Book Review: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Heartbeat
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: January 28th 2014
Pages: 256
Format: ebook
Source: Bought
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary

Life. Death. And...Love? Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with. But Emma can't tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her. Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn't have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge. Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?

Heartbeat, wow, what a read. I don't think I've had a book move me this much in awhile. We all have in some way lost someone dear to us. Death can happen in a second, month, year, whenever. And when it's so sudden, we ask yourselves "Why?"

 And in Emma's case she has to see her dead mother everyday, never really letting go. Emma's pain is your pain. To have your mom there but not really, to talk to her but never have her talk back. That's a lot to deal with especially since her mom is hooked up to machines to help the baby live.

 I love how Elizabeth kept the loss and mourning of the situation real. You don't see a happy family faking it for others. You see a family grieving. You see a father fighting for his unborn child. You see Emma's hate, confusion, love, everything. Elizabeth Scott holds nothing back and I was stunned with how Emma dealt with her life. She's not perfect, she made mistakes. She had two great friends to support her. I cried when Emma finally pushed beyond the anger and saw what her mother would have wanted.

 Heartbeat is not about a happy ending. It's realizing that life moves on and you have to fight to take it one step at a time, for THEM and for yourself.

We are celebrating our 1 year Blogoversary this month and we have some great giveaways going on all month long.  Make sure to check them out!

Giveaway #1 - Owl necklace

Giveaway #2 - Signed Copy of Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

Giveaway #3 - A copy of The Fault In Our Stars (Movie tie-in)

Giveaway #4 - A copy of How to Love by Katie Cotugno (Giveaway Hop)