Reviews!

Most of these are great zines I've read lately, but there's a few old favorites as well. These are also published in my new zine. All are highly recommended!!

dad timot@riseup.net
Every day in January, Timothy writes about his dad who died four years ago. I don't think I can do this zine justice in any way. You almost feel that guilty peeking into a diary feeling, but then you feel the strength behind the words and you just feel grateful to be included. This is an amazing story, so honest and raw that you probably will feel drained at the end of it, in the best way possible. Read this zine.

ManDuhLand Boobs anspadaro@gmail.com
This is about boobs. Not just boobs, but big boobs. If you've ever struggled with that unavoidable back pain or jealousy about all the B cup girls that can just grab a pretty bra of the shelf, you want to pick up this zine. She has a hilarious writing style, but at the same time she's just so honest and real and ah, this zine just hits so close to home for me. Every girl should read it, no matter your cup size.

Letters to Wassily peel_the_moon@hotmail.com
Shae describes her zine as, “vignettes about my past, two fictional interviews with my dead Romanian poet lover, dream symbols and other various nothings.” Do I really need to say anything else? Obviously it's wicked. The interviews are fantastic and the dream symbols are really well chosen to just slip in between the vignettes effortlessly. It also comes in a really cute envelope. It's basically incredible, and you want it.

Sins of machines #2 cryptstine@gmail.com
This is one of my favorite zines, not only because the writing is fantastic and the layout is so appealing, but because it's so unique. This issue is about Jack the Ripper. You'll learn about his victims and what is known about him, including the letters he sent to the newspapers. I don't recommend this to the faint hearted, but I would highly suggest you check it out if you're interested in history, the macabre, and damn good zines.

a million birthdays #10 sewtrue@gmail.com
“I have been wanting to write about my grandmother for a long time,” the author writes, “but I have spent so long not writing about her, not talking about her, that my words feel worse than usual, seem horrendously transformed on the page, made into dark and distant creatures.” She writes beautifully about memories and secrets- this zine could definitely be triggering to some, it's not an easy read. But if you can handle it, it's so worth diving into. You will feel absolutely privileged to be invited so deeply into the author's head.

freckledgecko #9 [coping] twilightgecko@gmail.com
freckledgecko always writes amazing zines, but this one is particularly special. Dedicated to her cat, Sidney bear, who she recently lost, this is something anyone who has ever lost a pet, or even just has a special animal friend, can relate to. Her grief is tangible and makes me want to hop on a plane to give her a hug. “At first I wanted to apologize for my lack of organization,” she writes, “but wait! I'm not going to.. I'm not sorry for being who I am, actually, I'm only sorry I couldn't take you with me the whole way...” gecko's zines are always worth the read.

what you can do with boxes corriesartsticattempts.blogspot.com
This zine is TINY. But you'll love it. Trust me. It begins: “dedicated to the phenomenon of being in a new place where the level of intimacy you have with people serves only to place them in boxes” and continues on to list all the things you can do with boxes (like build a spaceship), complete with adorable colour illustrations. She also put out the equally as cute “location: love's possibilities” which is, you guessed it, a list of places to find love. For example, the rodeo. Or Rhonda Harris' front yard. I recommend you buy these zines and keep them in your pocket forever.

collarbones http://www.etsy.com/shop/tanrazz
The author writes beautifully and frankly about, well, collarbones. But it’s so much more than that. She talks about what some girls do to find their collarbones and then decides she will not “make myself shallow to find them, to rip myself down just to see if they are there.” It's poetic, it's engaging, and it has a powerful, positive message. Check it out.

virgin #1 virginzine@gmail.com
THIS IS SUCH A GOOD ZINE. I want to hand it out to every teenager I know. The anonymous author writes: "Basically, I'm not getting any and never have had any. This does not really bother me, but it bothers the rest of the world and that reaction DOES bother me." The idea that a zine even needs to be written about something that's such a personal choice is crazy and I hope some of the people that judge others about these choices pick this up and have their opinions changed. Everyone should read this zine. Whether you're confused about your sexuality or not. EVERYONE.

dirty laundry
This 8 page zine is text heavy and a really good read. The author starts with: "This is a zine about crushes. It will not be particularly illuminating. unless I am writing about you." It covers a few types of crushes: the workmate crush, the internet stalokercrush/customer crush, the acquaintance/frienemy crush, and the university tutor crush. We've probably all been there. It's very well written and quite amusing. You can purchase this zine and others by the author through Sweet Candy distro- and I recommend you do.

Love Letter #2 http://www.etsy.com/shop/loveletterpdx
This zine is wicked and dripping with girl power. From "Why We Should Masturbate" to "Know Your Local Foreskin" this zine covers a ton of important things in a classy and informative way, while also being a lot of fun. There's also a lot of great resources listed in the back. My favorite part was the page stating: "When you sleep with someone... you sleep with everyone they've ever slept with... and so on... as far as the spread of disease is concerned, that's a huge problem... the solution? Not celibacy! More sex, fewer people! The sex you have will likely be safer and more fun!" THIS is what we need to be teaching in schools.

Rad Dad 15 tomas.monizgmail.com
This zine gave me hope for being a parent. You wouldn't think at nineteen years old I'd need this, but with how messed up our world is lately I sometimes wonder how I can justify bringing a kid into it. This zine starts off with a touching reminder of the power of storytelling, and continues on to important topics such as how to teach your children that cops aren't always your friends, a history of parenting zines, being a single mother, and just a ton of advice on how to raise your kids radically. A must read for any parent, or anyone that ever plans to be a parent, or anyone that just likes zines that make you think.

You, Sir, are a Hottie mashanda@gmail.com
This tiny zine is absolutely delightful. There's no other word for it. I snickered my way through it and probably will every time I read it. “Some women would consider looking like a scared little girl to be a turn-off. Not me, Novalis, Not. Me.” If you have crushes on men who died years before you were born, or even if you just like to laugh- pick this up.

Mend My Dress #2
neely bat writes honestly and eloquently about houses and homes. Beautifully chosen pictures and lovely details make this zine a must read. This is the sort of zine where lines are going to stick with you for months- for me, it's when she talks about her grandmother and writes, “Missing someone you never met sure is a strange feeling.” This zine will make you feel like you're not alone. This issue and others can be purchased from Doris distro (www.dorisdorisdoris.com)

Check back for more soon!