The Antelope in the Living Room by Melanie Shankle (Review)

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (February 4, 2014)
• ISBN-13: 978-1414385549

Welcome to the story of a real marriage.

Marriage is simultaneously the biggest blessing and the greatest challenge two people can ever take on. It is the joy of knowing there is someone to share in your joys and sorrows, and the challenge of living with someone who thinks it’s a good idea to hang a giant antelope head on your living room wall.

In The Antelope in the Living Room, New York Times best-selling author and blogger Melanie Shankle does for marriage what Sparkly Green Earrings did for motherhood—makes us laugh out loud and smile through tears as she shares the holy and the hilarity of that magical and mysterious union called marriage.

My Review:

 I thought this was a good memoir that focuses on marriage.There were lots of hilarious moments. I have never been married or close to it and still enjoyed the book. I have also read her first book Sparkly Green Earrings and enjoyed it too. It seems to me that younger married couples might appreciate the book more than older. Some parts of the book feel a disjointed in the stories told otherwise the writing was easy to read. This book is heavy on religion especially toward the end so Christian women might like the book more.






 Melanie Shankle writes daily on her blog, Big Mama. She is a graduate of Texas A&M and loves writing, shopping at Target, checking to see what's on sale at Anthropologie, and trying to find the funny in every situation.

Most of all, she loves being the mother of Caroline and the wife of her husband, Perry. The three of them live in San Antonio, Texas.

Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Sparkly Green Earrings by Melanie Shankle (Review)

Paperback: 240 pages

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (February 8, 2013)

ISBN-13: 978-1414371719

“There is really no better indicator you’re a mother than acquiring the ability to catch throw-up in a plastic bag, disinfect your hands, and immediately ask your friend to pass the beef jerky as you put on another Taylor Swift song and act as if nothing has happened.”

This is the type of insight Melanie Shankle offers in this quirky memoir of motherhood.

Written in the familiar, stream-of-consciousness style of her blog, Big Mama, Sparkly Green Earrings is a heartwarming and hilarious look at motherhood from someone who is still trying to figure it all out. Filled with personal stories—from the decision to become a mother to the heartbreak of miscarriage and ultimately, to the joy of raising a baby and living to tell about it—Sparkly Green Earrings will make you feel like you’re sitting across the table from your best friend. A must-read for anyone who’s ever had a child or even thought about it.

My Review:

I got this book as a free download. I had seen it mentioned and thought it would be interesting to read. I do not have children but it was still funny. The book chronicles this author pre motherhood to miscarriage to her daughter's eighth year. It was a quick read and had several lol moments in it. It is not a serious book just full of mostly funny stories. Overall I liked it and I'm happy I read it even though I don't have children or will anytime soon. lol :)