Stunning...DeCarlo has loudly claimed her seat at the table of today's elite contemporary Southern women writers including Joshilyn Jackson, Fannie Flagg and Sue Monk Kidd. They continue the work of literary giants like Carson McCullers, Eudora Welty and Flannery O'Connor, crafting haunting stories about the peculiar, the impolite...
Oklahoma Gazette [A] pitch-perfect novel about family secrets, self-forgiveness ... Read moreand redemption...DeCarlo's debut novel's originality and fresh voice will endear her to readers...Every character in DeCarlo's novel is complex and richly drawn...this story is so vibrant and universally human that it's sad to see it end.
Dallas Morning News DeCarlo has created a compulsively likable mess of a protagonist who will keep readers laughing and cringing - even as they begin really rooting for her...surprising, poignant and page-turning...a strong debut and a thoroughly entertaining read.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram This first novel by an Oklahoma-born Texan is written with verve, assurance and some salty language.
Toronto Star THE ART OF CRASH LANDING is full of heart and sass. It's about forgiveness, self-understanding, and the complicated love between mothers and daughters. Readers will root for DeCarlo's goofy, sharp-tongued heroine... This is a sparkling, funny, and moving debut.
Edan Lepucki, author of CALIFORNIA I especially enjoyed the small-town feel of this novel, getting to know the Grandy residents, like the librarian, her snarky niece and the wheelchair-bound lawyer who help (and hinder) Mattie in her quest. The humor and humanity shine through in this delightful debut.
Auburn Citizen Grief, laughter, sarcasm, heartache, sadness-Melissa DeCarlo's debut novel has it all. Starting out with light-hearted humor thanks to the narration of its spunky protagonist, THE ART OF CRASH LANDING evolves into a compelling, genuine story about a woman's search for her identity.
BookPage.com A success...Mattie made me laugh with some of her sarcastic remarks and her self-deprecating humor.
Oklahoman In this tender story of self-discovery and forgiveness, Mattie uneraths secrets about the alcoholic mom she realizes she never really knew.
Good Housekeeping, Best New Reads I fell in love with Mattie, with all her sass, her snark, her bad ass ways. The best compliment I can give this talented new author? I wish I had written this novel. You nailed it, Melissa DeCarlo. And you deserve legions of very happy readers.
Ellen Sussman, author of A WEDDING IN PROVENCE and FRENCH LESSONS Mattie describes herself as a natural disaster, and she may on to something...Melissa DeCarlo's storytelling is strong and sure, genuinely moving and genuinely funny. Like her unlikely heroine, she's a force to be reckoned with.
Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of THE DEEP END OF THE OCEAN Behind the smartass mouth of Mattie Wallace, our troubled protagonist, is a whole lot of heart, soul and humor...You won't stop reading THE ART OF CRASH LANDING until all the great mysteries of Mattie's messed-up life have been unravelled by the ever-wise Mattie herself.
Jessica Anya Blau, author of THE WONDER BREAD SUMMER A dazzling debut that truly soars, about figuring out the tug of the past, about family mysteries and the marvels of forgiveness, and all of it features a spunky heroine readers won't be able to stop falling in love with.
Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of IS THIS TOMORROW and PICTURES OF YOU Mattie's voice is fresh, her penchant for off-color language balanced with a revealing earnestness and vulnerability. Gandy's other residents are vibrant and well-developed...DeCarlo's debut is confident and accomplished, filled with heart and humor.
Kirkus DeCarlo manages to make her heroine endearing despite her many flaws: she creates clever private jokes with the reader and slips in the occasional heartbreaking memory between brash shows of pushiness...DeCarlo's writing bristles with Mattie's vibrant personality...a triumphant first novel.
Publishers Weekly DeCarlo deftly weaves in flashbacks about Mattie's childhood and creates a cast of wonderfully full-blooded, fallible characters...Best of all is Mattie herself, who has cultivated a measure of humanity in addition to impressive survival skills and whose briskly told story is instantly involving. An impressive debut.
Booklist DeCarlo bursts on the scene with a fascinating, mysterious novel...This debut is thick with secrets; it will cause readers to question everyone and everything. The author does an outstanding job combining suspense with heartache, adding a dash of romance and, at the end, hope.
Library Journal I love books that give you so much more than you expect. Melissa DeCarlo has talent in abundance, and knows how to tell a story. THE ART OF CRASH LANDING is moving, funny, and compelling. You can't ask for much more than that when you pick up a book.
Its Either Sadness or Euphoria blog A dazzling read, one that will lift your spirits and let them soar...a story about place, family, and the perseverance of the self, DeCarlo digs deep into what makes a person a person, and reminds all of us that what we come from matters.
Hello Giggles.com, 15 New Books You Absolutely Need to Read in September A satisfying first novel from Ms. DeCarlo, I'm looking forward to more from her.
Books and Bindings Mesmerizing story of how the past affects the present but also reaffirms history is not the future. A very likeable flawed heroine.
Heroes and Heartbreakers.com, Women's Fiction Best Bets for September 2015 Plucky, bold and authentic, and I defy anyone not to fall in love with this story.
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