This was way out of my comfort zone when it comes to reading but I could not put it down. I was confused for the majority but the writing pulls you in and refuses to let you leave. I wanted to know what was going to happen next and how it affected every individual character. I really don't know how to review this type of story without giving things away but just read it and enjoy the ride.

I wasn't familiar with the author, but the cover design and title caught my attention. The plot sounded promising enough to convince me to give this book a try. Ever since finishing, I am torn between finding it interesting or weird. I'd probably says it's both.

If you are into gore and bugs, this book definitely is for you!
Personally, I don't regret reading it but it just wasn't my cup of tea. I didn't particularly care about any of the characters, I just wasn't emotionally invested. At the bottom of this bizarre story readers can find metaphors for everyday life and after some contemplation I feel like I read Pauls journey of self-discovery. Weirdly interesting but in some parts a little tedious.
I did enjoy the writing style! It felt different and fresh, a very pleasant experience.

Super weird in a super good way! I like when a book can surprise me, and this totally did! Also, the cover art is gorgeous!

Such a novel reading experience for me, funny yet disturbing, horror with heart - characters that were human and very much not at the same time

So, I won't lie. I was originally drawn to this book by the cover alone. I liked the font that was used on it, and the art itself was very eye-catching it.

I read the summary afterward and thought, oh, this sounds like it could be good. And, oh my god?? Genuinely, I don't know what I expected going into this book but what I got definitely surpassed whatever those expectations were. This book was equal parts tragic, beautiful, and haunting. (And also a little gross some of the time, but that was to be expected, I think, from a cosimic horror novella about body-snatching alien bugs.)

The way Drew Huff writes is also incredible! She has a very good grasp on on the English language and knows how to bed and manipulate it perfectly to convey exactly what she wants.

I would like to thank Drew Huff for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 Stars

"He pretended to be human for seven years. Until he couldn't.

Paul is a Mirror Person--a hyper empathetic eldritch abomination capable of mimicking any human. Except Paul hates what he is. He doesn't want to be a mirror-person, he doesn't want to be a bug, in fact he's been ignoring what he is so long he's delusional about it.

But breeding season for Mirror People comes around every seven years, inducing an involuntary sociopathic state...and it's time for Paul to go into heat. Now unable to avoid the reality of what he truly is, Paul has a mental breakdown, goes on a cross-country road trip...and runs afoul of something far, far more inhuman and dangerous than himself."

Fun! Weird! Murder! Monsters!
This was a really fun novella by Drew Huff..
A little light on the horror and heavy on the weird, I still enjoyed my time and figuring out how Paul was going to get himself out of this one.
The lore and worldbuilding in this was unique and visceral. Loved a lot of the ideas going on here.

Not sure I loved the fact that Paul never thanked Axa properly for all the shit she did for him. Literal MVP material.

Thank you to Netgalley for the Arc in exchange for an honest review!

The description of this book sounded SUPER fascinating and I was excited to jump into it.

The style of writing was interesting. It didn't follow conventional narration, which added to the weird/otherwordly feel for me.

This novella is short and I still found myself a little bored at points. I probably wouldn't have finished it if it had been a full length novel, but if it had been a more fleshed out novel maybe it would've held my attention better it's hard to say.

This book wasn't BAD. It just wasn't what I thought it would be. Weird ABSOLUTELY and I loved that it was weird, but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would.

I do think there's something to be said about the way this novella has me continuing to think about it. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but there was a message in this weird narrative... at least there was for me. All of the self-hatred... the suicidal ideations.. it was all driven by the fact that these creatures were FORCED to live in a system that wasn't set up for them. Their very existence was something they loathed because the structure that they were forced to live under made it bad--- made them bad. It went against the norms of the world they were in. Their native land was gone and in order to survive they found another place. They learned to survive. And they hated themselves for it. This alone has me rating the book 3 stars instead of something lower.

This was actually crazy but I didn't hate it. Actually liked it a lot. Read it in a literal day because it's short and easy to read. Devoured it like they devoured everyone

I can genuinely say that I’ve never read anything quite like this, and I had unrestricted access to fan fiction as a child. So I think that’s a huge compliment.

I picked this up for a quick, wild read with an innovative premise. And I definitely got that. Once the story hooked me, I absolutely wanted to know how it would end, because I never quite knew where it was going (or even what was happening sometimes). The creatures themselves are a wild combination of lore, and I really liked the side characters.

However, the overall story just didn’t quite land for me. The main character spends most of the book in a frenzy, which should have been interesting to read. But it fell a bit flat. The premise is super ambitious and unique, and yet… I didn’t feel engaged with the actual story. Paul (…not Paul) floated through in his haze, and so did I.

I’d still potentially recommend this for fans of wild, irreverent, or feverish sci-fi, but i don’t think the writing style was quite the right fit for me.

Freaky little sci-fi novella about an alien bug in a human skin suit having an existential crisis?? Very up my alley. This was a fast-paced and entertaining read, but I didn't find the ending particularly satisfying. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed The Divine Flesh by Drew Huff so I had to pick this up given it's set in the same world. I love author's creating world's and sharing multiple stories from it, even if they aren't directly connected.

I enjoyed Paul/Uxon as a character and the focus on his inner turmoil in the first section before he shifted with the biological impact of going into heat. I also found it interesting and well-written how he clung to shreds of his issues and thus, even when in an altered state, had enough negative thoughts about being a Mirror Person in the world that he kept avoiding the full formation of his children lest they suffer like him.

I think the shift to Axa's POV in the middle made sense but also I wonder if the story would've felt better paced and more satisfying had we stuck with Paul throughout. As it was, she went returned to his POV and hit the ending some things just felt a little off-kilter and rushed. There was so much build-up but then such quick resolution that, perhaps, lacked some of the earlier introspection of the narrative. Like, I definitely wasn't expecting Uxon/Paul to kill Melanie and then end up going off with Axa- their relationship didn't feel that close really but then again they aren't people so maybe it wasn't meant to.

A fun enough run, and the body horror aspects were good (which is what I'd expected after The Divine Flesh). Just perhaps a little difficult to tell if some of the characters characterisation was rushed or internationally odd due to them not being human (some bits were clear like the sharp change when Paul went into heat, others tickled more of a rushed part of my brain).

I wasn't completely sure how to feel about this book.

I really enjoyed the concept of the book, the mirror people and the bugs were definitely cool.

The story is about Paul, who is not actually Paul, trying to battle his inner self on why he hates himself so much, as a bug.

Things take a turn when he falls into heat and truly becomes himself as bug.

Unfortunately, for me this novella seemed to drag on. We really got pulled into Pauls' thoughts and I seemed to enjoy those moments.

If you enjoy gore and a little horror this might be your perfect book.

Thank you for giving me an ARC copy netgalley.

👾I was immediately attracted to this story for the alien-in-a-human-skinsuit premise, as I often identify with that feeling! I'm a big fan of shows like Third Rock from the Sun and The X-Files, and this story reminded me of the goofy, but satirical dark humor you'll find there. The story has as much to say, if not more, about humanity as it does the not-bugs!

👾I thought this was so original and creative, and the internal monologue of Paul Cattaneo definitely had me smirking and saying "what the...?" out loud. Their whole existence feels just odd enough to actually be reality, and I thought the way it was laid out was very thoughtful and interesting, but somehow the filling left me feeling empty.

👾As much as I wanted to love this one, it didn't exactly hit it out of the park in the pacing or dialogue department, but I will give the character some grace in the way that the repetitive thinking is reflective of an anxiety attack. I understand totally what Huff was trying to give us here, and I appreciate it, I just wish it made me feel more. There wasn't enough balance between the plot and description to make me care about Paul, but I think maybe adapted into a longer work, it may give more depth? But honestly, what the story lacks, it makes up for in sheer clever, vulnerable weirdness.

👾 The cover art is amazing. The little filaments around the hand, and the font is very horror and it gives the perfect vibes.

Major Tropes & Themes:

- aliens, science fiction
- mental health, anxiety
- identity & belonging
- horror (body horror & weird descriptions!)
- creative, original premise

You might like if you like:

- Solar Opposites
- Third Rock from the Sun
- The X-Files
- The Fly (film)
- Dungeon Crawler Carl - Matt Dinniman
- Tender is the Flesh - Agustina Bazterrica

3.7 out of 5 stars, rounded up!

Big thanks to Drew Huff and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novella, My Name Isn't Paul: A Cosmic Horror Novella. I will share my review to retail sites & Instagram upon release! ✨

I wanted some weird cosmic horror and I got it.

This is an excellent “wtf did I just read?” Cosmic horror novella.

This book starts off intense, never gives you a breather, and then moves onto the next part. I inhaled this one and could not put it down. I was scared but also grossed out and I need it on my shelf now ASAP.

I love that the author designed the cover. They are so incredibly talented I’ve had the honor of reading their prior works and every book I’ve read is wonderful. I’m excited for more spooky reads! This one was fantastic. I’m still shivering out of icky wtf happened vibes which is amazing.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this eARC. I am leaving this honest feedback voluntarily.

This book was weird, but in a great way. Paul (his human name) is part of a large group of other-worldly creatures who inhabit human corpses call themselves Mirror People. Once they come of age and become “in heat” they have to procreate which isn’t possible in their human form. Paul is reluctant to go in heat, but his nature might be unstoppable.

This was a gruesome, and weird story. It’s told from Paul’s POV and you are reading his internal dialogue where he is struggling to maintain control. It was well-written, but it was hard to follow, but that was by design. You’re meant to feel Paul’s confusion and inner-turmoil. It was somewhat repetitive, but that might be due to Paul's mental state, but that did alter my enjoyment.

I highly recommend this if you’re into cosmic horror. It is such a quick read and I completed it in one sitting. It does give you the feel of deeper meanings of growing up and doing what’s expected of you in your society even if it feels pointless to you. Go into this expecting a zany ride.

Thank you NetGalley and Drew Huff for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

My Name Isn’t Paul by Drew Huff is an introspective, slightly surreal novel that plays with identity and memory in clever ways. Huff’s writing is thoughtful and occasionally poetic, creating an atmosphere that’s both curious and uneasy. The premise is intriguing and sets the stage for something deeper.

However, the execution doesn’t always match the ambition. The pacing is uneven, and some plot elements feel underdeveloped or overly abstract. While the themes are compelling, the narrative sometimes drifts, making it harder to stay emotionally connected to the story.

Still, there’s a quiet charm in its strangeness, and moments of insight do land. My Name Isn’t Paul is a creative, if uneven, exploration of self—worth reading for its originality, even if it doesn’t fully deliver. A solid 3-star read.

I didn’t think I’d ever read a book solely about mating and heat and babies, but here we are. My Name Isn’t Paul was an interesting quick read, but took me a long time to actually get through. I enjoyed the writing itself and found the premise unique. The first half and setup was my favorite part. The second half is what lost me. I stopped caring about the characters or what was happening with the plot. Overall this was a unique quick story, but probably not one I’ll be thinking back on in the future.

My Name isn’t Paul tells the story if a mirror person, that assumes the identity of a salesman by inhabiting the corpse of the real Paul Cattaneo, living quietly for seven years—until the mirror race’s breeding season hits, triggering violent, uncontrollable impulses.

My Name Isn’t Paul is a knockout cosmic horror novella—short, but entertaining, packed with disturbing ideas and raw emotional power.

Thank you Drew Huff and NetGalley!

This was a fun, punchy cosmic horror novella that I was able to devour in a day. It reminded me a bit of a dark version Third Rock from the Sun with a hint of American Rapture by C.J Leede. Not for the faint stomach, the body horror was front and center in the story telling. I liked that the creatures were a bit ambiguous and their back story wasn’t entirely explained. I think that added to the horror of it all. I have not read a ton of cosmic horror, but this story makes me want to explore the sub-genre further. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

My Name isn’t Paul is a quick, entertaining novella. Paul is a Mirror Person, born as a bug nestled inside a dead person’s body along with a hundred other bugs. After his emergence, he takes on the identity and “skin suit” of a married man named Paul and tries to occupy his life and embody a human.

Except he’s not a human, and he hates that about himself. He fights against his natural urges and fights against community with his litter mates, until he can’t any longer. Things get gory, hormonal and messy.

I enjoyed my time spent with this ARC and thank the publisher & NetGalley for providing it to me.