As a child I was obsessed with The Nutcracker, so when I was given the chance to read a retelling of this classic, I absolutely jumped at it and I've not been disappointed.

It has all the magic from my childhood with so much more. You really feel for the characters, you love the good ones and hate the bad.

I got lost in this stunning read over a weekend and I didnt want it to end.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A beautiful, magical story that draws you in from the first page. It is loosely based on The Nutcracker. Pure fantasy escapism I was blown away. Loved the plotline and loved the characters. I just didn't want this to end.

I'm not sure if it's some of the magic from the book seeping out or what, but this story drew me in and kept me wanting more. Quite a strange mix of sugary (literally) prose and violent intent; it makes me slightly confused if it is for young adults or older. I think this would be an ideal book to read by the glow of Christmas lights as the icy setting and lavish food would add to the feel of the season. Some of the descriptions of outfits are over long and unnecessary, which leads me to think it is aimed at a younger audience. Similarly, the descriptions of the sugary food and constant dripping caramel, although fun at first, later made my teeth ache! Despite these points, I would still recommend this as a perfect winter nights escape. I would even welcome a sequel to find out where Marietta's travels take her in the future.

A fantasy tale based on The Nutcracker introduces us to Marietta, an aristocratic young ballet dancer whose dreams of stardom are threatened by her parents' determination to marry her off to Dr Drosselmeier, their enigmatic but sinister toy-maker next door neighbour. To escape his advances, she hides in a grandfather clock which takes her to the magical world of Everwood, where she is enslaved by evil King Gelum and forced to dance every day. How will she ever escape?
This story had an other-worldly feel right from the start. Though set in the UK in Edwardian times, it felt more like Austria or Germany in a bygone age, with snow and festive markets and constant references to sugarplums, so the reader is prepared for the magical twist it takes.
Though it referenced the Nutcracker, there were echoes of Narnia and even Alice in Wonderland as the narrative immersed us in the world of Everwood.
Rich in description and atmospheric, it was easy to be carried along on Marietta's journey (though I did find the old-fashioned dialogue a bit tedious at times). Marietta is a strong heroine, and the other characters - her brother, Frederick, her new-found friends in Everwood, Delara and Pirlipata - sparkle around her. And of course, as with every good fairytale, there's romance - but will Marietta find true happiness in Everwood or her own world? Her destiny is in her own hands.

Midnight in Everwood is a beautifully magical story that feels like it was written in another time. It is overflowing with Mia’s rich lyrical description creating a world readers quickly become a part of – they aren’t reading the book; they are in the story.
Marietta lives with her family in 1906 Nottingham. She is drowning under the weight of family expectations when all she wants is to be free. She dances in secret, preparing for an audition for The Nottingham Ballet Company. This is her last chance to make something of herself before her father puts an end to her dream.
Their eccentric new neighbour Dr Drosselmeier is making advances. Doing all he can to impress the family with his unique inventions, Marietta starts seeing him everywhere. Who is he? Where has he come from? What secrets does he have in store?
When Christmas arrives, the magic grows. Marietta is transported to an enchanted snowy world… a grown-up fairy tale for those who want to hold on to the magic of Christmas forever.

Magical from the very first page even though the actual magic does not appear until later on.
I loved how slow-paced it was: allowing the reader to savour every single word, sentence, page.
The story follows a young girl who finds herself in rather difficult position: I believe one can call it difficult, you know: being sucked into another realm.
I am in love with the story, the sophisticated language and the character of Marietta.
A must read for the fans of The Nutcracker and early twentieth century vibes.

This one was a struggle for me, I'll be honest. I don't think it was the right book for me, but of course that doesn't mean others won't enjoy it, so I don't want to go on too much and put anyone off.

It felt like it was trying to be too many things, and ended up just not hitting the mark on any of them for me. It's also super flowery and over the top, though that may absolutely be your jam. Especially if you like ballet and sweets, which are both great things to be fair!

Bits I liked:
- It was visually quite vivid and the language made it easy to imagine the characters and elements of the world
- The MC sticking to her dreams was quite nice
- There was a diverse side-cast including LGBTQ+ and BIPOC characters
- Some of the more action-filled sequences are quite exciting

Bits I liked less:
- Number of historical inaccuracies (in the period section) or events that felt jarring in the plot
- Main character was unlikeable, predictable and self-absorbed - even when "recognising her privilege" it felt worded in such a way that it centered her and her experience, in a very self-congratulatory way
- Other characters feel heavily underdeveloped at times
- Wordy and over the top, on every single sentence, especially on descriptions of hair/make-up/dresses and food, which got boring very quickly
- Heavy on the ballet terms (fair enough as a Nutcracker rewrite) which I struggled with as I couldn't visualise what was being described
- Very little happens until almost 40% of the way through, and I hated it until she got to Everwood
- Romance felt a bit rushed at times and then...well, just terrible at the end really

I really wanted to be more positive about it, and it's not a long read so if you like that kind of thing, I would definitely say try it and make up your own mind. However, I have to leave a review for NetGalley, and that was my honest experience.

Loved this book and took me away for a few hours . It is a retelling of the nut cracker with a slight adaption to the tale. A nice read although i didn't read it and think wow it was a nice read none the less and i would recommend it.

What an incredible, spell binding story that takes the reader to a magical fantastic world. At first I thought it was not a book for me, but once I got a little further into the story it became special, fascinating and one I really enjoyed.

Fantasy at its best. This is a genre I have not read before but I found myself enjoying this book. I feel it is set for young adults but could easily be read across into slightly older ages too.
Well told story throughout.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest opinion.


This book was a little lacking for me, unfortunately. Don't get me wrong, the descriptions of Everwood and the confectionery were absolutely stunning, but I felt the plot and everything else was a little.. meh.

I also felt a bit mislead by the reviews, a lot of them made the book out to be the perfect festive read, however, this book definitely has a dark undertone which totally caught me off guard - but that's my mistake! This book unfortunately wasn't for me, but I can see and appreciate why others liked it so much.

A magical, dark, adult fairy tale. Absolutely beautiful and compulsive storytelling, the absolute perfect book to curl up with at this time of year - I loved it!

Firstly - stop whatever you are doing and read this. Or at least pre-order one of the three different (gorgeously stunning) reviews that are being released in October. Have you gone? Did you order it? You won't regret it - no seriously. I'll wait.

Okay. Hi :)

This is stunning. It is intense and chilly and magical and breathtaking and sugary sweet and cryptically crafted.. It was easily my favourite book in August, and man... I just wanted to go and watch ballerina's dancing, can't wait until theatres re-open properly because man, Maria just catured the soul of dancing in her decadant dances, her beautiful backdrops and silky side characters that leave you questioning if you can trust them or not. *shifty eyes* You can make your own decisions when it arrives and you read it!! :D

Urgh. This book is just so stunning.... I'll always be sad that I can't reread this again for the first time! <3

Marietta Stelle feels trapped in her pampered life where she is surrounded by beautiful clothes and jewels. Her only passion is ballet but her father is refusing to allow her to continue as she is destined for a suitable marriage. Her dream is to dance professionally and wishes to audition for the Nottingham ballet company. She has managed to avoid matrimonial entanglements thus far but then the mysterious toymaker Dr Drosselmeier, moves into town and shows an interest in Marietta. She senses something dark about him, she tries to win her interest by constructing a fabulous set for her last Christmas performance but Marietta is frightened of the darkness that seems to wrap around him. This story has many layers of magical enchantments and leads the reader into other fantastical worlds. The colours shine out of the writing and transport you away to Everwood.

Loved this!!,
Didn’t know what to expect when I started reading, but couldn’t put this book down. A dark adult fairytale, So different from anything I have read before but would make me look for anything by this author again.

This is just such a magical and enchanting novel. I felt transported to a completely different world whilst reading this and I didn’t want it to end. A must read for the upcoming colder months!!

This book is one of the most magical, beautiful and enchanting books I've ever read. The writing is beautiful, I found myself rereading sections just because of how amazing they were. I got so invested in both the 'Real' world and Everwood and loved the friendships and relationships that Marietta made along the way. I'm also obsessed with the captain and need them to meet again! The story was so empowering and I loved when Marietta went back to her world and felt like she finally had the courage to follow her dreams.

Oh my how could I resist a grown up homage to the Nutcracker ? Growing up it was one of my favourite ballets and I feel this version captures all the magic and darkness I remembered.
Set at the turn of the twentieth century in Nottingham we are introduced to Marietta, a young woman from a prosperous family who doesn't want to make an advantageous marriage but who desires only to follow her dream of being a professional dancer. Yes its considered scandalous and totally preposterous by her parents but with times changing can one young woman hope to find freedom ?
Well maybe not because with a new neighbour who has a penchant for inventing incredible things Marietta finds herself pursued and if blunt not a little afraid. Drosselmeier might have charmed everyone else but there's a darkness to him that drives Marietta away. When confronted by him on Christmas eve Marietta has no idea of what he is capable but soon finds herself living a life she never imagined, trapped in a palace with a despotic, cruel King. All Marietta wanted was to dance but she should have been careful what she wished for !
If blunt I thought the beginning whilst well written and interesting lacked the fire and intensity of the second half but boy was it a page turner. Marietta doesn't just defy those who would seek to subjugate her but manages to make true friends and opens up her heart. I won't lie the villain here is truly vile but that only made the story more bewitching. An ending I couldn't foresee but one I definitely approve of because yes one door closes but who knows how many will now be open !
This voluntary take is of an advanced copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

This isn't my usual type of novel, but that's one of the joys of Netgalley.

I loved this story so much, and was hooked from the minute I picked it up. I will definitely also be buying a hard copy as the cover is stunning!

What a beautiful book. I loved it. A retelling of The Nutcracker. It’s beautifully written, whimsical and has reads like a gothic fairytale. Highly recommended.