5 Fandom Friday (26)

(New Graphic by Darling Stewie)

5 Fandom Friday is a geek-blogger community building project started and hosted by The Nerdy Girlie and SuperSpaceChick. Every Friday, post a top 5 list based on a predetermined topic that can be found on this master post - you can also find more info on the project there. Participate as frequently or infrequently as you like, and if a topic doesn't especially appeal to you, feel free to put your own twist on it.

Also, tweet at @superspacechick or @thenerdygirlie on Friday with your post (and they'll RT) and use the #Fandom5 hashtag so we can all connect!


This week's theme: Holiday Recommendations

I took a flexible interpretation of recommendations, so since I'm a book and movie lover, I'll go with movie + book pairings. These aren't necessarily holiday-themed; they're just things I like that would be nice for a cozy day in.


1) Love Actually + My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories


Love Actually is a modern Christmas classic - the perfect movie for laughs and feels told through a series of interconnected characters' stories. What better book to pair it with than Stephanie Perkins anthology of holiday stories, My True Love Gave to Me, told by some of the best YA Contemporary writers today?


2) Phantom of the Opera + Of Metal and Wishes


The Phantom of the Opera in movie form brings the music, drama, and opulence of the Broadway staple to the comfort of your living room. Can't get enough Phantom? Curl up with Of Metal and Wishes, Sarah Fine's retelling of the tale set in a meat factory in a Chinese-based fantasy world. Throw in a dash of steampunk and Upton Sinclair's The Jungle for an inventive twist.


3) Elf + Holidays on Ice


If the hijinks and heart of Elf leave you wanting more, pick up David Sedaris' laugh-out-loud Holidays on Ice, which collects a bunch of his holiday-related personal essays. This includes his experience as a Macy's elf, which goes nicely paired with this movie. Another fun movie connection? David's sister and fellow funny-person Amy Sedaris is in Elf.


4) Seabiscuit + The Scorpio Races


The holiday season is also the time of the uplifting drama and possible Oscar contender flick. While Seabiscuit wasn't a holiday release back when it was new, it does fit those descriptions. It is also seriously one of my favorite movies (and the book is a fave too), and the little horse that could is a local hero. Set during the Great Depression, it's the story of 3 broken men and one unlikely horse that will give you all the feels.

Given The Scorpio Races decidedly magic-real premise - the book centers around a famous race on a fictional island where they ride killer horses from the sea (based on kelpies of faerie lore) - it seems a little odd to pair with Seabiscuit. But they have a lot in common! The central relationships are about the 2 main characters desires to change their lives and their love for the island and their horses (mystical sea-creature and not), and their story feels as real as fictional as the premise sounds. Not to mention, this book is also a bestseller, an award-winner, and one of my all time favorites.


5) Beauty & the Beast (or Frozen) + A Court of Thorns and Roses


How can I talk about the holidays without a little Disney magic? I always thought Beauty and the Beast had a wintery vibe, and I think Frozen is self-explanatory.

But if you want something just as magical but with a little more bite, try Sarah J. Maas' first non-YA book, A Court of Thorns and Roses, which is a mixed up retelling of the Beauty & The Beast and Tamlin fairy tales. There's curses and magic, fierce family devotion, and steamy romance. To quote Disney's Belle, it has "Far off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!" But it's definitely not rated Disney PG.


Bonus:

And obviously, you should watch Harry Potter and the LOTR trilogy because those are permanently linked to the holiday season in my mind. And Star Wars just because. ;)

Enjoy!


P.S. There's also a 5 Fandom Friday photo challenge this month! Join in!