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Jenny Will Eat You Now
Sometimes you just want to eat the one you love...right?
Jenny Greenteeth has watched civilizations fall and wars break out during her lifetime. Preferring to keep her own company, she has been living in Boston for the last few hundred years – currently, in an abandoned subway station. Here, she has access to the waterways, an interconnected subterranean system that allows her to travel around the globe. With a conviction that she is far superior to humans – who are petty, dangerous, and fragile – she has no qualms about satisfying her hunger with their flesh. That is, until she comes face to face with a human man who, for the first time, she doesn’t want to eat (but also…she kind of does). Confused by these conflicting feelings, Jenny is intrigued.
So, when two other cryptids take up residence in her station – a satyr and a selkie – she (begrudgingly) asks them to help her find this mystery man in exchange for safe passage through her waterways. Together, they embark on a quest to track him down. On the way, Jenny experiences the modern world – discovering catcalling, pigeons, protests, fashion, friendship, and…Dunkin Donuts. On her journey to find the man that she couldn’t eat at first sight, Jenny goes on an unexpected deep dive into what it means to be human and to fall in love.
Jenny Greenteeth has watched civilizations fall and wars break out during her lifetime. Preferring to keep her own company, she has been living in Boston for the last few hundred years – currently, in an abandoned subway station. Here, she has access to the waterways, an interconnected subterranean system that allows her to travel around the globe. With a conviction that she is far superior to humans – who are petty, dangerous, and fragile – she has no qualms about satisfying her hunger with their flesh. That is, until she comes face to face with a human man who, for the first time, she doesn’t want to eat (but also…she kind of does). Confused by these conflicting feelings, Jenny is intrigued.
So, when two other cryptids take up residence in her station – a satyr and a selkie – she (begrudgingly) asks them to help her find this mystery man in exchange for safe passage through her waterways. Together, they embark on a quest to track him down. On the way, Jenny experiences the modern world – discovering catcalling, pigeons, protests, fashion, friendship, and…Dunkin Donuts. On her journey to find the man that she couldn’t eat at first sight, Jenny goes on an unexpected deep dive into what it means to be human and to fall in love.
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About the author
Gillian Daniels
18 books60 followersGillian Daniels writes and works in Boston, MA. Since attending the 2011 Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Workshop, her poetry and short fiction have appeared in Strange Horizons, Flash Fiction Online, and Nightmare Magazine among others. Here's a full list of publications.
Her debut novel is Jenny Will Eat You Now (September 2026).
Her debut novel is Jenny Will Eat You Now (September 2026).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
Review of advance copy
One of the most unique, viscerally beautiful books I've read. Ever.
April 14, 2026
On the surface this looks like your standard monster rom-com, but it’s so much more than that. Using monsters that us “weird girls” (read: neurodivergents and outcasts) often lean on and sympathize with, Daniels creates an incredible metaphor for what it’s like to feel as though you exist outside of society, without the rulebook everyone else seems to have grown up with. I see so much of myself in Jenny and her journey, and I bet other weird girls will too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Solstice Books for the arc!
Thanks to NetGalley and Solstice Books for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
jenny Will Eat You Now is a modern-day take on the Jenny Greenteeth lore, and I had a great time. The narrative voice was light and humorous, and I found myself rooting for Jenny throughout the book. It has a bit of a rom-com feel to it, which was also a fun time. There are some serious moments and as expected, there's no shying away from the gore. Overall, this was a fast read and it was difficult to put down at times.
A huge thank you to Gallery Books for the eARC in exchange for my thoughts and to Colleen for buddy reading this with me!
A huge thank you to Gallery Books for the eARC in exchange for my thoughts and to Colleen for buddy reading this with me!
October 10, 2026
Delightfully bizarre and strangely endearing, tender in unexpected places. Totally refreshing, like nothing I've read before. I love you, Jenny!
September 30, 2026
What seems like another inoccuous monster romance stands out, i think, because in this version the woman gets to be the monster. It seems that in the paranormal romance genre it’s always the man who’s dangerous and flighty, who could snap his tiny beautiful human girlfriend’s neck with one glance, but Jenny embodies the monstrous within women. She’s self-isolating and self-sabotaging, clearly afraid of being regarded as the monster she is. She’s adopted this into her identity, calling everyone else weak or pathetic, that she wouldn’t even want to spend time with them anyway.
I was expecting a pretty typical romance story, but I was surprised to find a story about the grief of loneliness with a romance just kinda included. Jenny can’t discern her desire for companionship from her desire to feed, she’s been alone so long that it all just feels like desire. The reason she’s drawn to Zeke is because he’s the first person in hundreds of years to say her name, to see her, to know her, calling attention to her deep-rooted desire to be known.
This book has an ironic dryness to it, mixing the sweetness and corniness of what’s happening with blunt, dry humor. Jenny is matter-of-fact, with almost no social filter, which I found to be rather charming, although it does get her into some awkward situations. Despite her sardonic outlook, she’s caring and genuine, as shown in her actions (like when she caught that bird!), but deeply lonely and unsure how to be vulnerable enough to ask for companionship.
I didn’t much care for the ending in some ways, I liked it in others. It was a little too convenient and fast-paced, rushing to wrap up too many character threads, and felt a little too kitschy for my tastes. Still a fantastic read, one I wasn’t expecting to be so touched by, a favorite feeling, I might add.
I was expecting a pretty typical romance story, but I was surprised to find a story about the grief of loneliness with a romance just kinda included. Jenny can’t discern her desire for companionship from her desire to feed, she’s been alone so long that it all just feels like desire. The reason she’s drawn to Zeke is because he’s the first person in hundreds of years to say her name, to see her, to know her, calling attention to her deep-rooted desire to be known.
This book has an ironic dryness to it, mixing the sweetness and corniness of what’s happening with blunt, dry humor. Jenny is matter-of-fact, with almost no social filter, which I found to be rather charming, although it does get her into some awkward situations. Despite her sardonic outlook, she’s caring and genuine, as shown in her actions (like when she caught that bird!), but deeply lonely and unsure how to be vulnerable enough to ask for companionship.
I didn’t much care for the ending in some ways, I liked it in others. It was a little too convenient and fast-paced, rushing to wrap up too many character threads, and felt a little too kitschy for my tastes. Still a fantastic read, one I wasn’t expecting to be so touched by, a favorite feeling, I might add.
October 8, 2026
Jenny Will Eat You Now is weird, gory, funny, and much sweeter than a story about a flesh-eating river monster has any right to be.
It's playful and easy to move through, with Jenny’s voice doing most of the heavy lifting. She’s arrogant, curious, blunt, and genuinely confused by humans, which makes her attempts to navigate modern Boston consistently entertaining. The pacing stays fairly quick, although some of the humor and fish-out-of-water moments work better than others.
Jenny is allowed to be sympathetic without becoming less monstrous, and that makes both the romance and the comedy more interesting. Her relationships with the other cryptids add a surprisingly warm found-family element without pushing the central romance aside.
Underneath all the blood and absurdity, there’s a genuinely sweet story about loneliness, belonging, and wanting to be understood without having to completely change who you are. It has fun asking what actually makes someone a monster, especially when the humans around Jenny aren’t always particularly admirable themselves.
The balance between horror and romance won’t work for everyone. It’s too bloody to feel completely cozy and too playful to be particularly frightening, but that odd middle ground is also part of its charm.
Funny, messy, surprisingly tender, and unapologetically strange. A monster romance full of found family, folklore, and far more heart than terror.
It's playful and easy to move through, with Jenny’s voice doing most of the heavy lifting. She’s arrogant, curious, blunt, and genuinely confused by humans, which makes her attempts to navigate modern Boston consistently entertaining. The pacing stays fairly quick, although some of the humor and fish-out-of-water moments work better than others.
Jenny is allowed to be sympathetic without becoming less monstrous, and that makes both the romance and the comedy more interesting. Her relationships with the other cryptids add a surprisingly warm found-family element without pushing the central romance aside.
Underneath all the blood and absurdity, there’s a genuinely sweet story about loneliness, belonging, and wanting to be understood without having to completely change who you are. It has fun asking what actually makes someone a monster, especially when the humans around Jenny aren’t always particularly admirable themselves.
The balance between horror and romance won’t work for everyone. It’s too bloody to feel completely cozy and too playful to be particularly frightening, but that odd middle ground is also part of its charm.
Funny, messy, surprisingly tender, and unapologetically strange. A monster romance full of found family, folklore, and far more heart than terror.
September 1, 2026
Got an arc from Libro.Fm
If your favorite Disney movie growing up was The Little Mermaid and you grew up to be a monsterfucker, this is a book for you! It balances a tightrope of being gross and gory while also being heartfelt and deeply funny. I don't know if this was intended to read as a neurodivergence parallel, but there were a number of times where Jenny talks about feeling like there's a wall between her and humanity and like she doesn't understand the rules everyone else seems to and as a neurodivergent person myself I found that pretty affirming. I ended up devouring (pun somewhat intended) this one as an audiobook!
If your favorite Disney movie growing up was The Little Mermaid and you grew up to be a monsterfucker, this is a book for you! It balances a tightrope of being gross and gory while also being heartfelt and deeply funny. I don't know if this was intended to read as a neurodivergence parallel, but there were a number of times where Jenny talks about feeling like there's a wall between her and humanity and like she doesn't understand the rules everyone else seems to and as a neurodivergent person myself I found that pretty affirming. I ended up devouring (pun somewhat intended) this one as an audiobook!
September 19, 2026
Thank you Gallery Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I ate this book like Jenny eats people.
This was so different from other things I have read. I expected rompy horror and instead got something that was thoughtful, lyrical, and sometimes profound.
This book was such a surprise. It took a little bit to get into, took some time to settle into the voice of the book, but it grew on me quickly and I read it over two days.
This did not feel like a first book, aside from how obviously it was filled with the author’s affection for what she was writing.
I ate this book like Jenny eats people.
This was so different from other things I have read. I expected rompy horror and instead got something that was thoughtful, lyrical, and sometimes profound.
This book was such a surprise. It took a little bit to get into, took some time to settle into the voice of the book, but it grew on me quickly and I read it over two days.
This did not feel like a first book, aside from how obviously it was filled with the author’s affection for what she was writing.
September 10, 2026
My second book this year about Jenny Greenteeth. Not at all intentional. These characters are interesting but awful. They hate society and humans because of all the wrong they've done to them--but they also kill humans whenever it pleases them. Jenny and Faun decide to kill a man because he yelled at them across the street. That's totally justified, sure. Some of the storyline is creative but mostly it's exhausting in the way that freeloaders are exhausting. Yes, let's have a monster love story and involve political views as well. Great combo. In the acknowledgements Daniels thanks the DSA! What a load of garbage. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC
October 5, 2026
Who knew “I want to love you” and “I want to eat you” could be such a romantic dilemma?
Jenny Will Eat You proved once again that horror and romance can go together BEAUTIFULLY.
Jenny Greenteeth is a centuries old river monster living beneath the streets of Boston who has spent most of her existence perfectly content knowing one simple truth: humans are terrible...but they are delicious.
Then she meets one she doesn’t want to eat.
Well...she still kind of wants to eat him.
And somehow, from that absolutely bizarre starting point, this story becomes funny, gruesome, romantic, heartbreaking, and surprisingly tender.
The prose was absolutely beautiful. I loved these characters and especially how deeply we got to explore their emotions, loneliness, desires, and need to belong. Jenny’s two competing hungers, her hunger for human flesh and her hunger to finally be seen and understood, made her such a fascinating character.
I also LOVED the Boston setting. There was something extra fun about watching this ancient cryptid experience the modern world through protests, fashion, pigeons, catcalling, friendship, and, obviously, Dunkin’.
This is exactly why I love horror. The genre can be weird. It can be grotesque. It can be hilarious. It can be romantic. It can rip your heart out while someone else is literally having theirs eaten.
Definitely one I’ll be recommending, and honestly, one I can already see myself rereading.
Five very hungry stars.
#JennyWillEatYou #GillianDaniels #HorrorBooks #HorrorReads #HorrorReader #HorrorRomance #RomanticHorror #QueerHorror #MonsterRomance #CryptidFiction #CreatureFeature #BostonBooks #BostonHorror #Bookstagram #BookReview #FiveStarRead #FiveStarBooks #HorrorBookstagram #BookRecommendations #ReadHorror #WeirdFiction #HorrorCommunity
Jenny Will Eat You proved once again that horror and romance can go together BEAUTIFULLY.
Jenny Greenteeth is a centuries old river monster living beneath the streets of Boston who has spent most of her existence perfectly content knowing one simple truth: humans are terrible...but they are delicious.
Then she meets one she doesn’t want to eat.
Well...she still kind of wants to eat him.
And somehow, from that absolutely bizarre starting point, this story becomes funny, gruesome, romantic, heartbreaking, and surprisingly tender.
The prose was absolutely beautiful. I loved these characters and especially how deeply we got to explore their emotions, loneliness, desires, and need to belong. Jenny’s two competing hungers, her hunger for human flesh and her hunger to finally be seen and understood, made her such a fascinating character.
I also LOVED the Boston setting. There was something extra fun about watching this ancient cryptid experience the modern world through protests, fashion, pigeons, catcalling, friendship, and, obviously, Dunkin’.
This is exactly why I love horror. The genre can be weird. It can be grotesque. It can be hilarious. It can be romantic. It can rip your heart out while someone else is literally having theirs eaten.
Definitely one I’ll be recommending, and honestly, one I can already see myself rereading.
Five very hungry stars.
#JennyWillEatYou #GillianDaniels #HorrorBooks #HorrorReads #HorrorReader #HorrorRomance #RomanticHorror #QueerHorror #MonsterRomance #CryptidFiction #CreatureFeature #BostonBooks #BostonHorror #Bookstagram #BookReview #FiveStarRead #FiveStarBooks #HorrorBookstagram #BookRecommendations #ReadHorror #WeirdFiction #HorrorCommunity
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thanks to Gallery Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved this one! 😭🥰 I was never really aware about the Jenny Greenteeth lore until the last year or so, when I read another book (more cozy fantasy based) about this creature in English folklore. I absolutely love how this was created as a sort of "monster" romance horror rom-com. Based on the lore, Jenny Greenteeth is definitely a terrifying creature, meant to scare children away from playing near waterways where they might drown (or be pulled underwater and eaten by Jenny!). In this particular story, there was a lot of gore and body horror which was fantastically written. It made me squeamish and uncomfortable, but at the same time I really loved the depth the author gave to Jenny's personality. I feel like the loneliness of her situation was really well-captured, and it made me feel emotional for her. I loved the friends she met along the way, and learning about their tragic backstories. I flew through this book quickly, it was a really perfect blend of humor, heart, horror, and folklore. The romance was sweet (and it did get pretty spicy at times), but the relationship between Jenny and Zeke really worked well. The ending felt bittersweet. The pacing was perfect for me, I never felt bored or that any part dragged on.
If you want a little bit of romance mixed with your horror this spooky season, definitely put this one on your radar!
I really loved this one! 😭🥰 I was never really aware about the Jenny Greenteeth lore until the last year or so, when I read another book (more cozy fantasy based) about this creature in English folklore. I absolutely love how this was created as a sort of "monster" romance horror rom-com. Based on the lore, Jenny Greenteeth is definitely a terrifying creature, meant to scare children away from playing near waterways where they might drown (or be pulled underwater and eaten by Jenny!). In this particular story, there was a lot of gore and body horror which was fantastically written. It made me squeamish and uncomfortable, but at the same time I really loved the depth the author gave to Jenny's personality. I feel like the loneliness of her situation was really well-captured, and it made me feel emotional for her. I loved the friends she met along the way, and learning about their tragic backstories. I flew through this book quickly, it was a really perfect blend of humor, heart, horror, and folklore. The romance was sweet (and it did get pretty spicy at times), but the relationship between Jenny and Zeke really worked well. The ending felt bittersweet. The pacing was perfect for me, I never felt bored or that any part dragged on.
If you want a little bit of romance mixed with your horror this spooky season, definitely put this one on your radar!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Jenny Greenteeth lives in flooded, abandoned tunnel under Boston and likes it very much, except for the bickering couple in the adjacent tunnel. One night, a man stumbles into her tunnel talking about her! Jenny becomes fascinated and hungry. After failing to capture him, Jenny becomes obsessed with the man and enlists the help of the bickering couple from the other tunnel (who are also not human) to find him and eat him.
This book was funny, gory at times, and yet also romantic. The romance between Jenny and the man is somehow very adorable, but also you know the whole time that she really wants to eat him. I also really liked the friendship that blooms between Jenny and the couple. Such an interesting book. I find I am not opposed to more of this kind of story.
Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own. Also thank you to Ariel for buddy reading this with me!
This book was funny, gory at times, and yet also romantic. The romance between Jenny and the man is somehow very adorable, but also you know the whole time that she really wants to eat him. I also really liked the friendship that blooms between Jenny and the couple. Such an interesting book. I find I am not opposed to more of this kind of story.
Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own. Also thank you to Ariel for buddy reading this with me!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Thanks to the author, Goodreads and the publisher for the ARC. Interesting story, easy to read. 3.5 stars.
Stacey Bankey
Stacey Bankey
September 25, 2026
Solid spooky szn read!
Read
July 31, 2026JENNY WILL EAT YOU NOW so perfectly blends unhinged “weird girl” fiction energy with horror and a splash of romance, and absolutely delivers on originality.
As an autistic person with alexithymia, I could not stop giggling with delight at the plights of Jenny Greenteeth, an immortal swamp creature who is struggling to understand the attachment she is feeling towards a human man who, under normal circumstances, might just be her lunch. But instead, she feels something else? But, what could it be?
JENNY WILL EAT YOU NOW really puts a fresh spin on the concept of “You can’t have your cake and eat it too”
Delicious and delightful. Highly recommended!
As an autistic person with alexithymia, I could not stop giggling with delight at the plights of Jenny Greenteeth, an immortal swamp creature who is struggling to understand the attachment she is feeling towards a human man who, under normal circumstances, might just be her lunch. But instead, she feels something else? But, what could it be?
JENNY WILL EAT YOU NOW really puts a fresh spin on the concept of “You can’t have your cake and eat it too”
Delicious and delightful. Highly recommended!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you Gallery Books for this ALC. Jenny Will Eat You Now is out 9/29/26!
—
Jenny is hungry, but not just for food. She wants companionship, but she also can’t change what she is. As an immortal sea creature, she isn’t human, no matter how many of them she eats.
This was a lighthearted, funny, but introspective story about accepting who you are, monstrous traits be damned. It reminded me of Someone You Can Build a Nest In meets the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Campy and tender and just altogether a good time.
I especially loved the extended metaphor of what truly makes a “monster.” Even the side characters had satisfying arcs, and the “age” differences between the humans and creatures was balanced well, even when I felt annoyed with the dialogue—which, honestly was because I admired Jenny’s voice so much. Juxtaposed with this generations lazy and lax way of speaking really drove forward the understanding that this was the first time in ages Jenny had surfaced. How she thought and spoke was just so direct and purposeful—one could argue, primal.
My one critic, as per usual, was the third-act break up. It stunted the pace for me. It would have felt a bit more authentic if the guy who always wanted to find this monstrous underbelly to humanity would have just accepted Jenny for who she was—yes, yes, even if she ate people (geez, can’t a girl have a hobby). But I guess it makes sense for someone to freak out when they find out the person they’re seeing wants to simultaneously gnaw on their bones. Listen, not everyone can have their cake and eat it too. Jenny, on the other hand, though….
Note: after reading other reviews, I saw a few neurodivergent people really resonated with Jenny, given her frankness. I absolutely adore this perspective. I, personally, just chalked it up to her being an ancient creature who doesn’t lower herself to the levels of us “rotting flesh bags,” but honestly, I can see where the parallels could be drawn.
—
Jenny is hungry, but not just for food. She wants companionship, but she also can’t change what she is. As an immortal sea creature, she isn’t human, no matter how many of them she eats.
This was a lighthearted, funny, but introspective story about accepting who you are, monstrous traits be damned. It reminded me of Someone You Can Build a Nest In meets the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Campy and tender and just altogether a good time.
I especially loved the extended metaphor of what truly makes a “monster.” Even the side characters had satisfying arcs, and the “age” differences between the humans and creatures was balanced well, even when I felt annoyed with the dialogue—which, honestly was because I admired Jenny’s voice so much. Juxtaposed with this generations lazy and lax way of speaking really drove forward the understanding that this was the first time in ages Jenny had surfaced. How she thought and spoke was just so direct and purposeful—one could argue, primal.
My one critic, as per usual, was the third-act break up. It stunted the pace for me. It would have felt a bit more authentic if the guy who always wanted to find this monstrous underbelly to humanity would have just accepted Jenny for who she was—yes, yes, even if she ate people (geez, can’t a girl have a hobby). But I guess it makes sense for someone to freak out when they find out the person they’re seeing wants to simultaneously gnaw on their bones. Listen, not everyone can have their cake and eat it too. Jenny, on the other hand, though….
Note: after reading other reviews, I saw a few neurodivergent people really resonated with Jenny, given her frankness. I absolutely adore this perspective. I, personally, just chalked it up to her being an ancient creature who doesn’t lower herself to the levels of us “rotting flesh bags,” but honestly, I can see where the parallels could be drawn.
September 25, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Gillian Daniels for an advance copy of Jenny Will Eat You Now.
Jenny Will Eat You Now is a strange, MEAT cute (!) monster romance novel.
Jenny Greenteeth is a monster who eats people. She can sustain herself for a while if she doesn't eat people, but at the end of the day, she needs to eat people. She likes to eat people and rats just don't cut it.
So when a man enters her sewer, she's ready to pounce ... until she's not. Jenny hesitates for the first time, letting the man escape. She can't stop thinking about him so of course the next logical thing is to track him down. She has to pretend to be human which poses an entirely new problem, and this journey is what the majority of the book follows.
There's gore and horror and things that will make your stomach churn, but also romance and moments that feel heartwarming. I knew after the first few chapters that I was going to like this book but it embraces weird in such a unique way that I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would have. The way the author writes is what made this book a standout to me. Jenny's character, her deadpan humor and awkwardness in how she tries to navigate the human world are what makes this book enjoyable. Plus, why do I find this river monster so endearing? She EATS people. She would probably eat me. But maybe it's because Jenny doesn't want to change herself and I find that admirable. She is so confident in who she is already, everyone else is obviously wrong.
Jenny Will Eat You Now is a strange, MEAT cute (!) monster romance novel.
Jenny Greenteeth is a monster who eats people. She can sustain herself for a while if she doesn't eat people, but at the end of the day, she needs to eat people. She likes to eat people and rats just don't cut it.
So when a man enters her sewer, she's ready to pounce ... until she's not. Jenny hesitates for the first time, letting the man escape. She can't stop thinking about him so of course the next logical thing is to track him down. She has to pretend to be human which poses an entirely new problem, and this journey is what the majority of the book follows.
There's gore and horror and things that will make your stomach churn, but also romance and moments that feel heartwarming. I knew after the first few chapters that I was going to like this book but it embraces weird in such a unique way that I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would have. The way the author writes is what made this book a standout to me. Jenny's character, her deadpan humor and awkwardness in how she tries to navigate the human world are what makes this book enjoyable. Plus, why do I find this river monster so endearing? She EATS people. She would probably eat me. But maybe it's because Jenny doesn't want to change herself and I find that admirable. She is so confident in who she is already, everyone else is obviously wrong.
September 20, 2026
Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books and Gillian Daniels for the ARC of Jenny Will Eat You Now. So excited for this opportunity! All opinions expressed herein are my own.
Jenny Greenteeth is a river monster. One that preys on human flesh, and the occasional rat. But when she meets a human that she can’t stop thinking about eating, she enlists the help of two cryptids that have invaded her underground space. Jenny suddenly isn’t sure if her obsession with this man is just for his flesh or more for his heart.
Oh Jenny. Why do I feel so utterly disgusted by you but also find you so disturbingly adorable at the same time? I never thought I’d find a green river monster that eats human flesh so endearing, but here we are. Jenny’s naïveté about the world works so well in this story. Her adventures above water are cute and fun but also disgusting and gory. I love the juxtaposition of the horror component with the romance.
Jenny Will Eat You Now is a cutesy horror romance that had me smiling and laughing and kicking my feet but also grimacing and wincing in disgust-all in one page sometimes!! At times this plays like a fever dream, but there is so much feeling in it, so much heart. It has a deeper message about life, love, friendship and loss. Jenny had me rooting for her even when she was misbehaving. I recommend this to fans of creature horror that like a little romance thrown in!!! I definitely will be thinking of this one for quite some time.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was a absolute random grab from me but thank you Gallery for the chance, it was so good.
New to me author to be in the look out for, damn Gillian.
This was totally a horror romance but no spice imo and I thought it fit well into the story, so this was rounded out in a good way.
Jenny is a bit of a loner, living under the streets of Boston but secure in her belief she is far above those humans that just so happen to live above her. So of course she eats them, why not.
Then she meets someone she hunger for in more ways then one and it's not just the blood soaked, gore filled tummy saluting one, this is more complicated.
What's a girl to do??
Being different is a lot, you learn to cope in ways and think things that might be a bit warped, looking in from the outside and being the odd girl. The rules, the rituals thst everyone else seems to just seems know, Jenny doesn't get that and never really wanted too. And now she likes this human, this person who usually ends up being her food.
How does that even work??
Jenny needs to find this guy and thankfully had two friends to help out on her journey to figure out, is she just extra hungry or is she about to learn more about herself then what she thought could be true..
New to me author to be in the look out for, damn Gillian.
This was totally a horror romance but no spice imo and I thought it fit well into the story, so this was rounded out in a good way.
Jenny is a bit of a loner, living under the streets of Boston but secure in her belief she is far above those humans that just so happen to live above her. So of course she eats them, why not.
Then she meets someone she hunger for in more ways then one and it's not just the blood soaked, gore filled tummy saluting one, this is more complicated.
What's a girl to do??
Being different is a lot, you learn to cope in ways and think things that might be a bit warped, looking in from the outside and being the odd girl. The rules, the rituals thst everyone else seems to just seems know, Jenny doesn't get that and never really wanted too. And now she likes this human, this person who usually ends up being her food.
How does that even work??
Jenny needs to find this guy and thankfully had two friends to help out on her journey to figure out, is she just extra hungry or is she about to learn more about herself then what she thought could be true..
September 30, 2026
3.5 stars
"𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦." Same, girl, same.
The premise of this one almost starts like a joke, a rusalka, a selkie, and a satyr walk into Boston...
Jenny Greenteeth is a water monster who has lived in the underground Boston train stations for hundreds of years, feeding on men when she can. However, she is horrified by her reaction when researcher Zeke stumbles upon her, and she doesn't actually want to eat him, but rather thinks he's actually kind of cute, for a man. After he disappears, she runs into two other creatures, Clyde and Fawn, who take Jenny under their wing and help her mask as human so she can track Zeke down on the streets of Boston.
I wanted to like this one more than I did, because I can definitely relate to a strange female creature grappling with her feelings of simultaneously loving and wanting to k!ll a man, but I had trouble connecting with the third person narration. I really liked the exploration of loneliness and feeling "other", but with Jenny already being such a detached character, I would have loved to really get in her head and know what she was feeling.
I listened at 2x speed, and thought the narrator did a great job of the different accents for the creatures, from Clyde's Scottish brogue to Jenny's flat, brusque, and definitely a metaphor for neurodivergent delivery. But overall I think this was a story I would have liked better eyeball reading, since I wasn't motivated to keep listening and it was a bit of a struggle to get through.
🧟♀️ Thank you @simon.audio #SimonAudioInfluencer for the ALC and @gallerybooks #GalleryPartner for the advanced copy
"𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦." Same, girl, same.
The premise of this one almost starts like a joke, a rusalka, a selkie, and a satyr walk into Boston...
Jenny Greenteeth is a water monster who has lived in the underground Boston train stations for hundreds of years, feeding on men when she can. However, she is horrified by her reaction when researcher Zeke stumbles upon her, and she doesn't actually want to eat him, but rather thinks he's actually kind of cute, for a man. After he disappears, she runs into two other creatures, Clyde and Fawn, who take Jenny under their wing and help her mask as human so she can track Zeke down on the streets of Boston.
I wanted to like this one more than I did, because I can definitely relate to a strange female creature grappling with her feelings of simultaneously loving and wanting to k!ll a man, but I had trouble connecting with the third person narration. I really liked the exploration of loneliness and feeling "other", but with Jenny already being such a detached character, I would have loved to really get in her head and know what she was feeling.
I listened at 2x speed, and thought the narrator did a great job of the different accents for the creatures, from Clyde's Scottish brogue to Jenny's flat, brusque, and definitely a metaphor for neurodivergent delivery. But overall I think this was a story I would have liked better eyeball reading, since I wasn't motivated to keep listening and it was a bit of a struggle to get through.
🧟♀️ Thank you @simon.audio #SimonAudioInfluencer for the ALC and @gallerybooks #GalleryPartner for the advanced copy
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Like if Someone You Can Build a Nest In smooched a book of European folktales on the streets of Boston.
A sweet, gruesome, poignant story of a feral immortal woman who finds herself pulled between the competing desires of "not wanting to fit the stifling mold of what humans deem socially appropriate" and "being incredibly starved for literally any form of connection and companionship." Perhaps she has found the one human man who might just accept her exactly how she is... he looks like the perfect meal, in more ways than one.
Perfect for folks who:
~ love horroromance
~ love Boston and associated Massholes
~ enjoy when characters have a very distinct voice (Jenny has such an old-timey way of speaking)
~ have ever liked someone so much you kind of literally want to eat them (haha jkjk, unless...)
A sweet, gruesome, poignant story of a feral immortal woman who finds herself pulled between the competing desires of "not wanting to fit the stifling mold of what humans deem socially appropriate" and "being incredibly starved for literally any form of connection and companionship." Perhaps she has found the one human man who might just accept her exactly how she is... he looks like the perfect meal, in more ways than one.
Perfect for folks who:
~ love horroromance
~ love Boston and associated Massholes
~ enjoy when characters have a very distinct voice (Jenny has such an old-timey way of speaking)
~ have ever liked someone so much you kind of literally want to eat them (haha jkjk, unless...)
July 17, 2026
I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.
This was such a weird and beautiful book! We follow Jenny, an ancient ‘monster’ living in a flooded train station in Boston. She does eat people, and she takes on their characteristics when she does, allowing her to appear more human. She’s been happily living her life until one day her home is invaded by a man who she couldn’t bring herself to eat in that moment. She becomes obsessed with tracking him down, falling into a partnership with a satyr and a Selkie to help her navigate the modern world.
Jenny is so conflicted in this book. She fixates on this man and she can’t decide if she wants to eat him or not. She’s experiencing a bunch of new and confusing feelings and she needs the help of her new friends to help navigate this. The book is really quite sweet if you read it one way. The man in question used to search for monsters, putting videos out on the internet that are better researched than most and his heart is still lying in that direction. He’s fascinated by that world even though his life has been gobbled up by the mundanity of adulthood. He’s a little unsure of himself,
There is some quite visceral stuff in this book juxtaposed against all the tenderness. Jenny and her satyr friend don’t really have too many qualms against killing people. It’s quite functional and matter of fact, it’s her food source.
The book is really about change and adapting to it. Jenny is emerging into the modern world and trying to get by in her search for this man. Her companions have their own catalysts for change they have to deal with.
I thought this was a lovely read!
This was such a weird and beautiful book! We follow Jenny, an ancient ‘monster’ living in a flooded train station in Boston. She does eat people, and she takes on their characteristics when she does, allowing her to appear more human. She’s been happily living her life until one day her home is invaded by a man who she couldn’t bring herself to eat in that moment. She becomes obsessed with tracking him down, falling into a partnership with a satyr and a Selkie to help her navigate the modern world.
Jenny is so conflicted in this book. She fixates on this man and she can’t decide if she wants to eat him or not. She’s experiencing a bunch of new and confusing feelings and she needs the help of her new friends to help navigate this. The book is really quite sweet if you read it one way. The man in question used to search for monsters, putting videos out on the internet that are better researched than most and his heart is still lying in that direction. He’s fascinated by that world even though his life has been gobbled up by the mundanity of adulthood. He’s a little unsure of himself,
There is some quite visceral stuff in this book juxtaposed against all the tenderness. Jenny and her satyr friend don’t really have too many qualms against killing people. It’s quite functional and matter of fact, it’s her food source.
The book is really about change and adapting to it. Jenny is emerging into the modern world and trying to get by in her search for this man. Her companions have their own catalysts for change they have to deal with.
I thought this was a lovely read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster and Gillian Daniels for this arc.
Jenny Will Eat You Now (a meat cute) blends horror and heart harmoniously, an ancient water creature spots a man in her domain of an abandoned train station. Something about her just wants to eat him up… Literally.
Deep in the abandoned tunnels of Boston lives Jenny Greenteeth, an immortal rusalka who has spent many a year happily alone feasting on any humans that cross her path. But with the arrival of an unexpected human Jenny feels a strange pull that she’s desperate to explore. With the help of two other supposedly mythical creatures by her side Jenny begins the hunt for the human who has captured her attention with unexpected results.
At times sweet and at times gory, Jenny Will Eat You Know is a fun little romp filled with metaphor and unexpected joy.
Jenny Will Eat You Now (a meat cute) blends horror and heart harmoniously, an ancient water creature spots a man in her domain of an abandoned train station. Something about her just wants to eat him up… Literally.
Deep in the abandoned tunnels of Boston lives Jenny Greenteeth, an immortal rusalka who has spent many a year happily alone feasting on any humans that cross her path. But with the arrival of an unexpected human Jenny feels a strange pull that she’s desperate to explore. With the help of two other supposedly mythical creatures by her side Jenny begins the hunt for the human who has captured her attention with unexpected results.
At times sweet and at times gory, Jenny Will Eat You Know is a fun little romp filled with metaphor and unexpected joy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Gillian Daniels’ Jenny Will Eat You Now follows Jenny Greenteeth, a river monster living beneath Boston who devours anyone she meets until she encounters a man she surprisingly doesn’t want to eat. With help from two fellow cryptids, she sets out to find him in the human world, a journey enriched by the worldbuilding and her ability to travel through waterways.
What makes the story stand out is its emotional core. Jenny doesn't want to reshape herself into something acceptable yet she longs for a connection where she can be fully seen. Despite the horror elements, the book is unexpectedly touching, and I found myself accepting Jenny exactly as she is and rooting for her happiness. It’s a truly unique romance.
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.
What makes the story stand out is its emotional core. Jenny doesn't want to reshape herself into something acceptable yet she longs for a connection where she can be fully seen. Despite the horror elements, the book is unexpectedly touching, and I found myself accepting Jenny exactly as she is and rooting for her happiness. It’s a truly unique romance.
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.
September 1, 2026
Poor Things if you swapped Bella Baxter for the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and unapologetically one of the best books I’ve read all year.
It is impossible not to love Jenny. Yes, she viciously eats humans. But she is also so innocent, so earnest, and so frequently (and often accidentally) hilarious.
What surprised me most was how genuinely sweet the whole thing became. The found-family element was unexpected but well done. Clyde and Faun both have wonderful arcs of their own, and the waterways were such a fun, inventive piece of worldbuilding that I could honestly read an entire book just about them.
This was funny, weird, gory, unexpectedly touching, and completely unlike anything else I’ve read lately. Gillian Daniels has absolutely made my auto-buy list with her debut—I’m already planning to pick up whatever she writes next.
It is impossible not to love Jenny. Yes, she viciously eats humans. But she is also so innocent, so earnest, and so frequently (and often accidentally) hilarious.
What surprised me most was how genuinely sweet the whole thing became. The found-family element was unexpected but well done. Clyde and Faun both have wonderful arcs of their own, and the waterways were such a fun, inventive piece of worldbuilding that I could honestly read an entire book just about them.
This was funny, weird, gory, unexpectedly touching, and completely unlike anything else I’ve read lately. Gillian Daniels has absolutely made my auto-buy list with her debut—I’m already planning to pick up whatever she writes next.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
NetGalley Review-
The little mermaid but make it an immortal swamp woman who wants to eat the man.
This was by far the oddest book I’ve read but I enjoyed it very much, surprisingly.
Mythical creatures living among us, just wanting to get by and hating all humans as they please which to be honest isn’t hard to understand.
This was gory, creepy, insightful and somewhat romantic and it all worked well together. It shows how people, humans, treat others, not just monsters, harshly just because they’re different, Jenny is someone who may have lived a long time and seem many things and just doest hold back and just speaks her mind, even when things confuse her. I love that she becomes so focused on her goal that she doesn’t realise that she is falling for him but still wants to eat him. i can see this becoming an indie movie and doing really well, if it ever comes to it.
The little mermaid but make it an immortal swamp woman who wants to eat the man.
This was by far the oddest book I’ve read but I enjoyed it very much, surprisingly.
Mythical creatures living among us, just wanting to get by and hating all humans as they please which to be honest isn’t hard to understand.
This was gory, creepy, insightful and somewhat romantic and it all worked well together. It shows how people, humans, treat others, not just monsters, harshly just because they’re different, Jenny is someone who may have lived a long time and seem many things and just doest hold back and just speaks her mind, even when things confuse her. I love that she becomes so focused on her goal that she doesn’t realise that she is falling for him but still wants to eat him. i can see this becoming an indie movie and doing really well, if it ever comes to it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Jenny Will Eat You Now is a delightful monster horror/ romance and eat the ones you love story. Jenny Greenteeth has survived centuries without falling in love. Humans are basically there as food. Until she meets Zeke. Now she can’t decide if she wants to eat him or screw him. Maybe both? Her inner struggle is hilarious.
While the story is most definitely a meet cute style romance, it is drenched in blood and guts. I mean what do you expect from a humanoid creature who doesn’t believe in wasting a meal? So while she is out dating, trying to pass as human, she is secretly nibbling on a finger at home. lol I thought this was great. I know the story is about friendship and love, but I freaking loved the carnage. It was a super fun book with several funny moments in it that really lightened up the fact that Jenny is eventually going to eat her date.
While the story is most definitely a meet cute style romance, it is drenched in blood and guts. I mean what do you expect from a humanoid creature who doesn’t believe in wasting a meal? So while she is out dating, trying to pass as human, she is secretly nibbling on a finger at home. lol I thought this was great. I know the story is about friendship and love, but I freaking loved the carnage. It was a super fun book with several funny moments in it that really lightened up the fact that Jenny is eventually going to eat her date.
September 2, 2026
*audiobook
“Who doesn’t like simple tasks followed by Pizza!?” Right!!!! 🍕
”You said it yourself, you’re a catch. You’re OUR catch.”
“You arrrrrrre REALLY good at being honest.”
Thanks to @simonaudio for my gifted copy of this #monsterromance. This was my first dive into the monster romance genre and it was so much fun.
It was giving The Little Mermaid but darker, sexier and a little campy - with a bit of Amelia Bedelia type humor too. Plus that cover was perfection!
I loved the friendship between Jenny and Fawn (with her goat legs) and hearing how Jenny adapted to our world while she was trying to get her man.
I liked the “you are what you eat” shapeshifter vibes too.
It was just a good time and I’m glad I checked this one out.
“Who doesn’t like simple tasks followed by Pizza!?” Right!!!! 🍕
”You said it yourself, you’re a catch. You’re OUR catch.”
“You arrrrrrre REALLY good at being honest.”
Thanks to @simonaudio for my gifted copy of this #monsterromance. This was my first dive into the monster romance genre and it was so much fun.
It was giving The Little Mermaid but darker, sexier and a little campy - with a bit of Amelia Bedelia type humor too. Plus that cover was perfection!
I loved the friendship between Jenny and Fawn (with her goat legs) and hearing how Jenny adapted to our world while she was trying to get her man.
I liked the “you are what you eat” shapeshifter vibes too.
It was just a good time and I’m glad I checked this one out.
September 23, 2026
Thank you very much to NetGalley for the arc! To summarize, an ancient fish-woman entity sees a handsome man for the first time in a millennia and makes it everyone else’s problem—as she should.
There are four major characters in this novel: Jenny (our beloved fish-woman), Clyde (a selkie), Fauna (A saytr), and Zeke (the human Jenny wants, in more ways than one). Each brings their own charm, morality, and dilemmas to the story. This is written in the third person from Jenny’s perspective. It starts with curiosity and a lost phone, ending on the coast of Maine with the beginning of a new relationship.
The story is introspective and funny; if you’re a monster-romance lover like myself then this is 100% for you!
There are four major characters in this novel: Jenny (our beloved fish-woman), Clyde (a selkie), Fauna (A saytr), and Zeke (the human Jenny wants, in more ways than one). Each brings their own charm, morality, and dilemmas to the story. This is written in the third person from Jenny’s perspective. It starts with curiosity and a lost phone, ending on the coast of Maine with the beginning of a new relationship.
The story is introspective and funny; if you’re a monster-romance lover like myself then this is 100% for you!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a spooky little monster story with a touch of romance in there as well.
This is full of metaphor, which is always fun. I love when a monster romance is full of depth and alternate meaning (I mean, they all are, but this one was clearly trying with that).
This was a really unique story, but there was something about the writing that kept me from getting really invested in it and the characters. I can't quite put my finger on what it was exactly.
But I do think a lot of people will enjoy this. I think it's for both the monster romance lovers and the horror lovers.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This is full of metaphor, which is always fun. I love when a monster romance is full of depth and alternate meaning (I mean, they all are, but this one was clearly trying with that).
This was a really unique story, but there was something about the writing that kept me from getting really invested in it and the characters. I can't quite put my finger on what it was exactly.
But I do think a lot of people will enjoy this. I think it's for both the monster romance lovers and the horror lovers.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
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