This cover caught my attention and the synopsis.....WHAT!!!! Sold. This was such a unique fantasy romance. I loved the morally grey/lovable monster mc. I couldn't help but root for Shesheshen even learning about her beginning. I was always on her side. This was such a grotesquely morbid yet humorous story. I loved the sweet romance between Shesheshen and Homily, although She did start calling Homily her girlfriend rather quickly despite Homily not knowing. The consent these two had with one another was beautiful. I loved Blueberry, the poor thing. The asexual reproduction was a clever plot as well. This story will definitely be stuck in my mind for a long time. Great work!!! Five stars

<i>Shesheshen is a shapeshifter, who happily resides as an amorphous lump at the bottom of a ruined manor. When her rest is interrupted by hunters intent on murdering her, 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.</i>

With that description and <i>that</i> cover, I expected a wild (and wildly creative) ride, which I got, but it did not expect it to be so <i>tender</i>.

This is a monster book, yes, but it's also about love and specifically, finding your family when your biological family is . . . psychopathic monster hunters who don't appreciate you and outright abuse you.

The entire premise was wonderfully imaginative, and John Wiswell has a way of infusing his writing with imagery in a way that is very fun and very engrossing to read. The writing lends a larger-than-life feeling to the story, which makes sense, given the story and especially given the characters themselves.

Shesheshen, aforementioned murderous blob monster, is lovely and loyal to a fault, and it's extremely easy to root for her. She <i>cares</i> a lot, and hers and Homily's relationship is the backbone of the story. (I can't overstate how difficult it is not to make "backbone" jokes and whatnot, considering Shesheshen's physical attributes - but I will say, the way she creates her body and especially her body parts is a weird delight to read.)

The Wulfyre siblings are hilariously horrible in a really fun way, and I'd honestly read a lot more of each of them. Like, yes, they're obviously all terrible people but the way they were written and how much <i>personality</i> just oozed out on the page from the writing, I truly enjoyed them all. Laurent is obviously another standout side character, that weirdo (affectionate).

So yes, the cast was a standout for me, but when I think back to this book, I think what will come to mind aside from the characters and, you know, the main character being a blob with a bear trap mouth (incredible), is how sweet the story and its emotional beats are. I wasn't prepared for that, especially with the rest of the story, but the tenderness in the relationship between Shesheshen and Homily and the poignancy of Shesheshen's comments on the treatment of Homily by her family were so well done and hard-hitting.

This was unlike anything I'd read before, and it was utterly lovely.

<i>Thank you to the publisher, DAW, and to NetGalley for the ARC.</i>

I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher DAW Books, in exchange for an honest review.

At first glance, John Wiswell's debut novel Someone You Can Build a Nest In looks like it's going to be a very marmite weird bollocks (affectionately) book. The potential reader looking at the title (a bit odd, innit), covers (yes, there are two of them: one for the US edition and one for the UK edition and both reflect a small part of what this book is) and the synopsis of the book might be hesitant about getting it... Perhaps wondering if this book is too weird for them or not weird enough for them... Please allow me to Bigolas Dickolas why this book is a fantastic read for everyone and why you should just embrace the weirdness of it.

"One of them reached for the other's hand. Whoever it was didn't matter. They clasped hands, and basked in quiet warmth for a moment"

Someone You Can Build a Nest In is such a captivating and emotional read, filled with surprises along the way. The author's writing is phenomenal, his sentences and paragraphs flow smoothly into one another creating an intriguing rhythm. The book is, without any doubt, a page-turner that will drag deep and varied emotions from the readers to the surface. In the same chapter, you will laugh at the silliness of a phrase in a dialogue, feel rage because someone did something unspeakably horrifying that you wish to roast them over an open fire and feel such tenderness seeing character interaction.

It is hard to categorise this book; it's a surprising mix of things. It is a story about trauma and a journey of discovery filled with tension and drama, while simultaneously being cosy, full of sapphic yearning and tenderness. The story is as complex as its characters and filled with unforeseen twists and turns. It will bewitch you from the start, keep you on your toes and have you contemplating about the characters for a long time.

Simply put, it's an unforgettable, beautifully monstrously twisted novel, and everyone should (try) to read it.

Shesheshen is an uncommon organism, the lens through which the reader views humanity’s disgraces, triumphs, and all manner of bumbling in between. Shesheshen is also a monster. She is all consuming, wrathful, and inhuman in every regard. Her heart is a bear trap, she doesn’t bleed, and she can choose any shape—whether it be a bipedal analogue or an amorphous gray blob. Amidst all of this, she is entertaining, dry, and entirely too relatable for comfort. I loved Shesheshen, and every character in this story is artfully rendered in literary chiaroscuro. While intertwined along the same plot line, each individual has his or her own story, experience, and purpose (to an extent unfathomable without reading the novel). The prose were well knitted, but not so ornate that it shattered any illusion that I was a passenger in the mind of a monster. I could quote Wiswell's words many times over. It felt as though Shesheshen had consumed me as well. The story mastered trauma at the hands of narcissistic overlords and the healing process afterwards. I shed adoring tears when the Offspring was introduced (no, not the rock band), and the plot twist had me open-mouthed and gripping my seat. I often flatter myself with thinking that I’m good at predicting plot twists, but not this… this was a shock. The demise of the true monster was rendered with justice and the parties all healed along pathways profound in their realism, plucking every one of my heartstrings along the way. I spring at this review not only to rave about Wiswell’s most recent work, but also to stay with Shesheshen even just a little longer.

Among literary monsters, Shesheshen is singular.

Someone You Can Build a Nest In was right up my alley. I mean, a lesbian monster romance from the perspective of the monster? Yes please. I adored Shesheshen as a main character and loved being in her head. I wish I, too, was an amorphous lump residing at the bottom of a ruined manor. My only complaints are that I found the pacing and narrative a bit lacking at times but I had fun reading this overall

An unusual entry in the cosy-horror-adjacent realm - the central conceit is anything but cosy, but the actual relationships are so affirming and sweet and really touching that it's hard to call it anything else. I enjoyed this one a lot.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is set to be published April 2, 2024.

When I first heard this book described as a sapphic monster romance where the main character is the monster, I was immediately sold. And let me tell you, this book absolutely exceeded my expectations. What a wonderful story about love, what it means to be a monster, and what it means to navigate trauma in a relationship.

Shesheshen is a shapeshifting creature that is being relentlessly hunted by a group of monster hunters. Hurt while she is trying to escape from them, she is nursed back to health by a woman named Homily. As their relationship grows, Shesheshen learns that the woman she loves is a member of the monster hunting family that almost killed her. Without giving too much away, Shesheshen and Homily must work through lies and family drama to really see if they can make their relationship work.

This is such a beautifully written story and John Wiswell has such a unique voice. I am beyond excited to see what other works he comes out with and to dive into his previously released short stories. And I can't wait to get a physical copy of this book when it comes out, the cover is STUNNING.

Wow. Wow. Wow.

I could not put this one down. Just as Shesheshen might devour a wayward human, I devoured this book in one sitting. The character growth and love that develops throughout this book are so, so good. I did not think I would ever say I enjoy “monster” romance, but I was rooting for Shesheshen the whole time, hoping she could find that someone to build a nest in and create offspring.

It’s part sapphic monster romance, part “hunt the monster” ala Frankenstein. Homily is such a great character too. She has dealt with so much emotional manipulation and trauma from her family, especially her mom and one of her siblings, and yet she is an incredibly strong character, who constantly fights against the damage that has been caused.

With strong female main characters, asexual representation, trauma and healing, shapeshifting, a cinnamon roll girlfriend, and so much royal intrigue and secrets, this is a must-read for 2024!

Thank you to DAW Books and NetGalley for the free ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was oddly adorably heartwarming and I loved every minute of it.

Shesheshen is a shapeshifting monster who’s been left to live on her own her whole life. Her only goal is to survive. Eat and regain strength. She does not like humans and does not enjoy being around them unless it’s time for her to feed. She lives in her lair with the company of her giant pet bear Blueberry. This is the story of her finding her true love. Her character development was one of the best parts.

Homily was so sweet and I liked her character. I also appreciated that she was plus sized and it focused on this in a positive light throughout the story. Even if a lot of her motives were trauma-based, she had a kind soul. She wanted to please her mother and her siblings. Her whole family was a shit show that you love to hate.

There’s some good twists here that I didn’t see coming. This story was also just really enjoyable to read. Shesheshen is so awkward and weird that you want to laugh at the antics. Her interacting with Laurent was hilarious as well. He had me busting out laughing. It was sweet, charming, funny, and entertaining. This is exactly what I want when I sign up for a man-eating monster and human romance.

Wiswell's debut novel is a fun inversion of classic monster hunting tropes in the vein of John Gardner's Grendel—and a thoughtful approach to ace/aro relationships, which I definitely appreciated. Some of the description was a little gory for my taste, and I sometimes felt a little frustrated by the characters' choices, but that's on me and not the author!

The protagonist, Shesheshen, is a monster with confused ideas of love and a new urge to reproduce. How do monsters like Shesheshen reproduce? They lay their eggs in someone—hence the title!

Shesheshen mostly wants to be left alone, but when she meets a monster hunter, Homily, who says her family has been cursed by "the monster," Shesheshen is thrown into a fight for her life. Complicating things? Her increasingly complicated attraction to Homily, who returns her feelings but doesn't know her true identity.

Well plotted and with relatable characters, Someone You Can Build a Nest in will be a great read for fans of dark romantic comedies.

This book is about a shape-shifting, out of this world monster who has a huge heart - well, not literally, but figuratively. When Shesheshen is chased away from her home by monster hunters, she never expects to be nursed back to health by Homily, an adorable human. What follows is a hilarious, heartfelt story of their adventures together hunting for the very monster that Shesheshen thought she was. I loved this story. There were a few times where the writing and story got bogged down a little for me, but I chalked it up to my ADHD and confusion when books tend to have lots of different characters. I'm so glad I stuck with it. Read monster sapphic romance adventures, y'all.

Thank you Netgalley, Edelweiss, and DAW for providing me a digital review copy.

There's just something fun about Someone You Can Build A Nest In. A sapphic, monster hunting romp where the protagonist is the monster being hunted? That sounds amazing! And the execution? As perfect as I'd want it to be!

The novel follows Shesheshen, a shapeshifting monster whose hibernation is disturbed by a trio of monster hunters. Shesheshen is monstrous in every physical sense of the world. Typically a lump of flesh, Shesheshen's shapeshifting specifically requires a frame to build herself around, and she typically uses discard bones from her previous meals and other inorganic material such as stones, chains, and beartraps.

Writing a character that has such a non-human perspective on both with their body and the world around them made Shesheshen an incredible character to be with. She's got this dry wit that's both hilarious and utterly sincere and her growth throughout the novel is. I appreciated how Shesheshen’s arc isn’t about becoming less monstrous, but rather dealing with new feelings that are just as alien to her as they are to others around her. She’s still monstrous by the end of the novel, but has grown in to care for someone in a way she didn't think possible.

However, I'd argue Homily, Shesheshen's love interest, takes the prize for the most developed character. Coming from a long line of monster hunters, Homily has a lot of unresolve baggage that Shesheshen's finds herself twisted in. Through Shesheshen's eyes, we see Homily's homelife and watch as she grows more confident because of Shesheshen's encouragements. I thought her arc was the most satisfying and was rooting for her the entire time.

This won't be a novel for everyone. Some of the descriptions are a little hard to visualize and the side characters, while enjoyable, fell a little flat for me. But I still loved this book regardless and I can't wait to see more from this author!

How can a book with so many bones be so cute?

This story of an amoral monster and her people-pleasing crush is so much fun, with twists and turns of the best kind (some guessable and some not, which keeps you on your toes). I love the alienness of Shesheshen, the sweetness of Homily's journey, and the humor. (Oh, Laurent.)

SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN by John Wiswell is a spectacular exploration of body horror and what it means to be human, wrapped up in a story that brought to mind the early movie work of Sam Raimi and Peter Jackson. I loved it.

Thanks to DAW Books for providing an early copy.

This is a surprisingly sweet and funny book coming from the point of an amorphous blob monster that lives alone in a castle. After being woken early from her annual hibernation Shesheshen hunts and is hunted by the local gentry and a pair of monster hunters. Along the way she falls in love with the daughter of the Baroness of the town who saves her when she falls off a cliff. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments when Shesheshen doesn't really understand being a human (well she wouldn't, would she?) and Homily, her girlfirend just thinks she's being funny. Her inner dialogue is funny as well as she spends a lot of the book not quite understanding what is going on around her despite the world at large just considering there to be a terrifying wyrm haunting the vicinity. I think my favourite thing in the book was the monster's pet/friend bear (that is blue) called Blueberry. A lot of the pther characters in the book you can root for the monster to eat as they are AWFUL for a multitude of reasons.

DNF'd.

Struggled through the entirety of what I read; as someone who enjoys monster books, this really just wasn't it for me. The gore and body horror felt excessive, especially given that there is no indication on NG, GR, from the publisher, or the author, that this is something used to an extreme degree. In the first chapter alone I had over 30 highlights of gore and body horror, which did not bode well for the rest of the novel that I managed to get through.

The romance was beak and given it started with Shesheshan considering in excess about how best to eat the love interest, but I suppose we all start somewhere!

As I didn't finish the book, I will not touch on the asexual romance itself, however I will say as a lesbian, I do think it's a tired practice that sapphic romances must be watered down and palatable to the general public by making them as sanitized and non-sexual as possible. I'm all for wlw/sapphic asexuals writing their experiences and giving voice to sorely needed representation, but given this is written by a male author, I find myself more concerned with the aforementioned sanitization.

I do think that this book will have no trouble finding a readership that loves it deeply, and I am glad to see that publishers are taking opportunities to publish more off the wall books/ideas, as it keeps all of us having new reading experiences.

Thank you to DAW and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

I never thought a novel about a flesh-eating shapefhiting monster would be so darn cute and funny. Thoroughly recommended.

This was a bizarre little book that I’m still figuring out my feelings on. Shesheshen was a really interesting character to be in the perspective of, I liked their observations on the things that people would do that they found more monstrous than them. I was expecting this to be a little more cozy and sweet from the description than it actually was. There was quite a bit of discussion on familial abuse. The story was also kind of gross and gory but not in a gratuitous way.

4,75-5⭐️

"Any gods, above or below, they were surely laughing at how badly love undone her."

As I'm searching for words appropriate to catch all my feeling that are flowing through me, I am also trying to imagine a way to talk about this story. Peculiar doesn't do it justice. John Wiswell liberated flesh from limitation of a physical body, freed monsters and defined them as new. They wrote about love in words that slips like hands under the skin, to go deeper and deeper. It redefines what it means to be a mother, a lover, a family. It unties bows that connect those things and shape them into new, strange, sometimes terrifying forms.

And gods above and below, I adored every second of it. Please read this book when it's officially published, I beg you

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC copy of this title!

Gross and weird, but in the best way possible. This book slaps. Shesheshen is a great protagonist, and her species of flesh monster is extremely fascinating. Even more interesting was her wonderful personality. If you have the stomach for strange body horror mixed with shockingly heartfelt romance, this is a must.

It's one of those stories where all the puzzle pieces fit together. I did guess a lot of the plot twists early on, but it wasn't in a way where the reveal was weakened as a result. It just felt natural to the story that was being told. There were a couple times that I was a bit shocked it took Shesheshen as long to figure something out as it did, but it never dragged on long enough to spoil the experience. Overall, she was just a delight.

More disturbing to me than any of the body horror was the familial abuse going on in Homily, the love interest's family. There are some extremely hateable antagonists in this book, and the resolutions on them are all satisfying. Laurent's character was a little weird, but I'll accept it.

I highly recommend this, if an amorphous flesh monster sounds like a good protagonist to you. Personally, I loved hearing about her detailed biological processes. If you have a weak stomach for biological horror, I would proceed with caution.