Loved it! I loved the raw emotions (pain, hurt, and forgiveness) felt from the characters, as well as the adventure and romance in the story. Ranks up there with my other Melanie Dickerson favorites!

I think 10 year old me would have really loved this book, but 30 year old me did not. I selected an ARC of this book on NetGalley as this series of fairytale retelling keeps popping up on my recommendations over and over again. After finally realizing that although they are set in the same world, each novel is stand alone which made me choose to start with A Piper’s Pursuit. The story itself was not bad, and was a unique and interesting spin on the tale of The Pied Piper. In the hands of a better writer, this would have been a fantastic book. The writing in this book is not stellar, and makes me wonder how Melanie Dickerson has been so successful thus far. There are frequent religious references, so maybe the Christian community is keeping her afloat? Personally, I don’t mind religious undertones, but I found a lot of it had minimal contribution to the story, and the prayers/confessions were frequently used to explain a character’s thoughts and motives which was unnecessary. This book had a lot of “telling” instead of “showing,” which to me is the mark of poor writing. I think the author was trying to write a strong heroine in Katerina, the main character, but the weak love story and total reliance on Steffan, the love interest, undermined that.

Again, 10 year old me would probably have liked the combination of love story and fairy tale retailing without minding the bad writing. This book is suitable for young readers as the religious love story requires everything to be G-rated (seriously, Steffan thinks he has to confess because he thinks wanting to kiss Kat is a sin...).

As with all of Ms. Dickerson's fairytale recreations, this one is so interesting. It's also unique, in that I've never heard of a retelling of the classic Pied Piper until now. The main characters go through many changes and reveal so much growth, and the thread of faith throughout ties this story together nicely.

I'll definitely continue seeking out Ms. Dickerson's stories in this Hagenheim series. Although I enjoyed some of the others in the series a bit more than this one, it's still very enjoyable and enchanting.

I received a complimentary ecopy of this book from NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive review.

This book is n. 10 in "the Hagenheim" series, and it's a re-telling of "the pied pipper".

We are going to follow the character of Stefan, who was introduced to the readers in a previous book by the same author, as he wants to be worthy of his family and in his journey he finds a girl called Katerina, who is trying to save the children from her town from disappearing. At the beginning their relationship seems not to be off to a great start, but as the book progresses so do their relationship, and they find themselves unifying their resources to haunt the Beast that is terrorizing the town and stealing the children..

The story is told by their respective POWs, and offers and insight into their fears and desires, and also in their vulnerabilities.

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

I have been listening to the audio books of this series while working on a lot of data entry at work. I was SO EXCITED and hopeful when I finished Mulan's story that Stefan would have his own story soon. Imagine my glee at not only discovering that was the case but also that it was on Net Galley for a review! There was some screeching done.

I loved this book. The story of the Pied Piper has always creeped me out a bit and this story still held a bit of that edge. I loved Stefan's growth of character. Katerina was an amazing Heroine and I was cheering so hard for them both.

I love all of the books Melanie has written in this series so far. I love that she leaves the core of the story but has a believable spin of her own in there as well. Highly HIGHLY recommend.

Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the E-Arc for honest review

I read my very first Melanie Dickerson book in 2011, shortly after discovering digital books, and it was the first one in the Hagenheim series. Since then, I have read each book in this wonderful medieval young adult series and loved each one, so I was excited to receive a complimentary advance copy from #ThomasNelson through #netgalley. This volume picks up the story of Steffen, the "prodigal son" whose story coincided with his brother Wolfgang's in the previous volume. His deeds in that adventure left him estranged from his family, but now he is wanting to become worthy of the family name. In his quest, he learns that rescuing and caring for 52 children is more daunting than battling a hundred giants, and that God gave His Son to make us worthy. Accepting God's forgiveness because of His work on the cross can free us from the guilt we are carrying. I love that I can recommend these sweet romance stories to young women and teens because they are clean.

I’m tardy to the party when it comes to Melanie Dickerson’s work.

When I requested to review this one, it was a spur of the moment decision based off of the fact that out of the hundreds of fairytale retellings I’ve seen out there, I hadn’t come across a Pied Piper Of Hamlin inspired one until now.

After I received my approval, I was shocked to find that Melanie has an extensive collection of Historical Fantasy novels, all of which feature strong female leads, and many of them also featuring familiar characters.
In fact, this book is #10 in The Hagenheim Series.
#9 is The Warrior Maiden. It’s MULAN, guys. I bought it. 🤭

So, 1424, Hamlin, Germany.
The town of Hamlin is living in terror. There are beasts attacking people in the woods, children keep disappearing, and the streets are being overrun with a plague of rats.

Good thing they have their wonderful Mayor Henneck. He’s devised a plan to keep them safe. He’s announced a reward. Anyone that can kill the beast will not only receive gold and riches, but also his daughter’s hand in marriage.
The townspeople are anxiously hiding away, hopeful the Mayor’s plea will work.

There’s one young woman who’s on a mission to take matters into her own hands to save her town. Armed with her crossbow, she sets out every day on the hunt for the beast.
She’s fearless, determined, beautiful, strong... and also happens to be the Mayor’s daughter, Katerina. STEPdaughter, that is.
And she wants nothing to do with her Stepfather OR the terms of his reward.

In a distant village, a traveler has gotten word of this reward. He could really use the money... a wife, not so much.
What he REALLY wants is to do something to redeem himself so he can go back home without shame.
This man isn’t just ANY traveler.
He is Steffan of Haggenheim.
The Son of Duke Wilhelm Of Haggenheim.
And he’s been on a path of rebellion and done things that he fears he can never atone for.
This plan to kill the beast and gain some glory and a good name should be simple.

That is, until Katerina and Steffan meet.
Things do not go smoothly between the two.
She makes it clear she wants nothing to do with him. She finds him annoying, entitled, (obviously he only wants one thing). She is independent. And marriage is out of the question.

Steffan, bless his heart. He just can’t help but to take her standoffish behavior and counter it with sarcasm and teasing. This creates a fun dynamic between the two.

They eventually are left with no choice but to work together to hunt the beast and solve the mystery.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Katerina and Steffan, I loved how as the story progressed, the characters just gained so much more depth as their backstory is revealed.

A man who is desperately seeking redemption And a woman who has built a wall so high around her she doesn’t even know if there’s a hammer strong enough to bring it down. Or if she even WANTS to.

This is a beautiful story of two broken people.
Everyone always wants to focus on the end of these stories, but I actually more appreciated the attention and insight given to the thoughts and insecurities going on in both the male and the female perspectives.
I thought it was done in a way that showed a vulnerability that, while not shown much these days, is very real.

It’s also a great adventure as well, don’t get all hung up on the emotional part! That’s the reason I DID enjoy this more than I expected.
I have an aversion to romance novels. But this one had a perfect balance of heart/fun stuff and I was able to lose myself in the story quite easily.
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review will be distributed among my other platforms, (blog, Instagram, Goodreads, Edelweiss) within the next few days after I’m able to take a feature photo. Links below for future reference.

My Review of The Piper's Pursuit:
This book doesn't come out until December and I'm so glad I was able to get an ARC from NetGalley. The cover alone had me in love with the book before I even read the first word. After the last book I have been so very eager to read this one and it was WONDERFULLY PAINFULLY GOOD!!!
Steffen was the one guy in this series that I liked but couldn't get a feel one completely . . . He's my favorite too with his mysteries and dark attitude that readers just know soon end and he'll be the most romantic and sweet if somewhat sappy and joking.

This was an enjoyable story. The characters were good and showed a great about of character development. There were a few different places it felt the story could end and it was nice that it continued.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a sucker for a good fairy tale retelling and this one is top-notch!

Kat and Steffan's are great characters and the way they team up to find out what's going on is brilliant!

Melanie Dickerson does a fabulous job at bringing to life fairy tales. I have read and enjoyed every single one of her recreations. With The Piper's Pursuit, I was taken away with the first chapter and read the entire book in one day. I really enjoyed watching Katerina and Stefffan learn to fall in love while trying to find and uncover where the missing children have disappeared to. The story is full of heroics and brave characters willing to do anything to go the distance to free these children. I like the hidden idea of the prodigal son returning home in the character of Steffan. If you had read Dickerson's other novels, then Steffan has been always hanging around in the outskirts as a the bad boy who didn't listen to responsiblity. It was nice to see his story after he decided to change. The action kept my attention while I flipped rapidly through the pages. I think this might one of my favorite books by Dickerson. I loved the romance, daring rescues, and the happily-ever-after ending. If you are a fan of any of Dickerson's other novels, I highly recommend picking up this latest addition. It will take your mind away to a world of joy.

I received a complimentary copy of The Piper's Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

The Piper's Pursuit was a fun addition to the Hagenheim Series by Melanie Dickerson. We got to see how some old characters were doing while also hearing reference of even more. This book reference back to The Warrior Maiden more than I expected, but the references seemed to work. Overall, it was a fun addition to the series!

The Pipers Pursuit is a modern twist on the classic Pied Piper fairytale set in Hamlin 1424.
Kat is the stepdaughter of mayor who has said whoever can have her hand in marriage but she intends to kill the beast on her own.
Didnt realise it’s the tenth in a series but you don’t have to read them in order I just missed some of the references.
I’m an atheist so I didn’t relate to the references to god as much as other readers might. Unfortunately I feel this book wasn’t suited to me even as much as I liked kat as a heroine.
There was some interesting mysterious elements, a nice enemies to lovers romance.

Thanks to netgalley and Harper Collins Christian publishing for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A new favorite adventure from the exciting Hagenheim series! A sequel to the previous book, The Warrior Maiden, but with a bit of recap, it can be read as a stand alone.
A wounded, repentant warrior, Steffan is finally on his way home from a war he regrets fighting. His determination to redeem himself lands him right in the middle of another battle, but this one is worth the risk.
Katerina is a brave, determined warrior type also, tirelessly working to rid the town of dangers that threaten the people. She and Steffan have some fun banter after the sparks fly, and she learns to trust him.
Loved how the gospel message is threaded in while Steffan realizes his need for forgiveness and mercy from his parents and God. Their reconciliation is a particularly touching part of the story. He and 'Kat' go through some serious trouble to fight the evil preying on the town, particularly the children. They are a great pair. This would make a great movie! Plenty of action and adventure keeps the story moving at a brisk pace.

Some mature subject matter makes this a better read for older teens. Overall an excellent read! Recommend!

Yet another fun and enjoyable read by Melanie Dickerson. Adventure, action, romance. There are some interesting unexpected twists on the Pied Piper story. There was even a touch of the prodigal son story. It's a story that both males and females would enjoy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

An unusual twist on a fairy tail! Mrs. Dickerson doesn’t disappoint in this retelling either.
Rats and beasts are overrunning Hamlin. Children are disappearing and men are being eaten!
Join Katerina as she valiant tries to say her town from the Beast of Hamlin. Katerina is a beautiful young girl who’s step father is the mayor of Hamlin , who has by the way, offered a reward and her hand in marriage to the person whom can rid Hamlin of their beast.
Steffan the 3rd son of the Duke of Wilhelm see this as a perfect opportunity to redeem himself. He is looking not only for his own reconnections, but redemption in his family eyes as he feels he is the bad son.
There’s no love loss between Katerina ( she views him as bratty) , and Steffan ( as he views her as unladylike) but as they began working together they learn they were wrong about each other and they also learn that there’s more than just one beast and more than children disappearing than meets the eye.
There’s a possibility that they may not survive their discoveries unless they work together and maybe along the way learn more about each other’s lives.
Will they survive and find out ?
What about the beast, the rats and the piper?
Guess that you will have to read and find out!😉
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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

I was immediately attached to this book due to the out of the box difference of story line compared to all of the books we read in this genre. From getting attacked by the Rat Beast and making a new friend that nobody would expect to be friends and then the Duke that is said to be the hero has personal issues himself that could interfere from saving the kingdom and quick reliability of Katerina and risk all that is at stake. The main reason why I really enjoyed this book was because it was new and different than the typical Christian Fiction plots that we are used to. Our teen demographic will also enjoy this book for the same reason. I know this genre is very popular at our library and I am curious to see how everyone in our community will respond to this book.

We will consider adding this title to our YFiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I am a huge fan of Melanie Dickerson’s Hagenheim series! This one was one of my most anticipated reads since this was Steffan’s redemption arc. I loved seeing how Stefan grows from a jerk in the last novel into a hero. I liked Katerina. She complemented Stefan for she was courageous and a bit adventurous. She was a strong heroine and stood up for herself. Thus, this was a a magical, sweet, and lighthearted story. I’m so sad that this series in ending soon because this is one of my favorite series! This is a series that should not be missed! Full review to come!

I loved this book! It had a Pied Piper kind of storyline to it but the pied piper is a secret until the end. I love all of Melanie Dickerson's books and this one was no exception. She has a way with weaving a story that I find intriguing. Another great read!

I have enjoyed several of Ms.Dickerson's novels and this one did not disappoint! I enjoy how she brings fairy tales into her stories. Katerina is a strong woman and does not trust due to her won upbringing by her stepfather. He does not like being touched by men and believes them to be arrogant and thinking of their own needs and wants. Steffan carries many burdens due to the choices he has made. He wants to be better, but fears no one will forgive him, but more importantly, he needs to forgive himself. Katerina and Steffan cross paths in Hamlin and Katerina prejudges Steffan. However, both want to stop the rats and the mysterious beast that terrorize the town. Children have been disappearing as well and many love the town mayor, Katerina's stepfather. Everyone says the person is so nice yet behind close doors, true colors are revealed. Steffan does not fall prey to her stepfather and she slowly begins to trust him. They work together to save the town and open themselves up to each other. I loved the character develop of Katerina and Steffan, for it it something many can relate to. Very well written story!