At its core, "I Feel Awful, Thanks" is a celebration of resilience, self-acceptance, and the messy beauty of being human. Pickle's writing is a testament to the power of vulnerability and connection, reminding readers that they are not alone in their struggles and that there is always hope for brighter days ahead.

In "I Feel Awful, Thanks," Lara Pickle has crafted a poignant and relatable collection of essays that will resonate with readers long after they've turned the final page. With its blend of humor, honesty, and empathy, this book is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who has ever felt lost, confused, or overwhelmed by life's twists and turns.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book. Unfortunately this was not for me and ended up not being able to finish. Once again thank you. I have not posted a review online as this was not for me. If you would still like me to post a review, please let me know.

Thanks to NetGalley & Oni Press for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant book! I do like Kiki's Delivery Service but my main issue with it was it didn't have enough magic or worldbuilding (which is fine, it's just a me thing) and this book basically covers all the things I wanted to see in KDS--including tackling mental health in a more concrete way. Fantastic artwork, fantastic all around!

3.5 Stars

I forgot to write the review at the time and now I'm a bit stuck on what to write. It's not stuck as much in my mind as I hoped.
The artwork and colouring are nice.

THIS NEEDS TO BE IN EVERY LIBRARY! I really enjoyed I Feel Awful, Thanks. One of my friends recommended it and I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy. The main storyline is a new adult going off to work and realizing that she is not handling life as well as she felt she should. She is experiencing anxiety and depression, along with self-doubt. Dealing with a toxic situation at work and a new relationship, it all boils over.
The coolest part is the story is immersed in magical realism.
Going into a therapy-like situation, she is able to learn to understand and cope with her emotions, in a vivid and visceral way. It is SO cool!
The book helps understand that these emotions and feelings are valid, and the there are ways to work through them. Also, amazing friends and standing up for yourself.

***Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review***
This reminded me of the pixar movie Inside Out but make it young adult fantasy. Very sweet, wholesome and thoughtful look at mental health and the realities of feeling awful even when you get things like your dream job.
I loved the art and colouring. It really reminded me of all the popular cozy fantasy games and all I wanted to do was sit in an Apothecary and drink tea. We love magic and we love therapy.
3.5 ★

Welcome Back,

This graphic novel is near and dear to me (so I want to thank the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions). I do not think I would have ever found this graphic novel without the E-ARC and it helped me through a really difficult time. I have since re-read the E-ARC copy and pre-ordered myself a finished copy. I want to just go ahead and jump into the summary and my thoughts but I do want to disclose that this graphic novel is already one of my top ten reads of 2024.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Joana is getting her dream job in a location she absolutely loves. Joana is also a witch! She will be taking her dream job in London working with a coven and will be creating potions for wide usage among witches. She is incredibly excited about this new stage in her life. She packs her belongings, and heads off to her new city, at first she stays in a short-term hotel-type place but she begins looking for somewhere else to live quickly. On her first day on the job, Joana meets her team, and her boss (who is definitely not friendly or welcoming). After work, she heads to a local place and ends up meeting some friends who also work at her company in different roles. Their friendships grow quickly and Joana may even be interested in one person at her new job as more than a friend. But every day when Joana goes to work she feels worse and worse. This is supposed to be her dream job in a great location but she is incredibly unhappy. She feels like nothing can go right, and her boss hates her, he even forbids her ideas and tries to push her to go against company values. However, Joana is determined to keep to her principles even if she has to do it in secret. But things come to a head when Joana’s idea for a potion works out but her boss takes credit. At the same time, Joana’s living situation is crumbling and her relationships and friendships are not doing well either.

Joana’s story is a story of mental health struggles, adult problems, and pressures. Her story resonated with me in a lot of ways and I think both the author and illustrator did an amazing job of showing how being an adult and achieving your wants, needs, and dreams can be some of the most difficult times of your life. Joana does her absolute best to hold it all together, doing everything she can think of to make herself happy and maintain good relationships. But nothing works. Eventually, she experiences a bit of a breakdown and heads home for a bit. When she returns she comes back and is slowly getting better. With a clear mind, she is able to make decisions for herself that better her life (such as seeking therapy to help with her emotions, moving into a new location with better roommates, standing up for herself at work, and more). I love this graphic novel so much and I highly recommend it to everyone. I can not wait to get my finished copy on March 5th! Definitely please go check it out!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars (deserves so much more)

****Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I love the whole concept of this one. It was very relatable and true in reality. Lara Pickle made sure her characters are diverse yet relatable. Not because you have everything, doesn’t mean you have to be happy all the time. You always have to perspective on other people to know them. It was such an honest story. I really love it. ☺️☺️☺️

A beautiful story with even better illustrations! Absolutely loved reading this and thank you so much for the ARC!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an e-arc !

I loved this graphic novel!!! It was beautifully illustrated and it perfectly described how it is too be human! I loved following Joana and her journey of self discovery, a very real and comforting read!

2.5 rounding up because I could see this working for someone else.

I loved the idea. But the execution was flawed. The first part where we're watching the MC's mental health decline felt very... Rushed? Disjointed? Incomplete? I found myself checking page numbers because I thought I'd skipped pages. By contrast the second half dragged. It was very dialog heavy and felt very stilted in comparison to the first half. Honestly, I found the therapy session in the back half to be a little heavy handed, HOWEVER I am an adult who's been through some stuff so this may just be a matter of me not being the intended audience.

The artwork was gorgeous.

DAMN, that’s some good worldbuilding!

In Joana’s world, magic is nearly mundane. Just about anyone can do it, but Joana…she’s GOOD. Particularly at potions. And she’s just begun work at her DREAM job, developing new potions that will not only help people, but push potion making further from animal testing and use.

But her boss doesn’t believe in those ethics. And her roommate is a NIGHTMARE. And her new beau is just saying all the wrong things. The stress is getting to her, and soon she might not be able to control the literal dragons inside.

Despite the theme of anxiety and depression, this is a really cozy book! The majority of characters are kind enough and the artwork is bright and whimsical enough that readers will be certain all comes out right, even when Joana is feeling her worst. I read this as I was nearly all the way out of an anxiety breakdown of my own, and it was a great comfort.

Okay, but more spoilery, the dragons? The dragons as EMOTIONS? A visual, interactive representation of how people feel in this world? I love it. And the author did a great job with therapy talk, but ALSO with making sure readers don’t try to use this book for therapy, and instead seek out professional help.

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.

Rating: 5
Genre: Magical Realism
Thank you Oni Press for providing an e-copy through NetGalley.

Summary: Joana is ready to be an adult with the perfect life she has always imagined: She has just moved to London, her dream city, to start working at WitchCo., her dream job, where she can brew innovative potions, her dream passion! Bubbling with excitement, the young witch is certain that everything is falling into place. But life isn’t so perfect in adulthood. First, finding an affordable yet livable apartment is more than difficult (it’s actually impossible). Her boss demands things done his way and shuts down Joanna’s ideas, causing serious stress. And it’s not easy making meaningful relationships in adulthood, whether through co-workers, outside friends, or romantic relationships, yet being alone is even worse. Slowly, Joanna tries to adjust to her new life, but the stress, anxiety, and mental fatigue slowly build up. Growing bigger and bigger at every negative turn, these emotions fester within Joanna until they are unleashed into powerful, all-consuming dragons. And if Joanna wants to tame them, she must accept help and accept the changes within herself.

What I Liked: I Feel Awful, Thanks is probably the most timely and relatable graphic novel for young adults (20-year-olds) that is out right now. It tackles what all of us in our 20s are facing right now: Uncertainty in our lives and future because getting the basics of adulthood - affordable living, a non-toxic job, work-life balance, and healthy relationships - is not guaranteed. The story handles all of these in a very realistic and captivating manner, using distinct imagery, well-written inner dialogue, and blending of text and pictures to depict a new adult struggling with reality. The world-building is cute and inventive: Joana lives in an alternate world where magic is normal and everyone is a witch, with cute hats and simple spells. This setting does not take away from the story or the real issues Joana faces, but instead gives readers a bit of comfort & fantasy to escape into (so readers don’t think “oh, I’m just reading about my life in the real world”). The art is soft and simple, invoking a “cozy fantasy” vibe with its stylized characters, water-color texture, and natural colors (not too bright, dull, or contrasting). Joana is a fantastic protagonist as readers watch her through three phases of her adjustment: Bright-eyed nativity and confusion, falling down the deep end, and accepting recovery. All three stages are very well-written and thought out, as Joana has to balance a multiple of stresses and cope (badly) with how she feels about it. Her journey is very relatable and hits homes, allowing readers to learn about different mental health problems and solutions along with her. The imagery of the dragons serves as a great allegory to depression/anxiety/stress and all the baggage that comes with it, and the dragon tamer (aka a therapist) at the end is such a needed character, especially as she explains different triggers and responses to Joana. Overall, I Feel Awful, Thanks is a beautiful, relatable, and needed urban-fantasy graphic novel that every young adult would appreciate reading.

What I Didn’t Like: Nothing!

Recommend to: Teens and adults who are struggling with mental health issues like anxiety and depression, who are struggling with work-life balance, and who are having trouble finding happiness in this crazy world.

Review Date: March 5, 2024

Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review! 🥰🫶
I loved this one so much! The illustrations and coloring are absolutely gorgeous. This book seems to be marketed for older teens/ young adults with its premise, but I think anyone could read it.
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This book focuses a lot on mental health and controlling your “dragons” as the book refers to feelings. I actually learned a new technique for managing your emotions through this book. Which is strange because I've been in therapy alot and thought I knew all the tricks by now. The technique is given to our MC by a therapist and basically has you setting a certain amount of time to feel any given emotion, such as anger. You only allow yourself a set amount of time to be angry then move on. When Joana went to do this, she found she didn’t even want to feel angry and just enjoyed her time instead. 😊
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Oh I forgot to mention this book has magic! ✨ It’s very similar to our reality, but with a magical touch, which I just love! I think this is a really good book for anyone starting a new time and dealing with all the stress and emotions that come with that. I really loved this one and will definitely be rereading and buying it (eventually)! This is also a translated work, and I think it was translated wonderfully! ☺️

<i>***I thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review*** </i>

<i>I Feel Awful, Thanks</i> is a cute, touching graphic novel, reminiscent of the animated movie, <i>Inside Out</i>. It handles the subject of mental health realistically and helps unwrap the concept of emotions very well. Since it's targeted towards children and young adults, Lara Pickle did a good job at it.

Welllll, if I'm being honest I didn't like the first half of the book for some reason..? As a studious adult, I'm a sour grape for a lot of things lmao. And it's one of my many flaws, sadly.

Regardless, it was *good* :')

I would recommend it for people suffering or struggling with anxiety.

⊹ . ⋆ ☽ ⋆ . ➶

I loved I Feel Awful, Thanks. Great illustrations and good themes of standing up for yourself and going after what you want. I also appreciated the minor "cruelty free" testing theme.

Lara Pickle's comic is excellent in detail and as a whole. She infuses the world of the multinational companies with magic and takes you to magical London. Our protagonist, Joana, arrives in the city of her dreams from the security of a loving family, but soon has to face the difficulties of adulthood. Her roommate is a constant tease, she doesn't feel good enough to her friends, and her boss takes advantage of her ideas. It uses cracked imagery to depict anxiety, and I also liked the symbolism of repressed emotions. All these mental ordeals, however, are somewhat taxing as a reader, but the book cleverly suggests coping techniques. I find it very important that it asks the question of why we should always be happy. The events take place over quite a long period of time, which is entirely consistent with the fact that it takes time to solve problems. We also get a cute romantic interest, and there is a strong emphasis on the non-animal testing of the potions company, but the focus remains on the importance of mental health. And that's what makes this book so valuable.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free graphic novel.*

"I Feel Awful, Thanks" is a very very cute and touching graphic novel about a young witch trying to make her way in the world (London). A strong focus is put on mental health and how to tackle emotions. It was very much over the top but I kinda loved it for it. A quick read but especially the parts with her therapy were well done!

4 stars

(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review)

I loved the art style and the colour palette used, it was unique and gave a cosy vibe which I liked. The plot was great and it was really heartwarming to see the main character develop, grow and learn. There were lots of side characters too with cute friendships and a romance and whilst all the relationships were good, I felt the romance was a little rushed. Though I did love seeing all her friendships too and how they were all there for each other. Overall, it was a very good graphic novel that is beautifully illustrated.

This was an amazing read! I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately so I felt bad that I was going into this with a mentality where I wasn't ready to be reading but when I say this graphic novel revived my enjoyment of reading, I mean it! I enjoyed the self-care and mental health care themes presented in the story through magic. Also, the colors and art style were so visually pleasing and the story arc was so relatable as someone in their 20s just trying to figure things out and grow in a new environment.