“Veil of Winter” by Melanie Dickerson is a sweet and inspiring retelling, loosely based on “Sleeping Beauty.” It is the third book in Dickerson’s “Dericott Tales” series. The series does not need to be read in order.

I have read all of Dickerson’s many fairy tale retellings and “Veil of Winter” is one of my favorites! One reason is because I can relate so much to the main character, Princess Elyce (and I think many other readers will be able to relate to her as well). Another reason is that I love the multiple layers in this story. It is a sweet, clean, wholesome journey filled with romance and adventure. But it goes deeper, as it is also about Elyce’s internal journey as well.

I see Elyce as a sort of “Katniss Everdeen,” as she wants to save her people from oppression (they face terrible working conditions and have tyrants as rulers). She decides to do whatever it will take to escape marriage to an evil ruler—even take a sleeping potion, escape from her father’s castle, and face the elements of the harsh winter landscape; all to find a way to save her people!

In the beginning, Elyce feels unloved, having been told to repress her emotions. She feels deeply and believes that there is something innately wrong with her, due to the way she was treated by her father and aunt. Her enthusiastic nature and emotions are wrong and must be repressed because no man will love her otherwise. She starts out very hurt and she is living with false beliefs about herself, causing her to not be able to realize her true potential and become fully who God created her to be.

Enter our hero, the sweet, brave, “cinnamon roll,” Sir Gerard. You may recognize him from previous books in the series and now he has his own story. He is the perfect match for Elyce and assures her that she is not too much, and her emotions and passionate nature are beautiful. Who would not love that kind of man?! Their journey together is fraught with much adventure, excitement, and danger. The story is a good pace and many times kept me on the edge of my seat. Throughout the outward journey, Elyce is slowly learning to replace her false thoughts and beliefs with the truth and to be gentle with herself. The winter journey that Elyce takes can be compared to her inner journey from being rejected and unloved to learning and realizing her true identity. The journey also mirrors “Sleeping Beauty’s” journey from sleep to a new state of awakening! This story is so beautifully done and encourages the reader to also reject any false beliefs they may have picked up over the years, to love themselves the way God made them and to realize their true potential and identity in Christ! I highly recommend this book!

Content: I give this book a PG rating. An example of the content is that a father physically and mentally abuses his daughter.

Rating: I give this book 5 stars.

I want to thank Melanie Dickerson and Thomas Nelson for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255. ( )

I've read many of Melanie Dickerson's books. This one was like a warm cup of cocoa and a blanket on a cold day. The perfect comfort read.

Princess Elyce has been condemned to marry a man she doesn't love as part of an alliance that will bring her father greater wealth. It doesn't benefit her or her beloved people, so she formulates an escape plan. A potion that will make her appear dead for three days. A plan worthy of Juliet. Until she doesn't awake on the third day. And a knight tries to give her mouth-to-mouth. And hijinks ensue.

While this is not the typical Sleeping Beauty story, there are so many things to love. A young woman who refuses to accept anything less than what her kingdom needs. A knight who follows the call of God, even when it seems absurd. A company of friends who learn to trust each other, to fight for each other, and to step back and support when each person needs to fight for themselves. The love story is sweet. Naive, yes, but it fits a naive princess who hopes for beautiful things but has yet to experience them. I loved it. As always, I can't wait to read the next book.

I was given a free copy by NetGalley and have reviewed it willingly. ( )

I enjoy fairytale retellings and this third book in the Dericott series delivers a creative twist on Sleeping Beauty with elements of history, romance, faith, and plenty of action. Melanie Dickerson does a masterful job creating YA fairytale retellings that appeal to YA readers and adults alike. She weaves faith elements into her stories that really resonate. I love the medieval setting and how she includes actual figures like King Wenceslaus in the story. The romance is an enemies to lovers trope that like Sleeping Beauty begins with a “kiss.”

Princess Elyce desires the happiness of her people. When her father arranges a marriage to the nephew of a neighboring king, Elyce is understandably upset. She becomes even more disgusted when she learns that her father plans to allow King Claude to enslave her people to work in his mines. She drinks a sleeping potion and fakes her own death to escape and journey to King Wenceslaus’ palace in Prague to enlist his help. She’s hoping as ruler of the Holy Roman Empire he will dissuade her father from this alliance and protect her people.

Sir Gerard is a knight looking for a quest. When his sister proposes he travel from England to the Kingdom of Monciel to help a princess in distress, he’s leery until he has a dream that prompts him to go to her rescue. When he finds her, she is presumed to be dying and he decides to employ a method of waking her that he’s see done before. As he presses his lips to the sleeping princess, she awakes and is immediately angry that he would presume to “kiss” her. But as Gerard offers to help her escape and journey to Prague, she warily agrees to trust him.

I honestly had a difficult time liking Elyce at first. Her emotions are all over the place and she’s quick to anger especially with Gerard. As time went on, I warmed up to her and understood why she was so emotional. Her father is despicable and constantly belittles her. Gerard is so patient and kind. He understands Elyce’s personality and doesn’t mind her expressing her feelings. Their romance really heats up as they journey to Prague and endure several hardships. It’s a great read for the summer because of the cold, winter setting. I enjoyed thinking of snow when the temps here are close to 100 degrees!

While it isn’t my favorite book in the series, I still enjoyed it and felt it’s a great addition. It can definitely be read as a standalone for those who haven’t read the previous two books. The author does a fantastic job giving enough backstory to help the reader become familiar with the Dericott family history without being overly explicit. Recommend to Christian YA fans and historical Christian romance fans. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review. 3 1/2 to 4. ( )

This third book in the “Dericott Tales” is a retelling of “Sleeping Beauty.” Princess Elyce, 19, has been told by her father King Leandre that she must marry Rodrigo, the nephew of the evil King Claude of neighboring Valkenfeld. Claude intends to use the marriage as a means to get the farmers and shepherds of Montciel to work as slave labor in his mines. Leandre is greedy enough to go along with the plan, and doesn’t care that his daughter not only objects to the proposed fate of their people, but has no desire to marry Rodrigo.

Elyce obtains a sleeping potion in order to fake her death so she can escape and make her way to Prague to solicit help from King Wenceslaus, the Holy Roman Emperor. [King Wenceslaus ruled as Holy Roman Emperor from 1346 to 1378, helping us situate the story in time. (The introduction, however, says it takes place in 1382, after the actual historical reign of Wenceslaus.) The countries of Montciel and Valkenfeld are fictional.] The sleeping draught doesn’t work as she had hoped however; not only do the King’s physicians realize she is not really dead, but she doesn’t wake up after three days as predicted. Fortunately, a knight from Dericott, England, Sir Gerard, has come to Montciel at the request of his sister Delia - a friend of Elyce’s - and after a subsequent vision he had from God. Gerard, a good, kind, and brave man (and need we say, handsome), helps waken Elyce with a kiss. (He was actually attempting something like mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, since he, nobly, would not want to kiss someone unless it was mutually agreeable and a prelude to true love.)

Sir Gerard and a friend, Sir Oswalt who offered to come with Gerald, then accompany Elyce and her maid Ysabeau on the trip to Prague. On the way they encounter a gruff man, Bertold, who has his own issue with Claude and agrees to help them. And perhaps more importantly, Elyce and Gerard fall in love.

The story then turns upon the dangers to Elyce in defying two powerful kings, Leandre and Claude; the fate of Bertold; and whether Elyce and Gerard can overcome their doubts and insecurities and admit their feelings for one another.

Evaluation: Melanie Dickerson is an award-winning author who specializes in creating tales of history, adventure, and romance in a Christian framework. This book is no exception, and will not disappoint her readers. Elyce could be tedious with her constant self recrimination, but at least the author provides ample reasons for why Elyce ended up that way. ( )