A review by welcometothebookstore
Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer

adventurous dark sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4 Stars) 

Do you like zombies? The Last of Us?  Because this 100% is one for fans of The Last of Us! 

Mara is 17 and during a virus outbreak she got infected becoming a Tick and… well, losing her humanity. Does she actually lose her humanity though? 
She ends up in a facility to learn there is a treatment and with that treatment she is set to return to her home… what is left of it and in the care of her best friend, Rory’s family. 
Did I mention the last time Mara and Rory saw one another Rory kissed Mara and then the world fell apart around them. 
Now not only is Rory cautious and not sure the Mara she knew and loved is still there under the undead demeanor, but she remembers their last moment together far too well. But, as it turns out, they will need to make a team to save everyone around them and maybe even themselves. 

What dictates humanity and what happens when the humans who are still alive are the ones who have lost their humanity?