Member Reviews
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! This is the perfect coffee table book. Short and sweet with cute illustrations. The book is filled with positive and therapeutic-like affirmations that many people can relate to. Easily a book you could flip through daily.
Very cute read. Short and sweet I would absolutely recommend for an uplifting comic. Can be read in while under an hour so perfect for those who just want something short.
This is a picture book for grown ups.
This is a sweet, odd, melancholy, yet ultimately strangely uplifting book. The affirmations are varied—some broad, some very specific. The art is whimsical in a slightly resigned and thoughtful way. There are many worthwhile themes and overall I enjoyed it and it made me think.
There are daily activities represented and mundane day to day drudgery but paired with statements to lift beyond that. To think broader, deeper, more purposefully.
This is such a sweet and strange and melancholy book. There are various animals with inspirational captions below and it ends with apocalypse I found it a really poignant book about the human spirit: even when something terrible is happening people can find the good and love others in the midst of it.
It is fairly short, but I don't think that detracts from the book at all. It's exactly as it is meant to be and it's lovely.
This illustration book with its affirmations is like a glass of cold water on a sunny day. If you are having the worst day and thinking about your options for way out when it’s not really possible, it will put a big smile on your face. Because if these cool animal friends believe that they are not going to die alone when the end is very near, you can believe that you are not gonna die alone either.
At least it gave me that sense between all my meetings where I feel like I can only roll my eyes since snarky comments and screaming are frowned upon. As post vacation blues and loneliness are creeping in, you can read these reminders that everything will be okay one way or another. Things might get worse but eventually you’ll find your crowd to not to feel alone.
I’ll be look for more Dera White’s stories and illustrations! If you liked Mari Andrew’s Am I There Yet or My Inner Sky, I think you’ll enjoy this book a lot
Thanks to the publishers for sharing this one. I loved it! It's so dark! My full review appears on Weekend Notes.
3.5 Stars!
This was a unique book. It's kind of difficult to read something like this right now when people are still somewhat isolated--though it was a solid reminder to continue to pour into the lives of others as much as one can.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy some darker humor to pull at your heartstrings and maybe challenge you to live life with more care to those around you.
Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
This is a coffee-table type book that's perfect for gifting. It's darkly funny and quirky yet touching. It's a book of affirmations paired with delightfully hilarious illustrations that's sure to brighten someone's day.
This one goes by in the blink of an eye but I quite enjoyed it. I think multiple reads might be necessary but the messages imparted are definitely worth taking into consideration.
I enjoyed this graphic novel sooooo much! It made me sob a little, made me smile, but most importantly, it made me realize that I need to read more books like this one!
I strongly recommend you to read this, but without many expectations. It is easy to finish, but I assume many of your would find themselves in the drawings.
I really enjoyed this graphic novel's quirky and whimsical art style. At first I thought is was just a some daily affirmations, but it went in an unexpected direction. This work is at turns dark, hilarious, and ultimately hopeful. I recommend it to people looking for a quick, poignant, and feel-good reading experience.
I got this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
Okay, so this book was not at all what I expected it to be and it makes me feel a bit ???? It was fun tho, and I definitely had to reread it after seeing the ending! It's also super quick so it's perfect for when you just want something light and fun, and also if you are like me who has been in a slump lately!
“We all have flaws and that’s okay.”
I Will Not Die Alone was beautifully told through the artistic drawings of the different animals in the world, Despite their differences, they are all the same — they all want to not die alone. I loved the positive affirmations told throughout this short yet touching story. Dera White is basically providing therapeutic phrases for her readers to absorb and use in their daily lives. I also enjoyed the addition of one of the animals wearing crocs and another having tattoos. It was very quirky, but at the same time incredibly deep. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
A charming and encouraging book that ultimately reminds you life is short. You are likely to get out of this what you put into it. Sure, you can flip through it in 10 minutes, but the point is to slow down and absorb what's around you. This books is perhaps best summed up by "do your best; forget the rest." Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC!
I didn't know what to expect but I definitely wasn't expecting this! The ending had me laughing so much and loudly!!
Such a simple story, told more in images than words, one sentence in each page. And with only that, it told a complete, plot twisty story. It was fun the few minutes it took me to read it.
This was a cute book of affirmations, but alas, it was very short! I wouldn't have minded if it had been a bit longer!
Some of the illustrations were hilarious; they would make great framed photos (and even memes). There were others who didn't make me laugh, but made me think about life. What an odd mixture of illustrations if you stop and think about it,
In short, I recommend this for people who are not too fond of reading, as you can literally read this in half an hour (tops), and just for anyone in general who wants to have a fun time.
What a short and sweet book! The illustrations were beautiful, and the affirmations were very calming for me (even with the asteroid). It felt necessary and relatable right now, and my anxiety appreciated it.
It was definitely shorter in length and words than I expected, but I very much enjoyed it.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this early!
(Full disclosure: I received a free electronic ARC of this book for review through Netgalley.)
Initially, I WILL NOT DIE ALONE feels a lot like a compendium of cute, motivational comics in the vein of chibird (e.g., LOADING PENGUIN HUGS) or wawawiwa (WHEN SHARKS ATTACK WITH KINDNESS). The book's opening act is chock full of encouraging strips, like "I am enough" and "I am going to eat this like no one is watching," all accompanied by anthropomorphized animals for that extra adorable factor. But shit gets real, real fast when a stargazing mole pursuing his passion for astronomy discovers that an asteroid is headed straight for earth.
If this sounds grim, that's because IT IS. But White and Bennett still manage to find hope at the end of the world. (Well, for some of us, anyway. Spoiler alert: the cockroach barrista does not die at all.) It's a jarring, unexpected juxtaposition of charm and terror that, weirdly, works.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/smiteme/51487477686/in/datetaken-public/
Also? The CHARLOTTE'S WEB reference is *vegan chef's kiss*.
This title just wasn't for me - I love graphic novels but I didn't get the humor or point of this book much. Adorable cover though, high points for that!
This was a wonderful, short and inspiring book with beautiful graphics.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you publisher for a copy.