Melanie Dickerson

This book had the potential to be a fantastic read. I mean, "Swan Lake meets Robin Hood"?! That sounded almost too good to be true. I love retellings, and am a huge fan of Robin Hood, so I delved right into this, expecting tons of action and swoon-worthy romance. And, partly I got it. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations, and I was left feeling just a little unsatisfied.

BUT! The good bits first. I really liked Odette as a heroine. She really has it all: she leads a secret double life, is a fantastic archer, and is compassionate and kind enough to take care of the city's poor children, feeding them and teaching them to read and write. I also liked the depth she had, struggling with all her internal conflicts (particularly when she questions whether her breaking the law in poaching can be justified by the fact that she is feeding the poor), as well as her past. I also quite liked Jorgen, who was also developed fairly well. And their romance really was swoon-worthy, and fluffy to the right point, so I was very happy and satisfied with that.

Unfortunately, there were also several things that didn't really work for me. For starters, the secondary characters just felt incredibly flat and one-dimensional, which for me is a really big deal in a book. And yes, there were a few "villains" that our heroes had to confront, but they never did feel particularly threatening or dangerous, except in a couple of scenes towards the very end. And this lack of tension was another of the reasons why I felt disappointed. From reading the blurb, I had gotten the idea that Jorgen and Odette would embark on a dangerous, action-filled adventure to uncover those responsible for the poaching ring. Well, no such thing ever happens! I'm not going to give any more details on this to avoid any spoilers, but this was a huge let down for me. And there were no big twists at the end to rescue this either, particularly since I saw the whole thing coming before I was even a quarter into the story...

I also had trouble being completely immersed in the story, since there were frequently points were I just had to stop and wonder how historically accurate this novel was. Of course, it is sold as a "Medieval Fairy Tale", so I wasn't expecting a history book, and I wasn't around in the 1300s, so I don't really know how things worked back then. But there were several instances where I just could not help but think that what I was reading felt really unrealistic, and that bugged me.

Now, let me be clear, this was not a bad read, and if you're even mildly intrigued by the blurb, by all means check it out by yourself! You may fall incredibly in love with this book, even though I didn't. I think I might have enjoyed it a bit more if I had been expecting less action (and magic! How can there be a fairy tale with no magic? I'm incredibly sad because of this...) and had gone for this just as a romance book. Because the romance really works, and the main characters are adorable, with all their complications and communication issues.

For more reviews, check out Book For Thought.… (mer)

Beautifully told Medieval story in the German forbidding forests.
Reinhart Stolten, Margrave of Thornbeck is commanded to wed by the King. The King has a list of acceptable candidates. Reinhart asks the chosen ladies to his castle to meet him and find out who us suitable. His chancellor devises some tests for the ladies. Meanwhile, one of the ladies elopes and her father enlists her maid to take her place, but Avelina has to discourage the margrave from choosing her.
Much underhanded machinations among the candidates ensue. But Avelina, with her kind heart, becomes a shining example of what the margrave seeks in a wife.
With a Beauty and the Beast undertone, this was an interesting look back in time. And with an underlying faith thread, good always triumphs.
*I purchased this ebook from Amazon. All opinions are my own.*… (mer)

I knew there was a reason I DNF'ed the first time I tried to read this.

Celia is a spoiled brat. I'm sorry but that is as nice as I can be. Nearly every thought that she has is a complaint, and she can't see beyond her own nose. She is upset that she has to help take care of her siblings since her 14-year-old sister can't handle taking care of them by herself. I don't know a single 14-year-old who could handle what her sister did for as long as she did. Congrats to the sister.
I know that this book takes place sometime after the Civil War. Probably in the late 1870s or early 1880s yet Celia seems like a 21st century women. Throughout the whole entire store, she keeps on thinking that she can't get married or have a family until after she has established a career for herself. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is a very modern opinion to have.
I do not understand why Celia and Truett like each other. Celia could never make up her mind and was like a pendulum when it came to Truett. One day she would be flirting and the next ignoring him. This happened for the entire book. I honestly don't know why Truett put up with that behavior. Just move on dude. Find someone who appreciates you.
This is more of a just me thing but I hated how Celia thought of the country and country people. No, we may not have all the sophistication of the city, but that does not make us any less. Celia went on a tirade every single chapter about wanting to be back in the city because the country has nothing to offer.
I was very unhappy with the ending. Truett drops everything important in his life to follow Celia to the city because she can't stand the country.

2 Stars

Content: lynching, gunshot wounds, kissing… (mer)

I enjoyed this book much more on my reread.

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Writing this review is a struggle because I really don't know what to say about this book. For every thing that I liked, there was something that I was not fond of.
I loved the diversity and how Mulan grows throughout the story but I felt like her interactions with the other characters were scripted. . .a lot.
There was a lot of kissing in this book. I almost skipped to the end of the chapter. The romance was also super quick.
I liked the mentions of all the other books of the series. The family lines are explained in a clear manner but there were spoilers for the previous books of the series.
I can honestly say that I was a bit disappointed with this story, but it was still worth the read.

Personal Rating: 3 Stars
Content Rating: 2.5 Stars
*I received this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own and a positive review was not required.… (mer)