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The Orphan's Wish

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Member Reviews

This was a beautifully crafted book! I enjoyed the story line and the characters were likable. I especially liked the character of Alladin. He stood up for what was right no matter the cost. Thank you for a clean and lovely book.

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This book was an interesting retelling and take on the Aladdin myth! I enjoyed the plot and the characters, this was a good read and would be well suited to a teenage audience. At times I found a lull in the action but would soon get taken back into the story. Thanks so much to Netgalley for the ARC, this is a 4 stars out of 5.

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I’m such a fan of Melanie’s and this book was perfect! I loved it so much and would read it again for sure! Thank you so much for the ARC!!

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This book is a historical fiction based on the 1400s and I thought it would be great as it was a retelling of Aladdin. I found this book to be intriguing, suspenseful, including love and loss and love with the hope of rescue. I enjoyed the details she went into in this story and it really caught my attention. It made me happy, scared and sad sometimes, with an eagerness to find out what happens next and to keep on reading. The main female character's courage was inspiring in the way of how she faced her fears.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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I am not a fan of re-tellings. I think that may be my overall issue with this story and the Silent Songbird, book 7 in this series. I didn't realize it was part of a series until after the fact as it is not mentioned on the request.

I think I'm a bit too set in a particular retelling style that this once just did wow me or grab my obsessiveness like some other books might. The fact that it started off slow and not in a good way, didn't help much either.

The fact that I finished it was a plus. It's not my cup of tea, but the interesting way the Aladdin lore is retold may grab its intended audience rather well. I find it really disappointing that kids don't have imagination any more and can't see in their mind anything beyond the 21st century or even the 20th. The 1600-1800s has a lot of unique cultural differences that romanticizes relationships and in a retelling like this, I think it adds a unique aspect to the story that would be different if this story were written the exact same way, but in 2018 with iphones and unbelievable technology.

3.5 stars.

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Rating 4/5

I really liked this retelling! I have only ever read one Aladdin retelling and that was focused on the Villain and his perspective so this was a welcome retreat from my normal reads! I haven't read any other books in the series and don't feel that I really needed to. There were few parallels to the Disney version, but I like that in retellings because that is the point of them! It's not to *copy* someone else's version but to create your own so this hit the mark for sure!

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I enjoyed this book a lot. Aladdin was a determined young man. He wanted to prove he was not just another orphan. He had a special friendship with with Lady Kirstyn. Lady Kirstyn always had a heart for orphans. Aladdin decides he must make his own way in life. Lady Kirsten is kidnapped. Life doesn’t always turn out the way we expect. Another fairy retale by this author. There are excellent lessons to be gleaned and it’s a great book for teens and adults.

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This unique retelling of Aladdin is the eighth book in the Hagenheim series.
Aladdin is born in the Middle East, but when he becomes an orphan, he is forced to steal by a cruel master who takes him in. One day, Aladdin is rescued by a kind priest and is taken far away to Hagenheim, where he befriends fellow orphans and the Duke's daughter, Lady Kirstyn. As Aladdin and Lady Kirstyn get older, they grow to be best friends, and Aladdin becomes trusted and beloved by the Duke's family and the townspeople. When Aladdin leaves to seek his fortune, he never imagines that he will unwittingly put Kirstyn in harm's way and that he will face his greatest test yet as he tries to thwart an evil plot.
I enjoy retellings of fairy tales and old legends, and this book was not an exception. Placing Aladdin in Hagenheim instead of his home country in the Middle East was creative and unique. Aladdin and Kirstyn's relationship was sweet and enduring, and the descriptive writing was excellent. I thought there was a little too much obsessive thinking about kissing, but that's typical for young adult fiction. I personally didn't agree with the Catholic influence in the book, but I realize that it's historically accurate. I got bogged down with the story in the middle, but other than that I thought the plot was well done. The romance is clean, and there is some violence, but not too much. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys retellings and historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

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Melanie Dickerson's latest, The Orphan's Wish, is an entertaining spin on the beloved tale of Aladdin. The 8th book in her Hagenheim series, Melanie presents the story of Aladdin and Kirstyn, two young adults caught up in events ripe with danger and the struggle to be a person of character amid crooked schemes.
Fans of Dickerson and of medieval history will fall in love with this story and its bevy of well developed characters. The dialogue, the ever present intrigue, and the depth of friendship between the hero and heroine will hold you spellbound. A good, clean young adult read, this is a refreshing tale of honor, integrity, and lasting love that overcomes the most daunting of obstacles.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions in this review are my own.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book had everything I’m a sucker for: friends to lovers trope, retelling of a classic, changing point of views between the main characters and a bit of danger as well.
I thought it was a particularly enjoyable read in all accounts, but I noticed that there was an intention, throughout the book, to add a little more subplots than necessary, mainly the one regarding the contraband Alladin came upon while working for Her Goteken. It was just there and it got dealt with so quickly that it would be the same for me if it wasn’t there at all.
Also, there was a lot of references to the christian religion throughout the story. The way they treated it was also was quite subtle and didn’t tire me off as much as I thought it would, mainly because the plot is based on the 15th century.
The characters were well developed. Specially Alladin. Kirstyn was the perfect maiden through and through. I thought that her kidnapping would toughen her a bit to the world but she remained the fair maiden till the end.
All in all I think it was a cozy read. It didn’t make my heart beat any faster but it warmed it anyway.
A solid 3.5 ⭐️’s in my opinion.

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The Orphan's Wish #8 Hagenheim by Melanie Dickerson

The Orphan's Wish is a lovely and fun retelling of the fairy tale Aladdin. Melanie Dickerson weaves a delightful story with a faith theme woven throughout which gives a deeper depth of the story-line and characters. There are several characters that soon made it to my favorites list and those who had evil intents that had me hoping they would be found out in time. I enjoyed the childhood adventures Aladdin and Kirstyn had and hoped they could recapture that adventurous spirit once again in adulthood. Of course, things are so different for them now than when they were children. Will these differences hinder their friendship or give them a strength to build upon? Then something tragic occurs that forces Aladdin to rethink his priorities and goals. Will he be in time to help Kirstyn before it is too late and never be able to declare his true feelings for her? Will the ordeal Kirstyn is forced into destroy her or will she find the strength she needs to keep going and believing God will provide a miracle for her?

I appreciate the faith elements within the story-line and the lessons the characters learned. . .such as, to learn to lean on God and trust Him in all areas of their lives (a lesson for us all). I enjoyed the descriptive details of the era the story is set in, which brought the story to life for me. Growing up, Aladdin was never a favorite fairy tale but this retelling has changed my mind about the story.

~I received an e-book copy of this book from the publisher/author/NetGalley (no monetary gain were exchanged), this is my honest review~

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I did NOT enjoy this book at all. I only kept reading because it was from Netgalley and I had to read it.
It was just bad, okay? for so many reasons.

1) The enforced westernization and inherent anti-islam attitude.
Apparently, if the "christian" priest isn't around, poor orphans will be abused by cruel Islamic masters. Never mind the countless abuse stories we know of from Christian history. Remember the Children's Crusades? Where Christian priest sent orphans to evangelize Islamic countries, only to turn them over the slavers at the Mediterranean?
This anti-Islam attitude is front and center from the very first page. If Aladdin hasn't been taken by the German priest, he would died an orphan in the "holy land" Also, the priest randomly said his native name was too hard to pronounce, so he randomly renames the six year old. Wow.


2) Mary Sue Characters
everyone in this book is a two dimensional, flat character. I nearly barfed at the treatment of the Duke's Daughter, Kristyn. her relationship with Alladin is solely made up of past walks through the woods.
And how many times do we need to be reminded how far out of Alladin's league Kristyn is? For one, it's patronizing. And two, there's absolutely no other girls that have ever caught Alladin's interest? Come on.

3) Boring, predictable plot
Um, was this an actual retelling? Here, Alladin is the epitome of goodness, not a questionable young man. And there's no real competition for Kristyn's hand. It's just boring. Mostly flashbacks and predictable actions so that these two washed out characters can finally be together.

4) Ameturish writing
The dialogue made me cringe, OVER AND OVER again. Seriously, I felt like editing just didn't happen. Add a predicable, boring story to flat storytelling and this book was just painful to read.

In conclusion
I cannot being to describe my disappointment. I've read Melanie Dickerson before, but her Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood retelling were interesting, at the very least. And they didn't slam Arabic cultures for the sake of promoting Christianity. And not just christianity, but very western practices. I cannot recommend this book or author anymore.

ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review

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I didn't enjoy the way that this book was written, I just couldn't get on with the point of view or style.

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I recently finished reading Ms. Dickerson's new fairy tale retelling and absolutely loved it!! The twists she added made it intriguing and kept me interested. Aladdin has always been one of my favorites, ever since Disney's Aladdin hit the big screen. He's a diamond in the rough, most wouldn't give him a second glance, but deep down, he's bright and so kind. There are definitely parts that are easy to guess,"How things are going to end," but the getting there is the mystery. This is definitely worth the read and very enjoyable.

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My rating: 2.5

Christian fiction is not something that I'm interested in but I had previously read Melanie Dickerson's Silent Songbird and really loved it. I was very excited for The Orphan's Wish as I love Aladdin and was curious what the author could do with the story. The Orphan's Wish tells the story where Aladdin, a young thief is able to turn his life around - all while befriending Lady Kirstyn. As he grows, he impresses others so much so that he has the opportunity. However, Aladdin desires to create his own fortune and leaves the town. Once Aladdin leaves, Lady Kirstyn is kidnapped and Aladdin must return to rescue her. Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of this book. I'm not sure if it's because I love Disney's Aladdin so much and I have an attachment to his character or if it's just because the book felt too slow. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

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I love reading Fairy Tales retellings and MelanieDickerson's are the best!
I liked that this book is set in the medieval era, which I love. And that there are characters that I know from her previous books. The Duke of Hagenheim's family, Lena the healer, etc.
Both main characters are very likeable. I liked Aladdin's integrity since he was young, and his loyalty for his childhood friend. Lady Kirstyn is sweet and so kind... I felt a bit bad that she didn't feel worthy at times because she was the youngest in a big family and was often overlooked. But she grew up through out the story. Both characters were endearing.
The plot had the Aladdin theme but it was original in itself. It had unexpected twists, and it captivated me from the start until the end. I especially liked the second half. The ending was great!
I liked that the romance was sweet and clean. The only thing is that I thought they took very long to admit their feelings for each other when it was so evident. But even with that, it made it more interesting and intriguing.
I has everything: love, adventure, suspense and a bit of humor.
I totally recommend this book as well as the rest of Melanie Dickerson's books. For teens and adults as well.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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The Orphan’s Wish is written by New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson. It was published in 2018 by Thomas Nelson.
The following book review contains spoilers.
This newest installment in Melanie Dickerson’s fairy tale romance series puts an interesting spin on the classic story of Aladdin. The book takes place in Hagenheim, Germany, and follows the story of two young lovers. Aladdin, an orphaned Arab boy rescued from his life of poverty and stealing, falls in love with Kirsten, the daughter of Duke Wilhelm. Their love seems forbidden by the chasm of their ranks, and so Aladdin sets off to make a life and fortune for himself. But when Kirsten is kidnapped and pulled into a terrible plot, Aladdin must overcome his feelings of unworthiness and risk sacrificing everything he has built in order to save her.
I’m a huge fan of Melanie Dickerson, and so of course I was on board for The Orphan’s Wish. I was pleasantly surprised with how well she formed the plot. Ms. Dickerson never ceases to amaze with the ability to put an original twist on fairy tales, and work in a Christian message while she’s at it. This book was no different, and it addressed some pretty important modern issues too. For instance, Aladdin struggles with feelings of guilt from his past, when he was forced to steal for Mustapha, his master. He sees himself through Mustapha’s eyes and battles with self-rejection as a result. This is a perspective he is forced to overcome. Another serious problem that was displayed was abusive relationships. Two of Kirsten’s captors, Anna and Michael, are dating. However, Michael is both verbally and physically abusive to Anna. The story shows her being continually hurt by him, and yet still going back to the unhealthy relationship because she has nowhere else to go. This, tragically, is a concern that is all too common, and I appreciate that the author did not turn a blind eye to social problems in favor of a happy-go-lucky story. That being said, I would not recommend the book to younger audiences because of the mature issues addressed, but ages thirteen and up should be fine. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am anxiously anticipating the next one.

Thank you to the Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Guild, as well as Net Galley, for providing a copy of this book for me to review. All opinions are my own and were not required to be positive.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I’ve done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

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The Orphan's Wish by Melanie Dickerson

Could this orphan ever be good enough for the duke's daughter?

My rating is 4.5 stars

Aladdin felt compelled to be perfect. He remembered the sins of his youth with shame and felt he had to somehow be perfect to atone for them. He loved Lady Kristyn from the first time he saw her and didn’t think he was good enough to aspire to her hand. These were such strong motivations for him, driving him to excel in all he did and to leave Haggenheim to seek his fortune.

My heart went out to Aladdin when his mother died and he found himself destitute at the age of 5. The shame he felt over the thieving he had been forced to do until he was rescued by Priest and brought to Germany to live followed him throughout his life. I loved his strong protective nature towards Lady Kristyn. . .

It was interesting to see the way Aladdin viewed himself, flawed and insignificant, compared to the way others saw him, perfect and able to succeed at anything he put his hand to. I think we often do this very same thing, look at ourselves through the veil of our sins and not through the new life and forgiveness which comes through Christ. I appreciated the way author Melanie Dickerson brought Aladdin to the place where he was able to see his worth in Christ in such a sensitive and compassionate way.

Lady Kristyn is a younger daughter and often feels invisible. Her dad even forgot her birthday one year. Granted, he was dealing with a serious situation, but what young girl wants to have such an important day overlooked? The one person she always knew who heard her was Aladdin. From the time they were young, he had been her dearest friend and her champion. He even bore scars as a reminder of the time he almost lost his life to save hers. Anyone who has struggled with feelings of self-doubt, inadequacy or invisibility will be able to relate to her.

While some aspects of the story were anticipated, there were also a number of unexpected twists. One of the characters made me mad when he betrayed Aladdin unexpectedly, however it fit and needed to happen. I do wish more details would have been given about the situation with the merchant in Hagenheim. and its resolution Yes, it was obvious that it was resolved, but it felt like something more should have been said about it.

I have enjoyed all the books in this series I have read (I missed one somehow!) I appreciate the way the author integrates her faith so naturally into the lives of the characters. I also like the way she tells the stories in the time and place I picture the original fairy tales to have taken place and yet writes them as “regular” stories without magic and fairies. Melanie Dickerson is one of the authors on my “if the book is by her it is worth reading” list.

Read the full review of The Orphan's Wish by Melanie Dickerson with a Preview at AmongTheReads.net

I would like to thank JustRead Tours for giving me a copy of this book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.

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First… GORGEOUS cover! Very compelling. :)
I was super excited about this book since I have read and own the first four books in the Hagenheim Series plus The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest. So yeah, I had high expectations.
I was intrigued with the way the story started, Aladdin’s mother’s death, how he was forced to steal, and how he met the priest and the knight. But I was sad that he was then taken to Germany and we don’t see the Middle East again. I had been hoping that Dickerson would integrate the rich culture of the Middle East.
It was interesting that much of the story was told from Aladdin’s point of view. I had not been expecting this at all, but it was a nice change. Aladdin was hard-working, honest, and had a firm faith in God; however, he lacked notable flaws. He was, as the other characters even state, perfect. One thing, though, that bothered me about him, was the way he compared Gethel and Kirstyn. It was all about their looks! “She was pretty, he supposed, but not as beautiful as Kirstyn. Her hair was brown and smooth, her brown eyes and mouth rather small and delicate. He couldn’t help comparing her to Kirstyn’s pale-blonde hair, her full lips, and large blue eyes. Kirstyn was also taller than Grethel.” Just NO. A girl’s outside beauty does not make her truly beautiful!
Okay, moving on. The idea behind the plot was interesting. I liked how Dickerson took the Aladdin story and made it her own. Retellings do by no means have to exactly follow the Disney version. That’s the beauty of a retelling, you can make it your own.
The writing was okay, I had hoped for something more elaborate since Dickerson is an experienced writer.
Finally, as with all of Dickerson’s books, this was a clean read and I loved that about it.
But altogether, I felt a little like the publishing process for this book was rushed. If they had spent a bit more time filling out the plot, the characters, and the setting, and embellishing the writing, it would have made this book so much better.

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Genre: Historical, fairytale,

My Rating: 4 Stars.

Recommendation: Anyone 13+.

My favorite character/s: Aladdin in this retelling is a different kind of hero, and I liked how he changed throughout the book. He was just so so hurt :-(, I felt bad for him when the book started... and the middle... and the whole book.... until he got his happyily ever after...

My Verse for Psalm 68:5
A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. King James Version.


My thoughts: I have read most of Miss Dickerson's books, this one was good but not as great as her others. It felt rushed like it was written in a hurry and was not as well written. I still liked it a whole lot. I enjoyed how it was a little different from most of her books as well. This was a really cute and sweet story. I was really glad when I saw that this book was out.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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