It was fine. I enjoy following Kate on Instagram but this was pretty surface level and was more memoir than self help.

This feels very personal and vulnerable while also covering very universal topics. Some of these topics felt like there was a camera watching me, and she was recounting my life. I really felt that part talking about birth and post partum not going according to plan. While I don’t relate to every single thing, I do feel that at least one chapter is this book could be relate-able to anyone. There’s absolutely topics covered in this book that do not require motherhood to be able to relate to what’s being described.

I liked the structure of this book. How each chapter is an “I just wish…” that most of us have felt and dealt with, followed by anecdotal stories, and then bullet points to easily be able to find again.

I used the search function in my photos app to find an old picture of my kitchen renovation from 5 years ago. And it was an emotional journey to look through 5 years of pictures, just in the kitchen. So much of life, at least mine, happens in the kitchen, which makes this the perfect title.

4.5 stars

I finished this book in less than a day. It's written in such an engaging style that I genuinely felt as if (pardon the cliche) I was sitting down with the author at a park play date. I really enjoyed the memoir-ish vibe and all the personal anecdotes, but also that each chapter was simply stuffed with practical application, including a snapshot summary and journaling prompts, too. I think so many women will benefit from Kate's honest thoughts on contentment and how to pursue it in our highlights-real culture. This is a needed message!

That said, I did rate it 4 out of 5 stars. Why note 5 stars? I thought the author missed the opportunity to use Scripture or other examples of women pursuing contentment (whether historical or modern) so it almost felt like a secular book at times. Even so, though, I think this book will bless many and I will definitely reread it.

This was delightful! It is full of great ideas, thoughts, and easy to implement strategies to help one live a full and happy life. This is one I'll return to again and again. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

I’ve enjoyed Kate’s life hacks and food tips on Instagram, so when I saw she was releasing a book, I was interested in reading it. In I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen, Kate addresses ten common lies women believe and shares personal stories to help dismantle those lies so readers can find joy in the life they already have. She covers topics like relationships, time, money, and more.

I especially resonated with the chapter on marriage. As someone who got married young, I understand how easy it is to compare your relationship to the filtered highlights you see online and how that can be more of a hindrance than a help. I also appreciated her reflections on pride and empathy. After having twins, I got my own dose of humble pie!

Kate acknowledges that she has a really good life, and in some chapters, she even wrestles with whether she should speak into certain struggles because of that. So, there were moments when the tone felt a bit out of touch, and I found it hard to relate. If you find yourself struggling with contentment, this book might offer encouragement.

Over the years, the Lord has used different circumstances, people, and truths to shape contentment in my own heart, and I’ve learned to rest in Christ, knowing that everything in this world will one day fade away.

Thank you, NetGalley, for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book from Kate Strickler of Naptime Kitchen on Instagram. This easy-to-read book was a good mix of memoir, self-help, faith, and mom-encouragement that really resonated with me. It felt like a conversation with a friend where she shared challenges in her life and how she has (begun) to overcome them. I especially enjoyed the first three chapters (about having a better kitchen, being a better mom, and having a better husband) and also the chapters about time and control. These chapters helped me consider the lies I believe in these areas of my life and also how I've let social media, culture, blogs, Pinterest, etc. shape my expectations and desires. I appreciated that the author admitted she was young and didn't have all the answers, that she was figuring this out alongside everyone else. This made her writing feel more authentic and approachable to me, while still being encouraging and challenging. She seems like a fun and genuine person in this book, just as she appears to be online. I thought her faith and belief in God comes across very clearly in this book, more so than she shares online, which is something I liked, but it did not seem preachy. Each chapter includes a "mindset shift" at the end, as well as some reflection questions that Strickler encourages readers to answer solo or with friends.

Personally, I have an on-again, off-again relationship with social media. It has its benefits and its drawbacks, and largely I am leaning more and more towards staying off it entirely. One thought I had while reading this book was that the author never really proposes getting off social media as a way to cure these lies she's believed... and that seems like the natural solution. I understand why she would not propose this--it would affect her family's livelihood! Strickler's argument seems to be more like, "use social media in a healthier way by keeping it and changing yourself" which is also possibly helpful for some, but not all. I do feel that not acknowledging this is a missed opportunity for exploring how we may need to set these firm boundaries in our lives (or even decide to obey a calling from God to change the way we live). Maybe that is beyond the scope of her book. There were at least one or two times she briefly mentions people not on social media or other things related to internet habits, but I would have liked to see her go farther in this discussion.

Regardless of that criticism, I did enjoy this book! I found it well written, engaging, and a great mix of humor and reflection. I'll continue to follow Naptime Kitchen when I'm on Instagram and look forward to this book's release. :) Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

I used to follow Kate Strickler on Instagram before giving up all social media a couple years ago. I found her to be a breath of fresh air within the mom influencer space. Aging myself here, but I used to love the old-fashioned mom blogs of the early 2010s and I have enjoyed that a lot of influencers have shifted back to this model via Substack,etc, where I still read her newsletter.

While I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would, (I am not at all religious, so that aspect of this book doesn't resonate), most of it doesn't quite land for me given that she makes her living posting on Instagram, a platform responsible for perpetuating most of the issues she is lamenting. I unfortunately think it's impossible to have your cake and eat it too with this platform. If your goal is to stop comparing your life to others, there is one big tangible takeaway that is obviously nowhere to be found here, which is to get off of Instagram.

I will continue to read her newsletter since I am in a very similar life stage as her, a stay at home mom, etc and find her content truly relatable. Many thanks to NetGalley for this advance reader copy.