Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for a copy of the graphic novel in exchange for an honest review!

Season of the Bruja is an amazing graphic novel. The art work is incredible, full of bright and vivid colours.

I liked the story, it’s full of magic, twists and action. At first, we are catapulted into the story without an introduction, but luckily it becomes clearer as we move forward.

Our protagonist, Althalia, is a Buja apprentice and she is learning magic from her grandmother.
She is strong and funny, I really loved her.
My favorite thing was the development of the protagonist which has changed a lot due to a loss. The author has managed flawlessly to deal with such a delicate subject.

I also loved the mix with different cultures, including the Mexican one, in fact some parts are in Spanish language.

I absolutely recommend it but you have to know that afterwards you will want to read the following immediately!

I am not sure what I read. First big problem I have is the Spanish. there is too much without translation. Being thrown into action and then given little explanation left me lost. I was not exactly sure what was happening and why. I like the idea of an untrained secret Bruja the Order did not expect but that's about all I really enjoyed. the art is fantastic and looks great, Won't be reading any more of these

thank you to the publisher oni press & netgalley for giving me an e-arc of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review!
when i saw the absolutely beautiful cover & the title, i thought i would love this! sadly, i didnt quite enjoy it as much as i thought i would. my main issue with it was that the readers are thrown right into the story & lots of action with almost no explanation, which left me confused for most of the rest of the volume too. unfortunately, i didnt like the art style much either. im sure some people would love it but i think i expected something a bit different, maybe because of the cover. excluding the fact that it was confusing for me, i liked the plotline! i also did like the characters, despite being confused about the relationships between them for a good quarter of the volume. i could see some readers being confused and a little annoyed because they constantly have to look up spanish words that are used in some dialogues. i didnt struggle with it much since i know some spanish and i do think they were a good addition, especially since its used a lot to show a beautiful culture! overall, i think this volume was fine, i might pick up the next ones if they seem interesting!

The pros:
- the art style is really pretty and colourful

The cons:
- the plot got a bit too messy and confusing for me at points
- a bunch of Spanish panels. I don’t speak Spanish so I didn’t understand anything.

Season of the Bruja started like it was the second in the series, straight into the action (love to start off running) but then we never did pause for long. With the right skill, constant action and a twisty plot is great, it keeps you reading, and I finished this in a heartbeat, but I lacked a connection with the characters.

It was frustrating because Althalia had so much potential, I wanted to love her and throughout all her trials I wanted to be more emotionally engaged with her character. Yet we sort of followed a consistent action then revelation pattern without any downtime to really get to know Althalia and her friends and then be able to feel for them. Her friends were so cool as well, I would have loved to see more of them than watching them chase Althalia about. There were little details I enjoyed though, noticing their favourite foods and abuela’s love of cola. I just wanted more.

However, the illustrations are stunning and brought the different characters and creatures to life. And the world-building was amazing! The discussion of history and heritage, including a well-examined look at colonialism, gave a real depth to that part of the story. I’m less familiar with South American history compared to other parts of the world but I plan to learn more. There was also some interesting conflict with the involvement of the Christian Church I’m looking forward to seeing develop.

On that note, I’m definitely interested in reading the sequel, I’m just hoping we have more of an opportunity to become closer to all the characters.

3.5 stars

Lately I’ve been getting more and more into graphic novels, so this hispanic inspired urban fantasy graphic novel grabbed my attention. Some positive things is the fact that the art of the book is gorgeous and I adore the way the magic is drawn. The book is filled with feelings, both heartwarming moments but also heartbreaking ones. It also has some interesting characters throughout the book and overall I enjoyed them. Which brings me onto the things that weren't so positive. Like the main evil guy, the priest, just felt very one-dimensional and like a caricature of an evil religious guy. The plot was also a bit incomprehensive at times, due to a fast-paced story progression, and hardly any explanations of what was happening. More than one time I found myself a little lost in the plot.

It’s overall an interesting graphic novel with an interesting plot idea, but a less than perfect execution of it. Hopefully the next volume will use the resources a bit better so it’s easier to follow the plot.

Let me just start off by saying that the art style throughout this was stunning! I adored how bright and vibrant the colour palette was, and there was so much detail in the illustrations that really brought everything to life.

I found the story to be a little confusing at times. I feel like the timeline of events didn't quite flow as seamlessly as I would have liked, and expected from a shorter graphic novel. It just wasn't as cohesive as it could have been. However, even with these issues, it doesn't detract from the narrative of the story, or the strong character that is Althalia.

As exciting and immersive as this fantasy world was (based around Mexican mythology and practices) the part of this story that I really enjoyed was the way it portrayed the stages of loss and grief. I feel that this was done beautifully, and intertwined with the fantasy world and all of the magical goings on well. I also appreciate the discussions surrounding cultural heritage and identity that were brought up throughout, especially regarding language, as it's something I haven't seen spoken about often.

(Thank you so much to NetGalley, Oni Press and the author for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review).

I love the concepts and characters in this story!! The pacing wasn't the best, but I still found the story enjoyable and the world building very interesting.
**** SPOILERS****
My only qualms are that I don't know how the priest dude kills the grandma? Or what he turns into?? So many unanswered questions that could have easily been shown via comic panel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

The opening scene in this novel throws you right into the deep end, Althalia and her friends, and the behest of a terrified family, are trying to fix a possession. I admit, I was a little confused about the dynamics between the main characters in that scene. I had wrongly assumed that Althalia and the other characters were part of some supernatural defense team or something similar. But no, they're actually paranormal museum curators! It's also revealed after the opening scene, that Althalia is a bruja in training, and one of the only brujas left. I liked how this novel's magic system is based on Mexican mythology and practices! A lot of the time, books love to use Irish or Celtic mythology and beliefs are the base for their magic system, which does get a bit boring after a while. This story doesn't shy away from the history of Mexico, and briefly acknowledges the colonization that was done by the Spaniards. Knowing at least the basic facts of Mexico's history of being colonized is important to understand why the main protagonist feels as she does in certain scenes. I loved the art style in this! Lots of rich colors, and interesting character designs. This story ended with questions left unanswered that leave me craving the answers! I look forward to reading the second novel whenever it comes out!

Such an amazing graphic novel! I’m so so grateful to NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this! I loved the storyline and the fact that the magical world in this book has been directly influenced by the culture and beliefs of indigenous Mexico makes it even more incredible. The book is fast-paced and gripping and OMG it’s genuinely so hard to put it down!

The main character-Althalia is very likeable and even though I’m not a Latina, the writing made it easy for me to relate to all the problems she had with her identity and dealing with loss. Now, as much as I would want to talk more about her, I’m worried I would accidentally spoil something, so I’m just gonna move on to the coolest character in this book: abuela Isadora. Oh boy, for an old lady she had so many genuinely badass moments in this comic and I love her so much!

Another insane thing about this comic book: colours. Holy guacamole the colour schemes in this book were so vibrant and beautiful! I’m definitely gonna buy this book just for the sake of the way it’s drawn. Absolutely incredible!!!

In conclusion, READ THIS !!!!

Quick tip for people who don’t speak Spanish (like me): it’s good to have translator opened on the side as there are quite a few dialogues fully in Spanish. ❤️

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers/artist/and writer for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was absolutely beautiful. I had wanted to read this for Hispanic heritage month and got approved just in time!

I really liked the story here. You can tell from the beginning it’s a lot of magic and action. I was a little confused on the characters and world building at the beginning. You are thrust into something you don’t really get and I didn’t understand some things about the characters until I went back and reread the summary. There were some parts that were confusing but I’m sure that will get cleared up in the future volumes.

There was a lot to say about colonialism and cultural artifacts ending up in museums. I also liked the discussion of feeling like you aren’t truly part of your heritage because you don’t speak the language. I know a lot of people suffer from those same thoughts. This was full of love for your ancestors as well as talks of grief and letting people go of people you love. I also liked the cute recipes and character profiles at the end of the book. I really did enjoy this story and am looking forward to more!

3 stars - I liked it

This was an interesting and beautifully illustrated story. Althalia is a Bruja in training and is struggling to deal with the death of her grandmother. This was a very emotional story with fascinating characters. Althalia abilities are interesting and she seems to have no fear when it comes to using them, which does get her in trouble. I also really loved Althalia’s found family with Chuey (a Chupacabra) and Dana (a were-coyote). Chuey and Dana were great friends and I want to learn more about their characters.

Overall, this was a great start for a new series and I can’t wait to read the next volume.

Trigger warnings: on page death of grandparent; grief; persecution

What an incredible, beautiful book that is perfect for Latinx Heritage Month! The artwork was vivid and inviting, the characters were captivating, and the cultural aspects felt like home. My biggest issue with this book is that it was hard to follow and understand at times. I had to refer back to previous pages to get a better grasp on who was who and what their point was in the story.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start with the positives:
I really loved the art. It’s beautiful, especially the magic.
I definitely enjoyed the different cultural background from your classic fantasy stories.
There are these funny and quirky moments and lot of warm ones too.

Now what I didn't enjoy as much was the story itself. Why? Because despite the different cultural wrapping it didn't seem that original. The villains were kind of cliché. Same with the dialogue. Can't help but feel like it's a story I read already, just in different setting. Also, sometimes the flow of the panels made it bit hard to follow. Especially during the fights.

There was quite a bit of Spanish. Might be more friendly to lessen it a bit or add some kind of dictionary or small notes on page. It didn't really bother me as I could get the gist of it thanks to knowing Portuguese. I am all for adding another language but I don’t think it should force reader to pull out dictionary.

Now the important thing is: Did I enjoy it? Yes, I did and I would be interested to continue. It is after all just first volume and there can be lot of improvement going forward.

*3.5 Stars Rounded up*

// Thank you to Netgalley & Oni Press for a Advanced Readers Copy of this book!//

A absolutely adorable book that just warms my heart. I did get a little confused here and there because the story gives so background.

The reader is propelled into this fantasy world with an opening scene that sets the tone for a story filled with action, magic and love. Season of the Bruja is a graphic novel rich with cultural heritage and dark fantasy elements, the story is beautifully illustrated and highly topical with the criticism of colonial theft and racism.
It sometimes felt like it was missing a few panels as a transition between a character being there and then being gone, or to describe the emotional process of some characters, but I overall had a very good time reading this first volume and I’ll definitely pick up the second one.

This is a stunningly beautifully illustrated story about a bruja who comes into her powers after the murder of her abuela (by an evil catholic priest). It plays with concepts of the spirit world and the different religions at play in America, with actual on-screen conversations with both Lucifer and Mictēcacihuātl. It is very much about living in the aftermath of generations of colonization and othering, but also assuming the religious forces at play on both sides are very real.

The secondary characters weren't always fully established; Chuey and Dana both fulfilled similar roles (of supernatural friends and found family who worried about Althalia) and we didn't see much of their background, why they were here, or how they became friends, though Chuey had more implied.

A charming work with dark overtones and really gorgeous art.

First of all, the illustrations were sooo beautiful and colorful! I loved it. It's really pretty and it fits really well with the magic here, and how everything was displayed. It's vivid and beautiful, perfect.

As for the story, I really enjoyed and am really curious about what could happens next! I just would have prefered an introduction to the main aztec history and magic (I believe it is?), I was a bit confused but maybe it'll just be explained overall within the different volumes, as for now it feels just a bit rushed and confusing. I would also have loved a bit more infos about Chuey and Dana's powers, because I'm really curious on their shapeshifting!

It went fast, there were a lot of things going one, I liked how the grief was used as a fuel to 'Lia's powers and basically everything that was happening here. It was a very good take on it and I liked how the story around the abuela turned out and ended. Anyway, really curious about what will happens next, specially on the God/Lucifer side!

(Thank you Netgalley and the editor for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review)

Season of the Bruja is an amazing witchy tale by Aaron Duran and gorgeous art by Sara Soler. The first volume in a dark fantasy story, it follows Althalia, a young bruja (Spanish for witch) who needs to learn about her powers before they become too dangerous for her to manage.
And it does so by introducing the reader in the middle of what it feels like an ongoing case where a young boy has been possessed by a demon and Althalia, aided by her friends Dana, a were-coyote, and Chuey, who is the most stylist Chupacabra I have ever seen, decide the only solution is for Althalia to make a pact with said demon. That is, until later on she has to explain herself to her abuela (granma) Isadora and things go downhill from there.
Apart from that, there are some twists and turns and the introduction of several other characters that I feel are better left in the dark for the reader to discover as they eagerly turn the pages. (Because everybody is going to read this volume from start to finish, that is a promise and not a feeling).
I am not going to lie, all the information, the Spanish vocabulary, the background tales, the magic… they can be kind of overwhelming at first, and some changes/evolutions may feel rushed, but it is important to understand that the reader sees, reads and “lives” everything at the same time and pace as our main character, Althalia, and believe me, she is overwhelmed as well, so everything clicks as it should.
In fact, the only downside is knowing that we are just starting our journey, that the pieces are showing themselves in the board but have not reveal their full strategy yet, so we will have to wait and see.
And it will be totally worth it.

Season of the Bruja Vol 1 by aaron Duran and Sara Soler is a wonderful start to the journey of a young woman coming into her mystical powers.

Things I loved
- The art style is absolutely stunning and the story is heart breathtakingly beautiful..
-The story begins in the middle of an action scene and trusts the reader to grasp what that scene conveys.
-Sensitive topics such as the generational divide in feelings about museum artifacts and colonialism are handled with a gentle hand.

Things that didn't work as well for me
-Character introductions in the spirit world were shaky
-Power escalation with the main character happens so quickly that it is almost overwhelming to the reader. though this may have been a style choice to have us experience it as the characters do.

Who I would recommend this story for
Season of the Bruja Vol 1 will be a wonderful reading experience for fans of fantasy manga and graphic novels wanting to read a story steeped in non European folklore.

Trigger Warnings for Season of the Bruja Vol 1
- Occult Elements
-Violence
-Death/Grief
-religious elements