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Strange Animals
An ordinary man discovers a hidden world of wondrous supernatural creatures—and an unexpected home—in this enchanting contemporary fantasy debut.
one who studies cryptids; an expert in or student of supernatural history.
After a series of inexplicable encounters upends his life, Green finds himself alone and terrified in the Appalachian mountains, full of questions about the transformation he’s undergoing and the impossible creatures he’s starting to see.
When he meets a hermit named Valentina, he realizes that something more than chance has brought him to her door. For she has devoted centuries to researching the hidden world of cryptids that Green is only now beginning to perceive.
As Green begins his studies beneath her watchful eye, he comes face to face with time-stopping giant moths, cyclops squirrels, and doorways to elsewhere. Along the way come clues about his own nature and the powerful beings who led him here—and, most wondrous of all, a sense of fulfillment like nothing he’s felt before.
But Green’s new happiness promises to be short-lived, because alongside these marvels lurks a deadly threat to this place he’s already come to love.
Featuring incredible creatures and an unforgettable cast of characters, Strange Animals is a charming, addictive fantasy about the magic all around us.
one who studies cryptids; an expert in or student of supernatural history.
After a series of inexplicable encounters upends his life, Green finds himself alone and terrified in the Appalachian mountains, full of questions about the transformation he’s undergoing and the impossible creatures he’s starting to see.
When he meets a hermit named Valentina, he realizes that something more than chance has brought him to her door. For she has devoted centuries to researching the hidden world of cryptids that Green is only now beginning to perceive.
As Green begins his studies beneath her watchful eye, he comes face to face with time-stopping giant moths, cyclops squirrels, and doorways to elsewhere. Along the way come clues about his own nature and the powerful beings who led him here—and, most wondrous of all, a sense of fulfillment like nothing he’s felt before.
But Green’s new happiness promises to be short-lived, because alongside these marvels lurks a deadly threat to this place he’s already come to love.
Featuring incredible creatures and an unforgettable cast of characters, Strange Animals is a charming, addictive fantasy about the magic all around us.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published February 10, 2026
28 people are currently reading
9890 people want to read
About the author
Jarod K. Anderson
24 books435 followersJarod K. Anderson is a strange mix of fantasy nerd, nature writer, podcaster, poet, and erstwhile academic. He once accidentally picked up a rattlesnake and has slept in the branches of a maple tree more than most writers. He created and voices The CryptoNaturalist podcast, a show about real love for imaginary nature, and he regularly shares his poems and prose on social media. He has published three books of poetry as well as the memoir Something in the Woods Loves You, about his lifelong struggle with depression and the healing power of the natural world. His new contemporary fantasy novel Strange Animals will be published in February 2026 by Ballantine Books. He has an MA in early modern English literature and insists he’s more fun than that makes him sound. He lives with his wife and son in a little white house tucked between a park and a cemetery.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
February 10, 2026
Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine for the pre-release copy of Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson. Below is my honest review.
What a weird and wonderful and wild story! It definitely lives up to the "strange" descriptor. It's reminiscent of Seanan McGuire's Incryptid but much different take.
One thing I really enjoyed about this one is how isolated it felt. The whole book takes place in a small area set in the Catskills, a few mile radius around a specific spot, and includes a campground, a clearing in the woods, a gas station, a horse farm - all within that radius of said specific spot - and the surrounding forest. Anderson did an amazing job at really cutting us off from civilization and delving us straight into the story involving that specific area... while also finding a way to make the cryptid world mysterious and feel like a much much larger thing than the tiny circle of mountainous forest our story is set in.
I also found the creatures to be very inventive and quite entertaining to read about, so I was thrilled there.
I am not sure if this will have a sequel or if it'll just be standalone. I'd be thrilled to read more set in this world, but also felt like this one ended well enough to be standalone if the author chooses that.
Four stars, highly recommended for those who love the strange and exciting and mysterious creature feature.
What a weird and wonderful and wild story! It definitely lives up to the "strange" descriptor. It's reminiscent of Seanan McGuire's Incryptid but much different take.
One thing I really enjoyed about this one is how isolated it felt. The whole book takes place in a small area set in the Catskills, a few mile radius around a specific spot, and includes a campground, a clearing in the woods, a gas station, a horse farm - all within that radius of said specific spot - and the surrounding forest. Anderson did an amazing job at really cutting us off from civilization and delving us straight into the story involving that specific area... while also finding a way to make the cryptid world mysterious and feel like a much much larger thing than the tiny circle of mountainous forest our story is set in.
I also found the creatures to be very inventive and quite entertaining to read about, so I was thrilled there.
I am not sure if this will have a sequel or if it'll just be standalone. I'd be thrilled to read more set in this world, but also felt like this one ended well enough to be standalone if the author chooses that.
Four stars, highly recommended for those who love the strange and exciting and mysterious creature feature.
November 24, 2025
4.5 Stars- There was so much to love about this novel. From the odd creatures, the quirky characters, the mystery surrounding Green, and the setting in the Catskills Mountains, I did not want this novel to end. I really hope that there is a follow up novel because I want more to the story.
Green has a near death experience and finds himself drawn to nature. He leaves everything behind to go to the Catskill Mountains. Once there he rents a campground plot but really has no idea how to camp. While sleeping in his car the first night he encounters two strange creatures. He ends up finding out that he has an unusual ability to see cryptids. He becomes an apprentice to his neighbor who is a cyrptonaturalist and his world is turned upside down.
There was mystery, action, strange animals, and quirky but lovable characters. I enjoyed the fantasy elements and all of the different animals. There were some interesting twists as well. I loved the uniqueness of this novel and highly recommend it. If you are looking for a great story and something a little different you will want to read this novel.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
Green has a near death experience and finds himself drawn to nature. He leaves everything behind to go to the Catskill Mountains. Once there he rents a campground plot but really has no idea how to camp. While sleeping in his car the first night he encounters two strange creatures. He ends up finding out that he has an unusual ability to see cryptids. He becomes an apprentice to his neighbor who is a cyrptonaturalist and his world is turned upside down.
There was mystery, action, strange animals, and quirky but lovable characters. I enjoyed the fantasy elements and all of the different animals. There were some interesting twists as well. I loved the uniqueness of this novel and highly recommend it. If you are looking for a great story and something a little different you will want to read this novel.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
February 10, 2026
Strange Animals
by Jarod K. Anderson
Cozy Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Feb 10, 2026
Ballantine Books
Ages: 14+
Tripping on the curb, Green falls into the street, watching as the city bus comes right at him, the tire inches from his eyes, then suddenly he's back on the curb, watching the bus pass right by. But when he looks up, he sees a five-foot-tall crow watching from the sign, but the rest of those on the crowded street seem oblivious.
Finding an acorn, along with seeing other creatures, Green finds himself drawn to the Appalachian Mountains, his car full of camping equipment that he has really no clue how to use, let alone survive in the wilderness as winter approaches.
Upon arriving at an out of the way campground, Green finds his campsite, but with night setting in, he opts to stay in his car, where he witnesses a glass fawn and the horned wolf, who breaks into his car, slicing his chin with its horn. Referred to a campground neighbor, Green finds himself her apprentice, there to study the odd creatures of the mountains.
Careful which blurb you read, for there is one that makes the book sound better than it is. It's not a bad book, but the creatures, cryptids, don't get the attention that I was hoping they would. This is mostly a story about Green (yes, that is his name), Valentina, his tutor, the horned wolf, and the fawn, with a few other appearances. The descriptions are pretty good, but I was still disappointed by the lack of creatures, which is what I was thinking when I requested this book.
The story did move kind of slowly, mostly because it had a lot of narration, but when there was dialogue and the main plot was centered on, the pace picked up. There's not a lot of violence, language, or other adult content, but there are a lot of internal thoughts which mess with the flow, so it just made the cozy genre, and it's still suitable for readers fourteen and older.
Because of the jumping around pacing and lack of creatures, I didn't find myself enjoying this book as much as I wanted, but there was one thing that happened that almost got it to the next star, because it brought tears to my eyes! It was the most touching part of the story.
2 Stars
by Jarod K. Anderson
Cozy Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Feb 10, 2026
Ballantine Books
Ages: 14+
Tripping on the curb, Green falls into the street, watching as the city bus comes right at him, the tire inches from his eyes, then suddenly he's back on the curb, watching the bus pass right by. But when he looks up, he sees a five-foot-tall crow watching from the sign, but the rest of those on the crowded street seem oblivious.
Finding an acorn, along with seeing other creatures, Green finds himself drawn to the Appalachian Mountains, his car full of camping equipment that he has really no clue how to use, let alone survive in the wilderness as winter approaches.
Upon arriving at an out of the way campground, Green finds his campsite, but with night setting in, he opts to stay in his car, where he witnesses a glass fawn and the horned wolf, who breaks into his car, slicing his chin with its horn. Referred to a campground neighbor, Green finds himself her apprentice, there to study the odd creatures of the mountains.
Careful which blurb you read, for there is one that makes the book sound better than it is. It's not a bad book, but the creatures, cryptids, don't get the attention that I was hoping they would. This is mostly a story about Green (yes, that is his name), Valentina, his tutor, the horned wolf, and the fawn, with a few other appearances. The descriptions are pretty good, but I was still disappointed by the lack of creatures, which is what I was thinking when I requested this book.
The story did move kind of slowly, mostly because it had a lot of narration, but when there was dialogue and the main plot was centered on, the pace picked up. There's not a lot of violence, language, or other adult content, but there are a lot of internal thoughts which mess with the flow, so it just made the cozy genre, and it's still suitable for readers fourteen and older.
Because of the jumping around pacing and lack of creatures, I didn't find myself enjoying this book as much as I wanted, but there was one thing that happened that almost got it to the next star, because it brought tears to my eyes! It was the most touching part of the story.
2 Stars
January 10, 2026
Really lovely and delightfully odd, this fantasy novel brings touches of enchantment to the very real magic of nature.
Green died, but then he didn't. With no way of explaining what happened and possessing a seemingly magical acorn, Green takes off to the wild to find answers where he instead finds mysterious creatures, a wise mentor, and more than he could have ever imagined.
Something about the writing in this book immediately feels unique to me. It is at points unapologetically strange but also deeply heartfelt. Some of the other reviews I've seen described it as eerie or spooky but I didn't feel that way at all. Like Valentina says monster is a word of our creation arbitrarily applied to things that feel threatening or unusual. Their pursuit in understanding these creatures feels driven by curiosity and respect in a way that I really love and admire in academics.
It's a strange book, but it's a world that welcomes you in to see the beauty of these cryptids and the people who study them.
Thank you to Jarod K Anderson and Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
Green died, but then he didn't. With no way of explaining what happened and possessing a seemingly magical acorn, Green takes off to the wild to find answers where he instead finds mysterious creatures, a wise mentor, and more than he could have ever imagined.
Something about the writing in this book immediately feels unique to me. It is at points unapologetically strange but also deeply heartfelt. Some of the other reviews I've seen described it as eerie or spooky but I didn't feel that way at all. Like Valentina says monster is a word of our creation arbitrarily applied to things that feel threatening or unusual. Their pursuit in understanding these creatures feels driven by curiosity and respect in a way that I really love and admire in academics.
It's a strange book, but it's a world that welcomes you in to see the beauty of these cryptids and the people who study them.
Thank you to Jarod K Anderson and Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
February 10, 2026
🎉 Happy Book Birthday!!! 🥳
What a surprising little gem of a novel!
The main character, Green, has a very strange (near?) death experience, after which he feels called to reconnect with nature, to rediscover his true self and the things in life that actually matter. He finds himself staying at a campsite in the Catskills, an area populated with some colorful characters.
On his first night there, Green encounters a glowing deer and a horned wolf with mutable shadowy flesh. Is one of these creatures dangerous? Are they both? Not everyone can see these beasts, and this is how Green learns he is a born cryptonaturalist. Thankfully, one of his new neighbors can teach him just what that means. Together, they work to try to protect the mountains and their inhabitants from preternatural dangers.
The characters in this book are interesting, and the dynamic between teacher and pupil is amusing at times. The details of the plot are rather original, and I enjoyed the fanciful elements of "cryptonature". There is a sort of found family piece of the story that I very much appreciated as well. The author's love for nature is on clear display in this tale.
This book seems to be a standalone, but I would gladly read any sequels further detailing Green's adventures. If you find yourself drawn to the idea of a contemporary "urban" fantasy (but that takes place in the wilderness!) with engaging characters and a lot of heart, I definitely recommend picking this one up.
Many thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
It is not always in our power to decide what a thing is...But what a thing means? That power may often be claimed.
What a surprising little gem of a novel!
The main character, Green, has a very strange (near?) death experience, after which he feels called to reconnect with nature, to rediscover his true self and the things in life that actually matter. He finds himself staying at a campsite in the Catskills, an area populated with some colorful characters.
"I got blood on your coat."
"It'll wipe off. Or add character. Whichever."
On his first night there, Green encounters a glowing deer and a horned wolf with mutable shadowy flesh. Is one of these creatures dangerous? Are they both? Not everyone can see these beasts, and this is how Green learns he is a born cryptonaturalist. Thankfully, one of his new neighbors can teach him just what that means. Together, they work to try to protect the mountains and their inhabitants from preternatural dangers.
The characters in this book are interesting, and the dynamic between teacher and pupil is amusing at times. The details of the plot are rather original, and I enjoyed the fanciful elements of "cryptonature". There is a sort of found family piece of the story that I very much appreciated as well. The author's love for nature is on clear display in this tale.
How humbling is nature? How many lives could you spend studying a single tree and still feel yourself a neophyte in the school of its character? What a gift it is to know that the ship of our curiosity will never run aground in the seas of Earth's mysteries.
This book seems to be a standalone, but I would gladly read any sequels further detailing Green's adventures. If you find yourself drawn to the idea of a contemporary "urban" fantasy (but that takes place in the wilderness!) with engaging characters and a lot of heart, I definitely recommend picking this one up.
Many thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
September 14, 2025
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Strange Animals from Ballantine Books and NetGalley in return for an honest review.
From the first page, Strange Animals sinks its claws into you with a uniquely eerie and captivating premise. When Green narrowly escapes death only to find himself face-to-face with a reality-bending giant crow and an oddly menacing acorn, it's clear this isn’t your typical wilderness adventure. Jarod K. Anderson masterfully crafts a fresh twist on magical realism that truly deserves that elusive descriptor, "fresh."
The plot revolves around Green's sudden, bewildering journey away from city comforts into the heart of the mysterious Catskill Mountains, specifically the bizarre yet intriguing Candle-Fly Camp. This isn't just another "escape the city and find yourself" narrative; it explores the thin veil between ordinary life and something unsettling lurking in the wild.
The characters Anderson introduces along the way add rich layers to the story. Green, anxious, and relatable, makes for an authentic protagonist whose struggle with the surreal makes every strange encounter feel immediate and personal. Dancer, the delightfully odd camp owner, Alf and Jerome, the enigmatic duo at the gas station, and Valentina, a mysterious neighbor with her own intriguing presence, help balance the narrative with warmth, eccentric humor, and quiet intensity.
My only critique is that some readers might initially find surrealism a bit overwhelming. The narrative throws you straight into deep, strange waters and takes a moment to acclimate. However, once you're immersed, the storytelling becomes thoroughly engaging.
Anderson skillfully weaves suspense, mystery, and a dash of humor, maintaining a delicate balance that never lets the reader feel at ease. Perfect for those who love their fantasy tinged with a hint of the uncanny. Every twist feels earned and impactful, making the reading experience truly gripping.
Strange Animals is a fantastic pick for anyone seeking a unique, atmospheric tale that blurs the lines between horror, magical realism, and self-discovery. If you're a fan of Dan Simmons or Stephen King, this will feel like familiar territory, but with an entirely fresh perspective. Anderson has delivered something strange and wonderful, making me eager to see where his imagination will take us next.
From the first page, Strange Animals sinks its claws into you with a uniquely eerie and captivating premise. When Green narrowly escapes death only to find himself face-to-face with a reality-bending giant crow and an oddly menacing acorn, it's clear this isn’t your typical wilderness adventure. Jarod K. Anderson masterfully crafts a fresh twist on magical realism that truly deserves that elusive descriptor, "fresh."
The plot revolves around Green's sudden, bewildering journey away from city comforts into the heart of the mysterious Catskill Mountains, specifically the bizarre yet intriguing Candle-Fly Camp. This isn't just another "escape the city and find yourself" narrative; it explores the thin veil between ordinary life and something unsettling lurking in the wild.
The characters Anderson introduces along the way add rich layers to the story. Green, anxious, and relatable, makes for an authentic protagonist whose struggle with the surreal makes every strange encounter feel immediate and personal. Dancer, the delightfully odd camp owner, Alf and Jerome, the enigmatic duo at the gas station, and Valentina, a mysterious neighbor with her own intriguing presence, help balance the narrative with warmth, eccentric humor, and quiet intensity.
My only critique is that some readers might initially find surrealism a bit overwhelming. The narrative throws you straight into deep, strange waters and takes a moment to acclimate. However, once you're immersed, the storytelling becomes thoroughly engaging.
Anderson skillfully weaves suspense, mystery, and a dash of humor, maintaining a delicate balance that never lets the reader feel at ease. Perfect for those who love their fantasy tinged with a hint of the uncanny. Every twist feels earned and impactful, making the reading experience truly gripping.
Strange Animals is a fantastic pick for anyone seeking a unique, atmospheric tale that blurs the lines between horror, magical realism, and self-discovery. If you're a fan of Dan Simmons or Stephen King, this will feel like familiar territory, but with an entirely fresh perspective. Anderson has delivered something strange and wonderful, making me eager to see where his imagination will take us next.
Read
February 10, 2026When I first read the synopsis for this a while ago, I was intrigued. Cryptids in the Appalachian Mountains?? I’m there.
However, I could not connect with the main character, and the pacing is too slow. Green (an interesting name choice, for sure) has a strange moment where he dies…and then is alive again, in the same spot as before. After a month of feeling unsettled, he quits his job and heeds his inner voice telling him to go be in nature. He then meets Valentina, a cryptonaturalist, and becomes her apprentice.
Anderson definitely has writing talent. However, the story jumps all over the place, and there’s So.Much.Inner.Dialogue. I just didn’t find it compelling, even though there are beautiful descriptions here and here. The plot is an intriguing concept that fell a bit flat.
I do encourage the author to keep writing, though. The way he describes the environment and creatures is utterly unique, and he has great ideas.
My thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.
(I’m not rating it because it’s going on my DNF bookshelf.)
However, I could not connect with the main character, and the pacing is too slow. Green (an interesting name choice, for sure) has a strange moment where he dies…and then is alive again, in the same spot as before. After a month of feeling unsettled, he quits his job and heeds his inner voice telling him to go be in nature. He then meets Valentina, a cryptonaturalist, and becomes her apprentice.
Anderson definitely has writing talent. However, the story jumps all over the place, and there’s So.Much.Inner.Dialogue. I just didn’t find it compelling, even though there are beautiful descriptions here and here. The plot is an intriguing concept that fell a bit flat.
I do encourage the author to keep writing, though. The way he describes the environment and creatures is utterly unique, and he has great ideas.
My thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.
(I’m not rating it because it’s going on my DNF bookshelf.)
January 22, 2026
4.0 - Delightful and uplifting!
I struggle putting this in a genre box. Is it fantasy? Is it nature fiction with some magical realism? I really don’t know how to categorize it other than I think cozy works and it’s fantasy-esque. If you like hiking, being outdoors, nature, nature writing and found family I’d safely say this book is for you. I’d even throw in “if you ever thought about just unplugging completely, selling everything you own and moving into the woods” vibe. My only caution is that for me, this took a bit to get going and also to feel like I understood what was going on. Once I felt comfortable, I immensely enjoyed this book. It was a very touching and important reminder of what truly matters, how nature is sacred and that there is more to life than our every day 9 to 5. I would really love to read another book by this author so I hope he decides to do so. Highly recommend.
If you’re looking for a format recommendation, either will do, but the audio narration was my favorite here. Jay Myers was the narrator and he did an awesome job. It was my first listen of his, but it looks like he has done a number of books we all know and love. I think he voiced multiple characters very well.
Thank you to Ballantine Book and Netgalley for the gifted e-arc. Thank you to @prhaudio for the gifted audiobook. #prhaudiopartner
I struggle putting this in a genre box. Is it fantasy? Is it nature fiction with some magical realism? I really don’t know how to categorize it other than I think cozy works and it’s fantasy-esque. If you like hiking, being outdoors, nature, nature writing and found family I’d safely say this book is for you. I’d even throw in “if you ever thought about just unplugging completely, selling everything you own and moving into the woods” vibe. My only caution is that for me, this took a bit to get going and also to feel like I understood what was going on. Once I felt comfortable, I immensely enjoyed this book. It was a very touching and important reminder of what truly matters, how nature is sacred and that there is more to life than our every day 9 to 5. I would really love to read another book by this author so I hope he decides to do so. Highly recommend.
If you’re looking for a format recommendation, either will do, but the audio narration was my favorite here. Jay Myers was the narrator and he did an awesome job. It was my first listen of his, but it looks like he has done a number of books we all know and love. I think he voiced multiple characters very well.
Thank you to Ballantine Book and Netgalley for the gifted e-arc. Thank you to @prhaudio for the gifted audiobook. #prhaudiopartner
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Green, following a near death experience, abandons his modern life and moves to the Catskill Mountains. At Candle-Fly Camp he meets many strange creatures, human and cryptid alike! What follows is a journey not only of self-discovery but also of the mysteries of our universe and of the natural world (whether they can be seen or not!).
Thank you NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the ARC.
What I really liked about this book was the interplay between nature and the fantastical. Having the story take place in the Appalachian Mountains grounded this story about supernatural creatures and set the perfect mood; the atmosphere is a mix of humor, terror, wonder, suspense, and hope. The story is a perfect blend of so many genres. I think fans of fantasy, science fiction, folklore, contemporary fiction, and even horror would find something to love in this book.
The colorful cast of characters is where this book shines. All of the human characters are delightfully eccentric but they all are written with a unique voice. I love how they all came together in Green and Valentina's (Green's misanthropic tutor of cryptozoology) time of need. Then you have the giant cryptid, horned shadow wolf that is particularly drawn to Green. I very much enjoyed seeing how their journeys converged.
If you love books featuring found families then this will not disappoint.
Thank you NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the ARC.
What I really liked about this book was the interplay between nature and the fantastical. Having the story take place in the Appalachian Mountains grounded this story about supernatural creatures and set the perfect mood; the atmosphere is a mix of humor, terror, wonder, suspense, and hope. The story is a perfect blend of so many genres. I think fans of fantasy, science fiction, folklore, contemporary fiction, and even horror would find something to love in this book.
The colorful cast of characters is where this book shines. All of the human characters are delightfully eccentric but they all are written with a unique voice. I love how they all came together in Green and Valentina's (Green's misanthropic tutor of cryptozoology) time of need. Then you have the giant cryptid, horned shadow wolf that is particularly drawn to Green. I very much enjoyed seeing how their journeys converged.
If you love books featuring found families then this will not disappoint.
September 22, 2025
A fantasy set in the Appalachians? Count me in!! Green finds himself searching for a fresh start in the woods—and suddenly able to see cryptids. While many of the creatures in this story are fictional, it still had me thinking and daydreaming about how truly magical nature is. It even made me eager for my next camping trip (though I’m very content not running into any of *these* creatures out there).
As a fantasy and nature lover, this book was right up my alley. I especially loved the setting, since I grew up hiking at the Delaware Water Gap, part of the Appalachians.
What didn’t work as well was the story’s shifting tone. At times, it felt like it wasn’t quite sure what it wanted to be. The beginning was eerie and spooky, the middle whimsical and mysterious, and the ending seemed to reach for something profound—but it didn’t quite land for me (and is why I gave it 4 stars).
I’d recommend this to anyone who loves both fantasy and adventuring in the great outdoors.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review :)
As a fantasy and nature lover, this book was right up my alley. I especially loved the setting, since I grew up hiking at the Delaware Water Gap, part of the Appalachians.
What didn’t work as well was the story’s shifting tone. At times, it felt like it wasn’t quite sure what it wanted to be. The beginning was eerie and spooky, the middle whimsical and mysterious, and the ending seemed to reach for something profound—but it didn’t quite land for me (and is why I gave it 4 stars).
I’d recommend this to anyone who loves both fantasy and adventuring in the great outdoors.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review :)
February 6, 2026
This book is an absolute must read gem!
Green avoids death and decides to go off into the woods to find himself. What he finds is far from what he could have expected! This was a 6/5 for me. It’s so good, that I had to read it twice! I am looking forward to reading it again when it publishes on February 10th!
Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Publisher, and Author, Jarod K Anderson for this Arc.
Green avoids death and decides to go off into the woods to find himself. What he finds is far from what he could have expected! This was a 6/5 for me. It’s so good, that I had to read it twice! I am looking forward to reading it again when it publishes on February 10th!
Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Publisher, and Author, Jarod K Anderson for this Arc.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.5 stars
The nitty-gritty: Nature and the strange world of cryptids are the backdrop for this inventive and smartly written fantasy tale.
Strange Animals surprised me in just about every possible way, and I’m so glad I had the chance to read Jerod K. Anderson’s debut novel. This is a fantasy with roots in the real world, about a normal guy who gets caught up in a fantastical world when he has a brush with death. If you enjoy stories about the natural world and our connection to it, you’ll love this thoughtful and somewhat philosophical approach to fantasy.
We follow a man named Green who is hit by a bus one day and dies—or does he? Green swears he died, but somehow time resets itself and he finds himself back in his body, standing on the sidewalk as the bus drives by. But Green isn’t the same. He feels something pulling at him, urging him to leave his ordinary life behind and go out into nature. He also finds, inexplicably, an acorn in his pocket that wasn’t there before.
Following his strange urges, he drives into the Catskills and winds up in a place called Candle-Fly Camp, a remote campsite where you can “stay as long as you like” and “pay what you feel you owe.” With barely any camping experience, Green settles in after meeting the owner, an odd woman named Dancer, who hand knits hats and makes sassafras tea for her guests. But his first night there, Green is attacked by an impossible animal—a huge wolf-like creature with a horn in the middle of its forehead.
Luckily, there is a woman named Valentina in the next campsite who can help Green out. Valentina is a cryptonaturalist—someone who can see hidden animals—and after meeting Green and hearing about the wolf, she’s convinced he’s a cryptonaturalist too. Valentina suggests that Green stick around for a while and learn more about the strange world he’s been thrust into, and Green agrees to be her apprentice. But when people in the area start dying, Valentina knows that a cryptid is to blame. Finding and eliminating the danger is going to be tough—and surviving it will be nearly impossible.
I’ve made the plot sound more simplistic than it is, but Strange Animals is actually quite complex, with intricate and endlessly fascinating worldbuilding, relatable characters and quite a lot of food for thought. I love Anderson’s idea of cryptids and the fact that most people can’t see them. You won’t find Bigfoots or Chupacabras here, though. These “strange animals” are things like the giant, deadly rag moth whose body disintegrates when it dies, or the glass fawn, a deer with a glass-like body whose organs are clearly visible. And of course, Green’s horned wolf is a cryptid as well. I loved the author’s creative take on creatures who are so strange that’s it’s hard to even comprehend them.
I loved the characters as well. Green and Valentina make a nice “teacher/apprentice” pair, and frankly, Green is lucky to have such a wonderful mentor. Valentina, we find out, is over five hundred years old (you’ll find out why when you read the book!), so her knowledge and experience is almost unmatched. I loved her no nonsense approach to initiating Green into the fantastic—and extremely dangerous—world of cryptids, and her love of observation and scientific discovery grounded the story for me. The side characters are a quirky bunch, and I loved them too—Dancer and her hats, Alf from the gas station, and a few others who all seem to have some bit of wisdom to impart to Green.
Anderson’s main message is to remind us of the vast beauty and mysteries of nature and the way everything is connected. Green is pulled out of his life and given a new purpose: to leave the humdrum behind and embrace the natural world. The acorn he finds in his pocket is an interesting item that is carried throughout the story: what is the purpose of the acorn? And why does Green feel the need to hang on to it? I loved the way the author finally answers these questions in some very philosophical ways. Green’s connection to nature—especially his relationship with the wolf—and Valentina’s wise words about living life will give readers plenty to think about.
Parts of the story have an almost Ray Bradbury-esque feel to them, that sense of joy and wonder that Bradbury’s stories seem to exude. My only complaint is that Strange Animals was a little too philosophical for my taste. I felt I was being preached to at times, although there aren’t any religious elements at all, but the whole “find your purpose in life” theme came across as a bit heavy handed at times. I appreciated the positive message, but I was more interested in the plot and the cryptids and didn’t feel the need to do any soul searching myself.
Luckily, the last quarter of story focuses more on the race to save everyone from the cryptid threat, and the author even introduces a new fantasy element that took the story to yet another level of creativity. Anderson’s world is full of endless possibilities, and I feel like Green, Valentina and the others have many more adventures ahead of them.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
The nitty-gritty: Nature and the strange world of cryptids are the backdrop for this inventive and smartly written fantasy tale.
Strange Animals surprised me in just about every possible way, and I’m so glad I had the chance to read Jerod K. Anderson’s debut novel. This is a fantasy with roots in the real world, about a normal guy who gets caught up in a fantastical world when he has a brush with death. If you enjoy stories about the natural world and our connection to it, you’ll love this thoughtful and somewhat philosophical approach to fantasy.
We follow a man named Green who is hit by a bus one day and dies—or does he? Green swears he died, but somehow time resets itself and he finds himself back in his body, standing on the sidewalk as the bus drives by. But Green isn’t the same. He feels something pulling at him, urging him to leave his ordinary life behind and go out into nature. He also finds, inexplicably, an acorn in his pocket that wasn’t there before.
Following his strange urges, he drives into the Catskills and winds up in a place called Candle-Fly Camp, a remote campsite where you can “stay as long as you like” and “pay what you feel you owe.” With barely any camping experience, Green settles in after meeting the owner, an odd woman named Dancer, who hand knits hats and makes sassafras tea for her guests. But his first night there, Green is attacked by an impossible animal—a huge wolf-like creature with a horn in the middle of its forehead.
Luckily, there is a woman named Valentina in the next campsite who can help Green out. Valentina is a cryptonaturalist—someone who can see hidden animals—and after meeting Green and hearing about the wolf, she’s convinced he’s a cryptonaturalist too. Valentina suggests that Green stick around for a while and learn more about the strange world he’s been thrust into, and Green agrees to be her apprentice. But when people in the area start dying, Valentina knows that a cryptid is to blame. Finding and eliminating the danger is going to be tough—and surviving it will be nearly impossible.
I’ve made the plot sound more simplistic than it is, but Strange Animals is actually quite complex, with intricate and endlessly fascinating worldbuilding, relatable characters and quite a lot of food for thought. I love Anderson’s idea of cryptids and the fact that most people can’t see them. You won’t find Bigfoots or Chupacabras here, though. These “strange animals” are things like the giant, deadly rag moth whose body disintegrates when it dies, or the glass fawn, a deer with a glass-like body whose organs are clearly visible. And of course, Green’s horned wolf is a cryptid as well. I loved the author’s creative take on creatures who are so strange that’s it’s hard to even comprehend them.
I loved the characters as well. Green and Valentina make a nice “teacher/apprentice” pair, and frankly, Green is lucky to have such a wonderful mentor. Valentina, we find out, is over five hundred years old (you’ll find out why when you read the book!), so her knowledge and experience is almost unmatched. I loved her no nonsense approach to initiating Green into the fantastic—and extremely dangerous—world of cryptids, and her love of observation and scientific discovery grounded the story for me. The side characters are a quirky bunch, and I loved them too—Dancer and her hats, Alf from the gas station, and a few others who all seem to have some bit of wisdom to impart to Green.
Anderson’s main message is to remind us of the vast beauty and mysteries of nature and the way everything is connected. Green is pulled out of his life and given a new purpose: to leave the humdrum behind and embrace the natural world. The acorn he finds in his pocket is an interesting item that is carried throughout the story: what is the purpose of the acorn? And why does Green feel the need to hang on to it? I loved the way the author finally answers these questions in some very philosophical ways. Green’s connection to nature—especially his relationship with the wolf—and Valentina’s wise words about living life will give readers plenty to think about.
Parts of the story have an almost Ray Bradbury-esque feel to them, that sense of joy and wonder that Bradbury’s stories seem to exude. My only complaint is that Strange Animals was a little too philosophical for my taste. I felt I was being preached to at times, although there aren’t any religious elements at all, but the whole “find your purpose in life” theme came across as a bit heavy handed at times. I appreciated the positive message, but I was more interested in the plot and the cryptids and didn’t feel the need to do any soul searching myself.
Luckily, the last quarter of story focuses more on the race to save everyone from the cryptid threat, and the author even introduces a new fantasy element that took the story to yet another level of creativity. Anderson’s world is full of endless possibilities, and I feel like Green, Valentina and the others have many more adventures ahead of them.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
January 29, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is by far my favorite book I’ve read in recent memory. It’s such a beautiful combination of cryptids and local folklore meets one man’s need to find meaning in life. It’s fantastical in new beautiful ways that still feel very honest to old folktales. Is the ending my favorite? Not necessarily due to the use of a trope I don’t personally like that I won’t spoil here. But it still wrapped up beautifully and satisfyingly. I highlighted so many more poignant quotes than I normally do in a fiction. Will absolutely be hoping for more from Anderson!
This is by far my favorite book I’ve read in recent memory. It’s such a beautiful combination of cryptids and local folklore meets one man’s need to find meaning in life. It’s fantastical in new beautiful ways that still feel very honest to old folktales. Is the ending my favorite? Not necessarily due to the use of a trope I don’t personally like that I won’t spoil here. But it still wrapped up beautifully and satisfyingly. I highlighted so many more poignant quotes than I normally do in a fiction. Will absolutely be hoping for more from Anderson!
February 1, 2026
Come for the spooky Appalachian cryptid storyline, stay for the love letter to nature & wonder.
I couldn’t put this book down! I desperately wanted to know what happened next. I was terrified of the first few cryptids Green meets. I utter fell in love with all of these characters, though Dancer has a special place in my heart. And Green is so relatable yet wise because of how fully he trusts his intuition. And him accidentally and on purpose provoking Valentina is hilarious!
Thank you to NetGalley and to Ballantine Books for an eARC of this book! This is my honest review.
I couldn’t put this book down! I desperately wanted to know what happened next. I was terrified of the first few cryptids Green meets. I utter fell in love with all of these characters, though Dancer has a special place in my heart. And Green is so relatable yet wise because of how fully he trusts his intuition. And him accidentally and on purpose provoking Valentina is hilarious!
Thank you to NetGalley and to Ballantine Books for an eARC of this book! This is my honest review.
February 10, 2026
I'm glad I checked this one out, but ultimately it wasn't for me. I got cozy fantasy for men vibes from it, which was odd because the stakes did involve a murder mystery. Except the pace was slow, and there was a lot of beautiful rumination on nature. The fantasy itself was also more conceptual than I usually like, which made it hard for me to stay tuned into what was going on. But I was able to keep enough track to feel satisfied by that ending, and this one finding its audience, whoever that may be!
February 10, 2026
All the stars!
STRANGE ANIMALS is a fever dream steeped in atmosphere, with a slice of supernatural horror. It’s also deep, heartfelt, and thought provoking.
What I loved: everything!
More specifically:
➛Quirky characters
➛Found family
➛Magic
➛Appalachian setting
➛The writing
➛The originality of the story
No spoilers. Go read it. 😉
*Thanks to Ballantine Books for the free eARC, provided via NetGalley!*
STRANGE ANIMALS is a fever dream steeped in atmosphere, with a slice of supernatural horror. It’s also deep, heartfelt, and thought provoking.
What I loved: everything!
More specifically:
➛Quirky characters
➛Found family
➛Magic
➛Appalachian setting
➛The writing
➛The originality of the story
No spoilers. Go read it. 😉
*Thanks to Ballantine Books for the free eARC, provided via NetGalley!*
December 13, 2025
I just stayed up all night and finished this outstanding book! I did not expect to find such a well written and moving book when I chose a book about Cryptids. I would have, had I googled the author, but I'm glad it was a surprise. All I can say is I found myself fully immersed in the beautiful scenery, entirely gripped by exhilarating fear, emotionally invested in all of the well developed characters, and am forever changed by a different perspective regarding the unknown. And, as if that's not enough, the story deepened the reverence I feel for the ancient mountains I grew up on. And now I MUST read more from this author. But first, a nap. Thanks to NetGalley, Ballentine Books, and author Jarod K. Anderson for this ARC to review. All opinions are my own.
January 3, 2026
First and foremost this book is weird. Like crazy cryptid weird. And it’s amazing.
Green, our protagonist dies, but then doesn’t die? And the oddity begins. His non-death triggers him to uproot his life and run to the mountains. He stumbles upon a collection of quirky but lovable locals and finds out he’s a natural cryptonaturalist (aka someone who can see various types of cryptids). Well as you might guess, not all of them are harmless so it’s mystery solving time. The old lady in the woods takes him under her wing to teach him the ways of a cryptonaturalist and help out a stop to a bunch of mysterious deaths.
Weird enough for you?
Here’s the thing though; yes, it’s super weird. And initially I was trying to figure out if this was also a horror genre book (it’s not). But it’s so beautiful. I’m not usually a person who highlights passages in a book but this one I did. This book is a story about nature and our place in it. A story to challenge us to slow down a just be. Some of my favorite s:
“Drink in the stars. Feel the familiar pull of gravity on your bones. Smell the living trees. Nature is a thing of unity and renewal, change and cycles. You were a part of that before you were born and will remain a part of it eons after your death. And if ever these ideas become too distant or abstract, just pause and look around. You know what nature is and you know that it feels like home. When you feel that instinctual love of nature, your senses are trying to tell you something. They are telling you that human existence is not the only worthy kind of existence.” - Chapter 12
“Fact may be a found thing, but meaning is a crafted thing. It requires your participation, your choice.” - Chapter 15
So yes. Beautiful and weird in the most incredible way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the arc and the opportunity to provide an honest review.
Green, our protagonist dies, but then doesn’t die? And the oddity begins. His non-death triggers him to uproot his life and run to the mountains. He stumbles upon a collection of quirky but lovable locals and finds out he’s a natural cryptonaturalist (aka someone who can see various types of cryptids). Well as you might guess, not all of them are harmless so it’s mystery solving time. The old lady in the woods takes him under her wing to teach him the ways of a cryptonaturalist and help out a stop to a bunch of mysterious deaths.
Weird enough for you?
Here’s the thing though; yes, it’s super weird. And initially I was trying to figure out if this was also a horror genre book (it’s not). But it’s so beautiful. I’m not usually a person who highlights passages in a book but this one I did. This book is a story about nature and our place in it. A story to challenge us to slow down a just be. Some of my favorite s:
“Drink in the stars. Feel the familiar pull of gravity on your bones. Smell the living trees. Nature is a thing of unity and renewal, change and cycles. You were a part of that before you were born and will remain a part of it eons after your death. And if ever these ideas become too distant or abstract, just pause and look around. You know what nature is and you know that it feels like home. When you feel that instinctual love of nature, your senses are trying to tell you something. They are telling you that human existence is not the only worthy kind of existence.” - Chapter 12
“Fact may be a found thing, but meaning is a crafted thing. It requires your participation, your choice.” - Chapter 15
So yes. Beautiful and weird in the most incredible way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the arc and the opportunity to provide an honest review.
December 27, 2025
This book is WEIRD and I loved it! Strange Animals is the whimsical novel you get when a nature writer ventures into fantasy and writes about imaginary/supernatural nature. This is an absolutely trippy cryptid tale that follows Mr. Green, who finds himself at a place many of us may understand in the modern world: we have to get out of the city and into nature. Modern life has perhaps worn Mr. Green down more than most of us, and the place he finds in Appalachia is certainly far more outside the realm of reality than any of us would ever experience. The people and creatures he meets are exquisite. The adventure he has is suspenseful and unique. Cryptonature may not be real, but there is magic in nature, and it comes through in Anderson’s writing.
I loved Strange Animals and am so glad I picked it up! Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC!
I loved Strange Animals and am so glad I picked it up! Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book centered around a budding cryptonaturalist, Green, who moves from the city to the Catskills without exactly understanding why. He then discovers he has the ability to see "hidden creatures". Hence his career change. He meets a more established cryptonaturalist, Valentina, who agrees to take him on as an apprentice. The world building here was spectacular. The descriptions of the creatures (and there are a lot of them) are mesmerizing. I kind of wish the book had been longer. This type of descriptive storytelling needs more pages so that the other elements do not suffer. Green remained flat to me because we got almost no backstory and he exists in a state of fear for most of the novel. Valentina was richer and I hope we get more of her backstory in the future. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this novel.
January 12, 2026
I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting with this book, but it wasn’t what it delivered. It was actually quite good, even though it does take a bit to pick up speed. The magic is different and really fascinating. You really don’t know what to make of Green, the main character, initially. But he grows on you. The themes end up being much deeper than “supernatural creatures.”
C/o Netgalley
C/o Netgalley
October 25, 2025
“Fact may be a found thing, but meaning is a crafted thing. It requires your participation, your choice.”
my ARC review of Strange Animals by Jarod K Anderson. thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, & the author for the ebook copy!
though it is being marketed as “cozy,” Strange Animals has some elements of a cozy read, but I wouldn’t classify it as cozy. it’s too dark, too full of dread, & there isn’t enough found family/healing vibes.
that being said, this book was very near to perfect. it was spooky when it needed to be, had awesome Appalachian vibes/storytelling/lore, & was wonderfully well written.
my complaints with it were its lack of found family & character focus. it grasped at those, & was ALMOST there, but just not, not quite. it had lots of quirky characters, & the world building was top tier, but the characters weren’t focused on enough imo. so that left it a little dry in places. I wanted the boys & Catskill & Dancer to have MORE, to FEEL more from them & I just… didn’t. if this was a first in a series, with more to come to delve into those relationships, maybe that would be one thing… but it just felt a little rushed, & more than a little disappointing because it COULD HAVE had that. it had all the elements, they just weren’t brought together as well as they could’ve been.
Catskill is one of my new favorite characters & the lack of page time he got is a crime, istg. & something else about him was not delved into deep enough (spoilers so I can’t say more) & it broke my heart because it was such an intriguing element but it just… ugh.
I also really, really loved the ending. it was so so perfect.
all in all, this one was sooooooo good, but just didn’t QUITE do enough with all the good bits it had, didn’t quite pull them together well enough, didn’t give the quirky side characters enough heart & page time that it could have to push this up into a 5 star read.
side note: don’t expect an exact replica, but if you, like me, are a fan of The Nightmare from One Dark Window, there is a character in this book that brings him to mind.
Strange Animals releases February 10, 2026. definitely check it out!
“Grow to honor the world that made you.”
🦋third person, limited POV
🦌interesting writing style— quick, patchy, unique word usage
🐺poetic but also dark, haunting, & vivid storytelling
🦋dark humor
🦌Appalachian mountain dread
🐺Blobert
🦋cryptids? cryptids.
🦌tree fort libraries
🐺kind of like The X-Files meets The Twisted Ones
🦋ever wonder what’s in the woods in the Appalachian range? here ya go.
🦌this book is so weird 🤔
🐺elements of dark academia but like… in the woods
🦋finding home & meaning & choosing your destiny
my ARC review of Strange Animals by Jarod K Anderson. thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, & the author for the ebook copy!
though it is being marketed as “cozy,” Strange Animals has some elements of a cozy read, but I wouldn’t classify it as cozy. it’s too dark, too full of dread, & there isn’t enough found family/healing vibes.
that being said, this book was very near to perfect. it was spooky when it needed to be, had awesome Appalachian vibes/storytelling/lore, & was wonderfully well written.
my complaints with it were its lack of found family & character focus. it grasped at those, & was ALMOST there, but just not, not quite. it had lots of quirky characters, & the world building was top tier, but the characters weren’t focused on enough imo. so that left it a little dry in places. I wanted the boys & Catskill & Dancer to have MORE, to FEEL more from them & I just… didn’t. if this was a first in a series, with more to come to delve into those relationships, maybe that would be one thing… but it just felt a little rushed, & more than a little disappointing because it COULD HAVE had that. it had all the elements, they just weren’t brought together as well as they could’ve been.
Catskill is one of my new favorite characters & the lack of page time he got is a crime, istg. & something else about him was not delved into deep enough (spoilers so I can’t say more) & it broke my heart because it was such an intriguing element but it just… ugh.
I also really, really loved the ending. it was so so perfect.
all in all, this one was sooooooo good, but just didn’t QUITE do enough with all the good bits it had, didn’t quite pull them together well enough, didn’t give the quirky side characters enough heart & page time that it could have to push this up into a 5 star read.
side note: don’t expect an exact replica, but if you, like me, are a fan of The Nightmare from One Dark Window, there is a character in this book that brings him to mind.
Strange Animals releases February 10, 2026. definitely check it out!
“Grow to honor the world that made you.”
🦋third person, limited POV
🦌interesting writing style— quick, patchy, unique word usage
🐺poetic but also dark, haunting, & vivid storytelling
🦋dark humor
🦌Appalachian mountain dread
🐺Blobert
🦋cryptids? cryptids.
🦌tree fort libraries
🐺kind of like The X-Files meets The Twisted Ones
🦋ever wonder what’s in the woods in the Appalachian range? here ya go.
🦌this book is so weird 🤔
🐺elements of dark academia but like… in the woods
🦋finding home & meaning & choosing your destiny
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader. If you like this post, you might like others on that site. Consider checking it out!
---
WHAT'S STRANGE ANIMALS ABOUT?
Following a strange near-death experience, Green feels a compulsion to get back to nature. Well, maybe not "back," he seems like someone very comfortable in the city. But you get what I mean.
So he sells his home, quits his job, puts everything in storage, and heads out. He's drawn to Appalachia and sets out to find a long-term campsite to start whatever this next stage of life is.
Along the way, Green meets some delightfully odd characters—and I wish I had the room to talk about them, but you want Anderson to introduce you to them anyway.
His first night in his campsite he sees animals that can't exist. He'd be tempted to think he had a hallucination or two if it weren't for some evidence that people who weren't around can also see.
From there, Green starts to learn about strange creatures all around him—and learns not to call them strange. They're not strange, they're not monsters (despite what some appear to be) or anything else derogatory. They're simply uncommon—so uncommon that very few can see them. But Earth is just as much their home as it is to mice, giraffes, or emus. Of course, not every common animal should be around people, and that applies to some of these uncommon creatures, too.
Can Green and his new friends stop one who seems to be hunting humans?
WHY DID I PICK THIS UP? WHY DID I KEEP READING?
I can't tell you specifically what it was that appealed to me in the NetGalley advertisement I got for this book, but it intrigued me. Lightly skimming Witty & Sarcastic Book Club's post about it intensified that (I only read deep enough to pick up her tone, so I didn't inadvertently steal any of her points).
What kept me reading? There was something about Chapter 0 that got me. It didn't matter what happened for the rest of the book—I was sold, and the rest of the book was going to have to be really lousy to get the hook that it put in me dislodged. At the end of Chapter 1, my notes read, "I think I might be falling in love with this book."
And yes, I said Chapter 0—that wasn't a typo. Anyone who numbers chapters like that has to intrigue a reader, right?
WHAT DOES THIS BOOK TELL US ABOUT HUMANITY?
I walked away with two things on this front.
First, humans need nature. Plants, animals, sunsets/rises—the works. When we shut up and pay attention to it—better if we can get further away from population centers (as nice as they and their technologies and comforts may be) to focus on it—there's a benefit to our health. At least mental. Probably physical—and spiritual (depending on how you want to define that). This is the central drive for Green—and while it ends up not being what he expected, it's this that fulfills him. As he connects with both the common and uncommon around him, he's renewed and bettered.
Second, and it's hard to say which is more important, is that people need—and will find—community. In this case, Green finds a few groups of people and brings a couple together (or at least is a bridge between them). He's an outsider to this area, but finds himself befriending these groups almost instantly. These two—and one much larger—converge on the area (more precisely, Green and his teacher) when the chips are down, and people need help. Somewhat to protect people in general, but largely to protect "their people" (for lack of a better term). The communities step up in a way that we all want to see—and frequently do. It's rather encouraging.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT STRANGE ANIMALS?
Anderson checks all the boxes here—he can put together a sentence just right, if this wasn't an ARC, I'd be struggling to keep my quotations to a reasonable limit; he creates fantastic characters and gets the reader to invest in them with very few words (and rewards that investment); the imagination demonstrated in this world and the uncommon animals—and the depiction of the common flora and fauna—makes you want to see more from him; and he can tell a pretty engaging story. Check, check, check, and check. If there are problems with this book, they're minor.
Okay, there's something toward the end that I'm rabidly curious about and want to know so much more about what happens. But I'm really glad Anderson just elides past it.
Still, if he wants to give me a call and describe it to me, I'll give him my number.
This is not your typical Fantasy novel, for sure. It captures an Appalachian area in a similar way (though in different states) that Alex Bledsoe's Tufa series did, which really makes me want to visit the real world version. Actually, as I say that, I realize that this book left me feeling the same way that the first Tufa novel, The Hum and the Shiver did. There are few books that I can say that about.
There's something special going on in these pages. I encourage you to look into them yourself and see if you agree.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Ballantine Books via NetGalley in exchange for this post which contains my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.
---
WHAT'S STRANGE ANIMALS ABOUT?
Following a strange near-death experience, Green feels a compulsion to get back to nature. Well, maybe not "back," he seems like someone very comfortable in the city. But you get what I mean.
So he sells his home, quits his job, puts everything in storage, and heads out. He's drawn to Appalachia and sets out to find a long-term campsite to start whatever this next stage of life is.
Along the way, Green meets some delightfully odd characters—and I wish I had the room to talk about them, but you want Anderson to introduce you to them anyway.
His first night in his campsite he sees animals that can't exist. He'd be tempted to think he had a hallucination or two if it weren't for some evidence that people who weren't around can also see.
From there, Green starts to learn about strange creatures all around him—and learns not to call them strange. They're not strange, they're not monsters (despite what some appear to be) or anything else derogatory. They're simply uncommon—so uncommon that very few can see them. But Earth is just as much their home as it is to mice, giraffes, or emus. Of course, not every common animal should be around people, and that applies to some of these uncommon creatures, too.
Can Green and his new friends stop one who seems to be hunting humans?
WHY DID I PICK THIS UP? WHY DID I KEEP READING?
I can't tell you specifically what it was that appealed to me in the NetGalley advertisement I got for this book, but it intrigued me. Lightly skimming Witty & Sarcastic Book Club's post about it intensified that (I only read deep enough to pick up her tone, so I didn't inadvertently steal any of her points).
What kept me reading? There was something about Chapter 0 that got me. It didn't matter what happened for the rest of the book—I was sold, and the rest of the book was going to have to be really lousy to get the hook that it put in me dislodged. At the end of Chapter 1, my notes read, "I think I might be falling in love with this book."
And yes, I said Chapter 0—that wasn't a typo. Anyone who numbers chapters like that has to intrigue a reader, right?
WHAT DOES THIS BOOK TELL US ABOUT HUMANITY?
I walked away with two things on this front.
First, humans need nature. Plants, animals, sunsets/rises—the works. When we shut up and pay attention to it—better if we can get further away from population centers (as nice as they and their technologies and comforts may be) to focus on it—there's a benefit to our health. At least mental. Probably physical—and spiritual (depending on how you want to define that). This is the central drive for Green—and while it ends up not being what he expected, it's this that fulfills him. As he connects with both the common and uncommon around him, he's renewed and bettered.
Second, and it's hard to say which is more important, is that people need—and will find—community. In this case, Green finds a few groups of people and brings a couple together (or at least is a bridge between them). He's an outsider to this area, but finds himself befriending these groups almost instantly. These two—and one much larger—converge on the area (more precisely, Green and his teacher) when the chips are down, and people need help. Somewhat to protect people in general, but largely to protect "their people" (for lack of a better term). The communities step up in a way that we all want to see—and frequently do. It's rather encouraging.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT STRANGE ANIMALS?
Anderson checks all the boxes here—he can put together a sentence just right, if this wasn't an ARC, I'd be struggling to keep my quotations to a reasonable limit; he creates fantastic characters and gets the reader to invest in them with very few words (and rewards that investment); the imagination demonstrated in this world and the uncommon animals—and the depiction of the common flora and fauna—makes you want to see more from him; and he can tell a pretty engaging story. Check, check, check, and check. If there are problems with this book, they're minor.
Okay, there's something toward the end that I'm rabidly curious about and want to know so much more about what happens. But I'm really glad Anderson just elides past it.
Still, if he wants to give me a call and describe it to me, I'll give him my number.
This is not your typical Fantasy novel, for sure. It captures an Appalachian area in a similar way (though in different states) that Alex Bledsoe's Tufa series did, which really makes me want to visit the real world version. Actually, as I say that, I realize that this book left me feeling the same way that the first Tufa novel, The Hum and the Shiver did. There are few books that I can say that about.
There's something special going on in these pages. I encourage you to look into them yourself and see if you agree.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Ballantine Books via NetGalley in exchange for this post which contains my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
*I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
Highlights
~original-to-the-book cryptids!
~check your biases
~the best toasted cheese
~pretty doesn’t mean safe
~terrifying doesn’t mean evil
Strange Animals is a book I picked up because I’ve been a fan of Anderson’s CryptoNature tumblr, which is all musings and poetry on how wonderfully strange nature is, for years and years. I didn’t see how a book from him about cryptids could go wrong!
Unfortunately, for me it did.
The opening pages are a bit wobbly, but quickly strengthen; the first quarter or third is great. The introduction of Dancer, a ridiculously amazing secondary character, had me convinced this was going to be a new favourite book. But around the halfway point, Strange Animals starts to wobble again, and the last third is a slog to read while being a narrative rush. The message of the book – that nature is big and strange and beautiful, and humans are far from the pinnacle of it – is wonderful, but got more and more heavy-handed as the story went on, shifted more and more to telling-not-showing. And I was so, so frustrated with the ending!
After an unambiguously supernatural near-death experience, Green abandons his unfulfilling ‘normal’ life and heads off to the Appalachian mountains, without much of a plan but with a lot of passion and hope. A terrifying encounter with some cryptids leads him to becoming the apprentice of a cryptonaturalist, the fantastic Valentina, and the two of them investigate a spate of suspicious deaths while Green tries to figure out who on earth he is now and adjust to his new reality.
I really appreciated Anderson’s decision to create entirely new cryptids for this book, rather than pulling from extant lore – you won’t find Bigfoot or the Mothman here, but there’s a bunch of new beasties to be fascinated by. This part of the worldbuilding is fantastic: all the cryptids feel unique and interesting, and Anderson strikes a great balance between making them eerie or frightening, and making them feel part of an unfamiliar eco-system. The cryptonaturalist culture, as well, was wonderful; I loved the sense of community, the ethos of the cryptonaturalists, how much they valued the sharing of information. Even though we didn’t get to meet many cryptonaturalists beyond Valentina, the community/culture felt vivid, something I’d love to be a part of!
But the story itself was pretty weak. A big part of it was Green having to unlearn his assumptions and biases, how to separate his reflexive fears from the available data in front of him, and I can see this being a galaxy-brain read for people who haven’t already done this kind of work on themselves, but if you have already done it, then it’s pretty dull. The book telegraphs this kind of thing in eye-rollingly obvious strokes: Green is convinced that the horned wolf, a cryptid he’s the first human to encounter, is monstrous and evil and the one behind all the killings, when it very clearly isn’t; he’s just scared of it because it looks scary.
But the story itself was pretty weak. A big part of it was Green having to unlearn his assumptions and biases, how to separate his reflexive fears from the available data in front of him, and I can see this being a galaxy-brain read for people who haven’t already done this kind of work on themselves, but if you have already done it, then it’s pretty dull. The book telegraphs this kind of thing in eye-rollingly obvious strokes: Green is convinced that the horned wolf, a cryptid he’s the first human to encounter, is monstrous and evil and the one behind all the killings, when it very clearly isn’t; he’s just scared of it because it looks scary. The cryptid he initially thinks is beautiful is, of course, the ‘bad’ one – and counter to Valentina’s insistence that cryptids are not monsters and Green is not allowed to think of them that way, it’s fine to think of this cryptid as bad because The whole deal with the mysterious acorn Green received from his near-death experience ultimately fizzles out into nothing; after all the build-up, all the hints that Green is a ‘not-man’ and maybe-immortal and something very strange and special indeed, his transformation into this legendary figure happens off-page and is time-skipped. The climax/confrontation with the cryptid causing all the deaths happens all in a rush; the only attempt at tension is that the prose gets choppier and choppier (this book is very fond of sentences being their own paragraph, which is fine until we have five or six in a row).
Read the rest at Every Book a Doorway!
Highlights
~original-to-the-book cryptids!
~check your biases
~the best toasted cheese
~pretty doesn’t mean safe
~terrifying doesn’t mean evil
Strange Animals is a book I picked up because I’ve been a fan of Anderson’s CryptoNature tumblr, which is all musings and poetry on how wonderfully strange nature is, for years and years. I didn’t see how a book from him about cryptids could go wrong!
Unfortunately, for me it did.
The opening pages are a bit wobbly, but quickly strengthen; the first quarter or third is great. The introduction of Dancer, a ridiculously amazing secondary character, had me convinced this was going to be a new favourite book. But around the halfway point, Strange Animals starts to wobble again, and the last third is a slog to read while being a narrative rush. The message of the book – that nature is big and strange and beautiful, and humans are far from the pinnacle of it – is wonderful, but got more and more heavy-handed as the story went on, shifted more and more to telling-not-showing. And I was so, so frustrated with the ending!
After an unambiguously supernatural near-death experience, Green abandons his unfulfilling ‘normal’ life and heads off to the Appalachian mountains, without much of a plan but with a lot of passion and hope. A terrifying encounter with some cryptids leads him to becoming the apprentice of a cryptonaturalist, the fantastic Valentina, and the two of them investigate a spate of suspicious deaths while Green tries to figure out who on earth he is now and adjust to his new reality.
I really appreciated Anderson’s decision to create entirely new cryptids for this book, rather than pulling from extant lore – you won’t find Bigfoot or the Mothman here, but there’s a bunch of new beasties to be fascinated by. This part of the worldbuilding is fantastic: all the cryptids feel unique and interesting, and Anderson strikes a great balance between making them eerie or frightening, and making them feel part of an unfamiliar eco-system. The cryptonaturalist culture, as well, was wonderful; I loved the sense of community, the ethos of the cryptonaturalists, how much they valued the sharing of information. Even though we didn’t get to meet many cryptonaturalists beyond Valentina, the community/culture felt vivid, something I’d love to be a part of!
But the story itself was pretty weak. A big part of it was Green having to unlearn his assumptions and biases, how to separate his reflexive fears from the available data in front of him, and I can see this being a galaxy-brain read for people who haven’t already done this kind of work on themselves, but if you have already done it, then it’s pretty dull. The book telegraphs this kind of thing in eye-rollingly obvious strokes: Green is convinced that the horned wolf, a cryptid he’s the first human to encounter, is monstrous and evil and the one behind all the killings, when it very clearly isn’t; he’s just scared of it because it looks scary.
But the story itself was pretty weak. A big part of it was Green having to unlearn his assumptions and biases, how to separate his reflexive fears from the available data in front of him, and I can see this being a galaxy-brain read for people who haven’t already done this kind of work on themselves, but if you have already done it, then it’s pretty dull. The book telegraphs this kind of thing in eye-rollingly obvious strokes: Green is convinced that the horned wolf, a cryptid he’s the first human to encounter, is monstrous and evil and the one behind all the killings, when it very clearly isn’t; he’s just scared of it because it looks scary. The cryptid he initially thinks is beautiful is, of course, the ‘bad’ one – and counter to Valentina’s insistence that cryptids are not monsters and Green is not allowed to think of them that way, it’s fine to think of this cryptid as bad because The whole deal with the mysterious acorn Green received from his near-death experience ultimately fizzles out into nothing; after all the build-up, all the hints that Green is a ‘not-man’ and maybe-immortal and something very strange and special indeed, his transformation into this legendary figure happens off-page and is time-skipped. The climax/confrontation with the cryptid causing all the deaths happens all in a rush; the only attempt at tension is that the prose gets choppier and choppier (this book is very fond of sentences being their own paragraph, which is fine until we have five or six in a row).
Read the rest at Every Book a Doorway!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Kinda like a fever dream
Green miraculously escapes death when he trips on the curb and almost gets hit by a city bus. As he sees some strange visions of impossible creatures (like a five-foot crow), Green goes to a remote campsite in the Appalachian Mountains to apprentice under an old teacher. Here, he meets more strange animals and finds himself happy. However, something threatens to destroy everything that now means the world to him!
The story comes in Green’s third-person POV.
My Thoughts
Okay… so I requested this for that terrific cover and the premise that spoke of forests, hills, and mysterious creatures. In that sense, the book delivers.
Even if you read the blurb, I’d say just go with the flow without having any expectations. Things strangely make sense, but you will have to be patient. The pacing is uneven, which can be an issue, especially if you also don’t prefer too much philosophy.
There really isn’t any foundation, so it might feel like you are missing important information. That’s okay. The MC doesn’t know anything, so we learn as he does.
I love the setting (any atmospheric forest gets points from me) and its wilderness. The idea of mysterious creatures, cryptids, and selected people studying them appeals a lot to me.
At the same time, I totally empathize with the MC’s struggle to come to terms with things. As much as I loveeee forests, I will scream at the top of my lungs if I see what he saw. Heck. I’d even win a World Record for the loudest scream.
That said, the narration meanders at random. Some of the quotes are terrific, especially those about nature being eternal and about human thought, action, and presence not being the focal point of the earth. But the philosophic musings and borderline gyan are not my thing. I had to skim those parts when it got too much.
While this might be the story of a man’s growth and finding himself, his purpose, etc., for me, it is a story of learning to become a humble part of nature. There are so many fascinating, marvelous, and highly terrifying creatures we know nothing about, and we have no right to want to harm/destroy any of them because we consider ourselves superior.
The last 15% or so picks up pace due to the shift in narrative. Since I was ready for the book to end by then, it didn’t feel odd. The ending is complete and positive, though it is also open, leaving a few questions unanswered. It may seem a bit tame, but I like it.
Oh, by the way, the author seems to be like me in titling his book. Strange Animals, though apt for the story, doesn’t really do justice to it. But then, I called one of my stories The Silver Beast (no points for guessing what it had), so who am I to point fingers?
To summarize, Strange Animals is an interesting read that is best enjoyed by going with the flow and being patient, as the pace wavers. Those who like forests and mysterious creatures should like it more.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #StrangeAnimals
One Liner: Kinda like a fever dream
Green miraculously escapes death when he trips on the curb and almost gets hit by a city bus. As he sees some strange visions of impossible creatures (like a five-foot crow), Green goes to a remote campsite in the Appalachian Mountains to apprentice under an old teacher. Here, he meets more strange animals and finds himself happy. However, something threatens to destroy everything that now means the world to him!
The story comes in Green’s third-person POV.
My Thoughts
Okay… so I requested this for that terrific cover and the premise that spoke of forests, hills, and mysterious creatures. In that sense, the book delivers.
Even if you read the blurb, I’d say just go with the flow without having any expectations. Things strangely make sense, but you will have to be patient. The pacing is uneven, which can be an issue, especially if you also don’t prefer too much philosophy.
There really isn’t any foundation, so it might feel like you are missing important information. That’s okay. The MC doesn’t know anything, so we learn as he does.
I love the setting (any atmospheric forest gets points from me) and its wilderness. The idea of mysterious creatures, cryptids, and selected people studying them appeals a lot to me.
At the same time, I totally empathize with the MC’s struggle to come to terms with things. As much as I loveeee forests, I will scream at the top of my lungs if I see what he saw. Heck. I’d even win a World Record for the loudest scream.
That said, the narration meanders at random. Some of the quotes are terrific, especially those about nature being eternal and about human thought, action, and presence not being the focal point of the earth. But the philosophic musings and borderline gyan are not my thing. I had to skim those parts when it got too much.
While this might be the story of a man’s growth and finding himself, his purpose, etc., for me, it is a story of learning to become a humble part of nature. There are so many fascinating, marvelous, and highly terrifying creatures we know nothing about, and we have no right to want to harm/destroy any of them because we consider ourselves superior.
The last 15% or so picks up pace due to the shift in narrative. Since I was ready for the book to end by then, it didn’t feel odd. The ending is complete and positive, though it is also open, leaving a few questions unanswered. It may seem a bit tame, but I like it.
Oh, by the way, the author seems to be like me in titling his book. Strange Animals, though apt for the story, doesn’t really do justice to it. But then, I called one of my stories The Silver Beast (no points for guessing what it had), so who am I to point fingers?
To summarize, Strange Animals is an interesting read that is best enjoyed by going with the flow and being patient, as the pace wavers. Those who like forests and mysterious creatures should like it more.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #StrangeAnimals
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The premise of Strange Animals sounded intriguing. After Green survived something he truly shouldn’t have, he finds himself drawn to the dark and lonely places. Giving up everything he’s known, he ventures into the Appalachian Mountains in search of answers and peace. What he finds is far outside the realm of what should be possible.
This book is absolutely amazing. It seemed like it should have been a straightforward story, but instead it felt…large and complicated in the very best way. The Appalachian Mountains in this book are home to more than the usual wildlife. Instead, there are otherworldly creatures existing just out of sight for most people, with only a lucky few seeing this unique world. It turns out that the main character, Green, is one of those people.
I had a feeling that I’d love it about a chapter in. Green is a likable fish out of water, someone who is clearly outside his comfort zone (to be fair, the things he sees would be outside anyone’s comfort zone). Instead of spending time in disbelief or self-pity, he accepts that he stepped into a whole new world and does his best to adjust. Due to this acceptance, as well as his sense of wonder, the reader is treated to the majesty of both the creatures created for the book and the real magic that waits in the wild places.
Green is joined by a great cast of characters. Most importantly is Valentina, a cryptidologist who becomes his mentor. She’s clearly out of practice with human interaction, but she does her best. Her normal curriculum is thrown out the window when a cryptid that only Green can see starts killing people in the vicinity. I loved the interaction between her world and Green’s. She was a fascinating person, with bits and pieces of her past scattered throughout the book like breadcrumbs.
Other characters filled out this microworld, and they really reminded me of the oddball characters found in Twin Peaks (although the book itself is nothing like that show). They were memorable and so much fun, especially the two who frequented the only gas station in the area. They were what immediately solidified the charm to be found within the pages.
And there is so much charm! I think Strange Animals is billed as “cozy”, but that’s not how I would describe it. It leans heavily on the already wondrous feel of real nature, with the fictional creatures fitting in almost naturally, creating a weird yet almost believable ecosystem. The threat is truly creepy and I loved the way that all played out.
The writing itself is beautiful and introspective, which surprised me in the best way. There’s so much to love about Strange Animals, a book that is in a class all its own. It’s different and magical and truly something special.
I can’t recommend this book enough.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book. My opinions are completely my own.
Review published on: https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
This book is absolutely amazing. It seemed like it should have been a straightforward story, but instead it felt…large and complicated in the very best way. The Appalachian Mountains in this book are home to more than the usual wildlife. Instead, there are otherworldly creatures existing just out of sight for most people, with only a lucky few seeing this unique world. It turns out that the main character, Green, is one of those people.
I had a feeling that I’d love it about a chapter in. Green is a likable fish out of water, someone who is clearly outside his comfort zone (to be fair, the things he sees would be outside anyone’s comfort zone). Instead of spending time in disbelief or self-pity, he accepts that he stepped into a whole new world and does his best to adjust. Due to this acceptance, as well as his sense of wonder, the reader is treated to the majesty of both the creatures created for the book and the real magic that waits in the wild places.
Green is joined by a great cast of characters. Most importantly is Valentina, a cryptidologist who becomes his mentor. She’s clearly out of practice with human interaction, but she does her best. Her normal curriculum is thrown out the window when a cryptid that only Green can see starts killing people in the vicinity. I loved the interaction between her world and Green’s. She was a fascinating person, with bits and pieces of her past scattered throughout the book like breadcrumbs.
Other characters filled out this microworld, and they really reminded me of the oddball characters found in Twin Peaks (although the book itself is nothing like that show). They were memorable and so much fun, especially the two who frequented the only gas station in the area. They were what immediately solidified the charm to be found within the pages.
And there is so much charm! I think Strange Animals is billed as “cozy”, but that’s not how I would describe it. It leans heavily on the already wondrous feel of real nature, with the fictional creatures fitting in almost naturally, creating a weird yet almost believable ecosystem. The threat is truly creepy and I loved the way that all played out.
The writing itself is beautiful and introspective, which surprised me in the best way. There’s so much to love about Strange Animals, a book that is in a class all its own. It’s different and magical and truly something special.
I can’t recommend this book enough.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book. My opinions are completely my own.
Review published on: https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Strange Animals
A Novel
by Jarod K. Anderson
Pub date: 2/10/2026
Publisher: Ballentine
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine/Ballentine Books for an ecopy of the book. All opinions are my own.
Cryptozoology wasn’t a term I was familiar with when I started this book. Neither was Green, the main character in Jarod K. Anderson’s debut novel, Strange Animals. We both learned together, but I had the advantage of not facing any glass fawns or horned wolves.
When Strange Animals opens, Green died, but then didn’t, under the wheels of a city bus. When he finds himself back on the sidewalk, there’s an enormous crow perched on a “No Parking” sign, and an acorn in his pocket. Next thing Green knows, he’s left his urban life behind and is heading to the Catskill mountains. He’s going to a place he’s never been, for reasons he can’t understand. He’s going because that acorn compels him to go. He sets off on a life-changing journey full of discovery, and ultimately, purpose.
Anderson’s debut novel is fantastic and fantastical. His interweaving of the ordinary and supernatural elements allows a reader to enter this world he’s constructed, without hesitation. In other words, it’s easy to suspend disbelief when confronted with the knowledge that our world is populated by things only a few people can actually see, even though these other beings live alongside all of us.
Setting the book in Appalachia adds to the reality of this world. These ancient mountains, populated with dark forests, few people, and folklore of its own fits this world of cryptozoology. It’s a perfect mood.
I also fell in love with the characters. Dancer is the woman in charge of the campground where Green intends to camp. Valentina Blackwood becomes his prickly mentor in this strange new world. Jerome and Alf, two kids that work at the local gas station accept this stranger without questions of judgement. All of the characters become Green’s new community.
Strange Animals is a mix of magical realism with horror elements (in my mind) sprinkled in. It is also a funny book, but one that makes you think about how interconnected life is on this planet. The funny parts balance out the darker parts of the novel. There are a few places where I wasn’t clear on how this world worked, and sometimes Valentina’s lectures got a bit dense, but overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I found it hard to put down once I started it because I wanted to see what happened to Green.
5/5
A Novel
by Jarod K. Anderson
Pub date: 2/10/2026
Publisher: Ballentine
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine/Ballentine Books for an ecopy of the book. All opinions are my own.
Cryptozoology wasn’t a term I was familiar with when I started this book. Neither was Green, the main character in Jarod K. Anderson’s debut novel, Strange Animals. We both learned together, but I had the advantage of not facing any glass fawns or horned wolves.
When Strange Animals opens, Green died, but then didn’t, under the wheels of a city bus. When he finds himself back on the sidewalk, there’s an enormous crow perched on a “No Parking” sign, and an acorn in his pocket. Next thing Green knows, he’s left his urban life behind and is heading to the Catskill mountains. He’s going to a place he’s never been, for reasons he can’t understand. He’s going because that acorn compels him to go. He sets off on a life-changing journey full of discovery, and ultimately, purpose.
Anderson’s debut novel is fantastic and fantastical. His interweaving of the ordinary and supernatural elements allows a reader to enter this world he’s constructed, without hesitation. In other words, it’s easy to suspend disbelief when confronted with the knowledge that our world is populated by things only a few people can actually see, even though these other beings live alongside all of us.
Setting the book in Appalachia adds to the reality of this world. These ancient mountains, populated with dark forests, few people, and folklore of its own fits this world of cryptozoology. It’s a perfect mood.
I also fell in love with the characters. Dancer is the woman in charge of the campground where Green intends to camp. Valentina Blackwood becomes his prickly mentor in this strange new world. Jerome and Alf, two kids that work at the local gas station accept this stranger without questions of judgement. All of the characters become Green’s new community.
Strange Animals is a mix of magical realism with horror elements (in my mind) sprinkled in. It is also a funny book, but one that makes you think about how interconnected life is on this planet. The funny parts balance out the darker parts of the novel. There are a few places where I wasn’t clear on how this world worked, and sometimes Valentina’s lectures got a bit dense, but overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I found it hard to put down once I started it because I wanted to see what happened to Green.
5/5
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A strange twist of fate draws a man from his ordinary life into a bizarrely extraordinary one filled with supernatural creatures and a new community in which to belong in Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
After an incident with a bus that should have meant his demise, Green finds himself inexplicably alive, watched by a massive crow that’s somehow unseen by other commuters, and with an acorn in his pocket that he cannot stop his hand from gravitating toward. Compelled to leave the trappings of his current life behind, Green uproots himself and heads into the Appalachian Mountains, where he has encounters with other strange creatures that lead him to an apprenticeship with a centuries-old cryptonaturalist, who might just be able to set him on the path toward answers he seeks while also providing a new community in which to find company. While investigating the reason for some mysterious deaths, Green and his mentor realize that they’re facing a deadly force from beyond their reality; the means to stop it will require a hefty sacrifice, but for the sake of protecting those he’s come to care about, it’s not that high a price to do what feels right and comes naturally.
Incorporating fantastic cryptid creatures with a touch of investigative mystery and building a new sense of identity and community while starting a fresh chapter in life, the story offers an intriguing glimpse into a weird and wonder-filled world that could easily be lurking beneath the surface of the ordinary of everyday life. Through nearly every action and interaction of Green’s, there’s an emphasis on acknowledging and embracing the weird of the world where and when you find it, which in and of itself can be a form of wonder and beauty, even if what’s being looked upon might be deemed traditionally unsightly. The creatures that were depicted were fascinating and described in great detail, and the limited cast of characters were generally well-developed, though it would be interesting to have more time with some of them, with aspects of their respective tales playing a role in the larger narrative, with the vital elements revealed at opportune moments to pick up the pacing that slows down at times.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
After an incident with a bus that should have meant his demise, Green finds himself inexplicably alive, watched by a massive crow that’s somehow unseen by other commuters, and with an acorn in his pocket that he cannot stop his hand from gravitating toward. Compelled to leave the trappings of his current life behind, Green uproots himself and heads into the Appalachian Mountains, where he has encounters with other strange creatures that lead him to an apprenticeship with a centuries-old cryptonaturalist, who might just be able to set him on the path toward answers he seeks while also providing a new community in which to find company. While investigating the reason for some mysterious deaths, Green and his mentor realize that they’re facing a deadly force from beyond their reality; the means to stop it will require a hefty sacrifice, but for the sake of protecting those he’s come to care about, it’s not that high a price to do what feels right and comes naturally.
Incorporating fantastic cryptid creatures with a touch of investigative mystery and building a new sense of identity and community while starting a fresh chapter in life, the story offers an intriguing glimpse into a weird and wonder-filled world that could easily be lurking beneath the surface of the ordinary of everyday life. Through nearly every action and interaction of Green’s, there’s an emphasis on acknowledging and embracing the weird of the world where and when you find it, which in and of itself can be a form of wonder and beauty, even if what’s being looked upon might be deemed traditionally unsightly. The creatures that were depicted were fascinating and described in great detail, and the limited cast of characters were generally well-developed, though it would be interesting to have more time with some of them, with aspects of their respective tales playing a role in the larger narrative, with the vital elements revealed at opportune moments to pick up the pacing that slows down at times.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I absolutely loved my time with Strange Animals.
The book follows Green, starting on the day he dies—or, perhaps, the day his past life dies. Green gets hit by a bus, and then he does not. Time rewinds and he finds himself with a mysterious acorn in his pocket and the deep need to leave his life behind and journey into the woods, where he begins to see inexplicable and otherworldly creatures. The book follows Green as he becomes an apprentice to a cryponaturalist and finds himself caught amidst strange forces. The book centers around the relationship between humans and nature, of the sheer might and beauty of nature, and the meaning of significance.
I loved this, though I also do think that my experiences with the book are strongly biased by my own background. I am a biologist with a focus on mammalogy and entomology. I became a biologist in part because, when I looked at a moth under a microscope in my entomology class, I realized that it was beautiful. That a common moth was a stunning work of art penned by a power so much greater than humanity; and that evolution and nature and everything outside of human power over nature was stunning in a way that I never would have seen if I hadn’t put it under a microscope and been made by a class to stop and look. Strange Animals captured that emotion in a way I have never really seen described before. I was absolutely enamored by the way the book envisioned the place of humans amidst nature. The book felt like it captured the magic that has driven my life and career and folded it into a story full of heart and wisdom.
I really enjoyed the story of this book. It’s not a long book, but it is a very full book. The story was deeply compelling even if some plot points were very predictable. The narrative was satisfying even if it left me wanting more, if only to see what happened next and to keep living in the world of the story. Valentina, Green’s mentor, is written with incredible wisdom that left me with a lot to think about.
Overall, I really recommend this book to anyone who has ever found themselves astounded by the sheer beauty of the natural world. I felt that this book captured that emotion with incredible poignance. This is an easy five-star book for me, and I look forward to seeing what else the author writes.
Thank you to Ballantine Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book follows Green, starting on the day he dies—or, perhaps, the day his past life dies. Green gets hit by a bus, and then he does not. Time rewinds and he finds himself with a mysterious acorn in his pocket and the deep need to leave his life behind and journey into the woods, where he begins to see inexplicable and otherworldly creatures. The book follows Green as he becomes an apprentice to a cryponaturalist and finds himself caught amidst strange forces. The book centers around the relationship between humans and nature, of the sheer might and beauty of nature, and the meaning of significance.
I loved this, though I also do think that my experiences with the book are strongly biased by my own background. I am a biologist with a focus on mammalogy and entomology. I became a biologist in part because, when I looked at a moth under a microscope in my entomology class, I realized that it was beautiful. That a common moth was a stunning work of art penned by a power so much greater than humanity; and that evolution and nature and everything outside of human power over nature was stunning in a way that I never would have seen if I hadn’t put it under a microscope and been made by a class to stop and look. Strange Animals captured that emotion in a way I have never really seen described before. I was absolutely enamored by the way the book envisioned the place of humans amidst nature. The book felt like it captured the magic that has driven my life and career and folded it into a story full of heart and wisdom.
I really enjoyed the story of this book. It’s not a long book, but it is a very full book. The story was deeply compelling even if some plot points were very predictable. The narrative was satisfying even if it left me wanting more, if only to see what happened next and to keep living in the world of the story. Valentina, Green’s mentor, is written with incredible wisdom that left me with a lot to think about.
Overall, I really recommend this book to anyone who has ever found themselves astounded by the sheer beauty of the natural world. I felt that this book captured that emotion with incredible poignance. This is an easy five-star book for me, and I look forward to seeing what else the author writes.
Thank you to Ballantine Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I LOVED Strange Animals! Having finished it, I now have massive book hangover. I've tried to start three other books and just can't. I'm still clinging to the feelings that this strange, wonderful, heartwarming fantasy has given me. The characters are just amazingly quirky and perfect for this book. Though they have barely known each other, they all are like a found family. Alf, Jerome, Dancer, Valentina, and Green were a perfect combination of strangely lovable folks, and you don't even know why you love them so much. You just do. At least I did, and I think other cozy fantasy readers will too.
This wild and wonderful story begins with Green’s not-death which leads him to upend his life and head to the Catskills in the Appalachian Mountains. It’s here he meets the wonderful characters and unbelievable creatures. There is so much I adored about this book. The author uses such descriptive language that it’s hard not to imagine yourself inside of it. An example of this is when Green drives past a stump known as the moss man.
And the author shares wisdom through his characters.
Anderson also uses complex vocabulary. I’m a voracious reader, but there were even words for which I had to check the definition. I’m 55, got all As, had a teacher who gave us vocab every week, so I feel like I know lots of word meanings. I mean I am getting old, so there’s that. But, I digress. THIS, this complex vocabulary, picturesque descriptions, characters who share wise words…this is why reading is so important. I can’t believe how many people don’t read! How are they going to discover the magic of words? If I taught high school, I’d assign this book as a mandatory reading assignment. Sure, 90% of them wouldn’t bother because they don’t bother now, but that 10%...they’d get to discover this cozy, beautiful, wonderful world that is Strange Animals.
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
This wild and wonderful story begins with Green’s not-death which leads him to upend his life and head to the Catskills in the Appalachian Mountains. It’s here he meets the wonderful characters and unbelievable creatures. There is so much I adored about this book. The author uses such descriptive language that it’s hard not to imagine yourself inside of it. An example of this is when Green drives past a stump known as the moss man.
“They reached the moss man. The big stump was shaggy with growth and spotted with lichens. Huge bracket fungi, like tawny dinner plates embedded in the rotting wood, shadowed glimmering crescents of frost from the wan sunlight.”
And the author shares wisdom through his characters.
“I travel widely. I read widely. I work to maintain active curiosity and humility in the face of new information. I don’t let my vanity insist that I cannot be improved upon. It is not a comfortable worldview, but it is worthwhile. It keeps me young.”
Anderson also uses complex vocabulary. I’m a voracious reader, but there were even words for which I had to check the definition. I’m 55, got all As, had a teacher who gave us vocab every week, so I feel like I know lots of word meanings. I mean I am getting old, so there’s that. But, I digress. THIS, this complex vocabulary, picturesque descriptions, characters who share wise words…this is why reading is so important. I can’t believe how many people don’t read! How are they going to discover the magic of words? If I taught high school, I’d assign this book as a mandatory reading assignment. Sure, 90% of them wouldn’t bother because they don’t bother now, but that 10%...they’d get to discover this cozy, beautiful, wonderful world that is Strange Animals.
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
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