June Nealon lost her family at the hands of Shay Bourne, a cold blooded murder. As his sentence on death row nears its fatal end, Bourne wants nothing more than to give life to Nealon’s second daughter, by donating his heart for the transplant that she so desperately needs.

In her newest novel, “Change of Heart,” Jodi Picoult doesn’t stray far from the style that has gained her so many loyal fans. The story is a fast paced, suspense thriller, which switches back and forth between different characters’ points of view, a characteristic of all of Picoult’s works.

Throughout the novel, Picoult raises questions about justice, vengeance and morality. How could Nealon fulfill a last dying wish to the man who tore her life apart? How could Nealon pass up a perfectly viable heart that would save her only daughter’s life, just to spite a convicted murderer?

Picoult encourages readers to look beyond the obvious and to realize that there is always more to a person than initially assumed. The characters that you grow fond of are the ones you would never expect. Picoult will keep you guessing until the very end in “Change of Heart,” which is bound to gain incredible recognition.

Our Grade:

A-