Honestly, I'm not a big fan of the Chicken Soup series. I appreciate them because they draw a lot of reluctant readers, especially teenagers, and because a lot of other people take comfort and solace from their stories. They're just not for me. They can make my eyes tear like the next person, but I generally don't like stories that are sappy and intentional tearjerkers. So why did I read this book? Well, my sister gave it to me as a Christmas present and I felt duty bound to give the book a chance.

I enjoyed reading it more than I expected. Yes, there were a fair share of tearjerker stories, but a lot of others that were just humorous or memoirs. The main reason I enjoyed this anthology, though, is because it is about pregnancy and parenting. I read it about a year after my first daughter was born, and it brought back a lot of memories about the time when I was pregnant. It's an experience that is unlike anything else in life. You can't prepare a woman for what it is like ahead of time, and after you've experienced it, you can never forget. You have been admitted into the mommy club. More than anything else, this collection of stories resonated with me because it awoke my own memories of a very special time. If you or a significant other is pregnant, you'll enjoy this book; otherwise, only check it out if you are a fan of the series or that type of sentimental short story form. ( )

A book with various stories about women and pregnancy. I wasn't too impressed, and the book left me wanted more stories with substance and value. ( )