This post was last updated on June 26, 2025

E-Books & Audiobooks: Checkout Spotify Premium audiobooks or Audible or your local library offerings like Hoopla or Libby - many of these books are available in those platforms.

Immediate Loss & Grief Support

Best for those navigating the initial shock and deep sorrow of baby loss.

• “Unimaginable: Life After Baby Loss” – Brooke D Taylor Gentle, emotional, stillbirth-centered; reflects a jarring "before/after" pregnancy journey.
• “Unexpecting: Real Talk on Pregnancy Loss” – Rachel Lewis Most comprehensive all-around book; includes raw stories and topics like PAL & faith.
• "Notes for the Everlost" – Kate Inglis Best book for a surviving twin ("purple butterfly") situation.
• “Changed: Living with Stillbirth” – Lisa Jankowski Personal memoir with poetry; gentle and reflective. (Audiobook available)
• “Hope Beyond an Empty Cradle” – Hallie Scott Christian therapist-written; addresses heartbreak, guilt, anger, and includes partner/family perspectives.
• “Gone But Not Lost” – David W. Wiersbe Quick, to-the-point faith-based book; great for gifting.
• “Empty Cradle, Broken Heart” – Deborah Davis, PhD Clinical and thorough; great for professionals or anyone seeking deep insight.
• “Navigating the Unknown” – Amie Lands Immediate guide for newly grieving parents.

Faith-Based or Christian Grief Support

Ideal for readers who turn to their faith during loss and want a theologically rooted resource.

• “I Will Carry You” – Angie Smith For congenital diagnoses or anticipatory grief; deep faith content.
• “Hope Beyond an Empty Cradle” – Hallie Scott Therapist’s Christian-based healing guide.
• “Gone But Not Lost” – David W. Wiersbe Short, pastoral tone with strong Christian focus.
• “Hannah's Hope” – Jennifer Saake Infertility, miscarriage, adoption loss from a Christian lens.
• “Just Be Honest” – Clint Watkins Worship and prayer through grief.
• “Suffering is Never for Nothing” – Elisabeth Elliot Not loss-specific but deep, classic reflections on suffering from a Christian perspective.
• “Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy” – Mark Vroegop Lament and biblical grief framework.

Mental Health & Emotional Processing

Helpful for navigating emotions, trauma, and societal expectations after loss.

• “It’s OK That You’re Not OK” – Megan Devine A grief classic; excellent for normalizing post-loss emotional struggles.
• “Empty Cradle, Broken Heart” – Deborah Davis Practical, research-informed guide to grief.

Memoir / Personal Story-Heavy Reads

These center around the author’s experience and offer emotional connection for readers.

• “Unimaginable” – Brooke D Taylor Emotional validation with academic context; excellent for high-functioning grievers.
• “Almost A Mother” – Christy Wopat
  Spiritually neutral and relatable; a loss-of-twins memoir with community focus.
• “Notes for the Everlost” – Kate Inglis
  Lyrical, poetic grief memoir after twin loss.
• “When There Are No Words” – Charlie Walton
  Personal journey of losing a teen son; excellent for dads and older child loss.
• “Still Here” – Alishia Anderson
  Memoir by a black mother after stillbirth.
• “From Three Heartbeats to One” – Keisha M. Wells
  Reflective personal journey through loss.

Books With Grief Content (But Not Loss-Focused)

Books that include grief themes or occasional references to child loss but are not central.

• “Suffering is Never for Nothing” – Elisabeth Elliot Broader Christian suffering and endurance message.
• “Glad You’re Here” – Walker Hayes Memoir of faith and friendship, light grief themes.
• “Just Be Honest” – Clint Watkins Honest worship and prayer in grief, not infant-loss specific.
• “The Christmas Box” – Richard Paul Evans Symbolic fiction including a storyline of child loss.
• “Sorry for Your Loss” – Kate Marshall Non-traditional grief reflections from work with the dead.
• “Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy” – Mark Vroegop General Christian lament framework.
• “Plan B” – Pete Wilson About unmet expectations in faith journeys; relevant but indirect.

Partners, Grandparents, & Community Members

Especially suitable for people supporting a grieving parent or experiencing loss in a different role.

• “Hope Beyond an Empty Cradle” – Hallie Scott Includes stories from partners and grandparents.
• “Empty Cradle, Broken Heart” – Deborah Davis Excellent professional or extended family reference.
• “When There Are No Words” – Charlie Walton Good insight for friends-of-grievers or those supporting grieving dads.

Infertility, Recurrent Miscarriage, & Pregnancy After Loss

Books that include struggles beyond infant death or help parents trying again.

• “Hannah’s Hope” – Jennifer Saake Infertility, miscarriage, and adoption grief through a Christian lens.
• “Unexpecting” – Rachel Lewiss Has sections on PAL and covers a range of loss types.
• “A Bump in the Road” – Elle Wright Memoir-style story about fertility, loss, and trying again.

BIPOC & LGBTQ+ Perspectives

Books highlighting loss through underrepresented cultural and gender lenses.

• “The Matter of Little Losses” – Rachel Marie Kang Spiritual and poetic; for grief beyond labels.
• “What God Is Honored Here?” – Gibney & Yang Writings from Native women and women of color on miscarriage and infant loss.
• “Pregnant With Promise” – Dorienna M. Alfred A spiritual journey of pregnancy and bedrest, relevant to loss stories.
• “Still Here” – Alishia Anderson Memoir by a Black mom on stillbirth.
• “From Three Heartbeats to One” – Keisha M. Wells Grief and hope companion from a Black mom’s experience.
• “Finding Hope in Seasons of Loss” – Angelica Gunn Prayer journal tailored for women of color experiencing miscarriage/pregnancy loss.
• “Reproductive Losses” – Christa Craven Academic take on loss in LGBTQ+ families.

Giftable or Short Reads

Books that are accessible, easy to read, or good for giving to others.

• “Gone But Not Lost” – David W. Wiersbe Short, faith-based book perfect for gifts.
• “When There Are No Words” – Charlie Walton Quick read with insight for friends/family or grieving dads.
• “Notes for the Everlost” – Kate Inglis Beautiful writing; visually and emotionally moving.

Books Not Recommended

Based on problematic framing, mental health invalidation, or tone-deaf language.

• “Surviving the Loss of a Child” – Elizabeth B. Brown Not inclusive of neonatal/infant loss; mental health stigmas present.
• “Grieving the Child I Never Knew” – Kathe Wunnenberg Heavy on Christian clichés, may be triggering or feel invalidating.

Other favorites

• Hope Beyond an Empty Cradle – Hallie Scott: Loved the therapeutic Christian approach, especially including partners and grandparents.
• It’s OK That You’re Not OK – Megan Devine: Strongly relatable, great for explaining grief in society.
• Changed – Lisa Jankowski: Beautiful poetry and international support context (SANDS).
• Holding on to Love After You've Lost a Baby: The 5 Love Languages for Grieving Parents - Gary Chapman, Candy McVicar: Fantastic Chritian book for couples struggling in their grief together.

Ally's Reading List

Gemma's mom recommends these titles

1. Notes for the Everlost – Kate Inglis

"I love this book because it felt like pure magic — almost poetry. The way Kate weaves memoir and guidance together made me feel seen in a way few books ever have. Her reflections on losing one of her twins were soulful and honest, and the language was so beautiful that it lingered with me. It didn’t just give me insight; it felt like a quiet companion through the hardest parts of grief."

2. Unimaginable: Life After Baby Loss – Brooke D. Taylor
"I love this book because it’s the one that resonated with me most when it came to mental health and emotions after loss. Brooke's story of a pristine pregnancy ending in tragedy felt so eerily similar to mine — that stark before-and-after hit me deeply. I also connected with her background in higher education, which made her reflections feel grounded and thoughtful. This book helped me sit with the emotional weight of my loss in a gentle but honest way."

3. Almost a Mother – Christy Wopat

"I love this book because it’s the most relatable memoir I’ve read. Christy’s spiritually neutral tone gave me space to bring my own faith and emotions into the story. Her raw honesty about losing her twins and how she navigated life and community afterward felt incredibly real. I saw myself in her journey — and as a teacher and a mom, she felt like someone I could know in real life. Her words made me feel less alone."

4. I Will Carry You – Angie Smith

"I love this book because it’s the faith-based book that most deeply impacted me. I remember wishing I had read it when I first learned of Gemma’s diagnosis — it would’ve helped steady my trembling faith. Angie’s experience with congenital abnormalities and anticipatory grief mirrored so many of my own fears, and her words reminded me that grief and joy can coexist. This book reached me on a soul level."

5. A Bump in the Road - Elle Wright

“I love this book because it captures the silent strength behind fertility struggles and loss in a way that feels deeply personal yet universally understood. Elle writes with emotional honesty about miscarriage, IVF, and navigating life after loss. Her journey through heartbreak and healing gave me both validation and hope. I especially appreciated how she wove in moments of joy, resilience, and reflection without sugarcoating the hard parts. It’s a powerful read for anyone who's walked a bumpy path to motherhood—or stood still on one.”