Review: The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson

Title: The Healer's Apprentice
Author(s): Melanie Dickerson
Release Date: October 10, 2010
Publisher: Zondervan
Page Number: 255
Fomat: ebook

Synopsis(Goodreads): Two Hearts. One Hope.

Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her—a bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill.

When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions she's never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

My Review: I got this book for free about a year ago on my nook. I didn't know when I would read it and I didn't know what it was about but it was free, so why not pick it up. Lately, I was in the mood for some fantasy/historical fiction and I thought I would give this book a shot. But this book surprised me, and not in a good way.

I expected this book to be an epic fantasy, where the female protagonist goes on some sort of wild adventure and battles trolls and dragons and along the way meets the prince of her dreams. I should have probably read the synopsis because this book was not about an epic adventure. It was about a girl who hates blood and falls in love with a guy she can't have. This book was the same old same old YA that I was trying to get a break from. This book was also really, really predictable. After about the first 60 or so pages, you could tell instantly what was going to happen.

Rose, the main character, was okay. She was caring for her friends and family, but there was just something about her that I didn't connect with. My favorite character was Hildy, Rose's best friend. Hildy was so naive and lovestruck, but she was funny and she gave the story a pop of color.

I didn't think the writing in this book was super special. She did a great job of describing the world that Rose lived in, but I didn't think the writing gave the story anything to give it an edge. So it was okay.

Rating: 2/5

I didn't like the plot, at all. I thought the writing was ok, but I really liked the first 50 pages so it got an extra star in my book.