Review | In A Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth

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.

Thoughts: I'd heard really good things about this book when I signed up for it, so I was pretty sure I was going to like it. And I did.

From the beginning, I was able to connect with the characters, although at some points it felt like I was only getting to know Eagan and not Amelia. I wish there had been an even amount of both characters so that I could feel equally connected to both.

I'd never read a book about organ donors/transplants, but I have watched several movies about them and I know that's not the same thing, but I like those kinds of heart-wrenching movies and this book was pretty much like that. It was a sweet yet powerful story, and even though I wished it had been a bit longer, the story wraps up nicely.

I really enjoyed this book and I recommend it to everyone. It is a quick, intriguing story that many YA readers will enjoy :)