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.

This was archived before pub date, I never got to read it. Unsure why it was set up that way, why archive 3 weeks before pub day? I was planning on reading it this week but I guess I will have to find it after it’s released.

I am new to graphic novels, and have never read an LGBTQ book before. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to the next one!

The art work is stunning! And the story was sweet. Seeing Blanca find her people in a new city!

This heartwarming graphic novel is the perfect cozy read for those who feel like they don't belong anywhere and who would like to just move away to New York and start everything from scratch. In addition, I find that graphic novels are the perfect palate cleanser between more challenging read, and this one in particular felt like a breath of fresh air after reading many fantasies and mysteries.
The cast of characters is very diverse and I think that everyone would feel represented by at least one of the protagonists. I already see how the found family trope will reach its peak in the next volumes. In addition, the ending had me quite surprised and I can't wait for volume two to come out to find out how the plot will develop from there.

A great start to this series and a wonderful coming of age story. I liked all the characters and I loved how diverse they were. I'm looking forward to read more and follow their journey of self discovery. Can't wait for volume 2.
The artwork was absolutely stunning, I really loved it!

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read and review this title.

I thought it was cute with a nice art style but overall fairly underwhelming.

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.

"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.

This was a very beautifully drawn and written graphic novel about following you dreams. The colour palette and the art style is amazing and shows that the authors have really thought about the way that they are going to present this story. We follow Bianca as she gets runs away from an oppressive life with her mother and goes to New York to follow her dreams of being a Fashion Designer. She meets a new friend and moves into a new house where she fits in so well and helps to encourage others to follow their dreams. It also handles the LGBTQ areas very well and is something that I can not wait to get the new episode .... but I have to wait till 2025.

I very rarely DNF a graphic novel, but I couldn’t get into this one no matter how many times I tried.

The art was cute but the story didn’t really grab my attention the way I thought it would!

I do appreciate NetGalley and Oni Press for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest review!

Blanca escapes her overbearing mother, Reina, to pursue her dream of fashion design in New York City. With the help of a kind baker named Emile and his eclectic group of roommates, Blanca finds love, support, and the encouragement needed to become a fashion designer.

This was ……. fine. Very queer, diverse cast of characters, none of whom I really cared much about. You can probably guess all the beats in this one. Blanca runs away and gets taken in by a large ensemble cast! She cuts her hair! She gives relationship advice! She meets a cute guy! She begins designing fashion for stars!

I honestly stopped reading about the 80% mark when I realized 1. I had no idea who one of the characters was and 2. I didn’t care.

Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an ARC.

4/5

This was an enjoyable graphic novel, but it didn't blow my socks off. I am interested to see where the story continues, but at the moment, I am not super invested in the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Hm. Well the art was 5/5 the plot was kind of lacking. Like I’d probably read volume two because volume one had a lot of build up but didn’t really go anywhere yet? A lot of side stories that didn’t seem like they connected but I am curious to see where the story goes.

Thanks to netgalley and oni press for an eARC

**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).

I love Blanca! I need vol. 2 of this story now. It pulled me right in and the plot twist at the end was great, the friendship between the characters is close-knit and I love that, as it’s relatable.

I loved the art style also.

i love reading graphic novels and as soon as i saw this, i had to read this! i really enjoyed the graphics, the latina/latino community and the characters as well!

Blanca's journey to New York City in this graphic novel is a heartfelt exploration of finding oneself and forming unexpected bonds with a diverse group of queer roommates. The story beautifully portrays the challenges and triumphs of pursuing dreams and building a chosen family away from home. With vibrant artwork and compelling characters, it's a joyful and hopeful read that leaves you eager for more.

This was a fun modern fairytale with much needed representation! I can’t wait to read volume two!! I’ll definitely be on the lookout for it.

Found family, New York, LGBTQ+ rep, and a Mexican main character; what more could you ask for? As soon as Blanca graduates, she leaves her hometown and her authoritarian mother’s demands for her to take over the family business in favour of pursuing her dreams of being a fashion designer in New York. Just one issue…she doesn’t know anyone. Or have a house. Or a job. Okay, so maybe a few issues.
Luckily, she just so happens to find herself welcomed into a brownstone with a bunch of queer men, from bakers to models to photographers. And a meet cute with a redheaded suitor has Blanca thinking everything is working out in the Big Apple. But is everything working out a little toooo well?

I really liked this book! The characters were fun and vibrant, the atmosphere felt warm and sparkling. I would love to visit that house - though I’m not sure I have the stamina to keep up with the whirlwind of events Blanca is invited to by her new roomies.

My main complaints fall into two categories:
1.) Too. Many. Characters.
2.) Blanca is…blank-a.

Starting with the first, there are just too many characters introduced too quickly. I finished it about 15 minutes ago and could probably name maybe 2 of Blanca’s housemates. Nic and…Andy? Reuben maybe? But they’re all introduced in such rapid succession that it’s really hard to keep them all straight (ironically…)

Secondly, Blanca doesn’t seem to really have any flaws. She rushes to the rescue, she excels at everything, she’s just too perfect. If anything, her only downfall might be that she’s a bit naive but hey, who isn’t when they’re 18?

Still though, I enjoyed this book a lot and will definitely be reading and reviewing the next one if I’m given the opportunity to. There are lots of plot threads I’d like to tug on a little and see where they go. Besides, I want to see some more of the gorgeous fashion illustrations the supremely talented Lydia Anslow has created.

At this point I think it's fair to say OniPress is the leader of queer rep in comics!

I loved this and how unapologetically queer it is. Can't wait for the next volume!!!