4.5 stars, rounded up.

I’m still reeling from the ending of this book a day after I finished it. It’s definitely something that will stay with me for a long time. I’m not sure how to classify this book, it’s almost like “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” on Netflix, but with a lot more meat to the outside story instead of a strict retelling.

Riccardo is a broke writer with a bad case of writer’s block when he receives news that his estranged grandmother, Perihan has died, leaving him her house and butterfly collection. Once there he finds a manuscript she was working on, which seems to be a fantastical tail, but also seems to contain bits of truth about her mysterious life. Meanwhile, the friends that constantly seem to be lingering around her home are also looking for this manuscript for mysterious reasons. Riccardo doesn’t know why, but knows that he should not reveal that he has it.

This book is part, dark fantasy and part horror as we go through both the present-day situation with Riccardo and learn about Perihan’s mysterious past and how it connected to the Marietta butterflies that seem to follow her everywhere. And trust me it’s a wild ride. I never would’ve predicted the story that was about to unfold when Riccardo began reading her memoir/manuscript.

And then, as I said, we begin to realize that there is something going on in the present day where people are trying to get their hands on the book for some mysterious reason, which adds a creepy and foreboding atmosphere to the present day storyline.

But trust me, I never would have guessed how this all was going to come together. Talk about a twist that just had my jaw on the floor.

Kudos to the author for playing the long game and just dropping the mic in the final chapters! Even though some of the story felt a little slow in the middle. I am so glad I stuck with everything and read all the details because the payoff was worth it to get to those final chapters and see how it all paid off.

This is definitely an amazing story that I’ll be thinking about for a long time, and I credit the author for their creativity and their talent in putting it all together.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for something different, especially in the dark fantasy realm.

Many thanks to the author, Yigit Turhan, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book. The publication date is set for April 08, 2025!

I haven't read many horror books, but I was excited to try this genre. The prologue and the overall premise really intrigued me, and the cover of the book is beautiful. The first few chapters captivated me, and I was instantly hooked. However, at some point, my interest began to wane, and I slowly lost my enthusiasm for the story. Once the book is released, I plan to listen to the audiobook to see if that enhances my experience. For now, I am giving it 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC read, I really enjoyed this first the cover is so mysterious and gothic already gives off a few clues. A struggling writer who inherits his grandmothers decaying villa and her collection of odd insects. This gothic mysterious book will take you to a place of unknown & Yigit’s decriptions in this story will have you feeling as though you are in a movie. His expression to details is great in this one. I will say it kinda goes a little slow which some won’t enjoy but it is wonderful.

The overall concept for this book sounded amazing and the cover is fantastic! Unfortunately, I struggled to finish it though I am glad I did.

While this is marketed as a horror, I did not get those vibes. To me, this is mystery/suspense fantasy. Dark? Yes, but it didn't give me horror. The storyline was intriguing and the alternate timelines with the grandmother's diary gave the reader good insight.

I struggled with the pacing and the characters. The first 75% of the book was incredibly slow and hard to push through. Honestly, if I hadn't been able to do this in audiobook I am not sure I would have completed it. I felt the author attempting to slowly build the tension, but the result was too slow in my opinion. I will say, the last quarter of the book was much more enjoyable and the reason for the 3 stars.

From a character standpoint, I just really did not like ANYBODY. I was not rooting for anyone or emotionally connected at all. The main character was incredibly selfish and frustrating. I also felt the dialogue (internal and external) did not feel authentic or natural. This really prevented me from getting captured by the story and, coupled with the pacing, left me wanting.

Strong start and the perfect build up to a great story. But, as the story went on, I felt like I lost the plot with the inserts from the manuscript. I felt like it dragged the story along.

Another did not vibe for me. I think the premise is really interesting, but the pacing was off and the writing was incongruent with the story. The first half was so slow and a lot of the book seemed very much “tell” rather than “show”. Ultimately I just did not care about the mystery in the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story was odd and the main character was bland. However, the concept was intriguing enough for me to finish it.

Thanks to HTP books, The Hive, and NetGalley for this eARC. 🐝

How gross can we make butterflies? Let’s find out!

I struggled to find much in this book beyond the basics of Gothic Horror, as the narrative here in neither particularly inventive nor especially compelling. I disagree with reviewers who thought the writing itself was of poor quality, but this book does founder around a lot in telling rather than showing, and that on top of an extremely slow moving plot made this a slog to get through.

I’m fine with slow builds as long as the information I’m getting leads to something good in the end or if the author is working to build a really immersive sense of place. You could see the gears grinding on both of these things, but the end product doesn’t successfully create either.

There’s a “twist” at the end that makes good narrative sense, though I question truly labeling it as such given that it isn’t especially hard to see coming.

I also think it’s worth noting that this doesn’t truly read like Horror, which wasn’t relevant to my critique of the book, but may be a difference maker for those seeking a particular genre when choosing what to read.

“Sometimes when you find yourself in a dark place, you think you’ve been buried, but actually you’ve been planted.”
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🌳 I don’t read much gothic horror. And I don’t usually enjoy slow paced books, but I was so intrigued by this one. It’s beautifully written and descriptive, and I loved the setting of a villa in Milan. I liked the authors use of metaphor, how the theme of transformation is represented by butterflies.
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✍️ Ricardo is a struggling author who just inherited his grandmothers estate and butterfly collection. When he arrives in Milan, he finds a manuscript she had been working on. The tale becomes eerie as the line between fiction and nonfiction starts to blend. I like how this was the perfect blend of eerie magical realism, classic gothic tropes, and modern day mystery-thriller tension.
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📖 The ending was phenomenal and 100% worth the journey for me. I’d recommend this one to readers who enjoy slow atmospheric novels. I’d also recommend reading this one with your eyes, or a tandem read with the audio. It switches between the present day and manuscript, making the change in perspective difficult to follow at times.

I have read about 25% of an ARC of Their Monstrous Hearts and I am going to have to DNF at this time. The book has a really great premise and I think that it would make for a great horror novel, but unfortunately the narration feels extremely clunky and repetitive. It feels as if I am reading Riccardo's inner dialogue and feels like it's really going to slow the experience down to a painful crawl, and since there are so many great novels coming out this year, I am going to move this to hopefully be revisited at another time!

I really wanted to like this one especially with Dua Lipa's praise and endorsement, but I just couldn't get into it. The story started off slowly and progressed even slower. I also didn't enjoy the audiobook very much and that also made it harder to get into the story.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ALC and ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The cover and description for this book made me immediately want to read it. I liked the idea of a Turkish grandmother leaving her creepy Italian villa to her grandson and all of these secrets coming out. I am always a fan of gothic books and I think this fell into it.

The reason it wasn't a higher rating was something the writing was a little awkward for me. There were times that it felt clunky. I do think I will try this author's future books and I am sure the writing problem I had will get better over time!

I found the Their Monstrous Hearts compelling overall, especially in how Yigit Turhan explored twisted relationships and the weight of the past. While the slow burn worked in some ways to add to the gothic feel, there were times the plot dragged a bit. Despite that, I appreciated the originality of the story and the emotional depth of the characters. It’s the kind of book that stays with you after you’ve finished, even if it didn’t quite hit every mark for me. A solid read for anyone who enjoys gothic horror with an emotional element.

DNFed at 12% sadly. The writing just seemed meh for lack of a better phrase and I just immediately did not care for our main character.

100000% honest review: This book is incredibly slow when it comes to the plot and goes on and on about the grandmother's story. I did feel that a lot of it could have been edited down to remove unnecessary descriptions and sort of cut to the chase. It took reading 60% of the book to really get what was going on and FINALLY find out what the butterflies are all about. I truly wish this book had been a lot better, as I would have enjoyed reading it, but it just took way too long to get to the climax of the story, which did end up being very fantastical and shifted from reality to total fantasy and gore. While I did enjoy the mystery, I felt that it could have had more hints to let the reader make their own conclusions on what these butterflies are doing and who the angel actually is. The story felt awkward to read and just took too much time to get through, all for it to be a rather boring story. The constant mentioning of the greenhouse and the ritual led me to believe it would be revealed very much sooner in the story, but I kept turning the pages to just read more overly descriptive accounts of Perihan's life. Perihan deems herself queen of the fairies when in reality she is the queen of death, holding the power of life itself and only choosing to give it to influential people. While I struggled to see what Riccardo's role was in this story, I did enjoy the heavy character development in the story as we start not knowing of Perihan's mysterious character and end knowing the full tale of her life. The ending to the story gave no chance to the protagonist, and frankly, I didn't expect a happy ending, obviously...but the ending just felt rushed and expected. The real action of the story is the last 20% of the book.

Yiğit Turhan's debut, "Their Monstrous Hearts," emerges as a compelling gothic offering, showcasing a promising talent for delivering precisely what enthusiasts of the genre seek.

The novel skillfully blends established gothic conventions, such as unsettling family secrets and themes of inheritance and succession, with the taut suspense of a contemporary crime thriller.

The narrative unfolds in real-time, following Riccardo, a young writer grappling with a looming deadline and writer's block in Paris. His life takes an abrupt turn with the arrival of a stranger bearing news of an unexpected inheritance: his grandmother Perihan's estate and butterfly collection.

From the moment Riccardo arrives at the estate, a palpable sense of mystery permeates the atmosphere. His quest for answers leads him to a manuscript detailing Perihan's enigmatic, almost fairytale-like past. While the shifts in point of view between Riccardo, Perihan, and other characters occasionally feel abrupt – particularly as the embedded story gradually gains prominence over the contemporary narrative – the storytelling remains consistently engaging and accessible. Turhan's adeptness at intertwining grim, imaginative fantasy elements with classic gothic tropes and modern-day investigation kept me thoroughly invested and constantly speculating.

Their Monstrous Hearts reminded me of the Hammer movies I grew up watching. I watched B-movies as a child. The supernatural mixed with gothic with creepy twists. It’s no surprise that author Yiğit Turhan was inspired by the movies he watched as a boy with his grandmother.
Riccardo is supposed to be a writer, but he has wasted his advance and has produced nothing. So, when he learned his grandmother died and he has inherited her villa in Milan that houses her famed butterfly collection, he jumps on the train like it’s a lifeboat. When he arrives, he finds the garden barren and her group of friends still hang around even after she is buried. While looking around to find inspiration, he finds a book written by his grandmother, and he learns exactly what has happened in this villa.
This book takes forever to really get to the point. The story drags. It’s not until about 60 percent into the book that it grabs your attention. Until then, readers are supposed to be creeped out because the house staff is looking for the book that Riccardo has, and the maid brought something out of the greenhouse. In fact, if I hadn’t been reading this for a review, I would have DNFed this book and moved along. Which is sad, honestly, because the last 40 percent of the book is a classic horror lover’s dream.
Turhan creates a creepy supernatural story focusing on the ultimate greed: the quest for everlasting life. The majority of the tale is told in the past, and the true horror is that these things have already happened, and the reader knows the protagonist can do nothing to change them. The realization of what Riccardo has actually inherited is more frightening than anything hidden within the house. The ending leaves you with a shiver down your spine as you flip the last page.
It is hard for me to recommend this book. You have to be in for the long haul and enjoy a slooooooow burn. If you can make it to the end, Their Monstruous Hearts because a gothic horror of yesteryear that we need more of in today’s horrorscape.

In Their Monstrous Hearts by Yiğit Turhan we get a dual POV story. Riccardo, a struggling writer, is informed of the death of his grandmother. At first, he wants to stay in Paris and work on his novel, but he is literally out of money and out of ideas on what to write, so he journeys to Milan for his grandmother's funeral. Riccardo is the sole heir to his grandmother's villa and butterfly collection. The beginning is well done, but in the middle trying to figure out what is going on in his grandmother's journal the pacing of the story slows to crawl and becomes very muddled. The ending is quite good.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my arc. This book is available now.

This book was disappointing. I was not a fan of the writing style and the story was not what I expected. The story follows a writer who inherits a villa in Italy from his grandmother, who passed away under mysterious circumstances. Soon after he arrives at the villa, he discovers a manuscript written by his grandmother. A large portion of the book is the main character reading that manuscript, which tells the story of how his grandmother met a strange being, and from there, things get weird. There are a lot of bizarre moments involving butterflies and other surreal elements that didn’t quite work for me.

I did enjoy the Italian setting. I always love when a story takes place in Italy. And I appreciated some of the fantastical elements sprinkled throughout. However, a big chunk of the story just felt slow and dull. I couldn’t stay invested, and the buildup lacked excitement.

The ending was decent, but overall, this one didn’t work for me. It had potential, but I just wasn’t a fan of how it played out.

A case of being fooled by an enticing cover, unfortunately.

The first 25% of the book is about getting to know these somewhat flat characters that never really jump off the page for me. Riccardo the struggling writer facing eviction being called to action by the death of a grandmother leaving him her spooky mansion was already a bit of a weak hook for me. His obligatory initial resistance felt performative, like much of his actions.

The family history build-up is a bit dry and boring, though very culturally enlightening. By far, the most interesting part of this story for me is the foreign setting and cultures. I wish these characters could've been brought to life with more about their worlds, backgrounds, and interests through subtle inclusions of style and appearance, language, or architecture. We get such beautiful descriptions of scenery here and there, but not much about the people, these characters we're supposed to care about.

Another thing that takes some getting used to: the sentence structure of the writing feels inexperienced in complexity, or as if the author's native language isn't English -- which is fine if so, just not a style I personally found myself wanting to go back to immersing myself in. The dialogue ends up sounding horribly unnatural for the most part.

However there's enough mystery around the butterflies and some enjoyable gothic imagery to forgive these drags on the story, at least in the first part. A little after 25% in things pick up the pace a little and people start acting more interesting and strange; but there's still not really much going on besides that.

It leans heavily on the manuscript Riccardo finds left behind by his grandmother, Perihan, which itself doesn't have much action besides reciting the tale of how she found what she thought was an angel and brought her to a fancy, bourgeois party as entertainment for the guests and what happened when that night took a dark turn.

The driving force through most of this is the psychological horror and repeated blurring of reality and fantasy -- instead of something like suspense or conflict with pressing, heavy stakes. This is all fine for the first half, but after 70% into the book of nothing exciting going on, dialogue that sounds nothing like the way people would talk, and decisions made by cardboard characters that just plain don't make sense or seem plausible... It's enough to make one angry about having spent so much time on this book already.

Which is why I just cannot recommend this to anyone. There are much more well-written and more engaging books out there more worth the time.