Heartbeat by Elizabeth
Scott
Expected
Publication: January 28, 2014
Format:
via NetGalley
Publisher:
Harlequin Teen
Challenges: 2014 NetGalley/Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Challenges: 2014 NetGalley/Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Rating:
4/5
Synopsis
Life. Death.
And...Love?
Emma would
give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping
grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who
might be the only one Emma can be herself with. But Emma can't tell her mother
anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for
the baby growing inside her.
Meeting
bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn't have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one
who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only
social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection
she and Caleb forge. Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief
that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe,
for love?
My Thoughts
Heartbeat
is the tale of Emma and how she hates and blames everyone for her mother’s
death. Like anyone in that situation she is devastated and can’t come to terms
with her step father since she blames him for not letting her mom go. While her
step dad is keeping her alive for the sake of their unborn child, Emma must see
her every day and is torn mentally with her mom’s death. Who can blame her?
Physically her mom is there but by all means she isn’t alive. All she has left
is her best friend Olivia who is her saving grace. While at the hospital she
seems Caleb, the bad boy from school. Although everyone tells her Caleb is no
good is he really? Or is he just misunderstood? We later learn that Caleb has
his own issues that he is dealing with, and we see why he and Emma are so drawn to
each other.
While
I’ll admit the storyline can be a tad creepy it does make you wonder. I mean
how would I feel? You can’t blame Emma for thinking what she does but at the
same time she finds out she doesn’t know the whole story. She only saw what she
wanted to and comes to terms with what has happened. I like the characters they
were well written and each had their own attitudes that I could relate to. My
favorite though was her best friend Olivia. I loved how she was quirky and had an
old school vibe to her. I loved how she was so against technology since her parents
were so consumed by it.
This
book has heart and shows us how to accept things for what they are. That even
the bad things can eventually bring out the good things without you even
knowing. We all must experience things that we don’t want, these are the things
that make us stronger in the end. I think that’s what Emma finally realizes in
the end.
This is such a cool concept! I haven't read anything like this, it'll definitely be going on my TBR pile!
ReplyDeleteGreat review!
Kristen @OCA