The Piper’s Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson Book 10 of the Hagenheim series Rating: 4/5
Warning: you may lose sleep if you start reading this book. Also, this book can be read as a standalone novel. It’s more fun if you read the previous books, but it is not necessary for understanding.
Melanie Dickerson has some of the best retellings out right now with a Christian perspective. The writing is well done and the characters are authentic. I am such a huge fan and was impatiently waiting for this book to be released. When I saw a chance to review an ARC, I knew I had to take it. You will not regret picking up this book (or buying it online) because it’s that good.
A reimagined fairytale of the Pied Piper, this book is full of action, love and adventure. Our heroine, Kat, is on a mission to take down the Beast of Hamlin and will do whatever it takes to save the children that have been disappearing from their village. Steffan arrives in Hamlin looking to make a difference so he can return home to Hagenheim and his family without disgrace. He is obviously fascinated by Kat and must join her on this quest to figure out what is happening in Hamlin.
Kat is a strong female lead who knows how to use her crossbow and is extremely intelligent. She has her own problems and issues to deal with like you and me. She struggles with trusting others due to past hurts. Sound like anyone you know?
Steffan is the black sheep of his family and so remorseful over his past deeds. Can he learn to forgive himself and trust in God’s forgiveness? How often do we struggle with forgiving ourselves when God has already extended his grace and forgiveness?
I loved the main characters and the growth they show throughout the story. I took one star away because the ending seemed a bit short to me. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and cannot wait for the next one!
I highly recommend this book for those that enjoy fairytale retellings with a strong female lead and clean romance incorporating faith.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.
The Rebel Bride By Shannon McNear Book 10 of the Daughters of the Mayflower series Release date: 12/1/19 Rating: 4/5
I love learning new things and this wonderful story is full of perspectives I never considered or wasn’t taught when learning about the Civil War and its effect on everyone involved. The author shares even more about her research at the end of the book and I really appreciated the extra history lesson.
When a young woman is beside herself with loss and overwhelmed with her responsibilities, can she pull herself together and treat wounded soldiers of the enemy? Pearl’s father constantly reminds her of what the Bible says regarding enemies and she can’t deny one particular soldier has caught her eye. Will Josh be able to thank Pearl for all has done to care him and fellow soldiers?
This story was fascinating and researched beautifully. The descriptions and the characters seemed very realistic and painted quite the picture. The writing was well done and the reader can’t help but want to keep reading to figure out what happens next. I loved how the author used the Psalms throughout the story as encouragement and hope for the weary souls of war.
Highly recommend for those interested in the Civil War.
My thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of the book. All opinions are my own. No positive review was expected.
A disguised warrior on a mission to save a dying kingdom,
but God has more planned.
Aria has left home with one goal. Find the weapon used to defeat the horde of the Black Knight and save what remains of her kingdom.
But things are not going as planned.
Disguised as a male knight, she saves the young prince of the neighboring kingdom, and tales of her fighting prowess spread like a raging fire. Now, within the castle walls of a foreign kingdom, a young girl masquerading as her page serves as her only confidant. But the widower king and his enemies are taking notice of her. The legendary weapon, however, is nowhere to be found.
What is God doing?
Aria needs to save her home without losing her heart.
Michelle Janene lives and works in Northern California, though most days she blissfully exists in the medieval creations of her mind. She is a devoted teacher, a dysfunctional housekeeper, and a dedicated writer. She released her first novella Mission: Mistaken Identity in the fall of 2015, God’s Rebel in 2016, Rebel’s Son in 2017, and has been published in several anthologies. She leads two critique groups and is the founder of Strong Tower Press—Indie solutions for indie authors.
My Review
Hidden Rebel by Michelle Janene Book 3 of the Changed Heart series Rating: 4/5
I don’t think I realized that this book was part of a series but it didn’t hurt my experience at all. This story can be read as a standalone novel. The story is action-packed and full of adventure. I do love a good strong heroine who can fight. Was the story a bit predictable? Perhaps, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn’t want the story to end.
Aria has a mission that she is determined to see through to the very end. She is a trained knight disguised as a man who ends up saving a neighboring king’s younger son. She is desperately seeking help from this king to fight off the Black Knight that is slowly taking over her home. She searches for the only weapon that can defeat the darkness. Will this widower king be able to help her? Will she be able to fulfill her God-given destiny?
There are quite a few characters but I never felt lost while reading. Certain characters are more fleshed out than others but for the most part, every character gets a moment to shine. As a woman, it is always nice to read about a young woman who can defend herself – even better than a man. However, she is humble about her abilities and doubts her prowess. Her faith is extremely important to her and is what grounds her. Her visions from God guide her on this journey. The different relationships Aria forms are endearing and made me laugh and smile.
This was definitely an enjoyable read. Parts of the story are a bit slow but it’s definitely worth reading to the end. I will definitely need to read the other books in this series.
My thanks to the author and CelebrateLit for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.
More from Michelle
The main character of Hidden Rebel is a princess who is also a warrior. She needed to move between court and the battlefield with minimal issues. Aria also took the verse that women should not dress as men seriously. I wrote about a fighting skirt for her.
It appeared to be a pleated skirt with several long panels. Those panels weren’t sewn together other than at her hips. When Aria moved it was clear the skirt panels where over tight trousers and tall boots.
I thought about the skirt so much I created my own. I have worn it to local Renaissance Faires.
Hello. This blog is all mine and I will do my best to post what interests me and what books I read with honest reviews. I am a lover of good Christian fiction with a touch of romance, mystery, intrigue, humor, fun, etc. I invite you to join me as I read my way through books and life. I am currently pursuing my residency training as a family medicine physician!!! I have to carefully choose what I want to read for fun. My name is Kim and you are entering the Wong Mind.
