Overall this was an enjoyable read that was a twist on the classic Nutcracker tale. I did find several editing errors in the galley that were hopefully fixed before publication. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

This book was kind of magical for me and I really liked it for that reason! Would for sure recommend!

I was honestly surprised by this one - I went into it not expecting much, and while there were certainly some issues, I enjoyed it quite a bit.

I don't know if this was meant as YA or MG, but it's one of those weird ones that kinda straddles both but I would put in MG, mostly because of some character foibles that adults will find intolerably annoying and some of the writing. Plus, I tend to expect a little less from MG, so I'd like to stick it there.

It's a very unique take on the Nutcracker and the Mouse-King, with a blending of The Pied Piper!, and it gets solid props for that. It tells its own story, while making it mostly make sense (something fairytales are notorious not to do).

Unfortunately, I wish someone would have edited this a little better. It suffers from some awkward dialogue, some goofs, and while it was plot-relevant (thankfully), Clara's obsession with Johann was absolutely ridiculous and painful. The romance with Nutcracker was lacking as well, but I'm giving it more of a pass.

Johann is a master pianist, of an indeterminate age, respected and well-known in the musical community. I wish we knew how old he was, because he seems far far too old for Clara, but maybe he's like early 20's?? We don't ever know but Clara has been mooning over him and convinced she was gonna marry him since she was 12. It's pathetic and annoying and, frankly, somewhat creepy.

Nutcracker himself (Nikolai) is sadly, not very intelligent. He's supposed to be aces with math, but he routinely doesn't seem to understand that magic is, you know, magic and could allow for magical things to occur. One of the goofs was Nutcracker adding numbers wrong, actually very simple math. He said it was 45 when it should have been 55. I know this must have just been a typo, but it contributed to him looking dumb. He assumes that by taking away the paper copies of the music, they've stopped the magician from doing his nefarious deeds. He's likable, just not the brightest bulb.

His romance with Clara isn't very well developed at all, and it mostly consisted of him holding or carrying her in his "hard, stiff" arms and while I understand you have to describe his wooden arms somehow, did we have to choose those words???

I'm not the biggest fan of the Nutcracker and I was hoping this was going to make me change my mind. Sadly, this book didn't make me change my mind on how I feel about the Nutcracker.

I wanted to love this book so bad because I loved this author's debut (a retelling of the 12 dancing princesses) but could not seem to get engaged with this one. Big disappointment. I guess I'll just do reread Entwined for the millionth time.

I absolutely loved this nutcracker retelling! It was so magical, it was the perfect winter read! Highly recommend

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.

I do not know very much about the story The Nutcracker. I have seen the ballet but never really looked into the story past that. This was an enjoyable read and made me want to learn more about the original Nutcracker story. I would definitely recommend this one. And the cover is gorgeous!

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.

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!