Just Act Normal by John McNamee is definitely a relatable and very current comic strips collection about the pressure, struggles and mishaps of trying to “be normal” and fit in in today’s society.

The so called “dry humor” is exactly my type of humor actually. I laughed a lot reading through these comic strips and found myself thinking out loud “yep, this is exactly how this works these days” about so many aspects portrayed in the book.

I liked the simplistic art style because it was still fun to look at and it didn’t take anything away from the message of the several scenarios.

Overall, an enjoyable read, with some bits that I’ll definitely go back to look at and possibly even think about in many occasions of life. I also makes you question what exactly is "being normal" in this day and age, because we're all unique and there is just no possible way to "be normal" in everyone's eyes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for allowing me the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#JustActNormal #NetGalley

I’ve not read any of the Pie Comics Collection before and Just Act Normal was a fun introduction to the series and artist. The humour for some of the panels really connected and there was more than one occasion when I laughed aloud. Not everything made me laugh but humour isn’t universal. There wasn’t anything within these comics that I disliked. Some was just more “me”.

The way the collection is divided by subject is fun and I like the straightforward art. I would certainly read more.

Kind of weird and somewhat funny. I enjoyed the childhood comics the best, but a lot were too dark for me. I’m probably not the target audience for this book, but I imagine it would appeal to a lot of 20 something readers.

I just love this book. It talks about the reality of our life. It hurts but it is true. And the illustrations are really cute and adorable.

Just to bring normalcy in our life. I loved everything about this book. I can't wait to explore more of his works.

I would like to thank Netgalley for providing the early arc.

*e-Arc received from the publisher*
3.5 stars

Simple, sarcastic and odd - that's how I'd describe it. The humor isn't for everyone, and was hit or miss for me, but overall I enjoyed it.
Topics of coping with childhood, society, work, love, the world, yourself - anything and everything really. It definitely kept me entertained and reading.

I enjoyed the jokes and sarcasm about the realities of life. I like Pie Comics, but they tend to be hit or miss at times.

This is the third collection from the author but the first I have read. This book collects together short comics about what it means to be “normal”, in childhood, at work, in love and more.

The artwork is simplistic (which is addressed in a strip of its own) yet effective and the humour is a great blend of sarcastic and oddball. All of them were amusing and several had me laughing out loud! The artist does a great job of mining everyday life for those relatable moments but then taking them a step further to highlight some of the absurdities of modern life.

Enjoyable fun read.

Avid readers of "The Onion," a new book has arrived just for you! If you have been concerned about sibling dynamics, parenting, growing up, dealing with society, self-worth, online shopping, religion, politics, or are just bored and need someone to tell you to read a book, this is the book for you. Peppered with some advice on learning, growing, and adapting, John McNamee dishes out a serving of comedy and absurdity that is much needed in our current climate. Perhaps you have been searching for a way to achieve the "all day feel goods" that doesn't require whiskey and coffee. If so, buy a copy of "Just Act Normal" today. I promise you won't regret it! Bonus: since it takes a little over an hour to read, this is the perfect workday bathroom break companion.

I enjoyed these little comics about life and dealing with things happening in life. I wasn't a huge fan of the art style of this, but I guess it appeals to others. Do recommend people pick this up because I am pretty sure everyone will have at least one story in here that makes them go 'same'.

Just Act Normal is quirky, intelligent and pretty much sums up different aspects of growing up in this funny comic book. From scenarios at work to personal and social lives—John McNamee has included intrinsic thoughts, questions and answers that will make you laugh as well encourage you to nod with an agreement as they are very relatable. I could frame a few of the illustrations since I love sarcastic and humorous dialogues—so this book is an entertaining read. Would highly recommend this book to others for a hearty good laugh!

Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

An absurd collection stuffed with sardonic, biting wit. Perfect for crumbling teens and failing adults.

This is a fun comics collection to read. Some are really funny, but most are just okay. Though I see the appeal of this to most people.

This is a compilation of funny comics. I really enjoyed the humor in this book. Humor about existential dread,love work, nature. It’s geared towards adults, not because it’s inappropriate or anything. The topics are based on adults, such as marriage, aging and work.

I wanted to like this book, but so much of the humor is depressing or vulgar that it fell flat for me. Some of these comics are very clever, looking at the world in offbeat and surprising ways, but even though I occasionally laughed at particularly good panels, the book as a whole did not impress me. Much of the humor depends on a dark, negative outlook on life, and many of the panels involve foul language. Sometimes, the artist bleeped the s-word and f-word, but other times, he spelled them out completely. I didn't appreciate it either way, and often felt like the author was depending on the offensive words for a laugh, rather than crafting an excellent joke.

However, even though I found this book disappointing, I am sure that many people will find it delightful. If someone enjoys dark humor and doesn't mind vulgarity, this may be a good fit for them. Some of these comics are very clever, offering hilarious, twisted insights on life, and I can see why people enjoy this comic series. This book just wasn't for me.

This book is full of dark humor, cynicism, and a hint of the realism that it's all worth it. If that's your style, you will find this book hilarious and, after a little while, maybe a little repetitive.

This book is so random!!!
Not at all what I expected.
Each page is like a little sketch/skit all based around the theme of the chapter 'coping with society', 'coping with childhood' etc. The drawing style seems to vary with each little sketch.
Some of the jokes/sketches were slightly funny, but others were just lost on me.

Overall i didn't find this book clever, witty or funny! I really didn't 'get it' - didn't enjoy it at all.

This was such a fun and quick read!
The cartoons were short, sarcastic, and relatable, with a very simple art style.
I’d definitely recommend this book.

Just Act Normal is a very fun book, one that won't take you long to read through, but will definitely act as a good pick-me-up when you do.

The book isn't a graphic novel, there's no overarching narrative at work here, instead it's small one page stories that are designed to make you laugh. It's this simplicity that really endeared me to this book, coupled with the very easy to understand art style that borders on basic. The style is so simple that I've found myself wondering if I've seen some of John McNamee's work before, shared around on the internet as funny jokes and memes, or if it's just similar to other stuff I've seen before.

Ultimately, I don't think it matters if I have seen his work before or not, as the book completely stands on its own thanks to each comic being its own thing. There are some that feature the same characters across a number of strips, like the depressed goth, but even these don't need to be read in any kind of order or with continuity in mind.

The humour here is very silly, and at times it's even downright bizarre, but even when some could argue that the jokes were stupid, they still made me laugh because of the amount of charm put into them, and the delivery that McNamee manages to get into simplistic panels.

If you're looking for a fun book that's inoffensive, will make you smile, and will take up an hour or two this book will definitely tick those boxes for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read and review.

This book is hilarious and I cannot wait to buy a physical copy! The cartoon are brief, on point, and so relatable. This will also make a great gift for pretty much any adult.

I won't lie, when I see something described as being dry or sarcastic humor, I will definitely want to check it out. I really enjoyed this collection of comics as they perfectly suited my sense of humor. They took a real look at many of the cliches of growing up, as well as real situations that a lot of people face, with a sarcastic twist. I feel the simpler art style really lends to the quick jokes and humor of each comic and thoroughly enjoyed the read.