A review by smiley7245
Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I wasn't sure what to expect from this and was pleasantly surprised. It's a post apocalyptic YA/NA sapphic zombie romance. I know. That's kind of a lot. I watched (and loved) but never read Warm Bodies and this reminded me very much of that; not that is ripped it off, but very much in that realm (so not horror or even remotely frightening).

Mara is the "zombie" but as long as she takes the medicine she is herself again and the tick inside her does not have control and does not make her attack humans. The medicine also makes her unappealing to the unmedicated or feral ticks. Aurora aka Rory is her human best friend and crush, and the daughter of her godparents so now also her roommate because she is being integrated into society and her godparents are her guardians. Rory is not happy about it but that doesn't last very long once she realizes that Mara is still in there, which happens when they are sent to the mainland to get supplies. When they get to the settlement they see that their integration is going much better and everyone is living in harmony. When they return home they find an attack in progress on the kids who are being watch while the adults are at a meeting; Mal the unofficial leader of the island has been keeping his infected daughter chained up in his house and he set her free on the kids leading to the infection of the two teachers and the death of multiple kids. Rory and Mara save the day but Rory realizes it's a set up to capture Mara and the others like her and execute them so she has her take the body and run. But the next day the body is missing. The others like Mara have been rounded up and denied their medicine. Rory and Mara try to leave the island but Mara's sister attacks them making it impossible for them to get away. Mal interrogates Rory then it's to the pit to fight to the death. Mara does her best to protect Rory, but she's been without the medicine for days and is struggling to stay herself. Then, Sam, Rory's mom, shows up with soldiers from the mainland and the soldiers put a stop to the fighting which is good since it's only Mara and Rory left and there can only be one victor. Mal gets arrested. The girls get taken to the infirmary. Everyone is worried because Rory got bitten before Mara could save her, but she never turns. Well, apparently she is immune because the girls have kissed and the exchange of saliva (multiple times) and the last kiss was pretty bloody because Rory had been beaten by Mal. So she is the only person in the world with immunity. Mara gets the medicine but it puts her into a coma because she has been without for so long. She finally wakes up and the doctor tells her that not only is she fine, but she has started aging again. She is healing from the tick.

It was interesting but I would have liked a little more science behind the zombie process. Otherwise, really enjoyable and I will probably read more by this author.