Bad Book Reviews – A Love Letter to My One-Star Frenemies

There’s nothing quite like pouring your heart, soul, and an irresponsible amount of coffee into a novel—only to have someone on the internet declare it “the worst book I’ve ever read” right after publication day. First of all… dramatic much?

If you’re reading this post and you’ve ever gotten a bad review, welcome to the club. We have cookies. And tissues. And a secret spreadsheet where we compare the most dramatic one-star zingers and rate them for flair and emotional devastation. There's even an entire podcast where they read one-star reviews out loud - and make fun of them.

But seriously. Let’s talk about it. Bad reviews happen to everybody. And I mean everybody. I once looked up reviews for a wildly famous author who’s sold more books than there are cats on the internet (and that’s saying something), and guess what? One-star reviews galore. Someone said their “writing style reminded them of damp lettuce.” I don’t know what that means, but I know it’s harsh.

So what do we do when someone roasts our literary baby like a holiday turkey?

Well, if you’re me, you read the bad review exactly one time, with one eye closed, then scroll down and read ten five-star reviews like you’re drinking a healing elixir from the fountain of validation. Bonus points if one of the good reviews includes the word “unputdownable,” because that word feels like a cozy blanket for the writer’s soul.

Now don’t get me wrong—criticism can be useful. Constructive feedback is how we grow. But some reviews aren’t constructive. Some are just... angry. Or weird. Or clearly written by someone who thought they were buying a cookbook and accidentally got a murder mystery with a talking dog instead.

(That last one’s on them. It says Magical Papillon Mysteries right there on the cover, friend.)

The thing is, not every book is for everybody. Some people hate cilantro. Some people hate Mondays. Some people hate books with quirky small-town vibes and lovable ghosts. But that doesn’t mean those things are bad. It just means those people are wrong—I mean, it just means they have different tastes.

(Probably also wrong, but we’re being gracious today.)

So yes, bad reviews sting. Especially when you’re tired and you’ve just finished a long writing day and your dog is judging you and someone online is calling your heroine “annoyingly optimistic” and you’re like, “Ma’am, she’s literally being haunted. Give her a break.”

But here’s the beautiful part: you wrote a book. That’s more than most people will ever do. You created a world, gave it life, and sent it out into the wild. And whether people love it, hate it, or think your villain was “too polite for a murderer” (real review, by the way), it means you were brave enough to share something from your heart.

So how do I survive bad reviews?

I scroll by them like my mouse is on fire.
I eat a snack.
I read the good ones twice.
And then I write another book.

Because the best revenge is success—and also, maybe naming a particularly obnoxious villain after someone who left a really mean review. Hypothetically.

The Absolute Madness of Naming Characters

Let’s talk about one of the most ridiculous struggles of writing a book. No, I’m not talking about the part where you stare at the blinking cursor like it personally insulted your ancestors. I’m talking about naming characters. It should be easy, right? Just slap a name on them and move on? Oh, my sweet summer child. If only. See, naming a character is like naming your kid—except worse, because nobody is going to complain if your kid and their cousin both end up being named Liam. But if your main villain is named Liam and you accidentally give the quirky coffee shop owner in book three the same name? Cue the existential crisis. Let’s walk through the madness. The Overthinking Spiral of Doom You start writing, and there’s that moment: your brand-new character walks onto the page, full of potential. All they need is a name. A simple name. Something strong, something fitting, something— Oh no. Nothing sounds right. This one is too complicated. That one is too simple. ...

Stories Are Everywhere: The Writer’s Endless Inspiration

As a writer, one of the most common questions I’m asked is, “How do you come up with your stories?” It’s a question that often makes me smile because the answer is as simple as it is profound: stories are everywhere. Inspiration doesn’t always strike in grand, dramatic moments. More often than not, it emerges quietly, weaving its way into the fabric of everyday life. Conversations with friends, the sights and sounds of a bustling city, or even the stillness of a room can spark the seed of an idea. Writers aren’t just storytellers; we’re observers, collecting fragments of life and spinning them into tales. Let me share a recent example of how a simple evening turned into the genesis of a new story idea. Over two perfectly crafted negronis, I was discussing the schedule for an upcoming event with a friend. Their house, a treasure trove of artwork, surrounded us. Every piece of art seemed to hum with a story of its own. Midway through the second drink, I remarked, “One day, someb...

Negronis, art, and the Next Mystery

You know you have the best readers in the world when they politely demand the next book—with extra exclamation marks and not a hint of shame. So many of you have been asking (some quite insistently, and with the kind of enthusiasm that makes my day) about the next Magical Papillon Mystery . Those of you who asked on social media — thank you!!! To all of you, I say — bless your sweet, book-loving hearts, and fear not. Pixie will return! Here’s what happened… Last Christmas, after one (or more) festive Negronis with my very talented artist friend, I made the kind of pronouncement that can only come after equal parts gin, vermouth, and orange. I looked around her house — absolutely overflowing with paintings, colors, and canvases stacked like leaning towers of artistic chaos — and said something like, “Wouldn’t it make a great story if someone inherited a house full of original art, and every painting had a secret behind it, and they had to solve the mysteries one by one…?” Well. One...

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