A review by bookbrig
A Darkly Beating Heart, by Lindsay Smith

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

 Really compelling, fast story with a bisexual Japanese American protagonist (yay for bisexual protagonists in YA!). I think it's a great read-alike for Carrie, mixing darkness and anger with vulnerability and fear. I might recommend it to teens who like books that deal with bullying, even though that's not precisely a focus of the story, and I'd also recommend it to fans of the game Life is Strange (and not just because of the Chloe characters, I promise). I can't speak as much to the authenticity or accuracy of the Japanese aspects of the story, but the author's note about her historical research seemed promising. 

Netgalley and Roaring Book Press provided an ARC for my review.