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“So absolutely over the top that it makes readers laugh out loud and thank God it is not them.”
- San Francisco Book Review, March 2011. (Read the entire review HERE.)

“Raw and funny.” – Joel Stein, Time Magazine Columnist
“How come people who have experienced such trauma write so well? Everything I Never Wanted To Be is so raw and funny that it almost makes me want to have horrible things happen to me so my writing will improve. Until I can orchestrate that, I can enjoy reading about Dina Kucera’s horrible life.”

Like a maelstrom, Everything I Never Wanted to Be pulls the reader into the powerful whirlpool which threatens to suck the lives of a family down the vortex of drug addiction and alcoholism. This is not a story of a caring family member or friend rescuing a loved one from drug abuse. Rather, this is a unique tale of an addict trying to save addicts: Kucera fights desperately to save her three teenage daughters from meth and heroin addiction while battling her own overpowering dependence on alcohol and painkillers. Naturally, the events that unfold are chaotic. This is the author’s true story of a tumultuous but inspiring, against-all-odds journey to keep herself and her family afloat. This read could be overwhelming were it not for the humor and hope running throughout the story. It is an intense and exhausting journey, but well worth the effort. – Gary Klinga, ForeWord Reviews (Read the entire review here.)

When this book came up for review my first thought was: Oh yes, another family dealing with addiction. Been there, done that. But I read an excerpt. I was hooked. What makes this memoir so special? As with fiction, it’s all about voice: the fairy dust that brings words to life, gives them a heartbeat. Dina has a voice many authors would cheerfully give a limb for. Everything I Never Wanted to Be will tie your heart in knots, it will have you howling in frustration and it will make you laugh out loud. I strongly urge everyone to read Dina’s story. – Jenny Mounfield, The Compulsive Reader (Read the entire review here.)

A brutally open and honest look into the heart of a family beset by drug and alcohol abuse. [Kucera's] heart, soul, and humor shine forth from the book’s pages and…will make a lasting impression on those who read her memoir. – Charline Ratcliff, Rebecca’s Reads (Read the entire review here.)

I started reading Everything I Never Wanted to Be and couldn’t put it down. It is terrific! It is a very visceral description of the lives of the author and her family, full of side-busting humor and moments of incredible drama and emotion. I don’t think there is anything like it out there in this genre. It deserves the attention of reviewers and the media, and I can see it becoming a hilarious movie in the vein of “The Hangover” or the original “Death at a Funeral.” – Mark Shelmerdine, CEO, Jeffers Press

In this day of whiny chick lit, this book is a breath of fresh air. You would think a story laced with so much heartache and on a serious subject matter would be a total downer, but Everything I Never Wanted To Be is the exact opposite. It is uplifting, funny, a tear jerker, and suspense filled. It reads like a novel and would make a wonderful movie. It also shows a true lesson is accepting and appreciating what life throws at you. – Valorie Hart, visualvamp.blogspot.com

Everything I Never Wanted to Be will remind many readers of Mary Karr’s The Liars’ Club and James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces.  The story opens with the author onstage, competing on the “Funniest Mom in America” TV show. She’s performed hundreds of times, but this time she freezes because she’s flashing back to her teenage daughter’s harrowing hospital stay following a suicide attempt. From there, it’s a rollercoaster ride that includes stories of parental neglect, drug overdoses, a sex offender priest, a tragic childbirth, a teen who finds out via videotape that she was raped while she was high on crystal meth, a stay in a mental ward, a surprisingly redemptive trip to Disneyland, and more relapses and rehabs than you can keep track of. It’s a story that is brutally honest–shocking at times–yet still funny and full of hope. – Mike O’Mary, Editor and Publisher, Dream of Things

4 Responses

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  1. jamie lynn hart

    Dina–Truly amazing read. you are so talented, and thank you for having the courage to share your story with the world. You made me laugh so much when i needed it the most. Best of luck to you and your future projects.

    November 5, 2011 at 4:17 pm
    Reply
  2. Julie Sands

    I love this book! I seriously couldn’t put it down it had me so sucked in, dying to know what was going to happen next. I cried and laughed all the way through it. What a great writer and such a down to earth person. Congratulations to Dina, after all the heartaches there is lots of good things in store for her and her family I feel and can’t wait for the next book! :)

    September 17, 2010 at 7:54 pm
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  3. Julie Eberhart Painter

    Wow. This sounds like my kind of book. I’ve read all of Mary Karr’s memoirs and am looking forward to her how-to book.

    I’ll try to get this directly onto my Kindle since our bookshelves in every room are filled.

    Julie

    August 31, 2010 at 1:02 pm
    Reply
    • Mike

      Hi Julie. Thanks for the note. “Everything” will be available everywhere in print on 10/1. Plan is to have ebook versions ready for Kindle and other formats by 11/1!

      August 31, 2010 at 4:45 pm
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