Heartless

by Elizabeth Ventsias

Twenty-one and working as a barista, Emery switches from making lattes to digging for clues when the mangled bodies of her friends and neighbors start stacking up. The official reports are deemed as animal attacks. But when Emery overhears the handsome musician Grayson, town newcomer, telling a very different story her suspicions rise.

Learning the truth behind the deaths proves to be only a tiny portion of what is really happening in Emery’s sleepy town. When her heart is ripped out of her chest by the same mysterious figure responsible for the murders, Emery’s real problems begin.

She’s alive, somehow. And now with Grayson’s help, Emery must find the heart thief before he does God knows what with her heart.

362 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2018

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining and well-written. Emery is working as a barista in a small town when friends and acquaintances begin dropping like flies—their deaths blamed on animal attacks. When she pokes around more than she should, her heart is ripped out by a supernatural being, and it’s only with the aid of Grayson, a “hunter”, that she’s still alive. But can she find the creature who attacked her and reclaim her physical heart before her body fails and she loses her soul?

This was a fast paced-tale with great pacing and short scenes that jumped in and out of the action, switching between Grayson and Emery’s perspective (as well as some of the side characters, who I also enjoyed.) The world-building was cool, with a human world populated with Nightmares, Hunters, and other sups, with enough twists and turns to keep the action driving all the way to the end. The backstory was well thought-out, and I particularly enjoyed the scene detailing how the Hunters operate, and where Grayson came from. The hints of romance between Grayson and Emery were nicely done, and with the way the ending played out (which I won’t spoil), let’s just say I wouldn’t be surprised to see a sequel or series in the future.

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

[Cyana Scriptora · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author created an interesting story incorporating the paranormal themes that we all love, but adding her own personal twists and that makes Heartless unique. The world started to really build when Gray takes Emery to meet that guy (Julius?) Whatever his name was, he was hilarious! The character dialogue is witty, and the leading man is just as fun. Emery has flaws, as any good character should, and at times I found her annoying. She spent to much time pitying herself and I felt that she was too hard on Gray sometimes. The ending felt a bit rushed, but it sets up well for the next book. Overall, I considered this a nice NA/YA (depending on the maturity of the teen). And a must read for those who love paranormal worlds.

[Lucretia · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much love about this. I read a lot of supernatural stories ranging from PNR to extreme horror. Sometimes I feel like I've seen it all, and seen many things one too many times - then, I find a novel like this that surprises me with it's creativity and original concept. In fact there were a ton of original concepts woven together here. In addition to not being just another -insert your favorite overused supernatural being- the characters where also freshly drawn and felt real for it. I especially enjoyed Gray. I was so very happy that the relationships, while they did play a role, ranging from friends and family to romantic, didn't get in the way or take over the story. For a supernatural story with younger leads that such a rare treat to get a deeper plot that doesn't revolve around how cute the lead male is or how pretty the heroine is. Not only did that leave room for them to have depth, it makes this enjoyable for readers of all ages. Things were left with the potential for exploration and if that happens I'll be first in line, one-click this one, it's a fantastic story.

[Andrea Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Heartless" is the opposite of its title -- if you enjoy paranormal adventures, you'll fall in love. Elizabeth Ventsias has a quick-paced, snappy style. Breaking with the tired old patterns of the genre, Ventsias came up with creative innovations. Add to that her vivid imagery and colorful prose, and this magical story is one to remember. We're off to a great start, and I'm looking forward to more in this series!

[Sara Claridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a sleepy small town about to be torn apart and a cast of characters that put you straight into the centre of the story, I read this book in a few long reads as it’s impossible to put down.
Twists and turns abound in the race to get back Emy’s heart. The entire book has an off-kilter vibe that I loved. You know something’s wrong, but you just can’t figure out where the story is going next.
A fast paced book that has moments of humour, darkness and romance (I loved Gray). Great read.