Nessie Out of Water

Author: Stacey Wooten
Genre: Young Adult

Awkward situations seem to seek out Nessie, a post-college secretary at a portable toilet rental company, like stalkers of a boy-band sensation. She has dealt with unstable roommates and an ever-present toaster salesman, but this one takes the cake.
Though her humdrum days of eating cereal alone at dinner have convinced Nessie that she has lost her purpose, the tides turn when she stumbles upon a mysterious sword. The sword transports Nessie to the parallel universe of Spoons, a land of castles and kingdoms, but more importantly: adventure.
During this quest, Nessie must outwit a kidnapping matchmaker, face the quips of an incredibly sarcastic companion, befriend a pink-haired hippie, and deal with romantic stirrings brought on by her partner-in-crime, the toaster salesman. There will be daring escapes, secrets unturned, inspirational pondering, and pointed questions on the quality of her cooking as Nessie comes to understand that God's plan and purpose, though sometimes different than expected, are always best.

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Reviewer: Camille Murray

Initially it was the title that drew me to this book. With a name like Nessie out of Water I was confident I could expect some sort of pun or double meaning. I also figured there was a good chance of a humorous style.

The author did not disappoint! She had me and my husband laughing from the first page. She brought the faith struggle to light in a non-preachy manner, with plenty of laughs and plot twists along the way.
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There were a few typos, and there was one chapter where the author switches perspectives that I thought a little funky, but nothing that dampened my enjoyment. This book definitely earned its place on my favorites shelf!

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Reviewer: Cierra Loften

I want to start off by saying how utterly adorable this book was. Wooten did an excellent job of creating a character, Nessie, who is so relatable, funny, and authentic. I feel so sad that she's not an actual human being because I'd love to have her in my circle of friends. For the cover, I will give 10 points because I can tell the cover artists spent some time detailing it. It's cute, simple, and gives the reader a general insight into the plot of the story. For the characters, I will give a rating of 8. This young adult novel is only about 200 pages, so I understand that it would be fairly difficult to drag on and on about the backstories of each character, and the author did do a good job of developing the main characters in general. However, I wish that I had learned a little more about Nessie's family life, including her parents (who are rarely mentioned). The plot deserves 10 points due to the fact that it was mostly clear, easy to understand, and a quick read that has exciting adventure, sweet romances, and a witty protagonist. Style wise, I'll offer 6 points. Nessie does have the habit of getting lost in her thoughts (both past and present) quite often, which adds to her funny appeal as a character, though during the more serious moments, I wish the author would have cut back on that just a tad bit. There were also a few typos and sections where I had to go back and re-read to gain better clarity on. On the addictiveness scale, 6 brings in the cake, yet again. I enjoyed it while it was in my hands, though I never found myself itching to pick it back up again after putting it down. Content wise, Nessie gets an 8. Wooten did a fantastic job of keeping Jesus as the center of the novel and, through her characters, she never comes off as preachy (which is a thing every author should avoid, especially for young adult readers). I was inspired by Nessie's story and her struggles and journey with her faith made her all the more believable. All in all, Nessie Out of Water receives a 4 star rating from me.

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