DYLAN SLAYED THIS I FEAR. I have been a fan of Dylan Mulvaney's for a while and remember very clearly when she first posted her Days of Girlhood series on tiktok. I loved being able to see the events of her rise to stardom from her presespective. Although this book is very mcuh about the trans experience Dylan's journey to finally be able to live as her true self, there is so much more that is covered. I appericated getting insight into her struggles with gaining acceptance from her family and basically being the punching bag of the trans community for so much in the media. This memior is honest, hilarious and very very Dylan.
I think this book is hikarous, informative, emotional and healing!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ALC!

Rounding up to five stars. I highly recommend this book - especially in audio. This was a true delight to listen to. I am more of a casual IG follower of Dylan Mulvaney's but I find her endearing and compelling so I was happy for a chance to read her book - especially knowing that she narrates it herself.

At the beginning of the book, Dylan explains how she changed her original plan for the book from being about 365 days of girlhood to an interweaving of stories from then, later and before and I think the format really works. It helped with the pacing and added depth. (Having gone through a string of mostly 3-star (mostly C-list) celebrity books early in my reading renaissance, this book notably stands out in terms of pacing and engagement. Kudos to Dylan's publishing and editing teams!)

This book was a lot of lovely things at once: Fun and playful. Moving and touching. Uncomfortable and endearing. (Frankly, I still can't believe that I teared up at Dylan's ayahuasca story!) Dylan is still so early in her life and story and I was impressed by the work and growth she demonstrates in her time so far. She has had a beautiful, difficult and privileged journey and she is pretty good about acknowledging this as part of her story.

The narration is done in a very authentic way - not a standard narration for sure, but polished in a way that makes it clear Dylan knows how to perform. (I listened to this whole book at 1x speed - a truly rare event for me.)

I received an audio Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley and Recorded Books in exchange for an honest review.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Book 1 of my 2025 Trans Rights Readathon. I will be donating to LGBT YouthLine, which offers free peer support to 2SLGBTQ youth in my home province.

The Trans Rights Readathon is an annual call to action to readers and book lovers in support of Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV) on March 31st.

We are calling on the reader community to read and uplift books written by and/or featuring trans, nonbinary, 2Spirit, and gender-nonconforming authors and characters.

Dylan gets very vulnerable about his experiences in life and how he got to where he is now. I thought that this one was a interesting story about him, definitely gained more insight about Dylan as a person. I had only seen a handful of TikTok's before about Dylan so this was great insight into Dylan and their life. My rating is just based upon listening to the book. I don't personally rate Autobiographies/Memoirs because it is a story about that persons life and can't really be rated as its a personal journey.

I really loved listening to this book. I have followed Dylan since very early on in her transition, and listening to the behind-the-scenes thoughts she had while living through it, as well as beer-gate, was really fascinating and eye-opening. I definitely recommend it.

I’ve been following Dylan Mulvaney since day 12 of Girlhood, and I didn’t think it was possible to love her more than I already did. But I’ll gladly admit I was wrong—Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer deepened my admiration, respect, and love for her in ways I didn’t expect.

Her honesty and vulnerability are truly moving. She doesn’t just celebrate her victories—she opens up about the darkest moments, the struggles that tested her, and the resilience that carried her through. That kind of openness takes courage, and it made me appreciate her even more.

Experiencing Paper Doll as an audiobook was a dream. With Dylan narrating, it felt like she was right there with me—like a best friend spilling the latest tea, sharing our worries, fangirling over musical theatre, and commiserating over man troubles.

By the end, I felt like I understood Dylan on a deeper level. Her kindness, her joy, and her unwavering spirit are so inspiring. She makes me want to be a better, kinder person—and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.

Honestly, I always feel so weird putting a star rating on someone’s life story but 5 stars feels right. I loved reading about Dylan’s journey into girlhood. The ups and the downs and the all arounds. One of my best friends is in the process of transitioning and I felt like hearing Dylan’s story helps to meet my bestie girl in her journey of girlhood. Fabulous read.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the incredible opportunity to listen to Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer 💖

Thank you to Netgalley for approving this ALC. I do not star rate memoirs.

I appreciated how candid and honest Dylan was throughout the entire book. I used to somewhat watch her videos on tiktok before I stopped using the app, and definitely remember the absurdity and violence of the beer fiasco. The fact it didn’t completely steal her joy is amazing. My only gripe is I wanted more pre-tiktok stories, more in depth childhood stories because the ones we got were insightful (and some funny), and others heartbreaking. However, they paint a better picture of Dylan before the big route to Girlhood.

This book is perfect for fans of hers and anyone looking for a real story of transitioning in adulthood.

6 stars! No notes! 🤍

I LOVE Dylan and have followed her on Instagram since the beginning of her transition - so glad I listened to this audiobook instead of reading it! Dylan’s writing is the same as her online presence - unfiltered, real, earnest, sweet, hopeful, honest, funny, self-aware, and unique. I want to give her a huge hug and hang out in a canopy bed eating dominos together 🤍 can’t wait for her future writings!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audio! 🤍

4.5⭐️
this audiobook was SO fun!! first of all, i’m not someone that has ever really been either a fan or a hater of dylan, but it was really interesting to hear from this perspective as someone who is not a part of this community and doesn’t have a lot of exposure to it in their daily life. there is also nothing i love more than a memoir narrated by the author themself 🤌🏼

beyond the content of the book, i LOVED the style it was presented in. this is a compilation of chapters written for a book and journal entries over dylan’s first year transitioning. these journal entries were sometimes really light hearted and playful, and sometimes they were absolutely heart wrenching.

i learned a lot about dylan’s life that i never would have guessed in a million years. from family, to religion, to relationships, to social media fame and even to 🍄— the tea was spilled and it was HOT!!

i would HIGHLY recommend checking this one out if you are a person that likes memoirs or if you are interested in dylan’s story in particular!!

also can i just say that cover is STUNNING ?!

Thank you to RBMedia and NetGalley for the arc to listen to!

A very interesting look at the trans experience. I followed Dylan for awhile on TikTok, but after some time I fell out with her. So hearing her story from her lips was such a wonderful experience, to hear her struggles with her transness was so interesting to hear. A very solid memoir!

I also really enjoyed the self reflection Dylan does, even in a memoir spending some time to decenter herself and acknowledge her privilege. When POC creators and trans individuals called her out for that privilege, Dylan makes sure to acknowledge and listen to their voices in order to better talk about the trans experience.

Dylan. Is. An. Icon.

God, I love them.
I had no idea she was a quadruple threat??? She's a comedian??? I mean obvi from her insta stories (sorry guys I'm too millennial for tiktok, my brain shorts out) she's hilarious, but the amount of thought and intent behind their words? Wow.

Dylan is less than 1k days into Girlhood by the time I write this, but she has learnedddd the lessons - and learned 'em fast. At times it feels like homejoy (iykyk) is MacGyver'ing Girlhood (this is 0 shade, have you SEEN MacGyver?), and that's part of the beauty. We're all just winging it. And their transparency in that? Refreshing is an understatement. Dyl had me cry-laughing, Dylan had me cry-crying. The way she is able to put into words some of the feelings I've had since the day I first perceived <i>being</i> perceived speaks wonders to her experiences in and around femininity.

Such shitty timing to be writing this review, post-election that didn't go the way we'd hoped. I woke up, heard the news, finished this ARC, then sat in silence for...a while. It makes this stunning memoir even more powerful. Do you see what's at stake here? What if we didn't have her? How could anyone be afraid of someone else blossoming so beautifully?
An olive branch is certainly not the right word for this, as there is no mutual disrespect or misgivings. This is simply a masterclass in peoplehood. We are LUCKY to have this memoir. These words are not owed to us, especially not with how we (the media) have treated them. Finally, things are on Dylan's terms - albeit to a fault (it'll make sense if/when you read).

I have a feeling I'll be coming back to this review and adding more once I'm further out from finishing it, and from all of the stupidity that is being an American.

{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Dylan Mulvaney and Abrams for the DRC in exchange for my honest review!}

PS Dyl if you're reading this, PLEASSSEEEEEEE narrate your own audiobook, I'd listen on repeat.


EDITING 3/6/25 to SCREAAAAAM a thank you to Dylan for narrating this beauty!!! I didn't lie girl, I've listened more than once.

Dylan Mulvaney’s memoir Paper Doll is full of personality. I’ve only seen random videos from Dylan here and there, but I could still feel her authentic voice coming through in this book. This definitely doesn’t feel like a celebrity/influencer memoir that’s so generic that anyone could’ve written it. The book skips around, with Dylan sharing childhood, teenage, and young adult memories before transitioning, her “Days of Girlhood” series in the early days of her transition, and experiences post BeerGate.

Because this isn’t a chronological story, and because I wasn’t following along for Dylan’s full journey online, there are times where I felt like I was missing out when it came to certain situations. Like she didn’t go as in depth as she could when explaining certain videos and the reactions they were getting online. Or if someone was somehow reading this book without knowing fully what went down with BeerGate, they might not be able to grasp the enormity of the situation from the descriptions Dylan gives. She definitely shares how scary it felt for her, but doesn’t completely wade into all of it and how vast the backlash became.

I really enjoyed listening to Dylan narrate the audiobook. In the book she talks a lot about her experiences with acting and musical theater, and I think her performance of the audio really helps to enhance her story. The book strikes a lot of different tones, like having moments of trans joy, awkward and silly moments, scary moments, and thoughtful moments as well. I definitely recommend this book for people who are already fans of Dylan’s content, but also to people who are interested in trans stories in general.

Loved hearing Dylan’s story and loved hearing it from her. She did a great job narrating her story. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for an uplifting, inspiring memoir.

This memoir was a lot of fun, but also dealt with some real issues. It was nice to pull back the emotional curtain a bit on someone who went through their initial transition in such a public way. I was and am rooting for Dylan.

Really, really loved this! Dylan successfully strikes a balance between being earnest & being funny through her vulnerable and endearing storytelling. I’ve followed Dylan since Day 1 of Girlhood so this felt like a long phone conversation with a friend, it’s a wonderfully authentic listen, even if it isn’t always an easy one.

I can’t imagine this book being narrated by anyone other than Dylan herself, she did a fantastic job. Her humour and storytelling ability made the book that much more enjoyable. I found the pacing really good, Dylan was able to bring her brand of high energy to the sections that needed it but was also able to moderate the pace for the more sensitive topics.

The book tells Dylan‘s story through a mixture of diary entries from her first year of girlhood, reflections from the author on her childhood/adolescence and stories ranging from celebrity encounters (Kathy Hilton you will always be famous) to spiritual encounters on a retreat in Peru.

In particular, I was really bowled over by Dylan’s honesty throughout the book. She maintains the same candour and openness that she’s known for online which is very refreshing. I hope Dylan‘s frankness has helped cisgender people who may not know any transgender people in their real lives understand the difficulties & bigotry that trans people face.

Dylan advises from the beginning that trans people are not a monolith so she can only speak from her own experience which I thought was a great call out. It was also great to see Dylan acknowledge the privilege she has and to hear stories of how she listens to and uplifts other members of the trans community.

A must read for fellow Days of Girlhood fans!

I first came across Dylan Mulvaney during the early days of Days of Girlhood when her TikTok series popped up on my FYP. I was immediately endeared by her warmth and energy, and I’ve followed her journey ever since.

In Paper Doll, Mulvaney brings that same authenticity and charm to the page. The memoir is both heartfelt and comedic, capturing her experiences with identity, confidence, and acceptance—struggles that feel universally relatable. However, I found it to be a bit less revealing than I expected. The most personal and emotionally complex aspect was her depiction of her strained relationship with her mother, which added depth to her story.

I also enjoyed the format, with its journal-like entries making it feel uniquely hers. Dylan (of course!) did a great job at bringing authenticity to the narration as well. While I would have loved a deeper dive into certain aspects of her life, Paper Doll still offers an engaging and intimate look into Mulvaney’s world.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was gifted this audio book ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review on NetGalley.

This is, of course, a must read for anyone who has been following Dylan Mulvaney’s journey on Instagram or Tik Tok, but it’s also so much more than that. Dylan shares about her life pre and post life as a trans woman and to even negate that verbiage, she talks about what it’s like to know, since she was four, that she always has been a woman. I feel like I truly got to know her as a person, see her victories, but also her struggles and inner turmoil. It’s raw. It’s real. It’s funny. It’s relatable. This was like reading her personal diary and her inner dialogue through her first 365 days as a girl but also the moments leading up to and following that specific chunk of her life. She truly makes you feel like one of the “dolls” and is vulnerable in a way that many public figures aren’t even it comes to mental health and the question of: am I good enough to be loved and valued?

I loved listening to this in her own voice (and she’s an incredible voice and character actor), but did notice (perhaps because it is an ARC) but that the audio repeated a few sentences a couple of times instead of just saying them once. At least five different times, which hopefully will be fixed as it was distracting and takes away from a stellar read

I love that Dylan narrated this! She brought the word to life. It felt like two gal pals catching up over drinks.

Thank you RBmedia for granting me an ALC! All opinions are my own and not influenced by the publisher.

This was an amazing memoir and it was wonderful to listen to Dylan narrate it. She is so genuine in her words and to hear her speak her thoughts/truths really resonated with me.

Dylan is brutally honest and lets us in to her inner thoughts in a beautiful way. I have followed Dylan since the very beginning. Seeing how far she has come is an honor.

Pick up this book! It's worth it.

A journey (especially one over the course of an entire life) is immensely repetitive, but entirely relatable. Would I do/ recommend readers to make the same life choices Dylan did? No. Does that mean the stories weren’t entertaining? Not at all. This was a very fun read! She has a cadence to her speaking and storytelling that made this fun to listen to. Thank you for giving me this audiobook to review! BTW I hope you make it to Glinda on broadway and find that pic of you and Joe Biden’s German Shepard!