Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Well, this was a very....odd book. I wasn't expecting it to be almost...slapstick. Everything, the characters , how they talk, etc, were very stereotypical. There was no back story on any of them, just them thrown together in the antique mall. Some of the dialogue was a bit sketchy, some people may find it a bit offensive, but, I think it was done purposely. I really thought it would have been a lighter, light comical read, even with the kidnapping as the main plot point. It wasn't. Overall, knowing now that it purposely written this way, it was pretty good for what it was.

How to even sum this one up...A somewhat crazy mix of antique dealers are all preoccupied with their own obsessions and collections (from "talking" Barbies to postcards) while the rest of the city panics over the disappearance of Lindy Bobo, child pageant star. This was a really odd book, but I enjoyed it. I think 10-15 years ago, I probably would have liked it more, back when Sellevision and Plainclothes Naked were two of my most re-read books. It has that same kind of matter-of-fact delivery of the most absurd events. I could have done with a little less detailed talk of obscure music, and the ending was somewhat anticlimactic - I kind of expected it to build up to even more and more nonsese, but it sort of petered out. It was good though, a solid 4.

This book shines on every level: sentence after sentence is beautiful and precise. The characters are complicated and sympathetic, the ideas are sweeping and profound, but are never too overt. It’s a rare novel that is as accomplished in its meaning as it is in its storytelling while also succeeding wildly on the language level as well! A novel to lose yourself in and then reflect upon again and again.

The concept here was great, and I think overall the story would work well as a tv series or miniseries but the writing was a letdown. Some parts of this book seemed a bit homophobic and racist, sometimes both at the same time! Most of the characters were bigots in one way or another. Lots of self hate going on with the characters too, phew. Maybe the author is struggling with their own sense of identity I don't know but it sure was hard to read at times.

I'm going with 2.5-3 stars here because I enjoyed the plot and the setting but not the writing. The ending was a bit strange too. I think the author was going for a quirkier version of Nick Hornby but missed the mark. Way too many big words thrown into the internal musings of not exactly big word using characters.

Turn this into a tv series and it would work well. Poor M.C. Hammer.

I loved the antique mall setting & quirky characters. The writing was very well done and fun to read.

Thank you, Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for sending me a digital ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

This seems to be a very decisive novel. Either people love it or loathe it. I thought the writing was excellent. The dialogue was crisp and very humorous. Keep in mind, this book is a SATIRE. Not everyone will enjoy this particular genre because some of the characters are written in a stereotypical way, but it's NOT to be taken seriously, which is the point of a satire. If you don't get easily offended, then "Heart of Junk" by Luke Geddes will tickle your fancy.

I loved the overall plot and setting. The story takes place in Wichita, Kansas at an antique mall called, "The Heart of America". There we meet the overzealous merchants who are devoted to their craft of selling their beloved "junk" to the public. Some of them can't even part with their prized collections because of sentimental value. There's also another subplot introduced involving a local beauty pageant (8 year-0ld, Lindy Bobo) who has recently gone missing. Without giving too much away, one of the merchants might be involved in Lindy's disappearance. The novel takes place over 4 days, and the chapters alternate between 7 main characters: Margaret, Keith, Ellie (my personal favorite), Delores, Ronald, Seymour, and Lee. Usually I'm not a fan of reading multiple points-of-view, but I found each character versatile, refreshing, and kooky enough to keep the story/pacing moving forward in a fluid manner.

I thought "Heart of Junk" was a fun and wholly original. I've never read a book quite like this before. As I previously stated, each character fits a stereotype but it's done more for comedic effect than to be mean-spirited. Some of the scenarios are a little far-fetched and outrageous, but I was still entertained, insanity and all. It's not a perfect book, I think the author cut the story a little too short, but overall I enjoyed my stay at "The Heart of America".

Release date: January 21, 2020

I was expecting a lighter read than what I got. I didn't find any of the characters very likable and from the description I was expecting quirky, lovable characters. Certainly didn't see the turn with the kidnapper. Might have liked to seen that play out a bit longer.

This is not a novel that appealed to me. Its characters never gelled and all relationships were either adversarial, dysfunctional or non existent. There wasn’t really a plot and the Dolly/Barbie thing was way over the edge not to mention Roger. The backstory for why these people were as they were wasn’t there
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me this arc

I love the setting of the antique mall. It was very interesting to read about each individual's thoughts. Every character was so unique.

In the beginning, I was into the story, but it turned out to be very anti-climatic. It had potential,  but I feel like the story just didn't reach that full potential.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I only made it through about 10% of this before setting it aside. The characters were just a bit too cliched to hold my interest, so I didn't finish it.