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!

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.

This book was a quick little thing, which I didn’t expect to make me cry quite so much. But first it made me chuckle. And then cry. And then I started the book all over, and laughed through my tears. I might need to go back and read it again in a minute.

It was surprising and funny and bleak and hopeful. But most of all, cathartic. And just what I needed.

Oddly adorable and strangely uplifting, this is a picture book for adults filled with irony and a splash of dark humour. While the text reads positive affirmations like a therapist would prescribe, all the animals are existing in the final days of earth. While they watch a huge asteroid plummeting toward the planet bound to destroy them all, they cling tight (wearily) to mindfulness and positive affirmations, the only tools they have, and tbh this feels eerily similar to right now in the middle of a pandemic with conspiracy theorists running amock and climate change killing everything and big coal/oil and wealth discrepancy and the Taliban taking over again etc. So you know. While allowing yourself a little bit of dark humour as a coping mechanism, stick to your mindfulness practices, they are all you can control. I enjoyed this little book.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book before its release date in exchange for an honest review.

This was VERY unexpected! I wish it was longer but I don’t have any complaints other than that — I loved the cute, funny drawings and I like how most of them intercepted at one point. Even when it became apparent the world was ending I didn’t want to believe it would, just because these beautiful, self-aware little creatures deserved to live! I could see myself reading this anytime I feel a little down!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Release Date: 2 November 2021
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I Will Not Die Alone is a short graphic novel which provides comfort and inspiration for things both big and small in life. I wasn't expecting much going into it but found myself enjoying every page. Dera White's words and Joe Bennett's illustrations are a perfect match and successfully create a beautiful story that can be read by people of all ages.