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readingpicnic's reviews
487 reviews
The Transmasculine Guide to Physical Transition: For Trans, Nonbinary, and Other Masculine Folks by Sage Buch
4.0
Very informative and helpful for my transition. My surgeon did say of differing things that the author presented as steadfast answers, but I got those cleared up during Q&A time.
Walter Potter's Curious World of Taxidermy by Pat Morris, Joanna Ebenstein
4.0
Pretty fun and informative book. Reminded me a lot of Mostly Dead Things by Kristin Arnett. My favorite is the bunny schoolhouse. Off to watch his little documentary!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death
Things I Learned from Mario's Butt by Laura Kate Dale, Zack Flavin
3.0
I did learn quite a lot about butts in video games and in general from reading this. I thought Vebjørn Strømmen and Tena Žigmundovac’s essays were the most interesting to read about, but I am familiar with Jimquisition, so I appreciated their work as well. I think I had very high hopes for Mario’s Butt, and it was a little bit of a let down in the very small blips of glossing over a game’s summary to include one paragraph about a character’s butt that doesn’t even get an accompanying illustration. The choice of characters to examine felt interesting and novel in some places, but repetitive and generalizing of what one’s butt size indicates about their gender or exercise levels at times? Much like the video game industry, the voices represented in this book were overwhelmingly white and male, with a few exceptions. I loved Laura’s writing in her memoir so I wish that it hadn’t fallen flat for me here. I just know it could have been so much more, but it feels like a fun project she did with friends that culminated in an interesting coffee table book…
Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier
4.5
Adored them. Their dynamic is everything to me. I did find it a tad unbelievable that Bebe’s incredibly strict parents would change so abruptly, but oh well!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Transphobia, Sexual harassment
I Spy Love by Walter Wick
3.0
I was excited for new I Spy content published in 2024, but this is mostly reused photography from previous books that I’ve already seen that vaguely fit a “love” theme, which is a little disappointing. There were new riddles, but they didn’t quite have the charm of Jean Marzollo’s writing (this is how I found out she passed away in 2018, AHH).
Cactus Country: A Boyhood Memoir by Zoë Bossiere
Did not finish book. Stopped at 6%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 6%.
Just not feeling this audiobook right now, maybe I’ll pick it up a different time.
I Spy School Days: A Book of Picture Riddles by Jean Marzollo
3.75
Solid. Some of the concepts weren’t the best visually, or at least didn’t seem as well thought out as many of Wick’s work, and there was an Israel flag in one spread…
All Princesses Die Before Dawn by Quentin Zuttion
fast-paced
5.0
Such a beautiful graphic novel that emotionally destroyed me in a way I wasn’t expecting. The relationship between the mom, Lulu, and Cam being so fortified and loving at the end, and the overall support they have for Lulu in their gender presentation and sexuality had me crying. The page where Lulu was telling Yoyo that nobody likes it when they wear their t-shirt hair WRECKED ME. I had to put the book down for a while after that. The art style is amazing, and the panels where it’s just the characters’ eyes are so powerful, especially when Lulu stares at their dad while hugging Yoyo.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual assault
Moderate: Infidelity, Abandonment
Minor: Death, Gore, Car accident
Goodbye, Eri by Tatsuki Fujimoto
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
SUCH a unique manga. The way the panels are drawn all shaky like they’re filmed on a shaky cell phone was incredible, especially the scene where Eri’s friend’s face has that creepy distorted smile. I absolutely did not expect the twist with the mother halfway through, and that’s when I started crying. It’s just such a smart concept, and the execution was flawless and packed a punch. I would love to see this animated, but it’s honestly such a talented piece as it is now. The ending was awesome. The repeated motif of Yuta filming himself shitting was bizarre and so on brand for Fujimoto, that weirdo.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
Moderate: Excrement