Midnight in Everwood

Written by M.A. Kuzniar

Narrated by Tor Leijten

‘A glittering rush of sugar-sweet enchantment’ Stephanie Garber, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Curse for True Love

In the darkness of night, magic awaits…

Nottingham, 1906

Marietta Stelle longs to be a ballerina but, as Christmas draws nearer, her dancing days are numbered – she must marry and take up her place in society in the New Year. But, when a mysterious toymaker, Dr Drosselmeier, purchases a neighbouring townhouse, it heralds the arrival of magic and wonder in Marietta’s life.

After Drosselmeier constructs an elaborate theatrical set for her final ballet performance on Christmas Eve, Marietta discovers it carries a magic all of its own – a magic darker than anyone could imagine. As the clock chimes midnight, Marietta finds herself transported from her family’s ballroom to a frozen sugar palace, silent with secrets, in a forest of snow-topped fir trees. She must find a way to return home before she’s trapped in Everwood’s enchanting grip forever.

In the darkness of night, magic awaits and you will never forget what you find here…

Tropes:
? Finding the magic of Christmas
❤️ True love
☃️ Festive fun!

Your favourite authors have fallen under the magical spell of Midnight in Everwood:

‘The perfect winter fairy tale’ Sarah Morgan, The Christmas Escape

‘A deliciously dark retelling of The Nutcracker’ Jennifer Saint, Atalanta

‘Sumptuous and spellbinding’ Heidi Swain, Underneath the Christmas Tree

‘Beautifully spun and wildly imagined’ Cari Thomas, Threadneedle

‘Enchanting! The perfect Christmas treat’ Veronica Henry, Christmas at the Beach Hut

Readers LOVE Midnight in Everwood:

‘Transported me to a magical world’ ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

‘A great winter read’ ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

‘A story in which you can lose yourself’ ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

‘I was drawn into this book from the very first page’ ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

‘A must-read for the Christmas season’ ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

‘Enchanting and full of wonderful adventure’ ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

‘Will sweep you off your feet’ ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

‘A fairy tale for grown-ups and absolutely perfect for Christmas’ ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: Oct 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9780008450694

Reviews for Midnight in Everwood

[Kristi Bee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It takes moment at first to get into it but it gets there and it's magical and amazing wish there was more.

[Júlia Rodrigues · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

It was so boring it took me forever to read it

[Ashley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely enchanting I will definitely be listening to it multiple times

[Verónica Sáenz · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

boring as fuck in my opinion, demasiado lento y tedioso de leer, casi lo dejo sin terminar muchas veces

[mrsmommybooknerd7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Midnight in Everwood by M.A. KuzniarMy rating: 4 of 5 stars#FirstLine - Marietta Stelle’s mother always said that nothing good came of a rainy day. This book was spellbinding. It was enchanting and magical. It was one of those stories that brings out the child inside of us. It sparks memories and imagination. Anyone who loves The Nutcracker will love this. Readers will be enthralled and will not want the book to end! Like the cover says: In the darkness of night, magic awaits…

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I would note upfront that I have been a fan of these magical realism books that have taken classic fairy tales and retold them from different perspectives. In the case of Midnight in Everwood the story being turned inside out is that of The Nutcracker. Unlike with some of the other books, while I have had the good fortune to see the ballet performed (aaaaaaaaaah) and I instantly recognize Tchaikovsky’s music for The March of the Wooden Soldiers, I really did not know much of the actual story behind the ballet.I am still not sure that I have any clue of the story behind the ballet but I do know that I had a reading experience that I enjoyed. It was creepy, full of surprises, and empowering. This is one of those books I will keep for a second read at another time as I know it will be different depending on my mood when I read it. I love books like that – they are few and far between.The heroine, Marietta comes from a class of woman that does not appear on stage as a ballerina. She is expected to get married to the man of her parent’s choosing. But she doesn’t want that – she wants to dance. No matter the consequences she wants to push forward with her dream.A man comes along who sends her to a place where her dream is made manifest but is it what she wants after all? Both the mysterious set builder and the evil King prove the Marietta that her dream is worth it as otherwise she will lose herself along the way.A very thought provoking read on many levels – for those dreaming forward and those of us that have left dreams in the past. Is it ever too late to fulfill a dream? What happens when you do and it’s not what you might expect? Can you turn it into what you want it to be? I guess I have become a philosopher…not one of my dreams but I am living a rather dream life and reading some really great books like Midnight in Everwood.

[mishker-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Marietta Stelle has led a privileged life in Edwardian England. As the daughter of a Baron she has been given a good education, every convenience she can imagine and has been able to follow her dream of dancing. However, as Marietta's 20th birthday approaches, her parents expect her to take her place in society, give up her dancing and marry someone worthy of her social standing. An opportunity presents itself as the Stelle's receive a new neighbor, Dr Drosselmeier who is now an inventor. Dr Drosselmeier finds Marietta to be exactly what he wants, but not as an equal partner, he wants someone to control. When Marietta rebuffs his proposal she is sent into another world of Dr Drosselmeier's creation. The town of Everwood seems like a magical dream where candy fills the streets and magic is everywhere. Marietta has simply traded one gilded cage for the other as King Gelum takes Marietta as his own toy and forces her to perform at his will. With the help of her fellow captives, Pirlipata and Dellara, the women will change their fates and that of Everwood.Midnight in Everwood is a fierce retelling of the Nutcracker with absolutely delicious writing and surprising characters. From the time Marietta entered the scene, I knew she would be a force. I loved her passion for dancing and how she never stopped fighting for the future she wanted. Marietta states "When she danced, she had a voice. And nothing was more fearsome than a silent future." Marietta's station in society has awarded her immense privilege, yet she was still trapped by her parents' wishes. It isn't until Dr Drosselmeier enters that she realizes her strength. Dr Drosselmeier is a perfectly sculpted villain, attractive and mysterious with a magical skill of creating worlds in his inventions. Everwood is crafted as a magical land of candy where I could envision the palace and multiple balls perfectly. As a dancer, I could also see Marietta's choreography play out in my head. King Gelum ruled tyrannically and the people of Everwood suffered. Many things in Everwood reminded me of pre-revolutionary France. Marietta soon learned what real imprisonment was, but she also learned of rebellion, sisterhood and fighting for the greater good, including herself. It was great to see Marietta impassioned and form relationships with Dellara and Pirlipata. Planning their escape was suspenseful and heart pounding. I was pleased to see that she used what she learned in Everwood and was able to turn it against Dr Drosselmeier in the end. I don't know if there will be another book, but I would love to see what happened to each of the three women after their escape and if Marietta was able to return.This book was received for free in return for an honest review.