Member Reviews
⭐️ 1.75
Thank you to the author for providing me with an arc of this novel here is my full and honest review. Their Monstrous Hearts is a story I really wanted to love. It had an interesting premise but the execution fell flat for me. I think the middle of the novel was confusing and slightly boring to read about. I liked the ending of the book but I felt like the build up doesn’t adequately prepare for it. The parts of the book that were told from the diary were more entertaining than the main plot line in my opinion. The horror elements were there at the end and i didn’t enjoy that. I also feel like the characters were pretty bland and there wasn’t any strong characters about them. Overall this was a 1.75 stars but check it out for yourself!
This isn't my usual go to genre, but the description sounded interesting so I requested the ARC. It was really well written and a lovely addition to the genre (and my list of books I read for the year). Once I started reading, I could not put this book down. It did take a little adjusting at the beginning with how the characters spoke/thought/interacted, but it could have just been my brain. Otherwise it was a fun read!
A troubled young man struggling to write his first book, unaware that he is part of a much bigger, much more magical story. An ambitious, calculating woman who will stop at nothing to live forever. This is a very unique gothic weird fiction/horror. I enjoyed it very much. The prose can be a bit too much at times - overly describing emotions or thoughts rather than letting the reader infer them, but the overall story is well written and interesting. I loved how the details were spread out until the final chapters. Very creepy and strange. I loved how the author took it all the way to the logical outcome and didn't chicken out at the end - although I did feel sad for poor Riccardo and Lorenzo, they did nothing wrong ever in their lives. Overall, I would definitely recommend this to people who like creatures, magic, and terrible humans.
Thanks to Netgalley/Harlequin for the advanced review copy.
Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! I don’t read too much horror, but this was a fun, fast paced read that ended with quite the bang. It was hard to put this book down, and once I reached the last 25%, it was impossible to put down. The dialogue and inner monologue was a bit awkward/stilted in the beginning, but this was not an issue in Perihan’s manuscript sections and again by the end I was so invested I didn’t notice it as much.
I definitely recommend Their Monstrous Hearts, especially if you’re looking for some fun, surreal horror!
This was really well written! It was a truly unique story and it kept me captivated until the very end.
I think this book will be perfect for those who love gothic novels! Riccardo is a struggling writer who decides to go to Milan due to his grandmother’s passing. She has left him her estate and her butterfly collection. Once he arrives, he finds Perihan’s manuscript and starts uncovering very unnerving things about her time alive and about everyone around him.
I found myself feeling bad for Riccardo throughout the entire book. Poor guy can’t win 😆 That ending will stay with me for a long time for sure.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
This was super interesting! I think the most noteworthy element is the narrative structure, it unfolds in a very clever and interesting way. I will say it does drag at places and I wasn't overwhelmed by the prose. It has some fascinating engagement with immigrant identity and xenophobia.
This was a really enthralling book, i finished it in one sitting and loved it!
5/5 read and I think everyone should read it!
A perfectly lovely little horror/mystical/surrealism tale (can you even say lovely when talking about the horror genre??) This probably wasn't the story for me as I'm not a huge fan of horror or symbolism type books, but the writing was well done, even if the characters seemed a little flat and stilted.
3.5 ✨The story begins with a captivating image: Perihan's villa suddenly blanketed in monarch butterflies. Ricardo, her grandson and a struggling writer, is summoned home by Maurizio with the news of Perihan's death. Despite their years of estrangement, she leaves everything to Ricardo. Upon his return, he discovers an unfinished manuscript hidden in the villa. As he reads, he learns that Perihan believed she had encountered an angel, a celestial being who grants the power of rebirth through butterflies and tears. The manuscript reveals how Perihan used this newfound power to save people. This gift, however, brings its own moral and existential dilemmas. The tension escalates as Ricardo realizes the household is searching for the manuscript. Will Ricardo find the chance to write the book he dreams of? How far will Perihan go to attain eternity?
I received this book as an ARC. I had never read a horror story before as I typically read fantasy and thrillers. I enjoyed the storyline but found some of the characters and their commentary a bit cheesy/superfluous
I loved reading this book! I ate through it in one sitting! This book hooks you and does not let you go until the very end, but it still lingers on the mind!
"Their Monstrous Hearts" is a mesmerizing debut gothic novel that intricately blends horror, supernatural elements, magical realism, and a touch of romance. The story follows Riccardo, a struggling writer who inherits his grandmother Perihan's eerie villa in Milan, complete with her famous butterfly collection. As Riccardo delves deeper into the estate's secrets, he finds Perihan's diary, which may hold the key to understanding her mysterious death.
Turhan's talent with words shines throughout the novel, crafting a darkly evocative and suspenseful atmosphere. The intricate details of the villa and the butterflies add to the haunting beauty of the narrative. The novel explores themes of grief, fear, and transformation, capturing readers with its profound quotes and vivid imagery.
4.5 stars
“Beauty had a threshold, and beyond it, it became a captivating terror.”
This story has everything.
✔️Horror
✔️Supernatural
✔️Magical Realism
✔️Romance (M/M, just a sprinkle)
I had such a fun time reading this ARC that I quite literally devoured it in about a 4-5 hour sitting. It hits all the right notes for a fun, super suspenseful gothic horror.
The tiniest half-point was docked solely because the writing outside of grandma’s memoirs and the horror/suspense bits was a little… cringy, for lack of a better word. Certain characters, particularly Barbara, speak in a way wholly unnatural to almost any human being—“Yet, on the eve of Elettra’s sixtieth birthday, a calamity struck.” No mention is made of this being done on purpose for dramatic effect, or it could be easily forgiven. Characters seem to suffer such chronic flashbacks, it’s a wonder they’re able to get anything done. And certain statements would be repeated right after they were already stated. But all of this is tiny griping I swear, and could even be completely fixed with some minor edits.
In every other aspect of this book, I was almost literally stricken dumb with this author’s talent with words. Here are just a few of the choicest quotes imho:
“For in the face of fear, the true test of our character lies not in succumbing to it but in finding the strength to overcome and emerge transformed on the other side.”
“Grief, like a soundproof room, drowns out all other noises of life, trapping you in a seemingly inescapable space.”
”Sudden deaths, he realized, left behind a trail of intimate details, exposing the hidden aspects of one's private life. The history of our digital explorations, the remnants of unfinished conversations, the accumulation of unwashed dishes in the kitchen sink, the presence of worn socks strewn about—all told a tale of the person we were when no one was watching.”
I seriously can't wait for this one to come out next year! Thank you to NetGalley and HTP for allowing me to read and review this excellent ARC!