Mini Reviews: The Captive Maiden, Five Ways to Fall

The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson.

I love Melanie Dickerson's books and The Captive Maiden was no exception.  Dickerson writes historical Christian fiction, and even better than that, her books are retellings of classic fairy tales!  Cinderella is my favorite fairy tale, and Dickerson does it justice in The Captive Maiden.  I loved how the story felt fresh, which is so rare in a retelling.  Dickerson makes several modifications that give her own twist on Cinderella, or in this case, Gisela's, story.  Even better, The Captive Maiden has a faith element to it, which was subtle but still a major part of the story.  I found myself quite unable to put this book down, and finished it feeling like my book budget was well-spent in buying this book.  Recommended!  Rating: 4/5 stars

Five Ways to Fall (Ten Tiny Breaths #4) by K.A. Tucker.

I've been a fan of the Ten Tiny Breaths series since book one, and Five Ways to Fall just reinforced how great this series is.  This book had it all: a smart, sassy heroine, a swoon-worthy love interest, tons of chemistry, and a fast-paced plot.  I love that Tucker's characters are so much more nuanced than they initially appear to be.  There's always more going on with her characters than you'd think, and Reese and Ben were perfect examples of perfectly layered and developed characters.  There was a ton of character growth in this book, not to mention cameos from some of my favorite characters from previous books in this series.  I found this book hard to put down and loved every page of it.  One word that comes to mind when I think back on Five Ways to Fall is relatable---these characters are real and so easy to relate to.  I love the way Tucker wrapped the story up, and how she also managed to insert a lot of humor into this book.  I laughed, smiled, and cried as I read Five Ways to Fall, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.  Rating 4.5/5 stars