Happy Friday! Who else is ready for the weekend? I want to hopefully start a weekly blog that will feature book reviews or recs or anything bookish. Starting this week with my favorite book, The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson. I always say this is my favorite even though as a reader we all know it is extremely hard to choose and we are constantly falling in love with books! 

But what makes this one special is that I honestly feel it is the book that started my reading journey as a teen. I fell in love with this series and it led me to finding other Christian Fairytale retellings, which led to me finding a love for fantasy, and my love for books and reading has only grown from there. And now I run a bookstagram page, help other readers find books to love, supporting authors, doing giveways, and get to ARC read some of my favorite authors books! But enough about me let's talk about this book shall we!

Why I love this book:

1) It got me into fairytale retellings and now I can't put them down!😁

2) It's a historical romance with a fairytale twist. Set in the late 1300's it's more realistic and doesn't have the magic that most fairy tales do. While still being fairytale esque and magically wonderful.

3) Being a Christian I appreciate the author being one as well and the biblical elements incorporated throughout the story. Anyone could read this book and enjoy it, the characters would be considered Roman Catholics at the time while still having the fundamentals that makes the basis of Faith. But for me I love the way each character grows closer to God throughout the story and bible verses being mixed in. Their relationship with God is beautiful and when they meet their love interest it only helps them grow closer to Him and grow as a person. 

4) Just the overall clean, wholesome, well told and well-written story. It keeps you guessing, engaged and flipping pages all through the night. A must read in my opinion!!!

Now to the actual tale... 
Rose grew up poor, in a family she never truly felt apart of. When she got older the local town healer approached her and offered Rose the position as her apprentice. Rose jumped at the chance to lead a better life and to escape the marriage proposals thrown at her by her mother from multiple men in their village. But a healer might not be what Rose was meant to be, God may have other plans for her.
She's followed and harassed by a man who wants her hand in marriage, but also seems to have even worse plans up his sleeves. All the while fighting feelings for the man who everyone says is forbidden, and being courted by the heart-throb prince who might not be worthy of her trust or love. Rose has many troubles at her door and hard decisions to make. 

Wilhelm is the heir to the dukedom and betrothed to a lady he's never met. His whole life has been spent tracking and hunting after an evil sorcerer set out to exact revenge against the Duke who made him lose everything. Wilhelm grows more and more hopeless the longer it takes to find the culprit. Meanwhile the time to meet his bride gets closer and closer. But he doesn't want her in danger from the evil that seeks her out. In such a hopeless and dark time he finds solace and friendship in the town healer's apprentice but even that relationship starts to grow into something more and he can't allow that to happen. Wilhelm must overcome obstacles to be with Rose or give her up to do what's right. But can he have both?

I absolutely love Rose and Wilhelm and their  relationship is amazing!!! The emotions and feels are all there, making you squeal, laugh, smile, and cry. They are two wonderful characters who come together making each other grow in strength, wisdom and love. They are each other's perfect match and it's such a wonderful ride reading their story. 

(Just a side note I have now read this book three times, that's how much I love it😉)

I know this review is short and doesn't do this book justice but I have made quite a few reels featuring it so if you want to check them out or need some more convincing I will link them below!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBS4tfcRv5e/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBQObDTuYzM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDRR8MwRWnU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVPkYtZD3rm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRcdMTBDxPt/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==