Hearts Still Beating

Mara thought she was dead, wishes she was dead. She did the unthinkable after the virus that brought the dead back made her into a monster. Rory is barely keeping it together after she lost so many friends and family to the virus, but especially after sharing a first kiss with Mara. Now Mara is back, surviving on a medication that keeps the monster at bay, and sent to live in the settlement with the girl who could have been everything. However, many survivors are hesitant to risk their fragile peace and safety and welcome the Ticks to their settlements, even if they are Altered. Rory and Mara have more than their budding romance to save as neighboring settlements hide secrets that affect the rest of the human race.

With dark themes reminiscent of Krystal Sutherland and Rory Power, this sapphic zombie love story shows the best and worst of humankind. Told from both Rory’s and Mara’s points of view, the world building is expansive, starting after the virus has decimated millions, then the drama builds and the rivalries explode, both internally and outside their walls. It is unapologetically gory, dramatic, and intense. An excellent addition to the zombie genre.