This is a story about a young woman coming into her power... she is the last of her kind -- the keeper of generations' worth of lore and power. Her everyday life is normal between living with her abuela, working in a museum (albeit paranormal), and having friends ( a Chupacabra and were-coyote). It was a fun read and rewarding to see how Althalia comes into her own...a life update on her would be good as a sequel like 5 or 10 years into her future.

This graphic novel has a similar reading style to one of Rick Riordan's books, whose writing I admire. With its enchantment, ambiance, witchcraft, gods of death, and all in between, it is ideal for the Halloween season!

We therefore get right to it with a dark object that an evil god has taken hold of. Then we meet Althalia, our main protagonist, her grandmother (who is now without a doubt one of my fave characters), and her friends (who absolutely share their love for delicious cuisine).

This novel includes almost everything you could possibly want, including a smart protagonist, encouraging friends and family, a brief, impossible journey, and a group of interesting villains. The best part is that it is all based on folklore and mythology from Latin America.

What I find particularly appealing is how gently the authors introduce the background to the discovery of America; this may subsequently pique the interest of a younger readership to learn more. The issues raised here need to be investigated and clarified.

The plot, while overall well-paced and interesting to me, feels a touch rushed and hard to believe in the ending. If the authors developed and improved upon the fallout from the major intrigue in this story, it would be simply fantastic.

I sincerely hope that this graphic novel will receive a sequel! Huge recs!

First, I would like to thank you for the ARC of this book which the publisher kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Season of the Bruja Vol. 1 by Aaron Durán is an enchanting graphic novel that left me absolutely charmed from start to finish. From the moment I opened its pages, I knew I was in for a delightful and heartwarming journey.
This captivating tale revolves around the adventures of Althalia, our heroine, who is training to become a Bruja with the guidance of her grandmother's powers. What sets Season of the Bruja apart is the beautiful integration of Spanish language and the celebration of Hispanic culture. The usage of Spanish phrases and the emphasis on Hispanic traditions and folklore add an extra layer of richness and authenticity to the story, making it all the more enchanting.

While Season of the Bruja is undeniably cute and whimsical, it also tackles difficult topics such as grief and religious trauma with sensitivity and grace. The narrative explores the depths of Althalia's emotional journey, intertwining her magical training with personal growth, healing, and finding strength in the face of adversity.

I cannot recommend Season of the Bruja Vol. 1 enough to anyone seeking an enchanting and heartwarming graphic novel experience. It's a delightful gem that will leave you with,# a warm feeling and a renewed appreciation for the power of culture and identity. So, dive into Althalia's world and prepare to be captivated by its irresistible cuteness and the magic of Hispanic folklore. I can not wait for the next volume!

A fantastic graphic book, Season of the Bruja. Very high quality artwork.
Magic and adventure abound in this book. The tale jumps right in without any kind of setup, but fortunately things get more evident as they go.

Althalia, our heroine, is training to become a Buja with the help of her grandmother's powers.
I thought the usage of Spanish and the emphasis on Hispanic and Aztec mythology added a fascinating layer of complexity to the story.

Thank You to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love anything witchy and so, naturally, I had to pick this one up. The colour palette is vibrant and fun and perfectly matches the Latin American legends that inspired the story. In a genre that is typically Eurocentric, I loved seeing the incorporation of Hispanic myths and culture. While the graphic novel is action packed, it also deals with some difficult themes - the grief of losing loved ones, loneliness and doing the 'right' thing. These are challenges the main character, Althalia, faces as she comes into her abilities as the last bruja. Her relationships with the other characters felt real and were charming, especially her close relationship with her abuela. I did initially find some of the dialogue a little clunky but this was likely more to do with getting acquainted to the world and characters. I would definitely recommend this graphic novel if you want a witch-y story that is more diverse.

I really wanted to love this one, but just found it lacking in plot and what the theme/point was at the end. The images were gorgeous, but I just didn't get out of it what I wanted. Great representation!

Season of the Bruja is a graphic novel in which we meet Althalia, or Lia, a Bruja apprentice who's learning magic from her grandmother.

I've got to say that, apart from the amazing illustrations and the Hispanic inclusion, I didn't really enjoy this story. I was lost most of the time, I'm not even sure I can remember much of what happened because everything was sort of confusing? (or maybe it's just me?). I know it's the first installment in a series, but I would've appreciated some introduction to the characters and the magic system. Also, although I didn't have trouble with the Spanish bits of dialogue, I believe that a translation would've been nice for those readers who can't speak the language. Since I'm posting this review long after the published date, maybe (and hopefully) this "issue" was addressed before publication.

I wanted to love this, because the premise sounded great and witchy stories are my favorite thing in the world, but sadly it wasn't the case.

*Thank you NetGalley for sending me a digital copy of the first volume of Season of the Bruja in exchange for an honest review

This was not what I was expecting at all and it really hit me in the feelings. This is a graphic novel that hits on some heavy topics and could be triggering for people of latinx decent or someone who had faced religious trauma, but I felt that it was really well done. I really appreciated this story and think it was one that definitely needed to be told.

Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

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

This graphic novel follows Althalia, her abuela, and two of their friends. It's brimming with magic, witchcraft, and action. It's also based on Latin American mythology which I really loved--I enjoyed learning more about this topic and I think it will intrigue younger readers and hopefully make them curious about Latin American history.

I thought the artwork in Season of the Bruja Vol. 1 was absolutely stunning--likely the most beautiful I have seen in any graphic novel to date. It was colorful, vibrant, and eye-catching.

My main critique about this would be that the plot was a little confusing. From the beginning, we jump into complicated situations without much context, and this pattern continues throughout the graphic novel. I wish the transition from scene to scene had been a little smoother.

Overall, I enjoyed this graphic novel and I think a lot of other people will too. I think it will have more commentary on Latin American history and culture in future volumes which is so important. I would recommend this to fans of fantastical graphic novels, especially those involving witches.

⭐⭐ -- Great cover on this one.

Season of the Bruja Vol. 1 by Aaron Duran follows the story of Althalia, a young woman who discovers her magical abilities while facing re-emergent threats from the past.

While the graphics were great, it was disappointing to note that there was zero background information provided, and it felt like dropping into an ongoing story without any context.

Moreover, the characters were not fleshed out properly which left something to be desired. As someone who is relatively new to graphic novels, this book may not have been the best fit for me.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Season of Bruja left me with a powerful world that I want to know know more about. Athalia and her abuela. drove the story and I can't wait to join them again. I loved the art style and I can't wait to see what happens in the next volume.

I an unable to review this title, as it was archived before I had a chance to download and read it. This feedback is only to stop this title from adversely affecting my netgalley feedback rate. If in the future I have the opportunity to read this title, I will post a proper review here.

I can't wait for the next volume!

The art and illustrations are absolutely stunning! The line work in itself is beautiful but the vibrancy of the colours and the contrast between them are entrancing to say the least! I love the way you have multiple stories to follow before they end up meeting towards the end of the book however there are certain points where you have to accept confusion for a few pages before you are given the context for it to make sense. I feel like future issues will be a lot more 'go go go' panels as this sets up all the world building and magic system building quite beautifully

A seriously fun, wonderfully rendered graphic novel. I love how integrated Mexican culture was in the worldbuilding. The plot moved so quickly that I never felt fully connected to any of the characters, but the illustrations and details were so whimsical and fantastic that I will be on the lookout for more by Aaron Duran.

First I would like to thank Oni Press for providing me a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for my honest review.

I am trying to diversify what I read and I have always been interested in graphic novels, so when I saw this come up on NetGalley I wanted to give it a try and see if I liked it. I am so happy I did give this a try cause I just finished it and I'm already wanting to re-read it and see what comes next.

What I Loved:
- Art, the art in this graphic novel is AMAZING. With all of the colors and just overall vibrancy it really lent well to the story and the focus of the culture.
- Culture, as a Hispanic women I was interested in this story since I have read and heard about the different types of Bruja's in the Latin cultures and this just added to my love and awe of these stories
- Loquita, Althalia's alebrije and she is a flying house cat that can grow into a flying jaguar when the need arises. What cat lady wouldn't fall absolutely in love.
- Family, this is a main focus of this story both Althalia's blood family as well as her chosen family they are there for her when she needs it most and refuse to let her push them away
- Depiction of faith, I appreciate this story did not cower away from depicting the truth related to the Christians deadly impact on native cultures.

I really enjoyed this novel and I hope there are many more to come in this world. With such a great addition to my reads for the year, I foresee reading many more graphic novels throughout 2023 and beyond.

This was a quick read and I really enjoyed it. Althalia is from a long line of brujas and I loved seeing her fight for her heritage and those she loves.

The plot moved at a good pace. When I finished, I found I wanted more so that makes me excited for another volume.

Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for an ARC of this graphic novel.

Season of the Bruja was a quick read about Althalia and the fight against prejudices. She is the last of her kind and must work to keep her culture and ancient ways alive. The novel was pretty quick and I felt that it could have been longer. From the start you're dropped right in the middle of action that just keeps going. I could never get a breath in or handle on what was happening. There definitley could have been more in this volume. I'm excited to see what else happens in 'Lia's life though in the next volumes.

Season of the Bruja v.1 by Aaron Duran, illustrated by Sara Soler. Oni Press, 2023. Thank you Oni Press for providing an e-book copy through NetGalley.
Rating: 1-5 (5 being a starred review) 5
Genre: Fantasy Graphic Novel


What I Liked: Althalia is a bruja - a powerful latine witch descended from a long line of magical Mexican women before her. Her abuela, Isadora, taught her about Latine culture, history, and the importance of preserving both through her bruja rituals and patience. But Althalia wants more - She wants to help those in need and goes about her magic in risky and brazen ways. But when she runs headfirst into a Catholic priest, whose plans are to destroy the last line of brujas, Althalia must learn what being a bruja really means, the long history of her people before the conquistadors showed up, and how she can move forward from the tragedy of her people, and of her own life.


Season of the Bruja is a gorgeously illustrated and well-written graphic novel featuring a Latine protagonist whose passion and need to do what’s right fuels the action. Althalia, our main character, drives the plot forward, and readers root for her even when she makes near-fatal errors or acts before thinking. Her grandmother is the basis of morality and teaches her in a patient and caring way. Her two friends - Chuey the chupacabra and Dana the werewolf - help out as much as they can, providing honest advice and physical support of Althalia’s drastic actions. This graphic novel contains a heartful and unapologetic story of surviving as a Latine in a conquered world and fighting to keep your traditions alive from those who wish them destroyed.


What I Didn’t Like: Nothing!

Who Would I Recommend This To: Middle and high school students who love witches, magic, and fighting to protect your heritage and those you love.


Review Date: February 7, 2023

I enjoyed reading this one quite a bit. I love how strong and independent our main character is. I like how supportive her family and friends are. The art style is what attracted me the most to the book. It's easy to read and colorful, It helps bringing the story a more personal touch to me. I will definitely be reading the next volumes.

This was a fantastic graphic novel! I loved the relationships between Athalia, her friends, and her grandmother was written so great. I also loved the found family aspect of this graphic novel. The story was engaging and I really enjoyed the pacing of the plot. It picked up towards the end but I was fine with that. It didn't feel rushed to me at all. I'm really looking forward to reading the next volume!