The Nightmare Before Christmas

Holiday Edition | Books Meet Movies

- Bunny Leave a comment

Hi Friends,
Happy Bookmas Day Eighteen! Today we’re doing something really fun—well, fun in my opinion—talking about movies and books, but with a holiday twist! Of course, there are tons of movie adaptations of books we know and love. However, there are also quite a few books, especially holiday-themed ones, that remind me of certain movies. So, I’m here to share some Christmassy novels that bring to mind some of my favorite holiday films.

Borrowed Hearts / Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey
A lot of people might not remember Borrowed Hearts, but it was a staple in my house growing up. In the movie, a very wealthy man enlists one of his employees and her daughter to essentially “play house” with him for the holidays—for business purposes.

While the book Faking Christmas doesn’t have the exact same plot, there are definitely some similarities. The main character lies to her boss, claiming she owns her family farm. He also believes she has a husband and kids. When he somewhat invites himself over for Christmas dinner, she has to pretend the farm is hers (it’s actually her sister’s) and that she’s married with children. To pull off this charade, she pretends her nemesis is her husband and takes on the role of mother to her sister’s kids.

Both the movie and the book share a similar theme, but Faking Christmas leans more into romcom territory.

The Holiday / I’ll Be Gone for Christmas by Georgia K. Boone
The Holiday is probably one of the most popular Christmas romance movies released. I personally think it’s much more than just a romance—it’s also about self-discovery and realizing we can (and should) be the main characters of our own lives.

The book I’ll Be Gone for Christmas is a fun, holiday-inspired romcom. In this story, two women, Bee and Clover, swap places over the holidays. Obviously, there’s romance as Clover is drawn to Bee’s sister, while Bee begins to fall for Clover’s ex-fiancé. “It sounds like a messy, delightful romance that I hope will give me the same feelings as The Holiday!

The Nightmare Before Christmas / The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch
The Nightmare Before Kissmas is described as a reimagining of The Nightmare Before Christmas. While I didn’t fully get those vibes, I can see why others might.

This is an MM romance with a twist: the Prince of Halloween falls in love with the Prince of Christmas. I loved the world-building, and I have to say the Prince of Halloween was definitely pretty similar to the Halloween King we know and love, Jack Skellington. If you’re a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas (which is a Christmas movie, by the way!), you might want to give this one a try.
Related Post: The Nightmare Before Kissmas | Book Review

In the comments, let me know if you’ve read any other books that remind you of your favorite holiday films! If you want to stay up-to-date with me, follow me on Instagram. And don’t forget to like this post and follow the blog.

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny

Long Live The Pumpkin Queen | Book Review

- Bunny 3 Comments

About The Book
Nightmare Before Christmas fans rejoice! Long Live the Pumpkin Queen picks up where the beloved film left off, with Sally in her new role as the Queen of Halloween Town. This delightful return to The Nightmare Before Christmas universe is sure to appeal to fans old and new.

My Rating

If you are a lover of ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’, but have been dying for another story with these characters, then this book is for you. This time around, we follow Sally as she struggles to come to terms with her new role as the Pumpkin Queen.

It was interesting getting to know Sally a bit more. All we learned about her in the movie was that she was in with love with Jack, and created by the Professor. However, through this story, we discover, along with Sally herself, that she is strong, smart, and not simply a creation.

I don’t want spoil too much, but Sally’s discovery of something life changing was kind of cheesy in my opinion. The author literally flips the script on Sally’s whole backstory. So, it takes retelling to the max.

All I can say is that love and family are very important aspects in this story. I liked that the author showed that family is more than blood. Sally, despite her life before Jack, loved her home of Halloweentown. She would do anything for the monsters that lived there.

“I am now Sally Skellington. The Pumpkin Queen. And I’m certain I will never again be as happy as I am right now.”

The book takes our rag doll protagonist on a journey of self discovery, and I liked seeing her come into her own. She makes a great Pumpkin Queen. Also, the addition of the Sandman as an evil character was a nice touch. Especially since the Sandman is such an interesting fantasy character.

The other characters in the book were great! Jack and Zero were so similar to their movie counterparts. Shea Ernshaw captured the essence of Tim Burton’s film perfectly.

Overall, the book isn’t amazing, and something felt kind of ridiculous, yet I loved it! Honestly, if you have any love for ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’, you need this book on your TBR. I would 100% recommend the audiobook, because the voices are nearly identical to the ones in the movie. It takes the reading experience to the next level.

In the comments, let me know your favorite Tim Burton film! Mine has to either be ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ or ‘Corpse Bride’. Don’t forget to follow my blog if you like bookish posts!

Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny