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The Gift
Jenna is given another shot at life when she receives a donor heart from a girl called Callie. Eternally grateful to Callie and her family, Jenna gets closer to them, but she soon discovers that Callie’s perfect family is hiding some very dark secrets …
Callie’s parents are grieving, yet Jenna knows they’re only telling her half the story. Where is Callie’s sister Sophie? She’s been ‘abroad’ since her sister’s death but something about her absence doesn’t add up. And when Jenna meets Callie’s boyfriend Nathan, she makes a shocking discovery.
Jenna knows that Callie didn’t die in an accident. But how did she die? Jenna is determined to discover the truth but it could cost her everything; her loved ones, her sanity, even her life.
A compelling, gripping psychological thriller with a killer twist from the author of the Number One bestseller The Sister.
Callie’s parents are grieving, yet Jenna knows they’re only telling her half the story. Where is Callie’s sister Sophie? She’s been ‘abroad’ since her sister’s death but something about her absence doesn’t add up. And when Jenna meets Callie’s boyfriend Nathan, she makes a shocking discovery.
Jenna knows that Callie didn’t die in an accident. But how did she die? Jenna is determined to discover the truth but it could cost her everything; her loved ones, her sanity, even her life.
A compelling, gripping psychological thriller with a killer twist from the author of the Number One bestseller The Sister.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 16, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 953 reviews
February 6, 2017
Here I am desperately trying to catch up on reviews in the midst of the move. We are unexpectedly stuck in a hotel an extra week as the movers informed us last minute that our stuff will not be arriving until this coming Friday, so I'm warily writing this with children climbing all over me and hair being pulled out. :) Even though it's been almost a week since I finished this book I still remember it vividly and my feelings haven't changed in the slightest. If you enjoyed The Sister like I did, then I think you'll be pleased as punch with The Gift. While the content of her latest was significantly different than her debut, I found that the style of writing, flow of plot line, and feeling the characters gave were comfortably consistent and similar.
***MINOR SPOILERS BELOW***
I'm not sure how deep to go into discussion as spoilers are easily let loose regarding the plot, but I was intrigued in the direction she chose to take this story. I'll be honest, I have done little research on the subject of cellular memory, but found it so intriguing after finishing this book that I had to do more research on current beliefs surrounding it. While the plot was a bit far fetched (you are required to put aside realistic expectations while reading), I found it enjoyable and exciting! There were so many "what ifs" that really drew me in and caused me to constantly question what was going to happen. I've seen a spike in recent trends regarding psychological thrillers containing supernatural elements or magical realism aspects and I'm truly torn. I've been brought up by the industry to expect realistic and natural, yet fictional stories in this genre and these current books give me a simultaneous feeling of excitement and discomfort in feeling I was duped into reading something outside of the genre I selected. That being said, I'm really glad my expectations are being challenged and that I'm broadening my horizons. This was one of the best reads involving non-traditional thriller plot lines I've experienced yet, and may have had enough effect to sway my opinion on the matter.
If you're looking for a psychological thriller that is different, fresh, and unique, pick this one up! I was considerably impressed and find after reading both of her books that Jensen's novels are perfect when I need to grab something that I know will be enjoyable. If you're new to her work, The Gift is just as perfect to start with as The Sister. I'm really thrilled to see what she produces next; I can see why everyone is raving about her books constantly! Once again Bookouture has signed another talented, multi-dimensional author who grabs our attention from first to last page (with gorgeous covers!). Recommended to thriller fans willing to put aside pre-conceived notions of the genre and those looking to spice up their reading routine.
*Many thanks to Bookouture for providing my copy via NetGalley; it was a pleasure to read it!
***MINOR SPOILERS BELOW***
I'm not sure how deep to go into discussion as spoilers are easily let loose regarding the plot, but I was intrigued in the direction she chose to take this story. I'll be honest, I have done little research on the subject of cellular memory, but found it so intriguing after finishing this book that I had to do more research on current beliefs surrounding it. While the plot was a bit far fetched (you are required to put aside realistic expectations while reading), I found it enjoyable and exciting! There were so many "what ifs" that really drew me in and caused me to constantly question what was going to happen. I've seen a spike in recent trends regarding psychological thrillers containing supernatural elements or magical realism aspects and I'm truly torn. I've been brought up by the industry to expect realistic and natural, yet fictional stories in this genre and these current books give me a simultaneous feeling of excitement and discomfort in feeling I was duped into reading something outside of the genre I selected. That being said, I'm really glad my expectations are being challenged and that I'm broadening my horizons. This was one of the best reads involving non-traditional thriller plot lines I've experienced yet, and may have had enough effect to sway my opinion on the matter.
If you're looking for a psychological thriller that is different, fresh, and unique, pick this one up! I was considerably impressed and find after reading both of her books that Jensen's novels are perfect when I need to grab something that I know will be enjoyable. If you're new to her work, The Gift is just as perfect to start with as The Sister. I'm really thrilled to see what she produces next; I can see why everyone is raving about her books constantly! Once again Bookouture has signed another talented, multi-dimensional author who grabs our attention from first to last page (with gorgeous covers!). Recommended to thriller fans willing to put aside pre-conceived notions of the genre and those looking to spice up their reading routine.
*Many thanks to Bookouture for providing my copy via NetGalley; it was a pleasure to read it!
December 19, 2016
THE GIFT is a gripping psychological thriller from the bestseller author of The Sister- Louise Jensen, and my favorite publisher, Bookouture! This novel is a winner that deserves to be recognized as a brilliant and satisfying read with non-stop tension and endless twists and turns to the plot.
Jenna had viral myocarditis which attacked the heart function, and a heart transplant was her only option. She had been hospitalized, but she was dying and it was unlikely a heart would be found in time.
“Jenna is seriously ill. She’s lost all hope of getting the heart transplant she needs to live. But just as her life is ebbing away, she receives a donor heart from a girl called Callie.
Who was Callie and how did she die? Jenna is determined to find out.”
While Jenna is recovering from her heart transplant surgery, she ends her relationship with her boyfriend, Sam, when she realized he was going to propose to her, and lied to him to end it. Her parents have separated and her father has had two heart attacks.
Jenna suffers from panic attacks, and strange dreams based on her medication.
Then Jenna does something that is not encouraged, especially so early in the program-she contacts the donor’s family!
“It would help me to understand…Why I lived and they died. Nearly six months ago, someone died so I can live.”
Jenna needs to return to work, as a veterinary nurse, after being off a long time. She just wants to feel normal again…and start living again. But Jenna must come to terms with Callie’s death. How did she die? So many unanswered questions and so many secrets in Callie’s family.
“The closer Jenna gets to those who loved Callie, the more questions arise about her untimely death. Someone knows what happened to Callie. Why won’t they talk?
Jenna is about to uncover the truth, but it could cost her everything; her loved ones, her sanity, even her life.”
This novel addresses the concept of “Cellular Memory”, where the recipient inherits the donor’s memories. Being a recipient of Cornea transplant surgery, I found this topic very interesting.
“A heart is not just an organ. The heart stores secrets and lies. Hopes and dreams. It’s more than a muscle. I know it is. The heart remembers.”
Don’t miss out on this gripping psychological thriller! I highly recommend it. An easy 5-Star rating!
I wish to thank the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for an advance copy of this novel.
Jenna had viral myocarditis which attacked the heart function, and a heart transplant was her only option. She had been hospitalized, but she was dying and it was unlikely a heart would be found in time.
“Jenna is seriously ill. She’s lost all hope of getting the heart transplant she needs to live. But just as her life is ebbing away, she receives a donor heart from a girl called Callie.
Who was Callie and how did she die? Jenna is determined to find out.”
While Jenna is recovering from her heart transplant surgery, she ends her relationship with her boyfriend, Sam, when she realized he was going to propose to her, and lied to him to end it. Her parents have separated and her father has had two heart attacks.
Jenna suffers from panic attacks, and strange dreams based on her medication.
Then Jenna does something that is not encouraged, especially so early in the program-she contacts the donor’s family!
“It would help me to understand…Why I lived and they died. Nearly six months ago, someone died so I can live.”
Jenna needs to return to work, as a veterinary nurse, after being off a long time. She just wants to feel normal again…and start living again. But Jenna must come to terms with Callie’s death. How did she die? So many unanswered questions and so many secrets in Callie’s family.
“The closer Jenna gets to those who loved Callie, the more questions arise about her untimely death. Someone knows what happened to Callie. Why won’t they talk?
Jenna is about to uncover the truth, but it could cost her everything; her loved ones, her sanity, even her life.”
This novel addresses the concept of “Cellular Memory”, where the recipient inherits the donor’s memories. Being a recipient of Cornea transplant surgery, I found this topic very interesting.
“A heart is not just an organ. The heart stores secrets and lies. Hopes and dreams. It’s more than a muscle. I know it is. The heart remembers.”
Don’t miss out on this gripping psychological thriller! I highly recommend it. An easy 5-Star rating!
I wish to thank the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for an advance copy of this novel.
March 9, 2017
After reading reviews for this book from my GR friends, I was so excited to read this one. The premise sounded so interesting and a little creepy...or so I thought. I was so anxious to see where the author would take this idea. Unfortunately, it didn't go where I expected.
After Jenna develops an infection that destroys her heart, she (luckily) receives a heart transplant. Soon after, she begins to feel what her donor had felt prior to her death. Can she solve the mystery of what happened to her donor?
"The heart remembers"
As an RN I have to admit this idea has crossed my mind more than once. Cellular memory. Can a recipient actually identify with the donor? Is there truth behind this theory? What would it really feel like to have part of someone else transplanted inside of you? There are documented instances where the recipient has changed their eating habits, likes and even spoke the native language of the donor! Such an absolutely fascinating idea.
What an exceptional concept for a book! The potential and possibilities of where this could go are off the charts. That said, it left me completely unfulfilled and disappointed to say the least. Considered not finishing this one. Actually put it aside and finished another book before picking it back up. I did eventually finish it (with a lot of eye rolling.) How frustrating. I wanted more depth...more creepiness, more something! Just wasn't for me.
2.5*
After Jenna develops an infection that destroys her heart, she (luckily) receives a heart transplant. Soon after, she begins to feel what her donor had felt prior to her death. Can she solve the mystery of what happened to her donor?
"The heart remembers"
As an RN I have to admit this idea has crossed my mind more than once. Cellular memory. Can a recipient actually identify with the donor? Is there truth behind this theory? What would it really feel like to have part of someone else transplanted inside of you? There are documented instances where the recipient has changed their eating habits, likes and even spoke the native language of the donor! Such an absolutely fascinating idea.
What an exceptional concept for a book! The potential and possibilities of where this could go are off the charts. That said, it left me completely unfulfilled and disappointed to say the least. Considered not finishing this one. Actually put it aside and finished another book before picking it back up. I did eventually finish it (with a lot of eye rolling.) How frustrating. I wanted more depth...more creepiness, more something! Just wasn't for me.
2.5*
January 18, 2021
After reading a novel by Louise Jensen last year, I tossed a few more on my TBR. This week, it was time to read one, and I selected The Gift. As expected, the title has many meanings, and only at the end will it all become clear. A twenty-something woman has received a heart transplant; she's about ready to go back to work after six month but feels the need to connect with the organ donor's family before beginning the next phase of her life. When she connects with them, a quest begins to understand exactly how their daughter died.
Phew! Talk about an emotional situation. Jensen tackles the intimate details of a dead person's life, a living person's frightening connections to her, and the unknown of all the drama that preceded the days before the car accident claimed the donor's life. Callie and Jenna... Jenna and Callie... so very different yet so much the same. The POV of the novel mostly focuses on Jenna, the recipient, but we flash back to several moments with Callie, sometimes as memories Jenna has (under the assumption that one's heart contains a bit of a person's past much like their brain) and few from an unknown POV, someone being chased and hunted in the prologue.
Clearly, the suspense and tension were high. I invested in the outcome, but at times, it felt a little weak-plotted in terms of too much intentional vague language to throw us off the truth. Was it the fiancé who engineered the car accident? Was it really just an accident? The parents? The wayward sister? An unexpected affair? The boss? A colleague? All the while, Jenna is pushing away her own family because she's becoming the reincarnation of Callie. It's a good balance in much of the story, but at times, I disconnected and thought... I really just want the answer, so can we move it along?
That said, the writing is good, the characters are vivid. I wish Jenna's friends and therapist weren't so controlling. Truthfully, if Jenna wants to find out more about the donor, let her do it. With friends like them, who needs enemies, right? While not a huge issue, it did make me feel a little 'eh' about the supporting cast. No one really stood out, and when they came to life in the last quarter of the book, I wasn't so much excited as I was curious what the reasons would be... I'd have been fine with any of the friends or family being the guilty party.
Since the story held my attention and I generally like the author's storytelling approach, I'll definitely read more. It's an art form to write a book and have so many potential solutions; that's to be praised. I'm hoping she steps it up a bit in future books (this was an older one) so that I can truly rave more about it. Probably 3.5 stars, but I preferred The Date, which was the first book I'd read by Louise Jensen... still tho, I'd say it's worth the read if you like the author's work and plots.
Phew! Talk about an emotional situation. Jensen tackles the intimate details of a dead person's life, a living person's frightening connections to her, and the unknown of all the drama that preceded the days before the car accident claimed the donor's life. Callie and Jenna... Jenna and Callie... so very different yet so much the same. The POV of the novel mostly focuses on Jenna, the recipient, but we flash back to several moments with Callie, sometimes as memories Jenna has (under the assumption that one's heart contains a bit of a person's past much like their brain) and few from an unknown POV, someone being chased and hunted in the prologue.
Clearly, the suspense and tension were high. I invested in the outcome, but at times, it felt a little weak-plotted in terms of too much intentional vague language to throw us off the truth. Was it the fiancé who engineered the car accident? Was it really just an accident? The parents? The wayward sister? An unexpected affair? The boss? A colleague? All the while, Jenna is pushing away her own family because she's becoming the reincarnation of Callie. It's a good balance in much of the story, but at times, I disconnected and thought... I really just want the answer, so can we move it along?
That said, the writing is good, the characters are vivid. I wish Jenna's friends and therapist weren't so controlling. Truthfully, if Jenna wants to find out more about the donor, let her do it. With friends like them, who needs enemies, right? While not a huge issue, it did make me feel a little 'eh' about the supporting cast. No one really stood out, and when they came to life in the last quarter of the book, I wasn't so much excited as I was curious what the reasons would be... I'd have been fine with any of the friends or family being the guilty party.
Since the story held my attention and I generally like the author's storytelling approach, I'll definitely read more. It's an art form to write a book and have so many potential solutions; that's to be praised. I'm hoping she steps it up a bit in future books (this was an older one) so that I can truly rave more about it. Probably 3.5 stars, but I preferred The Date, which was the first book I'd read by Louise Jensen... still tho, I'd say it's worth the read if you like the author's work and plots.
April 20, 2017
Jenna needs a heart transplant and a donor heart is found from a girl named Callie. After a successful transplant Jenna wants to know everything about Callie.
When Jenna interacts with people from Callie's life, strange things start to happen to her heart. She keeps getting dreams, nightmares and flashbacks from another life she doesn't know. Is she experiencing Callie's memories? What is Callie trying to tell her? Is there more to her death? Noone will listen to her. Noons believes what she is saying.
Everyone is telling her to leave it alone but Jenna can't leave it alone.
Jenna is a complexed and well developed character. Louise Jensen really brought her to life.
I thought it was a great story with a very interesting idea. It was far from predictable. It kept me guessing to the end. I found it to be a quick read.
I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2017
This is an excellent thought provoking novel by author Louise Jensen.
This novel is a gripping psychological thriller that steadily builds up the tension throughout.
The lead character Jenna is hospitalised with an heart condition and is in urgent need of a transplant when she receives a donor heart from a girl called Callie. While recovering in hospital after the transplant she decides to end her relationship with her boyfriend Sam and is determined to start a new life. After being discharged from hospital Jenna suffers from strange dreams and panic attacks and focuses on trying to find out more about her donor Callie and how she died. She contacts Callie's family and tries to uncover the truth behind her death by getting close to them.
There are some twists and turns and also the subject of cellular memory which is a very interesting side issue. All in all I enjoyed this novel very much and will look out for more from this author in the future.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This novel is a gripping psychological thriller that steadily builds up the tension throughout.
The lead character Jenna is hospitalised with an heart condition and is in urgent need of a transplant when she receives a donor heart from a girl called Callie. While recovering in hospital after the transplant she decides to end her relationship with her boyfriend Sam and is determined to start a new life. After being discharged from hospital Jenna suffers from strange dreams and panic attacks and focuses on trying to find out more about her donor Callie and how she died. She contacts Callie's family and tries to uncover the truth behind her death by getting close to them.
There are some twists and turns and also the subject of cellular memory which is a very interesting side issue. All in all I enjoyed this novel very much and will look out for more from this author in the future.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
December 7, 2016
Jenna is recovering from a heart transplant. But things in her life are confusing and some of them hurtful. She drives her boyfriend, Sam, away because she can't have children. She doesn't want to tie him down because he's always wanted a family. Her father has had two heart attacks .. probably due to the stress over Jenna's health ... and her mother and father have separated.
On top of everything else, she has a constant feeling of being watched, followed. And it's almost to the point that she's afraid to sleep. She's having strange dreams, hallucinations, or maybe it's paranoia because of all the medications she is taking.
Jenna does something not recommended by her doctors or her therapists. She contacts the family of her donor.. a girl named Callie. And even though they seem happy to meet her, she finds that they are a family of secrets ... dark truths.
How did Callie die? Was it an accident ... or the perfect murder? Jenna reacts so strongly to Callie's family.. especially her boyfriend. She develops a love of strawberries... Callie's favorites.
Is Callie's heart showing Jenna what happened to her? Can Jenna find the truth before the truth finds her? No one believes her ... and she has no one she can trust.
This is a compelling, gripping psychological thriller. The suspense is palpable and it's hard to put this book down.
As I was reading I could feel her fear.. especially when she's doubting her own sanity. Her best friend, her parents, her ex-boyfriend ... she feels they are all lying to her about everything.
There are some twists and turns along the way ... with one major twist that changes everything.
Highly recommended!
I wish to thank the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for an advance copy of this novel. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
On top of everything else, she has a constant feeling of being watched, followed. And it's almost to the point that she's afraid to sleep. She's having strange dreams, hallucinations, or maybe it's paranoia because of all the medications she is taking.
Jenna does something not recommended by her doctors or her therapists. She contacts the family of her donor.. a girl named Callie. And even though they seem happy to meet her, she finds that they are a family of secrets ... dark truths.
How did Callie die? Was it an accident ... or the perfect murder? Jenna reacts so strongly to Callie's family.. especially her boyfriend. She develops a love of strawberries... Callie's favorites.
Is Callie's heart showing Jenna what happened to her? Can Jenna find the truth before the truth finds her? No one believes her ... and she has no one she can trust.
This is a compelling, gripping psychological thriller. The suspense is palpable and it's hard to put this book down.
As I was reading I could feel her fear.. especially when she's doubting her own sanity. Her best friend, her parents, her ex-boyfriend ... she feels they are all lying to her about everything.
There are some twists and turns along the way ... with one major twist that changes everything.
Highly recommended!
I wish to thank the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for an advance copy of this novel. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
February 8, 2017
Louise Jensen has penned another gripping, fast-paced psychological thriller that I could not put down. I have used words such as "panic inducing" to describe my feeling while reading this - definitely will make your heart pound!
In the end, I couldn't suspend belief in regards to the topic of cellular memory enough to truly appreciate this story. I had quite a few "no way" moments while reading.
Jensen is a truly talented thriller author, I very much enjoyed her previous book, The Sister, and look forward to all her other works even though this one slightly missed the mark for me.
3.5 stars
In the end, I couldn't suspend belief in regards to the topic of cellular memory enough to truly appreciate this story. I had quite a few "no way" moments while reading.
Jensen is a truly talented thriller author, I very much enjoyed her previous book, The Sister, and look forward to all her other works even though this one slightly missed the mark for me.
3.5 stars
August 28, 2017
This is my second book by Louise Jensen, and it won't be my last. She is good at creating characters I care about, and a plot that moves quickly, with lost of red herrings to keep you on your toes.
I read a lot of psychological thrillers and crime fiction, but I think this one might stand out, because the premise is so unusual. Jenna needs a hear transplant is gets one after Callie, a young woman, dies in a car accident. Yet as she is recovering, Jenna has an urge to know more about her donor, and she seeks out the family. This is the beginning of the mystery, and Jenna's life becomes infinitely more complicated.
I liked Jenna and I liked that she didn't behave too irrationally, the way some characters in crime fiction tend to. She wasn't willfully reckless, but still curious and at times quite brave. I also liked the way Jensen illustrated her relationships, and how what she had gone through changed the way the looked at the world. These small aspects of The Gift make it memorable, because I so often read a book in the genre, where the story is gripping, but the characters feel like caricatures.
While I did find the ending to be a little much, and not entirely satisfying, on a whole, I thought this was absolutely a worthwhile read. Recommended to fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Bryndza, or Elizabeth Haynes!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
I read a lot of psychological thrillers and crime fiction, but I think this one might stand out, because the premise is so unusual. Jenna needs a hear transplant is gets one after Callie, a young woman, dies in a car accident. Yet as she is recovering, Jenna has an urge to know more about her donor, and she seeks out the family. This is the beginning of the mystery, and Jenna's life becomes infinitely more complicated.
I liked Jenna and I liked that she didn't behave too irrationally, the way some characters in crime fiction tend to. She wasn't willfully reckless, but still curious and at times quite brave. I also liked the way Jensen illustrated her relationships, and how what she had gone through changed the way the looked at the world. These small aspects of The Gift make it memorable, because I so often read a book in the genre, where the story is gripping, but the characters feel like caricatures.
While I did find the ending to be a little much, and not entirely satisfying, on a whole, I thought this was absolutely a worthwhile read. Recommended to fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Bryndza, or Elizabeth Haynes!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
December 16, 2016
Louise Jensen returns following her bestselling debut The Sister (2016) with an intense, edge-of-your-seat gripping thriller follow-up, centered around the fascinating topic of cellular memory. Organ donors may be doing than saving a life as portrayed in, THE GIFT!
Top 50 Books of 2016!
Cellular Memory (CMR) phenomenon, a term doctors, coined for the personality changes that people undergo after organ transplants. Jensen hooks you from page one to the final explosive ending!
Jenna desperately needed a heart transplant and was granted a heart. She and her boyfriend Sam had been ill with a virus. Sam finally got better, but she continued to be exhausted for the next few months. She had viral myocarditis which had aggressively attacked her heart function, and a transplant was her only option.
They found her a heart, a perfect match, and everyone was painfully aware the gift of life only came to fruition through another family’s grief.
Sam had wanted to marry her. She couldn’t. Everything was different now. Her life had changed drastically. The before and after. She had broken up with the man she is still in love with, (to be noble, giving him a better life and the future children which now she will never have). Her gifted heart, full of guilt. She had to lie saying she did not love him.
In addition, she also has many other problems. Jenna is seeing a therapist, Venessa every week. She is not always honest with the therapist nor her family. The fact that she almost died, makes everyone uncomfortable around her.
Jenna is having obsessive thoughts. Anxiety, paranoia, fear, and dreams. She has been taking tons of meds to ensure she will not reject her new heart. Not many people know she has located the donor’s family.
A PI located them and she has written to them. Of course, her therapist says this is unethical and not helping her condition. She encourages her to see this is as unhealthy. She cannot stop thinking about why she lived and this girl died.
Nearly six months ago, someone died so she could live. Her world seems small and she cannot catch her breath. She feels as though her world is shrinking and pulling her under, as well as her confidence. She does not feel safe. She is in a constant state of anxiety. She is preoccupied with thoughts of her donor. Also her donor’s memories.
Jenna continues to hear a woman screaming, brakes screeching. At first, she is unsure if it could be a possible side effect from her meds or if she had imagined the whole thing. She also feels guilt due to her Mum and Dad falling apart. Their marriage, their finances, and her relationship with Sam.
Her mom takes her to a Mind, Body, and Spirit psychic medium, to look at natural alternatives. Fiona tells her she is sensing two energies. A split. Two personalities battling.
Jenna feels and sees things. The recipient inherits the donor’s memories. Muddled images. Fragmented dreams. She thinks they are Callie’s memories. The girl who died so she could live. What is Callie trying to tell her?
Her heart pounds all the time. She sweats, she is fearful, full of anxiety, and soon comes to realize, she is sensing the fear of her donor. What happened to her? She feels as though she is going mad. She has to begin digging deeper without anyone knowing to try and find out what really happened to this gal, her donor, Callie. She feels as though she needs her to solve this mystery.
Between weird things happening at work, the feeling of someone following her, and her ongoing obsession of Callie, she gets a new short haircut and meets her donor’s family. Once she meets them, she knows more than ever, something is not right.
She will not rest until she has answers. She discovers Callie was dating Nathan. She arranges a chance meeting with him, interviews people Callie worked with and stays in touch with the family. She also discovers she had a sister, Sophie but appears she has disappeared.
The darkness, screaming, and pain continues. The ongoing sense of danger envelopes her every day. She cannot sleep. The thoughts will not let her rest. There is no peace.
In the meantime, she is having problems with her best friend Rachel, and a co-worker who she thinks is trying to get her job. Mistakes are made at work, and she is paranoid and starts second guessing herself and her own sanity. She is preoccupied with her thoughts at the vet clinic. Callie’s thoughts. A dental nurse.
For some reason, she begins craving strawberries and she does not even like strawberries. It was Callie’s favorite. Callie died in a car accident. Was it really an accident? Jenna fears this is not what happened. What about Nathan, Callie’s fiancé. They had been together for five years and he was protective. Controlling? Was he abusive? What is he hiding?
And where is Sophie, and her boyfriend, Owen? Everyone says she is in Spain with her boyfriend on holiday. Why hasn’t she been in touch with her family? What about the other guy at the pub, Neil, Chris, the guy at Callie’s work, and old phone found at work, and why did Callie leave the wedding reception that night? So many unanswered questions. What about Callie’s parents and uncle? What is going on at the veterinary clinic?
Jenna becomes, even more, obsessed making her entire kitchen a map of photos and timelines. She puts herself in the middle of danger, while all the time she is not taking care of herself. There is someone lurking leaving her messages to stop digging. Time is running out. Someone else is in danger. She has to help. For Callie's parents, Tom and Amanda. For herself.
All the while she continues to call Sam for help, plus there are other twists and complexities which involve others connected. With a race against time, will Jenna be able to solve the answers to the mystery behind Callie’s death before someone stops her? Will she and Sam find their way back to one another?
A heart-pounding gripping thriller, the author alternatives between Jenna and her fear, and Callie’s last days of desperation, trying to escape someone and some of her earlier pleasant memories. With many red herrings, the author keeps the reader spellbound, in total suspense until the explosive ending --with yet another twist, you do not see coming.
From drugs, money, blackmail, lies, secrets, to murder. Intense, vivid descriptions, and non-stop action!
What a fascinating topic! "The most common organ transplants include the cornea, kidney, and heart — with a heart transplant ranking the highest in the five-year post-transplant survival rate of 74.9 percent. The heart ultimately stores memories through combinatorial coding by nerve cells, which allows the sensory system to recognize smells, according to cellular memory theory."
I have also read of the same things occurring after a liver transplant that nine months afterward, the blood type had changed and the recipient acquired the immune system of the donor due to the stem cells of her new liver transferring over to her bone marrow.
Jensen has taken a well-researched topic and adds the psychological drama and suspense which fictionally reenacts the personalities of a donor and the recipient---totally frightening! Could you imagine having someone else’s memories haunting you, day and night?
Regardless of whether you believe in Cellular Memory Theory's validity, signing up to be an organ donor is a simple way to save someone's life! Up to 25 different organs and tissues can be donated for transplantation.
An ideal choice for book clubs or further discussions. (Guide included). THE GIFT would make a great movie! I actually liked this book better than the first, possibly due to being utterly fascinated by the heart. Book Trailer
Loved the author's Inspiring Story. Corby writer is hoping to be an inspiration to others.
A special thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Cover Love!
JDCMustReadBooks
* * * * *
Movie: The minute I began reading this book, my mind went to the movie starring Will Smith Seven Pounds. Rent/Buy/Watch it from Amazon. I saw this back in 2008 when it came out. Chilling!
Further reading: True story. Claire Sylvia who received a heart and lung transplant in the 1970’s from an eighteen- year old male donor who had been in a motorcycle accident. None of this information was known to Sylvia, who upon waking up claimed she had a new and intense craving for beer, chicken nuggets, and green peppers, all food she didn’t enjoy prior to the surgery. A change in food preferences is probably the most noted in heart transplant patients. Sylvia wrote a book about her experiences after learning the identity of her donor called A Change of Heart: A Memoir.
If you enjoy the donor subject matter, mixed with a fictional twist, also highly recommend Paul Cleave’s upcoming A Killer Harvest: A Thriller coming 8/17. A blind teenager receives new eyes through corneal donation and begins to see and feel memories that he believes belong to the previous owners—a detective and a serial killer.
Top 50 Books of 2016!
Cellular Memory (CMR) phenomenon, a term doctors, coined for the personality changes that people undergo after organ transplants. Jensen hooks you from page one to the final explosive ending!
Jenna desperately needed a heart transplant and was granted a heart. She and her boyfriend Sam had been ill with a virus. Sam finally got better, but she continued to be exhausted for the next few months. She had viral myocarditis which had aggressively attacked her heart function, and a transplant was her only option.
They found her a heart, a perfect match, and everyone was painfully aware the gift of life only came to fruition through another family’s grief.
Sam had wanted to marry her. She couldn’t. Everything was different now. Her life had changed drastically. The before and after. She had broken up with the man she is still in love with, (to be noble, giving him a better life and the future children which now she will never have). Her gifted heart, full of guilt. She had to lie saying she did not love him.
In addition, she also has many other problems. Jenna is seeing a therapist, Venessa every week. She is not always honest with the therapist nor her family. The fact that she almost died, makes everyone uncomfortable around her.
Jenna is having obsessive thoughts. Anxiety, paranoia, fear, and dreams. She has been taking tons of meds to ensure she will not reject her new heart. Not many people know she has located the donor’s family.
A PI located them and she has written to them. Of course, her therapist says this is unethical and not helping her condition. She encourages her to see this is as unhealthy. She cannot stop thinking about why she lived and this girl died.
Nearly six months ago, someone died so she could live. Her world seems small and she cannot catch her breath. She feels as though her world is shrinking and pulling her under, as well as her confidence. She does not feel safe. She is in a constant state of anxiety. She is preoccupied with thoughts of her donor. Also her donor’s memories.
Jenna continues to hear a woman screaming, brakes screeching. At first, she is unsure if it could be a possible side effect from her meds or if she had imagined the whole thing. She also feels guilt due to her Mum and Dad falling apart. Their marriage, their finances, and her relationship with Sam.
Her mom takes her to a Mind, Body, and Spirit psychic medium, to look at natural alternatives. Fiona tells her she is sensing two energies. A split. Two personalities battling.
Jenna feels and sees things. The recipient inherits the donor’s memories. Muddled images. Fragmented dreams. She thinks they are Callie’s memories. The girl who died so she could live. What is Callie trying to tell her?
Her heart pounds all the time. She sweats, she is fearful, full of anxiety, and soon comes to realize, she is sensing the fear of her donor. What happened to her? She feels as though she is going mad. She has to begin digging deeper without anyone knowing to try and find out what really happened to this gal, her donor, Callie. She feels as though she needs her to solve this mystery.
Between weird things happening at work, the feeling of someone following her, and her ongoing obsession of Callie, she gets a new short haircut and meets her donor’s family. Once she meets them, she knows more than ever, something is not right.
She will not rest until she has answers. She discovers Callie was dating Nathan. She arranges a chance meeting with him, interviews people Callie worked with and stays in touch with the family. She also discovers she had a sister, Sophie but appears she has disappeared.
The darkness, screaming, and pain continues. The ongoing sense of danger envelopes her every day. She cannot sleep. The thoughts will not let her rest. There is no peace.
In the meantime, she is having problems with her best friend Rachel, and a co-worker who she thinks is trying to get her job. Mistakes are made at work, and she is paranoid and starts second guessing herself and her own sanity. She is preoccupied with her thoughts at the vet clinic. Callie’s thoughts. A dental nurse.
For some reason, she begins craving strawberries and she does not even like strawberries. It was Callie’s favorite. Callie died in a car accident. Was it really an accident? Jenna fears this is not what happened. What about Nathan, Callie’s fiancé. They had been together for five years and he was protective. Controlling? Was he abusive? What is he hiding?
And where is Sophie, and her boyfriend, Owen? Everyone says she is in Spain with her boyfriend on holiday. Why hasn’t she been in touch with her family? What about the other guy at the pub, Neil, Chris, the guy at Callie’s work, and old phone found at work, and why did Callie leave the wedding reception that night? So many unanswered questions. What about Callie’s parents and uncle? What is going on at the veterinary clinic?
Jenna becomes, even more, obsessed making her entire kitchen a map of photos and timelines. She puts herself in the middle of danger, while all the time she is not taking care of herself. There is someone lurking leaving her messages to stop digging. Time is running out. Someone else is in danger. She has to help. For Callie's parents, Tom and Amanda. For herself.
All the while she continues to call Sam for help, plus there are other twists and complexities which involve others connected. With a race against time, will Jenna be able to solve the answers to the mystery behind Callie’s death before someone stops her? Will she and Sam find their way back to one another?
A heart-pounding gripping thriller, the author alternatives between Jenna and her fear, and Callie’s last days of desperation, trying to escape someone and some of her earlier pleasant memories. With many red herrings, the author keeps the reader spellbound, in total suspense until the explosive ending --with yet another twist, you do not see coming.
From drugs, money, blackmail, lies, secrets, to murder. Intense, vivid descriptions, and non-stop action!
What a fascinating topic! "The most common organ transplants include the cornea, kidney, and heart — with a heart transplant ranking the highest in the five-year post-transplant survival rate of 74.9 percent. The heart ultimately stores memories through combinatorial coding by nerve cells, which allows the sensory system to recognize smells, according to cellular memory theory."
I have also read of the same things occurring after a liver transplant that nine months afterward, the blood type had changed and the recipient acquired the immune system of the donor due to the stem cells of her new liver transferring over to her bone marrow.
Jensen has taken a well-researched topic and adds the psychological drama and suspense which fictionally reenacts the personalities of a donor and the recipient---totally frightening! Could you imagine having someone else’s memories haunting you, day and night?
Regardless of whether you believe in Cellular Memory Theory's validity, signing up to be an organ donor is a simple way to save someone's life! Up to 25 different organs and tissues can be donated for transplantation.
An ideal choice for book clubs or further discussions. (Guide included). THE GIFT would make a great movie! I actually liked this book better than the first, possibly due to being utterly fascinated by the heart. Book Trailer
Loved the author's Inspiring Story. Corby writer is hoping to be an inspiration to others.
A special thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Cover Love!
JDCMustReadBooks
* * * * *
Movie: The minute I began reading this book, my mind went to the movie starring Will Smith Seven Pounds. Rent/Buy/Watch it from Amazon. I saw this back in 2008 when it came out. Chilling!
Further reading: True story. Claire Sylvia who received a heart and lung transplant in the 1970’s from an eighteen- year old male donor who had been in a motorcycle accident. None of this information was known to Sylvia, who upon waking up claimed she had a new and intense craving for beer, chicken nuggets, and green peppers, all food she didn’t enjoy prior to the surgery. A change in food preferences is probably the most noted in heart transplant patients. Sylvia wrote a book about her experiences after learning the identity of her donor called A Change of Heart: A Memoir.
If you enjoy the donor subject matter, mixed with a fictional twist, also highly recommend Paul Cleave’s upcoming A Killer Harvest: A Thriller coming 8/17. A blind teenager receives new eyes through corneal donation and begins to see and feel memories that he believes belong to the previous owners—a detective and a serial killer.
November 25, 2017
Bearing in mind that I wasn’t impressed by The Sister, Louise Jensen’s debut psychological thriller, I was heartened that The Gift proved an immense improvement with an engaging narrative, realistic dialogue and some well-defined characters. Although The Gift is both an immersive and intriguing read, despite some moments of palpable suspense I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as a thriller, and my enthusiasm for this novel stems from how seamlessly the scientific background is woven into the storyline. Louise Jensen has taken a relatively unexplored medical concept, that of Cellular Memory, a theory which supports the concept of the cells of organs being capable of storing memories as opposed to solely the brain and explored it intelligently. Given that more and more experts are supporting this hypothesis and that is has neither been conclusively proved or disproved, I was intrigued to see which direction the novel would take.
The story opens with thirty-year-old veterinary nurse, Jenna McCauley, approaching the six-month anniversary of having received a heart transplant after a severe bout of viral myocarditis. Fortuitously and unexpectedly receiving a suitable organ in time to give Jenna a lifeline she is gradually coming to terms with this ‘gift’ which has been made possible only through another family’s grief. Pushing her loyal boyfriend away, experiencing panic attacks and on a cocktail of medication and immunosuppressants, at her weekly sessions with counsellor, Vanessa, she tells of her desire to meet her donors family. Contrary to the guidelines on such matters, Jenna obtains the address of her donors family by way of a private investigator and institutes a meeting to learn more about the person whose death has given her a second chance at life. As Jenna meets twenty-four year old Callie Valentine’s family and grows closer to them she finds herself readily empathising with their anguish but increasingly drawn to the conclusion that she isn’t being given the full story surrounding Callie’s death. From a sister who has been ‘abroad’ since her death, an overly attentive fiancée to the events surrounding the night that she died, Jenna starts to suspect that Callie’s death was no tragic accident but rather a murder. As she is driven by a desire to provide answers for Callie’s parents, Tom and Amanda, and repay her donor a pattern of nightmares and a constant feeling of being watched takes Jenna near breakdown point as she pushes her own family and friends further away and puts her second chance at life in jeopardy. As Jenna contacts Callie’s fiancée, Nathan, and quickly strikes up a link to her donors past there is something a little unseemly about her underhand deceit, especially as Nathan does not initially know of this connection to his past love.
One aspect of this novel that I was hugely impressed with was Louise Jensen’s thorough research on the physical, medical and emotional toll of transplant recipients and Jenna’s counselling sessions offered up real life examples to illustrate the concept of Cellular Memory. The Gift certainly suggests some avenues for further exploration, from the extent to which this involvement with a donors family is ethically permitted to its impact from a mental health perspective. Whilst Jensen leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions and interpret Jenna’s increased paranoia as the result of possible side effects from her powerful immunosuppressants, taking on the memories of her donors organ or simply from her own heightened emotional state, I appreciated that multiple sides of the argument were broached.
I felt I had a gained a real understanding of what was driving Jenna and her increasing fixation on learning about her donor, but I was somewhat dismayed that Callie was portrayed as a little too good to be true and I never really felt much of a sense of her throughout the story. Similarly, despite the intention of Jensen to assert some air of menace about Nathan, Callie’s fiancée, he too seemed rather bland and eminently forgettable and I did not feel mounting suspense or nail-biting tension as further truths were gradually exposed. Between the chapters focusing on Jenna and her attempt to rebuild her life, italicised extracts capture the nightmares that disrupt her sleep and the triggers for her increasing paranoia, all of which are tacitly implied as being memories belonging to Callie. As glimpses of situations and fragmented memories spur Jenna onwards she begins to questions whether she can really trust her intuition or if her apprehension is simply a combination of the side-effect of her drugs and the associated guilt of having received Callie’s heart. As a lead protagonist I found myself warming to her after initially viewing her as selfish in potentially causing Callie’s family greater distress by initiating contact but as the novel progressed I found myself coming to understand her motives and the fact that it was essential to her in order to move on from the episode. In fact it was quite reassuring to find a fictional female protagonist in Jenna whose paranoia wasn’t driven by her former boyfriend, Sam, who seemed genuinely supportive!
A fast and engaging read, undoubtedly less emotive than I had expected but I would be interested in reading more fiction based around this theory. A solid novel with evidence of genuine research (medical and psychological) and a marked improvement on The Sister. Whilst I felt that the direction the novel proceeded in was signposted rather too blatantly and the upcoming twists foreshadowed well in advance, the tight narrative and forward momentum held my attention until the denouement, which disappointingly seemed to conclude rather too abruptly and neatly for my liking. Whilst The Gift never reached the heights of fevered excitement it did keep me lightly entertained and after this encounter I will consider reading more of Louise Jensen’s work.
The story opens with thirty-year-old veterinary nurse, Jenna McCauley, approaching the six-month anniversary of having received a heart transplant after a severe bout of viral myocarditis. Fortuitously and unexpectedly receiving a suitable organ in time to give Jenna a lifeline she is gradually coming to terms with this ‘gift’ which has been made possible only through another family’s grief. Pushing her loyal boyfriend away, experiencing panic attacks and on a cocktail of medication and immunosuppressants, at her weekly sessions with counsellor, Vanessa, she tells of her desire to meet her donors family. Contrary to the guidelines on such matters, Jenna obtains the address of her donors family by way of a private investigator and institutes a meeting to learn more about the person whose death has given her a second chance at life. As Jenna meets twenty-four year old Callie Valentine’s family and grows closer to them she finds herself readily empathising with their anguish but increasingly drawn to the conclusion that she isn’t being given the full story surrounding Callie’s death. From a sister who has been ‘abroad’ since her death, an overly attentive fiancée to the events surrounding the night that she died, Jenna starts to suspect that Callie’s death was no tragic accident but rather a murder. As she is driven by a desire to provide answers for Callie’s parents, Tom and Amanda, and repay her donor a pattern of nightmares and a constant feeling of being watched takes Jenna near breakdown point as she pushes her own family and friends further away and puts her second chance at life in jeopardy. As Jenna contacts Callie’s fiancée, Nathan, and quickly strikes up a link to her donors past there is something a little unseemly about her underhand deceit, especially as Nathan does not initially know of this connection to his past love.
One aspect of this novel that I was hugely impressed with was Louise Jensen’s thorough research on the physical, medical and emotional toll of transplant recipients and Jenna’s counselling sessions offered up real life examples to illustrate the concept of Cellular Memory. The Gift certainly suggests some avenues for further exploration, from the extent to which this involvement with a donors family is ethically permitted to its impact from a mental health perspective. Whilst Jensen leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions and interpret Jenna’s increased paranoia as the result of possible side effects from her powerful immunosuppressants, taking on the memories of her donors organ or simply from her own heightened emotional state, I appreciated that multiple sides of the argument were broached.
I felt I had a gained a real understanding of what was driving Jenna and her increasing fixation on learning about her donor, but I was somewhat dismayed that Callie was portrayed as a little too good to be true and I never really felt much of a sense of her throughout the story. Similarly, despite the intention of Jensen to assert some air of menace about Nathan, Callie’s fiancée, he too seemed rather bland and eminently forgettable and I did not feel mounting suspense or nail-biting tension as further truths were gradually exposed. Between the chapters focusing on Jenna and her attempt to rebuild her life, italicised extracts capture the nightmares that disrupt her sleep and the triggers for her increasing paranoia, all of which are tacitly implied as being memories belonging to Callie. As glimpses of situations and fragmented memories spur Jenna onwards she begins to questions whether she can really trust her intuition or if her apprehension is simply a combination of the side-effect of her drugs and the associated guilt of having received Callie’s heart. As a lead protagonist I found myself warming to her after initially viewing her as selfish in potentially causing Callie’s family greater distress by initiating contact but as the novel progressed I found myself coming to understand her motives and the fact that it was essential to her in order to move on from the episode. In fact it was quite reassuring to find a fictional female protagonist in Jenna whose paranoia wasn’t driven by her former boyfriend, Sam, who seemed genuinely supportive!
A fast and engaging read, undoubtedly less emotive than I had expected but I would be interested in reading more fiction based around this theory. A solid novel with evidence of genuine research (medical and psychological) and a marked improvement on The Sister. Whilst I felt that the direction the novel proceeded in was signposted rather too blatantly and the upcoming twists foreshadowed well in advance, the tight narrative and forward momentum held my attention until the denouement, which disappointingly seemed to conclude rather too abruptly and neatly for my liking. Whilst The Gift never reached the heights of fevered excitement it did keep me lightly entertained and after this encounter I will consider reading more of Louise Jensen’s work.
September 8, 2018
I think I just may have found another author who’s books I’ll automatically buy without knowing what they’re about! This is the second book I read by Jensen and her writing is just spectacular. She has a gift for writing stories that sink their hooks into you and compulsively turning the pages to find out what kind of mind boggling twist will happen next! I really loved the whole concept of this story, it was such an interesting idea and definitely made for one hell of a wild ride!
December 23, 2016
It's safe to say I'm not as wildly enthusiastic about this book as others appear to be, but at the same time, there's no way I can in good conscience give it fewer than 5 stars. The official description claims - and I totally agree - that it's a compelling read. Once I started it, I didn't want to put it down till I'd reached the end. Really.
Jenna, a 30-year-old woman recovering from a heart transplant, feels compelled to meet the donor family despite warnings from her therapist, family and friends that it's not in anyone's best interests. But as she begins to grow strong enough to return to work part-time, she experiences strange dreams and sensations. Soon, she begins to believe that her new heart - which came from an accident victim named Callie - may have been installed with Callie's memories intact. Those memories are disturbing to Jenna, to say the least, suggesting that the auto accident in which Callie was killed may in fact have been murder.
After Jenna meets Callie's still-distraught mother and father and learns that another daughter - Callie's sister Sophie - apparently has gone missing, she vows to get to the truth in the belief that it will bring closure to the grieving parents. She visits Callie's former workplace and even gets to know Nathan, the fiance Callie left behind. On the surface, he seems caring and very much still missing his almost-bride - but here, too, Jenna has a nagging feeling that what she sees isn't what Callie got.
When Jenna tries to tell others about the messages her heart is sending, though, she hits brick wall after brick wall. Not her therapist, not her transplant doctor, not her former boyfriend and not even her own parents believe her. She's delusional, they insist - the result of the trauma she's been through and the potent drugs she's been taking to prevent her body from rejecting the new organ.
But the more she tries to fight off her feelings, the stronger they become; and the more she pokes around, the more she becomes convinced that something sinister happened. The problem with that, though, is that the closer she gets to the truth, the more she puts herself in danger - not only from over-taxing her new heart too soon after the surgery but also from whoever is responsible for Callie's death.
Needless to say, the story zips along quickly amid plenty of action, suspense and twists that kept my eyes glued to my Kindle screen as well as a ton of second guessing and hand wringing on Jenna's part (a titch over the top, IMHO). And by the time I'd reached the midpoint, Jenna had bitten her tongue so often that I figured if that rate continued she wouldn't have more than a nub left by the last page.
Everything comes together in an ending that surprises in many ways, but of course I can't reveal more than that without spoiling things for other readers. What I will say is if you like head games and being kept on the edge of your seat, hie thee hither and get a copy of this book. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read it in exchange for an honest review.
Jenna, a 30-year-old woman recovering from a heart transplant, feels compelled to meet the donor family despite warnings from her therapist, family and friends that it's not in anyone's best interests. But as she begins to grow strong enough to return to work part-time, she experiences strange dreams and sensations. Soon, she begins to believe that her new heart - which came from an accident victim named Callie - may have been installed with Callie's memories intact. Those memories are disturbing to Jenna, to say the least, suggesting that the auto accident in which Callie was killed may in fact have been murder.
After Jenna meets Callie's still-distraught mother and father and learns that another daughter - Callie's sister Sophie - apparently has gone missing, she vows to get to the truth in the belief that it will bring closure to the grieving parents. She visits Callie's former workplace and even gets to know Nathan, the fiance Callie left behind. On the surface, he seems caring and very much still missing his almost-bride - but here, too, Jenna has a nagging feeling that what she sees isn't what Callie got.
When Jenna tries to tell others about the messages her heart is sending, though, she hits brick wall after brick wall. Not her therapist, not her transplant doctor, not her former boyfriend and not even her own parents believe her. She's delusional, they insist - the result of the trauma she's been through and the potent drugs she's been taking to prevent her body from rejecting the new organ.
But the more she tries to fight off her feelings, the stronger they become; and the more she pokes around, the more she becomes convinced that something sinister happened. The problem with that, though, is that the closer she gets to the truth, the more she puts herself in danger - not only from over-taxing her new heart too soon after the surgery but also from whoever is responsible for Callie's death.
Needless to say, the story zips along quickly amid plenty of action, suspense and twists that kept my eyes glued to my Kindle screen as well as a ton of second guessing and hand wringing on Jenna's part (a titch over the top, IMHO). And by the time I'd reached the midpoint, Jenna had bitten her tongue so often that I figured if that rate continued she wouldn't have more than a nub left by the last page.
Everything comes together in an ending that surprises in many ways, but of course I can't reveal more than that without spoiling things for other readers. What I will say is if you like head games and being kept on the edge of your seat, hie thee hither and get a copy of this book. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read it in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2016
All my reviews can be found at http:/:thebookreviewcafe.com
Hells Bells! The Gift by Louise Jensen is an absolute cracker of a read, it’s tense, gripping and thrilling. I literally devoured this book in one sitting, I love it when you read a book and the opening chapter grabs you by the throat, I’m not one for slow burners and much prefer to get “stuck in”. I read the authors debut novel The Sister earlier this year and I thought it was a fantastic read, so I was hoping it would be just as good, but Louise Jensen has surpassed all my expectations with this heart stopping read (excuse the pun!).
Jenna the protagonist has received a donor heart, as she recuperates from her life saving operation Jenna begins to suffer with irrational thoughts and feelings that appear to centre around Callie the girl whose heart was donated. As Jenna suffers flashbacks of disturbing incidents she becomes convinced that Callie didn’t die as a result of an accident, as events take a Dark and sinister turn you can help wondering where the plot is leading. Jenna’s new heart is seen as a “Gift” but you can’t help feeling that it comes at a price as her life begins to fall a part in the most spectacular fashion.
When I read a psychological thriller I expect the author to emphasise the psychology of their characters and Louise Jensen manages this with aplomb. Jenna was a character that I found intriguing, complex, and at times I couldn’t help but wonder how reliable she was as a narrator as she became obsessed with Callie’s life, her family and fiancé, on the other hand could Jenna be experiencing cellular memories? is it possible that a donor heart holds secrets, lies, hopes and dreams? It certainly gave me food for thought, as Callie’s Dark and horrifying memories consume Jenna’s life. As Jenna becomes more involved with her donors family you realise things aren’t as they seem, as she tries to uncover hidden secrets you can’t help wondering if she is loosing her grasp on reality.
The Gift explores familiar issues, lies, secrets and protecting those you love, which could have made for a mediocre read, but fortunately the author manages to add originality to these themes, making for a compelling read shrouded in intrigue.The Gift is a well plotted story as Jenna delves deeper into Callie’s life there is a sense of menace oozing from every page, the constant sense of unease and foreboding make for a sinister read. At times I became so caught up in the plot that I found myself jumping at every little sound. Louise Jensen’s writing goes from strength to strength, she has written a belter of a book that will keep even the most hardened psychological thriller lover glued to their kindle/book.
Hells Bells! The Gift by Louise Jensen is an absolute cracker of a read, it’s tense, gripping and thrilling. I literally devoured this book in one sitting, I love it when you read a book and the opening chapter grabs you by the throat, I’m not one for slow burners and much prefer to get “stuck in”. I read the authors debut novel The Sister earlier this year and I thought it was a fantastic read, so I was hoping it would be just as good, but Louise Jensen has surpassed all my expectations with this heart stopping read (excuse the pun!).
Jenna the protagonist has received a donor heart, as she recuperates from her life saving operation Jenna begins to suffer with irrational thoughts and feelings that appear to centre around Callie the girl whose heart was donated. As Jenna suffers flashbacks of disturbing incidents she becomes convinced that Callie didn’t die as a result of an accident, as events take a Dark and sinister turn you can help wondering where the plot is leading. Jenna’s new heart is seen as a “Gift” but you can’t help feeling that it comes at a price as her life begins to fall a part in the most spectacular fashion.
When I read a psychological thriller I expect the author to emphasise the psychology of their characters and Louise Jensen manages this with aplomb. Jenna was a character that I found intriguing, complex, and at times I couldn’t help but wonder how reliable she was as a narrator as she became obsessed with Callie’s life, her family and fiancé, on the other hand could Jenna be experiencing cellular memories? is it possible that a donor heart holds secrets, lies, hopes and dreams? It certainly gave me food for thought, as Callie’s Dark and horrifying memories consume Jenna’s life. As Jenna becomes more involved with her donors family you realise things aren’t as they seem, as she tries to uncover hidden secrets you can’t help wondering if she is loosing her grasp on reality.
The Gift explores familiar issues, lies, secrets and protecting those you love, which could have made for a mediocre read, but fortunately the author manages to add originality to these themes, making for a compelling read shrouded in intrigue.The Gift is a well plotted story as Jenna delves deeper into Callie’s life there is a sense of menace oozing from every page, the constant sense of unease and foreboding make for a sinister read. At times I became so caught up in the plot that I found myself jumping at every little sound. Louise Jensen’s writing goes from strength to strength, she has written a belter of a book that will keep even the most hardened psychological thriller lover glued to their kindle/book.
December 17, 2016
Jenna was in desperate need for a heart transplant when a donor heart finally became available. After Jenna's transplant she feels that she needs to find out more about her donor and against others advice decides to meet with the family of the donor.
Jenna finds that the heart came from a girl named Callie and the more she finds out about Callie the more questions Jenna finds herself with. Jenna begins to have visions, dreams and feelings that she believes belong to Callie and becomes sure that Callie was actually murdered and Jenna needs to find out just what happened to her.
The Gift was an intense psychological thriller that will leave the reader guessing until the very end. It tackles a new idea in having a transplant victim feel connected to their donor. There are actual cases of people feeling that connection to their donors in real life and is known as cellular memory so it was interesting to follow Jenna as she begins to look into her donor and then in her quest for the truth.
Overall, The Gift was filled with likable characters and a plot with plenty of twists and turns the story certainly kept the pages turning to find out just what would happen. Would definitely recommend this one to the fans of a good psychological thriller.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Jenna finds that the heart came from a girl named Callie and the more she finds out about Callie the more questions Jenna finds herself with. Jenna begins to have visions, dreams and feelings that she believes belong to Callie and becomes sure that Callie was actually murdered and Jenna needs to find out just what happened to her.
The Gift was an intense psychological thriller that will leave the reader guessing until the very end. It tackles a new idea in having a transplant victim feel connected to their donor. There are actual cases of people feeling that connection to their donors in real life and is known as cellular memory so it was interesting to follow Jenna as she begins to look into her donor and then in her quest for the truth.
Overall, The Gift was filled with likable characters and a plot with plenty of twists and turns the story certainly kept the pages turning to find out just what would happen. Would definitely recommend this one to the fans of a good psychological thriller.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
February 6, 2017
I absolutely loved The Sister,it was one of my favourite books of last year so I was really looking forward to reading this and was thrilled when I was approved by netgalley for a advanced copy.It started off really well but by the time I finished it I felt really disappointed.I wasn't hooked in by the story like I was with The Sister and although I did enjoy the book I wasn't disappointed when I got to the end.
The story is narrated by Jenna who has had a heart transplant and has suddenly started having dreams about the donor of her heart Callie.Ignoring the advice of her therapist and people who care about her Jenna becomes obsessed with finding out the truth about Callie`s death.As a reader you want to like and feel some connection to the main character/heroine but to me Jenna came across as unlikable,selfish and irritating.
I don't know anything about cellular memory,it's not something that I have heard or read about and I am not one of those people that says that something is unbelievable and unrealistic just because I know nothing about the subject.It is certainly a intreguing subject that was well researched and a interesting premise for a book.
The story has short chapters many of which ended on a cliff hanger and there is a number of unexpected twists but there is also a part of the book where Jenna does something to a character that was completely forgotten and never mentioned again.I did enjoy the story enough to finish the book and although I was disappointed with this one it hasn't put me off reading more books by Louise Jensen in the future.
Many thanks to Bookouture for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
The story is narrated by Jenna who has had a heart transplant and has suddenly started having dreams about the donor of her heart Callie.Ignoring the advice of her therapist and people who care about her Jenna becomes obsessed with finding out the truth about Callie`s death.As a reader you want to like and feel some connection to the main character/heroine but to me Jenna came across as unlikable,selfish and irritating.
I don't know anything about cellular memory,it's not something that I have heard or read about and I am not one of those people that says that something is unbelievable and unrealistic just because I know nothing about the subject.It is certainly a intreguing subject that was well researched and a interesting premise for a book.
The story has short chapters many of which ended on a cliff hanger and there is a number of unexpected twists but there is also a part of the book where Jenna does something to a character that was completely forgotten and never mentioned again.I did enjoy the story enough to finish the book and although I was disappointed with this one it hasn't put me off reading more books by Louise Jensen in the future.
Many thanks to Bookouture for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
October 23, 2021
I listen to this audiobook and it’s was good experience
February 6, 2017
The Gift
Louise Jensen
Received from Netgalley
I've never read Louise Jensen before and I'm so glad I took a chance on a new author and read THE GIFT. Wow! What a fascinating story and one that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. Jenna is in desperate need of a heart transplant. She receives a new heart and six months after the surgery, against the advice of her counselor, her doctors, and even the transplant team, she tracks down the donor family. This is the part where I wanted to take Jenna and just give her a good shake! Seriously, why would she want to bring all that pain of losing a loved one back in the faces of Callie's parents? Once you start reading, you will understand what is driving her to get to the truth!
All she wants to do is thank them and give them some closure. She thinks it will help them to see Callie's heart living and beating in Jenna. Once Jenna goes and meets them, she finds out that Callie died in a car accident, but Jenna believes there is much more to the story. THE GIFT is going to have you flipping the pages like crazy, trying to figure out what really happened to Callie. I've never hear of cellular memory, where memories stay with the heart, and I was constantly thinking about that while reading and even after I put the book down. The tension and heart stopping situations Jenna finds herself in are going to grab you by the throat and never let you go.
THE GIFT is filled with chills, thrills, twists and turns, that you won't be able to get instantly caught up in all that Jenna is going through. Your heart will be pounding and you will be sitting there shaking your heard going "no way, no way" over and over again. I was completely emotionally invested in Jenna and what she was going through and my heart was breaking for what she was learning about Callie and all she went through. What was it that Callie was trying to tell her? She had to get to the truth! Jenna felt that Callie deserved at least that much for the gift she gave to her. I found myself holding my breath right up until the very end and after reading THE GIFT, I'm excited to read Louis Jensen's debut novel, The Sister.
Louise Jensen
Received from Netgalley
I've never read Louise Jensen before and I'm so glad I took a chance on a new author and read THE GIFT. Wow! What a fascinating story and one that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. Jenna is in desperate need of a heart transplant. She receives a new heart and six months after the surgery, against the advice of her counselor, her doctors, and even the transplant team, she tracks down the donor family. This is the part where I wanted to take Jenna and just give her a good shake! Seriously, why would she want to bring all that pain of losing a loved one back in the faces of Callie's parents? Once you start reading, you will understand what is driving her to get to the truth!
All she wants to do is thank them and give them some closure. She thinks it will help them to see Callie's heart living and beating in Jenna. Once Jenna goes and meets them, she finds out that Callie died in a car accident, but Jenna believes there is much more to the story. THE GIFT is going to have you flipping the pages like crazy, trying to figure out what really happened to Callie. I've never hear of cellular memory, where memories stay with the heart, and I was constantly thinking about that while reading and even after I put the book down. The tension and heart stopping situations Jenna finds herself in are going to grab you by the throat and never let you go.
THE GIFT is filled with chills, thrills, twists and turns, that you won't be able to get instantly caught up in all that Jenna is going through. Your heart will be pounding and you will be sitting there shaking your heard going "no way, no way" over and over again. I was completely emotionally invested in Jenna and what she was going through and my heart was breaking for what she was learning about Callie and all she went through. What was it that Callie was trying to tell her? She had to get to the truth! Jenna felt that Callie deserved at least that much for the gift she gave to her. I found myself holding my breath right up until the very end and after reading THE GIFT, I'm excited to read Louis Jensen's debut novel, The Sister.
February 18, 2017
I have to say how much I enjoyed reading this story. I know it's fiction but I have also learnt a lot. And it's brought back some memories for me in a certain way.
This is about a transplant. A heart transplant.
I'm not going into details as if you haven't read it yet, it's quite fascinating, mysterious, enlightening and scary at the same time.
Fascinating because- a lot of people are on the donor list
Mysterious-because- This was something my dad said when he had a blood transfusion years ago
Enlightening because- there was a fact in this book that I just had to Google. Eye opener.
Scary because- it's perturbing but also comforting to know all at the same time
The plot of the story, the route of the story and the path it leads you down is dark at times but with sunshine. If I'm confusing you, what I mean is, there are two ways to look at this.
The transplant and the effects on the reciepiant and the family of the donor is very emotionally moving as well as very fascinating.
It's a fabulous story that really had me thinking, pondering at times.
There are some twists within the pages that hook you well and truly in by the jugular.
A fascinating superbly written plot.
My thanks to Bookoutour and Net Galley for my gifted copy
This is about a transplant. A heart transplant.
I'm not going into details as if you haven't read it yet, it's quite fascinating, mysterious, enlightening and scary at the same time.
Fascinating because- a lot of people are on the donor list
Mysterious-because- This was something my dad said when he had a blood transfusion years ago
Enlightening because- there was a fact in this book that I just had to Google. Eye opener.
Scary because- it's perturbing but also comforting to know all at the same time
The plot of the story, the route of the story and the path it leads you down is dark at times but with sunshine. If I'm confusing you, what I mean is, there are two ways to look at this.
The transplant and the effects on the reciepiant and the family of the donor is very emotionally moving as well as very fascinating.
It's a fabulous story that really had me thinking, pondering at times.
There are some twists within the pages that hook you well and truly in by the jugular.
A fascinating superbly written plot.
My thanks to Bookoutour and Net Galley for my gifted copy
February 7, 2017
I'm sorry to say that this book just didn't work for me. I read 24% before I quite. I will perhaps continue some day in the future, but right now I felt that it was the wrong time for me to read the book!
December 9, 2016
All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com
I was a HUGE fan of Jensen’s debut novel, The Sister so I’ve been eagerly awaiting her second book, The Gift since the cover reveal a few months back, isn’t it stunning?! I love how it has a similar look to the cover of The Sister and I would’ve been able to tell it was her book without even seeing her name on the cover. I’m so pleased to say that I absolutely loved this book, in fact I may have even liked it a little bit more than The Sister even though I wouldn’t have thought that was possible.
Six months ago Jenna needed a heart transplant or she would’ve died. Now that she’s on the mend, she has an unexplainable urge to contact the donors family. Everyone in her life is against this, her therapist especially thinks it’s a terrible idea but Jenna cannot let it go. She wants to thank them, but she also wants to find out about the woman who’s heart she received. I can’t say I blame her, the trauma she’s been through is a tremendous one and I felt like if it was something she felt so strongly about, then she needed to do it. As Jenna starts to delve into Cassie’s life, she gets more than she expected.
This is the type of book that grips you from page one and never lets you go until the final page. I was completely absorbed in Jenna’s story and really felt for her. After her transplant she breaks up with her longtime boyfriend, Sam because she doesn’t want to be a burden. She cuts herself off from the outside world as she struggles to deal with her new life. I can only imagine what she’s going through and Jensen did a beautiful job telling her story with empathy and grace. Besides the physical changes Jenna is dealing with she is also experiencing some other side effects. There is something called Cellular Memory which is a phenomenon that transplant recipients sometimes experience. This fascinated me, I want to read more about it. For Jenna, she has very vivid dreams, more like memories that are not hers. She knows they are Callie’s, but what is the dead woman trying to tell her? She’s inexplicably connected to her beyond the physical and she finds herself a bit obsessed with the woman who gave her the gift of life. But things quickly turn dangerous and Jenna may be in over her head.
That’s about all I can say plotwise, but I can’t recommend this book highly enough. The Gift has the same awesome sense of paranoia that I loved in The Sister and I again found myself looking over my own shoulder. There are several smaller twists followed by a big whopper that left me breathless. By the last twenty percent of the book you would’ve had to prise it out of my cold dead hands to get me to put it down, it was honestly that gripping. Fans of The Sister will not be disappointed and if you haven’t read that, what are you waiting for?! Get cracking on both of these, you won’t regret it.
I was a HUGE fan of Jensen’s debut novel, The Sister so I’ve been eagerly awaiting her second book, The Gift since the cover reveal a few months back, isn’t it stunning?! I love how it has a similar look to the cover of The Sister and I would’ve been able to tell it was her book without even seeing her name on the cover. I’m so pleased to say that I absolutely loved this book, in fact I may have even liked it a little bit more than The Sister even though I wouldn’t have thought that was possible.
Six months ago Jenna needed a heart transplant or she would’ve died. Now that she’s on the mend, she has an unexplainable urge to contact the donors family. Everyone in her life is against this, her therapist especially thinks it’s a terrible idea but Jenna cannot let it go. She wants to thank them, but she also wants to find out about the woman who’s heart she received. I can’t say I blame her, the trauma she’s been through is a tremendous one and I felt like if it was something she felt so strongly about, then she needed to do it. As Jenna starts to delve into Cassie’s life, she gets more than she expected.
This is the type of book that grips you from page one and never lets you go until the final page. I was completely absorbed in Jenna’s story and really felt for her. After her transplant she breaks up with her longtime boyfriend, Sam because she doesn’t want to be a burden. She cuts herself off from the outside world as she struggles to deal with her new life. I can only imagine what she’s going through and Jensen did a beautiful job telling her story with empathy and grace. Besides the physical changes Jenna is dealing with she is also experiencing some other side effects. There is something called Cellular Memory which is a phenomenon that transplant recipients sometimes experience. This fascinated me, I want to read more about it. For Jenna, she has very vivid dreams, more like memories that are not hers. She knows they are Callie’s, but what is the dead woman trying to tell her? She’s inexplicably connected to her beyond the physical and she finds herself a bit obsessed with the woman who gave her the gift of life. But things quickly turn dangerous and Jenna may be in over her head.
That’s about all I can say plotwise, but I can’t recommend this book highly enough. The Gift has the same awesome sense of paranoia that I loved in The Sister and I again found myself looking over my own shoulder. There are several smaller twists followed by a big whopper that left me breathless. By the last twenty percent of the book you would’ve had to prise it out of my cold dead hands to get me to put it down, it was honestly that gripping. Fans of The Sister will not be disappointed and if you haven’t read that, what are you waiting for?! Get cracking on both of these, you won’t regret it.
December 19, 2016
The Gift is a hold your breath type of psychological thriller about thirty year old Jenna who receives a heart transplant from a young woman called Callie. Jenna feels different after the lifesaving operation, and seems to experience memories that she is sure aren’t hers.
“A heart is not just an organ. The heart stores secrets and lies. Hopes and dreams. It’s more than a muscle. I know it is. The heart remembers.”
I’ve often been intrigued and also somewhat freaked out by the idea of cellular memory, and thought this story approached this topic with sensitivity, yet had me completely convinced that it may be possible.
As the story progresses, Jenna gets to know Callie’s family, and that’s when things start to get exciting, as Jenna becomes obsessed that despite Callie being dead she is trying to tell her something.
I spent a large part of this book thinking my heart was going to stop and the last 20% holding my breath!
If you enjoy hard to put down psychological thrillers or have an interest in cellular memory then I highly recommend this book.
“A heart is not just an organ. The heart stores secrets and lies. Hopes and dreams. It’s more than a muscle. I know it is. The heart remembers.”
I’ve often been intrigued and also somewhat freaked out by the idea of cellular memory, and thought this story approached this topic with sensitivity, yet had me completely convinced that it may be possible.
As the story progresses, Jenna gets to know Callie’s family, and that’s when things start to get exciting, as Jenna becomes obsessed that despite Callie being dead she is trying to tell her something.
I spent a large part of this book thinking my heart was going to stop and the last 20% holding my breath!
If you enjoy hard to put down psychological thrillers or have an interest in cellular memory then I highly recommend this book.
December 12, 2016
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Jenna isn't well and she needs a heart transplant. Eventually the good news comes - her doctor has found a donor. Jenna receives a new heart and the surgery is a success, but something has changed. Since the surgery Jenna's been having very vivid, detailed and scary dreams. Dreams that seem so real that on waking, Jenna feels like the events have happened to her, but yet she knows that they haven't. Could these memories belong to the donor? And if yes, it's obvious to Jenna that something was very wrong in that person's life. Jenna embarks on a mission to find out who the donor was and to figure out just exactly how and why this person died.
Let me say at the outset that I liked this read, without loving it. It's classified as a psychological thriller, which is my favourite genre. I've read tons of books that fall into this category and perhaps that's why it's more difficult to impress me. So, I didn't find myself head over heals in love with this one. It's a good thriller that builds at a good pace. I found myself dying for the story to progress more quickly so that I could get to the heart of the story and find out all that I was wanting to know. For me personally, I found that the story took a while to get moving. There seemed to be a number of events that took place that didn't actually progress the story in any way. One example, is the event that happens with Sam's younger brother. Also, I didn't think that the ending contained any major twist. For some, the ending will be good enough, but for me, I like to be left with a shock. That didn't happen here. But, having said all that, I did find the concept of Cellular Memory - the term used to describe the feelings and memories that some transplant patients experience after surgery - fascinating. The fact that people sometimes experience memories of the donor, defies logic and there is no rational explanation. But apparently such a thing exists. Wow! All in all, this is a good, solid read, but lacks a wow factor.
I would like to thank the author, Louise Jensen, the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.
Jenna isn't well and she needs a heart transplant. Eventually the good news comes - her doctor has found a donor. Jenna receives a new heart and the surgery is a success, but something has changed. Since the surgery Jenna's been having very vivid, detailed and scary dreams. Dreams that seem so real that on waking, Jenna feels like the events have happened to her, but yet she knows that they haven't. Could these memories belong to the donor? And if yes, it's obvious to Jenna that something was very wrong in that person's life. Jenna embarks on a mission to find out who the donor was and to figure out just exactly how and why this person died.
Let me say at the outset that I liked this read, without loving it. It's classified as a psychological thriller, which is my favourite genre. I've read tons of books that fall into this category and perhaps that's why it's more difficult to impress me. So, I didn't find myself head over heals in love with this one. It's a good thriller that builds at a good pace. I found myself dying for the story to progress more quickly so that I could get to the heart of the story and find out all that I was wanting to know. For me personally, I found that the story took a while to get moving. There seemed to be a number of events that took place that didn't actually progress the story in any way. One example, is the event that happens with Sam's younger brother. Also, I didn't think that the ending contained any major twist. For some, the ending will be good enough, but for me, I like to be left with a shock. That didn't happen here. But, having said all that, I did find the concept of Cellular Memory - the term used to describe the feelings and memories that some transplant patients experience after surgery - fascinating. The fact that people sometimes experience memories of the donor, defies logic and there is no rational explanation. But apparently such a thing exists. Wow! All in all, this is a good, solid read, but lacks a wow factor.
I would like to thank the author, Louise Jensen, the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.
December 26, 2016
The Gift by Louise Jensen
The Gift by Louise Jensen surely is one to read over the holidays as how giving it is to be an organ donor. This psychological thriller delivers just in case you feel as I do there have been many this year, some are better than others. I promise you this one does deliver in some sort of way for every body. Jenna receives a heart transplant from Callie who is said to have been killed in an accident? Jenna tries to seek out Callie's family and past to try to learn everything she can learn about Callie. Jenna has already begun to have thoughts and memories that belonged to Callie. This book explores CM, which stands for Cellular Memory. Now, we all know that our muscles retain memory. Anybody who has ever been active and then due to any situation stops their physical action and then rebounds quickly to being active again has experienced muscle memory. The Heart, being our bodies most important muscle of all, which we sometimes forget.
Since our heart is the most important muscle in our bodies to function, could it be true or can we suspend belief to ponder whether or not our most important muscle can possibly hold memories, too? I do not know the answer because I don't think it has been proven yet it is still a controversial theory. If our heart has memory and can hold our experiences and feelings then this is what is happening to Jenna. Since the transplant Jenna has had memories and feelings that are not her own. Could these feelings and memories belong to Callie? Jenna begins to suspect that Callie may not have died in an accident but something more sinister. Jenna starts trying to find out as much as she can about Callie. Jenna also ends her relationship with her boyfriend Sam.
Bookouture has acquired some very talented, highly imaginative authors. Louise Jensen is surely one of them with her creation of The Gift. The Sister was excellent as well. Cellular Memory, when it comes to organ donation is a brand new concept to me. People have undergone personality changes after organ donation, according to some Doctors. Louise Jensen sure knows how to scare us with this theory. It has not yet been scientifically proven so it remains a theory. For a Five star psychological thriller of a read that will change your thought processes if only briefly about organ donation. It might not make you a believer but it will give you food for thought to ponder over whatever you are or are not a believer of the possibilities?????
This book will hold your attention from cover to cover. You don't have to believe in Cellular Memory to suspend your imagination to an utterly unique and fresh addition to the What If? The characters are all well developed and this plot is a pulse pounding fast read. I read it in one sitting because I couldn't wait to read about this and find out how it ends. This book left me feeling grateful that my children, my husband and myself have been lucky to be in good health. Although my oldest son suffers with Type I Diabetes and we do worry about him. For me this book evoked love, health, family, friends which truly are a gift.
Thank you to Net Galley, Louise Jensen and Bookouture for providing me with my digital copy for an honest review.
The Gift by Louise Jensen surely is one to read over the holidays as how giving it is to be an organ donor. This psychological thriller delivers just in case you feel as I do there have been many this year, some are better than others. I promise you this one does deliver in some sort of way for every body. Jenna receives a heart transplant from Callie who is said to have been killed in an accident? Jenna tries to seek out Callie's family and past to try to learn everything she can learn about Callie. Jenna has already begun to have thoughts and memories that belonged to Callie. This book explores CM, which stands for Cellular Memory. Now, we all know that our muscles retain memory. Anybody who has ever been active and then due to any situation stops their physical action and then rebounds quickly to being active again has experienced muscle memory. The Heart, being our bodies most important muscle of all, which we sometimes forget.
Since our heart is the most important muscle in our bodies to function, could it be true or can we suspend belief to ponder whether or not our most important muscle can possibly hold memories, too? I do not know the answer because I don't think it has been proven yet it is still a controversial theory. If our heart has memory and can hold our experiences and feelings then this is what is happening to Jenna. Since the transplant Jenna has had memories and feelings that are not her own. Could these feelings and memories belong to Callie? Jenna begins to suspect that Callie may not have died in an accident but something more sinister. Jenna starts trying to find out as much as she can about Callie. Jenna also ends her relationship with her boyfriend Sam.
Bookouture has acquired some very talented, highly imaginative authors. Louise Jensen is surely one of them with her creation of The Gift. The Sister was excellent as well. Cellular Memory, when it comes to organ donation is a brand new concept to me. People have undergone personality changes after organ donation, according to some Doctors. Louise Jensen sure knows how to scare us with this theory. It has not yet been scientifically proven so it remains a theory. For a Five star psychological thriller of a read that will change your thought processes if only briefly about organ donation. It might not make you a believer but it will give you food for thought to ponder over whatever you are or are not a believer of the possibilities?????
This book will hold your attention from cover to cover. You don't have to believe in Cellular Memory to suspend your imagination to an utterly unique and fresh addition to the What If? The characters are all well developed and this plot is a pulse pounding fast read. I read it in one sitting because I couldn't wait to read about this and find out how it ends. This book left me feeling grateful that my children, my husband and myself have been lucky to be in good health. Although my oldest son suffers with Type I Diabetes and we do worry about him. For me this book evoked love, health, family, friends which truly are a gift.
Thank you to Net Galley, Louise Jensen and Bookouture for providing me with my digital copy for an honest review.
February 10, 2017
What if a transplant organ retained the memories of its original owner? And what if that person needed you to know or do something before they could rest? This is the premise of The Gift.
Jenna was dying from a viral infection that attacked her heart when the perfect donor heart became available. Months after recovery, she’s trying to come to terms with all that has happened to her when she starts having weird dreams and feeling as though someone is watching her. The meds she is on are pretty powerful with crazy side effects, and she and her therapist blame it on the meds at first. However, Jenna can’t ignore the feeling that her new heart is trying to tell her something about the donor, something important. The more she digs into the death of her donor, the more she believes that she’s onto something, but it also becomes apparent that she is putting her life in danger by pursuing it.
The concept was a little bit of a stretch, but it is intriguing and is excellent fodder for this type of book. The story was properly intense and there were definitely moments where I was so caught up in it that my heart was racing…not something that is easily accomplished, I assure you. And the ending was all a great surprise to me, which I loved. I don’t mind figuring it out early on if the book is well written, but I do love being taken for a ride and not being able to pin down a direction. It’s so much more fun when you think you know what’s around the bend, only to find yourself completely off the rails.
How is this for a recommendation: before I’d even finished, I went looking for the author’s other book, The Sister, and purchased it. I think that about says it all, doesn’t it?
Note: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley. I pride myself on writing fair and honest reviews.
Jenna was dying from a viral infection that attacked her heart when the perfect donor heart became available. Months after recovery, she’s trying to come to terms with all that has happened to her when she starts having weird dreams and feeling as though someone is watching her. The meds she is on are pretty powerful with crazy side effects, and she and her therapist blame it on the meds at first. However, Jenna can’t ignore the feeling that her new heart is trying to tell her something about the donor, something important. The more she digs into the death of her donor, the more she believes that she’s onto something, but it also becomes apparent that she is putting her life in danger by pursuing it.
The concept was a little bit of a stretch, but it is intriguing and is excellent fodder for this type of book. The story was properly intense and there were definitely moments where I was so caught up in it that my heart was racing…not something that is easily accomplished, I assure you. And the ending was all a great surprise to me, which I loved. I don’t mind figuring it out early on if the book is well written, but I do love being taken for a ride and not being able to pin down a direction. It’s so much more fun when you think you know what’s around the bend, only to find yourself completely off the rails.
How is this for a recommendation: before I’d even finished, I went looking for the author’s other book, The Sister, and purchased it. I think that about says it all, doesn’t it?
Note: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley. I pride myself on writing fair and honest reviews.
February 5, 2017
An underwhelming read compared to the authors debut novel, The Sister, as it lacked the tension and suspense the author had succeeded in building in her first book.
Jenna has received the donated heart of Callie - a vivacious young woman whose life was tragically cut short. Soon after the surgery, Jenna becomes fixated on who her donor was and how she died. Her obsession mounts as she delves deeper into Callie's life and relationships. The first half of the book is dedicated to Jenna's paranoia surrounding some strange occurrences, such as the vivid nightmares she begins to suffer.
I thought the second half of the book mildly improved on the first, although the entire book felt disjointed in places and it was difficult for me as a reader to connect with the lead protagonist. Her behaviours become increasingly strange and erratic and there are several supporting characters to keep track of.
As The Sister was enjoyable, I will probably continue to read this authors books, despite not being terribly impressed with this latest release.
Jenna has received the donated heart of Callie - a vivacious young woman whose life was tragically cut short. Soon after the surgery, Jenna becomes fixated on who her donor was and how she died. Her obsession mounts as she delves deeper into Callie's life and relationships. The first half of the book is dedicated to Jenna's paranoia surrounding some strange occurrences, such as the vivid nightmares she begins to suffer.
I thought the second half of the book mildly improved on the first, although the entire book felt disjointed in places and it was difficult for me as a reader to connect with the lead protagonist. Her behaviours become increasingly strange and erratic and there are several supporting characters to keep track of.
As The Sister was enjoyable, I will probably continue to read this authors books, despite not being terribly impressed with this latest release.
January 2, 2017
Crikey. What a way to finish the old year and start the new year with this read. An utterly compelling novel.
Jenna is the recipient of a heart transplant, a transplant she urgently needed after becoming seriously ill very quickly and a transplant that has saved her life. While on her long road to recovery and heavily medicated Jenna begins to have dreams, very vivid dreams both when asleep and awake and is convinced she is experiencing past events from her donors life and sets out to try and find out who the donor was and, if this person has family to try and contact them to thank them, to find out how the donor died and to see if her dreams are real memories.
As the dreams increase in both vividness and regularity, Jenna becomes convinced that something terrible is happening and her donor is trying to warn her.
It's hard to go in to any more of the story without revealing spoilers. It turns into a sort of murder mystery/whodunit/psychological thriller, although the lines are always blurred as we are never sure what Jenna is experiencing is real or not.
I absolutely loved this book. A really interesting subject matter used as a vehicle to tell the story, the central character Jenna is a very well written character and you have total empathy with her throughout as she tries to make sense of what is real and isn't and piece together they mystery as she tries to hold on to her own sanity.
There's a full cast of characters in the book of course and all serve a purpose to the story. None feel thrown in as a plot device or anything like that. They are all an integral part of the story. Loads of really vivid and memorable characters that will long stay with me.
I loved the writing style, very descriptive without meandering. A lot of the novel is told from Jenna's perspective although we do have flashback sequences throughout. Of course we are kept in the dark throughout with little pieces being revealed as we proceed until it climaxes in a very exciting and thoroughly satisfying final act.
I honestly can't think of one thing to criticise this book about. It was a pure pleasure to read. I'd have no hesitation in recommending it and it fully deserves the five stars I've given it. I feel compelled now to seek out the authors previous novel The Sister such was my enjoyment of The Gift.
I'd like to thank NetGalley Bookouture and Louise Jenson for an ARC in exchange for and honest and unbiased review.
Jenna is the recipient of a heart transplant, a transplant she urgently needed after becoming seriously ill very quickly and a transplant that has saved her life. While on her long road to recovery and heavily medicated Jenna begins to have dreams, very vivid dreams both when asleep and awake and is convinced she is experiencing past events from her donors life and sets out to try and find out who the donor was and, if this person has family to try and contact them to thank them, to find out how the donor died and to see if her dreams are real memories.
As the dreams increase in both vividness and regularity, Jenna becomes convinced that something terrible is happening and her donor is trying to warn her.
It's hard to go in to any more of the story without revealing spoilers. It turns into a sort of murder mystery/whodunit/psychological thriller, although the lines are always blurred as we are never sure what Jenna is experiencing is real or not.
I absolutely loved this book. A really interesting subject matter used as a vehicle to tell the story, the central character Jenna is a very well written character and you have total empathy with her throughout as she tries to make sense of what is real and isn't and piece together they mystery as she tries to hold on to her own sanity.
There's a full cast of characters in the book of course and all serve a purpose to the story. None feel thrown in as a plot device or anything like that. They are all an integral part of the story. Loads of really vivid and memorable characters that will long stay with me.
I loved the writing style, very descriptive without meandering. A lot of the novel is told from Jenna's perspective although we do have flashback sequences throughout. Of course we are kept in the dark throughout with little pieces being revealed as we proceed until it climaxes in a very exciting and thoroughly satisfying final act.
I honestly can't think of one thing to criticise this book about. It was a pure pleasure to read. I'd have no hesitation in recommending it and it fully deserves the five stars I've given it. I feel compelled now to seek out the authors previous novel The Sister such was my enjoyment of The Gift.
I'd like to thank NetGalley Bookouture and Louise Jenson for an ARC in exchange for and honest and unbiased review.
December 17, 2016
Having read and loved The Sister, which is the authors debut novel, I couldn’t wait to read The Gift and see if it was as good. Having now read it I can confidently say that yes, this was just as good if not slightly better if possible than her debut.
Jenna has had a heart transplant. Like most transplant patients, she is very keen to find out more about the person who donated their organs. There is a good reason why hospitals don’t let patients do this and by the end I reckon Jenna wishes she had never delved down that road either.
Since having the heart transplant, Jenna isn’t herself. Her emotions, feelings, even her dreams are totally new to her. This is why she becomes determined to find out who her donor was.
This is one of those stories where it’s all told from Jenna’s point of view. Her head is a totally messed up place to be and at times it left me dizzy as well as reeling. Her family and friends are understandably very worried as she really is not herself.
Jenna very much becomes fixated on Callie, her donor. She well and truly sticks her nose in stuff that doesn’t concern her but she just can’t let it go. She seems to get herself into some very strange and sometimes dangerous situations and it sure makes for a gripping read.
The Gift is a whirl wind of a read that had me well and truly captivated. It’s a fast paced read which by the end left me feeling breathless. The totally perfect ‘gift’ for fans of psychological thrillers.
My thanks to Bookouture for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Jenna has had a heart transplant. Like most transplant patients, she is very keen to find out more about the person who donated their organs. There is a good reason why hospitals don’t let patients do this and by the end I reckon Jenna wishes she had never delved down that road either.
Since having the heart transplant, Jenna isn’t herself. Her emotions, feelings, even her dreams are totally new to her. This is why she becomes determined to find out who her donor was.
This is one of those stories where it’s all told from Jenna’s point of view. Her head is a totally messed up place to be and at times it left me dizzy as well as reeling. Her family and friends are understandably very worried as she really is not herself.
Jenna very much becomes fixated on Callie, her donor. She well and truly sticks her nose in stuff that doesn’t concern her but she just can’t let it go. She seems to get herself into some very strange and sometimes dangerous situations and it sure makes for a gripping read.
The Gift is a whirl wind of a read that had me well and truly captivated. It’s a fast paced read which by the end left me feeling breathless. The totally perfect ‘gift’ for fans of psychological thrillers.
My thanks to Bookouture for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
December 17, 2016
I absolutely loved The Sister which was the debut novel by Louise Jensen and was rather excited to read her second book The Gift. Would it live up to those fabulous reviews for her first book? I’m really pleased to say that not only did it live up to my expectations, it smashed them! This book is BRILLIANT!
Louise Jensen is a natural storyteller but what she really excels in is her ability to create characters that we can relate to and care about. Jenna is such an interesting fictional case study for “cellular memory” following her transplant and I dare anyone not to be sucked into this fascinating and intriguing premise based on actual research projects. Organ donation is such an emotive subject to discuss and one that is very close to my heart (no pun intended). And although this book is a psychological thriller and not an emotional tearjerker, if it makes just one person raise the subject of their own personal preferences regarding organ donation with their family then I will be a happy bunny!
That aside, The Gift has a brilliant and original plotline that will keep you guessing until the final pages. The twists and turns combined with a host of shady characters meant that I was never quite sure what had happened to Callie, the perfect daughter/sister/fiance who we never get to meet while she is alive-just when her heart has been transplanted into Jenna’s chest. But I loved her almost as much, if not more, than the brave and inquisitive Jenna. Her personality shone through on every page she was written onto and as it overlapped with Jenna’s character I found myself praying that the transplant hadn’t been in vain and that both girls survived in some form or other.
There is so much more to this book than just a psychological suspense. It has a depth of emotions that float to the surface to surprise the reader with how much they have come to care about Jenna’s fate and the truth behind Callie’s death. I raced through it, mainly hoping the faster I read the less likely I was to cry but upon finishing I had to admit defeat as I wiped the tears from my eyes. I just loved it.
Many thanks to Bookouture for my advanced copy of The Gift which i have chosen to read and review.
Louise Jensen is a natural storyteller but what she really excels in is her ability to create characters that we can relate to and care about. Jenna is such an interesting fictional case study for “cellular memory” following her transplant and I dare anyone not to be sucked into this fascinating and intriguing premise based on actual research projects. Organ donation is such an emotive subject to discuss and one that is very close to my heart (no pun intended). And although this book is a psychological thriller and not an emotional tearjerker, if it makes just one person raise the subject of their own personal preferences regarding organ donation with their family then I will be a happy bunny!
That aside, The Gift has a brilliant and original plotline that will keep you guessing until the final pages. The twists and turns combined with a host of shady characters meant that I was never quite sure what had happened to Callie, the perfect daughter/sister/fiance who we never get to meet while she is alive-just when her heart has been transplanted into Jenna’s chest. But I loved her almost as much, if not more, than the brave and inquisitive Jenna. Her personality shone through on every page she was written onto and as it overlapped with Jenna’s character I found myself praying that the transplant hadn’t been in vain and that both girls survived in some form or other.
There is so much more to this book than just a psychological suspense. It has a depth of emotions that float to the surface to surprise the reader with how much they have come to care about Jenna’s fate and the truth behind Callie’s death. I raced through it, mainly hoping the faster I read the less likely I was to cry but upon finishing I had to admit defeat as I wiped the tears from my eyes. I just loved it.
Many thanks to Bookouture for my advanced copy of The Gift which i have chosen to read and review.
May 24, 2017
Dear Reader,
For three quarters of this book I was Jenna! Yes,you read that correctly! The main character and I were as one,feeling the same anxiety,fear and anguish,united in our determination to decipher the hidden meaning behind the flashbacks,nightmares and dreams experienced by her,for the past six months,since she received her donor's heart.
Growing increasingly paranoid we trusted no one,saw danger and mistrust in every innocent display of love,friendship and advice.
Isolating ourselves,yet oddly tunnel visioned in our aim of discovering the circumstances surrounding Callie's death,our donor,the person who perished so that we might have life,we encouraged this affiliation with this stranger,one whose very heart beat within our chest,the vital organ responsible for our life.
Yet,perhaps inevitably,we somehow parted ways,our partnership fizzling out oddly paralleling the dilution of the raison d'être of this book.
To say that I was disappointed,slightly peeved and somewhat curious as to why the author chose this as the fulcrum around which the background of the story pivoted,is
an understatement.
To think of all that energy and time invested in a story that initially was so compelling, satisfying and intriguing,only for it to fall at this,the last but fundamentally most important hurdle,makes me oddly bereft and I wonder how it might have gone off on a tangent and delivered the ending this reader, for one,thinks it deserved.
I was so looking forward to this book,and am saddened that the last quarter didn't live up to the huge expectations raised by the initial premise,the wonderful writing,short,sharp, attention grabbing chapters and the rollercoaster ride promised to us,the readers,at the outset.
For three quarters of this book I was Jenna! Yes,you read that correctly! The main character and I were as one,feeling the same anxiety,fear and anguish,united in our determination to decipher the hidden meaning behind the flashbacks,nightmares and dreams experienced by her,for the past six months,since she received her donor's heart.
Growing increasingly paranoid we trusted no one,saw danger and mistrust in every innocent display of love,friendship and advice.
Isolating ourselves,yet oddly tunnel visioned in our aim of discovering the circumstances surrounding Callie's death,our donor,the person who perished so that we might have life,we encouraged this affiliation with this stranger,one whose very heart beat within our chest,the vital organ responsible for our life.
Yet,perhaps inevitably,we somehow parted ways,our partnership fizzling out oddly paralleling the dilution of the raison d'être of this book.
To say that I was disappointed,slightly peeved and somewhat curious as to why the author chose this as the fulcrum around which the background of the story pivoted,is
an understatement.
To think of all that energy and time invested in a story that initially was so compelling, satisfying and intriguing,only for it to fall at this,the last but fundamentally most important hurdle,makes me oddly bereft and I wonder how it might have gone off on a tangent and delivered the ending this reader, for one,thinks it deserved.
I was so looking forward to this book,and am saddened that the last quarter didn't live up to the huge expectations raised by the initial premise,the wonderful writing,short,sharp, attention grabbing chapters and the rollercoaster ride promised to us,the readers,at the outset.
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