*I received an ARC copy through NetGalley and Smith Publishing for an honest review.*

I love The Nutcracker story and have always enjoyed different versions of the story. However, with this version I was disappointed. Heather Dixon wrote Entwined, which I love so much and is another retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Compared to that story, this one let me down.

The story started out slow and then started to pick up. Once I reached the middle, that's when it fell flat. Clara is shown as being bratty and very selfish. All she cares about is getting back for a concert and being noticed by her crush. It really made me dislike her when I'm used to her being selfless. There was also a mocking of religion that didn't sit right with me. I am someone who is very accepting of people and the fact that the nuns are being mocked upset me. Another thing that is overused too much is the word "pancake-head". The word is used as an insult and it was funny the first few times. However, it was repeated so much that it started to get on my nerves and think the author couldn't find another word to use. I really tried to give this a chance, but I don't think I am going to be reading this again.

I already regret finishing this book. It's been a <i>long</i> time since I've read a novel that I immediately wanted to return to, to go back and reread. In fact, I'm almost certain that this is the first time that's happened. I enjoyed <i>The Enchanted Sonata</i> by Heather Dixon Wallwork <i>so much </i>that, for the first time ever, I immediately went and bought the book after finishing it. What happens most often when I finish a book I really enjoy and don't currently own a physical copy is that I add it to my to-buy list and eventually procure myself a copy. I might wait years to do so or just a few months, but it is a truly rare occurrence that I immediately go out and buy a physical copy after finishing one.

A Nutcracker retelling with a little bit of Pied Piper, <i>The Enchanted Sonata</i> follows the unfortunate tale of a young prince turned into a toy and the young pianist, Clara, who helps him to save his kingdom. The cast of characters in this story were so vibrant and unique that I fell in love with each of them almost instantly, even those who were villains. Already I find myself missing the Nutcracker, Clara, Zizi, and Alexi most of all.

Wallwork has a very musical tone to her writing, which I suppose is expected considering the fact that the book does incorporate music into quite a bit of its prose. But the way she melds the music within the writing of her story is truly magical, building up the crescendos of songs and the unique sounds of a moment to make you really feel as though you're part of the story. You can feel what the characters feel, hear what they hear, and even smell what they smell.

I cannot help being immeasurably impressed with Wallwork's writing style, the way she really helped me to <em>feel</em> the story. The Christmas-y theme was ever present in the ice and snow and the all around general splendor alongside the toys and the regular references to candy. And speaking of candy, the Polichinelle's Candy Emporium sounds so utterly amazing. I adored their role in the novel as well as the whimsical feel they gave to the tale.

I frankly don't think that my words could ever give this marvelous Nutcracker retelling justice. There is simply so much to love about it, from the Prince and Clara to the people of the kingdom and the wonderful candy emporium to the devilish musical villain and the giant, wolf sized rats plaguing the kingdom. I can definitely say that I will be rereading this one the second it gets to my hands.

Of all the books that I've seen underrated that don't seem to have the number of readers they should, this is perhaps the most devastating. If you haven't read this book, believe me, you are doing yourself a disservice by having not done so yet.

<i>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. </i>

If you've read the original fairy tale Der Gnusseknacker und das Maus Konig (the Nutcracker and the mouse king) you'll recall that it's a very, very weird story. It's been prettied up and given a more logical plot by such bigwigs as Disney and Tchaikovsky, but it's still pretty odd. So I opened this with baited breath because there was so much scope for it to go horribly wrong. I needn't have worried. This was a beautiful retelling of The Nutcracker and also The Pied Piper of Hamlin. The world building was exquisite. The romance - definitely the shadiest part of the original - was slow build and sweet. The characters were engaging. This is a perfect winter read.

I love the nutcracker and I love Christmas and this book was awesome!! I’m just ready for the holidays now. It was a great retelling of a classic tale.

What has the potential to be a very charming story was ultimately let down by poor writing. It has all of the ingredients for a wonderfully wintery story; likeable characters, a fantastical setting inspired by imperial Russia, and a fun plot using some familiar stories. But it somehow never comes together the right way. I can see the intentions of the author but the result ends up feeling choppy and stilted, particularly with dialogue. I would really like to see this concept and these characters again, just in the hands of a writer with a bit more craft.

This book has been described as The Nutcracker meets The Pied Piper. Recently, I read a retelling of the latter, titled The Piper, and I fell in love with it. My feelings for this book were no different. I loved the enchantment and descriptions in this novel- it practically whisks you away into another world. The cover is just as beautiful as the inside, and I would highly recommend this enchanting tale to any fans of the aforementioned books!!

Thank you for the arc of this book, it’s a great retelling of the pied piper and the nutcracker, beautifully written, it whisks you away to a magical place.

Rating 5/5

What perfect read to start off the winter season than a retelling of my all-time favorite ballet The Nutcracker! I was so excited when I was blessed with an early copy and cannot express how amazing this was! The author craftily blended two tales - The Nutcracker and The Pied Piper. It was meshed so beautifully that I was lost in this new world and anxious to find out what happens to Clara and Nik. The adventure and magic illustrated immersed me into this world, and I found myself discovering the enchantment of it all with each paged I turned!

Clara's individual growth in this first book was so good especially once she got over Johann. I'm not much of a believer for instant love, so when she finally found her strength and courage and began to grow into her own person, I cared and respected her more than I originally did. Nik is a prince through and through. His desire to still put others first showcased how amazing he would become.

I am so ecstatic the author decided to turn this into a trilogy and cannot WAIT for the next book! You definitely need to take a chance on this - I promise it will be one of your staple reads every winter!

I can’t think of a more enchanting tale for this time of year than “The Nutcracker,” and this version of the story was great. As far as plots go, “The Enchanted Sonata” was unique, exciting, full of great adventure, full of cheesy romance, and yet still possessed the magic and spirit of the original. For lovers of the ballet, these characters remain familiar to the reader, but now with added dialogue, we get to know their mid-to-late-teen personalities, as well. As for the music aspect of it, if you know and love the ballet as well as I do, then you can practically hear it playing in the background from start to finish. That’s the most…enchanting aspect of the story, in my opinion. The only drawbacks that kept me from giving the book a 5/5 are: 1) the writing in the very beginning and a few times throughout felt a bit rushed, but it could just be me; and 2) at least in the version I received, there were a lot of grammatical errors which, at certain times, were more of a distraction from what was happening in the story. Being the grammar nerd that I am, I felt compelled to note and correct as many errors as I could while I was reading. Other than that, this was a magical retelling of a Christmas classic.

I devoured this book in a day. With lyrical writing, complex characters, rich worldbuilding, and an explosive plot, The Enchanted Sonata is guaranteed to fly off shelves, I have not read such a good novel in a long time,

A magical and romantic retelling of The Nutcracker, this book may be aimed at a young adult market, but readers of many ages will find something to appeal. Initially drawn in by the gorgeous cover, I soon found myself engrossed in the magical adventures on the page.
The Enchanted Sonata is the story of Clara Stahlbaum, a talented young pianist who dreams of more than a duet with the handsome maestro Johann Kahler. On the night before she is due to perform in the largest concert of her life, she receives a mysterious Christmas gift, a nutcracker with a broken arm, and a beautiful book. Drawn into the story on its pages, she soon finds herself in a magical kingdom where she must help the Nutcracker prince defeat not just the army of evil rats, but also the magical musician who has cursed the land.
While there may be a hint of the Pied Piper about this mysterious character, we learn more about his origins as the story unfolds. The vivid descriptions of the wonderful kingdom of Imperia, and its people really came to life on the page, and I loved the way the author used music as a medium for the magic throughout the book. I also particularly liked the two central characters of Clara and Nik (the Nutcracker) and loved how they grew and developed individually over the course of the book, as well as how they finally realised the truth about their feelis for one another,. If I had a slight criticism of anything about the book, it is that the pacing of the first third or so feels a little slow, but it really did pick up after the exposition was out of the way and the plot was allowed to get moving. It really is a minor quibble though, I loved the book enough to read it in a single sitting and I could see it becoming a seasonal favorite for many years to come.
I read an advance copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

The Nutcracker is a story that I grew up on. This book brought all the childhood feels back and I really enjoyed this retelling. It was such a sweet story and I loved the world the author builds. I gave it four stars because at times it was cheesy. Some of the conflicts were resolved very quickly but it is the Nutcracker, and that comes with the territory. Overall, cute story and I think its appropriate for any age which is a plus. Even young, young adults can read it too.

I thought that I was the one reading the fairy-book! Once I started reading “The Enchanted Sonata” I found myself in that world with Clara and Nik… The Nutcracker. I found myself near the end of the book far too soon and am so glad that Heather Dixon Wallwork plans on turning this into a trilogy! I was easily swept up in the story and how easily the plot merged together two different fairy-tales and it didn’t seem stilted at all. Also, I must admit that I felt an uncontrollable urge to rewatch Barbie and the Nutcracker, as well as pull out and fondly look at my old ticket stubs to the Russian Ballet of The Nutcracker.

I did, however, get the impression that the author wasn’t too fond on a lot of dialogue. A lot of the story was just story, and there were a few places where I feel that my understanding or my excitement over the book could have been enhanced by some conversation. It would have helped especially during dramatic and tense scenes to show the characters thought instead of there being a slight climax and then falling again.

This book is a great read and a great choice or those who wish to just read a christmasy book, even just a fairy-tale retelling should definitely consider reading ‘The Enchanted Sonata’.

read full review at: https://afewchapterstillove.wixsite.com/afctl/single-post/review/the-enchanted-sonata

I received this novel from net galley and the publisher. Thank you!
I always enjoyed the story of the Nutcracker and was curious how the author would bring this tale to life in a different way. I enjoyed it immensely. Clara Stahlbaum is a talented pianist who believes herself in love with Johann Kahler, another pianist whom she has never met. She dreams of what their life would be like together. She is performing a song she created at the Christmas concert, where Johann is also performing. However, on Christmas Eve, she received a gift, a toy Nutcracker, who is more than he appears to be. Prince Nikolai Volkonsky and his people have been placed under a spell by a magician who uses music as spells. There is Nikolai's backstory as to how he became the Nutcracker, the dangers of rats would try to run over his kingdom, and of course the fairies whose good intentions are difficult to understand. Clara is transported with the Nutcracker to Imperia, where they work together to gather those not under the spell to stop the magician and the rats. Clara and Nikolai try to figure out how to reverse the magician's spells so Clara can return home and Nikolai can become the Emperor his people need him to be.

4/5 stars!

Keep in mind that this is a retelling of The Nutcracker, with a bit of Pied Piper in it, taking place in late-1800s. The writing was actually pretty nice for what it was, and I loved the tie in with music. I was a bit conflicted when I started reading this book. It was a bit slow for about the first 3rd. I kept reading because I felt that SOMETHING had to happen soon. At this point, we have already met Prince Nikolai and understood the conflict. I was waiting for the book to pick up more pace, and thankfully it did. Once you get past the first 3rd that has a lot of exposition and background, the book goes from 2.5 stars and just skyrockets up.

I'm really glad I kept reading, as I begun to actually care about Clara, Nikolai, and just the whole situation. I even found myself actually smiling or giggling at points. By the end, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I ended up enjoying the book! I even found myself saying "Noooo I want an epilogue!" That was enough for me to realize I liked this more than I did at first.

The obsession that Clara had over Johann just freaked me out and made me dislike it. She was head over heels in insta-love with this guy! The backstory she had with her love of music and her father, including the year this was set in, made me a bit more understanding though. I still hated every time Johann would come up throughout the book. Without spoiling, I am glad with how this developed as the book went on. I even laughed at one point. It just felt so good!

The character development for Clara and Nikolai was just great! I found myself liking them more and more as time went on. I didn't care much for Clara at first, and felt she was quite selfish. Nikolai I liked since the first few chapters of the storybook, as I felt he really wanted to do his best for his people and not disappoint anyone. By the end, I fell in love with them, although it was a bit of a rushed love, but wasn't insta-love which was nice. It didn't bother me in the slightest.

Overall, I actually enjoyed this book by the end! Once you get through a sorta slow start things pick up and I was glued to the pages! I really loved the idea of musical magic and thought it was executed really well! I've decided that I need to get a hardcover copy of this book! Heather Wallwork is on my radar now for future books. I'm looking forward to see what else she writes.

All thoughts and opinions stated are completely my own. ARC was gratefully provided to me by the publisher for free in exchange for my honest review.