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Hearts Still Beating - by Brooke Archer
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About this item
Highlights
- 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.
- 336 Pages
- Young Adult Fiction, Action & Adventure
Description
About the Book
Two teen girls, Mara and Rory, navigate a complex web of love, infection, and survival as they reunite in an experimental resettlement program, grappling with their pasts and the looming threat of the virus that once transformed Mara into a monster.Book Synopsis
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 HBO Max 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.Review Quotes
** Cybils YA Speculative Fiction Award Winner ★ "The complexity of the worldbuilding combined with the depiction of the best and worst of humanity are on par with themes from The Last of Us show and games, proving that the post-apocalyptic YA genre is not dead--it's just undead. " --BCCB (starred review) "This stunning debut will rip your heart out... and eat it. A gut punch of a romance set in an immersive post-apocalyptic backdrop, Hearts Still Beating will sink its teeth into you and never let you go." --Jennifer Dugan, author of The Last Girls Standing "The sapphic zombie story I've been salivating for! Infectious storytelling and riveting action with a tender and powerful love story at the beating heart. I absolutely devoured this book." --Leslie Vedder, bestselling author of The Bone Spindle trilogy "At turns brutal and beautiful, Hearts Still Beating is a riveting exploration of love and what it means to be human in a crumbling, impossible world." --Jen St. Jude, author of If Tomorrow Doesn't Come
"[An] affecting, adrenaline-filled debut...escalating stakes, nuanced plotting, and a visceral first-person-present narrative that alternates between the emotionally complex protagonists' POVs combine for a gratifying read." --Publishers Weekly "[An] original, adventure-filled love story.... A richly realized and distinctive queer zombie romance." --Kirkus Reviews "[P]erfect for fans of The Last of Us looking for a queer take on the classic zombie story." --Booklist
"A riveting, unique, and delightfully queer adventure." -SLJ
About the Author
Brooke Archer graduated from Chapman University with a BFA in Creative Writing and has interned with Entity Magazine in LA. When she's not writing, she works at a doggy daycare in San Diego. Find her on twitter: @abrookeworm. And on Instagram: @broookearcherDimensions (Overall): 8.4 Inches (H) x 5.5 Inches (W) x 1.3 Inches (D)
Weight: .95 Pounds
Suggested Age: 14 Years
Number of Pages: 336
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Sub-Genre: Action & Adventure
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Theme: General
Format: Hardcover
Author: Brooke Archer
Language: English
Street Date: April 2, 2024
TCIN: 89412917
UPC: 9780593698327
Item Number (DPCI): 247-04-7502
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 1.3 inches length x 5.5 inches width x 8.4 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.95 pounds
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5.0 out of 5 stars with 2 reviews
100% would recommend
1 recommendations
5 out of 5 stars
27 May, 2024
cool read!
I was very happy to receive an Advance Review Copy of "Hearts Still Beating" by Brooke Archer, as I was intrigued by it from the moment I read the plot description! For starters, the cover is really pretty and absolutely made me wonder what the book was about. There definitely was romance, which you would totally expect, but there was also a healthy dose of zombies (and a fair bit of blood and guts, so if that is not your scene then this definitely is not the book for you--truthfully I did not enjoy that aspect of this book at all, but other parts made up for it!) The character development was terrific, I really enjoyed getting to know Rory and Mara, and I love the relationships that existed within Rory's family, especially with Rory's mom Sam. There is also a theme of grief, which I always appreciate because I think it needs more attention in books! Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
4 April, 2024
Zombie apocalypse sapphic love story
Hearts Still Beating is set in an apocalyptic world in which a zombie virus has ravaged the population, turning the infected into cannibalistic killing machines called Ticks. Scientists have developed a medication which can reverse the zombie changes and restore an affected person's humanity. Mara, who did horrendous things as a Tick, is one of these patients, called the Altered. Her treatment is successful and she going to live with her godparents and her former best friend and crush Rory. Rory has been traumatized by loss (as has all of humanity) and is resistant to Mara's arrival, worried that she will start killing again. The story is tense, compelling, beautiful, emotional, violent and tragic. The world building was excellent. This book makes the reader think about what makes a person human vs. a monster. Hearts Still Beating is a story about the triumph and survival of love after trauma and change. I could not put it down.