A magical and sinister retelling of the Nutcracker tale for adults. Set during the Victorian peiod Marietta is a gifted ballerina on the cusp of her 21st birthday when all childhood pursuits such as dancing most be forgone as she becomes a woman of marrying age. Her parents intend upon making an adventageous match for her no matter her feelings. When the mysterious Dr Dosselmeier moves across the street she is intrigued by the beautful trinkets he has invented for her but soon starts to feel he is not the man everyone believes him to be. He has charmed her family and neighbours and has decided he wants Marietta's hand in marriage no matter her feelings.
On Christmas Eve she decides to practice her ballet performance on the stage set that Dosselmeir has created but on the stroke of midnight as she flees from his advances she is transported to another land and danger of a very different kind.
I really enjoyed this magical winter coming of age story where Marietta learns the power of female friendship, the strength she has within and the taste of first love. All the elements of the Nutcracker are in this tale, the wicked King, the heroic handsome soldier, fairies and beautiful sweet treats. The descriptions of the sugar palace and town were so well written I could smell the mazipan, it was a real treat for the senses. The perfect read to snuggle up with though don't be fooled by all the sugar and spice as the magic has a dark bitte side too.

I received an e-arc of this book from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

YOU GUYS NEED THIS BOOK IN YOUR LIVES.

I am pretty sure that I was transported to Everwood with our main character, Marietta. The world building was absolutely incredible, the author has a way with words that transports you into the story. I can not get over the imagination of the author and how vivid they portrayed this spell binding story.

The main character was a breath of fresh air to see her grow from girl to woman. Her story is beautifully infused with the retelling of the Nutcracker. Also, seeing as my only knowledge of the Nutcracker story was the Barbie movie in 2001, it was so fun to go on this adventure so dark and engrossing.

Highly recommend picking this up if you want to be entranced by beautiful writing, feminist friendship with a forbidden romance sub plot!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was a really interesting book, I wasn't expecting to be blown away by this book but I was. I thought the writing was well done. I found myself so interested in the characters, I just could not put the book down. Strongly recommend this one.

Midnight in Everwood is a reimagining of the Nutcracker with dark supernatural undertones.

We follow Marietta, a promising young ballerina in Edwardian England, whose parents insist on her marrying immediately and putting a stop to her dream of becoming a professional dancer. When she is pursued by a mysterious new neighbour and flees his attentions by hiding in a grandfather clock, she soon finds herself transported to another world…magical and beautiful….but perhaps not everything is as it seems.

I found the story to be a little slow to get into at first, largely due to the author’s very descriptive writing style. Although I must admit that, once I was into it, the descriptions of the Everwood (clothing, food, etc) were so beautifully immersive.

The book has strong feminist undertones with discussions on the lack of power women had to control their own futures at the time, the importance of female friendships and references to suffragettes.

The reader can really feel the frustration and despair of Marietta and her friends as they fight against male corruption in both worlds.

Midnight in Everwood is also a romance and the traditional love story, mingled with the supernatural and fantasy elements makes for a very enjoyable read.

With the ending being left slightly open, I do wonder if we might get a return to Everwood (or perhaps another world) in future.

Marietta Stelle was born to dance, but she must put her dreams aside after Christmas as obligations must take precedence. Struggling to maintain a balance between her traditions and goals, the answer comes in the form of an eclectic toymaker who moved in next door. Dr Drosselmeier is charming and has her entire town wrapped around his finger. When Drosselmeier promises Marietta an elaborate set for her final performance, the last thing she ever expects is to be transported into a snowy forest and rescued by a guard who escorts her to a palace made from sugar and dreams. Marietta is enchanted, but the thrill doesn’t last long when she realises she is now held captive by King Gelum. And Marietta’s only choice is to dance or starve. Now confined to her sugar prison, Marietta must work with the King’s other captives if they want to escape alive. And in this sugar-coated world, Marietta can’t trust anyone.

Oh dear, I had such high hopes for this one. Midnight in Everwood is sweet and dream-like, but I was not a fan of the overall story. Reading this was a rollercoaster of emotions of being set up to witness a thrilling tale, only to reach the end and find out it really wasn’t all that memorable.

The story begins in Edwardian society, and it is evident how restricting the world is for Marietta. The Christmas performance is her last time before she must give up her pointe shoes. When she is transported to Everwood, the change is instant. The influence of the Nutcracker really shines through in worldbuilding. Whimsical barely scratches the surface of what Marietta witnesses in Everwood. I really loved the detail and information we see about Everwood and its surrounding areas. There is lore and knowledge that captivated me, and it’s such a shame that much of it isn’t particularly relevant to the story.

I can see what Kuzniar was trying to do when she was building Marietta. A girl who is desperate to keep her passion alive in a very restrictive world. I wanted to feel proud and empowered by her decisions, but the execution falls flat. Her attitude is very inconsistent, and her judgement is all over the place. The plot is just repetitive: Marietta gets in trouble, someone else taking the fall for her actions while she moans about her position. The growth of her character feels like it was just dumped towards the end. The supporting characters almost seem to be propped up like cardboard, with no voice or life of their own except to deal with Marietta’s moaning. The villain had so much potential to be much more terrifying if the story even focused on him. The best way I could describe Marietta’s journey is incomplete. She doesn’t feel completely present in the story, which is such a shame because the level of detail we receive about the world doesn’t feel fully utilised in the story that is told here.

Overall, Midnight in Everwood is a sweet reimagining, but I have to admit it was definitely not my style. But I can see this book finding a home in another reader, someone who is more passionate about winter fairytales and sugary whirlwind adventures.

This was absolutely magical! A nutcracker retelling that actually brings something new and interesting to the story, and definitely something I'll be returning to in the winter months, as it was completely enchanting and so festive!

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ 5 stars

themes:
- nutcracker retelling
- endless food simile's and adjectives (read with snacks)
- captivity
- female empowerment
- soft enemies to lovers trope
"Why, you have discovered the delights of Everwood, of course. A land of ice and sugar, enchanted beyond measure.”

Goodreads Synopsis:
There’s nothing Marietta Stelle loves more than ballet, but after Christmas, her dreams will be over as she is obligated to take her place in Edwardian society. While she is chafing against such suffocating traditions, a mysterious man purchases the neighbouring townhouse. Dr Drosselmeier is a charming but calculating figure who wins over the rest of the Stelle family with his enchanting toys and wondrous mechanisms.
When Drosselmeier constructs an elaborate set for Marietta’s final ballet performance, she discovers it carries a magic all of its own. On the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, she is transported to a snowy forest, where she encounters danger at every turn: ice giants, shadow goblins and the shrieking mist all lurk amidst the firs and frozen waterfalls and ice cliffs. After being rescued by the butterscotch-eyed captain of the king’s guard, she is escorted to the frozen sugar palace. At once, Marietta is enchanted by this glittering world of glamorous gowns, gingerbread houses, miniature reindeer and the most delicious confectionary.
But all is not as it seems and Marietta is soon trapped in the sumptuous palace by the sadistic King Gelum, who claims her as his own. She is confined to a gilded prison with his other pets; Dellara, whose words are as sharp as her teeth, and Pirlipata, a princess from another land. Marietta must forge an alliance with the two women to carve a way free from this sugar-coated but treacherous world and back home to follow her dreams. Yet in a hedonistic world brimming with rebellion and a forbidden romance that risks everything, such a path will never be easy.

Plot
Plot-wise this is a glittering arc of golden action and empowerment. There are no damsels, only angry girls trapped in sugared towers piped high, although not high enough to escape the icy clutches of the mouse king. The tension provoked coupled with the need to escape and the impossibility of that task draws the reader in until they are practically trapped in Everwood themselves. The obstacles overcome are notable to a worthy plot.
"Storytellers are often wise beyond their years. Perhaps all their delving into words and thoughts have gifted them additional lives.”

Characters & Dynamics
The dynamics between Marietta, Pirlipata and Dellara are my favourite aspect of this story. The blossoming friendship and ensuing female empowerment that beckons is a heart warming quality to the book that filled my stomach with fire and my mind with the anger of a thousand oppressed women. Dellara was my favourite, she was an enigmatic delight formed of revenge and compassion. Marietta was a contrast of powerless yet the most powerful of all as she arms rebellions with the most dangerous weapon - inspiration. Pirlipata was the underdog, the epitome of golden obstinate determination carrying a warrior sword and an unyielding kindness. I know when an author has written an amazing character(s) when those characters make me into a better version of myself. These female characters provoke that quality in me where I feel full-up of inner strength.

The romance between Marietta and Captain Legat was as satisfying as could be. The Captain was a soft, sensible presence to Marietta's wild recklessness. It was easy to believe the love forged between them.
"Be safe and strong. Never dull your sparkle for anyone else, flame fiercely into your own glittering future. We are not so unlike, you and I. We're angry girls with hearts made of glass.”

Writing
To put it simply, this is the most ethereal, enchanting book I have ever read. The writing is beautiful . The consistent references to food mean that I recommend reading this with snacks, though. Preferably butterscotch sweets and hot chocolates. The writing is most definitely worthy of being a Nutcracker retelling and I was reminded when reading this of The Enchanted Sonata by Heather Dixon Wallwork - another of my five star reads.

World Building
Another aspect of utter perfection. From the marzipan-cobbled streets to the enchanted dresses. From star names to three kingdoms. From mineral sickness to magic treasures. From magic worlds to worlds without magic. I cannot gush just how much I am in love with Everwood.

Likes
- Everything

Dislikes
- Nothing

Final Thoughts
Midnight in Everwood is my favourite read of 2021. As soon as I finished it I sighed loudly and announced to my partner sat next to me, 'that was amazing'. Then we ate chicken wings because the edible adjectives M.A. Kuzniar forced my hunger to spiral. Although my hunger didn't just spiral for real food, but for more and more of Kuzniar's writing.

If you are looking for a magical escape from reality then "Midnight in Everwood" is the perfect book. It is so magical, a fairy tale for grown-ups, and would make great Christmas reading. The story mirrors the Nutcracker but also with echoes of Narnia. Perfectly wonderful.

I absolutely adored this novel.

I’ve never read the nutcracker, but I don’t feel like I’ve missed out. From reading other reviews of the book, it seems as though there are Easter eggs almost hidden in the story, but as i have never read the original, I hadn’t picked up on this.

However that did not detract from the story at all. The author had a real way of writing magic in a way that was so convincing, as if it were entirely possible to walk through a door and end up in an enchanted forest.

I felt that there was a lot of setting the scene in Marietta’s “real world.” There was a lot of text and it took me a while to really get my teeth into the storyline because of this. I found myself putting down the book and coming back a few days later in the initial chapters, simply because there was a lot of information there. In contrast to this, the end of the novel is wrapped up so quickly, it almost gives the reader the feeling of “is that it?” I think I only felt this way because the rest of the novel had been woven so intricately and described in huge amounts of detail.

With that in mind, I would still say I enjoyed it. Once the initial few chapters were over, and Marietta had entered Everwood, I couldn’t put it down. I think once you get past the initial detail, you see how important it is for the plot and to Marietta’s character development.

I absolutely adored the storyline, the magic and the sisterhood. I even enjoyed the romance because I felt it was done in such a way that it was a side narrative and didn’t take over the whole tale as can happen in these types of novels. The main theme of the three women rising up, the strengths they had being different but bonding them together, really had me glued to the book.

The ending was bittersweet, I guess because as a reader you know that Marietta will probably go back and what that will mean. I loved how it was all tied up though. And how seemingly unimportant details, like receiving the shrinking powder, are actually vital to the plot.

On the whole I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend

Midnight in Everwood

This book is EVERYTHING I wanted and more. I love retellings and anything comparable to The Nutcracker is my type of book. I grew up absolutely obsessed with the original story, so knew I had to read Midnight in Everwood as soon as I could.

Now, this book isn't just a pretty cover. That's saying something as the advanced edition is absolutely stunning beyond belief. However, Kuzniar has created such an inventive and immersive world I was entranced from the very first page.

I definitely recommend this book to EVERYONE!

This is a lovely book, but it just didn’t sparkle for me.

What I did love was the friendships. Marietta’s development throughout the story and I didn’t mind the romance even though I thought it just fine.

The magical world and all it’s descriptions should have been words after my own heart, but they were just too much. Every single thing had ten descriptors that then led to a further page more of saying how decadent everything was and it’s just too much for me. And that’s saying something!

I just didn’t fall enchanted but I can see why others would.

I’ve never read The Nutcracker but I am interested now! I’d love to then see how faithful this book is to the original story.

I loved the idea of this book, but it took almost 30% through to get to the more fantasy, magical aspect of the story, and it was dragging on.
The descriptions were nice, but too much for me, basically leaving me with no room to imagine things for myself. And the main character I found rather annoying. She is very independent and modern for a woman of her time, which is normally a good thing, but there was just something about how she went about doing things and speaking to people that kind of left me just not giving a damn about her. Eventually I decided that I just didn't want to continue. I wasn't enjoying the story much and was having to force myself to pick the book up and keep reading, which is not a good sign.
I really wanted to love this book, but sadly, it's just not for me.

Poor Marietta who wished she could be a ballerina but her family wanted her to marry well and so the chances of fulfilling her ambition was unlikely. She then met Dr Drosselmeier. a toymaker, who built a magical set for her to dance. It was a magical story and for it to be called "the Nutcracker for adults" was absolutely right. I thoroughly enjoyed my journey through this book.

What a gorgeous cover! Beautifully designed.
However, sadly for me the story was too convoluted. Marietta wants to be a ballerina. She does not want to follow her parents wishes, ie to marry Herr Drosselmeyer. From there it seems to go off into a fairy tale story, based of course on the ballet 'The Nutcracker'. Fantasy isnt my favourite genre, but there were some beautifully written descriptive parts of the book.Thank you NetGalley for a review copy.

Beautiful Christmas tale with ballet, magic and Enchanted Kingdom...

“If you do not cherish your dreams, you have forgotten how to live. Dreaming is an intrinsic part of human nature, on par with love and hate and hope.”
#MidnightInEverwood #MAKuzniar #HQ

Book 1/1

My rating: 4.5/5 GR: 3,95/5

My book review might be slightly biased, because it’s set in Nottingham and I truly love this city for its atmosphere, and it’s been my home for 7 years! The fact that author managed to bring Nottingham’s Edwardian Christmas feeling is probably the best part of this book.

Beware: A lot of food descriptions, you will end up salivating all over your book! 😀
Marietta Stelle is a ballerina, but growing and successing in society where women's fate has already been decided is not an easy task. She’s got a brother who gets involved in all of her adventures.
Mysterious neighbor arrives to their area. Nobody knows much about Dr Drosselmeier. He grows fond of Marietta and is determined to make her his wife. However, Marietta doesn’t want the fate her parents have planned. She wants to dance.
Marietta denies Drosselmeier and gets locked in the magical realm – Everwood. Which from the first sign she loves and it seems like a dream. King wants her to dance for him. Be careful what you wish for, sometimes things that seem like a dream might lead to your suffering.

I’m sure that everyone who loves vibes of England, Tchaikovsky, ballet and the tale of the Nutcracker will love this book. And it’s such a beautiful Christmas present!
The reason it’s not 5 st , I was slightly upset about captain Legat....

Described as a retelling of The Nutcracker, filled with enchanted toys, decadent balls, fierce feminine friendships and a forbidden romance, I started reading this with high hopes as it has been compared to The Night Circus which I loved. The beginning was very promising, the writing is lyrical and the descriptions enchanting however it failed to move on. The story just didn't engage me and I really struggled to continue reading.

This is, obviously, a very personal opinion and whereas the book was not for me that's not to say that other readers may not be swept away by the beauty of the prose.

Crackles with magic, enchantment and intrigue.

I loved the strength of Marietta Stelle as she grows to fight for what she believes in, to fight for herself.

Adored MA Kuznair's richly detailed, sumptuous world-building - a careful blend of magic with danger, sinister yet enchanting.

PS the descriptions of the food. Warning! This book will make you peckish!

Enter the magic of Everwood this autumn. A land of snow and sugar, magic and wonder; Everwood is enchanted beyond measure. But is all quite as wonderful as it seems?

M.A. Kuzniar brings us a spell-binding retelling of The Nutcracker, filled with enchanted toys, decadent balls, fierce feminine friendships and a forbidden romance.

In Nottingham, 1906, twenty-year-old Marietta Stelle dreams of being a dancer. However, the ballerina is set for her last dance once Christmas arrives, as her parents are determined she marry as she approaches her 21st birthday; and Marietta sees all her hopes and dreams disappearing before her eyes.

The arrival of Dr Drosselmeier, a mysterious new neighbour, however, heralds change for Marietta.

Dr Drosselmeier's arrival brings with him magic long lost in childhood back into Marietta's life, but Drosselmeier's magic is darker than Marietta could have imagined, and she finds herself transported into a new world in Everwood.

In scenes reminiscent of Narnia, Marietta steps into a grandfather clock at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, and finds herself in a snow-covered forest.

Soon she discovers the town of Everwood, and with it comes a confectionery of wonders, and for me, it's where the book really begins to shine. Kuzniar brings us delightful descriptions and magical imagery of gingerbread homes, sugar snow, candy cane dwellings and marzipan cobblestones.

Marietta soon finds herself in danger in the forest, and after being rescued by
Captain Legat, leader of the King's Army, a bronze-haired and beautiful young man with butterscotch eyes, she is brought to the frozen sugar palace, where the decadence of the dancing and glittering gowns, miniature reindeer and delicious confectionery beguile her.

All is not as it seems, however, and Marietta soon discovers that King Gelum rules his kingdom with a reign of terror. He lives in luxury whilst he keeps his people oppressed, ill and starved. And his fascination with Marietta leaves her as a pet in a gilded prison with the fairy Dellara, whose words are as sharp as her teeth, and Pirlipata, a princess from another land. Together they must forge an alliance to win their freedom.

But danger lurks at every turn, and rebellion is in the air. Along the way, Marietta learns to fight for what she believes in, and she finds forbidden love with a certain butterscotch-eyed Captain.

Midnight in Everwood is the perfect book to curl up with on cold winter night's, especially with a sweet treat and a hot chocolate close at hand, as this book has the capacity to make the reader feel hungry with all the descriptions of marzipan scents, molten chocolate and gingerbread.

I must admit, I found the book a little difficult to get into at first. It was enjoyable, but felt quite slow, and I found it took quite a while to read it. However, once Marietta arrived in Everwood, I found myself captivated by the story and desperate to discover what would happen.

The themes of feminism and LGBTQ+ rights run throughout this book. Marietta is desperate to live her own life. She doesn't seek or desire to marry for the sake of societal expectations, and she wants to follow her heart and dance. Meanwhile, her brother, the delightful Frederick, has his own desires curtailed, as his love of art and his relationship with his best friend, and secret beau, Geoffrey, must be hidden. Ironically, it is when she is trapped in Everwood that Marietta discovers that life can be different and people can live, and love, however they want, without judgement from society. Obviously this book is set in another time, but it does serve as a reminder just how stifled some people were and the freedoms we have today. It's certainly thought-provoking.

Meanwhile, the friendship between Marietta, Dellara and Pirlipata was a delight, and as a romantic, I adored the development of the love between Marietta and Legat. My one quibble would be <spoiler>whilst this is a feminist tale, and I'm glad Marietta followed her heart to dance, as well as standing up to Dr Drosselmeier and her parents, I wish we could have had an epilogue maybe a few years in the future, where she found a door back to Everwood, and we saw her reunited with Legat. But that's the romantic in me!</spoiler>

If you want to feel the magic of the season, then Midnight in Everwood is the perfect book with which to do it. Four stars! Now I'm off in search of some marzipan!

Midnight in Everwood will be published on October 28th and is available for pre-order now.

Thanks to NetGalley and HQStories for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley and HQ for allowing me to read this delightful magical book, I was hoping to be swept away in this wintery book and I was not disappointed. I now eagerly await the finished copy to experience it all again.

Marietta wants to be a dancer for ballet, she is someone who unfortunately was born in the wrong time when her only expectation is to be a good girl and be married, she does not want this at all. She is strong independent and even now teaches us all that we need to follow our dreams.

I adored everwood and the tension that it gave and the captain has my heart and I am sure he will have many peoples heart as you read the book, perfect to read when you want to be swept away in a magical world where you find yourself in the darkest times.

Maria’s writing made me fall for the world where I could not put the book down I needed to know what was going to happen, so much so I stayed up with 4am to finish it and now I all the emotions and whimsy from this book, it makes me feel like I was swept into a of intrigued if you are looking for a magical nutcracker retelling/ reimagining look no further than this amazing book.

I wanted to enjoy this book and found the cover very appealing. Unfortunately I found myself skim reading as I didn’t enjoy the book very much at all. I really didn’t care what happened to the characters and couldn’t engage with the story.