FIVE STARS

These are the reviews I love to write. This book was simply magical and will stay with every reader long after they put it down.

I finished it a while ago and I have been stuck in the biggest book slump since I out down, nothing compares to this story of magic and intrigue and I dare anybody not to enjoy it.

I could read this book over and over again!!

Midnight in Everwood is a beautiful and spellbinding read that sweeps you away in to a magical world. It's a book that leaves you feeling so happy and satisfied that you read it.

Such a beautiful retelling of the classic Nutcracker story that transported me back in time! Woven throughout are themes of female rights and dreams that are interrupted by patriarchal rituals. Marietta is a powerful, strong protagonist that always stays true to herself even when it may cause her trouble.

Midnight in Everwood is a magical fairytale for adults, although minus one scene, it could really be a young adult book. It makes you feel nostalgic and beings to the fore memories of being tucked up in bed when a child, and read tales full of wonder and enchantment.
I read this during the summer, although it would make an absolutely superb book to read during winter with tales of glistening snow, sparkling fir trees, cold crisp days, mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and the excitement of Christmas.

It is quite a “girlie” book with lots of descriptions of dresses and sugary treats, it also included many ballet terms, although if these aren’t familiar to you it won’t distract from the story.
A slight criticism is the overtly obvious wokeness, it felt like a point was being made at times to score points, rather than just seamlessly being part of the tale.

Recommended if you are looking for something slightly different with a well crafted plot. The ending is fab, although it does leave you wanting a sequel and a return to Everwood.

With many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the opportunity to read this ARC, in return for an honest and unbiased review.

The first reason this books jumped out at me was this gorgeous cover, the second reason being that it’s a retelling of the nutcracker!

The pacing was a bit slow, it definitely took a little to get in to. I enjoyed Marietta’s character and the magical features in this book, but I personally feel the pacing let it down for me.

Did not finish. The pace was a little slow for me. Nothing wrong with the book, the writing style was just not for me

Absolutely beautiful book. I loved it and could not put it down. Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in return for a review.

This was complete and utter cover love at first sight and sadly the beautiful cover doesn't quite match up to the slightly underwhelming story. An adult retelling of the Nutcracker is definitely an intriguing idea and there were fantastic aspects to the story but overall it was just a bit too boring in parts. As the main character is jailed for majority of the novel there wasn't any drama or action to keep me entertained.

Unfortunately Midnight in Everwood by M. A. Kuzniar just wasn't for me! I found it to be over-descriptive and sadly was not able to finish it!

Oh, how I wish I liked this book better. It was tiresome in some parts, though whimsical and magical, I couldn't care less for the characters and the plot. The language used here wasn't my favourite either, all fancy and formal. I don't know, maybe it wasn't the right time to read this book. I'll try to read other books by this author in the future.

This was a strange read for me, because I came to it later than others I’d seen a lot of hype, beautiful editions of the book and followed the blog tour. I started this last Christmas and it has taken me that long to get into we’re now in April! This has so many plus points: I loved subverted fairy tales and magic realism, and I’ve always been fascinated by Drosselmeier in the Nutcracker story. However, the opening chapters dragged so much that I put the book down. Every time I tried to pick it back up again I struggled to find momentum. Luckily for me as we reach Everwood it becomes like a different book and I really started to enjoy it. It’s not that Marietta’s earlier struggled aren’t relevant to the plot, it’s just the overly flowery language and descriptions feel overwhelming.
I really enjoyed the fact that the women in the book make their own choices, including Marietta. I loved the power of friendship and the way it has to hold our heroine up at times when she can’t do it herself, especially Pirlipata and Dellara. I thought Marietta’s personal growth was lovely hopeful message, that even though there are dark characters trying to control you, you can rise above it and become stronger. The idea of having a ‘star name’ was also lovely, that once you have discovered your authentic self you have a metaphorical rebirth or baptism and give yourself a name. This really appealed to me and is something I’ve used in writing therapy sessions. I’ve given the score I have because, despite the slow start, I really did enjoy these aspects of the book.

I would struggle to be able to review this book due to issues with the file/download. The issues stopped the flow of the book. The issues are:
- Missing words in the middle of sentences
- Stop/start sentences on different lines
- No clear definition of chapters.

Not sure if it was a file/download issue but there were lots of gaps, stop/starts which really ruined the flow. I would love the chance to read a better version as the description of the book appeals to me.

This is such an amazingly magical book. It grips you and keeps you hooked as you go on a journey through the pages.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I found the writing style too heavily descriptive and often felt like I was drowning in the sea of words used to describe the sights and smells of Everwood. Whilst I can see this appealing to some - it just didn’t work for me. As a result my reading was slow and overall it took me over three months to want to read enough to get through it. It wasn’t all bad of course - there is a lovely theme of strong women relationships and of the main character finding strength and making her own way in the world. And the cover is beautiful, a fine addition to a bookshelf.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Midnight in Everwood is a gorgeous retelling of much-loved classic 'The Nutcracker' that expertly differentiates itself from the original. For fans of the original, you can see the inspiration throughout with the magic system and the worldbuilding while managing to breathe new life into the story.
Kuzniar's attention to detail with the worldbuilding and characterisation is breathtaking and truly carried this book. Marietta is a strong protagonist and following her journey and watching her navigate her friendships and blossoming romance is a true delight.
A wonderful read that will have you wanting to curl up by a fireplace with a hot chocolate in your hand!

Lovely book. Written very well with vivid descriptions. Can understand why people enjoyed and raved about it!

This was such a beautiful and enchanting story and I absolutely loved it. The setting was magical and I fell in love with the world and it’s uniqueness. I also loved the main character and thought she was very well written, this was the perfect book to read in the winter and had the perfect level of magic!

This was such a slow read. I think it was hard to keep track of the characters (I often confused Theodore and Frederick for example). Reading about the creepy villain and sweet magical world were not even enough to excite me. I'm sorry I couldn't like this book more. Maybe it will be better for those who like ballet or The Nutcracker.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review

A lush, atmospherically pleasing read that transported me to a place of fairy tale fantasy. This had a magical vibe to it from the very beginning, it's a little slow to begin with but once we get into the thick of the plot it definitely picks up. Marietta was a strong and courageous main character who knew exactly what she wanted out of life but was limited due to her gender and place in society. I loved her connection to her dancing and how far she was willing to go to chase her dreams. I did find her a little naïve and innocent at times but we'll put that down to her age.

The descriptions of Everwood were probably my favourite part of the story if we're being honest. I just loved the whimsical feel of it; everything is just perfectly described as sweet and sugary as the confectionary it's based on. I really did feel like I was right there walking through this magical land with Marietta.

The romance is well paced and adorable. The friendship that is built between Marietta, Dellara and Pirlipata is wonderfully built and a great depiction of women sticking together.

I will say that my rating was brought down by the fact that it got a bit too decadent at times. Too much time is often spent describing absolutely everything in the scene where sometimes it's not needed. It got a little tedious and meant that along with a few plot holes that aren't addressed, my enjoyment lacked in places.

Pure magical, fantasy for creative, lighthearted escapism. Marietta lives in an era where it is not acceptable for high society to dance professionally. She is expected to marry and live a respectable life. She has other plans, until a mysterious neighbour moves in across the street. And despite her misgivings, he seems determined to marry her. Yet he is not what he seems, and in a confrontation with him, she finds herself transported to another magical dimension, filled with characters that have taken inspiration from the nutcracker ballet. She becomes trapped in this world, where she must dance every night for her life. Despite these harrowing circumstances, she develops true bonds and feelings for the people she meets, bonds that had eluded her in her normal world. She will need to choose and she will need help if she wants to find her way home.

Its an enchanting tale, filled with beautiful, graceful descriptions and sends you to a world of pure fantasy and creation (the world is literally made of food). Amongst the fantasy, there are some soulful messages, but overall this was pure escapism.