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nobookendinsight's review
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
brisaemendez's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
joyceisbooked's review
2.0
this one was not for me. this book is advertised as a mystery but it really didn't feel like one. we follow Jolene, a reporter who has the last interview with a conservative radio host. she starts investigating the murder in order to get the scoop ahead of the other stations. I got like 60% in and i didn't care about the main character or the murder. There were no interesting details that might lead to the killer. i almost DNFed it because i could not bring myself to be interested. i had no one to root for.
i think the pacing is ruined but these long (and i think unnecessary) explanations of things that do not relate to the plot. i don't need an explanation of how carne asada fries are made. i can google it if i really need it but it has nothing to do with her reporting or the murder. why did we need to spend so many words describing what happened in jonestown? am i missing that connection to the book or something? i think it ruins it because there are paragraphs where the case majorly develops but its explained to us as a passing detail. she treats all the people she works with more like tools to fix her reputation rather than coworkers she respects.
this story does involve a lot of current political talk about real issues and not typically what i look for in a work of fiction. i think the reporter is definitely biased and when i went to college for communications, my professors told me that was a big no-no. i also don't recall solving a murder being one of the jobs that a reporter has to do.
i think the pacing is ruined but these long (and i think unnecessary) explanations of things that do not relate to the plot. i don't need an explanation of how carne asada fries are made. i can google it if i really need it but it has nothing to do with her reporting or the murder. why did we need to spend so many words describing what happened in jonestown? am i missing that connection to the book or something? i think it ruins it because there are paragraphs where the case majorly develops but its explained to us as a passing detail. she treats all the people she works with more like tools to fix her reputation rather than coworkers she respects.
this story does involve a lot of current political talk about real issues and not typically what i look for in a work of fiction. i think the reporter is definitely biased and when i went to college for communications, my professors told me that was a big no-no. i also don't recall solving a murder being one of the jobs that a reporter has to do.
klcrabill's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This was a new book by a debut author highlighting the news journalism scene in Arizona. After a popular but polarizing radio talk show host dies while on the air, Jolene scrambles to be the first to report on his murder. I thought it was an interesting concept and learned a lot about Arizona in the book, but it probably isn't a book that will stay with me forever. I found Jolene to be a bit too much, very cutthroat and sometimes impractical, and it is no wonder what happens towards the end of the book. There were a lot of time that it felt a bit lecture-ish about the state of Arizona, with the author often giving background on the state that didn't move the story forward whatsoever. That being said, it was interesting and kept me engaged, I just wish that it was tightened up a bit.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.
kylethewild's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It was interesting to see the mystery from the perspective of a reporter (rather than the usual law enforcement perspective), but there was quite a bit to this book that didn't feel like it added anything to the story. I think I'd have enjoyed this a lot more if it was a little more cleaned up in that sense.
kthornette's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
2.5 ⭐️ rounded
Yeah, the overall GR rating of 3.14 is not a good start, but I won’t let that influence my rating.
The mystery was pretty interesting and I do love a shorter mystery book since I find that those ones, while still having all the twists, get to the point. I wanted to know what happened to Larry. I love how Estes was so knowledgeable on the world of journalism, albeit because she is a journalist. This book does touch on a lot of current and political events/references them, which I personally don’t like in books (especially in fiction), but if you’re into that, then there’s a lot here.
However, there was something flat about this book. I felt like nothing happened for a good chunk of the book and suddenly I was halfway through.
Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press & Minotaur, for the ARC!
abookwormwithwine's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Ah, debut authors. I love reading a debut novel but always feel the pressure of the actual reviewing after I'm done. Was Off the Air the most amazing book I have ever read? no. Was it informative, smart, witty, and engaging? all yes! I can definitely tell Christina Estes is a reporter in Arizona and she provided a ton of background on both the state and what the politics are like in this type of job. I feel like I learned a lot about Arizona and TV reporting in general, and it made for a very interesting read. I really enjoyed the mystery of who killed Larry and the way Estes mixed humor with heavier topics (a content advisory is listed at the back of the book).
I found the audiobook to be very enjoyable and though I couldn't find many books Marcella Black has narrated, I thought she was a great fit for Jolene and the book as a whole. Black made this an enjoyable listening experience for me and helped with the slower pacing. As many readers have said, I think Estes could have made this story less political and omitted some details that didn't move the story along. It made the book fall a little flat for me overall and I don't love politics in books in general. If that is what she was going for though she completely nailed it, and I do believe this is a representation of the world she works in, so I can't be too mad at it. I don't need more of this character (sorry Jolene), but I would definitely read whatever Estes writes next.
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
I found the audiobook to be very enjoyable and though I couldn't find many books Marcella Black has narrated, I thought she was a great fit for Jolene and the book as a whole. Black made this an enjoyable listening experience for me and helped with the slower pacing. As many readers have said, I think Estes could have made this story less political and omitted some details that didn't move the story along. It made the book fall a little flat for me overall and I don't love politics in books in general. If that is what she was going for though she completely nailed it, and I do believe this is a representation of the world she works in, so I can't be too mad at it. I don't need more of this character (sorry Jolene), but I would definitely read whatever Estes writes next.
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
embow's review
Unfortunately, I had to DNF around 34%. I did not enjoy the writing and the story development was lacking. One of the few books I’ve ever DNFed
profpetitfours's review
2.0
When Larry Lemmon, a blustering conservative talk show host, dies on air, local reporter Jolene Garcia is on the case. As she tracks Lemmon's killer, she has to grapple with her faltering ethics and the relentless drive of her local news bosses.
Ultimately, the book has an excellent plot but falters in pacing and execution. The mystery at the heart of the story, which could be both interesting and timely, takes a backstage to a lot of unnecessary factoids and explanations. In other words, you learn a lot about the geography, economy, and culture of Phoenix, and what is like to be a local TV news reporter, but not much about the mystery at the core of the book.
In a way, I see that as a failure of editing. Some of that background is necessary, but when we get lost in the minutiae, the story drags and it is slow going.
* Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review! *
Ultimately, the book has an excellent plot but falters in pacing and execution. The mystery at the heart of the story, which could be both interesting and timely, takes a backstage to a lot of unnecessary factoids and explanations. In other words, you learn a lot about the geography, economy, and culture of Phoenix, and what is like to be a local TV news reporter, but not much about the mystery at the core of the book.
In a way, I see that as a failure of editing. Some of that background is necessary, but when we get lost in the minutiae, the story drags and it is slow going.
* Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review! *