”…a nice twist to the tired old trope of the vampire… If you are looking for a captivating read that will draw you in and leave you breathless, look no further than The Heartbeat Thief.”– ★★★★★ Readers’ Favorite”Oh wow! Way better than expected. The writing was so… luxurious and the narrator only added to it. And the characters [and] structure were great too. Easy on the ears. A true … were great too. Easy on the ears. A true pleasure.” ★★★★★ Audible reviewer, audiobook version
“Krafton not only tells you a story, she makes you experience it with your senses. You can feel the fog moistening your skin as Senza wanders around London. You can smell the city’s decay. You can hear the clatter of horses against the cobblestones. And your own heart will anguish along with Senza as she despairs about life–and death–in an era when a woman’s beauty guaranteed her a well-matched marriage, even more than her wealth….”–Ronesa Aveela, author of the Mystical Emona series
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Haunted by a crushing fear of death, a young Victorian woman discovers the secret of eternal youth – she must surrender her life to attain it, and steal heartbeats to keep it.
In 1860 Surrey, a young woman has only one occupation: to marry. Senza Fyne is beautiful, intelligent, and lacks neither wealth nor connections. Finding a husband shouldn’t be difficult, not when she has her entire life before her. But it’s not life that preoccupies her thoughts. It’s death – and that shadowy spectre haunts her every step.
So does Mr. Knell. Heart-thumpingly attractive, obviously eligible – he’d be her perfect match if only he wasn’t so macabre. All his talk about death, all that teasing about knowing how to avoid it…
When her mother arranges a courtship with another man, Senza is desperate for escape from a dull prescripted destiny. Impulsively, she takes Knell up on his offer. He casts a spell that frees her from the cruelty of time and the threat of death – but at a steep price. In order to maintain eternal youth, she must feed on the heartbeats of others.
From the posh London season to the back alleys of Whitechapel, across the Channel, across the Pond, across the seas of Time…
How far will Senza Fyne go to avoid death?
This Victorian fantasy is a little bit Jane Austen, a little bit Edgar Allan Poe, and a whole lot of stealing heartbeats in order to stay young and beautiful forever…
Scroll up and get your copy now… and let The Heartbeat Thief steal you away.
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I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.
I really loved the premise of this book – a young woman who is afraid of death is given a gift of being able to live forever – but she has no idea of the consequences of this decision. She lives what ultimately becomes a very lonely existence until she meets a man who is dying.
This is not a fast-moving or action-packed book. It moves slowly but methodically through the MC’s life and isolation – allowing her to learn and develop the understanding that there’s a point to both life and death.
The narrator, Leander David, was a perfect compliment to this book.
A darkly beautiful tale!
Writing dark, poetic masterpieces is Ms. Krafton’s specialty. I was captivated by Senza’s tale right from page one! But, beware, this story is not for the faint of heart. In fact, I had to put the book down for a brief time because it was so bleak! My absence didn’t last long, however, since I couldn’t get the characters out of my mind and I just had to know what happened next. It’s a compelling, mournful story. Ms. Krafton’s writing is filled with luscious detail and vivid descriptions combining to portray an emotionally haunting story. Her writing is emotionally haunting. Senza is filled with curiosity, melancholy and a driven determination to not live the life her mother has chosen for her. With the assistance of the mysterious Mr. Knell, Senza becomes what I like to call, a vampire-like creature, who feeds off the heartbeats of others to survive. It’s a unique concept, which I truly enjoyed reading. And personally, I connected with Senza on her obsession with death. It may be one of the reasons I needed to step away from this book. I don’t admit to many, but death lingers often in my thoughts because I lost my mother at a young age. I understand that mortality is fragile and brief and those who are left behind are the ones to suffer. If only there was a way to cheat Death, to live forever… Although, Senza’s particular thoughts and actions might have been different than my own, I could definitely sympathize which made my reading this story so much more raw and heartfelt. This one is, by far, one of my most favorite and memorable books written by Ms. Krafton!
P.S. I just LOVE the artwork on this cover! It’s gorgeous!
Senza Fyne is the belle of the ball, but she has an irrational fear of Death. It haunts her waking hours and strolls through her dreams. When she meets Mr. Knell, her heart is lost to the devastating handsome man who teases her that there is a way to cheat Death. With each fleeting meeting they have, Senza is drawn to him until she can stand it no longer and asks him for the secret. What she doesn’t realize is that the wish she wants may not be what she thinks it is.
The is an wonderful and intriguing book. The author writes very well and I was drawn into the story one heartbeat at a time. Senza’s emotions are painted with such vibrancy that I felt I knew her well. The middle of the book dragged a bit as Senza gives much exposition without much action, but it didn’t stop me from reading although that is the reason why I’ve rated it a 4 star instead of a 5 star book. There was an unexpected ending which I really enjoyed and felt was perfect for the story. Fans of young adult stories will definitely enjoy this book. Recommended.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.