Someone You Can Build a Nest In
By John Wiswell
Random House, 2024. 310 pages. Fantasy
Nursed back to health
by Homily, a warm-hearted Human, shapeshifting Monster Shesheshen falls in love
with her only to discover she’s a monster hunter, and since devouring her
girlfriend isn’t an option, she must learn to build a life with, rather than
in, her soulmate.
The book is told from the viewpoint of Shesheshen, and they do not disappoint with their development from "monster" to something altogether quite human in response to their relationship with Homily. And while the novel is in turns gore ridden and darkly humorous, I would contend that the overall message focuses on familial trauma and the complicated nature of healing from it (and it does so with aplomb!). This isn't a physically steamy romance, as our main character is navigating their first romantic relationship, but it is rewarding nonetheless! Definitely one for dark fantasy lovers to put on their TBR list.
If you like Someone You Can Build a Nest In you might also like:
Thornhedge
By T. Kingfisher
Tor Publishing Group, 2023. 116 pages. Fantasy
The tale of a kind-hearted, toad-shaped heroine, a gentle
knight, and a mission gone completely sideways.
The Monster of Elendhaven
By Jennifer Giesbrecht
Tom Doherty Associates Book, 2019. 159 pages. Fantasy
A thing with no
name—after washing up on the docks, empty, alone and unable to die—teams up
with a frail young man who can twist minds with magic, and together they launch
a dark and cruel plan that consummates their horrible passion for each other.
RBL
