Big Mushy Happy Lump is the second book in the Sarah's Scribbles series, and like the first book it delivers a combination of humor, timeless troubles of the 20-something set and a connection to many of its readers. Much of the work in this collection is available online, so I have read most of it before I got my hands on this book. However, Andersen's work is the type that no matter how many times you go back to it, it will always give you a giggle.

What was different about this collection is that Andersen doesn't just do single-page strips throughout the whole book. Instead, there are a few multi-page stories accompanied by a narrative that addresses important issues while still maintaining its humorous appeal. Like I said when the first one came out, I can't wait to get my hands on more of Andersen's work. It always makes my day a little better.

I like Adulthood Is a Myth better. But, I can still relate here. This Big Mushy Happy Lump crept its way around me.

Big Mushy Happy Lump is the second collection of comics by artist Sarah Andersen. Andersen's first collection, Adulthood is a Myth, won the Goodreads Choice Award 2016 for Best Comic or Graphic Novel so I was interested in reading this one and seeing what made her book win above all of the other fantastic comics and graphic novels nominated. Now that I've read this one, I am a Sarah Andersen follower. I have so many favourite pages of this book but I think they best are the ones about irrationally buying all the books and the stupid clothes people make for women.

She checks off all of the boxes. Her cartoon drawings are adorable yet clean and well drawn, she makes excellent commentary about the differences between products for woman and men and understands what it's like to be a lazy, uninspired person just like me! I feel like we're two peas in a pod with the way we think and feel, especially with our inner thoughts. This book also has a short personal essay from the illustrator that talks about her anxiety and problems fitting into the crowd.

Sarah Andersen is always a delight...actually, delight is far too tame a word to describe her! She is hilariously funny, relatable on all levels, and captures all the angst of being a twenty-something in today's world perfectly! "Big Mushy Happy Lump" is an absolutely perfect follow-up to "Adulthood is a Myth" and everyone should read them both. Right now. 5/5 stars.

Once again, Andersen nails it with the right amount of humor and feels. I especially liked the focus on being an introvert, and could relate to so much of it. Looking forward to more of her work!

A fun, short read. I had seen several of the strips in this collection around the internet before reading, but I enjoy Andersen's art and her sweet and straightforward sense of humor.

I think we all need a bit of relatability sometimes and that is exactly what I find in Sarah Andersen’s hilarious illustrations. I love that this particular collection is called Big Mushy Happy Lump because that is totally what I aspire to be (chronic depression and anxiety mess up the ‘happy’ part for me a lot, though), and I really love that Andersen uses her own experiences of anxiety and the big bad world to create drawings that actually represent life for so many people – not the sugar coated, everything is awesome life, but the curling on the sofa and not moving at all life.

The focus on self-love, the importance of friendship, the shittiness of anxiety and depression and self-doubt, the greatness of books and caffeine are all things that appear regularly in Andersen’s illustrations, and at the risk of being repetitive they are so relatable because of it. Life is hard, people are mean, hormones are evil, but there are silver linings – books, hot cups of tea, stealing your partner’s warmth, puppies – that make things a little bit easier sometimes. Coincidentally, Sarah Andersen’s simple black and white drawings are one of those silver linings for me, and they never fail to make me smile.

Most people with a brain cell or two know that life isn’t always brilliant, especially with everything currently going wrong in the world, but this collection – and everything that Andersen draws, I feel – puts a funny spin on it all, a ‘things are terrible but let’s laugh, just for a minute’ spin on it. Let’s face it, most of us laugh and use humour so that we don’t cry or spiral down some abyss of loathing, and that is the beauty of this collection. Anyone who has never been exposed to ‘Sarah’s Scribbles’ should go and get themselves some exposure, and anyone who already loves it should go and get this new book when it’s released.

We should all try to be big mushy happy lumps, and accept that sometimes stuff sucks and life is hard, but at the end of the day we are all majestic goddesses (and gods) who deserve a giggle.

This is such an awesome book! I could relate to so much to this book that I feel like Sarah crawled right in my brain and poked around. It is a great complement to her other book "Adulthood Is A Myth".

A quick and fun read! This one is just as entertaining and relatable as her first collection. Some pages had me nodding my head in agreement and others laughing out loud.

Wacky fun, Big Mushy Happy Lump is like finding your soulmate/BFF. Smart and quirky it perfectly captures our most intimate and introspective moments. Perfect for a quick pick me up or a virtual sympathetic shoulder to cry on, Sarah Andersen knows when and how to comfort our fragile egos.

I read the first volume of Sarah’s Scribbles last year and thoroughly enjoyed it, so when I saw a chance to read and review this volume I couldn’t resist. This collection is even better than the last, and covers so many important topics, making it fun, but also a must read. Topics covered in this volume include social anxiety, self perception and relationships, all told in a fun comic scribble style.

What I loved most about this collection of scribbles is how I could identify to so many of the pages. For readers it is so important to read books that you can identify with, and this one really hits the mark. Whether it be wanting to steal my boyfriends hoodies, as they are clearly more comfortable than mine, or whether it be getting that correct angle on a selfie so that I don’t have ten thousand chins. This book explores fun topics, and also more serious topics in a clever and reassuring manner. As you read the pages and giggle to yourself at the scribbles, you realise you aren’t alone, that what you feel about various different experiences in life are common feelings, you basically learn that you are ‘normal’.

While this book works as a standalone, I would highly recommend you read the first book in this collection first, as I think you will get the most out of the books this way. These books help you find confidence in how you relate to so many everyday problems, yet in a humorous and somehow also still sensitive way. I can’t recommend this book enough, and if you are trying to decide whether to read it or not, I highly recommend you just jump on in.

Review posted on Litsy (@Dorianna) on December 2016:

It's been going around on Litsy that the ARC of Sarah Andersen's new book is available on Netgalley. Naturally I have to download it immediately. In it are more fun illustrations from Sarah and some illustrated personal essays about things like social anxiety, isolation, cats, and sweaters. A fun and quick read for fellow fans of Andersen's work.

Review also posted on Goodreads January 2017.

absolutely loved this one, I didn't think I could like this one more then her first book - Adulthood is a Myth - but my worries that I might not love this one as much proved to be completed unfounded, the illustrated personal essays in this one were so great & I loved all the comics as well. I'm so glad I saw this on NetGalley & then finally decided to read it today because this was exactly what I needed to read

I read this and then gave it to my wife who is an introvert and she could not stop laughing. Sarah Andersen does a great job of letting her artwork speak for her. She conveys emotions and anxieties of feeling awkward in a seemingly simple, cute character. I enjoyed it but my wife, who could relate to every page, loved it. I would recommend this book for anyone but if you're not sure you'll like it, check out her Instagram. Many of her comics were published in this book but there were enough new ones that it's worth buying.

A Big Mushy Happy thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Sarah Andersen's latest collection.
I don't possess enough love to shower on Sarah's work. Her comics are so universally appealing, ageless and completely spot on. It's as if I confided all my secrets and fears to Sarah and then she managed to make them silly, darling and totally normal.
LOVED the collection. Will ABSOLUTELY be buying as gifts for everyone I know!

If you liked Hyperbole and a Half (but with a little less depression) or almost every character Ellie Kemper has portrayed, this is definitely right up your alley. Great gift, will put a smile on your face! Sarah Andersen is a hilarious introvert who likes books and stealing hoodies.

I think she puts out very updated, relevant content that is super sweet and isn’t mean (which is rare these days!).

5/5 stars, would laugh again

Hilarious and very relatable. Sarah sketched everyday life events, even the smalest things. As enjoyable as the first book!

I admit I don't have a lot of experience reading graphic novels, but I fell in love with these illustrations as soon as I saw the cover. And what better way to start the year with a light read full of 'down to earth' and endearing illustrations and situations that are extremely easy to relate to? Big Mushy Happy Lump is actually the second comic by the author and is coming out on March 7th; the first, Adulthood Is A Myth, I will be looking forward to read soon. I had a lot of fun reading this graphic novel and it was really easy to connect to the illustrated personal essays of Sarah Andersen. I could see myself in so many of the real-life situations! The essays talk about the author's real-life experiences with for example anxiety, career and relationships. They are both fun to read, orginal, easy to relate to and feel authentic; the illustrations a real treat. This bundle would make a perfect gift!