Book

The plot line of the Jubilee Express varies a lot from how the movie perceived it.

In the book, the main character Jubilee’s parents get jailed for being part of the Flobbie Five who fought over the elf figurines, so she takes this train—-the express—-to stay with her Grandparents. But naturally, the train gets stuck because, heck, it’s the winter. On this train, she meets this guy named Jeb who’s trying to rush to see his “girlfriend” Addy, but he doesn’t have cell reception so he’s all hung up about that.

Jubilee also doesn’t have cell reception and she doesn’t want to stay on the train with all those screaming cheerleaders, so she leaves and goes to the cafe nearby where she meets Stuart .

That’s her love interest in this book and they really get to know each other with their cute talking banter. Because she has no where to go on Christmas, Stuart lets her stay at his house with the mom and the sister.

Can we just talk about the mom for a second because I absolutely LOVE her. She’s soooo funny. When Stuart and Jubilee were up in his room and she was walking by, the mom was like, “They’re busy,” and walks the other way. Most parents would interrupt, but she was standing her son and Jubilee to be together.

And I was so happy for Stuart because he was in a relationship for a long time and he finally found happiness again with none other than the girl named after happiness herself.

Movie

I didn’t know Isabella Merced’s character name until I read the book again because when I watched the movie, I didn’t catch her name.

The movie doesn’t have her parents jailed, but rather this whole plot line of Julie’s mom who lives with an illness and Julie wanted to get her the one thing that meant the most to her: a Flobbie elf. I thought that it was a cute ode to at least include the Flobbie aspect in the film because it was a big part of the book. I also liked how fierce they made Julie because she was a strong woman. But she was also a nervous teen who didn’t want to go to college because she was scared that if she left, no one would take care of her mother and that would be her fault.

I thought this was such a good change because I feel like a lot of people can relate to Julie in what she felt and maybe what she was going through. I think that it’s more interesting than sticking to the whole idea of Jubilee just being someone on a train who’s going to save her parents. Adding that depth to her is what made me like her even more.

I also enjoyed Stuart more in the film. I thought it was a smart idea to make him a famous pop star that just wanted to enjoy the holidays. It added a lot of depth to him to in the way that he didn’t have anywhere to go, but him spending it with Julie and her family brought out this goofy, teenage side to him not everyone sees or that he can’t even be.

If you watch the Good Place, Janice was in this movie (or the actress at least) and I was living for it. But that aside, I loved the way Stuart could be himself around Julie and how Julie didn’t fawn all over him, but told him straight up. That had to be different than what most people tell him or act around him.

They had this big fight in her room of her not understanding how hard it was for him to not have a place during the holidays and him not understanding her dreams.

The conversation I really liked though, was when her mom talked to her about going to college and living her life because it was so raw and sweet. The mom knew how much college meant to her and she wasn’t going to let her daughter be held back just because she was worried about her health. It was such a good move to make this a deeper story line and it did it in the best way.

And we loved when Julie went to the Waffle House party at the end and Stuart showed up and they kissed. If I’m being honest, Stuart’s actor, Shameik Moore, was serving major looks in this movie 😆

Book

The cheerleader plot in the book was a fun time and really SCREAMED this was written by John Green. I don’t know, John Green has this distinctive voice to me that is one part philosophical, two parts typical male teen pubescent jokes, and three parts wit.

The Duke was an interesting character because although she came across as one of the guys with Keon and Tobin, she was just another girl who wanted to be seen as strong. I loved the times she would make comments about fighting the patricarchy and how she still wanted to be treated or viewed like a girl.

“If by that you mean that I dislike celebrity magazines, prefer food to anorexia, refuse to watch TV shows about models, and hate the color pink, then yes. I am proud to be not really a girl.” 

It was kind of obvious that she liked Tobin because she would get mad whenever he talked about the cheerleaders like cheerleaders were the epitome of beautiful women. A girl only gets mad if she’s jealous and she was jealous Tobin cared about the cheerleaders so much when he didn’t even know them.

The whole race to the waffle house with the Twister and those two burly twins who almost ran them over was such a fun time because I could imagine them just scrambling with Twister under their arms in the snow. It kind of reminded my of that Spongebob episode where Spongebob is with Squidward and they’re delivering pizza and Spongebob is trying to keep it safe the whole time.

If I’m being a big honest though, I had to agree with the Duke because I didn’t really like the whole cheerleader plot. And this is coming from a girl and I really don’t care for the whole cheerleaders are the epitome of society because they are not. I’m not saying I dislike cheerleaders or don’t respect what they do because gosh knows all those lifts and flips are CRAZY and by no means can I do one ounce of what they do, so all the respect in the world. What I mean is that I’m not one to fall into believing that you’re popular, perfect, or already beautiful just because you are a cheerleader. I don’t like that as a society we place cheerleaders on a pedestal because we have hormonal guys out there who think “Wow, girls in short skirts, long hair, and doing flips and spilts is attractive!” Because we all know that’s coming from a place of hormones 😆 But cheerleaders come in all shapes and sizes and colors and they are al beautiful in their abilities and looks, I just feel like putting them on this pedestal is the wrong idea. Again, no disrespect, I just don’t like the idolization. So I kind of really didn’t like the idolization with this whole short story in how they needed to go see the cheerleaders and play Twister because that’s kind of clichéd. This book was written in the mid 2000’s so I can get maybe during that time, it was common, but we live in progressive times in 2020 and we are not hear for cheerleaders and Twister. And if we are, we need to pull on our big girl pants and move on because there are much bigger problems than cheerleaders and Twister.

I also think that maybe there’s a sarcastic kind of wit to this story because we do put cheerleaders on a pedestal and maybe John Green is poking fun at that? I don’t know, it’s John Green and could mean anything. But I liked the moment when Tobin and the Duke get together and finally kiss because they were so cute and innocent about it. I also liked when they went to Starbucks at the end and they were soooo cute because they didn’t know how to be all lovey dovey like that .

I also liked when Tobin was like, “Can I have a venti muffin?” 😂

Movie

The direction the movie takes this story is quite a good one. I liked how it was Tobin pinning after the Duke, whom they just called Angie in the movie. I think reversing it in this way was good because it highlights how Angie was a strong woman and wasn’t super hormonal as to pin for a guy, but a guy pinning for her showed how much he admired her strength. I really enjoyed Kiernan Shipka as Angie because she’s a strong, empowered woman with a lot of humor that resembled the Duke from the book.

One of the things I admired was how they kept the John Green essence alive with the immature jokes and the humor. It was well done. I also liked how they amped up Keon’s character and kept him Asian, because we love an Asian representation.

Having Keon throw a party and be a DJ was an interesting idea too because it meshed well with what was going to happen at the end and it was smart to make him work at the Waffle House where it would all go down, so it would click better. Very well thought out if you asked me.

There wasn’t really a cheerleader motive to get the Waffle House, but a support the best friend who’s throwing a jamming party and I loved that. There was still the journey of getting to the Waffle House with Tobin and Angie picking up the keg. Along the way, Angie sees this guy and Tobin gets all jealous, which is the reverse of how the Duke was jealous of Tobin and the cheerleaders. But again, I liked how they did the whole flipped perspective and how well it worked out.

The ending when they’re on the Waffle House roof was also very sweet. It was cute when both confessed their feelings for each other and how Julie and Keon came up on the roof with lights and the missing Waffle House letter and spot them kissing. It was probably embarrassing for Angie and Tobin, but I liked that they got they’re sweet ending.

Book

Addie in the book came across as a very emotional teenage girl. She was going though a lot because she cheated on her boyfriend for one and then she asked him to meet her at Starbucks where they met, but he didn’t show up. So on Christmas, she’s crying her blues in her room while her whole family is happily celebrating.

And I get it, she wasn’t feeling the best because she wanted him back, but girl, he was stuck on a train and even if he did love you enough to come meet you, you cheated on him, so it was kind of your fault. But she didn’t have to be all boo-hoo on Christmas as to ruin everyone else mood. It also seemed like she was questioning the relationship she had with Jeb . She always liked Jeb, but he wasn’t the type of person to wear his emotions on his sleeve and that’s probably because he has a different love language then hers. But Jeb was always sweet enough to lend a hand or do anything for Addie because that’s how he showed he cared. And sure, he wasn’t going to make cute jokes with her at Starbucks like she dreamed or they weren’t going to be this lovey dovey couple, but he loved her. I think she had different needs and expectations from the relationship and they didn’t communicate that, so she was hesitant as to where she stood in his life or whether or not she liked him anymore. That’s why she had a moment where she kissed another guy int eh bathroom at Starbucks when Jeb was there and saw her coming out of the bathroom with another guy.

I get why she would have doubts, but she should have talked to Jeb rather than react the way she did. It also made her kind of like that other girl who kissed the mascot (the Coyote) in the bathroom and that whole story.

Her friends were what kept her grounded in this situation, and there was Sophie and Dorris, her two best friends. Sophie tried to cheer Addie up with news she got a tea cup pig, Gabriel, but she couldn’t’ pick him up, so Addie promised she would do so as to not be selfish. So Addie wrote a post-it note on her body and everything.

The thing about Addie is this whole idea that she only cares about herself. In some ways I can see that, but I think people were giving her a hard time because she was going through a break up and they could have been more compassionate about that. I also could see how she was selfish in the way that she would always bring up her problems and make them about her. It did seem like her whole world revolved around her, but that’s such a natural teenage thing to feel.

Everyone telling Addie that’s she’s selfish really makes her want to prove them otherwise, so that’s what I can admire about her in her love and determination; When she sets her mind to something, she does it, and when she loves, she loves with her whole heart.

Addie was working at Starbucks that day and she got caught up with this whole Christmas Angel thing, which is kind of an interesting storyline because this older lady names Millie came by and talked to her about it. Seemed kind of foreboding and sketchy, but Addie wasn’t bothered by Millie because she had to get the pig. When she went to get the pig, the dumb guy at the desk, Charlie, already adopted it out.

And I get he didn’t see the note, but how ironic was that situation because when Addie was younger, this guy liked her and gave her a note. Addie claimed to have not saw it, but he thought she was ghosting him or something. But now I think he could fully appreciate where Addie was coming from as a kid.

So Addie, searches the world over for the pig and it was so funny when she asked Charlie for a ride to this woman’s house who had the pig. When Charlie drove her to the house, it was literally a five second dive back to Starbucks 😂 Sounds like me. I have no clue as to street names or signs.

Millie apparently had the pig as to teach Addie, this Christmas Angel lesson. Kind of weird, but I get it. Addie caring for someone else with so much zeal, proved that she had a heart that was open in that way. When Sophie got her pig, it was a cute moment because Addie didn’t get the guy (yet) but she did get the pig.

Alls well that ends well, because when she was talking to Tobin and the Duke at Starbucks, they relay the information that Jeb was stuck on the train without cell service and how he said he was coming, which gave her hope. So Jeb showed up last minute at Starbucks and they reconciled and were willing to try again with their love.

Cute, but I would like to see Addie more and how she truly changed.

Movie

Addie in the movie acted like a whiny pre-Madonna and I’m stating that lightly. Not that Odea Rush was a pre-Madonna, but Odea really hit the nail on the head with capturing Addie’s essence. The movie also brings up the idea of her being selfish, not so much as her whining about Jeb breaking up with her, but about Jeb? or some dude in the movie who wasn’t interested in her anymore.

That dude was seen hanging out with those bunch of girls in track suits at the Waffle House, who I think were cheerleaders, but I’m not sure because they weren’t wearing skirts or carrying pom poms, which is fine because heck if they’re in track suits at least we’re being modest! 😁

What I didn’t like about Addie in the movie was how she rubbed me the wrong way, especially with how she treated Dorrie.

I really liked what they did with Dorrie’s character in the movie because she was just a friend in the book. They kind of bumped her up as an important person and gave her that plot line with liking that Asian girl in the track suit. The Asian girl, however, was too prideful or embarrassed to actually be true to who she was in saying she wanted to be with Dorri’e publicity. It really hurt my heart and I cringed the whole time when Dorrie was confronting the Asian girl at the booth around her friend and then the Asian girl competely ignored Dorrie’s heartfelt words and was like, “Cool, can we order.” What a prude!

Like I get it though. The Asian girl can come out whenever she wants and not everyone is comfortable with living their truth, so it’s fine, but I think she didn’t need to put up a rude front to her friends or to Dorrie. It really caught me off guard when she was in the bathroom and kissed Dorrie like that because I thought the Asian girl hated her guts. She loved her guts 🤪

I give a lot of credit to Dorrie though who actually told the Asian girl straight, gosh that’s an unintendedly bad pun, sorry! But she said she wasn’t going to fake or play this game with her and that she wanted things to be real if she would be real with her. Or something along the lines of that. It takes a really big person to recognize that they deserve the truth and nothing less and I was proud of Dorrie for speaking up for herself.

It made me giddy with joy when the Asian girl apologized to Dorrie and they made up and made out in front of all her tracksuit friends. I think they knew something was up.

I also enjoyed the friendship dynamic between Addie and Dorrie more. There was no Sophie as far as I could catch in this movie, but there was a pig. I think the pig was given to Addie and it was shown for a brief moment, but I don’t think the pig was the main focus of this story, so much as loving who you love and choosing love.

I loved that Addie recognized that her friendship with Dorrie mattered a lot more than her relationship that wasn’t working out well. I think because Addie was so hung up about her relationship and angry, she lashed out at Dorrie for it, and that pushed all the people she loved away. It kind of goes back to Addie being selfish, but also her being hard to love because she does that to people.

But there was that moment with the infamous tinfoil lady—- who was actually a tinfoil guy in the book—–and the tinfoil lady drives her back to the Waffle House. In the car ride, Addie’s all defensive and angry at the tinfoil lady, asking her why she wears tinfoil. I really enjoyed the tinfoil day though, because she was hilarious with her jokes and her banter with Addie. She was also the one to tell Addie straight when she needed some tough love in the best way. I think the tinfoil lady was the Christmas Angel looking after Addie in this situation and I was here for it.

The ending also caught me by surprise too when the tinfoil lady was driving by the Waffle House watching everyone partying, and I was like, hey, maybe she is the Christmas Angel. Or at the time, I thought she was at least the overall narrator of initiator of everything to get them to the Waffle House. I liked this change to the story because adding Millie in as the Christmas Angel would have been adding an additional character that would only make one appearance, but combining all the stories together with one commonality (the tinfoil lady) was a smart move. It made sense too because as I was reading the book, the tinfoil man was in all the stories and everyone seemed to know him. So maybe deep down, the tinfoil man was also responsible for all their journey’s turning out the way they did.

While we’re talking about the end, I thought it was cool that they all ended up having a good time at the Waffle House, but in the book they were all at Starbucks instead. So just thought I would note that difference because the Waffle House was a big part of the movie, but not that much in the books

Book

4.24 Full Bloom Flowers

Characters: The characters were very diverse and had as unique voices as the writers. My favorite character would have to be the Duke because of her finesé, but not the biggest fan of Addie 🙈

Plot: I loved the idea of a Christmas book, let alone, three tales. All brought something joyful and interesting to the table and it was a feast to be won.

Writing: Such unique, distinctive voices, but when put together, it makes Christmas magic

Romance: All the romances had a very authentic teen young love voice that was fun to get into

Movie

Buttery Popcorn

If I’m being honest, I liked the movie a tad bit more than the books. There was something much more personable and warm about the movie and how the plots meshed together really nicely to create a story that was equal parts fun and quirky, but also hopeful and romantic. I think everyone can find a character they relate to and see themselves in, and with movies and the media in general, that’s such an important thing to have—-connection. I also liked the direction they took each story and gave it depth and character with Jubilee having a mom who was ill and not wanting to go to college to take care of her. I liked how they empowered the Duke’s role. And I really loved Dorrie’s time to shine. The end was truly a celebration of young love, laughter, and life.