The Fairest Beauty Review & Giveaway

The Fairest Beauty

by Melanie Dickerson.published by Zondervan.

A daring rescue. A difficult choice. Sophie desperately wants to get away from her stepmother's jealousy, 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 Sophie's one chance at freedom---but can she trust another person to keep her safe? Gabe defied his parents Rose and Wilhelm by going to find Sophie, and now he believes they had a right to worry: the girl's inner and outer beauty has enchanted him. Though romance is impossible---she is his brother's future wife, and Gabe himself is betrothed to someone else---he promises himself he will see the mission through, no matter what. When the pair flee to the Cottage of the Seven, they find help---but also find their feelings for each other have grown. Now both must not only protect each other from the dangers around them---they must also protect their hearts.

When it comes to Melanie Dickerson's books, I have to admit I was not a fan of her writing at first.  I put off reading her books for a long time -- they were my sister's favorite, but I wasn't interested.  When I finally decided to read on, I picked up The Healer's Apprentice.  I started reading it, and the whole time I was totally confused and couldn't understand how it was supposed to be like Sleeping Beauty...and so for a long time I wasn't interested in reading any of Melanie Dickerson's books (like...ever again).

A few months later I picked up Robin McKinley's Beauty, and was pulled back into the mood to read Beauty and the Beast spin-offs.  So when I picked up The Merchant's Daughter...I was sure I wouldn't like it...and then I started reading it, and reading it...and reading it!!  I couldn't put it down, so with one novel Melanie Dickerson turned me into a fan of her writing.  

I can't do this review like my typical reviews...because I think pretty much everyone blows those off.  I read The Fairest Beauty almost in one night.  I loved this book.  It's the first book in a long time (besides the other book I will be reviewing later this week) that I could just not put down. Literally.  I was almost late for work because it was so good I stayed up til 3AM trying to finish it.  And you know -- I take my book reviews seriously.  I am (sadly) pretty brutally honest, because I don't want to have to make a friend sit through a book if it is stupid.

Can I repeat?  I loved this book!

Why?  Let's make it simple and I will make a list.  I love lists.

1. It's a fairytale retelling.

2. It's a Christian fairy tale retelling.

3. I cannot decide if it's historical or fantasy...in a good way!

4. I love the cover, and I always judge a book by the cover.

5. I love it because it is leading to the book about Valten, which I think will be really interesting. :)

It was great.  The books sweet and romantic, but are clean and totally appropriate for younger teens.  Anyone I think could read and enjoy these books.  I'm not generally a fan of the fairy tale books (except as I said earlier, Robin McKinley's Beauty...which was so good it made me cry...like four times).  I would encourage anybody who loves a sweet whimsical romance, to pick up this book.  It's fun to read and see the obvious parallels between Snow White (let's skip the full title...I can't spell drwarves....drawves...forget this).  Melanie Dickerson put such a fun twist in the story with the two brothers and "The Cottage of Seven" and the whole storyline of the evil "queen".

I'm just going to stop talking now, and tell you to read it.  Better yet, I'm going to stop talking and offer you a free copy! If you want one, join the lovely giveaway below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

All my love!

*this book was provided free for my honest review by Zondervan, and the lovely Melanie Dickerson who got me hooked up with Zondervan to review this! :)