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To Crack a Soldier: A Nutcracker Retelling
A broken soldier. A wooden ballerina. When battle comes, can Alex use his gifts to defeat the Mouse King?
Alexander Monde may have survived the war with Brisia in one piece, but that doesn’t mean he’s not broken. His family, his home, and his friends are all gone, leaving him just a shell of the man he once was. When a mysterious visitor arrives at the army hospital the night of the winter solstice, Alex is given a gift that will change his life a ballerina doll.
When midnight arrives and his ballerina comes to life, a battle ensues between the dancer and Mouse King. The mirror gateway to Faerie is broken, and Alex finds himself stranded in a new and completely unfamiliar world. Worse still, a wound from the recent battle is causing him to slowly become more and more wooden and stiff as time goes on. As the sprightly ballerina slowly begins cracking the shell of his heart, will Alex be able to find the missing pieces of the mirror and restore the gateway? Or will the Mouse King come out victorious against the wooden soldier?
To Crack a Soldier is a retelling of the Nutcracker. It is one of twelve novellas in The Shattered Tales, a collection of twelve fractured retellings of your favorite fairy tales. They can be enjoyed in any order, so fall in love with the swoony sweet romance, magical adventures, and tale-shattering twists one happily-ever-after at a time!
Alexander Monde may have survived the war with Brisia in one piece, but that doesn’t mean he’s not broken. His family, his home, and his friends are all gone, leaving him just a shell of the man he once was. When a mysterious visitor arrives at the army hospital the night of the winter solstice, Alex is given a gift that will change his life a ballerina doll.
When midnight arrives and his ballerina comes to life, a battle ensues between the dancer and Mouse King. The mirror gateway to Faerie is broken, and Alex finds himself stranded in a new and completely unfamiliar world. Worse still, a wound from the recent battle is causing him to slowly become more and more wooden and stiff as time goes on. As the sprightly ballerina slowly begins cracking the shell of his heart, will Alex be able to find the missing pieces of the mirror and restore the gateway? Or will the Mouse King come out victorious against the wooden soldier?
To Crack a Soldier is a retelling of the Nutcracker. It is one of twelve novellas in The Shattered Tales, a collection of twelve fractured retellings of your favorite fairy tales. They can be enjoyed in any order, so fall in love with the swoony sweet romance, magical adventures, and tale-shattering twists one happily-ever-after at a time!
212 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 28, 2023
52 people are currently reading
403 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Beran
29 books185 followersSarah lives in sunny southern California with her husband, two small children, and dog Pippin. An elementary music teacher by day, when she is not writing or devouring books she spends her free time running, making music, or playing make believe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
December 25, 2024
4 stars ✨ Clean Fiction/Light Faith Content - Fairytale Retelling - Christmas
🩰 Nutcracker retelling
🩰 (but in a different way/switched)
🩰 Grumpy X Sunshine
🩰 Music magic
🩰 Puns
🩰 He gives her a nickname (“Sugar Plum”)
Let me get some fangirling out of my system first and then we’ll talk about this book:
This book had me giggling! This couple was soooo cute! That epilogue??? Ahh! I need more of this couple! Grumpy X Sunshine in the best way!
After watching Barbie and the Nutcracker for the first time in years, I thought it would be fun to read a Nutcracker retelling—and since I’ve read a handful of books by this author in the last couple of months, I thought this one would be perfect!
(It was, by the way!) It was different than the classic tale or the Barbie version with not necessarily the characters switched, but their positions in the story are slightly altered and it worked well!
Portal Fantasy books are admittedly the type of fantasy I avoid because I struggle with understanding it. Always have and may always will, but this book gives me hope that maybe I could understand and grow to like some portal fantasy books.
I didn’t fully understand the magic system for a while and I think that’s partially my fault (portal fantasy and music magic) and partially because it’s not really sat down and explained until halfway through. That said, these pages did fly by for me and I was shocked when I looked down and saw I was over halfway done with the story.
This novella/short story is connected to the author’s other series “Seasons of Magic and Music” which I didn’t know when I first started reading, so I'm a bit bummed I read this book first as I planned to read that series soon into the new year, but oh well! I’ll just have to read those and then reread this one after completing the series. 😉 I think this might be why it felt like not much was explained in the first half of this book about the magic system, though, because it’s connected to a series that I would assume already explained how it all works.
I think you could read this one as a stand-alone as I just did and really liked it. But I reserve the right to change that opinion after reading the main series. 😉
Overall this was a really sweet and cute read! It had it's sadder moments because of what Alex has gone through with the war and losing his family and then the prejudice Celesta has faced, but there was still hope throughout the story.
Main Content-
Alex thanks the Almighty for something (twice); Someone explains that the Almighty intended for magic to be used to help and encourage and serve as their magic was never meant for personal gain or power; Mentions of the Almighty (including a person/fae telling Alex that the Almighty has this and all the realms in the palm of his hand and will see that justice is done); ’H’s are not capital when referring to the Almighty.
With this being a portal fantasy, there is the mortal (human) realm (which Alex is from) and the Fae realm (which our peppy ballerina is from) and mirrors to get to each; In the Faerie realm, there are elves, pixies, dryads, fauns, dwarves, gnomes, mermaids, selkies, gryphons, dragons, pegasus, and wizards; Going through portals and using magic through music and dancing.
Music magic is a major part of this book and seen often, including the Mouse King character using his magic into an orb and using it to harm others & Alex being caught up in a curse that will turn him wooden if not treated soon; Celesta says that music is magic and explains to Alex that it’s like that in his realm as well (but he didn’t think so); Celesta explains that those in the Faerie world rely on composers to provide them with music and therefore spells that will be beneficial and useful for what they need; Many mentions of magic, curses, and such throughout the book.
No major language used, instead words/phrases like “Gads!”, “blasted”, “heavens”, and “what/how in the blazes” are said; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Alex swears once but it is not written; Celesta is called a “half-breed” by her uncle due to her mixed heritage and faces prejudice from him and others (some of it hurts her and some doesn’t bother her; She also recalls what others have said about her with hurt; This phrase is used four times).
Being stabbed (recalled), Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, & Getting stitches (up to a few sentences); Seeing deaths & assumed killing (in battles/war, recalled); Seeing someone almost drown, rescuing the person, and almost drowning yourself (being vague for spoilers, up to a few sentences).
Alex is a soldier and is in the hospital for his injuries he received during the war; Because of fighting, Alex has PTSD and remembers events/attacks during battles (including battle scenes, fighting, shooting at the other side and implied killing, the sounds of war, fires and burned towns with it’s people, up to a few sentences); Alex’s family was killed and their home burned to the ground during the beginning of the war, which is why Alex enlisted as soon as he heard that news; Alex says that no one wins a war besides the politicians who orchestrate it and that for the soldier, there is no winning, only “living to see another day, and both being grateful to make it to another sunset alive and hating yourself because you did.”,
Many mentions of wars, fighting, battles, deaths, grief, fires, violence, injuries, missing limbs, pain, & blood/bleeding (up to a couple sentences); Mentions of bullies & threats; A few mentions of the death of a mother in childbirth and her husband dying of a broken heart shortly after; A couple mentions of assassination attempts; A mention of jealousy.
1 cheek kiss,
2 forehead/head kisses,
2 kisses lasting a sentence,
1 kiss lasting a couple sentences,
Touches, Embraces, Cuddling, Warmth/Shivers, & Nearness (up to a few sentences); Noticing, Staring, & Blushes (up to a couple sentences); Celesta comments on Alex’s muscles and big size, which causes her to blush and stare.
Alex wasn’t interested in pursuing a relationship during the war because he didn’t want to put someone else through the pain of losing a loved one like he did, but now isn’t sure there’s a woman willing to love the broken shell of a man he is after the war; Alex is bothered by some of the men in his unit talking about a woman’s appearance in an ungentlemanly way; Alex wants to punch an elf for his blatant perusal of Celesta’s figure.
A nurse teasingly flirts with Alex (commenting on his muscles) & she flirts with other injured soldiers as well (harmlessly); Another soldier flirts with a pretty girl and it’s noted he has always been the ladies’ favorite because of his looks; A few mentions of kisses.
🩰 Nutcracker retelling
🩰 (but in a different way/switched)
🩰 Grumpy X Sunshine
🩰 Music magic
🩰 Puns
🩰 He gives her a nickname (“Sugar Plum”)
Let me get some fangirling out of my system first and then we’ll talk about this book:
This book had me giggling! This couple was soooo cute! That epilogue??? Ahh! I need more of this couple! Grumpy X Sunshine in the best way!
After watching Barbie and the Nutcracker for the first time in years, I thought it would be fun to read a Nutcracker retelling—and since I’ve read a handful of books by this author in the last couple of months, I thought this one would be perfect!
(It was, by the way!) It was different than the classic tale or the Barbie version with not necessarily the characters switched, but their positions in the story are slightly altered and it worked well!
Portal Fantasy books are admittedly the type of fantasy I avoid because I struggle with understanding it. Always have and may always will, but this book gives me hope that maybe I could understand and grow to like some portal fantasy books.
I didn’t fully understand the magic system for a while and I think that’s partially my fault (portal fantasy and music magic) and partially because it’s not really sat down and explained until halfway through. That said, these pages did fly by for me and I was shocked when I looked down and saw I was over halfway done with the story.
This novella/short story is connected to the author’s other series “Seasons of Magic and Music” which I didn’t know when I first started reading, so I'm a bit bummed I read this book first as I planned to read that series soon into the new year, but oh well! I’ll just have to read those and then reread this one after completing the series. 😉 I think this might be why it felt like not much was explained in the first half of this book about the magic system, though, because it’s connected to a series that I would assume already explained how it all works.
I think you could read this one as a stand-alone as I just did and really liked it. But I reserve the right to change that opinion after reading the main series. 😉
Overall this was a really sweet and cute read! It had it's sadder moments because of what Alex has gone through with the war and losing his family and then the prejudice Celesta has faced, but there was still hope throughout the story.
Main Content-
Alex thanks the Almighty for something (twice); Someone explains that the Almighty intended for magic to be used to help and encourage and serve as their magic was never meant for personal gain or power; Mentions of the Almighty (including a person/fae telling Alex that the Almighty has this and all the realms in the palm of his hand and will see that justice is done); ’H’s are not capital when referring to the Almighty.
With this being a portal fantasy, there is the mortal (human) realm (which Alex is from) and the Fae realm (which our peppy ballerina is from) and mirrors to get to each; In the Faerie realm, there are elves, pixies, dryads, fauns, dwarves, gnomes, mermaids, selkies, gryphons, dragons, pegasus, and wizards; Going through portals and using magic through music and dancing.
Music magic is a major part of this book and seen often, including the Mouse King character using his magic into an orb and using it to harm others & Alex being caught up in a curse that will turn him wooden if not treated soon; Celesta says that music is magic and explains to Alex that it’s like that in his realm as well (but he didn’t think so); Celesta explains that those in the Faerie world rely on composers to provide them with music and therefore spells that will be beneficial and useful for what they need; Many mentions of magic, curses, and such throughout the book.
No major language used, instead words/phrases like “Gads!”, “blasted”, “heavens”, and “what/how in the blazes” are said; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Alex swears once but it is not written; Celesta is called a “half-breed” by her uncle due to her mixed heritage and faces prejudice from him and others (some of it hurts her and some doesn’t bother her; She also recalls what others have said about her with hurt; This phrase is used four times).
Being stabbed (recalled), Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, & Getting stitches (up to a few sentences); Seeing deaths & assumed killing (in battles/war, recalled); Seeing someone almost drown, rescuing the person, and almost drowning yourself (being vague for spoilers, up to a few sentences).
Alex is a soldier and is in the hospital for his injuries he received during the war; Because of fighting, Alex has PTSD and remembers events/attacks during battles (including battle scenes, fighting, shooting at the other side and implied killing, the sounds of war, fires and burned towns with it’s people, up to a few sentences); Alex’s family was killed and their home burned to the ground during the beginning of the war, which is why Alex enlisted as soon as he heard that news; Alex says that no one wins a war besides the politicians who orchestrate it and that for the soldier, there is no winning, only “living to see another day, and both being grateful to make it to another sunset alive and hating yourself because you did.”,
Many mentions of wars, fighting, battles, deaths, grief, fires, violence, injuries, missing limbs, pain, & blood/bleeding (up to a couple sentences); Mentions of bullies & threats; A few mentions of the death of a mother in childbirth and her husband dying of a broken heart shortly after; A couple mentions of assassination attempts; A mention of jealousy.
1 cheek kiss,
2 forehead/head kisses,
2 kisses lasting a sentence,
1 kiss lasting a couple sentences,
Touches, Embraces, Cuddling, Warmth/Shivers, & Nearness (up to a few sentences); Noticing, Staring, & Blushes (up to a couple sentences); Celesta comments on Alex’s muscles and big size, which causes her to blush and stare.
Alex wasn’t interested in pursuing a relationship during the war because he didn’t want to put someone else through the pain of losing a loved one like he did, but now isn’t sure there’s a woman willing to love the broken shell of a man he is after the war; Alex is bothered by some of the men in his unit talking about a woman’s appearance in an ungentlemanly way; Alex wants to punch an elf for his blatant perusal of Celesta’s figure.
A nurse teasingly flirts with Alex (commenting on his muscles) & she flirts with other injured soldiers as well (harmlessly); Another soldier flirts with a pretty girl and it’s noted he has always been the ladies’ favorite because of his looks; A few mentions of kisses.
June 20, 2024
To Crack a Soldier is a delightful Nutcracker retelling featuring themes of sacrifice, nobility of heart, and fortitude.
Alexander "Alex" Monde is a soldier recovering from a war-sustained injury. Celestia is an energetic half-fae half-pixie who enjoys her sweets...and somehow manages to evade cavities. Alex needs a hug. So does Celestia. While we only see Alex's POV, both characters undergo well-crafted character arcs.
As usual, Beran knocks the worldbuilding elements out of the park. With music as the primary source of magic, paired with an extremely clever twist on elements of the Nutcracker, I think I paid just as much attention to the worldbuilding as the characters and plot.
This book does include flashbacks from war, PTSD, emotional suffering, and the pain of losing families. To offset the sadness those themes induce, we're treated to the grumpy/sunshine and protective hero tropes as well as just all-around splendid characters, plot, and worldbuilding.
If you're looking for a unique page-turning retelling of a popular fairy tale, read To Crack a Soldier.
Alexander "Alex" Monde is a soldier recovering from a war-sustained injury. Celestia is an energetic half-fae half-pixie who enjoys her sweets...and somehow manages to evade cavities. Alex needs a hug. So does Celestia. While we only see Alex's POV, both characters undergo well-crafted character arcs.
As usual, Beran knocks the worldbuilding elements out of the park. With music as the primary source of magic, paired with an extremely clever twist on elements of the Nutcracker, I think I paid just as much attention to the worldbuilding as the characters and plot.
This book does include flashbacks from war, PTSD, emotional suffering, and the pain of losing families. To offset the sadness those themes induce, we're treated to the grumpy/sunshine and protective hero tropes as well as just all-around splendid characters, plot, and worldbuilding.
If you're looking for a unique page-turning retelling of a popular fairy tale, read To Crack a Soldier.
October 28, 2024
****Actual Rating 3.5 Stars****
Few Days Later Update: After sitting on this book for a few days I decided to drop the rating due to the problems I had with the worldbuilding being too much. Otherwise all my thoughts below are the same and this is still a book I’d recommend!
Few Days Before Review: A really interesting take on The Nutcracker! The characters were definitely the highlight for me, though I do feel not everyone is going to vibe with how grumpy Alex is for the majority of the book though I personally feel he was justified with all the war and trauma he’d been through. Celesta is a ray of sunshine, and I wouldn’t mind a spin off book about the adventures of Drosselmeyer because he is one cool wizard I fell in love with despite him not having as much page time as the other two, lol. I guess Gandalf and Dumbledoor have officially ruined me for loving mysterious wizards. 😂
There is a lot of worldbuilding of the fae courts which was good and very well done but also the book’s downfall, as for how short it is I found the information to somewhat bog down the story and sometimes it got in the way of character interactions and growth. I think if the book had been longer this could have been stretched out more and therefore not feel so tightly packed, but it is what it is. If you like lots of worldbuilding and talk about the magic system (of which I didn’t find as jam packed in, just so you know) then this might work for you.
And if I ever read a book by this author and it doesn’t have one pun in it I’m going to be so sad. 😭 Her puns are the best and actually make me snort or laugh which is HUGE because I normally don’t either get puns or find them funny, so prompts to her for that!
Another really good book by this author! Definitely going to try more!
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: PTSD; a panic attack; flashbacks to war violence (not detailed)
Language: gads
Violence: fighting with magic and weapons (not detailed); injuries (not detailed); flashbacks of war violence (not detailed); houses are burned (only the aftermath is shown not the action); characters fall in an icy lake and nearly drown/freeze to death
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
Other: grief over dead family; PTSD; a panic attack; magic; fae
Few Days Later Update: After sitting on this book for a few days I decided to drop the rating due to the problems I had with the worldbuilding being too much. Otherwise all my thoughts below are the same and this is still a book I’d recommend!
Few Days Before Review: A really interesting take on The Nutcracker! The characters were definitely the highlight for me, though I do feel not everyone is going to vibe with how grumpy Alex is for the majority of the book though I personally feel he was justified with all the war and trauma he’d been through. Celesta is a ray of sunshine, and I wouldn’t mind a spin off book about the adventures of Drosselmeyer because he is one cool wizard I fell in love with despite him not having as much page time as the other two, lol. I guess Gandalf and Dumbledoor have officially ruined me for loving mysterious wizards. 😂
There is a lot of worldbuilding of the fae courts which was good and very well done but also the book’s downfall, as for how short it is I found the information to somewhat bog down the story and sometimes it got in the way of character interactions and growth. I think if the book had been longer this could have been stretched out more and therefore not feel so tightly packed, but it is what it is. If you like lots of worldbuilding and talk about the magic system (of which I didn’t find as jam packed in, just so you know) then this might work for you.
And if I ever read a book by this author and it doesn’t have one pun in it I’m going to be so sad. 😭 Her puns are the best and actually make me snort or laugh which is HUGE because I normally don’t either get puns or find them funny, so prompts to her for that!
Another really good book by this author! Definitely going to try more!
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: PTSD; a panic attack; flashbacks to war violence (not detailed)
Language: gads
Violence: fighting with magic and weapons (not detailed); injuries (not detailed); flashbacks of war violence (not detailed); houses are burned (only the aftermath is shown not the action); characters fall in an icy lake and nearly drown/freeze to death
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
Other: grief over dead family; PTSD; a panic attack; magic; fae
December 21, 2024
This was such a GREAT retelling/reimagining of the Nutcracker!
I loved the adventure Celesta & Alex went on. And the fun grumpy/sunshine element we got! The slight “gender swap” aspect was a fun addition to this story too.
It was a great story of love, not just romantic but of the love God designed us to have for our brothers and sisters.
I can’t wait to read more books from this series and more books from this author!
5/5 stars
I loved the adventure Celesta & Alex went on. And the fun grumpy/sunshine element we got! The slight “gender swap” aspect was a fun addition to this story too.
It was a great story of love, not just romantic but of the love God designed us to have for our brothers and sisters.
I can’t wait to read more books from this series and more books from this author!
5/5 stars
July 30, 2024
4.5⭐️
Cute, quick read. I loved this slightly different retelling of The Nutcracker. It's different but pays some homage to the original tale. The "nut" jokes...🤣🤣(iykyk).
Cute, quick read. I loved this slightly different retelling of The Nutcracker. It's different but pays some homage to the original tale. The "nut" jokes...🤣🤣(iykyk).
December 4, 2023
For some reason I'm not very familiar with the original Nutcracker tale. It wasn't one of those tales my mother read to us. It wasn't one of those tales making appearances at shows I was watching. Combine that with the fact that most retellings I've read so far never impressed me and I was a little scared to start this arc, but I wanted to give it a try anyway.
I can't say much about how awesome this retelling is, since I'm not familiar enough with the original tale. However, this was an amazing and lovely story. It had characters really completing each other and making each other better people. It had a setting that was both magical and dangerous. And it was filled with loads of awesome fairytale elements.
Although the PTSD in this book is not described in much detail, it's clear that this soldier has seen a lot of things he really wouldn't have wanted to see. Through a few flashbacks we get an impression of the life he left behind, but we don't even really need those flashbacks. The way he feels, the way he acts and the way he lives says everything you need to know.
And that's something the author does quite well in general. She never uses more words than needed. The book is relatively short and yet it does feel like I really know these characters, like I've really spent some time in this world, like I have really been on an adventure. The epilogue of the book was probably the most brilliant chapter of all, together with all the nut jokes.
I can't say much about how awesome this retelling is, since I'm not familiar enough with the original tale. However, this was an amazing and lovely story. It had characters really completing each other and making each other better people. It had a setting that was both magical and dangerous. And it was filled with loads of awesome fairytale elements.
Although the PTSD in this book is not described in much detail, it's clear that this soldier has seen a lot of things he really wouldn't have wanted to see. Through a few flashbacks we get an impression of the life he left behind, but we don't even really need those flashbacks. The way he feels, the way he acts and the way he lives says everything you need to know.
And that's something the author does quite well in general. She never uses more words than needed. The book is relatively short and yet it does feel like I really know these characters, like I've really spent some time in this world, like I have really been on an adventure. The epilogue of the book was probably the most brilliant chapter of all, together with all the nut jokes.
February 15, 2024
Ummm…wow! I’m going back and forth between a 4 and 4.5. So I think we’ll land on a 4.25. The beginning was a little rough so that detracted the .75 star. But this book was so short it was understandable.
What I loved:
Everything
The humor-um hilarious. I love every aspect.
The characters- I loved Celesta from the beginning. She was so cheery and sweet. Alex took some time, but I loved him in the end. And I liked the semi-gender-bent aspect. So interesting.
The magic/music/allegory- the original world is fake, then Alex is transported to a different world. But the music!! I love music in books and this was amazing. So many good things. Magic is made of music and where you live and it’s the idea of magic can be good or bad depending on how you use it. There are mentions of the “Almighty” which was interesting.
Other than that is was great. A fun read.
Content: clean, Celesta and Alex fall into an icy pond and have to be dragged out. Magic warms them up a bit, but they wake up next to each other by a fire, an escort is there and said escort put them together
What I loved:
Everything
The humor-um hilarious. I love every aspect.
The characters- I loved Celesta from the beginning. She was so cheery and sweet. Alex took some time, but I loved him in the end. And I liked the semi-gender-bent aspect. So interesting.
The magic/music/allegory- the original world is fake, then Alex is transported to a different world. But the music!! I love music in books and this was amazing. So many good things. Magic is made of music and where you live and it’s the idea of magic can be good or bad depending on how you use it. There are mentions of the “Almighty” which was interesting.
Other than that is was great. A fun read.
Content: clean, Celesta and Alex fall into an icy pond and have to be dragged out. Magic warms them up a bit, but they wake up next to each other by a fire, an escort is there and said escort put them together
December 23, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
A sweet and fun retelling of The Nutcracker! It was so interesting to see the nods to the original tale but also the aspects that made a new tale, particularly the gender-bent component. I loved seeing the world of Faerie: the 4 seasonal Kingdoms, the different creatures, and the delectable foods. Celesta's penchant for sweets, sampling treats each area was known for, was fun and endearing to her character; Celesta made a very good point that things can be made better with chocolate!
This is a grumpy-sunshine romance and that trope tends to be one of my least favorites. In this story, Alex was a little too grumpy for my tastes; although his attitude changes over time, I didn't like his thoughts about Celesta in the beginning. They were polar opposites and I didn't feel the romance a lot of the time, but there were a few sweet moments towards the end of the book. I also was expecting more of a significant confrontation with Stalmaus-- it felt too quick to me.
Overall though, I did enjoy the story, particularly the world building and nods to the original story. The epilogue, with the introduction of Clara at the end, was lovely too.
Christian faith rating: 1/3 *clean fiction but the author is Christian and there are a few mentions of the "Almighty"
A sweet and fun retelling of The Nutcracker! It was so interesting to see the nods to the original tale but also the aspects that made a new tale, particularly the gender-bent component. I loved seeing the world of Faerie: the 4 seasonal Kingdoms, the different creatures, and the delectable foods. Celesta's penchant for sweets, sampling treats each area was known for, was fun and endearing to her character; Celesta made a very good point that things can be made better with chocolate!
This is a grumpy-sunshine romance and that trope tends to be one of my least favorites. In this story, Alex was a little too grumpy for my tastes; although his attitude changes over time, I didn't like his thoughts about Celesta in the beginning. They were polar opposites and I didn't feel the romance a lot of the time, but there were a few sweet moments towards the end of the book. I also was expecting more of a significant confrontation with Stalmaus-- it felt too quick to me.
Overall though, I did enjoy the story, particularly the world building and nods to the original story. The epilogue, with the introduction of Clara at the end, was lovely too.
Christian faith rating: 1/3 *clean fiction but the author is Christian and there are a few mentions of the "Almighty"
October 31, 2024
It’s a funny story how I came to pick up this book - I was in a fairy tale mood after having finished Heartless, WHICH I LOVE LOVE LOVED, and wanted something similar. Though I never knew the story very well, I’ve always found the prose of the nutcracker ever so enchanting and romantic, it’s just the perfect tale, isn’t it? An enchanted world with beautifully delicate, snowy scenery which secretly harbours a war, and an innocent girl plagued with wonderlust and curiosity falls into this world, acting as its only hope, alongside a very charming nutcracker. (I’m smiling again just thinking about it). And that’s how I stumbled upon this book. (Or more accurately searched far and wide for a romantic retelling of the nutcracker).
Now as for the novel itself, my experience reading it was quite peculiar. You see, I quite fondly loved everything this book had to offer - from the characters, setting, story and small romance that were present. My biggest complaint however, was the wasted potential of the story. Though there were times when the book became a bit repetitive or cringe-y, I felt that these critiques would be trivial if the story actually had time to develop. Now, this book was A-LOT shorter than I was expecting. (Shy of 200 pages - and for a fantasy?!??) I was going into this book hoping for nothing but a few romantic moments between the characters and feelings of nostalgia, but I was pleasantly surprised by the decent writing and characters the author had created. AND BECAUSE OF THIS I was so frustrated that the author stopped it short from being what it could have been.
Honestly, I’m so mad because this book had the potential to be an almost 5 ⭐️ read, if only the author developed EVERYTHING a bit more (increasing the page count would’ve been a great start). If he fleshed out the conflict a bit more and made it more complex, developed the antagonist of the story and gave us the time to truly come to dislike him, gave us some more time with the main characters so they could’ve had more depth to them, (and so would’ve had a better opportunity to get to know them), and finally - though I don’t ever want a lot of romance in the books I read - I do wish their relationship had more time to develop and bud.
Overall, this book had SO MUCH POTENTIAL to be something great, I was genuinely impressed by the authors ability to describe beautiful landscapes, integrate heartwarming morals, and sprout a sweet romance. Not only that, but the elements from the original story of the nutcracker were very cleverly integrated, and I was thoroughly amused. I wish so badly that the author wrote a more detailed and longer story, but overall, a light read.
Now as for the novel itself, my experience reading it was quite peculiar. You see, I quite fondly loved everything this book had to offer - from the characters, setting, story and small romance that were present. My biggest complaint however, was the wasted potential of the story. Though there were times when the book became a bit repetitive or cringe-y, I felt that these critiques would be trivial if the story actually had time to develop. Now, this book was A-LOT shorter than I was expecting. (Shy of 200 pages - and for a fantasy?!??) I was going into this book hoping for nothing but a few romantic moments between the characters and feelings of nostalgia, but I was pleasantly surprised by the decent writing and characters the author had created. AND BECAUSE OF THIS I was so frustrated that the author stopped it short from being what it could have been.
Honestly, I’m so mad because this book had the potential to be an almost 5 ⭐️ read, if only the author developed EVERYTHING a bit more (increasing the page count would’ve been a great start). If he fleshed out the conflict a bit more and made it more complex, developed the antagonist of the story and gave us the time to truly come to dislike him, gave us some more time with the main characters so they could’ve had more depth to them, (and so would’ve had a better opportunity to get to know them), and finally - though I don’t ever want a lot of romance in the books I read - I do wish their relationship had more time to develop and bud.
Overall, this book had SO MUCH POTENTIAL to be something great, I was genuinely impressed by the authors ability to describe beautiful landscapes, integrate heartwarming morals, and sprout a sweet romance. Not only that, but the elements from the original story of the nutcracker were very cleverly integrated, and I was thoroughly amused. I wish so badly that the author wrote a more detailed and longer story, but overall, a light read.
December 17, 2023
To Crack a Soldier by Sarah Beran
This was adorable! Alexander Monde may have survived the war with Brisia in one piece, but that doesn’t mean he’s not broken. Everyone he knows is gone and he is just a shell of the man he once was. When a mysterious visitor arrives at the army hospital the night of the winter solstice, Alex is given a gift that will change his life forever: a ballerina doll. When midnight arrives and his ballerina comes to life, a battle ensues between the dancer and Mouse King. The mirror gateway to Faerie is broken, and Alex is stranded in a new and completely unfamiliar world. Worse still, a wound from the recent battle is causing him to slowly become more and more wooden and stiff as time goes on. As the sprightly ballerina slowly begins cracking the shell of his heart, will Alex be able to find the missing pieces of the mirror and restore the gateway? Or will the Mouse King come out victorious against the wooden soldier?
This was so fun! I have not read many Nutcracker retellings and this one was a delight! Alex was struggling after coming out of the war. His grief felt realistic, and I sympathized with him. His journey in the land of magic is also a journey for him. He has a few lessons to learn along the way and it was so fun to follow him. Alex found joy and connection where he did not expect. The world of Faerie was such fun! I loved the world building and all of the lovely characters we met with Alex. Celesta was a joy! I loved the grumpy-sunshine dynamic they had. She had known tragedy, but chose joy and to move forward. She was willing to sacrifice for her people and to seek the best for others. I loved how they balanced one another and supported each other.
The magic in this book was lovely! I adored the way it differed across Faerie and how it connected to different types of Fae. This is a lovely fantasy romance with some fantasy action and the effects of war, as well as only kissing.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
This was adorable! Alexander Monde may have survived the war with Brisia in one piece, but that doesn’t mean he’s not broken. Everyone he knows is gone and he is just a shell of the man he once was. When a mysterious visitor arrives at the army hospital the night of the winter solstice, Alex is given a gift that will change his life forever: a ballerina doll. When midnight arrives and his ballerina comes to life, a battle ensues between the dancer and Mouse King. The mirror gateway to Faerie is broken, and Alex is stranded in a new and completely unfamiliar world. Worse still, a wound from the recent battle is causing him to slowly become more and more wooden and stiff as time goes on. As the sprightly ballerina slowly begins cracking the shell of his heart, will Alex be able to find the missing pieces of the mirror and restore the gateway? Or will the Mouse King come out victorious against the wooden soldier?
This was so fun! I have not read many Nutcracker retellings and this one was a delight! Alex was struggling after coming out of the war. His grief felt realistic, and I sympathized with him. His journey in the land of magic is also a journey for him. He has a few lessons to learn along the way and it was so fun to follow him. Alex found joy and connection where he did not expect. The world of Faerie was such fun! I loved the world building and all of the lovely characters we met with Alex. Celesta was a joy! I loved the grumpy-sunshine dynamic they had. She had known tragedy, but chose joy and to move forward. She was willing to sacrifice for her people and to seek the best for others. I loved how they balanced one another and supported each other.
The magic in this book was lovely! I adored the way it differed across Faerie and how it connected to different types of Fae. This is a lovely fantasy romance with some fantasy action and the effects of war, as well as only kissing.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
December 11, 2023
Eminently quotable, magical and musically delicious, To Crack a Soldier is a masterpiece of paramount proportions which captivates the senses in every way! The entire book is a symphony of prose and delight from beginning to end. Alex is understandably grumpy in the beginning of the story, but Celesta dances her way into his heart in the most enchanting way. Truly, it is a wonderful thing to watch this grumpy soldier learn to love her little quirks which had previously only annoyed him, as they journey together on their quest to defeat Stahlmaus the self-proclaimed mouse king, and reclaim what rightfully belongs to Celesta. I also loved the emphasis that Celesta put on the importance of chocolate - it really can make problems more palatable when it can’t solve them outright! This book is filled with excitement, fun, danger and the perfect amount of swoon. The characters’ development is wonderful to witness and the characters’ themselves are at once wonderfully original and unique while still being a perfect ode to the dramatis personae from the original Nutcracker ballet. Many fantasy books explore magical worlds, but this is the first I’ve ever read where the music itself created magic and I loved that! It was a very unique take on the power and comfort that a melody can bestow upon a heart! The Nutcracker is one of my favourite ballets and this was an exceptionally clever ode to that balletic masterpiece: The gender twist especially was incredibly innovative and beautifully written, and Sarah’s virtuosic words weave a spell on the imagination that leaves readers entranced and longing for more of her writing. Thankfully, this prolific writer has written more than a few books and readers can satiate their desire for more of this maestro’s musical magnificence with a simple download.
*I was gifted an ARC of this book and all opinions in this review are my own.
*I was gifted an ARC of this book and all opinions in this review are my own.
December 22, 2025
Oh my stars this was DELIGHTFUL! A few days ago I got to go see a performance of the Nutcracker, and I immediately wanted to find a retelling to read. Now I'm afraid I'll never find one as good as this! This was one of the most clever retellings I've ever read! The author found a way to include an amazing number of story elements in the most perfectly unexpected places! I adore the way she did the Sugar Plum Fairy! And I loved the world of faerie so much I know I have to read the accompanying series sometime soon. Perfectly. Wonderful.
December 5, 2023
Reader’s Notes:
– this is part of a series, but meant to be read as a stand-alone
– this story is connected to Sarah Beran’s Seasons of Music and Magic series, but you don’t have to read it to enjoy this story
– this is told from Alex’s point of view
– there are mentions of injuries/death due to the war (just ended, but lasted a few years); there are also flashbacks to wartime
Review:
I loved this perfectly whimsical Nutcracker retelling! It was so interesting to see the nods to the original tale woven into this entirely new storyline. I loved that the tale was shattered in such a way that our ‘wooden’ soldier ended up being the main character who had to help the ballerina. I loved that we were constantly reminded in Alex’s inner thoughts that he wanted to be closed off to the world, as it showed over time how much he would forget that was his original desire as he got to know our ballerina and softened up a bit. I also loved the way that magic was portrayed to work in this world. I don’t think I’ve seen magic and music entwined in that way before! This was the perfect winter read with a light adventure to get back home.
I’m excited to see that there are more stories for some of the characters we met in the journey in Sarah’s other books and I can’t wait to be able to read them!
Summary:
Alex has closed himself off to those around him and has no desire to open himself up anytime soon, even with the war having ended. But in a moment of softness, Alex finds himself leaving the warmth of the hospital he is recovering at to play his beloved harmonica in the cold. There, he is found by someone who gives him an unexpected gift that he finds he can’t refuse: a wooden ballerina doll. Though this doll has no use for him, Alex finds himself dearly attached to it and it’s well-being.
But that night starts the course of something even more unexpected for Alex. When the clock strikes midnight, Alex finds himself transported to the Faerie realm with a much livelier version of his ballerina doll who is battling a mousy king in ways he’s never seen on the battlefield. And when Alex steps in to help her, he finds himself trapped within the Faerie realm.
In order to get back home, Alex will have to team up with this bouncy ballerina to collect the parts required to repair the portal he came through. And he’ll have to do so quickly or the injury he sustained upon entering will transform him into someone just as wooden as his ballerina once was…
– this is part of a series, but meant to be read as a stand-alone
– this story is connected to Sarah Beran’s Seasons of Music and Magic series, but you don’t have to read it to enjoy this story
– this is told from Alex’s point of view
– there are mentions of injuries/death due to the war (just ended, but lasted a few years); there are also flashbacks to wartime
Review:
I loved this perfectly whimsical Nutcracker retelling! It was so interesting to see the nods to the original tale woven into this entirely new storyline. I loved that the tale was shattered in such a way that our ‘wooden’ soldier ended up being the main character who had to help the ballerina. I loved that we were constantly reminded in Alex’s inner thoughts that he wanted to be closed off to the world, as it showed over time how much he would forget that was his original desire as he got to know our ballerina and softened up a bit. I also loved the way that magic was portrayed to work in this world. I don’t think I’ve seen magic and music entwined in that way before! This was the perfect winter read with a light adventure to get back home.
I’m excited to see that there are more stories for some of the characters we met in the journey in Sarah’s other books and I can’t wait to be able to read them!
Summary:
Alex has closed himself off to those around him and has no desire to open himself up anytime soon, even with the war having ended. But in a moment of softness, Alex finds himself leaving the warmth of the hospital he is recovering at to play his beloved harmonica in the cold. There, he is found by someone who gives him an unexpected gift that he finds he can’t refuse: a wooden ballerina doll. Though this doll has no use for him, Alex finds himself dearly attached to it and it’s well-being.
But that night starts the course of something even more unexpected for Alex. When the clock strikes midnight, Alex finds himself transported to the Faerie realm with a much livelier version of his ballerina doll who is battling a mousy king in ways he’s never seen on the battlefield. And when Alex steps in to help her, he finds himself trapped within the Faerie realm.
In order to get back home, Alex will have to team up with this bouncy ballerina to collect the parts required to repair the portal he came through. And he’ll have to do so quickly or the injury he sustained upon entering will transform him into someone just as wooden as his ballerina once was…
December 16, 2025
Update December 2025:
The fact that I smiled widely at the end had me bumping my reading experience to 5 stars!
I'm definitely going to read the Seasons of Magic and Music series!
Review December 2024:
Another delightful retelling by Sarah Beran!
This is the third fairy-tale retelling with a sole male protagonist I have come to discover and enjoy--but the very first (I believe) with the front cover portrayal of the hero himself! (Which in itself is such a nice change!) Not only is this a perfect Nutcracker retelling, but it comes with a surprise gender-role twist... and many others as well!
Here, we meet Alex, a young soldier hardened and wearied by war, who is given a mysterious ballerina doll. Only to then witness a battle between a half-pixie princess, Celeste, and a wicked elf king (No mice!). Despite accidentally shattering the gateway between his world and the fae realms, he embarks with Celeste on a magical quest to find the shattered pieces, unite the fae kingdoms against her uncle, and save himself from an immovable curse. Little does he know of the love he'll find through Celeste... and the gift he has that will change everything.
My heart was so moved for Alex and his struggles, especially with wars and loss-- the brief flashbacks of war were real, but thankfully not heavy enough to draw away the adventure of the story. What truly made it more inspiring was Alex's growth from a battle-hardened victim to a strong soldier with a heart of a prince! And I love his gift with music, especially the harmonica!
Ah, Celeste was a DARLING! Even she had her struggles, especially with her half-blood and sense of worthiness. And yet, her sunny personality combined with her determination to claim her rightful place as heir of the Winter Court truly made her no damsel in distress, but a courageous princess in her own right.
Both characters show such wondrous growth throughout the story, and their relationship was oh, so, delightful-- humor, banter, sweet-sweet romance! Their opposite personalities were just what each person needed!
I have yet to read the Seasons of Music and Magic series, so while I ran to a few spoilers, this book was enough to introduce me to a magical world of fae courts and creatures that I will be looking forward to visiting!!!
The fact that I smiled widely at the end had me bumping my reading experience to 5 stars!
I'm definitely going to read the Seasons of Magic and Music series!
Review December 2024:
Another delightful retelling by Sarah Beran!
This is the third fairy-tale retelling with a sole male protagonist I have come to discover and enjoy--but the very first (I believe) with the front cover portrayal of the hero himself! (Which in itself is such a nice change!) Not only is this a perfect Nutcracker retelling, but it comes with a surprise gender-role twist... and many others as well!
Here, we meet Alex, a young soldier hardened and wearied by war, who is given a mysterious ballerina doll. Only to then witness a battle between a half-pixie princess, Celeste, and a wicked elf king (No mice!). Despite accidentally shattering the gateway between his world and the fae realms, he embarks with Celeste on a magical quest to find the shattered pieces, unite the fae kingdoms against her uncle, and save himself from an immovable curse. Little does he know of the love he'll find through Celeste... and the gift he has that will change everything.
My heart was so moved for Alex and his struggles, especially with wars and loss-- the brief flashbacks of war were real, but thankfully not heavy enough to draw away the adventure of the story. What truly made it more inspiring was Alex's growth from a battle-hardened victim to a strong soldier with a heart of a prince! And I love his gift with music, especially the harmonica!
Ah, Celeste was a DARLING! Even she had her struggles, especially with her half-blood and sense of worthiness. And yet, her sunny personality combined with her determination to claim her rightful place as heir of the Winter Court truly made her no damsel in distress, but a courageous princess in her own right.
Both characters show such wondrous growth throughout the story, and their relationship was oh, so, delightful-- humor, banter, sweet-sweet romance! Their opposite personalities were just what each person needed!
I have yet to read the Seasons of Music and Magic series, so while I ran to a few spoilers, this book was enough to introduce me to a magical world of fae courts and creatures that I will be looking forward to visiting!!!
November 4, 2023
Alex is a soldier recovering in a hospital after being wounded. He receives a wooden ballerina and at midnight it comes alive. He finds himself witnessing a battle between the ballerina and her army against another and his army. He gets caught up in the battle and falls against a mirror which shatters but transports him to a land of faerie where the wooden
ballerina is a real live girl with wings- a pixie! He finds she is the rightful queen of the Winter Court but is being opposed by her uncle whom she was fighting earlier in the battle he witnessed. However, the breaking of the mirror- the portal to Faerie- has caused Alex to start to turn wooden himself and unless he returns to his realm he’ll become a real
“wooden” soldier!
This story is of Alex and Celesta in their quest to find shards of the mirror Alex broke so he can return to the human realm and take her uncle with him so he can never return to Faerie. Along the way her infectious smile and optimism melts his hard heart and Celesta is able to “crack” his shell and bring him out of the despair war and loss has left him in. He finds love at last but will the two of them ever be reunited again if they are in separate realms?
I enjoyed this story and the infectious spirit and attitude of Celesta. Would that we all could be like her and share her optimistic outlook on life in general. What a difference our world would be if we all see and do as she does everyday!
I love fairy tales and the warmth I feel as I read these stories! I have loved them since I was a young boy and all these years later I still am captivated by the magical “pull” they have on me!
I heartily and enthusiastically recommend you get and read this story and then check out the other stories in this series. I have read most of them and
I can recommend them all to you as well!
Let the magic of fairy tales and rereading the classical tales of childhood make you feel young again and bring you joy and satisfaction once again!
I promise you you won’t regret it!!
ballerina is a real live girl with wings- a pixie! He finds she is the rightful queen of the Winter Court but is being opposed by her uncle whom she was fighting earlier in the battle he witnessed. However, the breaking of the mirror- the portal to Faerie- has caused Alex to start to turn wooden himself and unless he returns to his realm he’ll become a real
“wooden” soldier!
This story is of Alex and Celesta in their quest to find shards of the mirror Alex broke so he can return to the human realm and take her uncle with him so he can never return to Faerie. Along the way her infectious smile and optimism melts his hard heart and Celesta is able to “crack” his shell and bring him out of the despair war and loss has left him in. He finds love at last but will the two of them ever be reunited again if they are in separate realms?
I enjoyed this story and the infectious spirit and attitude of Celesta. Would that we all could be like her and share her optimistic outlook on life in general. What a difference our world would be if we all see and do as she does everyday!
I love fairy tales and the warmth I feel as I read these stories! I have loved them since I was a young boy and all these years later I still am captivated by the magical “pull” they have on me!
I heartily and enthusiastically recommend you get and read this story and then check out the other stories in this series. I have read most of them and
I can recommend them all to you as well!
Let the magic of fairy tales and rereading the classical tales of childhood make you feel young again and bring you joy and satisfaction once again!
I promise you you won’t regret it!!
October 31, 2023
Nut that I’m surprised, but Sarah cracked out another amazing book. Set in the land of Faerie like her Seasons of Music and Magic Books (I cannot get enough of that world, so she got bonus points here), To Crack a Soldier exceeded my expectations. Spoiler: it has no mice. Read it and see how! (She also got bonus points for that.)
Seeing the story told from Alex’s point of view lends a huge amount of humor to offset the sadness that comes from his situation. “The little ballerina was just so lively. And she smiled so much it made his face hurt just thinking about it.” This quote sums up the characters in a nutshell. (If you love puns, this book is for you.)
While there is some violence and blood (brief flashes of war scenes), I’d say this is a book fine for even younger teens. There is nothing outrageous and it’s good to be aware of situations that people really have to deal with. We do see quite a bit of Alex’s melancholy/grumpy self from losing his family and fighting in a war.
Romantically, I’d say squeaky clean. You may find a sweet kiss or two somewhere…after all, this is a happily ever after book. They are, however, brief and not overdone. Again, young teens would be fine with this.
While I received an Advanced Reader Copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Happy reading!
Seeing the story told from Alex’s point of view lends a huge amount of humor to offset the sadness that comes from his situation. “The little ballerina was just so lively. And she smiled so much it made his face hurt just thinking about it.” This quote sums up the characters in a nutshell. (If you love puns, this book is for you.)
While there is some violence and blood (brief flashes of war scenes), I’d say this is a book fine for even younger teens. There is nothing outrageous and it’s good to be aware of situations that people really have to deal with. We do see quite a bit of Alex’s melancholy/grumpy self from losing his family and fighting in a war.
Romantically, I’d say squeaky clean. You may find a sweet kiss or two somewhere…after all, this is a happily ever after book. They are, however, brief and not overdone. Again, young teens would be fine with this.
While I received an Advanced Reader Copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Happy reading!
April 1, 2025
Who knew how much trouble a broken mirror could cause? Certainly, more than a little bad luck in this case. For the land of Faerie, it means certain doom as the Mouse King destroys everything in his path to take over.
And for the soldier Alex, it means watching another world ravished by war and he’s seen his fill of that scene. Even worse, he may have survived one war only to be the causality of this war he finds himself in the midst of when he sustains a strange injury in his encounter with the Mouse King. Survival. That’s really the only way to describe it if Alex is honest with himself. It’s the sole mode he’s been working from for a while now. He’s damaged goods, and his mind drifts back to those he couldn’t save in his own world. And now this isn’t even his fight, his battlefield, so why bother? Yet Alex’s vow to protect as a soldier extends beyond the boundary set by a mirror. His conscience, his heart will not allow him to turn his back on this world he has been pulled.
Or better yet it’s the beautiful, spirited ballerina that refuses to be deterred by the rough exterior that Alex presents to her. She’s so happy, joyful in the midst of the ugliness that surrounds her. She sees past the brokenness that Alex gives her and glimpses the Alex that’s buried deep inside. Gently she coaxes that side to the surface, knowing the delicate work before her. Because even with all her smiles, Celesta knows those voices that whisper the doubts to the depths of your spirits, the ones that say that you’re not enough. Although she tries to block them out, to her dismay she’s listened to those voices at times. So, she understands that brokenness that surrounds Alex as well as the strength it takes to keep going, despite those voices.
And it’s that strength of heart that they’ll need to defeat the Mouse King and save Faerie, with perhaps the hardest task of all being healing their own fragmented selves.
November 26, 2023
I got this as an arc and was not disappointed! The story is about a young soldier named Alexander (Alex) Monde who is in a hospital after a war. Scarred by all that he witnessed, he is a bit stoic, solitary, and lost his fondness for playing music. During a Christmas celebration he meets an old man named Drosselmeiyer (who you might remember from Seasons of Music and Magic), who gives him a ballerina doll and says that he should share his musical gift.
That night Alex goes through a magic encounter with a battle between evil Regent staulmaus and Princess Celesta of Winter (also the ballerina doll).
This leads to them all falling through a mirror to the world of Faerie. There, Alex and Celesta have to work together to find all pieces of the mirror (which are scattered all around the four courts) in order to send him back the mortal realm.
The story is beautiful story of love, magic, and finding home that is perfect for the holidays.
That night Alex goes through a magic encounter with a battle between evil Regent staulmaus and Princess Celesta of Winter (also the ballerina doll).
This leads to them all falling through a mirror to the world of Faerie. There, Alex and Celesta have to work together to find all pieces of the mirror (which are scattered all around the four courts) in order to send him back the mortal realm.
The story is beautiful story of love, magic, and finding home that is perfect for the holidays.
November 28, 2023
I adored this story SO MUCH!!! Here are just a few (of the many things) I absolutely LOVED!
❄️ Grumpy/sunshine: The romance in this is, of course, clean, sweet, swoony, and ADORABLE. You will just LOVE Alex and Celesta's relationship and how they show courage and strength in their own ways throughout their quest.
❄️ Music: Sarah is a wiz at adding music seamlessly into her writing and stories. I loved how music was incorporated throughout, and I especially loved the nods to Tchaikovsky's original Nutcracker. I'm such a Tchaikovsky fan and this story just made me SOOOO happy--it's such a clever and fun retelling of the original ballet. AND it has a ballet dancer in it!! :D
❄️Humor/puns: And, of course, we can't forget that there are puns and humor sprinkled throughout to make you giggle and smile as you read this story!
I'll never ever get tired of Sarah's stories and can't recommend this retelling enough!
❄️ Grumpy/sunshine: The romance in this is, of course, clean, sweet, swoony, and ADORABLE. You will just LOVE Alex and Celesta's relationship and how they show courage and strength in their own ways throughout their quest.
❄️ Music: Sarah is a wiz at adding music seamlessly into her writing and stories. I loved how music was incorporated throughout, and I especially loved the nods to Tchaikovsky's original Nutcracker. I'm such a Tchaikovsky fan and this story just made me SOOOO happy--it's such a clever and fun retelling of the original ballet. AND it has a ballet dancer in it!! :D
❄️Humor/puns: And, of course, we can't forget that there are puns and humor sprinkled throughout to make you giggle and smile as you read this story!
I'll never ever get tired of Sarah's stories and can't recommend this retelling enough!
June 12, 2023
A Nutcracker retelling that is musical, magical, and memorable!
Sarah Beran has a knack for weaving beautiful, immersive stories that are absolutely enthralling. I felt like I was right there in the story.
Grumpy/ Sunshine is one of my favorite tropes, and I LOVED seeing it play out here with a broken soldier recovering from war and the beautiful ballerina (who shares my love of all things chocolate).
One of the things that really impressed me with this book was the music-based magic system here! I have NEVER thought of something as awesome as that, and it was neat to watch play out (see what I did there?)
To sum up: I LOVED IT!!! Seriously, I don't know why Sarah Beran isn't everyone's favorite author. Her books are hilarious, witty, and have epic hero quests mixed into the swoony romance (that ice lake scene 😍😍😍)
Sarah Beran has a knack for weaving beautiful, immersive stories that are absolutely enthralling. I felt like I was right there in the story.
Grumpy/ Sunshine is one of my favorite tropes, and I LOVED seeing it play out here with a broken soldier recovering from war and the beautiful ballerina (who shares my love of all things chocolate).
One of the things that really impressed me with this book was the music-based magic system here! I have NEVER thought of something as awesome as that, and it was neat to watch play out (see what I did there?)
To sum up: I LOVED IT!!! Seriously, I don't know why Sarah Beran isn't everyone's favorite author. Her books are hilarious, witty, and have epic hero quests mixed into the swoony romance (that ice lake scene 😍😍😍)
December 5, 2023
A magical tale
I loved this spin on The Nutcracker which involves a soldier named Alex who finds himself on an adventure into the Fae Realm where he meets a half Elf/half Pixie woman named Celesta. She is supposed to be Queen of Winter but her Uncle Stalmaus took the throne from her and is trying to take over all of Faerie.
Alex and Celesta are tasked with finding magical shards to fix a broken portal to reconnect Faerie to Alex's world and while on this journey, they find themselves falling for each other.
I loved how music, musical instruments and dance are just some of the many ways to develop magic.
I loved getting to know Celesta and Alex who are for sure Sunshine and Grump. The ending was adorable!
Trigger warnings: death during child birth, orphans, war, death, violence, bullying
I loved this spin on The Nutcracker which involves a soldier named Alex who finds himself on an adventure into the Fae Realm where he meets a half Elf/half Pixie woman named Celesta. She is supposed to be Queen of Winter but her Uncle Stalmaus took the throne from her and is trying to take over all of Faerie.
Alex and Celesta are tasked with finding magical shards to fix a broken portal to reconnect Faerie to Alex's world and while on this journey, they find themselves falling for each other.
I loved how music, musical instruments and dance are just some of the many ways to develop magic.
I loved getting to know Celesta and Alex who are for sure Sunshine and Grump. The ending was adorable!
Trigger warnings: death during child birth, orphans, war, death, violence, bullying
January 13, 2024
This is part of The Shattered Tales, which for some reason I expected to be kind of dark and twisted retellings, but this was sweet, adorable, short, imaginative, and pun-y! 😆 There's a grumpy x sunshine couple with a sugary-sweet but also earnest and determined half-pixie who hasn't let cruel people steal her light and a tired, traumatized soldier learning to find some light again. I love music-based and the idea of dance-based magic, so that was fun! I've long thought The Nutcracker has sooooo much potential for cool romantic fantasy retellings, but the couple of movies and books I've tried have been such let-downs I was fearing the potential is lost any time it's attempted--but I think Beran did a solid job of incorporating the whimsy and magic of The Nutcracker into an enjoyable and romantic novella.
July 29, 2024
This was a very fun and creative sort-of genderbent retelling of the Nutcracker. Alex Monde is a war-weary soldier who gets whisked away to the land of Faerie after witnessing a battle between a magical ballerina--a doll come to life--and an evil elf lord with a distinctly mousey appearance. Solider and ballerina must traverse all four realms of Faerie (sampling sweets along the way) in order to rebuild the gate between realms and return him to our world, as well as defeat the evil Mouse King. If you're a big fan of the grumpy/sunshine romance trope, this is definitely a book you should check out. Alex is cold and closed off at first, while the ballerina, Celesta, is unfailingly cheerful. She enjoys pulling him out of his shell. (Pun absolutely intended. There are soooo many puns in this book, this one was just to prepare you.)
December 26, 2024
The war is over, and it finds Alexander wounded in both body and mind. After he witnesses a battle between a lovely ballerina and her regiment against another army with a grey mouse as their standard, he falls into the world of Faerie where he discovers that his music is the weapon the ballerina has been seeking.
In this is a delightful portal fantasy, Beran pays tribute to the classic "The Nutcracker and The Mouse King", while using her own characters, magic system, and worldbuilding. The nods to the original story are nicely done and I enjoyed making the connections. The book does touch on serious topics, but is overall a fun and lighthearted tale with a gentle love story, likable main characters, and engaging adventure. I found it immensely enjoyable and satisfying, and look forward to reading more by the author.
In this is a delightful portal fantasy, Beran pays tribute to the classic "The Nutcracker and The Mouse King", while using her own characters, magic system, and worldbuilding. The nods to the original story are nicely done and I enjoyed making the connections. The book does touch on serious topics, but is overall a fun and lighthearted tale with a gentle love story, likable main characters, and engaging adventure. I found it immensely enjoyable and satisfying, and look forward to reading more by the author.
March 17, 2025
I loved that this fits perfectly into Sarah’s music-powered Faerie world—and I loved all the nods to the ballet! All the pit stops for sweets (yes I know the tune for each one—Spanish chocolate, Arabian coffee, Chinese tea, and Russian peppermint!) and the tie-in of Alex’s name?! So clever 💯⭐️
The pacing/mystery/tension was also the best of her books that I’ve read so far. The final “battle” was a bit quick but honestly pretty believable and same with all the other twists. Sometimes Sarah’s characters are just too good at communicating and facing their own emotions that the plot seems a bit too-easily resolved, but I guess it’s a bit silly to complain about modeling well-adjusted and healthy people and relationships :)
I would definitely read this again and recommend it to others! Great cozy Christmas read 🎄��️
The pacing/mystery/tension was also the best of her books that I’ve read so far. The final “battle” was a bit quick but honestly pretty believable and same with all the other twists. Sometimes Sarah’s characters are just too good at communicating and facing their own emotions that the plot seems a bit too-easily resolved, but I guess it’s a bit silly to complain about modeling well-adjusted and healthy people and relationships :)
I would definitely read this again and recommend it to others! Great cozy Christmas read 🎄��️
December 14, 2023
This book... This book just makes you feel warm and fuzzy from the inside out while also dazzling your mind with so much incredible world building!!
I love the nutcracker, but I never knew how much I would love a nutcracker with a soldier as the main character!
The grumpy/sunshine dynamic is absolutely perfect, and the puns kept me smiling through the entire story! I loved the use of music as magic, and all the chocolate descriptions made it impossible not to stop and grab a snack break!
Beran's books are always my go-to when I need a smile, and this book is no exception! Definitely grab some cocoa, a box of chocolates, and a fuzzy blanket to curl up with this sweet and adventurous romance!
I love the nutcracker, but I never knew how much I would love a nutcracker with a soldier as the main character!
The grumpy/sunshine dynamic is absolutely perfect, and the puns kept me smiling through the entire story! I loved the use of music as magic, and all the chocolate descriptions made it impossible not to stop and grab a snack break!
Beran's books are always my go-to when I need a smile, and this book is no exception! Definitely grab some cocoa, a box of chocolates, and a fuzzy blanket to curl up with this sweet and adventurous romance!
September 24, 2025
Adventurous and Sweet
To Crack a Soldier is a clean romance that follows Alex and Celesta on a quest all throughout Faerie to gather what they need to confront the evil mouse king. Each landscape and its people and its delicacies are fun and memorable. Clara and Alex have a great grumpy sunshine dynamic. The author clearly loves music and describes it so that you can almost hear it and you also want to participate by actually hearing or playing music. The tone of the book stays fairly light and sweet even as it deals with some heavier themes of war and loss and bullying. A great book for when one desires a light hearted traveling adventure.
To Crack a Soldier is a clean romance that follows Alex and Celesta on a quest all throughout Faerie to gather what they need to confront the evil mouse king. Each landscape and its people and its delicacies are fun and memorable. Clara and Alex have a great grumpy sunshine dynamic. The author clearly loves music and describes it so that you can almost hear it and you also want to participate by actually hearing or playing music. The tone of the book stays fairly light and sweet even as it deals with some heavier themes of war and loss and bullying. A great book for when one desires a light hearted traveling adventure.
November 28, 2023
Can’t wait to cashew reading this book!
Once again, Sarah Beran, the master of puns, has created a delightfully magical tale of romance and adventure. It’s grumpy/sunshine at its absolute best! Alexander is a tough nut to crack, but Celesta is the stunningly sweet heroine who’s determined to break down the walls surrounding his sensitive heart. Their story is warm, witty, and wonderful with plenty of banter, heartfelt emotions, and a delightful turn of events. There’s really Nut-thing better than this fantastic Nutcracker retelling!
I received a free copy of the book.
Once again, Sarah Beran, the master of puns, has created a delightfully magical tale of romance and adventure. It’s grumpy/sunshine at its absolute best! Alexander is a tough nut to crack, but Celesta is the stunningly sweet heroine who’s determined to break down the walls surrounding his sensitive heart. Their story is warm, witty, and wonderful with plenty of banter, heartfelt emotions, and a delightful turn of events. There’s really Nut-thing better than this fantastic Nutcracker retelling!
I received a free copy of the book.
December 19, 2023
I. LOVED. IT. I could probably leave my review like that but there was too much to love about it! Alex is just the best grumpy soldier with a heart so big! Celesta is the brightest sun-shiniest pixie ever. These two go on a journey to stop the Mouse King. They venture through the four realms before it’s too late. I love the music incorporation to this book. These two are so cute together. Their silly banter/teasing and their nutcracker jokes. Just too good! Thank you Author Sarah Beran for an arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 25, 2024
I really enjoyed this novella. It was a fun, easy, and quick read for the Christmas season. The Nutcracker is my favorite Christmas story besides the Nativity. I am always looking for Nutcracker retellings. I was pleasantly surprised by this one.
Picture it: The Nutcracker like we know it, but with faeries, curses, magical worlds, and magic in general. It was so entertaining. Yes, there were some confusing elements to it, but I was still able to follow.
I highly recommend this if you love faerie fantasy novels and the Nutcracker.
Picture it: The Nutcracker like we know it, but with faeries, curses, magical worlds, and magic in general. It was so entertaining. Yes, there were some confusing elements to it, but I was still able to follow.
I highly recommend this if you love faerie fantasy novels and the Nutcracker.
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