Heartthrob

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Second-life is Hell.

EJ, a young and dead secretary, struggles to find her place amidst the turmoil of an unforgiving dystopia. Romance, intrigue, strife, and the violence of neo-modern life all take their toll on the ghoulish debutante as she tries her best to stay sane and safe. Tensions are high and climbing by the second within her home city of Vitus, and all she can do is try to stay afloat. Between finding peace with her own unlife and the attentions of the city's denizens, can she avoid being drowned in the rising tide?

A dark romantic thriller for mature audiences. Enjoy responsibly.

Updates come out on Saturdays, at 8:30 PM CST, for that authentic nighttime feeling.

Part one availablehere for purchaseon Amazon! EBook and paperback formats! Great for fans of toxic yuri, cyberpunk, protagonists who suffer, and character-driven stories!

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2024
Author: MarcieTheVillain

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.3/ 5.0
Followers: 766
Views: 77,875

Chapters(89 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

Breno RanyereRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The best way I could describe this is, if you like the comic book "Fables" you're gonna love this.
A thriller mistery featuring mythical creatures acting as regular humans while going through the stress of their daily lives and the problems that come with it...
While also dealing with a couple of supernatural elements.
The way things are described is very detailed and expressive. Everything feel like it has a meaning and a personality, making the world and setting feel more real as if the reader was there.
I was a bit put off by the cast's rather foul way of speaking but got used to it very quick.
This is honestly not my kind of thing, not a big fan of thriller, sex scenes, and people being rude to each other all the time... But its just told so well that it kinda helped me keep reading it.
My only major problem is that some of these paragraphs really could use a cut or two.
Overall, not my kind of thing, but even I can recognize that there is a lot of effort and skill behind it.
Recommend it if you are a fan of heavy dramas in fantasy settings.
GrimDuxRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
all the good reviews in my opinion.
Marcie builts a very interesting story here, starting small and deceptively works following a not often used trope of getting too intimate to our main characters very early.
Uncomfortably intimate for some, I will venture a guess, but it is as I said early. Personally I found the much hyped scene, beautifuly written.
Moving on.
Early is a key word here. Vitus is a big world/ city, lively, bright and dark at the same time, a neon dystopia that whispered Blade Runner to my senses. Because it does play with the readers senses.
Very descriptive, with the author giving a helping hand (much more than I believe is perhaps prudent at times) but never really missing the point and getting us out of a scene. Quite the contrary, every character, every place and most actions are well-described, rich decorative language is used, when it is proper and we get to learn our protagonist very well.
The themes are many and birthed mostly out of our 'heroine's' agst over her life's troubles. Real problems that deal with personal demons, acceptance and the strive of all beings for success, survival and a chance at happiness in life.
The world is large and I expect more will be revealed as it is still too early in the story. Set in modern times, it remains grounded giving us glimpes of life in Vitus. More political intrigue is unveiled with each chapter. As are the antagonists. I won't spoil it here and will leave this part for when I will edit this review to an advanced one.
Extremely well crafted prose but for minute details. No editing problems worth of note and the style, while thick and condenced, lessen's in later chapters. I will again have to read more here though.
It is a story for people with an open mind and heart. It won't shy away from 'difficult' scenes or topics. It will drive ahead, sensual and descriptive as if to shout to the heaven's: there's no borders to what a person should enjoy or what can be stimulating.
Or humorous.
"Safe word
Hi_Im_RenRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Oh gosh, I really shouldn't rave like this but dang! I absolutely loved my time with this, every second of it. I can't give this less than 5 stars, I simply can't! I want to give it 6 stars but that isn't possible so I'll settle for this.
This fiction has one of the coolest concepts I've ever seen, Cyberpunk+Undead and it wasn't even halfway through the first chapter that I was completely sold on this world (I went to bed thinking of how economics would apply to this world, that's how deep I went into the rabbit hole) In only the four chapters I read, I fell for the characters so hard with their hidden complexities oozing out. The imagery is amazing too, I feel like I could see everything. I just really loved this fiction, Heartthrob Fridays are going to be a thing for me now.
I do feel like there are things that could be improved, however, even with the few things that occasionally threw me off it's still my personal favorite on RR (at this time)
Go read this now, it's too good to pass up.
JMMatheisRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
*Firstly, this is a no spoiler review.*
Heartthrob… if there is one word I could use to describe it so far, it would be “vivid”. I think that every word I could use to describe MarcieTheVillain’s writing could have that one word attached in its various forms. She is definitely demonstrating a firm and bold hand at utilising the genre and I am looking forward to seeing where it goes.
Style:
The style, it IS style, It screams style, in all the different facets of the second-life that is being portrayed. The descriptions and imagery that the author utilises has caught me going back more than once just to make sure I read it correctly. Marcie wields similes with slick grace and dark humour, turning what would normally be a mundane description into a glorious parade of energetic, yet gritty imagery. The first chapter and that description of the main character’s death!!! One line of dark humour painted a picture of a thousand words that has me chuckling to myself even now.
The style itself at the moment brings to mind hard-boiled, film noir with the inner narrative and voice, but without the detectives and cops. While in opposition, at times it screams sensuality and in the next breath, whispers sensitivity.
Those descriptions of food I just read…
Story:
The story is moving along at a well-defined pace. Considering everything that is being packed in, Marcie is demonstrating great control of the pacing.
The story itself is linked inherently to style, the world she is painting is surprisingly deep and well imagined with an easy to relate to and understand take on modern society (with a twist). I do not want to do any spoiling here so I will just say that it is well conceived and despite it not being my usual read, this got me hooked within the first two paragraphs of the first chapter.
Tension and foreshadowing are used well and to great effect! Exposition is cleanly implemented and feels like it an organic part of the story.
Characters:
The characters… There is a lot of de
KathyRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I have to say that this was really enjoyable to read. The story and the world are original and intruiging, and the writing makes it so immersive. There were a few points where it could have been better, but I think that feeling comes from the exceptional standards the writer sets for the readers from the start.
The style excels at description. Occassionally it slips towards the purple, but only rarely and usually with intent. Descriptions are often original and interesting too rather than formulaic, which I really enjoyed. Food is described with luxurious detail because the main character is a zombie, and it adds to their perspective. The dialogue feels genuine. It's a luxuriously immersive read, and never feels info-dumpy.
The story really ramps up as it goes along, and more and more of the world is shown off. There are so many directions where this story can go, and I'm excited for all of them.
The character of CJ is very well done. At the beginning of the story, I will say she has more passive elements to her actions than active, but I feel that this will become a character arc for her to take control of her life as it goes on. The side characters have really strong personalities and I'm just excited to see more of them.
I'm really looking forward to reading more, and highly recommend it to anyone who likes the undead, evil corporations and neon lights.
Ria CorvidivaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
In the not-too-distant future, death is no excuse to stop living, or stop working. Neo-feudalism has returned to a capitalistic hellscape, where fiendish vampires reign over a city of humans and the lesser undead unfortunate enough to have to trade soul-sucking drudgery to prolong their second lives.
It is here that we meet Esper James, or EJ, as she prefers, an accountant and office drone desperate to win the accolades of her boss, the domineering (in very much a dominatrix way) vampiress Judas.
Over the first third of the story, we are introduced to two other leads, the human necrophiliac 'dancer' Puri, and Est, a cybernetically-modified woman from neo-Italy serving as a soldier in the Pope's Holy Army, a crusader sent to cleanse the disease of undeath wherever it sprouts.
I won't say that I know enough about the romantic thriller genre to comment on how it varies from the genre's constructs, but the author has expertly constructed a series of vivid images of the gritty, grimy, fleshy dystopian underworld with enough intrigue and suspense to leave readers questioning: just where do EJ's loyalties lie, and do any of her flings, prospective lovers, actually care about her, or just how they can use her for her own ends.
I find myself wanting a little more backstory into how this world developed from our modern one, though that's a personal sticking point.
No serious grammatical issues, although there were a couple of word choices I was unsure about (syncopate -> synchronize?), and though the genre is not necessarily my go-to, the story provides enough to leave me wanting more, wondering where and when these conflicting interests and lusts will boil over, and who will be left alive, or unalive, as the case may be, when the dust finally settles.
Plus, we all need more stories with sapphic characters, and that alone makes this worth it, in my admittedly very biased opinion.
CShadrockzRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
I reviewed this at chapter five - The story is well-written and absolutely engaging from the first chapter. The prose is unique, carrying passive sentences to demonstrate the passiveness of our main character. The story itself is nice, and paced well with great imagery. Some things could improve like more showing vs telling in the narration, especially as more scenes unfold and new characters are introduced. Another note is to give more distinction in the narration when the perspectives change, only because the first perspective of our main character is so defined and distinct, I craved seeing how it switches between the characters.
The fifith chapter so far is my favorite and a great catch/hook for readers not sure if it's a story that'll keep them captivated or not.
Overall, a good read and visceral.
KaibaHoRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
It was slightly tough for me to read due to how thick the paragraphs were, but overall it's a pretty interesting story. I haven't read/watch a lot of stories like this. This isn't a story I would personally read, but I would recommend it to others who like stories like this.
Style - Overall, the style of writing is fine. It's descriptive, and chuncky. Not in a bad way, but in a way where there's a lot information and background. I found myself grazing through larger paragraphs, and I had to stop myself several times and go back. Though my only one, not quite a complaint, is that the dialogue of different people are mashed together. "person one speaks" "person two speaks". Instead of:
"Person one speaks"
"Person two speaks"
But that looks like it's a problem only exclusive to chapter 1.
Grammar - I didn't see anything wrong with the grammar, or it sticking out.
Story - It's kinda your basic love story. You get a good idea of what the world is like and they're are no short cuts in describing the world. The motivation of the character, even though it's simple, is very understandable have a nice day. Who doesn't want to not lose their job?
Character - The characters felt a little bland to me, nothing really sticked out. EJ give me a regular person, well as regular as you can get with being dead and all, someone who's not trying to stand out.
DiqanRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
*I just want to note that as of this point in time I have read six chapters, so my review could be subject to change at a later date.
Heartthrob has a very interesting and unique premise, with a world of ghouls, vampires, zombies, and humans all living together in the city of Vitus. The author does great at providing in depth descriptions of the bizarre commodities and lifestyles that exist solely in this city of the undead.
Story: As I stated above, the premise is solid, with an engaging world of the undead. I think the author does a good job at giving a certain vibe to the city and it’s inhabitants. The action scene that I read until, was alright, though I think due to the dense writing style of the author, it falls flat a bit. I might suggest the author try experimenting with their prose and how it can affect the way a reader interprets a scene. (Ex. A simple one is the length of your sentences and words themselves. Shorter words or sentences can string a reader along quicker, and give a stronger sense of urgency.)
Style: The author does great at giving detailed descriptions in the story. The dialogue is fine, with no discernible issues, and flows fairly well. I think the pacing of the story is very slow, which can be fine, however with the amount of detailed descriptions, it can be dense and somewhat difficult to get through at times.
Grammar: The grammar seems solid. It’s not something I know deeply, so I can only make surface level comments, but nothing stuck out as being poorly written.
Characters: The main character EJ is an office worker who has a dry sense of humor and seemingly a lack of self confidence. If I’m being honest, I didn’t gather too much about her from the chapters I read beyond that. I think she has promise as a character and I hope the author fleshes her out more in later chapters, such as adding more backstory about her and her family. The side characters are also fairly flat, but I think that may have more to do with how few chapters exist
~Rusty~Royal Road
★★★★ 4.0
Heartthrob really is a fantastic world. With, at the very least, eccentric characters. The concept and idea of an undead city, though through the means you can just die and join the ranks, is cool.
Characters: The characters, from descriptions and style, like I said are eccentric at the least. As much as I do like the characters, they often come across a "A character." If you were just looking at one piece of dialogue by itself, it's a bit hard to differentiate who is who. This CAN work, but being a (I assume at least) a romantic drama, I'd assume there would be more noticeable differences between the characters. That being said, Judas is pretty cool. I want to be her friend.
Story: Overall, the story is cool, it just seems a bit jumbled and all over the place. some of the exposition seems misplaced as well. Overall, I'm more enamored with how the world works. That's the main issue! So many cool little opportunities that could be used to liven the world are missed. Though, I assumed this was more character focused story, the drama of assassinations and more lengthy lore about Vitus have only left me as hungry as Ej. Still, It just doesn't seem like there is a focus to the story. Again, perfectly fine, but the longer bits of lore seem to tease something else.
Grammar: Overall, it fine was fine. Some of the incomplete sentences where a comma could have been took me out of some of the ideas, especially at the start. Still, very readable!
Style: As for the vibe, descriptions, character writing, dialogue, and general vibe I got from the story... wow. I wouldn't say these types of stories are for me, but anyone interested in the romantic drama or even scifi rom is going to LOVE this. The story seems almost colorful. I love reading the character interactions. Clean it up a bit with some writing-skill sharpening, and honestly I'd totally read it again.
Overall, just to state again: Great story (when there is one), great concept and world, and really fun characters! I just w