I’ve never been one to read young adult fiction or romance. Not even when I was a young adult, in fact. And actually, I didn’t realize this book was listed as young adult until I picked it up from the hold shelf at my local library. But hey, since I had it in my hand... and it is such a beautiful book, and I’d heard such good things about it, I decided I would read my first “young adult” novel... at the age of 34. Wow. I’m literally TWICE as old as a young adult. How depressing.
Well, even if I’m old, there is something about fairy tales that I still love. The fact that Melanie Dickerson’s The Healer’s Apprentice is based on the tale of The Sleeping Beauty is what made me want to read it in the first place... no matter that I’d never heard of the author before.
As long as I’m in the mood for admitting things like my age, I also want to confess something else. I’ve been getting into the awful habit of opening a book to a random page in the middle and reading a few pages in order to determine whether I want to read it or not. I know. This doesn’t seem very fair to the authors I’ve never heard of or read anything of before... but you must understand how many books there are in my TBR pile. More than I can keep up with while trying to write my own books, manage this blog, and baby-sit a two and a half-year old and her nine month old brother (but only until June! PTL!).
When I reread those pages (which convinced me that I really SHOULD DEFINITELY read the book), I love them even more once I’d got to them in the order of the story. Yeah, big surprise, huh? I was actually enchanted by the entire story world, the characters and then plot... even though I pretty much already knew the basics of it. Melanie Dickerson is a master at making her characters connect in ways that make you feel God made them for each other. I also loved that the scene on the cover was from a very important scene in the book. It was perfect matched, which isn’t often done so well as on the cover of this book. Covers really do matter, you know. A cover of a book is often what convinces me to become interested in a book in the first place.
Quite frankly, I loved everything about this book. It wasn’t quite as passion-filled or angsty as other books I like, but the ending was just plain heart-meltingly adorable. I definitely look forward to reading her second book, The Merchant’s Daughter, which is a retelling of the fairy tale The Beauty and the Beast.
I don’t happen have a copy of The Healer’s Apprentice to give away, but I do have a giant pile of books listed under My Give Away Books at the top of my blog for my weekly winners to choose from. To win, leave a comment answering the question at the end of this post (including your email so I can contact you), follow my blog or re-post my book review on your Facebook page. The winner will be announced next Monday.
*What is your favorite fairy tale and why?
6 comments:
My favorite fairy tale was Cinderella - taken from pain and ridicule to love and acceptance.
Please enter me in your drawing.
Jodie Wolfe
digging4pearls(at)comcast(dot)net
If you liked this book, then you'll love Melanie's second book. LOVED that one so much. Hugs ;O)
Super cool read! I have this book on my Kindle. Your review just made me bump it up to the top of the list.
My favorite fairy tale?
It would be a toss up between Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella. Love them both!!
You have my email (wink)
Thanks so much!!
I think "Beauty and the Beast" to be my favorite because it reminds me of God. Man looks at the outward appearance, God sees the heart.
brvan71@yahoo.com (yes, it's a v and not a y)
I love Beauty and the Beast. You never know the something wonderful you will be rewarded with when you open your heart and allow yourself to look past the outer shell.
gailya_k@yahoo.com
okay, yeah, I stayed up until 3am last night to read this book. I'll send you the bill for the lost sleep. Ha! :) Thanks, Dawn!
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