave -- which is something that these books don't normally have. That, I will admit, surprised me and scored bonus points in my book. Avelina knows her own mind, and she isn't afraid to speak it. Even as a servant, she isn't afraid to tell it to Lord Thornbeck bluntly how things are and what she thinks of them. 

Lord Thornbeck, the Margrave Reinhart himself... I can't say that I was entirely impressed with him. He was a likable hero, but I didn't feel that there was anything exceptional about him. Magdalen was lively and fun to follow. I loved how she was incorporated; her subplot really was excellent. 

It was really fun to see Jorgen and Odette return from Huntress. You didn't need to read their story first in order to understand this book, but I would recommend reading Huntress, because you understand bits more and because that's my current favorite of Melanie Dickerson's stories. Jorgen and Odette reminded me a lot of Lumiere and Mrs. Potts from Disney's Beauty and the Beast -- trying to counsel the gruff master on the best way to treat a lady. I'll admit it readily -- that made me laugh more than once. 

Advisory: Romance, as usual. It annoyed me a little that Avelina was thinking emotionally about the margrave almost as soon as she met him. I think she had known him for about a day, and she was already wondering what it would be like to marry him. [Highlight for spoilers] After Avelina nearly freezes to death, the margrave holds her to help get her warm again. Twice. And then some physical contact as well (hand-holding, kissing, etc.), but in the normal tone of Dickerson's stories. 

Avelina takes Lady Dorothea's place because Dorothea is pregnant with the child of one of her father's knights and then runs away to marry the aforementioned knight. In addition, a character talks of his brother sleeping with a woman. The situations are not dwelt on long, but the few uncomfortable references are something to take note of.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

*Please note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

The Golden Braid (Hagenheim)

Title: The Golden Braid

Series: Hagenheim (Book #6)

Year: 2015

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Summary: Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man around. And her skills as an artist rival those of any artist she’s met. But for a woman in medieval times, the one skill she most desires is the hardest one to obtain: the ability to read.

After yet another young man asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides they need to move once again, but this time to a larger city. Rapunzel’s heart soars—surely there she can fulfill her dream. But Mother won’t let her close to a man. She claims that no man can be trusted.

After being rescued by a knight on the road to the city, and in turn rescuing him farther down the road, Rapunzel’s opportunity arrives at last. This knight, Sir Gerek, agrees to educate Rapunzel in order to pay back his debt. She just has to put up with his arrogant nature and single-minded focus on riches and prestige.

But this Rapunzel story is unlike any other and the mystery that she uncovers will change everything—except her happily ever after. (from Goodreads)

Main Characters:
~ Rapunzel
~ Sir Gerek

Review: Rapunzel is one of my absolute favorite fairy tales, but I will admit that I have found few retellings that did the original justice. True, there are multiple elements in the original that I don't approve of. The Golden Braid, as far as retellings go, I'm having mixed feelings about. 

First off, I did truly enjoy it. It's one of the best, in my opinion, that Melanie Dickerson has put out. The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest is still my favorite, but this one is a very close second. 

What did she do well? A very likable heroine, for one. I'm always concerned about going into a Rapunzel retelling and seeing a very poorly shod Tangled reproduction. This was not the case, thankfully. Rapunzel here is quite a girl, but not a cop-out copy of Disney's famous princess. She is opinionated, talented, gutsy, and all, but she's still feminine and enjoyable. She can throw a knife better than pretty much anyone she knows, her biggest dream is learning to read and write, but she still has believable fears. She's brave, but she's still human.

I went back and forth on my opinion of Sir Gerek. He's a bunch of a grump in the beginning, and it was rather fun to read of his interchanges with Rapunzel during the early stages of their friendships. He has a great heart, but I was constantly scowling at him for his determination to marry for money. I understand that was common for men to do in his time, but I felt that the situation surrounding his penniless state was very forced. I didn't see that it added much to the story other than drama.

This book also has a great host of minor characters. Brother Andrew and Cristobel were two of my favorites. Most of the middle of the book felt kinda rushed, though. The events there are linked directly to the plot of The Princess Spy, so it was almost like re-reading certain chapters from that book. But it was very interesting to see how the two stories were connected, especially since I am a huge fan of complicated stories weaving together.

One of my biggest complaints would be her hair. Rapunzel is famous for having long, blonde, beautiful hair. And she does in this story - gorgeous locks that flow to her ankles. But... we're never told why. Long hair is gorgeous, but why does Rapunzel wear her hair that long? Other than Disney's 2010 film, I've seen very few retellings actually give Rapunzel a reason for having hair that long. Not necessarily a con, but I would really love to have more reasons for no haircuts. *off soap box*

Advisory: Some fantasy action and violence. Several fights, both with sword and fists. But nothing out of Melanie Dickerson's style and I thought she handled it well. 

Also: some romance. It's still there, but it was played down in this novel - a definite plus, in my opinion. 

There is a rather large subplot surround a character named Balthasar. Rapunzel's knife throwing skills cheat him of a conquest, and he is bent for the rest of the book on getting his revenge on her. Not to kill her, mind you, but to pretty much ruin her. Nothing is explicitly stated, but please note that this is in there. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

*Please note: I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.*

The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest (A Medieval Fairy Tale)

Title: The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest

Series: A Medieval Fairy Tale (Book #1)

Year: 2015

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Summary: "Swan Lake" meets Robin Hood when the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant by day becomes the region's most notorious poacher by night, and falls in love with the forester.

Jorgen is the forester for the wealthy margrave, and must find and capture the poacher who has been killing and stealing the margrave's game. When he meets the lovely and refined Odette at the festival and shares a connection during a dance, he has no idea she is the one who has been poaching the margrave's game.

Odette justifies her crime of poaching because she thinks the game is going to feed the poor, who are all but starving, both in the city and just outside its walls. But will the discovery of a local poaching ring reveal a terrible secret? Has the meat she thought she was providing for the poor actually been sold on the black market, profiting no one except the ring of black market sellers?

The one person Odette knows can help her could also find out her own secret and turn her over to the margrave, but she has no choice. Jorgen and Odette will band together to stop the dangerous poaching ring . . . and fall in love. But what will the margrave do when he discovers his forester is protecting a notorious poacher? (from Goodreads)

Main Characters:
~ Odette
~ Jorgen

Review: Just to make this clear right off from the start, this has been my favorite Melanie Dickerson book to date. The only thing that really brought this novel down in my estimation was the amount of romantic fluff. Really, without that, this was fantastic! Not only does Melanie Dickerson incorporate elements of two of my favorite fairy tales, but I thought this cast actually quite decent and not so cliche (as I previously stated in a review of another of her books). A heroine who doesn't melt into a puddle of sappiness, but instead keeps her name as a bow-wielding, big-hearted, courageous lass. AND a hero that brood around all the time. Definitely a big plus, in my opinion.

Odette is the huntress of Thornbeck Forest -- only no one knows because she's a poacher. Why is she poaching? To feed the homeless, starving orphans in her hometown. They have no one else looking after them, and Odette feels it's her duty to care for them. She's also been teaching them how to read and write (another thing that made me love her even more). Jorgen is the margrave's new forester, and the biggest task enveloping him is catching the elusive poacher who dares to hunt forbidden meat. The midsummer's festival provides the perfect setting for the two of them to meet, and things just go from there.

Melanie Dickerson wove the tale of Swan Lake so beautifully into this novel! Given the unique plot/setting/characters of that particular fairy tale, I was skeptical going into this book as getting a retelling that was faithful to the original story AND still stood as a wonderful story in its own right is difficult to accomplish. Yes, I love Swan Lake, so I had big expectations. And they were met. I was truly surprised with how many nods the author gave to the original tale. [Highlight for spoilers] From Jorgen's declaration of love to the wrong girl to his wanting to think Odette a monster and shooting her... just wow. Two thumbs up in that respect. Also, other than Odette being the one to "rob from the rich to feed the poor," there really isn't anything else linking this story to a Robin Hood retelling. Most of it is just Swan Lake. So, on that note, I kinda think the summary off. Personally, the entire Goodreads summary is off, but the one on Amazon is much more accurate. Weird, that. Anyway...

One complaint I would make would be to concern pacing. The beginning I felt was slow, and I had to force myself to keep reading through the first chapter or so. There was a lot of description of the forest and Odette's hunt, which was really cool, but it felt just a little bit lagging. 

Advisory: Like I mentioned before, this book's got a bunch of the romantic in it. If that's up your alley, that's fine, but for me, it was kinda over the top. There wasn't as much of the physical attraction like I've seen in Melanie Dickerson's other novels, but there were quite a few kisses. [Highlight for spoilers] Personally, I was disgusted when Jorgen got tricked into kissing the wrong woman. I can see how that adds to the story, but I would have rather had that not in there. So that's the romance. I'll get off my soapbox now.

Also, I would warn of a certain disreputable establishment known as the Red House. Gambling, women, and the like... it's not a nice place. Nothing is described, but I was uncomfortable with some of the hints some of the less-than-savory characters dropped. For that, I would recommend this book for slightly older readers. 

And then just your typical fantasy adventure/danger stuff. Odette is a huntress, so there are some descriptions of her hunts (i.e. having to clean the deer and all). [Highlight for spoilers] Someone is shot with two arrows, and later the wounds turn septic. But nothing overly graphic. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Related Reviews: The Captive Maiden
                               The Princess Spy


Click here to buy a copy of The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest on Amazon!

*Please note: I received a free copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.*

The Princess Spy (Hagenheim)

Title: The Princess Spy

Series: Hagenheim (Book #5)

Year: 2014

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Summary: Margaretha has always been a romantic, and hopes her newest suitor, Lord Claybrook, is destined to be her one true love. But then an injured man is brought to Hagenheim Castle, claiming to be an English lord who was attacked by Claybrook and left for dead. And only Margaretha---one of the few who speaks his language---understands the wild story. Margaretha finds herself unable to pass Colin's message along to her father, the duke, and convinces herself 'Lord Colin' is just an addled stranger. Then Colin retrieves an heirloom she lost in a well, and asks her to spy on Claybrook as repayment. Margaretha knows she could never be a spy---not only is she unable to keep anything secret, she's sure Colin is completely wrong about her potential betrothed. Though when Margaretha overhears Claybrook one day, she discovers her romantic notions may have been clouding her judgment about not only Colin but Claybrook as well. It is up to her to save her father and Hagenheim itself from Claybrook's wicked plot. (from Goodreads)

Main Characters:
~ Margaretha
~ Colin

Review: With a title like The Princess Spy, this book seemed like the epic fairy tale retelling that I'd been waiting for. Of all the retellings I've read, there have been very few Frog Prince stories, and most of them have been less than satisfactory. This one... well, I'm having trouble putting it in good or bad. But maybe that's just me. One of the biggest annoyances was the romance -- which I address later on. 

Okay, well, let's start off with something good -- Margaretha is definitely a step up from the heroines we're used to seeing. She's spunky, but still in a very feminine fashion. I really liked her. Colin was a hero tormented with doubts and fears from the past, yet he did slowly improve during the course of the novel. The references to the frog were rather humourous. I wondered how one would make a frog fairy tale work without any magic, yet I think Melanie Dickerson really nailed that aspect. Two thumbs there, in my opinion.

Something bad -- for someone who was familiar with Melanie Dickerson's previous stories, I found this book highly predictable. It tasted very cliche. A heroine in danger, someone got kidnapped/taken away, romantic musings, the two lovers travel together, a big climax, and then your happily ever after. I appreciated that the author messed up the recipe slightly by sticking a small boy in on the adventure -- a smart, little, German chap known as Toby. He was a welcome bit of humor and change from your usual Dickerson fairy tale. More of Toby would have been nice.

The novel is called The Princess Spy, and while there was a lot of talk about the whole princess deal, I wish there could have been more of the spy aspect. Margaretha was not the ideal spy, and if she had spent less time mooning over Colin and more time actually acting the spy, I probably would have enjoyed this book more.

Wow... I feel like I'm really bashing Melanie Dickerson right now. I did not mean to make this review a total bash. I did actually enjoy this book. And I'm sure there are lots of people who read this and loved it to pieces. I would say that this is my favorite or one of my favorites from this author, yet it wasn't that much more spectacular than any of her other novels. 

Advisory: Fantasy danger and fighting, but portrayed exactly as we're used to for Melanie Dickerson.

Also, romance. What new things can I say here? In my personal opinion, each new book from Melanie Dickerson adds just one more reference to kissing, and it really annoys me. Colin hadn't known Margaretha for very long before he thought about kissing her, and for her, it was the same. Seriously? I'm sorry, romantics, but -- in the words of Kuzco -- "me no likey." Too much emotional attraction, and it got on my nerves. 

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Click here to buy The Princess Spy on Amazon!
*Please note: I received a free copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.*

The Captive Maiden (Hagenheim)

Title: The Captive Maiden

Series: Hagenheim (Book #4)

Year: 2013

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Summary: Gisela's childhood was filled with laughter and visits from nobles such as the duke and his young son. But since her father's death, each day has been filled with nothing but servitude to her stepmother. So when Gisela meets the duke's son, Valten--the boy she has daydreamed about for years--and learns he is throwing a ball, she vows to attend, even if it's only for a taste of a life she'll never have. To her surprise, she catches Valten's eye. Though he is rough around the edges, Gisela finds Valten has completely captured her heart. But other forces are bent on keeping the two from falling further in love, putting Gisela in more danger than she ever imagined. (from Goodreads)

Main Characters:
~ Gisela Mueller
~ Valten, Earl of Hamlin

Review: On the whole, I can't say that I'm overly pleased with all of Melanie Dickerson's books. Some of them present a fresh take on the old-fashioned fairy tales we all know and love, yet they almost have a cliche taste to them. I'll save reviews for the other books later (I'm hoping to get around to reviewing them all one day), but let's see what I've got for The Captive Maiden, Melanie's retelling of Cinderella. The good and the bad. Ready?

First of all, I did enjoy the whole of the tournaments. Charles Perrault's original Cinderella tale shows our little cinder girl going, not to one, but three balls, and Melanie Dickerson kept that alive in her three tournaments, adding a ball in at the end to wrap everything up. My favorite scenes were probably those in which Valten mounted Seiger and got hammered at with lance and sword in the tournaments. The action was paced nicely, and the descriptions almost made me feel like I was there. Plus? Definitely.

Gisela... well, I wrestled with my feelings for her. Having just written my own Cinderella retelling (Secret of the Hazel Tree, once I get around to publishing it), I'm quite in love with all things cinders, so I was determined to like Gisela from the start. And at the start, she did not disappoint. She was riding horses, standing up to bullies in the street, and quite a different take on the usual timid Cinderella. I was so happy. And then she met Valten and became... (how to put this?) ... annoying. She lost most of her spunk and ended the book as a weeping damsel in distress. Mind, I don't like the modern I-can-do-anything-a-man-can-do heroine, and Gisela wasn't, yet I thought her character development could have been bettered. Valten was an interesting hero, to say in the least. But after a while, he annoyed me, too. The author emphasized the point that he wasn't a ladies' man, and he didn't know what to do when around them. Yes, that point was perhaps made a little too clear. I got tired of hearing how he didn't know what to say to Gisela and how he wasn't like his brother Gabe.

The minor characters were excellent. I loved Ava and wished there could have been more of her in the novel. Even Gisela's stepfamily were well written. When Gisela becomes competition to her wishes of a marriage with the duke's son to her daughter, the stepmother sells Gisela off to a not very nice man to get her out of the way - stab at Ever After? I think so. {highlight previous for spoilers} There was a lot of captures and chases going on, and I find I have to echo another reviewer (Jaye Knight on Goodreads) who said that the characters escaped multiple times only to be recaptured. While I understand how it was important to the story, it got old the more times it happened. Personally, I would have liked to see other obstacles rather just another recapture hinder our daring characters. 

Advisory: Some violence as tournaments and kidnappings take place; one character breaks a bone and gets it set; but nothing is described in an overly graphic tone. 

Also, the romance. While nothing got out of hand, I grew quickly irritated with the number of times the word "kiss" was mentioned in the novel. The characters seemed to dwell on thoughts of kissing and actually kissing a lot, and I found it awkward. Especially between two characters who were not married. Sorry, folks, but there's more to love than smooching. While I did appreciate the fact that the author did put in mentions of their falling in love with each other's personalities (i.e. he/she was brave, fierce, etc.), I did not enjoy the "bulging muscles" comments. 

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Click here to buy The Captive Maiden on Amazon!