Gaysians is definitely the most unique audiobook experience I’ve had so far! I was so excited to pick it up this pride month, especially because it features a full cast. It’s an audiobook version of the graphic novel by the same name. It made such an impact on me having it read by the full cast and I found the story so emotional and engaging. ⭐️Highly recommend!

I laughed, cried, smiled, and definitely had my fair share of blushing haha. There’s something very different about eyeball reading smutty scenes versus hearing them acted out when you are out and about doing life 😂.

The story itself was hopeful and also heartbreaking, and made me feel such a wide spectrum of emotions. I fell in love with each of the characters and felt so invested in their stories. Everything was well acted and for the most part I could follow along with whom-was-whom. I hummed and hawed with what to rate the audiobook, because it’s not any of the narrators faults and they were FANTASTIC, but ultimately there were enough scenes that I struggled to know what was happening, and had to rewind to re-listen. For this reason, I think it should be listened to alongside reading the graphic novel, for an immersive experience. There is very little narration and many scene changes and switching ‘cast’ that I had to pay close attention or found I was playing “catch up.”

Thank you so much Hatchett audio and NetGalley for the arc!

Listening to audiobook versions of Graphic Novels is always such an interesting experience. I do wish I would have had the physical copy to follow along with it just to really get the visual but the audio did a good job bringing the story to life. There's sound effects and a full cast to really help the audiobook sound like a you're listening to a radio/tv show.

I enjoyed our character and the plot, but I am not the target demographic for this book so I can't really speak on the realism of the characters experiences. I have seen some reviews compare this so Sex and the City and I can confirm it has those vibes! Overall a really solid contemporary GN!

I would totally recommend reading the physical with the audio for that full experience!

Ok so I typically don’t gravitate to graphic novels but occasionally one piques my interest and how could a book called Gaysians NOT make you wonder.
To complicate things so chose to request the audiobook to see how it translated without the visuals.

I thought this dramatic audio was very effective in conveying the material. While you definitely have to have the mindset and some background in graphic novels and their style to enjoy this but it was fairly easy to follow along the story.

The cast made up of Mike Curato; Nicky Endres; Earl T Kim; Dustin Vuong Nguyen; Shawn K. Jain; Telly Leung; Greg D. Barnett; Katrina Reese Curato; Dara Brown; Susan Moon all did a great job with their performance and the production was great.

This book came out on June 3rd in perfect time for Pride month. So step out of your typical reading and give it a go.

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Hachette Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

This was a hilarious, heart-wrenching account of Asian (achillean) gay culture with so many wonderful and painfully accurate references. The voice cast was amazing at bringing the characters to life. I fell in love with all the characters, even though there were so many it was hard to keep track of sometimes. I would probably recommend reading the graphic novel alongside the audiobook. This book had me crying tears of sadness and tears of joy. Would definitely recommend, especially if you are a gaysian.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to have read an advanced copy this book for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was my very first time doing a graphic novel in the format of an audiobook. It wasn’t bad at all. It was around 2 to 3 hours and it felt as if it was an audio drama. This truly is my sex and the city meets crazy rich Asian. The wild ride of friends fighting and making up, brunches and drag shows. This friend groups life with love , sex, community and more. Truly was a journey. I loved every minute. I can’t wait to buy the physical copy.

📚✨ ARC Review ✨📚
Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of Gaysians by Mike Curato!

This graphic novel-style audiobook was everything. I was obsessed with our four main characters—think Sex and the City friend group vibes, but with the emotional depth and drama of The L Word. 🎭👠

Set in the early 2000s, this book opened my eyes to the experiences of gay Asians during that time. It gave me new insight, made me feel, made me think. As Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop said, books are mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors—and this one was a window I’m so grateful to have looked through. 🪟💖

I absolutely adored this story. Mike Curato, you have my heart.
🌈📖✨

3 stars.
This story was fun and the audio fit the vibe of it well. I enjoyed it even though it isn't my typical genre.

This is a review of the audio version of this graphic novel. It was fabulously narrated by a full cast:
Mike Curato
Nicky Endres
Earl T Kim
Dustin Vuong Nguyen
Shawn K. Jain
Telly Leung
Greg D. Barnett
Katrina Reese Curato
Dara Brown
Susan Moon

This is the story of AJ, a young, gay, man of Pilipino descent, as a new resident of Seattle. Shortly after arriving in the city he bumps (literally) into K, a motherly drag queen and activist for the Gay Asian community, who quickly adopts AJ into her select group of friends.

This story touches on a few themes that are common and run throughout the LGBTQIA+ community, such as intolerance, family issues, and a lack of self reflection, but it also focuses on something that some of us tend to overlook which is the segregation within our own communities and just how toxic it can be to us as a whole, especially as an already marginalized group of the population.

This is sweet and fun, but it also forces the reader to ask some heavy, difficult questions.

This is definitely worth your time.

🚨🚨🚨 Warning! 🚨🚨🚨

There's a rape scene that isn't signposted at all. Other audiobooks place a warning before the chapter starts, but not this one. Exercise caution around the midpoint of the book.

On to the review ...

O M G! That was my first thought coming out of this (pun intended). What a fantastic audiobook. I can't even imagine how the print form might feel. This tale was perfect for the audio format. This is how you do it, folks! The cast was stunning and the sound work was on point. People run, breathe, drink, dance, and, well partake in sexytimes. Every character has a unique voice. Mwah!

What's it about ... Gaysians is a slice of life tale about a group of Asian gay men+ (no spoilers) in the early aughts just trying to live life and love themselves and support each other. The social commentary was deftly integrated. Those who dismiss microaggressions and hate crimes against Asian people and queer folk will have a tough time holding onto their ignorance after this one. The storylines for each character are diverse and heartfelt ... and dramatic, just as we’d expect.

This has representation, diversity, and an OwnVoices feel, with a thoughtful afterward by the author. Recommended to anyone (well, mature audiences only, given the sexytimes).

I've never read a graphic novel in audiobook format, but that is what I got from Netgalley and it was an interesting adaptation. It mostly feels like an audio drama, but some elements become way more intense in audio format that the artwork of a graphic novel would contain on page. Particularly traumatic flashbacks, K's terrified and traumatic sobbing, and the most uncomfortable, the graphic sex sounds in pretty much every scene with Steve. That said, the story itself is such a solid story of intersectional family and community, and ultimately the perfect read for Pride. I'm actually now curious to check out the graphic novel itself.

I had to DNF this but will not be rating or reviewing on other platforms as my issue was exclusively with the audiobook and not the actual content of the story.

I don’t personally feel like this works as an audiobook without the visual of the actual graphic novel. That’s on me for requesting this in the first place - I incorrectly assumed that the audio would have given me more to work with than it did. I found it difficult to follow. While I *loved* that this had a full cast and each had a unique voice for the character - not having any narrated context between scenes made it hard for me to follow. Again, totally a me issue.

I would definitely be willing to read this as an actual graphic novel, and I give a lot of credit to the narrators here. They sounded like they were ACTING, not just reading, and I really appreciate that.

Note to the publisher - I’ve heard from other reviewers that this has a rape scene. While I did not get that far to experience the scene myself, that definitely needs a trigger/content warning.

“Gaysians” by Michael Curato is a powerful and affirming queer read that left a lasting impression on me. The collection beautifully captures the diversity and nuance of queer Asian experiences, and each story felt both intimate and impactful. What truly elevated the experience for me was the audiobook — the voice actors brought so much emotion and authenticity to each piece. Their performances gave the stories even more depth, making the whole thing feel incredibly personal and alive. It’s a must-read (or must-listen!) for anyone who values intersectional queer narratives told with honesty, vulnerability, and pride.

I have the pleasure of reviewing an ARC of the audio version of the graphic novel, Gaysains. Gaysains is a story of found family that doesn’t stray from hard topics, but also offers comfort and love. Each of the main characters is a bit of a mess in their own way, but together they support each other and grow. The hard times are couched in a lovey queer, fluffy package. (Though there are spicy scenes, so maybe don’t listen out loud.) I do want to put a trigger warning for racism, homophobia, physical violence, and lots of processing trauma of various kinds, so be mindful of your mental health as you read.

The production value is on point! The narration is great, with the main characters’ voices being easy to tell apart. I find that especially important given the characters don’t have written descriptions as a the artwork usually covers that aspect in a graphic novel. There is also great music and sound effects to set the stage and really immerse readers in the world. It’s a bit of a strange experience listening without having read the graphic novel, but they did a good job in the translation. I feel like I did miss a bit of the story experience since I love good art and I don’t have a good sense of internal visualization. I think it would be a good supplement to the graphic novel and a fun listen for visually impaired readers.

Check this story out for a fun, packed with feelings romp, perfect for the beach or a cozy coffee shop.