Ruby's Misadventures with Reality: 1 (Emerald City Mystery)

I was a huge Wizard of Oz fan as a kid - so much so that our sheepdog mutt was named Toto, and I begged my mom to legally change my name to Dorothy. She didn't, but I spent a lot of time imagining what it would be like to live in Oz. Samantha Bohrman presents a world unlike any other (including L. Frank Baum's) in Ruby's Misadventures with Reality.In Ruby's Kansas, the "Biomall" sets its own climate in terms of temperature, fashion, and even religion. This book is whimsical and so very funny. Bohrman sneaks in surprising social satire and a nail-biting romance along with an unexpected mystery for our heroine to solve. And did I mention I laughed out loud? I definitely recommend it.

A great first book from this author. Wonderful wit and humor from beginning to end. Funny and maybe even a little dark in looking at consumerism and how the almighty dollar can win out over almost everything except maybe Mother Nature. Also looks at how ideas of romance can get in the way of relationships...The characters are interesting - quirky. Especially liked Ming, the brainy Chinese best friend who tells it like it is, and Todd, Ming's assistant, who seems to spend most of his moments in a cloud (of smoke). Hope to see more from this author. I like to laugh and I'd like to find out what happens after the tornado!! And how about Elysian Fields?? And who killed Estelle???

Let's just put it this way- turn off the TV and pick up this book. It's funnier than Friends reruns (and you'll like this quirky cast of characters even better), it's smarter than CSI (you won't solve the crime 5 minutes in), it's sexier than Sex and the City (Ruby's way hotter in my imagination than Carrie), and it's plottier than Bridget Jones (lots going on that will keep your fingers turning pages til 3 am). But make sure you warn your bedmate that the noise you're bound to make is not the bbq ribs you ate for dinner, but instead is the roaring belly laughter that you also simply cannot control.

I absolutely loved this book!!!

I've read this one several times, hoping for more Ruby and Noel!