This Novella About Transgender Catholic Exorcist Will Capture Your Attention
By Rashauna Herms
Recommended reading age: older YA audience — 17 and up
“His skin felt claustrophobic, constricting his bones and holding tight to his skeleton, amplifying all the places that were too open, too untouched, too blasphemous. For the first time in years, he yearned for someone.”
Colin Hart is a trans exorcist who has to face his latest supernatural challenge. He travels to Gideon, Colorado, where he encounters non-binary homeowner, Bishop Martínez. Colin finds that this case is different from his usual simple hauntings, because Bishop’s house acts like a living beacon, attracting several creatures and demons at once, including a vengeful wolf-headed spirit that could hold the key to quieting the restless domicile. Colin notices that while he and Bishop are immediately drawn to one another, Bishop is intent on hiding their past that might be linked to the wolf-headed creature. As Bishop’s secret unravels, Colin realizes that this haunting, as well as the unexpected attraction between the two, may have become too intense for him to handle.
Interlaced with Catholic mysticism, brujo magic, and so much yearning, Heart, Haunt, Havoc by author Freydis Moon (they/them) is a stunning horror/romance novella that you’ll become enamored with. If you’re anything like me, you’ll love the exploration of the intersection of religion and magic that Heart, Haunt, Havoc excels at.
I relished the drama of this short novella while reading it over a cloudy, moody weekend, which certainly added to the atmosphere. I was truly immersed in the story — and the fact that it takes place in a (fictional) city in my home state helped immerse me in the story. There is so much yearning between the two main characters, that it made me flush as if I was in the room with them! Freydis Moon has crafted a well-fleshed-out world, with characters and situations so realistic and tender, that it feels like they will leap off the page. Heart Haunt Havoc is the first book in a series of three, and I cannot wait to dive into the other books!
Colin Hart is an interesting character to be in the mind of, mainly because his faith in Catholicism is wonderful to witness through his eyes. The reverence that Colin has for the mysticism of the religion shines through and he helps to build a deep appreciation for the beauty of Catholicism, something that gets lost beneath the bigotry and other issues that divide people from the Catholic Church. Moon has done a wonderful job with the religious elements of the novel in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming, or excluding to someone who may not practice the religion. I very much enjoyed how that theme was developed throughout the story.
Bishop Martínez is charming and provides a lovely insight into the ancient beauty and intricacies of indigenous Mexican magic. As we delve deeper into the story, we find that Bishop is dealing with grief from a current loss at the same time they are also dealing with the haunting. To me, their character is an authentic depiction of what it’s like to live with grief — on the surface, you might feel as if you have moved on because you don’t see any outward signs, but sometimes pain comes creeping out of the shadows much like a haunting.
Heart Haunt Havoc is a fabulous choice for the older young adult/adult audience reader who loves fast-paced, paranormal fantasy novels with a touch of romance. With inclusive non-binary/transgender representation and alluring characters, this is a book series that you will want to immediately add to your reading pile!
About the Author
Rashauna Herm is a 30 something Denver local. She enjoys a good potato-based dish, scary movies and glitter.
