Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Teen for sending me an early copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

Have you been missing that feeling that Warm Bodies gave you? Have you been wanting an apocalyptic romance that will rock your world with the perfect combination of angst and fluff to keep you needing more like you need your next breath? Have you been searching for a sapphic love with a side of disability representation and self love and acceptance to boot? Look no further!

This book was everything I wanted and so much more! It gives such angst and longing which is perfect for the setting of a zombie apocalypse gone wrong (if it could ever have gone right?). I adored the dual POV and the way both girls are so relatable in such different ways. At the end of the day, they're both learning to accept themselves and figure out exactly who they want to be in a world that's gone upside down.

My only issue was partly with the disability rep. Rory has impaired mobility and chronic pain from an injury she got in the apocalypse, but she seems to just "push through" it a lot. It doesn't seem to be intentionally written with toxic positivity as the goal, but rather it seems to be trying to show her strength. But the rate at which she just pushes past the pain rather than modifying situations or letting herself rest was a bit of a red flag for me.

All in all, I absolutely adored this book and the sweet love story that bursts through the fear and gore of zombies. Get your hands on this book, you won't regret it!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author. ✨

This book was a rollercoaster! Loved the dual POVs from Mara and Rory and all the little snippets of memories that tied all of the before and now together. These girls certainly went through it. I laughed and I cried during this book. Vibes were on point with apocalypse/ end of the world. I thought it was very well written and believable. The ending was great and everything I hoped for while reading.

Incredibly heart-warming and fun zombie apocalypse vibe with a queer romance. Filled with well fleshed-out characters that you're really rooting for and plenty of zombie gore, this is a fantastic YA read. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys apocalyptic reads or zombies.

Thank you SO much, Penguin Teen, for the ARC!

What would happen if the pandemic was actually a zombie apocalypse? Now make it gay. 🌈

Mara is mostly dead. After a treatment was found for the virus that brought the dead back to life, Mara wakes up in a facility to find she is no longer a Tick. In the recovery program she is sent to a new hell-living with her estranged best friend and her family. Rory is mostly alive. Ever since the outbreak, she’s been through a lot. Lives were lost and the world as she knew it is over. When she learns Mara is coming to stay, she’s less than thrilled. She hates the Ticks and what they’ve done. Most of the island where they’re staying does too. Rory especially hates Mara. The last time the girls saw each other alive, it didn’t go very well. Rory is dreading seeing the only girl she’s ever loved. As the girls tread their new lives and dredge up the past, the island’s soldiers have a new mission to come after the Ticks and take them down, along with the families harboring them. When the girls realize they can only count on each other, will they be able to overcome the past and come out alive on the other side?

I absolutely loved this! It was emotional, funny, brutal, tragic and beautiful. It gave off Warm Bodies vibes and I was here for it! The beginning was a bit slow, but the second half was on fire.

I loved the characters in this- Rory and Mara were well thought out and rounded. They each were dealing with their own issues, especially involving their families and it was a journey seeing them work through it. The character growth was immaculate.

Characters I didn’t really understand were Mara’s sister, Carter and the bad guy, Mal. I don’t want to spoil anything, but with Mal I feel like his story wasn’t completely sorted out. The things he did didn’t really make complete sense. For Carter, I just couldn’t understand hating your sister so much, no matter what she did. I have younger sisters and I just don’t think I could ever hate them for something that wasn’t even their fault. Just seemed off to me.

I really enjoyed the LGBTQIA+ rep in here, especially on the bi scale (everyone always forgets about us). Overall, this is definitely worth the read. It’s not what I expected, but I think that made it better. I was engaged the whole time and needed to know how it ended. I will absolutely read more by this author. This one was a winner for me!

Overall the idea of this book was good. I'm a sucker for post-apocolyptic dystopian books I'm also living for the sapphic romance. My only "complaints" per se were the pacing of the book S the story was a little too long in my opinion and didn't flow as well as it could have. But if you're a fan of dystopian or post apocalyptic books with cute gay characters I definitely recommend.

Epically gay ya zombie book! I loved all the characters and this one was fantastic thanks so much for the arc and regards!

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, and I am buying the physical copy for my home library. Do yourself a favor and give it a read! Archer is an author to look out for.

A massive thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!! I really enjoyed this book; definitely something I will tell my friends about!

What’s better than a YA zombie apocalypse novel? How about a YA zombie apocalypse novel with a sapphic love story! I was so excited to read an early copy of Hearts Still Beating by debut author, Brooke Archer, and trust me, this is a story you don’t want to miss.

First off, the novel gives off major Warm Bodies vibes in the best way possible. I’d imagine that this story could take place several years after Warm Bodies, and I loved that aspect. In the novel, the world is a few years into the zombie apocalypse, and there is a cure…well, sort of. Some of the undead can be given a medication that allows them to regain their free will if taken regularly. I really enjoyed how Archer developed the world, both in the features that reflected the deterioration of society and those that showed an attempt to rebuild it.

Additionally, one of my favorite things about the story was the themes Archer explored. Not only does she explore humanity (which any author writing about the apocalypse should), she also explores themes of grief and blame in a unique and refreshing way. Many of the characters misplace blame and cope with immense grief, and I appreciated the way Archer showed how that changed the characters on a deeper level.

Furthermore, family was another wonderful theme in the story. I loved the way both Rory’s and Mara’s families are broken, and both characters deal with that in different ways. Mara’s past greatly impacts her relationship with her sister. Similarly, both Mara and Rory grieve for their parents, Mara in a more traditional sense, and Rory in a metaphorical one.

On a side note, I liked that Rory had adopted siblings. I adored the fact that she could see her mother in her adoptive brother’s mannerisms, and I often forgot that she wasn’t related to her brother and sister by blood. It was a nice twist on the found family trope, which ironically juxtaposed a theme of losing family too.

I loved both Rory’s and Mara’s characters. I thought Rory insisting on being called “Rory” instead of “Aurora” was a nice way to be more direct in showing how the zombie apocalypse changed her. And, the fact that Mara called her “Aurora” was symbolically pleasing.

Related to that, Mara is an Altered (a former zombie who takes medication to maintain her humanity). I thought her perspective was compelling, and I loved the way her character was contrasted with her sister, Carter, who in many ways lost more of her humanity than Mara did.

Finally, the love story was everything I could’ve asked for. At times, it was heartbreaking, but mostly it was a feel-good touch to an otherwise somber yet interesting story. The way Rory’s and Mara’s personalities clashed was perfect, and I enjoyed the flashbacks to their younger, more awkward selves.

As a whole, this novel is a must-read for anyone who enjoys YA zombie apocalypse stories, and even if you don’t like stories about the zombie apocalypse, I still think there is a lot to love about it!

a sapphic dystopian zombie book?? This was better than my expectations. Truthfully, I think the cover could be better. This was a quick read but I loved the romance between the two characters(it's sort of a second chance romance too??), and the way they have to discover the cure in this one is so funny. I can't wait to see what this author writes next!!

I never thought I would find a book that encapsulates all the traits of Sci-Fi/apocalyptic novels I loved from the YA hay days of 2012-16 but Hearts Still Beating did it, and still felt like a fresh and unique story. Mara and Rory's story was one of immense loss and pain, but also hope and falling back in love with one another through it all. This book will not leave my head for a while, and I truly can't wait to read it again.

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?

So, I may have read this in four hours. I may have started Heart Still Beating at 9:00pm and not stopped until 1:00am. This may have been the most compelling book I have read all month.
I loved Hearts Still Beating. It was well-paced and had so much heart while still being witty. I love it when two characters who have been separated and are now enemies have to come together to solve problems. It makes for great character growth and a whole lot of pining-- and I love pining.
Hearts Still Beating was such a breath of fresh air. I highly, highly recommend!

Brooke Archer seamlessly intertwined all of my favorite things in a book — a dark, post apocalyptic setting, a fresh take on zombies, an angsty, sapphic romance, and page-turning pacing — in HEARTS STILL BEATING. This binge-able YA quenched my thirst for dystopian and then some, with remarkable characters and incredible world building that made me feel as if I were right there with them. An absolute must-read!

(Thank you to the publisher for the ARC)

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for an eARC of Hearts Still Beating!

This book was absolutely incredible. I’m still in awe that it’s a debut! I absolutely could not put it down and I read it in one sitting. This was a thrilling sapphic monster romance that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time and had me NEEDING to know what happened next. I had so much fun reading it!

I had such a good time with this book! This book is the perfect blend of post-apocalyptic, dystopian, thriller, sapphic, YA story. This book follows Mara, who has been bitten and has a tick inside of her (think zombie behavior), and Rory, her childhood crush who now hates her guts. Rory’s parents look after Mara once she is released from a treatment center. They’re stuck on an island, and are faced with many adventures. There’s lots of death, a bit of body horror, a ton of blood, some truly psychotic behavior.

Rory obviously warms up to Mara, and I’ll be honest, I did not like Rory at the beginning. I thought she was extremely childish and just annoying. But with this being a dual POV story, I absolutely loved reading Rory’s internal thoughts and reasoning for her actions. Her character arc really was amazing, and I ended up loving her by the end of the story. Also, Rory is hilarious. Mara is so selfless, and I loved her character throughout the book.

The ending had me tearing up, and I thought it was the perfect ending. I’ve never read a book quite so unique. I really loved this book and highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book

* Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. *

"For the girls who've been told they're too loud, too angry, too much. You are exactly enough."

I loved this book. I hate comparing books to other things, but if you loved Warm Bodies, if you're a big dystopian/zombie fan, and love seeing romance within those dystopian worlds, Hearts Still Beating is the book for you.

Hearts Still Beating is a story about two girls. Rory, the hardened zombie killer, who has settled on an island with what is left of her family, and is hell-bent on forgetting her past. Mara, the girl she left behind and has tried so hard to forget, a zombie turned kinda human, trying to find her place in a world that hates her.

For a debut, HSB is an insanely beautiful book about love, family, and what people will face to live again.

I highly recommend Hearts Still Beating, and will be on the look out for any future books by Brooke Archer.

So so good! I loved all the romance scenes, rory and mara were so so cute together and i loved watching their love blossom. i love how the setting was fleshed out and how this story incorporated the hysteria of a contagious disease and regaining humanity in the midst of losing seemingly everything. this was a great story. i esp liked that the author wasn't about to afraid of touching upon dark themes and hopeless-seeming situations. that said, this is a hopeful story and i loved the happy ending!

Unchosen meets the Last of Us, this was freaking amazing! WLW romance in a dystopia is something we've all needed in our lives. Monsters, an apocalypse, and an impossible love story come together to form a sci-fi novel that rivals them all.

Haven't read a good distopian romance in a while and I forgot how much I enjoy it. This one is a great 5-star read for me.

I genuinely liked Mara and Rory and their development. Also quite happy we got a happy ending, which is not a given in this genre.

Overall I truly enjoyed the story and the characters and would definitely read a sequel or something different by the author.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.