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Dahlia Moss Mysteries #1
The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss
Veronica Mars meets the World of Warcraft in The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss, a mystery romp with a most unexpected heroine.If it were up to me this book would be called Hilarious Things That Happened That Were Not At All Dahlia's Fault -- or HTTHTWNAADF, for short. OK, I probably shouldn't have taken money from a mysterious eccentric to solve a theft, given that I'm not a detective, and that I am sometimes outwitted by puzzles in children's video games. I probably shouldn't have stolen bags of trash from a potential murder suspect. Arguably -- just arguably, mind you -- it may have been unwise to cos-play at an event where I was likely to be shot at. But sometimes you just have to take some chances, right? And maybe things do get a little unfortunate. What of it? If you ask me, an unfortunate decision here or there can change your life. In a positive way, just so long you don't killed in the process. Admittedly, that's the tricky bit.
313 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 20, 2015
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July 8, 2018
HOLY MOLY, THIS IS NOW PART OF A TRILOGY - MORE PEOPLE NEED TO READ THIS BECAUSE IT IS AS FUN AS A PIT FULL OF BALLS!
4.5 adorably geeky stars.
My grandmother used to say that there was nothing worse than trust-fund kids with plans
this is the perfect example of "right book, right time." i grabbed this from my daunting "promised to read soon" stack because it looked fast and fun and it turned out to be both of those things and also EXACTLY what i needed. i've been in the glums lately, which needs to be acknowledged but does not need to be explored any further than that. this book didn't technically make me laugh out loud, but it made me want to be a laugh-out-loud kind of reader and it definitely put off the glums for a little while. it's just … fun. it's a mash-up of a cozy mystery and a geekworld celebration that crams all of its eggs into the basket of voice. if you don't like the voice, you won't like the book, which is risky, especially when a male author is writing a geekgirl character, but although dahlia moss references the manic pixie dreamgirl trope a few times, she mostly avoids being one herself, and her *yes* occasionally manic but more precisely breezy and charming commentary and observations drive this book straight to funtown.
With my "quiet girl at the library" look, I am genetically suited to not being noticed at parties. In my best moments, I think I look like Carmen Sandiego, with long wavy brown hair and sunglasses and fedora. Setting aside the fact that I don't wear a lot of fedoras. In my worst moments, I think I look like Roz from Monsters, Incorporated, but maybe everyone thinks that.
pretty much, yeah.
a quick note - this is not my world. at all. this book is all gaming and cosplay and Doctor Who and a million other references to things that went right over my head. including this jigglypuff thing (which i misremembered as "jiggeldypear"), with which many of you are probably familiar, and if you can help me understand what is even happening in this clip, i will be very grateful because it looks like some jim jones sleepover gone wrong and i kinda want to know what i'm missing*:
okay, i can't get the gif to post here for some reason, but here's a link. thanks for ruining the effect, goodreads!
HOWEVER - unlike several of the reviewers on here who didn't like the book because the references were too far removed from their own experiences, for whatever reason i didn't have a problem at all. sure, i had to do some googling today when i was writing this review, and even after googling i still have some questions, but it's not like the story is impenetrable if you don't know who snorlax is. which i didn't. but now i do. and i want one.
so, if this isn't your world, you may or may not have problems. for me 1) so much of the book revolves around Zoth, a game that only exists in this book, i feel like every reader should be in the same ballpark of understanding so long as they are aware that there are people who play RPGs online in which things like "The Bejeweled Spear of Infinite Piercing" and treants and warpriests exist. and 2) not everything in this book is about the gaming world - there's plenty here that's just part and parcel of the universal fabric of humanity - job interviews, bad relationships, crazy friends, the shame of unemployment when unexpectedly running into more-successful acquaintances… and there are also plenty of nongeek references in here: cormac mccarthy and macgyver nods, a perfect shirley jackson analogy and peter capaldi (which is technically a dr. who reference, but some of us fell in love with him long before he got his license to practice medicine)
and maybe knowing this world intimately would be a bad thing. lord knows i get real critical when authors misrepresent stuff i know a lot about.
so even though i didn't get every shoutout, i got enough of them and frankly - dahlia had me at the madeline kahn/Clue reference. which is a completely disingenuous statement, since that scene is alllll the way on page 256, and i was had way earlier, but i think it's important to take a moment to honor every instance of a Clue reference in the world.
i really hope this book is a first-in-series situation. i love the noir-by-way-of-geek-cozy dialogue:
"Don't laugh, but I kind of wanted to hang out with a private detective," he explained. His embarrassment lasted nanoseconds, and he was bright again."Makes you feel like you're in on something. You know, put the squeeze on the old up and down. Derrick the gin mill. Hoosegow the bean shooters."
"You're just stringing together nonsense words."
"Maybe," said Nathan. "But you have to grant that I've got the cadence down."
i love the many lessons i learned
I was not cyberstalking Nathan. The line between checking out someone on the Internet and straight up cyberstalking them sits at the twenty-minute mark. Five, ten minutes of checking them out? Awesome. You're being a conscientious person and a good date, as you will have excellent conversation starters in hand. Thirty-five, forty-five minutes? You are a psychopath. I realize that's not a wide berth between the two, but them's the rules.
i love that dahlia hides her money in a copy of Northanger Abbey because knowing the thief liked Jane Austen would make the theft less deplorable. and that, when she is in grave danger later in the book, fearing for her life, she's mostly concerned about who's going to return her library books if she gets murdered.
i love Orchardary as a name, i love Threadwork as a character because - dapper cat, but i am mostly in love with detective "let's-listen-to-King-Crimson" shuler, his Interrupted Cop subterfuge, and his raised-eyebrow patience. this is me, shipping: ditch that botanist, dahlia moss! shuler and frozen custard 4-eva!
anyway, this is a fun book that i read when i was sad. it's not going to change the face of american literature or anything, but it's also more than just diversionary entertainment. it's got admirable wit and it's like a sweet snuffly puppy you can't help but fall in love with.
* oh my god and while i was reskimming to write this review, it turns out that with that particular clip i serendipitously stumbled upon the touchpoint to a reference from a different point in the book about falling asleep/face-writing, that dahlia addresses as such:
(This is a hardcore Pokémon reference and if you do not get it, I apologize. If you do get it, I apologize even more deeply)
so if you tell me what it all means, know that you are outing yourself as a hardcore geek. which is awesome.
come to my blog!
4.5 adorably geeky stars.
My grandmother used to say that there was nothing worse than trust-fund kids with plans
this is the perfect example of "right book, right time." i grabbed this from my daunting "promised to read soon" stack because it looked fast and fun and it turned out to be both of those things and also EXACTLY what i needed. i've been in the glums lately, which needs to be acknowledged but does not need to be explored any further than that. this book didn't technically make me laugh out loud, but it made me want to be a laugh-out-loud kind of reader and it definitely put off the glums for a little while. it's just … fun. it's a mash-up of a cozy mystery and a geekworld celebration that crams all of its eggs into the basket of voice. if you don't like the voice, you won't like the book, which is risky, especially when a male author is writing a geekgirl character, but although dahlia moss references the manic pixie dreamgirl trope a few times, she mostly avoids being one herself, and her *yes* occasionally manic but more precisely breezy and charming commentary and observations drive this book straight to funtown.
With my "quiet girl at the library" look, I am genetically suited to not being noticed at parties. In my best moments, I think I look like Carmen Sandiego, with long wavy brown hair and sunglasses and fedora. Setting aside the fact that I don't wear a lot of fedoras. In my worst moments, I think I look like Roz from Monsters, Incorporated, but maybe everyone thinks that.
pretty much, yeah.
a quick note - this is not my world. at all. this book is all gaming and cosplay and Doctor Who and a million other references to things that went right over my head. including this jigglypuff thing (which i misremembered as "jiggeldypear"), with which many of you are probably familiar, and if you can help me understand what is even happening in this clip, i will be very grateful because it looks like some jim jones sleepover gone wrong and i kinda want to know what i'm missing*:
okay, i can't get the gif to post here for some reason, but here's a link. thanks for ruining the effect, goodreads!
HOWEVER - unlike several of the reviewers on here who didn't like the book because the references were too far removed from their own experiences, for whatever reason i didn't have a problem at all. sure, i had to do some googling today when i was writing this review, and even after googling i still have some questions, but it's not like the story is impenetrable if you don't know who snorlax is. which i didn't. but now i do. and i want one.
so, if this isn't your world, you may or may not have problems. for me 1) so much of the book revolves around Zoth, a game that only exists in this book, i feel like every reader should be in the same ballpark of understanding so long as they are aware that there are people who play RPGs online in which things like "The Bejeweled Spear of Infinite Piercing" and treants and warpriests exist. and 2) not everything in this book is about the gaming world - there's plenty here that's just part and parcel of the universal fabric of humanity - job interviews, bad relationships, crazy friends, the shame of unemployment when unexpectedly running into more-successful acquaintances… and there are also plenty of nongeek references in here: cormac mccarthy and macgyver nods, a perfect shirley jackson analogy and peter capaldi (which is technically a dr. who reference, but some of us fell in love with him long before he got his license to practice medicine)
and maybe knowing this world intimately would be a bad thing. lord knows i get real critical when authors misrepresent stuff i know a lot about.
so even though i didn't get every shoutout, i got enough of them and frankly - dahlia had me at the madeline kahn/Clue reference. which is a completely disingenuous statement, since that scene is alllll the way on page 256, and i was had way earlier, but i think it's important to take a moment to honor every instance of a Clue reference in the world.
i really hope this book is a first-in-series situation. i love the noir-by-way-of-geek-cozy dialogue:
"Don't laugh, but I kind of wanted to hang out with a private detective," he explained. His embarrassment lasted nanoseconds, and he was bright again."Makes you feel like you're in on something. You know, put the squeeze on the old up and down. Derrick the gin mill. Hoosegow the bean shooters."
"You're just stringing together nonsense words."
"Maybe," said Nathan. "But you have to grant that I've got the cadence down."
i love the many lessons i learned
I was not cyberstalking Nathan. The line between checking out someone on the Internet and straight up cyberstalking them sits at the twenty-minute mark. Five, ten minutes of checking them out? Awesome. You're being a conscientious person and a good date, as you will have excellent conversation starters in hand. Thirty-five, forty-five minutes? You are a psychopath. I realize that's not a wide berth between the two, but them's the rules.
i love that dahlia hides her money in a copy of Northanger Abbey because knowing the thief liked Jane Austen would make the theft less deplorable. and that, when she is in grave danger later in the book, fearing for her life, she's mostly concerned about who's going to return her library books if she gets murdered.
i love Orchardary as a name, i love Threadwork as a character because - dapper cat, but i am mostly in love with detective "let's-listen-to-King-Crimson" shuler, his Interrupted Cop subterfuge, and his raised-eyebrow patience. this is me, shipping: ditch that botanist, dahlia moss! shuler and frozen custard 4-eva!
anyway, this is a fun book that i read when i was sad. it's not going to change the face of american literature or anything, but it's also more than just diversionary entertainment. it's got admirable wit and it's like a sweet snuffly puppy you can't help but fall in love with.
* oh my god and while i was reskimming to write this review, it turns out that with that particular clip i serendipitously stumbled upon the touchpoint to a reference from a different point in the book about falling asleep/face-writing, that dahlia addresses as such:
(This is a hardcore Pokémon reference and if you do not get it, I apologize. If you do get it, I apologize even more deeply)
so if you tell me what it all means, know that you are outing yourself as a hardcore geek. which is awesome.
come to my blog!
April 6, 2016
Category: A Book Guaranteed to Bring You Joy (which seemed fitting because receiving this arc from the amazing, and now popped full of pillz, karen brought me joy before I even cracked it’s cover.)
4 Laughter Stars
I have a love/hate relationship with most “manic pixie dream girl” characters, into which I would lump Dahlia Moss. While I love that they broaden character roles for females to include klutzy nerd girls with poor social skills into media they always seem to be portrayed by actresses who are so conventionally gorgeous that their stumbling Bambi-like behaviour comes across as “adorable” and “cute” rather than the sidewalk hugging realities such conditions - like innocently trying to wear heels - inspire.
(Yes, I think Rory Gilmore is a ‘Manic Pixie Dream Girl’. Yes, I still love her so much that sometimes it physically hurts.)
Anyways, Dahlia Moss is a delight to me. She is just the type of bumbling fool so many nerd girls can relate to. She’s also unemployed and virtually unemployable, so when she is offered money to become a virtual detective in the world of ‘Zoth’ (An online game that I actually have no idea if Wirestone invented or if it is, in fact, a real game), she takes it with only a perfunctory “why do you think I would be good at this” inquiry. After which follows an insane series of events in both virtual and real life.
Real life hack:
While writing this review I took a quick break to make soup, because I am writing it on my break at work, and not once but thrice walked into the lunchroom without the soup which I was heating up. And once there attempted (not at great length but still) to use the can opener on the bowl rather than the can of said soup. And THEN I dropped the spoon I was using to stir and eat my soup TWICE on the floor, the second time while trying to pick it up after the first drop. This is the type of idiocy I am known for, and while CQ – for reasons unknown – finds this behaviour adorable it is generally not regarded as such but instead as moronic.
/end RL hack
This book is entirely silly and completely relatable, in turns.
“You. Are. The. Worst.”
Incidentally the above is a sentence which is said quite frequently in my apartment.
The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss is a story about an unlikely detective investigating a virtual crime which gets high-jacked by a real crime and all the improbable craziness that would never happen in real life but which is such a delight to read about in fiction.
Thank you to the ever amazing Karen for sending me this ARC! ♥
Also, this happened:
Which maybe only I think is so insane! because I was over at a friends' and I was given this blanket to sleep with and in the morning when I woke up and grabbed this book to read, which I had brought because I just happened to be reading it, I noticed they entirely match! Which is a weird level of serendipity for me because normally I always clash at everything, really!!
November 4, 2015
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/11/04/a...
The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss is definitely an audiobook you should avoid listening to in public, lest you want the people around you to think you’ve completely lost your mind. Folks generally don’t react well to someone bursting into spontaneous maniacal laugher, I find.
And to think, I almost let this gem pass me by! A book like this doesn’t technically fall under the Sci-fi and Fantasy purview, which is what I mostly read and review, but I could not resist checking this one out after learning about the MMORPG angle. From Ready Player One to Reamde, video games and gaming have been the inspiration for many works of speculative fiction, but of course not all gaming-related books are SFF. That doesn't mean I can't still geek out about them, though.
And geek out I did. If Nancy Drew were a millennial and grew up to become a gigantic mega super geek, you would probably get Dahlia Moss, the titular main character of this delightfully witty book. Thing is though, I can also see Dahlia being popular with more than just the geeky crowd; fans of underdog stories and readers who love rooting for the long-shot protagonist will be sure to love this book as well. Unemployed, flat out broke, and living off the largesse of her kooky roommate, Dahlia could not believe it when she was suddenly offered a job by some rich kid hiring her to track down a stolen object. Her only qualifications for the job appear to be 1) the one time she temped at a PI agency and 2) the fact that she has played Zoth, the massively multiplayer online game in which the theft itself actually took place.
That’s because the stolen object in question isn’t even a real object, but a bunch of pixels—more specifically, an ultra-rare spear that’s one of its kind in-game. It should be an easy enough job, Dahlia figures. All she has to do is to find out which of her employer’s guildies made off with the highly coveted weapon and call it a day. But then, that’s when things start to get weird. Jonah, the client who hired her, ends up dead the next day, skewered through by a very real, very sharp full-scale replica of the pixelated spear that was stolen from his Zoth account, right down to the very last gem stone.
Dahlia’s hunt for a thief soon becomes one for a murderer in this quirky little whodunit. Sure, our protagonist is not exactly the most savvy of detectives, but that’s all part of her charm, along with her propensity to leap into situations without thinking them through (this book isn’t titled The Competent and Well-thought Out Decisions of Dahlia Moss for good reason). She also has this bad habit of digressing a lot, but those runaway trains of thought often lead to hilarious asides about geeky pop culture and gaming references, so I let a lot of that slide seeing how Dahlia is a woman after my own heart. I also pardoned the character of her roommate, who is bizarre for the sake of being bizarre, as well as the many times this story grew too silly to the point of absurdity. Still, I couldn’t believe how often I literally laughed out loud at Dahlia’s exploits. With me, that happens to go a long way.
Also, books about MMORPGs really get to me. Especially books about friendships in MMORPGs. Even if you don’t consider yourself this book’s audience, I think you’ll be touched by some of these relationships. I’ve known some of the people I play MMOs with for years and there’s definitely a unique culture among online gamers; tight guilds often have their own code and customs, which is even more pronounced on RP servers. Though you’ll likely never meet most of your online gaming friends face-to-face, you definitely connect with them on a whole other level (no pun intended). I love how this book taps into all that, and I totally found myself relating to a lot of the characters.
A final shout-out has to go to Lauren Fortgang, the narrator. I’ve listened to her work in the past (most recently in the audio production of Six of Crows) and it’s hard to believe it’s the same person. She has so much more energy as the voice of Dahlia Moss. Audiobooks are always so much more enjoyable to listen to when you can tell the narrator is really getting into the performance (this is why I loved The Martian audiobook so much) and this is most certainly the case with this book and Ms. Fortgang. All her sardonic inflections and snarky deliveries were spot on. Just a brilliant, brilliant performance.
The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss was just an all-around fun book. You can bet I’ll be telling all my gamer friends about it, though I am also highly recommending this book to both geeks and non-geeks. Simply put, it’s awesome!
The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss is definitely an audiobook you should avoid listening to in public, lest you want the people around you to think you’ve completely lost your mind. Folks generally don’t react well to someone bursting into spontaneous maniacal laugher, I find.
And to think, I almost let this gem pass me by! A book like this doesn’t technically fall under the Sci-fi and Fantasy purview, which is what I mostly read and review, but I could not resist checking this one out after learning about the MMORPG angle. From Ready Player One to Reamde, video games and gaming have been the inspiration for many works of speculative fiction, but of course not all gaming-related books are SFF. That doesn't mean I can't still geek out about them, though.
And geek out I did. If Nancy Drew were a millennial and grew up to become a gigantic mega super geek, you would probably get Dahlia Moss, the titular main character of this delightfully witty book. Thing is though, I can also see Dahlia being popular with more than just the geeky crowd; fans of underdog stories and readers who love rooting for the long-shot protagonist will be sure to love this book as well. Unemployed, flat out broke, and living off the largesse of her kooky roommate, Dahlia could not believe it when she was suddenly offered a job by some rich kid hiring her to track down a stolen object. Her only qualifications for the job appear to be 1) the one time she temped at a PI agency and 2) the fact that she has played Zoth, the massively multiplayer online game in which the theft itself actually took place.
That’s because the stolen object in question isn’t even a real object, but a bunch of pixels—more specifically, an ultra-rare spear that’s one of its kind in-game. It should be an easy enough job, Dahlia figures. All she has to do is to find out which of her employer’s guildies made off with the highly coveted weapon and call it a day. But then, that’s when things start to get weird. Jonah, the client who hired her, ends up dead the next day, skewered through by a very real, very sharp full-scale replica of the pixelated spear that was stolen from his Zoth account, right down to the very last gem stone.
Dahlia’s hunt for a thief soon becomes one for a murderer in this quirky little whodunit. Sure, our protagonist is not exactly the most savvy of detectives, but that’s all part of her charm, along with her propensity to leap into situations without thinking them through (this book isn’t titled The Competent and Well-thought Out Decisions of Dahlia Moss for good reason). She also has this bad habit of digressing a lot, but those runaway trains of thought often lead to hilarious asides about geeky pop culture and gaming references, so I let a lot of that slide seeing how Dahlia is a woman after my own heart. I also pardoned the character of her roommate, who is bizarre for the sake of being bizarre, as well as the many times this story grew too silly to the point of absurdity. Still, I couldn’t believe how often I literally laughed out loud at Dahlia’s exploits. With me, that happens to go a long way.
Also, books about MMORPGs really get to me. Especially books about friendships in MMORPGs. Even if you don’t consider yourself this book’s audience, I think you’ll be touched by some of these relationships. I’ve known some of the people I play MMOs with for years and there’s definitely a unique culture among online gamers; tight guilds often have their own code and customs, which is even more pronounced on RP servers. Though you’ll likely never meet most of your online gaming friends face-to-face, you definitely connect with them on a whole other level (no pun intended). I love how this book taps into all that, and I totally found myself relating to a lot of the characters.
A final shout-out has to go to Lauren Fortgang, the narrator. I’ve listened to her work in the past (most recently in the audio production of Six of Crows) and it’s hard to believe it’s the same person. She has so much more energy as the voice of Dahlia Moss. Audiobooks are always so much more enjoyable to listen to when you can tell the narrator is really getting into the performance (this is why I loved The Martian audiobook so much) and this is most certainly the case with this book and Ms. Fortgang. All her sardonic inflections and snarky deliveries were spot on. Just a brilliant, brilliant performance.
The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss was just an all-around fun book. You can bet I’ll be telling all my gamer friends about it, though I am also highly recommending this book to both geeks and non-geeks. Simply put, it’s awesome!
June 11, 2016
I’m struggling with this review in the same way I struggled with the story. What was it that just didn’t connect with me?
I liked the storyline with the idea of online play, in MMORPG Kingdom of Zoth, crossing the boundaries to real life when
I felt like the story was written around Dahlia’s jokes and one liners and they came across as contrived and forced.
I found that the characters weren’t developed enough to wonder who killed or really even care.
I did get a few laughs during Dahlia’s conversations with Nathan and Det Shuler and Dahlia’s roommate, Charice, is so crazy she deserves a series of her own.
A cozy mystery that would be enjoyed by online gaming enthusiasts.
I received this book from the publisher via netgalley to read and review
I liked the storyline with the idea of online play, in MMORPG Kingdom of Zoth, crossing the boundaries to real life when
I felt like the story was written around Dahlia’s jokes and one liners and they came across as contrived and forced.
I found that the characters weren’t developed enough to wonder who killed or really even care.
I did get a few laughs during Dahlia’s conversations with Nathan and Det Shuler and Dahlia’s roommate, Charice, is so crazy she deserves a series of her own.
A cozy mystery that would be enjoyed by online gaming enthusiasts.
I received this book from the publisher via netgalley to read and review
July 5, 2016
Dahlia Moss has had a rough year. Her now ex-boyfriend cheated on her, she cannot land herself a job and is only surviving thanks to her eccentric (though some may say just plain crazy) roommate. Things are getting desperate so when she’s asked to investigate a theft and offered a couple thousand to do so Dahlia cannot say no. The item in question? The “Bejewelled Spear of Infinite Piercing”, a most prized possession in a MMORPG. It isn’t long before the online theft turns into real life murder and Dahlia knows theres only one way to solve this, logging on, creating a character and infiltrating her clients gaming circle.
I loved this book and I love Dahlia Moss. She’s clever, fun, sarcastic and just a great character to lead you through the wonderful world of gaming and cosplay. Those who are involved in that world will get a kick out of it all and readers who are new to it all will find this to be a fun way to learn. Fantastic debut from Max Wirestone and hopefully not the last we’ve seen of Dahlia Moss.
*Thank you Redhook and Netgalley for this review copy.
I loved this book and I love Dahlia Moss. She’s clever, fun, sarcastic and just a great character to lead you through the wonderful world of gaming and cosplay. Those who are involved in that world will get a kick out of it all and readers who are new to it all will find this to be a fun way to learn. Fantastic debut from Max Wirestone and hopefully not the last we’ve seen of Dahlia Moss.
*Thank you Redhook and Netgalley for this review copy.
Read
September 15, 2015Copy provided by NetGalley
Jobless-for-over-a-year Dahlia Moss is surprised by an offer of a job, for which she'll be paid a grand, and another grand when she finds a certain spear. She is not a detective, never has been a detective, but for a couple grand, she's game. "Game" being the operative word here, as it turns out that this spear is not real, but an artifact in an online game. As she discovers in a painful dinner "date" that Jonah, her client, set up to get her started on the case.
But the very next day, Jonah turns up dead. Furthermore, he was stabbed by a real version of the game artifact.
The detectives in charge warn Dahlia off, the gamers ignore her, but when the lawyer in charge of Jonah's estate makes her an offer, she's even more determined. It turns out there is a mystery, and the mystery does get solved in a very satisfying way, but most of the novel feels picaresque as Dahlia navigates the wacky world of fellow nerds, gamers, and twenty-somethings in St. Louis, as well as the wackier online game world.
I think it's fair to say that if you like the voice, you will really like the novel. Dahlia's first-person narrative is distinctive, and I found it hilarious. Deeply appreciated the introduction of every bizarre character, some of whom are charming and even appealing--like the maybe-suspect, maybe-boyfriend geek, Nathan. And the evil bank teller. Through it all swoops Dahlia's rich, gorgeous and utterly weird roommate, Charise.
Wirestone's descriptions were such a pleasure, and even though I'm not hip enough to recognize some of the names dropped, it didn't matter because context was everything. And a small but distinct plus, at least for me, not once did the narrative voice reveal character, mood, or intuition through "somethings" in eyes, which I've noted in a preponderance of the books I've been reading lately. (Which is okay--we know what it means--but when one sees it over and over, it layers a kind of generic gloss over an otherwise enjoyable book.) The pacing was leisurely, and the climax cinematically bizarre, while explaining everything in an "ahah!" manner.
Wirestone goes onto my list of "watch for the next one" authors.
Jobless-for-over-a-year Dahlia Moss is surprised by an offer of a job, for which she'll be paid a grand, and another grand when she finds a certain spear. She is not a detective, never has been a detective, but for a couple grand, she's game. "Game" being the operative word here, as it turns out that this spear is not real, but an artifact in an online game. As she discovers in a painful dinner "date" that Jonah, her client, set up to get her started on the case.
But the very next day, Jonah turns up dead. Furthermore, he was stabbed by a real version of the game artifact.
The detectives in charge warn Dahlia off, the gamers ignore her, but when the lawyer in charge of Jonah's estate makes her an offer, she's even more determined. It turns out there is a mystery, and the mystery does get solved in a very satisfying way, but most of the novel feels picaresque as Dahlia navigates the wacky world of fellow nerds, gamers, and twenty-somethings in St. Louis, as well as the wackier online game world.
I think it's fair to say that if you like the voice, you will really like the novel. Dahlia's first-person narrative is distinctive, and I found it hilarious. Deeply appreciated the introduction of every bizarre character, some of whom are charming and even appealing--like the maybe-suspect, maybe-boyfriend geek, Nathan. And the evil bank teller. Through it all swoops Dahlia's rich, gorgeous and utterly weird roommate, Charise.
Wirestone's descriptions were such a pleasure, and even though I'm not hip enough to recognize some of the names dropped, it didn't matter because context was everything. And a small but distinct plus, at least for me, not once did the narrative voice reveal character, mood, or intuition through "somethings" in eyes, which I've noted in a preponderance of the books I've been reading lately. (Which is okay--we know what it means--but when one sees it over and over, it layers a kind of generic gloss over an otherwise enjoyable book.) The pacing was leisurely, and the climax cinematically bizarre, while explaining everything in an "ahah!" manner.
Wirestone goes onto my list of "watch for the next one" authors.
October 20, 2015
This is the funniest book I’ve ever read.
I know that’s a really bold statement, but it’s the truth. This book is freaking hilarious, so much so that it probably isn’t the best idea to read it on public transport, because you will laugh, and people will stare.
The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss is the story of Dahlia Moss, who is a charming, adorable hot mess that instantly found a place in my heart. She’s 60 percent Codex from The Guild, 20 percent Veronica Mars, and 20 percent of a totally new thing that the world needs more of (Jigglypuff caps FTW). I’ll just say there’s a reason her name is a huge part of the title, as, in my opinion, the success of this book hinges on her and she totally delivers. She’s one of my all-time favourite heroines, and watching her stumble through this mystery (and the rest of her life) is an absolute joy.
Speaking of mysteries, it’s a great one. I’ll be vague on the details, but I’ll just say that the murder weapon is a 3D printed spear from a video game. How cool is that? There are plenty of clues about the killer, and plenty of red herrings, all of which will encourage readers to put on their sleuthing hats. And, perhaps most importantly, the resolution is super satisfying
The supporting cast deserves a special mention. Charice, Dahlia’s housemate, is wonderfully insane, and Nathan, the nerdy possible love interest/suspect, is mega-adorable. Additionally, there are so many great side characters. My favourite is Clara, an evil bank teller. Can someone please make a #teamclara shirt? I would buy it. Evil bank tellers aside, a real warmth comes from reading about these funny, fleshed-out characters, and watching them interact/trade quips is so much fun.
With a fantastic heroine, a compelling mystery and a complex and hilarious cast of characters, this was an absolute blast to read! I’ll be recommending this to everyone when it releases in October!
I know that’s a really bold statement, but it’s the truth. This book is freaking hilarious, so much so that it probably isn’t the best idea to read it on public transport, because you will laugh, and people will stare.
The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss is the story of Dahlia Moss, who is a charming, adorable hot mess that instantly found a place in my heart. She’s 60 percent Codex from The Guild, 20 percent Veronica Mars, and 20 percent of a totally new thing that the world needs more of (Jigglypuff caps FTW). I’ll just say there’s a reason her name is a huge part of the title, as, in my opinion, the success of this book hinges on her and she totally delivers. She’s one of my all-time favourite heroines, and watching her stumble through this mystery (and the rest of her life) is an absolute joy.
Speaking of mysteries, it’s a great one. I’ll be vague on the details, but I’ll just say that the murder weapon is a 3D printed spear from a video game. How cool is that? There are plenty of clues about the killer, and plenty of red herrings, all of which will encourage readers to put on their sleuthing hats. And, perhaps most importantly, the resolution is super satisfying
The supporting cast deserves a special mention. Charice, Dahlia’s housemate, is wonderfully insane, and Nathan, the nerdy possible love interest/suspect, is mega-adorable. Additionally, there are so many great side characters. My favourite is Clara, an evil bank teller. Can someone please make a #teamclara shirt? I would buy it. Evil bank tellers aside, a real warmth comes from reading about these funny, fleshed-out characters, and watching them interact/trade quips is so much fun.
With a fantastic heroine, a compelling mystery and a complex and hilarious cast of characters, this was an absolute blast to read! I’ll be recommending this to everyone when it releases in October!
October 29, 2015
The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss was a fun and light read. It's perfect for when you don't want something too deep or complicated, even though Dahlia's life is a bit complicated. Dahlia is unintentionally hilarious. She's a millennial, a college graduate, unemployed and living at a friend's place. Her job prospects are horrible because she fails at every interview, and she often finds herself in strange and wacky situations. Since the entire story is told from Dahlia's point of view, you kind of feel very sympathetic to her predicaments.
Dahlia is hired to find a spear in a computer game and stranger things happen. Someone is murdered and against police advice, Dahlia (aided by her even wackier roommate) puts her limited detection skills to use. She enters the virtual world of Zoth and tries to find the missing spear and the murderer.
Do I even need to tell you that there is a role playing convention complete with costumes?
Just the cultural references will get you chuckling. I mean, who wears a Jigglypuff hat?
Oh, Canadian history buffs should get a giggle at a seance scene. It always boils down to beer.
A perfect light and fluffy read. We all need them.
Recommended for millennials with a college degree and no job prospects, gamers, and anyone with an inner Geek.
Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews. Check it out!
Dahlia is hired to find a spear in a computer game and stranger things happen. Someone is murdered and against police advice, Dahlia (aided by her even wackier roommate) puts her limited detection skills to use. She enters the virtual world of Zoth and tries to find the missing spear and the murderer.
Do I even need to tell you that there is a role playing convention complete with costumes?
Just the cultural references will get you chuckling. I mean, who wears a Jigglypuff hat?
Oh, Canadian history buffs should get a giggle at a seance scene. It always boils down to beer.
A perfect light and fluffy read. We all need them.
Recommended for millennials with a college degree and no job prospects, gamers, and anyone with an inner Geek.
Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews. Check it out!
Read
June 21, 2019Super charming. Some of the jokes feel a bit dated, and the snark could get a bit exhausting, but I definitely enjoyed this and am looking forward to the next book.
August 25, 2024
This was a hilariously geeky and entertaining experience.
June 11, 2015
<3 <3 <3
The problem with reading this as an advance reader copy - starring a protagonist you can *totally* relate to, with zany situations, great witty dialogue, and hilarious characters - is that I'm totally and amazingly in love with Dahlia Moss AND I NEED MORE STORIES STAT.
The problem with reading this as an advance reader copy - starring a protagonist you can *totally* relate to, with zany situations, great witty dialogue, and hilarious characters - is that I'm totally and amazingly in love with Dahlia Moss AND I NEED MORE STORIES STAT.
July 30, 2015
It was cute, but the plot and characters never quite rang true for me and it ended up feeling more surface than substance. Plus, the ARC was riddled with the kind of grammatical errors that should have been cleaned up by the author--or a freelance editor--before this book ever made it to the publisher.
October 24, 2015
If you live in St. Louis, you'll like this. If you're a geek, you'll like this. If you enjoy a fun murder mystery, you'll like this. And if you are looking for possibly the greatest Acknowledgements section I've ever read in a book, please pick up a copy.
September 19, 2015
How could I not love a character who wears a Jigglypuff hat. That is like the coolest reference ever!
Dahlia Moss has long been out of work, lost her boyfriend to a dental hygienist, and lives with a crazy roommate. So it's a regular day when a stranger asks her to recover a spear stolen from him in a role-playing video game and offers her $1000 upfront. She's no detective, but with rent money due, there's no backing out of this one. Then her benefactor turns up dead, killed by a real copy of the spear.
I like how real to life this feels and modern. Some of the characters might be on the odd side, but the mystery unfolds so very naturally. Each step of the puzzle follows logically, though not at all predictably. The mystery side kept me guessing while the sideshow of characters kept me infinity entertained.
I have to say I might be a bit in love with Dahlia's attitude to life and was somewhat of a video game geek myself in the past. I didn't catch all the pop culture references but had fun all the same finding the ones I did know.
Dahlia is a blast and I'm a big fan. She's down to earth and thoughtful, while being full of whims and quirks. I haven't liked a character this much in forever!
I received my copy for NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Dahlia Moss has long been out of work, lost her boyfriend to a dental hygienist, and lives with a crazy roommate. So it's a regular day when a stranger asks her to recover a spear stolen from him in a role-playing video game and offers her $1000 upfront. She's no detective, but with rent money due, there's no backing out of this one. Then her benefactor turns up dead, killed by a real copy of the spear.
I like how real to life this feels and modern. Some of the characters might be on the odd side, but the mystery unfolds so very naturally. Each step of the puzzle follows logically, though not at all predictably. The mystery side kept me guessing while the sideshow of characters kept me infinity entertained.
I have to say I might be a bit in love with Dahlia's attitude to life and was somewhat of a video game geek myself in the past. I didn't catch all the pop culture references but had fun all the same finding the ones I did know.
Dahlia is a blast and I'm a big fan. She's down to earth and thoughtful, while being full of whims and quirks. I haven't liked a character this much in forever!
I received my copy for NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2019
Ahoy there me mateys!
I borrowed a copy of this book from the library. The spine of the book had a pink unicorn, which of course made me think that it was a fantasy. But, no, it was not. It is a silly, goofy contemporary murder mystery based around an online gaming community called Zoth. And I loved it. I was in a mood and needed a light fluffy book that would cheer me up. This zany novel did the trick.
I kept smiling and smiling at the ridiculousness of the main character, Dahlia and her world. In spite of the funny premise, the book’s characters felt real enough to cheer them along. I actually miss geeks and crazy theatre people and oddballs in my real life. At one point in the past I was surrounded by these types of endearing and entertaining people. At the moment I have more “normal” people around, which is great, but it was nice to read about more quirky folk in this novel. Dahlia’s roommate is a hoot and a half.
So if you want a crazy novel that is dorky and makes you laugh, pick this one up.
If you liked this review, see my others at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
I borrowed a copy of this book from the library. The spine of the book had a pink unicorn, which of course made me think that it was a fantasy. But, no, it was not. It is a silly, goofy contemporary murder mystery based around an online gaming community called Zoth. And I loved it. I was in a mood and needed a light fluffy book that would cheer me up. This zany novel did the trick.
I kept smiling and smiling at the ridiculousness of the main character, Dahlia and her world. In spite of the funny premise, the book’s characters felt real enough to cheer them along. I actually miss geeks and crazy theatre people and oddballs in my real life. At one point in the past I was surrounded by these types of endearing and entertaining people. At the moment I have more “normal” people around, which is great, but it was nice to read about more quirky folk in this novel. Dahlia’s roommate is a hoot and a half.
So if you want a crazy novel that is dorky and makes you laugh, pick this one up.
If you liked this review, see my others at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
August 13, 2015
If you are the kind of person who would be friends with me, even just in an online goodreads sense, you need to pre-order this book right now because you will want to own it, read it, and re-read it whenever you need to laugh. i don't do reviews with memes, if I did I would insert the take my money meme because I am buying my own copy.
It might be the funniest book I have ever read. I laughed out loud dozens of times and that is not an exaggeration. You don't even need to get the references to think they are funny, and there is plenty of humor that doesn't rely on you being a complete nerd. The mystery is equally great.
I could gush about this book for days, but I can't because work.Trust me on this one.
It might be the funniest book I have ever read. I laughed out loud dozens of times and that is not an exaggeration. You don't even need to get the references to think they are funny, and there is plenty of humor that doesn't rely on you being a complete nerd. The mystery is equally great.
I could gush about this book for days, but I can't because work.Trust me on this one.
September 23, 2015
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Confession: I used to be a World of Warcraft addict. It’s true. I participated in lan parties in my boyfriend’s apartment with his roommates and their girlfriends. We were cool like that.
What does this have to do with The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss? Well, this book is ideal for anyone with basic knowledge of MMORPG’s. (That’s massive multiplayer online role playing game’s for those not in the know.)
This book is absolutely ridiculous in all the right ways. Everything that happens is so completely unbelievable, it’s believable.
Dahlia has been out of work for over a year. She graduated college with her fancy business degree, then proceeded to spend a year interviewing and not getting hired anywhere. Enter Jonah. He offers Dahlia $1,000 to find out who stole a digital weapon in the MMORPG he plays. Why? She has no background in detective work – save two days as a temp answering phones. She’s the worst (wo)man for the job, but she’s broke. So she takes his money and gets to work.
I can’t say too much about the plot without giving anything away, but it’s a ride. There’s murder, crazy people, gamers (another variety of crazy people – trust me, I know) and learning to deal with the cards life has dealt.
Another confession: I didn’t read this book, while working I used text to speech on my Kindle and it was read to me in a very robotic female voice which I now identify as the voice of Dahlia Moss. I believe this made the humor in this book a thousand times funnier. I actually had a moment where I had to stop working and stifle my laughter, which was turning to tears. It was hilarious. There are references to MMORPG’s (obviously), Pokemon, gaming conventions and so much more. One of my favorite parts was while in the game gathering clues, Dahlia discovers one of Jonah’s guild members is pregnant, and another guild member says said pregnant gamer will be leaving the game soon, because that’s what happens when female players have babies. Real life takes over and they quit their MMORPG’s. I laughed a lot, and shared this part with my husband, because when I had a baby I quite playing WoW.
The best part about the book is Dahlia herself. She’s gotten to the the point where she just doesn’t care. Nothing is working out, so she’ll just roll with the punches. If that means dying her hair pink, so be it. If that means planning a virtual in game funeral for the death of a real person? Why not. She’s surrounded by an oddball cast that are too insane not to be real. Like her roommate Charice, who has completely spontaneous theme parties in her apartment (which incidentally lead to Jonah showing up to offer Dahlia the detective job).
The mystery in this book is resolved perfectly. The clues are all there, though I didn’t have an inkling of ‘whodunit’ until nearly the big reveal.
Seriously, anyone who has ever submerged themselves in geek culture must read this book. It’s a healthy dose of Veronica Mars (though slightly less competent) and The Guild. In a movie, Felicia Day would play Dahlia. There’s simply no other choice.
If there’s a sequel I want to read it to find out what mess Dahlia will get herself into next!
Confession: I used to be a World of Warcraft addict. It’s true. I participated in lan parties in my boyfriend’s apartment with his roommates and their girlfriends. We were cool like that.
What does this have to do with The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss? Well, this book is ideal for anyone with basic knowledge of MMORPG’s. (That’s massive multiplayer online role playing game’s for those not in the know.)
This book is absolutely ridiculous in all the right ways. Everything that happens is so completely unbelievable, it’s believable.
Dahlia has been out of work for over a year. She graduated college with her fancy business degree, then proceeded to spend a year interviewing and not getting hired anywhere. Enter Jonah. He offers Dahlia $1,000 to find out who stole a digital weapon in the MMORPG he plays. Why? She has no background in detective work – save two days as a temp answering phones. She’s the worst (wo)man for the job, but she’s broke. So she takes his money and gets to work.
I can’t say too much about the plot without giving anything away, but it’s a ride. There’s murder, crazy people, gamers (another variety of crazy people – trust me, I know) and learning to deal with the cards life has dealt.
Another confession: I didn’t read this book, while working I used text to speech on my Kindle and it was read to me in a very robotic female voice which I now identify as the voice of Dahlia Moss. I believe this made the humor in this book a thousand times funnier. I actually had a moment where I had to stop working and stifle my laughter, which was turning to tears. It was hilarious. There are references to MMORPG’s (obviously), Pokemon, gaming conventions and so much more. One of my favorite parts was while in the game gathering clues, Dahlia discovers one of Jonah’s guild members is pregnant, and another guild member says said pregnant gamer will be leaving the game soon, because that’s what happens when female players have babies. Real life takes over and they quit their MMORPG’s. I laughed a lot, and shared this part with my husband, because when I had a baby I quite playing WoW.
The best part about the book is Dahlia herself. She’s gotten to the the point where she just doesn’t care. Nothing is working out, so she’ll just roll with the punches. If that means dying her hair pink, so be it. If that means planning a virtual in game funeral for the death of a real person? Why not. She’s surrounded by an oddball cast that are too insane not to be real. Like her roommate Charice, who has completely spontaneous theme parties in her apartment (which incidentally lead to Jonah showing up to offer Dahlia the detective job).
The mystery in this book is resolved perfectly. The clues are all there, though I didn’t have an inkling of ‘whodunit’ until nearly the big reveal.
Seriously, anyone who has ever submerged themselves in geek culture must read this book. It’s a healthy dose of Veronica Mars (though slightly less competent) and The Guild. In a movie, Felicia Day would play Dahlia. There’s simply no other choice.
If there’s a sequel I want to read it to find out what mess Dahlia will get herself into next!
July 6, 2016
Perhaps, this is one of those books that are out of my league, but due to my love of books, I am willing to study about the subject matter and learn more. I am not a fan of MMO, but I love detective stories. Such was the case for The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss.
Truth is, my husband's the one who's really into MMORPG, and whenever I get a break from work, I spend some time watching him play, steal, kill, demand and pursue heroes, villains, combatants, dragons, elven archers, et al. By watching him play with his online cohorts, I know about gaming techniques, cheats, building armies, looting merchandise and stuffs. So am I qualified to read this book? Yes, definitely!
It's funny how I was able to easily relate to the story and with the characters. At first, admittedly, I was raising my eyebrows because Jonah mentioned about finding Bejeweled Spear of Infinite Piercing. I was like, WTF is he talking about? I somehow mirrored Dahlia's initial reaction and was bewildered. I decided to continue reading until I finally understood what Jonah was talking about. You know what I did? I screamed and hurriedly told my husband that I am reading a book with MMORPG theme and my hubby was ecstatic. He said, finally "you'll understand the world I am living in"... sheesh!
So I went along my merry way, reading about Dahlia's unemployed status thus agreeing to Jonah's initial $1000 to meet the thief and another $1000 after shaking him up. Sounds like a plan. Only, the problem was, she didn't have any experience doing detective work. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada.
Dahlia's response? "Game on!"
What happened next took me by surprise. There was murder, mayhem, cosplay (darn it, i wonder how I'd look if I were to wear that Manic Pixie Dream Girl costume, too!) and laughter. This book was too much fun! I enjoyed Dahlia's weird antics and come-what-may, devil-may-care attitude. She was so cool! This book is definitely for me! Max Wirestone, you just got yourself a new follower, include me in your fandom from now on.
Truth is, my husband's the one who's really into MMORPG, and whenever I get a break from work, I spend some time watching him play, steal, kill, demand and pursue heroes, villains, combatants, dragons, elven archers, et al. By watching him play with his online cohorts, I know about gaming techniques, cheats, building armies, looting merchandise and stuffs. So am I qualified to read this book? Yes, definitely!
It's funny how I was able to easily relate to the story and with the characters. At first, admittedly, I was raising my eyebrows because Jonah mentioned about finding Bejeweled Spear of Infinite Piercing. I was like, WTF is he talking about? I somehow mirrored Dahlia's initial reaction and was bewildered. I decided to continue reading until I finally understood what Jonah was talking about. You know what I did? I screamed and hurriedly told my husband that I am reading a book with MMORPG theme and my hubby was ecstatic. He said, finally "you'll understand the world I am living in"... sheesh!
So I went along my merry way, reading about Dahlia's unemployed status thus agreeing to Jonah's initial $1000 to meet the thief and another $1000 after shaking him up. Sounds like a plan. Only, the problem was, she didn't have any experience doing detective work. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada.
Dahlia's response? "Game on!"
What happened next took me by surprise. There was murder, mayhem, cosplay (darn it, i wonder how I'd look if I were to wear that Manic Pixie Dream Girl costume, too!) and laughter. This book was too much fun! I enjoyed Dahlia's weird antics and come-what-may, devil-may-care attitude. She was so cool! This book is definitely for me! Max Wirestone, you just got yourself a new follower, include me in your fandom from now on.
September 2, 2015
FASCINATING!!!
Dhalia Moss is living with a friend since her boyfriend dumped her for another and has no income and no prospects of job, even though she makes the effort to go to every interview available. Her life literally sucks, until she gets a job offer she can’t refuse. She’s paid a high amount of maney to find the “Bejeweled Spear of Infinite Piercing” which happens to be a digital item from a MMORPG.
I’m a geek at heart and this story is just great! Since the beginning is very funny. When you have a character that makes a fool of herself and has the resolution to not be let down by anything, and even at the worst situations can keep her mind on the target and accomplish the task at hand, then you have a true heroine. I like this story because it can give you a perspective in life and uplift your spirit.
You can find friends in the weirdest places, just have to be yourself.
This is great for young adults or the young at heart.
Note: I received this book from Negalley and Redhook Books for review purposes and an un-biased opinion.
Dhalia Moss is living with a friend since her boyfriend dumped her for another and has no income and no prospects of job, even though she makes the effort to go to every interview available. Her life literally sucks, until she gets a job offer she can’t refuse. She’s paid a high amount of maney to find the “Bejeweled Spear of Infinite Piercing” which happens to be a digital item from a MMORPG.
I’m a geek at heart and this story is just great! Since the beginning is very funny. When you have a character that makes a fool of herself and has the resolution to not be let down by anything, and even at the worst situations can keep her mind on the target and accomplish the task at hand, then you have a true heroine. I like this story because it can give you a perspective in life and uplift your spirit.
You can find friends in the weirdest places, just have to be yourself.
This is great for young adults or the young at heart.
Note: I received this book from Negalley and Redhook Books for review purposes and an un-biased opinion.
June 6, 2015
I was lucky to get an advanced readers copy of this title. I am glad I did. Dahlia is one of those characters you can't help but root for as she muddles through. The side characters are a quirky bunch as well. This continues the trend of books written for geeks. MMORPG players will find plenty to love as will pop culture fans. There is enough of a mystery to draw in those fans as well so definite genre crossover appeal. Then throw in a healthy does of humor and you get one great Summer read!
If you like this one, and I think you will, the author said on Twitter there are two more planned in the series!
If you like this one, and I think you will, the author said on Twitter there are two more planned in the series!
August 6, 2015
A fun read with a likable narrator from a writer who is clearly very fond of video games and the people who love them.
November 25, 2017
I enjoyed this a lot--enough to buy a copy for one of my kids, who will like the geek-and-game-oriented jokes, too. I was gratified that Strongbad from Homestarrunner gets a mention; I would have thought it would be too old-hat and passé for a book trying to hit all the current notes, but I'm taking its inclusion as proof that Strongbad retains a place in people's hearts EVEN TODAY.
The story really is a madcap romp, very easy to read, and the mystery makes sense, if you know what I mean. The side characters were awesome--I really liked Nathan, Masako (Nathan's roommate and former girlfriend), Schuler-the-nice-detective, Charice , and Beth-the-job-interviewer.
My only caveat is that it really is very high octane on the jokes and just-between-us tone. You can't take this as a flaw; it's the nature of the book--but I think I felt about it the way Dahlia feels about Charice. She loves her! But.
The story really is a madcap romp, very easy to read, and the mystery makes sense, if you know what I mean. The side characters were awesome--I really liked Nathan, Masako (Nathan's roommate and former girlfriend), Schuler-the-nice-detective, Charice , and Beth-the-job-interviewer.
My only caveat is that it really is very high octane on the jokes and just-between-us tone. You can't take this as a flaw; it's the nature of the book--but I think I felt about it the way Dahlia feels about Charice. She loves her! But.
April 22, 2016
Max Wirestone may just be the king of quirky, unique one liners. Seriously, there was not a point that I wasn't laughing while reading this book. I either 100% understood the references being made, which had me quietly snickering to myself in self-satisfaction or I was full blown, shamelessly guffawing in public, which I've been told actually sounds more like maniacal cackling. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Sorry, I'm not sorry, this book was Drop Dead Fred hilarious.
I don't usually read within the humor genre, for no real reason tbh, but doing so was a real lesson in how to use strong character voice to ensnare the reader, because from just the first few pages I was hooked. Like, how do you not fall in love with a character that compares the job market and getting a job to a "ritualistic process of destroying the ego". I mean, come on!!
"At this point I regarded job interviews less as a means to get a job, and more as a ritualistic process of destroying the ego, the way some religions believe suffering brings you closer to God."
My Thoughts on Character
This book is filled with killer characters that have authentic nerdy voices that I could absolutely relate to. Their characterization was outstanding, I felt like I knew each and every single one of them. They're like the best friends I never had/do totally have but we live so far away from each other I pitifully substitute them with fictional characters in books.
"My relationship with boys ought to be more like Charice's - things that just happen around you. Instead, I brood over them and relive conversations and basically reengineer myself into an awkward pouting mess. Because clearly, that's what fellas want."
Dahila was one of those wonderfully transparent characters that really speaks her mind, at least in her inner thoughts. She has this very honest quality that I love and couldn't help feeling an instant connection with.
My Thoughts on Pacing
"I'm the woman that made you recount a ceramic death star filled with pennies. Don't pretend we don't have a past."
Between rolling on the floor laughing and trying to figure out 'who-dunnit', this book moved along at the perfect pace. The comedy really highlighted the adventure/mystery of the plot and made every aspect of this story that much more endearing and relatable. Sign me up for the next book that claims to be for fans of New Girl and Scot Pilgrim because I'm definitely a fan.
My Thoughts on Plot
"Visiting the Broken Sickle Bar as a level-one character was a little like a four-year-old visiting the top of Mount Everest. Good luck with that."
The plot hinged on all the geekery, which is completely fine by me. Now, I'll admit, I didn't get all the references so I was only slightly 'lost' when the Zoth world was being explained but it wasn't like a big deal, it didn't detract from my enjoyment in anyway. This book is made for video game loving nerds, so if you're tracking with that, this should be on your TBR stat!
My Thoughts Overall
Did I love Dahlia Moss? Yes, yes I did. Am I super excited for Max to finish writing The Astonishing Mistakes of Dahlia Moss, which should be out sometime next year? Yes, yes I am.
Cheers to me stepping out of the YA Fantasy genre for once and being thoroughly rewarded!
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Disclosure: I received an e-ARC of this title supplied by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.
September 26, 2015
For more reviews, please visit my blog Obsessive Compulsive Reader
If you are a geek, you will appreciate the humour in this book.
I was drawn to the book by its interesting premise. A broke, unemployed, single girl. A murder. MMORPG. The prospect of romance amidst all of it. It had the promise of a fun, fast-paced new adult contemporary romantic comedy.
While I didn't quite get what I was expecting (dial up the fast-pace and absurdity of everything and tone down the romance), I had a great ride nevertheless.
Dahlia Moss is unemployed, broke and the last thing she wanted to do is participate in her generous if not slightly insane room-mate's evening costume party. At least, that's what she thought until a man wearing a fake beard and a blue pin-striped captain's outfit offered her a job to find his missing spear - that's right - a spear. The Bejeweled Spear of Infinite Piercing, to be exact, in the MMORPG Zoth. The next thing Dahlia knows, her employer turns up dead, stabbed by a real-life version of the stolen spear. So now, not only does Dahlia have to roam the Kingdo of Zoth for the missing digital spear, she is also neck-deep in the murder case and among all of the craziness, try and get her life in order.
First reaction following the completion of this book is that it's hilarious. It may not be to everyone's taste, but Dahlia Moss is a very distinctive narrator and she is not afraid to let her opinions be heard. The best thing about Dahlia is that she is very relatable. She is very human, prone to mistakes and setbacks in life and despite it all, she's happy to continue muddling her way through the problem until she reaches a solution. And it's not just Dahlia. There are plenty of fellow bizarre characters for you to be introduced to: the happy-go-lucky insane roommate Charice who's not above tailing detectives, online gaming addicts Threadwork and Clemency, even a brief guest appearance of the spirit of Wilfrid Laurier - Canada's most famous prime minister (well, top ten).
Part of the comedy also stems from the fact that there is a heavy dose of fandom references. The book summary wasn't kidding that fans of Scott Pilgrim and Big Bang Theory (among others) will enjoy this. There is a certain entry-level of nerdiness required to appreciate all of the humour and catch all the references. Whilst Wirestone doesn't explain all the jokes or elements of every fandom, he does briefly detail enough about MMORPG so that the average non-geeky reader can follow alone with the main plot line.
This book flowed nicely. There is the intrigue of the murder mystery with subsequent investigation unfolding very much like an episode of Law & Order. There is enough descriptions among the action that every scene can be played out in my mind as I read along. And when everything finally built up to the climax - let's just say it was the most bizarre event I've read in a long time.
The only thing that I found a bit puzzling or out-of-place would be the romance. It doesn't play a very prominent role within the story, which is fine. Although it isn't very intrusive, its existence is so threadbare that I couldn't help but wonder if the story would have worked better without it.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss! It's crazy, fast-paced and hilarious from beginning to end. While not every element worked for me, it was still an amazing experience and I can't wait to see what Wirestone has planned for us all next.
Disclaimer: a complimentary preview was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The views expressed above are entirely my own and are in, no way, affected by the source of this book.
Obsessive Compulsive Reader
If you are a geek, you will appreciate the humour in this book.
I was drawn to the book by its interesting premise. A broke, unemployed, single girl. A murder. MMORPG. The prospect of romance amidst all of it. It had the promise of a fun, fast-paced new adult contemporary romantic comedy.
While I didn't quite get what I was expecting (dial up the fast-pace and absurdity of everything and tone down the romance), I had a great ride nevertheless.
Dahlia Moss is unemployed, broke and the last thing she wanted to do is participate in her generous if not slightly insane room-mate's evening costume party. At least, that's what she thought until a man wearing a fake beard and a blue pin-striped captain's outfit offered her a job to find his missing spear - that's right - a spear. The Bejeweled Spear of Infinite Piercing, to be exact, in the MMORPG Zoth. The next thing Dahlia knows, her employer turns up dead, stabbed by a real-life version of the stolen spear. So now, not only does Dahlia have to roam the Kingdo of Zoth for the missing digital spear, she is also neck-deep in the murder case and among all of the craziness, try and get her life in order.
First reaction following the completion of this book is that it's hilarious. It may not be to everyone's taste, but Dahlia Moss is a very distinctive narrator and she is not afraid to let her opinions be heard. The best thing about Dahlia is that she is very relatable. She is very human, prone to mistakes and setbacks in life and despite it all, she's happy to continue muddling her way through the problem until she reaches a solution. And it's not just Dahlia. There are plenty of fellow bizarre characters for you to be introduced to: the happy-go-lucky insane roommate Charice who's not above tailing detectives, online gaming addicts Threadwork and Clemency, even a brief guest appearance of the spirit of Wilfrid Laurier - Canada's most famous prime minister (well, top ten).
Part of the comedy also stems from the fact that there is a heavy dose of fandom references. The book summary wasn't kidding that fans of Scott Pilgrim and Big Bang Theory (among others) will enjoy this. There is a certain entry-level of nerdiness required to appreciate all of the humour and catch all the references. Whilst Wirestone doesn't explain all the jokes or elements of every fandom, he does briefly detail enough about MMORPG so that the average non-geeky reader can follow alone with the main plot line.
This book flowed nicely. There is the intrigue of the murder mystery with subsequent investigation unfolding very much like an episode of Law & Order. There is enough descriptions among the action that every scene can be played out in my mind as I read along. And when everything finally built up to the climax - let's just say it was the most bizarre event I've read in a long time.
The only thing that I found a bit puzzling or out-of-place would be the romance. It doesn't play a very prominent role within the story, which is fine. Although it isn't very intrusive, its existence is so threadbare that I couldn't help but wonder if the story would have worked better without it.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss! It's crazy, fast-paced and hilarious from beginning to end. While not every element worked for me, it was still an amazing experience and I can't wait to see what Wirestone has planned for us all next.
Disclaimer: a complimentary preview was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The views expressed above are entirely my own and are in, no way, affected by the source of this book.
Obsessive Compulsive Reader
January 12, 2016
'Dahlia' is a YA mystery story about the self proclaimed private investigator Dahlia Moss. She begins her story surrounded by a cast of odd characters including her party hosting, fancy dress loving room mate and a MMORPG (imagine World of Warcraft on steroids) player that has a mystery for Dahlia to solve. A very valuable sword has been stolen, digitally of course and it's down to Dahlia to find out what happened to it.
The main sell of this story is the complete geek fan service it provides. It has hardcore references to Pokemon, Dr Who and loads of other nerdy goodies. Most of them I 'got' but of course I missed a lot, different people will get different experiences with this book.
Dahlia herself was an enjoyable character to read about most of the time, she was aware of the female stereotypes that surround fandoms. She talks several times about avoiding becoming a manic pixie dream girl. She also talks about the commonplace of sexualising women through video games, even men playing as female characters online or women playing as men to be taken seriously.
Of course no one can seem to write young women honestly. I am referring to a scene very late in the book where she talks about a girl who 'stole' her ex and called her a whore. I'm not sure how many times I have to point out how of character it is for modern women to speak like that, especially given Dahlia points out sexist behaviour earlier in the book.
Plot wise I felt lost a lot of the time. I never quite got invested in the characters enough to care what happened to them or if the mystery was solved at the end. Charice (the crazy room mate) is a highlight of the book, adding a much needed direction to the plot.
The end of the book was no doubt my favourite part. Lots of sub plots come together, there is loads of drama and tension. Of course there is plenty of comedy along the way too, including an incident with a human tree.
Overall I give this book a 2/5 stars. This may seem a low score but one star is taken off for the careless use of 'whore' and other 'slips of the tongue' like that. If you're into nerdy things and mystery books it is definitely worth checking out. Perfect for fans of The Guild and Veronica Mars.
The main sell of this story is the complete geek fan service it provides. It has hardcore references to Pokemon, Dr Who and loads of other nerdy goodies. Most of them I 'got' but of course I missed a lot, different people will get different experiences with this book.
Dahlia herself was an enjoyable character to read about most of the time, she was aware of the female stereotypes that surround fandoms. She talks several times about avoiding becoming a manic pixie dream girl. She also talks about the commonplace of sexualising women through video games, even men playing as female characters online or women playing as men to be taken seriously.
Of course no one can seem to write young women honestly. I am referring to a scene very late in the book where she talks about a girl who 'stole' her ex and called her a whore. I'm not sure how many times I have to point out how of character it is for modern women to speak like that, especially given Dahlia points out sexist behaviour earlier in the book.
Plot wise I felt lost a lot of the time. I never quite got invested in the characters enough to care what happened to them or if the mystery was solved at the end. Charice (the crazy room mate) is a highlight of the book, adding a much needed direction to the plot.
The end of the book was no doubt my favourite part. Lots of sub plots come together, there is loads of drama and tension. Of course there is plenty of comedy along the way too, including an incident with a human tree.
Overall I give this book a 2/5 stars. This may seem a low score but one star is taken off for the careless use of 'whore' and other 'slips of the tongue' like that. If you're into nerdy things and mystery books it is definitely worth checking out. Perfect for fans of The Guild and Veronica Mars.
July 19, 2025
As the "girly gamer" I am, this book was exactly my kind of read. Somehow, it blends mystery, online gaming, quarter-life crisis, relationships, and a whole lot of humor. And it does it in a way that feels super relatable if you: 1) are or were part of the online gaming world, 2) are going through a quarter-life crisis or the general chaos of adulting, 3) have crazy but lovable flatmates, or 4) probably all of the above.
The setup might seem totally unrealistic at first, but it fits the tone of the story perfectly. It gives you a clear heads-up that you’re in for a wild ride. Even if you’ve never played an MMORPG before, you’ll be fine. Dahlia explains everything with funny, easy-to-follow descriptions and lots of personality.
The mystery side was surprisingly well done. It didn’t feel predictable, and there were some hilarious twists I genuinely didn’t see coming. The characters aren’t super deep, but they each have their own voice and quirks, which makes them fun to follow. Dahlia, of course, is the star here. Her narration is full of sarcasm, awkward moments, and sharp humor. She’s not meant to be a deeply introspective character. She’s here to make you laugh and solve a mystery, and she does both.
There’s also bit of romance, plus a few side adventures that add to the fun. My only complaint is that at some point, there are too many characters to keep track of. It gets a little confusing, especially since Dahlia often refers to them by their in-game usernames.
The writing is where the book really shines. It’s a first-person, single-POV narrative, and Dahlia’s voice is perfect. Her thoughts, rambles, and inner monologues make you feel like your best friend is telling you a story over coffee.
You don’t need to understand every gaming reference to enjoy this book. The humor is still there, and the tone stays fun and light throughout. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s exactly what makes it work.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free review copy of this book.
The setup might seem totally unrealistic at first, but it fits the tone of the story perfectly. It gives you a clear heads-up that you’re in for a wild ride. Even if you’ve never played an MMORPG before, you’ll be fine. Dahlia explains everything with funny, easy-to-follow descriptions and lots of personality.
The mystery side was surprisingly well done. It didn’t feel predictable, and there were some hilarious twists I genuinely didn’t see coming. The characters aren’t super deep, but they each have their own voice and quirks, which makes them fun to follow. Dahlia, of course, is the star here. Her narration is full of sarcasm, awkward moments, and sharp humor. She’s not meant to be a deeply introspective character. She’s here to make you laugh and solve a mystery, and she does both.
There’s also bit of romance, plus a few side adventures that add to the fun. My only complaint is that at some point, there are too many characters to keep track of. It gets a little confusing, especially since Dahlia often refers to them by their in-game usernames.
The writing is where the book really shines. It’s a first-person, single-POV narrative, and Dahlia’s voice is perfect. Her thoughts, rambles, and inner monologues make you feel like your best friend is telling you a story over coffee.
You don’t need to understand every gaming reference to enjoy this book. The humor is still there, and the tone stays fun and light throughout. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s exactly what makes it work.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free review copy of this book.
April 25, 2019
hoarder challenge: #13 more than 3 words in title
3.5 stars
Once I started it, I could tell this was meant for the YA audience but it was ok for us adults.
Though, I did wonder how old dahlia was? I didn’t catch it if it was mentioned.
Definitely reminded me of Veronica Mars. Except that Dahlia isn’t really a PI, she’d just interned at a detective agency once. And now she’s stumbled into a mystery.
I preferred it over the previous book I tried “the frame-up” which had similarities & intended for the same target audience.
It moved slow but that may have been b/c I was doing it on audio. But I will say the narrator Lauren Fortgang did a great job. It was well narrated.
B/c I’m not a gamer, I didn’t get all the references. Nor do I know about Pokemon so those references were lost to me also.
But I did chuckle out loud in several places. It was a clever witty humor.
But this wasn’t a story so much about “solving a mystery as an amateur PI” as much as it was a story about the characters.
The slowness of it annoyed me, but since I was at work I figured “something to listen to is better than nothing…”
I was surprised by how I was kept guessing w/the mystery in the beginning. And also, if one of the many cute guys she met (which by the way, she met a lot!) & had chemistry with would turn out to be a romantic relationship.
Her roomie Charice was a trip! she had me laughing out loud. How can you not love someone who's so excited & encouraging of her friends new vocation even though she's totally inexperienced at it?
That being said, Dahlia grew on me. About midway, I was laughing & really getting into it. It got better.
I’ll read the rest of the series.
And I’m not sure, but I think this may fall under the cozy category.
I’d recommend it to those who are geeks, gamers, pokemon enthusiasts, want something funny, or enjoyed the tv shows: Veronica Mars, Scott Pilgrim & Big Bang Theory.
YA: There is some language & discussion of sex (ie. “he was good in bed”) so probably more appropriate for older high schoolers & college-aged kids.
3.5 stars
Once I started it, I could tell this was meant for the YA audience but it was ok for us adults.
Though, I did wonder how old dahlia was? I didn’t catch it if it was mentioned.
Definitely reminded me of Veronica Mars. Except that Dahlia isn’t really a PI, she’d just interned at a detective agency once. And now she’s stumbled into a mystery.
I preferred it over the previous book I tried “the frame-up” which had similarities & intended for the same target audience.
It moved slow but that may have been b/c I was doing it on audio. But I will say the narrator Lauren Fortgang did a great job. It was well narrated.
B/c I’m not a gamer, I didn’t get all the references. Nor do I know about Pokemon so those references were lost to me also.
But I did chuckle out loud in several places. It was a clever witty humor.
But this wasn’t a story so much about “solving a mystery as an amateur PI” as much as it was a story about the characters.
The slowness of it annoyed me, but since I was at work I figured “something to listen to is better than nothing…”
I was surprised by how I was kept guessing w/the mystery in the beginning. And also, if one of the many cute guys she met (which by the way, she met a lot!) & had chemistry with would turn out to be a romantic relationship.
Her roomie Charice was a trip! she had me laughing out loud. How can you not love someone who's so excited & encouraging of her friends new vocation even though she's totally inexperienced at it?
That being said, Dahlia grew on me. About midway, I was laughing & really getting into it. It got better.
I’ll read the rest of the series.
And I’m not sure, but I think this may fall under the cozy category.
I’d recommend it to those who are geeks, gamers, pokemon enthusiasts, want something funny, or enjoyed the tv shows: Veronica Mars, Scott Pilgrim & Big Bang Theory.
YA: There is some language & discussion of sex (ie. “he was good in bed”) so probably more appropriate for older high schoolers & college-aged kids.
November 2, 2015
Received via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
You might think, from the description, that this is a book for the nerds. For those of us who adored Ready Player One, and want more worlds invested in online role playing games. A detective investigating a theft in an MMORPG? What could be better?
Back away slowly. Set down the book, close out the Amazon page, and keep it rolling.
For one thing, this feels, more than anything else, like a book for Nerds written by someone who only has a passing understanding of what an MMORPG actually is. I, myself, have almost no knowledge of how they work. Start talking to me about World of Warcraft, or Everquest, and my eyes glaze over and I start thinking about ponies.
This did not stop me in any way from enjoing RPO, and, had this one been written properly, it wouldn't have stopped that enjoyment either. But the few scenes we have that are focused on that world are so thin, I could strain pea soup through them.
And the real world scenes are not at all better. Around chapter two, I stopped notating the ebook with "STOP IT." Because it was getting pointless. The words "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" repeat mere pages away from each other. Also, the emphasis on "I should have known something was up when-" is so thick throughout. This is what we call an anvil, children, and it should never take place in a novel. Read (this review) and learn.
By the end, I genuinely did not care one way or the other whodunnit, why they dunnit, or what the Great Big Mystery Involving Dahlia was. And that big reveal about how she was hired? I've read more ridiculous endings, but I would be hard pressed to remember them.
See above re: NO.
You might think, from the description, that this is a book for the nerds. For those of us who adored Ready Player One, and want more worlds invested in online role playing games. A detective investigating a theft in an MMORPG? What could be better?
Back away slowly. Set down the book, close out the Amazon page, and keep it rolling.
For one thing, this feels, more than anything else, like a book for Nerds written by someone who only has a passing understanding of what an MMORPG actually is. I, myself, have almost no knowledge of how they work. Start talking to me about World of Warcraft, or Everquest, and my eyes glaze over and I start thinking about ponies.
This did not stop me in any way from enjoing RPO, and, had this one been written properly, it wouldn't have stopped that enjoyment either. But the few scenes we have that are focused on that world are so thin, I could strain pea soup through them.
And the real world scenes are not at all better. Around chapter two, I stopped notating the ebook with "STOP IT." Because it was getting pointless. The words "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" repeat mere pages away from each other. Also, the emphasis on "I should have known something was up when-" is so thick throughout. This is what we call an anvil, children, and it should never take place in a novel. Read (this review) and learn.
By the end, I genuinely did not care one way or the other whodunnit, why they dunnit, or what the Great Big Mystery Involving Dahlia was. And that big reveal about how she was hired? I've read more ridiculous endings, but I would be hard pressed to remember them.
See above re: NO.
September 28, 2015
Review
4 extra lives
I must admit that before I became addicted to reading, I was addicted to playing MMORPG’s.
If you don’t know what that is, you may be a little lost with parts of this book, but don’t worry, you will still understand what is going on. This is a really fun murder mystery that should be read just for the fun of it. Dahlia Moss is a girl down on her luck. She can’t find a job, her cheating ex-boyfriend dumped her for a dental hygienist, and she has distanced herself from all of her friends except her off the wall out of control room mate Charice.
At one of the crazy parties that Charice is known to host, Dahlia is approached by Jonah Long “I have a proposition for you.” Jonah wants to hire Dahlia to recover “The Bejeweled Spear of Infinite Piercing.” This is a very rare weapon that Jonah obtained in the online game that Jonah plays called Kingdoms of Zoth. He has offered her $2000 to find this item that has been “hacked” from his game account. Jonah knew that Dahlia had worked at a detective agency, and had played Zoth. He felt that this was all the qualifications that Dahlia needed to find his missing item. It is no wonder that Jonah turns up dead. Now Dahlia not only has to find the missing item, but a murderer as well.
This book is well written and will have you laughing throughout the story. No you don’t have to be a geek to understand it. I however loved the many references to Pokemon, a game that I still play to this day.
ARC Provided by Redhook Books via Netgalley distribution. Honest review done by Mollien for Alpha Book Club without influence from publisher or author.
4 extra lives
I must admit that before I became addicted to reading, I was addicted to playing MMORPG’s.
If you don’t know what that is, you may be a little lost with parts of this book, but don’t worry, you will still understand what is going on. This is a really fun murder mystery that should be read just for the fun of it. Dahlia Moss is a girl down on her luck. She can’t find a job, her cheating ex-boyfriend dumped her for a dental hygienist, and she has distanced herself from all of her friends except her off the wall out of control room mate Charice.
At one of the crazy parties that Charice is known to host, Dahlia is approached by Jonah Long “I have a proposition for you.” Jonah wants to hire Dahlia to recover “The Bejeweled Spear of Infinite Piercing.” This is a very rare weapon that Jonah obtained in the online game that Jonah plays called Kingdoms of Zoth. He has offered her $2000 to find this item that has been “hacked” from his game account. Jonah knew that Dahlia had worked at a detective agency, and had played Zoth. He felt that this was all the qualifications that Dahlia needed to find his missing item. It is no wonder that Jonah turns up dead. Now Dahlia not only has to find the missing item, but a murderer as well.
This book is well written and will have you laughing throughout the story. No you don’t have to be a geek to understand it. I however loved the many references to Pokemon, a game that I still play to this day.
ARC Provided by Redhook Books via Netgalley distribution. Honest review done by Mollien for Alpha Book Club without influence from publisher or author.
August 31, 2015
I received this book from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
What drew me into this book was the synopsis. I used to watch Veronica Mars as a kid and I’m crazy about The Big Bang Theory (who isn’t?) and I’ve recently started watching The Guild. I’ve also had my fair share of mind blowing Comic Con experiences. This book is perfect for geeks. There are amazing references, a few of which I actually understood (Peter Capaldi’s eyebrows) and they were quite funny.
This story is about Dahlia Moss, a detective who is not actually a detective but was hired as one anyway. This book has a slight air of mystery but I think it leaned more toward the humor side of things.
It took me a while to get through this book and that annoyed me. I figured maybe if I was more of a gamer I’d have enjoyed it more. Dahlia’s character wasn’t bad, she had her good qualities but she was mostly unrelatable to me.
This book plays out like a movie. You can see the scenes happening in your head. This is one of those movies you’d watch at night just for the fun of it and find yourself actually wanting to know more.
Dahlia was by no means incompetent, and actually got the job done, albeit in a very weird way. The other characters were great in advancing the plot and I did not find myself disliking any of them. They came in at the right times for the right reasons.
Max Wirestone’s writing style is great and I’d like to read his future works although maybe I’d educate myself a bit more in the gaming world before reading a book that is mostly centered around it.
What drew me into this book was the synopsis. I used to watch Veronica Mars as a kid and I’m crazy about The Big Bang Theory (who isn’t?) and I’ve recently started watching The Guild. I’ve also had my fair share of mind blowing Comic Con experiences. This book is perfect for geeks. There are amazing references, a few of which I actually understood (Peter Capaldi’s eyebrows) and they were quite funny.
This story is about Dahlia Moss, a detective who is not actually a detective but was hired as one anyway. This book has a slight air of mystery but I think it leaned more toward the humor side of things.
It took me a while to get through this book and that annoyed me. I figured maybe if I was more of a gamer I’d have enjoyed it more. Dahlia’s character wasn’t bad, she had her good qualities but she was mostly unrelatable to me.
This book plays out like a movie. You can see the scenes happening in your head. This is one of those movies you’d watch at night just for the fun of it and find yourself actually wanting to know more.
Dahlia was by no means incompetent, and actually got the job done, albeit in a very weird way. The other characters were great in advancing the plot and I did not find myself disliking any of them. They came in at the right times for the right reasons.
Max Wirestone’s writing style is great and I’d like to read his future works although maybe I’d educate myself a bit more in the gaming world before reading a book that is mostly centered around it.
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