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Hearts Still Beating
Gripping, romantic, and impossible to put down, this dark and immersive post-apocalyptic debut novel is about two teen girls who loved each other before the end of the world — and before one of them became infected with the virus that turned her into a monster.
Perfect for fans of Krystal Sutherland, Adam Silvera, and the darkly human side of the HBOMax horror-drama, The Last of Us.
Seventeen-year-old Mara is dead—mostly. Infected with a virus that brought the dead back to life and the world to its knees, she wakes up in a facility to learn a treatment for the disease has been found. No longer a Tick, Mara is placed in an experimental resettlement program. But her recovery is complicated by her destination: she’s sent to live with the best friend she hasn’t seen since the world ended—and since their first and only kiss.
Seventeen-year-old Rory is alive—barely. With impaired mobility from an injury and a dead sister, Rory’s nightmares are just as monstrous as the Ticks that turned her former best friend. Even after the Island—one of a handful of surviving communities—rebuilds itself, Rory is prepared for the Ticks to return at any time. She never expected them to come in the form of the only girl she’s ever loved.
As the girls struggle with their pasts and the people they’ve become, and with the Island’s fragile peace in the balance, Rory and Mara must lean on each other to survive—or risk losing the girl they love all over again.
Perfect for fans of Krystal Sutherland, Adam Silvera, and the darkly human side of the HBOMax horror-drama, The Last of Us.
Seventeen-year-old Mara is dead—mostly. Infected with a virus that brought the dead back to life and the world to its knees, she wakes up in a facility to learn a treatment for the disease has been found. No longer a Tick, Mara is placed in an experimental resettlement program. But her recovery is complicated by her destination: she’s sent to live with the best friend she hasn’t seen since the world ended—and since their first and only kiss.
Seventeen-year-old Rory is alive—barely. With impaired mobility from an injury and a dead sister, Rory’s nightmares are just as monstrous as the Ticks that turned her former best friend. Even after the Island—one of a handful of surviving communities—rebuilds itself, Rory is prepared for the Ticks to return at any time. She never expected them to come in the form of the only girl she’s ever loved.
As the girls struggle with their pasts and the people they’ve become, and with the Island’s fragile peace in the balance, Rory and Mara must lean on each other to survive—or risk losing the girl they love all over again.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2024
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April 12, 2024 A dark and immersive post-apocalyptic debut novel about two teen girls who loved each other before the end of the world — and before one of them became infected with the virus that turned her into a monster.
Why does this sound so good! 😭😭
Why does this sound so good! 😭😭
April 5, 2024
Ok, I will admit I wasn’t sure what to expect from a sapphic zombie love story. I was prepared to struggle, but very quickly into this one and I was entranced. The story is told from two narrators Mara a 17 year old girl who was turned by a “Tick” but is part of the new trials on a medication that pushes the Tick back and lets the human be in charge again. The other narrator is Rory, a girl who has had to grow up far too fast as she has protected and cared for her family. Before the world ended Mara and Rory were neighbors, friends, and had stolen their first kiss right before everything fell apart. Mara is sent to live with her godparents, Rory’s parents, because her own were dead. Mara isn’t sure about going, but she doesn’t want to stop getting the daily injections that keep her in charge.. Rory is disgusted to hear that the Altered (the medicated and re-humanized Ticks) are being brought to the island especially Mara. Not everyone on the island was ok taking the group of 15 Altered in, so they are all struggling to find their footing and figure out this new world order. Among all the mixed feelings and fighting Mara and Rory have to (re)discover how they truly feel about each other. Overall I gave this one 4.5 stars rounded up for a really realistic and creative zombie apocalypse.
April 3, 2024
One of my obsessions when it comes to the SFF genre is zombies because viruses. I saw that Hearts Still Bleeding was a sapphic, zombie story, so I knew that I needed it…and it delivered!
This story follows 17 year old Mara, a virus infected girl who has been treated and is no longer a mindless “Tick” aka zombie, and Rory, Mara’s ex-best friend that she kissed…and she’s hellbent on killing Ticks. These two must find a way to survive in this new world or risk losing each other all over again.
Even though the story starts off a bit slow as the reader is acclimated to this post-apocalyptic hell, things quickly escalate when Mara and Rory face a deadly mission on a Tick infested island.
I was not ready for just how gritty and down right violent this story was going to be since its YA, but I loved that the author wasn’t afraid to show the brutal realities that Rory and Mara faced. Bravo.
As far as Mara and Rory go, I love that their story doesn’t just pick up as if nothing happened. Every are forced to confront the consequences of their pasts and learn to navigate this new life together….scars and all.
Thank you to Penguin Teen & PRH Audio for providing a review copy.
This story follows 17 year old Mara, a virus infected girl who has been treated and is no longer a mindless “Tick” aka zombie, and Rory, Mara’s ex-best friend that she kissed…and she’s hellbent on killing Ticks. These two must find a way to survive in this new world or risk losing each other all over again.
Even though the story starts off a bit slow as the reader is acclimated to this post-apocalyptic hell, things quickly escalate when Mara and Rory face a deadly mission on a Tick infested island.
I was not ready for just how gritty and down right violent this story was going to be since its YA, but I loved that the author wasn’t afraid to show the brutal realities that Rory and Mara faced. Bravo.
As far as Mara and Rory go, I love that their story doesn’t just pick up as if nothing happened. Every are forced to confront the consequences of their pasts and learn to navigate this new life together….scars and all.
Thank you to Penguin Teen & PRH Audio for providing a review copy.
September 18, 2024
I received an ARC from Penguin Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Mara and Rory were best friends with deeper feelings when the world as they knew it ended. Now Mara has to learn how to be human again and live with what happened while she was a Tick. After Mara is turned from being a Tick, she’s sent to Rory’s to try to acclimate to things. Rory, who has survived without being turned, has had a tough time and is trying to survive their new normal. She hates the Ticks is unhappy that Mara will be joining her family.
No one is more surprised than me that I loved this book. Zombie, dystopian books really aren’t my jam but I’m glad I decided to give this one a go. I literally couldn’t put it down.
This was dark, intense, and emotional and had me stressed out at certain points. But I loved it. I liked the world building since most cities have fallen and only a small portion of the population remains. It was interesting to see how different factions are trying to regroup and live this post zombie reality.
It was also interesting to see how the apocalypse has changed people. A lot of people changed in ways you might not have imagined and I liked that Archer shows us how it shaped them. Especially how Rory and her mom basically switched roles.
I do wish we had gotten more of Mara and Rory together outside of high action scenes. I really liked their dynamic (the tension!!) but it felt like all of their scenes together had so much going on and I would’ve loved to see them once they got to settle a little. I’d love to see maybe a sequel to show life after the ending of this.
My only issues were there were a couple of instances where it would start to drag a little. I also needed more on Mara’s relationship with her sister, Carter. Carter plays a big role but she’s hardly ever seen and I wanted more out of those two.
Mara and Rory were best friends with deeper feelings when the world as they knew it ended. Now Mara has to learn how to be human again and live with what happened while she was a Tick. After Mara is turned from being a Tick, she’s sent to Rory’s to try to acclimate to things. Rory, who has survived without being turned, has had a tough time and is trying to survive their new normal. She hates the Ticks is unhappy that Mara will be joining her family.
No one is more surprised than me that I loved this book. Zombie, dystopian books really aren’t my jam but I’m glad I decided to give this one a go. I literally couldn’t put it down.
This was dark, intense, and emotional and had me stressed out at certain points. But I loved it. I liked the world building since most cities have fallen and only a small portion of the population remains. It was interesting to see how different factions are trying to regroup and live this post zombie reality.
It was also interesting to see how the apocalypse has changed people. A lot of people changed in ways you might not have imagined and I liked that Archer shows us how it shaped them. Especially how Rory and her mom basically switched roles.
I do wish we had gotten more of Mara and Rory together outside of high action scenes. I really liked their dynamic (the tension!!) but it felt like all of their scenes together had so much going on and I would’ve loved to see them once they got to settle a little. I’d love to see maybe a sequel to show life after the ending of this.
My only issues were there were a couple of instances where it would start to drag a little. I also needed more on Mara’s relationship with her sister, Carter. Carter plays a big role but she’s hardly ever seen and I wanted more out of those two.
September 22, 2025
I got a kick out of this book. Mara is a human-eating zombie brought back to semi normalcy via medication. She resettles with her godparents but of course, not many townspeople are happy about the Altereds’ return. Rory, Mara’s old crush, has mixed feelings about seeing her again, deep affection along with thoughts of decapitation.
I liked this twist on the genre. Getting the zombie’s pov is eye opening as far as the violence but it also feels like Mara has a superpower due to her increased strength and heightened senses. The underlying beast tamed only by medication keeps up the suspense. Also, the tender romance between Mara and Rory builds nicely through trust and forgiveness. There’s plenty of action and bad guys as well. Kristen Dimercurio and Gail Shalan narrate. They add the perfect amount of teen angst and longing. Excellent zombie redemption story and ya romance.
4.5 stars.
I liked this twist on the genre. Getting the zombie’s pov is eye opening as far as the violence but it also feels like Mara has a superpower due to her increased strength and heightened senses. The underlying beast tamed only by medication keeps up the suspense. Also, the tender romance between Mara and Rory builds nicely through trust and forgiveness. There’s plenty of action and bad guys as well. Kristen Dimercurio and Gail Shalan narrate. They add the perfect amount of teen angst and longing. Excellent zombie redemption story and ya romance.
4.5 stars.
February 16, 2024
4 Stars
(Maybe 4.5)
Whoever came up with the tagline on the front ("The world ended. Love did not.") should be fired. I do mean that. That's an eye-rolling level of cringe, and it doesn't reflect the vibe of this book at all. There is a romance element to this book, but it's also a brutal post-apocalyptic world of zombies, corrupt humanity, and a fair bit of gore (consider this my warning to those of you who are squeamish). This also isn't a book to shy away from physical disability, and I appreciate that a lot. I don't know that this will be my favorite book of the year, but it's really good. Don't let the tagline scare you away.
There's more to be said here, but that has to wait for my full review, publishing March 22, 2024 at Gateway Reviews. Stop by and leave a comment when it goes live if you feel so inclined!
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
(Maybe 4.5)
Whoever came up with the tagline on the front ("The world ended. Love did not.") should be fired. I do mean that. That's an eye-rolling level of cringe, and it doesn't reflect the vibe of this book at all. There is a romance element to this book, but it's also a brutal post-apocalyptic world of zombies, corrupt humanity, and a fair bit of gore (consider this my warning to those of you who are squeamish). This also isn't a book to shy away from physical disability, and I appreciate that a lot. I don't know that this will be my favorite book of the year, but it's really good. Don't let the tagline scare you away.
There's more to be said here, but that has to wait for my full review, publishing March 22, 2024 at Gateway Reviews. Stop by and leave a comment when it goes live if you feel so inclined!
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
May 29, 2024
I loved this!!! Zombies can still find love, maybe there’s hope for the rest of us lol. I loved both MCs, I adored their fraught but so intense and vibrant dynamic. The world building was fantastic and this was such a cool take on zombies/dystopian worlds. Really fun and unique on that front and it kept me absolutely engaged the whole time. The secondary characters were also fleshed out enough to feel real and added to the main sapphic story as a whole. My ONLY real qualm/wish for a little more would have been Carter—maybe another scene or two of development there, but that’s mostly bc I’m greedy for sister dynamics.
All in all, I absolutely loved this one and will be on the lookout from this author in the future.
All in all, I absolutely loved this one and will be on the lookout from this author in the future.
October 10, 2023
this was amazing. i don’t have words right now. it was just so good. 😭
April 29, 2024
melodrama and MEN there's nothing worse
March 26, 2024
Do you remember 5-10 years ago when books about zombie apocalypses were huge? I read any book about that I could get my hands on. So I thought I had exhausted all the unique zombie ideas a book could have. But then I picked up Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer and was blown away. The premise was completely original and something I’ve never read- half of the dual POV was from the (former) undead’s perspective.
First, the book is already slightly different because it starts towards the end of the apocalypse- a treatment to bring the undead back has been found. I wouldn’t go as far to say as bringing them back to life- because it’s debatable if they’re actually alive after, but at least they aren’t trying to eat people’s brains (or other organs) any longer. Mara Knight is one of the zombies (or “Ticks” as they’re referred to here) that is saved by a daily injection of a new drug, Dyebucetin, which quells their urges to kill but isn’t necessarily bringing them back to life. She ends up getting sent back to the closest thing she has to family, her godparents the Blakes, and their daughter Aurora “Rory” with whom she has a complicated history. But the island community in which they live doesn’t exactly welcome Mara with open arms. In fact they’re downright hostile, with Aurora and Mara’s sister Carter leading the charge.
I was outraged at the treatment of Mara by the island residents. I mean, how can you blame the victim here? Mara blames herself enough as it is. By the way, I pictured Selena Gomez’s character Mabel in Only Murders in the Building as Mara; she has the same dry humor as her. Anyway, I absolutely loved this book. The love story between Mara and Aurora/ “Rory” was so sweet, it had some fun thrills, was written so well, and had a fresh, new concept. If you love YA, dystopian / zombie apocalypse novels, and LGBTQ+ representation, you’ll love this book!
Thanks Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the eARC of this book.
First, the book is already slightly different because it starts towards the end of the apocalypse- a treatment to bring the undead back has been found. I wouldn’t go as far to say as bringing them back to life- because it’s debatable if they’re actually alive after, but at least they aren’t trying to eat people’s brains (or other organs) any longer. Mara Knight is one of the zombies (or “Ticks” as they’re referred to here) that is saved by a daily injection of a new drug, Dyebucetin, which quells their urges to kill but isn’t necessarily bringing them back to life. She ends up getting sent back to the closest thing she has to family, her godparents the Blakes, and their daughter Aurora “Rory” with whom she has a complicated history. But the island community in which they live doesn’t exactly welcome Mara with open arms. In fact they’re downright hostile, with Aurora and Mara’s sister Carter leading the charge.
I was outraged at the treatment of Mara by the island residents. I mean, how can you blame the victim here? Mara blames herself enough as it is. By the way, I pictured Selena Gomez’s character Mabel in Only Murders in the Building as Mara; she has the same dry humor as her. Anyway, I absolutely loved this book. The love story between Mara and Aurora/ “Rory” was so sweet, it had some fun thrills, was written so well, and had a fresh, new concept. If you love YA, dystopian / zombie apocalypse novels, and LGBTQ+ representation, you’ll love this book!
Thanks Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the eARC of this book.
April 23, 2025
This was such a fantastic read! I enjoyed it thoroughly from start to finish. I was bummed it had to end, but I am grateful for my experience with it. The premise of this story is captivating! Mara and Rory's characters were awesome. Made up of such tragedy, grief, love, and fight. I haven't read many post-apocalyptic books, but this makes me want to explore that genre more. The lgbt romance part was great! That's another genre I'd like to read more of, too. Their love story made me feel young again when I first fell in love. I thought this story was very creative and just brilliant! I Highly Recommend!
December 2, 2023
GAY PEOPLE: +100000
ZOMBIES: 0 (TOTAL KO)
this whole time I was imagining mara w blonde hair and rory with dark hair bc it matched more in my mind idk.
bruh I wanted this ARC so bad. like, I emailed the publisher twice, joined the giveaway, and submitted a netgalley request that I checked up on constantly. I will be first to admit I don’t like zombie stories, they are my least fav genre but the gay genre (does that even exist?) is my favorite so I wanted to see the balance out.
other reviews said this was a slow story and I do agree, the pacing was a lil wonky. esp with the italicized flashbacks, I felt like there was so much more that could’ve been explored there. I get that this was a smaller scope story, though I think Mara and Rory’s pasts could have been fleshed out (do you see what I did there???) a bit more. As for everyone complaining abt the resolution and neat in a bow way the conflict was solved? like….sit down. this is a YA fiction novel. I’m not here to hear about your quibbles on epidemiology. go read lessons in chemistry and leave me alone.
carter funniest character. this bitch was just mad as hell in every scene she was in, waving her nail gun and crutches in her army gear like “YOU HAVENT SEEN THE LAST OF ME YOU WICKED GAY TEENAGERS.” I could not take her seriously. Mal lowkey same, these antags were cartoonishly evil but hey, I got a hoot out of it.
I am a sucker for character being controlled by something and struggling to break free of mental cage narratives. idky but that trope is gonna do it for me every time. so the climax of this book ATE.
Mary and Rory were soooo cute. See I hate it when it takes too long to get to the gay and here it didn’t, so thank goodness.
this book was definitely giving debut in a lot of places but honestly, idc. It was FRESH. stuff was GOING ON. miss archer was not afraid to TAKE RISKS on killing young characters and portraying a brutal world. I’m so used to only faceless grunt men and women dying in mainstream YA that an author who wasn’t afraid to write about the unpleasant—and who is pretty dang good at writing romance scenes—is gonna get their applause from me.
what’s next? imo, miss archer needs to write more books set in this world following different gay ppl with occasional cameos of our beloved Mara and Rory. but whatever happens, I will be reading her next work!
ZOMBIES: 0 (TOTAL KO)
this whole time I was imagining mara w blonde hair and rory with dark hair bc it matched more in my mind idk.
bruh I wanted this ARC so bad. like, I emailed the publisher twice, joined the giveaway, and submitted a netgalley request that I checked up on constantly. I will be first to admit I don’t like zombie stories, they are my least fav genre but the gay genre (does that even exist?) is my favorite so I wanted to see the balance out.
other reviews said this was a slow story and I do agree, the pacing was a lil wonky. esp with the italicized flashbacks, I felt like there was so much more that could’ve been explored there. I get that this was a smaller scope story, though I think Mara and Rory’s pasts could have been fleshed out (do you see what I did there???) a bit more. As for everyone complaining abt the resolution and neat in a bow way the conflict was solved? like….sit down. this is a YA fiction novel. I’m not here to hear about your quibbles on epidemiology. go read lessons in chemistry and leave me alone.
carter funniest character. this bitch was just mad as hell in every scene she was in, waving her nail gun and crutches in her army gear like “YOU HAVENT SEEN THE LAST OF ME YOU WICKED GAY TEENAGERS.” I could not take her seriously. Mal lowkey same, these antags were cartoonishly evil but hey, I got a hoot out of it.
I am a sucker for character being controlled by something and struggling to break free of mental cage narratives. idky but that trope is gonna do it for me every time. so the climax of this book ATE.
Mary and Rory were soooo cute. See I hate it when it takes too long to get to the gay and here it didn’t, so thank goodness.
this book was definitely giving debut in a lot of places but honestly, idc. It was FRESH. stuff was GOING ON. miss archer was not afraid to TAKE RISKS on killing young characters and portraying a brutal world. I’m so used to only faceless grunt men and women dying in mainstream YA that an author who wasn’t afraid to write about the unpleasant—and who is pretty dang good at writing romance scenes—is gonna get their applause from me.
what’s next? imo, miss archer needs to write more books set in this world following different gay ppl with occasional cameos of our beloved Mara and Rory. but whatever happens, I will be reading her next work!
June 5, 2024
I really enjoyed this book so much and as an avid and big fan of The Walking Dead, and having this book being compared to some aspects of that show, it definitely lived up to the hype! Rory and Mara truly have to come a long way with each other and I really loved the character development of both of these characters, I just wanted more from the world building, which isn’t lacking, I just love the Ticks part and wanted to see more, but definitely great for a debut novel and I look forward to more books by Brooke!
January 22, 2024
2.5 / 5 ✰
My masochistic relationship with zombie media strikes again.. For some reason when I was a kid I fell in love with the zombie genre, and for some reason I'm still in love with it even though it has hurt me so much by consistently only having the most underwhelming pieces of media ranging from mediocre to, usually, just straight up bad. Unfortunately, Hearts Still Beating is no exception.
As far as positives go, I liked the concept. So far I haven't encountered zombie media that focuses on a story after a (sort of) cure is found. So to me this was a unique and interesting approach. I also think the concept of the romance was good, execution was slightly forced (as discussed later), but ultimately this was one of the better aspects of the book.
Let's start this critique by addressing something I usually never bring up.. the actual writing style! I never talk about this because quite honestly I am woefully inadequate when it comes to possessing the education and qualifications to do so. So my very unprofessionally worded analysis is that it comes off as kind of cringey-edgy-'YA-y' garbage sometimes.
The biggest most glaring issue with this book is that a large amount of it is based off of the idea that everyone hates the Altered (the 'cured' zombies), the thing is, this idea makes precisely... FUCK ALL SENSE. Come here, come here, you, the author, are telling me that Carter's sister comes home and is alive again after being presumed gone forever and Carter's response is unmeasurable rage and the strong desire to kill her?! You're telling me that Rory's bestfriend and person she loved/loves comes back and her response is to want to kill her? Mmmmm ya, no. This hatred was so forced it's ridiculous. Especially because you could genuinely have an interesting arc/exploration of the conflicting feelings Carter could have towards her sibling who unintentionally killed their parents, but instead we get this ridiculous one dimensional hate. And as far as the anti-Altered behavior from the general population: that doesn't make entire sense to me either, because you'd think all of them would be hoping it'd be their partner, sibling, child or friend who came back next. Weariness I could understand definitely, but outright hatred and desire to murder them? I'm not buying it.
Speaking of outright hatred and desire to murder the Altered, let's talk about Mal. Mal is just a villain for the sake of having a villain. No specific motivations, no complexity, just the most one dimensional bad guy because the author wanted to have a bad guy.
Also the pacing was a little wonky in my opinion around the 2/3 mark it started to feel real sloooooow. And the world was a bit empty feeling. It wasn't that developed. I kind of wish areas like Daphne's were explored more or just more relevant so that the world itself felt more well rounded and like it existed beyond the Island. Especially because the island itself though wasn't really developed either.
Now, spoiler time as I dissect just how brain dead certain moments in this book were:
-
-
-
-
Small non-spoiler things:
- In chapter 13 Rory makes a remark that it's the first time she's called Mara by her name and... that's just not true (this may be an ARC thing though).
- They hide in a building that apparently has no windows. Now I'm not saying it's impossible for a building to have no windows, but really? You're telling me someone made an entire building with no windows?
- This isn't a critique, and I apologize to all the Auroras out there, but I truly do not like that name.
I'm not mad, just disappointed. The zombie genre has once again failed me, when will I learn that maybe it's just not a good genre.. Umm, that being said if you have any recommendations for good zombie media, please tell me. Look at me, I'm an addict. I'm not even disappointed in the book, I'm just disappointed in myself at this point.
My masochistic relationship with zombie media strikes again.. For some reason when I was a kid I fell in love with the zombie genre, and for some reason I'm still in love with it even though it has hurt me so much by consistently only having the most underwhelming pieces of media ranging from mediocre to, usually, just straight up bad. Unfortunately, Hearts Still Beating is no exception.
As far as positives go, I liked the concept. So far I haven't encountered zombie media that focuses on a story after a (sort of) cure is found. So to me this was a unique and interesting approach. I also think the concept of the romance was good, execution was slightly forced (as discussed later), but ultimately this was one of the better aspects of the book.
Let's start this critique by addressing something I usually never bring up.. the actual writing style! I never talk about this because quite honestly I am woefully inadequate when it comes to possessing the education and qualifications to do so. So my very unprofessionally worded analysis is that it comes off as kind of cringey-edgy-'YA-y' garbage sometimes.
The biggest most glaring issue with this book is that a large amount of it is based off of the idea that everyone hates the Altered (the 'cured' zombies), the thing is, this idea makes precisely... FUCK ALL SENSE. Come here, come here, you, the author, are telling me that Carter's sister comes home and is alive again after being presumed gone forever and Carter's response is unmeasurable rage and the strong desire to kill her?! You're telling me that Rory's bestfriend and person she loved/loves comes back and her response is to want to kill her? Mmmmm ya, no. This hatred was so forced it's ridiculous. Especially because you could genuinely have an interesting arc/exploration of the conflicting feelings Carter could have towards her sibling who unintentionally killed their parents, but instead we get this ridiculous one dimensional hate. And as far as the anti-Altered behavior from the general population: that doesn't make entire sense to me either, because you'd think all of them would be hoping it'd be their partner, sibling, child or friend who came back next. Weariness I could understand definitely, but outright hatred and desire to murder them? I'm not buying it.
Speaking of outright hatred and desire to murder the Altered, let's talk about Mal. Mal is just a villain for the sake of having a villain. No specific motivations, no complexity, just the most one dimensional bad guy because the author wanted to have a bad guy.
Also the pacing was a little wonky in my opinion around the 2/3 mark it started to feel real sloooooow. And the world was a bit empty feeling. It wasn't that developed. I kind of wish areas like Daphne's were explored more or just more relevant so that the world itself felt more well rounded and like it existed beyond the Island. Especially because the island itself though wasn't really developed either.
Now, spoiler time as I dissect just how brain dead certain moments in this book were:
-
-
-
-
Small non-spoiler things:
- In chapter 13 Rory makes a remark that it's the first time she's called Mara by her name and... that's just not true (this may be an ARC thing though).
- They hide in a building that apparently has no windows. Now I'm not saying it's impossible for a building to have no windows, but really? You're telling me someone made an entire building with no windows?
- This isn't a critique, and I apologize to all the Auroras out there, but I truly do not like that name.
I'm not mad, just disappointed. The zombie genre has once again failed me, when will I learn that maybe it's just not a good genre.. Umm, that being said if you have any recommendations for good zombie media, please tell me. Look at me, I'm an addict. I'm not even disappointed in the book, I'm just disappointed in myself at this point.
March 24, 2024
I love apocalyptic stories in almost any capacity. The thing I liked so much about this story was it still felt fresh, despite the large media pool of Zombie stories. It was action packed and gory. Strong female main characters, Sapphic romance, a resonating "life after" story, make for a perfect fit, if like me, you have a post Last of Us sized hole.
I thought the treatment and reintegration of once zombies into society was an amazing and unique take on a saturated genre. It's like if you took the comedy out of Warm Bodies, and switched traditional zombies with the Cordyceps zombies from Last of us, and blended it together seamlessly, while still adding something new.
I devoured this book and couldn't wait to continue reading when I had to stop. I loved both Rory and Mara's characters and understood both of them. I am a sucker for a found family, and I loved that not only did Rory's family take in Mara, but they took in other adopted siblings as well in the aftermath.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and will be watching for more from Brooke Archer in the future!
Thank you endlessly to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the gifted copy of this book, and the opportunity to read it! All of my opinions are my own. ❤
I thought the treatment and reintegration of once zombies into society was an amazing and unique take on a saturated genre. It's like if you took the comedy out of Warm Bodies, and switched traditional zombies with the Cordyceps zombies from Last of us, and blended it together seamlessly, while still adding something new.
I devoured this book and couldn't wait to continue reading when I had to stop. I loved both Rory and Mara's characters and understood both of them. I am a sucker for a found family, and I loved that not only did Rory's family take in Mara, but they took in other adopted siblings as well in the aftermath.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and will be watching for more from Brooke Archer in the future!
Thank you endlessly to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the gifted copy of this book, and the opportunity to read it! All of my opinions are my own. ❤
March 25, 2025
This was a good palate cleanser. I was kind of hoping for a little more Tick action, but I did enjoy Mara and Rory.
May 10, 2024
This is the best book I’ve read in years GO READ IT NOW
May 15, 2024
This was a really fun post-apocalypse type YA sapphic sci-fi romance with zombie-eque elements. Different but perfect for dystopia/Walking Dead fans and great on audio. This was my first by Brooke Archer and I enjoyed it a whole lot. Lots of Bone Spindle series and Marrow thieves vibes which I was there for with bonus chronic pain rep. Highly recommend!
February 15, 2025
"Do you still see the end of the world when you look at me?"
"No.”
"What do you see, then?"
"I just see you.”
i did not expect to love this so much but omg. one of my favorites now. what the heck.
"No.”
"What do you see, then?"
"I just see you.”
i did not expect to love this so much but omg. one of my favorites now. what the heck.
April 3, 2024
This book is brilliant! An absolute 5 start read! We find ourselves in the apocalyptic USA after a virus swept the world and destroyed civilization. Two teenage best friends afraid to admit their romantic love for one another lose the chance when their lives fall apart. Brooke Archer paints a horrific and believable picture of the fall. She definitely had me thinking about it long after I finished reading. We learn about who our MCs were before and who they have become in light of humanity's struggle to survive. One is infected. The other adapts to the challenges of her new existence. This is a story of innocent young love, innocence lost, the strength of love, and the flammability of the tiniest spark of hope. It is at its core the fight to maintain one's humanity in the face of unimaginable circumstances, resulting in pain, loss, and despair. Who are the real monsters in all of this? The love story woven throughout highlights the complexity of human emotion and resilience. It is very well-written and immersive. This is already my favorite book of the year. Do yourself a favor and give it a read! Archer is an author to look out for.
I received a free ARC. This is my honest opinion.
I received a free ARC. This is my honest opinion.
December 18, 2023
4.5 stars.
Hearts Still Beating was a bloody good read! Gory, satisfying, and gripping! It gave Warm Bodies and Maggie (Arnold Schwarzenegger zombie movie) vibes, with a splash of The Last of Us, a unique plot twist, and a heartfelt story line. It was unputdownable and gave all the feels.
This one fit perfectly within the new "horromance" genre that's been emerging in the YA book community. There's something entrancing about romance brewing between humans and "monsters", especially while learning that some humans can be more monstrous than anything you could imagine. And, I loved Rory and Mara so much. I loved the family dynamic felt within Rory's family, and I loved the messages found within the story boasting the importance of not losing kindness and humanity amidst tragedy (and an apocalypse).
Loveable characters (for the most part). Splashes of humor. Gory bits galore. A powerful story, and fantastic nostalgia and nods to other great works. What's not to love?
Thank you Penguin Teen and Netgalley for providing this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Hearts Still Beating was a bloody good read! Gory, satisfying, and gripping! It gave Warm Bodies and Maggie (Arnold Schwarzenegger zombie movie) vibes, with a splash of The Last of Us, a unique plot twist, and a heartfelt story line. It was unputdownable and gave all the feels.
This one fit perfectly within the new "horromance" genre that's been emerging in the YA book community. There's something entrancing about romance brewing between humans and "monsters", especially while learning that some humans can be more monstrous than anything you could imagine. And, I loved Rory and Mara so much. I loved the family dynamic felt within Rory's family, and I loved the messages found within the story boasting the importance of not losing kindness and humanity amidst tragedy (and an apocalypse).
Loveable characters (for the most part). Splashes of humor. Gory bits galore. A powerful story, and fantastic nostalgia and nods to other great works. What's not to love?
Thank you Penguin Teen and Netgalley for providing this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 15, 2024
2024’s version of Warm Bodies but make it gay and inspired by The Last of Us.
In other words, exactly up my alley.
Okay, in all seriousness this actually had a super intriguing premise. Rory is grappling with the end of the world. Ticks have ruined every possibility of a happy ending for her, which makes the announcement —that the “cured” ticks are being reintroduced to what’s left of humanity— all the harder for Rory to wrap her mind around.
Mara, Rory’s childhood-best-friend-turned-lover-turned-tick’s reintroduction to society all the harder. Mara can barely withstand the return of her humanity— let alone all the memories of what she did while she was infected.
I thought Mara and Rory’s relationship (and relationship development, for that matter) was exceptionally well written. The reader is truly meant to feel their emotions. They each had a wonderfully distinct voice that transferred from chapter to chapter, and I could really see the undertones of The Walking Dead/The Last of Us, which I genuinely appreciated.
That being said, while the world building was good, it wasn’t necessarily anything original. It’s the pretty standard “zombie” narrative but with the impression of someone who has actually lived through a pandemic.
I also thought that HEARTS STILL BEATING is one of those rare books that could have benefitted from “before” and “after” chapters to show just how much Rory/Mara have changed as characters. This also would have cleared up a lot of confusion on what had happened leading up to Mara’s infection.
My only other criticism is that the ending was a little too sunshines and rainbows for my taste, but I’ll let it pass since it’s YA and we shouldn’t be traumatizing the kiddos.
HOWEVER these are extremely small nuances that barely impacted my enjoyment of the book. I found myself constantly wanting to pick up this book like one wants to scratch an itch. The relationships and character development was utterly phenomenal, and I am a sucker for anything The Last of Us inspired, after all.
In other words, exactly up my alley.
Okay, in all seriousness this actually had a super intriguing premise. Rory is grappling with the end of the world. Ticks have ruined every possibility of a happy ending for her, which makes the announcement —that the “cured” ticks are being reintroduced to what’s left of humanity— all the harder for Rory to wrap her mind around.
Mara, Rory’s childhood-best-friend-turned-lover-turned-tick’s reintroduction to society all the harder. Mara can barely withstand the return of her humanity— let alone all the memories of what she did while she was infected.
I thought Mara and Rory’s relationship (and relationship development, for that matter) was exceptionally well written. The reader is truly meant to feel their emotions. They each had a wonderfully distinct voice that transferred from chapter to chapter, and I could really see the undertones of The Walking Dead/The Last of Us, which I genuinely appreciated.
That being said, while the world building was good, it wasn’t necessarily anything original. It’s the pretty standard “zombie” narrative but with the impression of someone who has actually lived through a pandemic.
I also thought that HEARTS STILL BEATING is one of those rare books that could have benefitted from “before” and “after” chapters to show just how much Rory/Mara have changed as characters. This also would have cleared up a lot of confusion on what had happened leading up to Mara’s infection.
My only other criticism is that the ending was a little too sunshines and rainbows for my taste, but I’ll let it pass since it’s YA and we shouldn’t be traumatizing the kiddos.
HOWEVER these are extremely small nuances that barely impacted my enjoyment of the book. I found myself constantly wanting to pick up this book like one wants to scratch an itch. The relationships and character development was utterly phenomenal, and I am a sucker for anything The Last of Us inspired, after all.
August 23, 2024
Rory Powers' Wilder Girls meets The Last of Us in this underrated YA dystopian.
Three years ago, a parasitic virus known as the Tick infected the Earth and created zombie-like creatures. 17-year-old Mara is basically dead and when a treatment comes out that makes her return to her human self as long as the medicine is taken, Mara ends up getting placed in a relocation program. But now, she's been sentenced to live her life on an island with her former best friend, Rory, the girl she loves, and had her first and only kiss the night the world fell apart.
Rory's life died the same day she lost her best friend. Now on an island, she fears that the Ticks will return and take away the 'normalcy' she has finally built up. What she didn't know was that the Ticks she'd been avoiding would happen to be the only girl she'd ever wanted.
I love a dystopian novel, especially when it's post-apocalyptic, but something about a zombie story where there is a cure is SO refreshing. This had a very 2013 Warm Bodies film vibe to it and I ATE IT UP. I don't really know why this book isn't talked about because it's VERY good!
To be completely honest, I judge a book by its cover and this cover is... not good. I only picked this up because I got sent the advanced reader's copy and the synopsis was giving The Last of Us vibes so I kept it. (What you don't know is this book was on the chopping block many times for an unhaul)
Something about a sapphic dystopian story will have me sat every time.
PLEAAASEEE pick this book up! It gave me everything I wanted and then some. It's got romance, action, twists, and a love story you'll be rooting for! I could genuinely see this being a limited series or a movie.
(This title was released April 2024, Thank you to Razorbill for the ARC! My review is based off of the ARC copy, not the finished copy)
Three years ago, a parasitic virus known as the Tick infected the Earth and created zombie-like creatures. 17-year-old Mara is basically dead and when a treatment comes out that makes her return to her human self as long as the medicine is taken, Mara ends up getting placed in a relocation program. But now, she's been sentenced to live her life on an island with her former best friend, Rory, the girl she loves, and had her first and only kiss the night the world fell apart.
Rory's life died the same day she lost her best friend. Now on an island, she fears that the Ticks will return and take away the 'normalcy' she has finally built up. What she didn't know was that the Ticks she'd been avoiding would happen to be the only girl she'd ever wanted.
I love a dystopian novel, especially when it's post-apocalyptic, but something about a zombie story where there is a cure is SO refreshing. This had a very 2013 Warm Bodies film vibe to it and I ATE IT UP. I don't really know why this book isn't talked about because it's VERY good!
To be completely honest, I judge a book by its cover and this cover is... not good. I only picked this up because I got sent the advanced reader's copy and the synopsis was giving The Last of Us vibes so I kept it. (What you don't know is this book was on the chopping block many times for an unhaul)
Something about a sapphic dystopian story will have me sat every time.
PLEAAASEEE pick this book up! It gave me everything I wanted and then some. It's got romance, action, twists, and a love story you'll be rooting for! I could genuinely see this being a limited series or a movie.
(This title was released April 2024, Thank you to Razorbill for the ARC! My review is based off of the ARC copy, not the finished copy)
March 26, 2024
3.5⭐️ this was a lot grittier and had more violence than I was anticipating and I’m not mad about it! The author really immersed you in this post apocalyptic world and didn’t shy away from the brutality of it and it made for a really interesting read. I really enjoyed the MCs individual journeys of trying to survive and maintain their humanity.
I do wish we got more of the MCs together or more flashbacks of them together so I was a little more invested in their romantic relationship. I think at times the exploration of grief, family dynamics and living in the world was more interesting than the romance. Overall this was a fun and suspenseful read!
*AUDIOBOOK READERS- I did listen to the audiobook for parts of this and I do think the physical is easier to follow along. Random parts of this book are in flashbacks that are italicized in the book but while listening to the audiobook no difference was mentioned so it got confusing until I read the physical and realized what happened.*
Thanks Penguin teen for the arc and thank PRH for the audiobook!
I do wish we got more of the MCs together or more flashbacks of them together so I was a little more invested in their romantic relationship. I think at times the exploration of grief, family dynamics and living in the world was more interesting than the romance. Overall this was a fun and suspenseful read!
*AUDIOBOOK READERS- I did listen to the audiobook for parts of this and I do think the physical is easier to follow along. Random parts of this book are in flashbacks that are italicized in the book but while listening to the audiobook no difference was mentioned so it got confusing until I read the physical and realized what happened.*
Thanks Penguin teen for the arc and thank PRH for the audiobook!
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June 20, 2024Well that was a thing that happened
September 23, 2024
Many thanks to the publisher/author via NetGalley for the free copy.
Hearts Still Beating is an interesting and beautiful story about love and forgiveness in the face of the apocalypse.
My complaints are minimal: there were some parts where the pacing was too slow, and the word “lips” is way overused. It’s all worth it, though.
Overall the pacing is wonderful. There are so many mysteries in this new world, and they all are solved in their own perfect timing. The characters and relationships are powerful. This is a beautiful story I’d love to share with my kids in the future.
Archer is a brilliant writer with a lot of talent, and I can’t wait to see what else she does.
(PG-13 rating)
Grades 9-12
Hearts Still Beating is an interesting and beautiful story about love and forgiveness in the face of the apocalypse.
My complaints are minimal: there were some parts where the pacing was too slow, and the word “lips” is way overused. It’s all worth it, though.
Overall the pacing is wonderful. There are so many mysteries in this new world, and they all are solved in their own perfect timing. The characters and relationships are powerful. This is a beautiful story I’d love to share with my kids in the future.
Archer is a brilliant writer with a lot of talent, and I can’t wait to see what else she does.
(PG-13 rating)
Grades 9-12
March 27, 2024
This YA post-apocalyptic, sapphic zombie book will have your heart beating! Mara and Rory's lives are torn apart when the virus infects the world, turning people into zombies, which they call ticks. Mara ends up in zombie rehab where she has been treated with experimental drugs and sent out into the world to resettle amongst the humans. This book has some of my favorite tropes and representation: second chance romance, coming of age, adoption representation, sapphic representation. This gives me Warm Bodies and The Last of us vibes in the best way!
The world as they know it may have ended, but love survives all.
Thank you to Penguin Teen for the free copy of this book!
The world as they know it may have ended, but love survives all.
Thank you to Penguin Teen for the free copy of this book!
May 19, 2024
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: death of children, gore, knife & gun violence, claustrophobic situation, strangulation, fire, traumatic parental death
3.3
The best thing I can say about this book is that it really does do something new with the concept of zombies. I think the idea of this kind of feral zombie-ism being so clearly an illness, and one that leaves behind victims who have been changed by it, is so interesting. The idea of a former-zombie is really cool, and the tension that comes from being unsure the cure will stick or if you'll always have access to your medication is really easy to get invested in.
I also think the romance is going to click for some people. This is best friends to lovers with a big pit stop in the middle because one of them was a cannibalistic monster and now is still not quite human. People who like the idea of a monster romance without so much of the monstrousness are going to like this.
However, it was hard to feel like there was m0re plot than melodrama here. This book is primarily flashbacks that add no real weight or information, which broke the flow when it did manage to have a flow, and soap opera level romantic refusals. Maybe if there had been more world building, and more time to really build up and care about these character, it would have come across as actual stakes, and not felt so forced. But as is, it didn't hit the mark.
TW: death of children, gore, knife & gun violence, claustrophobic situation, strangulation, fire, traumatic parental death
3.3
The best thing I can say about this book is that it really does do something new with the concept of zombies. I think the idea of this kind of feral zombie-ism being so clearly an illness, and one that leaves behind victims who have been changed by it, is so interesting. The idea of a former-zombie is really cool, and the tension that comes from being unsure the cure will stick or if you'll always have access to your medication is really easy to get invested in.
I also think the romance is going to click for some people. This is best friends to lovers with a big pit stop in the middle because one of them was a cannibalistic monster and now is still not quite human. People who like the idea of a monster romance without so much of the monstrousness are going to like this.
However, it was hard to feel like there was m0re plot than melodrama here. This book is primarily flashbacks that add no real weight or information, which broke the flow when it did manage to have a flow, and soap opera level romantic refusals. Maybe if there had been more world building, and more time to really build up and care about these character, it would have come across as actual stakes, and not felt so forced. But as is, it didn't hit the mark.
May 5, 2024
3'5 rounded up to 4 stars
more on https://youtu.be/VZrp4w71NRw pn May 8th, 2024
more on https://youtu.be/VZrp4w71NRw pn May 8th, 2024
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February 16, 2025Congratulations to this year's Cybils Award Winner in Young Adult Speculative Fiction: Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer! I was honored to serve on the selection committee for this category, and we all loved this book.
Brooke Archer’s Hearts Still Beating is a near-future dystopian young adult novel about a virus that not only kills its victims but mutates them into Ticks, a kind of zombie driven to attack humans and bring them into the ranks of the semi-dead. As this dual-perspective novel opens, Mara is administered a vaccine that transforms Ticks into Altereds, a state that is not quite the same as being fully alive again but seems to suppress violent urges. Before the vaccine, Mara killed ruthlessly, but of course, it wasn’t Mara–it was the Tick version of Mara. One of those she killed was her best friend Rory’s little sister.
When Mara and other Altereds are sent to an experimental relocation area, some of the residents are not pleased, but the Altered version of Mara is hosted by Rory’s family. Before the virus, the families of Mara and Rory were close, and although Rory’s family is devastated by the loss of their daughter, they understand that Mara was not responsible for what happened and they want to help their family friend become whatever the vaccine allows. Rory herself has feelings that are more complicated. Rory has been forced by the virus to become a fierce survivor with an understandable bias against Ticks, including her former best friend. Yes, Mara killed Rory’s little sister, but Mara and Rory were also each other’s first kiss.
Brooke Archer’s debut novel will appeal to young readers who appreciate adventure with supernatural or dystopian elements. The recent pandemic is still fresh enough in memory that readers will relate to how different segments of society respond to the virus. The pacing moves quickly through short chapters and the dual perspectives of Mara and Rory. Archer is also artful in portraying the complex mindsets of her characters as they change from warrior and zombie to more nuanced versions of themselves when they are threatened by an aggressively intolerant mob led by a charismatic but hypocritical figure. (Sound familiar?) While Hearts Still Beating includes plenty of action and gore, it also delivers important messages about hope, resistance, loyalty, and love.
This review is also posted on my What's Not Wrong? blog in slightly different form.
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