“Emily is an engaging and gracious speaker with fantastic energy. She took the time to talk with anyone who came up to her (and there were many!), easily chatting and listening carefully to their stories. She is a compelling, thoughtful, and authentic speaker, inspiring many in the audience to buy her book and get it signed after they heard her talk. Emily’s talk included a blend of her inspiration for writing, her process, and her ideas for the main themes in her book. This is exactly what our audience was hoping for and as a result, she was the favorite speaker of the day for many of our guests. I hope to be able to work with this creative and kind author again in the future.” — Literary Women Festival Long Beach, 2025
“Emily captivated Deschutes County readers! The Novel Idea project has been enriched by her participation.” — Deschutes Public Library, 2024
“Shark Heart is a fantastical, original, and beautifully-written novel of abandonment, love, and Ovidian transformation. It explores illness, caretaking, devotion, magical thinking, and loss—and of course great white sharks—in ways that are funny, sad, and surprising. Every page bursts with heart.” — Anthony Doerr, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All the Light We Cannot See and Cloud Cuckoo Land
“In Shark Heart, Emily Habeck doesn’t shy away from the agony of goodbyes, or the torture that can accompany unexpected freedom. With an otherworldly tenderness, she reminds us that life will always demand that we give over to its momentum and adapt. The fact that these lessons are thrilling, hilarious, and effortless to read are the miracle of the book. I suspect I will ponder this book over and over; so rich with fantasy yet as frank and real as anything I’ve ever read.” — Mary-Louise Parker, author of Dear Mr. You
“Prepare for tears, yes, but also to marvel at how Habeck’s precise yet lyrical prose makes this absurd situation feel normal—even beautiful. It’s quite a feat to weave such a wild speculative element into a story that feels fundamentally relatable, resonant, human. Yes, Shark Heart is the kind of delightfully original story I adore, and the sort of book I’ll be pressing into the hands of friends with a vigorous nod. Yes, it actually works.”— Shelby Van Pelt, author of Remarkably Bright Creatures
“A tender story about the endurance of a married couple’s love… Vulnerable and devastating.” — PopSugar
“A highly original, heart-rending story about abiding love that transcends trauma, grief—and even metamorphosis.” — Washington Post, “10 Noteworthy Books for July and August”
“Surprisingly moving, oddly heartwarming, and deeply contemplative.” — Bookpage
“Habeck’s debut explores the nature of grief through deft and beautiful writing… Poetic interludes and play-like vignettes punctuate the lyrical prose” — Booklist (starred review)
“A bit Shakespeare, a bit Kafka, and a bit Disney… [this] debut stands out from the pack.” — Kirkus Reviews
“A poignant tale of grief and change.” — Town and Country
