Hearts Still Beating

By: Brooke Archer

Narrated by: Kristen DiMercurio, Gail Shalan

Gripping, romantic, and impossible to put down, this dark and immersive post-apocalyptic debut novel is about two teen girls who loved each other before the end of the world—and before one of them became infected with the virus that turned her into a monster.

Perfect for fans of Krystal Sutherland, Adam Silvera, and the darkly human side of the HBO Max horror-drama, The Last of Us.

Seventeen-year-old Mara is dead—mostly. Infected with a virus that brought the dead back to life and the world to its knees, she wakes up in a facility to learn a treatment for the disease has been found. No longer a Tick, Mara is placed in an experimental resettlement program. But her recovery is complicated by her destination: she’s sent to live with the best friend she hasn’t seen since the world ended—and since their first and only kiss.

Seventeen-year-old Rory is alive—barely. With impaired mobility from an injury and a dead sister, Rory’s nightmares are just as monstrous as the Ticks that turned her former best friend. Even after the Island—one of a handful of surviving communities—rebuilds itself, Rory is prepared for the Ticks to return at any time. She never expected them to come in the form of the only girl she’s ever loved.

As the girls struggle with their pasts and the people they’ve become, and with the Island’s fragile peace in the balance, Rory and Mara must lean on each other to survive—or risk losing the girl they love all over again.

©2024 Brooke Archer (P)2024 Listening Library

Critic reviews

★ "The complexity of the worldbuilding combined with the depiction of the best and worst of humanity are on par with themes from The Last of Us show and games, proving that the post-apocalyptic YA genre is not dead—it’s just undead."—BCCB (starred review)

"This stunning debut will rip your heart out... and eat it. A gut punch of a romance set in an immersive post-apocalyptic backdrop, Hearts Still Beating will sink its teeth into you and never let you go."—Jennifer Dugan, author of The Last Girls Standing

"The sapphic zombie story I’ve been salivating for! Infectious storytelling and riveting action with a tender and powerful love story at the beating heart. I absolutely devoured this book."—Leslie Vedder, bestselling author of The Bone Spindle trilogy

Everything was perfect!

I loved the story, loved the voice acting! I know the story is done, but I really wished there was another book or the author had another story! I’m stuck with waiting

Captivating!

"Hearts Still Beating" is a beautifully written book, with prose that is both lyrical and powerful. Archer’s use of language is evocative, capable of conveying the most profound emotions and the stark realities of the world she has created. Each chapter, each page, is a testament to her skill as a storyteller and her insight into the human condition.

It is a masterpiece, a book that resonates with the power of hope, the strength of the human heart, and the indomitable will to survive. It is a reminder that even in the darkest times, love can illuminate the path forward and that hearts, no matter how battered, can still beat with the promise of tomorrow. Five stars are not enough for a book that offers so much—to the very last beat.

Great story

I really enjoyed the story and the performance. The readers passed it back and forth very well. A great saffic tale.

Wonderful

I loved this new twist on zombies. Especially the insight on how the infected cope, how they feel. The things they remember under the influence of the virus