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Sorry, Humans [Especially Greg]
It's the age-old story. Boy meets girl. Girl lies to boy about being human. Girl accidentally destroys planet. Girl apologizes super hard.
329 pages, Paperback
Published August 30, 2024
5 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Faralee Pozo
4 books7 followersFaralee Pozo is the senior editor of Splinter Press. She also worked as a freelance editor for several years, editing and formatting books for authors and companies worldwide. Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg) is Faralee's debut novel.
In her spare time, she plays tabletop games with her family, reads, and tries to avoid cooking.
In her spare time, she plays tabletop games with her family, reads, and tries to avoid cooking.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
September 27, 2024
In a Nutshell: An unusual novel straddling multiple genres: humour, romance, mystery, thriller, science fiction, and end-of-the-world. Slow-paced and a bit repetitive, but entertaining enough if you are looking for a light read with an unusual plotline.
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Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
👽 Our narrator and the writer of this extended apology: the alien queen known as Aria. Unlike any queen you have ever met in fiction, be it human or animal or alien, Aria’s quirky nature and impulsiveness lead to many goof-ups, and this multi-hued character development makes this book an entertaining one.
👽 Many of the other characters are also atypically sketched. The queen’s aide, the local politician, the human who ends up as Aria’s confidant, the FBI agent – I won’t take any names so that you can discover who’s who when you read the book, but suffice it to say, none of them were portrayed the way these characters usually are. Their portrayal offers a novelty that might not necessarily be positive but was certainly refreshing.
👽 The “aliens’ – I loved how their depiction broke the mould of standard alien behaviour in fiction. Their tech was matched by the community spirit.
👽 The blurb makes the book sound like a romcom with some fantastical elements. The book is much more than that, covering some serious themes and a well-written coming-of-age arc for Aria. While I wouldn’t have minded an alien romcom for the sheer quirkiness of the idea, I liked the depth of this storyline even more.
👽 Goes without saying that the plot is one of the most unique stories I have read. It hops across multiple genres – romance, mystery, humour, alien sci-fi, end-of-the-world, and action – but manages to do justice to most. The retrospective epistolary style adds a further newness to this storyline.
👽 While I never like romance to make an appearance in non-romance genre books, the story keeps the romantic track exactly where it should be – on the backburner. Though it is Aria’s feelings that set off an unexpected chain of events, they are written in an almost comic manner, even when she’s lovelorn.
👽 The cover is adorable!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🛸 Aria has a tendency of explaining many of her words/statements with the use of footnotes. Too many footnotes! There are 259 footnotes in the book, 25 of which appear within the first 5%. Footnotes can be fun additions to the plot when limited to a certain quantity, but this went a bit too far. Of course, many of the footnotes were hilarious. But some of the notes contain major foreshadowing, which I dislike. I don't mind footnotes in physical books, but in digital copies, they are more of an encumbrance. After a while, I began skipping the footnotes unless I was too curious about the highlighted word.
🛸 As the letter is written retrospectively as an apology to humans, we already know that the aliens somehow managed to explode the planet. The plot is mostly a build-up to how this happened. This meant that in some of the situations, we already knew the whats, but read on to figure out the hows. But the mystery is a good one and not that easy to figure out.
🛸 The humour in the book is funny and even sardonic, especially at the start. But after a point, some of it feels forced. Aria’s selective forgetfulness of [A]’s name was especially annoying as it felt too repetitive after a point.
🛸 There are a few convenient coincidences in terms of Aria’s meeting the right humans at the right time, especially through Greg who seems to know exactly the kind of people Aria needs. But let’s put this down to fictional leeway and alien luck.
🛸 The book starts off well, but in between, it feels repetitive and dragged. The ending salvages the story as we finally see what led to the catastrophe. The proceedings aren’t exactly as anticipated.
Bookish Nays:
👾 Minor issue: There are some inconsistencies in Aria’s communication. For instance, she redacts all human cuss words but retains the bad words from her own language. She doesn't know much about human first names and last names, but knows a surprisingly large number of male names beginning with the letter A.
All in all, this is a fairly entertaining debut, that, despite becoming lax in its tempo and plot development in between, kept me reading. The outlandish plot and the curious characters combine to create a novel that’s simultaneously fun as well as frightening. It didn’t grip me, but as a light entertainer, it passed muster.
Recommended to readers looking for an offbeat novel that is light and dark at once.
3.5 stars. (The weight of all those footnotes pushed the rounding of this rating downwards.)
My thanks to Splinter Press for providing the DRC of “Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg)” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Let me copy-paste the GR blurb here for once:
“It's the age-old story. Boy meets girl. Girl lies to boy about being human. Girl accidentally destroys planet. Girl apologizes super hard.”
This story is epistolary, written as the apology letter by the girl to all humans, especially Greg. The “girl” is an alien queen, and that’s what turns this *age-old story* into a humorous novelty.
Bookish Yays:
👽 Our narrator and the writer of this extended apology: the alien queen known as Aria. Unlike any queen you have ever met in fiction, be it human or animal or alien, Aria’s quirky nature and impulsiveness lead to many goof-ups, and this multi-hued character development makes this book an entertaining one.
👽 Many of the other characters are also atypically sketched. The queen’s aide, the local politician, the human who ends up as Aria’s confidant, the FBI agent – I won’t take any names so that you can discover who’s who when you read the book, but suffice it to say, none of them were portrayed the way these characters usually are. Their portrayal offers a novelty that might not necessarily be positive but was certainly refreshing.
👽 The “aliens’ – I loved how their depiction broke the mould of standard alien behaviour in fiction. Their tech was matched by the community spirit.
👽 The blurb makes the book sound like a romcom with some fantastical elements. The book is much more than that, covering some serious themes and a well-written coming-of-age arc for Aria. While I wouldn’t have minded an alien romcom for the sheer quirkiness of the idea, I liked the depth of this storyline even more.
👽 Goes without saying that the plot is one of the most unique stories I have read. It hops across multiple genres – romance, mystery, humour, alien sci-fi, end-of-the-world, and action – but manages to do justice to most. The retrospective epistolary style adds a further newness to this storyline.
👽 While I never like romance to make an appearance in non-romance genre books, the story keeps the romantic track exactly where it should be – on the backburner. Though it is Aria’s feelings that set off an unexpected chain of events, they are written in an almost comic manner, even when she’s lovelorn.
👽 The cover is adorable!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🛸 Aria has a tendency of explaining many of her words/statements with the use of footnotes. Too many footnotes! There are 259 footnotes in the book, 25 of which appear within the first 5%. Footnotes can be fun additions to the plot when limited to a certain quantity, but this went a bit too far. Of course, many of the footnotes were hilarious. But some of the notes contain major foreshadowing, which I dislike. I don't mind footnotes in physical books, but in digital copies, they are more of an encumbrance. After a while, I began skipping the footnotes unless I was too curious about the highlighted word.
🛸 As the letter is written retrospectively as an apology to humans, we already know that the aliens somehow managed to explode the planet. The plot is mostly a build-up to how this happened. This meant that in some of the situations, we already knew the whats, but read on to figure out the hows. But the mystery is a good one and not that easy to figure out.
🛸 The humour in the book is funny and even sardonic, especially at the start. But after a point, some of it feels forced. Aria’s selective forgetfulness of [A]’s name was especially annoying as it felt too repetitive after a point.
🛸 There are a few convenient coincidences in terms of Aria’s meeting the right humans at the right time, especially through Greg who seems to know exactly the kind of people Aria needs. But let’s put this down to fictional leeway and alien luck.
🛸 The book starts off well, but in between, it feels repetitive and dragged. The ending salvages the story as we finally see what led to the catastrophe. The proceedings aren’t exactly as anticipated.
Bookish Nays:
👾 Minor issue: There are some inconsistencies in Aria’s communication. For instance, she redacts all human cuss words but retains the bad words from her own language. She doesn't know much about human first names and last names, but knows a surprisingly large number of male names beginning with the letter A.
All in all, this is a fairly entertaining debut, that, despite becoming lax in its tempo and plot development in between, kept me reading. The outlandish plot and the curious characters combine to create a novel that’s simultaneously fun as well as frightening. It didn’t grip me, but as a light entertainer, it passed muster.
Recommended to readers looking for an offbeat novel that is light and dark at once.
3.5 stars. (The weight of all those footnotes pushed the rounding of this rating downwards.)
My thanks to Splinter Press for providing the DRC of “Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg)” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
August 20, 2024
Whoops! Some alien queen went and blew up the Earth. For what it’s worth, she’s written an apology. That should soften the blow, right?
When outer space visitors invade our planet and try to live among us, you don’t expect them to have a sense of humor. Nor do you think they’ll fall into a swoony romance. But that’s the unique, lively, and even heartwarming premise here. And if you’re in the mood for some smiles and laughs mixed with your sci-fi adventure, you’ll enjoy this little indie story.
Aria, ruler of the Brooshaloos, secretly leaves the US government compound in Alaska with her aide de camp (Penny) to explore the human world (and, as we later learn, support her people). Disguised as a beautiful woman, she meets Greg Jones, assistant to a US Senator. There’s an attraction there, but there’s also some information he might have about her mission. Despite Penny’s protests, Aria travels to Washington to discover more, where she can’t seem to shake Greg, either from her trail or her heart. Then, a mysterious explosion occurs, and Aria might have a clue as to whodunit. And that means trouble, both for her and for her adopted planet. Ours.
Tone and premise are where this book shines. It boldly goes where no one has gone before (see what I did there??!). Aria is the narrator, and she’s dictating a letter of apology to the Earth, with an eye toward her new love. She does a great job of foreshadowing without giving away spoilers. Her appreciation for all the wild, crazy, and fun things our world has to offer is heartening and sweet. Her affection for Greg will make you smile.
Sci-fi stories have a lot of rules, or a very specific order of events, both of which make this a rare genre for me. For the most part, this novel does perfectly fine, keeping the theme light and the plot not overly complex. The rising action and the race to the finish, however, do require close reading. And thus, the pace, which had been traveling at warp speed, hits a plateau. That said, the simplicity of the writing and the approachability of Aria, Greg, and the other characters push things in a satisfying direction.
Pozo also tries something different here: footnotes. No, really: there are 256 of them, sprinkled throughout Aria’s narration. They’re often funny, sometimes informative, and show us the interesting contrasts of our worlds. If you’ve been scarred by your college textbooks as I was, you might do what I did: read some, ignore at will. I found that to be a good strategy: if I were in the mood for a Rodney Dangerfield-esque one-liner, I read it. Otherwise, I passed it by. I don’t think I lost anything in the process. (Note: I read an ebook, which made these endnotes and not footnotes. Not sure how the printed version will treat these.)
(Another note: see what I did there? Writing about endnotes…with a side note? Yes! I got a million of ‘em! Try the veal!)
The character development was solid, and I got to know enough about them to like / revile / understand them. The romance doesn’t pervade the story, and the spice is set to Mild, but it keeps things moving and hits all the right points. The ending, which gets more than a little technical, was still fun and exciting. Likeable and clever are good words to describe this work.
And, if sci-fi / speculative fiction is your thing, you might check what else this little indie operation, Splinter Press, has to offer. I peeked at the website, and it seems non-traditional and off the beaten path.
Or in this case, tractor beam.
Thank you to NetGalley and Splinter Press for an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. Sorry, Humans Especially Greg comes out August 30.
When outer space visitors invade our planet and try to live among us, you don’t expect them to have a sense of humor. Nor do you think they’ll fall into a swoony romance. But that’s the unique, lively, and even heartwarming premise here. And if you’re in the mood for some smiles and laughs mixed with your sci-fi adventure, you’ll enjoy this little indie story.
Aria, ruler of the Brooshaloos, secretly leaves the US government compound in Alaska with her aide de camp (Penny) to explore the human world (and, as we later learn, support her people). Disguised as a beautiful woman, she meets Greg Jones, assistant to a US Senator. There’s an attraction there, but there’s also some information he might have about her mission. Despite Penny’s protests, Aria travels to Washington to discover more, where she can’t seem to shake Greg, either from her trail or her heart. Then, a mysterious explosion occurs, and Aria might have a clue as to whodunit. And that means trouble, both for her and for her adopted planet. Ours.
Tone and premise are where this book shines. It boldly goes where no one has gone before (see what I did there??!). Aria is the narrator, and she’s dictating a letter of apology to the Earth, with an eye toward her new love. She does a great job of foreshadowing without giving away spoilers. Her appreciation for all the wild, crazy, and fun things our world has to offer is heartening and sweet. Her affection for Greg will make you smile.
Sci-fi stories have a lot of rules, or a very specific order of events, both of which make this a rare genre for me. For the most part, this novel does perfectly fine, keeping the theme light and the plot not overly complex. The rising action and the race to the finish, however, do require close reading. And thus, the pace, which had been traveling at warp speed, hits a plateau. That said, the simplicity of the writing and the approachability of Aria, Greg, and the other characters push things in a satisfying direction.
Pozo also tries something different here: footnotes. No, really: there are 256 of them, sprinkled throughout Aria’s narration. They’re often funny, sometimes informative, and show us the interesting contrasts of our worlds. If you’ve been scarred by your college textbooks as I was, you might do what I did: read some, ignore at will. I found that to be a good strategy: if I were in the mood for a Rodney Dangerfield-esque one-liner, I read it. Otherwise, I passed it by. I don’t think I lost anything in the process. (Note: I read an ebook, which made these endnotes and not footnotes. Not sure how the printed version will treat these.)
(Another note: see what I did there? Writing about endnotes…with a side note? Yes! I got a million of ‘em! Try the veal!)
The character development was solid, and I got to know enough about them to like / revile / understand them. The romance doesn’t pervade the story, and the spice is set to Mild, but it keeps things moving and hits all the right points. The ending, which gets more than a little technical, was still fun and exciting. Likeable and clever are good words to describe this work.
And, if sci-fi / speculative fiction is your thing, you might check what else this little indie operation, Splinter Press, has to offer. I peeked at the website, and it seems non-traditional and off the beaten path.
Or in this case, tractor beam.
Thank you to NetGalley and Splinter Press for an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. Sorry, Humans Especially Greg comes out August 30.
August 14, 2025
Sorry Humans (Especially Greg) is the debut novel by American editor and author, Faralee Pozo. It takes the form of a letter of apology and explanation to the human race from Aria, Seventh Daughter of Morr, Keeper of the Sacred Sponge, Heir to the Fallen Branches of Bough, Final Monarch of the Thirteenth Planet of LifeStar, and sets out the sequence of events that led to, nine years after their arrival on Earth as refugees, the destruction by aliens of planet Earth.
The e-book is presented in an unfriendly font, and the text is littered with links to the copious endnotes (257 of them!) which sometimes add some humour or insight, but often add nothing and serve only to interrupt the flow of the story as the reader laboriously flips between story and endnote.
While Aria does make some insightful observations about the human race: “You are a planet of interesting contradictions. You value truth, but not if it encroaches on politeness. You protect personal freedoms only so far as they do not infringe on general safety. You celebrate diversities but fear what is different”, it’s sadly not enough to make this a worthwhile read.
One reviewer made mention of the Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, but the only similarity with this work is the destruction of Earth by aliens. Regards plot, quality of writing, humour and cleverness, this work is not a patch on anything Douglas Adams wrote, not even his grocery list. Ultimately, a chore to read, so devote your precious reading time to something better.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Splinter Press.
The e-book is presented in an unfriendly font, and the text is littered with links to the copious endnotes (257 of them!) which sometimes add some humour or insight, but often add nothing and serve only to interrupt the flow of the story as the reader laboriously flips between story and endnote.
While Aria does make some insightful observations about the human race: “You are a planet of interesting contradictions. You value truth, but not if it encroaches on politeness. You protect personal freedoms only so far as they do not infringe on general safety. You celebrate diversities but fear what is different”, it’s sadly not enough to make this a worthwhile read.
One reviewer made mention of the Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, but the only similarity with this work is the destruction of Earth by aliens. Regards plot, quality of writing, humour and cleverness, this work is not a patch on anything Douglas Adams wrote, not even his grocery list. Ultimately, a chore to read, so devote your precious reading time to something better.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Splinter Press.
November 30, 2025
Full review to come but in the meantime all I can say is *unearthly screeching and flailing*
Honestly this is quite literally one of the most *ME* books I have ever read.
Honestly this is quite literally one of the most *ME* books I have ever read.
August 29, 2024
Although a friend of mine introduced me to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie over a decade ago already, I only started reading the books a couple of months ago. I was very positively surprised and really enjoyed myself. So, when I scrolled through Netgalley and stumbled upon this book I immediately got curious. So, I requested a copy and I was very happy when I was notified that the author had approved my request.
This book is a really fast read. I flew through it. But, I have to admit that I did not read the footnotes. Since I was reading digitally, reading the footnotes meant constantly interrupting my reading to go to the note and to then go back to the story. This is probably easier in paperbacks, where the notes could hopefully be added on the same page. I do think the footnotes, and there are really a lot of them, are part of the fun, but the few I read afterwards were not adding much, so I didn't read them all.
I mostly didn't read them because I already felt while reading this book that the book was trying to be funny a little too hard. I love laughing out loud while reading. I just don't laugh out loud when the humor feels forced. The most hilarious situations are when people, both the characters and the author, are not really trying their very best to be funny. They just are. However, I'm pretty sure some people will love this and will laugh out loud throughout the entire book.
At least, I hope so, because it's the main selling point of the book. There's also a plot and I eventually liked how everything came together, but it was not as exciting as I had hoped it would be, which is mostly because the entire book takes place on earth and we're not seeing much of all the other planets clearly existing in this universe. But, the author now created an entire universe and despite the fact that this was not my book, I hope they allows themselves to play around in it!
This book is a really fast read. I flew through it. But, I have to admit that I did not read the footnotes. Since I was reading digitally, reading the footnotes meant constantly interrupting my reading to go to the note and to then go back to the story. This is probably easier in paperbacks, where the notes could hopefully be added on the same page. I do think the footnotes, and there are really a lot of them, are part of the fun, but the few I read afterwards were not adding much, so I didn't read them all.
I mostly didn't read them because I already felt while reading this book that the book was trying to be funny a little too hard. I love laughing out loud while reading. I just don't laugh out loud when the humor feels forced. The most hilarious situations are when people, both the characters and the author, are not really trying their very best to be funny. They just are. However, I'm pretty sure some people will love this and will laugh out loud throughout the entire book.
At least, I hope so, because it's the main selling point of the book. There's also a plot and I eventually liked how everything came together, but it was not as exciting as I had hoped it would be, which is mostly because the entire book takes place on earth and we're not seeing much of all the other planets clearly existing in this universe. But, the author now created an entire universe and despite the fact that this was not my book, I hope they allows themselves to play around in it!
August 7, 2024
Full disclosure: I was an ARC reader for this book and have met the author.
Sorry, Humans (especially Greg) is well written, full of humor, and surprises. The sci-fi aspects turned out to be more developed and interesting than I assumed they'd be at first, given the playful tone. It's even got some good moments of suspense and action. The romantic elements failed to reach me on an emotional level but ended up playing a big role in the plot, which I appreciated as they can sometimes be oddly superfluous in rom-coms. Here, all the ingredients combine into something very fun and satisfying.
Sorry, Humans (especially Greg) is well written, full of humor, and surprises. The sci-fi aspects turned out to be more developed and interesting than I assumed they'd be at first, given the playful tone. It's even got some good moments of suspense and action. The romantic elements failed to reach me on an emotional level but ended up playing a big role in the plot, which I appreciated as they can sometimes be oddly superfluous in rom-coms. Here, all the ingredients combine into something very fun and satisfying.
August 15, 2024
A refugee alien queen falls for a human man on earth - what could possibly go wrong (spoiler…everything, but don’t worry, it’s funny)?
I thought the plot premise was interesting, and the format as an apology letter unique, but the writing didn’t jive with me - it was wordy at times and I felt the humour in parts contrived. There are many (256!) footnotes throughout, and while necessary for extra information and often humourous, it was a bit annoying to maneuver back and forth on the ebook and this disrupted my reading flow. As such, this took me longer to read than necessary, and I couldn’t get as into the story as I wanted too.
Overall, this was an interesting concept that lacked the style of execution I prefer.
Thank you to Netgalley and Splinter Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the plot premise was interesting, and the format as an apology letter unique, but the writing didn’t jive with me - it was wordy at times and I felt the humour in parts contrived. There are many (256!) footnotes throughout, and while necessary for extra information and often humourous, it was a bit annoying to maneuver back and forth on the ebook and this disrupted my reading flow. As such, this took me longer to read than necessary, and I couldn’t get as into the story as I wanted too.
Overall, this was an interesting concept that lacked the style of execution I prefer.
Thank you to Netgalley and Splinter Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 17, 2024
When starting this book, it reminded me a lot of the movies My Date with the Presidents Daughter & Chasing Liberty. Very late 90s early 00s which was a good thing! The plot was super interesting, but the footnotes killed me after a while and I had to stop reading them. There also wasn’t enough character development for me so I didn’t care much for the characters.
October 1, 2024
I grabbed this via NetGalley as an ARC because the title hooked me!
Aliens have invaded Earth! But wait, they’re refugees! They’ve been kept underground and secret for decades and only their queen ventures out once a year to learn about the humans and collect their “zest”. But this visit is different. During this visit Aria, the alien queen meets Greg, a human so adorable she extends her visit and stumbles upon a plot to bomb the earth. With Greg and his friends at the FBI helping her, she adorkably navigates the world trying to nail the perpetrator with her bodyguard, Penny glowering in the background. Double-crosses abound, red herrings ensue, and this fun little whodunnit packs enough surprises to keep the reader chugging along.
It is a funny book, too! And rarely, if ever, does a funny book actually deliver on that promise for me (unless you’re Christopher Moore). But this one made me laugh out loud once, and that is such a rarity that I have to give it props. It’s not constantly funny, but it does have some wonderfully comic moments. The best comedy hits when Aria tries to put her limited human knowledge into real life.
The book is written as a letter from Aria to the earth as an apology for destroying it. I don’t love the letter format. I think the story would be stronger in a regular format. The letter seems unnecessary and, for me, kind of makes the last chapter feel more like a recap than the story happening here and now, which isn’t as powerful.
The plotting is tight. I was momentarly fooled by a red herring, and didn’t guess the ending, which is hard to do with me as well. I’m pretty good at guessing and my guesses are usually right.
I am a lover of footnotes in fiction to enhance the humour and add a bit of extra flavour! Sadly, I thought they were a bit overdone in this book (256 is a lot!). They are also hard to navigate to in e-book form so I mostly skipped them. Perhaps if there were fewer I would’ve put in more effort to read them all.
I was a bit troubled when I saw that the author is a head editor at the press that published her book, but upon further investigation I realized part of the reason the press was founded was for 3 siblings to get their stories out into the world! A very unique founding idea, and in today’s publishing world, I can’t blame them for taking matters into their own hands.
Overall this was a quick, fun read. I’d recommend it to people who enjoy their sci-fi on the light side, their mystery with aliens, and their stories light-hearted. Right up my alley!
Aliens have invaded Earth! But wait, they’re refugees! They’ve been kept underground and secret for decades and only their queen ventures out once a year to learn about the humans and collect their “zest”. But this visit is different. During this visit Aria, the alien queen meets Greg, a human so adorable she extends her visit and stumbles upon a plot to bomb the earth. With Greg and his friends at the FBI helping her, she adorkably navigates the world trying to nail the perpetrator with her bodyguard, Penny glowering in the background. Double-crosses abound, red herrings ensue, and this fun little whodunnit packs enough surprises to keep the reader chugging along.
It is a funny book, too! And rarely, if ever, does a funny book actually deliver on that promise for me (unless you’re Christopher Moore). But this one made me laugh out loud once, and that is such a rarity that I have to give it props. It’s not constantly funny, but it does have some wonderfully comic moments. The best comedy hits when Aria tries to put her limited human knowledge into real life.
The book is written as a letter from Aria to the earth as an apology for destroying it. I don’t love the letter format. I think the story would be stronger in a regular format. The letter seems unnecessary and, for me, kind of makes the last chapter feel more like a recap than the story happening here and now, which isn’t as powerful.
The plotting is tight. I was momentarly fooled by a red herring, and didn’t guess the ending, which is hard to do with me as well. I’m pretty good at guessing and my guesses are usually right.
I am a lover of footnotes in fiction to enhance the humour and add a bit of extra flavour! Sadly, I thought they were a bit overdone in this book (256 is a lot!). They are also hard to navigate to in e-book form so I mostly skipped them. Perhaps if there were fewer I would’ve put in more effort to read them all.
I was a bit troubled when I saw that the author is a head editor at the press that published her book, but upon further investigation I realized part of the reason the press was founded was for 3 siblings to get their stories out into the world! A very unique founding idea, and in today’s publishing world, I can’t blame them for taking matters into their own hands.
Overall this was a quick, fun read. I’d recommend it to people who enjoy their sci-fi on the light side, their mystery with aliens, and their stories light-hearted. Right up my alley!
February 15, 2025
As a refugee on Earth, Aria gets a bit bored, stuck in her underground bunker 365 days of the year. So once a year, she and her friend and advisor Penny escape to spend time amongst the humans. This year, Penny decided to go to some boring Earth political party, which was probably the worst decision she'd ever made. Because Aria will meet the human of her dreams and accidentally blew up Earth. Sorry?
This was just a lot of silly fun. We've got a Aria the Alien Queen, Greg the political staffer who also happens to be an FBI agent, the Alien nerd Barry, Penny the best friend who makes questionable decisions, and of course the big bad guy Woods who is really responsible for the blowing up of Earth. And yes, this progresses pretty much exactly how you'd think it would, until the end. The whole Earth blowing up thing goes much differently than I thought it would, so it was a nice little twist at the end. But even if it had gone the way I thought it was going to, I still would've enjoyed it because it was just fun.
And Aria is absolutely wonderful. In the end, the book is mostly about how she has a ridiculous amount of responsibility, and she just kind of freezes when it comes to making any decisions. And I feel that in my soul. It's so easy to just stay the course instead of making those hard decisions that you know you need to. Greg's an idiot but in the kind of "aww that's cute" way.
Overall, I absolutely recommend this if you just need something to make you laugh. It's a short little read full of absurdities and alien tropes and a super adorable Alien Queen.
As always, thanks to NetGalley and Splinter Press for the eArc!
This was just a lot of silly fun. We've got a Aria the Alien Queen, Greg the political staffer who also happens to be an FBI agent, the Alien nerd Barry, Penny the best friend who makes questionable decisions, and of course the big bad guy Woods who is really responsible for the blowing up of Earth. And yes, this progresses pretty much exactly how you'd think it would, until the end. The whole Earth blowing up thing goes much differently than I thought it would, so it was a nice little twist at the end. But even if it had gone the way I thought it was going to, I still would've enjoyed it because it was just fun.
And Aria is absolutely wonderful. In the end, the book is mostly about how she has a ridiculous amount of responsibility, and she just kind of freezes when it comes to making any decisions. And I feel that in my soul. It's so easy to just stay the course instead of making those hard decisions that you know you need to. Greg's an idiot but in the kind of "aww that's cute" way.
Overall, I absolutely recommend this if you just need something to make you laugh. It's a short little read full of absurdities and alien tropes and a super adorable Alien Queen.
As always, thanks to NetGalley and Splinter Press for the eArc!
August 12, 2024
This novel doesn’t fit easily into any one bucket, but the closest thing I can compare it to is Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. But, in the end, the only thing that they both have is the earth being destroyed at the beginning of the novel.
The whole novel is the backstory, told by Aria, the queen of her people who have taken refuge on earth, because of some hinted at disaster that happened on their home planet. They have been living in Alaska, under ground, but since Aria is the queen, she and Penny, her assistant, are able to sneak out once a year to experience life above ground. That is where she runs into Greg, and falls in love with him, though she never names what she is feeling as such.
Since Aria is “writing” this novel, she has a lot of footnotes to explain expressions that are peculiar to her race, and what they mean in English.
And then the bombs start happening, and Aria has to figure out why the bombs, that are made with an element only found on her planet and amongst her people, has suddenly started being used on Earth.
It is a fun and funny novel. Sometimes I got frustrated with all the red herrings, but that is really all part of the fun.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 30th of August 2024.
The whole novel is the backstory, told by Aria, the queen of her people who have taken refuge on earth, because of some hinted at disaster that happened on their home planet. They have been living in Alaska, under ground, but since Aria is the queen, she and Penny, her assistant, are able to sneak out once a year to experience life above ground. That is where she runs into Greg, and falls in love with him, though she never names what she is feeling as such.
Since Aria is “writing” this novel, she has a lot of footnotes to explain expressions that are peculiar to her race, and what they mean in English.
And then the bombs start happening, and Aria has to figure out why the bombs, that are made with an element only found on her planet and amongst her people, has suddenly started being used on Earth.
It is a fun and funny novel. Sometimes I got frustrated with all the red herrings, but that is really all part of the fun.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 30th of August 2024.
August 1, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a very unique story, unlike anything I've read before. It's in the form of an apology letter, explaining how the alien girl caused the destruction of Earth. I love the unique premise and it was well done.
At first, I thought this was like a Sci-Fi RomCom, but it's less RomCom and more mystery. There was also quite a bit of humor. Definitely worth a read!
This was a very unique story, unlike anything I've read before. It's in the form of an apology letter, explaining how the alien girl caused the destruction of Earth. I love the unique premise and it was well done.
At first, I thought this was like a Sci-Fi RomCom, but it's less RomCom and more mystery. There was also quite a bit of humor. Definitely worth a read!
July 30, 2024
I never imagined Earth's annihilation could be so spine-tingling romantic or deliciously humorous to read about. If Pozo has predicted our end, bring it on—as long as there are flapjacks. For some reason, I have a sudden "indestructible" craving for them.
August 22, 2024
Thank you to BookSirens, to the author, Faralee Pozo, for providing me with this e-copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
When Aria, the alien queen of interplanetary refugees, secretly leaves the government compound in Alaska where her people are confined, she never expects to find herself entangled in a mystery—or a romance. Disguised as a human, she escapes to Washington, DC for her annual “females night out” and crosses paths with Greg, a charming staffer for an Alaskan senator. As they’re drawn together, an unexpected explosion forces Aria to confront a new threat to Earth, and she realises that the key to saving her people—and her adopted planet—might lie in solving the mystery with Greg by her side.
This book... I’m not exactly sure what to say. It’s easy to read, but I had to push myself to start it each time. There wasn’t a strong urge to dive in, but once I read a few pages, I’d quickly find myself reading 20 more. It was like that every time I paused. Something either feels missing, or maybe there’s something extra that just didn’t draw me in.
The book is really funny and, as I said, easy to read, but not easy to pick up. The letter format was interesting, but there were too many footnotes—though most were funny, some felt unnecessary, like they were just there to fill space.
The plot is simple yet interesting, and even though there are many alien invasion stories out there, this one felt different. As for the characters, Aria is funny but too trusting, Penny is hurt but loyal and very smart, and Greg is a funny, good, and smart guy (I can see why Aria was interested in him). Then there’s the guy whose name she can’t remember—he’s intriguing, though I never really liked him much. But no spoilers—read the book to find out why!
When Aria, the alien queen of interplanetary refugees, secretly leaves the government compound in Alaska where her people are confined, she never expects to find herself entangled in a mystery—or a romance. Disguised as a human, she escapes to Washington, DC for her annual “females night out” and crosses paths with Greg, a charming staffer for an Alaskan senator. As they’re drawn together, an unexpected explosion forces Aria to confront a new threat to Earth, and she realises that the key to saving her people—and her adopted planet—might lie in solving the mystery with Greg by her side.
This book... I’m not exactly sure what to say. It’s easy to read, but I had to push myself to start it each time. There wasn’t a strong urge to dive in, but once I read a few pages, I’d quickly find myself reading 20 more. It was like that every time I paused. Something either feels missing, or maybe there’s something extra that just didn’t draw me in.
The book is really funny and, as I said, easy to read, but not easy to pick up. The letter format was interesting, but there were too many footnotes—though most were funny, some felt unnecessary, like they were just there to fill space.
The plot is simple yet interesting, and even though there are many alien invasion stories out there, this one felt different. As for the characters, Aria is funny but too trusting, Penny is hurt but loyal and very smart, and Greg is a funny, good, and smart guy (I can see why Aria was interested in him). Then there’s the guy whose name she can’t remember—he’s intriguing, though I never really liked him much. But no spoilers—read the book to find out why!
October 17, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!
Queen Aria of the Booshaloo aliens found love and helped destroy Earth... in that order.
We follow a very distinctive pov in this novel, as our matter-of-fact fish—or rather alien—out of water attempts to explain where things went wrong. She and her people didn't mean to destroy the world and bring about the end of times, honest!! It all started and ended when Aria met Greg.
Greg is a typical young, white guy who's marginally charming, but to Aria he's the moon itself. Utterly enraptured by this guy, she makes a myriad of mistakes in the pursuit of young, forbidden love. Dude has peak "some guy" energy.
Aria's hatred of plants for destroying her own world was perhaps my favorite running gag. As a person with what feels like a million allergies, I too view them as the enemy! At times her naïvity is endearing, and others actively irritating, but never does she feel like anyone but herself... if that makes sense? She's quite young and had leadership forced upon her, so her attempts to avoid responsibility are not all that surprising.
The novel reads like a verbal personal account that's now been written down, with the occasional footnote for clarification. Fair warning, there are a lot of footnotes, like more than some of my uni textbooks possessed, in truth I started to skip some at the halfway point once we crossed number 150.
While there are definitely moments of humor—sometimes solely due to the footnotes themselves—I think this novel tried a bit too hard to be funny over focusing on a coherent plot. The ending felt like an extended bullet point list from a uni speech class, rather than a narrative account. I wasn't expecting Aria to suddenly change into a different character with new skills, but some level of involvement beyond recitation would have been nice...
This story is weird and doesn't take itself seriously, so die-hard sci-fi fans be aware. This is no sweeping space epic—moreso an accidentally homicidal sitcom—but it doesn't need to be. If that's the story you want, look elsewhere.
Queen Aria of the Booshaloo aliens found love and helped destroy Earth... in that order.
We follow a very distinctive pov in this novel, as our matter-of-fact fish—or rather alien—out of water attempts to explain where things went wrong. She and her people didn't mean to destroy the world and bring about the end of times, honest!! It all started and ended when Aria met Greg.
Greg is a typical young, white guy who's marginally charming, but to Aria he's the moon itself. Utterly enraptured by this guy, she makes a myriad of mistakes in the pursuit of young, forbidden love. Dude has peak "some guy" energy.
Aria's hatred of plants for destroying her own world was perhaps my favorite running gag. As a person with what feels like a million allergies, I too view them as the enemy! At times her naïvity is endearing, and others actively irritating, but never does she feel like anyone but herself... if that makes sense? She's quite young and had leadership forced upon her, so her attempts to avoid responsibility are not all that surprising.
The novel reads like a verbal personal account that's now been written down, with the occasional footnote for clarification. Fair warning, there are a lot of footnotes, like more than some of my uni textbooks possessed, in truth I started to skip some at the halfway point once we crossed number 150.
While there are definitely moments of humor—sometimes solely due to the footnotes themselves—I think this novel tried a bit too hard to be funny over focusing on a coherent plot. The ending felt like an extended bullet point list from a uni speech class, rather than a narrative account. I wasn't expecting Aria to suddenly change into a different character with new skills, but some level of involvement beyond recitation would have been nice...
This story is weird and doesn't take itself seriously, so die-hard sci-fi fans be aware. This is no sweeping space epic—moreso an accidentally homicidal sitcom—but it doesn't need to be. If that's the story you want, look elsewhere.
September 12, 2024
Big thanks to NetGalley and the author for letting me read the ARC!
Rating 3/5 (rounded up from 2.5)
Perhaps one of my least favourite book tropes is when a smart, capable female MC (or in this case an alien MC) meets an attractive guy and all priorities fly out the window. Listen, I too, am a sucker for a pretty face, but I can't imagine that in any scenario I would put my feelings above the common good (especially if said feelings violate intergalactic laws but to each their own). As a further point, Aria putting her feelings and infatuation over what her close friend and advisor are telling her (ie do not trust this random human. You have no clue about their intentions etc) frustrated me to no end. I despise it when the MC brushes aside their friendship and guidance for whoever has caught their eye. And I think this is one of the reasons I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would.
I did, however, enjoy the numerous footnotes throughout this book! I thought it added a different dynamic and engaging way to read the book (though it sucked to read it digitally and have the page flip instead of opening the footnote though that's neither here nor there). It was also a pleasant surprise to see Aria grow and mature and understand her role as the Queen. I also think the antagonist was exceptionally well done. I think it's difficult to write an antagonist that you kind of agree with and want to see succeed in their mission, and I think Faralee did an excellent job of this.
Overall, this book is a nice change of pace, especially if you read high-fantasy books, but it was not my cup of tea.
Rating 3/5 (rounded up from 2.5)
Perhaps one of my least favourite book tropes is when a smart, capable female MC (or in this case an alien MC) meets an attractive guy and all priorities fly out the window. Listen, I too, am a sucker for a pretty face, but I can't imagine that in any scenario I would put my feelings above the common good (especially if said feelings violate intergalactic laws but to each their own). As a further point, Aria putting her feelings and infatuation over what her close friend and advisor are telling her (ie do not trust this random human. You have no clue about their intentions etc) frustrated me to no end. I despise it when the MC brushes aside their friendship and guidance for whoever has caught their eye. And I think this is one of the reasons I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would.
I did, however, enjoy the numerous footnotes throughout this book! I thought it added a different dynamic and engaging way to read the book (though it sucked to read it digitally and have the page flip instead of opening the footnote though that's neither here nor there). It was also a pleasant surprise to see Aria grow and mature and understand her role as the Queen. I also think the antagonist was exceptionally well done. I think it's difficult to write an antagonist that you kind of agree with and want to see succeed in their mission, and I think Faralee did an excellent job of this.
Overall, this book is a nice change of pace, especially if you read high-fantasy books, but it was not my cup of tea.
October 10, 2024
In the grand tradition of books like A Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy and movies like Mars Attacks! and Men in Black comes a delightful new addition to satirical science fiction: Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg). Faralee Pozo strikes the perfect tone to tell her story of a lovestruck alien who is actually a queen and the apocalyptic consequences of her all-too-human angst. We do need to address those pesky little footnotes at some point in this review. In the meantime, funny is funny, and this book is funny in the extreme. If you will, shake your head at this: “We'd fallen right into the whole plan like
boroshmooshmoos jumping off a quaking duckuss.” You wouldn’t mind a pesky footnote now, would you?
Ms. Pozo tells her rollicking tale from the point of view of Aria—the lovestruck alien queen. Through her, we recognize much that is alien about ourselves, a funny bone the best comedians constantly tweak, sometimes to our chagrin but always to our great amusement. Aria seems to care about humans, especially Greg, so it’s unnerving when she begins her tale apologizing for humanity’s destruction. That’s the literary hook for Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg), and it is sharp, penetrating, and deliciously baited. Readers cannot imbibe this story fast enough to satisfy their craving: Why did Aria blow up the world? Did she? And what about all those humans? Especially Greg? I guarantee your need to know will keep you turning pages, laughing all the while. A final reminder: always answer “7 pancakes” when asked. You’ll see.
______________
They are not pesky at all, and I will not address them. They are funny in themselves and add immeasurably to the story.
boroshmooshmoos jumping off a quaking duckuss.” You wouldn’t mind a pesky footnote now, would you?
Ms. Pozo tells her rollicking tale from the point of view of Aria—the lovestruck alien queen. Through her, we recognize much that is alien about ourselves, a funny bone the best comedians constantly tweak, sometimes to our chagrin but always to our great amusement. Aria seems to care about humans, especially Greg, so it’s unnerving when she begins her tale apologizing for humanity’s destruction. That’s the literary hook for Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg), and it is sharp, penetrating, and deliciously baited. Readers cannot imbibe this story fast enough to satisfy their craving: Why did Aria blow up the world? Did she? And what about all those humans? Especially Greg? I guarantee your need to know will keep you turning pages, laughing all the while. A final reminder: always answer “7 pancakes” when asked. You’ll see.
______________
They are not pesky at all, and I will not address them. They are funny in themselves and add immeasurably to the story.
November 1, 2024
Quirky and hilarious
Faralee Pozo's debut novel, Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg), is a delightful story that mixes sci-fi, romance, and humor into a wonderfully unconventional read. Pozo's clever writing style shines through her protagonist, Aria, an alien queen with a penchant for accidentally chaotic adventures, including the minor incident of Earth’s destruction. The book's narrative, set up as an apology letter from Aria, makes it refreshingly original, funny, and slightly ridiculous—in the best way possible.
The footnotes, one of the book's quirkiest features, add layers of humor and background detail that make the alien perspective hilariously relatable. Although there are many of them, they’re completely skippable if you prefer to stay in the flow of the main story (though I’d recommend reading them—they’re often laugh-out-loud funny). The chemistry between Aria and Greg is adorable, and watching their relationship develop is as heartwarming as it is humorous. Greg's human-ness versus Aria’s alien misunderstandings leads to plenty of awkward, endearing, and often laugh-inducing moments.
Lovers of comedic sci-fi, quirky romance, or even fans of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy will find a lot to enjoy here. Pozo’s tone is whimsical yet thoughtful, giving depth to her characters without ever taking things too seriously. For a light read that’ll leave you smiling (and maybe wanting a sequel), Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg) is the perfect choice. Can’t wait to see what Faralee Pozo comes up with next.
Faralee Pozo's debut novel, Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg), is a delightful story that mixes sci-fi, romance, and humor into a wonderfully unconventional read. Pozo's clever writing style shines through her protagonist, Aria, an alien queen with a penchant for accidentally chaotic adventures, including the minor incident of Earth’s destruction. The book's narrative, set up as an apology letter from Aria, makes it refreshingly original, funny, and slightly ridiculous—in the best way possible.
The footnotes, one of the book's quirkiest features, add layers of humor and background detail that make the alien perspective hilariously relatable. Although there are many of them, they’re completely skippable if you prefer to stay in the flow of the main story (though I’d recommend reading them—they’re often laugh-out-loud funny). The chemistry between Aria and Greg is adorable, and watching their relationship develop is as heartwarming as it is humorous. Greg's human-ness versus Aria’s alien misunderstandings leads to plenty of awkward, endearing, and often laugh-inducing moments.
Lovers of comedic sci-fi, quirky romance, or even fans of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy will find a lot to enjoy here. Pozo’s tone is whimsical yet thoughtful, giving depth to her characters without ever taking things too seriously. For a light read that’ll leave you smiling (and maybe wanting a sequel), Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg) is the perfect choice. Can’t wait to see what Faralee Pozo comes up with next.
January 20, 2026
When I first started reading this book, I kept wondering what on Earth (or off it, or under it) I was reading. But once I settled into the style of the writing, I did get drawn into this unusual mystery/love story.
There are A LOT (and I say that as a lifelong Terry Pratchett fan) of footnotes marked in the story throughout, way too many to keep interrupted the flow of the book to flick to the back and read them, so I decided to read all the footnotes at the end of the story, out of context, rather than skipping back and forth. I was able to follow the story without needing them at all and enjoyed the snippets of random, humorous commentary as a bonus treat once I had finished, without any of them ‘spoiler-ing’ the story.
I really liked the plot, characters, framing device (an open apology letter to humanity as a whole) and the humorous tone that pervades the writing throughout. The humour felt a little forced in places but was just right in others – either way it was still an enjoyable, light read. The only thing that didn’t work for me was the constant renaming of one character to any word beginning with an ‘A’, which quickly became annoying and kept pulling me out of the flow, but even then I could see the purpose behind it and it was a minor irritation against the silly fun of the whole.
While not an immersive read, this was very much an easy, entertaining and quirky one, perfect for a refreshing breather between heavier tomes. Definitely an author I will keep an eye on in future!
There are A LOT (and I say that as a lifelong Terry Pratchett fan) of footnotes marked in the story throughout, way too many to keep interrupted the flow of the book to flick to the back and read them, so I decided to read all the footnotes at the end of the story, out of context, rather than skipping back and forth. I was able to follow the story without needing them at all and enjoyed the snippets of random, humorous commentary as a bonus treat once I had finished, without any of them ‘spoiler-ing’ the story.
I really liked the plot, characters, framing device (an open apology letter to humanity as a whole) and the humorous tone that pervades the writing throughout. The humour felt a little forced in places but was just right in others – either way it was still an enjoyable, light read. The only thing that didn’t work for me was the constant renaming of one character to any word beginning with an ‘A’, which quickly became annoying and kept pulling me out of the flow, but even then I could see the purpose behind it and it was a minor irritation against the silly fun of the whole.
While not an immersive read, this was very much an easy, entertaining and quirky one, perfect for a refreshing breather between heavier tomes. Definitely an author I will keep an eye on in future!
August 7, 2024
Aria is an alien queen of a group of interplanetary refugees, finds sanctuary on Earth as long as they follow an extensive list of government-mandated rules. She meets Greg on her annual "females night out" in Washington DC (i.e., annual escape/outing from the government compound in Alaska they call "home"), who works as a staffer for an Alaskan senator and is temporarily in DC for work. They end up trying to solve a mystery together, and the whole story gets a bit twisty but not too hard to follow. This book is ridiculous and I love it. Imaginatively written with a lot of dry humor, from the unique perspective that the Earth has already been destroyed (and Aria feels bad about it, hence the title) so you're searching for clues while you're reading as to the how and why. I guess you'd call this sci-fi/romantasy? I felt like it was equal parts sci-fi and romance; Aria's relationship with Greg is equally the focal point along with the survival of her people. Aria was fantastic, and Greg was sweet but not terribly dynamic, this was really more Aria's story. Fair warning, this book has copious end notes, and normally I don't like switching back and forth because it hinders the flow of the story for me, but I got used to it. Great debut story from this author, I'm looking forward to more from her in the future! Thank you to NetGalley for providing an Ebook ARC of this story. Publishes 8-30-24.
September 12, 2024
Dancing between three or four stars. Mostly due to the swarm of footnotes. I loved that they added a layer of worldbuilding that would otherwise not be addressed, and another layer to the narrative's framing device. They also hampered my reading flow for an overall simple story. Decided to round up anyway because why not.
Pozo is a talented writer who tells her story with whimsy and breezy efficiency. Although I had to take breaks while reading, I never felt lost. Even the pace of accepting bizarre sci-fi elements was entertaining and joyful. Mostly love that she created a fun wholesome parody of a story that I'm usually not the biggest fan (powerful exotic/alien babe falls in love with the human and American sounding Mr. McBland-bland). We already know the ending, so to speak, and it's silly to go backwards from there. The meta call out and recipes at the end got me to chuckle.
I can see how Sorry, Humans [Especially Greg] wouldn't read right with me if I were in a cynical and darker mood. I can also see how the storytelling wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. Aria's narration of doubling back over her own words can get taxing if you're not jiving with the humor. But I dug this book and accepted it for the silly romp that it is. Strong debut. Hope to read more from Pozo in the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Pozo is a talented writer who tells her story with whimsy and breezy efficiency. Although I had to take breaks while reading, I never felt lost. Even the pace of accepting bizarre sci-fi elements was entertaining and joyful. Mostly love that she created a fun wholesome parody of a story that I'm usually not the biggest fan (powerful exotic/alien babe falls in love with the human and American sounding Mr. McBland-bland). We already know the ending, so to speak, and it's silly to go backwards from there. The meta call out and recipes at the end got me to chuckle.
I can see how Sorry, Humans [Especially Greg] wouldn't read right with me if I were in a cynical and darker mood. I can also see how the storytelling wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. Aria's narration of doubling back over her own words can get taxing if you're not jiving with the humor. But I dug this book and accepted it for the silly romp that it is. Strong debut. Hope to read more from Pozo in the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 30, 2024
Read from August 21st, 204 to August 30th, 2024. Written on August 30th, 2024.
NEW BOOK RELEASE!
~4.5~
All I can think about doing is clapping and congratulating the author on this incredible journey she created. From thingamabobs to flapjacks, spies and love, this book was a perfect mix of aliens and humans narrated by someone who can't even remember a name of someone she saw multiple times in about 10 days. Was it Absalom or Andrew? No clue.
This book will make you laugh out loud, gasp with revelations, and laugh even more because I swear this was, at times, incredibly hilarious. The destruction of Earth told by the alien who caused it, she is accompanied by her weirdly violent friend and advisor and the human who makes great flapjacks (can't wait to try his recipe) and may also be a great kisser.
Now, was it a bit slow at times? Yes, it was. But it made up every time. The story speed fluctuated sometimes, which did make it a little bit hard to carry through, but it was all worth it in the end. And the end? So funny and satisfying, could not ask for better. Also, the cover is amazing, kudos to the artist behind it!
Honestly, I am so so happy I got the chance to read this book. I hope you like it as much as I did. Thank you.
(Free ARC from NetGalley and Splinter Press that I chose to review after reading)
NEW BOOK RELEASE!
~4.5~
All I can think about doing is clapping and congratulating the author on this incredible journey she created. From thingamabobs to flapjacks, spies and love, this book was a perfect mix of aliens and humans narrated by someone who can't even remember a name of someone she saw multiple times in about 10 days. Was it Absalom or Andrew? No clue.
This book will make you laugh out loud, gasp with revelations, and laugh even more because I swear this was, at times, incredibly hilarious. The destruction of Earth told by the alien who caused it, she is accompanied by her weirdly violent friend and advisor and the human who makes great flapjacks (can't wait to try his recipe) and may also be a great kisser.
Now, was it a bit slow at times? Yes, it was. But it made up every time. The story speed fluctuated sometimes, which did make it a little bit hard to carry through, but it was all worth it in the end. And the end? So funny and satisfying, could not ask for better. Also, the cover is amazing, kudos to the artist behind it!
Honestly, I am so so happy I got the chance to read this book. I hope you like it as much as I did. Thank you.
(Free ARC from NetGalley and Splinter Press that I chose to review after reading)
September 13, 2024
Hilarious alien-ends-the-world apology letter (not a spoiler).
The whole book is, as I say, an apology to humankind for the end of the world. Just that alone made me pick this up.
It has a small pinch of Douglas Adams in there, and a very witty alien lead in Aria, Queen of her people, who are quartered (or rather imprisoned) in Alaska, away from the knowledge of almost every human on the planet.
And this book is her 'sorry' to those humans, who she'll apparently be leaving homeless in a week's time. This is the narrative of how this occurred.
Great premise. And great characters - the queen (who tells half the story in footnote 'asides') who needs to escape every so often to see a bit of the world, her reluctant but loyal friend/servant/bodyguard, the human man she instantly falls in love with - the eponymous Greg. Who may know who Aria is.
This is fast-moving, very funny and even a small bit romantic (inter-species). I could visualise this on a screen with a narrator. I really want to see what these aliens look like!
Enjoyed the alien tech aspects, the misunderstandings and strange plot revolving around explosions and the interplay between queenly-but-crushing Aria, her gruff bestie/security Penny and the loveable Greg.
Great fun, refreshing and original.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
The whole book is, as I say, an apology to humankind for the end of the world. Just that alone made me pick this up.
It has a small pinch of Douglas Adams in there, and a very witty alien lead in Aria, Queen of her people, who are quartered (or rather imprisoned) in Alaska, away from the knowledge of almost every human on the planet.
And this book is her 'sorry' to those humans, who she'll apparently be leaving homeless in a week's time. This is the narrative of how this occurred.
Great premise. And great characters - the queen (who tells half the story in footnote 'asides') who needs to escape every so often to see a bit of the world, her reluctant but loyal friend/servant/bodyguard, the human man she instantly falls in love with - the eponymous Greg. Who may know who Aria is.
This is fast-moving, very funny and even a small bit romantic (inter-species). I could visualise this on a screen with a narrator. I really want to see what these aliens look like!
Enjoyed the alien tech aspects, the misunderstandings and strange plot revolving around explosions and the interplay between queenly-but-crushing Aria, her gruff bestie/security Penny and the loveable Greg.
Great fun, refreshing and original.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
August 24, 2024
Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg)” offers a fresh and witty twist on the usual alien-invasion tale. It is told as an apology letter from Aria, an alien who does her best to blend in with humans, the book is a blend of sharp humor, lovable characters, and disasters that eventually lead to the accidental destruction of Earth. I thought the humor is spot-on, with characters that are flawed but fun. I really enjoyed learning more about Aria’s struggle through her apology letter. She tries to pass as human while navigating human’s strange customs and quirks, while also dealing with her unexpected feelings for Greg.
The tone and pace of the narrative made this book shine even more. It moved quickly and the added humor made it even better. Even with the humor, there are some sharp insights into human nature and relationships. The added footnotes are a clever touch, adding layers to the world and offering extra laughs along the way. Overall, this is an entertaining and fresh read that should appeal to fans of both sci-fi and comedy. Even if you’re not typically into genre fiction, the humor and charm make it accessible to anyone who enjoys a good, fun story.
Please note that I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The tone and pace of the narrative made this book shine even more. It moved quickly and the added humor made it even better. Even with the humor, there are some sharp insights into human nature and relationships. The added footnotes are a clever touch, adding layers to the world and offering extra laughs along the way. Overall, this is an entertaining and fresh read that should appeal to fans of both sci-fi and comedy. Even if you’re not typically into genre fiction, the humor and charm make it accessible to anyone who enjoys a good, fun story.
Please note that I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 5, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Splinter Press for providing this book, with my honest review below.
Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg) was as funny and as unique as its title indicates. Following Aria, a refugee alien who invaded, er, arrived on our planet we see her meet the very human Greg and try to pass off as human, breaking many rules in the accord that humans set up with the aliens when they arrived. And of course, leading to the destruction of Earth.
Written in the form of an apology explaining everything this was hilarious with Aria as the perfect narrator, bringing the reader along with her as she explained her home planet and others in the universe and just how different Earth was. The perfect blend of comedy and inquisitive, I wish I could read this for the first time all over again. The only thing I found a tiny bit annoying in the reading is that there are several clever footnotes and while they are hyperlinked for my kindle it’s not so easy to go back to the page being read from them (or maybe I’m missing something). Pick this one up if you’re a fan of comedy, sci fi, or just really entertaining books.
Sorry, Humans (Especially Greg) was as funny and as unique as its title indicates. Following Aria, a refugee alien who invaded, er, arrived on our planet we see her meet the very human Greg and try to pass off as human, breaking many rules in the accord that humans set up with the aliens when they arrived. And of course, leading to the destruction of Earth.
Written in the form of an apology explaining everything this was hilarious with Aria as the perfect narrator, bringing the reader along with her as she explained her home planet and others in the universe and just how different Earth was. The perfect blend of comedy and inquisitive, I wish I could read this for the first time all over again. The only thing I found a tiny bit annoying in the reading is that there are several clever footnotes and while they are hyperlinked for my kindle it’s not so easy to go back to the page being read from them (or maybe I’m missing something). Pick this one up if you’re a fan of comedy, sci fi, or just really entertaining books.
August 29, 2024
Sorry Humans, (Especially Greg)
By Faralee Pozo
Stars: 4
Synopsis: Who knew that the potential destruction of planet Earth could be quite so comedic--and romantic? I was hooked from page one. Dry/sarcastic humor is my love language, so this book absolutely delivers in the fun department.
Format: E-Book
Review: There wasn’t a moment during reading this book that I wasn’t thoroughly entertained. This read was so fun, and I loved tying all of this to a love story. Oddly delightful.
Pros: This book included miscommunication, one of my favorite micro-tropes. But not just any old miscommunication…language barrier miscommunication. The one where the MCs speak two different languages, and the gaps in understanding, context, and culture set the stage for hilarity. It's just the BEST.
Favorites Moments: This story was written in the form of an apology letter and the footnotes were especially delightful.
Recommend (Yes/No/Maybe): Yes, if you love an absurd sci-fi fantasy read, aliens, and love to laugh, read this immediately.
Thank you, NetGalley and Splinter Publishing, for allowing me to review the title.
By Faralee Pozo
Stars: 4
Synopsis: Who knew that the potential destruction of planet Earth could be quite so comedic--and romantic? I was hooked from page one. Dry/sarcastic humor is my love language, so this book absolutely delivers in the fun department.
Format: E-Book
Review: There wasn’t a moment during reading this book that I wasn’t thoroughly entertained. This read was so fun, and I loved tying all of this to a love story. Oddly delightful.
Pros: This book included miscommunication, one of my favorite micro-tropes. But not just any old miscommunication…language barrier miscommunication. The one where the MCs speak two different languages, and the gaps in understanding, context, and culture set the stage for hilarity. It's just the BEST.
Favorites Moments: This story was written in the form of an apology letter and the footnotes were especially delightful.
Recommend (Yes/No/Maybe): Yes, if you love an absurd sci-fi fantasy read, aliens, and love to laugh, read this immediately.
Thank you, NetGalley and Splinter Publishing, for allowing me to review the title.
August 20, 2024
Sorry Humans (especially Greg)
By Faralee Pozo
Rating: 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 because the book deserves it)
Qᴜɪᴄᴋ ʀᴜɴᴅᴏᴡɴ
- Humorous writing
- Fantasy/Sci-Fi
- Alien takeover
Aria is unhappy living in the compound assigned to the alien refugees, so she begins her girls’ nights out with her partner in crime. Enter Greg! Spotting Greg across the room changes her night completely. Possibly her life?
Sorry Humans (especially Greg) reminds me of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in tone. The banter between characters and the general writing style made me literally laugh out loud. This book offers more than just a typical romantic comedy—you won’t find a deep-seated connection to the romantic aspect, but you will enjoy the author’s twists and turns in the plot. As a debut author, I believe Faralee Pozo will go far. I look forward to reading more of her work.
I want to thank NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this novel. This review is based on an ARC copy I received from NetGalley. These opinions are my own and were given freely.
By Faralee Pozo
Rating: 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 because the book deserves it)
Qᴜɪᴄᴋ ʀᴜɴᴅᴏᴡɴ
- Humorous writing
- Fantasy/Sci-Fi
- Alien takeover
Aria is unhappy living in the compound assigned to the alien refugees, so she begins her girls’ nights out with her partner in crime. Enter Greg! Spotting Greg across the room changes her night completely. Possibly her life?
Sorry Humans (especially Greg) reminds me of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in tone. The banter between characters and the general writing style made me literally laugh out loud. This book offers more than just a typical romantic comedy—you won’t find a deep-seated connection to the romantic aspect, but you will enjoy the author’s twists and turns in the plot. As a debut author, I believe Faralee Pozo will go far. I look forward to reading more of her work.
I want to thank NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this novel. This review is based on an ARC copy I received from NetGalley. These opinions are my own and were given freely.
June 3, 2025
I was supposed to read this book as a beta reader before it released, but of course my work and school schedule and inability to get things done with ADHD made it take way longer than it should have. I finally was able to finish it this week.
Any time I found to read the chapters in this book it was such a hoot! I just adored the main character, Aria, and was so intrigued as to what was going on. I never knew I would be able to love an alien character quite so much. One of my favorite parts of this book were the silly footnotes found throughout many of the pages, and of course an the main character's unusual obsession with the handsome human, Greg.
I won't spoil the ending, but I was very happy to have finally finished the book, and to finally understand what it could be that Aria was apologizing about right from the title of the book. A great read for those who like to laugh, cry, and have a little bit of mystery in their lives all told from the quirky perspective of an alien queen.
Any time I found to read the chapters in this book it was such a hoot! I just adored the main character, Aria, and was so intrigued as to what was going on. I never knew I would be able to love an alien character quite so much. One of my favorite parts of this book were the silly footnotes found throughout many of the pages, and of course an the main character's unusual obsession with the handsome human, Greg.
I won't spoil the ending, but I was very happy to have finally finished the book, and to finally understand what it could be that Aria was apologizing about right from the title of the book. A great read for those who like to laugh, cry, and have a little bit of mystery in their lives all told from the quirky perspective of an alien queen.
Read
August 21, 2025Heat Factor: The only explosives are the actual bombs
Character Chemistry: Not really, no
Plot: Aria, queen of the alien invaders, wanders around causing trouble while thinking she’s solving a crime, only to accidentally blow up Earth
Overall: The style of this book is really unique, which I initially really liked but it eventually became a distraction
Read our full review at The Smut Report
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
Blog | Bluesky | Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Pinterest
Character Chemistry: Not really, no
Plot: Aria, queen of the alien invaders, wanders around causing trouble while thinking she’s solving a crime, only to accidentally blow up Earth
Overall: The style of this book is really unique, which I initially really liked but it eventually became a distraction
Read our full review at The Smut Report
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
Blog | Bluesky | Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Pinterest
August 30, 2024
4.25⭐
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An apology letter from an alien, who may or may not have destroyed our planet. On the plus side, she also may or may not have fallen in love with a human.
I had a lot of fun reading this book! I honestly went into this book for the vibes, and it delivered. The comparisons/references between the two planets/people/cultures were entertaining; I was laughing out loud so much. Those footnotes? *chef's kiss* something about it scratches something in my brain + they were hilarious!
This book is honestly just a fun time - perfect for a "palate cleanser" between books or just for a good laugh.
*PS. If you're ever looking for baby boy names starting with "A", this book is surprisingly perfect for you!
**PPS. There is also a delicious pancake recipe in this book, crucial to the storyline obviously.
Thank you Splinter Press & NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
-
An apology letter from an alien, who may or may not have destroyed our planet. On the plus side, she also may or may not have fallen in love with a human.
I had a lot of fun reading this book! I honestly went into this book for the vibes, and it delivered. The comparisons/references between the two planets/people/cultures were entertaining; I was laughing out loud so much. Those footnotes? *chef's kiss* something about it scratches something in my brain + they were hilarious!
This book is honestly just a fun time - perfect for a "palate cleanser" between books or just for a good laugh.
*PS. If you're ever looking for baby boy names starting with "A", this book is surprisingly perfect for you!
**PPS. There is also a delicious pancake recipe in this book, crucial to the storyline obviously.
Thank you Splinter Press & NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
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