A Sarah's Scribbles Collection - Big Mushy Happy Lump

This is a wonderful book totally worth the price. I know that some of these comics can be found online but there are many that cannot be and in this book, there are explanations of some of the comics and it tells a wonderful story.

This seems repetitive compared with 'Adulthood is a Myth'. I follow Sarah Andersen in FB and it seemed that this book had nothing new to offer (at least nothing worth the price). It did have a new 'format' of content (3 exemplars in this format, to be exact), in which she describes a given subject using prose and several comics. However, the use of space and typography in this section is funky to say the least, and the content is for some reason less appealing than the rest of the book. The book is well printed and well made and it did get me to grin a couple of times, but if I had seen it before I definitely would not have bought it. Stick with the first book.

I really liked volume 1 but this one didn't have the same charm. It felt repetitive and forced, with the content stretched out, rather than the concentrated brilliance of volume 1. While the first one was full of self deprecating humor, this one felt to me more like just whining.

Are you finding yourself over-thinking every aspect of your day-to-day life? Have you ever exchanged a day of social interaction for a book and/or Netflix binge? Do you have days where you really just can’t “adult”? Then Big Mushy Happy Lump is the book for you!

This was an incredibly cute, hilarious, and relatable read—exactly the kind of book I needed at this moment in my life. This was my first experience with Sarah Andersen’s work, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Along the lines of one of my favorite books in the entire world—Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh—Andersen’s adorable doodles perfectly capture the awkward, neurotic, introverted book lover that is me. However, one does not have to be as self-conscious and irrationally anxious as I am to have a good time with this collection. A satirical and candid look at what makes all of us human, these little vignettes portray feelings and life experiences that are very easy for anyone to connect with.

This is one of those books that makes you feel as though the author has read your mind and flawlessly rendered your entire life and thoughts in a highly comical format. For me, that totally clicks with my sarcastic and humorous outlook on life and myself. It reminds me of my various “delightful” quirks and makes me remember that, while me and my thought processes can be exceptionally…unique, I am not entirely alone. In fact, many of the things that make me feel as though I am an alien that must have accidentally fallen out of a UFO at some point and landed on Earth are actually what make me—and every one of us—human.

My only—very small—complaint with this book was the fact that there wasn’t more of a personal essay element. There was a bit of this, but not nearly enough. It ended up being a sort of jumble of randomly collected cartoon panels that were entertaining, but left me wanting something beyond just that. I always like to read a little story along with these types of cartoons—a peek at the author’s own life experiences. I believe that storytelling aspect allows the reader to connect their life, their thoughts and feelings, even further with those that are depicted, creating a more engaging reading experience.

That bit aside, this was a very quick read and a wonderful pick-me-up as I fought to get out of a horrific reading slump. And now I can continue on, fully embracing the over-thinking, neurotic, reclusive person that I am. I can find even more humor in watching my painfully awkward floundering through adult life and social interaction. And, most importantly of all, I can get back to reading voraciously as I take on my true form—a big mushy happy lump…with a huge pile of unread books.

I'm giving 4 stars because i think that her cartoon are awesome! I really relate to her! The only thing that i didn't likeis that i was hopping to see brand new cartoon! But a ñotof them ihave seen it published on Facebook so i'm feeñing like a wanted more!

Something that was very nice is the tpuch of her from the middle of thebook, because she tell a little story of herand represent it with her draws... I feel it more personal and jelps you to understand her as a person!

I think should be read by people who is in it's twenties and early thirties! :) It's fun

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.

Anderson is great because she writes her comics from life experiences so you as a reader can relate and laugh along. in this collection I especially loved the one about multiple tattoos. Anderson decided to do something different with part of the book and that was to add a few sentences along with the comics that make a very short story. One of them in particular, titled: "I don't know how to be a person" brought me to tears, as I read it (in public, at her reading at the Strand while I was waiting my turn for her to sign my book to give you an idea how powerful it is) the words and pictures powerful it is) the words and pictures just moved me and described how I felt so often but, never could describe myself.

Oh, Sarah Andersen. I love you the way Californians love avocados.

I've been purposely putting off reading my ARC of this book. Not because I thought it was going to be bad, mind, but because I enjoyed ADULTHOOD IS A MYTH so much that I wanted to savor the anticipation of reading this book because I knew it would be at least another year or more until Andersen published a new one. That can't be too weird, right? Surely I'm not the only person who avoids reading books they're excited about...right?

Like ADULTHOOD IS A MYTH and HYPERBOLE AND A HALF, BIG MUSHY HAPPY LUMP explores many common problems that introverts, millennials, women, and book lovers will be able to relate to.

For example:

Why does puberty suck for women so much more than it does for men?

Why are periods so damn inconvenient, not to mention inconsiderate?

Why is talking to people so hard?

Why do we all love cats so obsessively?

Why do we throw so much money away on books?

Why are we cold all the time, even with a sweater?

Why do we like this thing?

There isn't a lot to say. I liked ADULTHOOD IS A MYTH and I liked BIG MUSHY HAPPY LUMP. My fear was that LUMP might be nothing more than a reprisal of ADULTHOOD and I am happy to say that my fears were misguided. LUMP stands on its own, and it is both endearing and hilarious.

Thanks to the publisher/Netgalley for the review copy!

5 out of 5 stars.

OK I know this is not something most normal beings would be ecstatic about… But… I HAVE to tell you.. There is VELVET in the cover of this book. And I freaking love the velvety texture in the cover!
I think this atrociously cute cartoon is just engrossing! I just can’t get enough of it!

THOSE BIG, BULGY EYES! MY GOD!
So many emotions in those two circles! HAHAHA!

Love them to pieces!

And her hilarious portrait of those things in life that are… Hummm… How to say it? Annoying? UGH! Like some high school peeps, PMS, students’ loans and interacting with people. Interacting with people in general can be annoying especially when you are an introvert ? The jokes about social anxiety… Spot on! :)

And I need a “don’t care” superhero too for when I get all socially anxious inadequate!

But there jokes about awesome, enjoyable stuff too, like coffee boyfriends and dogs and… UGH! I can’t believe I’ll say this… CATS!
There are a few strips that are all about cats’ fabulousness that were just TOO MUCH and made me, a die-hard dog fan who swore to dislike cats FOREVER, contemplate getting a CAT!. After reading this book my highly impressionable consumerist heart was dripping in desire to get a cat and I was googling “hypoallergenic cats” and… I wanted to get a cat so badly!

But the best character was not scribbled Sarah or her cats. NOOOO it the uterus! Yes people this book has an uterus here that loves to SMACK Sarah with all kind PMSing situations

And it’s so freaking hilarious!

I love me some Sarah's Scribbles. I've been a fan of her Facebook page for who knows how long. Her comics are instantly relatable (mostly for the current millennial) and they always make me laugh. She provides an instant dose of happiness.

Big Mushy Happy Lump is no different. While I know the majority of the comics through her Facebook page, there are a few new ones in there. Sarah touches upon things like procrastination, periods, bottling up your feelings, the benefits of female friendships, puppies, social anxiety and overthinking, and many other things.

This book also has a few illustrated stories now, which is a really cool feature, and also provides a lot of new material.

"I think the most important thing I've learned, however, is that being social is supposed to be fun. I tend to forget this when I'm curled up in a ball, alone in my room, avoiding everything. I'm trying to remember that the point of seeing friends is to enjoy their company, not worry about their every opinion or every small misstep I make."

So, yes, another one of Sarah's masterpieces to enjoy when you're on the toilet or otherwise need a quick pick-me-up.

'Big Mushy Happy Lump' by Sarah Andersen is a new collection of Sarah's Scribbles. It's just as funny as the first collection was.

Sarah's humor is a bit self-effacing as she makes fun or her introversion, her love of books, and her self-esteem problems. This time, there are some illustrated personal essays, like how she became a cat lover, and her habit of stealing sweaters. She has comics about working at home, and problems with budgeting.

I read the first collection and really liked it. I enjoyed this one even more. I think the humor has gotten even better, and Sarah's willingness to expose her own weaknesses just make her someone I can relate to.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

It’s hard to review books like this because you either like the humor or you don’t. And I loved it. Took me no time to whip through the book, laughing out loud the entire time. I’ve followed Andersen on tumblr for a while now so I was familiar with her comics going into the book (it’s why I bought it). I love her simpler style of drawing that on first look may be a little too simple but as you read through the comics you see just how poignant they are.

The reactions are what really get me. Just these bug-eyed, squiggly, sometimes-messes that have me cackling because they hit so close to home. And that’s another thing that makes them great. If you can relate to them they become all the better. As an introvert with social anxiety these hit incredibly close to home and make them all the more relatable.

Hilarious. What more can I say?

5

I already knew some of Sarah's comics, so when I saw that there are two compilations of her comics, I was looking forward to reading them. And I put them on my to-read list... and then I forgot them. Until now!

I read this book cover-to-cover, but I'll definitely come back to it later and re-read parts of it. Especially when I need something to cheer me up.

I really like Sarah's comics. My favorite ones are the ones about periods and I was very happy to see that some of them made it into this compilation. But I can also relate to many of her other comics about anxiety, social interaction, procrastination, books and being an introvert. In this collection, there are also three illustrated essays about social anxiety, cats and stealing sweaters from loved ones. While the first one is a little more sad and serious, the last two essays are very cute and funny.

Although I already knew some of her comics, most of them were new to me.

I would recommend this book to everyone who's a fan of Sarah's Scribbles, likes webcomics or could use something to cheer them up.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy via Netgalley.

After finishing Adulthood Is a Myth I was excited to get my hands on Big Mushy Happy Lump. I absolutely loved the first 75% of the comic. The last quarter was good as well but it wasn't my favorite. Just like with the first collection this comic showed how awkward, shy and anxious people could react to certain situations. It was hilarious, I laughed out loud a lot and I just had to finish it in one sitting. I need a hard copy of this comic. It's just something you can pick up any time of the day, especially when you need a laugh and it will give you this fuzzy and happy feeling. I am hoping for a third collection and can't wait to see what Sarah comes up with. This book is perfect for book lovers like me, who prefer to spend more time with books than people and try to avoid social events.

Big Mushy Happy Lump by Sarah Andersen is a wonderful collection of adorable and incredibly relatable comics.

I flew right though this book and felt incredibly sad when I reached the end. I hope to see more from Sarah soon!

I really enjoyed this collection! So many panels made me laugh, others hit me on a deeper level because they were so relatable. One of my favorite sections was where the author writes a narrative about her anxiety and how she deals with it.

I absolutely adored Andersen's Adulthood is a Myth so I was thrilled to get another book filled with the same relatable hilarity. It's funny in general but I think it hits a lot of struggles contemporary women face like body image and mental health. I would recommend this as a gift to any friend who has been feeling down and could use some chuckles.

Notes: Review copy received via NetGalley.

I had a lot of fun reading Big Mushy Happy Lump. Not only are the illustrations easy on the eye, it is also really easy to relate to the highly personal little essays. The stories feel authentic and the humor used was right up my alley. I’ve seen the tone being compared to Furiously Happy, and I completely stand behind that comparison. If you are looking for an entertaining graphic novel that talks about real life, this one is an excellent choice!

These comics are so relatable and give humor to otherwise embarrassing, anxiety-fueled, and generally uncomfortable situations in life. I’ll flip through this book whenever I need a good laugh. Love it!