Review: Pieces of Me by Amber Kizer

Pieces of Me by Amber Kizer.

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 2013
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780385741163

Review: NO! I screamed, leaping at my body, trying to force myself back inside. To open my eyes. To talk. To live. Donate my organs? I wasn't meant to serve. I AM HERE. YOU JUST CAN'T TAKE MY PIECES. You can't make me. The nurse was in the corner trying to explain to Jessica's little brother that she's brain dead. Her mother cried and her father tried to comfort her. She's gone now, real gone. This is merely a short passage from Pieces of Me by Amber Kizer.

After the most absolute terrible thing happened to Jessica Chai, she got into a car. Later that same day, she got into a huge car accident and was pronounced brain dead. Her soul watched over her and did everything she could to wake her up. Nothing. After awhile, her parents finally said yes to letting their daughter be an organ donor to those in need. Leif, all his life, thought everything revolved around sports. Turns out it didn't. He then realizes he can't let his parents push him around anymore, and he must stand up for himself, and find whom the REAL Leif is. Vivian, although she has cystic fibrosis that will end her life prematurely, chooses to look at the world as a rainbow and struggles to stay alive to the break of daylight. Misty is living in a horrible home environment and has liver failure. This library refugee might be finding her first love, but it's a whole lot of pain to handle everything or even live until tomorrow. Samuel, a 17-year-old, is so big on faith and focuses on setting aside all the bad things in life; he focuses on the bright and positive side. He can't have a dark secret, can he? Somehow all of these teenagers' lives are intertwined when their cell memories cross over, and they give Jessica the greatest gift of all.

Amazing! This book is hands down one of the most realistic, tragic, happy stories I have ever read. It has an incredibly interesting and heartwarming plot, and it illustrates of how real teenagers live their lives. Although this book sounds and is incredible, I would not recommend it for anyone under age 13. I would recommend it for teenagers, a more mature audience.

Review written by Lucy (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Pieces of Me for this review.

Have you read Pieces of Me? How would you rate it?