I wanted so badly to enjoy this book, and at first it really did look like I was going to. I loved the setting of depression-era Chicago, a ballet studio & company and eventually a creepy castle. It had so much potential, but for me it just fell incredibly flat.

At first, I was very endeared by Wees’ flowery writing and language, and inloved the little asides and quotable bits about the state of the world and Grace’s feelings about life. However, I learned rather quickly that this book is all flowers and no content. Come the 50% mark, I was skimming 75% of most pages because they were frustratingly irrelevant to the plot, and also because the plot felt so thin that it didn’t matter anyway.

I’m grateful that this wasn’t a very long book, or I don’t think I would have gotten as far as I did. This writing style is just not for me, and I don’t see myself picking anything up from this author in the future.

Thank you to random House Ballantine & NetGallet for the opportunity to read and review this before publishing!

Grace is a child who lost everything, whose gift seems to be a touch of death to everyone around her. Her father leaves before she has memory of him. Her brother is tragically killed, and her mother follows shortly thereafter. Left on her own at the height of the Great Depression with just her violin and love of dancing, Grace finds her way from the cold streets of Chicago into the doors of a company of ballerinas whom she admired from afar for years.

Years later, Grace is selected as the prima for the final performance of the year, to learn that such selection was at the bequest of a mysterious patron, whom no one at the company has met before. Who is he? Why do his gifts leave a feeling of darkness and loss. The writing of this story is dark and beautiful., and with hints of Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, and Hades and Persephone, it calls to the darker romantic readers.

Despite its short length, Nocturne may, however, be a bit of a commitment to some. It is poetic literature for a young adult audience, a long poem devoted to the love of Death and his Little Bird. However, readers who are frustrated by heavy descriptions and who are not fond of poetry, may find this book is not quite for them. Without the somewhat flowery descriptions, this is a story that could have been told in a short novella of maybe 50 pages.

However, the art of this story is that the author wanted to devote herself to creating a detailed world around this story of Death, Sleep, and the ballerina that stood between them. Given this story revolves around ballet, the poetic leanings are not surprising, as the art of ballet is storytelling through dance. The descriptions of this book are like a carefully choreographed ballet, meant to draw the reader to the details and beauty of the world that has been built as much as it is to tell the story itself.

Thank you again to Net Galley, Ms. Wees, and Ballantine for the advanced readers copy in exchange for this honest review.

This is a solidly written, moody, and atmospheric tale that looks to be based on Beauty and the Beast. It's not a direct retelling and instead eschews a happily ever after Disney version for something a bit more gothic. Of note, there is a lot of purple prose here though fortunately it only rarely trips up the reader experience.

Story: In 1930s Chicago, prohibition and gangsters wreak havoc on people weary from the depression. At a small ballet dance company, loner Grace has found a home after having been orphaned several years earlier. She may not be as talented as some of the other dancers but she has a charisma on stage that catapults her to the position of prima - and gains her the notice of a benefactor. But who is this master La Rosa - and what does he want from her?

There are nods to several fairy/folk stories here - from Phantom of the Opera to ballet and opera inspired tales. But the main inspiration is obviously Beauty and the Beast. That said, this isn't really a romance and thus can neatly sidestep a lot of the YA tropes so prevalent this days. It feels like it is meant to be its own fairy tale.

The story is very claustrophobic and takes place at either the theater or the Master's mansion. The 1930s milieu is there somewhat but you won't really get a feel of Chicago in that era other than through the repercussions that directly affect Grace's life (e.g., the earlier death of her brother to mobsters). I would have loved to experience more of the era rather than the more fantastical feel of the insular theater and 'enchanted castle.' But Grace's life is a lonely one and the story is written to support that intrinsic value.

Grace as a heroine is fine - she wasn't a character I really liked or enjoyable but that also means she wasn't overidealized. She spends a lot of time feeling sorry for herself and giving flowery prose inner monologues that can get wearying after awhile. Yes, they further the atmosphere but that came at the expense of wanting her to succeed or to even root for her. There are a few side characters but we see little of them other than through becoming a subject for Grace to ruminate upon (ad nauseum).

In all, despite all the purple prose this is a quick read. The author has some good ideas and ties them in neatly into the plot. Admittedly, I did find myself skipping chunks of exposition frequently: all of the characters had a crippling addiction to metaphors, even in their dialogue. But I'd rather a book overwritten than underwritten, to be honest. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

Grace dreams of becoming a ballerina, she seeks an escape from her poor background and a family unit that she craves. As the story progresses we see Grace living her dream and she becomes a Prima Ballerina. Now, she catches the eye of a mysterious patron and the adventure begins. A Sci-fi, fantasy, and a fairytale story all meshed together to make for a riveting and enchanting story. In my honest opinion, this is a must read for 2023.

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine, Del Rey for this ARC, I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love me some ballerina content (and tbh I'm not sure why, but I think it's competition + really pretty outfits), especially if it's got a horror element to it, and this book definitely meets those criteria. And, for the most part, I liked it. It's also set in post-depression era Chicago, although that doesn't really factor in too much. The main character is fairly naïve and makes pretty terrible decisions which is what made it kind of hard to read (that and the love interest of sorts was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay older than her and ew) and the whole thing was pretty predictable, but I can see actual teenagers being reallllly into it, especially those who like the ballerina contents. So while it wasn't exactly my thing, I'll be recommending it to teens. 2 stars goodreads, 3 stars netgalley.

I enjoyed reading Nocturne and took my time reading it. The writing was enjoyable and felt lyrical at times.

The MC Grace was developed well and I really liked the other characters.

I have seen this marketed as a Beauty and the Beast re-telling, but it felt more like it was a story inspired by the fairy tale.

Overall it was a good read and kept me entertained, but I was not wowed.

<b> <I> Thank you so much to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of “Nocturne” by Alyssa Weez in exchange for an honest review. All of the following opinions are formulated on my own. Any quotes in this review should be cross-referenced with the final copy for any possible edits.</I> </b>

<b> Overall rating: </b> 4 out of 5 stars

<b> My review: </b> This is my first book to read by Alyssa Wees. I was drawn in by the book cover aorund Christmas time and I read it over the holiday. This is an odd, in the best way, retelling of Beauty and the Beast in 1930s Chicago. Grace believes she has been chosen as the prima ballerina based on her talent but has actually been selected by a prince who saved the ballet from bankruptcy. She now must go live with him and take what he provides. I really love how fun and whismy this boook was! I just really wish the publisher had released it in November because I think this would have been a great holiday read.

I really liked this one. I thought it was going to be some kind of retelling or reimagineing of Beauty and the Beast but it did not seem like it. And the last few chapters definitely went in a direction I wasn't expecting. The story and settings were great. The details about everything were amazing. The characters were really great. I did feel like Grace was a tiny bit over dramatic in one or two scenes but otherwise I liked her.

𝘕𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦 tells the tale of Grace, a young ballerina who's lost her world to death. Now she's been offered an enchanting deal by her ballet company's sponsor, that she'd get luxury and all that she's ever desried if only she comes to stay with him and dance once every Sunday.
After she is coerced to accept the offer, she is also proposed to by the Master, but beware, all's not as it looks, they're not in love, after all he's death incarnated.

- ~ -

This was morbid.
I mean not really but clearly not my thing.
I did like the twist at the end (though I was rooting for him :| )

The story did make wonder, though, what's better, Death or Sleep?
Death's an oblivion, a prick on pain then unto nothingness forever.
Sleep, on the other hand, is a trickster. It'll show you the best and worst of life, promising either in no finite sense.

Although this is often the exact writing style I love, it was way too overdone here and came off as quite confusing.

I hope the author continues to write stories where she can maintain the whimsical and mystical feel, though, I hope they're happier ones.

- ~ -

3.36 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

I did not even finish this book. I made it 17 pages before I had to just stop. The writing was so drawn out and honestly didn't make any sense. It was like the author just put as many words as possible into a sentence without even trying to make them make sense to sound smarter.

This is such an incredibly well written book, full of lovely, and sometimes gruesome, imagery. A mix between The Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast, this is the story of Grace. In mid-Depression Chicago, her dream of becoming prima ballerina comes true thanks to a mysterious benefactor. Master La Rosa then invites her to live in his house and dance in a ballet that he wrote The mansion is magical and described in such detail that I didn’t feel like I was reading but more like the author was putting images directly in my mind. The writing is beautiful and atmospheric, like a dream and a nightmare rolled into one. Grace is a great heroine, she goes from scared little girl to a woman who takes control of her life. The love she feels for her dead mother and brother is touching. I also loved her relationship with her best friend, the sister she never had, who is getting married and starting on her own path, and how they still count on each other, even when they’re apart. It was a little odd how eating is such a big part in a story about a ballerina but, considering this is a fairy tale, I guess it’s a small inconsistency. This is a slow read and it will not be everybody’s cup of tea. I thought it was beautiful.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey!

Thank you so much to Del Rey Books and NetGalley for an eARC copy of one of my top anticipated releases of 2023!

This is a true gothic horror through and through. And those comparisons being made to Beauty & the Beast, Hades & Persephone, and Phantom of the Opera are spot on but with a little added something! And ballet, lots of ballet!!!

Alyssa Wees knew what she was doing when she wrote this plot - the clues are left in plain sight but the thrill of guessing something that proves to be correct is exciting. Grace‘s trajectory as a character made sense in a way that was satisfying to witness as a reader. And you know those endings that connect back to a point or quote towards the beginning of the story…yup this has one of those. Don’t even get me started on the gorgeousness of the writing in here!

There’s also nothing that compares to that feeling when a book surprises you even when you swear there’s no way it can. I thought for sure this would be a 4 or 4.5 from me but that last 20% really proved me wrong and I’m very glad.

Make sure to pick up your copy of this beauty on February 21!

This book caught my attention with this lovely cover and the synopsis sounded eerie and intriguing. I liked the first part of this story. The historical feel with the ballet and an orphan who worked her way to the top was so captivating. I loved her friendship and the story was well developed. I thought the mysterious patron was a nice touch, it added this element of darkness and suspense. However, this book got boring real quick after part one. The overuse of metaphors was annoying to read and was not needed. It felt like the author needed to hit a word count because she couldn't just say something simple and let it be, she had to list examples and add flowery metaphors EVERYWHERE. I didn't feel any chemistry between her and Death and when I realized this was a loose Hades and Persephone story I rolled my eyes. This trope is overdone and I really don't enjoy it. The ending was very anticlimactic and I honestly couldn't wait for the story to end.

A fun sort of retelling of a few different fairytales set during the great depression. If you are a fan of historical fiction, you will enjoy!

I knew going into this one that it would be a dreamlike book with horror elements and a lot of ballet. And I actually did enjoy the very beginning which was focused on the main character and her life as a ballerina. The writing is very wordy and uses a lot of space to say a little, but it is pretty.
Once the book got to the end of part 1, and even more so in part 2 and the ending, I did not like this one bit. The plot escalated so quickly that it as hard to believe in it or wrap my head around the stakes. The vibe was weird (definitely had a gothic horror feel!) but not in a fun way. It was supposed to be intense and serious but I just felt like it was ridiculous, over the top, and creepy.
As a side note, this isn’t a romance book at all. Just heads up because the synopsis is a little vague!
I really don’t recommend this one, sadly.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Nocturne is the tale of Grace Dragotta, a ballerina who grew up owing everything to the strict Mistress of the ballet. When a mysterious patron, Master La Rosa, selects Grace as his chosen one her entire life changes overnight. She is given a highly coveted position in the ballet and forced to move into the patron’s home. Grace is offered a dance with the master at midnight and she starts to question her grip on reality. When dangerous secrets are revealed, Grace must decide if she trusts Master La Rosa.

Nocturne is a lyrical and chilling story. It's a love letter to Phantom of the Opera, with elements from Hades & Persephone, and themes from Orpheus & Eurydice. The writing is very descriptive, sometimes to a fault. I think if readers do not enjoy overly intricate details, then they will likely struggle with this aspect. Overall, I enjoyed myself and was swept away to a glittering and ominous version of Chicago. Nocturne is a beautiful and tangled tale; the twist took me by surprise! I loved the friendship between Grace and Emilia, they were always there for each other no matter what. I would recommend Nocturne for readers who enjoy lyrical prose, vivid descriptions, and stories that stay in your mind long after the final page.

Nocturne releases February 21, 2023. Thank you to Alyssa Wees, Del Rey, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF after 7 chapters

While the storyline and premise for Nocturne are definitely interesting and 100% up my alley, this book is incredibly slow. I like detailed writing, I really do, but many times it felt like the author was adding so much detail about mundane things, or dragging certain parts on for far too long. Some sentences/sections went on for so long that I forgot what lead us there and how it was relevant to the plot. I do think that I would probably check this out again once it's been recorded as an audiobook.

Wow, I thought this was such a beautifully written gothic fantasy.

Set in Chicago in the 1930s, Grace is an organ who has been promoted to prima ballerina of the Near North Ballet. Her performance was sponsored by a mysterious patron, Master La Rosa, who, come to find out, also orchestrated her ascent to prima. But it comes with a price.. she much come to live with him, and dance with him at midnight every Sunday. When she does, she finds the mansion cloaked in mystery and full of otherworldly secrets, and is caught between illusion and reality.

This was a lovely dark fantasy seemingly inspired by Hades and Persephone, Beauty and the Beast and Phantom of the Opera. The prose was beautiful and lyrical and the writing has a dark, dreamlike quality that I loved. I was enchanted by the story and characters. I liked Grace’s development, and loved her relationship with her dear friend Emilia. I haven’t read Alyssa Wees before, but I will be picking up her other books.

First I want to be thank NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC copy in return of an honest review.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book. However, this is nothing against the author. Many will enjoy this book; I just found it wasn’t my cup of tea.

I wanted to enjoy this book, but as I continued to read, I just couldn’t get past the style of writing.
This book was beautifully written and immensely descriptive. However, it tended to be so overly descriptive that the plot and build-up of characters seemed to be almost neglected. Nothing and nobody can be talked about in this story without an onslaught of analogies and metaphors added in.

Now I know some might say, “but you said the book was beautifully written, so how can you dislike it?” You’re right! I did say it was beautifully written, and I stand by that. Wees’s writing can bring forth a sense of magic with her words that allow the reader to picture what she is describing with ease.
I know that there will be many readers who love the way that this story is written.

Unfortunately, for me, it is too overly ornate that it disrupts the flow of her story, and I found that to be too distracting.
I found it almost exhausting to get through the story and trying to understand the FMC as well as understanding what was happening as the plot TRIED to take form.

What I mean by that is that I could never grasp who the FMC truly was. Her character was only driven forward by the overly descriptive narratives and thoughts inside her head, nothing more.
And as for the plot, it almost seemed as if the author didn’t fully know which direction to take it in, as it never seemed to move forward in one definitive way or the other.

This book was described as a fantasy with hints of hades & Persephone, as well as beauty & the beast. But, I think Wees got too lost in her excessive descriptions and words that the retellings got mixed into a plot that lost its sense of direction and is confusing to understand.

If you want a story mainly of beautifully woven words with no character build-up and a confusing plot, then this story is for you.

I received an ecopy from NetGalley and the Publisher.

To start off I loved this book! It wasn't perfect but I don't judge books by technical standards...mostly. I judge by entertainment and this book had my attention the entire time. I want to say that this book is chief's kiss but really I don't like that cliche. So, how about...NOCTURNE DESERVES A SPECIAL EDITION!

I love the emotion, the lyricism, the attention to detail, and even the ending has grown on me. Despite having me in tears. If you like the dark elements of Phantom of the Opera, the fairytale of Beauty and the Beast, and the ballet the Firebird I really recommend reading Nocturne.

There were very few things I didn't like and those were mostly overused words such as ice, dusk, and bird. That last one is because I don't really care for birds. But it's not really a flaw. I will put a more thorough review of the book on my blog which I'll link later.
Here is the full review: https://bugschaoticstacks.blogspot.com/2023/01/nocturne-by-alyssa-wees.html