Hello, everyone!
Today I bring you my review of "Heart, Haunt, Havoc" by Freydís Moon, which I read in a single sitting. On the day it came out. I really liked it.
This book was - to me - a perfect 5★ read.
Note: this review contains some spoilers.
“We probably can’t rob the cemetery during the day.” “We could, but we certainly shouldn’t.”
“Heart, Haunt, Havoc” by Freydís Moon has it all: a sentient haunted house, gay yearning, exorcism(s), a dapper wolf-headed spirit, demons and angels and falling in love when you feel the most hopeless.
From the very first page I already knew this book would punch me in the gut and gently kiss my forehead. I honestly thought I was ready for it, but nothing could prepare me for how hard I fell in love with this story and its characters. It quickly become one of my favorites. As in, within the span of 156 pages, “Heart, Haunt, Havoc” made it to the list of my all-time favorite reads.
I’m a very recent fan of Freydís’ work, having read "With a Vengeance" at the beginning of 2023. Since then, I have devoured every single one of their books; and I plan on reading everything they release in the future. I love how they write, the mood they set, and how they are able to create characters that are complex and flawed, and inspire affection and worry on the reader.
“Heart, Haunt, Havoc” tells the story of Colin Hart, an exorcist, a trans man, a restrained and lonely individual, and someone who is trying to get back in touch with his faith.
When he arrives at his next job, having been hired to clean a haunted house, he’s immediately taken aback. The house is crowded with spirits, way more work than he anticipated, and Bishop is beautiful. A beautiful <i>customer</i>, as he keeps reminding himself.
Most folks didn’t have a use for him, but those who did, people like Bishop, never failed to reach out. And houses like this, houses with heartbeats, never failed to spark Colin’s interest.
Along the way Colin and Bishop grow closer to one another, discover each other’s secrets, and reluctantly fall in love.
It's a slow thing. A sweet and sour and acid thing. Both characters are extremely protective of their past, of what brought them to the present. There's a lot of trust to earn, a lot of pain to unveil, and old wounds left to fester under their gazes.
This book is scary, it’s gory and ominous and makes you constantly wonder where the next monster is coming from. It’s also tender and sensual and surprisingly cosy.
I found myself feeling at home at multiple points in the book, although the characters don’t have the same luck. Their banter, the way they make each other their safe harbour, how they allow the other to flourish.
As per usual in Freydis Moon’s work, there’s a heavy dose of Catholic mysticism. There’s also another type of magic, in the form of Bishop’s Brujería. One of my favorite things throughout this book was the juxtaposition between the two, and the brief exploration of how colonization and migration affect the ties we have with our cultures, our myths and our ancestral magic. Although not always healthy, their relationship is based on the shared knowledge that neither of them are being completely honest. Nevertheless, they never stand in each other’s way, even though they have a lot of opportunities. Bishop and Colin are from completely different worlds, but they still make it work.
I particularly appreciated how Colin deals with and balances his Catholicism and his faith in the existence of God. He has an infinite number of reasons to turn his back away from it, but this book does a great job at emphasizing how, sometimes, it's important to have something to believe in - even if it gets hard. Especially when it gets hard.
“Sometimes shame is a lesson. Most of the time, it’s just a way for us to hate ourselves for the things we want.” They shifted their eyes to the door. “What do you know about shame?” “I’m Catholic.”
I adore Colin and Bishop's dynamic. Love how slow their relationship evolved, and how their feelings grew even slower. Their reluctance, the way they are so awkward around each other and are always afraid to ruin it. The yearning really did it for me.
I also really, really liked the villain. It was probably the highlight for me. Lincoln is a complicated character and, as such, complicates everything surrounding Bishop and their past. It makes for an extremely compelling backstory, with unresolved feelings and guilt. And fear of the future. Bishop's secrets, as much as they refuse to come to light, keep you guessing the whole way through. And their background makes sense, it feels well thought-out and explored. Bishop still having feelings for Lincoln adds another layer of suffering, of longing, and obstacles they need to get through.
Bishop and Lincoln's story requires closure, and it makes for a much more interesting premise than starting from a blank slate. I really did enjoy Lincoln’s motivations, his progression, the way he lost himself along the way, and how he allowed unimaginable horrors, a demon, a duke of hell, to make a home inside of him for such a frivolous motive. Humans are greedy, and they make terrible choices.
To summarize: the characterization was amazing, the romance undertones were extremely well done, and the haunted house mystery kept me on my toes the whole story.
“Heart, Haunt, Havoc” deserves 5 full stars and more. I can’t wait to read Freydís’ next works.
The only thing I could complain about is how short this book is - as I’d love to see more of Bishop and Colin, and where their story will take them -, but it feels complete and perfect as it is.
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