This Heart of Mine justifies why I'll read anything written by C.C. Hunter. First, I devoured this book; then I had to go back and savor it. This book had everything, and I loved every minute of it!

Leah was strong and determined, and I found her to be very relatable. She was the kind of girl I hope I'd be if I was in her situation.
Matt was sweet and loyal, the kind of boy I wish I'd have known in high school.

I also loved the family dynamics between Leah and her parents, and Leah and Brandy's friendship was so great.

I personally enjoyed the medical aspects in the book, as I find those kinds of things fascinating. I used to read Lurlene McDaniel's books when I was younger, and this reminded me of her books somewhat.

Again, this book has it all: deep emotions, grief, personal growth and discovery, family and friendship, young love, humor/banter, mystery and even a touch of the supernatural. So many things!

I will definitely be reading This Heart of Mine again. Loved it!


***I was provided a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

Summary: Leah doesn't know if her future is promised. And that's because she suffers from myocarditis, which means that she's on her third artificial heart. Matt Kenner, on the other hand, has just lost his twin brother to suicide. But their worlds collide when Leah is rushed to the hospital on the very night that Eric Kenner is brought in with a gunshot wound to his head... and he's a donor. Both Leah and Matt start experiencing feelings and dreams that seem to belong to Matt and Matt is convinced that Eric was murdered. With the help of Leah, they set out to find out the truth and end up finding more than they bargained for: understanding, strength, friendship, and love.

My opinion: I really wanted to give this book 2.5 stars but the ending, and the author's note, pushed it to a 3.

On reading the summary and the first several chapters, I thought I had signed up for a murder mystery complete with suspects and clues but I was wholly disappointed. But I suppose that's my own interpretation of the summary as this was never classified as a thriller or mystery.

What I got was a story centered around how different people deal with death, the different ways we can fear death, and how one can find love when you're least expecting it. And, that's just not my kind of story.

This one is more appropriate for high school aged students as there are numerous sexual references that are just a little too much for my junior high students (not like they aren't seeing worse on TV but it's too much to house in my classroom library).

I didn't like how slow and repetitive the plot felt. Detective Henderson probably phrased it best in one of the conversations with Matt, "you're a pain in my ass." That's pretty much how I felt about Matt. I mean I'm glad that he didn't let Eric's death go but the clues are barely there and he BARELY convinced me as the reader and Matt kept acting on this same. exact. suspicions.

It took me so long to finish this one because I was bored and didn't feel like anything new happened--it was a very forgettable plot. But, it was so repetitive that I didn't really forget anything I had read a week prior. Like how many times was Matt going to go to talk to Cassie with her saying and acting the same way every. single. time? Then Leah goes and does the same thing? Ugh. Give me something new!

The changing perspective on the ARC file was hard because it would change between Matt and Leah's p.o.v. within one line and I'd be confused for a few seconds before realizing it had changed.

The author does include that her husband was her inspiration for the story so I do admire how much of her heart went into this book and that is what ultimately gave it the extra half a star.

I would like to read her other books, though, because I did like her writing but just not this book.

A great novel that will tug at your heart! Be sure to keep a box of tissues nearby!

This was a quick, easy read. I flew through it and enjoyed it. It was different than I thought it was going to be. I assumed from the cover and description it would be a strict romance/drama, but it wasn't. I think the mild supernatural element added to my intrigue and kept me reading. While I didn't mind the romance in the book, I felt that the story focused on that aspect a bit too much at times, but otherwise, it was good.

St. Martin's Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of This Heart of Mine. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

17 year old Leah MacKenzie is given a second chance at life after a heart transplant saves her from certain death. Complications arise when Leah discovers that her new heart belonged to the twin brother of a guy she had a crush on years before. When she realizes the nightmares and feelings she is having may be related to her donor's life, will his brother Matt be able to help Leah sort it all out? Will the pair be able to figure out the truth regarding Eric's passing?

I liked the mystery parts of the book way more than the romance. The aspects of the story regarding Leah's illness and subsequent transplant were compelling and it was clear that the author has knowledge with regards to the subject matter. The biggest problem that I had with This Heart is Mine had to do with the investigation of Eric's death. Especially once Matt and Leah started to come up with compelling reasons for the police to revisit the death, it seemed unrealistic in how the story played out in the book. The mystery was not integrated well at the end of the book, as the questions surrounding Eric's death were answered well in advance of the conclusion. This gave me the feeling that the two distinct plot lines were not conjoined well and took the book off balance. I did like both the characters of Leah and Matt, but I found the romance to be a little predictable. Readers who like YA romance and mystery will probably find This Heart of Mine to their liking.

I loved this book. So well written. I found this book unputdownable!!

At the core of it, this book is another YA romance novel but at the same time it is so much more than that. It has an engaging back story to go along with the “popular boy and nerdy girl secretly crushed on each other for years and then got together with a happy ending” which is something, that I personally, feel is lacking in this genre (and is mostly the reason why I avoid contemporary books).

The ‘nerdy girl’ on this occasion is Leah and she gets a heart transplant from twin brother of our love interest, Matt. Throughout the book, we see them both take some pretty stupid risks in order to disprove the police verdict that the twin brother/organ donor committed suicide. I personally found that aspect of the book really interesting and it lead to me doing some research outside of reading the book to find out that yes, there is actually a thing where recipients of donated organs have dreams, food taste changes etc. that a lot of people link to the person who the organs were originally from; there is no medical explanation for this but from my quick look up, a fair few people experience it which I just find bizarre in the best way. But I digress...

I really enjoyed the writing style and the book as a whole kept me really engaged throughout. There are a couple of sensitive issues dealt with in passing in the book but on the whole I thought that it was handled really well. I haven’t read a YA book that has organ donation as one of the main plot lines before and I hope to come across more of them in the future. I loved that it was education as well as entertaining to read, and look forward to reading more books by the author in the future.

This Heart of Mine by C. C. Hunter is a very unique YA mystery and love story. Leah MacKenzie is seventeen years old and in need of a heart transplant. A virus caused her heart to die, so she is now caring an artificial heart in a back pack. When Leah's classmate, Eric, kills himself she receives his heart. Soon Leah starts having dreams about running in the woods. Eric's twin brother, Matt, is also having the same dreams as Leah. Neither Leah or Matt think Eric killed himself and they set out to find the truth. I love the uniqueness of this book and highly recommended it.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I got an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story of Leah McKenzie and Matt Kenner. Leah is a 17 years old girl who got an artificial heart and is waiting for a heart transplant and Matt is a 17 years old popular guy in Leah's school and he has a twin brother - Eric. This story has two POV. Leah's and Matt's also the narration.

The story moves fast, it makes me don't want to stop reading it. The words are easy to understand. Also, it is light to read. It is good for killing your time. There is a part where Leah makes me cry. I don't have the heart to read that part, yet I read it and I shed tears. There are many twists but I don't know, I can guess the end of the story.

Other than that, the characters' development is good. I can see that. Leah is really brave and scared but brave. I preach her. And Matt is sweet. I ship them so much. They support each other and good for each other.

What I learned from this book is, life goes on we should move on to the next chapters or become stuck in the moment and killing us slowly.

This book is beautiful, heartbreaking, and heartwrenching!

Thank you for writing this book!

I really liked this book and couldn't believe I hadn't read anything else by the author before! The characters were likeable and the story was full of twists and turns. I liked Leah and found her to be brave but scared, she wasn't expecting this chance at life and while she wants to embrace it she is hesitant of what could happen in the future. I really felt sorry for Matt as he had been dealt some bad cards in life but at the same time he was trying to move forward while also dealing with these what if questions. The two characters together were an unexpected but loveable pair and I liked reading how their story grew throughout the book. This book also really advocated for organ donation and in this day it's not something people think about often so it was great to see a book covering this topic.

FEELINGS THIS HEART OF MINEMADE ME FEEL

1. Sympathy
This book is about a girl who goes under a heart transplant, and I ached for her so much! You can clearly see the struggles she has to go through, the daily (never-ending) maintenance, and the anxiety. The author's note also says that this story is true-to-life, and I think my own heart just died a little reading it.

2. The awww! feeling
"Mom and Dad have been pushing me to get out some. Socialize."

I felt this because of the beautiful family dynamics and friendships in this book. Because of her condition, Leah's parents are overprotective–but in a sweet, not-overbearing way. She also has an amazing female best friend who stays with her through thick and thin. They have fights and misunderstandings, but their genuine love for each other prevails in the end.

3. Boredom
There's a mystery in This Heart of Mine regarding the heart donor Eric's death. After a bit of foreshadowing, you can easily put two-and-two together. It was way too predictable for me, and this book would've been a hit without this aspect.

4. Admiration
"But my grandmother used to say it was okay to see someone in a beautiful dress and think, I want a dress like hers. But it wasn't okay to think, I want a dress like hers and I want her to have a wart on her nose."

Like I said, our heroine Leah goes through so much in this novel, yet she stayed strong through it all, and pushed herself to do things she wouldn't normally have done. Aside from little life goals like getting a kiss from her long-time crush, Leah goes through way more. She puts herself in danger for others, constantly fights for her life, and still generally is a good friend and daughter.

5. Confusion
I'm not sure how I feel about the romance part of the book! There are some parts where I totally ship Leah and kind-hearted Matt, but there are also times where I kind of just want them to separate. What I mean is, there are a bunch of cutesy and sweet scenes between the two, but sometimes the romance was too overly-done.

Okay. Just wow. Where to start with this book?! I just absolutely loved it! Everyone who loves a beautiful lovestory has to read this. Amazing.

This. Book. Was. Gut. Wrenching! And there was very minimal use of the word giggling which has appeared in the last two books I read and apparently drives me crazy! Hooray for that! But I digress.

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Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be heartless? Well, Leah is exactly that until one day a miracle happens, someone died. (Doesn’t that sound heartless?) Someone who has the AB blood type that she has and needs for the transplant. But, come to find out it was someone she knew, and closer than she thought, which only fuels the guilt she has over someone dying so that she could live.

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For info on becoming a donor you can visit this website: https://www.donatelife.net/

Now if that isn’t tragedy built upon tragedy then adding to the fact that the boy (yes boy!) was murdered and everyone except Leah and the boy’s twin brother, Matt, believes it was suicide the story becomes even more tragic. I know right?!? Didn’t think it could be possible!

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The up side is that there is this instant connection between Leah and Matt that has nothing to do with her having his twin’s heart. But her having the heart and Matt being an identical twin may have some unexplainable consequences that lead the two into trying to solve the murder on their own.

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This Heart of Mine was inspired by events in the authors own life which I think certainly gives it more feeling and depth. Yet it is a fantastically perfect example of young adult fiction. I feel that it is up there if not better than the caliber of John Green’s Looking for Alaska and if you are a fan of Alaska or John Green himself than I believe you will find this book to your instant liking.

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So…..After solving the murder the story isn’t quite finished with working your emotions because we still have Leah and Matt and their relationship. Is the connection theirs and is it love? Or is this connection due to her having the twin heart, the other half of a whole? Sooooo much angst in this concept it almost hurts! What is going on with these two love birds. What can Leah do to protect not only her new heart but those hearts of the people she loves, people like Matt.
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I feel like I can’t praise this book enough and I hope that it finds its way up to the top of the best seller lists because I feel it truly deserves it. Its top noch YA as if it were perfectly formulated for it.
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So all my lovely YA booklings, this book should go directly to the top of your TBR piles because you won’t want to miss out on what soon will have all the YA readers talking.

I give This Heart of Mine 5 out of 5 fantastic stars!
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I received a copy of This Heart of Mine through NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

On another note I wanted to say that though not every person’s beliefs allow the removal of organs for religious reasons or even their personal fears may hold them back from becoming a donor. But, if neither apply to you you may find it something worth looking into. I myself have elected to be a donor as soon as I got my licence and could freely make that decision on my own. For me that wasn’t a hard choice. Though no one really wants to think about their own mortality; because let’s face it, no one wants to think about dying; I feel that this is an important issue and often overlooked when there are so many other issues out there. Just think if something were to happen to you and you don’t need your physical being anymore, why not donate to give others a chance at life? Again, for more info, you can go here: https://www.donatelife.net/statistics/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAoY7VBRDtARIsAHWoO-Jv_uFLToeEUGasBUMORhiKykXpoKZLWSZ8UYAUjdBfO7ZP7xUh1k4aAt7jEALw_wcB .

Becoming a donor can be as easy as checking a little square box.

The book starts out with the main character describing her terrible situation. She has a rare condition and her heart is missing she is surviving off of an artificial heart in a backpack. She is a little torn at the idea that for her to live another must die but she tries not to think about it. She spends a lot of her time trying to forget her condition and fantasizing about a boy named Mat who happens to be in her class. Then a miracle happens they have a heart for Leah. Her family is ecstatic, however Leah can't help thinking who passed. In another room Matt and his family are mourning the loss of Mat's twin Eric a gunshot wound is not in his nature so what really happened? This book took a very serious subject death organ donation but put a nice teen novel spin to it and didn't make anything too heavy. I was a little worried at first that it would be a bit much but the author said just enough to keep you interested and informed without making you feel like you were in the medical field and witnessed the death first hand, well done. The characters in this book were the best I loved how they had their own troubles but they didn't let it take over who they are as a person. Each character had lots of depth and even if I didn't agree with what they were saying I could understand why they would. They were very easy to relate to. I think that my favourite character had to be the main one Leah there was something about her that made you want everything to work out for her. This one was really good.

This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter follows the life of Leah MacKenzie. Leah has lived day to day with an artificial heart and knowing her life has an expiration date. Her only hope to live a longer life is to get a heart transplant. However, due to her rare blood type the available transplants are few and far in between.

When an a heart donor becomes available, Leah has another chance at life. Though when Leah finds out her heart came from the tragic end of someone else’s life, her life takes a turn and leads her to Matt Kenner.

Matt Kenner doesn’t know what to feel. Still grieving over the death of his father, he is completely blind-sided when he learns that his identical twin brother, Eric passed away. The police say it was suicide, but he knows his brother wouldn’t do such a thing. He believes it even more when he begins to have dreams of his brother and his belief is only reaffirmed when Leah, who now has his brother’s heart, admits to having the same dreams. Leah and Matt join forces as they work together to investigate Eric’s death.

Romance mixed with drama, mystery, and a dash of suspense, Ms. Hunter completely pulls readers into her story. Matt and Leah are both endearing characters. Each are dealing with Eric’s passing and donation of his heart in their own ways. Both are strong and vulnerable at the same time. I enjoyed reading about their story and the emotion that emanated from the pages got to me (Warning: tissues may be needed while reading this book).

Besides the story of Leah and Matt, I really liked how grounded in reality This Heart of Mine was and after reading author C.C. Hunter’s reasons for writing this book in the afterward, it made the story more poignant. The novel deals with serious topics like depression, suicide, myocarditis, and being an organ donor. Ms. Hunter handles each topic well, adding many layers to this well-written book. The individual characters (family, friends) are going through their own trials, the investigation of Eric’s death, and Leah and Matt’s relationship story with each other. This book has it all.

Overall, I recommend This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter. This book comes from the heart and Ms. Hunter gives so much to the readers. I truly enjoyed Leah and Matt’s story and can’t wait to read more from this author.

I loved this book! Besides teaching readers about organ donation and heart transplants, there are so many wonderful life lessons! I wish this book was available when I was in high school and I wish I could have given it to my daughters. Hopefully it will convince many people the value of organ fonation

Thank you to @wednesdaybooks and @netgalley for the advance Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. This isn’t my favorite organ transplant book; it felt a little like a story that wasn’t sure what it wanted to be. Leah receives a heart transplant, falls in love with the twin brother of the heart she receives, and tries to help clear up the circumstances surrounding the deceased twin’s death. While the romance was certainly there, adding the elements of a thriller to the story kind of threw it off for me. It was entertaining, just not my favorite. Recommended for grades 9+.

Summary: Leah McKenzie doesn't have a heart. Two years ago a virus destroyed her heart and now the only thing that's keeping her alive is a artificial heart she carries in a backpack.

Matt Kenner has always had a crush Leah McKenzie but he's been through too much loss in the last year to fall in love with a girl who may not be alive in a year.  However, everything changes when Leah becomes the recipient of Matt's brother, Eric, heart.  The two's attraction turns into a connection when they pair up to uncover the secrets of Eric's death.

Review:  This book was a little bit of a surprise.  It was very different than the author's previous books which have all been firmly based in the fantasy world whereas "This Heart of Mine" is very much realistic fiction.  The book has a familiar but well developed premise of a transplant patient trying to learn to live and love.  This part of the book was excellent.  I liked Leah and her emotions and experiences felt believable.  However, the second part of the book, the murder mystery, surrounding Eric's death felt unnecessary and a little clunky.  I never felt the need to find out what happened and the whodunnit aspect didn't feel as if it was driving the story instead it slowed down the plot and interrupted the flow of the narrative.  Which is the problem with this book: it's basically two book mashed together one of which is weaker than the other.

Bottom Line: "This Heart of Mine" is a realistic fiction YA book that is slightly weakened by an unnecessary mystery storyline.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Cute YA romance about a girl who gets a heart transplant from her love interest's deceased twin. This started a little slow for me. I didn't really get into it completely till the mystery part of the story line got going but once it did, I enjoyed this. It is a little bit long for a YA but is enjoyable otherwise.