DNF.

For someone who leans more into this field as an interest or career, it might be a decent book for you.

For me? Well... let's just say that I hated. So much so, that I'd throw it into the worst books ever read pile.

It says it falls under a cozy mystery, buts it's far from that. The mystery itself was not great and dragged out for too long. The main character was not likeable at all.

Too many characters. Super heavy on politics. The disclaimers at the back ratjer than the front was the wrong way to go.

It basically came off as the author taking one of her reporter experiences and just writing it out. Which just did not translate well into a book.

"Off the Air" offers an interesting premise with its behind-the-scenes look at the world of television. While the characters are relatable, the story sometimes drags, and the plot could use more depth. Christina Estes' writing shines in certain moments, but overall, the book feels like it’s missing a bit of excitement to truly captivate.

Finished Reading - DNF:

This is another runaway arc. There are quite of few of these books I received in an unaccessible format from NetGalley. That's fine, really. But then I have to wait until the book comes out to fulfill my agreement of providing a review. I've find this situation challenging, but I still like the book's, so it's not all bad.

This is a mystery, I think? But it has a fast-paced professional setting that I appreciate. Despite the rating for this one, I think I'll find something here.

Hope I'm not wrong! *edit I was quite wrong.

Final Review

Threw in the towel on page 96. I am not getting along with the politics in this book, the fact that the victim is basically Rush Limbaugh, or the pedestrian writing and trite characters. Also, I was uninvested in the mystery at the center of the book, at least in part because I found the victim vile.

I recommend this only to readers who enjoy didactic stories or lean into conservative political ideals.

Reading Notes

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. A character with a dog phobia is always interesting. I'm curious how this element will affect the plot?

2. The opening scene in the burger restaurant really captured my attention. I liked all the characters in the scene, especially the a-hole restaurant owner.

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. They would never get away with calling a colleague "Sexy" to his face! Not in a news office, its not a restaurant kitchen. It doesn't matter that it was "no, no, not like that! There's a funny story here!" What an HR trashfire this is.

2. At around page 50, this book takes a swan dive off a cliff into rocky waters and becomes the *most* didactic book I've read this year. And I read books on actual politics. It doesn't really matter that I think Estes's politics are absurd. It matters that she ruined her own book with ham-fisted politics. I see a DNF in the near future.

3. Throwing in the towel on page 92.

Rating: ⭐️ /5 (this one deserves a rating)
Recommend? for people who lean to the right, sure
Finished: Dec 13 '24

Thank you to the author Christina Estes, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of OFF THE AIR. I found an accessible digital copy on Libby. All views are mine.
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Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!
First, let me say that I loved how the author included facts about Phoenix, Arizona that non residents may not know about. For me, those were interesting.
This book was a little hard for me to really get in to. I really did not like Larry Lemmon. He was too politically conservative for my taste, although I understand that that was part of his character and who he was in the story. It just felt like reading Donald Trump’s words in a book, and as someone who is not a Trump supporter myself, it was a bit much and made me lose interest. I pushed through so I could leave a review at the end instead of quitting the book altogether.
I did feel slightly bad for Jolene. It seemed like she just couldn’t catch a break and was hitting obstacles left & right. There were some areas in the story where I remember thinking she was acting inexperienced and naive, considering this was her profession.
I did read this book to the end, but if I had not been reading an ARC, I probably would have not finished it, but only because of the constant political references that go against my political views.

I wasn't super impressed with this book. I felt there was a ton of information that wasn't relevant and just made the story drag.

Jolene is a reporter who came across a big story of murder. At every turn it seems like she's not getting anywhere until she finally does.

I found Jolene to be very whiny and non compliant with her bosses. I didn't connect with the story because of all the extra details that we didn't need to complete the story.

Thank you netgalley for a ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Off the Air by Christina Estes!

Off The Air by Christina Estes was a confusing but entertaining murder mystery.
Main character Jolene attempts to solve the murder of conservative ahole radio host. There is an aggressive amount of politics and the characters are almost cartoonish. It was hard to keep track of the tone but for the most part I still enjoyed the story.

Am sorry but no, it was a little boring, I thought I was gonna be a thriller book with mystery which it did had but it wasn’t enough, it was manly a love story for journalism, so not for me

*Off the Air* by Christina Estes is a solid mystery with an intriguing premise, though it doesn't fully deliver on its potential. The story follows a radio host who becomes embroiled in a case involving secrets and danger, leading to a compelling, twisty plot. Estes’ writing is engaging, and the pacing keeps the reader invested. However, the characters feel a bit flat, and some plot points can be predictable. While the suspense builds nicely, the conclusion lacks the emotional payoff that would elevate it from a good read to a great one. Overall, it’s an enjoyable, if imperfect, mystery.

I thought this was an excellent mystery novel. Easy to read, hard to figure out, just the right amount of puzzling.

If I am being honest, I did struggle to get into this book a bit. Saying that, I am very grateful to Netgalley and Christina Estes for the opportunity to read and review this book. I would certainly check out some of her other titles and look forward to those opportunities!

I'll be the first to admit that "Off the Air" by Christina Estes was a tough read for me. Despite my initial excitement about the book's premise, I found myself struggling to stay engaged with the story. What I expected to be a quick, thrilling mystery ended up taking me much longer to finish than anticipated.
One of my main issues with the book was its tendency to go off the rails. Just when I thought the plot was gaining momentum, it would veer off in a completely unexpected direction. While I appreciate a good twist, I felt like these detours disrupted the flow of the story and made it harder for me to become invested in the characters and their motivations.
That being said, I do think Estes shows promise as a writer. Her protagonist, Jolene Garcia, is a complex and determined character, and I appreciated the behind-the-scenes look at the cutthroat world of television news.
Overall, while "Off the Air" wasn't the book for me, I can see how it might appeal to fans of mystery and suspense. If you're willing to stick with it through the slower moments, you might find yourself drawn into Jolene's world and eager to see how the story unfolds.
Thank you St. Martin's Press, the author and Netgalley for an advanced copy of the book.

Unfortunately I was unable to get into this book. I did not end up finishing it. I didn't like the political bias and could not get into the story. A big thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

Off the Air by Christina Estes is a compelling and suspenseful debut that seamlessly blends investigative journalism with personal drama, offering both an entertaining mystery and a thought-provoking exploration of ambition, ethics, and the high-pressure world of news reporting. The story follows Jolene Garcia, a dedicated TV reporter in Phoenix, Arizona, who is thrust into the heart of a murder investigation when Larry Lemmon, a controversial radio talk show host, is found dead under suspicious circumstances.

Jolene, who is used to covering a range of stories—from monsoon storms to zoo animals—sees this investigation as her big break. She had interviewed Lemmon shortly before his death, giving her a unique edge over her competitors. As the story unfolds, the pressure builds not only to break the story first but also to uncover the truth behind Lemmon’s death. The mystery is gripping, and the stakes couldn’t be higher for Jolene, as this investigation has the potential to propel her career to new heights—or destroy it completely.

Estes does a fantastic job of developing Jolene as a relatable and complex character, driven by her professional ambition but also dealing with the personal costs of her career choices. The novel offers a behind-the-scenes look at the world of journalism, with all its ethical dilemmas and fierce competition. The pacing is excellent, and the twists keep readers guessing as Jolene digs deeper into the story, while also navigating the complex dynamics at play in her newsroom.

Off the Air is equal parts mystery and character study, with a strong female protagonist at its center. Fans of journalistic thrillers and character-driven suspense will find much to enjoy here. Estes’s writing is sharp, and her debut novel is a solid entry in the genre, full of intrigue, tension, and emotional depth. With its smart plot and compelling protagonist, Off the Air is an engaging read that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

Wow. One of the worst books I’ve read this year. The plot follows a news reporter who disregards any empathy for grieving people in her race to get the big scoop. Basically, she wants an Emmy, so she inserts herself into an active police investigation. The author was a reporter, and this book reads like a love letter to the industry, which, if this portrayal is accurate, is a disgusting one. Maybe I’m biased as a social worker, but let’s be real: local news agencies don’t need to traumatize grieving families or play detective in a murder investigation.

The main character? A disaster. Nobody likes her, she constantly makes terrible choices, and she has no friends — just a goldfish she feeds with multiple types of fish food. In what universe is this supposed to be relatable? Her backstory was thrown in like an afterthought, much like the random tangents on Phoenix history and news trivia. And don’t even get me started on the politics. It’s all far-right versus far-left disputes. Who wants to slog through that in a mystery novel? Wrong place, wrong time. Oh yeah, and there is animal cruelty at the crux of the investigation. Big no-no.

The cherry on top of this miserable read? The ending. I thought it might redeem itself with a twist, something like Yellowface by R. F. Kuang, but nope. The author clearly just wanted to glamorize ethically questionable journalism, as if to say, “Look how cool and unproblematic it is!”

Bottom line: Don’t waste your time on this book.

OFF THE AIR was not the book for me sadly. I couldn’t connect with the writing style and had a hard time keeping my attention. I love a mystery but unfortunately I was just not invested in this story.

I really wanted to like this book. I ended up DNF about a third into it. It ended up not being what I was interested in but willing to look into more books by this author.

This was a cute mystery, but fell a little short for me. As someone who is not in the TV or Journalism industry, I appreciated getting some background information, however it became heavy in the minutia of this industry. I also felt the MC was a bit rude to... pretty much everyone. That said, I enjoyed the murder mystery and overall the book was okay.

Off The Air is a thrilling and thought-provoking journey into the world of investigative journalism, following a determined reporter's pursuit of truth in a competitive landscape.

Thank you Minotaur Books & Netgalley for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review! I DNF’d this book after reading 64 pages. I don’t like the writing style. It’s written like a journalist wrote it which makes sense that it’s written that way because the author is a journalist but I’m not finding it very thrilling to read and I don’t want to keep reading this book. It mentions a lot of things about journalism and politics but I don’t care about any of that stuff . I was expecting more of a fun mystery/thriller but I didn’t get that.

Off the Air by Estes was a great little mystery read with a likable character in Jolene. She takes reporting the news to a new level.