This year Claire Samson doesn’t want to celebrate Christmas. With her grandfather in the hospital and her parents on vacation, the holiday doesn’t hold the same magic for her. Enter the Goblin Express run by Christmas-hating elves who forbid the mention of Christmas and where train passengers escape the festivities. But this year’s journey is a little different. When the man in red attacks the Express, Claire and her fellow Christmas-haters must save the train and all who ride it.

Christmas on the Goblin Express by J. J. Fischer offers a delightful and poignant ride dashed with popular film and fiction references, yet this is no traditional Christmas novel. Anyone who boards this train must prepare for a whimsical and humorous yet sentimental exploration of grief during the holidays. Both tones blend well together for this new twisted tale that is perfect for the Christmas season.

Best for: Young adults and adults who enjoy cozy and comedic fantasy.

Discern: Frank discussions of lament over lost loved ones, mild violence.