Review: Ways to Disappear

A debut novel about the disappearance of a famous Brazilian novelist and the young translator who turns her life upside down to follow her author's trail. 
Deep in gambling debt, the celebrated Brazilian writer Beatriz Yagoda is last seen holding a suitcase and a cigar and climbing into an almond tree. She abruptly vanishes.
In snowy Pittsburgh, her American translator Emma hears the news and, against the wishes of her boyfriend and Beatriz's two grown children, flies immediately to Brazil. There, in the sticky, sugary heat of Rio, Emma and her author's children conspire to solve the mystery of Yagoda's curious disappearance and staunch the colorful demands of her various outstanding affairs: the rapacious loan shark with a zeal for severing body parts, and the washed-up and disillusioned editor who launched Yagoda's career years earlier.
Idra Novey's exhilarating debut is an international romp: a madcap blend of mystery, romance, noir, and humor. 
Buy on Amazon



My Review: 
I got this book for free by winning it from the Goodreads Firstreads giveaways.

I love this book. I LOVE this book. Here's why I love this book:

The cover
The smell
the story
the characters
the format
the short chapters so I can read without losing my place at work
The definitions sprinkled throughout the book
the mystery
The little media updates throughout the book

Things that I less-than-loved:

The main character writing. I thought more would happen with it. I don't understand. What was the point?

Overall: read this book. borrow it, buy it on kindle, do what you have to (preferably not stealing.) but read it.

Review: Academy Girls

Jane Milton—divorced and deeply in debt—has reluctantly returned to the remote boarding school of her youth, this time to teach, but the long-buried secrets of her past will not be easy to escape.

During their senior year, Jane and her friends Kat and Lissa obsessed over their English teacher, Miss Pymstead, convinced of her involvement in an unsolved murder. As the obsession escalated, it took a tragic turn. The only record of their misdeeds was a secret manuscript that disappeared without a trace—until the story resurfaces in an assignment turned in by Jane’s least favorite student.

Jane scrambles to unravel the mysteries, but can she keep her own secrets buried as she unearths even darker, long-hidden truths?

Revised edition: This edition of Academy Girls includes editorial revisions.

Buy on Amazon

My Review:

Dead poets society goes horribly wrong--in a good way--in Academy girls. I first started getting interested in private school stories from the usual; I read the Gallagher girls series, spy goddess series, and Looking for Alaska. What I found most interesting about this book is that, when the main character was a student, there wasn't any happy ending like there was in the other books, meant for younger readers. This was the story of what happens After. I found myself completely engrossed by the writing style and plot, and the characters were well developed. I especially appreciate how seamless the transition between past and present was.

Overall: I'd read it in a library and buy a kindle version, and while I'd love a print copy as a gift, I wouldn't go out and buy it myself.

Review: The Unfortunate decisions of Dahlia Moss

For fans of The Guild, New Girl, Scott Pilgrim, Big Bang Theory, Veronica Mars, or anyone who has ever geeked out about something.
The odds of Dahlia successfully navigating adulthood are 3,720 to 1. But never tell her the odds.

Meet Dahlia Moss, the reigning queen of unfortunate decision-making in the St. Louis area. Unemployed broke, and on her last bowl of ramen, she's not living her best life. But that's all about to change.

Before Dahlia can make her life any messier on her own she's offered a job. A job that she's woefully under-qualified for. A job that will lead her to a murder, an MMORPG, and possibly a fella (or two?).

Turns out unfortunate decisions abound, and she's just the girl to deal with them.

Buy On Amazon


My Review:

I don't know what The Guild is and wasn't blown away by New Girl, but I do like Scott Pilgrim and Big Bang theory. So when I read the blurb of this book, I requested it for review. Dahlia Moss is an unemployed woman who has a roof over her head by the grace of her very eccentric roommate. It's at one of her roommate's impromptu costume parties that she meets Long, who offers 2,000 dollars to retrieve a stolen digital item. What first seemed like an easy and ridiculous task turned into a very not ridiculous murder. 
The plot itself is well crafted, and--eccentricities aside--the characters all have depth and originality. The nerd references aren't so vague that non-fanboys and girls won't have a problem following along. And while the writing didn't have me laughing out loud, it did stick in my mind when I put the book down to eat, flowed smoothly, and kept me entertained.
I also really appreciate the paper doll style of the cover. Overall: I'd get this from the library and probably get the kindle version. While I'd definitely talk about it to friends, I don't see myself getting a physical copy.

Book Review: Diner Knockout

Rose Strickland's life is complicated. Besides her waitressing gig, she works part-time for Andre Thomas, a PI with no faith in Rose's ability to investigate, her love life with Sullivan has stalled, and her BFF, Roxy, has found a new bestie, leaving Rose out in the cold.

Determined to prove herself, Rose takes a case on the sly. As she searches for a missing MMA fighter, Rose discovers an illegal fight club, a group of ruthless businessmen, dead bodies, and a trail of drugs.

Hunting down clues that lead too close to home, Rose finds herself in the fight of her life. Can she beat the killer to the punch before she gets knocked out for good?
Buy on Amazon




My Review:

 As a part of a series, this book stood surprisingly well as a standalone. There were a few passing references to what I'm sure are the first three books, but there was no confusion or information missing keeping me from enjoying this read.
The book started losing me a little when Rose's friends were introduced. I'm sure there are girls out there cosplaying Lolita on a daily basis. But I'm also sure they're under eighteen and not wearing their expensive cosplays to a full shift at a diner.
Rose herself comes off as a somewhat privileged young woman who's watched wa-ay too many NCIS shows. As annoying as you THINK that would be, I found it refreshing. I'm tired of the "strong independent woman" trope where the woman in question has very minor, if any flaws. Having such a large, life affecting trait that puts you and your loved ones in danger is kind of nice.
Speaking more on Rose, I like her. We have a lot in common. My family wasn't really rich, but they were comfortable. But I yearned for independence and moved out into a small apartment to prove I could 'make it' on my own. Now, would I pretend to be an official detective and take on a large, potentially dangerous missing persons case on my own? No. Most definitely not. But I found myself living vicariously through Rose.

Final word: Is this a good book? Yes. Would I read it in the library? I probably would have when I was younger and into mysteries. Would I pay money for this book? No. But I'm honored that NetGalley allowed me the opportunity to review it for free.