I was initially worried that this book might err on the side of cozy, but I was happily surprised how deeply it leaned into its themes. The structure was a little haphazard at times, sure. The writing more than made up for it. There is such confidence and playfulness to this author’s voice, and it made reading a pleasure. I did find the ending to be a bit abrupt, but it was thematically satisfying. Overall, I had a great time with this one.

Okay, Little Shop of Horrors! (But really, this is just a queer Irish retelling of Little Shop of Horrors) While I was actively reading this story, I was engrossed. However, as soon as I would put it down, I found myself not as interested in picking it back up. For me, the pacing and plot were just a little off. I felt like not much happened, not much happened, not much happened, and then... BAM! Everything happened, and it happened a little too quickly to satisfyingly wrap up the story. I was invested in the characters, who were mostly well developed, and in the story of the dilapidated mall's future. A good read for those who like millennial ennui, small-town life, and sentient killer plants.

EAT THE ONES YOU LOVE follows michelle "shell" pine who—fresh off a divorce from her fiancé, the loss of her job, and the inevitable move back home with her parents—seeks a much-needed change of pace by asking after work at the woodbine crown mall's thriving florist shop. it belongs to neve, whose beautiful looks and commanding personality spark an immediate crush in shell, but neve belongs to something else in the mall: an unassuming orchid growing in the atrium at the heart of the mall. baby is young, starving, and has grown his roots all through the building. nothing—and no one—he eats can satisfy him as much as eating neve, and he will have her no matter the cost.

with her gorgeous prose and masterful characterization, sarah maria griffin explores the world of retail through a monstrous lens, following a closely knit group of friends who work in the woodbine crown's surviving shops and the ways they interact with one another—both in public and in secret—and wrestle with the rumors of the mall closure, which threatens to put a stop to the beating heart of their community and the lives they've built around it. as they nurse friendships, develop crushes, and begin workplace affairs, baby threads his way into their lives, determined to take everything he can get before it's too late.

EAT THE ONES YOU LOVE is a slow and relentless fever dream of insidious unravelings you won't be able to look away from. it shines with the peculiar sheen of the desirous and hungry, strikes with the fury of a person possessed, and blossoms as only the most beautiful of flowers can. it is a story about finding yourself, and finding your chosen family, even in the worst of times. the woodbine friend group at its heart is one of the most memorable and arresting casts i've read about in a long while, and i saw parts of myself in each of them, rooting for them all even as the world around them grew into a lush and verdant hell.

a horrifying journey that will leave you reeling all the way into its pitch perfect ending, sarah maria griffin's adult debut is an eerie and unforgettable triumph.

Confession: I have not seen Little Shop of Horrors, and now I never can because this book is going to be what I think of when I think of carnivorous plants and shopkeepers.

Eat the Ones You Love is a five star horror. It's got it all. Cute but clueless new employee meets sexy but secretive new boss. Friendships form between mall employees while the mall crumbles around them because it's 2024. Plant narrator who is both evil and in love with the sexy boss. An ending I didn't hate but also didn't see coming.

The only thing that could have made me take a star away from this one is the fact that we spend the whole book anticipating a relationship between two characters only for one of them to pull back and sleep with somebody else (not sure if that's a spoiler because Baby tells us about it fairly early on). Like, I'm never sure what's going on with the non-plant romances in this book. I'm leaving that fifth star because it's possibly that a plant narrator isn't the best interpreter of human emotions.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Ironically, I devoured this! The concept and the writing really sang, and the character development was well thought out and nuanced. I really enjoyed this fresh story, and fresh take!

I bet you didn't know you wanted a queer Irish Little Shop of Horrors reimagining that both embraces dying mall culture and skewers (sub)urban upper middle class millennials.

Huge points for atmosphere, style, and creativity. Deducting a star because the ending felt a little quick after all of the buildup. Still, if I were reviewing for a journal I'd recommend a star because this is still exceptional for the genre. Definitely gonna be that weirdo who bumps for Library Reads, and who will cheer if it makes it on.