Finished this book in one sitting. It is absolutely beautiful! The way the story flowed was flawless. The writing is gorgeous. It’s a book that will you won’t be able to put down!

I tend to avoid books with magical realism but I've heard a lot about this book so I decided to give it a try. This was one of the strangest books I've ever read, but it was beautifully written. In this world It is not uncommon for humans to mutate into animals and that is the premise of Lewis and Wren's story. Shortly after marriage, Lewis begins to mutate into a shark and what follows is a story about love, loss and humanity. This was a captivating read and yet so incredibly different from anything I've read before. I loved the short pieces of texts, the different sections and how the author stayed true to the theme of love, loss and humanity. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Shark Heart is when magical realism is written almost poetically. It’s a tale of two people in love, when Lewis discovers right after his marriage to Wren that he is morphing into a great white shark. Wren and Lewis have to navigate their love while Lewis changes from someone gentle and trustworthy for Wren to something potentially dangerous to Wren. The novel moves to then reveal Wren’s backstory of her parents and her childhood.

I will be honest, I was very skeptical based on the premise of this one but I was nudged by people I trust to read this one and I am beyond thrilled that I did. The premise was a hard one to get past until I began reading and then it sucked me right in. Shark Heart exceeded my expectations. Emily Hasbeck’s writing is simply beautiful (with short lyrical chapters) and she has created a unique concept (and it absolutely worked) - these two things for me are what make for a top ten read. The characters were compelling and multi-dimensional, and the story had humor and depth. I can’t wait to see what Hasbeck does next.

4.75 (which I will raise to 5 stars)

Thank you to NetGalley, MarySue Rucci Books and Simon & Schuster for the ARC

This will absolutely be in my top 10 of the year. What a beautiful, unique meditation on love. The pacing was just right and everything from the characterization to the structure was perfection. I cannot wait to read more of her work!

Pub date: 8/8/23
Genre: literary fiction, magical realism
Quick summary: Newlyweds Lewis and Wren receive shocking news - within a year, Lewis will transform into a great white shark. This is the story of how they come to terms with this change - interwoven with the experiences of Wren's mother, Angela, dealing with similar grief.

My expectations for SHARK HEART were sky-high after seeing five-star reviews from some of my trusted bookstagram friends. Good news: the book lived up to them! I inhaled the text in less than a day because I was so immersed in the strange world of this novel. The shark transformation could have so easily been a gimmick - but Habeck handled it so well. The depth of emotion I felt from Lewis, Wren, and Angela's experiences made this book unforgettable. Wren's story was especially poignant with the flashbacks to her childhood and adolescence. I also enjoyed the Oklahoma setting - Habeck brought this often-overlooked place to life in her narrative.

If you like magical realism, this is a must read!

Thank you to Marysue Ricci Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Element for this ARC.
4 stars
This was such a fun, unique, touching read. It ended up being so much more than I expected, in the best way. The writing was beautiful, at times abstract but still understandable and relatable. I don't want to say anything about the actual plot, because I think this is one of those stories that is so much more enjoyable to go into when you don't know what's coming. I was always excited to pick it up, and it moved quick. I loved all of the characters, and I loved reading about both their human shortcomings and their growths. I'm just really in awe of the amazing way that Emily Habeck crafted this story, and I can't wait to read whatever else she writes. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys stories about family, about personal growth and loss, about love, or anyone who loves to read in general.

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

While I know every one is absolutely raving about this book, I am going to be the minority here. 😅🙋🏼‍♀️

I give it 3.5 Stars

It was a very quick read with unusually short chapters, a lot only being a page long, and it was definitely a unique concept; but I did not like the back & forth, all over the place order of the story (personally). It switches point of views and timelines A LOT, and not in any particular order that I could tell.

I understand the author trying to portray dealing with loss, grief and even what it feels like to lose ourselves, and she absolutely did that. The last part was super emotional and gripping, but overall the story itself didn’t captivate me like I thought it would.

Overall, after hearing all of the raving reviews, I have to admit I was somewhat underwhelmed. I definitely can see why people are liking it because it is extremely thought provoking and I think the author will do great things in the future with her other novels, this one just wasn’t my personal favorite.

This is a most subjective review. Although this may be the most beautiful book ever written, I hated every moment of reading it. For one, there were enough plot lines to write 20 books some science fiction, some fantasy, so zoology some poetry, ye, even romance and yet….The chapters are short, some only a few words or a line, and the novel (?) still felt endless to me. It took me four days of continuous effort to finish Shark Heart. I was tempted to just not finish. But somehow, I persisted and at lasr just put it down with a final, relieved,.thud.

The story is about Wren and Lewis, two thirty-five-year-olds who find each other and a deep, abiding love. Wren is fund manager, Lewis a failed actor/playwright now a high school drama teacher. Presented as if it were a known condition, Lewis is diagnosed with a genetic mutation that will see him turn into a great white shark over time. Go ahead and suspend disbelief. It won’t help. You will either dive in and enjoy it or you will wonder why Simon and Schuster ever bought it. You may think it’s crazy enough to be made into a film. You may throw it across the room or, you may just adore it.

Thanks you to MarySue Rucci Books and Simon & Schuster to sending me this ARC.

At first I was thinking what the hell am I reading? But this plot was handled so well. Lewis and Wren live in a world where animal mutations are a normal occurrence, but a great white shark mutation is a rarity. The story flows nicely and is overall very touching. The interlude about Wren’s mother Angela was a bit long I thought, but the stories are connected. Be patient with this one, it’s worth it.

Special thanks to Simon Element, S&S/Mary Sue Gucci Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This is one hell of a book which made me laugh, cry, love, only to break my heart. This may be an oddball of a story, but in a good way. Anyway its a wild ride and all I can say is jump on.

I would highly recommend this book. 5 stars for the uniqueness and for all the emotions this book gave me.

I was so intrigued by the premise of this book. I mean, a guy turns into a great white shark? The marine biologist in me needed to know more.

What came after the initial excitement was disappointing. This book was very slow paced to me, and while I can appreciate the storyline and the beautiful lessons in this book, the overall writing just didn’t capture me.

I would describe the writing style similar to “where the crawdads sing” which was another hugely popular book that I wasn’t into.

This cover is absolutely the most beautiful cover I’ve ever seen though.

SHARK HEART is a wild, emotional ride of a book. It was a moving story of the relationship between two newlyweds while the husband swiftly transforms from a human into a great white shark. The reader also learns more about the wife, Wren, and her relationship with her mother. Overall, the story is beautifully written and moves effortlessly between each character's emotions and their interactions with one another. The main issue I had with SHARK HEART was the seemingly disjointed arrangement of the storytelling. Wren and Lewis' story was told rather quickly in the first have before jumping suddenly to the life of Wren's mother before moving back to the present. While intertwined, I wish the two stories had been more seamlessly cohesive, as it was confusing the read at first. Overall, this was a great book and I would recommend it to my library patrons!

A big, massive ball of feelings come with this entanglement of stories! This story is entirely unique - from its concept to its formatting to its poetic nature.

The characters’ progression was metamorphic I laughed, I cried, I fell in love, my heart broke.

There are aspects of Lewis, Wren, and Angels that I found heartbreakingly beautiful. The way they love so intensely and feel their emotions in their own manner makes for the most unique group of characters!

It’s one of the oddest, strangest stories I’ve ever read. It’s about change, facing the impossible, grappling with grief, and being so indescribably in love that it hurts.

The way Emily Habeck has me crying and laughing over a freaking SHARK!

Thanks for the wild, crazy ride Emily! I read this entire book in a day and have already been telling EVERYONE to read this book ASAP.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, Simon Element, Marysue Rucci Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this amazing debut by Emily Habeck - 5 stars!

Wren and Lewis are newlyweds when he begins to turn into a Great White shark. This sort of transformation, resulting from a familial mutation, is common enough that hospitals have different teams to help patients and their families as they transform. Wren is obviously devastated and devotes her life to taking care of Lewis, a task that becomes harder and harder as he transforms. The second half of the book explores Wren's past and that of her mother.

Wow - Emily Habeck is now on my list of people I want to have dinner with. Can you imagine that conversation? To be able to create a book with this premise and have it so full of heart, imagination, and is gorgeously written as well. It's about the transformations we all make as we grow, love, become parents, grieve. It deserves all the hype it is getting - I can't wait to read more from this author but how do you top this? Highly recommended!

This was one of the most unique stories I’ve ever read.

Shark Heart follows Wren and Lewis who are newlyweds. Shortly after they are married, Lewis is diagnosed with Carcharodon Carcharias Mutation which will turn him into a great white shark before their first wedding anniversary. The premise behind this book was unlike anything I’ve ever read which is what drew me to it, but I was not prepared for how profound this book would be.

I was expecting the story to lean more toward sci-fi/horror, but it touched on deep subjects such as grief, death, domestic violence, and what it means to be truly alone. This book perfectly encapsulated the feeling of grieving someone that isn’t dead and finding joy in the after.

The pacing of this book was a little odd as the story jumped around and wasn’t always linear, but I honestly loved it.

By the time I finished this book, all I wanted to do was go home and hug everyone close to me. I obviously don’t have to worry about my husband turning into a fish, but you never know how much time you have left with someone. 4/5⭐ and I can’t wait to purchase this for myself.

4.5 stars!

I will admit, I requested "Shark Heart" by Emily Habeck because of its beautiful cover alone. What you will find in this book is a wildly strange, wholly unique romance that will make you laugh and cry with its musings on life, love, motherhood, family, and affliction. This story is clearly an allegory for chronic and terminal illnesses. It details, through magical realism, how someone who is sick can change and distort and crumble and deteriorate physically and mentally, but this novel also conveys how caring for a sick person can irrevocably change the carer, too... how carers lose their sense of self and independence, and how, despite unconditional love and loyalty, they relinquish parts themselves in the process of overseeing and, eventually, letting go. Unfortunately, I have a lot of experience with both, so I identified with this book on an extremely personal level. I found myself drawn into this story from the first page. I loved the characters, the changes they go through, the lessons to be learned, the reflections to be gleaned, and the emotions poured into this story. Some of the prose is written in a journalistic manner, while other bits almost feel play-like manner, so that may turn off some readers. I urge you to stick with it. I promise you will be rewarded with something that is a breath of fresh air. Try reading as little as possible about this book before starting it! A fabulous book that will be on my mind for years to come.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Habeck, Simon Element, and S&S/Marysue Rucci Books for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

To be honest this book sounded so weird, and I was IN!! The story begins with Lewis and Wren. A newly married couple loving their new life together, navigating work and each other. This comes to a halt when Lewis gets a devastating diagnosis: he’s turning into a great white shark.

I love how the format included some script scenes and poetry. Many pages had only a paragraph or so of writing to separate thoughts. Wren’s story goes much deeper than just Lewis. We get a look into her past and her mother’s life too.

Lyrical and mesmerizing! You don’t want to miss this one!

I honestly don’t know how to rate this book. It was insanely creative…and just plain insane. There were some very cool ideas in this but it all felt too piecemeal and chaotic. It’s like the author compiled her wacky creative writing journal entries into a book with very little editing. It was very stream of consciousness without cohesion.

I wish there had been a little closure for Wren and Lewis at some point. Same with Angela and George. We get to see a big chunk of their stories but then are left in the dark. The author has a unique writing style which I thought was engaging. I loved that Lewis was an actor/theater teacher and parts of the book were written as a script. Very neat.

I took away an overall message of appreciating life and that beauty can be found anywhere. Also, the definition of “love” is broader than we sometimes think it is.

I was ultimately a little disappointed with this final product but it is definitely worth a read, though, because I guarantee you haven’t read anything like it before.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon for an ARC of this beautiful debut novel. Wow.. when I read the synopsis, I had no idea what to expect since it sounded so ludacris, but I am so grateful I took the plunge. The novel focuses on a newlywed couple, Wren and Lewis, who come from different backgrounds, have different beliefs, but blend together perfectly. Lewis begins noticing changes in his body, and after his wife's insistence, finally goes to a doctor who tells him he is physically and emotionally changing into a Great White Shark. The reader discovers that people develop gene mutations that transform them into all different types of animals, but what is amazing with this story is that is such a small part of the picture this novel is painting. It focuses on love, motherhood, and the bonds that make us all.

This book changed me. It’s so unique and strange and beautiful. Just read it!
The writing is lyrical perfection.