My Sweet October Surprise: Book Reviews in Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly Magazines

It’s a daunting thing to put something you’ve created out into the world. So when I published my book, The Meat and Potatoes of Life: My True Lit Com, I braced myself for criticism.

So far, I’ve been downright touched by the thoughtful reviews my book has received on Amazon and Goodreads, as well as a great review that appeared in Gatehouse Media newspapers, but every author knows that at some point, someone is going to comment “Meh” or “Just okay” or “This book sucks” and it’s going to break your heart. Rejection and criticism is such an integral part of being a writer, so you’d think that authors would be able to shrug off a few bad reviews. Think again.

Which is why I was so delighted and relieved that Kirkus Reviews and Publisher’s Weekly published positive reviews of my book in the October issues of their national book review magazines. I posted previously about the online review I received from Kirkus, but then I was notified that the review was one of only 10% selected to be featured in Kirkus Reviews Magazine.

As if that wasn’t exciting enough, Publisher’s Weekly Magazine came out a couple weeks later, with this review on page 92:

Molinari’s debut memoir, structured as a literary sitcom, is a hilarious depiction of life as a Navy wife and mother of three. Molinari, self-described as a “harried mom who hides a can of Pringles in the laundry room,” believes that no matter the task, she will always be “Supermom.” This belief is tested when her husband, naval intelligence officer Francis, is deployed for a year of service in Djibouti. At first, she is able to manage Hayden, Anna, Lilly, and Dinghy the dog with ease. But as the months pass, Molinari realizes that balancing motherhood, long-distance marriage, and her own sanity is not as easy as she envisioned. She copes by writing down life’s joys and struggles on a yellow legal pad, notes that developed into blog posts and then became the “episodes” of the book’s five “seasons.”

Molinari’s frank, succinct writing will make readers feel like they’re swapping family anecdotes with a close friend. She observes modern life with fresh imagery, wry wit, and attention to detail. Though each episode follows a pattern, beginning with a mishap and ending with a life lesson, the occasional clichés (“In spite of losing every game, the Sharks were a winning team after all”) are offset by Molinari’s candid sense of humor. The similarities in the stories will be easily overlooked by readers who dip in and out of the book; binge-watchers will get less out of reading it straight through.

In true sitcom form, each character in Molinari’s life plays a key role in shaping her sense of self. She narrates with pointed self-awareness and honesty, especially when she’s poking fun at herself. Of particularly poignant note is the author’s reaction to her son’s autism diagnosis, highlighting her fretting even as he repeatedly shows that he can be happy and achieve significant accomplishments. True to its title, this is a book whose rich flavor is best savored in small bites.

Takeaway: This relatable, laugh-out-loud memoir about motherhood, marriage, and the military will appeal to readers who find humor in the everyday.

Great for fans of Tina Fey’s Bossypants, Roz Chast’s Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, Erma Bombeck, Jennifer Weiner.

Production grades
Cover: B-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: –
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-

~ Booklife Reviews by Publisher’s Weekly

Needless to say, October’s been a good month for me. As a writer, the sweetest feeling is to create something you think is good. But a close second is to have someone else tell you that they like it, too.

That kind of validation is sweeter than all the Halloween candy in the world.