My Body is a Big Fat Temple by Alena Dillon

I don’t think I’ve ever read a more honest and realistic take on pregnancy and motherhood! Alena Dillon starts off reluctant on becoming a mother and we watch her experiences through pregnancy, birth and the 4th trimester that is keeping a newborn alive.

I did not enjoy pregnancy at all. I was so sick and each pregnancy got worse. So I did appreciate that this book did not sugar coat anything! I know some people have wonderful pregnancies and I will forever be jealous of them. But this book tells all about each horrible symptom all the way through beginning of pregnancy to birth. Every gory detail. This would be a great book to read before you have kids and was great to read after!

This book is full of humour and love, a great read for anyone interested in parenthood or anyone already in it. Alena Dillon had me laughing out loud and wishing I was back in that phase of my life, even though it was so freaking hard while I was in it.

TW: Miscarriage, Postpartum Depression

Thank you to @alena.dillon and @letstalkbookspromo for my advanced copy! This book is out tomorrow!

This seems like a great, accurate description of pregnancy, childbirth and infancy. I don’t know if a new mom to be would love it or be scared by reading it, but as an old mom who has five kids. It was really interesting reading another account

My Body is a Big Fat Temple by Alena Dillon is the most raw and honest memoir that I’ve ever read about pregnancy and early motherhood. The author doesn’t sugarcoat anything here. The reader gets all of the nitty gritty details of each trimester, the birthing process, and all of the WTF moments that occur afterwards. A phrase I continuously repeated in my head while reading Dillon’s memoir is, “Oh, the memories!” It’s crazy how much you forget while growing a little human. I recommend this book for anyone curious about pregnancy, currently expecting, trying to conceive, and all of the warriors who want to relive the glorious madness. A candid, straightforward, and genuine narrative like Dillon’s would have been very much appreciated back in my early childbearing years! I laughed, cried, and nodded my head in solidarity. My Body is a Big Fat Temple releases on Tuesday, October 12th, and it receives 4/5 truthful stars from me!

My Body Is A Big Fat Temple is an insightful, and sometimes hysterical, memoir of pregnancy and child rearing. Alena addresses so many things about pregnancy and bringing up children that society leaves unsaid. From things like the uncomfortableness of pregnancy that we, as women, are taught to gloss over, from the sadness and isolation of post-partum depression, her views are spot on, and what every new mother should be hearing. Being pregnant and raising a child are HARD, and she tells all in a light and funny, but still serious way.

This book should be required reading for those pregnant, new mothers, and those who are thinking of becoming parents. Her fears and insecurities are ones we all have as parents, and it was refreshing to see an honest glimpse of this, when most books and people give you the Instagram version (all perfect). Highly recommend!

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

So I was enjoying the stories in this book. However, I think it was just the arc but random sentences just stopped in the middle out of nowhere and it drove me insane so I couldn't finish this one.