Orla!

by John Lees, Dearbhla Kelly (Colorist), Sally Cantirino (Illustrator)

ORLA! is a romcom/creature feature mash-up about a lonely woman struggling to navigate the Seattle singles scene while sometimes turning into a man-eating monster.

Love is a monster. Orla Bard is an antique restorer, romance novel enjoyer and keen birder. She also believes in true love, continuing to navigate Seattle’s singles scene despite repeated disappointment. But Orla has a secret. She is afflicted with The Ick, a man-eating monstrous entity dwelling inside her, who violently emerges whenever she gets too angry or afraid. Unable to rid herself of this curse, Orla uses The Ick to save other women by removing the scummiest men from the dating pool…permanently. Hearts (and bodies) will be broken in this offbeat romcom/creature-feature mashup!

Genres: Horror, Graphic Novels, Comics, Romance, Monster Romance, Fantasy, Contemporary

Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2026

Reviews

[maryam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars!!

absolutely adored the premise and art style !! the cover is gorgeous as hell too! I loved orla as a character and loved seeing her fall in love and trying to control the monster inside of her. this was such an interesting comic and time burner. it was so interesting from the beginning I didn't even feel bored since the moment I opened the page. I highly recommend for new comic book fans and fans who're experienced in comic books as this was an overall pleasing and entertaining read!
thank you so much to net galley, the author and publisher for this joy of a book.

[Barbara Behring · Rating 3 out of 5]

Orla! is definitely a different kind of romantic story. Orla feels all alone in the world and is afraid she always will be as she is overweight and socially awkward. But there's something different about Orla. I enjoyed this graphic novel.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was SO cute!! The art was absolutely gorgeous. A pretty fast read that blends silly horror and a cute romance together.

Thank you to Mad Cave Studios and netgalley for the arc!

[Bettina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ This was such a cool and fun story! I felt like I was reading a funny twist on Jennifer’s Body, and Orla and Gwyn will be one of my favorite couples of all time - they were the best! The art style was also very good, and I think the story overall was very entertaining. If you like monsters, revenge, and cute love stories, this is a must read for you!

A big thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc!

[Maddi Harwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25⭐️ This was cool…fun premise with a couple of laugh-out-loud moments. It’s weird girl lit in graphic novel form.
Orla is a man-eater…literally. A man-eater who’s just looking for love and for someone who can love the monster inside her.

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A man eating “monster” who just wants to be seen? This was a must read for me and it absolutely ate from art to dialogue. I am willing to call our dearest Orla a superhero of sorts. She knows what is right and really goes for it while battling internal struggles. True feminist horror that jumps right into the action.
The volume is beautiful and action packed with some steamy romance. Absolutely loved each segment as it progresses. A monster filled story to delight the horror rom coms. A must read for the comic casual to the comic enthusiasts. All opinions are my own.
For tarot readings, recommendations, and reviews, visit my blog, https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com

[agus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in like 30 minutes, what a fun book! Also, the art was impeccable.
This is the story about Orla, who has 'the ick', a monstrous entity that comes out when she is feeling something deeply, like anger, stress or fear. She keeps it at bay feeding it the worst men she dates.
Orla and Gwyn's relantionship dynamic was so cute, I really liked Gwyn and his golden retriever energy. I enjoyed the journey of seeing Orla accepting herself and her monstrous part. Also, we get to see Gwyn's struggles with depression, which I found interesting and necessary to care about his character. The rest of the characters kind of annoyed me, Orla needs better friends...
I'm not sure I liked the message of the ending though, it feels counterintuitive to the plot. I would have liked a more fleshed-out story and getting to know where 'the ick' comes from.
Thank you Mad Cave Studios and Netgalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this book.

[Nadine Sturgill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved the story! But THAT ARTWORK!!!!!!! WAS AMAZING! Will definitely look into getting physical copies of this series in its entirety.
Orla is a badass, even when she isn't the monster.

A HHUUUUGE THANK YOU to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for allowing me to read this early. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Javier Campos · Rating 4 out of 5]

una protagonista relacionable y un monstruo caníbal?!sip

[Kristen ⭐️ (beansbooktrove) · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun, slashy, silly. a true maneater

[Tori DeFazio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Orla! is a comic book style graphic novel that blends romance, horror, gore, and comedy. It’s a story that’s grounded in heart with the overarching theme of being true to yourself/belonging. 3 ⭐️ for a quick, fun read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Orla!

[Hal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ebook copy of this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

So, I didn't really look into this before I began reading it as I was drawn in by the cover and this was kind of hilarious but also heartwarming and sad. We follow Orla who eats bad men to keep her monster at bay but we follow her as she struggles with this and living a normal life.

I liked this! It was a quick read, it had funny moments, sad moments and many relatable moments. I liked the journey of Orla finding that self love as well as other types of love and acceptance. I did enjoy the art style, it definitely suited this type of story. This one is definitely for adults as it contains gore and nudity! If you like fantasy, romance, someone finding themselves and all that that entails, give this one a shot!

3/5⭐️

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Selling Pitch:
A good for her monster romance graphic novel. Campy and GORGEOUS.

Pre-reading:
Love a pinkie horror cover.

(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
Okay, so the art’s STUNNIN’

Oh god, it’s too real, and she look like me.

And good for her. Girl dinner.

GOOD FOR HER. LOUDER.

I love campy satire.

I would love if my romcoms could stop literally talking shit.

I wish they drew him a little more attractive. He’s kind of giving gnome too much. It’s 99% the hat’s fault.

He’s kind of so wonderful.

My jaw dropped.

He is way too chill with this. He’s gotta be like a monster too or something and that’s why he’s on his antidepressants, right?

Oh man, and then he was showing off his legs…

I loved that. That was perfect.

Post-reading:
That was so good! I think this book is gonna be incredibly relatable to the girlies burnt out on the dating apps and fighting against the manosphere on the daily. Because the fantasy is just hulk out and kill the bastards, but we can’t be doing that, now can we? But the book does a very good job of acknowledging the fact that they’re just broken humans too.

The romance in this is stupid cute. Never thought I would be live laugh love endorsing a romance where their meet cute involves literal shit, but my 2026 reading year has me eating crow every other month. He’s wonderful, and I like that the book gave him a difficult backstory too without it feeling like we were playing trauma bingo.

The art’s gorgeous. Gorgeous! I love the color palettes. I love how girlypop the whole thing was. The character design is varied and expressive. It’s easy to read. The dialogue flows.

Good god, there’s literally nothing I would change about it. It’s perfectly campy, it’s genuinely funny, it’s well paced, and it’s earnest and heartfelt. Y’all know I’m not a good for her girly and this book had me rooting for her from the jump, and then it sticks the landing by realizing murder isn’t the answer. It’s just a smidge sexy, and it’s nice to read a plus size heroine whose main hangup isn’t her weight.

If you like campy femme horror, I think it’s a must read.

Who should read this:
Good for her fans
Girlies burnt out from the apps
Body positivity fans
Romance readers

Ideal reading time:
Halloween

Do I want to reread this:
Yes

Would I buy this:
Instantly!

Similar books:
* The Boyfriend by Seth Sherwood-graphic novel, paranormal horror, family drama
* Flow by Paula Sevenbergen-graphic novel, paranormal horror, revenge thriller, family drama
* I Was a Fashion School Serial Killer by Doug Wagner-graphic novel, horror, revenge thriller
* Big Hard Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction-graphic novel, campy, thriller, dystopian, social commentary, romance
* That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming-campy, fantasy, monster romance
* Dating and Dismemberment by A. L. Brody-campy, fantasy, monster romance

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a unique concept here - a woman ridding the world of bad dates by transforming into a literal monster. Yes, the depictions of personalities in the text are ham fisted and exaggerated, but that’s the point. It is heavy on the man-hating in the beginning, but I don’t think it’s trying to hide that. Anybody who’s tried online dating/modern dating long enough to become disillusioned with it can find something to relate to here. We’re all tired of it and this was a fun read because it makes people having that experience feel seen. Who wouldn’t want to finish out a bad date with the ability to do something about it?

In fact, that trauma is the whole point of the story. Get a little further in and you see a really smart depiction of someone who’s been so traumatized by dating that once she meets someone worth being with, she has to fight hard to not mess that up (i.e. eat him 😂). And then you see that even the “enemy” is not so dissimilar - a product of their own trauma.

The scenes depicting the romance novel were funny too because you go from one extreme to the other. These books are quite ridiculous as well, and I like that that also gets called out here.

That said, I did feel like it could have gotten the message across without being as offensive as it was in the opening issue, so nicked a bit of a star for that. Yes, some people are douchebags, but the full-on vitriol approach without a counterbalance can have an opposite effect than intended, drawing a critical eye back on the source material instead. I think it might have been a better move to work it in slowly because I think people are reading that first issue and getting turned off and not continuing. The rest of the novel is more nuanced than it shows upfront.

But back to the good, allow me to gush about the art for a moment. It’s expressive and stylized, but at the same time, it can also deliver gross realness, and light horror. It’s packed with personality and Sally Cantirino is a talent.

I read a decent amount of comics, both from the main publishers and independent, and this was on my radar, always drawn in by the unique vibe and the colorful covers. I’m glad I got the opportunity to read this. A unique plot delivered without taking itself seriously, and wearing some great art. 4.5/5 stars, check it out. And give it at least through the second issue if you’re not liking the first - it might change your mind.

*An uncorrected proof of this book was provided by the publisher at the reviewer’s request in exchange for a fair and uncompromising review.

[Kelsey Vargo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

Orla is that girl!! I'm obsessed with her!!

In this hilarious, bloody good time, we follow Orla a young woman with a secret: she can turn into a ravenous monster who eats people. When anxiety gives you teeth, might as well chomp down on the most vile men in your area. Do it for your neighbors and all the singles out there; save them the struggle of weeding out creeps, by picking their bones out of your teeth.

If you can't tell, I had an absolute blast reading this! A good for her story that follows someone so awkward she's cute on a quest to make the world a bit safer... One dead body at a time. If you've ever wished you could treat the worst men in society the way they treated you, then this just might be for you.

Don't take this too seriously and you'll have a fun time. Love it when pink horror goes for the throat and commits to the bit. Life is scary enough, why not mock it? Take this as a bit of catharsis and perhaps even that extra nudge to be brave, be bold and stand up for yourself!

The ending felt rushed, pacing and reveals were steady throughout the issues, then speedily dropped all at once in the finale. This shift was a bit jarring for me and lessened my enjoyment. From what I can find, this is a completed work not just a volume. I'm a bit disappointed by this; I think issue 5 should have been expanded upon over 2 issues to really nail it.

Additionally, when Orla decided to perhaps change her extra curricular activities I found it rather upsetting. Thankfully that misstep was corrected by another party in a delightful reveal... I won't say more to avoid spoiling something, but I absolutely cackled when it happened.

That being said, if there's a chance to explore more of this world I'd gladly take it!

All in all, I had a great time reading this story! And kudos to Orla for searching for that happily ever after, taking one off the team whenever they turned out to be a creep. She deserves to be happy and supported by the people who love her! Self-doubt and hatred can make monsters out of anyone, it's the people who stay anyway that make all the difference.

[KC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: Orla! by Lees Cantirino and Kelly Gattoni

Orla! takes the already exhausting experience of modern dating and asks a reasonable question: what if your gut reaction to terrible men was not just emotional, but literal, violent, and occasionally covered in blood. Orla Bard is an antique restorer in Seattle who is trying, in theory, to find love. In practice, she is hosting a man-eating entity called “The Ick” that emerges whenever a date becomes particularly unbearable. Rather than addressing this in therapy like a normal person, she leans in and starts treating bad dates as a renewable food source.

The setup is about as subtle as you would expect. Dating apps are awful, men are worse, and Orla’s solution is to simply remove them from the ecosystem. It is part rom-com, part creature feature, and very committed to both. There is a rhythm that settles in quickly, awkward date, red flag, escalation, then sudden gore, and it works because the book is fully aware of how ridiculous it is and never tries to pretend otherwise.

Things get slightly more complicated when Orla meets someone who is not immediately terrible, which is, unfortunately for her, the worst possible outcome. It forces the story out of pure revenge fantasy and into something closer to self-sabotage with consequences. The Ick does not really care about nuance, and neither, at times, does Orla. That tension is where the book finds a bit more depth, even if it never fully lets her off the hook.

The art does a lot of the heavy lifting. The characters are expressive enough to sell both the awkwardness of dating and the horror of sudden transformation, and the transitions between the two feel smooth rather than jarring. It keeps the tone balanced even when the content gets excessive. Overall, it is funny, a little mean, occasionally gross, and very aware that “The Ick” is less a monster and more a coping mechanism that has gotten completely out of hand. Whether that feels relatable or mildly alarming is left for you to decide.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Michael Hicks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Orla Bard has a bit of a problem… Perpetually single, she relies on dating apps to try and find the right man, but usually only manages to hook up with the worst of them. There’s the douchey techbro, an antivaxxer, a right-wing nutjob (is there any other kind?), and the self-centered CEO who can only think about himself and his own pleasure (again, is there any other kind?). They make for shitty dates.

But they sure do taste good.

You see, Orla Bard isn’t your average, run of the mill single woman looking for love in all the wrong places. Orla Bard is a monster. Or, at least, half-monster. She’s more like a shape-shifter, I guess, but at least she’s using her violent impulses for good. Until she agrees to go on a date with her friend, the nebbish bookstore owner, Gwyn, who helps keep her stocked up in bawdy romance novels. Gwyn has had a crush on her for ages and their first date goes swimmingly as he proves to be the opposite of all the duds Orla’s been bringing home. She finds herself falling for him, but every time things heat up, the monster wants out.

Although John Lees’s scripts play with some serious issues, Orla! never takes itself too seriously across the five issues collected here. It’s a topical read, dealing with toxic masculinity, broken relationship, loneliness, political nuttery, an attempted date rape, and a whole lot of murder, Orla! is still very much a silly romcom at its core, albeit one with a horror bent. Artist Sally Cantirino makes it all bloody and gory, but never repulsively so. There’s a cartoonish cheekiness about it all that helps to separate the horror, and Orla in her monster form looks more like a Pixar creation than a nightmarish Stan Winston creature. Yes, she has horns and claws and a whole lot of sharp teeth, but she’s also big and fluffy and purple.

The end result is a whimsical bit of fun that’s actually pretty damn cute for a story featuring a man-eating monstrosity.

[Caitlin Teaches · Rating 3 out of 5]

Orla! starts with an absolute romp of a premise. Every time she becomes overwhelmed with being treated horribly by men, Orla becomes a literal man eating monster. We are given a Jennifer's Body type catharsis until a man she might not have to eat shows actual romantic interest in her. Meanwhile, an ominous cabal of women are stalking and observing Orla, claiming she might be the most dangerous woman on earth.

Highlights: Orla is allowed to be cute, plus sized, frequently nude, and rarely objectified. The Ick is an interesting monster that looks like it belongs Where The Wild Things are rather than a slightly modified human. Her friendship with another woman offers some solid and interesting plotting. The art is fun and cute. Her beau is well written and charming.

Struggles: One of the scenes had me thinking a character was a serial killer when they were not because of some ambiguous imagery. The comic had all the makings of a solid 'good for her' type horror, (think Ready or Not, Midsommar, the VVitch,) but goes for a middle of the road trauma analogy instead. There are hints that the Ick also feeds on her bad self image that either never got fully resolved or got solved by finally having sex Also the other Icks having a secret women's cabal that goes around eating men kind of validates a lot of the horrible male behavior if we're going to be expected to celebrate Orla shutting down the violent parts of herself..

Over all, would recommend as a quick fun read if you enjoy the genre. But if you're just here to se horrible men get eaten, stick to the first issue.

Thanks to Netgalley and Mad Cave Studios for the ARC of this comic.

[Taylor M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute to gruesome to cute again read. Definitely a romcom but with a monster/slasher vibe that has gorgeous accompanying art. I did really enjoy this, with a few concessions, and I would definitely recommend this to others. I think the story is pretty engaging and accessible for many millennial women. Orla is a pretty relatable character- like what woman hasn't thought about just letting all her rage out on the world every once and a while? It has a diverse, inclusive cast that gives it a "comfy" vibe (barring the slight gore). Also, the ick is adorable. I love the style of monster she becomes. Scary but in a *just a baby* kind of way.

I am coming at this review as someone with less knowledge on how graphic novels are created/styled/worked on, so grain of salt perhaps to some of my reservation. I think a lot of the background/subplots were lacking in depth and clarity. That is definitely in part to the shortness of this read, however, it still left me with a lot of unanswered questions or slight confusion. For example: Gwyn and his picking thing or her best friend's attraction to "the douche" when she gives completely different vibes or the other ick's floating around (what's their deal?). It's just a lot of little things I had questions on that I will forever have to wonder about. So ultimately, if you don't think to hard about all the cogs in the background, this is a short and sweet HEA. For myself, however, it did detract from my overall enjoyment. This was so cute with a beautiful art style, why not give the story more room to breathe?

Thank you to Netgalley and Mad Cave Studios for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Allen Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Orla!" opens with a fun montage of terrible dates with douchy dudes, introducing Orla's system, while also showcasing various terrible date possibilities, from a hateful xenophobe/transphobe to a conspiracy-theorist slob to a narcissistic corporate-bootlicker. At this point in her life, Orla has settled into a manageable routine of going on dates and when/if the guy pushes for things to get physical, she turns into a monster and eats them. But she's hardly a serial killer stalking poor, innocent men. As Orla puts it, "I never invite them in, never make the first move. I give them every chance to get away." As satisfying as it is to watch Orla turn the tables on her terrible dates, Orla herself remains unsatisfied, burdened with self-esteem issues, and yearning for a real romance. As the narrative progresses and she enters into an actual, promising relationship, Orla struggles with how to satisfy the monster within her without her usual steady diet of dates.

The writer, John Lees does an excellent job of evolving the premise with each issue, turning what could've just been a fun story about a monster eating jerks into a heartfelt story about growth, self-acceptance, and the messiness of relationships that manages to strike emotional chords without ever feeling cheesy or disingenuous. Similarly, Sally Cantirino's art suits the comic perfectly, with a bright and bubbly style that, much like Orla, feels like it's desperately trying to contain itself and is only able to fully let loose when Orla's inner monster is released. Truth be told, I don't believe I have any criticisms for "Orla!". I think if the premise appeals to you, then the book fully delivers.

[Elle (Lost in Wonderland) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orla!, while on the surface is a dark comedy about a ‘man eating’ monster, surprisingly touches on many deeper themes. Friendships are explored, men's unrealistic expectations of women and self acceptance.

The villain of the story so to speak, Rick Holester, a man spewing ‘idealistic’ ideas of women and selling them as gospel to his fellow men is so on the nose with today’s society it almost isn’t funny. Men like this give Orla ‘The Ick’, a monster that comes out and satiates her appetite on the pathetic excuses for men she dates. But when Orla meets a man that isn’t like the rest and starts to fall for him, she has trouble keeping her dark monster concealed.

Sometimes graphic novels suffer from feeling incomplete or rushed, but Orla told a complete and compelling story and still managed to make me love (or hate) the characters in such a short period of time. The relationship between Orla and Gwyn is utterly adorable from the get-go. The fact that Gwyn noticed Orla was nervous on their first date and in order to set her at ease, told her about the time he shit his pants in a museum, citing that now anything she said couldn’t be worse than that. That moment right there, made me love him.

Overall a fantastic graphic novel with stunning art and colour palette. A great choice for anyone who loves a bit of gory horror mixed with a love story.

** I received a complimentary copy of this book from Mad Cave Studios via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to John Lees, Mad Cave Studios, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review! 💝

I enjoyed this book so much. I loved the art style, the story, and the characters, especially Orla. She’s so cute, sweet, charming, and soft as a person. She just wants someone to see her as beautiful and worthy of love, and that made her such an easy character to root for. There also seems to be deeper emotional and mental health struggles within her character, which added another layer to her and made me sympathize with her even more.

Harriet was just okay to me mainly because I didn’t like how she chose to believe her boyfriend over her best friend. The fact that she immediately assumed the worst about Orla instead of trusting someone she had known for years did not sit right with me at all.

As for Josh, Harriet’s boyfriend, I did not like him much at all. He’s called “the douche” for a reason, and honestly that title fits him perfectly.

Gwyn, however, I really liked. I feel like he brings out a softer and calmer side of Orla, and he creates a space where she feels comfortable enough to truly be herself.

And that plot twist near the end?? It shocked me. I did not expect it at all, nor did I even think something like that could happen, so when it did I was completely caught off guard in the best way.

Overall, I really liked the plot, especially the mystery surrounding The Ick and the killings happening throughout the story. It kept me intrigued the whole time.

[AJ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the authors & the publishers for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest review! ~

I read this in one sitting and smiled the whole time. A dark comedy meets creature feature meets thriller meets....cozy romance?! story that keeps you immersed in Seattle through Orla's eyes. "Cozy" could be a stretch for some. The gore is ample and the guts are flying - but I mean it. Orla embodied my feminine rage and gave it a soft place to lay it's head for about 100 pages. A unique & sentimental story of hunger, feminism & love (almost all the Greek musings on love are present here, they'd be pleased.)

The artwork is amazing - smooth transitions, great colors. I love the character designs. It's always heart warming to see representation of "othered" groups in books. Being fat and being the main love interest tend not to go hand in hand, especially not while also being the unequivocal heroine of the whole thing. But here we have it - we get a little positive representation! It's hard to dislike it. Plenty of women would love to be Orla, despite her body type not meeting main stream approval. She never lacked for dates or male attention. A not-so-subtle irony that I appreciated right to the end.

5/5- my friends (and maybe even my enemies) would love this. There's nothing to dislike - fast paced, witty, an ode to rom-coms of the 90's with a distinct contemporary finish, a work any feminist horror buff should have in her collection or in her brain.

[Shiritaku · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein etwas ausgefallener Comic - sowohl von der Story als auch dem Artwork. Der Zeichenstil ist sehr markant, sehr sketchy, aber auch mit vielen Details. Die unterschiedlichen Charaktere sind sehr individuell gestaltet und so kann man sie auch gut auseinanderhalten. Die Hintergründe und Farben sind gut gewählt und strahlen eine gewisse Energie aus. Die etwas blutigen Szenen wurden auch wunderbar umgesetzt. Der Plot handelt von einer jungen Frau, die von der großen Liebe träumt, aber ständig nur Pech hat.. Sie birgt ein Geheimnis: in ihr steckt ein lilafarbenes, männerfressendes Monster! Sie weiß nicht, was sie ist oder was mit ihr geschieht, aber sie versucht das Beste daraus zu machen und pickt sich explizit böse Männer heraus, die Frauen wie Abfall behandeln und Ähnliches. Wenn sie weg sind, dann wird die Welt ein besserer Ort. Während ihrer Aktivitäten wird sie von einer Frau überwacht.. was hat sie vor? Plötzlich lädt der Inhaber ihres Stammbuchladens sie auf ein Date ein. Geht es nun langsam bergauf für sie?
All das und mehr bekommt ihr in dem Comic zu sehen. Ich fand ihn durchgehend interessant und konnte Orla sehr gut verstehen - denn wer hat nicht manchmal das Gefühl ein kleines Monster in sich zu haben? (Den inneren Schweinehund zähl ich übrigens mit dazu 😉).
Wenn es euch anspricht, dann werft gern mal einen Blick hinein - vielleicht findet ihr ja ebenso Gefallen an dem Comic wie ich! 😊

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so fun! Orla is a man-eater, literally. She quite literally transforms into a monster and kills men and that kind of story is right up my alley. I am here for it. I also loved that Orla is fat and depicted as fat in graphic novel form which is so rare and I loved it so much.

Anyway basically Orla is going on these dates and she keeps meeting terrible men and so when they cross a line she eats them and she wants to stop but she really doesn't know how to or what's going on.

Enter Gwyn. Gwyn is a genuine nice guy. He owns the bookstore by Orla's business and they are friends. When when finally gathers the courage to ask Orla out, she decides to go but ends up having a little freak out when they get to intimacy. Gwyn is a good person and doesn't mind. They start dating and Orla becomes even more desperate to cure her monster self.

As things progress things happen and the truth comes out and we learn more about Orla's history and how she and Gwyn can get happily ever after.

I really loved Orla but I also think Gwyn was the star of the show here as well. He is so confident in himself and his masculinity and just genuinely wants to make Orla happy. His Halloween costume was so funny and I loved it immensely.

Anyway I really liked this and maybe it's closer to five stars than I thought as I'm talking about it.

[Katie Hall · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually like a type of good for her kind of story but Orla! ended up not being for me. I liked the art style of the graphic novel, I thought the characters, scenery, and monsters looked nice. There was quite a few panels that were cutely styled and I hadn’t minded the look of the more gory ones. It definitely comes off as cartoony which isn’t a bad thing but I think that took away from the seriousness of some of these situations. I had enjoyed the romance between Orla and Gwyn, they had a cute, funny, and kind of awkward thing going on but it was a sweet romance that I was definitely routing for. I like the message of learning to accept yourself and being yourself. I thought the graphic novel did a good job of developing Orla’s character in a positive direction.

I feel like I was a bit all over the place on how to feel about this book, it had some good moments and some interesting plot points that I was interested in to see where they’d go but then I feel like something else would happen a moment later and it would lose me completely. it had a nice promising start but I feel like quite a few choices just rubbed me the wrong way and it lost me. Thank you to the publisher for my complimentary review copy.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, John Lees, Kelly Catirino, et. al and Mad Cave Studios for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and were written entirely by me.

Online dating is notoriously awful. But Orla Bard, a 3o-something Seattlite, has particularly bad luck. The men she meets up with turn out to be self-centred, shallow, bigoted...but the worst ones are coercive. Those who can't take "no" for an answer get to meet another side of Orla. One that literally eats men.

While I am not usually into romantic fiction, this story turned out to be a lot more than that! It speaks to shame, loneliness, moral complexity, and compassion (both for oneself and others). And although it has a message, there are some really fun, gory kill scenes. The art is beautiful and perfectly aligns with the characters, dialogue, and action of the story. I can't picture Orla (her human OR monster form) being drawn any differently than the way she was.

I think that readers who are into the "good for her" revenge theme that also like to see zany love stories unfold will enjoy Orla! Fans of the movie Lisa Frankenstein, which also has an oddball blend of rom-com, horror, and vengeful murder, might also like it.

[Laura R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

Orla is doing her best to live her life like any normal woman – she restores antiques, she loves reading romance novels, she bird watches and takes photos of the rare birds she sees… oh, and she turns into a monster and eats terrible men. Orla doesn’t like the monster within, but she does her best to only feed on the worst of the worst. And then she goes on a date with someone she genuinely likes. Can she keep the monster away from the nice guy? Or is she doomed to consume anyone who gets too close?

I loved the artwork in this. I thought that the whole concept of her turning into a giant monster to feed on men was fun and amusing, especially when she starts dating and is fighting her inner monster. I loved the plot, I loved the romance, and I loved the characters. The friend and her fiance were annoying at times, though I loved that the friend was awesome at the end. But other than that (and the fact that this book makes it sound like all men are terrible), I enjoyed this fast and fun monster romcom.

[Pinecone Jam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Art: ★★★★★
Story/Events: ★★★★★
Characters: ★★★★☆
Conclusion: ★★★★★

Man or the bear? How bout the bear eats the man?

Orla! is a 5-issue romcom/horror graphic novel about a woman struggling trying to find her perfect match in an unforgivable city, while being a literal man-eater. Preying on the ick of men, she never figured she’d find the right one for her. Or so she thought.

This is my second time reading a graphic novel from Mad Cave Studios and this one still didn’t disappoint. I absolutely loved the art, the pacing of the story and dialogue, and how the characters were written here. They all felt grounded (too grounded that I find those NPCs really pissing me off) and their relationships felt real despite the hurdles they face.

The cover art drew me in and the art inside manages to keep my attention rapt. The dialogues were a smooth flow and I just had an overall good time with it. I look forward to more like it.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this graphic novel!

[Jeff · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel like most of the guys in this graphic novel. Not in their views or personalities. I just regret ever meeting Orla. “Orla!” sounded fun. Reading the blurb for it, I thought it was going to be funny and just slightly disturbing. I was wrong on both accounts. Don’t get me wrong, there were some mild chuckles. But really, there was no true redeeming quality about this graphic novel.

I love that Goodreads and NetGalley allow you to choose “DNF” on their reviews. But my momma didn’t raise no quitters. If I started coloring a page, I had to finish it. So, I finished “Orla!” And then I quickly went to find bleach to pour into my eyes and find one of those flashy things in “Men in Black” that make you forget things.

My regrets in life list is longer by two now:
1. I wasted my time on “Orla!”
2. There are not negative stars for reviews.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.

0 stars out of 5