Growing up as a 90’s kid you weren’t really pushed to be your inner self. That if your inside didn’t really match your outside, well that’s ok. Just keep on being the outside you…. Don’t you want to fit in? But what that taught us was to be better to our children…. Raise them how you wanted.
This has also taught me to look outside the box, to learn more about others to better serve them and sympathize with people’s struggles. My children are better people with more diverse groups of friends…. I loved Dylan’s raw power to expose herself to teach me how to understand what she felt and how she opened herself up to new experiences to teach me to be more sympathetic to things I don’t understand but what to.
Dylan is such a trailblazer for me. So many times in my own life I’ve questioned myself in the darkness never allowing those things to see the light of day for fear of being mocked but Dylan is showing me and others that by allowing others to see that rawness it can help so many people discover something special about themselves.

I enjoyed Dylan's book and I am always a big fan of listening to audiobooks narrated by the author themselves as it gives a unique perspective of the story as it is meant to sound. I think Dylan did a good job documenting her journey and I'm sure big things still lay in her future.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! And a huge thank you to Dylan for sharing your story with us. In our political environment today, it is essential that we listen to the voices of the trans community. I didn't know of Dylan before reading her memoir, but it was a delight to hear her honest experiences. Her story is so funny and lighthearted but also reflective to hear her journey about her transition.

i don't usually five memoirs but this was SO good. i'm so happy she narrated this herself and even without the supporting illustrations, i loved listening to it. it was funny, it was sad, it was relatable.

Definitely recommend listening to this memoir as it’s read in Dylan’s voice and makes it super fun. She sings in it which I feel you really get a sense of who she is. Do I think some parts scream privilege, absolutely, but she also touches on that. I think we all can admit at times we have some privilege in us so it didn’t bug me. Obviously, I’m an ally with the LGBTQ+ community and trans community so it didn’t bug me. If you have an issue with that community, don’t read this book, simple as that. I love memoirs because you learn so much more about a person, their struggles, their interests, their friendships, etc. I think Dylan covered a lot in this book and made it fun and casual as well.

This is one of my new favorite memoirs! I've been following Dylan since she began her Day #___ of Girlhood series on TikTok. She did such a beautiful job telling her story in a way that was vulnerable, but filled with her signature bubbly sense of humor. This is also great for fans of I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy.

I don't typically rate memoires, but I very much enjoyed every moment of this book. I hadn't been familiar with Dylan Mulvaney before receiving this ARC, but I absolutely wanted to support them as they share their journey. The book is read by Dylan themself, and I very much enjoy their personality.

Thank you for sharing your story with us, Dylan. I feel that I will definitely be supporting you in your future endeavors and look forward to learning more about you.

I remember the first time I saw Dylan on TikTok (the early, early days of girlhood like Day 12 or something) & not quite understand who this person was but knowing immediately that she & I would be friends. And that’s what this book felt like, just two friends chit chatting away. Tea was spilled, tears were shed & at the end it felt like a giant hug.

Thank you so much to NetGalley & the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Trans Rights Readathon 2025 #2

I have no time for conservatives or TERFs. I unfortunately had to turn off comments from non-friends due to other reviews, but please feel free to see yourself out if you "don't believe in LGBTQ+." Thanks.

I actually wasn't familiar with Dylan before this book, but I enjoyed the epistolary style on audio. It's giving middle school diary, which I obviously had.

I get having conservative parents. I get disagreeing with them while still loving them. I hate that Dylan deals with so much hatred. I hate the current administration. I don't think the last one did much better, but that's neither here nor there.

Anyway, read this for a little queer joy. And obviously, trans lives matter.

tw: misgendering, suicidal ideation, transphobia

🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Recorded Books

thank you Dylan, NetGalley, and Abrams for this advanced reader audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

i knew very little of dylan before this book. i have just seen her with chris olsen while scrolling my fyp a few times. this story was so informative and vulnerable and i can't thank her enough for that. i know she will get hate for this story, but i hope she see's how many LGBTQIA+ she will be helping. so much personality and love in these pages!

I remember watching Dylan’s first 100 days of girlhood on TikTok, and being aware of the backlash she received for living and thriving in a world that continues to barely allows transgender people to survive.

Paper Doll: Notes from a late bloomer was a bittersweet anecdotal memoir, with Dylan narrating her story of coming out, parental relationships, accessing gender affirming care, and of course: going viral on TikTok throughout her early days of girlhood.

I enjoyed listening to Dylan, and listened to her whole book in one day!

Dylan Mulvaney's Paper Doll was an amazing listen that I recommend everybody listen to. It is imformative and captivating from start to end.

I followed Dylan's transition into womanhood day by day and loved that she was open to showing her transition to the world so that everybody who was willing to watch could follow along for the journey. Hearing everything she went through, including the whole Beer-gate debacle and how those who are unwilling to open their minds to the possibilty that not everybody is a "one-size" fits all gender, she is somebody that the trans community should look up to because she advocates for everybody. I have always considered myself an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, with my sister having come out to me when they were a teenager, to gage how it would be taken by our parents. They are now proudly out and proud and I love that for them because they can live their authentic life, how they want to, other people's opinions be damned.

While I can see why Dyaln wouldn't want to be the face of the Trans community, especially when there are plenty of others to come before her. She has helped guide the way to show that she is who she always has been, except for who she was on the outside and she decided to do something about it to look exaclty how she felt. I loved the humor and emotion that she shared with the world .

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free audiobook copy of Paper Doll by Dyaln Mulvaney.

"Paper Doll" adds another voice to the growing collection of Trans stories in literature, which is always valuable. However, the book itself feels more like a surface-level reflection rather than a deep, introspective memoir. The writing comes across as simplistic, almost like a children's book, despite being aimed at an adult audience. While all experiences are valid, the issues Dylan highlights mostly reflect a life of privilege, making it difficult to connect with on a broader level—especially considering the challenges many Trans people are currently facing.

Thank you Dylan Mulvaney, RB Media and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

WOW, I'm not even sure where to begin with this review.

In Paper Doll, we gain a deep and personal insight into Dylan's diary during the early days of her Being a Girl series, as well as reflections from Dylan herself, looking back on these moments.

I've followed Dylan since Day One in this series, and it feels as though I've been on this journey with her. Seeing behind the scenes of these pivotal moments was both fascinating and heartbreaking. As a cis woman, this book provided me with a raw and unapologetic look into the challenges of being trans in today's society. It really highlighted how quickly Dylan became a figurehead for the trans community while still in the process of understanding her own identity.

We are currently living in such an inreresting time, where influencers who are suddenly thrust into the spotlight are held to the same standards as seasoned celebrities. Dylan’s honesty in navigating brand deals and her rise to fame was incredibly admirable, and it gave me a much clearer perspective on how difficult that life can be to manage.

As an atheist, I also found Dylan’s struggle with her faith to be an interesting part of this book. And I have to say, I'm completely obsessed with how much Dylan loves musical theatre. Same girl, same!

This book is truly beautiful, and I wish we could somehow force every TERF in Dylan’s comments to read it and see the person they are so cruelly targeting.

The ending, in particular, was heartbreaking, especially considering that this book was written before Trump came into power. It’s a poignant reminder of how much has changed in such a short space of time.

It was lovely hearing Dylan, the author and narrator, narrate this. You can tell that she knows how to entertain and use her voice. She had me hooked from the first minute! This book was funny, powerful, and touching.

When I listened to the audiobook, it felt like I was Face-timing her or listening to the voice notes of a close friend. I love how honest this was.

This was a stunning and powerful audiobook! . Right now, having a visible trans woman this popular feels like a win! I appreciated how she mentioned that she doesn't speak for every trans person, but that all stories are valid and necessary! I wish her all the best.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me access to this audiobook.

I absolutely adored hearing Dylan's story! I followed part of Dylan's girlhood series on tiktok and always enjoyed seeing her cross my page but definitely missed out on some major parts of her transition! This memoir caught me up on things I missed previously and held some nice moments I was there for as a follower. I really enjoyed the way this was set up as well. Dylan and the Beergate issue was a major moment in the zeitgeist (and occurred when I wasn't actively watching her tiktoks) so the before/after differences were a helpful way to distinguish the different times in her life and the respective feelings and memories. Dylan also did a great job narrating the audiobook for this as well and I'm glad I got to hear it directly from her!

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!
Paper Doll: Notes From A Late Bloomer was really fun and easy to listen to. I’ve followed Dylan for most of her journey of girlhood and this was a sweet peek into who she actually is vs who she is just on TikTok. It was breezy and light while still addressing some more serious pieces of being trans in the public eye. Dylan is incandescently optimistic and that really came through in her book and narration. I really liked this one and thought it was a solid memoir.
4.25⭐️

A whirlwind of experiences to follow. I decided to listen to this book to try and expand my knowledge on the myriad of womanhood and girlhood. Needless to say I was not disappointed. Having the author narrate was a bonus and it felt like listening to a friend that is really going through it. I was aware of some of the struggles the trans community go through but hearing first hand how people can be so cruel towards someone they do not know was devastating. Regardless this book was hopeful and that is what I am taking from it, hope that one day everyone regardless of their sex or gender can go through life as their true self. Thank you Dylan.

Thank you to @recordedbooks for the gifted audiobook!
Happy Pub Day to this stunning memoir, Paperdoll, by @dylanmulvaney
I adore a good memoir and I enjoy Dylan and her content so much! I've been following her all through her days of girlhood journey so I simply couldn't pass up the opportunity to listen to her memoir (narrated by the author!)
This memoir was authentic and real, funny, relatable and charming - just like Dylan herself. I had to snatch up a physical copy and the book is simply gorgeous (should I have expected any less though-c'mon, Dylan is high fashion)
Swipe to see more of the dust jacket, end pages and a peek at the inside. Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir. I highly recommend to anyone who has been following along Dylan's journey and those who have not!

I was unfamiliar with Dylan Mulvaney before listening to Paper Doll, but I enjoyed the audiobook. The narration was engaging, and the story provided a unique, insightful, and thought-provoking perspective. Learning about experiences different from my own is always interesting, and this book delivered on that. Overall, a great listen, and I’m eager to explore more of her work.