Midnight in Everwood by M A Kuzniar

If you’re after a “Nutcracker” retelling with teeth then this is the seasonal book for you!

Marietta feels free when she dances ballet, free from corsets, luncheons, society, suitors and the shackles of her wealthy parents expectations. It is 1906 and the world is changing, Marietta just wishes her world would change with it.

It is Christmas and Marietta is due to give her final ballet performance. As she nears 21 Marietta is expected to give up her dreams to become a wife, and the arrival of a mysterious Doctor into the neighbourhood only accelerates Marietta’s free fall towards a life she has never wanted.

When an enchanted ballet set provides an unexpected escape from a dangerous situation and thrusts Marietta into the magical town of Everwood, will this prima ballerina finally find the life she has been looking for? Or has the danger only just begun?


Marietta is a captivating yet flawed protagonist. You find yourself sympathising with her predicament and then screaming at some of her life choices. Her journey from spoilt debutante into strong, independent woman is as enchanting as her magical surroundings.

Kuzniar’s writing is as sugar-sweet as the gingerbread Everwood houses, with “macaroon-sweet” memories and thoughts “slow, sticky as caramel” being just two examples from an entire book of extremely descriptive prose.
This is a style that would normally cause me to lose interest but it fits in so well with the epic world building of Everwood: it adds to the chocolate box atmosphere that this novel creates.


An adult Nutcracker tale, with powerful female friendships, a chilling villain and a woman fighting for her right to reclaim her own future. Midnight in Everwood is gorgeous, magical and a perfect seasonal read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this beautiful novel for an advanced review.