A review by thebiasedbibliophile
Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer

adventurous challenging dark emotional

5.0

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!