Young Llama Thoughts
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Adventurous
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Christian Friendly
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Easy Reading
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Humerous
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Youth Appropriate
Overall
Review
I LOVE THIS BOOK! And yes, I am aware it is not Christmas, but it is officially a month after December 25th so… Merry Christmas everybody! Enjoy a great novel about the holidays!!!!
This book is about Claire Samson, a young women who is trying to decide what to do with her life. With her grandpa dying, her family away for the holidays and her doctor calling feeling more like a curse; Claire feels like she can’t survive this Christmas. So when a train pulls in front of her full of elves, goblins and magic, she gets on and tries not to look back. But the Goblin Express seems to be pushing her towards Christmas instead of taking her away from it. And when it is endangered, it’s up to Claire and her new friends to save Christmas!
This novel was awesome!!!!! I love a good Christmas novel, but this book exceeded all my expectations!!! I loved it soooo much. The magic was super interesting, filled with stories and lore from across the world. I loved the characters soooo much!!!! This book is a wonderful Christmas masterpiece and one girls 13 and up would love. (It also has a Christian message!!!)
Now there is mention of dark topics in the book. Mention of losing family members, some talk about grief and such. Plus there is magic that steals your memories and joy. Plus witches and evil Christmas henchmen who are trying to take over the train. But honestly, the magic is super clean. Nothing voo-dooy or creepy.
Overall, this is a wonderful read and one I TOTALLY suggest!!! If you are still in the Christmas spirit, then I think this would be a great read for you. Merry Christmas everyone!!!! -The Young Llama Reader.
Pros
- A wonderful book about finding the true hope of Christmas!!!
- Clean for teens 13 and up!
- Cute, romantic and funny!!!!
Cons
- Some mention of losing loved ones.
For Claire Samson, the only way to survive Christmas this year is to escape it.
High-achieving Australian medical student Claire Samson has struggled to enjoy Christmas in recent years, but this is the first Christmas she will be all alone, with her parents overseas and her grandfather in a coma. Claire is desperate to quit med school, but medicine was Grandpa’s dream for her, and her rural hometown desperately needs more doctors—doctors which could have changed her grandfather’s prognosis.
Just when Claire thinks Christmas will be unbearable, a steam train straight out of Platform 9 ¾ appears . . . a train invisible to all but Claire. It’s the Goblin Express, run by Christmas-hating elves and full of washed-up souls from hundreds of worlds who come aboard to escape the holidays. As it turns out, humans aren’t the only species who can loathe their festive seasons.
Upon boarding, Claire befriends several of her fellow travelers, including a mysterious hooded figure who totally gives her Strider vibes and may or may not actually be a night elf. But when the Goblin Express comes under attack, Claire and her new group of mismatched friends must band together to save the train . . . and maybe even find a little bit of Christmas spirit in the process.
