I was so excited to come across Side Effects because I adore any and all the books we can get that shine a positive light on mental health. Especially graphic novels. Unfortunately, I couldn't get through this one. The art and the story felt too much like caricature.

Written by Ted Anderson and Tara O'Connor, Side Effects revolves around Hannah, a freshman student in college who is dealing with mental illness while she is discovering herself.
The plot is gripping - Hannah tries different medications that leads her into gaining superpower side effects, such as telepathy and electricity. Moreover, the story is so entertaining that keeps the reader turning the pages to see what happens next.
What lifts this book above others of its type and makes it a good read for young adults is the faithful representation of therapy and mental illness treatments. However, it is highly important to check the trigger warnings of this graphic novel before diving into this story since some parts may be hard to read for some people.
Were I to change something of Side Effects, I would make it longer since I really wanted to know more of the characters' lives.
All in all, I immensely enjoyed this story. It strikes me that young adults would be delighted to get a copy of this amazing book.

**I received an eARC in exchange of an honest review**

This novel explores the term whistleblower is 'if you see certain types of wrongdoing this, will usually be something you've seen at work thought not always.... the wrongdoing you disclose must be in the public's interest. This means it must affect others' gov.uk

Laurel Cotes is a wannabe journalist you works for a student university newspaper. It's the first week of term at Garlan university and vLaurel believes she was 'unforgettable, it was something I think of as a party trick rather than a flaw', but someone does notice her this year Brodie St James a quarterback on the team at Garlan university.

Trying to write an artical about the so far hidden truth about the unreported abuse that goes on with the American footballs team coach Vaugnn.
It's the quarterback Brodi that is the sour of this whistle blowing this how everyone know knows who Laural is and she does not like the first reation to it.

I did not really enjoy this book as it seem to drag over the same storyline and there was no depth to the charters

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishe as I recieved a complimentary copy of this book. Opinionsi are completely my own.

Loved the concept of superpowers as a representation of the side effects medication can have. It’s really a unique idea. I really liked the art style and I can’t wait to see the final art. My biggest complaint has to be that it was a little bit too short and I think it should’ve had a few more pages to fully develop the story.

I received an arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly... I only finished this in order to leave the appropriate feedback. I knew almost instantly that this was going to be bothersome for me, but I wanted to give it my due diligence, especially since there's always the chance that a story will turn around.

What really struck me immediately was that the tone of the book felt extremely dated. It's possible that this was a project that had been in the works for many years and was only picked up recently, maybe because author didn't feel like it was ready or because publishers weren't willing to pick it up due to its content. I really hope that was the case, because the approach to therapy, medication, and mental illness felt lightyears behind the times.
Even though there is a clear attempt to add humor and a wry approach to things that are upsetting, I still found the tone to be too glib. Who exactly is this book supposed to be for? If you're someone struggling with these issues, this book seems to make all of the potential nightmares real, and if you're someone who's been working on treating these things then it almost mocks the process. Everything felt exaggerated to the point of bad satire, and it made the experience a miserable slog as well as filled with troubling archetypes. The all-knowing fat friend, the doe eyed hippie therapist, the black character who's the answer to all problems... hard pass.

There are better stories out there about struggling with mental health, adjusting to medical treatments, and even coping with sexual assault. It's possible that I took huge offense to everything because they are things I identify with, but hey. I have a great therapist I believe in and know people like me deserve better books than this. I will not be recommending this to anyone.

Side Effects by Tara O'Connor follows college freshman Hannah as she navigates the world of growing up with mental illness.

I wish something like this story was around when I was in my teens, it definitely could have shined some light on these sensitive topics! I will be recommending to any teens I know who are struggling with such issues.

Trigger Warnings: Alcohol, underage drinking, cursing, medication, mental health, sexual harassment, car accident

Representation: Sapphic, Black, Bipolar Disorder

Side Effects is a graphic novel about mental health. During her first year at college, Hannah has a mental breakdown from the overwhelming feelings of being a new college student. With the help of her roommate, Hannah begins therapy and medication to help with her mental health. The only problem is each new medicine gives her very strange side effects. Hannah learns a lot about herself and helping others through this process, and even meets a cute girl along the way!

Wow I really loved this graphic novel! I wish this had existed when I was in college! It would’ve been nice to know that my feelings were not just me and that finding the right pack can really help you through anything. I loved the illustrations in this piece and the moral of the story. I also really enjoyed the therapist and Iz. They were two great characters!

I love the brevity of graphic novels because despite there being so many less pages, there’s still and entire story and typically a very important message. I think the author did that very well here. I loved how he tackled the topic of mental health and medications. This story is so real and relatable. A very important book for anyone in college or dealing with their own mental health!

"Sides Effects" is about Hannah. It's her first year in college. Unfortunately it is hard for Hannah to be alone in new place. She needs help. She starts taking pills and they should help her. The side effects are unusual...
I think this book is very important for everyone. It shows how serious is our mental health. This book is for adult, young adult and teenager. This book is amazing illustrated graphic novel. I think everyone need to read it.

Side Effects follows Hannah, a freshman in college who is finding her way while battling mental illness. Through the novel, she meets fun characters with their own unique struggles and figures life out while navigating college, new friends, and a love interest named Iz.

I read this graphic novel in under an hour and thoroughly enjoyed it! This would’ve been a lovely book to have as a teenager as it is helpful, honest, and oh so cutely queer. I have seen very little genuine representation of someone with bipolar II (especially in a young woman as bipolar is typically diagnosed in the 20s) and was pleasantly surprised at how it was handled in this narrative. The romance was adorable and was a great example of loving acceptance.

My only real critique of Side Effects is that the story moved pretty quickly and I think the plot could’ve benefited from deeper detail. More fleshed out scenarios would’ve given more depth to the characters and earned this book 5 stars from me.

Overall, I had a lovely time reading this and would recommend it to anyone in high school/college, especially those struggling with mental health or to anyone who loves a unique queer romance.

This is a solid book! Great concept, well-developed characters, and a wonderful art style. I started taking medication a year ago, and I felt the same way Hannah did in the story. It was relatable, and I can see how beneficial it could be for many people. I liked how it tackled heavy topics without being traumatic/overly triggering. You can tell the author and illustrator handled this story with care.

Side Effects focuses on Hannah, a freshman in college trying to navigate the new stresses in her life and the new troubles she's having with her mental health - except the medicine she begins to take daily has some strange side effects.

I picked this book up because I'm a fan of Tara O'Connor's other work! Fly by Night by Tara O'Connor was one of my favorite graphic novel reads of this year and I knew her art would deliver this time. The premise of Hannah struggling with her mental health was very relatable, especially for the age group targeted (college students) and the powers and their side effects were both funny and great metaphors for actual side effects that happen with mental health meds.

While I loved the variety of powers Hannah had to navigate, electricity, astral projection, mind reading, and more - I do wish it hadn't been brushed off as just something else to deal with in the end. There was no overall explanation for it, but acknowledging them and the plot with Iz's mania seemed to cheapen the overall metaphor. I loved the representation, but I also would have loved to see some color on these pages! Tara O'Connor's art is wonderful and I feel like the novel could have popped and really been a great piece of fans of superheroes.

Overall, this was a great read! It had it's weak points, but it did handle the conversation about mental health well and took it's time in inserting characters that had diverse experiences with mental health struggles.

Thank you to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for providing me with a copy for an honest review.

This beautifully illustrated graphic novel is a good introduction to the topic of mental health. It deals with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and more. It also tackles different social issues such as sexual abuse and abuse of power. Albeit valuable, it sort of missed the mark for me. I am not sure about the switching meds plot and the therapy scenes. They seemed a bit too surface-level for me. Overall, a good story, but not a must read in my book.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing early access.

Side Effects is a unique take on mental illness and the side effects of medication used to help in a magical realism way. I enjoyed following Hannah as she learned about her new powers, learned how to cope with her mental health, and used her newfound confidence to help others around her.

I received an arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Side Effects" by Ted Anderson and Tara O'Connor reflects on the stigma against mental health and focuses on the effects of mental illness and its treatments. Hannah, entering a new college, a new state, and a whole new journey of life, finds that she needs outside help to deal with her worries and sadness. Trying out different medications leads Hannah into feeling various side effects throughout, but not just the usual side effects like headaches and fatigue. Hannah finds herself gaining a new 'superpower' side effect when she is testing out each medication; telepathy and electricity manipulation being two of them.

This novel represents the feelings of isolation that comes with depression and anxiety. In 120 pages, the reader is fully rooting for Hannah and her situation. This graphic novel was something I needed growing up, and I'm glad that teenagers will have this in the future. The representation of therapy and treatments for mental illness is really positive in this story, which is very refreshing to see. Overall, I really think this book could be a very important book for young adults. Even without that though, the book is just really well done and though the topics are heavy, "Side Effects" enjoyable and doesn't feel bogged down or a struggle to read.

This graphic novel is a great intro to discussing meds with your teenager or young adult. So much of these experiences —the way they're illustrated and the way they're written — mirrored my experiences of trying new medication and navigating how to manage my mental health. I do think it's best to have this graphic novel form part of a conversation about it, though. There's lots in here to expand on that would benefit from a disucssion and room to ask further questions.

I think it's drawn gorgeously, the colours in the previews look fantastic, and the rep is done in a responsible and authentic way. I especially love that we regularly see her come back to chat with her therapist, and that kind of forms the cornerstone of everything that's going on and how she copes. I also love that it's casually queer and feminist! Her love interest was adorable!

Content warnings for a teacher trying to make a move on his student though, and the difficult bureaucracy of not being able to report it properly in a way that has him see consequences within the university system. Also rep of a side-character's bipolar meltdown when their meds stop working well.

♥ I'll have a more detailed blogpost up closer to the publication date!

I thought the way this book tackled anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues was really refreshing. As someone who suffers from anxiety myself, I really related to Hannah (minus the superpowers from her meds), and I thought it was a very unique way to tell her story. I thought the way she evolved through the story was realistic (minus the powers) and the way anxiety and medication are explained is really helpful and digestible. I would highly recommend this for both people who feel they can relate to the story, or people who just want to learn and understand others.

This graphic novel is a great look into the mind of someone who has anxiety. I felt this was so real and I could really feel what our characters are feeling.


Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

I received an eARC of this book at no charge so I could read and review it. Thank you for this opportunity.

Side Effects is probably one of the best depictions I’ve seen in fiction as to how anxiety feels, and how the struggle to find balance is ongoing and has ups and downs. Through the graphic novel, the reader gets to see Hannah’s thoughts, feelings and changes. The graphic novella format is extremely accessible to readers, and would be particularly good for reluctant readers. As typical of the genre, a lot of the development happens via the illustrations, which have a casual feel and focus on facial expressions and body language. . The concept of medication both positive and negative effects will ring true for those who use medication to manage any condition, and I’m sure many readers wIll wish their medication gives super strength or telepathy. The relationship between Hannah and Iz is authentic and non-graphic. There is minor depiction of underage drinking, not unrealistic (and it’s a sign that the medication is effective), but something to be considered in adopting this book for a school setting. There is a diverse cast and many people will see themselves in the characters.

Overall, this book is worthy of inclusion just due to being positive representation of mental illness and the recovery process.

This short graphic novel about a young woman struggling with the overwhelming newness of life as a college student covers heavy topics like mental health, anxiety, feelings of isolation, therapy, medication, sexual harassment, and both manic and depressive episodes. When our main character begins taking medication for her anxiety, the side effects give her strange powers - electric touch, astral projection, telepathy, and superhuman strength.

I enjoyed this frank and open look at mental health and the stressors of starting college, making a new life for yourself, making new friends, meeting cute girls, tackling tough and emotional challenges. I think it falls along the same vein as the Heartstopper graphic novels and the gn Genderqueer, but with a bit of a fantastical element - medications that give the main character superpowers. I think this will be a valuable tool for teenagers learning about mental health, medication, anxiety, loved ones' mental health, and therapy.

However, I don't think this novel had clear direction. For the first few medications our MC was prescribed, I thought the author was using the superpower metaphor as a way to address the very real-world side effects that can come with medication, especially with the dissociating side effect. And then I thought maybe the character was gaining courage to interact with the world a bit more each time she found a medication that worked slightly better, and the side effects were supposed to show that? But neither ever came full circle. The superpowers were supposed to be taken literally, I guess, and never really served as a device - or at least not one that I understood. In the end it felt like the story wanted to be two things and didn't commit to either of them - on one hand, a sci-fi-y graphic novel about a super-kid with mental health struggles, or a regular kid with mental health struggles who becomes super when they start medication and therapy... On the other hand, it felt like a YA coming-of-age novel about a normal person who has mental health struggles and is learning how to handle them with the help of their friends, loved ones, and therapist. I honestly would've enjoyed either one but this sort of split the difference and left me searching for more.

First of all, isn't the premise relatable? I'm really glad that mental health books of all kinds are getting published more often.

The art here is very clean and the expressions and situations and environment are easy to recognize and thus relate. The concept itself is quite fascinating -- a "magic"-type twist on a mundane situation. The combinations of different supernatural side effects with normal ones was fascinating, although that really isn't the focus of the story. The crux of it is, obviously, the mental health, which was realistically depicted and well handled. I enjoyed the romance here as well, not only does SIDE EFFECTS accurately portray the giddiness of a crush but also delves into how a relationship is, essentially, about supporting each other.

The only drawback here is the fact that at times the story felt like it was skipping over some essential details, which is a common issue with graphic novels. For example, *mild spoiler* we jump from Hannah walking into her dorm on the first day straight to her break down a month later without indication.

However, overall, this was an accurate depiction of mental health struggles with a fun twist.