Amazing breakdown of all the monsters that haunt people on cartoon form. A book to help visualize the mental health issues that can plague many of us.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I really liked the depiction of the monsters and the ending. If I was still teaching English I would looooove to teach this. So much symbolism and rich metaphors and great discussion questions about mental health!

This personal account of dealing with one's inner demons is highly relatable, even for those of us who aren't artists. From self-doubt to past trauma, the monsters inside this author's head are recognizable for anyone dealing with mental health issues. The book starts off very disjointed, with small stories introducing the various characters. The truly hard-hitting moment comes with the final chapter where the author comes to terms with his issues and offers a suggestion on how to overcome being haunted by these monsters.

MonsterMind is the author’s personal story about dealing with monsters in his head: like fear, anxiety, doubts, toxic thoughts, etc. The author is writing about this honestly and openly, and he presents this difficult theme often in a funny way.

Art is black and white and is excellent and imaginative. Each monster has its own shape.

Thanks to Ablaze for the ARC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review, and all opinions are my own.

Alfonso Casas brings an honest picture of his live -and that of many others- struggling with mental health issues, and how to live with them.

People who has experience with these "monsters" will soon relate to Casas' experience and will be able to recognize them and empathize with the author. While presented in an humorous way, this book brings an important conversation around the topic, to be more patient with the process and the overall importance of mental health.

The book was very easy to read and follow, which as a person with ADHD I appreciate, and didn't fall into the trope of pretending you're able to fix everything by just deciding to get better, but instead shows that you need to work and it's ok to live with them instead.

The negative point I can find is that it is a little short, it feels like there was room for a little more build up towards the end, however, I feel like its a great book to open the conversation on mental health and understanding how to live with a loved one who is struggling.

Felt like everything about this graphic novel was so absolutely well-done! The art style was gorgeous and fitted the theme perfectly. The writing was enlightening to the inner world of people struggling with anxiety and the lines were brilliant and touched the reader's heart softly yet powerfully. The way the serious thematic was approached was delicate taking into consideration how triggering the reading experience could get but at the same time made its message crystal clear, offering a great representation but also providing a hopeful undertone to the reader trying to process, accept and bloom through the hardships! Lovely idea and execution!

An extremely personal account of what it feels like living with monsters inside your head, not just under your bed. Alfonso Casas puts on page the omnipresent, invasive and all consuming qualities of all our bad thoughts. Who among us doesn't have Mr Past Traumas, Mr fear, Mr Social Anxiety, Mr Imposter Syndrome and so on.

Though he's discussing heavy topics there's a dry humor with which Alfonso Casa writes. This isn't a deep dive into mental issues, just an account of a guy who sometimes wins and sometimes loses with his own demons. The only hope is in learning to co-exist. Don't let them win. The art style is very reminiscent of the old black and white comic strips!

I came across this cover and immediately was very intruiged by it and the title as well. As someone who struggles with anxiety, I gravitate towards books talking about it because I find them relatable and feel less alone. And this book definitely did that.

I loved how this story was told, through the monsters, it made it feel real. I definitely think everyone can get something from this book, if you struggle with a mental illness or even if you don't it's a very good story to understand someone who goes through one.

I absolutely loved the art style as well and would definitely check out this artist/author! I also loved how the ending wasn't a happy ending or a immeditiate solution kind of ending, it was very realistic and hopeful. This book really hit a mark for me and it's something I definitely see myself coming back to! 10/10 would recommend this to anyone!

MonsterMind: Dealing With Anxiety & Self-Doubt by Alfonso Casas had a really fun art style and a really poignant story and message.

Wow! The cover and concept intrigued me, but I was not ready for how relatable this book was. I felt like he was talking about me and showing me all of my monsters. I want so many things in life and lately, it’s been to be an author, but convincing myself to just start has been hard. I get the self-doubt and it’s like why bother trying when I won’t be as good as so-and-so. The times when depression hits and you just have to try to get out of bed anyway. The imposter who tells you that no one will like you if they just knew who you really are. This hit home for me. It was such a powerful read that approached the topic in a more fun and unassuming way. I think everyone can get something from this book. I love how the ending wasn’t a “ta-da! Everything is fixed” kind of ending. Instead it was honest and true. At the end of the day, we all have our ghosts to fight or skeletons in our closet and they don’t just go away. We have to make up everyday and choose to make a change for ourselves. Thank you for writing this book.

Terrific use of comics to bring anxiety and other mental issues to visual life. It made it all seem more approachable, as the monsters are scary-cute. I didn't find the underlying causes particularly relatable, but I applauded the author's ability to process what caused him mental blocks in this way.

My anxiety made sure to keep the lessons this book gives, as the author's own story of dealing with anxiety, didn't register until way later with me. Great execution and the relatability factor made it all the more gut-wrenching, but also hopeful for me!

From dark thoughts to overcoming fears, this book resonated with me. I liked how the idea was executed, and how the story flowed.

A brilliant graphic novel, in so many levels, MonsterMind, tells the story of Alfonso Casa as he struggles with his mental monsters.

The beauty of the book shines with the vulnerability of the author’s story. A truly mesmerizing realization of the story, the art combined a lighthearted drawing style with a black and white concept. I adore the art style used in this book. Even with the gloom of the story, the style marked a sense of comfort.

There is an interesting tone with the lack of sharp lines and shapes with the drawing, and the presence of circular patterns and thick line art, provided a wonderful lightness to the overall atmosphere to the story.

Really enjoyed this! The art (especially the shading) was spectacular. Although it was a bit difficult at times to remember which monster went with which mental health issue, I enjoyed seeing Casas' story and especially liked the way that it presented the forward/backward dance of treatment and symptoms/remission. I also liked the recognition that dealing with and neutralizing mental health issues is really hard work and that it is good to get help.

MonsterMind combines Alfonso Casa's unique art style and deep thinking to create a look inside his mind. Uncomfortably relatable and a rollercoaster of emotion.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The author portrays his mental health struggles and experiences in a way we could all relate to. It also felt validating to read about someone struggling with the same things as myself. I liked the art style with the black and white and cartoony characters. It was simple and easy to follow along. I do not rate nonfiction, but if I did, I would give it 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

MonsterMind is lucid self-examination of the psychological impact that anxiety and other mental health conditions can have. It is book about just coping and what a struggle that can be. Casas by naming and illustrating the monsters that plagued him slickly says with a couple of images what it would take whole chapters of books to get across.

There is a safe creepiness to the various horrors that live in Casas head and affect his life. These are monsters and they make feel Casas feel bad, but they are also aspects of himself. The art has an earnest cartoony quality that allows Casas to express and explore all the ways his life has at times been overwhelmed with depression and anxiety without becoming forbidding.

Casas comes across as sympathetic character. His writing while touching on emotional subjects never veers into mawkish aphorisms. This was a hard period for him, and he doesn’t shy away from that. He cleverly uses humour to lampoon some the strange situations and decisions he made while suffering from anxiety which makes him endearing.

This is a superb memoir and another great addition to the many graphic novels that do magnificent job exploring issues around mental health.

Casas really makes his struggles with depression, anxiety, and self-doubt relatable in this graphic novel. Many of us are living with the exact same monsters. I believe this book could be educational for those who don't and help those who do feel like they have people to relate to.

I liked the black and white simplistic art. The lack of color heightens the gloominess of having a mind full of monsters.

I thought there was a lot of good insight in this book, the only thing I didn't like were a couple pages near the end which felt a little simple and preachy when Casas is writing about his recovery/learning to live with his MonsterMind. Overall though I thought it was a great book and a worthwhile read.

4,5 anxious stars

"These monsters are part of you. They'll always be in a the way. But you can make sure their impact on you goes from being limiting. To being limited. To achieve that, you have to get to know your monsters well, because knowing them means knowing yourself. Accepting yourself with all your strengths and your... Well them"

This was a great graphic novel about the authors struggels with his monsters. The author made it easy for us the reader to identify with all of the struggles he was going through.

I liked that black and white aspects of the graphic novel and I liked that it was so simply drawn. It gave a feeling of the struggels that are going on in the authors head.