5 stars.

This book was great, and the best thing about it was that I didn’t expect it to be. It completely blew me away. The premise was what got me interested, which is pretty crazy considering I usually pick up books that people recommend to me, not ones I come across when browsing the shelves of Barnes and Noble. Come to think of it, I’m not sure why I didn’t expect much from this one. I’m so glad I picked it up, though.

Eliza and her Monsters is about a girl who can’t stand the real world, so she uses her drawings as a method of escape. She is the artist of a famous web comic named the Monstrous Sea. She publishes new chapters every week under the guise of LadyConstellation. No one knows her identity, and she’d prefer to keep it that way due to her anxiety. But when she meets the biggest fanfiction writer of Monstrous Sea, her secret—the only thing she holds dear—is in danger of crumbling.

This book probably sounds like a cute, enjoyable story, like the kind of rom-com you’d watch while shoveling ice cream in your face on a guilty pleasure night (we’ve all been there, don’t lie). I was surprised to find that it’s more about Eliza’s journey with anxiety, self-hatred, and other internal problems that became the most engrossing and relatable parts. Throughout the novel, you begin to see her recognize her mistakes in the way she’s been living, in her assumptions. You really see her learn about herself and about others, and grow from that. For me, Eliza was one of those characters who revealed a lot about my own self. Through her, I could see where I’ve been improving and where I’m still struggling, and it’s really comforting to be reassured that you’re not alone in dealing with these things. It’s not a happy-go-lucky story, it’s much darker, more real, and for that I cannot express how grateful I am. The only problem I had with this book is that it takes a few chapters to get engrossed in it, but once you do, be prepared to sit for a few hours to absorb this story.