A thrilling take on The Pied Piper.

Katerina is the stepdaughter of an evil Mayor. Steffan is the son of a duke.

After Katerina’s experiences with her stepfather, she cannot allow herself to trust any man. When Steffan shows up, his perceived arrogance immediately put him in a bad light. Throughout the story, Katarina will not only have to save her village, she will have to save her heart.

Steffan is carrying a secret that has colored every experience since he was eight years old. His guilt and recklessness drove him from his father’s house and straight into danger. Now he seeks to make restitution.

Told in classical Melanie Dickerson style, The Piper’s Pursuit combines strong heroines with the heroes they need just at the right time in their lives. She includes elements of God and faith while weaving a story filled with action and deep character arcs.

For the YA genre, this book is a good read. Be aware, however, that Kat does discuss some abuse that happened to her as a child.

Katerina knows she needs help to take down the beast hunting their villagers, and Steffan is a well-trained soldier. What could make a better pair? After first reading about Steffan in The Warrior Maiden, I was looking forward to learning more of his story.

I requested a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I went into this book with the wrong expectations, which I fully admit. It was pitched as a gender-swapped Pied Piper retelling and I just went ahead and downloaded it because THAT PREMISE. I didn't pay enough attention to the publisher and since the book was tagged as Teen and Romance, I was unaware that it was Christian fiction. Still, I gave it a fair try, reading until about 35% in.
It was quickly apparent that it's not exactly a Pied Piper retelling, nor is it genderswapped. The rats are a subplot, with missing children and a mysterious Beast who's presumably taking them and killing people as the main plot. The heroine is feminist and fierce, the hero is trying to reclaim his honor after aligning himself with a cause he didn't understand before going off to war. They ally pretty quickly and it's clear who the Bad Guy is equally quickly. Rather than being a mystery (though the rats remain a mystery for a while), the plot is mostly one of how to defeat said Bad Guy. The setting is rare, 1400's in the area we now call Germany, then part of the Holy Roman Empire.
I'm sure a lot of people will really enjoy this historical retelling/fantasy/romance mashup, but I ended up not clicking with the author's voice and as a non-Christian it didn't work for me. (I will say it's not the sort of religious story that assigns gender roles and is mostly focused on being a good person.)

Can each be the hero/ine the other needs?

I knew that when I cracked open a new Melanie Dickerson fairytale retelling that I was in for a treat. What I didn't realize was just how quickly and completely I would be pulled into the retelling of a story that I haven't read since I was a schoolkid. That tale is The Pied Piper Of Hamlin. Suffice it to say that when I read the original story I was much closer to the YA target range of The Piper's Pursuit than I am now. Now, don't mistake me, I LOVE Melanie Dickerson's fairytale retellings partly because they are so appealing to more than just a YA audience.

The Piper's Pursuit was a perfect example of that broad age-range appeal. There were some darker tones in it that I don't remember in some of the previous books. But, those darker tones, actually more like difficult topics, were what made the story both unique and so engrossing. Melanie Dickerson handled those things with grace and an honesty that I truly appreciated.

I will be honest, when I started the book I was a bit unsure how to be sympathetic to the hero. I flat-out disliked liked him in The Warrior Maiden. But both Katerina and Steffan won me over from the start. Sure, he had some lessons to learn, as did Katerina, but they were both made from the same stuff as heroes. I genuinely liked them both, flaws and all.

The Piper's Pursuit was a wonderful story, filled with adventure, intrigue, and romance. Melanie Dickerson's distinct style of storytelling shines bright in this book. The rich historical and regional details leap off the page in vivid color, leaving the reader completely immersed in the 15th century storyworld. You will love characters and hate the villains. And, I'm sure, like me, will be unable to put down The Piper's Pursuit for even fire, famine, or flood. Your family will just have to wait for dinner...or join in the adventure themselves...

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

I have devoured every single one of Melanie's series, loving each book as much or more than the last. The Piper's Pursuit was such a great take on the matching fairytale and I really fell in love with these characters and their stories. Highly recommend this book to everyone who asks for fairytale retelling recommendations!!

I really enjoyed seeing Steffan's path to redemption and getting to know Katerina- these characters really came to life as they worked together to solve the mystery of the beast and the disappearing townspeople and children. Katerina is complex, with major trust issues and a defensive exterior, while inside she is full of compassion for those being abused and willing to fight for them. We see Steffan's rebellious nature in The Warrior Maiden, but in this book we begin to understand where his head was and why he made the choices he did. I liked him much better as he seeks to become a better man and realizes the folly of his past. There is plenty of suspense and action, and the romantic tension slowly grows as Steffan proves himself worthy of Katerina's trust. I wish I could have envisioned the setting better, and would have loved more description of the town especially. Overall, an exciting and satisfying escape into this creative retelling of The Pied Piper.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
This book is the 10th book in the series, but can be read as a stand alone. The book is about a young woman named Katerina, who is at the mercies of an evil stepfather, who is the mayor of the small town of Hamlin. With the death of people at the hands of a beast, who plague the town as well as a growing number of missing children and a plague of rats, Katerina has no choice but to take on the hunt of the beast and try to solve the mystery of the missing children. One day a young man named Steffan, who is the youngest son of the Duke of Hagenheim. He has be away from his family for over a year and is on a journey back home to make amends with his father and his family, when he meets Katerina and hears of the reward of riches and the hand of marriage to the mayor's stepdaughter to whoever successfully kills the beast. While Steffan is welcoming to the reward of riches, Katerina is determined to kill the beast on her own and win her own freedom from her stepfather. Will Steffan and Katerina find healing from their troubles from one another?
Overall, I have enjoyed each and every installment throughout this series and this book is just as good as the others. I enjoy the writing style of this author! Each book has a good use of language and allows the reader to develop interest in the outcome of the main characters and their relationships. The pace of the story was well balanced with enough action and backstory to help the story move along. I was hurt by some of the characters and the choices they made (Hans). I enjoyed how strong Katherina was written and how while she was wary of Steffan at first, she grew to allow herself to see past his gender to the heart of the man. On the other hand, I liked Steffan's character and patients with Katerina throughout this book. I liked the characters from the previous books making cameo appearances within this book, I liked how the author took a classic children's fairy tale of the Piped Piper and gave it a new twist! Overall, I would recommend this book to those who would like to read a clean romance set in the medieval period. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

I thoroughly enjoy retellings of old fairy and folk tales, and this version of The Pied Piper of Hamelin does not disappoint. Dickerson has taken the bones of the story about the piper who leads a horde of rats out of the city of Hamelin by enchanting them with his piper music and added some very interesting twists that engage the reader right away. That’s about as much of the original tale that survives and that’s just fine, because Dickerson has added several characters (good and bad) who turn this into a cracking good adventure. Primary characters Katerina and Steffan tick all the boxes - strong-willed, independent smart, and capable female, angsty but charming, loyal, and smart male who eventually unite against the villain and fall in love - while the bad guy is really reprehensible. Well done.

As always, Melanie Dickerson's fairy tale retellings do not disappoint.

This is the story of...you guessed it--the pied piper!

I liked Katerina almost from the first page. She's a young girl caught in a hard spot in life. She's feisty, strong, and determined. She's protective of her village, and believes she will be the one to kill the terrible beast that has been terrorizing them.

It's obvious that Kat has a hard life, her stepfather is a bad man. As her story  is revealed, bit by bit, we see why she has such a problem with trusting men.

At first I wasn't quite sure what to think about Steffan! His reasons to help are not all together noble, at the beginning, at least. He's made bad choices in the past, and now he wants to prove himself, show his father that he can do something good and be a hero after all.

This story has all the delights of a fairy tale, and yet, there's so much more to it. I love how the author weaves into a timeless tale as this one important character values and shows growth.

A fight between good and evil. We are given the choice-what is good, and what is evil.

And of course, there is a bit of romance here.
There is also a mystery....I enjoyed the twists and turns as it is uncovered.

If you are a lover of fairy tales, be sure and read this one!

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

This is my fav one of her books! so good, even better then the last book... which was Mulan! Yes! I will be reading more of this series, I think I'll do the Aladdin one next and then perhaps the second book since I already read the first one in the series!

I love how this author creates her own spin on familiar fairy tales and naturally weaves in the faith message. It’s a win in for the reader. This novel is no exception and is loosely based on the Pied Piper. Readers are introduced to Katerina a feisty, determined young lady who is the stepdaughter of the Mayor. Children are disappearing at an alarming pace and bodies of adults are discovered eaten by a huge, horrible beast who lurks on the outskirts of town. Her mission is to find the missing children; protect the towns people she loves and make sure her mother’s safe given her stepfathers’ threats.

Then in walks Steffan, who has been on a long journey like the prodigal son in the bible. He has learned a lot about life, himself and his family. He wants to help Katerina, but she’s been hurt and has a hard exterior, snapping at anyone who tries to get close to her. She has been deeply wounded; the story implies sexual assault which explains her hard facade. She trusts no one. A reward is offered to the person who kills the beast. Steffan sees this opportunity to earn some money to get back home. The mayor is also offering his daughter’s hand in marriage - he’s not interested in that, but he does want to help this woman protect her town and uncover its secrets.

I enjoyed this engaging, intriguing read that featured a strong woman who learns to trust others and herself, deepens her faith, and leans on God to do the task she ahead of her. I enjoyed the brave yet tender hearted Steffan as he struggles with his past deeds, his faith and the direction his life has taken. He’s a changed man and has done some pretty horrible things. He feels he has to redeem himself by doing more good things that will outweigh his bad. He learns about receiving forgiveness from God and to forgive himself. Life doesn’t give you do-overs and we can’t do enough good things to wipe out the bad. Total forgiveness that wipes the slate clean comes from Jesus. He paid the price for all of us. We just have to accept it. Love how this message naturally flowed through the story.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com

This book was engrossing right from the beginning; it just totally pulled me. in. I didn't expect that since the story of the Pied Piper isn't exactly one of my favorites, but this was so well written. I loved tough, defensive Katerina and her determination to help her town be rid of the beast and to find the missing children. I also loved Steffan, who is struggling with his past and looking for redemption. The plot moved along quickly and was really interesting, and I enjoyed seeing the characters' growth throughout the story. This was just a pleasure to read!
4.5 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I really love the cover for this book. I think it's so pretty.

This story has excellent character growth, for Steffan especially. He holds much guilt and remorse over past decisions and actions and is anxious to prove himself better. His road to redemption is a satisfying one. I love how hard he worked to be someone Katerina could trust and depend on.

Steffan and Katerina have quite the adventure, trying to solve the mystery of the missing children. There is danger everywhere and working together proved to be better than working alone. The author did an excellent job at creating a villain of Hennek. My skin crawled right along with Katerina's every time he appeared. I love the way Katerina stood tall and didn't cower to his vile words and actions.

I enjoyed the story but mostly the character growth. The romance is gentle and very slow building- definitely not the prominent part of the story. This one got a little long winded with the whole "confession" and I will admit to skimming over that part but overall there was much to enjoy here.

Content: mention of abuse, bullying. Some violence, fighting. Kissing. Christian elements.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Piper's Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson is the 10th book in the Hagenheim series. And after the disappointment of the last two though I think I was in the minority. I was hesitant to try this one, but I went ahead and gave it a go. While it wasn't my favorite of the series. I did enjoy it. It was a different retelling and one I've never read before, The Pied Piper and as a German fairy tale so the setting makes since. I think that this one is going to be my last of Melanie's fairy tale retellinngs mainly because I'm no longer in the target audience for her books.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I have really really enjoyed this book. I'm so glad that I got to be on this tour. I don't know when I have enjoyed a book so much! But just wow! It's so exciting with twists and turns that it will leave you biting your finger nails and frantically turning the page to see what happens to Katerina and Steffan!! These two are incorrigible! They certainly make an adventure exciting!! All the characters do!!

When I heard the word burgermeister I thought I was watching Santa Claus Comes to town! I hadn't heard that word in quite awhile! And let me tell you I sure did not like him! I wanted to reach through the pages and choke him! He deserved that and so much more!

I've read books by this author before and I think that this is her best one yet!! I mean I just couldn't put it down!

Katerina is just truly amazing! I love her grit, determination and a will to help others that aren't so fortunate. Even while guarding her true self from certain people and I loved watching her transform into someone wonderful! Trust isn't easy especially when people hurt you so I can certainly sympathize on that part. I still don't trust people.

The only one I truly trust is my Lord Jesus. Yes, it isn't always easy! But, I'm learning.

I love knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. He loves us so much! I just wish that people would realize that and learn to love one another.

Steffan is just as wonderful! Even though he seems like a spoiled brat at first he continues to surprise me along the way. I like his personality even at the beginning because I knew that he could be so much more. I'm glad that he became the wonderful man I knew he could be.

You know, we all fall short of the Glory of God. All. I was cheering for him all along!

People can be Redeemed. All they need to do is confess and share with the Lord and He will forgive and not remember what you've done. All it needs to do is come from the heart.

I highly recommend this book. Melanie Dickerson is an excellent author who can bring the old fairy tales back to life in ways one can never imagine.

One thing I do find wrong with this book is the cover. It's beautiful but in my opinion it doesn't go with the story. It's all wrong somehow. I would think there would be someone that could be seen chasing Katerina but there's not. That is just my opinion. Others might not thinks so.

My thanks to Netgalley for a complimentary copy of this book. NO compensations were received and all opinions are my own.

In the tradition of Melanie Dickerson’s fairytale retellings, you will adore Katerina and Steffan. Even though this is written as a Young Adult romance, romantics of all ages will appreciate the creative take on the Pied Piper. Katerina and Steffan are determined to rise above the past that threatens to define them. They are driven to rescue, save and protect the people of Hamlin who had been lied to and stolen from by the evil mayor. Katerina is willing to fight, no matter the cost and Steffan is committed to never leaving her side. The outcome will warm your heart and leave you with smiles for the rest of the day.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own and freely given.

This is book 10 in Dickersen’s Hagenheim series, all apparently fairytale retellings. I haven’t read any of the others but did feel that this retelling of the Pied Piper of Hamelin could be read alone; while there is reference made to the hero Steffan’s actions in previous books, it wasn’t confusing or necessary to know about.

In 1424, things are very wrong in the small German town of Hamlin. There’s a plague of rats and worse by far, children have been disappearing for months, supposedly killed by the Beast of Hamlin, a terrifying wolf-creature. Stepdaughter of the mayor, Katerina is determined to save her people, but she can’t do it alone. When a handsome stranger turns up and helps her defeat a wolf on his first day in town, she takes the first tentative steps towards trusting.

I’d call this a YA novel aimed at the younger end of the target demographic. I’d probably have adored this when I was about 12, but older me started nit-picking right away - 52 children missing from a small town is catastrophic, an entire generation missing, and there’s no way the townspeople wouldn’t have been in open revolt by that stage. The thing with the rats was weird and made no sense, because any peasant knows how to kill a rat. Cats and dogs were kept for the purpose, and a mayor eager to splash cash around should have been importing ratting terriers to deal with it immediately.

The Christian themes get very heavy-handed towards the end of the book - Steffan confessing his sin of wanting to kiss Katerina made me roll my eyes. I don’t mind a certain amount of prayer and thanksgiving in historicals particularly because religion was a major part of everyday life in those times, but here it comes off evangelical and self-righteous, especially when Katerina is attempting to get the villain to have a change of heart by telling him God won’t forgive him.

I’m obviously not the target market for this book, being neither 12 nor evangelical Christian. However, if you’re a parent who considers that this might be suitable for a child you’re choosing reading material for, bear in mind there are some uncomfortable themes in here, such as Katerina’s abusive stepfather and hints at sexual violence as well as enslavement of children, cruelty to animals and other difficult topics. I guess I’m struggling to see who would actually be the appropriate target audience here, because I can’t think of anyone I’d recommend it to. Two stars.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

I have been so hooked on Melanie Dickerson's books since the first one I read! She does such a fantastic job of blending historical settings, fairy tales, and faith into a beautiful work that encourages, teaches, and entertains in The Piper's Pursuit.

This story is, as you might have guessed, a retelling of the legend, The Pied Piper. Continuing the account of the Duke of Hagenheim's family, Steffan now gets his story told.

Steffan has changed so much since The Warrior Maiden. Which is such a good thing - he was pretty awful. Now he thinks he needs to redeem himself, performing enough good deeds to somehow undo the bad.

Katarina was determined to free her village of the beast who terrorized it. When saddled with the arrogant, yet handsome, duke's son to help her in this quest, she never expected things to turn out as they did! She had to learn to trust and not attempt to do everything by herself.

I love the clear manner in which the Gospel was presented. Forgiveness, redemption is not earned. We can't undo the wrongs we have done and can't do enough good to erase them. Forgiveness comes only through God's son, who sacrificed His life for our salvation.

The more serious topics of addiction and abuse are broached in this tale, yet in a sensitive manner and without too much detail.

Readers who enjoy adventure and romance will want to be sure to read The Piper's Pursuit. While part of a series, it is a fantastic story on its own.

Readers of Melanie Dickerson’s The Warrior Maiden have already met Steffan (and most likely formed some sort of an impression of him). Yet, in The Piper’s Pursuit, we get a more complete picture of this young man.

Steffan is challenged by Katerina—a strong young woman he quickly comes to respect and admire and someone who makes him wish he were worthy of her affection. Kat is brave and courageous who at first seems standoffish but beneath that tough exterior lays a compassionate heart for the people of Hamelin.

While this is a retelling of The Pied Piper, the whole rate storyline doesn’t fit well. There’s plenty going on—the missing children, Kat’s stepfather, and the growing romance between Kat and Steffan—without the someone misplaced plotline.

That aside, Dickerson weaves a story of redemption, learning to give yourself forgiveness and grace for past mistakes, and good conquering evil that is an entertaining addition to the entire Hagenheim series (and readers of the entire series will enjoy the connections to the other stories throughout The Piper’s Pursuit).

Disclosure statement:
I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

I have loved this series by Melanie Dickerson, but was a little hesitant about this book, simply because I’ve never cared for the Pied Piper story. I should have known, however, that this author can put a great spin on any fairytale, and I ended up very much enjoying this book. Although there’s some elements of the Pied Piper tale, this book focuses on Prince Steffan and his desire to reconcile with his family (especially his father) and become a person of whom they could be proud. I loved the elements of the Biblical account of “The Prodigal Son” and watching Steffan become a man of great character. The author brought the combination of both” Piper” and “Prodigal” together perfectly, and made for an exciting story.

Katerina is an excellent heroine in this story. She’s intelligent, brave, loyal, compassionate—and beautiful. It’s no wonder that Steffan falls in love with her, and seeks to help Katerina realize she can trust him. The two go through harrowing experiences together before they find their happily-ever-after. This is an entertaining clean and sweet story. You can easily read this book as a stand alone story, but if you have been following the series, you’ll especially enjoy Prince Steffan’s storyline.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I have enjoyed these fairy tale retellings that Melanie Dickerson puts a new twist upon for adult readers. This one based on the Pied Piper of Hamlin along with a connection to the story of the Prodigal Son was my favorite so far.

Katerina is a strong young woman who cares deeply for her town and its people. She has a wicked stepfather who has educated her and trained her in the use of sword and longbow just to show her off in public; but behind closed doors, he berates and threatens her. Children are missing and a large beast has killed several people and the town is overrun by rats. Steffan is the youngest son of the Duke Of Hagenheim, but he has spent the past years running wild. Now he's heading home, but his attitude and guilt over the things he has done still haunt him.

This story was filled with the normal fairy tale characters both good and evil; and generally, is the typical fairy tale that shows good winning over evil. But Dickerson added descriptive scenes with fleshed-out characters along with a well written Christian theme.that made this book a very enjoyable read.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.