Review: In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth

 
In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth
Genre:  Young Adult
Softcover ARC/Uncorrected Proof
Received From:  Around the World Tours
ISBN: 978-0-8027-2068-9
195 pages

My Rating:  4 Stars

When a small mistake costs sixteen-year-old Eagan her life during a figure-skating competition, she leaves many things unreconciled, including her troubled relationship with her mother. From her vantage point in the afterlife, Eagan reflects back on her memories, and what she could have done differently, through her still-beating heart.

When fourteen-year-old Amelia learns she will be getting a heart transplant, her fear and guilt battle with her joy at this new chance at life. And afterwards when she starts to feel different—dreaming about figure skating, craving grape candy—her need to learn about her donor leads her to discover and explore Eagan’s life, meeting her grieving loved ones and trying to bring the closure they all need to move on.

Told in alternating viewpoints, In a Heartbeat tells the emotional and compelling story of two girls sharing one heart.

Eagan is a 16 year old star figure skating with dreams of the Olympics.

Amelia is 14 years old and will die in months unless she receives a heart transplant.

A small mistake while figure skating costs Eagen her life.  But through this tragedy, Amelia gets to live.  She gets Eagan’s heart.

What follows is an emotional, moving story about life and death.  Told in alternating chapters, Eagan and Amelia share their stories; Eagen from the “other side”, reflecting back on her young life; Amelia from the hospital and afterward, struggling a bit with “survivor’s guilt” and trying to understand her new personality.  Amelia has changed since the transplant.  She seems to have taken on some of Eagan’s personality traits and Eagan’s likes/dislikes.  Is this possible?  I thought it was fictionalized in the story, but this is really a true phenomenon called cellular memory!  It sounds fascinating and I’m really interested in reading more about it!

I loved this story and at 195 pages, it is a really quick read.  Eagan and Amelia will tug at your heart and you’ll be rooting for both of them.  I’d definitely recommend this story, especially to those who enjoy more serious young adult fiction.

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