This book is full of great information. I struggled a bit at times because it felt so heavy, but the author does a great job of presenting information without getting into the weeds. She is very knowledgeable and gives sound scientific information and advice.

This book is DENSE and science heavy. It’s not a book you sit down and read through for enjoyment. But it’s a great reference material and I learned so much.

I absolutely loved Blood, though it did take me a while to finish as it's science-heavy. Honestly, I wish I had access to a book like this when I was growing up (albeit in more accessible prose; this book is very technical). There are so many aspects of menstruation covered here in reassuring and confident language that I didn't know about until my 20s (or until reading this book!) that would have been life-changing for me when I was twelve and experiencing symptoms I didn't understand.

This book discusses everything and doesn't shy away or aim to sanitize the subject matter. We've got the science of the menstrual cycle, common issues; symptoms; and disorders, contraception, pelvic exams, endometriosis, hormones, pretty much anything you can think of, Dr. Gunter included it. The tone stays conversational enough that it's enjoyable to read, although at times it does become slightly dry. If, like me, you aren't already familiar with physiology and menstruation, there may be a few places where you're wading through words and needing to retain lots of new information.

Regardless, Blood is packed with valuable information, scientific sources, and hard truths about the potential dangers of holistic medicine and uninformed choices. This is a book written by someone with a genuine desire to benefit her readers and their health, and it shows. I'll be purchasing a physical copy for myself and I highly recommend this for every woman.

nonfiction, health, educational, science*****

Excellent handbook for anyone with uterus and ovaries. In a time when some think that everyone is aware of what goes on with the body of someone in possession of those definitive body parts, there are still some sects and other nationalities that believe that menstruation is a curse and that those who do so must absolutely be segregated from everyone during the time of bleeding. Even "enlightened" people have no idea that their bleeding experiences are not universal. The information covers so many aspects that it must be read to appreciate its scope.
It is an excellent teaching tool in private or in groups, and would be a good gift for many and especially your local public library.
I requested and received an EARC from Kensington Books, Citadel via NetGalley. Thank you!

Thank you Net Galley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


This was fantastic, easy to understand and I will highly recommend this to anyone who menstruates. This is a no bullshit kind of book and it was very refreshing. I plan to buy a physical copy that I can annotate.

Thanks to Netgalley, Kensington, and Highbridge Audio for the eARC and audioARC of this! I switched back and forth between formats, but definitely favored the audio, the narration was well done.

This was an interesting look at some aspects of menstruation. The author made references to her earlier books, that I think I will need to pick up as well. It wasn’t too dry, but it wasn’t as snarky & conversational as I tend to prefer non-fiction to be.

Let’s get it right from the start — menstruation has nothing to do with any sort of “feminine mystique.” It’s not to be glorified or vilified — but it should be understood and dealt with if it impacts people’s lives.
———
Menstruation is the fact of life for most of us who have uteruses and fall in the certain age category. And it’s fascinating and sometimes horrifying how much significance this fact of life has had in the societal consciousness through the recorded lifespan of humanity. Menstruation was - and are still now, somehow - viewed along extremes that range anywhere from making a woman clean, evil or unclean to being the mystical magical vents that keep women in touch with Mother Nature (and a fact that even in my cynicism did not know - the belief that ”menstrual blood can be used as a face mask to treat acne because it has stem cells and special “healing” chemicals”).

Girls are taught - and then continue to believe it as adult women - that suffering is ok, and that at all costs we should avoid the EvilHormones (TM) that god forbid may bring relief from the cycles and -anathema to many of those who’d prefer to keep women in check - prevent pregnancy and forced birth.

Dr. Jen Gunter doesn’t appear to tolerate such foolishness. “I find it unacceptable that people aren’t given vital information about how the body works,” she states, and works on dispelling the myths and misinformation by providing 400-plus pages of no-nonsense well-researched and credible medical information written very informatively and yet very accessibly, but while not cutting any slack for those who spread misinformation, be it influencers or politicians or those who benefit from selling supplements using misleading and often blatantly wrong claims.

“Unfortunately, some corners of the Internet that promote what I call Big Natural Menstruation—sites that are often inhabited by naturopaths, period coaches, and others who sell unregulated supplements to fix “broken” periods—have corrupted the messaging about menstruation as a vital sign into a false narrative that you can’t possibly know how healthy you are if you are taking hormonal contraception and not having what I can only describe as a RealPeriod(TM).”
———
“It’s always amazing to me how the people who fearmonger about modern medicine negatively affecting the menstrual cycle are usually promoting some type of unstudied supplement or botanical.”

Dr. Jen Gunter doesn’t appear to be the one who bought into the mystic nonsense of magical power of menstrual cycle. She doesn’t sugarcoat her message, delivering medical facts in the straightforward approach without talking down to the reader or talking over the reader’s head and promotes the common sense idea that people who are well-informed about their bodies and why’s and how’s of its works can make truly informed decisions about what’s best for them without reliance on sensationalism, mysticism or profitable untruths. She does not believe in infantilizing women.

“When these people say “You can only properly track your health if you don’t take the pill,” I hear “We’re totally okay if you get endometrial cancer as a result of your irregular ovulation and lack of progesterone” or “It’s fine that you suffer from terrible cramps once a cycle” or “If you get pregnant, it’s your own fault.”
————
“It’s true, in ancient medicine vaginal steaming was used as a therapy . . . by practitioners who thought the uterus wandered around the body. If you accept vaginal steaming, you must also accept the belief system on which it is based, including some less-Instagram-friendly recipes. Think a disemboweled puppy stuffed with herbs and then burned for its smoke to fumigate the uterus.”
————
“Providing disinformation about contraception is not feminism; it is misogyny.”


Think of this book as an incredibly approachable popular medicine (by analogy with “popular science”) that is actually written by a very well-informed and experienced specialist in her field with real information. It’s not really an easy reading (unless you happen to be a gynecologist) but it’s worth reading it and processing the actual information (and not doing what I did and venturing over to Gyno Etsy, although Tammy the Tampon crocheted doll may at some point somehow end up on my bookshelf ).

5 stars and a sincere recommendation to read this book. I will be checking out Dr. Gunter’s other books soon because if this one is anything to go by, they will be worth it.

Those Ancient Greeks and their “adorable” wandering uterus ideas, and now this. I swear…

——————

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books, Citadel for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an excellent combination reference book/"did you know about your body" book. I enjoyed the lengthy discussions of mechanics of hormones, what's normal v. not normal, and the expertise the author brings to the subject. There's substantial and detailed discussion on the mechanics of menstruation, ovulation, menopause, and menarche (and all associated topics). The tone is a bit higher than high school level, and might be a good tool for retrospectively understanding your own cycle, rather than an average parent explaining mechanics to a child.

I also think the author could give more reasonable doubt to what we don't know. There's a section on "Phthalates," and the author seems to skirt around the very real concerns that women may have about exposure to the substance (and others) by saying "the risk isn't known," which may be true, but does that mean women should be encouraged to take the risk? I may use a menstrual cup, and I know the risks, but I still know that plastic wasn't mean to be put in a vagina. There's a few areas like this where the implication ("there isn't enough research") seems to mean that we are able to dismiss certain ideas outright. In my opinion, that doesn't work for a not very well researched area. Naturally we need more research, hence the problem! When women's pain, especially in GYN, has been ignored for so long (the author acknowledges this), is it any wonder that women look away from the institutions that caused the pain, and to alternative sources of information?

There's reference to "breastfeeding exclusively" meaning "no supplementing with water" (this is confusing-- does she mean real water, or formula, which is water based?), and then to "breastfeeding almost exclusively" as "infrequent water or juice" (but infants should definitely not be exposed to water or juice!). I was a bit confused on this, and wanted a bit more information, specifically why pumping doesn't have the same menstruation-suppression effects as nursing.

Lastly, despite reviling and side-eyeing influencers and online hype about things like "seeding your cycle," the author seems to fall for the absolute absurdity that is "free bleeding." Reader, "free bleeding" is not a thing. Women are not going around on their cycle just ruining their clothes for no reason other than they don't like existing menstrual products. If it happens, it's likely because it's the tail end of a cycle and the person misjudged their bleeding levels, or it's an intentional demonstration. I'm in some pretty crunchy circles, and nobody has ever advocated for bleeding all over your clothing. It's not real, it's made up by antifeminists, and it shouldn't be referenced in a book this authoritative.

If you've ever read any of the "What to Expect..." books, I found that "Blood" by Dr. Jen Gunter is the menstruation equivalent of one of them. It's packed with all kinds of information on the menstrual cycle, its purpose, what's normal, and what is reason to see a medical professional. As a nerdy kind of person, I really enjoyed this book and learning more about what's going on in my body. I did feel as though the book got a little repetitive towards the end and maybe could have been organized a little differently to avoid some of that repetition. But all in all, an enjoyable read!

Blood breaks down everything you've ever wanted to know about menstruation and would be a great asset for all women to have in their home libraries. It's relatable, informative, and gives you the information you need to be an advocate for your own wellness and healthcare when seeing your gynecologist. Highly recommend...

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

An approachable, inclusive, and accessible look at menstruation. Gunter tackled even the most complicated aspects with casual language, humor, and calm explanations. I thought I had a relatively good understanding of menstruation, but there was so much more to learn, and Gunter did an excellent job presenting it all. I definitely recommend. Especially in this world, where menstrual health is largely overlooked and not taught.

It certainly taught me something since there are always many things about our bodies we don't know. I found the chapters on pain especially informative (thinking about getting a TENS unit sometime soon).
The language gets very scientific and it's not a light read per se so I feel like it took me several weeks to get through it and some chapters I didn't find that useful for me personally, but it's still worth the read.

Blood by Dr. Jen Gunter is important, informative, inclusive - everything that I was hoping this book would be, it delivered.

I appreciate the author's POV in describing how menstruation works and the accomanying disesase. However, if this book is for educational purposes; I do not like her POVs on birth control, alternative medicine (when western medicine does not work) and abortion. Everyone on the planet has an opinion about abortion.

A word about that: I am for every woman's right to chose. NO MAN OR POLITICIAN should have a opinion or decision about a woman's body. There are extremem circumstances. According to post-Roe laws against abortion, most women do not even know they are pregnant until into the second trimester. What if the fetus has an abnormality? What if it is jeopradizing the mom's health? THE GOVERNMENT WANTS ALL WOMEN to birth these children regardless of the harm to the mother or health of the child in its life. Eff that! (rant over)

This book was cringey. It just made me angry reading the incompetence.

Cannot recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley, Jen Gunter and Kensington Books CItadel for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 1/23/2024

Blood, by Dr Jen Gunter
Rating: 5/5
Published: 23rd January
‘But even worse than the mansplaining of many body parts is that some were given misogynistic names by supposedly learned men. For example, pudendum is from the Latin “to shame,” and vagina is from the Latin for “sword.” As if. We should be using non-pejorative, non-sexist language, and really, the uterus and ovaries and their workings aren’t something these men discovered – they were there all along.’
Gosh, where do I start? This is the book that I wish had been available when I was menstruating as a teenager. Dr Gunter breaks down and explains the entire process of menstruation in an accessible and relatable way. She de-buffs the myths that menstrual blood is somehow toxic and something to be ashamed of. (Did you know that the Lancet – a leading medical journal – suggested that there might be sound medical beliefs to support that menstrual blood was toxic and that menstruating women could wilt flowers. In 1974!) Gunter gives a no-nonsense account of how each hormone works, and provides an in-depth exploration into conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, adenomyosis, etc. Her work will allow people to advocate for themselves. It is powerfully enlightening, and very important.

Knowledge is power. Now this is the kind of book I wish was available when I was a teenager (in the 90s!), because I did wonder what was the evolutionary interest of periods, why did it hurt? And how did everything worked cause that was a big mystery and it’s still kind of a mystery now (though I do know more). Thankfully the internet was not as it is today so twelve years old me wasn’t bombarded with misinformation the way teens and adult women are today.
In this book Jen Gunter goes back to basics : what is menstruation? How does the reproductive system works? What contraception can you consider? It’s a great overview of everything pertaining to the menstrual cycle and the entire reproductive system. Inclusive, the book doesn’t forget about trans men and non binary people who also get periods, all that without reducing people to their reproductive organs which is nice.
A long time feminist I thought I knew everything about periods, turns out I didn’t, and it was nice to learn some of the science behind things that we experience everyday, like periods do have evolutionary sense (everything does)!
Why is this knowledge important? Well first it’s nice to know how we work. It also means that we can make informed decisions when talking about some issues with medical providers. It also means that we don’t fall for influencers and other quacks who are making ridiculous claims in order to sell you overpriced and under tested supplements. The author spends a lot of time on that topic which will upset some people, but it’s so necessary cause many of them are plain dangerous.
Well documented and very scientific (with sources), I found this book very accessible, maybe not to 12 year old (it’s over 400 pages) but definitely to their mothers or fathers who can then answer questions. And it’s never too late to learn about our own bodies especially when women’s right are being targeted pretty much everywhere in the world.
Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington books for the ARC, cannot wait to recommend this book once it’s published.

Really enjoyed Dr. Gunter’s history and science of all things menstruation. Answered a lot of questions I didn’t know I had and in particular I was happy to read everything about the IUD because there is so much misinformation and myth surrounding those devices. Dr. Gunter was a great balance of friendly, fun, and trustworthy. I felt like she was truly sitting there with me explaining all of these things in a kind, accessible manner. It got a bit science-y at times, more than I could always follow perfectly or remember later, but overall it was such a necessary and helpful book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Where has this book been all my life?

It is truly astonishing how bad sex ed and learning about our own bodies as women is in this country, and how bad it can be when you cannot find a good doctor who takes you seriously or even explains how things work. This is an excellent resource for the self advocacy I know many of us still need to do in our reproductive care, and a validating read for anyone suffering from conditions like endometriosis or pmdd. Highly recommend.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC ebook AND audiobook of this work. It was nice to hear the author read her own words, but also great to have the ebook as a reference for sections that needed a second look.

I feel like all people should read this, whether or not he/she/they menstruate. It’s the same thought I had about Gunter’s work “The Vagina Bible.” The breadth of information in this book is comprehensive, well-organized, and easy (for me) to understand. I do think that there are some scientific sections that may be difficult for some readers to get through without having to re-read previous paragraphs and/or ‘checking out.’

Gunter does a great job explaining time and time again that she is referencing peer-reviewed, evidence-based research in science/medicine. Some reviewers have given low ratings because she doesn’t support naturopathic ideology. The subtitle includes “science.” With that being said, there are sections about homeopathy and alternative medicine, so she’s not discounting alternative medicine. My point – take the negative ratings/reviews with a grain of pink Himalayan salt.

Overall, I think I appreciated “The Vagina Bible” more than this one as some of the content (for me) was redundant. But it is still a 5-star read.

This one was the most inclusive and most useful book that I have read on the topic. It doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff. And it’s not afraid to hit every aspect of the system. Including Endometriosis and the latest treatments which as someone with the condition I’m glad to see that it’s finally being talked about in books. Now if we can just more doctors to learn about it.