I didn't know the fairy tale that inspired this book and went to research it. As always Melanie Dickeson creates a plot full of adventure, romance, betrayals and happy endings. I loved Delia, her strong faith in God and I loved each of her brothers and I loved Geoffrey even more.

I hadn't heard about the 12 Swans fairy tale until I heard about Melanie Dickerson writing a spinoff. And wow! So much excitement and adventure, but also refreshing to read about maybe a less-well-known fairy tale.

Sorry it's taken me so long to get here. Today we are reviewing Court of swans by Melanie Dickinson sent to me by Harper 360. Thanks so much for sending me this ARC. So lets going.
This book was an interesting one for me. I had never read a Melanie Dickinson book before although I had heard of her so I went in knowing very little of what might end up happening. It wasd also set in a timeperiod I knew very little of which made it very intriguing.

This book follows the life of Lady Delia Dericott, the daughter of an Earl who dies in suspicious circumstances whose seven brothers get arrested for crimes they didn't commit. Delia goes to London to try and save them and while there meets a kindred spirit, Sir Geoffrey. A man who was forced to arrest her brothers but doesn't believe them to be guilty. The two then have to rescue them and attempt to clear the Dericott family name and fall in love at the same time.

This was a good story that occasionally suffered from pacing issues and stopping for large bits of expositition and exploring issues.

There were however some great side characters that kept it going and made it quite readable. Esopecially the abbess and the stepmothers sister. Both of these made the story go quicker and made it far more fun. Also Lady Ane but I really don't want to spoil that book.

In the end this is a cute book with a good little advenure in it. Definitely one for Historical romance fans!

also in my head Lord Gregory was played Matthew McFadyen as Mr Darcy so I thought I'd treat you all!

I considered DNF-ing this book but decided to persevere. There seemed to be little to no plot and I couldn't connect with a single character. I was shocked to discover the lack of magic in the book as it's a critical part of the Wild Swans fairytale. The writing style was also choppy and had no flow whatsoever making it more difficult to be interested in the story. I really wanted to like this book but just couldn't.

I was provided with an E-ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts
I am a fan of this author’s Hagenheim series, which are also Christian-focused fairy tale retellings. I’ve read every book in that series, so I was excited to see there was a new series coming out from this author. Here are my pros and cons for Court of Swans:

Pros
1. I truly believe the world, particularly MG/YA, needs good, clean stories like this.
2. I love that all of Dickerson’s stories have a Christian perspective without being preachy.
3. I enjoyed the historical aspect of the story, which is mainly set in medieval London circa 1381. I love being exposed to different eras and places in the books I read.
4. If you like the evil stepmother trope, this book has that in spades.

Cons
1. Unfortunately, I got a bit bored with this story. Very little was happening for the majority of the book and what did happen was rehashed over and over again.
2. Honestly, this almost didn’t feel like a Dickerson book. I don’t know if it was rushed, or if the fairy tale it was retelling didn’t have enough meat to it to stretch to a full novel, or what the reason was, but the book just didn’t seem to have the same quality and depth as the books in the Hagenheim series. It almost feels like it was written for a middle grade audience rather than young adult.
3. Also, unlike the Hagenheim books, I didn’t feel like the romance in this story was realistic at all.
4. I didn’t connect to Delia. Typically, Dickerson’s heroines are fierce and smart and strong. Delia didn’t come off that way at all. She was a bit annoying if I am honest.

Summary
I can’t help but compare this book to the other retellings written by this author and unfortunately this one just didn’t hold up. This story isn’t terrible, but I do feel like there was something lacking. I enjoyed her previous books though, so I will likely read the next book in this series just in case my reaction to Court of Swans was an anomaly.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for a free eARC of this book, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Melanie Dickerson’s books are always interesting to read. I enjoy how she takes the outline of a fairy tale and turns it into a beautiful, intriguing story. The historical setting and details add much to this story. Readers will become connected to the honorable, caring characters of Delia and Sir Geoffrey and will want to keep reading to see how their story turns out. This author’s books always have a strong theme of faith, and as Delia struggles with the circumstances of her life, she comes to a deeper meaning of what it looks like to place complete trust in God. This is the first book in a new series, so this is a wonderful time to begin reading this author’s books.

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

A new series from Melanie Dickerson! Yay! The series starts right off with evil versus good. Lady Delia of Dericott finds herself and her brothers in dire circumstances after the death of their father. Her seven brothers are falsely imprisoned and even the youngest, who at ten years old may be set for execution. Nearly beside herself she must figure out what she can do to help them.
Sir Geoffrey of Strachleigh finds his orders to arrest the seven brothers a little off putting as he thought them to all be grown men. The reader learns he has a caring heart and a history of sadness too. He becomes immersed in the situation even more deeply than he can imagine.
This retelling of the Wild Swan's fairytale (which I am trying to recall) is an interesting story.
Dickerson does a good job as she describes life as it could have been in London during the 1300's.
I like the story and do look forward to more in the series. I'm thinking there could be several stories to highlight the different brother's future quests and romances.
I received my copy of the book from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own unsolicited opinion. I liked the story and the characters. I'm hoping that Edwin's story is an exciting one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book. My opinions are my own.

This book just wasn't for me. I started it expecting a nice fairytale retelling of the not so well known wild swans fairytale. I was quite intrigued by the premise of a sister rescuing her brothers from being falsely accused of treason. This book could have been so much more.

Unfortunately, the characters were extremely flat. I couldn't feel any real emotion from these characters. The author just sums up what happens. This could have been a great retelling but personally, I need characters to feel alive. Here, it felt like only the most obvious reactions were broadly described, as if it all came as a surprise, almost like a bad soap opera. I mean, from page 1 we learn that there is an evil stepmother and we as readers are supposed to be surprised that it was her who arranged for the brothers to be arrested?! Seriously, you've got to give me more than that. I understand it's a fairytale retelling so you're kind of bound to the plot, but there are so many well written retellings out there, that this one was just a disappointment.

Award-winning author Melanie Dickerson kicks off her new series set in medieval England featuring the Raynsford family.

In Court of Swans, Lady Delia Raynsford, the Earl of Dericott’s only daughter, lives a quiet life after her widowed father marries a much younger woman. When the earl dies a few years later, Delia’s stepmother arranges for Delia’s seven brothers to be (wrongly) accused of treason against the Crown and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

Delia goes to work as a seamstress for the queen, so she can be near her brothers. She is recognized by Sir Geoffrey, the guard captain who originally arrested the brothers on orders from the king but he realizes the charges were false. Delia and Geoffrey work together to obtain their release before the king decides to execute them. Will they succeed?

Known for her medieval young adult retellings, Dickerson takes the Wild Swans fairy tale as her inspiration for this novel. Delia is willing to sacrifice everything to save her brothers who are honorable, ranging in age from adult to ten years old, yet they have been falsely accused and imprisoned.

While the story concept is a good one, the execution is not on par with Dickerson’s other books, perhaps because it was laying out the details for the series. It is still an entertaining read with a strong heroine, a sweet romance, and faith elements. The theme of choosing joy despite one’s trials is central to this story.

There was little description of the brothers individually, but no doubt they will be featured in future books. Her second book in this series is due in June 2021, Castle of Refuge, featuring Delia’s oldest brother as the main character.

Recommended especially for young adult collections in school and public libraries, for teens, young adults, and those who are young at heart.

Disclaimer: Book reviews are my honest opinion of books I either purchased or received free of cost from the publishers, publicists, and/or authors.

Court of Swans was a beautiful book! I really loved it, and I love Melanie Dickerson. The story intrigued me a lot, and the characters were likable and smart. The story developed well, and it kept my attention the entire time! I definitely recommend!

All opinions are my own. I was not asked or required to write a positive review. Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC!

What a great book!! I loved how it wasn’t your ordinary regency story. The Winthrop women find themselves almost out on the ear when the husband and father dies. Ending up in a run down dowager house. Katherine is left to care for her complaining mother and a blast from the past shows up. Both heroine and hero struggle with their past. Great characters, great setting and an all around awesome read!!

Blessings,

Karen
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57201709-hope-between-the-pages
Rating: 5 *

I received this book as a gift and all opinions are my own.

Even going into this story knowing the fairy tale it’s based on reads a little like a series of unfortunate events with one bad thing happening after another, I still cringed just a little bit with each additional set back.

Melanie Dickerson handled the whole story really well however, she always has a lot of intrigue in her books anyway, so this story fit right in.

She did a great job of building Delia and Sir Geoffrey’s background. Having them both be mistrustful of each other made the story more believable and their eventual trust in each other that much more beautiful.

She really developed all the characters well. Aunt Beatrice was the only one that left me scratching my head. She seemed to want to help, but not. I couldn’t ever get a good read on her character, but maybe that was the point.

Melanie has some absolutely beautiful moments in this book. Again another one I’m going to make sure to recommend to any young woman I know. Moments of hope, trust, morality and faith. There’s a particularly emotion driven moment where Delia says, “I hate being a woman.” This was such a powerful moment in so many ways. I know many many women, including myself, who have had moments they feel like yelling just that. The whole scene was handled so well, with incredible introspection and growth.

Despite the buckets of intrigue and unfortunate event after another, this is a happily ever after and hea’s that are hard won are the best kind.

An average novel if I've ever seen one. I think I would have liked this better if it was my first foray into the genre, but at this point I've read so many similar books that this one just didn't quite stand out to me. Entertaining enough, but writing was nothing special.

Lady Delia Raynsford’s seven brothers have been accused of murder and treason against the king. Delia knows her brothers are innocent and suspects that her evil stepmother is behind the accusations. Should her brothers be found guilty Parnella and Delia’s half brother stand to inherit her recently deceased Father’s title and land. Delia knows that it is she, and she alone, who can help save her brothers. As she seeks work at the castle and tries her best to care for her imprisoned brothers, Delia struggles with who she can trust. Delia tries to rely on God and have faith that her brothers will be proven innocent, but she worries that even though they are innocent the evil men who have accused them might prevail. A story of redemption, Court of Swans shows us how necessary it is to have courage and faith when facing trials.

Melanie Dickerson produced another intriguing novel full of history, faith, courage, and yes... romance too.

First sentence: Delia’s stomach felt sick as she watched her father marry Parnella, a woman whom she had met only two times.

Court of Swans is a historical novel set in England largely taking place in 1381 during the reign of Richard II. (The prologue is set in the summer of 1378). It is a retelling of fairy tale The Wild Swans. Delia, our heroine, is forced to save her seven brothers after they are cruelly accused of murder and treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

That is the short description. It doesn't really tell you how I feel about the characters, the writing, the PACE.

I found Court of Swans to be an INTENSE, fast-paced, emotional read. I loved getting to know Delia and her seven brothers: Edwin, Gerard, Berenger, Merek, Charles, David, and Roland. I loved their devotion and loyalty to one another. They love each other fiercely and tenderly.

I loved the romantic element. I also loved that it wasn't quite front and center. Delia is all about saving her brothers. As it should be. Her attention isn't split by noticing cute knights. And the romance between Delia and one of the knights, Sir Geoffrey, was well done. It wasn't rushed. It wasn't insta-love.

I loved the setting. I loved that it was set in England. I loved that it brushes with royalty. It isn't just set in the reign of Richard II, we get glimpses of the royal court. At one point in my life I was trying to read historical fiction set during the reigns of ALL the kings and queens of England. Richard II isn't as well known as some of the other kings.

If I could change one thing about this historical novel it would be to remove the references to Delia, our main character, OWNING and READING a Bible in an English translation. Mentioning that this Bible belonged to her mother BEFORE she married.

Part of me understands that a Christian author would want her heroine to be able to quote Scripture word for word and draw great comfort from Scripture. But the other part of me is upset. The first complete translation of the Scriptures into English was done circa 1382 to 1395. The New Testament was completed first perhaps around 1380/1381. But copies would have been BY HAND--not printing press. (And the first Bible printed by the printing press was about 180 copies. This was ) So the idea that even among noble families copies of the Bible in English would have been likely is small, ridiculously small. Unimaginably expensive it would have been to own a Bible at all--and English translations weren't common in 1381. Now for a wealthy noble family, something in Latin I could probably accept. Probably.

Now according to what I have read, some translations of the Psalms into English was occurring decades earlier. But Delia didn't say she had a copy of the Psalms.

I enjoyed this historical read and spent a morning on the beach lost in it. I think it is a great start to the new series and was well written. The plot is interesting and I loved the character development.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I understand that not everybody can be Henryk Sienkiewicz and write Nobel-worthy Christian books, but all the Christian novels I've read lately have one thing in common - the writing is so bland it makes me physically ill.
I think I would've liked this novel at the age of 12. But now, it just bored me to death for the most part. Therefore - if you are the parent of a child between the ages of 10 to probably 14 who hasn't very much experience with books, I recommend Melanie Dickerson. However, older or more experienced kids, not so much. There are plenty of books that they'd like much more.

This book was amazing! I learned some new things in history. I always enjoy learning about a new time and events.
I loved Delia, she was so feisty and yet was so humble and wanted to do what was right. I loved her faith in God and how she prayed constantly. The bravery she showed was so becoming.
Sir Geoffrey was such a knight. How much more noble can you get! I loved the contrast between him and some of the other knights.
The 7 brothers were so much fun! I loved each one of them. I hope to learn more about each in the next book or books.
I highly recommend this book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I've loved other books by this author in the past but I struggled with this one, The characters were unrealistic and not well developed, the timeline was off, and the plot was greatly lacking. I really wanted to like it, but it failed to deliver.

Court of Swans is the first book in the new Dericott Tales by Melanie Dickerson and is a retelling of Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale The Wild Swans, a story in which a princess rescues her 11 brothers from a spell cast by an evil queen.

While I must admit that I don't read them often, I do so love a good ol' fashioned fairy tale retelling. As such I had high expectations for this one. Unfortunately, I have to say that I personally struggled to get into this story. It wasn't badly written by any means- I just found it to be a bit slower paced and difficult to get into for me. Perhaps the writing style will better appeal to the younger YA audience for whom it was truly intended. While it wasn't necessarily MY cup of tea, I would say that those who enjoy this type of story might want to give it a try anyway. I feel like within Christian fiction as a whole, there really isn't a lot of this type of story--- at least to the best of my knowledge and I love that it's an option for those that desire this type of story. While this one may not have been for me, there was enough positive going for it that I know I will be trying more from the author in the future.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book for consideration. All thoughts are my own.