I was really pleasantly surprised by this! The last Nutcracker retelling that I read really disappointed me, and a few chapters into this, I was afraid this one would do the same. The first half was a bit disjointed, and didn't particularly capture my interest. The second half, on the other hand, was wonderful. So heartwarming, which is what anything Nutcracker-related really needs. I loved the musical magic!

I really have a soft spot for retellings of 'The Nutcracker' it seems and I really think that this is my. favourite. Wallwork did an AMAZING job with making the story recognisable and enchanting, but also making it feel fresh too? First of all, the characters -  Clara is sweet but still feisty, and I found her so relatable in a lot of ways! Prince Nikolai was also super charming and falls nicely into the 'romantic hero' trope but while such a goody-two-shoes isn't normally my favourite, I really liked him a lot! I have to say though, the villain of the story was the most enthralling character of all and his Pied Piper inspiration made him feel like a real danger.

I think my favourite element of the book was Wallwork's writing though. The world of 'The Nutcracker' is always a festive treat - filled to the brim of delicious sweets and treats, magical delights that stimulate the imagination and all against an icy backdrop filled with danger and adventure. Wallwork captures that perfectly in this novel and the whole thing was a feast for the senses. Perhaps some of the tone was a little too juvenile for YA, sitting a little closer to MG, but I think there was so much good in this story that I'm willing to overlook it.

The Enchanted Sonata is a fun retelling of The Nutcracker and Pied Piper, focused on the power of music. Clara is an accomplished pianist who is whisked away to another world ravaged by rats and decimated by a mysterious piper. Children and guards are turned into toys, while the prince is half morphed, working to save his kingdom. The world building is astounding and the story is riveting, making you forget that the characters are a bit one dimensional. Many characters blended together for me, but the story was fun and energetic.

I really enjoyed this! It was such a captivating nutcracker retelling. It was beautifully and magically written.

I haven't read nutcracker retelling,so this book was interesting.  The story was magically written. Thank you netgalley for providing the e-arc

What a captivating Nutcracker retelling! It's fast-paced and richly casted. Highly recommended for both teens and adults.

Magical and absolutely stunning. I loved this book. The prose, the premise, the characters, all of it. I highly recommend this book. It's a true gem.

I found this book quite boring. I didn't enjoy the characters. I wasn't enjoying the blot. I found that it was going to so slow. I just found that this wasn't the book for me.

It was a beautiful and inventive way to retell the story of The Nutcracker. It was magical, musical and very mystical. I adored the characters, the setting and the story. It was such a delight from cover to cover. I think it was the perfect read to get you into the holiday spirit. I will definitely reread this in winter.

I posted a review late on good reads.  Enjoyed characters and story.  Was a new author for me who wrote well.

An imaginative, thrilling and beautiful retelling of the classic Nutcracker tale. I couldn't put this book down and I couldn't recommend it more. 

You will be immediately sucked into this world and never want to leave.

I should start by saying I love anything to do with The Nutcracker so I was bound to really enjoy this book. And I did! I really enjoyed Wallwork's twist on the Nutcracker. Listening to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite while reading this book really enhanced the experience for me. However, one of the main parts of this book is also the reason I didn't give it five stars. Wallwork obviously knows much more about music than I do and so I didn't understand almost anything the characters were talking about when she got into the more technical parts of music. That isn't her fault but mine; Overall I really enjoyed this book and think it came out at a great time of the year to pick up and read.

I was initially given a free digital copy of 'The Enchanted Sonata' by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review (thank-you!), but after reading it I fell in love and bought a hard copy of my own to add to my book collection. 😊

'The Enchanted Sonata' by Heather Dixon Wallwork is a whimsical, hybrid tale of 'The Nutcracker' and 'The Pied Piper' that reads like a classic fairytale from the likes of The Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson. That means that there’s a hint of darkness in all that sweet. And that darkness threatens to topple an entire empire.

TES follows Clara, a gifted ingenue pianist who is crushing hard on older superstar pianist, Johann Kahler. He’s like a Beatle or a Jonas brother. And Clara is convinced that if she masters her piece for the upcoming concerto, Johann will fall head over heels the minute he hears her play. So, it’s pretty inconvenient when Clara is sucked into a mysterious book - a book from an anonymous gifter, at that, along with a nutcracker doll - and sent to Imperia, a kingdom whose children have been turned into toys by a song no one but they can hear. A place where music is literal magic, where the forests glitter and the air smells of gingerbread and peppermint.

And where its future ruler, Prince Nikolai, has also fallen victim to this horrific curse.

Clara doesn’t have much time to wonder at this new land she’s been transported to - she just needs to figure out how to get back home so she doesn’t miss her concerto, and the chance to seize True Love for herself. But, then she meets Nikolai and the people of Imperia. Clara - and her life - will never be the same again.

Can Clara find the power inside to defeat the musical monster lurking in the dark, trying to take down Imperia? Will Prince Nikolai ever get the chance to show his people what kind of leader he really is? Or will all fall to ruin?

I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire story. I loved Clara’s character development - we watch her grow up and really earn herself a steely spine from beginning to end. We watch Prince Nikolai grow confident in his ability to lead his country. And to say nothing of how beautiful and immersive the descriptions of Imperia are. A land with magic, mesmerizing scenery, faeries, and large rats that remind me of the R.O.U.S.’s from The Princess Bride? Yes, please!

The villain of the story - an evil magician - is human and layered, which makes the story even more compelling. Grey zone villains are life. When you can understand where the bad guy is coming from with his actions, can empathize with the glimmers of that aforementioned humanity, you know you have a good, multilayered story (with multidimensional characters) on your hands!

Wallwork’s love of music is sprinkled all throughout the pages of TES, and that passion is contagious, making the story come to life.

The only downside I’d say would be that there were some places with a dash of rushing, as well as moments of telling, not showing. But, it didn’t much take away from the story. I still thoroughly devoured it.

TES is a heartfelt love letter to music, a journey of self discovery, and a love story sweeter than Franz Liszt’s ‘Love Dream.’ I give it a solid 4 1/2 stars! Highly recommended!

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I requested a copy of this book because I love retelling of fairytales and forklore. I know the story of the Nutcracker well. I was excited to see what this tale would offer up to the class we all know and love. I enjoyed that that story stayed about Clara. Some of the retellings I have read tend to drift off a little bit from the story. I got the humor and the story that was being told. It was well done and it made me want to find out more about this author since the write was new to me.

What a marvelous retelling! I fell in love with the cover instantly, and I loved it even more once I read the book. The Nutcracker is a favorite of mine, and this retelling definitely did it justice. I want to read it again and give it to everyone I know because this book deserves to be read.

I’ll admit that I don’t know much about <i>The Nutcracker</i> other than it’s about, well, a nutcracker. However, <u>The Enchanted Sonata</u> sounded very interesting so I figured why not.

This wasn’t a bad book. It was actually really good, albeit very slow. I found myself skipping pages at a time and not missing a thing. There was <b>a lot</b> of world building, which isn’t always a bad thing. Just some of it could’ve been taken down a notch.

For example: the Nutcracker was described as wooden many, many times. His wooden hand. Wasn’t necessary!

If you’re really into music and the “magic” that music can bring, then I think this is perfect. It’s a cute magical story of believing and following your heart. Probably would’ve been even nicer to read during the winter season, too.

Okay. So it was good. BUT, there were a lot of grammatical issues, such as missing words, noun repetition. It was also VERY cheesy.
The characters were nice and semi-well-rounded, though Nikolai and Clara both had a few somewhat irritating qualities about them. However, the cast was good, although flawed.
And, something I loved, there were these little funny or sweet moments that really made the book worth reading. It also felt SO Christmassy.

Such a magical re-telling of the Nutcracker, with a sprinkling of the Pied Piper. Heater’s writing is so vivid, it easily transports you to the world along side Clara.

Really enjoyed traversing the world, the battles were intense, and music being magic was so beautiful.

The Enchanted Sonata was a stirringly vivid, whimsical retelling of The Nutcracker. The cover reminds me of Enchantee, but it's obvious that's the other way around, since this book is published in 2018. 

"But I do know that in the face of bitterness and disappointment, when our souls cry out in despair and anger, that we might fight it. As we fight everything in this life-with nobility, courage, and grace. That is what makes a true prince."

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.