I enjoyed this book and the different essays about the ups and downs of life. The essays were vulnerable and poignant and emotional. I will definitely read more from this author!

This was the right time to read this book - really landed for me now. I heard her interviews on Sarah's Bookshelves Live - a favorite book podcast - and loved the author. This book is a memoir in loosely connected essays, starting with how the author's teenage son had a major seizure and was diagnosed with epilepsy. Her writing was honest and relatable - plus humorous - really enjoyed every bit! I have her other book "I Miss You When I Blink" - I think I read it years ago - but want to read that soon too!

As I was reading, this book just didn't seem to land. It is a collection of essays from a mom who grapples with anxiety. She clearly loves her family and wants to protect them, but the world is a rough place. Things happen and you can't protect the ones you love. That is the clear message throughout this book and I get it... it just doesn't always land.

She starts by talking about a medical emergency that happened to her son, that was unexpected. This thread runs through the essays in the book, but some definitely veer off track. I wasn't sure what the point of pages on end about the author likely having COVID before it was a thing had to do with, well, anything.

Anyway, I didn't enjoy the first book by this author (I'll Miss You When I Blink) and I didn't enjoy this one either. I sense a theme, and it could just be me. *shrug*

I love this author's writing, but I think because we are in such different places in our lives this didn't quote land with me like I was hoping.

Mary Laura Philpott's "Bomb Shelter: A Novel" is a delightful and introspective exploration of life's uncertainties and the connections that anchor us. With her signature wit and keen observations, Philpott crafts a story that effortlessly navigates the complexities of love, loss, and finding meaning in unexpected places. The relatable protagonist's journey resonates deeply, offering a comforting reminder that it's okay to embrace the messiness of life. Through its charming narrative and well-drawn characters, "Bomb Shelter" captures the essence of human vulnerability and the strength that comes from leaning on those who matter most. Philpott's novel is a warm and insightful read that leaves you with a sense of both nostalgia and hope.

BOMB SHELTER is a memoir full of humor and heart. Philpott is contradictory in nature—extremely anxious yet highly optimistic. She searches for meaning in the pivotal and ordinary moments throughout her life and shares her anxiety about parenthood, growing older and losing those she loves. I found the bits on parenthood highly relatable because both of our son’s have epilepsy/seizure disorders. The second you find out that your child is in danger, it feels like you’re constantly lugging around this unbearable weight on your chest, head and shoulders. As parents we become so consumed with feelings of helplessness, uncertainty, research and doctor’s appointments that we forget to check in with our other children and we neglect to take care of ourselves. After reading this memoir, I was comforted in knowing I’m not at all alone in my anxiety. Philpott’s writing is insightful and moving, reminding us how important it is to practice positive thinking, the power of kindness and to be gentle with ourselves and others.

You had me at turtles.

But seriously, this was the most relatable memoir I have ever read. Mary has a way of eloquently putting into words the things that I can only think about not even know how to begin to articulate. Her honesty on being a mom to teenagers, dealing with aging parents, the pandemic, caring so much about life that she is obssessed with death, and loving on her domestic and wild pets.

I truly enjoyed every moment I spent reading this book and appreciate the candidness the author provided in this snippet of her life.

Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives by Mary Laura Philpott is a series of essays form a “lifelong worrier.” My reaction to the essays varies, depending on which of the situations and emotions resonate with my own experiences. Some I find myself laughing along with and nodding my head. Some I find myself skimming because they are not relevant to me or the experiences like the pandemic are too close to my own reality for me to want to read about as yet.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2023/05/bomb-shelter-love-time-and-other.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

Book Review: Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives
By Mary Laura Philpott

"It's true: There will always be threats lurking…There will always be bombs, and we will never be able to save everyone we care about. To know that and to try anyway is to be fully alive."


I fell in love with Mary reading this book. It's true. When you find someone that so clearly is able to express the feelings of your soul so beautifully and articulately, it is love. Mary deftly handles issues of love, loss, and our big and little fears with ease, humor, and joy. She speaks from her soul, and she resonates clearly with mine. I identify with her self-description of being an "anxious optimist" and the feeling that if you can just love your people enough, you can keep them safe. Love and worry acting as a sort of bubble wrap protecting from all of life's harms. Then in an instant, her belief is upended when her son is hospitalized, and all the anxious optimism in the world won't keep a mother's deepest, darkest fears at bay. Mary reflects on motherhood, life, and anxiety in this beautifully written memoir. I loved every second. Her honesty leaves space for the feeling of solidarity in this life journey that we all share. She is genuine and relatable, and as a mother, I felt understood. At the end of the book, you will feel like you've found a new best friend. At the risk of sounding prosaic, I laughed, cried, and kept opening the book for more. I'm now searching out her backlist titles to read more from this lovely and lovable author.

A huge thanks to Net Galley and Atria Books for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

There aren’t many writers who can write essay collections that I’m truly excited to read, but Mary Laura Philpott is one. I recently listened to her newest collection, 𝐁𝐎𝐌𝐁 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑, and found myself going on extra long walks just to keep listening to her share her thoughts on Love, Time, and Other Explosives (the subtitle). The first essay immediately hit my heart as Philpott and her husband find their teenage son in the midst of having a seizure. Throughout the essays she returns to how that changes her son’s life, but also how it changes what she worries about and how she loves.⁣
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Spanning a time period just before and then through the pandemic, ⁣
almost all her essays focus on her changing family and the realities of getting ready for children to leave the nest. She’s a worrier and I appreciated that she owns it, and, with a lot of humor, makes it more acceptable. We all know there’s ALWAYS something to worry about. I think this group of essays will especially appeal to people with teenagers. My kids are past that, but I was able to look back and appreciate her worries and concerns, glad most of those (but not all) are behind me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
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Thanks to @simon.audio and @atriabooks for the advanced copies of #BombShelter.⁣
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This is one of the best memoirs I have ever read. I felt like I was sitting down with a friend and talking about the most important things in life instead of reading a book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy!

Life has a way of getting in the way of reading sometimes, unfortunately. In this instance, I feel like life getting in the way brought me to this read at a pivotal moment for myself. What a perfectly timed read for me, and I could relate to SO MUCH the author touched on. As a mother, especially one who recently had a (unlikely but still possible) life-threatening diagnosis for my son, the emotions were strong and felt incredibly deeply. All of the areas of the book that were touched upon felt familiar. This likely will be one I pick up time and time again. I love her style of writing, too. Highly recommend...just know there may be tissues needed!

I enjoyed <i>Miss You When I Blink</i> from Mary Laura Philpott, and looked forward to her latest, <i>Bomb Shelter</i>. In both cases, I picked up the book at exactly the right time. Philpott's essays are relatable, introspective and funny. I highlighted so many passages, and enjoyed her take on motherhood, the pandemic and aging. The overarching theme was that as much as you hope to, you can't protect everyone from everything. Philpott spends a lot of her time worrying about her loved ones, and I loved her musings on this and felt myself nodding along. This was short, sweet and enjoyable!

Bomb Shelter offers a combination of two of my favorite genres, memoirs and essay collections. Having already lived through the stages described in this book, I could easily relate to the author's experiences. I also tend to plan mentally for the worst-case scenario and would love to bunker down in a bomb shelter from time to time. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy to read and review.

I honestly just adore Mary Laura Philpott's writing, and I'll read whatever she writes. I Miss You When I Blink was a fabulous collection and so is Bomb Shelter. She's up there with Ann Patchett for me.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

This memoir in essays is the first I've read of this author and now I've added I Miss You When I Blink to my TBR! These essays on navigating through the bumps of life are highly relatable, and readable for that matter. We all have seasons of life where we wish we could duck under a bomb shelter. I like Philpott's attitude of personality tests. The answers may change depending on your day, mood, or season of life, or be different based on the context of the proposed situation.

If you love an easy reading non-fiction, this one is for you! Thank you NetGalley for the free review copy.

As a chronic worrier, Philpott always believed that her intense caring could protect the people she loved. But after finding her teenage son unconscious and navigating a family crisis, she realized that no amount of worrying can stop us from experiencing hardship. These essays explore themes of fear, facing the unexpected, and finding optimism despite tragedy.

Mary Laura Philpott has a magical way of talking about big, scary topics in a safe, approachable way. I really appreciate how she can tie together seemingly unrelated personal stories in a way that hits you right in the feels. I didn't connect with this one quite as much as I Miss You When I Blink, but still a really lovely, life-affirming essay collection.

I thought this was a very relatable book of essays that flowed together seamlessly. The writing is fantastic and the author lets her sense of humor shine through even in the face of difficulty. I really enjoyed this book, particularly as someone who worries too much myself. I think many readers will find something to relate to here as wellI did end up reading this over a period of time after I lost my beloved black Lab, Benny, and it brought me a sense of peace and comfort.

Bomb Shelter by Mary Laura Philpott is a memoir in essays. This memoir examines childhood illness, impending empty nest, aging parents and the Coronavirus pandemic. I enjoyed some of the essays. I didn’t enjoy some of the essays. There is gloom and despair throughout that I thought, at times, overwhelmed any hopefulness that Ms. Philpott tried to convey.

Also, for me, this book was a little long. But I will be transparent and say that books in essay format is not my favorite genre. If you like a story told in a series of essays, you may really like this book.

I will also say that as a newish empty nester, the emotions around children leaving home are still raw and so that probably also kept me from enjoying this story fully.

Thank you to #netgalley and #atriabooks for the advanced e-copy of #bombshelter .

Just adored this book. I loved I Miss You When I Blink, so this was a must read and it did not disappoint. It was, if possible, even better than anticipated. Mary Laura manages to convey both vulnerability, humanity, and humor in a way that feels effortless, but must have been quite a feat to write. She tells very specific stories from her life, and yet every time I read them I feel I can relate to the heart of what she shares. This book follows the impact of a health scare for one of her children and the ripple effect of reflection this creates. Being inside of her brain is both raw and yet covered with sparkle. I can't wait until she writes another book, although I do hope it doesn't require the sort of scare that kicked this one off. She's an excellent writer and I know any story she shares will be worth the read. Sign me up in advance!