Rabid Heart

Name: Rabid Heart
Price: 16.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781626014640

✍️ Jeremy Wagner

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$16.99

In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days

📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A romantic road trip through a zombie apocalypse where love defies death.

Rhonda discovers Brad is undead after the Necro Rabies pandemic. She hides him from her father and they travel together. Their journey tests their bond against external threats and internal fear. Wagner presents a unique take on the genre by focusing on the relationship between the living and the dead. The narrative avoids typical gore in favor of emotional depth and the complexities of caring for someone who is no longer fully human.

Key Themes

Necro Rabies pandemic zombified fiancé Brad unconditional love

Literary Context

Published by Riverdale Avenue Books in 2018, this work sits within the modern horror fiction market. It reflects a period where zombie narratives evolved from simple monster movies to complex explorations of human connection and societal breakdown following global catastrophe.

Difficulty

● Easy

Recommended For Fans Of

Anne Rice's vampire chronicles · James Herbert's zombie fiction · Stephen King's character-driven horror

🩸

Horror Fiction

🏛 Riverdale Avenue Books 📅 2018 📖 258 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781626014640

📝 Description: Rabid Heart

Jeremy Wagner’s Rabid Heart reimagines the zombie genre through a lens of romantic tragedy rather than pure survival horror. The narrative centers on Rhonda, who encounters her zombified fiancé, Brad, in their hometown following a Necro Rabies pandemic that has transformed the global population into rabid undead hordes. Rather than fleeing or fighting, Rhonda chooses to protect Brad from her father, who intends to kill him. This decision initiates a perilous road trip across a dangerous landscape filled with horror and heartbreak. The story draws on gothic traditions of forbidden love and the supernatural, blending them with contemporary apocalyptic fiction. Wagner structures the plot around the couple’s journey, emphasizing unconditional love amidst chaos. The novel suits readers who enjoy character-driven horror stories that prioritize emotional stakes over action sequences. It may not appeal to those seeking traditional zombie apocalypse survival guides or fast-paced combat narratives. Instead, it offers a focused examination of devotion in the face of irreversible loss and societal collapse.

💎 Our verdict on Rabid Heart

“

🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Jeremy Wagner delivers a poignant reimagining of the zombie genre, shifting focus from survival mechanics to the emotional weight of forbidden love. The narrative effectively blends gothic traditions with contemporary apocalyptic settings, creating a story that is as much about human connection as it is about horror. By avoiding standard action sequences, Wagner highlights the tragedy of irreversible loss and the strength of unconditional devotion. This approach suits readers who value psychological depth and romantic tragedy over combat or gore. It stands out for its unique take on the undead trope, offering a fresh, heartfelt experience that resonates with fans of dark fantasy and emotional horror.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking emotional depth within the horror genre will find this novel rewarding. It appeals to those who prefer character-driven narratives over action-heavy survival tales. Fans of tragic romance and gothic themes will appreciate the focus on devotion amidst societal collapse. The book offers a unique perspective by prioritizing the complexities of caring for an undead partner rather than typical gore. Those interested in psychological horror and the intersection of love and death will find the journey both poignant and compelling.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Jeremy Wagner delivers a poignant reimagining of the zombie genre, shifting focus from survival mechanics to the emotional weight of forbidden love. The narrative effectively blends gothic traditions with contemporary apocalyptic settings, creating a story that is as much about human connection as it is about horror. By avoiding standard action sequences, Wagner highlights the tragedy of irreversible loss and the strength of unconditional devotion. This approach suits readers who value psychological depth and romantic tragedy over combat or gore. It stands out for its unique take on the undead trope, offering a fresh, heartfelt experience that resonates with fans of dark fantasy and emotional horror.