warnings: none!
Read and received as an ARC through Net Galley.

After the death of her father, Mazy is desperate to find where she belongs. Because it certainly won't be with her older brother who comes in to take over the Baron of Wexcombe title. Her brother is cold, cruel and determined to see Mazy married off and out of his concern. Knowing when she is unwanted, Mazy determines to leave and find her other brother of whom she had fond memories of strength and love. Yet again, things do not go her way as her other brother is not as excited to see her as she would have hoped.

Now, young and naive Mazy has to begin finding her own way in a divided country as war looms on the horizon and men and women hold double standards in how they act.

Enter Berenger, a young soldier from a well family who sees Mazy as strong and capable. Determined to help her, Berenger and Mazy form a friendship to span years and multiple hardships. Now, As Berenger is faced with the proposition of marriage or upsetting the king, he must decide where his heart truly lies. Amid plots of espionage and treason, pain and growth, a small love tale reminiscent of old fairy tales comes to life.

...

So, I've read a few of Dickerson's other books. I knew what I was signing up for when I decided to read this one. However, where I've enjoyed other books this author has written, this one grated. A lot. Mazy felt so much like all her other heroines, a cookie cutter stock character that was "beautiful and too good and kind." Every page and every character had to comment on this. And how naive she was! I got so frustrated with her character, but her and Berenger. And the conflict felt weak and unengaging. By the end of the book I really felt like the plot as a whole could have been stronger especially given the point of political intrigue. But everything of interest happened off page.

This book just felt basic, simple, and didn't have enough to keep me excited to read on.

Love the retellings. Annoyed by the "God will save us" every 5 seconds. Its the book form of the people I avoid from church. No one is doubting God is great, but using his will as an excuse for everything infuriates me

I enjoyed this YA romance. I liked the fairytale aspect and I thought the romance was written well, but I expected a little more to happen. I was hoping for a little more adventure than what was given. The adventure and dilemma that was present was good although it didn't happen until later in the book. I really liked Berenger's point of view and how he handled everything that happened. It felt like a cozy read and kept me interested without being over the top with twists and high stakes circumstances. I liked the writing style and would read more by this author.

Thank you @tlcbooktours @netgalley and @tnzfiction for the gifted copy.

I really liked the idea of this book as I love fantasyland historical fiction books, but unfortunately, I was rather disappointed with this novel. Despite promoting a plot description that had a lot of potential, this book did not live up to my expectations.

The writing was not particularly interesting, instead coming off as bland and basic. This is an issue which I think contributed to the lack of desire I had to keep reading the book. Also, I felt there were a lot of plot holes that made the turning points in this novel confusing and nonsensical at times.

While I liked the characters of Mazy, Sir Berenger, and Ro, there just wasn't enough going on to maintain intrigue and draw the reader in.

Another great book by Melanie Dicerkson. A slower book than her others, but still has the same great storytelling and writing. I look forward to the rest of this series.

This was a gentle tale of pure, chaste love between a Fallon Barons daughter and a knight trying to make his mark on the world. The writing was extremely simple, it felt like someone was telling me a fairytale at bedtime. Yet, I still enjoyed the story and was routing for their happy ending. I wish the author would have taken the plot line a little further each time. The scenes in the castle with Lady Bristow felt forced and the suspense and trepidation on her morals and character could have been explored more fully.
Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC.

- This was a sweet book set when Richard the Lionheart was king. The main characters were easy to root for with their kind hearts and generosity to any in need. I also appreciated that the damsel in distress had skills to defend herself. Just enough evil to keep the ending mysterious. I received a free copy from Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

Loved This Book in the Dericott Tale Series!



Mazelina “Mazy” was an incredibly strong and courageous woman! I enjoyed this story and was so caught up in it that I might have stayed up until the morning hours reading… shhhh! 



The romance between Mazy and Sir Berenger was very sweet. You will dislike some of the characters and hope they don’t accomplish much. What is a fairy tale without a villain or two? 



Melanie Dickerson knows how to weave a story so that makes you feel all the feelings. I can’t wait for her next book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4.5 stars. I do love Melanie Dickerson’s style of writing. Fortress of Snow is the fourth book in The Dericott Tales, series. The story revolves around Mazelina of Wexcombe and Sir Berenger Dericott. Mazy’s father has passed away and her older step brother, heir to the baronetcy, does not want to take care of her. He decides he is going to marry her off to a man older then her father. She runs away to seek out her true brother, he is a knight in the kings court. Sir John is not as receptive as she had hoped he would be, but his friend and fellow knight Sir Berenger was very kind and took her to stay with his sister. She would keep her safe. This is a friends to lovers troupe.
I really enjoyed this story. There is adventure, mystery, sabotage, all things medieval and sweet romance. The storyline was interesting, although the villain and her seductive ways, was not my favorite. I also could not figure out how the title tied into the story. I know it’s supposed to be loosely based on the Snow Queen fairytale, so other than the good vs evil, I really didn’t see many similarities. But the overall the story held my attention and was a intriguing read. The characters are strong and well defined. Sir Berenger is kind and good, but a little weak for a king’s knight. Mazy, is strong, and not afraid to fight for herself. I also enjoyed the side character of Ro. I am looking forward to book 5 in the series. I’m hoping to find out the secret behind, Sir John and maybe Ro will pop up as well! This series of books can each be read as a standalone. The characters do crossover, but the author makes each book a completed story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This fourth entry in The Dericott Tales is so very dull and the book could have been half as long.

In Fortress of Snow, Mazy's father dies leaving his Baronhood and estate to Warin who has been wicked to her. She runs away to her other brother, a night for Lady Delia. Here she begins her healing and meets Sir Berenger. The two become good friends and neither act on their budding feelings of love The two are split when Mazy follows her brother to London and Berenger heads to fight in the Prussian war. When the two meet again will love spark between them or will they be torn apart again?

The good thing about these books is that you can come in the middle of the series and Melanie Dickerson gives you enough information to understand what's going on and any pertinent past information. She does this with great balance- the story isn't bogged down by longer paragraphs of history. The only downer is that she repeats certain things over and over. I don't know if she was marking the occasion as super important or if she thinks the readers have forgotten.

I started the series in the third book, Veil of Winter, and enjoyed it. The female characters were strong and there was a lot of action and the story had so much momentum. That momentum doesn't come over to Fortress of Snow. I found this book so boring. Only the last fourth was of any interest to me. The problem is that small things happen but they are all mundane. The characters repeatedly have the same fight in their heads. The story moves sideways and not forward (which is funny to say with time jumps a war). I honestly didn't care if the characters got together; I was more concerned about a ward that was being neglected.

Fortress of Snow is a long haul of “do they love me? Do they not?” It was like Reading Twilight without a third person complicating things. This novel has me rethinking going back to read the first two books in the series.

Publication Date: December 6

I received an ARC from the publisher; all opinions are my own.

What a simply gorgeous fairy tale! Simple, pure of heart heroine meets brave, pure of heart hero. Evil strives to keep them apart, but true love prevails!

Fantasy & fairy tale fans will devour this story! Sweet and well crafted, this is a perfect read for winter!

The queen of medieval fiction returns with an adventurous romance.

I love Melanie Dickerson’s medieval retellings of classic fairytales. She has an engaging style of writing, and her characters endear themselves to you as you read. Her latest offering, Fortress of Snow, is no exception.

Mazy is a complex heroine. On the outside, she is a beauty that catches the eye of everyone she meets, and her shy and uncertain demeanor lead most to believe she needs to be protected. Yet her skill with a knife and at archery make her a force to be reckoned with. It was refreshing to see a woman of that era claim such independence as she flees her uncaring brothers in the wake of her father’s death. Berenger is an upstanding hero who rises to his title of knight. He’s kind and caring, protective of Mazy, while also giving her the room to be independent. These two winsome characters combined with an enchanting medieval setting and lots of rollicking action culminate in a delightful novel.

Fans of historical fiction with doses of romance and adventure in equal measure will most certainly want to read Fortress of Snow.

I received complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Another classic. Melanie Dickerson never disappoints. She has the ability to transport the reader to a whole different world. You will be entranced from the beginning and love every minute of it!

Melanie Dickerson returns to the Dericott family in this newest fairy tale retelling. Though there are a few tie-ins, this story felt more like a stand alone book. With delightful characters, enough danger to keep things interesting, and a sweet love story that takes it's time developing and I found myself devouring this book! I love how the Dericott stories all have some intrigue, enough danger to make the setting real and to keep the reader entertained and fully involved in the story. But in the end, there will always be a happily-ever-after, even if it doesn't look the way the reader expects when you first start the book. Sir Berenger gets his story told in this newest book. He is a knight of the highest setting, wanting to serve his God, his King and country. All while maintaining the good manners and faith he was raised with. Mazy has been loved all her life, but now her father is gone and she has to face the reality of brothers who do not care either way. Their paths cross throughout the story, showing how friendship has a chance to develop into more when properly nourished. With tales of great battles fought and a single woman fighting to find a place in London, this story has everything needed to put a satisfied sigh on the lips of readers. Melanie Dickerson is a master at retelling fairy tales that leaves the reader thrilled with the knights and ladies of old. Dangerous battles, stunning stories of betrayal, good finding a way to triumph, and love stories the minstrels would croon over all come together into a thrilling story that always entertains. I thoroughly enjoyed this newest Dericott tale and can't wait for the next brother to tell his story! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

So, this book had a lot of potencial and, to be fair, I quite enjoyed reading it. I really liked our main character and the setting and all.

What I didn't like that much was that the climax was not very climax-y, since the stakes did not read like they were high (even if in reality they were). Maybe my problem is that this is supposed to be a Snow Queen retelling but it only loosely was one, in my opinion. I also was a bit irritated by the huge number of decisions that were made to accomadate modern sensibilities (a noble woman breastfeeding her child because she was such a good person, for example) or Protestant sensibilities (a marriage in England in the end of the 14th or beggining of the 15th century quite probably had a Mass right after but that was just glossed over, since that would not read well for Protestants).

All in all, the story arc wasn't very strong but I'm very curious to read this author's other works because most everything worked well for me.

Fortress of Snow by Melanie Dickerson is a real treat! This is the fourth book in the Dericott series and a wonderful continuation. I thoroughly enjoyed the creative retelling of the Snow Queen. Mazy is entirely likeable and Berenger is a true knight. I love the historical detail, the charming twists and turns, and a sweet, faith-based romance. Mazy defies convention and in this time period, the creativity of the author makes it work seamlessly. I have loved every book with the endearing family. Once again, Melanie demonstrates she is the queen of fairy tale retellings. I highly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

The historical world of knights and kings comes to life in a book, which concentrates on the life of a pretty normal girl and her journey of finding a family to call her own.

Mazy had a wonderful life as the daughter of a Baron, but when her father passes away, and the title and estate is completely passed on to her cold, oldest brother, her world collapses. In an attempt to escape a horrible, arranged marriage, she seeks the help of her other brother, who has become a knight, but he isn't anything like she remembered him to be. While he doesn't completely disown her as her oldest brother does, she ends up fending for herself in a huge town of London. While she does meet kind souls and gains a special interest in particular knight, even the dreams of finally finding someone to depend on a little disappear as the king requests him to marry another. But heart-break is the least of the problems with the arrangement.

I did not read the first three books of this series, but that didn't cause any problems when diving into this one, since it seems that each book carries its own twists and plots.

The world building is very well done. Historical England not only comes to life, but it does so in a natural way, which makes the world and characters familiar enough to easily identify with. Mazy starts as a naive girl, who has enough with and independence with her to known when it's better to head out and not fall victim to circumstances. She carries strength, and while displaying a few more physical talents (knives, etc), she never allows these to be more than a side aspect and still stays pretty close to the female role at that time.

The story is grabbing, and Mazy has more than a few situations to conquer...many of which have nothing to do with the romance. This tale centers more on her struggles with life and learning to deal with things as possible. The Christian aspect glides in smoothly and as natural as a prayer, and never becomes preachy or takes over any levels of plot lines. There are a few action scenes, and these also were exciting while staying mostly realistic. The rest is really accompanying Mazy on her journey. I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style (a little more telling than I prefer), but I still had to read this one until the end just to find out how everything turns out for Mazy.

A solid and steady historical romance. I found the writing to be fairly calm, so while it didn't draw me in, it ended up being a pleasant and relaxing read.

I didn't like how comically one-dimensional the villain was, but Mazy and Berenger's story was sweet.

I haven't read any other books in this series, so this can definitely be read as a standalone.

Content: clean

I received an ARC of Fortress of Snow from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Ms. Dickerson, you are truly inspiring with your retellings. All of the fairy tales you've picked up to this point for the Dericott Tale series have been, dare I say, odd choices, but they're done so well, and I'm honestly jealous.

I've been having a blast reading all of the Dericott Tales these past few weeks. They're all great reads. But I have to say, Fortress of Snow is definitely my favorite so far. They just keep getting better and better. This book took all the elements I enjoyed from the previous books and expounded on them.

On top of that, this one changed up the plot! Though I would've happily read another version of the others, I'm so glad it didn't read exactly the same. Let me not forget to mention that this time it was our male main character who was in distress, which was made all the better by the fact that he kept stating how he wanted to be able to save a damsel in distress. Ah, the irony. I loved it.

Honestly, the only reason that I didn't give this one all five stars was that I was expecting a little more out of the adventures at Bristow Castle and the conclusion. We spent a lot of time in the building to get to the castle but not much actual time there. I also felt that the ending of Mazy, Berenger, and Juliana's story was a little rushed. I thought it could have gone either way, good or bad, because there wasn't enough proof for me to believe that good was absolutely going to win. Obviously, I knew that good would prevail, but it seemed too easy. That sounds horrible when I say it as if I think our characters should have suffered more. I don't. However, everything was tidied up in a nice, neat bow in the last thirty or so pages, and it felt a little off to me, that's all.

Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed Fortress of Snow, and I'm disappointed that the next book isn't out yet because I need it in my retelling-loving hands.

This loose retelling of the Snow Queen fairy tale is an easy read that is sure to enchant fans of Christian romance!