Someone You Can Build a Nest In

By: John Wiswell

Narrated by: Carmen Rose

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 using a metal chain for a backbone, borrowed bones for limbs, and a bear trap as an extra mouth. However, the hunters chase Shesheshen out of her home and off a cliff. Badly hurt, she's found and nursed back to health by Homily, a warmhearted human, who has mistaken Shesheshen as a fellow human. Homily is kind and nurturing and would make an excellent coparent: an ideal place to lay Shesheshen's eggs so their young could devour Homily from the inside out. But as they grow close, she realizes humans don't think about love that way.

Shesheshen hates keeping her identity secret from Homily, but just as she's about to confess, Homily reveals why she's in the area: she's hunting a shapeshifting monster that supposedly cursed her family. Shesheshen didn't curse anyone, but to give herself and Homily a chance at happiness, she has to figure out why Homily's twisted family thinks she did. As the hunt for the monster becomes increasingly deadly, Shesheshen must unearth the truth quickly, or soon both of their lives will be at risk. And the bigger challenge remains: surviving her toxic in-laws long enough to learn to build a life with, rather than in, the love of her life.

©2024 John Wiswell (P)2024 Tantor

Unique characters, fast paced story

Enjoyed this book more than my last several because of how unique the main character is- allowed me to look at humans from the outside. The interplay between the main character and her friend emphasizes this. It also highlights “power corrupts” but can’t say more without ruining first experience. Don’t often recommend books to friends but I will this one.

Absolutely brilliant!

The narration is wonderful, and this novel is... I only hesitate to say "masterpiece" because the term is overused. But I use it here selectively. It's such an ingenious premise, and and the execution is impecable. This book is a masterpiece, like a piece of music concieved because of a clever melody and then elaborated upon until it becomes something so much grander. I'll be recommending it to anyone who will listen.

aw🥹

this was gross and absurdly tender and my fav monster romance I’ve ever read ever.

Creative, Captivating, and a Little Contrived

This was such a imaginative and unique story. I love stories that can make you root for the horrible monster, and this one does it well. It was so good that I still rated it five stars despite some minor problems it has. In the interest of constructive criticism and not to dissuade you from buying it, I will explain them here. Firstly, whoever made the cover art should be shot. I passed over this wonderful book several times because I thought this was a straight horror book. Secondly, there are several instances where the main character is almost willfully stupid or unobservant in order to further the plot, which is a mortal sin in writing and something I hate. Fortunately, these instances are few and far between and don't matter so much but they could really have been handled more believably. The last complaint is that the scenes and the main character's appearance are almost never adequately described and there are times when the scenes transition from place to place in a jarring way. However, like I said, in the grand scheme of these, the bulk of this book is a 6 out of 5 so these minor issues can be overlooked but I do urge the author to take them to heart and improve these areas in the future to reach perfection.

Sapphic, Autistic-coded MC, Unique

This book is from the unique perspective of a shapeshifter so you get a lot of weird scenes and semi gory details. I loved was that the main character was very relatable for autistic readers because of the way shesheshen sees the world and has a hard time understanding human expression and language. I also didn’t expect it to be a sapphic love story🥹 I can’t say it’s the most awe inspiring book I’ve read but it is unique and special. It isn’t like anything I’ve read before and I loved it. Oh right… the ending was kind of lame to me personally.

Instantly riveting

The characters are real. The plot is weird. The stakes high. It was phenominal. I'll be keeping an eye out for more from this author! Also: queer. I'm old enough to remember when that never happened. And I keep getting surprised today, and pleasantly so. Wonderful book.

The Best Kind of Sapphic

I loved every single thing about this book! It was sad and funny and sweet. I usually don't read books by men, but this one was amazing.

Lovely!

I’ve created a new genre for this type of book. This a cozy horror and I am here for it.

Came for the monsters

Stayed for the wholesome lesbians with mom trama

A fabulous story about the importance of cutting toxic people out of your so you can be your best self

I Loved This!

I loved the magnificent Someone You Can Build A Nest In by John Wiswell as read by Carmen Rose. I loved this book. It was cozy. It was heartwarming. It dealt with abuse, with trauma, and love. Shesheshen is wonderful. Homily is amazing. It was funny, scary, and romantic.

Now, I will be the first to admit that romance is not always my bag. Too often I find it gets in the way of a story or is presented in a way I can't relate to (though more power to you awesome romance lovers.) Here, I got it. It made sense. I felt it.

I wanted it to work. I wanted to hear more. I was rooting for it. It made me happy. Darn you Wiswell making me feel my own feelings. But there was more to the story than that. There was action. There was horror. There was justice. There were struggles and there were lies.

The story follows Shesheshen, a shapeshifting monster, attacked in her lair and blamed for a family curse. When she meets the warm-hearted Homily her perspectives change. Maybe humans are more than just a handy meal. Unfortunately, Homily is out hunting a shapeshifting monster.

What is one to do when your newly found girlfriend wants you dead, her family blames you for every ill, and the real monsters might just become your in-laws?

Obviously the answer is love. Oh, and selective devouring.

If you don't have a heart, you might just have to ingest one.

Carmen Rose does a fantastic job as the narrator. Apparently she narrates lots of romance books, which probably explains why this one hits so hard. I love when the perfect narrator meets the perfect book.

I can't wait for John Wiswell's next book.

and while there may be debates going around about prologues and the like, you will appreciate the epilogue in this one.