Cold Hands, Warm Heart by Jill Wolfson

Title: Cold Hands, Warm Heart
Author: Jill Wolfson
Age Group: Teens
# of Pages: 244
My Rating: 5/5

Amanda is a young teen with a bright future ahead of her as a gymnast. She has a healthy and strong petite body that enables her to spin and flip with great height and skill. Until one competition changes everything...

All of her life, fifteen years old Dani could never experience the normal things everyone else could. She grew up with a heart on the wrong side of the body ever since she was brought into this world. With so many problems, her days may soon be cut short if she does not receive a transplant soon.

As she awaits for a new heart, Dani befriends with Milo, who is in dire need of a liver. As her time in the hospital passes, she wonders about her donor after finding out she will soon get the surgery. Who is this deceased person that will give her the opportunity to live as a normal girl?

I know people say, "Don't judge by a book by its cover" but we all secretly do that. I almost didn't request to review this novel because of the cover. What was I expecting? The protagonist to be some poetic girl who is incredibly kind and tries to think the best of the situation even though she is dying. How incredibly blah! I dislike characters like that when it comes to stories of loss and survival. I literally braced myself to get ready to force my way through the book because I thought I wouldn't like it.

Except from the very beginning to end, my brain devoured Cold Hands, Warm Heart like bitter sweet candy! The story was written so fluidly, unraveling itself beautifully bit by bit. (It flipped back and forth from third to first person every other chapter but would get used to right away). Every chance I got, I would try to continue it as much as I could before putting it down again. I even neglected my studies to complete it because that was how much I loved it!

Dani is a great character. No, she does not have a big goal to fulfill. No, she doesn't want to go out there and change the world. She just wants an ordinary life and do ordinary things. She thinks like all teenagers. Things like, will she ever kiss a boy or lose her virginity? I find her simply charming. She's not doing anything to prove herself but only wishes to live longer than the time the condition has limited her to. Even the way she thinks and talks, I am drawn to her and wanting to be her friend.

I also really like Milo's character. He is such an interesting fellow, especially how he views life and death. He knows his faults and learns from it. Sure he may have yellow skin and is somewhat of a punk, but he is very considerate and a person you would always listen to whenever he talks. He too is someone I want to become friends with if he was real.

If you didn't get my message up until now: Go and get yourself copy! Maybe it's just me who is worshiping here but I think it is definitely worth checking out. There aren't any teary parts except for one where my eyes got a little wet. Cold Hands, Warm Heart has a perfect balance of everything a realistic fiction could ever be! It will change your perspective of organ donation if you are against it. Maybe not, but you will definitely give some thought about it. To know that if you die, you can give someone else a second chance they always wanted.

Review ARC copy provided by Henry Holt and Company.