Big Mushy Happy Lump

Author: Sarah Andersen
Genre: Comics/Graphic Novel
Series: Sarah Scribbles #2
Type: e-book
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
First Published: March 7, 2017
First Line: "I have so much work to do."

Book Description from GoodReads: Swimsuit season is coming up! Better get beach-body ready! Work on those abs! Lift those butts! 

...Um, or how about never mind to all that and just be a lump. Big Mushy Happy Lump! 

Sarah Andersen's hugely popular, world-famous Sarah's Scribbles comics are for those of us who boast bookstore-ready bodies and Netflix-ready hair, who are always down for all-night reading-in-bed parties and extremely exclusive after-hour one-person music festivals. 

In addition to the most recent Sarah's Scribbles fan favorites and dozens of all-new comics, this volume contains illustrated personal essays on Sarah's real-life experiences with anxiety, career, relationships and other adulthood challenges that will remind readers of Allie Brosh's Hyperbole and a Half and Jenny Lawson's Let's Pretend This Never Happened. The same uniquely frank, real, yet humorous and uplifting tone that makes Sarah's Scribbles so relatable blooms beautifully in this new longer form.

My Rating: 4 stars

My Review: Sarah Andersen is back!!  Her comics are a battle cry for awkward, introverted, comfy clothes lovin' people who have a penchant for self-deprecation and bottling up their feelings.  My kind of people!!

Once again, her comics feature expressive big headed, big eyed characters with wee appendages.  The main character is relatable as she struggles with low self-confidence, social anxiety, unexpected period woes, holding in her emotions and even a sudden addiction to all thinks kitty.

But, while Big Mushy Happy Lump is similar to Andersen's previous book, Adulthood is a Myth, it has more of a personal feel to it as she interjects personal narratives about some of the issues addressed.  While I couldn't relate to the character's one-eighty from being a cat hater to lover of all things feline, there were many other of her comics that I could relate to. 

Like today after I get my haircut into a short bob I will invariably walk by someone with long, flowing locks and regret my decision.  It happens ... every ... time.

My favourite comic shows the differences between men and women when it comes to compliments.  This one had me giggling repeatedly because I have reacted exactly that way many times with my sisters.

And don't forget the unfair fresh hell that is puberty for us girls ...

While not all the comic strips were laugh out loud funny (and a few had been featured in her first book) this is still a very enjoyable book. If you're introverted, have suffered through embarrassing social situations, feel pretty snazzy when you're wearing your 'good' undies and would rather snuggle up with a pet in an old ratty sweatshirt and read then this book will give you that "I'm not alone!" feeling.  If you're more of an extrovert then this book will educate you on the finer points in dealing with us lovable, awesome, complicated introverts.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.