Review: The Gift by Louise Jensen

Title: The Gift
Author: Louise Jensen
Pages: 320
Genre: Thriller
Source: Free ARC from Bookouture

Rating: A

Note: As stated under the Source (above), I received this book for free from Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review (and trust me, honest is always what you’ll get).

Summary: 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.

Review: 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 earlier book, The Sister, and purchased it. I think that about says it all, doesn’t it?