I love some good, honest, parenting reads with a touch of humor. This fit the bill perfectly. At first I was afraid it might be too preachy since the author bio I read mentioned that she was raised in a Christian family , attended a Christian college and married a pastor...but it wasn't like that at all. Kristen Howerton was like a good friend I never knew I had. Her writing was humorous and conversational. She wasn't at all preachy, judgmental, or any of those words you might fear from a book that includes "Learning to Parent" in the subtitle. After all ,she IS the mom who started the #assholeparent hashtag...

Howerton DID marry a pastor but she divorced him when she realized the marriage wasn't working. This left her as a single mom with four kids that were all within 4 or 5 years of age of each other. I like her honestly and related to her statement that she is an introvert who likes to be social. (me!). I mean small talk is the WORST. I feel you, Kristen. Kristen ended up making her own virtual village by reaching out to acquaintances who shared her love of sarcasm and had similar values.

I also really liked that Howerton is way into social justice, in part driven by the fact that her two adopted kids are black. Her honesty about raising black kids as a white parent was refreshing. I love that she speaks out about this cause and dedicated a portion of her book to it.

I highly recommend this book to people looking for an honest, amusing read about raising kids in modern society. This book keeps it REAL. This is not a "be a pinterest mom" kind of book. You won't get any Bento Lunchbox tips here!

I’ve read Kristen Howerton’s blog for years and was thrilled to be chosen as part of the launch team for her first book. She is relatable, brave, vulnerable, wise and so funny; someone you wish was one of your friends (even just online). Kristen has seamlessly weaved a memoir and parenting manual into this enjoyable quick read. I laughed. I cried. I was inspired. And I wished I had this book when my kids (now teens) were younger. I would have been less serious and more confident. I will give this book to any friend having a baby!

I received an ARC from NetGalley as part of the book launch team in exchange for my honest review.

I have been following Kristen Howerton on social media for a while. I love her blog, her Twitter account, and her Instagram account!In short, I want to be her friend. So I'm biased coming into this book... and I really loved this book. It was funny, insightful, tender, raw. It's not a memoir, it's not a parenting book... it's kind of both. Each chapter could be its own book (race, parenting while introverted, divorce) and I thoroughly wanted MORE -not in a bad way! Kristen Howerton writes so well and her chapters are so interesting you don't want them to end.
The only "complaint" I have is that the chapters are jumping a bit all over the place -but that's fine. It reads more like a series of essays. And it's glorious.

Rage Against the Minivan is amazing! I couldn't put it down. Kristen Howerton's writing and blatant realness is captivating and enjoyable. As a new mom and new to the world of foster care and adoption, this book fed my soul! It was so wonderful to read and know that there are others out there who are feeling the same way I do and that it is okay to not be okay sometimes. One of my favorite quotes and what I think is a big takeaway, "A healthy, stable mom is what is best for the baby. Full stop." I loved this book and will be recommending it as often as I can.

Kristen does not shy away from any topic, and at the same time, she is so grounded in confidence that she never comes across as preachy or condescending.

People who pick up this book looking for parenting advice will certainly get that, but there is so much more here. Some will find a kindred spirit, and others will find the leader they need to settle into themselves as parents and humans.

Loved every bit of this book and hope it's the first of many.

Note: I am part of the Rage Against the Minivan Launch Team. I have preordered my own copy of the book and was provided with a digital copy for review.

In her debut novel, Kristen Howerton takes the lessons, stories, and humor from her blog of the same name and uses them to encourage us to take a step back from the competition and one-upmanship that is prevalent in our social media world. Though I am not married and do not have kids, I was able to relate the most to her chapters focusing on the struggle creating a community of friends in real life versus on social media and the challenge of examining the faith tradition you were raised in with the thoughts, opinions and experiences you had and have as an adult.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for granting a copy of this book for review. The opinions are my own, honest thoughts.

I'm not much for a memoir. Unless you're 89 and you've screamed through life, I rarely care. On various occasions, I've come down from my high horse to read some memoirs that are particularly touching and are now some of my favorite reads-How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones, This Will Be My Undoing by Morgan Jerkins, I'm Telling the Truth But I'm Lying by Bassey Ikpi. Perhaps, I've discovered, I don't like just any ole memoir. Whether it's Tiffany Haddish or Michelle Obama, I want an interesting story, not a rundown of a life lived.

So, when I joined the launch team it was purely out of interest to see the book succeed, not particularly to read a memoir of a novel borne from a parenting blog. I am a confirmed Auntie; I love everyone else's children but I'm not going to raise my own.

When I say, then that this isn't a classic parenting book written to/for parents about parenting... that is the truth.

Kristen Howerton, the author, and I are quite alike. Growing up in the church and learning what the expectations are and trying to stay within the guidelines and be a good person spills over into every aspect of life. Be a good employee, a good partner, a good mom, a good pet owner, a good PTA President. The pressure! When things don't work out like they need to, the cracks in the porcelain facade begin to show. And when the cracks show, you start to see that we're all about the same.

The sigh of relief that I felt, to decide to just be okay was enormous. I am not perfect, I can't even really be good. I'm not a supermodel, I'm not an overachiever, I'm not the best at everything all the time. I don't have the energy and the interest in putting on the show anymore-- does it even matter? Nowadays? Nawl. Some of us aren't even changing out of pajamas.

So I'm a pretty okay person. And that's fine.

This book is about a pretty okay mom/person/church member/neighbor and her realization, over the course of a 20-year marriage and miscarriages and mistakes and errors and misgivings that it is OKAY to be OKAY. We don't have to be superheroes.

And it is OKAY to raise OKAY, imperfect, naturally kind, compassionate, and feeling people. To release those people into the world to let the other OKAY people know it's...okay to be just okay.

I picked up this book because Howerton is a friend of one of my favorite authors and human beings, Jen Hatmaker. Prior to this, I had only read a few of Howerton's Facebook posts about race (which were spot-on). As a parent of two little ones, I was intrigued by the title as well. This book did not disappoint! At many points I was laughing out loud, but there were other places where I felt like crying. Howerton shared raw, honest emotions about the traumatic events she has faced, but they were paired with hilarious and sarcastic tales of parenting. I truly felt like I was reading a book by a BFF. All that to say, read this book. Whether you have kids or don't, you'll definitely be humored as well as emotionally wrecked - in the best way possible.
I received an advance copy of this book from the author.

Rage Against the Minivan. It sounds a little fist in the air/storm the castle/smash the patriarchy (and it is) but it's also raw and vulnerable and real.

A few years ago (almost 10!), I had the chance to review Good Enough is the New Perfect. It was like a revelation-- the only one demanding 'perfect' from me, was me. While Good Enough was a self help format, RATM is more of a memoir. But it's not all about Kristen. It's about all of us, as we try to figure out how being a parent is everything we always wanted and nothing we ever imagined.

Kristen is an (ex) marriage and family therapist, and while the expertise shines through, the judgement is left behind. It's not preachy. Speaking of preachy, faith-- and organized religion more specifically-- is tricky. Don't worry, she lets you laugh along with her there too. Marriage, infertility, miscarriage*, adoption, a career, pregnancy, divorce, babies, teens, stay at home mom, multiracial families, religion-- she covers it all, not necessarily in that order.

More than anything this book invites you to give yourself a little grace. We can say no. We can opt out. We can RAGE AGAINST THE MINIVAN (even if there's one in your driveway). This book is funny (really funny) and has moments of levity, but also covers really deep, heavy topics (there's truly something for everyone; she just happened to go through all of it!) that left me wiping tears.

You will see yourself in this book. And isn't that what we all want? To feel seen? Rage Against the Minivan is not a 'how to'; it's a 'let's do this thing'. So let's do it. Together. I'll pick you up; I have a minivan.

​*content warning

This was a sweet story of motherhood told through the sense of infertility, adoption, racially and culturally diverse families, Christianity, divorce, social media and ultimately deep love.

There were many lived experiences that Kristen shares that were new to me and gave me room to feel these emotions through her stories. At the core, we are both mothers which allowed me to relate to many of her feelings and deep love for her children.

Although I have older teens now, many of the stories brought me right back to those toddler days. It filled me with terror and laughter - Both at the same time!

This is a good book for all moms but especially those fostering, adopting, dealing with infertility, fighting against cultural norms and moms with big young families.

Kristen Howerton's blog is a mom favorite for a reason. She has found her voice and it is as strong and brave and vulnerable as it is funny and snarky and engaging. Her first book, Rage Against the Minivan is all you would expect and more. The chapters are blog-esque, they are short and easy enough to read that even the busiest of moms will be able to get through this book swiftly.

There were chapters that tackled deep topics like miscarriage, adoption, gender norms, racism, divorce and even attachment injury. There were also lighter chapters in which she discussed her parenting wins, her parenting fails and her philosophy with managing the hardest seasons.

She has adeptly woven a memoir and her thoughts on parenting in a way that honors her loved ones and their right to tell their own stories while owning her experiences and sharing them beautifully. This is the parenting book that every parent needs and adoptive parents have been waiting for. She addresses the hardest experiences adoptive parents walk through in a way that no one else has. It is funny, sad, thought-provoking, encouraging AND most importantly relatable. There were a few stories that had me laughing to the point of crying.

While reading this I was highlighting quotes to share in all my mom groups. I sent the link to pre-order to many of my friends and I will be ordering copies to add to baby shower gifts throughout the year.

Kristen, this book might not have been easy to write but you've made it look easy. There are going to be a lot of women who find their voice, their freedom to parent in their own way and their community because of the work you've done here!

My only complaint about this book is that Kristen is not my friend in real life. However I will not take away a star for that.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. This is my honest Review.

“The more we can tell our truths, especially the hard and uncomfortable ones, the less alone and broken we’ll feel. Perhaps there is less wrong with us, and more wrong with the expectations we’ve put upon ourselves. Perhaps we’re good enough, just as we are.” *THIS!!!!*

Kristen Howerton is a new-to-me author. I hadn’t heard of her or her blog prior to reading this book. Being a mother myself, so much of this was relatable and I think there’s tidbits in here for anyone that could help with the part of the parenting journey you are on. It always helps in the midst of when you think you are losing it or you are the only one who let your kid eat dessert for dinner or skipped homework or any of the million other obligations as a mom, to have your feelings validated and to feel like they are normal and you are not alone. This book did just that, for me. It was a mix between a memoir and a book of tips for navigating different seasons and challenges. I very much enjoyed it, and look forward to checking out her other work.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Kristen Howerton has long been blogging at Rage Against the Minivan and is soon releasing her first book with the same title. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a podcaster.

In the midst of sharing her tumultuous story of becoming a mother and her personal convictions in raising her four kids, Kristen also records her experience with miscarriages, adoptions, racism, white privilege, loneliness, her Christian upbringing, and divorce. She does all of this unapologetically, with humor and vulnerability.

To sum up her parental philosophy, she says, “In a culture where we are constantly hearing ‘You were made for more,’ I want to teach [my kids] ‘you are enough.’”

Even if your kids are grown, there is plenty here that you will enjoy.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Searching for more personable mom life/ female entrepreneurship books, I stumbled upon Rage Against the Minivan and I'm so glad I did. While I quite like my minivan, I do occasionally want to rage against motherhood - because being a mom is often HARD. Kristen Howerton masterfully narrates all her struggles with motherhood. She makes you laugh as she talks about hating to volunteer at school but also frankly discusses miscarriage, divorce, and interracial adoption. I quick and fun read for fans of Jen Hatmaker or #IMomSoHard.

I received an ARC in exchange for honest review. I absolutely loved this book by Kristen Howerton. Did I agree with her on every front? No. But, her parenting philosophy and vulnerability about it made this one of the best books I've read so far in 2020. Kristen is hilarious, well written, authentic and fun to read. She is relatable in every sense of the word. This book made me feel seen, had me echoing "Me too!" in so many pages and made me laugh and shed tears. I highly recommend it.

Kristen Howerton’s blog-post-like chapters in Rage Against the Minivan make for a fast and compelling read that had me laughing at times and nodding my head in solidarity at others. I especially enjoyed her commentary on this transition generation that we are living in as I find myself struggling with sharing the household responsibilities that our mothers and grandmothers were expected to do. Her candidness about her infertility and adoption struggles really struck a chord with me and brought to mind some of my own struggles and those of my friends.

Her hands-off approach to parenting at times had me feeling a bit frustrated, but she would bring it back around with what her children were learning – empathy for others, trust and more. In this day and age, it seems like you have to be on top of your child(ren) at all times, so this was a refreshing approach that I could relate with.

I wouldn’t call this a parenting or religious/spiritual book, but more of a memoir that is told in anecdotes that can parenting hacks and tips for keeping your sanity can be pulled from between the lines. Overall, it was a great read and I will definitely have to start following her on social media and check out her blog.

Thank you to Netgalley, Convergent Books and Kristen Howerton for the chance to review this book!

Wow I loved this book. She cuts through the nonsense and shares her story raw. I really appreciated the mention on not enough parenting books speaking to having more than one child in your home.

In true Rage Against the Minivan fashion, I left my children to their own devices so I could sit outside on a beautiful day and read this book all the way through. I'm not a regular reader of the blog but Kristen Howerton has a new fan in me. I appreciated her openness and honesty, which at times was heart-wrenching but the joy and triumph shone through along with solid parenting advice from a seasoned mom.

Kristen shares her experiences of parenting, discussing a variety of topics such as transracial adoption, infertility, marriage, dad privilege, community, and friendships, and the various ages and stages of raising kids. She is very open and honest which will help readers resonate with her words.

I especially appreciated her essay about being an introvert in the throes of raising babies of toddlers and the salvation of the school years.

I loved my time spent reading Rage Against the Minivan. I like Kristen, how she thinks, how she lives life. I relate to her story as a mom of four but love hearing all the fascinating, fun, gut wrenching parts of her story. I'm guessing mainly mamas would enjoy this story, but perhaps others who just like good, heartfelt writing was you like it, too.