“With a Vengeance” by Freydís Moon

I need to preface my review with this:

“With a Vengeance” was not only my first 5-star read of 2023, but also became one of my favourite books. Of all time.

(Additionally, Freydís Moon’s books have become my latest hyper fixation.)

Note: This book – and, consequently, this review – contains mature themes, and is not suitable for people under 18. For more extensive content warnings about the book, please scroll to the bottom of this review!

Now, into the actual review:

“With A Vengeance” tells the story of Kye Lovato – the ultimate unreliable narrator -, a non-binary, mexican-american, mentally-ill person that feels completely disconnected. From their family, their hometown, their culture, the people around them. When life, and the death of their mother, force them to go back to where it all started, Kye is not ready for what they’re about to face.

This book destroyed and rebuilt my soul several times during my read. And, I’m not going to lie, erotica and body horror are not my usual my cup of tea. “With a Vengeance” was clearly the first step in the direction of changing that.

Freydís Moon is a master at creating the perfect atmosphere. With beautiful prose, and a disturbing imagination, the reader is instantly transported to the Lovato’s old, decrepit family home. The vibe is creepy, dark, and anxiety-inducing.

“With A Vengeance” is a journey. It’s an identity deep-dive, taking the reader through all the consequences that come from existing as someone who is trans, non-binary, non-white – specifically a Latinx person in the United States -, and plagued with mental health issues. It’s an exploration on how society looks at those who do not fit the norm, and how we look at ourselves.

With heavy doses of transphobia, racism, and abuse of authority, it is not an easy book. But it’s an important one.

I especially liked how the main character grows and evolves throughout the book, learning to fight for what they can change, and to make peace with all that they can not.

But do not be fooled by all the heavy topics, “With A Vengeance” is a novel full of eroticism, sexual exploration, and power dynamics. It’s hot – really hot -, and sexy, and “spicy”. It never shies away from the intimacy that comes with a blooming relationship, and it’s unabashedly trans-positive. It has, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best, healthiest, most devoted relationships I’ve ever read, while still keeping true to the power-dynamics that underly it since the beginning.

Kye and Eli, the main character and love interest, are so carefully and thoughtfully characterized it actually blew me away. They are extremely well fleshed-out, with flaws and passions and things that plague them at night, with secrets they will and won’t share with each other. Although they are not the most sane of people, and never ambition to be even remotely ‘good’, their reasoning is clear throughout the story and their decisions always make sense.

At its core, this book asks a simple question: what if the demon in your head was real? (And hot? And a really good Dom?)

The way Eli is able to give Kye everything, every bit of pain and humiliation they need, and still look at them like they are his whole world? The way he’s soft and attentive and insists on aftercare? The way he’s more interested in letting Kye flourish and unleash all their power, even if sometimes that means he has to take a step back? Absolutely perfect.

Finally, on a more serious note: I’m extremely thankful for the representation of mental health struggles. Being someone who has to deal with many things Kye also goes through, “With a Vengeance” offers and extremely emotional, raw, realistic, thoughtful depiction of how it is to live with depression. And, particularly, how it feels to suffer from suicidal ideation, even when no one around you can’t see your mind slowly derailing.

All in all, “With A Vengeance” by Freydís Moon was, in my honest opinion, a 5-star read.

I’d recommend this novel to anyone who likes: heresy, identity exploration, healing from religious trauma, well-written D/s relationships, cops getting what’s coming for them, unapologetic Latinx and genderqueer representation.

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Please do yourself a favour and support the author! Check out “With a Vengeance” on Goodreads and Storygraph! Consider purchasing the book, which is available on Amazon and, occasionally, on Etsy (signed!).

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ONE LAST NOTE:

Please look after yourself, and bear in mind the content warnings for this book before picking it up:

1. Dysphoria, deadnaming, misgendering

2. Religious trauma

3. Mental illness, depression, depressive episodes, psychosis, suicide ideation

4. Sexual content, including D/s roleplay, non-con fantasy, blood play, and many more

5. Police brutality, racism

6. Death of a family member

7. Murder, violence, gore

(this is not an extensive list!)