BOOK REVIEW: THIS HEART OF MINE BY C.C. HUNTER

This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter

Published February 27, 2018

Hardcover, 384 pages

MY GOODREADS RATING 5/5 STARS

(Thanks to Netgalley & Wednesday Books, I received an eARC)

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

A new heart saved her life—but will it help her find out what really happened to its donor?

Seventeen-year-old Leah MacKenzie is heartless. An artificial heart in a backpack is keeping her alive. However, this route only offers her a few years. And with her rare blood type, a transplant isn’t likely. Living like you are dying isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. But when a heart becomes available, she’s given a second chance at life. Except Leah discovers who the donor was — a boy from her school — and they’re saying he killed himself. Plagued with dreams since the transplant, she realizes she may hold the clues to what really happened.

Matt refuses to believe his twin killed himself. When Leah seeks him out, he learns they are both having similar dreams and he’s certain it means something. While unraveling the secrets of his brother’s final moments, Leah and Matt find each other, and a love they are terrified to lose. But life and even new hearts don’t come with guarantees. Who knew living, took more courage than dying?

This Heart of Mine is a haunting, poignant tale about living and dying, surviving grief, guilt, and heartache, while discovering love and hope in the midst of sadness.

MY THOUGHTS:

I thought this book was an excellent take on a tough topic and I loved every aspect of it. I loved that the book had the element of not only the connection between transplant to transplant patients, but also the connection between twins. It really added something I’ve never seen before. I also loved that there was a mystery added in to the book, it made it so that the heart transplant wasn’t the only focus of the story. I couldn’t imagine the thought of whose heart I was transplanted with. I feel like it would make me extremely uncomfortable especially if I actually new the person, and saw them at school or work etc.

Leah has a great sense of humor, and loves to read. That makes me feel like I would be friends with her in real life. Matt was a great love interest, especially since he was a supposed popular boy. I liked that it changed points of view within each chapter instead of alternating chapters. It gave a good sense of what Matt and Leah were feeling at each time.

Overall this book handled some very serious topics with sensitivity and a great sense of humor. I thought it was though provoking and yet a quick book to read. It was fast paced and everything came together in the end. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary book or mystery/thriller reads.