Empty Heaven

By Freddie Kölsch

You are safe, my child. You are loved, my child. You are one with the good earth.

Darian Sabine Arden is haunted by a monster who claims to love her.

Her only respite is the New England village where she spends summers with her three best friends. Kesuquosh is serene and idyllic, and the townsfolk's odd worship of a godlike scarecrow only adds to the charming local color. But when Darian pays a surprise Halloween visit to her summer crush--a beautiful, unreadable girl named KJ--just in time to see her swept up in a bizarre harvest ritual, she's forced to admit that Good Arcturus is more than a quaint superstition. He's terrifyingly real.

Something ancient and sinister lurks behind the dying sunflower fields and glowing windows of Kesuquosh... and in the hearts of the people who live there. Something that doesn't take kindly to its paradise being threatened. To save KJ--and themselves--Darian and her friends must question everything they thought they knew about their home. And Darian will have to tell the awful truth about the monster that's been with her all along.

Empty Heaven is a propulsive and original love story, a darkly funny tribute to the power of queer found family, and a haunting exploration of the hidden horrors of beautiful places.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1454951621
• ISBN13: 9781454951629
• Release Date: August 2025
• Publisher: Union Square & Co.
• Length: 424 Pages
• Weight: 1.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 14 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 9 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Hope in the darkness

Come to Kesuquosh where you can lay down your worries and fears at the feet of Good Arcturus and all will be well, unless you are chosen to be his next host (which tends to suck, especially with the needle!). I will say props for the creepy cool cover of this story, and the god that protects/brainwashes the town and wears people skins. It definitely hit the horror part well! Yes, lots of darkness in this book, from the whole story of Good Arcturus and his ways of staying, plus how there is more than meets the eye of the truth of this little "perfect" town and what Darian experienced up in New York, but also messages of found family and sticking together no matter how bad it gets. The characters are a bit sharp around the edges due to trauma and such, but I did get to caring about them, especially as there are sweet moments in that darkness, and a bit of humor. I must say I think my favorite character was KJ because of how strong she was, even after being chosen by Good Arcturus (though he is not quite what he seems either and I had fun seeing his other side!). This also has the good message of how it is important to be yourself, even if it does not conform to the societal norms. And I am happy to say, despite all the badness, it is a satisfying ending with judgement wrought on the guilty and a bit of happiness for the rest, even if it means feeling everything again. A good horror story! This was a good audiobook to listen to. The narrator, Krystal Hammond did a great job in bringing the characters to life, letting their story and crazy journey be told and showing how they were able to defeat the monsters, both human and other and be strongest when sticking together no matter what gets thrown at them.