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776 reviews by:
bebocarrick
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I'll admit, this book is not what I was expecting. I was expecting more shock factor, but this book ended up pleasantly surprising me with a slower, thoughtful, and emotional exploration of life, hunger, and grief.
The first half of the book goes through the centuries that a nameless vampire woman has lived through, and her debilitating thirst for blood. I really enjoyed this portrayal of vampirism, with none of the weaknesses that most vampires fall prey to (sunlight, garlic, holy water, etc.) save for the need to keep the deaths hidden. I thought it was very interesting that this novel explored how much more difficult hiding her crimes got for the vampire after so many centuries.
The second half of the book follows a woman whose mother is slowly dying from a terminal illness and how she grieves this excruciatingly slow loss. I don't think I've ever read a book that dealt with the feelings associated with a slow decline, rather than a fast one, and this book showed those emotions so beautifully.
I really enjoyed the connection of the two storylines. I have seen other readers describe it as forced, but I found it to be quite beautiful and organic. The intertwining of these two storylines was clearly intricately plotted out.
All this to say, I greatly enjoyed this introspective, literary fiction take on the vampire story. I would love to see more vampire lit take this approach, and I eagerly await more novels by this author!
I'll admit, this book is not what I was expecting. I was expecting more shock factor, but this book ended up pleasantly surprising me with a slower, thoughtful, and emotional exploration of life, hunger, and grief.
The first half of the book goes through the centuries that a nameless vampire woman has lived through, and her debilitating thirst for blood. I really enjoyed this portrayal of vampirism, with none of the weaknesses that most vampires fall prey to (sunlight, garlic, holy water, etc.) save for the need to keep the deaths hidden. I thought it was very interesting that this novel explored how much more difficult hiding her crimes got for the vampire after so many centuries.
The second half of the book follows a woman whose mother is slowly dying from a terminal illness and how she grieves this excruciatingly slow loss. I don't think I've ever read a book that dealt with the feelings associated with a slow decline, rather than a fast one, and this book showed those emotions so beautifully.
I really enjoyed the connection of the two storylines. I have seen other readers describe it as forced, but I found it to be quite beautiful and organic. The intertwining of these two storylines was clearly intricately plotted out.
All this to say, I greatly enjoyed this introspective, literary fiction take on the vampire story. I would love to see more vampire lit take this approach, and I eagerly await more novels by this author!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
As far as zombie stories go, the hunt for a cure is usually the focal point of the story, and that is a tired approach, in my opinion. Hearts Still Beating took an entirely different approach, which I loved! In this novel, a select few zombies (called Ticks or the Affected) have been given an experimental treatment in which they have an injection everyday that suppresses the virus so they remain in control of themselves. A select few Ticks in treatment are deemed worthy to be reintroduced to society, and obviously, the non-infected folks have big opinions about that.
The story alternates between two girls: Mara, a Tick in treatment reintroduced to society, and Rory, a non-infected girl very unhappy about the Ticks reintroduction to society. The catch is that these two had a history before the apocalypse started, so they're trying to deal with lingering feelings while navigating the complexities of the fallen world.
Both characters are very well developed, and I adored the way their story unfolded. While the reveal of the big bad villain was not a surprise, this story still kept me entertained and rooting for Mara and Rory the whole time, even when things got super iffy. I also thought the world-building was well done and explained well. From the way the virus functioned, to how the RPA and alliance between communities worked. Such an enjoyable read, and one that should be considered a fantastic and unique addition to the post-apocalyptic zombie genre.
Publication date: April 2, 2024.
As far as zombie stories go, the hunt for a cure is usually the focal point of the story, and that is a tired approach, in my opinion. Hearts Still Beating took an entirely different approach, which I loved! In this novel, a select few zombies (called Ticks or the Affected) have been given an experimental treatment in which they have an injection everyday that suppresses the virus so they remain in control of themselves. A select few Ticks in treatment are deemed worthy to be reintroduced to society, and obviously, the non-infected folks have big opinions about that.
The story alternates between two girls: Mara, a Tick in treatment reintroduced to society, and Rory, a non-infected girl very unhappy about the Ticks reintroduction to society. The catch is that these two had a history before the apocalypse started, so they're trying to deal with lingering feelings while navigating the complexities of the fallen world.
Both characters are very well developed, and I adored the way their story unfolded. While the reveal of the big bad villain was not a surprise, this story still kept me entertained and rooting for Mara and Rory the whole time, even when things got super iffy. I also thought the world-building was well done and explained well. From the way the virus functioned, to how the RPA and alliance between communities worked. Such an enjoyable read, and one that should be considered a fantastic and unique addition to the post-apocalyptic zombie genre.
Publication date: April 2, 2024.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book was, as the kids say these days, mid. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. Despite what promised to be an interesting plot, I was pretty bored for most of the story.
There's a dash of sci-fi, thriller, heist, mystery, and even some literary fiction vibes, but all through that I simply did not connect with anything in the book. Not the characters, not the plot, not the setting. And it wasn't like the writing was bad or anything, it just didn't capture my attention at all.
I think there is certainly an audience out there for this book. I've seen other commenters compare it to the Loki television series, so maybe fans of that would enjoy this book. It just wasn't for me.
Publication Date: April 15, 2024
This book was, as the kids say these days, mid. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. Despite what promised to be an interesting plot, I was pretty bored for most of the story.
There's a dash of sci-fi, thriller, heist, mystery, and even some literary fiction vibes, but all through that I simply did not connect with anything in the book. Not the characters, not the plot, not the setting. And it wasn't like the writing was bad or anything, it just didn't capture my attention at all.
I think there is certainly an audience out there for this book. I've seen other commenters compare it to the Loki television series, so maybe fans of that would enjoy this book. It just wasn't for me.
Publication Date: April 15, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I found this poetry collection to be a vast range of hits and misses. Some of the best poems speak to generational trauma and grief and have excellent biblical and horror imagery. However, others sounded uninspired, and didn't even feel like poetry at all, just short stories with weird line breaks.
The poems I enjoyed were as follows:
"Breaking the Cycle" - this dealt with generational trauma and how it can mess you up so so well.
"Not Just Anybody" - excellent concept and follow through. Loved the idea of sin-eaters.
"The Power of Grief" - a beautiful look at death and grief, more haunting than scary.
"Pawn" - a fantastic exploration of Judas and how he was just what God made him to be.
"True Crime" - an insidious look at just how normal serial killers can appear
"Hypocrite" - an honest and graphic look at how Christians are not very Christ-like
Most others were regrettably very forgettable, but I did greatly enjoy this handful.
Publication date: June 1. 2024
I found this poetry collection to be a vast range of hits and misses. Some of the best poems speak to generational trauma and grief and have excellent biblical and horror imagery. However, others sounded uninspired, and didn't even feel like poetry at all, just short stories with weird line breaks.
The poems I enjoyed were as follows:
"Breaking the Cycle" - this dealt with generational trauma and how it can mess you up so so well.
"Not Just Anybody" - excellent concept and follow through. Loved the idea of sin-eaters.
"The Power of Grief" - a beautiful look at death and grief, more haunting than scary.
"Pawn" - a fantastic exploration of Judas and how he was just what God made him to be.
"True Crime" - an insidious look at just how normal serial killers can appear
"Hypocrite" - an honest and graphic look at how Christians are not very Christ-like
Most others were regrettably very forgettable, but I did greatly enjoy this handful.
Publication date: June 1. 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I ADORED this cute little sapphic love story. Kianthe and Reyna had such a healthy relationship and I adored how they communicated so well. I loved the pacing of the story and the coziness of the vibes combined with stakes that kept the story moving. I also liked the setup for a sequel and am excited to read the the next book.
The audiobook narration was INCREDIBLE. Probably my favorite audiobook I've ever listened to narration-wise. Also, the little one shot at the end of the audiobook.
I ADORED this cute little sapphic love story. Kianthe and Reyna had such a healthy relationship and I adored how they communicated so well. I loved the pacing of the story and the coziness of the vibes combined with stakes that kept the story moving. I also liked the setup for a sequel and am excited to read the the next book.
Spoiler
My only criticism is that the way Reyna's issue with the queen was resolved did not feel like a real resolution. Even though she says she's free to do as she wishes, I feel like she's low-key still working for the queen, which is not how I would define freedom. But perhaps she'll come up again in the next book and things will be more resolved.The audiobook narration was INCREDIBLE. Probably my favorite audiobook I've ever listened to narration-wise. Also, the little one shot at the end of the audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I adored this Orpheus/Eurydice retelling! I love this story in all its forms, and this was no exception. In no way did the characters' labels (queer, poly, Latinx) feel added just for the sake of representation because all of these labels were essential to the story, which was wonderful. The verse was also beautiful, particularly the imagery of the City. It is cliche to say, but I felt as if I were there!
I have added some of R. M. Romero's other works to my TBR list because I loved this one so much. I am looking forward to exploring more of Romero's body of work! If it's anything like Death's Country, I have a lot to look forward to.
Publication Date: 7 May 2024
I adored this Orpheus/Eurydice retelling! I love this story in all its forms, and this was no exception. In no way did the characters' labels (queer, poly, Latinx) feel added just for the sake of representation because all of these labels were essential to the story, which was wonderful. The verse was also beautiful, particularly the imagery of the City. It is cliche to say, but I felt as if I were there!
I have added some of R. M. Romero's other works to my TBR list because I loved this one so much. I am looking forward to exploring more of Romero's body of work! If it's anything like Death's Country, I have a lot to look forward to.
Publication Date: 7 May 2024
This was exactly like a lot of A24 films: most of the story is very slow, with this building sense of unease and dread, and then you get an explosive batshit crazy ending that leaves you wondering wtf you just experienced.
All in all, mostly too slow for my tastes, but I'm glad I listened to this audiobook just for that ending. It's just probably not one I'll ever come back to though.
All in all, mostly too slow for my tastes, but I'm glad I listened to this audiobook just for that ending. It's just probably not one I'll ever come back to though.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This was really not what I was expecting. The first few pages had me excited, and the description (which promised gothic vibes, witch hunts, children of the devil, critiquing the patriarchy, and discovering island secrets) caught my attention quickly.
Alas, I couldn't find most of that in this book. I just feel lied to I guess. The writing was pretty, but I left equal parts confused and bored. Disappointing.
Publication date: May 14, 2024
This was really not what I was expecting. The first few pages had me excited, and the description (which promised gothic vibes, witch hunts, children of the devil, critiquing the patriarchy, and discovering island secrets) caught my attention quickly.
Alas, I couldn't find most of that in this book. I just feel lied to I guess. The writing was pretty, but I left equal parts confused and bored. Disappointing.
Publication date: May 14, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This was a very fun, quirky, gory Southern mystery with some vampire/zombie creatures thrown into the mix. I absolutely adored the intergenerational perspective here and I fell in love with the Evans women very quickly!
The intergenerational perspective added a lot of mystery to the novel, as well as a lot of humor, and was one of the biggest strengths of the novel. Ducey was by far my favorite character with her brutally honest demeanor and dark humor. The horror aspect is also fantastic. Be wary if you can't handle gore, because there is plenty of that. I also enjoyed that the reader found out details about the Evans family bit by bit, getting hints here and there as to what was happening. It was very satisfying to see the pieces all come together by the end. And the big plot twists were excellent as well! :)
Listening to the audiobook was such a fun way to experience this book because the narrator included a southern twang to the characters' accents, which made the setting feel even more real! I think I would have gotten the characters' relationships (particularly the Evans women) sorted out in my head quicker if I was reading the novel, but I still greatly enjoyed the listening experience. I greatly look forward to the next installment in this series!
Publication date: April 9, 2024
This was a very fun, quirky, gory Southern mystery with some vampire/zombie creatures thrown into the mix. I absolutely adored the intergenerational perspective here and I fell in love with the Evans women very quickly!
The intergenerational perspective added a lot of mystery to the novel, as well as a lot of humor, and was one of the biggest strengths of the novel. Ducey was by far my favorite character with her brutally honest demeanor and dark humor. The horror aspect is also fantastic. Be wary if you can't handle gore, because there is plenty of that. I also enjoyed that the reader found out details about the Evans family bit by bit, getting hints here and there as to what was happening. It was very satisfying to see the pieces all come together by the end. And the big plot twists were excellent as well! :)
Listening to the audiobook was such a fun way to experience this book because the narrator included a southern twang to the characters' accents, which made the setting feel even more real! I think I would have gotten the characters' relationships (particularly the Evans women) sorted out in my head quicker if I was reading the novel, but I still greatly enjoyed the listening experience. I greatly look forward to the next installment in this series!
Publication date: April 9, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
There were some things I really enjoyed and appreciated about this book, so I'll start with those:
1. Sister bonds: this sister bond was done well! The amount of fighting/arguments balanced well with the love and appreciation for each other, and I liked that the sister bond was the focal point, rather than a romantic bond.
2. Aro/ace rep: Ophelia's implied asexuality felt very in-character and was described in a period-appropriate way, so it didn't take me out of the historical time period. I really loved this aspect of her character!
3. OCD/neurodiverse rep: Again, the way that Betsy's mental struggles were described felt very period-appropriate and added a lot to her character.
Some icks that I had about the book:
1. Simple villains: the villains felt very unbelievable compared to the well-fleshed out main characters. I wish they had more substance to them to balance well with the complex mcs.
2. Pacing: The beginning of this book REALLY lagged. I was not very invested until around 50% of the way into the book, which is too long. For a title that promises a fast-paced piratical adventure, there sure wasn't a lot of fast paced moments or a lot of pirates.
All in all, this was a solid book, but it didn't hook me nearly as much as I had hoped it would because of the two dimensional villains and the slow pacing.
Publication Date: April 9, 2024
There were some things I really enjoyed and appreciated about this book, so I'll start with those:
1. Sister bonds: this sister bond was done well! The amount of fighting/arguments balanced well with the love and appreciation for each other, and I liked that the sister bond was the focal point, rather than a romantic bond.
2. Aro/ace rep: Ophelia's implied asexuality felt very in-character and was described in a period-appropriate way, so it didn't take me out of the historical time period. I really loved this aspect of her character!
3. OCD/neurodiverse rep: Again, the way that Betsy's mental struggles were described felt very period-appropriate and added a lot to her character.
Some icks that I had about the book:
1. Simple villains: the villains felt very unbelievable compared to the well-fleshed out main characters. I wish they had more substance to them to balance well with the complex mcs.
2. Pacing: The beginning of this book REALLY lagged. I was not very invested until around 50% of the way into the book, which is too long. For a title that promises a fast-paced piratical adventure, there sure wasn't a lot of fast paced moments or a lot of pirates.
All in all, this was a solid book, but it didn't hook me nearly as much as I had hoped it would because of the two dimensional villains and the slow pacing.
Publication Date: April 9, 2024