What would you do to relive your most emotional memories? A new street drug called 'RYDEM' is making it's way around a small community. Can Asher and Tina really be safe to use the drug recreationally? Or will the drug unlock a major secret within the community and the information needed to solve it.
Heartbeat by C. Extreme was another “you had me sold at that cover; then you slammed the trap on me when I got too close; now I’m strapped down in a basement watching all the depravity & kinda liking it.” Oh c’mon, I know I’m not the only one who…you know what never mind. Stockholm Syndrome be damned, I had a good time while I was in captivity and had to write this review as soon as I got out. Well, after I brushed my teeth because y’know. Priorities.
Quick Synopsis: The streets are running rampant with a new street drug called RYDEM. A drug that promises to take you back to your most emotional moments in your life & allows you to relive them. Sounds like a dream come true, or a nightmare depending on the circumstances. Through a mishap, lines get crossed & two friends relive someone else’s nightmare. Now they must fight what they brought back with them.
C. Extreme really did pull a fast one on me here. I tried to go in blind, because I still like surprises. So I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect, but from the first chapter I was sucked in. A story that seems futuristic and bizarro at times, maybe in another dimension which made it interesting while still focusing on character development and telling a damn good story. The level of fucked-upedness was there, with some truly harrowing & tortuous scenes but Extreme really delivered in the story department. That ending was pretty nail-biting and I found myself having to finish it before I did anything else cuz I needed to know what happened. Luckily, he was able to stick the landing with that ending and even promised us more (trilogy!!). So I definitely need to recommend this one for those who want to something new and innovative from a very promising up & comer. Congrats on the groundbreaking debut!
Heartbeats was an absolutely incredible story. There’s gore / violence / gag worthy moments and everything else you’d want from an extreme horror. But it’s also so much more. The storyline is both beautiful and sad. Enticing and scary. The details are perfect. The writing style and flow is great. The tone sets the pacing and transitions wonderfully.
I tend to stay away from spoilers in my reviews. And I will continue to do so. But what would you do to relive memories?! Well. There’s a drug for that. RYDEM. Relive Your Deepest Emotional Memories in this unbelievable book
What would you do to relive your most emotional memories?
The premise of this book is FANTASTIC. A new street drug that allows you to relive personal memories that are hidden in your subconscious, to feel, to taste, to experience… Is this something you would inject yourself with an illegal compound for?
I would say YES myself…
Anyway, this is wha we have here. Going for a ride on RYDEM.
We have a particularly nasty character of Spencer who is as bad as bad gets. Doesn’t give two fucks about society, hates people, and is pretty much messed up in the head. Then we have a nice little family, two friends on the verge of experimentation… and a whole lot of blood and gore.
The violence in this book is great. It’s cartoonish enough, and over the top enough to grab you and hold your interest. The characters are great, and very interesting, making you wonder where all of this is going…
HOWEVER… and this is only a small thing, as the book is more of a novella I can understand why I didn’t get this… but I wanted MORE about the drug. I wanted to know what the drug did, how it did it. Im guessing there is going to be a whole lot more of this in the 2nd book (not read yet), but with how enjoyable the first one is, Im sure gonna get to that one soon.
RYDEM, it’s not all great when reliving memories, especially when dark secrets lurk nearby.
Asher and Tina are the nostalgic types, clinging to the warm, fuzzy feelings their drug of choice, RYDEM, provides them. A serial killer runs rampant in the local area and the girls follow a trail left by misplaced memories to unveil a terrible truth.
C. Extreme’s debut was gripping and fast-paced, pulling the reader in with relativity any person would abide by. Who wouldn’t want to relive their deepest, emotional memories? Can’t wait to see more from him in the future! Excellent debut!
Precious memories and hidden secrets packaged nicely into a fast-paced extreme read.
RYDEM is the latest craze that allows you to experience your memories once more: ultimate feel good escapism. Searching for that deeper hit catapults the thrill seekers into depths unknowable.
This is a fast paced read with a unique premise combined with mystery and extreme gore. It’s hard to believe this is a debut.
Looks like I might have discovered this just before the second book releases. Bump this up your TBR and get ready for the next one.
I loved this story. The plot was very unique and the twists left me reeling. I was invested in the characters. Such an amazing debut novella. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more of his work.
WOWWWWWWW is all I can say about this. I absolutely loved it. Living for the cliffhanger! Can’t wait for the second one! Such a unique story and one I think will live rent free in my head for a little while 😂 a new drug on the market allows users to relive memories. When a duo takes a larger dose one of them sees a memory that isn’t hers and manages to find out who her dad is to confront Him. What a bloody experience and what a wild ride 🤪
Loved the feel.of this story, hated Spencer... Which means a job well done. The author took us on quite the adventure, it was gory, grim and great. I can't wait to read more. 🖤
I absolutely loved this book and all of its beautiful madness.
What would you do to relive your most emotional memories? A new street drug called RYDEM is making its way around a small community. Can Asher and Tina really be safe to use the drug recreationally? Or will the drug unlock a major secret within the community and the information needed to solve it?
This book wasn’t over the top or in your face it was more of an exhilarating rush of anxiety and you feel the absolute frustration within the characters and want things to work out a certain way but they just can’t… yet. It was so cleverly written and such a unique plot line.
Be sure to check this one out, My guy Colin really knocked this one out of the park. Hell of a job dude.
What a debut! I really enjoyed this one. I look forward to the sequel.
Heartbeat is about a serial killer that’s one nasty son of a gun. Spencer is an absolute monster. Meanwhile, there’s a new drug that’s caused quite the commotion within the community known as RYDEM. This drug is a powerful hallucinogen and can be extremely fatal. Tina and her best friend Asher are hooked on it and do it together for fun when Tina’s mother, Ginny, is at work. However, one night Asher and Tina decide to up their normal dose to see what happens. Tina is seeing someone else’s memories and it’s quite a shock to her once she realizes that these memories involve her mother.
I don’t want to go too much further into detail because I don’t want to give anything away. This story was really well written and between the two POV’s everything flowed together seamlessly one chapter to the next. I’m excited for book two and can’t wait to see what C. Extreme has in store for us this round!
I recommend to all my fellow extreme horror lovers! It’s a great read.
Hmmmm- I don’t know it wasn’t bad but I was expecting MORE- writing was decent but I was waiting for more gore and it just didn’t deliver to me- very tame and boring ngl I got around 70% and ended up skimming the rest of the book
Wow to think this is the authors first book ! Can’t wait for book 2… my only fault is it left me wanting more , the book wasn’t long enough and I didn’t want it to end
I absolutely loved this book! The concept was dark and compelling, and I really appreciated the way the story unfolded through alternating perspectives. It added a steady sense of buildup and dread that kept me hooked the whole way through.
At first, I was a bit confused, I initially thought the main female character was involved in the first "prologue" of the book, but it quickly became clear that those scenes were setting up the horrific nature of the man at the center of it all.
If I had one critique, it would be that some parts could’ve benefited from more detail—especially considering the genre and subject matter. Still, the pacing and concept more than made up for it.
Overall, Heartbeat was intense, disturbing, and incredibly well-structured. I’m definitely looking forward to diving into Part 2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.