Melanie Dickerson's Fairy Tale Romance Collection is Perfect for eBook Lovers! [Review]
Collecting the first five volumes of Melanie Dickerson's YA Fairy Tale adaptions, the Fairy Tale Romance Collection is a great ebook bundle for those who prefer to read digitally!
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| (c.) 20015 by Zondervan |
Title: Fairy Tale Romance Collection
Author: Melanie Dickerson
Published: 2015 by Zondervan
About the Book[s]:
Romance, intrigue, and danger abound in this five-book bind-up of Melanie Dickerson’s bestselling fairy-tale retellings.
The Healer’s Apprentice: Rose has been appointed as a healer’s apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, and when Lord Hamlin—the future duke—is injured, it is Rose who tends to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to fall in love, and wonders if he feels the same. But Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose’s life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.
The Merchant’s Daughter: Annabel is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. She soon finds he is actually very kind and caring, and the two strike up a friendship that could soon become more. Then Annabel becomes involved in a situation that could possibly lead to Ranulf’s demise.
The Fairest Beauty: Sophie desperately wants to get away from her stepmother’s jealousy, and receives her chance when Gabe arrives from Hagenheim Castle to rescue her, claiming she is betrothed to his older brother. Though romance is impossible--she is his brother’s future wife, and Gabe himself is betrothed to someone else--the pair flee to the Cottage of the Seven to find help. Before long both must not only protect each other from the dangers around them, they must also protect their hearts.
The Captive Maiden: When Gisela learns the duke’s son, Valten--the boy she has daydreamed about for years--is throwing a ball in hopes of finding a wife, she vows to find a way 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 is everything she hoped he would be. But other forces are bent on keeping the two from falling further in love, putting Gisela in more danger than she ever imagined.
The Princess Spy: 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. It is up to her to save her father, Colin, and Hagenheim itself from Claybrook’s wicked plot.
The Artist Librarian Review:
I've been reading Melanie Dickerson's books since 2010 --Her fairy tale inspired stories are adapted into historical romance novels appropriate for teens (and adults) who enjoy sweet romance. Though a bit formulaic at times (such as slightly repetitive story elements), that is common in fairy tales themselves. Fans will love seeing her take on classic, well-known fairy tales.
The ebook Fairy Tale Romance Collection bundles Dickerson's first five YA medieval fairy tale romances, The Healer's Apprentice (originally published in 2010) which adapts Sleeping Beauty, The Merchant's Daughter (2011, Beauty & the Beast), The Fairest Beauty (2013, Snow White), The Captive Maiden (2013, Cinderella), and The Princess Spy (2014, The Frog Prince). There are elements from each book that I like ... I don't really have a favorite, though The Healer's Apprentice holds a special place in my heart. The romances are sweet and you'll see Dickerson's writing get better and better over the course of the series. The books are all loosely connected and set in the German city of Hagenheim (minus The Merchant's Daughter, which is set in England, but is later connected to the other novels via The Princess Spy). For more details, you can read my full review of The Princess Spy.
Having owned all of Dickerson's fairy tale titles in print, I was interested to see how this ebook bundle would compare. I found the collection itself to be very navigable: you could easily jump to the book and chapter you wanted from the table of contents or because it's an ebook, search for a line or character. Prologues, author's notes, and other addendum to the print versions can be found in the same order. Curiously though, the discussion questions (from The Healer's Apprentice and The Princess Spy), author interview (first included in The Healer's Apprentice) and acknowledgements written for each individual book are collected together at the end of the collection. But really, the only negative to me is that you don't get to see the gorgeous cover art each individual book has. If you prefer to read digital books, I'd highly recommend picking up this ebook collection, which is currently less expensive than purchasing the five ebook titles separately!
[Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers for review purposes.]
About the Author:
Melanie Dickerson is the author of The Healer's Apprintice, a Christy Award finalist and winner of the National Reader's Choice Award for Best First Book, as well as The Merchant's Daughter --also a Christy Award finalist-- and The Fairest Beauty, The Captive Maiden, and The Princess Spy. Melanie earned a bachelor's degree in special education from the University of Alabama and has been a teacher and a missionary. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Huntsville, Alabama.
What's your favorite fairy tale or which of Melanie Dickerson's books sounds the most interesting to you? Why?
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