Runaway Train by Lee Matthew Goldberg

Release: April 29th, 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Wise Wolf
Source: Suzy Approved Book Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, TBD

They told me I was an out-of-control train about to crash…

Everything changed when the police officer knocked on the door to tell me – a 16-year-old – that my older sister Kristen had died of a brain aneurysm. Cue the start of my parents neglecting me and my whole life spiraling out of control.

I decided now was the perfect time to skip town. It’s the early 90’s, Kurt Cobain runs the grunge music scene, and I just experienced some serious trauma. And what will a girl do now? I didn’t want to end up like Kristen,.So I grabbed my bucket list, turned up my mixtape of the greatest 90’s hits, and fled L.A. The goal was to reach Kurt Cobain’s house in Seattle, but I could never have guessed what would happen along the way.

At turns heartbreaking, inspiring, and laugh-out-loud funny, Runaway Train is a wild journey of a bygone era and a portrait of a one-of-a-kind teenage girl trying to find herself again the only way she knows how.

About the Author:

Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of the novels THE ANCESTOR, THE MENTOR, THE DESIRE CARD, and SLOW DOWN. His publications have been in multiple languages and nominated for the Prix du Polar. His first YA series RUNAWAY TRAIN is forthcoming in 2021, along with a sci-fi novel ORANGE CITY.

After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Monkeybicycle, and Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi. This also includes Necessary Fiction, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Underwood Press and others.

He is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Fringe, dedicated to publishing fiction that’s outside-of-the-box. Besides, his pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay. Moreover, this also includes the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and Hollywood Screenplay contests. He is also the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City. Follow him at LeeMatthewGoldberg.com.

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Runaway Train Review:

“Runaway Train” is emotional, moving, adventurous, and uplifting. We all go through the phase where we lose someone close to us. If we don’t get the outlet to release these emotions, they bottle up and hurt in the long run. The author beautifully shows how Nicole’s life becomes a runaway train about to collide unless she takes control and makes changes.

Firstly, I loved the way the author paced the story. Nico’s adventure got me glued to the story, and I had to find out what happened to her. It was interesting to see the various situations and people she came across as she tries to check off the items in her bucket list. I also adored Winter and Jeremy and even Aunt Carly.

Also, let’s not forget all the pop-culture references. Although I was never into the grunge scene like Nico, I loved all the musical and pop-culture references the author makes of the early 90s. I also adored the 90210 references, as it is one of my favorite shows. The author did a fantastic job of making me feel like I was in the 90s era as Nico experiences the various events. One scene that particularly stood out for me was how the author brought Courtney Love’s speech at the vigil to life.

However, there were certain times when I was not fond of Nico and didn’t appreciate how she treated those around her, particularly when she lashed out at Stephen and Evan. Although I understand her reasons for behaving this way, I wished she saw things from their perspective.

Apart from that, I loved reading this story. Overall, if you are looking for an emotional, adventurous, coming of age, YA novel that talks about life, I recommend “Runaway Train.”