Fortress of Snow by Melanie Dickerson Book Review

Hey, friends! Today I’m reviewing Melanie Dickerson’s latest YA fairytale retelling, Fortress of Snow. It’s the fourth book in A Dericott Tale series.

Synopsis

Mazy dreams of independence. Sir Berenger longs to play the hero. But in each other, they may find the secret to happily ever after.

Mazelina of Wexcombe has always dreamed of traveling with her father to lands beyond the confining walls of their castle. But his sudden death deprives her of the future she imagined. Abandoned by her eldest brother, Mazy is soon forced to seek help from her beloved brother Sir John at the great estate of Strachleigh.

Her visit leads to a friendship with the dashing and noble Sir Berenger of Dericott. He has notions of rescuing a damsel in distress. But Mazy is brave enough to defend herself—and has proven that her skills in archery and knife throwing rival that of a knight’s. So when he is called away to Prussian lands, Sir Berenger looks to distinguish himself in battle.

When Sir Berenger returns, he and Mazy meet again on the streets of London, where she is making a living selling goods in the market. Meanwhile, he has been summoned by the king to receive a reward for his service. But the recognition comes with a price: He must marry a wealthy, titled widow to please the king. But when Mazy begins to suspect treachery, she embarks on a journey to the fortress of snow to warn the brave knight—and secure her own fairy-tale ending.

In this fourth novel set in the Dericott universe, Melanie Dickerson weaves an exciting reimagining of the Snow Queen tale.

My Review

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 stars

This was a really sweet love story! My favorite love stories are when the two characters are friends before they fall in love and this one had that trope which I loved! The fairytale elements of this story were very subtle and I barely noticed them but I really just enjoyed this story as a sweet, clean historical romance. Also I just have to say, the cover is so gorgeous.😍

I really liked both Mazy and Berenger. Mazy was a kind, strong, and independent girl and I really liked her character. I really felt sorry for her. Her brothers were terrible! But she handled it well and I admired her for that.

Berenger was such a sweet guy! I immediately liked him. I don’t remember much about him from the other books so I enjoyed getting to know him!

I also enjoyed the friendship between Mazy and Ro. Ro was pretty funny and kept things light.

The rest of the story was pretty interesting! I liked that everything happened fairly quickly. Like I said, I didn’t really feel the fairytale vibe except for there is a nasty villain and the parts when the hero saves the heroine.

I really enjoyed that the heroine got the chance to save the hero too. It was fun twist that I enjoyed seeing. ☺️

The romance was sweet and clean! A few semi-detailed kisses. There’s a scene where a woman is tempting a man but nothing happens besides a kiss. (I didn’t particularly like that scene! Ugh, Lady Bristow was very unlikeable!) There’s a little violence but nothing very gruesome. No language.

I enjoyed the faith content that I’ve come to expect in Melanie Dickerson’s books. I really like that the characters pray often throughout the book!

Overall, this was a fun, quick read and a sweet story. While it wasn’t particularly memorable or unique to me, I still enjoyed it! If you’re looking for a clean YA historical with a sweet love story, a chivalrous knight, a strong heroine, and a nasty villain, this one was good!

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