How to Be Ace: A Memoir of Growing Up Asexual

Love love love this book. The drawing style is cute, and I loved the representation and accuracy of the ace experience. I felt really seen and valid 💜🤍🖤 def a great read for your ace friends or if you’re questioning

Lovely art style and super well thought-out storyline. 100% something I can relate to!

I didn’t get far before sobbing. It can be so damn lonely to grow up thinking you’re broken. I didn’t learn about asexuality until adulthood and even then, spent years agonizing over a life and future where I really couldn’t see an ending other than unhappy and alone.Reading about someone else’s experiences that mirror my own so closely... down to the love of comics (I do webcomics for a living)I just have no words. This is like a hug that leaves you feeling refreshed and hopeful after a really hard cry. I’m so grateful this exists and I really hope other ace teens and adults can find this. I wish I could give a copy to myself at fifteen and tell her it’s gonna be okay.

I received an advanced copy of How to Be Ace from NetGalley so that I could share my review with you!Content Warning: This book mentions anxiety, OCD, bullying, and rapeNavigating sexuality is never an easy task. There are so many questions of identity to unravel, people can often feel lost in the complicated mess. Rebecca is no stranger to this sort of confusion. Dealing with questions about her sexuality and mental health, Rebecca struggles to understand who she is and what she wants from the world. In a society that seems increasingly sex-obsessed, what does it mean to be asexual?There are far too few books focusing on asexuality and on ace-spectrum identities, so I was delighted to have the chance to read How To Be Ace! Of all the graphic memoirs I have read in the past years, How to Be Ace stands out as one of the most successful and enjoyable to read! The artistic style was reminiscent of cartoon illustrations, bringing an element of joy into the story. My favorite part of this book would have to be the honest and informative tone employed by Rebecca Burgess throughout her memoir. Burgess achieved the ideal balance between informing and entertaining with this story!My Recommendation-How to Be Ace would be a great pick for readers looking for a way to celebrate and support Ace Week this October 25th-31st! If you have been searching for a book to help better understand some of the struggles and triumphs faced by asexual folx, How to Be Ace should be your next read!

I'm greysexual so I was looking for representation and this book is good! It more represents sex-repulsed asexuals, but I sort of expected that. It delves into the society aspect of asexuality where you feel the need to pretend to like sex otherwise you're an outcast. There were cute little info pages as well as a resource page at the back for asexuals!My only criticism is that it focused a lot more on mental disorders (anxiety, OCD) than asexuality. Also only sex-repulsed ace's were represented, but that's due to the author's life.

I discovered this book through my local library and am so glad I did - I just read it today all in one sitting! With the exception of the creator's experience with OCD and extreme anxiety, this book describes my experiences growing up asexual to a T, though I'm older than they are. I didn't learn asexuality was an orientation until I was in my 30s and it was an incredible "aha!" moment followed by much anxiety & wondering what to do now (Am I required to "come out"? Do I have to give a disclaimer to everyone I "date" now? Am I going to be utterly alone until I finally just die??).It's awesome that the younger generations have so many amazing resources like this book. This is just the beginning to much better representation all around in media of all kinds. Also, it's great that Burgess makes it clear at multiple points in the book that there are many different kinds of asexuals and even provides some examples in the latter half. They emphasize that their experience does not speak for every asexual's experience, which is very well done and much appreciated.Thank you, Rebecca Burgess, for creating this wonderful, deeply personal work!

How to Be Ace was written and illustrated by Rebecca Burgess, and it is a moving (and real-life) story of what it is like to grow up while being ace – all without knowing that term, or what it means, until later in life.This is a powerful, and wonderful read. Rebecca Burgess did a fantastic job of infusing her personality and story into these pages, making it all come to life, while being highly relatable. Seriously, I strongly recommend this to anyone who wants to know more about asexuality, whether you are learning more about yourself, or somebody in your life.One of the many details I found myself loving about this graphic novel, is that Burgess took the time to talk about different sexuality, many of which tend to just get lumped in with asexuality. I hope at least one person reads this and finds it insightful.Burgess also talks a lot about growing up with OCD, anxiety, and introversion. It's a complex combination, all of which just makes her story all the more impactful. It's so easy to relate to her journey, made all the easier by the endearing art style.Overall, this is a highly uplifting read. One that shows one person's journey, and the struggles they found along the way. And yet there's always a sense of light to be found, and that is one of the many things that makes this a remarkable read.

As an Ace person, I totally get this. Even if the overall experience doesn't 100% match. I experience the same feelings. Especially as someone who also discovered the official term and community later in life. The comic style is cute, but it is done in a serious way.

Es una lástima que no esté traducido.Como parte del espectro asexual me ayudó a comprender mucho de mí, muchas cosas que nunca me había cuestionado, pero que siempre me habían hecho sentir diferente a los demás.El inglés que utiliza no es muy complicado, así que si estás acostumbradx a leer en inglés y manejas un nivel intermedio o menor, creo que te la arreglarás.

i really related to this book, in the first few chapters, i loved it so much it made me realise i was asexual and helped me accept that fact. i donated it to my local library so others can see how much of a good book this is

This was a really heartwarming, relatable, beautifully illustrated and important comic. So glad I got to read it. Thank you for sharing your story Rebecca Burgess.

Great story and I love the art work as well. It is a nicely illustrated and easy to read book. Great explanation and insight on Asexuality and OCD.