Eat Your Heart Out Vol. 1

Eat your heart out

by Terry Blas, Matty Newton, Lydia Anslow (illustrator)

The Great British Bake Off meets Project Runway in this modern coming-of-age fashion fairytale about pursuing your passion.

Blanca is running away. Away from her mother—the overbearing and strict Riena—and her mother's narrow idea of what shape Blanca's life should take. While Riena finds Blanca's dream of pursuing fashion design a wasteful flight of fancy, Blanca sees possibility . . . and she knows if she doesn't leave now, she might never. Of course, following your passion isn't easy, and when Blanca arrives in New York City without a job or a roof over her head, she's rescued by a kindly baker named Emile, who takes her in. With Emile comes their eclectic group of six friends, all living in the same brownstone, who welcome Blanca into their weird, wonderful family. With them, Blanca learns that her fairy-tale journey can't begin until she stops running away from her problems and starts running toward her dream.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, LGBT, Contemporary, Young Adult, Queer, Graphic Novels Comics

112 pages, Paperback

First published August 13, 2024

About the author

TERRY BLAS is an illustrator and writer based in Portland, Oregon. He is the writer behind the auto-bio comics Ghetto Swirl and You Say Latino (featured on NPR, OPB, Vox.com and Cosmo.com.)

Terry’s work has appeared in comics Bravest Warriors, Regular Show, The Amazing World of Gumball, Adventure Time, and Rick and Morty.

His first graphic novel, Dead Weight: Murder at Camp Bloom, is a murder mystery set at a weight loss camp. Dead Weight has been named by YALSA as a 2019 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers.

His latest graphic novel, Hotel Dare, a love letter to his childhood memories in Mexico, will be in stores June 2019.

Reviews

[vicky ꨄ︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a delightful read. The illustration style was done so well. The colours were so vibrant and beautifully done.

I really liked the different variety of characters even thought sometimes they were hard to keep track of. This gave aspect of found family. The dynamic between the character was quite cute and well done considering how short this volume was.

The pacing was what caught me off. Sometimes the change of scene was so abrupt and it got me confused.

The volume ended up in a cliffhanger, so basically I need the next volume right now!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Manon (bookswithonno) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great! This story is about Blanca, who runs away from her mother to follow her dreams in the big city (New York). She meets a kind baker who takes her in. The apartment is full of queer people who are trying to follow their own dreams. Friendships blossom between Blanca and the roommates and we follow them as they all help each other grow and achieve their dreams.

I LOVE found family and I LOVE all of these characters!! Definitely read this book if you also love the found family trope. The story did sometimes jump very quickly from one part to the next, which made a few parts more difficult to follow. This is why I didn’t rate the book 5 stars.

Can’t wait for volume two!!

Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for the e-arc.

[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested this solely because I enjoyed Hotel Dare, also by Terry Blas, a few years ago. And I might just love this even more! I need volume 2 NOW.

This story is so charming. We follow Blanca, who leaves home at 18 to make it in New York. She quickly meets Emile and moves in with him and his many roommates, finding friendship and support. The book has such a large cast of characters, but everyone felt distinctive, and we got to meet everyone one on one, as Blanca has personal conversations with them.

I truly got sitcom vibes from this story, and it has the potential to go on for many installments. Be sure to preorder because you're in for a lot of fun!

[Raaven💖 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

Blanca is such a cool character and I really liked her in this story. You could tell she cares about her friends and her going after her dream is admirable. All of the roommates seem so fun and I hope we get to know them better along the way. The different LGBTQA+ identities were interesting. It makes me want to go to New York. The ending was suspenseful if not obvious but I’m so excited to see what happens next!

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was phenomenal. The story, the art style, and the colors were fantastically done. The illustrations were so vibrant that I had to pause as I was reading, point my screen to my sister, and say, "look at this!" I was very impressed with it all.

I felt such a connection to this story: yearning (and in the main character's case, actually doing) to leave everything you know to start life anew, following your dreams, and cutting off everyone in your life from before. The main character really just DID THAT. Jealous. The author's note at the end made clear what I was feeling the whole time: this story is inspired by fairy tales. It's inspired by found family and quests and following your dreams. I loved that aspect of it.

The queer found family was everything to me. Even though the cast of characters is large, the reader gets a special scene between each of them and Blanca which really helped differentiate and flush them out. I'm super excited to see where character development goes in the second volume. My mouth was literally HANGING OPEN at the ending. Howwwww can I wait an entire YEAR to see what happens next?!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

**5 stars for the art, 3 for the story**

Ah, this one is a tricky one to review, I really like the concept and think there's a lot of potential in the story but Vol 1 just didn't do it for me. The whole volume felt like just an intro to a story and nothing much actually happened, so I was honestly a little bored. I also wrongly assumed that because this was listed as a queer book our main character was sapphic (which it doesn't seem she is), there is a LOT of queerness in this book but I just couldn't really get into the romance plot because it was mxf.

I just didn't feel very connected to the characters and the lack of substantial plot just made it tricky to connect to this book.

However oh my god the art is STUNNING, this is such a visually beautiful graphic novel and easily the best art I've ever seen in any graphic novel. The style, the colours in combination are just gorgeous and it works so well for the characters i.e. the drag queens.

I would be tempted to pick up the next volume just to see if the story actually starts to develop and oh my god the art really is just so pretty!

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

(Also oh my god graphic novels are so hard to read on the NetGalley app).

[Evita · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful graphic novel. I love the illustration style and the vibrant colours in this story. The plot itself was also engaging.

I really enjoyed all the different characters in this story (although I have to admit I struggled with remembering who was who for a good while since a lot of them are introduced at once and sometimes the illustrations looked a bit similar). Bianca was a fun main character to follow and extremely relatable. I liked how she decided to follow her dream and brave the world alone. With all the great people she met, it truly paid off.

My favourite thing about this story were the found/chosen family vibes. It makes me happy reading about a group of young, queer people living in a New York brownstone together and just figuring out life. Especially when they’re such a wholesome bunch!

The ending actually made me go “oh you fucker!” so I absolutely need a sequel and I will be buying this for my graphic novel collection when it comes out.

Thanks Netgalley and Oni Press for letting me read an eARC of this book. Eat Your Heart Out Vol 1 comes out August 13th.

[Star · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content warnings: runaway teen (MC), references to being kicked out of home (not MC).

Rep: Blanca (MC) is cis, Mexican-American, and hetero. Side achillean characters, side POC characters, side queer characters, side enby character.


This was a really good look at what it's like to be a runaway teen who arrives in New York City with nothing but a hope and a bag of her luggage.

Blanca, thankfully, strikes gold when she moves in with a bunch of queers and makes fast friends with them all. There's a lot of characters, so I struggled a bit to keep up with who was who, but the story itself was easy to follow.

There's an abundance of queer men, and queer POC men, which is wonderful to see. It's definitely lacking on the queer women front - but hopefully there will be more in volume 2.

Speaking of volume 2 - he fact this ended on a cliffhanger is sad-madenning. I wasn't expecting that! So I hope volume 2 comes out quickly!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I requested this graphic novel because the cover is so captivating, seeing such a diverse cast laid out made me want to get them all.
This story contains a huge ensemble and at times it is a little difficult to keep up with who is who but I think that added to the charm of everyone living together in one house. I'm really excited to see where the rest of this story goes and hope to be able to read the next volume when it's ready.
There are so many lovable characters introduced, I really enjoyed seeing how each of them interacted with Blanca. I'm interested to see how the story develops between her and her mother and how this will resolve. I also really enjoyed seeing the different cultures coming together and experiencing how the characters educated and supported each other.
I highly recommend anyone look for a light read with found family and queer joy.

[Helena · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was very nice and heartwarming! The arc I was provided with had quite a few typos and grammar errors — both in English and in the Spanish that's spoken at times. This took me out of the story whenever it happened, but I still had a nice time with it.

Another negative I would point out is the pacing. Sometimes the change in scene was a bit abrupt, and even confusing in terms of the timeline. This might be fixed in the final version, though idk

Positives, though!!! This story had a found family, and the dynamics between the characters were very cute and accomplished considering how short the volume was! Also, great representation, and the art style is lovely! I genuinely don't think the cover does it justice.

All in all, I would definitely like to continue the series 😄

[piper monarchsandmyths · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to Oni Press for providing me with an eARC!

Queer found family graphic novel please save me! I didn’t know much about this book before reading it, but I had such a fun time with Blanca and the residents of the brownstone that she ends up living in after running away to New York to pursue her passion in fashion design. It’s a little bit of a fairytale steeped in queer NY culture and the idealism of a new start. The art is big and colourful and so perfect for the story that’s being told, one with so many characters with their own stories that we get to uncover alongside Blanca’s. Drag queens, being queer and non-white, older queers who’ve known love and loss, all that and more. There’s also the evil not-step mother of Blanca trying to find her and bring her back (and the little plot twist at the end made me gasp even though I had already guessed it). Basically, I am very invested in this comic and all its characters (because did I mention the queer found family). I’m very excited to see what else the authors bring to the story, and recommending it so we can all enjoy together!

[Sara R · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art in this looked good enough to eat. It's so gorgeously designed - the people, the clothes, the food, the backgrounds, the house! The setting is beautiful, vibrant, and cosy.

I loved the story too, with Blanca running from home to NY and being absorbed into a friendship group of queer men and women. There are many characters, but each manages to come across as distinct. Overall, a novel full of acceptance, tenderness and resistance.

My only complaint is that, because of the wide cast of characters introduced, the story doesn't feel like it moves a lot (though I enjoyed the cliffhanger at the end). I wanted more!

Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for the e-arc.

[gaby.readsbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art was gorgeous but I wanted more from the story. It was a bit too slow, I loved the found family and all the representation I just wanted to feel more connected to main character and I just didn’t.

Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for granting me access in exchange for an honest review.

[Irene ➰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 ~ RTC

[Scarlette Josie (scarlettereads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Terry Blas, Matty Newton, Lydia Anslow, Oni Press, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.


⭐️⭐️⭐️ Three stars


Eat Your Heart Out Vol. 1 is not your typical coming-of-age story about a group of teenagers helping each other to discover who they are over a wild summer vacation, or prom-posaling their way into their crush's heart. It's the kind of coming-of-age tale where one has to leave everything they know behind to build themself anew.

Blanca's life has been planned out meticulously by her overbearing mother who thinks she knows best about everything—but she didn't plan on her daughter running away after her graduation. When her mother leaves for a week-long business trip, Blanca—knowing that if she doesn't leave now she might never leave at all—packs her things and takes what little she can fit in her car to New York City, where she plans to start the life of her dreams.

Homeless and jobless, Blanca is taken in by Emile, and finds a new family in the brownstone he shares with his many housemates, including but by no means limited to: a) Evan, known by night as Thai Dishes the drag queen who performs at a local queer club, and can use all the help he can get with his costumes while he's battling the egos of NYC's divas, b) Nic the gym junkie who spends his work hours as a nightclub bartender and modelling for fashion house campaigns, c) Brady the editorial photographer who has his work on display at a local gallery, and co-owns the brownstone with d) his partner Reuben, and of course there's e) Emile, a baker with a dream of attending culinary school to become a chef like his late grandfather. The building is a refuge and home for all sorts, and now that includes Blanca—(who is seemingly the only straight person who calls the brownstone home?)
Surrounded by art, culture, and fashion, Blanca has all the inspiration she could dream of! Not to mention the interest of a cute redhead she met while taking her resumes store to store.

One thing I really enjoyed about Eat Your Heart Out Vol. 1 is the stress on the importance of running towards something rather than running away from something. When running away from certain situations, like Blanca with her home life and her mother's strict plans for her life, it's not always possible to get the kind of closure you need to move onto the things that you're running towards. While Blanca claims that she's only running towards her dreams, it's evident that she's running away from just as much, if not more. I'm interested in how that's going to play out in volume two, especially with that twist on a final page.

Speaking of twists, the authors have set a new standard. I'm not generally surprised by twists, but I didn't see this one coming at all, and while it surprised me it didn't materialise out of nothing, which is more than I can say for a lot of recent popular fiction. There's quite a cliffhanger too.

As for my three star rating, while I enjoyed Eat Your Heart Out Vol. 1, the story overall felt a bit lacking for me. The bones are there, but I don't feel much of anything for the characters. It reads a bit like the the aim was a Casey McQuiston-esque quirky cast, but there are so many characters crammed into one brownstone and only 112 pages that they're hard to keep a track of because they don't have that same oomph!. Unfortunately, I really need oomph! to keep me interested long-term. I read a lot of books and only some of them have enough star power to live in my mind rent free. By this time tomorrow I'll have forgotten most of the characters' names (admittedly I've already forgotten a few), and by next week I'll probably have forgotten most, if not all of the plot. It just doesn't have that something special that'll keep it bouncing around in my head. Although it's been a few hours now since I finished the book and I still have the "needle in a gay stack" line in the front of my mind.

All that said, Eat Your Heart Out Vol. 1 is clearly a labour of love and many years. It gave me the equivalent feeling of receiving a homemade birthday card. I could feel the love as I turned each page. I think it'll resonate with those in the queer community who feel like the only way to live authentically is to seek a home outside of the walls you grew up in, and I think it'll bring them a sense of hope and peace.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

This is a fun graphic novel celebrating individuality and representation. The characters are amusing and quirky, artwork colorful and easy-to-follow, and we have an energetic and optimistic heroine. The authors/publisher are quick to note that this is about fairy tales - so yes, everything always falls neatly into place for our heroine to set her up for success. This is the first book in the series.

Story: Blanca has had enough of her overbearing mother creating an entire life plan for her before she's even turned 18. So the day she graduates, she sneaks away from her Boise and heads for New York City to make her fashion design dreams come true. But things aren't as she had expected and it is only through the help from a kind soul that she lands a place to stay with a group of lively LGBQT characters. As she hunts for a job, she becomes involved in their lives and helps them sort life out. Even better, she runs into a guy who is just her type! Living in NYC is working out for Blanca but things aren't always as they seem as her mother sets in motion plans to find and return her daughter to 'sanity.'

The plot is indeed completely devoid of logic and plausibility. But as with the world of drag that takes an important part of the story, it doesn't have to be 'real' to be fun and enjoyable. The story never drags and the pacing is good as Blanca becomes close to the other members of her shared brownstone.

The artwork is colorful and exuberant - very easy to follow and a pleasure to read. It suits the story well and has its only fairy tale like aspect. Indeed, the author notes that readers should be able to spot several fairytales within the storylines.

In all, quirky and fun. Don't take it too seriously and instead just enjoy the ride. It's an excellent book for when you want to put a smile on your face. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. It's a quick read and has elements of many different fairytales. Blanca runs away from her home to somewhere completely different because she doesn't want the life her mother has planned out for her, she's chasing her dreams - which gave Ariel from The Little Mermaid vibes to me because she leaves behind everything/everyone she knows to go on an adventure and follow her heart. Moving in with 7 roomies has Snow White written all over it and Thai Dishes's drag show with two other queens reminds me of Cinderella when her dress is unexpectedly ruined and Blanca works her magic to fix it. There are so many small pieces of the story that feel like a nod to fairytales but with an entirely fresh take and original story. The artwork is beautiful. It's so colorful and detailed. The story flows well from scene to scene. The characters all have their own style and personality and the LGBTQIA+ representation is fantastic especially because it shows completely different people, with different styles, jobs, mannerisms, and levels of comfort in their own skin. Not all of the characters are completely sure how they identify and this is all so normal and relatable but not always portrayed in media. I also like that the characters are at different stages of their lives and careers. Everyone has a different path and takes different routes to get to where they want to be and I think in a setting like NYC especially, the diversity in their interests and what they want to do should be expected in a city of millions.

The found family trope is a favorite and you'll definitely find that here! Blanca is accepted basically immediately and despite everyone's differences, they all come together and support each other. It's a very fun story with some drama and suspense at the end that will have you wanting to read the next volume as soon as possible. I'll definitely be continuing with this series and recommend it to anyone looking a sweet new graphic novel to get into.

Thank you Oni Press for the digital ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Haleigh Gravgaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Eat Your Heart Out, Vol. 1" by Terry Blas and Matt Newton is a delightful graphic novel that successfully blends elements of "The Great British Bake Off" and "Project Runway" into a modern, coming-of-age fairytale. This vibrant story follows Blanca, a young woman escaping her overbearing mother, Riena, to chase her dream of becoming a fashion designer in New York City.

Blas and Newton craft a relatable protagonist in Blanca, whose struggle between familial expectations and personal aspirations is poignantly depicted. Her journey is filled with realistic challenges, making her growth and determination all the more inspiring. Blanca’s character is a testament to the importance of following one's passion despite obstacles.

The narrative takes an uplifting turn when Blanca is taken in by Emile, a kindly baker, and their eclectic group of friends. The brownstone setting, with its quirky inhabitants, provides a warm and supportive backdrop for Blanca’s journey. Each character is distinct and contributes to the rich tapestry of this found family, making the story not just about Blanca’s pursuit of fashion but also about the importance of community and support systems.

The artwork is a visual treat, perfectly capturing the whimsical and emotional tone of the story. The illustrations bring New York City to life, highlighting both its grandeur and its grittiness. The fashion elements are particularly well-done, showcasing the creativity and hard work that goes into design.

While the plot occasionally dips into predictable territory, the engaging characters and heartfelt message keep the reader invested. "Eat Your Heart Out, Vol. 1" is an enjoyable read that emphasizes the value of perseverance, the courage to follow one’s dreams, and the joy of finding a place to belong.

Overall, this graphic novel earns a solid four stars for its charming storytelling, vibrant illustrations, and positive message. It's a great pick for anyone looking for a feel-good, inspirational read.

[Nian Minten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eat your heart out volume 1 by Terry Blas and Matty Newton - review

2.5⭐️

First of all thank you very much to Netgalley and Oni Press for the e-arc of the graphic novel Eat your heart out volume 1 by Terry Blass and Matty Newton in return for a honest review.

This was such an enjoyable read. Especially since I read Heartstopper I’ve been on the look out for more graphic novels that are a bit like it and this one definitely is a fun one to read.

Eat your heart out volume 1 is about Blanca, a run away teen. She is very passioned about fashion, and wants to pursue a career in fashion, however her mom is quite overbearing and strict and wants her to go to business school.
When Blanca finds the possibility she decides to leave, because if she doesn’t go now than she might as well never go. But following your passion is not as easy as thought. Especially going to New York on your own with nothing. But in New York she meets Emile, a very kind baker, who takes her under his wing.
With Emile come his electic roommates, all living in Brownstone. Together they try to make their dreams come true.

This was such a cute coming of age story and the visuals where just gorgeous and soo cute. I loved the character drawings soo much.

However, I felt their were soo many roommates that it was sometimes a bit confusing who is who and I also felt like sometimes pieces of the story were missing, it just went soo fast paced. It almost felt rushed, soo many things happend in soo little pages and some of the transitions between pages felt a bit weird, like a part was missing.

It could have been really good, if it went a bit more in-depth and had some better transitions. Overall it was enjoyable, just not wow 🥰.

Eat your heart out volume 1 will be released August 13th.

[Aliya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute story about transitioning into adulthood and deciding to take your life out of your parents hands and into your own. It deals with generational trauma and our main characters initiative to achieve her dreams despite having a controlling super boss corporate baddie mom. This comic is short so we don't see too much of that dynamic in detail except for the beginning but those few pages does a great job conveying the point and thus our protagonist's motivations.

Once in New York she befriends and a kind man who lives in a house full of drag queens and other gay men who are very warm and accepting of her. I really don't feel like we get enough time with these guys honestly but my favorite was definitely Thai Dishes. She was great! XD It would've been nice to have a bit more time to see her developing actual friendships with these guys, but this first volume is pretty short so I'll give it some leeway and hope that gets tackled more in further volumes so it feels more genuine. However, it was cute and I liked their fun interactions and seeing where it goes.

The concept is definitely good for telling this story of self discovery, freedom, and development, but it's very rose colored. Realistically meeting into a soul kind enough to let you move into their brownstone upon first meeting isn't realistic at all in today's society but I enjoyed reading that because it makes me hope for a future where that's more realistic. Or the idea of at least meeting people kind and accepting enough for something like that.

Overall, this was a cute and fast read with a concept that is pretty relatable to most people, especially in terms of finding your own way and beginning your adult life the way you want rather than what your parents want. Those crushing expectations are a lot and as someone who just graduated college I'm definitely feeling that pressure so that aspect hit for me.

[A. Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Negalley and publishers for sending me an arc of Eat Your Heart Out vol. 1 in exchange for an honest review

09/05/2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

THIS WAS SO CUTE!!

Not only did I thoroughly enjoy the art style and vibrant colours, the content and plot was easy to read and enjoyable too.

Eat Your Heart Out follows our protagonist, Blanca, after she ran away from her mother and her mother’s expectations of what her life should look like. She arrives in New York, and stays in a house with various other people, who have made it into my top ten found families I’ve read about in a while. Something about the group of young, queer people living their lives in New York City learning to live their best lives is so wholesome and so fun to read about.

We get to see Blanca's different dynamics with each of her new friends. Each relationship is unique, and this is helped by each character having distinct, unique and different character voices. I felt like I could hear their various voices while I was reading.

Another thing I really appreciated about the story is the sensitive way that the difficult topics were dealt with. The creators didn't shy away from writing about these topics, but managed to include them in with a certain gentleness that kept the lighthearted atmosphere of the graphic novel.

All in all, this graphic novel was adorable, comforting and entertaining, and I am going to be eagerly awaiting volume 2 after that ending...

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this, and I definitely look forward to the next volume, but there are only a few major beats with what feels like "filler" in-between:

- Blanca graduates high school
- Blanca's overbearing mother demands Blanca study business in order to take over the family company
- Blanca runs awayleaves home as is her right upon turning 18 like an ADULT when her mother leaves for a trip
- Blanca heads to New York because her late father came from there
- Blanca immediately meets some (gay) men who take her in, because I guess that's a thing
- Blanca's mother discovers Blanca has run away and orders her assistant to find her
- Blanca looks for a job and has a crash course romance with a new guy
- (lots of "life" stuff)
- New guy turns out to be a private detective hired to find Blanca

It's not that I think the filler should be cut so much as the major points feel like such a Big Deal by comparison that the tension isn't really balanced out evenly. That's fine, I suppose, since life is like that. Certainly I don't know what I would necessarily change to balance out the levels of drama more evenly.

Definitely a good LGBTQ+ read! If you have toxic family, though, this could be either cathartic or triggering, so keep that in mind.

[Freya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Oni Press and NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Blanca is under a lot of pressure at home. Her mom is honestly kinda scary (she reminded me of Cruella De Vil) and is pushing Blanca to do her best and go to business school. But Blanca is a creative soul and loves sewing and sketching! So when she turns 18 she decides to run away to New York, the epicenter of fashion but when she arrives there, it isn’t what she thought it would be until she meets Emile!

Emile immediately treats her like they’ve known eachother forever, which (among other things that follow) didn’t feel very believable but I just went with it. We get to meet his many colorful roommates and they’re okay with her staying, to live with them! Blanca loves it there and saves the day when they take her to a drag show and she fixes one of the performers’ dresses. I felt like I really got to know the different roommates and their passions and struggles. And Blanca even finds romance!!! But can she trust him? And will her mom ever just let her be who she wants to be and stop trying to control her?

The art was incredibly atmospheric! And it was almost like I could feel the amazing vibe. What I didn’t like were the eyes of the characters and how strangely short they looked.

[roni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC!

When Blanca runs away to search for freedom and to chase her dreams, I saw a younger me hoping for the same — I can’t wait to learn more about her as the story continues, especially in the way she will go about achieving her dreams.

I was struggling a bit with the way that everything seemed to come easy to her after a few bumps in the road, but after reading what the creators had to say about what they hoped to achieve with this story and through this world, I really understood why things come so easy.

In life, people like Blanca (and myself — a Queer Latina) — deal with so many multilayered struggles, and that makes stories like this so appealing.

When she meets Emile by chance, she gets whisked away through the city by a kind soul and she’s adopted by a kind group of queer folk. In my own experience, I too have found solace in the lgbtqia+ community and this story is a beautiful take on a freeing, yet challenging, experience — which for Blanca is leaving behind everything she’s known, moving to a new place, and chasing her dreams.

This is long and may not be very cohesive as far as reviews go, but I would recommend this book to any and all of my friends so that they too can experience the comfort that this story gave me.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

I really liked the colours for the story specifically. It bought the characters really out and made everything so vibrant (which was nice given that it was all about the NEW and EXCITING Blanca experiences)

The story itself get's influenced by a looming and deeply complicated mother-daughter relationship that bought Blanca to New York, away from her mother and right forward to archiving her dreams of becoming a fashion designer!

We get introducted to so many different characters with their own passions, dreams, and romantic adventures. Ever one of them unique in their own way. I really liked them all and their bonding moment with Blanca. It made the friendships feel a bit more organic instead of throwing everyone just into one pit and calling it 'found family'.
I hope we get more focused moments with everyone in the next volumes ♡ cus i gotta say Volume 1 really packed in a LOT. So much (smaller) stuff happend, which i get is to introduce us to everyone, but it did take away from bringing the main plot forward BUT ngl the end of volume 1 really hooked me in (kinda feel stupid for not getting it faster 😂)

A big queer tale of chosen family, hopes and dreams, and a lot of romance ♥︎

~

Thx to OniPress and Netgalley for a free copy im exchange for an honest review.

[Rachael BP · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, poop on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it."

I have so much I want to say and will try not to ramble.

The art is so stunning, its honestly beautiful throughout the book. I found myself going back once I read it to really appreciate it again.

I loved all the characters , the story and the real good feeling towards it. Blanca is just so cute and I couldn't help routing for her. Also my lesbian heart was saying just be queer or bi lol. Give me F/F :) (no spoilers) But there is a certain someone in Blanca life I am like something is going on and my brains all like I DONT TRUST YOU vibes. So waiting for part 2 might destroy my soul a little. So thank you Terry and Matty for keeping me on the edge.

I loved how once I finished Vol 1 its showed the Brownstone development floorplans, rooms , characters and cover.

Thank you Netgalley and the authors for an arc copy

[Doe Is Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

So the reason I applied for this ARC is because, as I always say, I adore queer storytelling. Friends this graphic novel did not disappoint. I read through this so quickly (literally in one sitting) and just ate this story up. There was not a single character (other than Riena) in this book that I did not like. This was such a feel good read from the get go and I found myself smiling the whole way through the story. My favourite thing about this book, is that yes, Blanca, the main character is obviously the main part of the story, but the authors of this graphic novel gave so much consideration and information around the other central characters in the story, diving not only into their wants and needs now, but their past lives also. I will say, you may need google translate for a couple of the pages of the novel, as Blanca speaks in Spanish with her friends/family throughout some of the novel, but please don't let that put you off because these pages are so sweet and really deserve the amount of love that was put into them. The cast of characters was also so diverse and the authors truly put something for everyone in this graphic novel. The artwork is also absolutely stunning, I adore the artstyle so much and it made it so easy on my eyes to read through. My only downside to this book, is that I have to wait until 2025 to read volume 2. It cannot come soon enough. I will absolutely be picking up a physical copy of this graphic novel when it comes out and I implore that you do also.

(If you'd like to see more of my reviews please go to my blog:
https://doesden.blogspot.com/)

[Courtney☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel is basically the heart and soul that is community, especially highlighting queer community (although the main character herself is not queer but many characters within the story are) and community overall shared between marginalized groups. It is about chasing your heart and creative spirit. It's the embodiment of being 18 and feeling as if you're ready to take on the world and achieve anything you set your mind to. The story follows a bold young female protagonist, Blanca, a Mexican-American young woman who just graduated high school. Blanca dreams of a future in fashion, not the business life her mom has planned for her. So she decides to risk it and move to the big apple and pursue her dreams. There she meets some friends and moves into the brownstone they all share. The cast of characters within the house are diverse in both race, sexual orientation, background, and personalities so it makes for a fun group. The graphic novel was fairly short but really enjoyable and definitely seems like a fun series yo read. I look forward to reading volume 2!

*received an earc through Netgalley*

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Oni Press and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

When Blanca runs away to New York, away from her mother, she has no idea where to go. Luckily, she meets the kind stranger Emile who takes her into his bustling home. Her new roommates inspire her to start chasing her dreams!

This was such a comfort read for me! It was light, sweet and fun. The characters were very likeable and each one had a different story. They really took their time to introduce each character throughout the comic. It didn't feel overwhelming, even though this book has quite a lot of characters to introduce. When I came back to the story, after stepping away it for a little (due to a busy schedule), it did take me a moment to remember who was who. But I feel like, once there are more volumes out, I'll get to know everyone more and I won't have that issue anymore.
This story also felt like a love letter to drag, highlighting the beauty of this artform multiple times!

If you love light-hearted, queer comics, this is the one for you!

"Eat Your Heart Out Vol. 1" is out now! Go get it!

[Meredith Katz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is extremely cute and very queer! The art style is absolutely lovely, and it's got a really engaging cast of characters, all who have their own things going on. If it had any weakness, it's that nothing goes wrong at all for our heroine -- she decides to run away, and within a few hours of arriving in New York has made a new friend who gave her an apartment to live in totally free-of cost, and all the other roommates in the building instantly absorb her into her friends group; she begins to design clothing for drag queens, and meets a hot guy. I think probably volume 2 will show some more complications coming in -- her cruelly overbearing mother has hired a private detective to find her, and there are a few hints the hot guy may be a bit sus -- but for this volume itself, it feels almost unreal how perfectly everything works out for her. Nevertheless, it's a really beautifully written, gorgeously illustrated volume, and I think would be a great gift for a young adult in your life (especially one who is exploring a queer identity or passionate about fashion).