Review: In A Heartbeat

Okay final review of day. Enjoy:)

In A Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth
Published: by Walker Books for Young Readers- 2/2/10
Pages: 195
Series or Standalone? Standalone.
Acquired From: Around The World Tours

Summary (from GoodReads):
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.

In A Heartbeat was good, but I'm having trouble saying more than that. I think I was expecting a wonderful, heartfelt, have-me-balling-my-eyes-out book- and all I got was good.

I'm not trying to undermine the quality of the book, it was good, but I felt I had expected a lot more than I got.

I mean I'm a horribly over-emotional person, but I did not shed a tear though I fully expected to. (I mean come on, its about a heart transplant between two teens younger or a year older than myself. That definitely sounds tear worthy.) I feel as if my lack of tears comes from my lack of connection. Though even with a deep connection I still don't know if I would have cried because its not as gut-wrenching as I had anticipated.

Can I specifically pin-point my where my lack of connection came from? No. I think it was a combination of predictability and a little bit of being melo-dramatic.

In regards to characters, they were good. Again, I'm having trouble saying more than that.

Amelia. I liked her more than the other characters, including the other protagonist. Not quite sure why, but I think its because she seemed genuine.

Eagan. I liked seeing her remininces of her life. She was mostly a static character, but I think to an extent that might have been the author's point.

The Boy we come across. Yeah I forgot his name. Which in all honestly isn't that hard to do. But okay, who didn't see the ending coming as soon as we met him?

Overall, In A Heartbeat was a good/okay book, and despite all of the faults I have found in it, I truly encourage you to pick it up and decide for yourselves. (I have also seen some rave reviews for this book!) I recommend this one more so to girls.

When Hooked: Some Where in the Early Stages of Book.
Hookability: (8/10)
Writing: (9/10)
Characters: (8/10)
Plot: (8.5/10)
Originality: (9/10)
Romance: (5.5/10)
Ending: (7/10)
Remembarable: (8.5/10)
Recommendability: (8.5/10)
Enjoyability: (8/10)

Overall: (8.05/10)









(If you're a "letter person" 80/100= A-)


*To see others' reviews of this book who were a part of the Around The World Tour, go here.
**Cute cover though it is a bit cliche. Cover= 7.5/10

Want More Loretta Ellsworth? She is also the author of In Search of Mockingbird and The Shrouding Woman, which are both currently released.

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You can find Loretta Ellsworth on:
her website (http://www.lorettaellsworth.com/)
her blog (http://www.lorettaellsworth.com/journal/current.html)
or on GoodReads (where she is a member)

You can find In A Heartbeat at:
GoodReads / Borders / Barnes&Noble / Amazon / Indie

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Also, take a look at the book trailer for In A Heartbeat!