A review by bibliobrittish
Winterspell by Claire Legrand

5.0

Now THIS is how you do a Nutcracker retelling! Winterspell has dark sugar plum dreams woven into its very core, from atmosphere to creatures and on down the line. But while it takes certain major plot points and characters from the original, Legrand has written something entirely her own, complete with the fierce female leads she's so adept at writing - the ones who shirk expectation and fight back, the gentle hearts whose greatest power is how deeply they care. Claire's writing is loquacious yet visceral, and full of surprises, even when you feel certain of what's coming. And her characters are bar none, each with a back story that draws you in and toes the line of good vs evil - I still haven't made my mind up about some of them. Winterspell is a story of self-discovery and claiming your power from those who would use it for themselves. A perfect wintry read, but ultimately, worthwhile no matter the weather.