This Christmas Eve… no creature was stirring…Except, maybe, a mouse. At long last, can true love break the Nutcracker’s curse?
For Clara Stahlbaum, this Christmas means the end of her youth. A daughter of the aristocracy, Clara is expected to give up her dreams of adventures and the extraordinary for more normal days as the wife of a cruel Viscount.
But when magical Uncle Drosselmeyer returns with his wondrous, dancing contraptions, and one…special gift for Clara, she is beckoned to the land of Winter Dream, where she is thrust into the greatest adventure of her wildest dreams.
But will she be able to break the Nutcracker’s curse? Uncle Drosselmeyer’s apprentice, Anton, is handsome as he is mysterious. But what is it about him Clara finds so alluring?
Winter Dream is a phenomenal retelling of The Nutcracker from the eyes of Clara Stahlbaum with all the magic of the Holiday season. If you loved S. Jae-Jones’ Wintersong, you’ll fall in love with this stunning tale of love, war, redemption, and Christmas magic.
About the Book
Winter Dream
by Chantal Gadoury
Series
n/a; standalone
Genre
Adult
Fantasy Retelling
Publisher
The Parmialent House
Publication Date
November 26, 2018
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Katherine’s Review
If I could only use two words to describe this book, the two that instantly spring to mind are romantic and magical. This was such a lush, richly described story that transported the reader to a completely new take on the traditional nutcracker story and I absolutely loved it. This was escapism reading at it’s finest, and the writing style of the author led perfectly into the magic of the story. I could not be happier with this Christmas story- this was the perfect thing to get me into the holiday season.
I have been lucky to have seen the Nutcraker ballet, play, and a cartoon a few different times in my life, but this was my first time reading a retelling of the tale, and I do so love myself retellings. If you love the story of the Nutcracker, I highly recommend letting WinterDream sweep you away in it’s magic. This was the perfect fairytale adventure, a very fast read at 250ish pages that can be enjoyed in a single sitting (if your sittings are a few hours). Grab a copy, let the magic do it’s work and be prepared for a sweet journey.
What I didn’t like was that the ending was rushed and vague. There was an epilogue, but how the last chapter went into the epilogue did not make a ton of sense and I had lots of questions. If you like a HEA then this is perfect, but if you want to know how the characters got to the HEA then you will be left hanging.
This is a great next read for anyone who enjoys fantasy fairytale retellings such as Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones or the romance of Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.
Disclaimer
The review copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. All titles reviewed on this blog are a fair and honest assessment of the book. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this review. For more information regarding our review process, please visit our Review Policy & Review Request Submission page.