Recommending Books Based on Holiday Movies 🎄

Hello fellow bookworms 🎄 We’re getting close to the end of the festive Season (x) so today I thought I’d share some recommendations based on holiday movies that I’ve enjoyed! I’m not a big movie person in general, but Christmas movies are the sole exception: I LOVE them so much and – unlike with most movies – can get so invested that time flies by. They are also amazing because they put me in such a festive and bright mood, making these types of movies perfect for me to wind down after a long day. I’d even consider myself a semi-expert at Christmas movies, but I picked out 5 movies with corresponding books that I’d recommend! (Hopefully, there’ll be a part 2 next year, if everything goes according to plan)

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• My Ultimate Christmas Movie Guide 🎄🎅

Me getting excited about Christmas Movies 🎅

If You Liked A Christmas Carol Then You’ll Like The Afterlife of Holly Chase 🎄 

 ➽ I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to compare these two as The Afterlife of Holly Chase is A Christmas Carol retelling that excited me as the classic is among my favorites to read during the holiday season. (The animated version is the best 😊) Both stories follow similar themes due to their close relationship and are therefore a perfect match! Now The Afterlife of Holly Chase does differ from the original piece it was inspired by, which makes it even more fun to read if you love the classic and/or movie adaption! The bookish retelling shows our main character Holly Chase as a ‘failed Scrooge’ aka what would have happened if Ebenezer hadn’t had a change of heart. I found that alternate ending fascinating, especially as her story also focuses on the Scrooge project all about several people trying to give spoilt, selfish people a chance to change. However unlikable Holly and Ebenezer might be, it’s always going to be fun to follow their journeys towards becoming a better person and rooting for them along the way 🥰

If You Liked Elf Then You’ll Like The Hidden Oracle 🎄 

 ➽ Exuding the same humor and charm, Elf and The Hidden Oracle are actually a great fit. Both books always make me want to laugh and have the best, most ridiculous main character! While Buddy in Elf is rather naive and clueless (and of course incredibly loving) when he’s thrust into New York, Apollo is missing his usual godly powers and memory, making him land in a New York dumpster without any idea about what to do now. I love that both main characters are setting out on a quest to find answers (albeit for very different reasons) and yet their journey revolves around a father figure who has abandoned them. The two stories always give me the same vibe (and while Apollo is definitely the selfish one of the two) and are perfect to watch/read after a long day when you want to wind down and have something to make you laugh 💗

If You Liked A Christmas Prince Then You’ll Like Cinder 🎄 

 ➽ A Christmas Prince remains the original Netflix Christmas movie that totally stole my heart, so in a similar fashion I’m matching it up with a book featuring another dreamy prince 😉 Like I said, Cinder also features a lot of royalty and tumultuous times after the death of a king and threats to the kingdom becoming evident. Both Cinder and Amber Moore are hiding parts of themselves that they cannot let the prince know out of fear that he’ll never accept their secret. However, they totally manage to enchant ‘their prince’ and recreate the ultimate story of the commoner falling for the handsome royalty. I love how both stories are really feel good and make you root for the couple despite knowing what each of them is keeping from the other.  In the end, you can see how they’re still a great match, no matter how unexpected their match is 💕 (I also just watched the sequels and they are so wholesome!!)

If You Liked The Princess Switch Then You’ll Like The Princess and The Fangirl 🎄 

 ➽ Quite obviously these are both Princess and the Pauper retellings, so they immediately matched in my mind 😄 (We also need more retellings of lesser-seen stories like this one that aren’t as popular as e.g. Beauty and the Bests retellings!) The Princess Switch isn’t my favorite holiday movie (I couldn’t get behind the logic/reasons for the switch), but it’s definitely fun and has a great, unique setting like The Princess and the Fangirl! While the former is set during a baking competition in a cozy Christmassy town, the book is set during a Starfield convention. I love the sense of adventure of both books and how two very different main characters are switching their life and finding love in the other person’s daily life 💗 Both stories are full of fun, romance and are setting up an ending that’ll satisfy you and show you watch each of the girls has learned from their experience of switching lives! 

If You Liked Home Alone 2 Then You’ll Like Dash & Lily’s 🎄 

 ➽ Not only are both stories set in New York during Christmastime (another big advantage, because I love New York so much and one of my dreams is to visit it during Christmas time when all the decorations are up and it’s just magical) and involve a lot of shenanigans and fun! Lily and Kevin both have big families and are practically left along on Christmas, prompting them to seek out other fun activities as a distraction. While Dash and Lily’s features a romance with the help of notebook that sets dares for the other person to do (and leads to a chase around the city for fun challenges), Home Alone 2 has Kevin encounter two of his old nemesis and setting out to stop them from doing bad. I like the adventure aspect of both stories and how they show so much of New York during wintertime. They are chaotic and yet so much fun to watch/read, though I love Home Alone 2 more than the book 🎄

What is your favorite Christmas movie? What book would go along with it best?🎄