Sex, Art, and Murder in the Wild East

Gaijin Cowgirl by Jame DiBiasio
Going into this I knew it was a different genre than I typically read. But it surprised me in a way, because I didn't dislike it. That's not to say I loved it either, but still enjoyed parts of it.

The book starts in Japan, and I was expecting a Japanese based story. Except the story then moves to Thailand, and what I wasn't anticipating was how much more I'd enjoy the parts in Thailand. I think because so much more of the action takes place at that point, it just was the section that was more entertaining to read.

My biggest complaint of this book, was the main character Val. She came off as so naive and stupid, in a way. And while I realize that was the point, she isn't someone I want to spend my time with. The hope would be that she grows through her actions, and while you could argue that she does, Val even at the end, still isn't someone I'd want to read about. I was told the book is classified as New Adult, and while that does fit, it almost felt like a way to rationalize Val's decisions.

Another aspect that isn't quite a complaint, but more like a confusion has to do with how the story is told. Each time a character had a question of what happened, we as a reader jump to that scene in the past. I actually found these historical scenes to be some of my favorites. But in a way it didn't feel fair that we knew this information and the main characters didn't. So while I really enjoyed them, I'm not sure they were needed.

This book is a really fun and action packed tale. I do think overall it has a lot of potential. The treasure hunting story is fun, and the places visited (especially in Thailand), really came alive. The book does leave itself open to a sequel, but unless Val manages to drastically change in it, I can't necessarily see myself picking it up.

3.5/5

Disclosure: I was provided this book through Virtual Author Book Tours. All opinions expressed are my own.