A review by pastelwriter
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

I had such a fun, silly little time reading this! It was an excellent read to prepare for the spooky season, and fits even better for the Christmas season! 

First and foremost, I adored Hex with everything in my heart and soul. I’m always here for the emotionally reserved character and over thinker who has to learn to share their thoughts and burdens with others. He was genuinely my favorite character in the novel. I wanted more of him! I would’ve loved to read from his pov 🥺 

Coal, on the other hand, was chaos incarnate. He has 5 million thoughts, and often doesn’t know how to keep them Inside Thoughts. He did really make me laugh multiple times in this story though. And my favorite thing was his name changes to his group chat with Iris and Kris! 😂

Now when we talk Hex and Coal together? The two definitely had chemistry! I was rooting for them almost from the very start because the author built really well the dynamic between them and how they’re being drawn to each other again and again. 

Finally, justice for Iris! I really need a book with her and her potential love interest 😭 It’s criminal how this book made me genuinely root for
a m/f ship (initially I thought both characters were straight), only for then it turn out that the sequel will be about Kris with someone else. I felt like the story truly did hint at it turning out that they’re not end-game…but I’m still SAD. My only compensation will be if we manage to get a book 3 with Iris and a yet unknown love interest.


P.S Truly my one qualm with this book is that I never truly understood if Hex was half Mexican. It felt very…white author trying to talk around it without just saying it straight out? Maybe I misread it…But as a Latina… Most Latine individuals are incredibly proud of their culture and heritage and aren’t afraid to state it straight out. So, it felt muddled here. It wasn’t clear if Hex was or wasn’t half Mexican…or if his family was only in Mexico because Día de Los Muertos is such an important holiday with significant connections to Halloween because of the time of year it takes place.