This was just okay for me. I understand why it received such positive reviews, but I really wanted so much more from this story. Shesheshen was not monstrous enough for me and despite her constantly reiterating how much she avoids humanity, she has really nailed the therapy speak.

Just so queer and soft and horror? And it kept me reading because it was delightful. The characters filled my heart

This is a love story of a most unusual kind. Shesheshen is a monster. She’s an ill-formed, amorphous swamp-blob who can absorb the body parts of people she eats, using their bones to construct a human-like frame which helps her to shapeshift and pass for human. She doesn’t need company – and anyway she would be just as likely to eat a visitor as chat over tea and sandwiches. And then… she meets poor awkward Homily, the second daughter of Shesheshen’s enemy, the woman who killed her mother. Homily is sweet and caring and, what’s more, despised by her toxic family. At first all Shesheshen is thinking is that Homily will make a good mother to her impending egg brood, and kindly provide the sustenance they need when they burst forth from their egg sack inside her and eat her from the inside out. But gradually Shesheshen is falling in love. There’s a nice twist towards the end. Horror and whimsy combine to make this a delightful story about love and family with a dollop of dark humour as Shesheshen discovers more about being human and Homily discovers more about being a monster. This is thoroughly enjoyable.

This book was an absolute TRIP, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would! I wasn't completely sold on the premise when I picked it up, but it was unique enough where I knew I wanted to give it a try. Boy am I glad I did!

What worked well for me:

~ I know she's supposed to be a monster, but Shesheshen is absolutely delightful. Her view of the world is a fresh, new perspective . . . one that you can't really hold against her. I, too, wish people would stop showing up at my lair and disturbing my rest. None of them have tried to stab me yet, but I feel like I also would be annoyed if they did that, too. Her view of love and what makes an ideal mate is equally interesting. Because of course all she knows is the mother who laid her (killed, when she was almost too young to remember) and the father she was laid in, whose flesh fed her earliest moments in life. Because parents should be nurturing, of course.

~ I do love me an ill-fated romance, and Shesheshen and Homily definitely fit the bill. Even if you were to set aside the fact that the former really just wants to lay an egg in the latter that will absolutely destroy her from the inside. Like you do. They're both jaded, just in different ways, and their tentative steps towards growing together are charming and adorable.

~ Dark humor is my favorite type of humor, and this book has it in droves. It's a very dry sort of humor, but I liked it. In a book with a plot that's as dark as this one, that will absolutely result in many character deaths, I feel it's almost necessary. The humor helped balance out some of the darkness.

~ This book is filled with strong, capable women, which I always appreciate seeing. It's an interesting flip, where the men, despite considering themselves to be stronger of course, end up worse off. It's nice to see women doing the hard things on their own.

What didn't work well for me:

~ There's an awful lot of talk about what a terribly, horrible monster Shesheshen is, buuuut . . . she doesn't actually really do anything all that evil? I mean, even down to the fact that the people she eats absolutely, definitely deserved to be eaten. I couldn't decide if she wasn't monstery enough for a monster novel, or if I was just offended by the fact that they called her a monster without her actually fully deserving it.

~ Also, Shesheshen having any sort of take on relationships is kind of an interesting choice. Because she shouldn't. See my post above about her only familial experience being a dead mother and a father she murdered being brought into this world. I don't think she should be trying to tell explain to her girlfriend about why her family is toxic (although they for sure are).

Deserving of all its critical and awards success, and more. SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN is extremely gross, and extremely touching, presenting the two seamlessly in one deeply engaging and affecting story. Cozy body horror is not something I thought was possible, and yet! Amazing character work and evocative storytelling. Can't recommend highly enough.

A badly injured shapeshifting monster finds healing and more in the most unlikely source, which then asks the question 'who is the real monster?' I liked this story of a very unusual creature and the friends and enemies it makes.

I was excited to give this one a try but really didn't care for it.

The book opens with a squelchy body horror interlude about Shesheshen, the monster main character, eating her way out of her father's body and consuming her weaker siblings. It was a bit much for me. Her shapeshifting abilities were interesting but since she began the book feeling so alien I had a hard time believing that she could be a convincing human- she saw things so differently.

When Shesheshen begins to care about the human Homily, who heals her after things have gone very wrong for the monster, I had a hard time believing that she would sound so very 21st century/very online/pop culture therapy literate. Somehow Shesheshen could see all the dysfunctional family dynamics clearly, and even comfort her human and counsel her insightfully.

The good and bad characters both felt like caricatures instead of real. The relationships too. I didn't think anything was cute, my heart was not moved except away from the book.

This book was absolutely incredible. What a perfect example of queer horror fantasy, loaded with new ideas and phenomenal character developement. I couldn't put this book down. Shesheshen was immaculate and has to be one of my favorite characters ever written.

SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN – by John Wiswell

Shesheshen has made a mistake fatal to all monsters: she's fallen in love.

‘Shesheshen is a shapeshifter, who happily resides as an amorphous lump at the bottom of a ruined manor. When her rest is interrupted by impolite monster hunters, she constructs a body from the remains of past meals: a metal chain for a backbone, borrowed bones for limbs, and a bear trap as an extra mouth.

‘Badly hurt by the hunters, Shesheshen’s nursed back to health by Homily, a warm-hearted human.’

My Heart!! I love everything about this Book—Highly Recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley and Daw Books (Astra Publishing House), for providing me with an eBook of SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN at the request of an honest review.

Shesheshen is a monster and lives in the bottom of a cave. She doesn't really bother anyone, unless they come bother her, and then she will kill them and eat their bodies and absorb different parts to make her body into the shape she wants it to be. She encounters hunters that are there to kill her, and instead kills them and eats their bodies. She goes into the town and realizes that she's injured, only to pass out and be rescued by Homily. Homily and Shesheshen becomes friends, and Homily takes extra care to make sure that Shesheshen gives her permission before any form of contact.

Shesheshen learns that Homily's family killed her family, and are trying to kill her, but Shesheshen cares for Homily and so works her way into the manor and the family. Homily's mother has been hiding a secret from everyone though, and Shesheshen realizes that she is going to have to fight for her place instead of hiding away again.

Filled with humor and horror, love and kindness and unbelievable hate, this is a book about broken families, trauma, and making your own way.

How to write this review without hyperbole? On finishing it, I rushed to buy it in hard copy and audiobook immediately, so that I could keep it in every form possible. I will read and re-read it, in all forms. It is just that good!

I never even realised that cosy horror could be a thing, but here we are! Imagine the cosy fantasy vibes of books like Legends and Lattes, crossed with body horror and monsters and death in a deliciously dark and wonderfully warming way.

In addition to the obvious queer and disability representation in the story, I felt there was a lot of autistic coding in ‘monstrous’ main character Shesheshen, as she struggled to project humanness and sociableness under her public ‘mask’, struggled to understand those less direct than herself, and showed more empathy and love than the ‘normal human’ characters who hunted her as a monster. She is innocent and monstrous, pragmatic and whimsical, witty and world-weary, confused and wise – I adore her and can definitely relate to some of her struggles (the less visceral ones specifically – put down the pitchforks!).

And, of course, I loved Homily. Only a REAL monster couldn’t love Homily! (And Blueberry. And Epilogue.)

This was truly just such a joy to read that, on reading the last word, I was tempted to immediately turn back to the beginning and start again, so that it didn’t have to end.

If you are looking for an entertaining and unusual story, with love and blood, mystery and magic, and plenty of authentically gory heart, then let this one build a nest in you.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy of this title.

I really wanted to like this book, but it just didn’t work for me. I didn’t feel connected to the characters enough to care about what happened to them, and overall I just felt the book dragged on for me.

Lovers of weird books, behold: Someone You Can Build a Nest In should be your next read! I thought this book was very clever and unique--like truly I can honestly say I have never read anything quite like it. First of all, it is from the perspective of the monster called Shesheshen, a worm-like creature that is often hunted by the townsfolk and eventually taken in by a human named Homily who has no idea what kind of monster she has invited into her presence, thinking that Shesheshen is human like her. The slow-building romance between Shesheshen and Homily was very sweet, I liked how non-conventional it is.

Now for the not-so-good: the book felt so unnecessarily drawn out in some areas. Boredom occasionally took over as they essentially rehashed the same actions a few times making the story feel repetitive. Also I kind of wanted more from the villains.

Overall though, I love a good monstrous story, and this one did deliver in that aspect. Wiswell is clearly a great writer with eccentric ideas, and I look forward to seeing what is next on the roster.

Thank you to Net Galley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell!

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended.

Wow. That was entirely unexpected.
And I loved it.

A completely unconventional love story emerged from the pages of this novel.
Let go of all your expectations of stories told thorough the eyes of the 'monster' and let Shesheshen take you on a journey. We were even gifted with a view of how everything shakes out once the dust has settled after an entirely satisfying twist and epic battle.

This had everything I didn't even know I wanted in a story told from the 'monsters' point of view.

This one snuck its way into my top 2024 reads!

See my review on GoodReads!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6541280129

I really enjoyed this book! It looked intriguing when I saw it on NetGalley, but I wasn't sure what to expect.
Well, it didn't disappoint.
Shesheshen was such an interesting character, and it was fun to watch her fumble her way through life and love. The romance was sweet, and it felt truly romantic (in some novels I've read, the romance can feel forced into the story just to sell it, and can feel hollow). There was some elements of whimsy throughout which I feel added a nice contrast to the more intense scenes.
Overall, a fantastic, unique story with fun characters, interesting dynamics, and a HEA.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I did enjoyed this book. What an incredible story! I do like main character, she's developing nicely during this book. I enjoy writing style, so easy to follow, just nice storytelling. I hope to read more by this author in near future.

Is it normal to say that a book full of gruesome, terrifying body horror is super sweet and kinda cozy??

Someone You Can Build a Nest In kept taking me by surprise. I knew that reading a fantasy book from the monster's perspective would be fun, but I didn't expect it to be so heartwarming. I'd go from laughing out loud to absolutely horrified, then tearing up and screaming at how cute the love story is. And the Ace rep!!! I had no idea!!! That was such a nice addition to a story that I already loved.

I adore Shosheshen and her perspective on life as an outcast from society (seeing as she is a shapeshifting monster) and her finding a home in Homily. The book took us on an insane journey of what it means to find a home, what forms a home can take (is it laying your eggs inside a corpse so they can feed on it, or is it cuddling with your girlfriend?) and what a found family can really become. 10/10, loved it so much. Can't wait to get a copy for my shelf!!

When a monster, Shesheshen, falls in love with Homily, she becomes torn when she learns that Homily s there to hunt a shapeshifting monster, aka Shesheshen. She must find the truth of the situation to avoid losing both her love and her life.

I was expecting this to be spookier especially based on the cover. It was more romance and more cozy than I thought it would be. Those genres are fine in of themselves, but I was expecting spookier with the title and even the fact that monsters (really aliens though) exist in this world. I also just didn't love the writing style but that can be more of a personal thing.