Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved how many times I related to this! (especially her Buffy obsession lmao)

The author did a good job illustrating the fact of how different coming out really is from person to person.

I gave this one a five out of five stars. I really loved it and connected with it and have felt a lot of the same things as she did. I'm glad she had a positive coming out experience.

TW: For body issues, mild eating disorder, and semi-internal homophobia

Eleanor Crewes shares an assortment of autobiographical comics in this collection and it's a fun read. I was particularly impressed with the artwork, which is topnotch. The stories are engaging, and all lesbians will recognize themselves. This book has wide appeal, though, and the fun storytelling, relatable characters and excellent comic style will no doubt attract a wider audience.

The amount of love I hold for this book is immense. This serves as a great tale for both those who have their own queer journies and for those who want to better understand queer experiences. The illustrations are adorable on top of that too.

What can I say?!?! I would love to thank the author for sharing such a personal experience of her life. I loved seeing her grow up and reading from a different perspective. This is mentioned throughout the book but Eleanor's coming of out story isn't like many others. It feels weird giving this graphic novel anything else but 5 stars because it would feel like I'm rating Eleanor's coming of out experience because that's what the book is about. But everyone's coming of out story is valid and I'm just very happy that Eleanor wrote it because I'm certain that someone out there will be able to relate to this novel immensely.

This was a coming of age/coming out memoir that is relatable to adults and teens alike. The illustrations and writing mix perfectly and take us into the complicated process of coming out. As Crewes states, coming out is a complicated matter. She takes us through her journey with the benefit of hindsight, looking back at her childhood, teen, and young adult years to see where the origins of her identity brewing. It is a touching memoir that is like a hug. She is lucky enough to have had a very supportive environment - the struggle is largely internal..

Loved it like I loved Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe.

Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner for providing me with the eARC of The Times I Knew I Was Gay by Eleanor Crewes.
The Times I Knew I Was Gay by Eleanor Crewes is Crewe’s graphic memoir in which she talks about her identity, her sexuality and her relationships. This was a great graphic memoir to read as it was raw and honest as Crewes explored her identity. Furthermore, the art was fantastic. Overall, this was a great graphic memoir and will be relatable to any readers who are or have been questioning and exploring their identity. 5/5

I received a e-arc of The Time I Knew I Was Gay from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

TW: For body issues, mild eating disorder, and semi-internal homophobia but nothing overaly negative.

The Time I Knew I Was Gay is a graphic memoir that follows the life of Eleanor Crewes while she navigates her way through figuring out her sexuality and who she is as a person.

This was a pretty good graphic novel I really liked the art style it was cute and definitely different from my normal style I'm drawn to. It was nice to finally have a coming out book where the person coming out has the love and support from her family though i know sadly it is not something a lot of people are lucky enough to have. I really felt connected with it.

I did enjoy the story and I do understand this is a true journey for the author but it got very very repetitive in the middle to the point I almost skipped a head.

But over all I did enjoy it and the art.

This book is a great representation of a graphic memoir showing one of the innumerable experiences of queer women today. What makes this book different from many like it is that Eleanor Crewes was given love and support from those closest in response to realizing her sexual identity. Although this is, unfortunately, not always typical, it is an experience that is worth showing. Beyond that, the book's central themes of the value of learning about oneself, growing, and embracing who you truly will ring true for all readers.

Oh how I absolutely loved reading this comic. It's full of the messiness of self-discovery and ultimately an embrace of queer joy and I loved every moment of it. The Times I Knew I Was Gay captures how complicated coming out is, and even how complicated it is to realize that you are an identity that necessitates coming out in the first place! I feel like where a lot of narratives focus on this clear-cut idea of discovering identity and coming to terms with it, that this memoir was so refreshing to see. Finding who you are is not an easy path, especially when it comes to things like sexuality! I loved seeing the author's progression as a person and how she herself was able to look back on her past self's behaviors and inner thoughts. There was such a gentleness she had towards herself and her struggles that was very sweet to read. It's a very touching memoir and I really enjoyed it.

I LOVED this graphic novel. It was a look at the messy, two steps forward three steps back journey to personal identity. This isn't a neat coming out story, but it's seemingly unflinchingly personally honest about her journey and the way the stories she made up about her wants and desires misled her for years. Compelling, funny, endearing, and touching.

i love the illustrations in this!! but the story was all jumbled. the chapters were mixed up and i couldn’t understand some/a lot of it :( but what i could understand was really good!!

The formatting of the eARC made it impossible to read. I’m really disappointed because I was looking forward to reading this one. I won’t let that have an effect on the rating though

Pleasant hand drawn biographical account of the author's realization that she is gay. The vignettes seem to jump through time and flow backwards again. It may confuse some. I believe some will relate to the vignettes and some will not. It is a pleasant one sitting read.

The Times I Knew I Was Gay
By Eleanor Crewes
4.2 / 5.0

This graphic novel was very unique. It was easy to read and follow along. I was never confused about the story line or who each character was. I loved how accepted the character was. No one showed homophobia. It also shows how the character learns/accepts her sexuality. It’s a good book for a college freshman English class. The graphic novel gives hope and shows love. My only complaint is that I wish this copy I was reading was in color, but I loved how Crews included how the novel was drawn using a particular pencil. It made it unique and stand out among others.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Times-Knew-Was-Gay/dp/1982147105/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1592944357&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-times-i-knew-i-was-gay-eleanor-crewes/1136314474?ean=9781982147105

This review will appear on my blog on October 5, 2020.

The Times I Knew I was Gay is about the author's experience of figuring out their identity and coming out.
I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I think it's pretty relatable for many queer people. I personally am a queer person and I think sharing coming out stories, as well as stories of people grappling with their identities, are really important.
It's a really quick read and the drawings are really fun.

The Times I Knew I Was Gay is a graphic novel memoir and chronicles Eleanor’s story from childhood to adulthood. She talks about knowing something was different, but keeping it as a secret without examining what that difference might even be until the right time. She also talks about how coming out isn’t a one-and-done type of experience.

I think what I most appreciated with this memoir is how it’s a story of Eleanor accepting herself and admiring to herself who she is. This is extremely relatable, especially the number of times she’d say she was gay then turn around and go back to trying to date guys.

This is a nice memoir and I def found several parts relatable to my own experiences with accepting my own queer identity.

I cannot rate or review this book as the Kindle copy I downloaded as the formatting is off and the pages ordered incorrectly. I didn’t see any color in the kindle version and hope the final is in color rather than black and white. Really wish I had been able to read this.

An easy to read graphic novel memoir of a young girl growing up in London, putting it together that she realizes she's gay .....over time & experiences. Her drawings/sketches are done in black & white (the only color was on the front cover of the book), & she has a unique style, all her own....& easy to read/follow along. I think the title is appropriate. I think anyone would find her story interesting, & find in this, an easy read.
I received this free e-ARC from the publisher Scribner via NetGalley, in return for reading it & offering my own fair & honest review.

This was a quick read, that didn't feel like it hit quite deep enough or gave me quite enough to connect to. The Times I Knew I was Gay is a graphic memoir by Eleanor Crewes, which demonstrates how the process of coming out and understanding your own identity can be a long, nonlinear process, full of questioning and exploring. I do like the art, it's simple and illustrates the story very clearly. There are some fun 90s/early 2000s touches for those that want to see references to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and choke necklaces pop up. I just wanted a little more - I felt like it gave flashes of time without always being cohesive as a story itself (probably because it started as a zine), and that the ending doesn't clarify whether the author felt she came to place of understanding for the long-term or for the particular moment she finds herself in (both would be okay!). I don't think every memoir needs to be 'gritty' or dark, but some reflection and the emotions should come thru in the illustration or dialogue - neither of which seemed to shine through completely here. I think this is a good read for someone looking for a coming out story that focuses more on a journey through adulthood. Thanks to NetGalley for the early review copy, all opinions are my own.