Thank you for the opportunity to read! I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped. It seems a little more YA than adult fiction. There were a few time I almost DNF'd it but I carried on and finished it.

I was about to put this book as a DNF after about 20% in but glad I kept going. There was some unnecessary filler that didn’t add anything to the story but overall kept my attention.

This book grabbed my attention right from the synopsis and it did not disappoint. Raj and his friends find some buried secrets in the largest landfill in the world located right in Staten Island and embark on a journey. This book is captivating and the characters are so well developed and written. You are reading a coming of age story and adventure. The teenage boy wit was making me laugh out loud at time. This story is just the complete package and while it may be categorized in the YA section, I would recommend this for adults too.

I cannot believe this was Ravi Gupta debut book and if this is what the author has to deliver, I cannot wait to see what else he writes. Thank you NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I know this may be an unpopular opinion, but Garbage Town just didn’t work for me. While it's marketed as adult fiction, the tone, pacing, and overall vibe felt much more like YA, and not in a way that transcends age categories. At times, it felt like Scooby Doo collided with a toned down version of The Sopranos, and not in a way that blended smoothly. The central premise of organized crime involving high school freshmen was just too far fetched for me to buy into, even with a generous suspension of disbelief.

That said, the writing itself was solid, and the characters were reasonably well developed, especially given the book’s shorter length. I do think there was room for deeper exploration and more complexity, but what was there was competent. Unfortunately, the plot felt implausible and the ending pushed it further off the rails, leaving me more frustrated than entertained.

In the end, while I can appreciate the creativity and effort behind Garbage Town, it simply wasn’t a good fit for me. Readers who enjoy quirky, genre bending stories with a youthful flair might have better luck, but I found it too unbelievable and lacking the depth I look for in adult fiction.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Ravi Gupta, and Greenleaf Book Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

An interesting, fast-paced and heartfelt story about a group of teenagers, that's at once a coming-of-age story as well as the age-old story of good versus evil. Though billed as a YA mystery thriller, it can easily be considered a clean read for anyone interested in a story from the turn of the century, that is full of nostalgic reminders of that time, as well as a smart, character-driven story that is about friendship and betrayal and conscience and legacy.

Raj, Val, and a couple of their buddies live the usual troubled lives of teenagers in Staten Island in 1998, when Georgia happens to come by. She is a stranger in town, and somewhere between trying to impress her and being a usual goofy teenager, Raj and his friends end up in the middle of a shocking disappearance, that may be murder, but there's no proof, and no body. Instead of moving on, they decide to insinuate themselves in trying to figure things out, and to set things straight - only to realize the hard facts of reality that life is unforgiving, and just because they are minors doesn't imply mean and cruel adults will shy away from inflicting unspeakable pain on them and their loved ones.

What starts off as a high school drama suddenly transforms into a high-stakes mafia story, with possible political and social ramifications, and tentacles that go far and deep all around.

Spinning a yarn that's fresh and entertaining, while at the same evocative of the late 90s can't have been an easy task, but Mr. Gupta makes it seem easy. The easy-flowing banter of the friends brings a smile to one's face every so often, and you can't not root for them, even as you see them sinking deeper into the quagmire that's their town, Travis.

All said and done, this is not a sweet story, and in fact admirably so, the author doesn't shirk from throwing hard truths and shocking twists, that may seem nearly brutal but, for the most part, come across as justifiably cruel.

Recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley, Publisher and the author for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest and original review.

GARBAGE TOWN

Set in the late 1990s on Staten Island, a group of local teens “Victory Boys” and a special new outsider experience some unusual activity in the Fresh Kills Landfill, the largest landfill in the world. Waste management is big business, and City of Travis Mob is very much into the action. Local politicians wield their influence to use the landfill to its greatest advantage. Teens Rajiv Patel and Valery Ivanicki, along with Georgia Bazemore from the Mississippi Delta, discover some extremely upsetting information associated with the landfill and struggle with how to try to make things better.

Just a really good story about teenagers growing up, loyalty, family, making tough decisions. Lots of good 1990s references - music, movies, clothes, and a terrific feel for the locale. Very enjoyable, fresh and original.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Ravi Gupta, and Greenleaf Book Group Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

One of the most engaging stories in a long time, the pacing, the gritty reality, the characters all made this tale great. SA Cosby comes to mind but can’t explain why, just take the compliment for what it is

This was a very good book. It was well-written. At times, it was hard to read, but the resolve of people was astonishing. It's amazing how people can survive.

I wanted to like this book. I completely understood The Outsiders comparison, and I loved the modern setting with diverse characters. However, I got a little bored. I didn't understand the point of the love triangle (insta love was just way too much on Raj's side). Raj felt a little one-dimensional, to be honest. I couldn't connect with the characters.

I read this book much faster than I was expecting to. I enjoy a good coming-of-age story, especially ones set in the 1990s. The author excelled at bringing the setting and the time period to life. From small details relating to pop culture and clothing, to larger details surrounding the environment and typical ways of thinking about things, the 1990s and Fresh Kills came to life, creating an immersive read.

The characters were also well written. The teens avoided much (all?) of the angst and off-putting character traits that often get included in YA books. Part of what made the characters feel so strong was how well the author included conflict between the characters, internal conflicts within the individual characters, and wove it together with the plot-driving conflicts.

While this is a YA read, it is quite strong, and I think readers of adult fiction could likely enjoy it still. My thanks to NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Great characters and good story. This is an intriguing and adventurous coming og age story. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Thank you to netgalley for the arc and a chance to provide my review. The Victory Boys gave off 'Outsiders' vibes. The book followed suit hooking me in the prologue. I enjoyed the story told from Raj's perspective and how everything played out. I am still on the fence about a few characters but overall a great coming of age story for the lower middle class kids of the 90's.

A captivating read. I did not know what to expect with this book but it was entertaining and kept me wanting to read.
Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy. My opinions are my own

Just ok for me. The story had promise but just felt like a student essay at times. I did not feel that the ending felt wrapped up relative to the beginning of the book. The author obviously and drive to write and a good idea for a story.

Ravi Gupta has written a novel that both adults and teens can enjoy. Taking place in the late 90’s, it focuses on a group of teens who get themself entrenched with the local mafia. True to the real story, it is centered around Staten Island, with the main focus on the largest dump site in New York, Fresh Kills. The main character, Raj, finds himself in a huge bind when he meets a girl named Georgia, and they are chased into Fresh Kill trying to evade a rival gang. What they witness, is a young woman being murdered by a couple of mafia goons. Knowing they can’t save her, Raj, is left with a secret from her, that leads the rest of the story into organized crime, corruption of the local authorities, and a hidden secret that has led to the deaths of many people due to Fresh Kills
There is action and deep friendships made between Georgia and Raj, who holds a terrible secret of her own.
I enjoyed the writing and the characters. Raj was smart and brave learning life lessons to not be fearful of taking on the wrongs of society.
Overall, it was a pretty good book and I will read another by this author.

There aren't too many thrillers set in Staten Island, and in particular the Travis neighborhood that abuts the once infamous Fresh Kills landfill. True to its name, it is rumored to contain the final resting place of many criminals. The novel is set in the 1990s, and concerns two social groups: the teens that are trying to get through life and high school and the mobster adults that operate in the area. The bonds formed by the teens come and go as one of them takes a job with the mob, and the adults just seem to ... well, go away to parts unknown. The dialog and characters on both seem realistic and engaging, and this is one of those mysteries where you find out the characters' motivations and how they can live with the lives they have chosen. I found it a great and fast read and highly recommended.

I received this ARC from Greenleaf Book Group Press and NetGalley for an honest review. The story takes place during the summer of 1999 in Staten Island in the town of Travis. A group of “dump rats” from the local school formed a friendship while living next to the town dump called Fresh Kills. Val , Georgia and Raj witnessed a young woman being murdered by the local mafia thugs. Before she is killed, the stranger asks the kids to go to her house , get her computer and give it to the proper authorities. She has some damaging evidence against the mafia leaders and wants the kids to help put the crime bosses and mobsters behind bars. The mafia runs the dump with its illegal dumping, cancer causing waste disposal and toxic waste. The story starts slowly and introduces many different characters and plots. As the book progresses, it gets very interesting and very good. . I couldn’t put it down until I knew how it ended.

The synopsis of this book sounded interesting but unfortunately it just didn't deliver for me. It reads like a YA novel, not something I read a lot. The characters were minimally constructed, I found myself wanting to know more about them than was provided. It was also implausible, high school kids working for the mafia? Really? I will give the author points for an original setting, and the main character was quite likable and amusing.

Taking place on Staten Island during late 90s is a group of teens who unearth buried secrets in Staten Island’s Fresh Kills landfill — the largest landfill in the world. This is a coming-of-age thriller debut that is full of adventure and intrigue. We meet sixteen-year-old, Raj Patel, along with his group of friends, called the Victory Boys, who find themselves entangled in the web of the Staten Island crime family. Genre is YA but I recommend for adults as well. The story is gripping and full of wit, the characters are compelling and believable, and some will pull at your heartstrings.

Garbage Town by Ravi Gupta is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that takes you on an emotional journey through the complexities of life in a marginalized community. Gupta’s writing is vivid and immersive, bringing the gritty yet hopeful setting to life. I was particularly drawn to the way he portrays his characters—each one feels incredibly real, with their own struggles, dreams, and flaws. The narrative is both heartbreaking and inspiring, as it explores themes of poverty, resilience, and the search for dignity in an often unforgiving world. Gupta’s ability to balance social commentary with deeply personal stories is what really makes this book stand out. It’s an unforgettable read that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.