As a lifelong fan of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, who has a house decked out in Jack and Sally merchandise, I was thrilled beyond words to receive a copy of this to review! And just as I suspected it did not disappoint!


Long Live the Pumpkin Queen! After the most perfect couple in cartoon history are married they are now Jack and Sally Skellington. Sally is thrust into the role of pumpkin queen! A role she was unprepared for. Seeking silence and a place to be alone she runs for the Hinterland where she finds a mysterious hidden door. She accidentally releases an ancient being who puts everyone everywhere to sleep. Her only hope to go into the door to find out where this being came from to find out how to stop him. Sally finds more than she bargains for learning a lot about herself in the process.
Fans of The Nightmare Before Christmas should absolutely pick this book up and give it a chance! Shea Ernshaw did an amazing job telling Sally's story and bringing these beloved characters to life.

I had a hard time putting this book down. The story starts on a happy note as we see a dream come true for Sally. Shortly after she finds her new role comes with a bunch of duties, and she isn’t sure she is ready to handle them all. Once night she finds a new mysterious door and ends up releasing a powerful being. Slowly this creature begins putting everyone to sleep in all the different towns, and Sally has no idea how to stop it. To find answers she enters this new door and learns some shocking truths about herself. As this book comes to a close life for Sally and Jack will never be the same.

Long Live the Pumpkin Queen Review
Rating 4/5
“You are the Pumpkin Queen, Sally. You can do whatever you want.”
We have waited 30 years to hear what happens to Sally after her and Jack fell in love and got married. Let me tell you this @sheaernshaw did not disappoint in way, shape, or form when it came to this book. I remember watching The Nightmare Before Christmas on repeat as a kid because it was my sister’s favorite movie, and this book picks up right where the movie left off. Now that Sally is The Pumpkin Queen, all she wants is a life with Jack and is overwhelmed with the responsibilities that come with it. I mean who could blame her right?!? I mean one day you are watching the person you love make Christmas plans, helping him save Sandy Claws and the next day you are Queen, it’s a bit much for any person. Despite the pressures of being queen, Sally and Jack are truly meant to be, aren’t they??
I love the world building and the backstory that Sally was given. The cast of characters were described so perfectly that you felt like you where there with Sally and going through the motions with her. I would love to see Shea write another book exploring Halloween Town when or if Sally and Jack have children. If you love The Nightmare Before Christmas obviously add this to your collection.

This was a really intricate and somewhat foreboding story that sucked me right in. The world of The Nightmare Before Christmas means so much to me having been the movie I was obsessed with as a child. And this really felt like it was a part of that. The FEELING was there.

I didn’t know I needed this until I was in the middle of it and it elicited such a nostalgic feeling. The story was wonderful and kept me guessing. Sally was the focus in this and I felt so strongly for her insecurities as the Pumpkin Queen. Ultimately, there was nothing she wouldn’t do for her King and Halloween Town.

As a long time fan of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas and the movie part of my yearly tradition I went into this book on title mostly. I was pleasantly surprised by the story that unfolded since I often wondered if there was Santa and the Easter Bunny where there more doors to others like the Tooth-fairy, Sandman, and others that don’t typically have set holidays. This was a beautiful love letter to fan of the original story while expanding on the universe. I’m probably one of the few that from the moment seeing Sally felt a familiarity to myself and I didn’t think it was possible to feel any closer to her then after reading this book. This is certainly one that I will be getting a physical copy of for my shelf. Sally has always been on of my favourites because while she is sure in herself she feels that others around her might see otherwise which is how I feel most days. Thank you for giving a story to our Sally that makes her come to life even more and also makes her the hero of her own story.

While not from the mind of Tim Burton himself, the book does the world that he has built a lovely fan expansion that holds the same spirit and respect in my opinion.

Long Live The Pumpkin Queen is Sally’s much-anticipated story following on from the classic Tim Burton film, The Nightmare Before Christmas.

I had high hopes for this book and they were met; nay, exceeded. Author Shea Ernshaw does a caring and clever job of weaving renowned Burton magic through her own story. Fans will delight in spending more time with NBC’s rag doll darling, Sally (and Jack’s beloved ghost pup, Zero!), in her quest to navigate her new role and save Halloween Town.

Ernshaw does an exceptional job capturing Sally’s voice and is consistent in building on Burton’s beloved original character. It wouldn’t be Sally’s story without references to fabric, seams and dead leaves, as well as her cunning potion concoctions. In addition to her physical composition and resourcefulness, readers are wholly reunited with the Sally they know and love – a young rag doll who continues to follow her heart and intuition despite encountering so many obstacles. The obstacles mount in this new adventure story as an initially timid and shy Sally learns to believe in herself and step into her full potential while maintaining the sweet, selfless and determined nature that she has possessed all along. Written in first person, Sally shares her intimate thoughts, hopes and fears about her new role, what is expected of her, and where she feels she fits in – or doesn’t fit in – to this new life.

Some great character reflections peppered throughout this book are captured in the below quotes:

“…[T]here is nothing quite so wasted as a life unlived. And I intend to live mine. Fully. Unbound by the rules of others. Queen or not, we all deserve these things. Freedom. Hope. A chance to find out who we really are.”

“Sometimes a home is a town, a house with four walls. Other times, it’s two hollow eyes in a skull, a skeleton without a heartbeat. It’s here… in Jack’s arms.”

“I feel suddenly awake and alive, a woman who isn’t simply a rag doll, but a ruler who has traveled to all the realms, even the human world, to set things right. Who feels a spark, a wrath growing inside her.”

Readers get a sequel and an origin story in Long Live The Pumpkin Queen. I had no idea what sort of adventure to expect but was enthralled every step of the way. While basking in a deeper dose of Sally, fans visit not only Halloween Town, but other exciting and unusual realms too, including Valentine’s Town, St. Patrick’s Town, Thanksgiving Town, Easter Town and Dream Town. The realms are explored in a fun-loving way while also contributing to moving the story forward.

Jack gets a much smaller role in this story than in The Nightmare Before Christmas which is to be expected and he is perfectly positioned to be the supportive skeleton husband he was destined to be. Most of the Halloween Town gang also make an appearance – Lock, Shock and Barrel, The Mayor, Dr. Finkelstein, The Vampire Prince, the Witch Sisters – and Zero gets a welcome starring role. New characters like Ruby Valentine, Queen of Valentine’s Town, are also great fun and importantly shape Sally’s story and character development. Ernshaw’s characters made me long for this story to become a film so fans can see the new characters “Burtonized” in the iconic macabre claymation style alongside the classics.

Long Live The Pumpkin Queen is a worthy, exciting and charming addition to The Nightmare Before Christmas universe. The story and characters – like Sally’s seams – are threaded together beautifully, coming apart and back together in all the right places.

This was an interesting read. It was interesting to read how the other holiday towns might be depicted. I really enjoyed the concept of the ancient realms, with Dream Town and the Sandman being the main features. Though I'm not really sold on the idea that Sally is from Drown Town, that plot line I had a hard time getting into even though I knew it was essential to the plot resolution. Also, Sally and Jack's relationship was a little weird as well, can't quite put my finger on why though. They did a good job targeting it towards a YA audience, the pacing of the story was good and it held my attention. The Sandman plotline did a good job tying in with the concept of the original movie.

Are Jack and Sally truly meant to be?
Now the official Pumpkin Queen, Sally Skellington is having doubts. Sally loves Jack with all her seams, but she can't say the same for being Queen of Halloween Town. Now that Sally's free from Dr. Finkelstein, she has a lot more freedom; However, being Queen comes with a lot of responsibility. Thrown into the spotlight with endless duties, Sally wonders if she traded one cage for another. While traveling with Zero in the forest Hinterlands, she comes across a hidden door to an ancient realm called Dream Town. This discovery leads Sally to unknowingly set off a chain of events that will put her position as Queen, and the people of Halloween Town, in grave danger. Can Sally save herself and everyone she knows and loves? Or will Halloween Town never be the same again?
I absolutely loved this book and can't say it enough! I've never read anything by Shea Ernshaw before, but this has put her on my radar. I couldn't get enough of Sally's journey, only putting this book down when I absolutely had to. This book is filled with creativity, adventure, and surprises! I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator, Cissy Jones, did a phenomenal job portraying Sally. I felt like she sounded just like her! Even if you aren't the biggest fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas, still give this a try. I don't dislike that movie, but it also isn't one I rush to put on and I LOVED this book. I would love to see another novel created, continuing the stories of all the different holiday towns. If you're a Disney fan, add this to your TBR ASAP!
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and Edelweiss+. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I am a HUGE fan of Nightmare Before Christmas, it's one of my favorite movies. I really enjoyed this from Sally's perspective and reading more about how she became the Pumpkin Queen along with the responsibilities that come with the title.

I am a millennial who absolutely loves everything horror and spooky, and I remember seeing Nightmare Before Christmas at the movies in 1993. I would go on to watch the movie constantly. As we've seen a resurgence in these older, fan favorite cult films, I'm not surprised Disney decided to capitalize upon Nightmare. I was even pleasantly surprised to enjoy the Hocus Pocus sequel, so I hoped this one would meet expectations again. I'll begin with what I liked. The cover is beautiful, any Sally fan will rejoice in seeing her as the Queen that she has become. The "action" part of the story is cool- loved the idea of exploring all the holiday realms, and the Sandman world was an interesting angle, and original. What I didn't like about this book is how the comedic horror elements captured in the film (which make up 75% of the content) are totally lost in this. This book reads like a Twilight fan fiction. The beginning of the book with Jack and Sally on their honeymoon having intimate moments is just too cringe-worthy, from the descriptions to the the internal dialogue between the characters. The stolen baby element from the ragdoll family and Dr. Finklestein going from creator to kidnapper was just too much. In the original film, Sally was meant to be Finklestein's partner and not daughter, I always thought, so this gave another element of uncomfortableness. I am really not dissing on Shea Ernshaw's work necessarily because I don't know if this book was completely her idea, or Disney's and I have enjoyed other works by her. But, it just feels like Disney is trying to prey on teens whose parents were Nightmare fans. I think if this book had dialed back the romance angle, and dropped the rag doll parents story, they could have had so much more in Sally searching the other realms for help against the Sandman. We could have met other characters just as comical as Oogie Boogie (which it would have been great to see a return of Oogie in some way.) All in all, I like that we are drawing attention to Tim Burton's penultimate work, but I think the execution of this was sloppy and not anything of substance a real Nightmare fan would appreciate.

This is where I put my confession?

I never watched The Nightmare Before Christmas, but when I saw this book, I decided it was time. So I did what any good librarian would do- I read the picture book, the manga, watched the movie, and then settled in to read this book. While the same holds true for the movie as others that I didn't watch as a child to earn my badge, I can get behind why it's a cult classic and why its beloved, however I will not be one of those people because I didn't watch it when I needed to developmentally. However, I can tell you that in one week's time I picked up on the vibe of Burton's work and inspirations for the other bookish treats that reading Ernshaw's book is delightfully on point. The overwhelming whimsy of Halloween Town as well as the other towns through the tree portals are as present as the characters in each of them and certainly the characterization of Sally Skellington, now the Pumpkin Queen after marrying Jack.

It's a delightful read especially coming up on fall, but I like the inclusion of her backstory as part of the conflict of this story. It had all of the trappings of the original inspiration.

3.25 stars

Sally Skellington is the new Pumpkin Queen working alongside her new love Jack. Only Sally doesn’t feel comfortable being thrust into this new role, and begins to doubt everything. When Halloween Town is in peril will Sally be strong enough to rise to the occasion, or will she turn her back on all she’s come to love?

OMG ya’ll this little book was so cute. It felt like Ernshaw dove into my head to give me all of the things I’ve always wished to see beyond Halloween Town. I loved the other places we got to visit!! Her writing is so beautiful and atmospheric, I felt like I was right there with Sally.

I will say Sally’s negativity and self-deprecation was really drawn out for me, however it does pay off at the end.

This story wasn’t one that will stay will me forever, but I think it was a fun little glimpse into Sally’s backstory. I definitely would not be mad if Disney made this into a little short movie (with songs of course).

*Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

I was really excited/nervous for a book in the Nightmare Before Christmas realm because it is one of my favorite films. Unfortunately, this book didn't do it for me in terms of lining up with my feelings on the movie.

The plot itself was fine and moved at a good pace. The book reads like a middle grade novel, which is great for younger readers who enjoy the movie and are looking for something engaging. I did find the descriptions to be over the top and excessive, so some sections felt like all descriptions and no actual plot. But overall, it had a good beginning, middle, and end.

As a super fan of the movie, I took issues with the characters and storyline. Sally was portrayed as meek and nervous, where as in the movie she was drugging Dr. Finkelstein to escape, was the only character with any common sense about how bad of an idea it was to steal Christmas, and ventured into Oogie Boogie's dungeon alone to save Sandy Claws. The personality differences between these two Sally's just didn't match up.
There was also a continuity error in the beginning when Sally is talking to Ruby Valentine. Jack tells Ruby that he doesn't know who Shakespeare is, but in the movie Jack sings, "and since I am dead I can take off my head to recite Shakespearean quotation" in the song, Jack's Lament. So, he does know Shakespeare.
Finally, I did not like Sally's backstory. I felt like it was a weird and unnecessary choice to go that direction.

Overall, I would recommend this book to tweens/teens who like the movie, but I would warn super fans (like myself) that it may not be for them.

I didn’t know I needed a sequel to the Nightmare Before Christmas until I did! This was my first book by Ernshaw and it took a second to get my bearing with her style of writing and Sally’s narration. Once I was in though I was in. I was completely enthralled with this story. The writing is beautiful and lyrical. I loved Sally’s inner monologues and found her to be authentic to the Sally I knew and loved as a child. I found her uncertainty and anxiousness to be extremely enduring and relatable. I loved that she gets some closure on her past and some affirmation in who she is as a person. The plot was so much fun, I absolutely adore the new characters. The adventure solid and sucks you right in. The world building is everything I wanted it to be, finally I get to see what’s inside all those trees in the forest! And that ending! Is it too much to hope there will be another ?

Jack and Sally are finally married and ready to begin their horrible ever after, this should be the stuff of dreams... or nightmares?
Listen, I'm a goth kid at heart, Nightmare Before Christmas was a defining moment of my youth. Jack and Sally are the ultimate goth love story, and yet... this was... okay?
I found myself very annoyed at Sally's narrative, she was complaining about parts of being queen that she hadn't even experienced yet. Continuously claiming she didn't know what she was getting into when marrying Jack but then making assumptions about what is yet to come. She was queen for all of 3 seconds before she fled.
I think I wanted more of an exploration of Halloweentown rather than a full blown adventure where Sally has to save the day. The book is written well, but the characters weren't what I was hoping for and the story itself wasn't for me.

binge read this book and enjoyed it for the most part. The imagery that encompasses the nightmare before Christmas was there however the execution for the story as a whole was not the greatest. There were some descriptions that really didn't fit and threw off the experience. Skeletons don't have eyelids and ragdolls don't have teeth idk

Past the glowing pumpkins, haunted cemeteries, and ghostly manors in Halloween Town, a hidden grove of trees uncovers a magical doorway to a new land, but what happens when the door is opened? Will it bring trouble or answers to long-written puzzles?

Our story follows Sally, the newly minted Pumpkin Queen, after the events of The Nightmare Before Christmas as she struggles with her new role in town and her insecurities with herself and her conflicting past.

Ernshaw crafted together a bewitching novel full of hidden secrets and self-discovery. I loved seeing all the classic characters from the beloved original story (especially Zero, he was so cute!) back again on a new journey. The addition of all the other holidays and their little towns was SO exciting and clever. I loved learning about each one (and would definitely want to visit).

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the eerie and ominous tone Ernshaw wove into the novel. It added that touch of an autumnal, Halloween ambiance that just speaks to my fall-loving soul! Although, I wished that the spooky element was pushed more, where it was more of a haunting and bone-chilling YA addition than a light and fun book.

Overall, if you want a festive and quick read to jump-start your fall reading season or are a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas, definitely keep this read in mind!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

What a delight! Shea Ernshaw has masterfully crafted a tale that balances the fantastical with the realistic, perfectly capturing the tone of Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" throughout Sally's journey. Readers of all ages will enjoy what feels like a coming-of-age story for the newly-married Sally Skellington as she struggles with uncertainty while trying to figure out who she truly is and--more importantly, who she wants to be--as the Pumpkin Queen of Halloween Town. By giving Sally agency and her own voice, we get a fresh view on familiar characters as Ernshaw further develops Burton's lore while simulaneously exploring a very human, resonant thematic element: how do you figure out who you want to be when torn between the past and future? And do you just have to choose one path, or can you be multiple things at once?

The story picks up almost immediately after the movie as we see Sally get married and go on her honeymoon to Valentine's Town. While she's thrilled that she finally gets to spend the rest of her life by Jack's side--a place she is certain she belongs--she feels out of place as the newly-crowned "Pumpkin Queen" and as if the residents of Halloween Town want her to be something that she is not. When she accidentally opens the door to a long-forgotten realm, Dream Town, and unleashes the Sandman upon not just her world, but all of the holiday realms, Sally must figure out a way to remedy a disaster of her own creation. With (almost!) everyone asleep, Sally must learn to trust herself as she takes steps to become "the heroine of her own story," even when unexpectedly confronted with her past.

Throughout the book, Ernshaw consistently does a wonderful job of developing the other holiday realms in a delightfully fun and Burton-esque way, but the heart of the story is Sally's very human emotional journey of figuring out who she wants to be. By starting off the book as a ragdoll who questions her own decisions and future, watching her confidence grow throughout her journey (while at the same time doubting herself at moments) was not only relatable, but also grounded the fantastical elements of the story with a realistic theme. By pulling in these human emotions to a magical setting, it made the established characters increasingly multifaceted and the new characters fit in seamlessly with the story. There were so many details I loved, including the little affectionate moments with Jack, the references to historical figures, the descriptions of the other holiday realms (I never thought Thanksgiving Town was a place I'd want to visit, but now I do!), and Zero being a wonderful companion to Sally. Overall, LONG LIVE THE PUMPKIN QUEEN was such a fun read that adds a whole new thematic layer to "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and something that fans of all ages will both relate to and enjoy!

🎃BOOK REVIEW🎃

Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw
Release Date: August 2, 2022

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

It’s official. Sally is now Sally Skellington, Queen of Halloweentown. Marrying Jack is all she ever wanted, to be with her one true love. What she didn’t want was what comes with being Queen. Feeling overwhelmed with her new queenly duties, Sally runs off in to the Hinterlands with Zero to try to gain some perspective. In her trip out to the holiday trees, she and Zero come across an ancient tree, with a door not seen in many many years. The shape of the crescent moon, this doorway leads to Dream Town; a long lost town left to live only in legends. Once the door is opened, Sally is spooked and runs away, only to come back and find everyone in Halloweentown fast asleep. Sally has unleashed an ancient creature, and she seems to be the only one in any of the holiday towns awake. It is up to her to save her world. This new Pumpkin Queen, full of fear and doubt, has to face the past to save her future.

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

I will say this now and I will say this loud: DO NOT EXPECT THIS BOOK TO BE A RETELLING OF THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. IT IS NOT. It is a wholly new story, based around Sally. And I loved it. Nightmare has been one of my favorite movies since I was a kid and I really enjoyed getting this story, Sally’s story, told in this way. It is a really cool story, with a totally different story line. Overall it is a really fun read. You get to meet people and creatures from all over the holidays and see Sally interact with the human world this time. It was a really creative way to tie in another story from when we were kids, in to a really beloved Disney classic. If you walk in to this book thinking it is going to be the movie in book form, you will be greatly disappointed. However, if you walk in to it with an open mind and honestly no expectations, I believe you will really enjoy it.

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

✨Thank you @netgalley for the opportunity to read this before it is published!!✨

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Thanks to NetGalley & Disney for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Fans of the Nightmare Before Christmas will enjoy this book for the chance to revisit familiar character & settings, but I think the real gift this book offers is a fuller story for Sally, the newly crowned Pumpkin Queen. Readers get the opportunity to explore a beloved character's past as the move through a story that is part nightmare, romance, and retelling of legends/fairy tales. While the beginning of the book moves slowly, revisiting Halloween Town and its residents, once Sally starts to untangle the threads of her own story & and finds that the fate of Halloween Town (and all the other towns!) rests on her, the plot moves swiftly through revelations and twists to a lovely conclusion!