A #1 IndieNext pick for August 2023, SHARK HEART, Emily Habeck’s debut novel (Marysue Rucci Books; 8/8/23) is a wild and daring allegory; a beautifully-written novel about grief and change that will make you believe the unbelievable; the ultimate “just trust me” book. Blending the visionary, provocative, feminist psychology of The Vegetarian, the spiritual honesty of George Saunders and Matt Haig, and the high-concept (but engaging!) experimental structure of In the Dream House, it’s is a love story like no other. For newlyweds Lewis and Wren, their first year of marriage is their last. A few weeks after their wedding, Lewis receives a rare diagnosis: he will retain most of his consciousness, memories, and intellect, but his physical body will become that of a great white shark. As Lewis develops the grotesque features and impulses of one of the most carnivorous creatures in the ocean, his complicated artist’s heart struggles to make peace with his failures and comprehend his uncertain future. For Wren, there are other questions: what do you do when you love someone you no longer fully recognize, who, at times, you even fear? As she manages the evolution of her life with (and without) Lewis, Wren wrestles with memories of her own childhood, and a similar, devastating separation from her mother. Full of speculative elements that sing with wisdom, SHARK HEART is a portrait of enduring love. In sparse, lyrical language, Habeck explores marriage, motherhood, metamorphosis, and letting go. She asks big questions with an exquisitely delicate touch and a Mary Oliver-esque eye on the natural world. Readers will be astonished by the searing poignancy of the language, and captivated by a story that somehow only becomes more real and relatable the more fantastic it gets. For more info: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Shark-Heart/Emily-Habeck/9781668006498