Fantastic lil self-help exercise which encourages the reader to embrace the goblin mode method of living life. Condemn perfection, embrace yourself in all your goblin glory. This is great if you're tired of regular self help books and are craving something with a little more whimsy.

Goblin mode calls to me. Unfortunately, I don’t pick up often enough. I’d love a single day just to do nothing and this book gives you permission for that. It shows you how to relax and embrace goblin mode.

I adore the Goblin Mode Guide to Life! It was a fun and inviting read that inspired me to embrace the feral side of myself. We live in a world that celebrates constantly being "on" and a workaholic, where it's always the girlboss, be in charge, work is the most important, etc. It was refreshing to read a book that reminds us to give ourselves the permission to relax, permit ourselves to have a soft life, and practice self care.

This sweet little self-help journal is the perfect fit for anyone who likes the idea of self-help but is exhausted by all the perfect-shiny or tough-love self-help out there. The Goblin Mode Guide is sort of the opposite. It asks you to slow down, be a little messy, and relax a little. The journal pages and activities are great exercises in reprioritization, and the illustrations are adorable. I think this would be especially helpful for any serious perfectionists who really want to learn to chill out, but as someone who's already a bit of a goblin, it still gave me things to think about.

This book is so fun! As someone who has definitely embraced "goblin mode" ways of living, I really appreciate this book. It's engaging, adorable, and would make a great gift or self-care stocking stuffer for any holidays, too.

Don’t judge a book by its cover. I assure you I didn’t. I did judge it by its title, however. “Goblin Mode Guide to Life”. How damn cool is that? I immediately wanted to know more about goblin mode, of course. And dear reader, I can tell you exactly what it is right now. I think you’re going to like it.

What is Goblin Mode?

Chosen as the Oxford word of the year in 2022, Goblin Mode is described as a slang term, as “a type of behaviour which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.”

I think this definition is a little harsh – but it’s all about rejecting those norms and expectations society puts on us to be perfectly neat, to be busy, to look after ourselves and enjoy doing absolutely nothing. During the pandemic, we all learnt a lot about goblin mode.

The authors prefer to describe goblin mode as caring less about what others think of you, letting go of societal pressures, rejecting the busy life. Goblin mode is just allowing yourself to be human.

Goblin Mode Guide to Life

This book by the Editors of Chartwell Books calls the reader to brace imperfection, get rid of the things we do that cause us to be stressed and exhausted, and reject unrealistic standards.

So, what are the kind of things you can do to embrace goblin mode? Here’s a few to start with…

Prioritize self care and enjoyment

Work to live, instead of living to work

Live a more low key lifestyle.

You can find the others, along with tips, guides and checklists within the guide itself. Include a lovely list of “judgey vocabulary” to throw away. I absolutely love this section as it tells us how to replace those words like lazy and slob, and replace them with terms such as liberated and unfettered.

Part Guide, Part Journal

As well as a guide to living in goblin mode, this book doubles as a workbook/journal for allowing you to let your inner goblin free. There are lots of journal type prompts and opportunities for you to write down your thoughts, feelings, things you wish to embrace or let go of, and so many more. From purging your perfectionism, to a rant list about beauty and lifestyle standards that really make you mad.

Would you like to rest more instead of feeling guilty about being productive?

Do you wish you could pay less attention to your appearance when going out?

Want to be carefree and abandon fashion and beauty trends, to do your own thing?

If you answered yes to any of these, or similar, Goblin Mode is for you.

My Thoughts

I think I’ve been living in Goblin Mode for most of my life, but until recently, I’ve been made to feel guilty about it by social standards and “what are other people doing” thoughts. Being told that Goblin Mode is not just OK, but is actually good for you, is very comforting and freeing. I love that this book takes away those guilty feelings that many of us have to suffer when when we try and break free from the norms and expectations of life.

For example, how many of you “not morning” types have received cruel comments from your colleagues when you (on the odd occasion) arrive earlier at work – “Did you wet the bed?” – “Did your alarm clock break?”. Let’s turn that around and remind those naughty commenters that life doesn’t have to be hard. You don’t have to be rigid and get up at 7am to be the perfect person. You can do whatever works for you.

Mental Health

Having suffered from anxiety for many years, I can tell you that embracing Goblin Mode is one of the ways I help my mental health. Allowing myself to be me, looking after myself when I’m down and giving myself the space I need to be who I need to be at the moment I’m in.

Trying to conform often leads to mental health issues and we have to say a huge NO THANK YOU to many of the societal expectations. Obviously we can’t give up everything that causes us stress, like work, but we can try and make sure we don’t let it take us over. Life is about living. Work to live, not live to work. Those friends and colleagues who poke fun at your lateness – ignore them, they’re missing out on goblin mode.

You can buy this book from all good bookstores. I recommend BookShop.org as they support local bookstores.

I picked this book up for the cover. It is an interesting workbook and I went back and forth between lifelong and disliking it. The illustrations are beautiful and I think this would be great on paper instead of digital. Some of the quotes throughout the book were great. I liked some of the themes of getting away from “perfection” and social media and focusing more on self-care and what you need in this moment. Some of the comments and suggestions just rubbed me the wrong way. Guess I am just not a true goblin.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Chartwell Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This will make a great coffee table book ☕
It has some very nice prompts and inspirational quotes that you can just pick up the book, flip to a random page and reflect when you need it.
That said I thought it was more "journal" than "book". I would have loved to have some more information and essays about the topic.

This was funny and cute and would be a great gift to give a fellow goblin friend! Can’t wait to see it in full physical print version.

A very unique work book/journal/almost self-realization guide.
I really enjoyed flipping through the prompts and reflecting internally.

Goblin Mode: Guide to Life is a humorous, interactive, heartfelt book verging on the self help genre that encourages readers to take part in a particularly new lifestyle titled “goblin mode” where you do away with perfection and start living for your self. The world has changed since Covid, and this book is a product of that. The book encourages people to stave away things like burnout and stress by not forcing life to be perfect all the time. My review will be on Amazon and goodreads.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I especially adored the charming illustrations that accompanied it. It is a delightful blend of a self-care guide and a cute workbook.

The content of the book is both informative and engaging, providing valuable insights and practical tips for practicing self-care. The author's approach is refreshing, as they present the information in a way that feels accessible and relatable. The inclusion of interactive exercises and prompts throughout the book adds an element of interactivity, making it feel like a personal journey rather than just a passive read.

What truly sets this book apart are the adorable illustrations that adorn its pages. They bring a sense of whimsy and joy to the reading experience, making it even more enjoyable. Each illustration perfectly complements the text, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal.

In conclusion, this book is a wonderful resource for anyone looking to prioritize self-care in their lives. Its combination of insightful content and delightful illustrations creates an immersive and uplifting reading experience. Whether you're seeking guidance or simply want to indulge in some self-reflection, this book is sure to leave you feeling inspired and motivated.

Great workbook for adults looking to reteach themselves about self compassion and how to thrive in life

Goblin Mode Guide to Life is a fun little workbook I received as an ARC via NetGalley. It is designed specifically for the overworked adults that live hectic lives, and focuses on "embracing the chaos" and letting go of "perfection". It deeply implies that it is okay to struggle because no one is absolute perfection and that the "hustle culture" everyone strives for isn't the only path. Goblin Mode Guide to Life also provides new habits that could be helpful to many people as they work through the workbook. I deeply loved that the book also stresses that being in "goblin mode" does not inherently mean uncleanliness and laziness, but is more about your self-love and being comfortable with yourself.

Not only are the contents helpful in a quirky and fun way, but the book itself is adorable. It is filled with goblincore illustrations of mushrooms and foliage that make the self-reflections upbeat and fun. I had hoped that there would have been more crafty stuff included so I could really embrace that goblin spirit, but the workbook was helpful in other regards.

The Goblin Mode Guide to Life sounds a bit crazy, but I didn't realize how much I needed a guide like this. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are a large family living in a too-small space and our life is exactly what the guide speaks about. I spend countless hours beating myself up about how our space looks and feels, and this guide made me re-look at everything around me and change the narrative I have in my mind. Someday I hope to not have to be in Goblin Mode, but after reading this guide and doing the activities and exercises in it, I breathe easier each day and I am more kind to myself. Thank you so much for this ARC Netgalley, Editors of Chartwell Books and Quarto Publishing Group.

I don't normally read self help books, I don't think they really help me with my issues. But I really liked the cover of this one and decided to give it a chance and I'm so glad I did it! It's a workbook! I did the exercises at my own pace, starting for the ones I thought I needed the most first (which is totally goblin mode by the way). I learned lots of things about myself in such a little time.

Going ‘goblin mode’ means letting go and being less caught up in maintaining a specific self image – but some people might need a workbook to help them get there.

This is admittedly an odd book for me to review for several reasons. I scarcely noticed the whole goblin mode moment when it was here (Google says it was during early 2022?), I’m not big on self-help workbooks, and clinical depression has taught me all about letting go of perfectionism. However, I know plenty of people who’d appreciate the lessons in this book.

Though themed around the idea of goblin mode, this workbook is really about becoming better at not feeling the need for perfection at all times. The prompts take you through plenty of spheres of life, from work to home to romance, and encourages you to think about your attitude toward all of these, what might have formed said attitude, and how to figure out what you’re willing to get more laidback on to preserve your sanity.

The prompts are comprehensive and seem useful if you engage with them seriously (though still very geared toward perfectionists), and I liked the art and quotes sprinkled throughout. However, I did wish there were more projects and tips included – when it’s called a guide, you usually expect more explicit guidance!

A lovely idea and one that charmingly shows you that embracing and being happy with things is not the same as being lazy. I really enjoyed this book!

I love the idea of Goblin Mode and definitely think it is for some people but this book did not inspire me to embrace my inner goblin. I was expecting more of ideas to channel it instead of a book filled with prompts to figure out what each area means to you and your inner goblin. I loved the art and thought it was super cute just not for me.

This book would make a great gift for the proud goblin in your life. It’s full of realistic tips for taking it easy while still functioning as an adult in a capitalist society.