Thank you to Gallery, Pocket Books and Netgalley for giving me a chance to read this title. I didn’t realize it came out in 2015 and wasn’t new.

Fiona’s sister, Rona has been gone for a few years when she reappears and leaves her baby with Fiona, then disappears again. When Fiona discovers that Rona has been working in the sex trade, she decides to research the industry and also hopes to locate her sister. One day a group of prostitutes protests outside Fiona’s workplace because the company is involved in building in a place where the group works out of. Seeing her chance to infiltrate the sex workers, she brings them all tea.

For me, this read more like a documentary than a work of fiction. The beginning was very confusing as I didn’t know who was speaking or the timeframe. Later in the book the chapter heads didn’t give away either the narrator or the time frame, which would have been very helpful.

For me the attempt to shine a light on the positivity of selling sex didn’t work. I did, however, understand why Fiona entered the business – she couldn’t make that kind of money at other type of job she could get.

Started this one but couldn’t get into it. I can see that some would love it but I didn’t jive with the writing style.

Fiona doesn’t mind raising her sister’s child; in fact, she loves and protects her as much if not more than if she were her very own. What Fiona is troubled by is the six-year silence that followed Rona’s abandonment of her child. This concerns Fiona deeply, to the point she begins digging and taking risks in order to follow her sister’s last known footsteps.
Fiona learns that Rona had become a call girl, an escort, a prostitute before she became pregnant. Stunned at first, and a bit horrified, Fiona begins shadow-following numerous escorts until she finally convinces one to trust her enough to meet.
What follows is an eye-opening description of the profession of escort; the strengths and founded reasons women choose that field of employment. Breaking the stigmas and common first assumptions of the general population, Kirstin Innes gives a face and a heart to the women who work in the sex industry. Based on studies and interviews with real people, Ms. Innes gives the reader a much-needed eye-opening experience; forcing us to step out of our comfort zone and accept the well-established and justified trade of women who choose to support their family and livelihoods by being an escort.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks so much to Gallery / Pocket Books and NetGalley for making it available.)

Fishnet's neon cover grabbed my interest and the story of sex worker life in Scotland kept me reading.

Fiona is worn down and bored with her life. She lives with her parents so they can help with childcare and she works a demeaning office assistant type of job where she spends most of her time looking things up on the internet. it's been six years since her younger sister Rona, walked out of her life and Fiona is convinced she's become a sex worker. Fiona decides the logical way to find Rona is by immersing herself into the world of sex workers. She starts by reading blogs and quickly becomes obsessed with how mundane her life is in comparison to the sex worker blogs she reads and before you know it shes at the local council meetings concerned with the laws regarding sex work.

"We all know that men like sex. It's written into the laws of sex. A man who has sex and is paid for it is a lucky bastard. A woman is a victim"

Fishnet is focused around that quote and it was interesting to read first hand how Fiona becomes woke into feminism and begins to realize sex work is not only real work but hard work. As the reader, I wasn't sure if we were supposed to like Fiona or not, but I found her a bit immature and annoying. Throughout the book she becomes a better person--or at least that's what we are led to believe, but she seems like she's only doing things to try and redeem her previous actions.
I guess that's what Fishnet is all about.; women trying to become better feminists and redeem themselves from past judgments.

If you liked Any Man or the Handmaid's Tale you might very well be interested in Fishnet.


3.5/5 stars only because the story was hard to follow at times and the ending was too ambiguous for my liking.

Fiona's life has never been the same after the disappearance of her younger sister, Rona. When she finds out Rona became a sex worker, Fiona can't help but start digging into the world of prostitution, determined to find out what happened to her sister and learning much about the industry along the way.

I was initially put off by the format of this book, as it takes a while to find the rhythm of the story and understand who is speaking. I'm glad I stuck with it, though, as it ended up being a fast and interesting read. I found the writing to be engaging and bold, and though the timelines sometimes felt confusing and skewed it was eventually easy enough to follow. I thought the inclusion of blogs and social media comments really added depth to the writing, bringing in a variety of interesting voices. If you're sensitive to sexual content, this won't be for you. This book is unflinchingly honest in its descriptions.

I liked reading about Fiona and appreciated that she made choices that weren't always right or perfect--she was a complicated character who didn't fit into a box. I enjoyed seeing how she evolved and how she became a proactive person in her own life. I did, however, find the ending to be a bit obvious and unsatisfying.

I’m quite torn on how to feel about Fishnet by Kirstin Innes. I thought the premise was great, however I found it to be a little difficult to read, mostly due to the way the story is told.

Fishnet invites the reader into the world of contemporary sex work. Fiona attempts to find her missing sister after learning that she made her living through sex work. Through her investigation, she makes friends with other sex workers and faces the preconceptions she holds about the industry. Innes is thoughtful and powerful in her message that it is possible for individuals to choose to work in the sex industry, and that not all sex workers are coerced into it or ashamed of their jobs. This was the strongest part of the book for me, and I really enjoyed a look into the contemporary sex industry.

I typically enjoy books that jump around between different points of view and different time periods, however this book bounces around with no clear signals to where we are in the story, and I found it a little frustrating and confusing. It was hard for me to stay engaged since I wasn’t quite sure who was talking or where in the timeline we were.

I hoped that the ending would provide me with more answers than it did, and I felt that I wasn’t satisfied with how the story wrapped up.

Thanks to NetGalley for the gift of this e-book in exchange for my honest review.

Fishnet is a captivating and eye-opening book regarding the topic of prostitution. I have never read a book that TRULY discussed in depth what prostitution is. It is more than sex work -- and the risks involved affect children, families, and a great deal of women who should be seen as human beings rather than deplorable objects.

Because of how the book is written, Fishnet starts a little slow and hard to follow, but around page 30 you begin to understand what is happening within the book.

Sex work is a very difficult topic to write about, but Innes handles it gracefully. Nicely done.

I would recommend to everyone who does not understand sex work or who wishes to know more about the topic.

Wow what a storyline Fishnet was! I knew it was going to be a different type of story with the racy storyline so I wasn’t surprised at all with the content.... and wow was there a lot of “content” haha. It was very interesting to get inside the mind of a escort and how they view what they are doing. I just wish there was a little more about the other sister, I was longing to hear her story.

I look forward to read more from Kirstin Innes!

Fiona’s younger sister has been missing for a long time. Fiona’s life has been altered tremendously because of this. She suffers both her own and her parents’ fear, disappointment and anger because they have no answers. Rona was an independent and precocious child, different from her older sister, who one day left home. Working at a job she does not like, Fiona has re-opened her search for her sister, using the company computer. With the sparse information she has, she delves into the life of local sex workers, following their social media. She starts to see herself through the eyes of these women and, when she meets some at a demonstration against her company, she befriends them. She becomes obsessed with their lifestyle and any connection she can find to her sister. The deeper she probes, the more challenging her life becomes. Kirstin Innes presents a gritty world from an inside vantage point, allowing her characters to explain their choices and motivations.

I don't know how I let this one sit on my unread shelf for so long, but I'm kicking myself for it.

I honestly picked this one for the cover. It's gorgeous, kinda seedy, and speaks to the titillating subject matter. And let's be honest, I'm always in the mood for titillating subject matter. So right off the bat, this book is killing it.
The content, however, is above and beyond the clearly amazing cover. I was absolutely blown away.

Six years ago, Fiona Leonard's sister Rona showed up on her doorstep with a newborn, and promptly left, sans baby. Rona was never seen again, and Fiona left to raise her niece as her own. When she stumbles onto the information that Rona was a sex worker before she disappeared, Fiona begins an obsessive search for her sister, leading her deeper and deeper into the world of Edinburgh's sex industry.

First of all, I loved the care with which Innes wrote this novel. The subject matter could so easily be denigrated, but she wrote it in such a feminist way, taking care to show a different side of the industry than is portrayed by the media. I found Anya's story in particular to be empowering and told from refreshing perspective.

The story is told primarily from Fiona's perspective, with a few chapters told by Rona thrown in there. It is split up into three time periods: Past, Present, and Future, which I did find to be a bit confusing at times, however it didn't detract anything from the story in my opinion. I enjoyed Fiona as a narrator, which is a nice departure from my usual, as I find I've been hating more and more narrators lately, but that is a discussion for another time. In particular, I loved Fiona's moral journey as she finds that her beliefs and values might not be what she thought they were. Watching her evolve and take control of her life was my favorite part of the book.

I think that with this read, 2019 has been cemented as the 'Year of the Debut Novelist' for me. This is the 5th or 6th debut novel that I've read this year that has just blown me away. Kirsten Innes: I will read whatever you write next!

A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This was a 4.5 star read rounded up to 5 stars. I will be posting this review on my blog and instagram closer to pub date, and Goodreads and Amazon today.

Fishnet by Kirstin Innes is the story of Fiona Leonard six years after her sister Rona walked out of her flat and disappeared. Tired from a mind-numbing job, caring for a child, and the hole that her sister left in her life, Fiona’s life is rocked by a revelation that Rona was a sex worker before she disappeared. This leads Fiona on a quest to discover what really happened to Rona that draws her into the world of the sex industry.

This book was hard for me to read. I found the structure of the book incredibly hard to follow. I never could figure out what the exact timeline was in the story. Because I didn’t really connect with Fiona as a character, it lessened my motivation to really figure it out. I had high hopes for the book, but thought the execution was clunky. I also found the ending unsatisfying, like it was trying to put a bow on the end of the story, but didn’t feel very believable.

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

I thought I already gave feedback. This was not at all my kind of book. Maybe it's someone else's. I don't enjoy reading about the seamy, sordid way of life. Perhaps it would be ok for a page or so, but this continues on and on. I found it too gruesome to continue reading.

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t know quite how to rate this book. The politics were astounding but there were some times the narrative didn’t fully come together for me. However it is the only book of its kind that did not seem to try and shock or titillate the reader, or exploit or object if I the sex workers. I always felt the workers were made to be fully human and they were definitely good points made about the trappings of the patriarchy.Definitely a good book for woman’s studies classes

Fishnet by Kristen Innes is unlike any book I’ve read before. Delving into the lives of sex workers from a woman, Fiona, investigating the disappearance of her sister, Rona, a sex worker in Scotland learns a great deal about sex work in the process. Fiona befriends many of these women who teach her about sex work as a career rather than a means of survival, which blows Fiona’s mind!

Fishnet is told in alternating perspectives as well as timelines which does make it hard to follow at times and definitely requires the reader to pay close attention. The mystery here is interesting but it really comes secondary to the lives of these women.

I’m definitely eager to see what Innes writes next!

I had no idea what I was getting into reading this book as I hadn't read any reviews. But I was more than pleasantly surprised that it included so much content beyond the storyline. Fiona is searching for her sister, Rona who disappeared six years ago and was apparently working as a prostitute. Fiona is raising Rona's daughter as her own and struggles to balance work and a social life being a single mother. But finding her sister becomes a priority, and in searching she meets several young women involved in the sex trade business. This is where we learn just who these women are and the various reasons they chose this field. It's eye-opening to say the least as we realize most do not feel trapped or insecure; they are articulate and intelligent, viewing prostitution as a valid choice over which they have complete control. It's clear a lot of research went into this debut and I enjoyed both the plot and the information gleaned from this novel!

I was pleasantly surprised at the start of this novel to discover that the writing was natural and didn’t make me aware the entire time that I was reading an ARC.
The story starts out promising enough - Fiona, a woman static in her own life, learns that her missing sister worked as a prostitute before abandoning her baby and disappearing into thin air.
As it went along, however, it went a bit off the rails for me. Fiona becomes obsessed with prostitution and sex workers to the point that she, a single mother, puts her own livelihood at risk. Fast forward to the end **spoiler alert** to find Fiona is now a sex worker herself, and just as happy as can be. I had a hard time buying it.
At times, I felt the author was reeeaally writing to convince us that prostitution is a choice and sex workers are just like you and me. To the point I was questioning whether I was reading a novel or a dissertation.
All in all, not bad but also not a book I would tell anyone they HAVE to read.

Thank you, Netgalley, for this ARC of Fishnet. This opinion is all my own.

Fiona and Rona are sisters. Fiona is quiet and kind of shy. Rona is loud, boisterous and friendly. Like sisters they have their ups and downs typical sibling rivalry.
The last time Fiona sees Rona is when Rona drops a small bundle at her house and disappears. Rona has left her daughter to be raised by Fiona.
Rona has been missing for years, her parents want to petition that she is dead. Fiona goes on a trip of discovery. She discovers that Rona was in the sex trade. A paid escort. As she goes through the paths of prostitution, Fiona discovers that not everyone was forced into the sex trade. Many choose to be there. They make more money than at some jobs, and they can pick their hours. This is especially important when raising children.
Very well written, an in depth look into the myths of prostitution and the people who work in that industry.

I really enjoyed this debut novel that tells the story of a sudden new twist in a young woman's obsession with her sister's disappearance six years earlier. Written in alternating chapter pairs (Village/City, Back/Forth, Public/Private, Off/On, Mind/Body, and finally, You/Me/Us) we follow along with Fiona as she makes some disturbing discoveries, not only about her sister’s past, but also about an entire community of sex-workers.

As she dives deeper into her investigation of her sister’s past life and falls irrevocably into fascination with current lives and blogs by activist sex-workers, Fiona discovers truths about herself, as well as about what might have motivated her sister to disappear.

Slowly, the reader begins to understand Fiona’s past relationship with her sister and how things evolved in their lives, separately and together. Then we are swept along with her into an offshoot of her obsession, discovering the truth of the nuances of life as a sex-worker, which lead her to a deeper understanding of herself.

Don’t expect a neat, wrapped-up ending but do expect to be engaged in an intriguing story and emotionally changed by the time you finish this well-crafted novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for providing me with the eARC of this book.

Based on the description, Fishnet seemed to be exactly the kind of book I like to read: female-centered, with a bit of debauchery and a view into a foreign world. Unfortunately, the writing was a bit disjointed and left much to be desired. I didn't finish it, so I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt and round up to a 3.

I wanted to hold off on reading Kirstin Innes' novel, Fishnet , for as long as possible because it isn't released in the United States until October 15, but this cover really kept staring at me and I caved. I have to give kudos to the designer for the cover design because it's honestly one of the best covers that I've seen this year. Sexy, confident, and dark— Fishnet 's cover immediately attracted me to know more about this story. It really attracts you to a more deep, well-rounded story within the pages of this awesome cover. Fishnet showcases the understanding of how sex workers are portrayed in society and we get a deep dive into their day-to-day realities.

The main protagonist, Fiona Leonard, is an administrative assistant at a contracting firm. Her tedious and lack of inspiring job has put her at a standstill. Six years ago, her sister Rona, disappeared without a trace, leaving her daughter and life behind. Fiona, now mother to her sister's daughter Bethan; is juggling motherhood, career, and the search to find her sister. Her parents are tired of searching, but Fiona is not going to give up. For years, Fiona has come up empty in her search for Rona, until she stumbles across some information leading to her sister's personal life. Fiona finds out that Rona was (or is?) a sex worker. Curious to know more about this industry and driven to find her sister, Fiona dives into this taboo industry to investigate. At first very hesitant, she can't help but feel enamored by the industry—confidence, feminism, comradery, and well of course, sex. Fiona dives into this world she knew nothing about, but will it help her find her sister?

For those who are curious, Fishnet provides a voyeuristic view of the world of contemporary sex work. I found it extremely compelling and thought-provoking, and I also felt that it educated me in a way to the misconceptions people have about this industry. The prose in Fishnet is atmospheric and honest, and really delivers an eye-opening experience. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a beautifully told fiction novel that can stand on its own two feet.

The writing style in Fishnet is very interesting, to say the least. It'll definitely take you some getting used to as the point-of-views jump from second person to third person. The chapters also jump between a variety of timelines—not necessarily before and after, although that does indeed happen (Present v. Past), but also between timelines within the storyline being presented. You'll understand what I mean when you get to it. It took me until I was 25% to interpret this format faster. It's really my only heads up (and the fact that the book has a Scottish dialect- not a critique, just a statement).

Kirstin Innes, I really want to learn more about your journalism background. Fishnet is one of the more original, no holds barred novels that I've ever read. I appreciated the candor between Fiona and the sex workers she met along her journey. This book's journey is surely going to captivate readers, not just me.