A review by soulfullyalex
Heart, Haunt, Havoc by Freydís Moon

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Update 5/26/2024: As much as I loved this book at the time I think the fact that this author has been outed for race faking multiple times, among other horrific things means that I can never recommend their books and will never read them again. Just know that, as other reviewers have shared, this author has lied and manipulated many people in the community and I do not recommend their books to anyone.  


Thank you to Freydis Moon for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t even know how to explain my feelings about this book, in the best way. It was a gut punch in so many ways but also visceral and disorienting and gritty and full of hope.

“The house on Staghorn Way appeared extraordinarily normal. The stark white shutters wore a fresh coat of paint and Colin Hart’s polished shoes made hollow, hoof-like sounds on the sturdy, renovated porch. Unlike his typical business engagements, this particular house refused to breathe.”

— Freydis Moon , Heart, Haunt, Havoc

The book starts out in the way I love horror to start out. Unassuming but with an edge. Like the edge of a knife just gently slicing your finger, but you don’t notice it at first. It started off with a house, like all good gothic stories, and became a story about survival, acceptance, and the horrors of the past.

I don’t even know if this review will make any sense because putting my thoughts together about it has been hard. It’s sat with me and it’s definitely going to get a reread, but it’s also slightly out of reach. It was visceral in a lot of ways I wasn’t expecting but was everything I would want in a horror story too. I really enjoyed both Colin and Bishop. They both had messy pasts that felt real and honest in the way that you want a well fleshed out character to be. They felt like real people struggling to move forward and struggling to find the good in their lives. There was so much there. So much life and death and wanting.

The house in itself was a character, all its demons and ghosts included, and I loved it. The imagery of the house existing and breathing and living was haunting and oh so good.

“And no to the guidelines, I guess. Do your dishes, obviously. No allergies, no partner, no roommate. It’s just me.”

“It isn’t,” Colin said, studying the foyer again.

— Freydis Moon , Heart, Haunt, Havoc

I don’t know how to talk about a book where the words “it isn’t” hit me like a sucker punch to the jaw. It sent a shiver down my spine and I didn’t even know to expect it. How do two words do that? How is that even possible? All I know is that Freydis Moon did it.

A book filled with monsters and blood, lies and secrets, fear and hope. Heart, Haunt, Havoc is a book that will haunt me in the all the right ways and will absolutely need to be reread, over and over. I am officially desperate for more and everything from Freydis Moon and you shouldn’t sleep on this gothic, horror, novella.