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Habits of the Sea
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The second adult novel from New York Times bestselling author Shea Ernshaw, in which a woman rediscovers the mythical island she stumbled upon as a child—and the man she once met who apparently hasn’t aged—and must choose between the life she’s built and a love that defies the laws of time and nature.
The night Clay Lockhart’s wife dies, a violent storm tears their home—and the eight hectares of land beneath it—away from the Scottish coast, sending it adrift into the Atlantic. Thirty years later, twelve-year-old Ellie Mills discovers the fabled floating island off the coast of Nova Scotia and finds Clay still living in the weatherworn farmhouse perched on its highest hill.
When the island vanishes overnight, Ellie is left questioning whether it ever existed at all. But decades later, now in her thirties, the island resurfaces—and Ellie returns, determined to uncover the truth. What she finds is even Clay hasn’t aged a single day.
Faced with the impossible, Ellie learns that some mysteries aren’t meant to be solved—and that a life shaped by wonder may hold more promise than one bound by certainty.
Spanning centuries and coastlines, Habits of the Sea is a haunting, romantic journey through time, memory, and the invisible tides that pull us home.
The night Clay Lockhart’s wife dies, a violent storm tears their home—and the eight hectares of land beneath it—away from the Scottish coast, sending it adrift into the Atlantic. Thirty years later, twelve-year-old Ellie Mills discovers the fabled floating island off the coast of Nova Scotia and finds Clay still living in the weatherworn farmhouse perched on its highest hill.
When the island vanishes overnight, Ellie is left questioning whether it ever existed at all. But decades later, now in her thirties, the island resurfaces—and Ellie returns, determined to uncover the truth. What she finds is even Clay hasn’t aged a single day.
Faced with the impossible, Ellie learns that some mysteries aren’t meant to be solved—and that a life shaped by wonder may hold more promise than one bound by certainty.
Spanning centuries and coastlines, Habits of the Sea is a haunting, romantic journey through time, memory, and the invisible tides that pull us home.
304 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 7, 2026
10958 people want to read
About the author
Shea Ernshaw
10 books5,470 followersShea Ernshaw is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Indie Bestselling author of THE WICKED DEEP, WINTERWOOD, A WILDERNESS OF STARS, LONG LIVE THE PUMPKIN QUEEN, and A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES. Her novels have repeatedly been chosen as Indie Next Picks and A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES was a Book of the Month selection. She is also the winner of the Oregon Book Award.
She often writes late, late, late into the night, enjoys dark woods, scary stories and moonlight on lakes.
You can connect with her here:
www.sheaernshaw.com.
www.instagram.com/sheaernshaw/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
December 7, 2025
Shea Ernshaw writes—and I devour her books. That has genuinely become my personal motto. Every time she releases a new story, I know I’m about to be transported somewhere haunting, emotional, and unforgettable. I’ve adored her previous novels, but this one felt like stepping into a dream I didn’t want to leave and waking up with its echoes still clinging to me. It’s a story that blends magical realism with dystopian melancholy, themes of ecological collapse and end-of-the-earth dread, deep loneliness, lost roots, and the universal search for home and identity. And somehow, Ernshaw executes all of this with such grace, lyrical beauty, and emotional precision that I found myself crying, gasping, and sitting in stunned silence at multiple moments.
There is something profoundly moving about the connection between Ellie Mills and Clay Lockhart—two souls separated not just by years, but by worlds, by fate, by impossible distances. Their lives intersect through circumstances that should not be possible, and yet in Ernshaw’s hands, the impossible becomes intimate and believable.
Clay’s backstory alone shattered me: once a young husband and father in the Scottish Highlands, he buryies his wife and newborn twins after a devastating childbirth. Then, during a brutal storm, his home and eight hectares of surrounding land are swallowed whole—vanished into nothing as if the land itself devoured him. For decades afterward, his disappearance becomes a myth whispered by locals, a tragic legend with no explanation.
Then we meet Ellie, a young girl sent to live with her Nana in Nova Scotia because her mother is too busy reinventing herself in Silicon Valley to raise her. The emotional abandonment, the displacement, the sense of being unwanted and uprooted—it shaped Ellie in ways she’s still trying to understand twenty years later.
One night, as a child, Ellie follows what she thinks is a boat gliding silently through the water—and she steps into a realm she cannot explain. Saltwell. An island that shouldn’t exist. A strange, shifting, timeless place. There she meets Clay, who offers her warmth and safety beside a crackling fire in his home. But when Ellie returns to her Nana’s house the next morning, the world has changed. She learns she wasn’t gone for a single night. She was missing for an entire week. And the island is gone. The man is gone. No one believes her. The land denies she ever found it.
This early trauma lingers in her for decades. She becomes a psychiatrist in Seattle—helping young people the way she once needed help. She builds a life she thinks is stable. She has a loving partner, James, who wants to marry her. Yet a part of Ellie remains haunted by Saltwell’s pull, by her fear that she imagined everything, by the unsettling question of whether she lost her mind at eleven years old.
Then a podcaster named Helen Ashcroft contacts her, claiming that Saltwell has been seen again—by other people this time. Ellie refuses the interview but can’t refuse the truth: she needs closure. She needs to know if what happened to her was real. This need sends her back to Nova Scotia, and then to the rugged, mystical Faroes—the last location where the island appeared.
She tells herself this trip is purely logical, an attempt to erase her doubts and return home with a clean mind, finally ready to accept James’s marriage proposal. But the moment Saltwell materializes once more, shimmering like a mirage at the edge of the sea, Ellie chooses instinct over reason. She dives into the water, swimming with desperate hope toward the island before it disappears again.
And from that point on, her life belongs to a different world.
The island is stranger, more haunting, and more alive than she ever imagined. A house that behaves like a boat, drifting between lands under different names. A place where time stretches and folds in unnatural patterns. A land carrying the marks of ecological devastation, memory, grief, and renewal. And there, standing in the heart of this impossible world, is Clay Lockhart—ageless, timeless, yet deeply human.
The unfolding connection between Ellie and Clay is so tender, aching, and beautifully drawn that I found myself holding my breath. The way their stories entangle—how destiny, loss, and love shape and reshape them—feels mythic. Their emotional wounds mirror the fractured world around them: islands drifting, time unraveling. And yet, within all this darkness, Ernshaw offers threads of hope, healing, and rediscovery.
Overall: This novel is lyrical, epic, fantastical, devastating, and strangely comforting all at once. It is mind-bending in its structure, emotionally shattering in its character arcs, and breathtaking in its imagery. Ernshaw blends Scottish folklore, magical realism, dystopian moodiness, ecological themes, and deeply emotional storytelling so seamlessly that the result feels timeless. I loved every haunting detail, every atmospheric setting, every metaphor, every whispered hint of magic. This book is sad, dark, heavy—and yet filled with an almost celestial kind of hope, reminding us that even in the darkest hours, the stars still guide us home.
An unforgettable, luminous, and entirely immersive five-star read.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this mesmerizing novel’s digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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There is something profoundly moving about the connection between Ellie Mills and Clay Lockhart—two souls separated not just by years, but by worlds, by fate, by impossible distances. Their lives intersect through circumstances that should not be possible, and yet in Ernshaw’s hands, the impossible becomes intimate and believable.
Clay’s backstory alone shattered me: once a young husband and father in the Scottish Highlands, he buryies his wife and newborn twins after a devastating childbirth. Then, during a brutal storm, his home and eight hectares of surrounding land are swallowed whole—vanished into nothing as if the land itself devoured him. For decades afterward, his disappearance becomes a myth whispered by locals, a tragic legend with no explanation.
Then we meet Ellie, a young girl sent to live with her Nana in Nova Scotia because her mother is too busy reinventing herself in Silicon Valley to raise her. The emotional abandonment, the displacement, the sense of being unwanted and uprooted—it shaped Ellie in ways she’s still trying to understand twenty years later.
One night, as a child, Ellie follows what she thinks is a boat gliding silently through the water—and she steps into a realm she cannot explain. Saltwell. An island that shouldn’t exist. A strange, shifting, timeless place. There she meets Clay, who offers her warmth and safety beside a crackling fire in his home. But when Ellie returns to her Nana’s house the next morning, the world has changed. She learns she wasn’t gone for a single night. She was missing for an entire week. And the island is gone. The man is gone. No one believes her. The land denies she ever found it.
This early trauma lingers in her for decades. She becomes a psychiatrist in Seattle—helping young people the way she once needed help. She builds a life she thinks is stable. She has a loving partner, James, who wants to marry her. Yet a part of Ellie remains haunted by Saltwell’s pull, by her fear that she imagined everything, by the unsettling question of whether she lost her mind at eleven years old.
Then a podcaster named Helen Ashcroft contacts her, claiming that Saltwell has been seen again—by other people this time. Ellie refuses the interview but can’t refuse the truth: she needs closure. She needs to know if what happened to her was real. This need sends her back to Nova Scotia, and then to the rugged, mystical Faroes—the last location where the island appeared.
She tells herself this trip is purely logical, an attempt to erase her doubts and return home with a clean mind, finally ready to accept James’s marriage proposal. But the moment Saltwell materializes once more, shimmering like a mirage at the edge of the sea, Ellie chooses instinct over reason. She dives into the water, swimming with desperate hope toward the island before it disappears again.
And from that point on, her life belongs to a different world.
The island is stranger, more haunting, and more alive than she ever imagined. A house that behaves like a boat, drifting between lands under different names. A place where time stretches and folds in unnatural patterns. A land carrying the marks of ecological devastation, memory, grief, and renewal. And there, standing in the heart of this impossible world, is Clay Lockhart—ageless, timeless, yet deeply human.
The unfolding connection between Ellie and Clay is so tender, aching, and beautifully drawn that I found myself holding my breath. The way their stories entangle—how destiny, loss, and love shape and reshape them—feels mythic. Their emotional wounds mirror the fractured world around them: islands drifting, time unraveling. And yet, within all this darkness, Ernshaw offers threads of hope, healing, and rediscovery.
Overall: This novel is lyrical, epic, fantastical, devastating, and strangely comforting all at once. It is mind-bending in its structure, emotionally shattering in its character arcs, and breathtaking in its imagery. Ernshaw blends Scottish folklore, magical realism, dystopian moodiness, ecological themes, and deeply emotional storytelling so seamlessly that the result feels timeless. I loved every haunting detail, every atmospheric setting, every metaphor, every whispered hint of magic. This book is sad, dark, heavy—and yet filled with an almost celestial kind of hope, reminding us that even in the darkest hours, the stars still guide us home.
An unforgettable, luminous, and entirely immersive five-star read.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this mesmerizing novel’s digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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November 5, 2025
Depressing as FUCK
Want to read
November 25, 2025Just received an ARC copy from Atria books. Thank you so much! I cannot wait to read this.
Habits of my Spending Habits: y'all know I will be pre-ordering this
Habits of my Spending Habits: y'all know I will be pre-ordering this
November 25, 2025
This book is exquisite in every way.
I was excited to read another adult novel from Shea Ernshaw as I loved A History of Wild Places. She is quickly becoming a new auto-read author for me. If you like Adrienne Young’s adult novels, particularly The Unmaking of June Farrow, you will like Habits of the Sea. The books have a very similar feel and atmosphere to each other.
Shea Ernshaw (like Adrienne Young) is very good at writing magical realism in the exact perfect way. Not too magical and not too realistic; it’s a perfect blend in the middle that feels like the genre was invented just so these authors could write their books.
Habits of the Sea is a little bleak while also being hopeful. I love the idea of a floating island out in the sea that travels wherever the winds blow it and upon which time flows differently. I could envision myself, like Ellie, giving up my life in this depressing world to live a slow life with the man I love on an isolated island away from the evil and chaos of the world. It’s so easy to get lost in this book.
I had absolutely no idea where the story was going. After about the 50% mark, everything was a surprise to me, but I genuinely loved the story and feel like it had a satisfying ending.
Overall, I highly recommend this book, and I cannot wait for Shea’s next adult novel. Her writing is so captivating and enjoyable to read.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher via NetGalley.
I was excited to read another adult novel from Shea Ernshaw as I loved A History of Wild Places. She is quickly becoming a new auto-read author for me. If you like Adrienne Young’s adult novels, particularly The Unmaking of June Farrow, you will like Habits of the Sea. The books have a very similar feel and atmosphere to each other.
Shea Ernshaw (like Adrienne Young) is very good at writing magical realism in the exact perfect way. Not too magical and not too realistic; it’s a perfect blend in the middle that feels like the genre was invented just so these authors could write their books.
Habits of the Sea is a little bleak while also being hopeful. I love the idea of a floating island out in the sea that travels wherever the winds blow it and upon which time flows differently. I could envision myself, like Ellie, giving up my life in this depressing world to live a slow life with the man I love on an isolated island away from the evil and chaos of the world. It’s so easy to get lost in this book.
I had absolutely no idea where the story was going. After about the 50% mark, everything was a surprise to me, but I genuinely loved the story and feel like it had a satisfying ending.
Overall, I highly recommend this book, and I cannot wait for Shea’s next adult novel. Her writing is so captivating and enjoyable to read.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher via NetGalley.
November 29, 2025
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review!
The premise had me hooked - a women rediscovers an island of myth after going missing on it as a child. What follows is her deciding if she returns to the life that she left behind or forges a new, more dangerous life on the island with the single other life-beaten inhabitant.
The beginning showed promise. There was mystery and atmosphere and everything that I came to expect from a Shea Ernshaw book. She has a talent with language and describing the natural world that cannot be denied. I can tell that this is a deeply personal book for her, and I can see how this novel could be cathartic to write and read.
Unfortunately, this one was not for me. The beginning felt like an atmospheric mystery, the middle was an unconvincing and literary romance, and then the end was a climate disaster/post-apocalyptic novel about survival. I don't believe that novels need to fit into a single genre, but I wish that there had been a stronger through-line between the distinct parts of the book. If I had believed any of the characters, perhaps I would have enjoyed this more, but I did not like our main character. I felt that I knew next to nothing about her besides the fact that she didn't trust herself and was not in love with her boyfriend/fiance on the mainland. And I never felt the chemistry between the leads. I just could not understand why they loved each other beyond the fact that they made each others' lives easier.
To the next point, I felt that this got oddly conservative feeling in the middle. There was a lot of talk about simpler times, about how history after the 1950's maybe didn't need to be mentioned to the male lead (who has been unattached from the modern world since the 50's). It was nicer to just mend socks, cook food, and collect eggs. Which is fine if that's what you'd like, but paired with the odd remark about history, it rubbed me the wrong way.
Finally, the last section of the book where they face climate disasters and find themselves as some of the last people on the earth was an odd turn, but understandable. I just think that this theme of grief, community, and climate disaster was much better tackled in I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger.
I think that this book will be perfect and emotional for some people. For some people, this beautiful, genre-defying, romantic saga will make them feel seen. And I'm so happy that this exists for those people. It's just not for me.
The premise had me hooked - a women rediscovers an island of myth after going missing on it as a child. What follows is her deciding if she returns to the life that she left behind or forges a new, more dangerous life on the island with the single other life-beaten inhabitant.
The beginning showed promise. There was mystery and atmosphere and everything that I came to expect from a Shea Ernshaw book. She has a talent with language and describing the natural world that cannot be denied. I can tell that this is a deeply personal book for her, and I can see how this novel could be cathartic to write and read.
Unfortunately, this one was not for me. The beginning felt like an atmospheric mystery, the middle was an unconvincing and literary romance, and then the end was a climate disaster/post-apocalyptic novel about survival. I don't believe that novels need to fit into a single genre, but I wish that there had been a stronger through-line between the distinct parts of the book. If I had believed any of the characters, perhaps I would have enjoyed this more, but I did not like our main character. I felt that I knew next to nothing about her besides the fact that she didn't trust herself and was not in love with her boyfriend/fiance on the mainland. And I never felt the chemistry between the leads. I just could not understand why they loved each other beyond the fact that they made each others' lives easier.
To the next point, I felt that this got oddly conservative feeling in the middle. There was a lot of talk about simpler times, about how history after the 1950's maybe didn't need to be mentioned to the male lead (who has been unattached from the modern world since the 50's). It was nicer to just mend socks, cook food, and collect eggs. Which is fine if that's what you'd like, but paired with the odd remark about history, it rubbed me the wrong way.
Finally, the last section of the book where they face climate disasters and find themselves as some of the last people on the earth was an odd turn, but understandable. I just think that this theme of grief, community, and climate disaster was much better tackled in I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger.
I think that this book will be perfect and emotional for some people. For some people, this beautiful, genre-defying, romantic saga will make them feel seen. And I'm so happy that this exists for those people. It's just not for me.
December 13, 2025
DNF at 24%
Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to like this, but I just can't connect with the main character and am finding myself very bored. As much as I was eagerly anticipating another adult fantasy from Shea Ernshaw, I just didn't enjoy the story enough to finish.
Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to like this, but I just can't connect with the main character and am finding myself very bored. As much as I was eagerly anticipating another adult fantasy from Shea Ernshaw, I just didn't enjoy the story enough to finish.
November 26, 2025
2.5⭐️Unfortunately this was not for me. The premise was fascinating - a floating island that bends what we know about time. However, I couldn’t quite connect with the main character. Some of the decisions she made were frustrating. I enjoyed the writing and the beginning of the book. This was also definitely more romance than I expected. I’d recommend if you love romance and character driven stories!
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!
Want to read
January 10, 2025"A dreamy adult novel for readers of Audrey Niffenegger and Sarah Addison Allen, in which a young woman rediscovers the fabled island where she went missing for a week as a child—and its lone dweller who hasn’t aged a day since she met him."
November 21, 2025
4.5/5 Stars
This was beautiful as well as emotional and raw at sometimes. Ellie's story is truly very important to me, because just like she was questioning the most important decision's of her life and if she gives up what she is used to and what she knows the best I found myself in her. I found myself reminiscing on times I found myself lost and confused and not knowing what to do.
I feel that her love story between her and Clay was perfect and watching them both kind of find themselves in each other was wonderful and very important. You can overcome grief, you can also overcome the fear of not knowing where you belong.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was beautiful as well as emotional and raw at sometimes. Ellie's story is truly very important to me, because just like she was questioning the most important decision's of her life and if she gives up what she is used to and what she knows the best I found myself in her. I found myself reminiscing on times I found myself lost and confused and not knowing what to do.
I feel that her love story between her and Clay was perfect and watching them both kind of find themselves in each other was wonderful and very important. You can overcome grief, you can also overcome the fear of not knowing where you belong.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
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December 21, 2025Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review: I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy slow paced magical realism. Think along the lines of cozy fantasy except closer to cozy magical realism with some darker themes. This is a very interesting and unique idea, a floating traveling island that only certain people visit and remember. I did find the first 20 percent very interesting, however, the story really slowed down too much for my own personal taste. Although this wasn't a hit for me, I do think many people will enjoy it. The writing is well done, it's descriptive and atmospheric. I think this will be a summer hit for magical realism fans!
Review: I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy slow paced magical realism. Think along the lines of cozy fantasy except closer to cozy magical realism with some darker themes. This is a very interesting and unique idea, a floating traveling island that only certain people visit and remember. I did find the first 20 percent very interesting, however, the story really slowed down too much for my own personal taste. Although this wasn't a hit for me, I do think many people will enjoy it. The writing is well done, it's descriptive and atmospheric. I think this will be a summer hit for magical realism fans!
November 17, 2025
Ugh. Her stories never disappoint me. I ate it up.
Fill review once book is published thank you publisher and Netgalley!
Fill review once book is published thank you publisher and Netgalley!
November 19, 2025
There is a myth, a legend...of a floating island, Saltwell Island, once a part of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, that broke away and meanders through the ocean, beholden to the winds and tides. When Ellie is a young girl, she steps foot on this fabled island, meeting the only resident, Clay. She spends one night on the island, but when she returns to her home, a week has passed.
More than 20 years later, Ellie is still plagued by doubts and memories of the island and the mysterious resident of its land. When she hears word that it has been spotted in the North Atlantic, she makes her way to the Faroes Islands, hoping to find it once more, to prove to herself that it was real and not just a figment of her young imagination. And despite the insurmountable odds, Ellie returns to Saltwell Island and to it's lone resident, Clay.
Habits of the Sea is a beautiful love story, that weaves together complicated themes of time, purpose, and fate, along with the very real consequences of climate change. Does Ellie give up the life she knows - the people, her job, her home - to find a greater purpose, a better ending to her story? The plot is brilliant, but the development of each character is flawless, specifically Ellie.
This latest work from author Shea Ernshaw is her second adult fiction novel. With broad strokes of fantasy and magical realism, Habits of the Sea is a beautiful love story and a warning to take care of our earth; it is tense, and frightening, but ultimately hopeful and transcendent. I absolutely loved this novel, and I cannot wait for others to discover the story.
Thank you to the the publisher for an advanced copy of this novel, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
More than 20 years later, Ellie is still plagued by doubts and memories of the island and the mysterious resident of its land. When she hears word that it has been spotted in the North Atlantic, she makes her way to the Faroes Islands, hoping to find it once more, to prove to herself that it was real and not just a figment of her young imagination. And despite the insurmountable odds, Ellie returns to Saltwell Island and to it's lone resident, Clay.
Habits of the Sea is a beautiful love story, that weaves together complicated themes of time, purpose, and fate, along with the very real consequences of climate change. Does Ellie give up the life she knows - the people, her job, her home - to find a greater purpose, a better ending to her story? The plot is brilliant, but the development of each character is flawless, specifically Ellie.
This latest work from author Shea Ernshaw is her second adult fiction novel. With broad strokes of fantasy and magical realism, Habits of the Sea is a beautiful love story and a warning to take care of our earth; it is tense, and frightening, but ultimately hopeful and transcendent. I absolutely loved this novel, and I cannot wait for others to discover the story.
Thank you to the the publisher for an advanced copy of this novel, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2026
I started this book and I could not stop until I hit the end. Habits Of The Sea is both exactly what I was expecting but also took me completely by surprise. How you may ask? The mysterious island where time stood still and the man who lived there was absolutely what I wanted and needed. But the journey surrounding it and Ellie’s experiences had be absolutely hooked. Shea Earnshaw has this way about making her characters so messy and real that if I saw Ellie or Clay in real life I wouldn’t even be shocked. Watching Ellie, torn between worlds and agonizing over the right decision was so real. Her musings and her thoughts often took a philosophical tone about life and the best way to live it.
In true Shea Earnshaw fashion the magic system and whimsical aspect of the story is so subtle and folkloric that it feels like something real. When we talk about myths and urban legends, I think Clay Lockhearts floating island would fit right in.
I loved History of the Wild Places and I have been so impressed with her venture into adult fiction. The love story, the setting, the characters are all a 10/10 for me. I would seriously recommend reading this!
In true Shea Earnshaw fashion the magic system and whimsical aspect of the story is so subtle and folkloric that it feels like something real. When we talk about myths and urban legends, I think Clay Lockhearts floating island would fit right in.
I loved History of the Wild Places and I have been so impressed with her venture into adult fiction. The love story, the setting, the characters are all a 10/10 for me. I would seriously recommend reading this!
November 29, 2025
Shea Ernshaw’s writing is gorgeous, as usual. She really puts you in the place she’s writing, and makes you feel how delicate and fleeting and devastatingly beautiful life can be. This story has a magical concept, but is written realistically, and while it is atmospheric, it’s less mystery thriller, and more romance and apocalyptic fiction. I enjoyed this, though romance isn’t my usual choice, and I don’t know if it’s the Aries in me, or what, but Ellie—make up your mind! Her wishy-washiness irritated me. 😅
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC! A History of Wild Places by Ernshaw is one of my favorite books ever, so I was very anxious to get this one. Pub date July 7, 2026.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC! A History of Wild Places by Ernshaw is one of my favorite books ever, so I was very anxious to get this one. Pub date July 7, 2026.
November 21, 2025
Bleak but beautiful!
I’ve read all but one of Shea Ernshaw’s other books and have always really enjoyed them! This was a departure from her usual genres but her style remains captivating. I’ll be honest, this story had more than its fair share of despair. Some of it was downright haunting and heartbreaking. At the same time, we see a story of the satisfaction of finding your true place in the world, with the love of your life. It drove me to keep on devouring this book! I didn’t exactly have a happy fun time reading this, but yet I still enjoyed myself. I’ll continue snapping up whatever Shea writes next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!
I’ve read all but one of Shea Ernshaw’s other books and have always really enjoyed them! This was a departure from her usual genres but her style remains captivating. I’ll be honest, this story had more than its fair share of despair. Some of it was downright haunting and heartbreaking. At the same time, we see a story of the satisfaction of finding your true place in the world, with the love of your life. It drove me to keep on devouring this book! I didn’t exactly have a happy fun time reading this, but yet I still enjoyed myself. I’ll continue snapping up whatever Shea writes next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!
November 25, 2025
4.5/5 Stars
Habits of the Sea was such a hauntingly beautiful book. It was emotional and heartbreaking and exactly what I needed. This is the type of book I mean when I say I want a devastatingly beautiful love story that stands the test of time. Ellie and Clay’s story is one that stay with me.
I highly recommend you adding this to your preorder list!
Habits of the Sea was such a hauntingly beautiful book. It was emotional and heartbreaking and exactly what I needed. This is the type of book I mean when I say I want a devastatingly beautiful love story that stands the test of time. Ellie and Clay’s story is one that stay with me.
I highly recommend you adding this to your preorder list!
November 23, 2025
I suffered through this with a desire to see how it ends but it's so very dull. The pacing is off and just a whole lot of nothing makes up the bulk of this novel. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 26, 2025
Initial thoughts for now and in-depth review by the afternoon tomorrow:
Not what I was expecting at all. This was dreamy and romantic and yet harsh and unforgiving. I loved it but it hurt in ways I was not thinking I'd find. I need time to really gather my thoughts on this.
And to read something a little more happy, I think?
...........................................................................................
My thanks to Netgalley, Atria Books and Shea Ernshaw for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I remember picking up Shea Ernshaw's debut and thinking, "Maybe this will be good?" I ended up loving the story, the atmosphere, the ideas that Ernshaw put in her book and I immediately pre-ordered her next release. Now here I am, having collected any and every book by Shea Ernshaw, just because she wrote them. When I pick up an Ernshaw book, I know to expect a dreamy atmosphere, a type of love that is slowly earned, hardships that make every moment something to overcome that make the ending worth it. These books are poetic and heartbreaking and I will always find my way back to reading Ernshaw's books, time and time again because of the feelings they bring out in me. Ernshaw's latest is no different, in fact, it may be a new favorite of mine.
Habits of the Sea: A Novel follows two characters, Clay Lockhart and Ellie Mills. In the 1950s, Clay Lockhart's wife dies during a terrible storm. Witnesses claimed they could hear his cries in the night over the sound of the rain but come morning, the house and the land it stood on has been cleaved away. The story goes that it floats out in the water, with sightings being reported about it for years. Ellie Mills finds the island one night and manages to set foot there, meeting the fabled Clay Lockhart not looking a day older than he did the night his home tore away from the coast. Haunted by the memory of what she found, Ellie grows up doubting what she remembers until she hears that the island has been sighted again. Deciding once and for all to find it again, Ellie manages to return to the island and to Clay Lockhart, where she has to learn that some impossible things are possible and the things worth living for are sometimes not what you expect to find.
I'll start off by saying that while the overall effect of this book is beautiful, it was undoubtedly, utterly heartbreaking. I started this a few days ago and managed to finish it last night and good grief, I'm still kind of reeling from it. I loved the writing, the whimsical way of invoking the feeling of living a fabled life, and at the same time, oh wow, not what I expected once I reached that ending. I kept thinking of things like, don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today. Live the life you want to live. Carpe diem. The future is not guaranteed. All of these thoughts have been swirling in my head since finishing this book and my dreams were filled with crashing waves and bottomless waters that made me feel unmoored by the time I climbed out of bed. This book feels like a tragic fairytale, the kind with sharp edges. I loved it and yet, it's difficult to put into words the whys behind the feeling. The parting sentiment from this book could almost be called depressing and yet, I think the reasoning behind it is because this book shows not just one choice, Ellie returning to the island, but then shows each and every single choice she makes from there on out. It shows an entire lifetime of choices almost and when you put that all together in a book, the effect is both incredible and tragic to behold. Especially when you get to the ending.
Ellie Mills was an interesting character, a woman who tried so hard to want the things that are expected for her and yet comes to realize that yearning for something else is not necessarily a bad thing. Trying to find something more, understanding that you can deserve a different kind of life, something you only dreamed of, is a kind of quiet strength not often seen in books. Ellie has to come to terms with the fact that wanting something more is okay, making the decision to be happy for herself is just as important as anything else. I loved that journey for her, knowing that each day she was making the choices to try for something different, to be something other, and her transformation over the course of the story was the driving force of the book. Her connection to Clay Lockhart was the kind of love that builds from nothing, becoming a force that ties two souls together for not just this lifetime but EVERY lifetime. I thought Clay was tragic because of what had happened to him and how he's been living for so many decades but it takes resilience to live alone on a floating island for as long as he has managed. The life he built and the things he learned while being adrift, it was all breathtaking, the idea of being at the whim of the water and the wind and still getting up everyday to live his life. Ellie and Clay together made me feel like I was taking deep breaths and holding them, waiting for them to come together and then watching each day as they made the choices again and again to work together to keep their livelihood going all the while choosing each other. It was heartwarming to witness.
The pacing had a flow to it, a rhythm that was careful with it's reveals, slowly building up to the final images of the book. I'm still not over that ending, the ideas it left behind in my head and my heart. I might not remember every individual detail of this book but I think this ache in my chest is going to stay with me for a while. This is like a story you heard once upon a time, a legend that has been passed down for generations, the exact meaning or lesson you are meant to learn different for each person that hears it. I want to delve into the specifics but I feel like the effect of the book will be lost if I give anything more of it away. What I found in the synopsis was enough to get me to read this book but the experience of reading the book itself was more than I thought I would find and it will stay with me for a long time to come.
Rating on my Scale: 10 Stars. I have a couple of Ernshaw books left to read, which is good because I feel a little bereft after this book experience. If you are a fan of Shea Ernshaw, this is one of her BEST stories. Read this book if you want something that feels a dream you once had or a story you want to remember and be prepared to sit with the feelings it leaves behind once it is done.
Not what I was expecting at all. This was dreamy and romantic and yet harsh and unforgiving. I loved it but it hurt in ways I was not thinking I'd find. I need time to really gather my thoughts on this.
And to read something a little more happy, I think?
...........................................................................................
My thanks to Netgalley, Atria Books and Shea Ernshaw for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I remember picking up Shea Ernshaw's debut and thinking, "Maybe this will be good?" I ended up loving the story, the atmosphere, the ideas that Ernshaw put in her book and I immediately pre-ordered her next release. Now here I am, having collected any and every book by Shea Ernshaw, just because she wrote them. When I pick up an Ernshaw book, I know to expect a dreamy atmosphere, a type of love that is slowly earned, hardships that make every moment something to overcome that make the ending worth it. These books are poetic and heartbreaking and I will always find my way back to reading Ernshaw's books, time and time again because of the feelings they bring out in me. Ernshaw's latest is no different, in fact, it may be a new favorite of mine.
Habits of the Sea: A Novel follows two characters, Clay Lockhart and Ellie Mills. In the 1950s, Clay Lockhart's wife dies during a terrible storm. Witnesses claimed they could hear his cries in the night over the sound of the rain but come morning, the house and the land it stood on has been cleaved away. The story goes that it floats out in the water, with sightings being reported about it for years. Ellie Mills finds the island one night and manages to set foot there, meeting the fabled Clay Lockhart not looking a day older than he did the night his home tore away from the coast. Haunted by the memory of what she found, Ellie grows up doubting what she remembers until she hears that the island has been sighted again. Deciding once and for all to find it again, Ellie manages to return to the island and to Clay Lockhart, where she has to learn that some impossible things are possible and the things worth living for are sometimes not what you expect to find.
I'll start off by saying that while the overall effect of this book is beautiful, it was undoubtedly, utterly heartbreaking. I started this a few days ago and managed to finish it last night and good grief, I'm still kind of reeling from it. I loved the writing, the whimsical way of invoking the feeling of living a fabled life, and at the same time, oh wow, not what I expected once I reached that ending. I kept thinking of things like, don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today. Live the life you want to live. Carpe diem. The future is not guaranteed. All of these thoughts have been swirling in my head since finishing this book and my dreams were filled with crashing waves and bottomless waters that made me feel unmoored by the time I climbed out of bed. This book feels like a tragic fairytale, the kind with sharp edges. I loved it and yet, it's difficult to put into words the whys behind the feeling. The parting sentiment from this book could almost be called depressing and yet, I think the reasoning behind it is because this book shows not just one choice, Ellie returning to the island, but then shows each and every single choice she makes from there on out. It shows an entire lifetime of choices almost and when you put that all together in a book, the effect is both incredible and tragic to behold. Especially when you get to the ending.
Ellie Mills was an interesting character, a woman who tried so hard to want the things that are expected for her and yet comes to realize that yearning for something else is not necessarily a bad thing. Trying to find something more, understanding that you can deserve a different kind of life, something you only dreamed of, is a kind of quiet strength not often seen in books. Ellie has to come to terms with the fact that wanting something more is okay, making the decision to be happy for herself is just as important as anything else. I loved that journey for her, knowing that each day she was making the choices to try for something different, to be something other, and her transformation over the course of the story was the driving force of the book. Her connection to Clay Lockhart was the kind of love that builds from nothing, becoming a force that ties two souls together for not just this lifetime but EVERY lifetime. I thought Clay was tragic because of what had happened to him and how he's been living for so many decades but it takes resilience to live alone on a floating island for as long as he has managed. The life he built and the things he learned while being adrift, it was all breathtaking, the idea of being at the whim of the water and the wind and still getting up everyday to live his life. Ellie and Clay together made me feel like I was taking deep breaths and holding them, waiting for them to come together and then watching each day as they made the choices again and again to work together to keep their livelihood going all the while choosing each other. It was heartwarming to witness.
The pacing had a flow to it, a rhythm that was careful with it's reveals, slowly building up to the final images of the book. I'm still not over that ending, the ideas it left behind in my head and my heart. I might not remember every individual detail of this book but I think this ache in my chest is going to stay with me for a while. This is like a story you heard once upon a time, a legend that has been passed down for generations, the exact meaning or lesson you are meant to learn different for each person that hears it. I want to delve into the specifics but I feel like the effect of the book will be lost if I give anything more of it away. What I found in the synopsis was enough to get me to read this book but the experience of reading the book itself was more than I thought I would find and it will stay with me for a long time to come.
Rating on my Scale: 10 Stars. I have a couple of Ernshaw books left to read, which is good because I feel a little bereft after this book experience. If you are a fan of Shea Ernshaw, this is one of her BEST stories. Read this book if you want something that feels a dream you once had or a story you want to remember and be prepared to sit with the feelings it leaves behind once it is done.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Read the synopsis. Then, try to tell me you don’t think this is intriguing. A mysterious island appearing at random, the past and future warped by unknown forces, choosing between love and the life you once knew—sounds awesome!
It WAS awesome (in the first half)! I could feel the air from the sea on my face. I was Ellie for a short while, caught in the wonder and awe of Saltwell Island. [She went through a portal in a wardrobe and travelled to Narnia basically, I’m all for it!] Was it real? Was it a myth? After her first encounter with Saltwell, her childhood consisted of therapy sessions and bullying from her peers. Self-confidence tanked, leaving her with nothing. Nothing but this island, a fascination occupying her every waking thoughts. I saw her struggles, her pain. Her family, all but her Nana. And her mother? The cause (I think) of her need for escape. This detail was never revisited later in the story. Forgotten. I was hoping Ellie would come to a revelation or compare her experience with her mother’s … things took a strange turn.
The beginning, uncomfortable. Ellie met Clay when she was 12, he was an adult. Nothing alarming happened. When she went back to Saltwell, now 32, you would think he’d have the sense to immediately refuse all romantic developments. Time passed slowly for him on that island when she left as a kid; for Ellie, it was 20 years—his memory of her 12-year-old self was still fresh in his mind. Of course, nothing went as planned. What do you do when you're stuck on a "deserted" island with just yourself and a man whom you come to realize* is quite handsome? [*Ellie wondering how she hadn’t noticed how handsome he looked before made me scream, because WHAT DO YOU MEAN? YOU WERE. A. LITERAL. CHILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
Then we get to the hour-and-a-half-long chapter, which I liked. If we are to do a romance (even though I wish they hadn’t), then let it be a slow burn. It HAD to be a slow burn because you cannot convince me it was okay for Clay to have pursued her right away. I was glad for this deliberate part. They had space. They did not speak to one another for days. Little by little, they built their relationship from the ground up. I was fully invested despite my concerns (didn’t forget them though). Finding your HOME, a person to love, who understands you; I felt their happiness. But . . .
The rhetoric of “wow, this strong man is also quiet, kind, and gentle?” I mean, DUH, men are capable of multitudes. But this repeated itself more than it needed to, whilst accompanied by the “wow, he’s been through SO MUCH, I need to spend my time praising his resilience and put my own trauma and struggles on the back burner.” Like . . . girl. Yes, we know he’s tough, that he’s got Viking blood in him, blood known “for conquering lands and slaying kings.” Enough! And don’t get me started on the word BLUE. I KNOW HIS EYES ARE BLUE! So so blue and so so beautiful. And then the comment about how he treated his plants with “care and devotion, as if they were a woman,” caught me off guard. He then went on to talk about a man’s heart and its devotion to his land, BUT not when it comes to his woman. He would die to protect her. See, in some cases, this would sound palatable; here, not so much.
Also, don’t get me started on Clay’s secret. Insanity. More reason for me to keep hollering “THIS RELATIONSHIP SHOULD’VE NEVER HAPPENED!”
Another point, this needing to exist in “simpler times,” farming for your food, intense labor, describing your exhaustion as “beautiful,” was a little off-putting? I mean, sure, let them find happiness wherever they may, but Ellie, you’re telling me you’d rather endure literal POVERTY over the joys of modern advancement?! An actual toilet INSIDE your house?! Medicine?! No love is THAT great! I don’t want to hear it, I don’t want to accept this message!
Granted, if I were able to escape to an island, I so would, but let there be MAGIC at least, so I wouldn’t have to break my back shoveling dirt!
THE LAST HALF OF THIS BOOK. All over the place. I do understand that with a topic centered around TIME, there will be reality checks. I just didn’t expect it to be so jarring. The violence towards the end was unnecessary. We were getting on with their story quite well. I would’ve enjoyed it even more if it had stopped at a certain point.
Nonetheless, I’m glad I gave this book a try. I did enjoy reading some parts, but not everything was perfect. Truly a fascinating plot. Wish it had been executed differently. If you enjoy romance, you might like this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
It WAS awesome (in the first half)! I could feel the air from the sea on my face. I was Ellie for a short while, caught in the wonder and awe of Saltwell Island. [She went through a portal in a wardrobe and travelled to Narnia basically, I’m all for it!] Was it real? Was it a myth? After her first encounter with Saltwell, her childhood consisted of therapy sessions and bullying from her peers. Self-confidence tanked, leaving her with nothing. Nothing but this island, a fascination occupying her every waking thoughts. I saw her struggles, her pain. Her family, all but her Nana. And her mother? The cause (I think) of her need for escape. This detail was never revisited later in the story. Forgotten. I was hoping Ellie would come to a revelation or compare her experience with her mother’s … things took a strange turn.
The beginning, uncomfortable. Ellie met Clay when she was 12, he was an adult. Nothing alarming happened. When she went back to Saltwell, now 32, you would think he’d have the sense to immediately refuse all romantic developments. Time passed slowly for him on that island when she left as a kid; for Ellie, it was 20 years—his memory of her 12-year-old self was still fresh in his mind. Of course, nothing went as planned. What do you do when you're stuck on a "deserted" island with just yourself and a man whom you come to realize* is quite handsome? [*Ellie wondering how she hadn’t noticed how handsome he looked before made me scream, because WHAT DO YOU MEAN? YOU WERE. A. LITERAL. CHILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
Then we get to the hour-and-a-half-long chapter, which I liked. If we are to do a romance (even though I wish they hadn’t), then let it be a slow burn. It HAD to be a slow burn because you cannot convince me it was okay for Clay to have pursued her right away. I was glad for this deliberate part. They had space. They did not speak to one another for days. Little by little, they built their relationship from the ground up. I was fully invested despite my concerns (didn’t forget them though). Finding your HOME, a person to love, who understands you; I felt their happiness. But . . .
The rhetoric of “wow, this strong man is also quiet, kind, and gentle?” I mean, DUH, men are capable of multitudes. But this repeated itself more than it needed to, whilst accompanied by the “wow, he’s been through SO MUCH, I need to spend my time praising his resilience and put my own trauma and struggles on the back burner.” Like . . . girl. Yes, we know he’s tough, that he’s got Viking blood in him, blood known “for conquering lands and slaying kings.” Enough! And don’t get me started on the word BLUE. I KNOW HIS EYES ARE BLUE! So so blue and so so beautiful. And then the comment about how he treated his plants with “care and devotion, as if they were a woman,” caught me off guard. He then went on to talk about a man’s heart and its devotion to his land, BUT not when it comes to his woman. He would die to protect her. See, in some cases, this would sound palatable; here, not so much.
Also, don’t get me started on Clay’s secret. Insanity. More reason for me to keep hollering “THIS RELATIONSHIP SHOULD’VE NEVER HAPPENED!”
Another point, this needing to exist in “simpler times,” farming for your food, intense labor, describing your exhaustion as “beautiful,” was a little off-putting? I mean, sure, let them find happiness wherever they may, but Ellie, you’re telling me you’d rather endure literal POVERTY over the joys of modern advancement?! An actual toilet INSIDE your house?! Medicine?! No love is THAT great! I don’t want to hear it, I don’t want to accept this message!
Granted, if I were able to escape to an island, I so would, but let there be MAGIC at least, so I wouldn’t have to break my back shoveling dirt!
THE LAST HALF OF THIS BOOK. All over the place. I do understand that with a topic centered around TIME, there will be reality checks. I just didn’t expect it to be so jarring. The violence towards the end was unnecessary. We were getting on with their story quite well. I would’ve enjoyed it even more if it had stopped at a certain point.
Nonetheless, I’m glad I gave this book a try. I did enjoy reading some parts, but not everything was perfect. Truly a fascinating plot. Wish it had been executed differently. If you enjoy romance, you might like this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Well, that was…different. I can’t say I’ve read something quite like it before or that it went at all in the direction I expected. The problem is, though, that I’m not 100% sure I really liked the direction it did go in.
I’ll start with the writing, because that’s always going to be a highlight in any of Ernshaw’s books. The writing flowed so well that I read this in two sittings, and I even kept going through the slower parts that may have caused me to put similar books on pause. Even during those weaker parts, the immersive quality of the writing and the atmosphere the author created were compelling enough to keep me going. It’s honestly a big part of why I’m this ends up at three stars for me instead of two and a half.
So, with that, I’m going to get into the things that made this a bit rougher. I’ll start with the pacing.
There’s a chunk of this book where I honestly can’t tell you what happens because it was a whole lot of nothing for a pretty long time. Like I said before, the writing managed to get me through these parts, but in between chapters, I still found myself wondering when things would start happening.
I had mixed feelings on the romance, and this was one of the rare cases where I liked the main couple more once they were together instead of the build-up to them getting together. The build-up was a lot of her staring at him from across the room, and I had a hard time believing that this was somehow causing a huge internal conflict for her. Even as she got to know him a little, it felt like the only stuff she ever had to say about him was that he was quiet and strong and his eyes were so blue (which could be a bit annoying). I liked them a lot more once they actually got together, but then not long after that was when the story took an unexpected turn.
I thought this was going to have more of a cozy rainy day kind of feeling and center around the main characters’ internal conflict of choosing between the guy she loves on the island vs. the life she has off of it. That’s what it started as too, but then we took an…apocalyptic(?) turn, or at least that’s what I considered it. Survivalist is another way you could classify it. My feelings were all over the place reading this part of the book because it was bleak, but it was also cool, and yet for some reason, it felt like something was missing.
I think it circles back to the romance and the fact that if I had liked that more, I would have enjoyed the direction it went better. Since time passes differently on the island, and that led to them seeing all these terrible changes in the world, I had a harder time being convinced of why the main character thought it was worth it. Had the romance and even the love interest been fleshed out more, maybe I would have been able to better understand the characters’ motivations, but as it is, it falls a little flat, for me at least. But as it is, because the romance as the foundation was a bit lacking, it was harder to feel the weight of all the choices that it resulted in.
Overall, this was kind of a mixed bag and a hard one to rate. The atmosphere and writing were great, but it was weighed down by some pacing issues and a lack of depth to the characters and relationships. Still, though, I’m glad I picked this up because it was a cool read, and I would recommend picking this up if it sounds like it could work for you.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing with an eArc in exchange for an honest review!
~🅞🅥🅔🅡🅐🅛🅛 🅡🅐🅣🅘🅝🅖: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ . 25~
I’ll start with the writing, because that’s always going to be a highlight in any of Ernshaw’s books. The writing flowed so well that I read this in two sittings, and I even kept going through the slower parts that may have caused me to put similar books on pause. Even during those weaker parts, the immersive quality of the writing and the atmosphere the author created were compelling enough to keep me going. It’s honestly a big part of why I’m this ends up at three stars for me instead of two and a half.
So, with that, I’m going to get into the things that made this a bit rougher. I’ll start with the pacing.
There’s a chunk of this book where I honestly can’t tell you what happens because it was a whole lot of nothing for a pretty long time. Like I said before, the writing managed to get me through these parts, but in between chapters, I still found myself wondering when things would start happening.
I had mixed feelings on the romance, and this was one of the rare cases where I liked the main couple more once they were together instead of the build-up to them getting together. The build-up was a lot of her staring at him from across the room, and I had a hard time believing that this was somehow causing a huge internal conflict for her. Even as she got to know him a little, it felt like the only stuff she ever had to say about him was that he was quiet and strong and his eyes were so blue (which could be a bit annoying). I liked them a lot more once they actually got together, but then not long after that was when the story took an unexpected turn.
I thought this was going to have more of a cozy rainy day kind of feeling and center around the main characters’ internal conflict of choosing between the guy she loves on the island vs. the life she has off of it. That’s what it started as too, but then we took an…apocalyptic(?) turn, or at least that’s what I considered it. Survivalist is another way you could classify it. My feelings were all over the place reading this part of the book because it was bleak, but it was also cool, and yet for some reason, it felt like something was missing.
I think it circles back to the romance and the fact that if I had liked that more, I would have enjoyed the direction it went better. Since time passes differently on the island, and that led to them seeing all these terrible changes in the world, I had a harder time being convinced of why the main character thought it was worth it. Had the romance and even the love interest been fleshed out more, maybe I would have been able to better understand the characters’ motivations, but as it is, it falls a little flat, for me at least. But as it is, because the romance as the foundation was a bit lacking, it was harder to feel the weight of all the choices that it resulted in.
Overall, this was kind of a mixed bag and a hard one to rate. The atmosphere and writing were great, but it was weighed down by some pacing issues and a lack of depth to the characters and relationships. Still, though, I’m glad I picked this up because it was a cool read, and I would recommend picking this up if it sounds like it could work for you.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing with an eArc in exchange for an honest review!
~🅞🅥🅔🅡🅐🅛🅛 🅡🅐🅣🅘🅝🅖: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ . 25~
November 17, 2025
I received an ARC of this book, and my review is based on that copy. The published work may differ from what I read.
I’ve heard a lot about Shea Earnshaw, and I’ve been intrigued by her work although I’ve never tried it myself. This is my first time reading one of her books.
This is an adult work, and primarily a romance although the style puts it more firmly into magical realism and literary fiction. The romance is a key point of the book, but the larger story is centered around the main character finding herself more than it is about finding a relationship. The themes were interesting, if simple: knowing yourself, making hard choices in pursuit of that truth, and running to and from the things that move you.
The prose is atmospheric. I could almost taste the salt in the air, and hear the wind on the sea. The way the author is able to set a scene is beautiful. The character moments were interesting, until it came to the dialogue. The unspoken worked so much better here. The heavier emotional conversations broke the palpable tension with a thud. The language of the dialogue is clunky and inelegant. Some of the prose around the emotional moments is also simile heavy, and felt overdone.
Parts of the plot made me uncomfortable. The setup of a child meeting an adult man and then re-meeting that man when she is an adult herself felt on the edge of inappropriate. If it had been written less well I probably would not have enjoyed the book simply because of that plot point. However, the author handles what could potentially be incredibly off putting with care, and the reasons for that plot point and how it is resolved were done well enough to be workable for me. However, the emotional beats of the romance were heavy handed. I wanted a little more subtlety.
The way the story progresses isn’t obvious, which I appreciated. It moves through moments that would have been the end of other books. Ellie is on a bigger journey than is at first apparent, and the process of the story is an examination of her character and how she grows through the choices she’s presented with. However, I found myself conflicted by the message of her story. Although romantic in concept, there’s something in me that rebels at the idea that fleeing life is the answer to feeling unsettled in it.
The last quarter of the book was not a fun time, and I found the end to be a let down. The author decided to go a direction with the overall plot that I found disturbing, and it ruined what I had mostly been enjoying. The actual finish of the story is the height of cheesiness and made me wince. In spite of that, the quality of the writing was good enough that I held to the four star rating.
I’ve heard a lot about Shea Earnshaw, and I’ve been intrigued by her work although I’ve never tried it myself. This is my first time reading one of her books.
This is an adult work, and primarily a romance although the style puts it more firmly into magical realism and literary fiction. The romance is a key point of the book, but the larger story is centered around the main character finding herself more than it is about finding a relationship. The themes were interesting, if simple: knowing yourself, making hard choices in pursuit of that truth, and running to and from the things that move you.
The prose is atmospheric. I could almost taste the salt in the air, and hear the wind on the sea. The way the author is able to set a scene is beautiful. The character moments were interesting, until it came to the dialogue. The unspoken worked so much better here. The heavier emotional conversations broke the palpable tension with a thud. The language of the dialogue is clunky and inelegant. Some of the prose around the emotional moments is also simile heavy, and felt overdone.
Parts of the plot made me uncomfortable. The setup of a child meeting an adult man and then re-meeting that man when she is an adult herself felt on the edge of inappropriate. If it had been written less well I probably would not have enjoyed the book simply because of that plot point. However, the author handles what could potentially be incredibly off putting with care, and the reasons for that plot point and how it is resolved were done well enough to be workable for me. However, the emotional beats of the romance were heavy handed. I wanted a little more subtlety.
The way the story progresses isn’t obvious, which I appreciated. It moves through moments that would have been the end of other books. Ellie is on a bigger journey than is at first apparent, and the process of the story is an examination of her character and how she grows through the choices she’s presented with. However, I found myself conflicted by the message of her story. Although romantic in concept, there’s something in me that rebels at the idea that fleeing life is the answer to feeling unsettled in it.
The last quarter of the book was not a fun time, and I found the end to be a let down. The author decided to go a direction with the overall plot that I found disturbing, and it ruined what I had mostly been enjoying. The actual finish of the story is the height of cheesiness and made me wince. In spite of that, the quality of the writing was good enough that I held to the four star rating.
November 21, 2025
𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖: Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw
Genre: Magical Realism, Romance
Rating: 3/5
Spice: On page but minimally descriptive
Describe it: A young woman visits the fabled, floating “Saltwell Island,” a floating island she once experienced as a child, where she meets (again) the man who lives on the island and never ages.
Read if you enjoy:
+ Scottish men
+ Living off the land
+ Repetitive declarations of love
________
—WHAT I LIKED—
This was a very unique story and a great example of magical realism done well. I was able to suspend belief while remaining invested in the realities of the story as well, which is not always easy to do.
One of the things I enjoyed most was reading about how the characters adapted to a self sufficient lifestyle. No screens. No technology. No stores or phones. It made me yearn for that kind of simplicity and escape. I also enjoyed the atmospheric landscapes… and the cinnamon roll, Scottish MMC.
—WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE—
It felt repetitive. The main characters struggled with the same major decisions multiple times. You’d think they had come to a decision but then several chapters later they were having the same thoughts and conversations.
I wanted more showing of their relationship and a looooot less telling. I don’t read a ton of romance, so perhaps my tolerance is just low, but I grow super tired of the grand, over the top, life or death, love declarations, especially for a book that is an average page length. The “I’d let the world burn around us” and “our souls would be one for all of eternity” feels a bit melodramatic outside of romantasy, in my opinion. This might be a nonissue for regular romance readers.
A quick note just to say that the turn the ending took was NOT my cup of tea at all. I can’t say much about it and I understand why it was written that way, but it significantly lowered my enjoyment level.
Thank you to netgalley, atria, and the author for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Grab this one on July 7th 2026!
Genre: Magical Realism, Romance
Rating: 3/5
Spice: On page but minimally descriptive
Describe it: A young woman visits the fabled, floating “Saltwell Island,” a floating island she once experienced as a child, where she meets (again) the man who lives on the island and never ages.
Read if you enjoy:
+ Scottish men
+ Living off the land
+ Repetitive declarations of love
________
—WHAT I LIKED—
This was a very unique story and a great example of magical realism done well. I was able to suspend belief while remaining invested in the realities of the story as well, which is not always easy to do.
One of the things I enjoyed most was reading about how the characters adapted to a self sufficient lifestyle. No screens. No technology. No stores or phones. It made me yearn for that kind of simplicity and escape. I also enjoyed the atmospheric landscapes… and the cinnamon roll, Scottish MMC.
—WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE—
It felt repetitive. The main characters struggled with the same major decisions multiple times. You’d think they had come to a decision but then several chapters later they were having the same thoughts and conversations.
I wanted more showing of their relationship and a looooot less telling. I don’t read a ton of romance, so perhaps my tolerance is just low, but I grow super tired of the grand, over the top, life or death, love declarations, especially for a book that is an average page length. The “I’d let the world burn around us” and “our souls would be one for all of eternity” feels a bit melodramatic outside of romantasy, in my opinion. This might be a nonissue for regular romance readers.
A quick note just to say that the turn the ending took was NOT my cup of tea at all. I can’t say much about it and I understand why it was written that way, but it significantly lowered my enjoyment level.
Thank you to netgalley, atria, and the author for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Grab this one on July 7th 2026!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
🌊 ARC BOOK REVIEW 🌊
PUB DATE: July 6th 2026
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 3 Moody Stars
“Other nights, we sit silent on the front porch, sipping tea with honey, and I like the quiet between us. No need to muddy the minutes with words.”
Habits of the Sea had all the right ingredients, but the recipe was giving soggy vibes .
After reading A History of Wild Places a few years ago and LOVING it , I was so excited for Shea’s new novel.
Ellie finds herself on a mysterious island when she is 12 years old , for what seems like only a few hours turned into a week on this island . The problem is no believes there is an island .
Now decades later there is a sighting of the mysterious island and Ellie can’t help feel compelled to investigate to see if it really does exist…or if she was imagining it all.
Filled with a bit of magical realism, moody and atmospheric writing and a promise of a love story unfolding, fans of Outlander & Time travel will probably gobble this one up !
For me this started off with such promise , but was too slow for me and I did once again found a repetition with the choice of words used for descriptions throughout the novel.
The storyline is very unique, however I found myself do I dare say bored at times, yes I would have to say so.
For me the spark ⚡️ just wasn’t sparking 🤷🏻♀️
However you know I’ve been known to be a bit of an outlier so Please do not let my review stop you from reading this one !
Thank you NetGalley , Atria Books and Shea Ernshaw for this chilly & somber ARC!
PUB DATE: July 6th 2026
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 3 Moody Stars
“Other nights, we sit silent on the front porch, sipping tea with honey, and I like the quiet between us. No need to muddy the minutes with words.”
Habits of the Sea had all the right ingredients, but the recipe was giving soggy vibes .
After reading A History of Wild Places a few years ago and LOVING it , I was so excited for Shea’s new novel.
Ellie finds herself on a mysterious island when she is 12 years old , for what seems like only a few hours turned into a week on this island . The problem is no believes there is an island .
Now decades later there is a sighting of the mysterious island and Ellie can’t help feel compelled to investigate to see if it really does exist…or if she was imagining it all.
Filled with a bit of magical realism, moody and atmospheric writing and a promise of a love story unfolding, fans of Outlander & Time travel will probably gobble this one up !
For me this started off with such promise , but was too slow for me and I did once again found a repetition with the choice of words used for descriptions throughout the novel.
The storyline is very unique, however I found myself do I dare say bored at times, yes I would have to say so.
For me the spark ⚡️ just wasn’t sparking 🤷🏻♀️
However you know I’ve been known to be a bit of an outlier so Please do not let my review stop you from reading this one !
Thank you NetGalley , Atria Books and Shea Ernshaw for this chilly & somber ARC!
January 16, 2026
Habits of the Sea is a story steeped in magic that explores grief and what it means to find oneself after the storms of life carry us "out to sea." Ernshaw repeatedly refers to Clay as a "fable," and I found myself pausing at this specific wording. Was it intentional? After all, what is a fable if not a cautionary tale?
The story functions as an allegory for the human experience: are we bystanders, or active participants? Ernshaw deftly explores loss, love, and the minutiae that define who we will become, but she offers a caveat. We must make decisions for ourselves; simply floating, unmoored, will not lead to any chosen destination. If we wish to sail confidently toward our dreams, we must own our choices rather than accepting whatever washes up on our shore.
The ending reinforces this cautionary theme, suggesting that passivity yields consequences we may find undesirable—we must act to effect change. Ultimately, this is a book that can be enjoyed for its surface-level romance and magical floating island, or read deeply for its layers of meaning. I loved that duality: it is a story filled with longing not just for a person, but for a place and figuring out how to reach that place and then deciding if it is really where you want to be once you get there. Isn't that the choice presented by much of life's decisions? This is a story that will leave you pondering, in the best of ways. Kudos to Ernshaw for writing something so profoundly and universally human.
The story functions as an allegory for the human experience: are we bystanders, or active participants? Ernshaw deftly explores loss, love, and the minutiae that define who we will become, but she offers a caveat. We must make decisions for ourselves; simply floating, unmoored, will not lead to any chosen destination. If we wish to sail confidently toward our dreams, we must own our choices rather than accepting whatever washes up on our shore.
The ending reinforces this cautionary theme, suggesting that passivity yields consequences we may find undesirable—we must act to effect change. Ultimately, this is a book that can be enjoyed for its surface-level romance and magical floating island, or read deeply for its layers of meaning. I loved that duality: it is a story filled with longing not just for a person, but for a place and figuring out how to reach that place and then deciding if it is really where you want to be once you get there. Isn't that the choice presented by much of life's decisions? This is a story that will leave you pondering, in the best of ways. Kudos to Ernshaw for writing something so profoundly and universally human.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I don't think I have ever read a book before that had three genres (or more) going on at once. It left me unmoored, which is good, because I had no idea where the fates were going to toss me next, or for what purpose. In other words, reading this book, was not unlike being inside the story itself, which I think that is what most authors are aiming for. The ambience, the aesthetic surroundings, felt very much like they were real. So when the weather was cold, I felt cold, and when the weather was tropical, I started to sweat. The characters were flawed (except for Nana, perhaps, who is a saint of sorts) adding dimension to their worldviews and coloring their actions. I would say that the story is linear and proceeds forward in a straight line, but not unlike a boat at sea, the locale shifts and changes, moving both forward and backward, and side to side. The only reason that I deducted a star, was because I found the main female character to be insufferable. She seems narcissistic, solipsistic, and engages in non-stop navel gazing. I couldn't understand why the male MC would have chosen her, but then realized that he had no choice, as there weren't any other options. Despite that though, it was a fun read, a sad read, a depressing read, and a contemplative read, and so it was well worth my time. **I was provided an ARC of this book for review, and all opinions are my own.
November 23, 2025
I absolutely loved this book. Sad, heartbreaking stories are my favorite and the emotions portrayed in this book did not disappoint. This plot explores themes of grief, survival, time, betrayal, climate change, and finding your purpose and true home. I felt every emotion that Ellie felt throughout the story, and I relate to the feeling of longing for something you’re unsure about.
The author has a great way of showing instead of telling. I felt like I was right there on the ocean with Clay and Ellie. The descriptive elements made me feel like I could smell the sea, taste the honey, and hear the waves crashing on the shore. Reading this was like watching a movie in my head.
I wanted to give this book 5 stars but I knocked it down to a 4. The reason for this is I feel like a big chunk of this book could’ve be cut out and we would’ve still had the same great plot and story. I don’t think we needed multiple chapters explaining the same things they did every day over and over, like tending to the garden or fishing on the shore.
Overall this story was one I will not forget. I’m interested to read more of Ernshaw’s work to see if the quality of the plot and writing hold up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC copy of this book!
The author has a great way of showing instead of telling. I felt like I was right there on the ocean with Clay and Ellie. The descriptive elements made me feel like I could smell the sea, taste the honey, and hear the waves crashing on the shore. Reading this was like watching a movie in my head.
I wanted to give this book 5 stars but I knocked it down to a 4. The reason for this is I feel like a big chunk of this book could’ve be cut out and we would’ve still had the same great plot and story. I don’t think we needed multiple chapters explaining the same things they did every day over and over, like tending to the garden or fishing on the shore.
Overall this story was one I will not forget. I’m interested to read more of Ernshaw’s work to see if the quality of the plot and writing hold up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC copy of this book!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Sorry to my TBR for starting a book that doesn’t come out until JULY, but when it’s Shea Ernshaw, rules simply don’t apply. I had to start it immediately.
Short Synopsis:
As a child, Ellie stumbles upon a floating island just off the coast of Nova Scotia, her home. When she returns a week later (though it felt like less than a day to her) no one believes her story. She spends the rest of her life haunted by that island, searching for it and trying to understand what really happened.
My Thoughts:
Shea Ernshaw has a way with words. Her writing is so poetic and hauntingly beautiful.
This is a story I think you just need to go into mostly blind and experience. It’s heartbreaking and depressing but also magical and hopeful. I had an incredible time with it and absolutely inhaled the second half in a single sitting.
What You’ll Find:
✨ A magical island
⏳ Time slip
🌫️ A blend of magical realism and dystopian elements
❤️ A love story
📖 A story you won’t forget
Read If You Like:
✨Time-bending stories like THE UNMAKING OF JUNE FARROW
✨ Books that leave you emotionally wrecked like THE MEASURE
✨ Lyrical, atmospheric writing such as Shea Ernshaw (obviously), Rachel Griffin, or Rebecca Ross
Short Synopsis:
As a child, Ellie stumbles upon a floating island just off the coast of Nova Scotia, her home. When she returns a week later (though it felt like less than a day to her) no one believes her story. She spends the rest of her life haunted by that island, searching for it and trying to understand what really happened.
My Thoughts:
Shea Ernshaw has a way with words. Her writing is so poetic and hauntingly beautiful.
This is a story I think you just need to go into mostly blind and experience. It’s heartbreaking and depressing but also magical and hopeful. I had an incredible time with it and absolutely inhaled the second half in a single sitting.
What You’ll Find:
✨ A magical island
⏳ Time slip
🌫️ A blend of magical realism and dystopian elements
❤️ A love story
📖 A story you won’t forget
Read If You Like:
✨Time-bending stories like THE UNMAKING OF JUNE FARROW
✨ Books that leave you emotionally wrecked like THE MEASURE
✨ Lyrical, atmospheric writing such as Shea Ernshaw (obviously), Rachel Griffin, or Rebecca Ross
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
My first five star of 2026 ✨
When Ellie rediscovers the floating island from her childhood, she also finds the man she once met still living there who hasn’t aged a day.
The book starts off very mystic and atmospheric but slow. It was stunning but I kept waiting for that emotional pull. And then somewhere around the halfway mark, I was completely pulled in. I felt like I was inside the story and that’s the only way I can describe it.
HABITS OF THE SEA is about time. About survival. About love. About the natural world. About choices. It’s haunting and emotional, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes full of awe. And the magic? A man who doesn’t age, an island that drifts across the ocean…it’s mysterious and folkloric.
This reminded me a lot of Wild Dark Shore with its moody, immersive setting—you can almost hear the waves crashing against the shore and smell the salt in the air. By the end, I wasn’t just finishing a story; I was living inside it, still thinking about it days later.
This isn’t a book you rush through. I can see early reviews are polarizing. This is one you need to let linger.
When Ellie rediscovers the floating island from her childhood, she also finds the man she once met still living there who hasn’t aged a day.
The book starts off very mystic and atmospheric but slow. It was stunning but I kept waiting for that emotional pull. And then somewhere around the halfway mark, I was completely pulled in. I felt like I was inside the story and that’s the only way I can describe it.
HABITS OF THE SEA is about time. About survival. About love. About the natural world. About choices. It’s haunting and emotional, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes full of awe. And the magic? A man who doesn’t age, an island that drifts across the ocean…it’s mysterious and folkloric.
This reminded me a lot of Wild Dark Shore with its moody, immersive setting—you can almost hear the waves crashing against the shore and smell the salt in the air. By the end, I wasn’t just finishing a story; I was living inside it, still thinking about it days later.
This isn’t a book you rush through. I can see early reviews are polarizing. This is one you need to let linger.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is my first book by this author and wow did it take me for a ride.
The setup: 12 year old Ellie stumbles on an island one night during a storm and after a few hours on it, returns to her grandmother's house. Only, it hasn't been a few hours. It's been a week.
Fast-forward 20 years and Ellie is unsatisfied with her perfectly fine life and is low key obsessed with the island, and the man on it, she's spent her entire life being told was her imagination. It's like a depressing Amy Pond x Eleven situation. But then she finds her way back! And the vibes shift to more of a June Farrow type story where the heroine is faced with two paths and must choose which life she wants to live and which she must let go of.
This book is so lovely and beautiful and deeply romantic and I would have loved it just like that. And then for some reason, the last 20% of the book takes an ominous turn and I had no idea what was going to happen on any given page until the last sentence. It was wild. It was unsettling. I think I still liked it?? I do know one thing for certain: I definitely want to try more of Shea Ernshaw's writing.
The setup: 12 year old Ellie stumbles on an island one night during a storm and after a few hours on it, returns to her grandmother's house. Only, it hasn't been a few hours. It's been a week.
Fast-forward 20 years and Ellie is unsatisfied with her perfectly fine life and is low key obsessed with the island, and the man on it, she's spent her entire life being told was her imagination. It's like a depressing Amy Pond x Eleven situation. But then she finds her way back! And the vibes shift to more of a June Farrow type story where the heroine is faced with two paths and must choose which life she wants to live and which she must let go of.
This book is so lovely and beautiful and deeply romantic and I would have loved it just like that. And then for some reason, the last 20% of the book takes an ominous turn and I had no idea what was going to happen on any given page until the last sentence. It was wild. It was unsettling. I think I still liked it?? I do know one thing for certain: I definitely want to try more of Shea Ernshaw's writing.
Read
December 14, 2025‘…a woman rediscovers the mythical island she stumbled upon as a child—and the man she once met who apparently hasn’t aged—and must choose between the life she’s built and a love that defies the laws of time and nature.’
I’ve always been a big S. E. fan so it’s no surprise how hungry I was for this arc.
Habits of the Sea is a hearty brew of fantasy, mystery, magical realism & something reminiscent of time travel. So naturally when I got into the thick of it, the questions of “how’s” and “why’s” began to swirl around. But I shoved them aside & let myself sink into this sort of comforting suspension of disbelief, which I found easy to do. A seamless descent only made possible by Ernshaw’s capable hands & remarkable talent.
This is a story rich in folklore, myths and legends, entwined with concepts of time, heartache & a love story for the ages. Once I started, I could not stop. I devoured this book whole. I was living in this book. & I won’t soon forget it.
Big thanks to Atria for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub: 7.7.2026.
I’ve always been a big S. E. fan so it’s no surprise how hungry I was for this arc.
Habits of the Sea is a hearty brew of fantasy, mystery, magical realism & something reminiscent of time travel. So naturally when I got into the thick of it, the questions of “how’s” and “why’s” began to swirl around. But I shoved them aside & let myself sink into this sort of comforting suspension of disbelief, which I found easy to do. A seamless descent only made possible by Ernshaw’s capable hands & remarkable talent.
This is a story rich in folklore, myths and legends, entwined with concepts of time, heartache & a love story for the ages. Once I started, I could not stop. I devoured this book whole. I was living in this book. & I won’t soon forget it.
Big thanks to Atria for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub: 7.7.2026.
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