Their Monstrous Hearts
by Yigit Turhan
Suspense Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Apr 8, 2025
Harlequin Trade
Ages: 15+

Suffering from writer's block, Riccardo is about to become homeless because he can't pay his bills. Then a man knocks on his door telling him that his grandmother has died and Riccardo has inherited her estate.

But when he goes to his grandmother's home for the funeral, a place he hasn't been since childhood, he finds that his grandmother's friends lurk in the house.

While exploring his grandmother's room, he finds a notebook; within it is what he believes is a manuscript, but as he reads, he begins to wonder if there is more to his grandmother's story.


I can say that the ending of this story was a good twist, but getting there was long, slow, and boring. Yes, I can understand why the author did it this way, but all of it, especially the grandmother's POV needs a lot of dressing up. More showing because as is, it's telling. Ninety percent is the grandmother's manuscript which reads more like a diary. (The blurb says diary, Riccardo claims it's a manuscript.)

Also, this is listed as horror: Nah... it's not scary, it's more suspense with a dusting of fantasy.

I should have DNFed, but I skimmed to finish...

1 Star

As much as I enjoyed the mystery around the grandmother, there simply wasn't enough suspense to keep me hooked or a strong enough protagonist to relate to. I DNFd at about 30%, partially due to being uninvested and partly due to the narrator. It was unclear why the audio only featured accents for dialogue and not for the entire novel, which would have been more immersive. More than that, the pacing was too slow after such a promising initial scene with the butterflies, and it was difficult to discern what kind of themes the author wanted to convey. I just needed more tension and more compelling characters.

*just for the arc copy sending to kindle* the formatting is super wonky. There is also weird spacing between every instance of the letters F & L being next to each other. I swear the author used so many instances of words with these letters. It was extremely distracting while reading.

The setting- I enjoyed the setting of the story. The house was a perfect backdrop to the vibes of the story. It’s very atmospheric. My main complaint is that we went back and forth between what was happening around our main character, and what was happening in his grandmothers manuscript. It wasn’t always clear when the manuscript stopped and I found myself having to reread some sections to clear confusion at times

The plot- The story overall was very slow especially in the middle. I wish there was more buildup of the horror elements. It almost felt like magical realism for the majority of the story. There was the barest amount of horror until the last part of the book. I also just didn’t find the mystery to be very compelling. There was just a lot going on and it felt disorganized at times.

The Characters- I didn’t really vibe with any of the characters in this story. None of them felt very relatable to me. I just didn’t really care what happened to them in the end.

I found myself really slogging through this one. There were some interesting elements but all together it didn’t fully work for me. Overall I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend.

A haunting tale of one man's discovery of his grandmother's secrets, written in a book he finds after her passing. Riccardo returns to Milan to honor his late grandmother and claim his inheritance, but when he begins to read a manuscript addressed to him, he uncovers his grandmother's history and pieces together the horrific truths of her life - and what it means for him.

Admittedly, this story was difficult to get through for the first... 60%? I had both an ebook and audiobook and still couldn't find myself becoming invested in the story. The gothic undertones set a nice atmosphere, but the plot moves along very slowly. I feel like there really is no plot for a large portion of the middle.
The final 25-30% does pick up quite a bit, with the horror elements becoming more prominent, and things begin to come together and make sense. For me, it took too long to get to this point. If I hadn't been reading it for an early review, I would probably have dnfed this.

Audiobook:
The narrators brought the story to life, breathing inflection and passion into the voices of Riccardo and Perihan.
The narrator for Perihan's manuscript was excellent at delivering the events in a mysterious and fascinating way.
Riccardo's narrator also did a great job, but it was a bit jarring at first to have his accent change between dialogue and sidebar narration.

This picked up for me around 70% and I only really enjoyed the last 15%.

I did not like Riccardo or Perihan's characters, so I never really got invested. But to be fair, I'm not sure they were designed to be liked. There wasn't really anything wrong with Riccardo, but I just never related to him. Which I'm kind of thankful for because he had a pretty terrible life for someone who was only 20.

And Perihan... let's just say there's a reason I don't mingle with entitled Elite people.

The storyline was intriguing but the execution left me bored. Riccardo finds Perihan's manuscript at her funeral and so half of the book is him reading the passages and experiencing them through Perihan's POV. A lot I felt was filler- details about famous paintings, etc that wasn't important to me.

I read most of Riccardo's POV completely because that's where the intrigue and mystery really came into play. I skimmed all of Perihan's POV because while it clues you in to what is happening, most was irrelevant.

The ending was really interesting, though I have seen a movie with a similar story and that's what I thought was going to happen. (Funny enough, I told my husband of this story and he said "that reminds me of that one movie you made me watch.") I'm sure people that aren't expecting it will be entirely blown away.

Read if you love:
-Dual POV
-Memory flashbacks
-Thriller

Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. My thoughts are entirely my own.

A grandmother leaves her Italian villa to her grandson. However, the house is creepy and comes with a lot of secrets. The plot of this book was interesting and very unique. The pacing of this book was slow so I found it hard to get into the story and connect with the writing style. The characters didn't really have much depth., but I thought it was a pretty good debut for this author.

Unfortunately this was not yet formatted for an ereader, so I was unable to read the electronic version of this book. I have added this one to my TBR and will get it from the library once it comes out, as I can’t read it if it’s not formatted yet.

Thank you for the opportunity to leave honest feedback voluntarily. I received a free eARC of this book.

That last fourth had me screaming “these people are so f*cked up” while driving and probably looking unhinged 😂. Thanks to HTP Books and HTP Hive for the ALC and eARC.

This is a really slow build and it took me a while to get into as it didn’t capture me right away. I’d say the first half is pretty slow. But then things got more twisted the more Rodrigo unraveled his grandmother’s past and I was enthralled. The author explores what it means to be a monster, whether it’s the appearance of one or the actions. The monsters that walk in human skin, disguised by their well mannered appearance while committing horrific atrocities for their so called higher purpose.

The twists and turns were unpredictable and the horror level went from zero to a hundred in the last fourth. It’s like when you know things are about to go horribly wrong but you can’t look away. But the ending was so abrupt. I was hoping for an epilogue because of its abruptness but that was not the case. Regardless, the audiobook narrators did fantastic work and fans of the genre will most likely enjoy this one.

While I enjoyed the premise and the spirited characters, I really struggled with the writing style in this one. The sentences seem to drag on endlessly in a punctuation desert. I also found the word choice to be repetitive, particularly the descriptive verbs. However, Ricardo's fight for survival was captivating, as was the atmosphere of the terrifying old estate. I was hoping for a better ending to this slow-burn thriller, but certainly think it lived up to its horror premise.

This is such an intriguing story. I liked the dual timeline where the grandson is reading about his grandmother; so that you get both perspectives. The mystery kept this reader guessing almost to the end. This story is so interesting, it's well crafted with great characters and interesting locations. The main character Perihan is such a strong, formidable one. Her grandson, Riccardo, does not have her, let's say ... backbone. Quite an amazing, fantastical story.

In this gothic horror novel, you see a struggling writer get a letter informing him that his grandmother has passed. This haunting story is about human struggle and determination. I found it very sufficiently creepy, but I felt like the pacing was a struggle in the first half, but after that it definitely picked up and sped through.

Riccardo is a struggling writer who is looking for inspiration before he gets thrown out of his apartment. Feeling like he’s out of options, a stranger shows up with some news for Riccardo; his grandmother Perihan has died, and Riccardo has inherited her villa in Milan. With nothing left to lose, he is hoping the change of scenery will inspire him and maybe there will be money to keep him afloat. However, Perihans group of friends are constantly lurking as if they’re after something, and there’s something strange going on in the greenhouse. Riccardo stumbles upon Perhians diary, which might not only hold the key to his grandmothers mysterious death, but also inspiration he needs to finish his manuscript; he just needs to survive long enough to make that happen.

Their Monstrous Hearts is for sure a very interesting story, one that’s premise is very unique and intriguing. It is quite the slow burn, and at times it felt like there wasn’t a whole lot happening. Despite that however, the back and forth between what Riccardo was doing in present time and reading Perihans story was enjoyable. I enjoyed the beginning and the end, but the middle I feel gets a little muddy and at times the writing fell short for me. Despite that, I do think this story deserves its time to shine because the story is so different a good way for sure. I will definitely be checking out more from this author in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for letting me read this early!

So I was drawn to this one based solely on the cover, and went into it completely blind. I was hooked from the very first page, and could not put it down! Even though the pacing was a bit slow to start, there was just something about it that kept pulling me back into the pages.
The story was so unique, blending elements of horror and suspense, while taking a deep dive into the human psyche. The tale was deeply atmospheric, the narrative driven forth by beautiful prose, intrigue, and a perpetual undercurrent of impending doom. I felt utterly immersed in the Gothic landscape, and became deeply connected to the protagonist.
Throughout the entire book, I was at a constant state of unease. With every return of the page, I wanted to know more- the mystery built to such an exquisite crescendo, I was wholly transfixed by the last quarter of the book. The author tied everything together brilliantly, and I was blown away.
If you’re looking for a good Gothic suspense to get lost in, with a dash of horror, beautiful writing, and enough twists and turns to get your heart racing, I highly suggest adding this to your TBR.

Thank you to HTP Books & The Hive for the physical and ebook review copies!

This gothic horror attempts to weave a tale of mystery and metamorphosis but, alas, I found it was often entangled in its own narrative web.

Our protagonist, Riccardo, a struggling writer teetering on the brink of obscurity, inherits his grandmother Perihan’s dilapidated villa in Milan, along with her ominous butterfly collection. The premise holds promise: a crumbling estate, enigmatic diaries, and a greenhouse concealing dark secrets. However, the execution meanders.

Turhan employs a dual timeline, juxtaposing Riccardo’s present-day woes with Perihan’s past, as revealed through her diary. I generally loved mixed media but I found that it often results in a disjointed narrative.

Riccardo’s character arc was lacking. His perpetual writer’s block and passive demeanor was rather boring despite the gothic vibe. Perihan, on the other hand, emerges as a more compelling figure.

Turhan’s prose oscillates between poetic flourishes and overwrought descriptions. The atmospheric tension is often undermined by verbose passages that contribute little to character development or plot progression.

The pacing was sluggish in the middle. The climax, when it finally arrives, felt rushed and unearned.

While Turhan’s ambition is commendable, the novel’s structural flaws, uneven pacing, and underdeveloped characters render it, not my favorite gothic horror novel. I did love the correlation between horror and butterflies though. I feel as though I would’ve enjoyed this one more as an audiobook.

3.5 stars

a dark, murderous story of what happens when people cross set boundaries
Riccardo is a struggling author, losing his inspiration
when a stranger arrives at his apartment with the news of his grandmothers death and her villa in Milan that was left to Riccardo
hoping for a change of scenery and possibly a small monetary inheritance, Riccardo is shocked to find not the nostalgic home of his childhood but a run down version with a haunted greenhouse and butterfly collection that seems more and more monstrous
exploring the estate, Riccardo finds his grandmothers diary with hints to her mysterious death, this could be the story that changes Riccardo's career, if he can survive long enough to write it

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Their Monstrous Hearts.

I was pleased my request was approved because the premise definitely caught my eye.

Sadly, this didn't hit the mark entirely for me, and let me tell you why:

I liked the premise, I was curious about Perihan and her relationship with Riccardo, but the writing style wasn't for me.

The writing was almost YA-ish but maybe because Riccardo is so young and immature.

It didn't help that Riccardo is a dull, uninspiring main character. Or maybe he's supposed to be.

I'm not a fan of narratives where there's info dumping via a journal or manuscript.

Nothing happens, at least not to Riccardo, but perhaps that's the point. Nothing happens to him because he's a nobody.

Also, I wouldn't categorize this as horror, more like magical realism and fantasy. Or I feel like this because I don't scare easily.

I did like the ending, at first, I wasn't a fan of Perihan, she's cold, cruel and callous, but by the end, I admire her resiliency and her calculating manner.

The narrative is less a horror story and more a story of identity and reinvention, of living your life however you want and make it to be.

I liked the author's note at the end and her love for her grandmother and their shared love of horror movies. What a wonderful bond to have with one another!

This debut YA horror novel first caught my attention with its striking butterfly cover, but it was the haunting story inside that immediately pulled me in. Ricardo, a struggling writer, is at rock bottom—his creative spark has vanished, his money is running out, and the bills are piling up. Just when things seem hopeless, a knock at the door changes everything. His grandmother has passed away, leaving him her villa in Milan. Hoping for a fresh start, Ricardo moves to the villa, where he discovers his grandmother’s cherished butterfly collection. As he settles in, fragmented childhood memories of living with his grandparents resurface, revealing his grandmother’s eccentric and mysterious nature. The villa’s staff is unsettling and secretive, making him question their true intentions. Then, he stumbles upon a manuscript written by his grandmother—one addressed to him. With each page, he slowly unravels the chilling obsession behind the butterflies and the dark secret that brought him to the villa.

For a debut, this book delivered everything I love—an eerie atmosphere, a perfectly paced mystery, and deeply intriguing secrets. I couldn’t put it down, and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

This was definitely a slow burn thriller. It was almost a little too slow burn and it really took me a lot to get invested in this story. I will say that the plot was unique and the writing was atmospheric. But, the writing seemed very blocky to me, and disjointed. It didn’t feel like it flowed well. The wording in the book felt reparative and the narration felt too straightforward. Overall, I felt the ideas in the book were unique, but the execution just wasn’t right for me. It was just too much of a slow burn and the writing threw me off. Perhaps I just wasn’t the right reader for this book!

First off a big thank you to the publisher for the invite to read and review this book as well as giving me a check to check out a new to me author ,but sadly this author isn't for me , I'm having terrible getting into the story , as well as getting into the writing style of it, even though the book cover is beautiful and the title the type of title that would definitely catch my eye , that alone can't keep me Interested in the story , so at 50% I'm DNF it , because like I said before I'm ststruggled with this author's writing style and language use and I cannot determine if that is due to the language barrier or to the fact that “Hearts” is only the only book by this author I've tried to read .

The cover of this book is gorgeous. I had an eBook copy from Net Galley. I love the cover of the book, and the title alone sold me. This is a new genre for me to get into so, this was kind of a good way to get into it.

Ricardo is discovering things from his childhood are not what they seem and finding his grandmother's journal after her passing becomes more interesting than what it was when he first arrived at the estate.

This is a very slow start horror but, in the end, it is worth it and not really that predictable. It definitely to me gets the mind working to know what's going to happen next.