We Need To Talk…

At times as a parent I have to admit that I feel like I am going just a little bit mad. These little people whilst a lot of the time areloving, cuddly, cute and all the other nice adjectives were truly sent here to test us. Yes I am very pleased and proud to be raising what will clearly be a strong, independent woman who doesn’t take any crap from anyone, but it does make for rather stress inducing moments where I literally want to go and curl up in a ball in a dark corner and rock until this current “phase” has passed.

Something that has definitely helped get me through the tougher times has been blog posts from parenting bloggers. Reading about the antics of other children and how I am not the only parent who sometimes wants to climb out of their own skull to escape has been a great source of comfort and at times laughter. So, in a wonderful turn of events, my lovely friend Michelle Tan compiled a collection of parenting stories called “We need to talk about the conditions of my imprisonment and other funny parenting stories!” and I’m here to give you the low-down…

Right from the start I began laughing and with practically every sentence I was nodding along and thinking “oh my goodness I am not alone!” I have never been a really huge fan of reading comedy, preferring to watch it as I think a lot of funny is down to the tone of voice, timing and delivery and I always worry that the voice in my head won’t do the author or in this case authors justice but I needn’t have worried as there was no way that anything in this book couldn’t be funny as the title itself suggests.

I was so pleased and a little in awe to see so many of my wonderful friends as contributors to this book – Laura Light and her Green Food Strike, Suzanne Treharne and her Together Against PENIS, Emma Critchley and Just Call Me Secret Mum, The Egg Wars from Elaine Cogan and Lucy Tomlinson’s 10 Rules of Hotel Etiquette to name but a few. This book could quite easily be renamed to “Stuffed full of stories from Talent!”

So basically this book is a collection of 21 writers and each chapter is a whole new story. I love to read but honestly over the past two and a half years I have read a total of one book (not including this one) because I simply do not have the time to lose myself in another world at present. However, this book was so refreshing because the stories were short enough that whenever I had 5 minutes, I was able to hop on and have a little chuckle to myself without worrying that I’d have to stop during a vital moment in the plot line or that I wouldn’t stop and therefore run out of time to do everything else.

Each author’s voice is unique and yet each works so well together. Another great thing about this book is that there are all types of humor so if one story doesn’t tickle your funny bone then the it’s likely that the next will. A couple weren’t to my particular sense of humor but I enjoyed reading them nonetheless.

If you like to read then you need to get this book. If you like to laugh you need to get this book. If you’re a parent you need to get this book. If you’re a parent who feels like they’re losing their marbles you need to get this book. Basically, if you’re breathing then you need to get this book. I am pretty sure that this actually needs to be printed and sent to all maternity wards and handed to parents as they leave with their new bundles of joy – how perfect would that be?! 11 out of 10 for me and a bargain too!

Book launches Saturday 21st April – Pre-order your copy here!

*I was sent the book in order to review – all opinions are my own.