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In a Heartbeat

by Loretta Ellsworth (Goodreads Author)

3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 · rating details · 1,304 ratings · 225 reviews

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...more

Hardcover, 217 pages

Published February 2nd 2010 by Walker Childrens

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YA Novels of 2010

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Jul 16, 2010 Hannah Nikka Bryan rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: ages 13 and up, for one or two sexual references

Shelves: fiction, young-adult, 2010, romance, post-death

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Very nicely pieced together, we follow Eagan and Amelia through a meaningful and extraordinary tale about two young girls experiencing both the good and the bad affects that death leaves behind, all because of one beating heart.

The Plot:
Eagan has just died after she hit her head at a skating competition, and the reader follows her post-death experience as she is given the chance to look back at her life, every single detail still in place, from her fifth birthday to her last meal with her famil...more Very nicely pieced together, we follow Eagan and Amelia through a meaningful and extraordinary tale about two young girls experiencing both the good and the bad affects that death leaves behind, all because of one beating heart.

The Plot:
Eagan has just died after she hit her head at a skating competition, and the reader follows her post-death experience as she is given the chance to look back at her life, every single detail still in place, from her fifth birthday to her last meal with her family (her personal Last Supper, as Eagan put it).

Amelia has been sick for six years and has finally had a heart transplant. In her half, her and a new friend Ari (by the end, boyfriend) are trying to figure out who Amelia's heart donor was. They eventually figure out that the donor is Eagan and attempt to meet with her family.

The Goods:
This was one of those books that I stayed up until three in the morning reading. I really liked both sides of the story, especially the characters interactions and relationships with each other. I especially liked the Amelia + Ari side story. Well, the Eagan + Scott story was cute, too. But that ended more sadly (obviously, she's kind of dead). Eagan's reflections kept me reading, so did Amelia's effort to meet Eagan's family.

What I really liked was that I could relate to these girls. It was very realistic. For example, I have a little brother whom I'm always annoyed with, just like Amelia. There was this quote, something like, "How can I die if I haven't even said goodbye to my little brother?" That made me think. It was a sad moment, it was. It made me feel guilty. I guess all in all, the plot + character reactions made me like it the story.

The Bads:
For the first, like, ten chapters, Amelia always seems to start out saying how her heart doesn't seem to fit right, and Eagan always starts out saying how gray and transparent and blank everything is in the place she goes after she dies. It was really repetitive to the point where it got annoying, like, "Okay, we get it, everything here is gray. What do you expect me to do about it?" However, they did stop repeating themselves after a while, which I really appreciated (duh). Nothing else bad, really.

In conclusion, it's not one of my favorite books, but it was a good book. It had a decent ending that gave the reader confirmation that both girls were going to move on with their new and happy lives.(less)

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Dec 11, 2010 Tatiana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

In a Heartbeat is the story of two girls and one heart. Eagan, bold and serious, is an up and coming figure skater with lots of promise. Shy Amelia has a sick heart and little time left to live—unless she gets a transplant. When Eagan falls at a competition (darn that Lutz!), hits her head on the boards, and dies, her decision to check the organ donor box on her newly-acquired driver’s license brings Amelia a second chance at life. But the gift comes with its own challenges.

Amelia takes on some...more

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Jan 05, 2013 Kathleen Rock rated it 5 of 5 stars

In a Heartbeat is the story of two teenage girls. The first girl is named Eagan. She was brought up as an intense skater, mostly because her mother was. She wasn’t ever allowed to do what SHE wanted to do. But at one skating competition, things to wrong, and Eagan dies after hitting her head. Her license states that she’d be an organ donor, and that’s where Amelia comes in. Amelia is a 14 year old girl who had been suffering from congestive heart failure. The doctors didn’t think that they’d be...more In a Heartbeat is the story of two teenage girls. The first girl is named Eagan. She was brought up as an intense skater, mostly because her mother was. She wasn’t ever allowed to do what SHE wanted to do. But at one skating competition, things to wrong, and Eagan dies after hitting her head. Her license states that she’d be an organ donor, and that’s where Amelia comes in. Amelia is a 14 year old girl who had been suffering from congestive heart failure. The doctors didn’t think that they’d be able to find a heart for her, but once Eagan passed, Amelia would be saved. After the surgery, Amelia begins to pick up characteristics that she doesn’t understand. For example, Amelia hated the color purple. But all of a sudden, she only wanted purple lollipops. The next part of the book would explain how purple lollipops connected to Eagan’s life. Also, Amelia feels that Eagan isn’t able to move on, because her death was so sudden. Amelia feels she needs to help, and attempts to contact Eagan’s parents. I can’t say much about that, because it’s a large part in the story. But in the end, when asked if Amelia would do it all again, she says, “in a heartbeat.”
I really liked this book. It was easy to read, because it flowed and connected so well. It was interesting to pick up on all the little things that were subtly added. I can’t say I felt VERY connected to a character in the story, because I haven’t died or suffered from a heart problem. I did feel like I could relate to Amelia though, because even though she didn’t know Eagan, she felt inclined to help her. I’m sort of like that too, where I will attempt to help anyone who needs it.
Overall, this was a great book, and I read it all in a couple hours. I would recommend it to any teenage girl, cause I think any of them could get something out of the story. Even though it seems like it could be very depressing, it’s uplifting. It’s the kind of book that can make you indirectly realize what you want out of life, and to live in the moment.
(less)

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Oct 30, 2012 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars

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May 05, 2012 Kjrstin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen

Summary
Ellsworth’s dual narrative explores the large and small ways medical technology forever intertwines the lives of two strangers. When 16-year-old Eagan, a figure skater with her sights on the Olympics, dies in a fall on the ice, 14-year-old Amelia receives the heart transplant that she and her family have been desperately awaiting. Trapped in a foggy limbo, Eagan must relive the defining moments of her painfully short existence before she can cross over to the hereafter. In alternating cha...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Hazel McHaffie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Another young-adult book about organ donation. Seems to be a campaign to educate young Americans on the wisdom of being on the donor register! This one explores the theory of cellular memory where the heart stores information about the donor which is then passed to the recipient. Most scientists don't give this notion any credence (and I have to confess I'm sceptical too) but the author cites interesting experiences which put a different slant on the possibilities.
The story tells of a young figu...more

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Jul 02, 2011 Sami rated it 2 of 5 stars

Eagan accidentally dies in a very unusual way while figure skating. After her death Eagan is stuck between the afterlife and the life she can't seem to leave behind. Her tale is of her past, the unsaid words, the people she loved that she'd left behind, and the events in her life that shaped her. Unable to let go of her life and the people she left behind Eagan spends most of the book trying to find her way back to those memories and people she left behind.

Amelia is dying of heart failure. She i...more

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Nov 12, 2010 Kailia rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I got this book, I wasn’t sure how I would like it. But the synopsis got me interested and I picked this book up. When I began reading, I was introduced to two girls, Eagan, the figure skater, and Amelia, the girl who needs a new heart.

In a Heartbeat began a story that I came to love. I’ve read a lot of Lurlene McDanilel’s books about heart transplants and the effects on the person who got the transplant. I loved how Loretta Ellsworth told both sides of the story, the patient and the deceas...more

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Mar 12, 2010 Sarai rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-fiction, young-adult-fiction

Product Description: 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 li...more

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Mar 07, 2010 Kari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, read-teen

I've heard the stories about organ recipients- especially heart ones- picking up traits from their donor Despite having a research background, I've never looked at the research articles on this subject but it certainly made an interesting element for this novel. Amelia doesn't just pick up a new favorite food or an affinity for something- she almost undergoes an entire personality change. Breaking up the chapters of Amelia's story are those from Eagen, trying to figure out the afterlife and the...more
I've heard the stories about organ recipients- especially heart ones- picking up traits from their donor Despite having a research background, I've never looked at the research articles on this subject but it certainly made an interesting element for this novel. Amelia doesn't just pick up a new favorite food or an affinity for something- she almost undergoes an entire personality change. Breaking up the chapters of Amelia's story are those from Eagen, trying to figure out the afterlife and the constant back and forth between life and death was a very unique way to pitch this story.

There is minimal action in this story- it is more of a character development kind of book but I still enjoyed it. Parts of it were predictable and some sections lagged but overall, it was a bit of a feel good book. These two girls who never would have had anything in common are now forever joined by a single heart and this book most certainly made me really think about the organ donor process. I have my license checked that I want to be a donor but how many people really consider what that means- and what it would mean for our family should we die and our organs are harvested? This book also thrusts into light the hardest part about donating- for someone else to live, a person has to die and that is a hard thing to swallow I am sure for the person who is getting the organ. Ellsworth did a phenomenal job with that in this book- Amelia didn't just think about it once, it was constant and often.

I enjoyed the characters although I have to admit, Eagen for the most part got on my nerves. She practically hated her mom and apart from they just fought a lot, it seemed like there was never actual a reason but teen angst which kind of bothered me. Granted, she ended up dying young and her mother has to now forever live knowing her daughter felt like that- which could make all the teen girls who have this same relationship question it- but this particular element bothered me. It seemed almost unnecessarily harsh for me. But at the same time, it created a nice contrast to Amelia who was close to her parents. Where Amelia was grateful for everything because she probably wouldn't live past 14 or 15, Eagan was kind of a brat who everyone thought had all this potential and her whole life planned out.

The ending of this book was a really nice one- both story lines ended up tying together and things took a few surprising turns. This book, overall, did make me stop and think and I do recommend it to anyone who likes these kind of books.

Details:
Source: I received this hardbound finished book for review from Bloomsbury/Walker Books in exchange for my honest review.(less)

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Jun 04, 2011 Natshane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-impression-check, heart-wrenching

In a heartbeat is a must read! (okay, just have to shout it out)

I couldn't possibly explain why this book has affected me so much, both emotionally and mentally but I do want to mention one thing, it has changed me inside out. I am constantly searching for books that could make me weep, and reflect on myself, books that could talk sense into me or give me an insightful trip to destination life. In a heartbeat achieved that.

Now, I would say the writing was unsatisfying because there are few part...more In a heartbeat is a must read! (okay, just have to shout it out)

I couldn't possibly explain why this book has affected me so much, both emotionally and mentally but I do want to mention one thing, it has changed me inside out. I am constantly searching for books that could make me weep, and reflect on myself, books that could talk sense into me or give me an insightful trip to destination life. In a heartbeat achieved that.

Now, I would say the writing was unsatisfying because there are few parts which I hope the author would elaborate more, however, it's the story plot that matters, and the characters, both in which I am very satisfied with. In a heartbeat portrayed two protagonist, Amelia and Eagan. Eagan was a ice skater who died in an accident and she donated her heart to Amelia, who needed a heart transplant. But here's where the story started, Amelia began to develop several characteristics that Eagan possessed and she felt connected to Eagan in a unique way, as if she knew her before. Amelia wanted to find Eagan's family (with the help of Ari) so that she could find answers as well as helping Eagan to pass on.

Even though the story plot was not as romantic as Twilight, or as heart wrenching as other books, still it made my heart clenched. It was written in Amelia's and Eagan's POV so I was able to understand both of their thoughts and emotions, and made the reading experience more intense!

From Eagan's POV

I read about the flashbacks she had when she's in the in-between state...Her relationship with her mum was not on the best terms, still she loved her. Her dad was loving and her grandpa was a strong man. In high school, she amazingly attracted the hottest guy, Scott. Things were going well, until she died. From her POV, I read about her regrets, her longing, her frustration, and how she was finally able to accept her death.

From Amelia's POV

I read about the transition of Amelia from feeling vulnerable to strong and vibrant. However, there was a guilt in her heart, guilty because someone has to die in order to let her live. She was constantly battling that regret, that her family was rejoicing while the other family was mourning (that was pretty insightful for a 14 year old). With the help of Ari, brother to Tomas who had a heart transplant too, she sought Eagan's family out and approached them.

A gripping short tale that remained in my heart after I closed the book, I felt as if I was reborn (dramatically speaking) and became more matured. Praises to In a heartbeat!
(less)

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Jul 14, 2010 Nian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

Half an inch shouldn't matter, but it does, and it costs Eagan her life. Now in the afterlife, she reflects on her past memories and the love-hate relationship she had with her mother. Fourteen year old Amelia is given another chance at life because Eagan was an organ donor. With Eagan's healthy heart in her, Amelia starts to see herself emitting characteristics that are unlike hers, and realizes that she's taken some of Eagan's personality and habits.

Told in alternating perspectives, In a Hear...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Trista rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Lurlene Mcdaniel fans

Shelves: non-fantasy, sob-fest, contemporary-ya

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 21, 2010 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Growing up I always loved reading stories by Lurlene McDaniel about teens with terminal illnesses or health problems. They always pulled at my heartstrings and made me cry. So when I read the summary of In A Heartbeat and saw that it was about teens and organ donations, I jumped at the chance to read it.

While I enjoyed the characters, I didn't really connect with them. I feel that Eagan was a better written character. We get to know her through flashbacks in her memories. And her story is wrapp...more

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Jun 12, 2010 Proud Book Nerd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tours, ya, do-not-have

I really enjoyed this book. I love the format – seeing both Eagan's perspective and Amelia's perspective. I have heard of cases like the one in this book, and it's something that I find just amazing. The way Ellsworth weaved the story of the two girls together with the thread of Eagan's heart is fascinating to read.

Eagan's relationship with her mom reminds me of the relationship I had with my mom at that age. Very tumultuous. It was interesting to see some of that attitude find its way into Ame...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Amelia rated it 2 of 5 stars

so i got this book from a box at the hospital i volunteer at, only because it was one of the only ones left. i saw that it was written in 2010, and the cover looked like one for like a middle schooler, so i didn't really expect much out of it. it seemed like one of those quick books that you just read for fun and get through really easily, not a great book but not too bad. and it was.

the book goes back and forth between the perspectives of two girls - a figure skater who dies during an important...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Leslie K rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Through one heart someone can now live while someone is now dead. In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth is a teenage fiction novel about two girls Amelia and Eagan's lives. Eagan is a 16 year old girl who had the dreams of becoming a professional figure skater. However, all of her dreams are crushed when she falls during her jump and bangs her head on the corner of the ice rink. That fall had taken Eagan’s life. Amelia is a 14 year old girl who has been suffering from a heart failure. Then she rec...more Through one heart someone can now live while someone is now dead. In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth is a teenage fiction novel about two girls Amelia and Eagan's lives. Eagan is a 16 year old girl who had the dreams of becoming a professional figure skater. However, all of her dreams are crushed when she falls during her jump and bangs her head on the corner of the ice rink. That fall had taken Eagan’s life. Amelia is a 14 year old girl who has been suffering from a heart failure. Then she receives a new chance at life by a heart transplant surgery. This story takes you on a life journey between Eagan and Amelia, and makes you discover their connection. The perspective of the novel changes back and forth from Eagan, with the story of her past and her finding out that she is now dead, and Amelia who goes through this heart surgery. I would definitely recommend this novel to teenage girls because it shows the life of two teens who are very different but yet become one. This book kept me turning the pages quickly because the perspective kept shifting and I had to keep reading to catch up on both sides of the story. The story also had very realistic characters and a well developed plot. The plot was unique because it covered the life and the death and how one can live kind of as two people through a new heart. I also could relate with both girls, Eagan and Amelia, because I was once a ice skater so I know what Eagan is talking about and I can connect to Amelia’s personality a bit. Through this story, I learned the importance of giving. Through Eagan’s heart, Amelia had a new chance at life. Amelia was going to die if it was not for Eagan’s gift. Just like this, this novel teaches the value of giving of something you have and also about adjusting to a new situation. Both girls had to adjust to a new life, whether it was as a soul or with a new heart. Just like this quote said by Eagan, “Organ donation is a gift, Dad. And it’s free. It won’t cost us anything.” this novel taught me that the most valuable gift is not one that is costly but one that can change the life of someone.(less)

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Dec 26, 2010 Linda Lipko rated it 4 of 5 stars

Two characters tell a compelling and thought-provoking tale of the biomedical repercussions.

A one-half inch error on the ice during a skating competition translates to the end of life for Eagan. Suffering from a degenerative heart condition, Amelia is given the miraculous gift of life when she becomes the recipient of Eagan's healthy, athletic heart.

In a gray, foggy limbo state of existence, Eagan confusingly observes memories of her recent experiences before her untimely death. After surgery, A...more

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Feb 10, 2011 Clementine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fiction, ya

Eagan misses her landing by a quarter-inch during a figure-skating competition and it ends her life. Amelia has been sick for half of her life and needs a new heart. The two girls’ worlds come crashing together when Amelia gets Eagan’s heart and starts to try to make sense of the new feelings she has–about her own life, and about Eagan’s.

Loretta Ellsworth’s novel is a short, fairly quick read, and it’s enthralling enough to do it in one or two sittings. Told in alternating perspectives, the chap...more Eagan misses her landing by a quarter-inch during a figure-skating competition and it ends her life. Amelia has been sick for half of her life and needs a new heart. The two girls’ worlds come crashing together when Amelia gets Eagan’s heart and starts to try to make sense of the new feelings she has–about her own life, and about Eagan’s.

Loretta Ellsworth’s novel is a short, fairly quick read, and it’s enthralling enough to do it in one or two sittings. Told in alternating perspectives, the chapters are short and keep the pace moving along quickly enough. Eagan is trapped in an interim space full of mist, and she keeps reliving moments from her life while she tries to figure out how to get back to Earth. Amelia adjusts to life with a new heart that she thinks feels like it doesn’t quite fit inside her. As the two girls try to reconcile their changed fates, their lives converge in an interesting way (though it takes a suspension of disbelief).

There are certain things that Ellsworth does well. Her light romances work particularly well and add dimension to both girls’ stories. Eagan’s relationship with her boyfriend is both interesting and realistic. There’s nothing more tragic than a love cut short, and that adds a certain drama to her tale. Amelia’s budding relationship with Ari is sweet and tender and helps to counter-balance the heavier issues at play in the novel. Both romances are light, though, and readers looking for a deeper exploration of teen love won’t find it here.

Also noteworthy is the way that Ellsworth portrayed the relationships between mothers and daughters. Although some readers will take issue with Eagan’s mom being perhaps a little like a stereotypical sports-obsessed parent, there were nuances in the relationship worth looking more closely at. The push-pull relationships that characterize relationships between mothers and their teenage daughters was there and was very realistic. Amelia began to go through a similar thing with her mother after the heart transplant, and these moments where she was both annoyed with her mother and also found herself needing her were some of the most natural in the book.

The major problem that I had with the story was the fact that Ellsworth didn’t do enough to establish distinctive voices for both girls. A novel told in alternating perspectives needs to have clear voices for each narrator, and that doesn’t happen here. While there is a need for the girls to begin to share a connection (especially in the case of Amelia), they both need to have distinct personalities, too. Giving them a few interests that are different from each other isn’t sufficient, and there were times where I would forget momentarily who was narrating the story.

At the end of the day, this book was enjoyable. It will be especially well-received by fans of Lurlene McDaniel (loathe as I am to compare it to her work). Fans of Gabrielle Zevin’s Elsewhere might also enjoy this story.

In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth, Walker Books: 2010. Library copy.(less)

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Nov 27, 2009 Drea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2009

I was a little unsure of what to think of In a Heartbeat as I started the book. Immediately you are thrown into a duel narration between Eagan and Amelia. My main worry was that I would have no connection to Eagan since she was already dead. However, I have to give major props to Ellsworth because by the end of the book I was very sad to see Eagan go. Going back through her memories and final days really allowed me to see whom she was. It was bittersweet in a way because on one had you’re glad t...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Arthur Pengerbil rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reading Level: Grades 6+

Eagan has been figure-skating practically since she could walk, and she's good. Really good. It's just not feasible that she could ever hurt herself while skating. But she does. Coming down from a triple axel, Eagan lands too close to the boards, smacking her head.

Amelia has lived the past few years of her life quietly, without moving much or making too much of a fuss about anything. Amelia has a heart defect, and needs a transplant. One morning, she gets a phone call. Th...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Girls...

Recommended to Natalie by: Emily Weil

Shelves: 2nd-quarter

This was a good book, with some sad parts, but I didn't make it out to be as exciting as some friends said it was. See, I don't want to be rude to those who have had a transplant of any kind, but it didn't strike me as a huge part of the book. Sure, it affected the rest of the book, but when the mystery is cleared up in the first few chapters, there is no suspense as to whether or not the transplant will work, accidents, etc. I almost found Eagan's part of the story more exciting. The flashbacks...more

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Jun 07, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Having two narrators describe both sides of being a heart donor gives this book a unique voice I have not seen before. You know the fate of one of the narrators, Eagan, as she is the heart donor. The way she has to go through her own process of accepting what happens seems so real, I felt for her and the sorrow she felt at time. It was just as captivating listening to what Amelia was going through before and after the heart transplant. You can feel for both girls and their families. I liked how...more

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Feb 07, 2010 Alea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-for-review

In a Heartbeat was a fascinating book about love, life and making changes told from the viewpoints of two teen girls, Eagan and Amelia.

I love how both Eagan (an ice skater that hits her head on a board during a performance and dies) and Amelia (a girl with a bad heart that receives Eagan's heart) have such different lives and never actually meet but compliment each others stories and learn from each other. It's a beautiful story that is made all the better but the short chapters that switch back...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Sally rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-read-in-2013, 2013-challenge, young-adult

Probably more of a 3.5 for me overall. This is an extremely fast read and definitely a young adult read. The story revolves around a heart transplant scenario and switches back and forth between the donor and the recipient.

The girls each tell their stories through memories (Eagan) or through the way they are adjusting to their new heart (Amelia). At the core of the story is the connection between the two - Amelia seems to really have a part of Eagan within her, from tastes of food to colors. Eve...more

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Apr 18, 2010 Amber rated it 5 of 5 stars

I remember seeing a show years ago on people who receive organs and start having different habits. To me, that's pretty fasnicating. It made me wonder what life would be like having an organ inside of you that wasn't really yours. In A Heartbeat, while fiction, fed my curiosity about this subject. Between the two protangist, you get a glimpse of what life is for the donor and the receiver.

I never expected for this type of story to hit so close to home to me, but it did. It's probably why I ended...more

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Feb 12, 2010 *•.♥.•*Sabrina Rutter*•.♥.•* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, arcs, ya-fiction

Normally I don't care to much for books that switch back and forth between two main characters, but Loretta Ellsworth did a fantastic job of it!
Sixteen year old Eagan's life gets cut short when she hits her head during a figure skating competition. After her death she views memories of her life, starting from her childhood all the way up to the time of her death. Although she loves her mom very much they have a strained relationship and this is something Eagan needs to resolve before she can se...more

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May 08, 2013 1rothermund_lindsey rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! It was a great read and a very heartwarming story. Egan is an amazing figure skater and thats pretty much what her world revolves around. But sometimes she just get so angry with her mom because she can never gets to do things that a normal teenage girl gets to do, like going to homecoming. However, when a freak figure skating accident happens, Eagan lost her life. Another character in the story Amelia, is a young girl in need of a new heart and so she gets Eagan. N...more

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Nov 13, 2009 alexis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, review-books

Pub Date: February 2010

Summary: During one of her skating competitions, Eagan’s slight mistake cost her, her life.

Eagan looks back on all she’s done and all she wishes she could change.

Like reconciling her relationship with her mom.

She watches memories from heaven.

Her heart is still beating in the world.

Amelia, a fourteen-year-old girl receives Eagan’s heart.

At first she feels guilty.

One family has to suffer so she can live.

Soon, Amelia slowly starts to change.

She dreams of figure skating. She s...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Maysoon Khan rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really badly wanted to give this book a 5, but I reserve those '5 star' book spots for a book I would have actually boughten a copy of and reread it 6 million times. At first I confused but then I realized this book took place with two narrators whose lives were linked together in a significant way. Their stories sort of combined for the whole heart transplant and what the main character (Amelia) felt. The whole heart transplant idea was FASCINATING to me! I never actualy thought of that kind...more

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About Loretta Ellsworth

Loretta received her BA from the University of Northern Iowa, and an MFA from Hamline University in writing for children and young adults. A former middle and high school teacher, she's the author of three young adult novels, The Shrouding Woman, In Search of Mockingbird, and In a Heartbeat. She has four children and one granddaughter, and lives in Minnesota.

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Quotes from In a Heartbeat

“I look back to where my life had been. It's always risky to think of letting go. That's why this is the perfect ending. Nothing left to reconcile.” — 55 people liked it

“Hearts are like stones on an ocean beach...And people are like the tides that leave permanent marks on them.” — 6 people liked it

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In a Heartbeat

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