Reviews

Heart and Brain: Onward to Good Things! by Nick Seluk

jennyfer's review against another edition

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5.0

I adore the Heart and Brain comics, with their eminently relatable mix of overthinking Brain and carefree Heart providing a balance of eternal optimism and down to earth pragmatism. Are they conflicting? Yes! Are they adorable and filled with truisms and reality checks? Absolutely!

In "Heart and Brain: Onward to Good Things!" The lovable Heart and Brain are accompanied by the supporting characters of the Awkward Yeti, Tongue, Bowels, Stomach and other body parts, who become the unwitting victims (or perhaps enablers) of the self-sabotaging impulses of Heart and Brain. Heart, as always, is accompanied by the nameless butterfly in the more impulsive moments.

The comics are one-page, predominantly 4-panel self-contained strips, in simple, mostly bright colours.

Heart and Brain touch gently on the mental health issues surrounding ADHD, depression and anxiety without becoming too dark. The author mentions that he had been going through some challenging times during the creation of the comic, and at times the comics do reflect this, acknowledging both the emotions and the natural reactions to them (avoidance, comfort food, the eternal search for dopamine and, occasionally, acceptance). The comic also takes an absurdist look at the extremes of these (in Heart's impulses or Tongue's excesses) to shine a light on these less-than-healthy coping mechanisms.

The relationship between Heart and Brain is heartwarming and genuine, and even these comical disembodied organs go through significant change and growth throughout the book.

Overall, this is a funny, wholesome comic, and I give it 5 stars.

~ Many thanks to NetGalley, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and of course the Awkward Yeti himself Nick Seluk for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~

brokebookmt's review against another edition

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3.0

As usual, Seluk's Heart & Brain series is at once uplifting and realistic, but this was teetering at the edge of corny optimism for me. I much prefer his earlier Heart & Brain collection where it was a bit more nihilistic and pessimistic, but still retains a sense of realism and hopefulness that I enjoyed. This was an okay read.

Many thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

dgrachel's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I love Heart and Brain. All of these short comics are so relatable. The happy things make me happy and the sad things make me feel seen. Give me all the Heart and Brain things!

labunnywtf's review against another edition

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4.0

Received via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review

This compilation of comics is slightly different from Nick Seluk's usual, he inserts a little more of himself here. And while I feel like reading these comics tells us so much about his thoughts, fears, and personality (and internal organs), it was really nice to see him insert more of his humanity in this one.

And honestly.



If you don't adore his comics, you're a robot and we need to check your oil levels.

ogreart's review against another edition

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5.0

These are so dang relatable!

bewitched_bibliophile's review against another edition

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5.0

Heart and Brain: Onward to Good Things! is a hilarious and lighthearted comic about the fight between the brain and the heart. This comic is divided into three sections with added comments by the author.

I’ve seen heart and brain comics on social media, and they always make me laugh. This comic is funny and relatable; the heart wants something, your brain wants something, and the tongue wants something else. Several organs made brief appearances.

The heart desires to be adventurous and playful, whereas the brain desires to be responsible and mindful before making any choice.

The comic has touched upon topics like anxiety, work-life balance, stress, self-care, going forward, etc. All of these are shown hilariously.

I liked the illustration; it was catchy and simple.

I would highly recommend this comic.

rebeshelton's review against another edition

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5.0

I was so excited to see a new Heart and Brain book! I've followed Nick Seluk for years and this volume was so tender and emotional. Every single comic was relatable. I absolutely loved it.

teachinsci's review against another edition

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5.0

I have been an Awkward Yeti fan for years. These Heart & Brain comics connected together with some letters from the author were great to read. Nick Seluk really sends to capture the workings of the mind and heart, taking a full story in sometimes just one panel.
I found myself constantly chuckling or saying "awwww..." and asking my wife to look at what I'd just read.
If you are an Awkward Yeti fan, you are probably already sold (and have you played his card game?). If you aren't, would be a great gift to give to someone who is struggling or moving into a new phase in their life (graduation season is coming up!).

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. #HeartandBrainOnwardtoGoodThings #NetGalley #AwkwardYeti

thereadingghost_sara's review against another edition

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4.0

I felt seen and I loved it!
Illustrations are simple but cute and they're perfect for these sarcastic scenarios. Many of them, I swear, happen in my mind every day. It was so funny to read my exact thoughts (I should say "internal fights") and I spent a lot of time smiling and giggling on those pages.
I hope people will give this book a try: it's a very well deserved 4-stars.

happily_undignified's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted

5.0