*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

ARRIVAL STORIES is an impactful anthology of birth stories written by a wide variety of women. As a maternity nurse myself, reading how women feel and the experiences they all had was particularly moving since I'm usually on the other side in the scrubs. It's a diverse collection that attempts to cover all the different ways women can become mothers-- through adoption, IVF, post-abortion or post-miscarriage, accidentally, on purpose, naturally, medicated, single, or with a wide support group (just to name a few). I especially appreciated the representation of women of color, the disparity of treatment they face was (rightfully) discussed several times and serves as an amazing way to start an important conversation.

My only criticism is that it felt like most of the writers came from a place of privilege. Which, of course, is a population of people that still face difficulties and complications during birth, but at times, the book felt out of touch with the challenges most women face. It felt like the book wanted to dig deep and dirty into the mess of motherhood in today's society, but only hit the first few layers.

Overall, I think this book is a wonderful place to start. It provides a great variety in birth stories, and the resounding message is that though there are several different ways to become a mother-- the end is the same, love.