A Thousand Heartbeats: Tiktok made me buy it! A compelling new romance novel for young adults

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But when love, against all odds, finds them both, they are bound by its call. They can’t possibly be together—but the irresistible thrum of a thousand heartbeats won’t let them stay apart. I loved this book. It was everything I want in a fantasy novel: court intrigue, betrayal, forbidden romance, and more. I was absolutely swept up in it! For me, how much I enjoy the story is always proportional to how much I care about the characters, and in this case, I connected with Annika and Lenox deeply. Both of them are incredibly dynamic, with a soft side and a side you wouldn’t want to cross. I also like Annika’s brother and how supportive he is—their relationship as siblings is really sweet— and Inigo, Lennox’s teammate. Inigo has a big arc as he eventually becomes one of the most loyal people Lennox knows. That being said, there are a handful of characters who are wishy-washy, which was probably purposeful, but it was also confusing at times and made it tougher to switch allegiances or to decide who to root for. A THOUSAND HEARTBEATS by Kiera Cass is a YA fantasy novel told in dual POV from Annika, a princess grappling with a fractured family and obligations to the crown, and Lennox, a young warrior, brutal with his sword and friendless because of it. Seemingly, they are worlds apart, but when their paths do cross, what gets set into motion cannot be undone. Now, Annika must figure out how best to protect her country while keeping what’s left of her family together, and Lennox needs to decide when he’ll step forward to take what’s rightfully his. With so many wanting different things from these two, the most difficult question they’ll face is: does one of them have to die for the other to succeed?

Paste: One of the things I loved best about this story is that it doesn’t shy away from the brutality of war and the ugliness that can come with ruling a kingdom, while still leaving a place for kindness in (well, at least in some) of your characters. How did you balance all these competing elements of this story? Cass: I’ve learned to never say never when it comes to any of my characters or worlds. Right now, there’s nothing in my head, but that doesn’t mean something won’t come. I have more of The Siren, and there are things from The Selection world in my head, so you really never know! I’ve been a Kiera Cass stan for at least a decade. I binged The Selectionwhile on a bike at the gym, which I later only regretted the location in that situation. That series has been finished for a while, and now she’s releasing book number ten, A Thousand Heartbeats. Annika has lived a life of comfort and luxury as the Princess of Kadier—but now, after the death of her mother, she’s weighted under the looming threat of a loveless marriage arranged by her cold father. Paste: Tell me about doing a dual POV story for the first time—was it more challenging to try and shape the story from the perspective of both lead characters?

We got the chance to talk to Cass herself about what she says is her “last planned novel,” how A Thousand Heartbeats is different from her previous books, and her favorite romance tropes. Paste: Annika is such a great entry to your sort of overall catalog of strong fantasy heroines. Tell me about how you see her journey through this book. There were definitely some conflicts that split themselves that way where those were legit her only options. But it felt like she tended to view all conflicts that way. In the grand scheme of the plot, those were minor details. But there were things kind of like that at different points throughout the book. Just little things that didn’t make sense. A Thousand Heartbeats is popular PDF and ePub book, written by Kiera Cass in 2022-11-29, it is a fantastic choice for those who relish reading online the Young Adult Fiction genre. Let's immerse ourselves in this engaging Young Adult Fiction book by exploring the summary and details provided below. Remember, A Thousand Heartbeats can be Read Online from any device for your convenience. A Thousand Heartbeats Book PDF Summary

Cass: Yeah, let’s talk about my ladies. America, Eadlyn, and Kahlen all had a certain level of seriousness about them. America grew up in poverty, Eadlyn was raised with a crown on her head, and Kahlen had to deal with the teeny tiny issue of murdering people… it’s a lot. But they’re all finding joy on their journeys, and I think that’s part of their charm and why people enjoy their stories. When Hollis came along, it was fun to swing the pendulum to the other side and have someone who really had no concept of being serious or responsible at all, and then watch her grow into that role so beautifully.

I will say that early in the story, we learn that Lennox has done something Annika finds unforgivable. (And I agreed with her.) I wasn’t sure how the story was going to lead us around that fact and build a believable romance. In my opinion, Kiera Cass did a pretty good job at that, though. It’s always a joy to read anything Kiera Cass puts out, and A Thousand Heartbeats is no different. If you want a young adult fantasy story with love, politics, and some sword fighting, I recommend this book as a cozy autumn read.

Lennox… That guy took me on a journey. At certain moments, I did not think I could like him. He serves his leader as a kind of enforcer, doing the dirty tasks that no one else wants, but have been decreed to be done. It takes him a long time to realize his own worth and even longer to really decide what to do about it. Princess Annika has lived a life of comfort—but no amount of luxuries can change the fact that her life isn't her own to control. The king, once her loving father, has gone cold, and Annika will soon be forced into a loveless marriage for political gain. America has the right mix of sass and heart, and her over-the-top royal treatment is enough to make any reader who has ever played dress-up envious. Cass wisely keeps readers on the edge of their seats to find out who Maxon will finally choose as his bride.”— Publishers Weekly No one in the world of young adult publishing writes romance quite like Kiera Cass. The author of the bestselling The Selection series and The Betrothed duology is known for her strong female characters, lush and fully realized settings, and, of course, swoony love stories full of twists and longing. And her latest novel, A Thousand Heartbeats is no different.Cass: I really do like playing with impossible situations and scenarios where the love story affects more than just the two people falling in love. Those things tend to come up a lot in my books. I also love seeing strong friendships or seeing friendships grow where they seem unlikely, and that comes up in A Thousand Heartbeats as well.