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thiscryptidreads's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
📖 - 280 pages
3 chili peppers 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: monster romance (maybe a little thriller, maybe a little sci-fi)
POV: Single
Ending: HEA
I absolutely LOVED this book! As someone who reads monster romance and horror almost exclusively, this was such a great story!
I loved the tension in this book, there were so many details that added an undertone of concern or fear as you get tiny bits about what is going on in the bigger picture as you follow Jules and Mack as they go from online friends on a fish forum to a romance neither can deny despite knowing their tiny worlds have their limits.
For the first half of this book it doesn't feel like a romance, it feels like a thriller, possibly because of Jules agoraphobic personality seeing most of the world as scary, but as the plot progresses and the outside world gets involved. there are so many little but concerning things happening that make you worry for Jules then once the romance happens you almost forget about them until you realize it's not in her head and actually happening. The ending was so not what I expected considering the start of this book. What a wild ride of a story.
Tropes -
Mental health rep
Fish daddy
People becoming monsters
Fancy equipment
Fated mates
Multiple worlds
Stalker neighbor
Healthy poly rep
Fish puns
Slow burn
Self love/accepting yourself rep
Content warnings -
Stalker neighbor
Abuse of power
Toxic parent
Deep depression
Suicide attempt (on page, unsuccessful)
Bodily harm
Talk of SA (past tense, not described)
Hate speech (against monsters)
My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
Thank you to the author for my copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
3 chili peppers 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: monster romance (maybe a little thriller, maybe a little sci-fi)
POV: Single
Ending: HEA
I absolutely LOVED this book! As someone who reads monster romance and horror almost exclusively, this was such a great story!
I loved the tension in this book, there were so many details that added an undertone of concern or fear as you get tiny bits about what is going on in the bigger picture as you follow Jules and Mack as they go from online friends on a fish forum to a romance neither can deny despite knowing their tiny worlds have their limits.
For the first half of this book it doesn't feel like a romance, it feels like a thriller, possibly because of Jules agoraphobic personality seeing most of the world as scary, but as the plot progresses and the outside world gets involved. there are so many little but concerning things happening that make you worry for Jules then once the romance happens you almost forget about them until you realize it's not in her head and actually happening. The ending was so not what I expected considering the start of this book. What a wild ride of a story.
Tropes -
Mental health rep
Fish daddy
People becoming monsters
Fancy equipment
Fated mates
Multiple worlds
Stalker neighbor
Healthy poly rep
Fish puns
Slow burn
Self love/accepting yourself rep
Content warnings -
Stalker neighbor
Abuse of power
Toxic parent
Deep depression
Suicide attempt (on page, unsuccessful)
Bodily harm
Talk of SA (past tense, not described)
Hate speech (against monsters)
My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
Thank you to the author for my copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Stalking, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, and Medical content
wandering_seal's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Oft well this was an emotional roller coaster!
I don't think I was expecting this story to be as funny as it was - it's not a funny story, it's romantic, claustrophobic, and at times very, very sad - but Cat Wynn's punny fish moments throughout just had me laughing. Literally ended on a laugh.
I went into this already liking Wynn's writing, and I was intrigued as to how she would approach a monster romance. I love that the 'monsters' aren't monsters at all, they're kind, loving, fragile people who have just started to look different on the outside, and the only 'monstrous' characters are the humans that attempt to manipulate and abuse them. There is dark subject matter here, but it's never the fish people causing it.
This felt to me like classic science fiction, where the world just exists as it does and we just have to go along with it. A lot is left unexplained -the origins of the fish transformations, how Fishkiller1234 and the others found out about them, what the company they worked for was actually up to , for example. Personally I liked that. We only knew what Jules knew, and Jules was not a particularly curious person. That lack of curiosity makes sense within her story arc. I do wish we'd had a greater insight into who Mack was, and that we'd been able to spend more time with them settling into their relationship (basically I want more of Mack's chat because it was gooood).
I hope Wynn writes more in this multiverse - bring on the shadow people!
I read an advance copy of this book, my thoughts here are very much my own.
I don't think I was expecting this story to be as funny as it was - it's not a funny story, it's romantic, claustrophobic, and at times very, very sad - but Cat Wynn's punny fish moments throughout just had me laughing. Literally ended on a laugh.
I went into this already liking Wynn's writing, and I was intrigued as to how she would approach a monster romance. I love that the 'monsters' aren't monsters at all, they're kind, loving, fragile people who have just started to look different on the outside, and the only 'monstrous' characters are the humans that attempt to manipulate and abuse them. There is dark subject matter here, but it's never the fish people causing it.
This felt to me like classic science fiction, where the world just exists as it does and we just have to go along with it. A lot is left unexplained -
I hope Wynn writes more in this multiverse - bring on the shadow people!
I read an advance copy of this book, my thoughts here are very much my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Drug use, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Gun violence, Child abuse, Stalking, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cancer, and Vomit
katetravelsinbooks's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is a bit darker than the usual monster romance but i really enjoyed it. It was funny (fish daddy). And sweet ( I found you in this world. I can find you in any other world too. It’s not the end) and suspenseful. I loved how relatable the fmc is and her mental health issues. Kate is also the bff everyone deserves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Sexual content, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Body shaming, Bullying, and Emotional abuse
noriboo's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Steamy, mildly angsty, an mmc that makes me look at fish tanks differently and an agoraphobic fmc that displays a smidge of unhinged, obsessive behaviour: I liked it!
The author is a star in writing characters that are incredibly likeable despite their flaws and that are very hard to say goodbye to once the story has ended.
I would have liked to know more about the multiverse and more about Jules' bestie, Kate, and her 4 boyfriends. How did the fish people end up on earth/ in that specific universe? Needless to say, I wouldn't be mad if the author ever decided to add more interconnected stories to this universe!
The author is a star in writing characters that are incredibly likeable despite their flaws and that are very hard to say goodbye to once the story has ended.
I would have liked to know more about the multiverse and more about Jules' bestie, Kate, and her 4 boyfriends. How did the fish people end up on earth/ in that specific universe? Needless to say, I wouldn't be mad if the author ever decided to add more interconnected stories to this universe!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Violence, Gun violence, and Mental illness
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