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Cecaelia
As Sheriff of the small island town of Pleasant Shores, Morgan Reed thought her worst problems were drunk tourists and a regrettable one-night stand with a junior officer. Then a local woman goes missing, and the mutilated body of a tourist washes up on shore.
The town's medical examiner rules it the work of a shark. But something about the attack doesn't sit right with Morgan. And neither do the long-standing rumors surrounding Infinigen Labs, the controversial research facility owned by the Vandergelds, the island's founding family.
As the Vangergelds close ranks, Morgan begins to suspect the predator in the water isn't a shark at all, but something created in the lab. Something intelligent, dangerous, and bent on revenge.
The town's medical examiner rules it the work of a shark. But something about the attack doesn't sit right with Morgan. And neither do the long-standing rumors surrounding Infinigen Labs, the controversial research facility owned by the Vandergelds, the island's founding family.
As the Vangergelds close ranks, Morgan begins to suspect the predator in the water isn't a shark at all, but something created in the lab. Something intelligent, dangerous, and bent on revenge.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 14, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 4, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
Please note this is a 3.5.
This book knows exactly what it’s doing, and it’s fun as hell. While referential, it manages to keep the balance in that there’s not too much that feels like it’s identical to the inspirations. I do think it swung a little close to Jaws sometimes, but I also feel like that’s kind of the point.
It’s very much a B-grade horror, but gosh, it’s so much fun. Instead of a shark, we’ve got an octopus, and she’s out for revenge. I really did love the twist for the old man and his dog (without spoiling anything) and it added a bit of a different feeling to something that could have tread over old ground.
Some of the characterisation was a bit much, and I did feel like there were some tropes that were a little overdone. I do think there could have been a little more in the way of gore, but the deaths were pretty solid. I do understand as well that Cecaelia was a mother, but I found the whole ‘I’ll leave the kids alone’ a little much.
Morgan was a great main character, but I would have liked her to have a bit more of a backstory for the readers. This book really knows what it’s doing though, and I really appreciate it as a homage to creature features of days gone by.
Please note this is a 3.5.
This book knows exactly what it’s doing, and it’s fun as hell. While referential, it manages to keep the balance in that there’s not too much that feels like it’s identical to the inspirations. I do think it swung a little close to Jaws sometimes, but I also feel like that’s kind of the point.
It’s very much a B-grade horror, but gosh, it’s so much fun. Instead of a shark, we’ve got an octopus, and she’s out for revenge. I really did love the twist for the old man and his dog (without spoiling anything) and it added a bit of a different feeling to something that could have tread over old ground.
Some of the characterisation was a bit much, and I did feel like there were some tropes that were a little overdone. I do think there could have been a little more in the way of gore, but the deaths were pretty solid. I do understand as well that Cecaelia was a mother, but I found the whole ‘I’ll leave the kids alone’ a little much.
Morgan was a great main character, but I would have liked her to have a bit more of a backstory for the readers. This book really knows what it’s doing though, and I really appreciate it as a homage to creature features of days gone by.
May 10, 2026
4.5 stars.
I love a creature feature. A small town is terrorized by a genetically modified octopus with super intelligence and feminine rage. This was well written, had great characterisation and short chapters that flew by. There was a bit of gore and some adult scenes but would be great for all readers. It was action packed and read like a movie playing out in my head. One negative was the POV of Cecaelia. It took away some of the scariness for me. The ending left off on a cliff-hanger and I look forward to book 2.
Many thanks to E.A. Hoffmann for my ARC.
I love a creature feature. A small town is terrorized by a genetically modified octopus with super intelligence and feminine rage. This was well written, had great characterisation and short chapters that flew by. There was a bit of gore and some adult scenes but would be great for all readers. It was action packed and read like a movie playing out in my head. One negative was the POV of Cecaelia. It took away some of the scariness for me. The ending left off on a cliff-hanger and I look forward to book 2.
Many thanks to E.A. Hoffmann for my ARC.
April 24, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Harrogate Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“Cecaelia” by E.A. Hoffmann is basically Jaws if the shark was replaced by a genetically modified revenge-driven octopus, and honestly, that’s enough to sell me.
I am always here for a good creature feature, and a killer octopus is such an underrated horror villain. Octopuses are already terrifying; they’re way too smart, can squeeze into basically anywhere, and somehow always look like they know your secrets. Now make one genetically altered, angry, and very interested in revenge? Absolutely horrifying.
The story takes place in the isolated island town of Pleasant Shores, where Sheriff Morgan Reed starts investigating what looks like a missing person case that very quickly turns into a mutilated body and a whole lot of people pretending everything is fine. Naturally, the suspicious medical company involved insists it was probably just a shark attack, which is obviously nonsense.
Morgan is a really solid main character; she is competent, grounded, and actually trying to protect people instead of making horror-movie-level bad decisions. She definitely gives strong Sheriff Brody from Jaws energy, where she’s the one person taking the danger seriously while everyone else is worried about tourism and Memorial Day weekend profits.
And of course, the real star is Cecaelia herself—the octopus.
The book does a great job making her feel both terrifying and strangely sympathetic. Right from the beginning, you see how intelligent and observant she is, and because we get POV chapters from her perspective, you understand that she’s angry for a reason. The scientists experimented on her, took her babies, and basically treated her like a lab project instead of a living creature. She wants revenge, and she will stop at nothing to achieve it.
But the important thing is: she’s still an animal. She’s not secretly a misunderstood Disney protagonist. She will absolutely kill and eat people if she feels threatened or hungry. That balance between “I get why she’s mad” and “that thing needs to be stopped immediately” works really well.
The book also adds a sci-fi twist with the mutations. Cecaelia’s altered blood can spread to victims, heal diseases, improve animals (including the very important elderly dog who thankfully stays safe), and eventually starts getting way more extreme. At first it’s an interesting creepy detail, and then by the end it goes full “wait, are we doing zombie horror now?” territory.
That shift is where the book gets a little messy for me.
I actually would’ve preferred if it stayed a simpler creature-feature story. Killer octopus on the loose? Perfect. Killer octopus whose blood creates near-immortality and zombie resurrection? Slightly harder to take seriously. It gets a little ridiculous by the end, especially when the mutations start making people basically superhuman.
The pacing also slows down in the middle because there are a lot of characters and backstories to keep track of. Every side character seems connected somehow, and sometimes the tension gets interrupted by information dumps when you just want the giant octopus to attack again.
Still, when the action hits, it really works. Rising body count, people trapped on an island, officials refusing to cause panic because it’s a holiday weekend, and the creeping realization that even land isn’t safe; it delivers exactly what you want from this kind of horror.
Also, I need to specifically mention the elderly dog because that dog surviving automatically improves the book by at least one star.
Overall, “Cecaelia” is a fun, chaotic creature-feature that mixes horror, mystery, and increasingly wild sci-fi. It starts as a tense small-town monster thriller and ends somewhere between revenge horror and mutation apocalypse setup. It doesn’t always know when to stop adding plot twists, but if you like killer animals, island settings, gore, and the phrase “genetically modified killer octopus” immediately interests you, this is a very entertaining ride.
“Cecaelia” by E.A. Hoffmann is basically Jaws if the shark was replaced by a genetically modified revenge-driven octopus, and honestly, that’s enough to sell me.
I am always here for a good creature feature, and a killer octopus is such an underrated horror villain. Octopuses are already terrifying; they’re way too smart, can squeeze into basically anywhere, and somehow always look like they know your secrets. Now make one genetically altered, angry, and very interested in revenge? Absolutely horrifying.
The story takes place in the isolated island town of Pleasant Shores, where Sheriff Morgan Reed starts investigating what looks like a missing person case that very quickly turns into a mutilated body and a whole lot of people pretending everything is fine. Naturally, the suspicious medical company involved insists it was probably just a shark attack, which is obviously nonsense.
Morgan is a really solid main character; she is competent, grounded, and actually trying to protect people instead of making horror-movie-level bad decisions. She definitely gives strong Sheriff Brody from Jaws energy, where she’s the one person taking the danger seriously while everyone else is worried about tourism and Memorial Day weekend profits.
And of course, the real star is Cecaelia herself—the octopus.
The book does a great job making her feel both terrifying and strangely sympathetic. Right from the beginning, you see how intelligent and observant she is, and because we get POV chapters from her perspective, you understand that she’s angry for a reason. The scientists experimented on her, took her babies, and basically treated her like a lab project instead of a living creature. She wants revenge, and she will stop at nothing to achieve it.
But the important thing is: she’s still an animal. She’s not secretly a misunderstood Disney protagonist. She will absolutely kill and eat people if she feels threatened or hungry. That balance between “I get why she’s mad” and “that thing needs to be stopped immediately” works really well.
The book also adds a sci-fi twist with the mutations. Cecaelia’s altered blood can spread to victims, heal diseases, improve animals (including the very important elderly dog who thankfully stays safe), and eventually starts getting way more extreme. At first it’s an interesting creepy detail, and then by the end it goes full “wait, are we doing zombie horror now?” territory.
That shift is where the book gets a little messy for me.
I actually would’ve preferred if it stayed a simpler creature-feature story. Killer octopus on the loose? Perfect. Killer octopus whose blood creates near-immortality and zombie resurrection? Slightly harder to take seriously. It gets a little ridiculous by the end, especially when the mutations start making people basically superhuman.
The pacing also slows down in the middle because there are a lot of characters and backstories to keep track of. Every side character seems connected somehow, and sometimes the tension gets interrupted by information dumps when you just want the giant octopus to attack again.
Still, when the action hits, it really works. Rising body count, people trapped on an island, officials refusing to cause panic because it’s a holiday weekend, and the creeping realization that even land isn’t safe; it delivers exactly what you want from this kind of horror.
Also, I need to specifically mention the elderly dog because that dog surviving automatically improves the book by at least one star.
Overall, “Cecaelia” is a fun, chaotic creature-feature that mixes horror, mystery, and increasingly wild sci-fi. It starts as a tense small-town monster thriller and ends somewhere between revenge horror and mutation apocalypse setup. It doesn’t always know when to stop adding plot twists, but if you like killer animals, island settings, gore, and the phrase “genetically modified killer octopus” immediately interests you, this is a very entertaining ride.
May 7, 2026
I had very high hopes for this book; between the cover and the description I was very excited, I have a big interest and love for octopuses. That being said I have to say this book was very middle ground for me.
It was a very run of the mill story where there's a company doing top secret research, something goes wrong, they have political ties they can pull; there's a sheriff that's too suspicious and wants to uncover the truth. At least that's how it started but it got a little confusing for me. There was a lot of character building in the sense of there were a lot of characters; you basically got to know the whole town. Because of that it did keep steering away from the plot itself.
The timeline was also very confusing in so many places. It was very like half the time the events were in order and made sense and then half the time you're questioning where you are in the series of events for a character. There were also moments where say a character left a room but then they were still in the room.
Overall, I would say I did enjoy the story and the concept; it didn't tug at my emotions as hard as it could have, but I had my moments. The more intense moments were very high paced, could not put the book down moment; that was great, there were just too many "I am forcing myself to read this" moments. I just feel like there is still work to be done to get this book to where it deserves to be.
It was a very run of the mill story where there's a company doing top secret research, something goes wrong, they have political ties they can pull; there's a sheriff that's too suspicious and wants to uncover the truth. At least that's how it started but it got a little confusing for me. There was a lot of character building in the sense of there were a lot of characters; you basically got to know the whole town. Because of that it did keep steering away from the plot itself.
The timeline was also very confusing in so many places. It was very like half the time the events were in order and made sense and then half the time you're questioning where you are in the series of events for a character. There were also moments where say a character left a room but then they were still in the room.
Overall, I would say I did enjoy the story and the concept; it didn't tug at my emotions as hard as it could have, but I had my moments. The more intense moments were very high paced, could not put the book down moment; that was great, there were just too many "I am forcing myself to read this" moments. I just feel like there is still work to be done to get this book to where it deserves to be.
May 11, 2026
I received this book courtesy of NetGalley for the purpose of a fair and honest review.
Overview: The Vandergelds have opened a lab that the town of Pleasant Shores has theories about. Not that Sheriff Morgan Reed has time to worry about those theories. A young woman has disappeared, and people are getting attacked by something in the waters of the bay. What is going on here? Does Pleasant Shores have a shark? Do the attacks have anything to do with Infinigen Labs? And what does Evelyn and Metcalf have to do with Morgan's situation? Let's find out.
Dislikes: There really isn't a whole lot that can go wrong with a creature feature. This, however, failed at the ending. That was too bad, but it could be the setup for a series, at least according to Goodreads.
Likes: Freddie has found a way to learn, even if school hadn't worked for him. He was able to be a big help to Morgan in this book.
Ben only thought of how to help Ollie. I loved how they ended up, and they were the best part of the book for me.
Evelyn did try to help those around her. Even if they didn't quite agree with how she could help.
Conclusion: For the most part, this was a fun book. If you like the creature feature, then this book is for you. Enjoy the read.
Overview: The Vandergelds have opened a lab that the town of Pleasant Shores has theories about. Not that Sheriff Morgan Reed has time to worry about those theories. A young woman has disappeared, and people are getting attacked by something in the waters of the bay. What is going on here? Does Pleasant Shores have a shark? Do the attacks have anything to do with Infinigen Labs? And what does Evelyn and Metcalf have to do with Morgan's situation? Let's find out.
Dislikes: There really isn't a whole lot that can go wrong with a creature feature. This, however, failed at the ending. That was too bad, but it could be the setup for a series, at least according to Goodreads.
Likes: Freddie has found a way to learn, even if school hadn't worked for him. He was able to be a big help to Morgan in this book.
Ben only thought of how to help Ollie. I loved how they ended up, and they were the best part of the book for me.
Evelyn did try to help those around her. Even if they didn't quite agree with how she could help.
Conclusion: For the most part, this was a fun book. If you like the creature feature, then this book is for you. Enjoy the read.
April 28, 2026
Thanks to Harrogate Lane Books and netgalley for a copy of this arc
This book is for people who understand the difference between a true b move and sharknado something cashing in on honest effort and affection for a genre.
Cecaelia is a fun and thrilling tale that feels pulpy in the best of ways.
There is a market for this book for sure, fans of the haunted forest tour, and the pulpier end of the craige di loiue catalog will likely have a great time her.
I think there were a fee to many pov characters and they would have benefitted from having more time to shine either in a longer page count or fewer pov characters.
I especially disliked Elara intro as barley legal and when a cop slapped her so hard she was unconscious for 20 minutes, while we are supposed to be sympathetic to said cops.
Around 80% in we get a twist thats a little silly but pretty fun that really if you’ve been vibing so far with you’ll probably enjoy too
Ultimately its a book about an evil(ish because we have a no killing kids rule I Guess) octopus. Does that sound appealing to you ? You’ll probably like this book then. It is delightfully just as appears on the tin.
This book is for people who understand the difference between a true b move and sharknado something cashing in on honest effort and affection for a genre.
Cecaelia is a fun and thrilling tale that feels pulpy in the best of ways.
There is a market for this book for sure, fans of the haunted forest tour, and the pulpier end of the craige di loiue catalog will likely have a great time her.
I think there were a fee to many pov characters and they would have benefitted from having more time to shine either in a longer page count or fewer pov characters.
I especially disliked Elara intro as barley legal and when a cop slapped her so hard she was unconscious for 20 minutes, while we are supposed to be sympathetic to said cops.
Around 80% in we get a twist thats a little silly but pretty fun that really if you’ve been vibing so far with you’ll probably enjoy too
Ultimately its a book about an evil(ish because we have a no killing kids rule I Guess) octopus. Does that sound appealing to you ? You’ll probably like this book then. It is delightfully just as appears on the tin.
May 4, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
This one was freaky, fast, and just a little unhinged.
A lab-altered creature.
A small island town.
And a body count that doesn’t stop.
I read it in one sitting, which tells you everything about the momentum.
Using my review system:
Depth: Light — more fun than layered.
Connection: Decent — the character dynamics add an unexpected layer. I especially enjoyed the interconnectedness of the small island community, where everyone’s lives overlap. The morally gray cast adds a sense of realism in an otherwise fantastical story.
Momentum: Strong — hard to put down, and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.
Final decision: Read & release
Not every book needs to stay on your shelf to be worth reading.
This is the kind of story you take to the beach for a wild ride… and then pass along to the next vacationer when you’re done.
Who this is for:
Readers looking for a fast-paced, slightly chaotic creature thriller with morally gray characters and strong momentum.
Who this is not for:
Readers who prefer deep, layered storytelling with clear heroes and a focus on complex themes.
This one was freaky, fast, and just a little unhinged.
A lab-altered creature.
A small island town.
And a body count that doesn’t stop.
I read it in one sitting, which tells you everything about the momentum.
Using my review system:
Depth: Light — more fun than layered.
Connection: Decent — the character dynamics add an unexpected layer. I especially enjoyed the interconnectedness of the small island community, where everyone’s lives overlap. The morally gray cast adds a sense of realism in an otherwise fantastical story.
Momentum: Strong — hard to put down, and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.
Final decision: Read & release
Not every book needs to stay on your shelf to be worth reading.
This is the kind of story you take to the beach for a wild ride… and then pass along to the next vacationer when you’re done.
Who this is for:
Readers looking for a fast-paced, slightly chaotic creature thriller with morally gray characters and strong momentum.
Who this is not for:
Readers who prefer deep, layered storytelling with clear heroes and a focus on complex themes.
April 28, 2026
To say I loved this horror book is an understatement!
Each character felt so developed and real. I loved how, in a small town, they all knew each other and had their own drama, which gave their interactions more depth. I was invested in literally so many characters storylines!
The description of the Cecaelia, the modified octopus, was absolutely top tier. She had intelligence, a moral code (yes, even an octopus), and wasn’t afraid to act on it 👀
I really enjoyed the subplots too! The sisters from the lab department, the detective being newly pregnant, the longing looks from her subordinate detectives, and relationship tension between Freddie, Amory, and Elara… all of these character connections made the story rich and engaging.
I can honestly say I’ve already started recommending this book as a must read to my friends 👏🏻🐙
Thank you to NetGalley and Harrogate Lane Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Each character felt so developed and real. I loved how, in a small town, they all knew each other and had their own drama, which gave their interactions more depth. I was invested in literally so many characters storylines!
The description of the Cecaelia, the modified octopus, was absolutely top tier. She had intelligence, a moral code (yes, even an octopus), and wasn’t afraid to act on it 👀
I really enjoyed the subplots too! The sisters from the lab department, the detective being newly pregnant, the longing looks from her subordinate detectives, and relationship tension between Freddie, Amory, and Elara… all of these character connections made the story rich and engaging.
I can honestly say I’ve already started recommending this book as a must read to my friends 👏🏻🐙
Thank you to NetGalley and Harrogate Lane Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2026
2.5 stars rounded up. thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.
i was really hoping to like this novel but it just wasn’t for me. personally, the characters seemed shallow and didn’t have a natural way of speaking or interacting with each other, and we don’t anthropomorphize the octopus enough to actually care about her and see what she’s doing as okay. plus, there were a ton of weird sexual tensions that were inappropriate in my opinion (the “barely legal” trope and a boss sleeping with her subordinate who is half her age). this book also deals a lot with class inequality but only on the surface and not in a way that really says anything.
the build up of action is good and its a fun premise, so if you’re just looking for a fun, jaws-esque book, you may enjoy this, but as an avid horror reader it was difficult to get through.
i was really hoping to like this novel but it just wasn’t for me. personally, the characters seemed shallow and didn’t have a natural way of speaking or interacting with each other, and we don’t anthropomorphize the octopus enough to actually care about her and see what she’s doing as okay. plus, there were a ton of weird sexual tensions that were inappropriate in my opinion (the “barely legal” trope and a boss sleeping with her subordinate who is half her age). this book also deals a lot with class inequality but only on the surface and not in a way that really says anything.
the build up of action is good and its a fun premise, so if you’re just looking for a fun, jaws-esque book, you may enjoy this, but as an avid horror reader it was difficult to get through.
May 7, 2026
Cecaelia follows a sprawling fantasy storyline centered around a cast of interconnected characters with a genetically modified octopus. As the story unfolds, similar themes to Jaws, new characters and plot lines are introduced rapidly but quickly end in gore. I appreciate the opportunity to read through NetGalley and enjoyed the several aspects of the book that develop a small world with layered lore. For me, the pacing was slow throughout which made it difficult to stay fully engaged. At times it was challenging to keep track of the characters ands subplots that were introduced randomly. I was also distracted when names were from other stories or films. I’m grateful to NetGalley and the author for the advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2026
386 pages
4 stars
I love creature features. Of course, there should be lots of action, with many deaths, fear and terror. I liked the intentionality and intelligence of the creatures in this novel.
The people must be a mixed bag. The smart, competent person, the arrogant person, the dumb person, the innocent person and so on.
These really are formula novels in that they form a pattern, but I enjoy the variety of ideas and characters.
Long live the creature feature !
I want to thank NetGalley and Harrogate - Lane Books for forwarding to me a copy of this funky little novel. The opinions cited in this review are solely my own.
4 stars
I love creature features. Of course, there should be lots of action, with many deaths, fear and terror. I liked the intentionality and intelligence of the creatures in this novel.
The people must be a mixed bag. The smart, competent person, the arrogant person, the dumb person, the innocent person and so on.
These really are formula novels in that they form a pattern, but I enjoy the variety of ideas and characters.
Long live the creature feature !
I want to thank NetGalley and Harrogate - Lane Books for forwarding to me a copy of this funky little novel. The opinions cited in this review are solely my own.
May 9, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Harrogate Lane Books for this one.
In a nutshell, this is Jaws, except with an octopus and some mad scientist vibes. Overall recipe = a great time!
It didn't take itself too seriously and I enjoyed the 80's type of shlocky horror/b-movie vibes ala The Rats.
I appreciated the nuances with the characters and the fact that we got some POV chapters from the Cecaelia's (the Octopus) perspective.
Nothing mind-blowing here, but sometimes it doesn't need to be. It's a killer Octopus, not The Great Gatsby.
I thought there were too many characters, however, I think that paring the characters down would have worked more.
I think there was just a little too much going on as well. Each character had various conflicts outside of a man-eating Octopus, which is good for character depth but a little convoluted for my tastes. Simple is better sometimes. I wasn't a fan that the novel tacked on an unnecessary side plot involving reanimating already dead characters.
Light spoilers ahead but I wasn't a huge fan that it ended in a cliffhanger, I see it's the start of a series but I would've preferred more of a sound ending than leaving things ambiguous, especially when there were many scenes building up to a big confrontation that doesn't occur.
Overall, extremely entertaining beach read. I recommend.
In a nutshell, this is Jaws, except with an octopus and some mad scientist vibes. Overall recipe = a great time!
It didn't take itself too seriously and I enjoyed the 80's type of shlocky horror/b-movie vibes ala The Rats.
I appreciated the nuances with the characters and the fact that we got some POV chapters from the Cecaelia's (the Octopus) perspective.
Nothing mind-blowing here, but sometimes it doesn't need to be. It's a killer Octopus, not The Great Gatsby.
I thought there were too many characters, however, I think that paring the characters down would have worked more.
I think there was just a little too much going on as well. Each character had various conflicts outside of a man-eating Octopus, which is good for character depth but a little convoluted for my tastes. Simple is better sometimes. I wasn't a fan that the novel tacked on an unnecessary side plot involving reanimating already dead characters.
Light spoilers ahead but I wasn't a huge fan that it ended in a cliffhanger, I see it's the start of a series but I would've preferred more of a sound ending than leaving things ambiguous, especially when there were many scenes building up to a big confrontation that doesn't occur.
Overall, extremely entertaining beach read. I recommend.
May 10, 2026
The horrors of this book need to be read. I was absolutely captivated by this story. If you like reading about nefarious richie richs absolutely destroying their world around them, this is it. A glorious mix of Jaws and Resident Evil on a quaint summer vacation island. This book will have you questioning any plans you have to visit any place that involves arrival by ferry. This is book 1 in a series. Thank-you, Harrogate Lane Books and E.A. Hoffmann, for this complimentary copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
April 20, 2026
A great 'creature-feature' thriller! An isolated island accessible only by ferry. A pair of twins doing genetic research. An angry creature, who's incredibly intelligent and is out for revenge. A sherriff doing her best to try and make sense of the situation and keep people safe. A fast paced read that keeps you turning the page.
Thanks to Netgalley, Harrogate Lane Books, and E.A. Hoffmann for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to Netgalley, Harrogate Lane Books, and E.A. Hoffmann for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.
April 26, 2026
Delightfully macabre! I particularly enjoyed the chapters from Cecaelia's POV, I wish there had been more of them! The stage felt set similar to a Twin Peaks-style mini-series and I have to say I love that the ending wasn't wrapped up in a bow, leaving us wondering about the fate of the residents of Pleasant Shores. I love when I get to root for the monster 👀
Thank you to NetGalley and Harrogate Lane Books for the Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harrogate Lane Books for the Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review!
April 29, 2026
Cover, awesome octopus!
Disclaimer - I have been watching the show 'FROM' and watched all of 'Lost' so I'm in a odd mood. People lost on an island and then lots of backstory and mystery! It's just what I crave at this moment!!!
Anyway, it's awesome and you should read it. The ocean creatures and stuff make this a really fun beach read if you don't plan on going swimming.
Disclaimer - I have been watching the show 'FROM' and watched all of 'Lost' so I'm in a odd mood. People lost on an island and then lots of backstory and mystery! It's just what I crave at this moment!!!
Anyway, it's awesome and you should read it. The ocean creatures and stuff make this a really fun beach read if you don't plan on going swimming.
May 8, 2026
What a fun read! This story about a genetically altered octopus put me very much in mind of Jaws 3 (without the wild 3-D scene.)
Elements of Jurassic Park, Frankenstein, and Nick Cutter’s The Dorians also sprang to mind while reading this. My only regret is that I wasn’t reading it on a Summer holiday near a beach!
What’s not to enjoy about an island, a monster, and a load of killings?!?
Elements of Jurassic Park, Frankenstein, and Nick Cutter’s The Dorians also sprang to mind while reading this. My only regret is that I wasn’t reading it on a Summer holiday near a beach!
What’s not to enjoy about an island, a monster, and a load of killings?!?
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews