Thank you to Net Galley and St Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for the e-arc!

3.5 stars, rounded up. I enjoyed this book. It was a fairly fast read, a historical fiction set in 19th century Scotland that alternates POV between the two main characters. It follows Jack, who is a resurrection man (aka grave digger) and Hazel, who wants to be a surgeon but is having a difficult time breaking into the field as a woman.

The romance was cute too, though I wish it had moved a bit slower at some points. I also wish the plot/pacing would have been slower near the end of the book, and we would have been given more detail throughout the story in terms of descriptions, backstories, and loose ends.

But all in all, I would recommend this if you want something cute, but that has some darker moments as well.

Rating: 3.5 (rounded up to 4 stars)

Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this Physical ARC. I will publish this review on Goodreads, Amazon Canada, Barnes & Noble, and Instagram (@ABookishStar).

The best part of "Anatomy: A Love Story" is the setting and atmosphere. Schwartz brings 1817 Edinburgh to life in this novel. She has also done a tremendous job of nailing the gothic vibe of this book. I found myself being able to jump into this story. It was like watching a movie unfold in my head. Also, it is rare for me to get squeamish while reading books, however, it happened with this story.

Hazel is a delightful protagonist in this story. I like that she is a woman ahead of her time. Hazel is a strong female protagonist who pushes society to think beyond their narrow view of a women's place. Hazel knows she is smart and isn't afraid to go after her dreams of becoming a surgeon. She doesn't allow men's discomfort, with her wanting to become a physician, to slow her down in achieving her goals.

Overall, Anatomy: A Love Story is a delightful read. I found it to be a quick story, and it held my attention from start to finish. However, there were areas where this story fell flat for me. I did feel the surrounding characters (Bernard, Jack, etc.) could have been fleshed out more throughout this book. I also felt Jack was introduced too late in this book. I felt that delay hindered the romance. The romance in this book could have developed more and expanded more on this book. I felt that if it had grown more, then the ending would have been more bittersweet. I thought the conclusion to this book was well done, however, it didn't hit as much as it could have in this story.

Lastly, I wasn't a big fan of the POV's switching within the same chapter / no breaks. It should be noted that I read an ARC...so this might not be the case in the final version. However, hearing Hazel's thoughts one second and Jack's the next, without warning, was a bit confusing to read about in this book.

Overall, Anatomy: A Love Story will delight fans of the SJTR series or those looking for a strong female protagonist. Schwartz's writing brought 1817 Edinburgh to life and gave it a beautiful gothic vibe. Readers will be able to jump into this world, and stay hooked from start to finish.

Although I am a humanities major at heart, one of my favorite tropes is a teenage girl who wants to go into STEM — especially in a historical setting. Girls who want to be scientists, mathematicians and doctors have me by a chokehold.

“Anatomy: A Love Story” by Dana Schwartz fits that trope magnificently well. Set in Regency-era Scotland, it follows Hazel, a 16-year-old determined to become a surgeon. Her town has been ravished by a terrible disease, the Roman Fever, which has taken lives including that of her brother. When Hazel finds the opportunity to secretly take anatomy courses disguised in her dead brother’s clothes, she takes it immediately — but then she gets caught.

Hazel and the doctor teaching the course make a deal: if she can successfully pass the medical exam, even without taking classes, she can enroll in university. But she needs bodies to study. Lucky for her, she meets Jack, who illegally digs up corpses to earn a bit of money and agrees to help her find bodies to dissect. Soon, however, they have even more problems to deal with — people have been disappearing, and others are turning up with strange medical anomalies.

Now, I will admit, the “love story” portion of this book was not the main focus. Was I invested in Hazel and Jack’s romance? Of course. But I was much more invested in Hazel’s journey to learning how to be a doctor. Watching Hazel excel in her studies gave me a massive sense of pride, and some of my favorite moments in this book were when she began treating poorer patients when they came knocking at her door.

I don’t know why I don’t read more historical fiction when it’s so often so good. Hazel has more determination than any novel protagonist I could ever dream up, and I was obsessed with her character arc. There’s some sort of charm to it all, watching her prove her worth, and maybe I’m a bit easy to impress, but something about historical narratives featuring — to use an unfortunate slang term — a total girlboss just scratches an itch for me.

Also, not to spoil anything, but right at the beginning and towards the end, Schwartz throws in just a bit of a fantasy element. It throws you for a bit of a loop, but it works perfectly for the story being told.

In a way, “Anatomy” is still a love story, but one of a young woman loving a career more so than a boy. And maybe I’m subscribing a bit to the white liberal girlboss feminism of it all, but I kind of loved it.

“Anatomy: A Love Story” comes out on Jan. 18. Many thanks to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for the early copy — on another note, I’ve read so many Wednesday titles at this point that if Wednesday doesn’t publish my book, I’ll eat my hat.

AHHH I truly did not know what to expect and I absolutely loved it. So bizarre, a little grisly, and a lot of strange tenderness. Really enjoyed this, practically flew through it, and it surprised me in all the best ways (except I tended to get squeamish throughout, but it was well worth it!).

I made it through 65% of this until I just couldn’t take it anymore. Nothing was happening in this book and it felt way too insta lovey and plotless.

I have such mixed feelings about this book. I loved in so much in parts and really hated it in others. I think I just wanted a little more. But it was still entertaining.

Based on the premise and cover for this book I really wanted to love it, but unfortunately, this one fell flat for me. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get into the story.

This one is so interesting, and the story one I hadn’t read before. I mean truly, the science was fascinating and I loved rooting for the heroine. I also loved the romance!!

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this young adult science fiction horror story.
Mix of Frankenstein, a lot of Gray's Anatomy (the medical book) and Grey's Anatomy (the television show) and you get just a taste of what Dana Schwartz's novel Anatomy: A Love story is all about. Mix in a bit of steampunk, Scotland of the 1800's and a little grave robbery and ou have a fun adventure story.

This young adult novel has a a ton of biology and atmosphere, and features two lead characters who can help each other with their respective problems. Hazel Sinnett is a young woman with a dream of being a surgeon, but being a female makes receiving an education close to impossible, unless she can find some cadavers that she can practice on. Jack Currier is a resurrection man, suppling local medical schools with fresh corpses to practice and learn from, a dirty job and not just from digging up the newly interred, but from strange men who haunt the graveyards where young Jack does his illegal work. A solution to both their problems seems easy if they can work together, and from there high jinks ensue.

The book was different sometimes more young adult, sometimes more adult. The romance is a little forced, and the ending a tad abrupt, but as I assume there is a series here, more can be explained in the second book. The characters are fun and interesting and Hazel is not just plucky, but smart and curious, something that society wants to crush in young ladies yesterday and even more today. Perfect for that plucky reader who likes a little more in their reading, and won't be to bothered by a few lessons on body taking.

I do wanted to love this book but it fell flat for me. It was a DNF for me as I didn’t get into the story.

Oh I love love love Dana Schwartz. “Noble Blood” is one of my favorite podcasts; I get so excited when she appears on “Hysteria,” and her tik tok game is A+++. I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book, and I did not leave disappointed! Hazel, our main character, grew up in privilege but desperately wants to be a surgeon—- at a time when there were less than 0 female surgeons. She goes undercover as a man; she eventually meets a boy; there is romance and death and missing organs... what else do you need?! Buy this book!!! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Anatomy: A Love Story is a story about a young woman fighting for a chance to study her passion, medicine and anatomy, in a world where society and tradition aim to hold her back from pursuing a career as a physician. But against all odds, she discovers her true love for anatomy holds the key to new, riskier paths and a chance for freedom and happiness.

Every aspect of this book I loved; from the ambition of a young female medical student to the gothic, Scottish setting to the grave robbing aspect and the quite adorable romance, every part made for a quick, enjoyable read. Our main heroine is full of life, spark, and undeniable passion and heart. She is an eager learner and admirer of everything in the scientific field, and I just loved her sense of curiosity and adventure!

While this book does take on a fast pace which I enjoyed, I did wish for each of the main plot lines, the romance, the mystery, and the anatomy aspect to be longer with more time to expand and develop each arc of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! It was so easy to read and get lost in the gothic adventures of learning anatomy, grave robbers, and mysterious disappearances. If you love The Corpse Queen and historical mysteries, be sure to add this to your list!

3.75/5

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I was immediately interested in this one because of the promise of a dark/gothic setting and content. The premise reminded me a lot of Stalking Jack the Ripper which I really enjoyed but Anatomy: A Love Story was just okay for me.
Most of the plot progressed pretty slowly and then the ending get super rushed. The posted synopsis covered the whole plot basically all the way through the first 30% so for basically 100 pages of the book I was just waiting for her to get kicked out of the anatomy class and for the conflict to actually begin.
The romance was nice, it didn’t completely pull me in but I did like that added plot line.
I could appreciate Hazel and her independence. She wanted to break out of the mold and do something that everyone told her she wasn’t allowed to do just because she was a girl. I definitely enjoyed following her opening up her own makeshift hospital in her home and being so determined to become a physician.
I feel like there were loose ends that weren’t tied up like Dr. Beecham just got to keep murdering people and taking their body parts with no consequence. I didn’t mind Hazel and Jack’s story being a bit more open ended but it would have been nice to see some consequences for the ultimate villain of the book after the mystery was solved.
I ended up liking the idea of this one a lot more than the execution but I still think it was a worthwhile read with good writing and an atmospheric setting.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly think this book would've been better with less romance. This story was intriguing and the characters were pretty great, but the whole "love story" aspect didn't click with me until the end. Also the end seemed pretty rushed. Hopefully there'll be sequel or a companion novel to this.

Unfortunately, this one just isn't hooking me. I think the historical aspect is sound, it's just not blended in a very entertaining way with the story. I'm a little surprised this is a YA novel, actually.

It is amazingly easy to die in 19th century Edinburgh – that’s the general vibe of Dana Schwartz’s new story about a young woman with medical aspirations and the resurrection man illegally supplying her with bodies to operate on (along with a heart to fall in love with).
This was at the TIPPY TOP of my list of books coming out in 2022. I’ve been obsessed with Schwartz ever since I discovered her on Twitter, and though tweets are not always an accurate barometer of writing talent, she clearly has a gift. Maudlin, sweet, and a little icky, I’m taking “Anatomy” as an omen that good stories are headed our way this year.
Read If:
- you’re an aspiring medical student
- you haven’t read anything that makes you want to say “aww” in a while
- you’re not overly squeamish
Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the early copy – out everywhere 18 Jan 2022!

First: THIS COVER IS PERFECTION.

Hazel Sinnett wants to be a surgeon more than anything, but as a Society Lady in the early 1800s, she's about to be married off to a wealthy cousin instead. She tries to sneak into an anatomy class, but is banned because of her gender. Enter Jack Currer, a (super cute) resurrection man, who will provide her with corpses to study so she can try to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor.

This was a really entertaining YA historical fiction/romance. All of the gross vintage medical stuff was right up my alley, and Hazel and Jack were lovable, interesting characters that you can't help but root for.

I didn't really like the ending, but overall the story was fantastic. I already loved Dana Schwartz because of her Noble Blood podcast, and am now officially a superfan.

Anatomy: A Love Story is a story carved straight out of the darkest corners of 1800s Scotland. If you enjoyed The Corpse Queen by Heather Herrman, then believe me when I say you’ll love this one. We follow mostly the perspective of Hazel, a girl who wishes to be a surgeon in a world where the wishes of women are often denied. We also get to see a little bit from Jack’s perspective, who’s a resurrection man and also works in a theater.

Let’s begin this chaotic review at the end, shall we? It always irks me in these sorts of novels when the ending is unrealistic. Why should there be a subtle Chosen One trope where all historical accuracies bow at the feet of our Quirky Main Character! I mean, I feel like if the author spends hours and hours and has 120 tabs open for researching and portraying history accurately, the fates of the characters should make sense, no? Luckily, Anatomy didn’t fall into this trap. The entirety of the book is spent discussing the pressures and limitations women faced in 1800s Scotland. Hazel and Jack have a complex relationship and have complex character arcs. And that’s honestly what I loved most about this story: the ending fell perfectly within the boundaries it had already established. Sure, there’s a slight dash of fantastical happenings which weren’t present in most of the book. But the last few pages were so beautifully written, I truly believe that there is not an ending out there more perfect than what Anatomy already has.

I’m a little befuddled as to why Anatomy is pitched as a love story. It’s in the description and the sub-heading. But the romance isn’t a big focus in this story. In fact, it’s not even until the end that we as readers truly feel the weight of what Jack and Hazel feel for each other. Up until this point, it’s more a story of surgeon dreams and stolen kisses. I’ve read thriller books where romance is more prevalent. Although, that’s more a knock to said thrillers than this book because Anatomy has the perfect balance of romance and plot. It’s a shame the expectations are pitched differently though.

All of this being said, the atmosphere of 1800s Scotland was wonderful! I fell into this book every time I opened up my Kindle since it’s so easy to be immersed. The author did a great job at portraying this time period and showing every gilded, high-society edge, while never shying away from the darker parts of the world where Hazel and Jack live in. The friendships in this book are also so well-written and wholesome.

Now unfortunately, I do have a few issues. For example, Hazel and Jack never felt like real people to me. It wasn’t just that Hazel had more pagetime than Jack, it was that I could barely tell if we were even in Jack’s perspective half the time. I feel like each character had a couple of main goals, and every thought they had tied to said goals. Therefore, I never felt like the characters themselves really came alive off of the page.

I’m going to be honest here: it was hard reading this so soon after The Corpse Queen, mostly because they share so many elements and it definitely altered my expectations. Anatomy is a little less gothic than I would have hoped. The mystery is barely a mystery, it’s more or less a conversation about some strange happenings every couple of chapters. That doesn’t make Anatomy a bad book exactly. It just makes it a book that I wish I had different expectations going into.

Sometimes, I’d see sparks of writing genius. That ending that I can’t seem to shut up about? An absolutely brilliant piece of writing. Other times, this book felt so incredibly juvenile. We’d gloss over important details because apparently everything fell right into place for Hazel but then some random thing would come up that we’d spend more time on. I think this story was unsure if it wanted to be a romance, a mystery, a gothic historical novel, or a coming-of-age narrative. The romance was paced perfectly, but there wasn’t enough of it to be considered underneath the category of “love story”. I have no idea what I would even categorize this one as because the only genre it ever fully leans into is historical.

So that’s it! There were some highs and some lows to this book for sure but I think overall it’s a solid 3 stars for me. It’ll definitely appeal to so many people but I think my expectations were just too wrong for this one.

This is my first novel of Dana's but I am familiar with her online presence. The outstanding cover had caught my eye but I didn't request the title until after I had read another gothic romance and decided I needed more stolen glances over surgeries. The romance isn't nearly as large a presence as I was expecting but I did enjoy the story, and I loved how gross it got. I will definitely be recommending this to customers. As a YA book, it will stand out next to its peers in content as well as visuals.

This didn't hold my attention as much as I had hoped / thought it would. I was slightly intrigued by the story and I definitely like books with a lead who doesn't follow the standards of the times and this had that, but it was very slow-paced and I just wasn't connecting with it as much as I had hoped.

I love this cover, it's perfect for the story and that's what initially attracted me to it!

Thank you for the early copy.