I really enjoyed this book, it was completely relatable to my experiences with a newborn and had a good balance of being funny while also expressing the difficulties that new parents face. A real laugh one minute and cry the next type read. The only thing that I was less keen on was the social commentary and statistics given within a number of the chapters, while undoubtedly interesting and relevant, it just seemed to be very different in tone to the rest of the page. Overall it was enjoyable, relatable and I will recommend to others with toddlers ( wound to want to frighten the pregnant people!).

Great book, really interesting to hear Ellie’s experiences good and bad but remaining hopeful nonetheless. Funny and heartfelt and honest

I wasn't too sure what to expect going in to this book, but I am so glad I requested it! It is very well written, and so hilarious and honest. Highly recommend

Brilliant! totally hilarious, I literally had tears laughing.
Despite being written by a fabulous comedienne and being so so funny, this book also has a very well written and empathetic serious side; New motherhood can be terrifying, disorientating, confusing and exhausting (along with the Good bits) and Ellie explores this very well with kindness and sensitivity.
I so wish I had had this book to hand during the early months with my children, it is so on point and would be an excellent gift for a new parent.

The first book I’ve read in a long time that I’m really championing. I’ve recommended it to new mums and pregnant friends as well. When I was pregnant 10 years ago I read and loved and passed on a book by Jools Oliver that I found really honest and lovely but her whole experience was worlds away from my life (ie. I’m not rich and I’m allowed a Turkey Twizzler)
Now I’m not saying me and Ellie Taylor are similar, I’m the only person who finds me funny (I’m laugh out loud hilarious to myself) but her honesty throughout this book felt so relatable- it’s the recognition that I needed when I had a newborn, there’s so much people don’t tell you- you don’t always feel ok, in fact it’s ridiculous how not ok you are but My Child and Other Mistakes is the first time I feel it’s acknowledged that it’s ok to feel like that!
This book should be as important as that red book they give you after you’ve birthed your watermelon size creature (why is it always red?why did it never change colour? the book not the baby)
I will continue to make everyone I know buy this book, it’s brutal and hilarious and sweary and I truly loved it!

My Child and Other Mistakes, as the title suggests, is Ellie recounting her experience of her life before having children, deciding to have a child and some of the gritty elements of parenting told with her usual biting sense of humour. If you are a fan of Ellie's work on TV then you will enjoy this book, her tone comes through on each page and there are some real laugh out loud moments.

The issue for me were the numerous points throughout where Ellie would make some flippant fat phobic comment, this was jarring and really pulled me out of the book, especially given how pro women Ellie usually seems. I found this quite disappointing and dropped the book from a 4 to 3 star rating.

Ellie Taylor's book is her reflections on deciding whether to become a mother and what happens when she and her husband finally decide to become parents. In her usual style, Ellie Taylor is funny, honest and insightful in her observations. She also wants to demystify some of the things around pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood and to open up a wider discussion.

But the book isn't 'worthy', it's a personal account where Ellie wants to encourage people to be ok with whatever choices are right for them, including whether not to have a child at all - and with some of the stories Ellie tells it might encourage them down that route! Or at least ensure that people always take the free hotel shower caps for future use - who would have thought to use them for that purpose...

See Ellie as your cheerleader, whatever choices you make, and have a few laughs with her along the way.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. I was interested to read this book, being aware of Ellie Taylor from telly, despite not being a parent, but wasn't quite sure what to expect. I ended up devouring it in less than three hours. It was interesting, insightful, laugh-out-loud funny and moving, with moments of important social commentary. An excellent read.