I bet you wouldn’t guess that in my past life I was a bit of a book worm. You know, in my life before having kids. And even now if I find a spare minute or two I love to sit down with a book to find a little escape from the chaos. Especially if there is a bubble bath involved. I probably don’t even have to tell any other moms out there that situation hardly ever happens. Lots of times these days I find myself drawn toward books about motherhood or regarding the lives of other moms. That’s why I wanted to do a quick round up of the best books for moms, and what I would recommend to any other book loving mama!
1. Stop Here, This is the Place [Wiky Lewis and Susan Conley]. This book is very unique and really beautiful. It all began as an experiment between a writer and a photographer where once a week the photographer sent a picture to the writer and the writer wrote back a story that went with the photo. The story told is a year of children growing up and the precious memories a mother made during that year. It speaks to enjoying the time we have with our little ones and how fleeting childhood is.
2. Out of the Spin Cycle: Devotions to Lighten your Mother Load [Jen Hatmaker]. This is a book that I reach for time and time again. Jen Hatmaker is a Christian author and it does have a religious element but I think any mom could benefit from the positive and uplifting message Jen pours out in this book.
3. Confessions of a Scary Mommy [Jill Smokler]. I assume if you are reading my blog you know what Scary Mommy is, and if not I can fill you in real quick – it’s one of the biggest parenting websites out there. This book, like many articles from the website, is a hilarious and unapologetic look into motherhood and parenting that will have you laughing the whole time.
4. Capture the Moment [Sarah Wilkerson]. If you are a mom chances are you like photographing your kid. This book is the go to guide for how to create the best photography of your children. The tips in the book are applicable for every skill level and it’s also full of gorgeous images.
5. Mom & Me & Mom [Maya Angelou]. Maya Angelou is one of the most well known American authors. But in this book she takes a different turn and documents her relationship between her and her mother. It’s a story of hard times, good times, and reconciliation.
6. Listen to Your Mother: What She Said Then, What We’re Saying Now [Ann Imig]. This book is a fabulous collection of short stories about being a mother in modern times. The stories come from a diverse group of voices, and some will make you laugh while others make you cry. You’ll feel refreshed and inspired when you put this book down.
7. Balancing Acts: Three Prima Ballerinas Becoming Mothers [Lucy Gray]. Okay maybe it’s the former ballerina in me that loves this book so much. The book follows three professional dancers who have children at the height of their careers. It tells their story through stunning photography, making it really great for those of us who don’t have time to actually read, but also has profound captions and insight from the dancers themselves.
8. Gifts from the Sea [Anne Morrow Lindbergh]. A beautiful memoir written by a mom of 5 children. Despite the fact this book was written over 70 years, it is still wonderfully applicable to women and moms today. Lindbergh’s writing is so easy to relate with and by the time you finish you’ll feel as though she is an old friend.
9. Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year [Anne Lamott]. This is the hilarious chronicle of a single mom raising her son. She captures her journey and the struggles of motherhood in a unique way and you really experience how she changes that first year which any mother can relate to.
10. Hustle & Heart [Kailyn Lowry]. You may know the author Kail from the show Teen Mom, but get prepared to know her on a real personal level with this book. You will be inspired by her journey as a young mother and the way she overcame obstacles in her path to success.
I am so excited to be joining Kail Lowry for a Virtual Book Tour in honor of her new book Hustle & Heart! If you’re in the Baltimore area, you can meet Kail in person at her book signing March 25th at noon at John Hopkins University Barnes and Noble. Be sure to visit these other awesome posts from this virtual blog tour, listed below:
Kail Lowry // cupcakeMAG // The Garcia Diaries // Lipgloss and Crayons // My Wifestyles // The Do It All Mama // Fresh Mommy Blog // Little Lovelies // Haute and Humid // Twelve and Six // Lauren McBride Blog // Sandy a la Mode // The Vintage Blonde // Oh Happy Play // Still Being Molly // Casual Claire // Nashville Wifestyles // Southern Made Blog
[My Top]
Okay what is your favorite book related to motherhood? What are your best books for moms? Let me know so I can go order it below!
Great list! I’ve been looking for a new book to read. I never watched teen mom but her book sounds intriguing.
I wish I had more time to read! Great list!
Not that I need any more books to put on my list to read! There are some great books in this selection!
Some great reads, I am putting some of these on my list 🙂
I’m always on the lookout for book recommendations! Thanks for sharing these!
I need to put ALL these in my amazing cart now!
I used to love to read before I had kids. Now it seems like I can hardly find the time. You have inspired me to start reading again!
If only I had time to read books…. I need to make time because I really do enjoy it so much!
Great list. I’ve watched a few episode of Teen Mom. Interested to read Hustle and Heart.
I love Jen Hatmaker’s book and Anne Lamott’s (she’s my all-time favorite author)!! Definitely going to check out these others as well! Thanks for sharing, Claire!
I’m so glad that I saw this post! I’ve been on the search for some new books to read! Adding to my to-read list!
I’m always looking for a good book to read…and more time to actually read them! Great list!