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.

Joana is a young witch who secured her dream job with a coven in London, her favorite city, where she can dedicate herself to creating potions, her favorite activity! However, she will soon discover the reality of city life is not so idyllic. Finding a flat is an ordeal, her “dream job” is stressful, and she’s totally alone. Little by little, she makes her place, but fatigue, sadness, and doubts threaten to topple her hard-earned success . . . until she starts talking to a professional who helps her realize in order to take care of herself, she must know herself.

I Feel Awful , Thanks is a beautiful graphic novel which follows our protagonist Joana as she navigates a whole new set of challenges after moving to London. New job, new friends and an overbearing boss are just some of the things which begin to set Joana unraveling.

The book deals with the emotions we experience when things are new and stressful and demonstrates how it's completely normal to have a little overwhelmed meltdown moment every now and again. Through the use of the concept of training your dragons aka emotions, the book also gives some great self-care and self-regulation tips.

The graphics are beautiful and the switching from an occasionally muted palette to one which bursts with colour compliments the theme perfectly. Also, the addition of the magic yet realistic undertone adds a great sense of warmth and fun.

A gorgeous, fun yet helpful read for both adults and teens alike, which will have a little something to take away for everyone.

I feel awful, thanks is a beautifully crafted graphic novel and its strong themes are explored brilliantly using absolutely gorgeous illustrations. Adding a magic twist to such a hard hitting topic was a great touch to help explore the trials and tribulations of mental illness.

I also like the use of therapy throughout this book, and would recommend it to anyone who may be in or considering therapy as it opens the topic up for discussion in a less daunting manner.

A beautifully illustrated graphic novel, that deals with mental health very well, and friendships and relationships and the turmoils of those in a magical way. Also deals with workplace issues and standing up for yourself, and recognizing and letting yourself feel all your emotions. I really appreciated how this novel had a lot of text as well, which made it easy to get into, and kept me engaged throughout!

Loved the art and the story in this book. It's about a young witch who gets to live in the magic realm of London. She finds that life in the big city isn't as easy as it seems. Ultimately she has to decide what she wants and who she can trust to help her commit to her goals.

I loved this a lot. It really is a good way to talk about feelings and how it's just okay to feel not fine for a while.

This graphic novel was not what I expected but in a good way! The cover made me think this would be a light romp through a witchy world and some minor social catastrophes sprinkled within the plot. Though I do love a light read and they are important too, what it ended up being was a deep and thoughtful look into adulting and mental health.
Jo is a witch who is excited to land her dream job at a potion-making company. While she quickly meets friends and a love interest, she soon encounters an ethical problem and some bad power dynamics. She tries to ignore the hard stuff and focus on the positives. On the outside, she feels she has everything she wants. But she questions why it doesn't feel good.
The themes in this book hit home for me as someone who also struggles with mental health issues and they manifest in similar ways to the main character. This made it hard to read at some points, but that will of course vary by personal experience. I appreciated the imagery of her mental health in the artwork, as well as the journey she went on throughout the book. It reflected the journey (and sometimes cycle) of caring for yourself.
I recommend this book to people who are teens and older, especially those who struggle with their mental health or love someone who does. The only thing I would change about this book would be that I would have liked to see more of the magic in the book. Although she is a witch, the magic is a very minor part of the book and is more of a backdrop. The author does have several pages of notes in the back of the book that details more about the world (as well as notes on mental health and her art) but I would have loved to see it more on page.
(Thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.)

I love books about witches and the different perspectives that authors take. This one was unique. It reminded me a little like the movie Inside Out, in the sense that the protagonist is learning to manage her emotions.
The dialogue at times felt a bit disconnected but if I’m correct it was translated to English from Spanish so that may be it.
Overall I thought it was entertaining and all the characters were great.

Cute story! I liked the theme of magic throughout and the potion making was a nice touch! Would be good for a certain group of readers!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The enchanting fantasy world of witches and magic - this cozy graphic novel centers around Joana navigating a new chapter of her life when she moves to London to pursue her dream job in potion making! I love Pickle's art style where it immediately put a smile on your face along with the magical elements of the fantasy world! I wasn't expecting this comic to also be centered around mental health which I loved! As Joana starts her dream job, she encounters a few problems along the way such a micromanaging roommate and difficult work leader. As Joana tries to stay positive and remain grateful for her opportunities, her emotional stresses start to affect her personal relationships. So, this comic portrays not just Joana's navigating a big life change but also her navigating through her emotions and mental distresses. I love the comic's message of the importance of acknowledging your feelings and listen to you emotions instead of suppressing them.

“happiness is made of both positive and negative emotions”

Overall, I love the magical world of this comic! I wish we saw more of it! I appreciate that this comic is promoting the importance of not just mental health but also therapy! It is okay to not be okay!

You know when you start reading a book and you know it's going to be a great read? That feeling when the setting is so comfortable you could sink into it or when the characters feel like old friends you're catching up with. That's how reading I Feel Awful, Thanks felt for me. 

I would call I Feel Awful, Thanks a cozy-adjacent fantasy. It's set in a fantasy world where witches, potions, and covens are real. Joana is a young witch who is offered a job at a coven in London to create and develop potions. She eagerly accepts and moves across Europe to start her new job. Unfortunately, things aren't as easy as she hoped. Her boss, boyfriend, and roommate all cause her intense emotions, and Joana isn't equipped to deal with them. With help, Joana learns to take care of herself and understand her emotions. 

If you're looking for a lovely book with great friendships and a focus on mental health, look no further. I Feel Awful, Thanks is incredibly wholesome with a great message. This is a perfect read for the upper-YA and post-YA crowd, but it's a great read for adults as well. Pickle does a great job at making mental health feel more normalized and less stigmatized, which is still lacking in society. I Feel Awful, Thanks also has a great side plot of romance and a heavy dose of an awful boss. What more could you want? 

Art:

Pickle's art in I Feel Awful, Thanks is adorable and heart-warming, with character designs that feel approachable and relatable. The colors in the book are constantly shifting based on Joana's moods and emotions, which has the bonus effect of making this a book perfect for multiple rereads. I've enjoyed rereading it now that I know Joana's struggles and how her emotions are depicted in the art and colors. I also appreciated Vigneault's clear lettering, adding to the graphic novel's accessibility. I Feel Awful, Thanks, is perfect for upper-YA readers and those new to comics and graphic novels. 

Final Thoughts:

I always have a lot to say about books I like, and this is one of those times. I enjoyed so much about I Feel Awful, Thanks. This is a great read if you love translated fiction, books about mental health, or cozy fantasies. I'm so glad Oni Press and Lara Pickle got the English version of Estoy Fatal, Gracias out in the world. 

Thanks to Oni Press for providing me with an advanced review copy! All the above thoughts are my own.

** Back Shelf Books review will go live on February 29, 2024, at the following link: https://backshelfbooks.com/2024/02/29/graphic-novel-review-i-feel-awful-thanks-by-lara-pickle/

This was something I didn't know I needed, but here I am.

The first thing you notice is stunning cover. I'm huge fan of this type of comics drawing -it feels so cozy and just giving me cute, feel-good vibes. That's also reason I was so interested in it without knowing what the story is about.

I enjoyed the witchy world setting. Give me good witch characters and I'm sold! I liked that the story is character driven. I fell in love with Joana and her friend group who was so supportive!

Joana is so relatable. I could see at some moments myself! I enjoyed how the story is about mental health journey and how you shouldn't shut down your emotions and thinking they don't come back in so bigger sequences. It's important learn about your emotions and how you can deal with them.


What pleasantly suprised me was that the graphic novel isn't English origin, but the author tranlated from Spanish to English by herself! And in the end is a word by the author and also interview with her - it's great look inside the creating this beautiful story.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

New job jitters, new place, new friends, harsh superiors?? Sign me up haha, this book was a fresh little read that turned out to be so cute and endearing! I love the art style and of course, the diversity of the characters.

This graphic novel about the journey to accepting one's own emotions and learning that it is ok to feel all the feelings felt like a nice and quick adventure as the plot lso follows an early adult in her new job in a new city.

The illustrations are very cute and the colours chosen felt well thought through. The art style personally isn't for me. This does not affect my rating.

The storyline with the toxic boss made me very angry, so I felt similarly to our MC. I consider this part a successful portayal of an unhealthy workplace experience and how it can be mishandled or handled.

There was a first attempt at therapy with a bad therapist. I wish this had been explored more, because the later therapist called a "dragon tamer" (why did you not just call them a therapist?) felt like they were from a whole different profession and between the two therapists, there's a lot of plot. The dragon tamer also explains a lot. This may happen in some therapies but in my experience, therapy is a lot more about finding answers aided by the therapist instead of just getting everything explained.

The relationship to James fell flat at first and only later when they argued more, played a bigger role. I feel like there were so many plotlines in this graphic novel that it might have felt a bit confusing at times.

The bad experience with the unfriendly flat mate also felt very one-sided to me. There is always a reason why someone wants their living space to be clean. I know there can't be resolutions to everything, but just hating on a character didn't feel right, even when their behaviour wasn't healthy.

Overall I'd give this a 3.5 star rating but rounding it up to 4 because the message that it is okay to feel all the feelings and to name them and to learn from them about our needs is very important and I appreciate that this graphic novel shares tools to do that.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Copy.

This was a wonderful story of someone just trying to get out of their own head and make their way through life. Definitely a read for people looking for something that actually shows a character doing the work to help themselves with their own mental health, as well as what leads up to a break down. 10 out of 10.

This was cute and sweet, with lots of useful mental health information. The character designs were fun, and I was really impressed with Pickle’s use of color.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own

I enjoyed the pro cruelty free message of "I feel awful." Thanks. That being said, the comic was slow, and I only got to page 63. There was not enough story on each page to grab my attention