Can you say Alex Award? A tale with teen protagonists just trying to survive in a small world with big mobster men. I really loved so many things about this. The characters were so interesting, I only wish I knew more about all of them. Especially for the fact that we found out the most intriguing information about one of them nearly at the end. So many feels toward the Victory Boys. Worth the read!

As a lover of HBO's "The Sopranos", I figured I was due reading a novel that revolves around a crime family. And I am so glad this was my first read of this subgenre.

In Gupta's "Garbage Town", a perfectly mismatched group of Staten Island teens encounter a dark truth and face impossible circumstances that will put their lives at risk, but is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats. The stakes only keep getting higher and higher, which made this book unputdownable and I lost sleep over it.... Definitely recommend it!

Although, I do wish the novel took a little bit more time to develop our characters, and wish we spent more time with the Victory Boys as well.

Gritty and gripping, this story’s complex characters and compelling plot make it hard to put down. The ending felt too abrupt, but otherwise, the pacing is great. The setting and story are fascinating. Even though the tale is fictional, it has enough echoes of true evils that it could be perfect to discuss with a book club - or a class of college students or mature high-schoolers. I think just about anyone will enjoy this story if you can stomach its darker aspects. It is going to stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf for the free eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions.

This review is cross-posted on Goodreads and will be posted on Amazon upon the book’s publication.

A very interesting and fun coming-of-age story set in the ‘90s! I always enjoy coming-of-age stories where the setting feels just as much a main character as the people in the story. This one is no exception, with its unique backdrop of a Staten Island dump—an almost post-apocalyptic landscape that adds to the atmosphere.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75⭐️
I really enjoyed this book. The plot was solid and kept me hooked—I ended up reading it in one sitting. The friendships between the characters stood out, giving it a great found family vibe. That being said, I wish there had been more backstory for each character. It would’ve added more depth and made the story even better. Overall, it was engaging read/story

Instagram review posted and Goodreads review posted on 01/27
YouTube review to be posted:02/02

This book is awesome. It captures growing up in the 1990s better than anything I've read. And it paints a vivid picture of a unique corner of the world with immensely likeable characters.

This book should be required reading for all high school students. Suspenseful, nostalgic…I flew through the second half.