Giveaway Melanie Dickerson's The Golden Braid Audiobook - Review by Carrie Fancett Pagels

The Golden Braid

by Melanie Dickerson

Thomas Nelson (November, 2015)

This audiobook will be on my list of Audiobooks of the Year for 2015.

Reviewed by Carrie Fancett Pagels

5 Stars *****

A Beautifully Woven Story!!!

The Golden Braid on audiobook at first put me off because the narrator sounded depressed. I really didn't care for her voice. And if you've ever met Melanie Dickerson you know she has the sweetest voice in the world! So that narrator just seemed so wrong! BUT, I really wanted to listen to the book because Melanie is a talented author and a friend plus Noela had done such a stellar review here on OWG blog that I pushed past the initial reaction to the narrator. I turned the speed up on her and soon I was ENGROSSED in the story!  It was a GREAT book and it is so hard to find a wonderful audiobook to listen to for Christian readers!

This is a Rapunzel story with many twists. I loved how Melanie fleshed out the wicked "mother" in the story. She does a great job of making the evil woman's behaviors understandable. And I love how instead of the knight, Sir Gerek, being completely heroic, he was a bit of a jerk at first. Again, the author does her job of helping us understand his behavior. I was impressed by the weaving together of the story threads.


Giveaway: Hardcover copy of The Golden Braid. Question: Have you read any of Melanie's books and which one is your favorite? (I think this one may be my favorite!) 

Teresa Mathews Reviews The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson

5 Stars*****

Fairy Tale Perfection!

Melanie Dickerson has beautifully mastered the re-telling of Snow White in a way that all I can say is: I wish the first one had been this good. With this version Melanie takes us back to the land of make-believe where a damsel in distress can be rescued by a handsome Lord and live happily-ever-after.

Sophie has no memories of her life as a child except being here in Hohendorf Castle with the evil Duchess Ermengard. Everything she does seems to bring the wrath of the Duchess on her. She has spent days in the dark, dank dungeon with no food or water as punishment; it seems the Duchess has always hated her. It is only by her faith in God she keeps going on day after day. Will she ever be able to escape this horrible life?

Lord Gabehart Gerstenberg didn't know if he believed the old lady Pinnosa or not, her story seemed far-fetched. They all knew that Duke Baldewin’s daughter Sophie died as a small child. Could she really still be alive and is being held captive by her evil step-mother? Gabe knew that Valten should be the one to rescue his betrothed but something in his heart was urging him to go and not wait for Valten‘s broken leg to heal. Will he find Sophie and be able to bring her back to his brother? 

When a handsome stranger shows up and starts asking Sophie all sorts of odd questions she has no clue what he is talking about. Her, a lowly scullery maid, the daughter of a Duke? That can’t be true; the Duchess told her she was an orphan. Was that another of her wicked lies? Could she really be betrothed to a future Duke named Valten, this stranger's older brother? If so, why didn't he come to rescue her?

When Gabe arrives at Hohendorf Castle and meets the beautiful Sophie, he knows he cannot leave her there in the clutches of the evil Duchess. When Pinnosa’s story is verified by the only other person who knows the truth, Gabe makes haste to whisk Sophie away before the Duchess has her killed. When a wicked huntsman follows them will he succeed in killing them before they make it to the safety of the Cottage of the Seven? Will Gabe be able to watch  Sophie marry his brother now that he realizes how much he loves her? 

This story was absolutely charming; Melanie took one of my favorite fairy tales and improved it to the point of perfection. We have the basic story we grew up with but Melanie has taken it and woven God’s love and the power of His forgiveness throughout the story and that is perfection! Thank you Melanie for helping me remember that with God’s love, fairy tales do come true!!

I was given an ARC by Zondervan in exchange for my honest opinion.

This marvelous read along with others by Melanie can be found at Amazon, CBD and Barnes & Noble.

GIVEAWAY: Melanie is giving away a signed copy of The Fairest Beauty to a US commenter who answers the question below. 

International commenters cannot be entered in this giveaway.

QUESTION: As a child what was your favorite "Happy-Ever-After" story?

Diana Flowers Reviews The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson

The Fairest Beauty

The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson

Zondervan 2013

Reviewed by Diana Flowers

~5 stars*****

Enchanting!

In The Fairest Beauty, Melanie Dickerson sweeps us away on an enchanting, whimsical journey set during the medieval era in a captivating spin on the alluring classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The reader is immediately transported to another time and place -- one of lords and ladies, exotic castles, a wicked Duchess, and a lovely, charming cottage hidden deep in the forest...the Cottage of the Seven!

Our beautiful 17 year old heroine, Sophie, is trapped in the clutches of the abusive and evil Duchess Ermingard -- destined to spend the rest of her life in Hohendorf castle as little less than a servant. The duchess is envious of the maiden's enchanting beauty, and keeping Sophie's identity a secret from all, makes it her lifelong pleasure to torment and abuse her.

A mysterious, handsome nobleman, Gabehart, comes to Sophie's rescue, and whisks her off to safety -- to the Cottage of the Seven, narrowly escaping the duchess and her henchmen. Sophie and Gabe must fight off a budding romance because he informs her that he is already betrothed and shockingly so is Sophie -- to his brother. But just as Gabe and Sophie are being well taken care of by the seven dwarfs, new and life threatening danger appears and long buried secrets arise as darkness threatens to envelop the lovely lass.

Will the two make it to Sophie's betrothed's castle safely...or is there to be no happily ever after in her destiny? For even should they make it to Hagenheim, can Sophie even dare to think about life without Gabe in it? Will she be able to give up love for the sake of tradition? And will Sophie and Gabe allow God to heal their hearts of past wounds and hurts?

Melanie Dickerson is one of the finest writers in Christian fiction today. Her stories are filled with adventure, suspense, romance, twists and turns, and heart pounding action! Inside of every woman is still that little girl who once dreamed of her Prince Charming and "happily ever after", and Melanie satisfies that need in each of us to become that young lass again...even if only for a short while. This is a fantasy and the reader should regard it as such. The characters are very endearing...especially the delightful seven dwarfs...and I just love how much Gabehart evolves throughout the book! I really enjoyed this novel and could barely put it down once I got into it...very nicely written, Melanie Dickerson!

I received an ARC of this novel from Zondervan in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book may be purchased from Amazon, CBD, and Barnes and Noble.





GIVEAWAY: Melanie is giving away a signed copy of The Fairest Beauty to a US commenter who answers the question below. 

International commenters cannot be entered in this giveaway.

QUESTION: When you were a child did you dream of a knight in shining armor who would whisk you away on his white horse or a certain career choice perhaps? Did your dreams come true?