A review by craftyhilary
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Normally I find “x meets y!” blurbs to be inaccurate, but calling this “Red, White & Royal Blue meets The Nightmare Before Christmas” is spot on. 

Imagine, if you will, a world just like ours but in which holidays are run by royalty and Santa is a megalomaniac. He’s a terrible father to his ne'er-do-well heir, Coal (technically Nicholas) and Coal’s ignored younger brother, Kris. Coal and Kris are best friends with Iris, Princess of Easter. 

After a disastrous attempt to spread meaningful joy, Coal has a drunken snog in an alley with someone who turns out, as he learns two years later, to be Hex, a prince of Halloween. Santa wants Coal to marry Iris. But Coal and Hex have explosive chemistry, and Coal is just discovering the depths to which his father will go to ensure Christmas is the most powerful holiday of the year. 

The Nightmare Before Kissmas definitely feels inspired by Red, White & Royal Blue, but with more simplistic politics and higher heat. It’s a little over-dramatic, but it’s a funny and sweet coming of age story about how friendship and love are what spark real joy in a complicated world.