The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Holiday

Spotlight on: The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

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Sara Raasch, photo courtesy the author

Show of hands—who’s had a rough couple of years? It’s a mark of just how brutal life’s been that I know your hand went up. Life’s been hard. It’s been cruel. And in the summer of 2022, I’d had it. I was tired of being sad and feeling crushed by the continued crap life heaped on us all. So, I set out to recapture joy by writing a rom-com. A silly, irreverent, whimsical rom-com about how you spend your life chasing nostalgia even when you know those moments will never be quite the same; about not just surviving, but living, and doing that while being unapologetically queer.

― Sara Raasch, Letter to indie booksellers

The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

What booksellers are saying about The Nightmare Before Kissmas

  • This novel was a charming tale about a marriage competition between the princes of Halloween and Christmas over the princess of Easter. The twist — they fall for each other instead of the princess. Filled with themes of family, the meaning of joy, and how love can heal The Nightmare Before Kissmas was an adorably sweet story that is perfect for the upcoming season.
      ― Ashton Ahart, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina | BUY

  • I came for the silly, lighthearted gay romance, and I stayed for the political coup/anti-capitalist take down of holiday consumerism. Not at all what I expected, I had a jolly time reading this book with all its Christmas shenanigans, delightful flirting, and unique take on the commodification of joy during the holidays.
      ― Gray Koesters, Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky | BUY

  • I am obsessed! This is entirely too delightful and it slayed me (sleighed me?)! I need only tell you that the prince of Christmas and the prince of Halloween fall in love. This is a world of holidays with lands and lore, ruling families and political intrigue. Sara Raasch has got me in her pocket and I have never felt more giddy while reading a novel. The holiday highjinks are high key and the foundational friendships had my whole heart.
      ― Michelle Cavalier, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana | BUY

  • Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE a holiday romance. Put together Christmas AND Halloween??? Bliss! Prince Nicolas “Coal” Claus used to love Christmas. But since his dad turned it into a soulless, predatory corporation, he is jaded. He is set up for a fake marriage to the Princess of Easter (his best friend) to seal a business arrangement. After drowning his sorrows, he has a super sexy brief encounter with a mysterious man behind the bar. Later he finds out that that man is the ultra-hot Prince Hex of Halloween. Light and dark magic combine to create super fiery scenes and a deeply satisfying ending!
      ― Kelly Justice, Fountain Books in Richmond, Virginia | BUY

About Sara Raasch

Sara Raasch grew up among the cornfields of Ohio and currently lives in the historical corridor of southeastern Virginia. She is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books for young adults. In her debut adult novel, Raasch offers readers all the joy, irreverent wit, and crackling sexiness of your favorite sweet-as-a candy-cane holiday romp.

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Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake

A Sapphic Christmas second-chance romance — what more do you need to know? Two musicians, one who left the other at the altar, are in a forced proximity situation at Christmas! The dynamic between Charlotte and Brighton is excellent, and I loved how important music was to the story. A perfect holiday book to devour in December.

Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake, (List Price: $19, Berkley, 9780593550595, October 2024)

Reviewed by Amber Brown, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina

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A Stickler Christmas by Lane Smith

There’s always that one book that’s so weird it’s wonderful. If that’s your holiday jam, Stickler will definitely stick with you. And yeah, we all know that one kid who really might just love a really cool stick for Christmas.

A Stickler Christmas by Lane Smith, (List Price: $18.99, Random House Studio, 9780593815281, October 2024)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

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A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli

When she was unexpectedly laid off from her job, the last thing Niki expected was to take a last-minute trip to India for her best friend’s wedding. She finds herself exploring life without obligations for the first time in her life, which works perfectly until she realizes she’s fallen for Sam, a London musician also in town for the same wedding. But as the trip comes to a close, Nikki finds herself realizing Sam may not want the same thing. I love a holiday romance and really like that Lalli shared Nikki’s Diwali journey with us!

A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli, (List Price: $17, Berkley, 9780593100950, October 2021)

Reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina


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All About Us by Tom Ellen

Tom Ellen has written the perfect Christmas novel! All About Us is the cross between It’s a Wonderful Life and Love, Actually that we didn’t know we needed. Ben’s marriage is on rocky ground this holiday season. When his ex Alice reaches out, he can’t help but wonder if he chose the right girl that December years ago. But when a mysterious man sells him a watch with the hands frozen at one minute to midnight, he finds himself on the fateful day where he chose his current wife and left Alice. For many, this year’s holidays are filled with sadness or uncertainty. This novel captures those emotions and shows the hope that lies under the season. After the year we have had, this is a wonderful book to get into the Christmas spirit!

All About Us by Tom Ellen (List Price: $15.99, HQ, 9780008402679, 10/13/2020)

Reviewed by Karyn Cumming, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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