3.5/5 stars

'What did I just read?' would be an understatement to the queerness imbibed in this book. But it is queer in the best way possible. Describing this book or putting it in a particular genre is especially hard. The book is wonderfully illustrated and the style of the illustrations is pretty pretty unique. Also can we take a moment for the amount of representation this book has, beautiful. There are sooo many unanswered questions. Eagerly waiting for the next volume.
Overall 'The Hazards of Love Vol 1' is a graphic novel with a unconventional storyline and beautiful artwork.
Highly Recommended.

This would actually be a 3.5 for me.
This is the first graphic novel I have read since Tintin (does that count?) which I read as a child, so it may take some getting used to on my part.

I really enjoyed it, I just found it a bit confusing and there were some aspects of Bright World that I didn't understand (although I'm sure more of this series of graphic novels will help with that). I found the concept interesting and compelling, but aspects rather odd. I loved the queer narrative that accompanied the story about Bright World, identity and the concept of 'good' and 'bad'. The art work and vibrant colours made the novel so beautiful.

4/5
Quality of writing: 4
Plot development: 4
Pace: 4
Characters: 4
Enjoyability: 4
Ease of reading: 4

Such a weird book! The art is really nice - the heavy outlines, the coloring...
The storyline is definitely weird but fun at the same time.

Thank you NetGalley, Oni Press, and Stan Stanley for the opportunity to review The Hazards of Love Vol. 1 as an ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Hazards of Love follows Amparo as he tries to become a better person to impress his crush. Never did he think that along the way a trickster talking cat would send him to a whole other world where humans become the servants and animals are the masters. The fantasy world was creepy and interesting and I loved how bright and vivid the art work was. I really enjoyed this graphic novel!

I was given an eARC of this novel in return for an honest review. Thank you to Oni Press, Stan Stanley and NetGalley.

This book follows our bad-attitude non binary main character, Amparo as they navigate wanting to be a better person for their crush. This lands them in a sticky situation when a magical cat who promises to help, steals their identity and banishes them to an alternate world where humans really shouldn’t be - Bright World.

I’ll say firstly that I had no idea what I was getting into with this graphic novel - the synopsis intrigued me with promise of queer characters, magical cats and a fantasy world and I wasn’t disappointed. The whole storyline was incredibly unique; filled with things I just wouldn’t have even imagined, characters you kind of love-hate and then an underlying tone of just-plain-creepy (in a more-ish kind of way). Add on top the very strange illustration style, which I’ll admit threw me off at first, and you’ve got a great read for anyone who’s into unusual fantasy types. (Think weird and trippy, like the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland)

I give this a sold 4/4.5 stars, I’ll definitely be looking out for the next one.

This was freaky and creepy and scary and strange and not my thing at all.

I didn't enjoy the art at all, I was confused all the time (and I still am), and my eyes just kept hurting. I'm very sory but I just couldn't like or rate this higher. It was a battle to finish it.

Amparo is always up to something and is known as a delinquent. When a talking cat comes in through their window and offers to grant one wish, Amparo is game. All they need to do is offer up a drop of blood and they’ll become a better person. What could possibly go wrong? Everything! The cat steals Amparo’s name and life, banishing them to some place called the Bright World. Nameless, shoeless, and confused, Amparo is left fighting to get their name and home back while trying not to get eaten along the way.

I received a copy from Oni Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say that this is one of the neatest graphic novel concepts I’ve seen in a while. I’m a fan of fantasy, and Bright World is an entirely new and fascinating world. I’m obsessed! We mainly follow Amparo as their life takes quite the turn when they become tapped in Bright World. The main rule of Bright World is that there are no rules. They’re always changing, so any humans who find themselves there can’t seem to find a way to escape. I’m fascinated by this world. I’m also interested in learning more about Amparo’s patron, El Ciervo, as the story continues.

We also loosely follow Amparo’s crush, Iolanthe, in the human world. Iolanthe is a straight edge, rule following, and serious person. When she gets looped into dating who she thinks is Amparo, she slowly becomes aware that something isn’t right when they seem to do a complete personality flip. Once the imposter everyone thinks is Amparo goes missing, we see her leading the search to find out what happened to them.

I wish that Iolanthe’s story was mapped out a little better between each issue. There were times that having the human world suddenly pop up side by side was out of place. In one instance, the human and bright world were depicted side by side across several panels, which was completely and utterly confusing. I had to read the human world panels and come back to read the bright world panels separately because it was just too confusing to read in the order it was laid out in.

The artwork was also absolutely beautiful. I loved looking at how rich and vibrant each panel was on top of the beautiful drawings. I’m super excited to eventually read the second volume and see where the story takes Amparo and company next.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

When Amparo makes a deal with a talking cat to have a better reputation in exchange for their name and a drop of blood, the cat tricks them. The cat becomes Amparo and sends Amparo's spirit to Bright World, where humans are food – both their body and their memories. Nothing in this new world makes sense, and Amparo must rely on their cleverness to stay alive and find a way out of Bright World.

This graphic novel hooked me. This is only volume 1, and I wish volume 2 was already available so I could continue reading the story! Bright World was such an intriguing concept; I haven't read anything like it before. The illustrations are beautiful and vibrant. I also really liked the blurb at the end where we got to see the cat's perspective for the deal that was made. I can't wait for more of this series to come out!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this graphic novel. I loved the LGBTQ+ representation in this story which featured a queer nonbinary main character, Amparo (they/them) and a Sapphic love interest, Iolanthe (she/her). The plot is such an interesting concept and I really enjoyed reading about Bright World and the creatures that inhabit it. It was a lot darker and more gory than I expected it to be and so I had to read a bit quicker past some of the illustrations but it didn’t get to the point of me wanting to stop reading. Finally, I thought the artwork style was wonderful and that Stan Stanley is a very talented author and artist. I’ll definitely be looking out for Volume 2!

This young adult graphic novel is a collection of issues that were originally available as a webcomic. Following Amparo, a nonbinary teen from Queens, this graphic novel tells the story of Amparo’s hasty deal with a mystical cat whom they hoped would help them become a better person to ease the worries of their family and potentially develop a relationship with a Iolanthe, a girl from their school. Instead, the cat tricks Amparo and transforms into their image, essentially becoming Amparo and leaving Amparo to recover their spirit from the dangerous Bright World.

The art style of this work is very unique, using very vibrant colors and bold black lines and borders throughout. The bright colors fit well with the mystical Bright World, making the world come alive. Additionally, this graphic novel features some diverse representation with multiple main characters of color, including the Latinx Amparo, as well as nonbinary representation. There is humor throughout, as well, which will appeal to readers.

This graphic novel is very “out there” and has a pretty wild premise with some wild illustrations to go with it. This story ended up not being the right read for me personally. While the art style is very unique, it is not the kind I typically gravitate towards. Additionally, the story and world was a little too weird for me, and I found myself losing interest throughout. That being said, this is purely a matter of preferences, and I think there are readers who would love this story and embrace the weird.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Hazards of Love Vol. 1 is a rollercoaster of emotion.

Between the illustrations and the main storyline plus the side ones, it was nearly impossible to put down.

I cannot wait to find out what happens next.

I received this book from NetGalley as an eARC in exchange for a review.

This graphic novel was GORGEOUS! I had a few issues with following the cells and reading the text (due to font choice) but otherwise it was so perfect!
The story was magical. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for Vol 2.

I continued to be surprised throughout the book. I am interested in the next installment. Artwork is phenomenal and adds considerably to the narrative. Interesting how the characters live in the space between sympathetic and non sympathetic. As a 50 something YA librarian, I may not be the target audience. However, I do believe it would appeal to teen fans of graphic novels, horror, and survival stories. I love how the characters can be queer with out that requiring exposition.

I don't know where to start. This was pretty weird but in a good way?
The characters were interesting, the story, too but I had some trouble following at times. It was really out there. And everything just jumped so fast. I just don't really know how to feel about it all. It left me with a good memory of it but I don't know... It was a lot. And the difference between the way time passed in each world was so heartbreaking... I think I'd still like to read its sequel though.

Y'all! I don't know what I expected when I started reading this comic. But can I just tell you how in love with it I am? The story is surreal and kinda creepy. It follows a queer, nonbinary latinx teen, Amparo, who is sent into Bright World after making a deal with a cat and having to find his way back into the real world.

This is very much dark fantasy and horror, and honestly, there were points in the plot where I needed to reread because I would get lost. But the illustration and colors are so enticing, it kept me reading. Not necessarily what I expected in the comic and the story isn't actually wrapped up in the end, so will definitely keep me in until I know what happens.

The artwork in this graphic novel was definitely excellent especially with the use of all the different colours to aptly depict the various scenes.

While the premise sounded exciting, the actual storyline was quite queer. Initially it was interesting but then it got slightly confusing in between which eventually lead me to lose interest half way into the book. Hopefully the next volume will be more engaging for me.

Thank You NetGalley and Oni Press for this ARC!

This graphic novel is absolutely beautiful in terms of the design. Gorgeous colours and the vibe of the drawings was great. The story didn’t really catch me as much as I’d hoped. I just didn’t feel engaged with the storyline.

I received an ARC of this graphic novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First and foremost: this book is stunning! Stanley's style is bright and colourful and intricate and captivating - I often found myself staring at pages for ages before remembering I had a story to read. The contrasts between the real world and the Bright World - where Amparo, our hero, ends up after a misjudged deal with a magic cat - are well established with colour and detail. I can't wait to get a copy of this on my shelf so I can show off how gosh darn pretty it is.

The story is unlike anything I've read before. A queer story that, at the outset, feels like a folk story warning against making deals with fey folk or strange creatures, but soon becomes esoteric, badass, and full of intriguing characters (sometimes equal parts terrifying) and a fast-moving plot. The story is easy to read, even when the page set up is funky, and I read it all in one sitting!

I did find that I wanted to get more of an equal balance on the real world and Bright world stories. I hope Stanley is planning on fleshing some of the real world plot points out in the upcoming volumes - I want to know more about the cat's adjustment and Iolanthe's story! I also found I was a little confused about some of the rules of the Bright World, but this did not affect my enjoyment of the story.

Overall a definite recommendation and one I look forward to following.

Very cool, creepy and queer comic that doesn't shy away from absurdity and gore.

Content warnings include: amputation, violence, humans get eaten, murder, death, misgendering (corrected).

The comic is bright, fully of colours and shapes, making every panel a pleasure to look at. Sometimes it took a few moments for me to make out what was even shown, there were lots of great details despite the simplicity of the style.

I loved Amparo, a nonbinary (though they don't use that label, they simply don't think they are a girl of a boy) teen, as protagonist. After a cat steals their identity, they finde themself stuck in a bizzare alternate world, Bright World, where cunning creatures hungry for human flesh and memories rule.
Much like in their previous life, they keep getting into trouble while trying to find their way back - but what the monsters didn't account for was a human just as cunning as they are.
Amparo is the perfect protagonist for this, with a clear goal of wanting to go back home, but willing to do a lot on the way there, while never losing their sense of humanity.

The glimpses into the cat's life as Amparo, or more precisely Amparo's love interest Iolanthe realizing something is off about them, wasn't quite as prominent, but still interesting.
I am very curious about where the story is headed next.

I loved the casual diversity of the cast. The Mexian influence from the author is clear, but there's so much more than that in the different characters, both humans and monsters.

I opted for this ARC just because it was a graphic novel and I was in the mood to read one. But DAYYUM! One of the best and most creative graphic books I've read since The Sandman!

Ampara is a queer teen from Queens who makes a really bad deal with a talking cat. They soon find themselves dragged into fantastical world called Bright World while the cat takes their place (and shape) in the human world. The adventures of Amprao in Bright World amid all the weitrd creatures and captured humans forms the rest of the story. Mind you, the story doesn't end at the end of this volume, so if you are looking for closure, you still have a long wait ahead of you.

I loved the wacky creativity of the story. The characters are so interesting and, in some cases, absolutely spooky. I also loved the queer content in the book; having a queer writer for a queer story makes a huge difference. The illustrations, the panel structuring, the narrative flow all are fantastic.

Eagerly awaiting Volume 2 of this fabulous book!