Welcome to Litsy!

I appreciated the candor and the darkly humorous tone of this short memoir (book two of my #staycationstack) but I didn't think it was great. It was very obvious she was suffering from PPD but she only mentions it once right at the end. She thanks her therapist in the acknowledgments but doesn't talk about the therapy process in the book. I think that would have been really valuable information to include that might help another postpartum parent.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Even though I‘m not a mother I found so much of this book relatable. Reading it felt like a breath of fresh air in that it didn‘t offer trite answers and pushed against the mom-shame I‘ve watched my sister go through. The author shows a realness that isn‘t always palatable but feels honest nonetheless. It was also interesting reading this right after The Push. I think non-mothers like me could find this well worth the read!

Tonight‘s #bathandbook

I started this book earlier today and it is fantastic. I‘ve laughed out loud multiple times. There‘s also a good balance of despair. And lord does it take me right back to being pregnant and having a newborn.

A small pick, but what pushed it over the edge was O‘Connell‘s unflinching look at motherhood, birth and your relationship afterwards, both with your baby, your body and your partner. I haven‘t had a child myself, but I want to at some point, and I could definitely relate to some of O‘Connell‘s behaviour and thoughts from before she became pregnant.

I‘m glad books like this exist, so motherhood gets more real, not just a picture perfect story

Pulled this from the "How have I not made time for this yet?" pile.

Let's just say, this fundamentally wasn't for me. I was looking for some kind of recognisable millennial anxiety about what it means to be an adult in the world, doing adult things, when you feel far from it. Although I don't think this memoir needed to speak for all experiences, her story was so far removed from some very real, practical, and widely experienced challenges, and in the end I couldn't move past the bourgeois concerns.

On the audios again

This is a look at the author‘s experience as a new mom. I found it compelling, especially the short paragraphs that resembled the way new experiences feel - episodic. Motherhood often feels contradictory and sometimes when you think you have pinned down your thoughts, they change. I think this book illustrates that feeling very well.

Phew. Ok. This was a gut punch, a wrenchingly honest, brave, naked and raw account of pregnancy and early motherhood. I don‘t have kids and have been on the fence about it for years, but as I near my late 30s and the clock keeps ticking, candid books like this are invaluable to me. She narrates the audiobook excellently, with emotion just glimmering below the surface.

I was honestly annoyed through most of the first chapter, but then I loved it. I‘m not a mom, but I really enjoyed this. I laughed out loud often and also felt so sad for her. Such a great book!

I really enjoyed this #memoir #audiobook about millenial motherhood. I loved how she didn't shy away from complex, contradictory, and negative aspects of pregnancy, birth, and being a new mom. It's brutally honest and vulnerable but not without humour. She writes:"What if everyone worried less about giving women a bad impression of motherhood?"; this is certainly what she does. Only complaint: I wished she had dug a bit deeper into certain issues.

A brutally honest memoir about pregnancy, birth & postpartum. It‘s hard to read while pregnant, but also refreshing to read something so real. With my first pregnancy I didn‘t experience everything the author did, but I could certainly relate to much of what she felt. It‘s such an overwhelming thing to carry, birth, and care for a new life.

“This pregnancy makes me feel trapped sometimes, but other times I think, you‘ll never be this free again.”

This book was everything I was hoping for: one woman's brutally honest account of pregnancy, birth, and new motherhood. I'm truly grateful it exists!

Wow. This book! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I loved it and could not put it down! ❤️
Meaghan writes all her raw feelings, struggles and thoughts about pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood. I was so completely into this book and appreciated her honest story.
It does, however, make me dread childbirth when the day comes when my husband and I start our family 😱
I think it is a must read for moms/moms to be!

I secretly love when books talk about people working in/going to bookstores 📚

Aaaand let‘s add a comfy blanket to the mix ❤️

✔️ New electric fireplace ✔️ New comfy socks ✔️ Starting a new book ✔️ Starting the weekend at the cabin

Life is good! 😍

One of our local shops has their holiday stuff out...and I had to bring these gnomes home with me!!! I think they are excited I‘m going to start this library book tonight! #AndNowWeHaveEverything

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 for this Candid and Vivid memoir on becoming a mother for the first time. This was one of my anticipated reads of 2018 and it didnt disappoint!
#bookreview #memoir

Hi guys! Time to play catch up on #SeptemberDanes. Here are 2 books regarding motherhood that I have on my TBR, because I feel like mothers are the most fit for the 23rd prompt, #WarriorWorrier(s)! Thanks Moms everywhere for fighting, sorry for worrying you ❤️

@Kalalalatja @Cinfhen

A great book which serves the dual purpose of confirming all my worst fears about having a child and, at the same, also opened my eyes the whole experience. The writer minces no words in detailing her experience of childbirth, postpartum depression and being the only mother among her peers. Reading this was an eye opening experience in several ways.

2.5/5👶🏻. I was disconnected with her first experience being a mother. I do not find New York mid-twenties Mom problems up my alley. The second half discussing post-baby sexual problems and going back to work seemed more realistic. I had my first child at 19,worked fast food, and lived in a trailer. Now I have three children and a masters degree. I struggle to relate with mothers that have their first child at 27 and have already finished college

Oh no #kindlelife

I‘m glad I stuck with this, as I found everything from the birth story onward excellent. Some descriptions gave me insight into experiences very different from my own, while others were strikingly familiar. However, the beginning of the book, focusing on pregnancy, did not resonate with me.

Started + finished on our way up to Tahoe. I continue to be drawn to learning about motherhood; to the feeling of not knowing what you want and the pressure to make a decision or about motherhood‘s impact on a person and the grief over losing precious parts of yourself.

Meaghan O‘Connell‘s writing is direct + relatable + in perfect moments our souls meet.

“It occurs to me that I had this baby just to feel this free when I‘m away from him.”

I loved this book. It was like I wrote it myself. As a mother of two young sons, (pictured here on my shelf at work♥️) I can relate to the pressures, insecurities, and overwhelming feelings the author presents. She is, without a doubt, brave to share her honest feelings when there‘s so much judgement of mothers in our culture. There are a few feelings I didn‘t connect with completely (brining a baby home to a big city, daycare, etc.) Recommended🌟

Kidney stones!! I have them and the pain can be unbearable 😖 I finally have it under control for the time being. Having some lunch to have something on my stomach for the pills.
Just starting this memoir about motherhood and let me tell you, the truth in these pages!! Loving it already. And loving my first caprese sandwich of the summer 😋🍅

Books read in July!
Total Books Read in July - 18
Five-star reads - 3
Pages Read - 4992
Man Booker Prize nominees or winners - 3
Review copies - 7
Print - 6
eBook - 9
Audio - 3
http://readingenvy.blogspot.com/2018/07/books-read-july-2018-174-191.html

Meaghan O'Connell writes honestly about pregnancy, birth, and motherhood, including all the physical challenges and how relationships change after you become a mother, no matter what your intentions and beliefs may have been. I think I would have appreciated more reflection and time passing but feel like that might have negatively impacted the feeling of immediacy in her experience.

#ReadingWomenMonth • Day 10 • Pink Cover

Love this take on pregnancy, birth, and motherhood from a woman of my generation. It‘s such a realistic perspective on the topic.

Thanks to @thebookcorgi for this lovely photo bomb. 😆

Just started reading this. Loving it so far!

I love reading memoirs and thinking “YES!” This is so true but why?? (And I say that as a woman who had kids because her [then] partner did).

Moving into this. #currentlyreading

This is an excellent book. I relate to much of it and highly recommend it. This is one book that lives up to the buzz. 5⭐️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a short but compelling memoir that in many ways seeks to dispel myths that motherhood is all sunshine and roses. I really enjoyed it and found it utterly compelling (full review up on the blog - www.sixminutesforme.com) // Thanks to @LittleBrownBooks for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

🎉 NEW INTERVIEW 🎉⠀
We were delighted to get to talk to Meaghan O'Connell about her book AND NOW WE HAVE EVERYTHING: ON MOTHERHOOD BEFORE I WAS READY. Pregnancy and motherhood look differently for everyone and in her story Meaghan explores the middle range of people who had not so great experiences but aren't sure how to talk about them. ⠀
You can listen wherever you get your podcasts or find it on our website.

Enjoying this one so far!

O‘Connell gave voice to a lot of familiar feelings....that motherhood can feel oppressive...that before the baby is born many women actually believe the baby is just going to fit in your current life when actually your life changes immensely...and that having a C-section feels sooooo weird! I was nodding along with so many of her observations. And reviewing a memoir is very hard, because her experiences are just that.

This book was a revelation. Best book I've read this year, and definitely the truest story about becoming a mother I've encountered yet. My full review will be up on The Millions soon! @LittleBrownBooks

This is exactly how I felt!

I loved AND NOW WE HAVE EVERYTHING, and I think you‘ll love it, too. It‘s a quick, beautiful read about the vulnerability inherent in desiring motherhood, how there‘s no “right time.” I can‘t wait to see what Meaghan writes next.

Day 13 of the @bookriot #Riotgrams Challenge: pink, red, and white! 💕♥️💀