Brutal Hearts

 

Brutal Hearts is a YA horror story set in the 90s about Leah who needs to find closure over the loss of her fiancé, Simon, who was presumed dead from hiking alone in the mountains.  To deal with her grief, she heads to the hiking trail with a few of her girlfriends.  The girls experience the natural terrors of the wilderness together as a mysterious creature is running after them in the mountains.

The subject of a missing, possibly dead person on a mountain trail is one that is close to my heart.  An old friend of mine died hiking alone in the mountains this past fall. However, reading Cassie’s book still managed to be a fun experience for me.  The mood of the book felt like watching a summer horror movie with teenagers, like Netflix’s Fear Street. Cassie even mentions in the acknowledgements that she is heavily inspired by Christopher Pike who was a popular horror novelist for teens in the 1980s.

It is also worth noting that the fun colorful cover is done by the author. She is a talented artist!  I am a huge fan of  the artwork and coloring books in her Let's Get Galatic Etsy shop. Her writing is just as enjoyable, proving that she is multi-talented.

Brutal Hearts is definitely the perfect read for anyone who might be seeking a summer wilderness adventure with thrills but does not want to leave the comforts of their couch. It is the perfect book for reading indoors with air conditioning on a humid summer day!  

I'm also posting this review on Goodreads!