Wolf, Willow, Witch

The Gideon Testaments #2

by Freydís Moon

A vicious romance imbued with magic, thievery, and necromancy…

When Tehlor Nilsen stumbles upon an abandoned corpse hidden in her friend’s empty house, she can’t ignore the energy lingering around the broken albeit familiar body. Entranced by the promise of ritualistic power, she seizes her chance to secure a vorðr. Miraculously, Hel the goddess of death, grants Tehlor an audience.

But Lincoln Stone has no interest in becoming a magical sentry and raising him from the dead comes with violent consequences.

When a mysterious neo-church arrives in Gideon, Tehlor catches wind of a rare relic. Despite Lincoln's troubling enthusiasm for demonology, she strikes a deal with her unruly vorðr, hoping to mend their strained relationship…
Work together. Steal the Breath of Judas. Control the dead.

As the magically bound pair infiltrate Haven and their heist becomes a hunt, Tehlor isn't sure if she's the predator or prey…

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Romance, Queer, LGBT, Paranormal, Novella

170 pages, Paperback

First published September 4, 2023

About the author

Freydís Moon (they/them) is a bestselling, award-winning author, diviner, and creator with an affinity for quirky, speculative storytelling. A lover of culture, mysticism, history, and language, they constantly find themself lost in a book, trying their hand at a new recipe, or planning a trip to a faraway place.

Content Warnings are available for prose and poetry on their Carrd and inside each book. Read with care.

This account is not actively managed by the author. Please use the contact available on their Carrd or reach out via Twitter with any questions regarding their work/creative opportunities.

Reviews

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Dark and Gloomy ✨'s

Wolf, Willow, Witch is a villain x villain gothic romance full of chaos, magic, mystery, and tension. The story follows Tehlor, a norse witch who brings back her friends ex, Lincoln, from the dead, in order to keep him as her vassal to utilize the magic he holds. Lincoln is not willing in this plan to help Tehlor and she quickly realizes she may be outmatched by the savage sorcerer. However, when a new church stumbles upon their small town, both learn that the organization is holding onto immense power in the form of a magical relic and the two team up to steal it and take down the cult like church.

The characters and plot in this story are much more my speed than the first book, the mystery and gore all came together to create something interesting and engaging. I enjoyed how the story unraveled and Tehlor and Lincoln came together; it was so breathtakingly raw, I loved how the two were so matched yet opposite. Tehlor is an amazing character, she is so beautifully strong and fragile; and don't even get me started on Lincoln he was so assertive and domineering in the best ways. I cannot wait for the next book, that cliffhanger was so good!

[Hannah (hngisreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bisexuals wreaking havoc, I’ve got to clap!

[Theo]

rating/review removed

[ame · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me tell you, this book was an absolute masterpiece! It had me completely captivated from start to finish.

Compared to the previous book, "Haunt, Heart, Havoc," which was more tender, "Wolf, Willow, Witch" took things to a whole new level of intensity and excitement! It was such a raw and interesting story; I think I even liked it more than the previous book!

I was absolutely obsessed with the culty vibes and religious themes in this book! The way the story was built was seriously top-notch, and I couldn't stop reading it! I read the whole book in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down, and I loved how much tension some scenes held.

The writing style was absolutely gorgeous, which was expected from Freydis Moon, because their writing style is always amazing and well crafted! I would honestly pay to read their grocery list at this point and enjoy it. The descriptions in the book were incredibly well-written. They struck the perfect balance between vivid imagery and maintaining a smooth flow. And let me tell you, the pace of the story was on point! It was so action-packed and interesting that it kept me hooked from start to finish. There were no boring or slow parts anywhere. As someone who isn't a fan of slow-paced books, I really appreciated the speed of this one. It was an absolute delight to read!

The characters were seriously captivating and had their fair share of flaws, which made them even more interesting to read about. These flaws also made them feel real, and while I wouldn't call either Tehlor or Lincoln a good person, you can't help but root for them and fear for their safety. Their chemistry was so good too! I absolutely loved their relationship and dynamic. Their interactions were so funny and natural, it was really entertaining. I have to confess that I was a little afraid at first, knowing that Lincoln will be one of the main characters, but honestly as the story went he grew on me. Tehlor and Lincoln are literally the perfect fit for eachother, both morally flawed, and not afraid to take what they want.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to the author. It was an honor to receive an advance copy, and I feel privileged to have been a part of the review team. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book to see what the future holds for these characters and how the story continues.

[Kylee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Recent information has come to light that Freydís Moon is an author previously known by several other pen names (Taylor Barton to start) and is a white person brown-facing and known for harassment of others in the industry. I will no longer be supporting this author and I recommend you look into the wealth of damning information provided in this thread linked below. This is incredibly disheartening news as I honestly enjoyed Moon's work and thought it to be refreshing representation. I'm so disappointed, but I can't refute the evidence.

https://twitter.com/porterotica/statu...


Original Review Sept. 20th, 2023:

Wolf Willow Witch is the sequel to Heart Haunt Havoc, picking up immediately after the first book with Tehlor Nilsen, Norse witch, as protagonist. After Colin Hart and Bishop Martinez leave for another paranormal exorcism, they put the house and the plants' watering schedule in Tehlor's magical hands. But Tehlor accidentally finds a dead body in the walls, and Lincoln Stone becomes a candidate for resurrection.

Coming in at 170 pages, this little novella is a quick paced and fun read about two people who probably shouldn't be together but are unfortunately forever tied. Like book 1, WWW also explores the darkness of different kinds of practices and religions - Norse witchcraft, demonology, extreme Christian cults, etc.

The biggest problem I have with the book is that the author chose to skip over a pivotal scene in the beginning of the main characters' relationship, opting instead to refer to it in small snippets in the next chapter. I thought I was missing something when I got to that next chapter and went back thinking I'd skipped a page. To my disappointment, it was just left out entirely. These types of scenes weren't left out of book 1, so I don't understand why it wasn't included in book 2.

Aside from the missing scene, I liked the story a lot and I'm excited to see what happens in the final installment.

4 stars

[thosemeddlingkids · Rating 1 out of 5]

More awful writing, lackluster plot, and cringey prose.

Note to self - stop reading this author's books. Also avoid Taylor Barton, Juniper Wyse and Saint Harlow, since they all seem to have the same writing style as Freydis Moon. So strange....

[abi · Rating 4 out of 5]

well, this was thoroughly messed up

[Kay Claire]

In April 2024 information came out about this author that proves they are a white person pretending to be Latine for clout, profit, and so that they can call anyone who disagrees with them racist. They are a bully who uses multiple synonyms to harass other authors and readers. As such, I have removed my review for this and every other book of theirs I have read.

[Holden Dingus · Rating 1 out of 5]

DISCLAIMER: Below you will find my honest and original review. Some Troubling things have come out about this author not entirely being who they have claimed to be, faking their race and it's just been a whole thing. Please look into it before you decide to read this series

Wolf Willow Witch

This book man. It's good. I love the story that the Gideon Testaments weaves. The way magic and spirits work, the descriptions. Everything.

And while I definitely liked the story and love Tehlor and Lincoln as characters, it's hard to buy the romance so quickly. I think including a bit more of that one scene in Tehlor's dance studio would have helped a lot to further develop their romance.

Overall loved the book. Can't wait for the next one

[julia ☆ [owls reads] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eeehh, Wolf, Willow, Witch didn't quite work for me. I didn't end up connecting to the two main characters and didn't like the choice Moon made with Tehlor bringing Lincoln back and how that came about. Personally, I was a bit squicked by it despite the author addressing the power dynamics between them.

Because of this, I also didn't like the romance elements this time around.

The religious cult plot was what held most of my attention! Moon did do a great job with portraying how creepy those kids of communities can be and how they have their own language and use it to keep people around. The final confrontation there was surprising to me and pretty amazing to read .

The ending... I don't think I liked it much? Mostly due to my issue with Lincoln being back. It was a bit of a cliffhanger as well that packed a lot of tension, and I'm not sure I'm going to enjoy how that will be addressed and resolved. But I guess that's something I'll have to wait for in the sequel!

[Me, My Shelf, & I · Rating 4 out of 5]

This entry in the series was much more my vibe: a snarkastic witch resurrects a corrupt sorcerer to invade a militia sex cult. 4.5/5

I was surprised to find at the very end that these stories are actually rather interconnected, as I'd mostly been considering them like standalone romances in a series. But I kinda loved this one? The humor and sasshole nature of the MCs worked a lot better for me.

Book One:
- haunted house that's eerie and always watching (even though it doesn't have eyes)
- messy trauma both parties need to find closure on
- emotionally anchored relationship

Book Two:
- enemies to fuckbuddies to lovers? (she starts off basically trying to enslave him to supercharge her witch powers)
- holy what is this cult they're doing what now?
- sarcasm and humor

[v0id_93 · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sad, sorry thing to watch a murder take place and expect an absent god to intervene.’

First off, this book was a fucking BLAST to read. Such an incredibly different vibe from Heart, Haunt, Havoc where that was more melancholy and spooky, Wolf, Willow, Witch brought such fiery playfulness between two individuals who are snarky and self indulgent and I loved it. The opening chapter of this was magnificent, the body horror and light gore that was presented was 👩🏼‍🍳💋

If you haven’t read Heart, Haunt, Havoc, you need to (which I highly recommend anyway) or else W/W/W won’t make sense but BAY-BEE, the chemistry between Tehlor and Lincoln is off the charts. Freydís is the master at creating tension and making the mundane hot. Also his autopsy scars>>>>>>

I’m a huge fan of villain romances and these two do not disappoint at all. I love the way Lincoln fully accepts and wants to help nuture Tehlor’s confidence is being unapologetically self serving. Because listen, being the good guy is overrated honestly. Lincoln’s offer to help “make her worse” was so swoon worthy, I made a very embarrassing noise at 1am and it will forever be imprinted on my brain.

Kinda wanna get it tattooed on me tbh.

🐺 ‘She’d done it. She’d reached into the underworld and yanked a soul from the edge of an impossible cliff. She’d asked a god for an audience and received one. She’d found a guard and had no idea what to do with him now that she had him.’

🐺 “You’re purging embalming fluid,” she hollered. “Congratulations, you’re officially alive.”
“This is fucking awful.” His soupy voice carried from the second floor. He sniffled, coughed, dry-heaved.
“Anything left in the tank?”
“Go to hell.”

[Annalise · Rating 4 out of 5]

These two are so toxic but in a “perfect for each other” kind of way😂 The story was so good, the horror elements were terrifying, and I can’t wait to see how the drama and mess unfold in the next book👏

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: death, murder, decapitation, blood, body horror, gore, vomit, animal cruelty, possession

I really enjoyed the first book in this series but this was, uh, not for me. First of all there's the resurrecting the dead thing using the head of a dog thing. And then there's the romance between a woman and a man who has the head of a dog but is glamoured to have the head of a human as long as he wears a magic necklace but sometimes he leaves his necklace off when they fuck??? Weirdly, I think I would have been more okay with him having a wolf head. I don't know why. I just...would have.

At times it felt like the plot took a back seat to the characters and the relationship between them, and the ending felt a little rushed. But I did like the writing and the creepy cult stuff. So...there's that.

[Georgia C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd read - March '24
....

1st read - October '23
After all the emotions in the first book, this one made me laugh so much (I am probably broken 😅...)
....

Plot (kind of): How to get a partner in crime when you are a witch: resurrect your new friend's ex and give him a makeover while you are at it, agree to pretend you're married for a heist, he is awful but he's hot and nice to your familiar so what can a girl do 🤷🏼‍♀️

I already miss them all 🥺
Countdown until the next one 🕐

[Ciru · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange, to hear a millennial wearing designer denim talk about church in a Disney-adult voice. It wasn’t Amy’s infuriating enthusiasm that piqued Tehlor’s interest, but what remained hidden. The undercurrent in every word, movement, and expression hinted at violence. Leaned toward fine-tuned lunacy.

If you've grown up in the church and now no longer practice/left/don't attend, you'll love this book in that it captures that sychophantic devotion to the church as an organization rather than actual spirituality.

“I can make you worse,” he whispered...“if you let me.”

Well done to Freydis and they actually made me like Lincoln in his vileness. He wants power. Doesn't care what he has to do for it and is willing to kill for it.

She felt like a beautiful fraud. Like Mary Magdalene, a reformed whore.

Tehlor I already loved from book 1 because she was genuine in what she was, a witch also looking for power and not hiding herself from the world. But here we get the subtle difference, she is willing to lie, cheat and steal for it, Lincoln is unashamedly ready to murder one and all to get his power. Tehlor embodied being a witch bitch and I was so happy when even before we get to the part that she declares herself a witch bitch, her actions in the story spell it out for you.

Now, Sophia. Colour me intrigued because I want to know what will happen to her. I also want to know how Tehlor+Lincoln and Colin+Bishop will co-exist without smitting each other and I now want more adventures for all of them, but away from the town now.

So, loved it. Loved and appreciated that it was also way shorter than book 1 and still a concise story and loved the drawings especially the window. Loved the cover. Loved Gunnhild and if someone was to make a tv series of this, I'd watch it.

[Janette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second installment in The Gideon Testaments is told in the same beautifully expressive, almost reverent style and tone as the first. It’s imbued into the structure and shape of every word, sentence, thought and action, adding a layer of nuance and anticipation to Freydís Moon’s gifted storytelling. I found this story to be both haunting and enchanting from beginning to end.

This story is a journey from Tehlor’s perspective. She’s reflective and introspective about who she is, who she has been, and who she wants to be, and we get a front row seat to her internal struggle with power and dominance. Lincoln plays a prominent and commanding role in her journey to understanding without losing sight of her independence and autonomy.

I’ll admit at first I wasn’t sure about getting Lincoln’s story. He’s a villain, and my feelings about him after Heart, Haunt, Havoc were decidedly skewed, as is deserving of his villainous behavior. What I underestimated is how perfectly matched he is with Tehlor in power and ability, and how the unlikely partnership of two villains is the perfect force to oppose religious zealots in what can best be described as a battle between evil and evil-er.

If you’re someone who typically reads queer romance, don’t let the MF pairing deter you. This is still very much a queer romance between queer MCs, and when you throw in the undead/reanimated aspect of things, it kind of feels like rules and labels aren’t even adequate.

I highly recommend this quick, fabulous read, especially for people who love horror and eerie, chilling tales. In order to best understand the characters and story elements, it’s ideal to read this series in order.

*I voluntarily read a complimentary copy of this book*

[Margaret Adelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved every book by this author, so I was thrilled to get an arc for this one!

Right off the bat, this is not a book for people who rely on their protagonists to be likeable. Tehlor and Lincoln are both pretty cutthroat and willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead and that never changes. There isn't any real redemptive angle for Lincoln either. He is the same person that did everything in the previous book. However, if you like your characters uniquely twisted, this one is right up your alley. And despite all their many, MANY flaws, the chemistry between them makes sense. Although there aren't the usual moment by moment steamy scenes between the two of them, the book still has a heavy focus on eroticism.

I loved the plot with the "church" and everything they had going on. It may be the religious trauma talking, but it was that kind of "too real" creepy. And it led to a pretty major ending that was twisted and creepy in all the right ways. This one does not scant on the blood.

The best part was definitely the ending. It was exactly the cliffhanger you'd want and promises a fantastically tense and angsty book three.

Over all, it's for a specific type of reader. But if that's you, it's one hell of a ride.

[b (tobias forge's version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this the best book I've ever found on Kindle Unlimited? Is it my favorite m/f romance that I've ever read? Is it my favorite book of 2024? I don't know, maybe?? *screams internally*

This is the second book in The Gideon Testaments. I liked the first one quite a bit. But there's just something about Wolf, Willow, Witch. I could not get it into my eyeballs quickly enough to suit me. I wanted to unhinge my jaw and eat my Kindle.

I love pretty much everything about it. I love the writing, especially the dialogue and banter. I love that the romance doesn't overpower the horror and that it's a genuinely creepy book. I love Gunnhild. I love how unabashedly horrible and power-hungry Tehlor and Lincoln are. And I'm shocked to say this, but I love their dynamic and spent the entire book rooting for them to disrespectfully and hatefully [REDACTED] each other's brains out.

I think that when Lincoln said, "I can make you worse," my soul left my body.

And the next book has a sapphic pairing! I cannot express how excited I am to read it.

[Sofie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What a book! While I liked Heart Haunt Havoc, I absolutely LOVED Wolf Willow Witch, which is the second book in the Gideon Testaments series by Freydis Moon. Usually, I'm not one to go for questionable and not so good characters, but I really liked Tehlor and Lincoln and their relationship. Tehlor, who we first meet in HHH, is a witch. Tasked with housesitting Bishop's place, she discovers Lincoln's body in the basement and decides to resurrect him because why not? Really, she resurrects him because she wants more power, and Lincoln can be a vessel for that. Tehlor and Lincoln end up agreeing to join forces in order to infiltrate a cult and steal a powerful object in their possession. 

I found myself rooting for Tehlor and Lincoln throughout the book. Maybe because in comparison to the cult, they weren't so bad, but I think it was also because I just liked their confidence and general badass-ary. I thought they also made a good team. And Tehlor's backstory was super interesting lol (iykyk). 

As always, I loved Moon's writing. It's very lyrical and fast-paced, which is what I tend to gravitate towards. So many sentences stuck out to me as beautiful and descriptive. I think Moon is amazing at setting the scene; I could easily picture the places and people they described (I especially loved this in Three Kings because seaside cottagecore vibes are goals). 

This is definitely a five-star read for me! I highly recommend this series so far, especially if you like questionable mcs, witchy vibes, cults, dark magic, and more (see below for more tropes). 

Also, isn't the cover gorgeous??? M.E. Morgan's work is stunning! 😍

Release date: September 4

Tropes:
♡ MF Queer Villain Romance
♡ Creepy cult!
♡ Fake Marriage
♡ Forced Proximity
♡ Animal sidekick

[Trish Skywalker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing story in the Gideon Testament!
This is the story of Norse witch Tehlor Nilsen and Lincoln Stone…the man Tehlor finds dead and in a wall in her friend’s basement.
Tehlor wants a guardian, and when she finds Lincoln, she knows he’s perfect. Tehlor has her doubts about this working, but against the odds Lincoln is back, and linked to Tehlor. But Lincoln has no plans of becoming her guardian, and he’s more than willing to let her know.
Then Tehlor discovers a new church has arrived in Gideon, and they have possession of an ancient relic that could change everything. Tehlor also knows there’s something not right with the church of Haven, and she needs Lincoln’s help to infiltrate.
If they don’t kill each other first.
-Norse theology
-Dark magic
-Necromancy
-A creepy cult
-A witch with an attitude

[Jacquie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be for real

[Krys (spicy.spine.breaker) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would die for Tehlor. She’s THAT b!tch.

FRTC

[Rea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe I do like horror when there's a fun romance involved.

[Julia Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than the first!

[Nell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeah, this is a series of shorter books I am absolutely getting behind.
Pronoun use is so fluid, discussion of sexuality also chill and natural, and I really like how different the FMC is in this. She has personality and likes/dislikes and traits that make me go "Hmm if we knew each other, our friendship would be work" but not because she's shit: because she has flaws that mean we would butt heads about how we approach things.
But even better, she has hope, and openness to change and it's just so nice to see in a shorter book.
The author honestly has done so well in creating good characters.

-1 star for the sort of tall dark handsome morally grey love interest but at least the MC is greyish too, and so it's not totally terrible.

Also read the TW at the start of the book, it is VERY important information for those whom the triggers will impact.

[Faelan Corvellus · Rating 1 out of 5]

TLDR: if you're looking for a bland het paranormal romance pick this up, but otherwise you should keep looking. The series might tell a complete narrative but does not create a balanced reading experience.

So, to start with, I would not have disliked this book as much as I did if it wasn't a sequel to the fantastic first book in the Gideon series: this book was so bland it made me decide to drop the series and rethink my decision to read their other work. It's definitely in the "I regret spending money on this" category.

Switching mid-series from a romance about a nonbinary brujo and a transmasc guy with catholic angel magic to a heterosexual romance between two white cis people was immediately a huge disappointment, as that was a huge part of why I picked up the series. I've read enough white cis-het books for a lifetime, so I try to avoid them in favor of more diverse books.

Which this is not.

Also, the ending of book #1 had made it clear those characters still had Adventures to engage in, so I was expecting some references to that which never materialized.

But even if I judge it solely on its own merits and not as the middle book in a series, it's still merely "tolerable".

It hits a lot of my favorite tropes and yet fails to do anything interesting with them. So I never really enjoyed them because it instead stays largely derivative.

Our main characters here are neither particularly interesting nor likable, so I never really cared about the trouble they found themselves in. Neither of them really seem to grow as people, outside of wanting to bang one another.

The world-building also seemed to fall apart, where I never felt the witch character's powers were earned, based on how her magic is described.

The ending also seems thematically like a revisitation of book #1, so I was just stunningly disappointed and underwhelmed by the whole experience.

There's also the part where the male lead's prior relationship was with a nonbinary person instead of a ciswoman, and there was just a lack of like... I don't know. I wanted some indication of that creating a different experience, or an awareness of that difference in gender existing. As-is, it felt just slightly slimy and skeevy. Not because of his attraction to multiple genders and people, but the way it seems to hold them as equivalent.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely disgusting. Loved it.

[Macks · Rating 1 out of 5]

BOOOOOOOOOO

[fersss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is like the adult version of Nina Zenik and Mathias Helvar