I love retelling sooooo much. This is a retelling of the classic The Nutcracker. A fairytale that hasnt gotten many retellings sadly. The books writing is absolutely beautiful, as well as the world building, but some of the characters fell flat.

An enchantingly beautiful retelling of the Nut cracker.
I'm a sucker for retellings and I loved this one.
But there werr both positive and negative aspects of this book.
I'm giving it 3.5 stars and recommendinv for a quick read

I was hoping for an interesting, magical, and sweet book to get me in the Christmas spirit but this book would've been better suited for 10-12 year olds. For a middle grade this book wouldn't have been bad but for YA I was hoping for deeper characters, a stronger plot, rich language, and a sense of maturity that usually comes with the genre. The writing was quite juvenile and the book was bland.

There were some quotes that didn't make sense like this one:
"The outfit made her look a simple sort of pretty, one that said, You musn't kiss me, but I can let you borrow this library book."

The world building was weak and it seemed as if the author built the world as the book went along. I feel like if the world had been described better, I may have enjoyed the book more, but there were times in the book where I had no grasp of the surroundings since the author didn’t explain it well. One thing I can appreciate is that the author used the proper terminology for the piano, as I am a pianist and it irks me when they get the description of piano wayyyy off.

I find this book quite difficult to rate, because it has both positive and negative aspects so I'm on the fence about many things.

The cover and the synopsis immediately drew me to the book, I love the Nutcracker story. (Thank you, first Barbie movie.) The writing is a big plus, because the details are very lush and you fall right into the story. On the other hand many descriptions drag on and on and feel like too much at times.

The plot was interesting - a retelling of The Nutcracker mixed with a cool take on The Pied Piper - but it's often confusing, jumping from different POV's to the different worlds and the past and back.

The characters were alright, though they were often not very well developed. (Especially the villain.)

I feel like this is a big case of "It's not you, it's me". The story deals very heavily with music, which is beautiful, because it sets a great tone and is perfectly woven into the story. On the other hand you'll feel bit left out if you have absolutely know idea about it and don't play any instruments.

The book has a some flaws, but it has a great theme and makes a good Christmas read if you enjoy music and fairytale re-tellings.

I am something of a collector of Nutcracker retellings. I have SO MANY. That's why I requested The Enchanted Sonata. This book was an excellent addition to my collection and I loved every page of it! It was a perfect Holiday read and I highly recommend it.

The Enchanted Sonata is a retelling of both The Nutcracker and The Pied Piper of Hamelin. While I don't remember too much about The Nutcracker, it's a story I always loved (most likely because of that one Barbie movie. I'm pretty sure I watched it over and over again. I also had the dolls. I LOVED it) so I was excited to read a retelling for it, especially since I don't often see one? Despite it being a popular ballet? And then combined with The Pied Piper? Sign me up!

I have to admit I was a bit bored at times, especially because the story isn't just told from Clara's POV, but also other supporting/minor characters. At some point we even get the villain's POV. This all just took away some of the surprise, plus I didn't really care for the minor characters? I'd much rather follow Clara and the Nutcracker, who's dynamic I loved. I'm weak for cute banter okay? Their romance definitely put a smile on my face.

As for the worldbuilding, I was a bit confused. It felt like the story relied too much on the reader knowing the original fairytale of The Nutcracker without explaining why there are giant rats attacking the kingdom? The rats are also kind of an afterthought, as the real villain is The Pied Piper. 

I was also disappointed in how they found out how to defeat The Pied Piper. Clara is whisked away to The Nutcracker's world through a fairy book, which tells the story of The Nutcracker. Once she's all caught up to the present, there's nothing there for her to read anymore, as she's now part of the story. But then the book updates, and literally tells her how she will defeat The Pied Piper. It felt so cheap and easy, whereas Clara figuring it out herself would've been so much more powerful, especially because in the beginning she's very motivated by impressing the pianist Johann. Speaking of Johann, I do love how Clara realises that she barely even knows him and that she was more in love with the idea of him than with him.

That said, The Enchanted Sonata is a fun and cute retelling, that I definitely do recommend! I loved the atmosphere and the relationship between Clara and The Nutcracker. Maybe it was a bit insta-love-y (I don't remember it that well) but in this case I didn't mind.

It was very atmospheric and I liked where the story was going from the start, but I kept finding myself putting it down and procrastinating every page. I can't even really explain why, other than that I didn't care about the characters at all. Maybe it was because Clara was so young and I wasn't expecting that. I don't know. I love Heather Dixon's other novels, so I might give this one another try at another date, but for now I've lost interest.

Oh, wow, I am positively stupefied by this ingenuous magical addition to the literary world of re-imaginings and fairy tale retellings. This is my first Heather Dixon Wallwork book and it's safe to say that any fairy tale retellings she spouts I want to be the first to hear them. The Enchanted Sonata is the most enrapturing, stunning and dreamy book I have read all year. I am perfectly smitten.

I read the synopsis of this book and thought, 'hey, this sounds right up my street' and I had a little flutter in my stomach that happens whenever I see a book I will probably love - sometimes the fluttering doesn't pan out and the butterflies die a gruesome death of disappointment, thankfully this wasn't one of those times - and then I found out The Enchanted Sonata was actually written by a Disney story artist... Well, there was no need to tell me twice! I began reading the book with my hopes and expectations high, and finished the book with my hopes and expectations well fed.

The Enchanted Sonata is a flawless stature of a fairy tale. Wallwork combines the tale of The Pied Piper and The Nutcracker, which sounds like an unusual pairing but honestly contains more delicious layers than a luxurious Belgian truffle.

The prose is beautiful; so uplifting and inspiring, I love retellings where they light a warm glow inside and remind me that good things can happen.

Also - the little side story of Pyotr gave me all the feels! I thought it was such an adorable addition to what was already a moving storyline, the little details delivered in this story are the epitome of perfection and served on a plate of wonderful imagery that embody childhood dreams.

This was a beautifully written story. I love the reimagining of The Nutcracker. It was vividly whimsical and a delight.
We follow Clara in the story and her character was just a delight. Every detail and words were imaginative and the characters well thought.
This definitely read as a fairytale, fantasy, and timeless piece

This book was an atmospheric, festive, and lovely retelling of The Nutcracker. It was a love letter to the original tale and to the power of music.
I loved the detailed writing that described the beautiful kingdom in which the Nutcracker lives. A magician turns the emperor prince into a Nutcracker, while turning all the children and soldiers into toys. All whilst the giant rats attack the empire. Clara, an amazingly talented musician, is brought to the magical world by fairies in order to help save the prince and citizens.
The book is slow at times, but the good parts make it worth it. The end has pretty good action and there are some themes and reflection on childhood, growth, family, loss, and love. It has a classic feel and is a nice addition to Christmas reads.

A book that started unassumingly, then crept into my heart!
I have always loved the story and ballet of the Nutcracker, so wanted to read this as soon as I spotted it on Netgalley. I loved the idea that music can be magic and the world of Imperia. Clara developed as a character over the book and Drosselmeyer, Zizi and Alexei became unexpected favourites. I feel like the antagonist could have been developed further, particularly with looking at how he ended up controlling and using the rats, despite his childhood experience with them. This book is a warm piece of escapism which would be a perfect winter or Christmas read, preferably while curled up with some hot chocolate and other yummy goodies.
3.5 stars.

A cross between The Pied Piper and The Nutcracker is the best way I know to explain this story. Great book to read during the holidays.

The writing was absolutely beautiful...very lyrical. I loved the way that everything was described. The writing style made it very easy to get engulfed in this world and the characters. I greatly enjoyed this book.

I was provided this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion

”The boy has a rat inside him.”
“A rat?”
”When someone is overtaken with a dark emotion, pain. Or grief. Or anger. If they continue to dwell on it, it grows. That rat feeds on every though it’s given. If not tempered, the rat will consume the soul, and destroy its host and everyone around it.”

The Enchanted Sonata Stars Clara as a studied pianist, as she is whisked away to a strange land which has befallen a curse. The soldiers and children have become toys and she must break the curse.

The story combines all of our favorite elements from the original. Fairies, toy soldiers, giant rats, and even rifle-wielding nuns are featured in this re-imagining of The Nutcracker. The story is undoubtedly whimsy in nature, but also delves into real emotions such as grief, anger, revenge, and love. And what it means to let any of those emotions consume you.

The story is cute and a mostly light read, and perfect to read during the holidays. I highly recommend to any looking for a holiday adventure.

I actually almost DNF'd this book at about 25% because I just couldn't get into it. BOY, am I glad I pushed through and kept reading! I simply adored that second half of this book. Somewhere around the time Clara and Nutcracker are dropped into the snow in the North Forest (around Chapter 11 or 12) it finally clicked for me. There is just TOO MUCH back story and lead up, and it's not until Clara and Nutcracker finally start interacting that the story truly comes alive. That being said, all that back story really is necessary for the rest of the book to take place in the way that it does, and I'm not sure how the author could have done it differently and achieved the same effect in the second half of the book. And the second half was amazing enough that it brought me from an almost DNF to leaving a 4 star rating so... There is that!

I love that this is a retelling of a blend of The Nutcracker and The Pied Piper. And what an amazing blend it is! The stories are interwoven so skillfully! I love the magic and the world building, and Heather Dixon Wallwork writes so beautifully it's almost as if you're transported there and can smell the gingerbreak and peppermint and hot chocolate in the air (much like Clara's fairy storybook!) I live for the small romance story moments between Clara and Nutcracker (*swoon*). There were also several moments in this book where I had flashbacks to the Carebears Nutcracker Suite movie. Does anyone else remember that movie, or is it just us dinosaurs?

There were some unresolved elements at the end, which are kind of killing me, and as I read an ARC I'm wondering if they were possibly wrapped up in the final version. Guess I'll have to get my hands on the final version to figure out if they actually say what ever happened to the bad guy! All in all, this is a fun YA fantasy/YA romance, and definitely worth the read, especially if you're into fairy tale retellings and *especially* if you love retellings of less known fairy tales that don't get retold as often, like The Pied Piper (and hey, we'll count The Nutcracker as a fairy tale too).

I adored this!
A simple, easy to read - young reader friendly - and beautifully blended retelling of The Nutcracker and the Pied Piper.
I sadly missed the archive date - but I have loved reading this over my Christmas break!

I do not want to give anything away so I will keep this fairly brief.
The writing was simple, age appropriate (for the characters) and also for the fairy-tale land they inhabited.
I often find teenage girls to be very annoying in a lot of teen and YA but Clara was kind and brave and although she had moments of 15 year old dreaminess - I think we have all been there - and it made her very likeable.
Nutcracker was an awkward teenage boy with the weight of a kingdom on his shoulders, but who still managed to find the humour in the terrible but who did not act like a spoiled prince which was refreshing.

The action peaked again and again, the supporting characters were deep and thoughtful and I was rooting for all of them along the way - I even felt a degree of sympathy for the Magician in the end.

Over all - I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a simple, heartfelt read, and I definitely recommend reading it at Christmas! It have me all the feels!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Smith Publicity

This is the kind of book I may not have loved as much as I did if I had read it in another time and place. However, I was reading it around Christmas, and I got swept up in the descriptions of gingerbread and snow and music and it was lovely.

This is a retelling of The Nutcracker, with a bit of The Pied Piper and The Phantom of the Opera thrown in. The writing has a fairy-tale feel about it. Even when the stakes are high, there’s a feeling of whimsy to it and the language is beautifully crafted. Music is the form of magic used in this story and you feel a bit like you’re listening to music as you read.

It took me a little while to get interested in the romance between Clara and the Nutcracker because… well, it’s a bit weird because he’s a nutcracker the whole time she knows him, and also they’ve known each other for a day or maybe two, but their banter was sweet, and by the end I was totally squeeing over them. Also the Nutcracker (aka Prince Nikolai) is super-awkward and insecure but also really comes into his own and proves himself when given a chance and I like that in a leading man. Also, there’s no toxic masculinity to be seen.

Clara’s character growth took a bit longer. For a long time she was in denial about any feelings for Nutcracker, or her growing fondness for the kingdom or the other friends she is making there. However, once she got the proverbial knock on the upside of the head and realised a few things about herself, I was able to get behind her a bit more.

I mentioned Phantom of the Opera earlier and I want to talk about that because it seems I was the only one who noticed this? The villian a musical genius called Erik who has a tragic backstory and lives at least part of his life underneath the city’s enormous music hall. People hear him playing and don’t know where the music is coming from and assume he’s a ghost. If that’s not Phantom of the Opera, I don’t know what is!

Definitely recommend this one if you are in the mood for a whimsical, magical fairytale. It will make you smile.

The Enchanted Sonata is, as the synopsis says, a retelling of The Nutcracker Ballet with a bit of The Pied Piper tale mixed in. I was familiar with the story of Th Nutcracker, as I had seen adaptations of it and we did listen to some of it in school during music class (thus we talked about the story). I was unfamiliar with the story of The Pied Piper, so I looked it up before reading this story (thank you google, for having all the information I need). Not that you need to do that, I just wanted to know what exactly the story was pulling inspiration from.

The setting of this book felt magical and very wintery. The story takes placed around and during Christmas, which you can easily feel throughout the whole story. I read this book during that time as well, so the atmosphere in the book and around me fit perfectly together. I adored how musical this book was, from the way the main character loved music to the way that music becomes magic when in the Nutcrackers world.

Clara felt very young in the beginning of this story. She didn’t feel as if she was 15 years old, but a lot younger. I think it’s because she was in love with someone she never met and she had already planned out their life together. (I don’t think people her actual age do that. At least I have never done it.) I felt that Johann was too old for her and the same goes for the Nutcracker, though that might be because she felt a lot younger to me than she actually was.

The Nutcracker was an interesting character, though I didn’t love him either. I did want to know more about him and what happened to him, but I never felt for him completely. (Whenever his real name was mentioned I couldn’t help thinking of another character with the same name.) I felt at a distance from him, though that could be said for all the characters in this story. I both liked and disliked the villain in this story. In some moments he was great in others he felt flat. I really don’t know how to describe that better, he just didn’t feel as if he was developed enough.

The characters lacked depth and it took me a while to sympathise with them. Towards the end I felt for them more and their interactions seemed more genuine. In my opinion the characters weren’t developed enough and that is why I felt that way. The dialogue felt dull in some places, but amazing in others. Some sentences were repeated a lot and that brought me out of the story. Though there were also beautifully written moments that I loved reading.

OVERALL:

I had a lot of fun reading The Enchanted Sonata, even though I had problems with it. I was captivated by the story, even though I had problems with the characters. The writing was amazing in some places and not so great in others. The story felt festive and it made me feel good while reading it. There was just something charming about The Enchanted Sonata, despite its flaws.

The Enchanted Sonata really isn’t the best book out there, but it was a lot of fun and I’m very glad that I decided to read it. I rated this book higher, then I probably should have, because I ended up having a lot of fun with this story. I would recommend this book to everyone, though you shouldn’t expect it to be a masterpiece.

The Enchanted Sonata is a charming mix of The Nutcracker and The Pied Piper which was the perfect little story for me to end the year on, especially given that the action all takes place around Christmas time. The writing was a little simplistic and it is perhaps more suited to readers who are younger than me, but I still found it an enjoyable little read and would recommend it for people looking for a short, fun, Christmassy read.

This book can be best described as a retelling/mashup of The Nutcracker and The Pied Piper. Clara Stahlbaum has loved music for her whole life, and she uses that love to work hard on a concert piece for two years in order to perform in the same concert with a young, famous male pianist. She believes she loves Johann Kahler because his piano playing reminds her of her father, who has died. One day everything changes when Clara finds a book under the Christmas tree that transports her to a different world where the children, soldiers, and the Prince have all been turned into toys and nutcrackers by an evil magician. Clara must help them reverse the spell and capture the magician before it's too late.
I enjoyed this book very much. It was such an interesting story to read around the holidays. Sometimes the rat battles got to be a little too much for me, but other than that, I enjoyed the unique story and the characters. The romance between Clara and the Prince was so sweet and sad, and that was my favorite part of the book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys retellings and a story full of adventure.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I received an ARC copy from netgalley for my honest review, so thank you netgalley and publishers for offering me this book! ♡
The Enchanted Sonata, a retelling of The Nutcracker Ballet with a dash of The Pied Piper, will captivate readers of all ages.

Clara Stahlbaum has her future perfectly planned: marry the handsome pianist, Johann Kahler (ah!), and settle down to a life full of music. But all that changes when Clara receives a mysterious and magical nutcracker.

Whisked away to his world--an enchanted empire of beautiful palaces, fickle fairies, enormous rats, and a prince--Clara must face a magician who uses music as magic...and the future she thought she wanted.
The cover and title is what originally drew me to this book.
This is my first book by this author. It was alltogether an easy read. ♡ I give this book a
4.5 star rating!