What do you think?
Rate this book
When Life Gives You Corpses
Not yet published
Expected 23 Mar 27"The most charming cannibalism novel I've ever read!" —Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author
In this delightfully cozy and creepy YA romp, a cave monster masquerading as a search-and-recovery guide intends to find and eat a lost wizard—but catches feelings for him instead, perfect for fans of TJ Klune and Andrew Joseph White.
Theory has a monstrous secret. He isn’t an ordinary search-and-recovery guide at Fiendworld, the world’s premier magical-sinkhole-turned-amusement-park; he’s a cursed, human-eating mantis. But not to worry—he has an excellent solution for his particular diet. Whenever he’s asked to retrieve the corpse of a lost adventurer, he simply snacks on a finger or two. No harm done.
That is, until he’s given his latest assignment: recover the body of park management’s missing son. Great. Yet another foolish wizard who got lost adventuring, and this time the direct descendant of the very person who cursed Theory in the first place. Worse, when Theory reluctantly sets off on the search, he’s shocked to find the wizard somehow still alive.
Nim—the wizard in question—has no desire to be rescued. He’s on a mission to the bottom of the sinkhole, and refuses to return to the surface before he gets there. He may be a subpar wizard, as his parents constantly remind him, but he’s got a positive attitude, an enchanted backpack, and now a mysterious rescue worker to recruit to his cause! Even though said worker is quite rude and seems to be getting Nim into more danger rather than out of it.
To survive, Theory and Nim must brave man-eating fish, walls of tentacles, and devastating both their own, and ones the park desperately tries to keep hidden. Along the way, they may just discover that they’re stronger together than apart.
In this delightfully cozy and creepy YA romp, a cave monster masquerading as a search-and-recovery guide intends to find and eat a lost wizard—but catches feelings for him instead, perfect for fans of TJ Klune and Andrew Joseph White.
Theory has a monstrous secret. He isn’t an ordinary search-and-recovery guide at Fiendworld, the world’s premier magical-sinkhole-turned-amusement-park; he’s a cursed, human-eating mantis. But not to worry—he has an excellent solution for his particular diet. Whenever he’s asked to retrieve the corpse of a lost adventurer, he simply snacks on a finger or two. No harm done.
That is, until he’s given his latest assignment: recover the body of park management’s missing son. Great. Yet another foolish wizard who got lost adventuring, and this time the direct descendant of the very person who cursed Theory in the first place. Worse, when Theory reluctantly sets off on the search, he’s shocked to find the wizard somehow still alive.
Nim—the wizard in question—has no desire to be rescued. He’s on a mission to the bottom of the sinkhole, and refuses to return to the surface before he gets there. He may be a subpar wizard, as his parents constantly remind him, but he’s got a positive attitude, an enchanted backpack, and now a mysterious rescue worker to recruit to his cause! Even though said worker is quite rude and seems to be getting Nim into more danger rather than out of it.
To survive, Theory and Nim must brave man-eating fish, walls of tentacles, and devastating both their own, and ones the park desperately tries to keep hidden. Along the way, they may just discover that they’re stronger together than apart.
320 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 23, 2027
About the author
Lene D. Buttner
1 book45 followersLene lives in London, surrounded by various fluffy and non-fluffy pets. When they’re not writing, they work in Computer Animation, where they spend their time exploding things or simulating toilet paper.
They love everything scifi and fantasy and are yet to run out of book ideas featuring misunderstood, snarky monsters.
They love everything scifi and fantasy and are yet to run out of book ideas featuring misunderstood, snarky monsters.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I am one of the luckiest people on this planet because I already got to read this book - and I CANNOT wait to talk about it with everyone once it will hit bookstores.
I’m a pretty picky reader these days, and it’s hard to make me care about a character and a book from the very first page - but this one did it. And does it over and over again.
We meet Theory, who is everything I wouldn’t normally care to interact with irl - a bug person, a terrible grump, a stickler for alll the rules, and did I mention he eats dead people he’s supposed to recover from the depth of the sinkhole theme park he works at?
And don’t tell him he works for search and rescue, because Theory is most certainly not here to rescue anybody. I mean, when we first meet him, he’s literally trying to sneak away with part of poor Peter-the-meat (my all time favorite … uh … side character?), his intended snack.
Too bad the park director has other ideas and makes him descend into the sinkhole again to recover an obnoxious little wizard who got himself into a tight spot down there (and too bad said wizard is the son of the park owners and now Theory feels kind of obligated.)
Worse: the wizard is alive! Even though Theory simply doesn’t do alive! There will be no rescuing, especially since the wizard clearly doesn’t know how to follow the rules so Theory has to insist he fill out missing paperwork before they can even consider helping him.
I could go on and on just reiterating this amazing and hilarious and yet also heartfelt and heartbreaking story, but I’d still be here tomorrow, and it’s way more fun to read it yourself and meet this amazingly atmospheric and alive setting that’s a character itself - while also populated by the most awesome motley crew of side characters - with a very slowly and totally grudgingly developing romance at its core.
There’s even societal commentary in here, but in a way that is so subtle and well done, you’ll never feel like it’s on the nose or annoying or trying to teach you something.
Theory is one of my all time favorite characters now, and I’m pretty sure he always will be, while Nim is the adorably gentle wizard who brings him out of his hard shell (while also making him care again, something he hasn’t done in a very long time.)
Did I mention there’s also a mystery? And the sweetest most heartbreaking and yet still somehow uplifting and escapist endings?
I have no idea how one book can be all those things and make it work, but this one does.
If you’re only gonna buy one hard copy of a book next year, make it this one. It’s everything (and the fact I’m rambling incoherently about it, tells you exactly that.)
It’s a book that’ll make you escape reality if you want to, or make you face reality in a different way. It’s “cozy cannibalism fantasy.” It’s all the things that shouldn’t work and still they do, and it keeps you hooked until the very last page and beyond.
I can’t wait to see where this book and this author will go, and I can’t wait for their next book!
I’m a pretty picky reader these days, and it’s hard to make me care about a character and a book from the very first page - but this one did it. And does it over and over again.
We meet Theory, who is everything I wouldn’t normally care to interact with irl - a bug person, a terrible grump, a stickler for alll the rules, and did I mention he eats dead people he’s supposed to recover from the depth of the sinkhole theme park he works at?
And don’t tell him he works for search and rescue, because Theory is most certainly not here to rescue anybody. I mean, when we first meet him, he’s literally trying to sneak away with part of poor Peter-the-meat (my all time favorite … uh … side character?), his intended snack.
Too bad the park director has other ideas and makes him descend into the sinkhole again to recover an obnoxious little wizard who got himself into a tight spot down there (and too bad said wizard is the son of the park owners and now Theory feels kind of obligated.)
Worse: the wizard is alive! Even though Theory simply doesn’t do alive! There will be no rescuing, especially since the wizard clearly doesn’t know how to follow the rules so Theory has to insist he fill out missing paperwork before they can even consider helping him.
I could go on and on just reiterating this amazing and hilarious and yet also heartfelt and heartbreaking story, but I’d still be here tomorrow, and it’s way more fun to read it yourself and meet this amazingly atmospheric and alive setting that’s a character itself - while also populated by the most awesome motley crew of side characters - with a very slowly and totally grudgingly developing romance at its core.
There’s even societal commentary in here, but in a way that is so subtle and well done, you’ll never feel like it’s on the nose or annoying or trying to teach you something.
Theory is one of my all time favorite characters now, and I’m pretty sure he always will be, while Nim is the adorably gentle wizard who brings him out of his hard shell (while also making him care again, something he hasn’t done in a very long time.)
Did I mention there’s also a mystery? And the sweetest most heartbreaking and yet still somehow uplifting and escapist endings?
I have no idea how one book can be all those things and make it work, but this one does.
If you’re only gonna buy one hard copy of a book next year, make it this one. It’s everything (and the fact I’m rambling incoherently about it, tells you exactly that.)
It’s a book that’ll make you escape reality if you want to, or make you face reality in a different way. It’s “cozy cannibalism fantasy.” It’s all the things that shouldn’t work and still they do, and it keeps you hooked until the very last page and beyond.
I can’t wait to see where this book and this author will go, and I can’t wait for their next book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I was able to get an ARC of this book from Edelweiss, so thank you for that!
Theory is an understandably grumpy Fiendworld employee who also happens to be a praying mantis fiend who eats people (occasionally). He is, in fact, on probation for being found in possession of a head. He is sent to find Nim (or Nim's body, it doesn't particularly matter to Theory) after the wizard son of the park's owners goes missing inside the sinkhole-turned-park.
Nim is a cute and slightly (extremely?) incompetent wizard, searching for his friend, who went into the cursed sinkhole and never came out. He is determined to get to the bottom of his friend's disappearance, whether Theory wants to help him or not - and Theory decidedly does not want to help him. At first.
What ensues is a charming adventure of self-discovery as the two explore the magic of the park and its various levels searching for the answers to Nim's questions and then, later, the answers to Theory's past and present as well.
Came for the "cute cannibalism" implication on the cover. Stayed for the grumpy-and-sunshine dynamic, queer love story, journey of self-discovery, found family, and mystery. Genuinely a delightful read all around. If anything, my one and only complaint is that I wish it was longer. I can imagine the best of stories everywhere in this world. Extra bonus for the author's obvious love for commonly unloved creatures - in this case, bugs.
I have a couple of very minor wishes -
Theory is an understandably grumpy Fiendworld employee who also happens to be a praying mantis fiend who eats people (occasionally). He is, in fact, on probation for being found in possession of a head. He is sent to find Nim (or Nim's body, it doesn't particularly matter to Theory) after the wizard son of the park's owners goes missing inside the sinkhole-turned-park.
Nim is a cute and slightly (extremely?) incompetent wizard, searching for his friend, who went into the cursed sinkhole and never came out. He is determined to get to the bottom of his friend's disappearance, whether Theory wants to help him or not - and Theory decidedly does not want to help him. At first.
What ensues is a charming adventure of self-discovery as the two explore the magic of the park and its various levels searching for the answers to Nim's questions and then, later, the answers to Theory's past and present as well.
Came for the "cute cannibalism" implication on the cover. Stayed for the grumpy-and-sunshine dynamic, queer love story, journey of self-discovery, found family, and mystery. Genuinely a delightful read all around. If anything, my one and only complaint is that I wish it was longer. I can imagine the best of stories everywhere in this world. Extra bonus for the author's obvious love for commonly unloved creatures - in this case, bugs.
I have a couple of very minor wishes -
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was given an ARC by the author to provide an honest review! Mild spoilers in below.
This book right here. This is the one. The one you want to read, right now. I promise. I needed a three-day recovery period from the sheer number of emotions I felt after finishing this book. The thing that made me fall in love first is the VOICE. Theory's character is crafted with so much genuine humor and humanity considering he eats dead people. I immediately supported all of Theory's rights and wrongs and would probably let him munch on one of my less necessary digits if he really wanted to. The pacing is incredibly strong and sweeps you along on his adventure to find Nim, who is the most cinnamon roll to ever cinnamon roll. Their dynamic is so endearing and is truly the glue of the story as their descent into the cavern grows more and more dangerous. The plot twists surprised me at every turn (especially at the end! Oh, my heart!) and left me with a feeling that this story had filled a hole somewhere inside me I didn't know existed! It's perfect for lovers of cozy, heartwarming, horrific books like SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN or fans of the anime Delicious in Dungeon. So do yourself a favor and read this book!
This book right here. This is the one. The one you want to read, right now. I promise. I needed a three-day recovery period from the sheer number of emotions I felt after finishing this book. The thing that made me fall in love first is the VOICE. Theory's character is crafted with so much genuine humor and humanity considering he eats dead people. I immediately supported all of Theory's rights and wrongs and would probably let him munch on one of my less necessary digits if he really wanted to. The pacing is incredibly strong and sweeps you along on his adventure to find Nim, who is the most cinnamon roll to ever cinnamon roll. Their dynamic is so endearing and is truly the glue of the story as their descent into the cavern grows more and more dangerous. The plot twists surprised me at every turn (especially at the end! Oh, my heart!) and left me with a feeling that this story had filled a hole somewhere inside me I didn't know existed! It's perfect for lovers of cozy, heartwarming, horrific books like SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN or fans of the anime Delicious in Dungeon. So do yourself a favor and read this book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was lucky enough to read this book pre-publication when the author shared an ARC with me. This is my honest review…
This book is a delight.
Theory is a cavern search and rescue specialist tasked with recovering the bodies of adventurers lost in a gruesome theme park. He’s also, secretly, a cannibal, who tries to be ethical about the whole business. (None of this counts as spoilers, because it’s all in the first few pages.) When Theory is sent to recover the body of a magician who has disappeared down the cavern, Nim, the very much alive magician turns out to already be on his own separate quest. Together, this unlikely duo dive deeper into the cavern and into their feelings as they confront the mystery of the broken world they live in and their own troubled histories.
I never would have imaged I could root so hard for a cannibalistic quasi-monster to find love and acceptance, but here we are. Theory and Nim have my whole heart and if you let them in, I bet they’ll win yours too.
This book is a delight.
Theory is a cavern search and rescue specialist tasked with recovering the bodies of adventurers lost in a gruesome theme park. He’s also, secretly, a cannibal, who tries to be ethical about the whole business. (None of this counts as spoilers, because it’s all in the first few pages.) When Theory is sent to recover the body of a magician who has disappeared down the cavern, Nim, the very much alive magician turns out to already be on his own separate quest. Together, this unlikely duo dive deeper into the cavern and into their feelings as they confront the mystery of the broken world they live in and their own troubled histories.
I never would have imaged I could root so hard for a cannibalistic quasi-monster to find love and acceptance, but here we are. Theory and Nim have my whole heart and if you let them in, I bet they’ll win yours too.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book is so good I created an account just to review this. I've received an early copy, and it was the most heartfelt and humorous book I've read last year.
The worldbuilding is so fun and reminiscense of MYSTERY FLESH PIT NATIONAL PARK--but better because there's a hot tentacle not!lady. The book also frames monstrosity in the most human way, in a very Guillermo Del Toro way where you can't help but just feel for and fall in love with Theory and the hot tentacle not!lady. Theory's journey is a delight to follow, and Nim is just so earnest and tender that watching him crack Theory's walls is something that I still think about late at night.
If there's anything that this this book taught me, it's that even in the darkest times, even in the most cannibalistic of moments, we don't have to be alone.
The worldbuilding is so fun and reminiscense of MYSTERY FLESH PIT NATIONAL PARK--but better because there's a hot tentacle not!lady. The book also frames monstrosity in the most human way, in a very Guillermo Del Toro way where you can't help but just feel for and fall in love with Theory and the hot tentacle not!lady. Theory's journey is a delight to follow, and Nim is just so earnest and tender that watching him crack Theory's walls is something that I still think about late at night.
If there's anything that this this book taught me, it's that even in the darkest times, even in the most cannibalistic of moments, we don't have to be alone.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
HOW IS A CANNIBALISM BOOK SO COZY AND LOVELY??? This is the type of brilliant book that makes me angry at the author, because how did they do this so well?? WLGYC is delightfully meaty romp that will literally wrap tentacles around your heart and make you fall in love with Theory and Nim.
It's such a heartwarming tale, and we get to follow the path from fiend, to friend, to something more. Deep in the cavern with the fiends, we’re reminded that it’s more than just our bodies that makes us human - it’s our hearts, and most importantly, what we mean to each other.
To paraphrase Rihanna, we found love in a fiendish place.
It's such a heartwarming tale, and we get to follow the path from fiend, to friend, to something more. Deep in the cavern with the fiends, we’re reminded that it’s more than just our bodies that makes us human - it’s our hearts, and most importantly, what we mean to each other.
To paraphrase Rihanna, we found love in a fiendish place.
August 11, 2026
When Life Gives You Corpses is a cute cozy horror with a delightfully inventive setting, memorable characters, and a very sweet MM romance.
I’m obsessed with the world of the curse, the sinkhole, the fiends, and the theme park. If anything, I wanted to see more! And I loved the POVs of both Theory and Nim. Their relationship grows along side their respective characters, and I really liked the resolution of their story.
When Life Gives You Corpses is just the right amount of heartwarming and horrifying. Fans of cozy horror and spooky MM romance should check it out!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
I’m obsessed with the world of the curse, the sinkhole, the fiends, and the theme park. If anything, I wanted to see more! And I loved the POVs of both Theory and Nim. Their relationship grows along side their respective characters, and I really liked the resolution of their story.
When Life Gives You Corpses is just the right amount of heartwarming and horrifying. Fans of cozy horror and spooky MM romance should check it out!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I had the honor of getting to read an early copy of this for blurbs and I read it in ONE DAY.
"A whirlwind debut that hits the ground running and doesn't stop―not even for monstrous fish... Readers will devour this book like I did and fall in love with these memorable, heartfelt characters as they explore grief, love, and finding hope even within the deepest, darkest cave." ― C.R. Averett, author of Not Your Typical Love Story
"A whirlwind debut that hits the ground running and doesn't stop―not even for monstrous fish... Readers will devour this book like I did and fall in love with these memorable, heartfelt characters as they explore grief, love, and finding hope even within the deepest, darkest cave." ― C.R. Averett, author of Not Your Typical Love Story
August 7, 2026
I think I need 7-10 business days to process this book. I just finished it and OMG it killed me. Over the course of one chapter I wanted to scream, cry, punch something, and hug each of the wonderful characters.
I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This might be one of the best books I have read this year!
I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This might be one of the best books I have read this year!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This ARC was so good. I enjoyed it. It does have trigger warnings and I would only recommend it if you’re suitable for the trigger warnings. It has cannibalism and insects. I loved the story. I want more.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’ve never wanted to be in a sinkhole as bad as I did while reading this book! The main characters are funny and easy to relate to and their romance is so sweet and silly. There’s some serious subject matter but it’s all handled really well and perfectly balanced with humor and romance.
Want to Read
June 9, 2026Would very much like to read when this book comes out!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews