As someone who doesn't typically gravitate toward self-help literature, I was pleasantly surprised by Beth Evans' collection of comics, which aims to inspire and uplift its readers. This book, "Thinking of You (but not like in a weird creepy way)," delves into the neurodiverse experience with empathy and understanding.

While this collection may not cater to those seeking lighthearted humor, the comics genuinely resonate with their intended audience. Interspersed throughout the book are individual pages featuring motivational text. However, these may have a different impact than the comics themselves.

I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC copy of Beth Evans' "Thinking of You (but not like in a weird creepy way)" in exchange for my honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this heartfelt and supportive collection of comics, which was a refreshing departure from traditional self-help books.

In a Nutshell: Grabbed this because I thought it was a humorous comic collection. It turned out to be a self-help/motivational book, a genre I dislike with all my heart. So please take this review with a pinch of salt. It’s definitely not the book but me.

The book comprises a series of motivational messages that aim to make you feel uplifted and positive about facing the drudgeries of life. All the pages are addressed to ‘you’ – the reader. It’s like having your own personal cheerleader, with myriad motivational messages sprinkled across the pages. Some are as simple as ‘You deserve love’ or ‘You are special’ or ‘You are doing your best!’; others, slightly longer and deeper.

The title, or rather, the funny-sounding part in the brackets, made me assume that this would be a humorous graphic novel. But it turned out that not a single page induced laughter.

The artwork is exactly as you can see on the cover. Simplistic and sweet.

If you follow author-illustrator Beth Evans’ account on Instagram, you will be better prepared for the content. (Needless to say, I wasn’t among her Insta followers, and hence I was caught unawares by the serious tone.)

If you need someone to root for you, cheer you on, motivate you onwards when you are struggling with thoughts or work or life in general, this might work for you. I am not at all a fan of the self-help genre, and as such, I find such books repetitive and boring.

In short, ignore my review if you are a self-help fan because you will definitely find the book more supportive and inspiring.

Recommended to those looking for a light and quick motivational comic of sorts.

2.5 stars, rounding up because I know I was the wrong reader for this.

My thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “Thinking of You (but not like in a weird creepy way)”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I typically love little collections of comics like this but I sadly didn’t connect with this one.

While the topics were relatable, I didn’t find how the messages were conveyed to be all that comforting. The author’s segments of writing didn’t flow that well and unfortunately the simplistic illustration style relied heavily on the written words.

I have a feeling these illustrations are better suited to social media where the author can go into more detailed writing and connect with their audience.

A bit disappointing.

Quite a bit more negative and down than I was expecting.

Really repetitive. The same exact things are said over and over, with an added word or two.

And lots of..

"This bad thing happened, but remember - YOU'RE GREAT!

I know you feel bad, but remember - YOU'RE GREAT!"

I like the idea and I love the little blob friends, but unfortunately this one was a bit of a miss for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was cute. It's a collection of wholesome comic pages featuring little blobs to uplift you. While it was cute and heart-warming, I honestly think it would be better suited in a daily format like perhaps a day-by-day calendar. Reading all the pages at once is a bit much.
It could also be cute as a sort of tear-off page book where you could take a page out and maybe put it in a card to give to a friend. I don't know that I would ever give this entire book to a friend...it's a lot. Tends to get repetitive and by the middle of the book, I was lagging.

But taken as bite-sized pieces rather than once huge chunk, it's a nice bit of wholesomeness in a world full of the opposite.

A heartwarming collection of motivational comics from Beth Evans. It was easy to feel as if the author was reaching out through her comics to tell the reader that 'life is hard, but I believe in you'. The only draw back for me was that that at times it felt just a touch heavy handed and repetitive.

A collection of doodles paired with vague self-help "insta inspo" style quotes. I'm a fan of Beth Evans cute little blobs but they do better on the internet. This book is barely a coffee table book. The issue with Instagram based self-help things is that they always come off as shallow and impersonal.

I would have much rather read a cute lil blob story about something personal to Evans.

Lovely collection of comics filled with self-love. Perfect to read one or a few pages every day or when you need it most.
For me, this little book really hit close to home. So I absolutely appreciated a lot of the messages and kindness this book is filled with. It's not graphically outstanding, but I didn't mind this because the messages are way more important than the drawings in itself. It's just a friendly, amazing little blob who supports you. I would definitely recommend it to everyone who experiences a lot of stress, anxiety, self-doubt or is just in need of a hug or some friendly words.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is just a big warm hug.

Thinking of You (but not like in a weird creepy way) by Beth Evans is graphic novel collection of comics that were drawn and written to be a big warm hug and a way for readers to be seen and heard. Evan's main protagonist works through endless comics, dealing with panic attacks, awkward social interactions, and accepting themselves and the world at large.

I love this book, and would gladly recommend it to anyway that just needs a gentle reminder of how much they are loved.

Book Summary:

Thinking of You is a collection of comics by Beth Evans (@bethdrawsthings). She's a great artist with a fantastic sense of humor. More importantly, she works hard to help others see the value in themselves. You don't find that every day.

You'll likely have seen Beth Evans' works online, especially the ones about her Blobs. They're the most popular. This is a collection of many of those moments designed specifically to help others feel seen and valued.

My Review:

Thinking of You is such a sweet and funny comic! Don't believe me? Read the full title and think again. I love this sense of humor. It feels almost...gentle? Like the author is trying to uplift her readers through humor. Oh, wait, that basically is what she's doing! Love it.

Many of the moments in this comic will be super relatable, especially to anyone who needs a bit of affirmation or encouragement. Honestly, there's not a lot to say about Thinking of You – it pretty much speaks for itself! So go read it; you won't regret it.

Highlights:
Humorous
Self-Help Comic
Blobs!

The author has written a collection of comics that is to give the reader the feeling of being seen, uplifted and not alone in their life. She uses an amorphous blob of encouragement and optimism. It’s to help one through awkward situations, online dating and and panic attacks in today’s life. The blob tries to remain calm, patient and kind in the world and ourselves. It may be a difficult but it’s to remind one that they are not alone.

I think it’s a good reminder for one to remember that they are not the only one thinking thy are alone but are not really. Though I must admit that some days I find it difficult to not feel alone when I see how society has not made me feel safe to go out to do the necessary activities of everyday life without wondering if anyone else feels the same as I do. I enjoyed this book with its collection of humorous comics. It is a funny and a little too sweet book for me.

This book was meh. It felt very repetitive, although it was cute and endearing. I would not reccommend it.

This book offers readers a virtual hug. The author wants to (and does) provide reassurance to the reader that they are enough, even as they struggle with day to day stresses. These are not traditional comics but more of a series of affirmations that are illustrated. They will appeal to the author’s target audience.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Andrew McMeels\ Publishing. All opinions are my own.

4 stars for a cute and funny collection of comics~

I love Beth Evans comic style. This was a fun and at times humorous collection of little comics that are way too relatable. I think it would be a nice gift for a friend or loved one or even a coffee table pick-me-up kind of book. The collection is more images than words and they really speak for themselves. A gentle reminder that you are doing great and you are not alone. <3

Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing a digital ARC for review!

Cute little affirmations for you or for you to share with others. Cute art too. I really enjoyed this and would love a physical copy

It didn't quite convince me.
It wasn't as funny and humorous as I was expecting it to be and the format felt weird, too much text and not enough "comic strips" for this type of comic.

⭐⭐⭐.5 /5

Is a collection of cute comics by Beth Evans. Each page of this comic has cute affirmation messages.

Thinking of You is a self-help comic that will uplift you and make you feel like you are not alone and everything is going to be okay. Beth Evans also talks about mental health issues, self-love, and compassion. The messages were very simple and easy to understand what the author was trying to say. There are cute blob illustrations in the comic.

Somewhere, the messages were quite repetitive.

Overall, I love reading this comic. If you are going through a tough day, I would recommend this comic.

Everyone has everyday struggles. You are not alone.
Super cute comics with inspirational messages. My favorite? “…you aren’t the worst ever – you’re just a person with a rude brain.”

Easy way to get you to look at things from an optimistic perspective, realize it’s okay to not be okay and how to just get through the day.

Loved this. Whether you are struggling or succeeding or somewhere in between – this book will give you inspiration.

Thank you #netgalley for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

This little comic collection talks about everyday struggles, big feelings, all while offering affirmations for those feeling that way. I thought the drawing were simple and cute. The message of the collection is positive and while I didn't necessarily relate to some of the struggles, I definitely appreciated it as a whole.

This book is such a cute mix of funny, thought provoking, and relatable drawings and words that will definitely call you out. I got this as an ARC from NetGalley and it was a quick comfort read but I honestly plan on buying it too so I can have a deeper read where I have the time to sit with my thoughts a little longer.