Hello, reader friends! We are celebrating new release The Piper’s Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson with a blog tour stop featuring a quick chat with the author and teen guest review, hosted by Prism Book Tours!
about the author
Melanie Dickerson is the New York Times bestselling author who combines her love for history, adventure, and romance. Her books have won a Christy Award, two Maggie Awards, The National Reader’s Choice Award, the Christian Retailing’s Best Award, the Book Buyer’s Best Award, the Golden Quill, and the Carol Award. She earned her bachelor’s degree in special education from The University of Alabama and has taught children and adults in the U.S., Germany, and Ukraine. Now she spends her time writing stories of love and adventure near Huntsville, Alabama.
Visit her website or connect with Melanie on goodreads, facebook, twitter, pinterest, or instagram.
q&a
What is your favorite activity or hobby not related to books?
M: Hi, Beth!!! Honestly? My favorite hobby is watching movies. I know that’s lame, but I’m a movie fanatic and spend all the rest of my time writing. Well, mostly.
B: Melanie, I’m so happy to sit and chat with you! Even though books are better, watching movies is not lame! We signed up for 3 years of Disney+, watching movies is a big deal around here.
Share your inspiration behind The Piper’s Pursuit.
M: I wrote a note about this in the back of the book, but I had read the fairy tale of the Pied Piper of Hamlin numerous times as a kid, of the piper who agrees to get rid of the town’s rats for a price, but then when the town refuses to give him the payment, he leads away the town’s children. So when I went to Germany in 1992, we took a day trip to Hamlin and saw all the touristy stuff about the rats and the Pied Piper.
I’m surprised it took me so long to do a retelling of the story! But then I found out some really amazing stuff when I researched the story—apparently, the story actually happened, or at least, SOMETHING happened to the town’s children, and it was depicted in a Medieval stained glass window, showing a piper wearing multi-colored clothing and playing a pipe and leading the children up a hill just outside of town. Pretty creepy!
B: Oh mercy! Quite fascinating but that sounds like a mother’s nightmare!
What did you learn or discover about your characters while writing your current release?
M: I discovered, or re-learned, that women really have an innate need to feel safe and protected. If a guy can make a girl feel safe and protected, she will fall in love with him. That’s my theory, anyway, and I’m sticking to it.
B: This theory has merit! There has to be a reason we’re attracted to all these protective heroes after all!
What book(s) are you reading right now?
B: I’m adding Lysa’s book to my wishlist and I’ve always been fascinated by personality tests!
What is your reading style?
M: I mostly like to read print books. I will occasionally read on my Kindle, but I really prefer paper books, especially for nonfiction. I read sitting in my armchair in my study where I do most of my writing, in bed, in waiting rooms, and on my couch. Just wherever, really.
B: I like your style!
What is your next release and/or what are you working on now?
M: The Peasant’s Dream
B: It’s bittersweet to see Hagenheim come to an end but yay for embarking on a new series! Thank you for chatting with us, Melanie!
about the book
The Piper’s Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson (Hagenheim book 10)
YA Fairy Tale Retelling, Christian, Historical
Hardcover, Audiobook & ebook, 320 Pages
December 3rd 2019 by Thomas Nelson
A fairy-tale journey of intrigue and romance that reimagines the classic Pied Piper story.
A plague of rats. A giant beast outside the village walls. A host of missing children. And one young woman determined to save her people.
In 1424 Hamlin, Katerina faces threats from all sides. An outbreak of rats has overtaken the village, a mysterious beast is on a killing rampage of the village’s children, and Katerina’s evil stepfather is a dark presence inside the walls of her own home. Katerina is determined to hunt and kill the Beast of Hamlin herself before more lives are lost.
When Steffan, the handsome but brash duke’s son, comes to town seeking glory and reward, Katerina decides he might be the ally she’s been looking for—even though the only gentle thing about him seems to be the sweet music he plays on his pipe. But there’s more to Steffan than she suspects, and she finds herself drawn to him despite her misgivings.
Together Katerina and Steffan must stop the enemy from stealing the children of Hamlin. But their interference might create an even worse fate for the entire village.
goodreads | amazon | b&n | bookdepository | christianbook | publisher | bookbub
my thoughts
by teen guest reviewer, Faith
The Piper’s Pursuit’s action-packed plot kept me on the edge of my seat. Dickerson’s story shows that people aren’t always as they appear—for better or worse.
Kat is a strong, independent young woman who doesn’t trust easily yet cares deeply for the wellbeing of her people. I love her compassion for and dedication to the villagers of Hamiln. Kat always puts the needs of others before her own desires. I admire her courage in the face of what seem like impossible odds.
Steffan is weighed down by his regrets and he struggles with guilt from his past. He honorably strives to find redemption and earn the respect of his father and the rest of his family (mayhap a certain spirited woman, as well). I enjoyed watching Steffan’s relationship with Kat unfold, from its rocky beginning all the way to their happily ever after.
I love the interconnected nature of the stories and character’s lives in this series. Be sure to check out the Hagenheim Family Tree on the author’s website to see how all of the characters are related. I’m even tempted to create my own list of characters with their corresponding book titles to help me keep the fairy-tale retellings straight.
I highly recommend The Piper’s Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson to fans of fairy-tale retellings.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Hagenheim series
coming soon… book 11, The Peasant’s Dream releases July 2020!
Now that my young reviewer has read the story, it’s my turn!
my quick thoughts
This fairy-tale retelling from Melanie Dickerson is rooted in biblical truths and appeals to all ages. As a mama, I’m especially thankful for the themes of forgiveness, self-worth, and compassion.
Despite her adverse circumstances, Kat makes no secret of her disdain for bullies and refuses to cower in the presence of brutes and beasts while wisely conserving her words and actions for opportune moments. She might be young but she’s well on her way to becoming a fierce mama bear! Steffan is a heartbroken prodigal, determined to be worthy of his family’s forgiveness through a great act of courage and bravery. He’s battling former demons, carrying a burden of guilt, and adamantly sticking to the straight and narrow.
I highly recommend this book to fans of YA fiction, fairy-tale retellings, and young-at-heart fans of historical fiction!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Is The Piper’s Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson on your tbr, reader friends?!
Join our chat by sharing your thoughts in the comments!
Be sure to check out the Prism tour on Instagram as well!
Faithfully Bookish 