I personally couldn't finish this book and that is the only reason I'm rating it 1 star. I'm sure it appeals to others, it just wasn't for me. ( )

A well written story about a 16 year old female soccer player who faints on the field and later finds out that she needs a new heart. The events leading up to the transplant form the majority of the story, with a tiny bit of teenage drama and romance thrown into the mix. The last quarter of the book deals with Emmi's life post transplant. Don't want to spoil anything but I will tell you there's a boy or two who are significant to the story, so if you're someone who needs a little romance in your stories, you won't be disappointed. ( )

CHANGE OF HEART, by Shari Maurer, is a story of one teenage girl fighting against a life-threatening virus and trying to hold onto some semblance of her life. Maurer created a strong, successful high school athlete and then stripped away everything that Emmi thought was important, giving her a critical eye of everything around her. In the face of death, Emmi got a second chance at life.

I enjoyed this book right from the start. Emmi was a star soccer player with endless opportunities in front of her. In addition to bright college prospects, she was starting to date a dreamy baseball boy. But everything changed when the virus took over her body and heart. She was taken out of school and soon she was drifting away from everything she thought was important. She was out of the loop socially and this was a constant concern for her. While her friends tried to keep up with Emmi's problems, at that age most can't comprehend the struggle and soon Emmi found herself a new friend who previously had a heart transplant, Abe.

Maurer created many fantastic relationships between her characters. She really captured life at that age and the stupid problems that high schoolers face, which they think make or break a person. I found myself being very protective of Emmi. I wanted to still see her succeed, but the people who were most important to her made the situation more about them than her. I suppose that is typical of teens her age, unable to deal with issues that really matter. She was a strong character to begin with so that did not change much, but her outlook on life opened her eyes to more than her original focus previous to the illness. Maurer did not make anything easy on Emmi, and I did find myself bleary-eyed and angry at some points because of the hardships she had to overcome.

I liked the Sam-Emmi-Abe dynamic because I felt this was a triangle that had no right or wrong side. Sam is what Emmi always wanted, but Abe became the friend that Emmi needed after her life was flipped upside down. I had a difficult time (even after reading) deciding who she should be with, and I think Maurer ended that aspect of the book perfectly.

Overall, this book had a some great messages. Live life to the fullest, do everything you can while you are healthy and young so there are no regrets. Learn what is important in life, and fall in love (as much as you can). ( )

I haven't read a lot of young adult novels, and wasn't initially sure I'd be able to get into one about a 16-year old girl in need of a heart transpla...moreI haven't read a lot of young adult novels, and wasn't initially sure I'd be able to get into one about a 16-year old girl in need of a heart transplant. It starts out in typical teenage self-conscious and superficial concern, and continues this way through most of the story. Although much different from the questions and concerns of my daily life now, I had to admit it wasn't a far cry from my own high-school diary, were I to open it today. Emmi is a very honest and realistic character, who doesn't immediately transform into a wise and caring woman you'd expect in a novel of such dramatic storyline, but even so, at the end even I was brought to tears at the gradual revelation and relationship developed by the final pages. ( )

Summary: Emmi’s life is going perfectly, when all of a sudden she is diagnosed with heart failure. The former soccer star is now barely able to walk five feet without becoming winded. Emmi must learn to over come her anxiety as she waits for a heart transplant, and along the way discovers that life really means a lot more than she thought it did.

My thoughts: I guess I should preface this review by saying that this book really hit close to home. When I was sixteen, I went through an enormous amount of health issues, like Emmi, and missed my entire junior year of high school. Even now, I can only attend one class per day, and am otherwise homeschooled. I completely identified with Emmi’s struggles and uncertainties, and went through a similar scenario (though my health problems were not quite as serious, thankfully).

Shari Maurer does a perfect job of showing the reader the many stages that one who becomes ill goes through. Everything is taken away from you, and eventually you begin to see how lucky you were before you were sick; there are so many things you wish you could do that you now can’t, and it makes you incredibly sad. Emmi demonstrated these feelings wonderfully, and I really felt her sadness and regret. Though Emmi was a bit of an annoying character (she treated her parents horribly, and was selfish), some of her flaws made her seem very realistic, and I liked seeing her finally put the pieces of her life back together.

Change of Heart focuses quite a bit on romance. I liked this because it gave some relief from all the sad, scary stuff (like, y’know, DEATH). Though Emmi’s romantic endeavors weren’t always successful, I really liked the two boys she came to have feelings for, and their relationships seemed believable and well-developed.

Overall, I’d say Change of Heart is a good look into the life of a sick teen. It’s a very emotional read, so be sure to have tissues handy. Shari Maurer does not hold back with her descriptions of Emmi’s disease and grief. I would especially recommend the book to anyone who knows a teen with an illness—Change of Heart really helps clarify what people in this kind of situation are going through. ( )