Overview:
Lewis and Wren meet and fall in love. They are utterly different, so opposite but somehow they balance each other out. He is arty, a school theatre teacher and outgoing, she is quiet, likes structure but their relationship works. Throughout their first, and only year of marriage Lewis slowly goes through a transformation…. into a great white shark. This is their journey of self-exploration, love, change, and so much more.

Review: 
This book took me on a journey I was not expecting. The formatting took me a bit to figure out and it was a bit hard to read until I figured that out. This book had me crying half way through. It was a great way to show character change and growth. I was a little unsatisfied with the ending, wishing for a different one but it was well written. The change in scenes was a little hard to follow but once the smaller stories picked up again it flowed easy. Wrens mother who I grew to hate in the first story, you grew to appreciate and understand the life she tried to give Wren. 
This undoubtable was one of the weirdest most confusing books I have read in a long time and trying to follow the plot left me lost. 

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Quercus Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Shark Heart follows Lewis and Wren, a newly married couple, who have to navigate a difficult diagnosis throughout their first year of marriage--Lewis is slowly turning into a great white shark.

Shark Heart is exactly what it claims on the cover: it's a love story. I liked following Wren and Lewis as characters. They're complicated and sometimes make difficult decisions, but it was clear to me how much they cared about one another. I bought into their relationship and was rooting for them, even though you know the outcome of Lewis's diagnosis pretty early on.

What really worked for me in this novel, though, was the look at generational trauma and family dynamics: particularly between Wren and her mother Angela.

The writing was quite beautiful at times, though at other times it was a bit overly sentimental. The author does experiment with form, which I thought was great, though not always successful. Some sections read as a screenplay would and others read almost as poetry? Or perhaps a monologue from a screenplay? I would have to see how it's laid out on the actual physical page. I give credit to Habeck for trying something so experimental in a debut novel, and it makes me excited for future books from her. There were also some really funny moments, which I loved.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this. It was a quick read and, at times, really touched me. I wouldn't recommend this for everyone, but if the synopsis sounds intriguing to you, I would recommend it.

I loved this book. It’s almost like three novellas that link together through the characters because there are three distinct parts to the book. I finished yesterday afternoon and I’m still thinking about it.

Lewis and Wren are married for just a few weeks when Lewis gets his diagnosis. He will gradually turn into a great white shark — but his mind and consciousness will mostly stay intact. The book follows Lewis and Wren as they navigate this horrific disease (this reminded me of the reverse of what families deal with when dementia or Alzheimers strikes), and Wren tries to support Lewis. The other parts of the book deal with Wren’s back story and Lewis in the ocean.

I’ve seen people say if you like Nightbitch read this. I loved Rachel Yoder’s Nightbitch, but this book is quite different as I can see it being received more widely. It’s also like When Women Became Dragons (also a 5 star for me), but again, I think this one will appeal more widely.

Rumor has it this is a BOTM August pick. Add it to your box for sure.

Thank you Simon and Schuster and Marysue Rucci Books for the free e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.

Shark Heart is a lovely and original debut novel. Lewis and Wren are a newlywed couple when Lewis is diagnosed with a rare medical condition that will transform him into a great white shark. I know, I know, but you’ll believe it when you read it! For me, the diagnosis was a metaphor for any life altering condition and the repercussions from the disease on the person and their loved ones.

There are quite a few early reviews out on Shark Heart and loads of spoilers. Go in unprepared so you can enjoy the story. It’s about love, marriage, transformation, grief and living in the moment. It’s a highly emotional and beautiful story.

Thank you @netgalley and @_simonelement @marysueruccibooks for this advance copy.
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This beautifully written debut novel needs to be read slowly so you can savor every word. Unfortunately, once you start reading, you can’t put it down, and then you end up devouring it in one day (ask me how I know). The short chapter format only ups the binge reading factor.
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The book begins as the love story of newlyweds Wren and Lewis, who learn Lewis is mutating into a great white shark. Let me stop right there and say that sentence sounds like a big no thank you from me. But Habeck makes the entire situation feel so real and relatable, you might find yourself sobbing as a man turns into a shark. This is ultimately a story about love and loss and how life often forces us to transform in new ways. It was beautiful and heart wrenching and bizarre, but I think the “weird” helped dampen the heaviness somewhat. Refreshing in its uniqueness, I really encourage you to give this one a try!
Shark Heart publishes August 8th.

The cover of Shark Heart says ‘A Love Story’, but don’t let that confuse you. It’s not a romance book. It’s a book about love (and loss) - romantic love, familial love, the love of a mother and daughter. The story is melancholic and hopeful. It is heartwarming and heartbreaking. It is lyrical and humorous.

Wren and Lewis are newlyweds when Lewis gets diagnosed with a rare condition where he will transform into a great white shark. Animal mutations are normal is this world, so don’t expect that aspect to be explained. That’s not the point of the story. Shark Heart is about relationships, love, loss, and moving on.

The story is divided into three parts. First, we follow Wren and Lewis as they cope with his condition. Then, we go to the past to learn about Wren’s mother, Angela. This was my favorite section, and the section that brought me to tears. Last, we go back to Wren and Lewis after he has transformed to see how they are coping with their new realities.

Shark Heart is a beautiful debut. It is written in short chapters that are sometimes written as poetry, sometimes as normal (yet still beautiful) prose, and sometimes as scenes from a play. It made me want to stare at the sky and appreciate nature and the small things in life that bring joy.

OUT 8/8 - preorder now - DO NOT READ SPOILERS! Five stars. I can’t believe this is a debut. Gorgeous, beautiful, heart-soaring, heart-wrenching, funny, clever, smart, complex, odd: a novel about love and finding your way in the world in which we meet Wren and Lewis. Opposites, they make it work and each begins to evolve in their own unique way. The writing is evocative and had me deeply feeling these characters throughout. I loved seeing their choices and learning more about them with sections of the book telling the backgrounds in a beautiful, heartfelt way. Thank you to Marysue Rucci Books for the advanced copy. I’ll treasure it forever.

Wren and Lewis are newly married, in love, and looking to start their lives. Unfortunately, Lewis is diagnosed with an animal mutation, which will upend both of their lives.

This story was so unique. It felt like a romance, a family drama, and sci fi all wrapped up into one emotional read. The book is broken down into three parts, and the reader becomes fully invested in both Wren and Lewis, their life before and after each other, and the love they share. I kept saying to myself “wow this is such a unique book”, but also with so many “normal” elements. I really loved it. If you are looking for a story that encompasses genres, emotion, character building, and a bit of reality suspension, definitely pick this up! 4.5⭐️

This was a story so full of love. For the first half of the book we follow Wren and her husband, Lewis as he is transforming into a Great White Shark. (Sounds really weird, right? But I've been into weird books lately.) I fell in love with Wren and Lewis and was a little disappointed when I realized the second half was a different perspective. But wow, Angela's story (Wren's mom) was just as heartfelt and wonderful. I really enjoyed this novel and can't believe it's a debut. As far as "weird" books go, this is the most heart-warming one I've read. I do think it's a little neat the way it all wraps up in the end, but I still loved every minute of it and it deserves all the stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon Element, S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books.

After reading reassuring reviews promising this book wasn't as weird as it sounded, I thought I'd give it a try. It begins with Lewis, a high school drama teacher, discovering he possesses a genetic mutation that will transform him into a great white shark in just a few months' time. His wife Wren, a pragmatic and no nonsense woman, attempts to handle the situation rationally and with a level head. The book then devolves into small vignettes of characters' orbiting Lewis and Wren's life: Wren's college lover Rachel, her mother Angela, a friend from the pool pregnant with birds. These vignettes are sometimes structured like scenes out of a play, or a poem, or just a few sentences. There's very little detail about this world the reader is propelled into. It reads like a magnifying glass quickly moving across a large map: once a place or person is brought into view, the author moves on to something else. My problem with "Shark Heart" isn't its creative plot, it's that the structure is too weak to generate any investment on the part of the reader. The lack of cohesion and continuity was jarring. The shark mutation also felt like too obvious a stand-in for the challenges couples face in life. Would recommend passing on this one unless you're a fan of experimental novels.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this title for a review.

I was skeptical of this title at first, but between all the positive buzz and beautiful cover art, I wanted to give it a try.

To call it a love story isn’t a complete picture. It’s definitely got some tragedy and grief associated as well. It’s wholly unlike anything I’ve read before, and I appreciated its uniqueness.

If you’re looking for an emotional read that’ll suck you in and really make you think, I suggest this one when it comes out in August!

"In the rare hopeful hour, I tell myself this darkness has a purpose: to help me recognize light if I ever find it again." - Lewis
"It seemed loving someone was not enough to keep them beside her (Wren)."

"Shark Heart" is a surprisingly beautiful debut novel. Love and loss, and the depth of those feelings, are explored in a most unusual story.

Wren and Lewis are newly weds living in Texas. Shortly after their wedding, Lewis is diagnosed with a mutation disease that will eventually transform him into a Great White Shark. Wren and Lewis remain deeply in love as they fight, and then face, the inevitable.

In the story, it is a known and accepted fact that some people will have the misfortune of mutating into another animal form. There are institutes that manage and treat these cases. But as with any life altering disease, medicine can't mitigate the damage to relationships and families affected.

The format of the novel vacillates between novel and play, with an occasional author's note. Sometimes the shift was clever, but often it just felt clunky. I think it would be a better story in more typical novel format, and that is the main reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.

I dreaded reaching the end of this sweet and complex story. I came to love the characters deeply. I can't wait to see what Emily Habeck writes next!

Shark Heart. Let's discuss the title.

SHARK because one of our main characters and POV's begins to transform into a great white shark. This is not unusual to have a metamorphosis in this world, but to change into a great white shark is unusual. This particular transformation doesn't happen to many people. Lewis notices the change by some scaly skin that begins to form on his lower back. He goes to the doctors and they instruct him on what to expect.

HEART because this is a love story. A love story between Wren and Lewis (who becomes a shark). We are indulged in how they met and fell in love. We see the struggle and trials of loss that they know is coming when Lewis will be more shark than human and his needs of survival in salt water will supersede what life on land with Wren offers.

It is tragically sad to know the ending of his life as a human is near. How does one handle this loss? In unusual and the best each person can. This book is not REALLY about people changing into animals as the final thought, but more about how we handle change and loss in our lives. We all have different changes and losses that come at different times and we handle it differently.

This book offers a lot of food for thought that I will continue to reflect on the next few weeks!

Thank you to NetGalley and S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books for the advance e-copy of this book.

Based off the synopsis of a man turning into shark, I was expecting something quirky and weird. I was not expecting to ugly cry in public, but that’s where we ended up.

Lewis and Wren are newlyweds when Lewis receives the diagnosis that he will mutate into a great white shark. The process will take about a year, and we how Lewis and Wren’s relationships are affected both with one another and with those around them. We also get flashbacks to Wren’s childhood, and Wren’s mother’s early years.

I loved everything about this book, it is a gorgeously written debut that explores love and loss in such a unique and beautiful way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of Shark Heart by Emily Habeck in exchange for my honest review.

What a weird and absolutely lovely story. Based on the description alone, I had my doubts I would enjoy this book. But a few other readers I trust said they loved this story, so I decided to give it a chance.

Shark Heart follows Lewis and his wife Wren as they navigate Lewis’ transformation into a great white shark. Sounds weird right? It is but at the same time, this metamorphizes where humans turn into animals seems to have been around for the past 60 years in the book’s universe, and my own mind used it as a metaphor for terminal diseases (i.e. cancer) and the coping families deal with.

Divided into four parts, I loved the unique way the story was told. Parts one and two are primarily from Wren and Lewis’ perspectives. While part three is mainly from Wren’s mother Angela’s perspective. Part four is a mixture, and while it might seem like each part is a separate story, it all ties together seamlessly at the end.

There are flashbacks woven into each of their narratives and some interesting side characters, who are coping with similar diagnosis. These along with Play Scripts sprinkled throughout the story really enhances the magical realism and dreamy atmosphere Habeck’s put together.

Regardless of how odd the synopsis makes this story sound, it’s beautifully written. These is so much love, heartbreak, and longing in these pages and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for something imaginative and lovingly written. I can’t believe this is a debut and can’t wait for more from Habeck.


Shark Heart comes out August 8, 2023. Huge thank you to S & S/ Marysue Rucci Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.

SHARK HEART is wondrous and heartbreaking all at once. I was hooked from the very first page and devoured this book. I greatly admired the poetic and theatrical qualities to the novel. The author captures heartbreak, grief, goodbyes, life, and parenthood in such an encompassing, emotional and beautiful light. There were several moments where this story and its writing took my breath away. Halfway through the story, I was afraid I would be destroyed by the ending as someone who lives for happily every afters, but the author takes such good care of the readers' hearts! I couldn't be more pleased and at ease with the ending.

So looking forward to reading whatever the author may grant us with next. Much, much gratitude to S&S/Marysue Rucci Books for the digital advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is unlike anything I have ever read. I devoured it in one day. The short chapters helped keep me motivated to keep reading. Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy. I can’t wait to see what others think of this one. Hoping it will be a Book of the Month pick for August.

Thanks to S&S and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. I heard about this book from Anne Bogel, and I haven't heard about it in too many other places. The plotting and format was so original, a love story about a young couple where the husband is in the process of mutating into a great white shark. I loved the commentary on trauma, grief, love, motherhood, and continual growing and transforming. Told in super short chapters ranging from plays to poetry to prose, the pages turn very fast as the story changes. What a thoughtful, strange story full of magical realism and heart! 4 stars.

Shark Heart is a wholly original, exceptionally lovely tale about love, loyalty, and loss. Lewis and Wren are newlyweds when they receive the shocking news that Lewis has a rare condition that will cause him to transform into a great white shark. The couple must grapple with the diagnosis, what it means for their marriage, and what will become of the rest of their lives.

This is magical realism at its finest, fantastical but somehow almost plausible. To me, this story is a clear metaphor for terminal illness, with Lewis’s condition seeming to mirror a stage 4 cancer diagnosis and another character’s condition evoking the slow descent of Alzheimer’s disease. Anyone who has been there with a loved one will recognize the devastation that accompanies diagnosis, the ensuing struggle to accept and adapt, the burden of treatment and caretaking, and the complex grief at the end. This story is simultaneously heartbreaking, uplifting, and achingly beautiful. It’s unlike anything I’ve read before and will stay with me for a long time.

Confession time: I chose this book solely based on the beautiful cover (it’s gorgeous, right?) and didn’t look at the synopsis at all. In retrospect, I’m glad I went in unprepared, as I wouldn’t have thought this story would be my thing and might have left it on the shelf. That would have truly been my loss, as this unusual and emotional story is easily one of my top reads this year. Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Marysue Rucci Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster/Marysue Rucci Books and the author for the advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

I know what you’re probably thinking…5 stars for a book about a man who turns into a shark? But hear me out. This book is certainly bold, unique - and even bizarre - but it is so much more than its outlandish premise.

Newlyweds Wren and Lewis are planning for their bright future of infinite possibilities. Wren is a pragmatist who works in finance and enjoys stability and consistency. Lewis is an idealist at heart and dreams of living in a treehouse and performing on Broadway but settles as a high-school drama teacher. Just months after their wedding vows, Lewis’ body begins changing and he is diagnosed with a rare mutation in which he will transform into a great white shark. It is an aggressive, rapid mutation and they have just a matter of months left to navigate this transition and make as many memories as they can.

We are also given generational flashbacks into Wren’s traumatic childhood as well as her mother’s tragic backstory. We get glimpses into her past relationship and her newfound friendship with a woman who is battling a mutation of her own. The love stories interweave themselves into beautiful, lyrical vignettes. I love how the author experimented with different types of prose - from screenplays to free verse poetry. It made for an ethereal reading experience.

You know from the get go that there will only be one outcome to this story and my heart must have shattered into a hundred pieces reading these chapters. However, the more prominent themes that I found throughout the book were of hope and joy after unspeakable loss, not taking a single moment of our one precious life for granted. It is a story of overcoming grief, embracing inevitable change and finding peace and happiness where you never thought you ever could or would. It explores the very depths of our humanity and social connection.

This book is sure to prove unforgettable and I recommend this to anyone looking for a deep, unconventional work of fiction.