I enjoyed this book it was just what I needed to read at the right time I'd recommend this book to a friend

Marietta loves nothing other than to dance ballet but Marietta’s parents want her to find a husband and give up her dreams of dancing in order to become a 'proper' member of Edwardian society.
When the mysterious Dr Drosselmeier moves into their neighbourhood Marietta’s family and the rest of the town fall for his charm. After a rejection, Drosselmeier constructs an elaborate set for Marietta’s final ballet performance which is enchanted with magic and transports her to a snowy forest where she catches the eye of King Gelum who claims her as his own.
Will Marietta find her way back home before it's too late, or will she be stuck in a different world forever?

Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar is an adult historical fantasy retelling of The Nutcracker and even though this is marketed as an adult book, I do have to say that it reads more like a YA novel. I always crave detail in my books and unfortunately I wasn't quite getting it with this one. It was a magical story with great atmosphere but the plot really didn't draw me in or keep my interest. I did love reading about Marietta's journey throughout this book as she's a strong minded female main character who wants to live outside of society's expectations and follow her dreams of becoming a ballet dancer. I will say that it's a great seasonal read and as it takes place on Christmas Eve and is filled with magic, it really does get you excited for Christmas!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

I must admit, I was rather drawn by the idea of an adult retelling of the Nutcracker, but unfortunately this was not it for me. An uncomfortable amalgamation of The Nutcracker, Edmund in Narnia and Willy Wonka’s Factory, Midnight in Everwood was unfortunately underwhelming.

It’s 1906 and we follow ballet dancer Marietta Steele as she attempts to navigate growing up in early Edwardian society who can apparently do no wrong despite a series of rather immature decisions to spite others in her life (like stealing a car to go to ballet).

She’s meant to be 20, though she would have read better as a 16 year old (adult retelling aside). In imagining her as an adult, I found her incredibly frustrating and difficult to empathise with, let alone follow what felt like reading an entire thesaurus of descriptions whenever someone completed an action. The sugar themes applied to every character mentioned by other reviewers left a poor taste in my mouth, whilst the attempted saucy scene was downright uncomfortable.

An underwhelming read, though I did finish it. The concept was interesting , the execution questionable.

Thank you to NetGalley for this copy of Midnight in Everwood in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Truthfully, I DNF'd this when I started reading it, I was really struggling with the pace and found it extremely slow. I did end up switching format and listened to it as an audiobook and found it easier to get on with.

I found this to be far too descriptive, there were a lot of plot holes and I found that the ending fell short. The premise of this book sounded good I just feel like it wasn't executed well. Which is a shame because I wanted to like this, especially because the cover is stunning.

This book was not at all what I expected. I went into this with expectations of something akin to ‘The Night Circus’ and absolutely did not get that.
It read very YA and had almost too much going on at any one time to really catch moments.
The main character had a bad case of ‘not like other girls’ which was not at all helped when the book continues and she is seen as utterly unique. The plot was rather predictable and the pacing did feel rather jarring, at moments too fast and at other dragging.
The side characters and descriptions are honestly where this book shined. An interesting wintery read.

I appreciate this storyline and author but sadly this just wasn't for me. I found I wasnt compelled to pick it up. I have however recommended it to others who have really enjoyed it so I think it must be just me! Will potentially give it another try in the future

Well, this was a really different book for me - not my normal genre at all.. It starts out as a fairly normal story, but soon seems to start to change with the arrival of a new neighbour for Marietta in Drosselmeier. No one knows anything about him or where he has come from and his magical creations are the likes of which have not been seen before. He sets his sights on Marietta, much to the delight of her parents who are looking for her to get married, but Marietta has other ideas. She longs to continue her ballet dancing and on Christmas Eve, rehearses on the set built for her by Drosselmeier for her Christmas Day performance, which is to be her final dance (according to her parents).

However, in an event reminiscent of The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe, Marietta soon discovers a whole new magical world, which changes the course of her life. But what will become of Drosselmeier and how will she free herself from the destiny set out for her? I recommend you read this book yourself to find out.....

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review, which is what I have given.

I... was disappointed by this book. Very much so. I expected sweeping romance, fantastical legends, and a story that would be hard to describe. Instead, I came away thinking I hadn't quite understood what this book was meant to be after all. I'll say that maybe I wasn't the intended audience for this book, and leave it at that.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

A perfect book to read to get you into the christmas spirit with the story being an adult retelling of the Nutcracker. Set in Nottingham in 1906, following the lead of Marietta Stelle who dreamt of becoming a dancer and is transported to Everwood. The descriptions of Everwood were magical and really transported me there however I did feel as though the book could have had a bit more to it and feel less like a YA novel.

I have to confess I struggled to get my teeth in to this. The elaborate and 'pretty' descriptions really got in the way of the plot moving anywhere. It's an English teachers dream in writing style but just not for me and I found myself starting to skim.
I'm not all that familiar with the Nutcracker stories so I wasn't really biased by any of the origins, I enjoyed the story and how it ended, just wish it had moved faster. Some actual content rather than constant description of food and 'molten chocolate' every few pages with more of a focus on the problems in Everwood would have been so much more interesting. The characters didn't stand out particularly, I didn't find the main character particularly easy to like. The constant use of ballet terminology, even as a dancer, was quite grating as I just felt it so unrealistic.

Exquisitely whimsical, adorned with luscious descriptions that compelled me to consume this book from its opening to its conclusion. A grown-up rendition of 'The Nutcracker' by E.T.A. Hoffmann (as well as Alexandre Dumas' retelling), this tale beautifully echoes the enchantment woven into The Nutcracker, striking a harmonious balance. 'Midnight in Everwood' possesses its individual identity, so familiarity with The Nutcracker isn't obligatory. Yet, I'm truly elated that I delved into it beforehand, for it unveiled the subtle traces of influence that enrich this narrative. Kuzniar forges her distinct realm and creativity, employing a prose reminiscent of literary luminaries — at times, I felt akin to reading a work by Oscar Wilde or its ilk.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Loved the magical setting. Will be looking out for more from this writier.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the main character and the feminist themes that run throughout this book but I couldn’t connect to the other characters or invest in the romance. The plot started off fairly slowly but picked up and the magical setting was well described and easy to picture. The world building was also well established. I’m not too familiar with The Nutcracker so I wasn’t sure what would happen! I did feel the ending was a little too rushed too but I enjoyed the lyrical writing style.

A huge thank you to HQ and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'd like to disclaim this review with the fact that I have a slightly difficult relationship with historical fiction. Whilst some of my all time favourites - 'The Night Circus', 'The Once and Future Witches' - are historical fantasy books, it's a particularly hit or miss genre for me. Overall, 'Midnight in Everwood' is an enjoyable read - but the writing style isn't one that works for me, and it isn't fully engaging until it leaves Edwardian England for the fantasy realm of Everwood.

Marietta lives for ballet - but after one last performance, she will be required to cease ballet and marry someone of appropriate status in Edwardian society. Her family favour the secretive Dr Drosselmeier - a toymaker of some wealth - but all Marietta sees is the loss of her hopes and dreams. When Drosselmeier proposes, she turns him down - only to find herself trapped in another world. Somehow, she's been transported to Everwood - a world filled with gingerbread houses and sweet delights, but also monsters lurking under the exterior. Now, she's at the mercy of sadistic King Gelum. She finds herself a prisoner with two other women - Dellara, a woman of sharp words and even sharper wit, and Pirlipata, a princess from another land. Marietta must forge an alliance in order to escape - but in an unfamiliar world brimming with secrets and rebellion, that prospect is far from easy.

The first quarter of the novel is a slow burner around Marietta, her family's quest to find her a husband, and her dreams of escaping and becoming a ballet dancer. Here, Marietta comes across as somewhat spoilt and sheltered - unaware of the realities of the world for her dancing contemporaries, who are of lower class than she. However, she also comes across as persistent, kind-hearted, and stronger than she might seem. In many ways, she's naive - especially around men such as Dr Drosselmeier - but in others she's more cunning than you might expect. These early passages clearly try, in style and substance, to set the historical fiction scene - but the detached and verbose writing style is a detraction rather than an asset. There's no engagement until the scene shifts and the reader is introduced to Everwood.

In Everwood, the writing really comes to life. Beautiful descriptions paint a gorgeous picture of this unfamiliar world - sugar and spice and all things nice on the outside, but rotten within. Rather than a plodding historical novel, it starts to feel like a fairytale - which, for a story inspired by 'The Nutcracker', is clearly the intention. There's still a degree of detachment from all characters other than Marietta, leaving them fairly two-dimensional, but the plot and descriptions have enough to hold the attention.

The plot is solid, slow in pacing but allowing time for each lavish scene to be savoured. I haven't read 'The Nutcracker', so can't speak to its accuracy as a retelling, but familiarity with that tale is not required to enjoy this one. There is a fairly unnecessary romantic subplot - which due to the degree of separation between the reader and the characters, never quite feels fully believable - but otherwise, the subplots are complimentary.

The ending is, perhaps, predictable, but well written and satisfying. It leaves a degree of open-endedness so the reader can decide things for themselves.

Overall, this is an enjoyable enough story which will appeal to other readers far more than it does to me. Recommended for fans of plot rather than character driven fantasy, fairytale retellings, and fans of beautiful descriptive writing.

I found this story lacking.
The world is magical, enchanting even, and described so well you can imagine yourself there. The author does a fantastic job of using smell and taste to use multiple senses to describe things.
However, the main character isn't loveable at all. She acknowledges herself that she is selfish and lots of her decision making is infuriating.
The world building is great, the magic is intriguing but the characters and plot are lacking.

Unfortunately I couldn't connect properly with this one. Maybe it was the fantasy element as the premise itself sounded really good

I loved the idea of the story, but the book didn't quite live up to my expectations. I didn't ever feel connected to the main character, and I found myself getting a bit annoyed with food being used to describe everything.

2.5 stars

Note - I read the audiobook but was given an eARC of the novel.

Marietta Stelle loves her ballet lessons and dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer. However, after Christmas Marietta's parents expect her to quit ballet and marry well.
When the Stelles meet their new mysterious neighbour Doctor Drosselmeier, they are all charmed by his exceptional toys.
On Christmas Day, Marietta is due to dance in her final ballet performance on an elaborate stage created by Drosselmeier. But, when the clock strikes midnight while Marietta is practicing, she is transported to a far away land.
This new land has a frozen sugar palace, magical sweet treats and gingerbread houses. However, this new world is more dangerous than it appears and Marietta finds herself in the clutches of the devious King Gelum. The king keeps Marietta locked away with other women he has collected - Dellara and Pirlipata.
Marietta must work together with her fellow captives in order to escape King Gelum and find a way home.

The cover and blurb for this book both intrigued me, especially as I think it's a Nutcracker retelling, which I don't know much about.
Marietta was a likeable and relatable protagonist. Living in Edwardian England, she was expected to conform to certain rules, and she didn't want to marry as her parents were determined for her to. While I did feel for Marietta, I didn't feel that I really connected with her or any of the other characters.
The settings of both Edwardian England and the sugar world that Marietta was transported to were interesting.
The plot was enjoyable overall, but it didn't grip me and I didn't feel invested. If I hadn't been listening to the audiobook, and had been reading a physical copy instead, I'm not sure I would have finished the book as I did get a little bored.
I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more.

Overall, this was a mixed read.

Bringing all the sparkle of the Nutcracker, the glamour and grace of the ballet, and the darkness of classic fairytales, midnight in Everwood is a festive feast of twists and turns.

Retelling the Nutcracker, this novel brings to life Nottingham, and later the fantastical world of Everwood, in devastating detail, from the boutiques and gorgeous fashions, to the sugarcrafted architecture and twisting meringue turrets.

Marietta, the protagonist, wants nothing more than to dance. Already a talented young ballerina, she dreams of a life on stage. But her parents want her to be dutiful and marry, preferably an eligible (rich) man, and along comes Mr Drosselmeier. A fiendishly talented artisan, architect, and seemingly magician, he is able to construct elaborate scenery and detailed miniatures, and perhaps even worlds? Marietta can’t help but smell a rat though, and she does everything she can to avoid him. But when she inevitably falls into his trap on Christmas Eve she finds herself lost in frosty Everwood, a town like a snow globe come to life, where magic is everywhere.

As a midlands girl, I instantly loved the Nottingham setting and it conjured up Christmas feelings for me. My family often used to visit the city around the holidays, often to see a show at the theatre, do some Christmas shopping and see some nativity displays. Also, up until taking up lessons recently, the only ballet I’d done myself had been in Nottingham so I really enjoyed the ballet aspect and I adore anything about The Nutcracker. Everwood brought another dimension and the beautiful descriptions of the costumes, magical foods, elaborate balls, and the scenery were wonderful to read and painted a glittering picture in my mind. Those cakes and sweets! 🤤
I started this last year but didn’t have enough time so due to my allergy to all things Christmas outside of December (😅) I left it and picked it up again this year.

A really magical, gorgeous, slightly haunting and totally gripping read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.