Winterdream
Author: Chantal Gadoury
Pub. Date: November 27, 2018
Publisher: Parliament House Publishing
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 290
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle Link, B&N
Source: This book was given to me by Rockstar Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
Source: This book was given to me by Rockstar Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: 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?
Winterdream 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.
My Review: When Clara arrives at a Christmas party, she finds that her parents want her to marry a boorish suitor that will bring her money and a title. She dreads the fact that she will not marry for love. While she is assigned to entertain him, she meets a mysterious man named Anton, who is her uncle’s apprentice. As she flirts with Anton, her uncle gives her a nutcracker as her Christmas gift. When the clock strikes midnight, her nutcracker comes alive, and Clara must break his curse. Can Clara save the Nutcracker or is the Mouse King destined to conquer the Nutcracker’s kingdom of Winterdeam?
Clara is a very relatable character. She is very obedient to her parents that so that she is willing to please them by marrying a man she does not love.There are many times that she is uncertain about herself. She often questions if she can be strong and clever enough to save the Nutcracker and his kingdom. However, she learns to trust and have faith in herself. There were a few times that I did find her character frustrating. She was very weak and was often a damsel-in distress. However, she becomes a mature and tough character in the end.
Overall, this novel is about faith, love, and choices. The message of this book is to follow your heart. The characters needed more character development. The instant love between Clara and the Nutcracker made the novel seem very thin. I was disappointed that my favorite characters from "The Nutcracker" like Mother Ginger only made a token appearance in the story. I was a little upset that we did not get to explore much of the magical kingdom of Winterdream. There were some questions that were left unanswered. Despite these flaws, it was still a very enjoyable story and was faithful to original fairy tale! The writing still has that magical charm that you often find in fairy tales. I highly recommend this story for fans of Stolen, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, and The Bear and the Nightingale! Winter Dream is a sweet little holiday story that you will want to reread every Christmas!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
My Review: When Clara arrives at a Christmas party, she finds that her parents want her to marry a boorish suitor that will bring her money and a title. She dreads the fact that she will not marry for love. While she is assigned to entertain him, she meets a mysterious man named Anton, who is her uncle’s apprentice. As she flirts with Anton, her uncle gives her a nutcracker as her Christmas gift. When the clock strikes midnight, her nutcracker comes alive, and Clara must break his curse. Can Clara save the Nutcracker or is the Mouse King destined to conquer the Nutcracker’s kingdom of Winterdeam?
Clara is a very relatable character. She is very obedient to her parents that so that she is willing to please them by marrying a man she does not love.There are many times that she is uncertain about herself. She often questions if she can be strong and clever enough to save the Nutcracker and his kingdom. However, she learns to trust and have faith in herself. There were a few times that I did find her character frustrating. She was very weak and was often a damsel-in distress. However, she becomes a mature and tough character in the end.
Overall, this novel is about faith, love, and choices. The message of this book is to follow your heart. The characters needed more character development. The instant love between Clara and the Nutcracker made the novel seem very thin. I was disappointed that my favorite characters from "The Nutcracker" like Mother Ginger only made a token appearance in the story. I was a little upset that we did not get to explore much of the magical kingdom of Winterdream. There were some questions that were left unanswered. Despite these flaws, it was still a very enjoyable story and was faithful to original fairy tale! The writing still has that magical charm that you often find in fairy tales. I highly recommend this story for fans of Stolen, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, and The Bear and the Nightingale! Winter Dream is a sweet little holiday story that you will want to reread every Christmas!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
About Chantal:
Amazon Best Selling Author, Chantal Gadoury, is a 2011 graduate from Susquehanna University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing.
Since graduation, she has published The Songs in Our Hearts with 48Fourteen Publishing, and Allerleirauh with Parliament House Press, with future titles to follow. Chantal first started writing stories at the age of seven and continues with that love of writing today.
Writing novels for Chantal has become a life-long dream come true! When she’s not writing, she enjoys painting, drinking lots of DD Iced Coffee, and watching Disney classics. Chantal lives in Muncy, Pennsylvania with her Mom, Sister and furry-‘brother’ (aka, puppy) Taran.
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Giveaway Details:
1 winner will win a signed finished copy of Winterdream, US Only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tour Schedule:
11/26/2018- Jrsbookreviews- Review
11/26/2018- BookHoundsYA- Interview
11/27/2018- History From a Woman's Perspective- Review
11/27/2018- Two Chicks on Books- Excerpt
11/28/2018- Smada's Book Smack- Review
11/28/2018- Bookriot- Excerpt
11/29/2018- Clarissa Reads All- Review
11/29/ 2018- Oh Hey! Books.- Interview
11/30/2018- Good Choice Reading- Excerpt
11/30/2018- Reese's Reviews- Review
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