Rating: 4.75 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Short Story

Cliff Waters is a rare human at the College of United Monsters (C.U.M.). Because of his name, he’s mistakenly assigned to the Underwater Wing of the college, but Cliff is never one to back down from a challenge, and so he takes it in stride. Fortunately, the merfolk are more than willing to give him the merfolk’s kiss so he can breathe underwater. They also have a leg fetish, so Cliff is very popular. But Cliff is intrigued by the purple-haired merman who keeps swimming away, and when they have a chance to finally meet, Cliff finds out exactly who Humbolt McKracken really is.

I picked this one up because it was just too ridiculous for words, and I got exactly what I wanted. Yes, it’s ridiculous, but in the best possible way. It’s a fun and campy romp, it breaks the fourth wall, and really, is just a fun read. The first chapter is titled Suspension of Disbelief 101 and that’s exactly what you need to do.

To give you a flavor of the book, I offer this quote:

All of Cliff’s problems today had been caused by a punny name. Of course he would have known that already, if he’d read the book blurb.

And there you have it. This book pokes fun at itself, and often breaks the fourth wall by being clear that it knows it’s a story. What totally sold me on the story was the complete over the topness of it. Because it was written to be that way. I particularly loved how every time Cliff questioned something, his C.U.M. app would beep to let him know that his Suspension of Disbelief grade was falling. It was a constant, and hilarious, reminder that the book was ridiculous on purpose, and just to enjoy it for what it is.

There’s a lot of silly going on in this book. Random sex and leg fetishes, oversexed merfolk, and a dragon headmistress. Hysterical references to underwater beekeeping. Tentacle sex. There were also some sweet and tender moments as well. And through it all, an unwavering humor that made me actually laugh out loud.

This story might not be for everyone, but I truly enjoyed it. I can’t wait to see what else is in store for this series, and what the author will come up with next. It’s a definite winner, and if you’re looking for something fun and ridiculous because it was meant to be, then this is the story for you.