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The Unmumsy Mum Diary

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The Unmumsy Mum Diary is as honest as it is hilarious and a peek into the innermost thoughts of the nation's favourite mum blogger will leave you in no doubt that, on those days when you feel you are not quite cut out for the job, you are most definitely not alone.In The Unmumsy Mum Diary Sarah shares with us a year in her life as a mum, wife, blogger and bestselling author. With her trademark candour and wit, she documents the good days and the bad days, the giggles and the tantrums. She'll also share poignant, life-changing moments from her year, such as her older son heading off through the school gates for the first time.

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 23, 2017

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The Unmumsy Mum

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5 stars
799 (45%)
4 stars
606 (34%)
3 stars
287 (16%)
2 stars
57 (3%)
1 star
19 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
Profile Image for Lauren.
18 reviews1 follower
July 21, 2018
Against my better judgement I picked this up to force myself to read something “more lighthearted”. Sadly, Stephen King makes me laugh out loud more than this did. Disappointed, I really wanted to love this.
Profile Image for Gemma Birkett.
246 reviews4 followers
June 11, 2018
Absolutely hilarious! I laughed until I cried. This book is so relatable and real, every Mum should read this.
I hope there is going to be a 3rd Unmumsy Mum book!
15 reviews
April 12, 2017
I read to the end in the hope it would improve, no such luck!!!! The only time I laughed was when reading comments from other mums!! Time I won't get back.
32 reviews
March 8, 2020
Thanks Sarah, you make me feel a whole lot better about my efforts at motherhood. Also, I'm totally with you regarding Christmas!
Profile Image for Jade.
851 reviews12 followers
January 2, 2018
As a newish Mum I read this book for a bit of comradery with those who’ve also recently turned their lives up on their arses in the name of little person love. Unfortunately what I totally forgot was that such a book would also include someone else ranting and wingeing about their own selfish little buggers during the small minute part of the day when I might actually get a moment for a bit of escapism. What ensued was that after reading the first couple of chapters (bear in mind Sara is further down the motherhood track than me) I entered into an ‘oh shit it gets worse’ fit of despair....

...a few beers later (yes it was the hols, I had shared parenting opportunities and am no longer breast feeding) I started to chill out a bit and actually laughed.

This book is really funny and easy to identify with to fellow unmumsy mums. As someone who is definitely not towing the line everyday I was also secretly chuffed to find that I might actually be doing an okay job. So during my one bath of the year (other washing moments with less relaxation have been taken) I started to stop trying to identify and just read this for what it is; a writer with a great sense of humour venting with some true style.

I did have to read some laugh out loud bits to my hubbie and there were also some really heart rending moments, which left me holding the monitor close to my chest shouting ‘god I love you’ at my child, whilst also praying I didn’t wake him from his nap.

I can’t really say this is a ‘great’ book, but it does include a lot of just what the doctor ordered for me and may for you too. I’m definitely going to check out her blog and may read on days when I feel more smug about my life, to not dwell on future doom.

P.s. kids are great!
Profile Image for Katherine Andrews.
21 reviews2 followers
May 1, 2017
Loved this so much. I love the way she writes, and that she's brave enough to lay out all her innermost fears and fuck ups! Read it as the mum of a newborn and laughed a lot st all the things I know I'm also going to try, and fail, to be as a mother (though slightly worried by her experience of trying to work from home with toddlers, doesn't bode well for me). Will definite read her other books now.
Profile Image for Novelle Novels.
1,652 reviews52 followers
May 14, 2019
4.5 out of 5 stars
I loved this book so much and so glad I picked it up on audiobook book. It’s so real that so many of the things that happen to her you remember happening at least once if you are a mum. The way the author includes her husband is done so well that it’s helpful having the dads perspective on parenthood. This is a very well rounded book, it only looses half a star as there is nothing that jumps out. Every mum would enjoy this book.
Profile Image for Lou Nixon.
227 reviews1 follower
June 7, 2018
Sooo easy to read and sooo relatable. Love how down to earth she is. This book makes me feel normal!!
Profile Image for Ella.
50 reviews2 followers
March 18, 2020
I laughed, I cried, I smiled and nodded along, especially thinking about the impending arrival of Wilf 😆
Profile Image for Kelly.
1,652 reviews47 followers
March 12, 2020
I loved how honest and relatable this diary was, it made me feel a heck of a lot better about myself as a parent. There were times when I laughed and read parts out to my husband- hello Willy song - and parts where I had a bit of a lump in my throat. It was a good read.

However, I felt like it was too controlled and edited. I wanted to feel the extremes of parenting emotions and I don't think that came across in the diary. There were times when things were written or phrased in a certain way and I kept thinking, this isn't real life, this is a sleeker, edited, wittier real life.

My favourite part was the section written by James. It was great reading from the other side. But it said in there, I know this will be edited by Sarah and her editor. Why edit it? I want to know what he thinks not the sleeker and more edited version of his thoughts.

It is honest in that it tells you about events good and bad, but in a polished manner that makes it seem less honest.. which I didn't think was the point of the unmumsy mum.

I think it is a nice read for parents because it makes you realise that you aren't the only one experiencing some things but it wasn't as exposed as I had imagined.
Profile Image for Louise Douglas.
487 reviews17 followers
March 8, 2020
‘Reading’ this book as an audio book was such a good choice – except for the fact that I found myself laughing to myself like a loon on my morning walks. Partly because some of the stories in the book were so funny, but partly because all I could think about was how awkward it must have been to record the audio version with sound engineers and other people looking on.

I read another Unmumsy book last year, and while I’m not the target demographic (not a mum), there were so many parts that were relatable and made me want to nod along in agreement. But also many parts that I feel like I should remember for when the book becomes more relatable in future – if some of the stories haven’t scared me off when I remember them without the humorous element in the front of my mind!

I know there’s been a trend of more parenting books coming out over the last few years, but I do truly think this one is fab – having seen the author’s posts on Instagram, it felt so real.

Posted on: https://emmaloui.se/2020/01/21/sarah-...
Profile Image for Jade.
42 reviews2 followers
October 18, 2021
My kinda mum, chronicling the shitstorms that come with parenting and isnt afraid to admit kids can be dicks.
Profile Image for Book-Social.
499 reviews11 followers
January 8, 2020
I just loved reading Sarah’s first outing, The Unmumsy Mum published in 2016. It was original, funny and I really connected to Sarah’s tales of giving birth, coping with a new born and dealing with mum shaming. A few years on my youngest has started school, nappies are a thing of the past (thank God) and we are starting to experience a slight sense of freedom that comes with having a toddler/baby free house. Nevertheless I picked up this second book with excitement as after all, Sarah’s children had grown too, so it made sense that the funny recollections would alter accordingly.

Nap times and nappies
As with The Unmumsy Mum, Sarah doesn’t hold back which is one of the things I love about her. Embarrassing tales about periods “I can’t even bleed in peace”, and life with boys are a plenty. She also hits the nail on the head when it comes to struggling with life/work balance and liking yourself as a parent. But as a fan, I follow her on social media and as a result I had read some of the stories from other parents that she included in the diary.

I also read with a sense of, ‘I’m just not there anymore.’ When I read The Unmumsy Mum I was totally in the baby zone. However my youngest is only slightly younger than Sarah’s eldest. Facing issues of my eldest hitting double digits has really pushed my family dynamics along. Nap times and nappies are no longer the focus of my day. Unfortunately it’s now mobile phones and playing out boundaries (and I’m honestly not sure which is preferable).

It’s a brilliantly funny, honest book and if you’re in the baby zone it’s the perfect tonic. I still buy new parent friends The Unmumsy Mum book as it was a great source of comfort to me during dark hours. I’m just not sure if I need that sort of comfort anymore. Hurry up and hit puberty Henry and Jude (and Wilf), I would love to have Sarah to turn to when it comes to teenagers!

PS If you are new to this parenting malarkey and you do feel lonely, have a peek at Sarah’s social media (@theunmumsymum) and you will soon realise you are not alone when it comes to hating night feeds, b@$tardy Lego and perfect ‘Ruth like’ parents.
Profile Image for Claire.
1,106 reviews183 followers
October 8, 2018
I’ve followed The Unmumsy Mum on social media for a while and picked up her book up on a bit of a whim. I say whim, what I mean is Amazon had it cheaper than the e-book and I love a good bargain.

So much of Sarah’s life resonated with me as a mum of two boys just like Sarah (well she had two but as you’ll see by her bio she’s got three now!). At points I was sat nodding my head (the kitchen planning), giggling (The Willy Show) and then there was the fallic mushrooms….it’s like she’s read my mind, taken my life and tweaked it so I know it’s my life but no one else does…

It’s not just the parenting stuff I could identify with, I too can go online with one purpose in mind and 2 hours later still not done it because something (normally social media ) distracts me….

She made me feel like my family life was normal. All mums compare themselves across the school playground, at the soft play, on line, but the honesty of Sarah’s writing made me think “I’m doing ok” as a parent. She also made me realise that yes it’s not just my kids who say the funniest and probably inappropriate things…..

Do you wanna smell my muff? (Henry aged 4)

I have to say I loved the random entries from Jude and James. Jude’s take on a day with Mummy is just comical and perfectly pitched, it’s just how I imagine a toddler’s logic working! As for James, I get the impression child care isn’t as easy as he imagined

It’s a bit different to my usual fictional reads as there is no real conclusion; it’s the year in the life of the Turners. A very entertaining year by all accounts. I didn’t realise this was the second book in the series and yes I have got the first one, so I’ll be heading back to read that and also the short compilation The Unmumsy Mums subtitled “A Collection of Your Hysterical Stories from the Frontline of Parenting“.

If you’ve not ventured into the work of The Unmumsy Mum, it is really funny, brutally honest and well worth a read. I defy any parent to read this and not identify with at least some of what happens in the Turner household.
Profile Image for Megan Jones.
1,553 reviews25 followers
February 12, 2018
The Unmumsy Mum has written the next instalment of her life as a mum to two boys, detailing motherhood as she finds it to be. Her words have made people everywhere laugh and cry in equal measure. In 'The Unmumsy Mum Diary' we are treated to a year in the life of Sarah Turner. Turner documents the good days and the bad days, the giggles and the tantrums. Included are poignant, life-changing moments from the year such as her eldest son starting school. 
Again, I am reading this for entertainment and interest and what an entertaining read this is. I adore reading Turner's words and writing this as a diary means this is incredibly personal and I could imagine her sitting in front of me, telling her story. Like her first book this has plenty of moments that made me laugh and cry, this is happy and sad and I loved reading every page. This would not be a book from The Unmumsy Mum without her candid take on motherhood, another aspect that I love, Turner does not hold back and it is why so many people love her.
'The Unmumsy Mum Diary' has the inclusion of anecdotes and snippets from Turner's social media which I thoroughly enjoyed and brings in multiple people's thoughts and tales on motherhood which only made this funnier as well as bringing more honesty. 
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this entertaining, honest read and I am sure you will too. 
Profile Image for Lisa.
76 reviews
December 27, 2019
It took me awhile to read this book, and there was a period of time where it was left unread on my bedside table. I loved Sarah’s previous book, but for me this one wasn’t quite as good.

When I finally sat down to read the last few months entries, that’s when I started to appreciate the book for what it was. A diary, not a tips and tricks book, or a book with how everyday situations are handled in an honest and funny way like the previous book.

This book has a lot of funny moments and honesty in it, but also a lot of observations on the not so fun parts of having kids, which at times got a little boring.

However, after the point where Sarah’s husband writes about his experience on being a stay at home dad, which makes you realise that they get judged like us mums, but in different ways, and Sarah’s thoughts about having a school aged child, the book really improved for me.

Even though I didn’t love this book as much as the previous one, I’ll definitely be reading Sarah’s next book, and am so happy that someone is being honest about motherhood in a way that many people are not, due to fear of the backlash they’ll receive.

If you'd like to read more of my reviews please visit http://lovefromlisa.com/2019-reading-...
Profile Image for Zemmiphobe.
351 reviews39 followers
June 13, 2017
This book was not only an honest telling of motherhood, including both the good and the bad, but also just a well written book. There are plenty of books out right now that are funny, but lack any insight beyond their sarcastic comments. This book is hilarious and at some point has things worded in such a perfect way that it is just spot on insightful. I would love to share with everyone some examples of this, but I listened to the audiobook while I was working and convinced myself that I'd be able to find the quotes later on in the Goodreads quote collection. No such luck. Alas, you will just have to read it yourself, sorry (not sorry).

I would recommend this book to anyone familiar with parenthood. She had a few comments in her introduction about how she's been labeled a "crummy mummy" and I can only imagine after hearing her mothering stories that these comments were made by people unfamiliar with toddlers and the nasty crazy joy that is motherhood. People who think every day with a child will be unicorns and rainbows should avoid this book until they are ready to crawl out from under their glittered rock.
Profile Image for Alyce Hunt.
1,374 reviews26 followers
July 30, 2019
Another stellar release from The Unmumsy Mum. Sharing a year in her life through some sporadic diary entries, I was glad to see that all of the big events weren't delved into in as much detail as some people were probably expecting - if it's one thing I've learnt as a mum, it's that the big things live on in your memory but you'll never have time to commit them in intricate detail onto the page (no matter how hard you try).

Following Henry's first days at school and Sarah's transition into life as a writer, The Unmumsy Mum Diary is actually pretty damn inspirational. I struggle to even get to work sometimes when my daughter is throwing a temper tantrum, so for Sarah to be able to travel across the country to various book events and author visits is amazing.

In case you haven't noticed, my blog has gotten more sporadic as my daughter has gotten older, so I was glad to see that I'm not the only one who struggles to keep on top of my online life as well as my real life, but it's certainly made me realise that the real life is the one that matters. I'm going to try to beat myself up less regularly in future.
Profile Image for Elisabeth Davey.
10 reviews1 follower
January 26, 2020
I've had this book on my kindle list for a while. I don't know why I didn't read it sooner. I've binged it in two days (in between parenting my own 5 year old and life admin). There were some funny looks from my hubby when I was giggle-snorting over various parts.
Things I have learned from this book and my own (similar) parenting experience.
1. Kids and public toilets. Unavoidable, but no. Just no.
2. Whenever you plan something nice and try to have a 'family day', it will inevitably go to pot!
3. None of us know what we are doing, but we are all doing our best.
5. Brioche for breakfast when everyone overslept, is still breakfast. Mum guilt means you're a good mum!

I recommend this to all my fellow parents of small children :)
209 reviews3 followers
March 19, 2017
I really enjoyed the first book from this lady so was looking forward to this one. Her books are full of the things I wish had been around when I had my children....then I wouldn't have felt so useless as a new mum!
Spoiler alert...sort of!
Probably best to avoid the 26th August entry if you are eating, sat on public transport or just out in public. It is toe curlingly funny. I read it whilst eating, i nearly spat out my lunch laughing with tears rolling down my face. Hubby asked to read it and he too, had tears rolling down his cheeks. Deepest apologies to the poor lady who suffered the event should she be reading this review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Carla.
61 reviews2 followers
August 7, 2018
Great book with some definite laugh out loud moments. It's a very relatable book for those with kids of a certain age and its great to have something to read that doesn't dictate how a parent should parent. It gives you a year in the life of a parent with all the good bits and all the bad bits. Parent books have long sugar coated how amazing being a parent is when the reality is very different. This book along with the blog and first book show you what that reality is and trust me it bites at times. It's not a how to parent book at all, it's just an honest diary of a parent. Thanks for writing an honest account! Loved the husband's perspective too towards the end of the book.
Profile Image for Jo Fountain.
76 reviews1 follower
September 12, 2019
This lady is truely a breath of fresh air. Down to earth, true to life parenting...none of this online pretentious sh**/bumph of FAKE PERFECT parenting, (just like RUTH) 😉
As with the first book I laughed until my sides hurt but I also cried too. My 4 boys are all grown up now but makes memories flood back in and even at my age of 52 makes my ovaries plead to be used again but then any mention of being woken in the night reminds me of how hard those early baby days are!!!
Looking forward to her next book!
42 reviews
November 17, 2020
Enjoyable account of the realities of being a mum, including top tips such as: don't body shame yourself in front of children because your children will repeat it in public; At a children's party, fill your child's plate with 50% more food than they can manage so you can eat the remaining food on the plate without being judged.

It also tells a fantastic story of a mum going for her first poo post birth, not managing for 4 hours, calling 111 then getting an ambulance, having them all crowd around, then when she actually could manage to poo it completely filled the toilet.

(audio)
Profile Image for Dee (dees_book_blog).
355 reviews25 followers
May 28, 2024
So I’ve not listened to Sarah’s podcast, or read any of her books before, so listening to this was new to me. It was hilarious. Sarah sounds great, shes a brilliant mum (we all are), and sounds like an absolute hoot. I loved listening to this and hearing her stories of life over a year, and I related to a lot of the mum stuff. I laughed quite a bit along with this one at the funny stuff, and felt solidarity with her during the hard times. A good read (or listen), I’ll be reading her other books.
4 reviews
June 24, 2017
A great easy read

I haven't yet read Sarah's first book so cannot really compare the two but I decided to buy this one on a whim after following her on Facebook for some time. It's a really easy and funny read, some of the stories have genuinely made me laugh out loud and I'd definitely recommend this to any parent. Ill certainly be buying her first book to give that a try too.

Ruth 😆
Profile Image for Maarja.
13 reviews
May 30, 2017
I laughed. I cried. I grimaced. I nodded. A lot. Most of all I felt kinship, because this book contains lot of the things mothers go through at one point or another.

If you would like a quick read about someone else's parenting and life, pick this one up and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Profile Image for Therese.
262 reviews
November 22, 2018
Another funny, easy-to-read, relatable book from Sarah Turner! Not much to say about this other than it's literally a diary that she wrote out over the year 2016 of a day in the life of her experiences as a mom to her two young boys and the usual raw honesty that we've all come to love and expect from her.
Profile Image for Kristina.
1,097 reviews2 followers
March 31, 2018
Loved this book! I follow Sarah on Instagram and Facebook but haven't read her first book (yet!). This popped up as available on my Libby library app and I thought I'd give it a squiz. So glad it was Easter weekend so I could inhale the book while my husband entertained our son otherwise I may have been guilty of neglect!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews

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