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Exodus 20:3
Religious eroticism and queer emancipation meet in a claustrophobic monster-romance about divinity, sexuality, and freedom.
When Diego López is guilted by his mother into taking a low-key construction job in New Mexico, he doesn’t expect to be the only helping hand at Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. But the church is abandoned, decrepit, and off the beaten path, and the only other person for miles is its handsome caretaker, Ariel Azevedo.
Together, Diego and Ariel refurbish the old church, sharing stories of their heritage, experiences, and desires. But as the long days turn into longer nights, Diego begins to see past Ariel’s human mirage and finds himself falling into lust—and maybe something else—with one of God’s first creations.
When Diego López is guilted by his mother into taking a low-key construction job in New Mexico, he doesn’t expect to be the only helping hand at Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. But the church is abandoned, decrepit, and off the beaten path, and the only other person for miles is its handsome caretaker, Ariel Azevedo.
Together, Diego and Ariel refurbish the old church, sharing stories of their heritage, experiences, and desires. But as the long days turn into longer nights, Diego begins to see past Ariel’s human mirage and finds himself falling into lust—and maybe something else—with one of God’s first creations.
92 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2022
60 people are currently reading
4638 people want to read
About the author
Freydís Moon
15 books524 followersFreydís 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 397 reviews
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June 13, 2022So I picked this up in a recs thread for romance with trans men protags, and I have to admit I kind of skimmed the blurb, merely noting that one of the MCs is an angel. Cool, I pictured the average feathery wings bloke, fine.
Nnnno. This featured your actual Old Testament / Demented Medieval Drawing angel, with extra limbs, eyes on its wings, two cocks, etc. Okay, I wasn't mentally prepared for that.
However, this was lovely. Intense sense of place, restoring a tumbledown church in the desert, and very strong characterisation and backstory lightly sketched in. The use of faith and religious imagery in the sex scenes really worked for me (well, I was brought up Catholic); some might see it as transgressive but I'd call it more transcending. It's weird (see above: angel) and dreamlike, but also very solidly grounded in present-day politics, both on the US/Mexico border and in the gritty reality of trans lives. the writing reflects that too, switching from spare to wildly lush to reflect the slithering between realities, and the changing perception of the angel's body.
Strange, haunting, and rather lovely.
Nnnno. This featured your actual Old Testament / Demented Medieval Drawing angel, with extra limbs, eyes on its wings, two cocks, etc. Okay, I wasn't mentally prepared for that.
However, this was lovely. Intense sense of place, restoring a tumbledown church in the desert, and very strong characterisation and backstory lightly sketched in. The use of faith and religious imagery in the sex scenes really worked for me (well, I was brought up Catholic); some might see it as transgressive but I'd call it more transcending. It's weird (see above: angel) and dreamlike, but also very solidly grounded in present-day politics, both on the US/Mexico border and in the gritty reality of trans lives. the writing reflects that too, switching from spare to wildly lush to reflect the slithering between realities, and the changing perception of the angel's body.
Strange, haunting, and rather lovely.
Read
September 16, 2023biblically accurate angel porn
interesting, blasphemous, heavy on the eroticism of devotion and worship (bodily or religious), strong sense of place for the folks who love atmosphere and setting. it was fascinating.
interesting, blasphemous, heavy on the eroticism of devotion and worship (bodily or religious), strong sense of place for the folks who love atmosphere and setting. it was fascinating.
Read
March 6, 2025I prefer to read OwnVoice stories that aren't a product of some miserable white person cosplaying a cultural identity that isn't their own
CW: explicit sexual content (including BDSM), transphobia from loved ones, recurring mention of drug abuse/addiction
CW: explicit sexual content (including BDSM), transphobia from loved ones, recurring mention of drug abuse/addiction
Read
June 14, 2024[ETA, April 21, 2024: It appears that "Moon" has engaged in unpleasant shenanigans under a number of pseudonyms, and in particular that they aren't Latine, as they purport to be. The relevant gdoc, with screenshots, is here.
It's a pity for a number of reasons, among which is that the books I've read by this writer can stand on their own merits; there was no need for "Moon" to pretend to be anyone they weren't.]
Well, that sure is an interesting choice of title: the verse in question is "Thou shalt not have strange gods before me," as it appears in the Douay Bible if you're a trad English-speaking Catholic, or "You shall have no other gods before me" if you're going with the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition. Who or what God is in this strange and wonderful novella is an open question, but one of the lovers is an angel -- fallen, like, he says, almost all of his kind.
When I say "an angel," I don't mean a pale personage with long, flowing locks, a white robe, and white wings. Ariel's form, when he's not in a human body, is far, far more alien than that. Also, even in full-out angel form he's brown, as is (er, obviously) the other MC, Diego López, who's the POV character. And as for gods of any kind, perhaps Diego and Ariel are both gods; at any rate, Ariel treats sex as worship and submission.
Lord, the sex in this story. So luxurious, so arresting. The elements of submission and ownership only make it better if you're at all inclined to like that sort of thing, which I absolutely am. I think I highlighted at least portions of every sex scene. "Ariel opened his mouth over Diego's center. Licked and kissed. He was unnaturally warm, tending to Diego's clit with his tongue, lapping at him, sucking eagerly at slickened, swollen flesh. Diego let his head hang heavy, face tipped toward the ceiling, panting and moaning. ... Ariel held the back of Diego's knees and pushed his legs toward his chest, widening him, spreading him open."*
By the way, Ariel in angel form has four arms. Enviable if you've ever been having sex and suddenly found yourself bitterly resentful of having just two.
There is, I might as well add, a plot here, which the title's borrowing the name of a biblical book might clue you in on. And there's ... a theology, I guess I have to call it, although it doesn't hinge on any entity recognizable from the big three monotheistic religions. I'm not even sure the word "spiritual" exactly applies to a faith so deeply connected to sexual desire. Shut up, I know there exist religious rituals that involve sex, but I'm 100% a materialist and the very word "spiritual" makes me cringe. Speaking of, I would rather not have read the author's bio page, because they very clearly are not 100% or probably even 5% materialist. But I forgive everything for the sake of a story so deeply in love with the flesh and with the world the flesh lives in, and you better believe (sorry) I'm going to read Freydís Moon's next book.
*Oh, yeah, I almost forgot to mention that Diego is trans, and the difficulties he's faced on that account do get a look into the story; but as far as I could tell he wasn't inwardly conflicted or whatever, so I kind of forgot about it till I was re-reading this review and realized it might rate a mention. Even though it's pretty obvious from the configuration of Diego's genitals?
It's a pity for a number of reasons, among which is that the books I've read by this writer can stand on their own merits; there was no need for "Moon" to pretend to be anyone they weren't.]
Well, that sure is an interesting choice of title: the verse in question is "Thou shalt not have strange gods before me," as it appears in the Douay Bible if you're a trad English-speaking Catholic, or "You shall have no other gods before me" if you're going with the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition. Who or what God is in this strange and wonderful novella is an open question, but one of the lovers is an angel -- fallen, like, he says, almost all of his kind.
When I say "an angel," I don't mean a pale personage with long, flowing locks, a white robe, and white wings. Ariel's form, when he's not in a human body, is far, far more alien than that. Also, even in full-out angel form he's brown, as is (er, obviously) the other MC, Diego López, who's the POV character. And as for gods of any kind, perhaps Diego and Ariel are both gods; at any rate, Ariel treats sex as worship and submission.
Lord, the sex in this story. So luxurious, so arresting. The elements of submission and ownership only make it better if you're at all inclined to like that sort of thing, which I absolutely am. I think I highlighted at least portions of every sex scene. "Ariel opened his mouth over Diego's center. Licked and kissed. He was unnaturally warm, tending to Diego's clit with his tongue, lapping at him, sucking eagerly at slickened, swollen flesh. Diego let his head hang heavy, face tipped toward the ceiling, panting and moaning. ... Ariel held the back of Diego's knees and pushed his legs toward his chest, widening him, spreading him open."*
By the way, Ariel in angel form has four arms. Enviable if you've ever been having sex and suddenly found yourself bitterly resentful of having just two.
There is, I might as well add, a plot here, which the title's borrowing the name of a biblical book might clue you in on. And there's ... a theology, I guess I have to call it, although it doesn't hinge on any entity recognizable from the big three monotheistic religions. I'm not even sure the word "spiritual" exactly applies to a faith so deeply connected to sexual desire. Shut up, I know there exist religious rituals that involve sex, but I'm 100% a materialist and the very word "spiritual" makes me cringe. Speaking of, I would rather not have read the author's bio page, because they very clearly are not 100% or probably even 5% materialist. But I forgive everything for the sake of a story so deeply in love with the flesh and with the world the flesh lives in, and you better believe (sorry) I'm going to read Freydís Moon's next book.
*Oh, yeah, I almost forgot to mention that Diego is trans, and the difficulties he's faced on that account do get a look into the story; but as far as I could tell he wasn't inwardly conflicted or whatever, so I kind of forgot about it till I was re-reading this review and realized it might rate a mention. Even though it's pretty obvious from the configuration of Diego's genitals?
June 9, 2022
This is the type of romance & erotica that I crave deep in my soul. Exodus 20:3 is everything my horny, trans gay ass hoped for.
- Monster Romance
- Transmasc sex worker MC
- Multi-limbed eldritch love interest
- Beautiful, religious mysticisms.
- Double dicked down
- WORSHIP!!! WORSHIP!!!!
- Church!!! Fucking!!!
This novella was probably one of my favourite reads of the year. I genuinely wish it was a full fledged novel because I was soaking this up. The writing was absolutely breathtaking and was honestly hitting me really hard. It was just…I can’t even find the words to explain how much I felt for this story.
I cant wait to read whatever Freydís Moon releases because they’ve just became an instant buy author for me.
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- Monster Romance
- Transmasc sex worker MC
- Multi-limbed eldritch love interest
- Beautiful, religious mysticisms.
- Double dicked down
- WORSHIP!!! WORSHIP!!!!
- Church!!! Fucking!!!
This novella was probably one of my favourite reads of the year. I genuinely wish it was a full fledged novel because I was soaking this up. The writing was absolutely breathtaking and was honestly hitting me really hard. It was just…I can’t even find the words to explain how much I felt for this story.
I cant wait to read whatever Freydís Moon releases because they’ve just became an instant buy author for me.
INSTA | TWITTER
April 21, 2024
it breaks my heart to change the review, but I feel sick. Genuinely, how dare you? How does something this beautiful and tender come from a place of such deception?
For context, just go to twitter/Instagram for this author's name.
For context, just go to twitter/Instagram for this author's name.
April 21, 2024
Original review: 4.5 stars - "Alexa, play Take Me to Church by Hozier, on repeat"
Retracting review based on fuckery that has come to light.
Retracting review based on fuckery that has come to light.
September 14, 2022
Reading Vlog: https://youtu.be/1awY-IHwbWI
3.5 stars rounded up
This was such an interesting book. On the one hand, Exodus 20:3 is religious monster erotica. But it is also a story about religious freedom and finding a sort of transcendent meaning in trans identity. And it's deeply rooted in Latinx culture and language. So while some of the erotic scenes are less my thing, I appreciate what this book is doing and the fact that it exists. Also the choice to have Biblical depictions of an angel (eyes and all) is interesting.
Diego is a trans-man trying to start over. His mother has guilted him into taking a job refurbishing a run down Catholic church with its caretaker Ariel. But Ariel may be more than the man he appears to be and Diego can't tear his eyes away...
Heads up, if you are a devout Catholic or similar, the fact that there are explicit scenes taking place in the sanctuary and the sexualization of "worship" might bother you. Also note that Diego is explicitly a trans man who has had top surgery, not bottom and the word c*nt is used in sexual scenes. I know from online discourse that trans people's feelings on this may differ- whether positively or negatively. Just be aware these details aren't glossed over.
I think it's cool that this book offers a view of spirituality that might celebrate trans identity as transformative growth for instance. And I think there is something to be said for a book that takes back power found in the church that has so often been used to harm rather than support queer folks.
3.5 stars rounded up
This was such an interesting book. On the one hand, Exodus 20:3 is religious monster erotica. But it is also a story about religious freedom and finding a sort of transcendent meaning in trans identity. And it's deeply rooted in Latinx culture and language. So while some of the erotic scenes are less my thing, I appreciate what this book is doing and the fact that it exists. Also the choice to have Biblical depictions of an angel (eyes and all) is interesting.
Diego is a trans-man trying to start over. His mother has guilted him into taking a job refurbishing a run down Catholic church with its caretaker Ariel. But Ariel may be more than the man he appears to be and Diego can't tear his eyes away...
Heads up, if you are a devout Catholic or similar, the fact that there are explicit scenes taking place in the sanctuary and the sexualization of "worship" might bother you. Also note that Diego is explicitly a trans man who has had top surgery, not bottom and the word c*nt is used in sexual scenes. I know from online discourse that trans people's feelings on this may differ- whether positively or negatively. Just be aware these details aren't glossed over.
I think it's cool that this book offers a view of spirituality that might celebrate trans identity as transformative growth for instance. And I think there is something to be said for a book that takes back power found in the church that has so often been used to harm rather than support queer folks.
May 16, 2024
Check out Ember Kane for some excellent erotica with trans leads. Demonic Commission was a great one that delivered. (Check CWs.)
This book, however, did not. Might also be a good idea for whoever is editing and sensitivity reading this to spell check whatever Spanish was claimed to be spoken in this. Could. Not. Compute.
This book, however, did not. Might also be a good idea for whoever is editing and sensitivity reading this to spell check whatever Spanish was claimed to be spoken in this. Could. Not. Compute.
April 29, 2023
Wow this novelette is like... Sometimes a book comes along that is so specific to your entire niche culture and upbringing that you are left shook? Then there's monster porn? Like I'm just supposed to be normal after this
Diego is a trans mexican American. He's got the story of distant, abrasive, and fearful relationship with God (the Capital G God that Mexican culture lives under), that most queer Mexican Americans have. He wouldn't normally be fixing up a church, but after a stint in jail he's going to do whatever work quells his mother's worrying.
At the church he meets the mysterious Ariel. He's not a priest or pastor, he's someone odd and mysterious and completely driven in his plan to bring faith back into the people. He's also beautiful and captivating, but Diego just wants to do the job, get paid, and get out of there...
This is the second story I've read by Freydís Moon and I just want to ask them just one simple question umm Have you watched supernatural? *Knocks on door*Excuse me, have you watched supernatural??
Diego is a trans mexican American. He's got the story of distant, abrasive, and fearful relationship with God (the Capital G God that Mexican culture lives under), that most queer Mexican Americans have. He wouldn't normally be fixing up a church, but after a stint in jail he's going to do whatever work quells his mother's worrying.
At the church he meets the mysterious Ariel. He's not a priest or pastor, he's someone odd and mysterious and completely driven in his plan to bring faith back into the people. He's also beautiful and captivating, but Diego just wants to do the job, get paid, and get out of there...
This is the second story I've read by Freydís Moon and I just want to ask them just one simple question umm Have you watched supernatural? *Knocks on door*Excuse me, have you watched supernatural??
February 27, 2025
2.5 stars ...
That was ...
different.
Didn't really
work for me. 🤷♂️
That was ...
different.
Didn't really
work for me. 🤷♂️
March 5, 2024
transman longs after a literal biblically accurate angel with two dicks
May 18, 2023
Well. It certainly had words that I read.
I'll give a star for each dick the love interest had. 2 stars for dp.
I'll give a star for each dick the love interest had. 2 stars for dp.
Read
April 21, 2024rating/review removed
May 31, 2024
Removed my review and rating as this author was revealed to be abuser Taylor B. Barton, a white person pretending to be trans Latinx person Freydis Moon.
https://twitter.com/porterotica/statu...
https://twitter.com/porterotica/statu...
May 15, 2024
Removing my original review because everything I enjoyed about this book was written by a deceitful person.
January 1, 2024
pretty good
June 17, 2024
1.5⭐
This book feels like it can't choose what it wants to be - as if they tried (and failed) to merge two books into one. In some parts it's a beautifully written novella with lush descriptions of faith and teenage hardships, while in the other parts... It takes that "hard"ship a bit too literally and becomes a terrible piece of supernatural Wattpad erotica. Like please pick a side!! The near fetishization of the trans MC and lack of consent also didn't sit right with me :/ (Also I never got the "gotcha" moment where it explains the title which is a bit of a pet peeve, especially with detailed titles like this one)
This book feels like it can't choose what it wants to be - as if they tried (and failed) to merge two books into one. In some parts it's a beautifully written novella with lush descriptions of faith and teenage hardships, while in the other parts... It takes that "hard"ship a bit too literally and becomes a terrible piece of supernatural Wattpad erotica. Like please pick a side!! The near fetishization of the trans MC and lack of consent also didn't sit right with me :/ (Also I never got the "gotcha" moment where it explains the title which is a bit of a pet peeve, especially with detailed titles like this one)
October 16, 2022
My second KJC rec in a row, and it's another banger! Honestly her review says it all (and much more succinctly than I ever could lol).
I know for a fact there's a certain subsection of people on tumblr and ao3 who would absolutely LIVE for this shit, so I really hope this novella finds a bigger audience. I for one can't wait to read more from Freydis Moon bcs they can *write*
Also, this whole "sex as worship"/"my lover is a strange eldritch being of great power and even greater loveliness"/"Catholicism but like,,,,,yanno ;)))))"/"fighting for a better future in dire political circumstances" is EXTREMELY Hozier-coded. The As It Was-ness of it all!!! No choice but to stan.
I know for a fact there's a certain subsection of people on tumblr and ao3 who would absolutely LIVE for this shit, so I really hope this novella finds a bigger audience. I for one can't wait to read more from Freydis Moon bcs they can *write*
Also, this whole "sex as worship"/"my lover is a strange eldritch being of great power and even greater loveliness"/"Catholicism but like,,,,,yanno ;)))))"/"fighting for a better future in dire political circumstances" is EXTREMELY Hozier-coded. The As It Was-ness of it all!!! No choice but to stan.
December 5, 2022
I am in AWE at how well written this was. Like. Holy shit. No other coherent thoughts right now but highly recommend!
Love queer books, too? Let's be friends! Booktok | Bookstagram | Twitter
Love queer books, too? Let's be friends! Booktok | Bookstagram | Twitter
August 26, 2022
3.5⭐
I'm still processing but I guess it was good? Interesting at the very least.
Not going to lie the spelling mistakes in Spanish were hard to read 😂. I guess Spanish is a difficult language and I'm glad for the representation but it still hurts.
I'm still processing but I guess it was good? Interesting at the very least.
Not going to lie the spelling mistakes in Spanish were hard to read 😂. I guess Spanish is a difficult language and I'm glad for the representation but it still hurts.
June 12, 2022
I wouldn't mind if it had been longer because it was a perfect mix of very likeable characters and spicy scenes. 👌
March 5, 2024
Gostei bastante! Resumo pras fifis: hotzao com personagem principal trans + ANJO biblically accurate (sim, assas, varios olhos, varios braços, DOIS penis) + linguagem mt bonita poetica + personagem se sentindo bem na propria pele, pertencimento + hotzao na igreja + hotzao durante oraçao
E o anjo veio do brasil inclusive, da bahia. Nao estava esperando, tem algumas coisas sobre comidas tipicas nossas e etc.
E o anjo veio do brasil inclusive, da bahia. Nao estava esperando, tem algumas coisas sobre comidas tipicas nossas e etc.
March 1, 2023
It is exactly what it says on the tin. A monster queer romance with a biblical accurate Angel. However, what really made this novel is the absolutely divine and sensual writing style that made the reading experience as smooth as silk, like being guided through a cathedral at night with star’s twinkling overhead.
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April 20, 20241. While the inclusion of content warnings at the front is genuinely a good thing, it turns out that this author and I have different understandings of what 'dubious consent' means, and I kinda didn't appreciate the main character rationalising to himself that a blatant instance of non-consent was actually totally okay because he ended up enjoying it anyway
2. It turns out that this isn't by an author of colour after all lol so I have removed it from that shelf and cleared my rating
2. It turns out that this isn't by an author of colour after all lol so I have removed it from that shelf and cleared my rating
Read
April 20, 2024Review removed.
June 18, 2024
I wish I could rate it lower than one star. It felt fetish and Wattpad dit it better
February 20, 2024
This book was wild lmao. Like a 3.75 rating for me.
dnf
April 22, 2024I am so disappointed and actually sad about the news coming out about Freydis Moon.😥 Just came away fromr/romancebooks and r/romancelandia's google doc and I'm crushed. I don't have a ton of favorite authors, Freydis was one of a few. I started reading Freydis over on my romance profile and I just recently bought 3 more books, one for my Witch theme this month and two for In The Valley of The Gods theme in June and I'm so upset to find out that this author is basically a version of the Yellowface plot.
Their books are so good, what a pity Heart Haunt Havoc review was one of my Top 20 reads of 2023.
Their books are so good, what a pity Heart Haunt Havoc review was one of my Top 20 reads of 2023.
May 13, 2024
EDIT: Well, turns out this author was pretending to be Latine and has a history of doing so under other pen names. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
---
While this was essentially just PWP, I found it a somewhat more polished piece than Heart, Haunt, Havoc, a longer work from this author that I read last month. The author's writing style lends itself to more short form work like this (it seems likely they have a background in fanfic) - there isn't room here for character growth or details, but we at least get some intriguing ideas sketched in, just the lightest brush strokes to provide brief respites from the central (sexual) tension.
Honestly when I bought this, I thought there would be more substance other than the smut, so this wasn't what I was looking for. But if you're just looking for some angel peen - well, you'll find two of them here.
---
While this was essentially just PWP, I found it a somewhat more polished piece than Heart, Haunt, Havoc, a longer work from this author that I read last month. The author's writing style lends itself to more short form work like this (it seems likely they have a background in fanfic) - there isn't room here for character growth or details, but we at least get some intriguing ideas sketched in, just the lightest brush strokes to provide brief respites from the central (sexual) tension.
Honestly when I bought this, I thought there would be more substance other than the smut, so this wasn't what I was looking for. But if you're just looking for some angel peen - well, you'll find two of them here.
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