Super fun and nostalgic read as NBC is one of my favorite movies of all time. Recommend for fans of the movie.

Let me start by saying that I LOVED that this retelling was actually a continuation of the original story line! It wasn’t a reimagining of a story we already loved, it was taking the story we love, and adding to it! When I love something, I truly never want to see it end and would always welcome more content of that world but this book really ended up disappointing me.

The overall vibes of creep and spooky vibes Halloween Town just weren’t there. We did see almost every character at least mentioned but I don’t know, something just felt off. The writing style felt VERY middle grade instead of young adult (what the book is supposed to be.)

I did enjoy that we found out more of Sally’s past and got to explore the other doors to different worlds but there was just something so surface level about this book that by the end, I felt very disappointed.

Overall, I’m glad I read it but I definitely expected more from it.

Sally is such a huge part of The Nightmare Before Christmas. She has such a smart head on her shoulders and is one of the only ones to speak out when Jack's plans go to disastrous levels. In this story we see her full realized in a relationship with Jack and facing the challenges of being the Pumpkin Queen. What I enjoyed the most was getting some insight to Sally's thoughts and motivations and desires. A nice read for fans of the story.

I was unfortunately so disappointed in this book. I was so excited to see what came next for Sally, and was really looking forward to how it would be written. Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into the writing style.

I am big fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Jack and Sally's love story - so when I heard that Shea Ernshaw wrote a continuation of Sally's story - and her life as the "Pumpkin Queen" I had to get my hands on it.

I ended up borrowing the audiobook from my local library, and it took me a minute to get into the narration because the narration sounds SO much like Sally from the movie. Sally has a... very distinct voice... so it took a little time to get used to it - but once I did, it really added to the story.

I often find with "continuation" or Disney retellings, they feel very surface or not quite like the original story - but this story felt like it was right back in the Nightmare world. The characters seemed like they do in the movies, the setting was just right, and the plot felt like something Tim Burton would've dreamed up himself.

I am so happy I picked up a hardcover copy of this one, and read it during spooky season. Great for adults and kids alike! 5/5 Stars.

*Ebook copy was gifted via Netgalley & Disney Press - thank you! All opinions are my own.

The nightmare continues in Shea Ernshaw’s “Long Live the Pumpkin Queen.”

After a brief but blissful honeymoon in Valentine’s Town, Jack Skellington and his new bride return home to prepare for Halloween.

But when Sally finds a door to a forgotten ancient realm, she accidentally releases the legendary Sandman to wreak havoc in Halloween Town and beyond.

As the only inhabitant to escape eternal slumber, the fate of Halloween Town and the other realms rests in Sally’s woven hands.

I’m always skeptically optimistic about these Disney press continuations.

In theory, a combined sequel and origin story for everyone’s favourite dreamy-eyed rag doll seems wish fulfillment at its finest.

And sure, “Long Live the Pumpkin Queen” was cute enough.

But the story just didn’t feel honest to the darkly quirky #HalloweenTown #TimBurton introduced us to those thirty years ago.

I really enjoyed this one! It was such a fun read, and I loved getting to revisit Halloweentown! Sally is such a great character and this book delivered!

Since I was a kid, Sally always intrigued me and finally, she gets her book in the spotlight. It enhances the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Jack and Sally are married… but Sally isn’t adjusting well to her new title of Pumpkin Queen. Sally is used to living in the shadows but with Jack comes responsibilities. Sally wanders off and discovers a hidden door to a new town but upon opening it, she accidentally releases a villain upon all of the towns, including the mortal realm. Alone, Sally must embark on a mission to save everyone.

The Pumpkin Queen is a cute continuation of The Nightmare Before Christmas characters we all know and love. This is a story of self discovery, personal growth, and bravery. Ernshaw was true to the original characters but I will say, Sandman wouldn’t have gotten off so easy in the OG story. Tim Burton would’ve Oogie Boogie’d Sandman. Very cute and appropriate for all ages.

As a long time Nightmare Before Christmas fan, I was nervous about how well a sequel or spin off could be done. This book did not disappoint! The premise is wonderful and the entire story is quite satisfying.

This is a book for the fans, that's for sure. I first watched Nightmare Before Christmas when I was quite young (probably 5 or 6), and fell in love with it. I watched it over and over again, and still do. I know all the words to the songs, and probably all the dialogue, too. I was Sally for Halloween for a couple years. This world my world. So I may have higher standards for an "official" sequel to the movie.
One sentence wrap-up: It was a bumpy start, but the ending made it all worth it. The further exploration of the remaining holiday doors was a must; and while that dragged on for a bit, it ultimately helped to make the final destination that much more important. Sally, who was always timid, truly comes into her own with the courage to save herself, her new husband, and essentially the entire world. Recommended for fans of the movie. If you've never seen it, it might be very confusing.

One of my all time favorite movies as a kid was The Nightmare Before Christmas. I could seriously watch it every day. We still watch the movie during spooky season and all my kiddos love it.

When I saw that there was going to be a sequel written by @sheaernshaw I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!!! I was so happy to get approved for an eARC of this!

This book takes place after Jack and Sally are married. After traveling to Valentines town for their honeymoon Sally struggles with not being a good enough queen to Halloween town. She feels like she does’t fit in with everyone there and isn’t liked by the people that much.

While exploring the forest with Zero, they discover a doorway to Dream Town and unleash an evil that is almost impossible to defeat. When she only has to rely on herself, because everyone else is unavailable, Sally will find out how strong she really is. She might also find out some truths about herself that wouldn’t have been uncovered otherwise.

I thought Shea did an amazing job with continuing this story. She brought these characters back to life and showed us a different side of them all! I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put it down.

If you are a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas or of Shea Ernshaw, I recommend this book to you! I gave it ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️💫

One of my favorite movies was The Nightmare Before Christmas and Shea Ernshaw did an amazing job with Long Live the Pumpkin Queen.

Sally has a special place in my heart as we share a name and any story told with her as the main character is amazing and I can't wait to read it. This book did not miss. Keeping true to the style of NBC and Ernshaw's books, It was fast paced, gripping, and wonderfully worded.

Sally is a shy character who marries the most extroverted person in Halloween Town. I do feel like there where times that Sally was OOC, but the fact we got an origin story about Sally is amazing. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to my Book Clubs!

As a huge Nightmare Before Christmas fan, this was such a fun way to get more of Sally and the story, while exploring other towns!

Overall, this book was a really captivating read! At times the pacing felt a tad slow, but overall a lovely story to complement my love of the original move! Shea Ernshaw's writing is absolutely stunning!

Shea Ernshaw is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I love the Nightmare Before Christmas and loved this book. The writing is fantastic and the characters really make the story feel real.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for providing a copy of this eARC for review.

This was a quick read. The lyrical writing style of the author was exactly what I expected, having read other works by the same. I love the writing style, and it’s almost like the book version of a stroll through a garden that blooms at night.

I was never much of a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas, but I very much enjoyed this story. Sally was a delightful character and her worries and insecurities were so relatable.

This was a really adorable read, very easy to get through. A bit on the predictable side but I don't think that necessarily means its a negative aspect. As I read it, I could have sworn it was sorted as a YA book but the story felt much more middle-grade level, simply because of the ease of reading and the subject on hand. I'd recommend it for a light-hearted read that, I suppose, isn't supposed to be exactly light-hearted because things go wrong for Sally after her marriage to Jack and she has to save Halloweentown all by herself.. The audiobook's narrator was also really good with the voices of various characters, I felt like I was listening to the voices from the actual movie!

I really enjoyed this book. I also highly recommend the audiobook. The narrator does a fantastic job and sounds so much like Sally. It truly feels like a sequel and brought the story back to life. The plot, the setting, the characters, everything was just perfect and this was a great story to read around Halloween, especially. If you love The Nightmare Before Christmas, I definitely recommend giving this one a try.

This book was received as an ARC from Disney Press through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorite movies of all time, but I could not help but wonder what happened to Jack and Sally after the movie? Long Live the Pumpkin Queen is the answer to that question. Many questions were answered in this book. Sally feeling empty after her marriage to Jack, desire to find where she came from, meeting her birth parents, finding out she was taken, and uncovering the schemes of the Sandman that could put Halloweentown at risk. Secrets were unveiled, and a shocking climax that literally made me fall off my seat are a few of the elements that made Long Live the Pumpkin Queen a spectacular read.

A remarkable read that fans of the Nightmare Before Christmas were waiting for. This book deserves 5 stars.