This autobiographical collection was a gentle, thoughtful exploration into the nuance of gender-diverse identities told through the personal experiences of twenty-nine creators. It was expansive, covering many different experiences across gender, race, and ethnicity. And it was vulnerable. The creators of these comics didn't shy away from the pain their journeys carried, or the darkness they were in before they began--and often even after. This raw and real depiction of breaking out of the boxes you were born into is so necessary and important for people to see (and made me confront some doubts about my own gender as well, upon seeing myself in these pages more than I'd expected). 

My only qualm was that these comics were so short! I wish they could have been just a few pages longer each. Each comic gave such a tiny, specific glimpse into these creators' journeys, and I wanted to see more. But I loved how this collection gave us the about the author section right before their contribution--it allowed me to follow my favorites on social media right away, and find their other works before I forgot who they were by the end of the collection (as is usually the case for collections). So 4/5 stars, and my best wishes to all these creators to keep up the good work. Now off to read some webcomics from these creators!

"I don't think care is a limited resource." 

Did you know ducks are gay? What about sheep? Bulls? Doodle bugs? Clown fish? Did you know there are trans deer? Or species of fish that can change sex? Or that snails are asexual—and can even reproduce asexually? 

This book, in addition to being a pure delight to read, was so informative in the areas of science that my christian-written science textbook growing up conveniently left out, and that most science classrooms don’t talk about. I now want to get a snail tattoo. 

This book was also filled with interviews from scientists that are actively in the field, working with the animals this book talks about. And it’s super accessible. I haven’t read nonfiction science books before (aside from school textbooks) and I had absolutely no trouble getting through this one. 

I’ll end with this quote from near the end of the book that I think captures the heart of the book’s goal:

"This book (like almost all the articles I read on queer animal behavior) does not try to argue /for/ clear human sexuality /from/ the example of animals. Instead, it's the reverse: what I am saying is that we can no longer argue that humans are alone in their queerness, that non-hetero normative human sexualities and gender identities are unnatural because they don't exist in the rest of the animal kingdom. That position is simply not valid. Queerness is a well-established and fundamental part of nature.”

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Incredible audiobook! I gave this 4 stars initially, but had to bump it to 5 because I have not stopped thinking about this book since finishing. I spent a two and a half hour car ride in silence after finishing and just let myself think about this book and /feel/. Elliot is such a frustrating yet relatable disaster bisexual main character. This book follows his life from ages 14-18 (if memory serves), and it charts his rough non-relationship with his father and tenuous friendship dynamics made all the more difficult by the fact that Elliot believes to the very core of his being that he does not deserve to be loved. I cannot recommend this book enough for those who feel worthless and unloved--see Elliot, and see yourself, and through that lens, you might be able to see that people are often quite determined to love you, no matter what you do to stop them in an effort to protect the heart you think cannot be cared for. 

This was such a cute book! I loved all of the characters so much. They were so real, and made mistakes, but were ultimately there for each other in a deeply human way. Our MC, Héctor, was so cute and funny and I was rooting for him the whole way! I loved how brave he was without even really realizing it, and I was so proud of his growth by the end of the story as he learned to let other people in.

This would probably get a lower reading if I hadn't done a book club for it. On first read, it felt rather shallow and underdeveloped. Just some lesbians stealing shit and then giving it back. (Be gay, do crimes, amiright?) But bookclub conversation led to interesting discussion of how foolish teens can be, the emotional immaturity of the MC, and how to have a healthy argument (and what not to do, like in this book). The art was definitely the saving grace of this book, giving it a whole extra star. The use of color was so interesting and creative, and the artistic chops on this illustrator are truly next level. I'd read it again just to study each panel and see how she used color and placement to convey so much more than words could. 

This book grabbed me by the throat and kept me in its trance for days. I literally read it three times. (Not to mention the audio is narrated by Kevin Free, one of my favorite narrators!) It's about a robot created to be a security guard who hates its job (and most humans in general) and wants nothing more than to just hole up in a dark corner and watch TV shows forever. But it does like the humans it's working for when the story begins, and when trouble comes, it actually wants to do its job and keep them safe. 

This robot is deeply relatable, and I laughed so much while reading. A great book for AroAce readers to enjoy, as the robot is disgusted by romance and it's a major ace mood. (I don't classify SecUnit as an AroAce character since it is a robot, but that's a personal choice.) Highly recommend!