This was so good!! We follow Hannah who is just starting her first year of college. The first month is very overwhelming and after a breakdown, she seeks help in the form of therapy and medication. But then she starts to have weird side effects. So after talking with her therapist, they decide to switch her meds. But then she has another weird side effect - she starts gaining powers such as floating through walls, hearing thoughts, and super strength. Using her powers she's able to help a few people along the way and even saves someone from a predatory teacher. All Hannah wants is to be better but what does that even mean? Through medication and therapy she hopes to find out.

Hannah is struggling with depression as she tries to make it through her first year of college. When she decides to get help, she starts on medication and therapy, but the side effects are more supernatural than expected.

I loved this graphic novel with all of my heart! From the great representation, to the cool depiction of side effects, this was such a wonderful read.

Hannah experiences the super powered versions of regular side effects listed for antidepressants. Brain zaps? She zaps everything she touches. Intrusive thoughts? Hannah knows what everyone else around her is thinking. The portrayal of the side effects this way is effective and somewhat comical, as she learns to deal with her mental illness.

The treatment of depression was really well represented as well. The reality of side effects and finding the right medication, the benefits of therapy and medication both combined or on their own, and showing others struggling we’re all great points. I loved Dr. Jacobs and resonated with a lot of what she was saying.

This book is a great reminder that it’s okay to not be okay all the time, and that even though your medication helps, the power for change is all your own.

I’d highly recommend picking this up, and can’t wait to own a physical copy of my own!

I found this book very relevant. I enjoyed the drawings so much. This was such a fun and interesting read. I love novels that openly discuss mental health, therapy and medication. This book was everything I could have wanted it covers heavy topics while still being funny. I would recommend to everyone. I have had to deal with side effects from some of my medications so I can really relate to the main characters struggles. I also like how depression was displayed as it is different for everyone. I loved the diversity and the LGBTQIA+ representation.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This was so much fun! The story was cute and fun, the pace was great and the art was a delight. I really appreciated how the team weaved the fantastical elements of Hannah's powers into the story as parables for her mental health - both good and bad!

As someone who has been helped tremendously by mental health meds in general, and specifically the process of finding the right meds, I really relate to the idea of feeling like you have super powers. I also think the team did a great job at keeping the important messages woven naturally into the story so this didn't feel preachy, but instead made its points well.

I also just always love a good sapphic meet-cute and this one totally delivered!

Insightful read that takes a comprehensive look at mental health. I love how this graphic novel not only tackles the stigma surrouding mental illness, but also dispels misconceptions about medication and seeking professional help. I wasn't sure how I would feel about the magical realism at first, but later found it to be a creative way of portraying conditions such as dissociation and bipolar disorder. There's also a subplot involving sexual harassment.

The artwork in my ARC copy is black and white instead of full colour, which greatly disappointed me. I mean, look at the gorgeous cover and its purple tones! It seems like the actual book is in full colour though, so I look forward to checking it out.

Overall, the premise and themes of this book are great but I didn't connect with it as much as I'd hoped. The execution felt as lacking as my enjoyment level. I feel like a full-colour copy would have allowed me to follow the story better and enriched my reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Side Effects is a graphic novel that deals heavily on mental health issues, there's also discussions surrounding sexual harassment and stigma. Our mc, Hannah, is a freshman in college and has started struggling with intense bouts of depression and decides to go see a psychiatrist. After being prescribed meds, she starts experiencing some side effects—but these aren't the usual kind, they are super powers. From giving electric zaps to telepathy, Hannah makes her way through various different meds in the hopes of finding one that helps her be "normal"—even if she isn't quite sure what that means.

The premise of this book was extremely interesting and I do wish it had been a little bit longer. At times it feels as though the topics are dealt with in a manner that feels rushed and almost preachy. There were times in which I could feel myself inside of Hannah's mind—that's when Side Effects truly shined. However, the pacing and lack of trust of the author on their readers didn't work on its favor. The art was definitely an interesting style that definitely added a lot of value to the novel.

Side Effects is a quick read and I do think that people who have experienced—or are experiencing—some of the things that Hannah is going through will find some comfort in knowing that they're not alone.

A very interesting take on mental health and medication. In Side Effects, the main character is just starting their mental health journey, and experiences some out of the ordinary side effects to their medication - they give her superpowers.

I think the way the powers relate to side effects those of us on medication know well was very interesting, such as the way dissociation turned into astral projecting. The book also has a very important theme in place, the theme of helping others and healing. It's not until the protagonist helps others that she herself begins to heal, and it's that helping that leads to her progressing with her mental health.

There's also a queer relationship featured in the book, and at that a queer relationship between two people with mental illness. (The protagonist has anxiety and depression, while her girlfriend has bipolar disorder.)

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I liked that it was quick, that every frame mattered, and that the representation existed on page. I also enjoyed the themes of mental health and healing, and the way it normalizes mental health and shows that you can have a happy, healthy relationship even while undergoing therapy or on medication. No one has to be fully healed to have a happy life, you can work toward that.

"HANNAH DOESN'T WANT TO BE A HERO. SHE JUST WANTS TO BE WELL.

It's Hannah's first year away at college - the first time she's been away from home, without a support network. Within the first month, the combination of classes and socializing and adjusting to college life sends her into a full-on breakdown. Fortunately, her roommate finds her, Hannah goes to campus mental health, and they prescribe her therapy and meds - though with every new medication, you've got to watch out for unexpected side effects.

Every new medication Hannah tries comes with a new power and side effect. One makes her super-tough, and also makes her gain thirty pounds. Another gives her telepathy, while also completely screwing up her sleep schedule. Yet another gives her super-strength, as well as terrible constipation.

Nothing balances, but the powers are handy; Hannah even manages to save a few of her friends from mortal peril, or at least minor annoyances. And with the growing confidence from her powers and her therapy, Hannah even manages to ask out the cute girl she's been eyeing.

Hannah doesn't want to be a hero - she just wants to be well. But what does "well" even look like? What does it mean to be "healthy," mentally speaking? How do you fix your brain when you're living inside it? And can you really help other people if you can't even help yourself?"

I so relate and feel for Hannah!

Hannah is in college, she is struggling with depression and decide to get help with a specialist. When consulting with the doctor and being prescribed the medicine she starts having reactions, getting REAL POWERS, like tel telepathy, floating and passing through walls, super straight... But each reaction takes her emotional to another level, to which she sometimes gets used to it or not. She ends up changing medication a lot in search of a less worse adverse effect. In the middle of that she meet a girl who instantly she have a crush on, and who share with the same Side effects, and is struggling with that or in many cases having depressing episodes or maniacs due to her bipolar disorder


I think it is very important to talk about the reactions of the medicines we take when we have some disorders,because often the adverse reaction is worse than the normal symptom you have of a particular disorder It is also super important that you have psychological and medical help, and the support of friends and family

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mental illness is a difficult topic to write about and this novel just wasn't for me. For a different individual or audience, they might find it really beneficial but I wasn't the right person. I don't like giving eARC copies a low star rating.

2.75 stars

I think this graphic novel was overall quite entertaining. Following the main character as they start medications, side effects include strange and unusual super powers. The story was interesting to follow, though the depiction of dissociation felt far too glamorized as someone who suffers with it. Dissociation is my least favorite part of my life and I didn’t really love the way that the author treats it as though it can be something special.

I did enjoy the positive view of therapists and the fact that the therapist made it clear that medication is a perfectly normal thing for people to take. However, when the side effects started showing up, I feel like it could have been handled differently as it kind of proved the main character’s fear of medication in a way which could be harmful to people suffering with mental health issues.

I really enjoyed Hannah’s relationship with Iz and the depiction of Iz in general as a person struggling with bipolar disorder.

The art style was really pretty.

Mental health care can be fraught. Finding a good therapist can feel like a crapshoot not to mention working through your issues. Likewise, finding the correct medication can be hell on your body as it processes. Side effects can be gruesome.

Thank you, Anderson and O'Connor, for bringing Hannah's story to life. We need more graphic novels normalizing Mental health treatment.

Will recommend for acquisition

The Quick Cut: A teen girl new to college struggles to adapt and starts new medication. The side effects cause unexpected problems.

A Real Review:
Thank you to Aftershock Comics for providing the ARC for an honest review.

Medication is a part of many people's lives. Whether its a chronic condition or not, meds can help us get better and into a position where we can focus on the present. Unfortunately, many medications also come with side effects. What would you do if the one you started gave you powers? This is the struggle for Hannah.

Hannah is a college freshman who is struggling to adapt to the new lifestyle that comes with higher education. Taking colleges, finishing homework, socializing, and working is too much to juggle. After a session with the college doctor, she starts taking medication to help. However, the medication give her the ability to shock people and objects. Will the powers help or hurt her?

I love that this graphic novel discusses mental health so openly. By taking the conversation out into the open, it helps take the stigma away from the topic altogether. Everyone has issues and struggles. No one should get judged for a physical condition not in their control. That being said, the fantasy twist with the side effects didn't work for me.

Hannah is struggling with depression and anxiety - not uncommon when your life changes so drastically. She also tries to hide it from the people around her, feeling that having these issues may make her look weak. What she goes through is very relatable and I do think can make other readers feel understood.

The superpower side effects I think were meant to make you feel like the main character can do anything. However, it felt like a distraction to me and truthfully sends the wrong message. Side effects in medication usually distract and are irritating in nature. Making them a gift is distracting from the core story to me.

There is a secondary character with bipolar. I appreciate the mention, but the representation is very stereotypical and nothing new. I would have preferred a more nuanced showing here.

A graphic novel about mental health.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

This is such a unique take on the experience of taking medication for a mental illness for the first time. The period of trial and error, mixed with a fun magical realism element, rings true to the experiences of so many folks struggling. I also thoroughly enjoyed the sapphic relationship in this one, with both characters on their own journey to living with mental illness.

Superpowers aside for a moment, this graphic novel explored seeking mental health support in an accurate and ultimately hopeful way. Hannah begins therapy and - supervised - tries courses of different medications throughout to find the right fit, with the acknowledgement that this a process and with neither avenue being portrayed as a quick fix. I saw some people say they didn’t like the switching between medications aspect, but I personally found this period of trial and error true to my own experience. Besides, I know I would much rather change meds under caring observation than stay on something with bad effects that outweighed the good and I’m glad she was in a position to do that.

I enjoyed the taking of these common symptoms (headaches, fatigue, weight gain) and adding this supernatural twist. I also liked that the sapphic romance occurred between two people both on their own journeys with their mental health who could be a support to each other while also having outside help. I agree that some elements felt a little underbaked and there were some issues with not being clear about when there had been time jumps, but ultimately this was a quick and insightful read. I would also like to emphasise though that you should check the CWs before going into this. There’s a sexual harassment side storyline I wasn’t aware of as well as the central handling of mental health struggles.

Take care of yourself while reading.

This reminded me so much of the 2010s when I was trying to get my life together, figuring out how to deal with life on my own, and struggling with my mental and physical health.

This is a new adult comic about mental health, medicine and having fun pushing the idea of side effects to its maximum. The author embodies those negative feelings that almost everyone has had at some stage (statistics show most people will have a period of depression in their lives). The university context and the reality that is faced there (positive and negative) will speak to people just starting college.
All in all a positive work that will very much talk to its new adult audience. Some of it came off as preachy to me, but I'm older than the target audience so I guess I don't need things to be so telegraphed, this feels like a comic that's needed for its age group.

Not a fault of the book itself– but I did have some issues with the download of this title that impacted my reading experience in a less than pleasant way. However, I loved the message of this graphic novel! Mental health is such an important subject and Side Effects approached those conversations in a careful yet super digestible way! I adored seeing all of the support Hannah received as she navigated going through school and trying out different medications. The little romance side plot was lovely as well. Overall, this left me wanting to read more! I’d love to see this turned into a series to follow more of Hannah’s journey and experiences.

tw: sexual harassment, dealing with mental health issues, medication

3.5

Side Effects follows Hannah, who is struggling during her first year at university. The stress is causing her to not leave her bed, and at her roommate's advice, she starts going to therapy. Therapy is helping Hannah, but the meds have some pretty strange side effects. Weird as in she gets one superpower, and one negative side effect for every type of medication she tries. She becomes super strong, or gets telepathy but also has messed up sleep schedule, or gets constipated. It seems weird to her, but the powers seem to be very useful, she manages to help some people and to ask out the girl she likes. Therapy helps, and she is feeling better, but the question of what it really means to be 'well' and 'healthy' are something that Hannah is still figuring out.

This was certainly a very interesting graphic novel. I liked the premise of it a lot, but truthfully I didn't really know what to expect of it. I love all things that bring attention to mental health and how important taking care of yourself is, so I definitely liked that aspect of the story. What I also enjoyed is that it normalizes going to therapy and taking meds when you need them, I think that's really important as well.

I understand that the idea of side effects as shown here is probably to show how imbalanced life may feel for a moment - you gain the ability to do something (that maybe your mental health stopped you from doing) but there also may be some negative side effects. I thought it was a creative way to show that. However, I will say that as the story progressed and more things happened quite quickly I kind of lost track of that message, and it made me wonder if there was something that went over my head here. I did like how it portrayed the isolation and loneliness that come with depression but also how you can improve and it does get better.

I really liked the art style, I thought the black and white color palette fit the story and the characters very well. I liked how the characters were drawn, and I thought their faces were very expressive, which is really fitting for the story. I enjoyed the characters, but I fish the novel was longer because I think the characters and some of the storyline could've been developed more. I really liked that it emphasized how nice and significant is to have supportive people around you - it won't cure you of your issues, but it's good to know people care about you and accept you as you are.

All in all, this was an enjoyable story, with some really important messages. I thought said messages were slightly lost in the plot, but nonetheless, I liked how it went about certain topics. I would recommend it if the topics of mental health interest you, but these are quite heavy at times so keep that in mind!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

It’s interesting on the timing of finding this graphic novel about a young woman working through some mental health difficulties at the same time that I am just starting to come to terms with my own mental health.

This graphic novel follows Hannah at her new college, feeling overwhelmed and anxious. When her therapist prescribes medication that happens to have the side effects of giving Hannah superpowers, Hannah has to add figuring out her new abilities to everything else on her plate.

This was a charming and quick read. I loved the diversity of the characters, but I feel like we didn’t have enough time to get to know really anybody beyond the most shallow understanding.

The time also negatively impacts the plot. It feels very fast, with not a lot of pace time given to really big, important moments. I really appreciated the down bears with Hannah’s therapist, but other encounters needed more. Like when Hannah intervenes when one of her fellow students is getting harassed by a professor, the encounter and the rescue all take place in like five pages. Everything gets breezed past, and I feel like this graphic novel needed more room to breathe.

I think the best parts of this story where Hannah’s sessions with her therapist and the development of a relationship. The therapist is a kind and understanding person, who constantly validates Hannah as she becomes more comfortable with herself. And the little romance is so adorable and sweet, as the two women got to know each other and support each other, which also could have had more page time.

Thanks to Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley for this ARC.