A Heart Like Ringo Starr

by Linda Oatman High

Her family runs Stevens Brothers Funeral Home. Which is ironic, since Faith Hope Stevens is not long for this world. Unless someone dies. Unless there is a match. Staying alive will mean a heart transplant. Faith copes with wit and nerve. She’s also a little pissed off. She will never grow old. She will never have a boyfriend. Then one shocking day everything changes ...

Genres: Young Adult, Novel In Verse, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Poetry, Death, Family

250 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2015

Reviews

[Kat Ice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I seriously read this book in one night. it was a great story but a lot different than what I thought it was. I love the story and how the author wrote it out! I will be writing another small review on my blog so go check it out! Mediageeksunite.blogspot.com

[Miri · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOD IT WAS SO AMAZING ASDFGHJKL I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH AND YOU NEED TO READ IT I DONT CARE WHAT YOU'RE DOING STOP AND READ IT

[Evan Whitlock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable, slightly cheesy. But sometimes, you just need a cheesy book. I will admit -- I picked it just for the title, seeing how Ringo is my favorite Beatle. I was skeptical for the first 10 pages, but I enjoyed it more and more the further I got into the book.

[Fats · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want a heart
that ticks.
That tocks.
A cardio clock
that rocks.
That knocks to
the beat
of me.

Told in verses, A Heart Like Ringo Starr is the story of seventeen-year-old Faith Hope Stevens who has a congenital heart disease. She is among thousands who are part of the Here's-a-Wish foundation. It's basically a wait list for people who need a heart transplant. The story is told in Faith's point of view, giving readers a glimpse into her feelings about her condition, her self-image, her hopes and dreams, and even her thoughts about her future.

It was an interesting plot. However, I think the book falls short on execution. I've read other verse novels but none quite so "rhyme-y" as this book. The rhyming was a bit much for me. I didn't care for it.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Luckily this book in verse is a really quick read (done in one sitting). The story line had so much potential, and the verse format could make it accessible to a lot of readers, but it just wasn't executed well. The author seemed more concerned with the (sometimes just too "cutesy") rhymes and less about the story flow or characters. It was too sparse to get to feel connected to any of them.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this story in verse about a girl dealing with her identity as *Sick* and how she learns to define herself otherwise. A great add to a YA collection - clean enough for middle-schoolers but probably most interesting to readers 14+.

[Terry Cross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Linda Oatman High's approach to introducing the reader to the heroine Faith Hope Stevenson is unconventional to say the least. We meet her in first person verse. Not in silly jovial rhyme, but in a somewhat annoyed and sarcstic tone as she is getting her toe nails painted. Often verse is used to put the reader in a "happy" "playful" mood, but Faith's mood is not happy, but more defensive in as playful a manner as a rebelious teenager can be. Faith was born with a heart defect and is in need of a heart transplant but doesn't know how much time she has, nor does she know when or if she will ever receive a transplant. Though she is living on borrowed time the reader does not do what Faith does not want you to do, feel sorry for her. She does not want your pity but the author wants you to know her for who she is, a young woman with desires and ambitions like anyone else. The clever method of using verse to deflect the irritating and monotonous well wishing that typically come her way enable you to get to know her immediately in intimate fashion and gain enough empathy to be on her side.

This is an engaging read that teens from 10th to 12th grade can relate to and possibly be inspired to put their own lives in verse, which makes for a good creative lesson. It can also be used to put them in touch with their feelings about their own mortality. It could also serve as a history lesson and teach them who Ringo Starr is. I would recommend this book for a high school English course seeking to put reality fiction in the hands of YA readers.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

WOOF. This book was baaaaaaaad. BAD.

I grabbed it because the title seemed quirky and fun. That is literally the only positive thing I can say about this book.

It is written in verse. The protagonist is supposed to be 17 but because everything is written so rhymy and plain, she sounds like a dumb 7th grader.

She complains for the first half of the book and then gets a heart transplant and complains some more until she meets a boy on the beach and loves him after literally five seconds and the rest of the plot is so coincidence laden and heavy handed that I couldn’t roll my eyes enough.

The only reason I finished is because I am close to my reading goal for the year and I knew a book in verse wouldn’t take long. It was still painful though.

Especially after just having taught The Crossover by Kwame Alexander at school, the extreme contrast in writing was wow. Just really bad.

Here’s a taste for you:
“I am bereft
When we separate.
It’s as if my soul
And Jimmy Winters’s soul
Were joined
With Velcro”

I’m shocked that someone published that!

[Lauren Ellzey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A hi/lo novel written in verse. I'm not sure who the ideal audience for this novel would be, as the topic of needing a heart transplant is interesting while not immediately accessible to many YA readers. Part One seemed rather slow paced compared to a somewhat rushed Part Two, where much of the action happened. If Part One had been shorter and Part Two more drawn out, I feel this novel could have been a more balanced read.

On the other hand, the verse is well written and easy to follow. At times poetic, others more narrative, many young readers could breeze through this if the topic itself is of interest.

[Megan Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is definitely more of a middle grade than YA read. Faith, our protagonist, is lovely and the story shows so much hope. As far as fantastic characters go, I hope to someday be someone’s quirky Aunt Mary. This book holds so much potential. The plot fell apart for me, though, because the author seemed more focused on rhyme than depth of storyline. It’s a quick read and is certainly likable, but there isn’t anything plot-wise that is thoroughly developed. I love novels written in verse or poetry. There are very powerful novels written in this style. This one, however, fell short.

[JANET · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Not what I was expecting but ...

...WOW! So beautiful! I loved Faith and and the inner workings of her mind. The title was misleading for a while but understanding came. As a fellow Beatles fan with Faith, it's true that all you do really need is love! Do yourself a favor and let this story brighten up your life. You might wish for more too. 👉❤👈

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy a story written in rhyme-unfortunately, not this one. Not this time. The story wasn’t bad-could have been worse. But seemed rushed and cheesy written in verse. Ah well, so long, adieu. On we go to something new.

[Alydia Vang pd.4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly think that this book was a quick read just because it’s one of those poetry kind of books but other than that I really enjoyed it because once I had found out that she had her boyfriends cousins heart inside her it just made me have a little hope in this world. :)

[Bridget · Rating 2 out of 5]

It drew me in with the interesting format - but it rhymed entirely too much.
I finished it because I knew it would take that much time to do so, but I won't pick up another one by this author.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute story told in prose. A really quick read.

[Joanna Hahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book written in verse. I really liked this book. I was sure I knew how it was going to end but I was wrong fortunately.

[Mrs.E · Rating 4 out of 5]

For booktalk- read first chapter "Names Don't change a thing" and the blurb from the back:

"Nobody gets off the planet alive. We all will die. All I want to know is...why?"

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable. I loved the references to "old" music and musicians. The think I like about novels in verse is that they get to the heart of things, pun intended here, and this one is no exception.

[Jessi Gillespie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like a novel in verse as much as the next person, but this one was too rhyme-y for me! It was a nice story though, and a really quick read.

[Ignacia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Me gusta leer libros de poemas y me encantan las novelas pero definitivamente la mezcla de ambos no es algo para mi.
Creo que es la 3° novela en verso que leo y no me gustó. Si, tiene partes "poéticas" pero el 80% del libro se lee demasiado robotico.
La historia es demasiado simple, los personajes planos y la historia no llega a más de dos hojas. Entiendo que la idea es hacer de la historia un poema largo, pero no funciona.

SPOILERS

Chica con problema al corazón, necesita transplante y al cabo de un tiempo lo consigue, conoce a aun chico y su primo es quién murió y donó su corazón.
Osea... really? Hacen un libro de eso?

Yo no pagaría por leer un libro así. No es por ser cruel ni nada pero no tiene nada de profundidad. Así que si alguien se llega a interesar en este libro, por lo menos mi humilde opinión es que busque otro libro.

[Tammy Flanders · Rating 2 out of 5]

The self-reflection component sounded too much like whining and I just found it tiresome. The rhyming didn't work for me, either. And, then poof! with a smile from a boy 'everything' gets better after the transplant AND we find out the donor is the boy's cousin....sigh...really?!

[Helen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had potential, but it fell a little flat for me. A lot of things just got repeated and the rythming was a bit much. I really liked the mention of the Beatles, though.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll admit that novels in verse are not my favorite. I did enjoy the story line, but the rhyming... As I said, not my favorite.

[Paula Hollohan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soothing, rhythmic writing captures an interesting story for teens. Interesting themes. Unique setting.

[Rhianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. I loved how it showed Faith's emotions, especially when she found out about her heart. I love this book so much, and the author is really, really nice.

[Teresa Hartling · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half was five stars. The second half was 1.5. Ugh

[Ms. Hartling · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half was amazing and 5 stars and the author should have just stopped there. Sometimes happy ending don't fit...

[D. Clayson]

An interesting format. A quick read. I would read this author again.

[Amber Thorpe]

it was a very sweet story!

[2017Treyy]

I loved How the book talks bout trying to pick up the peicess and how she never knew what was next and then the shocker was when she met"the boy at the beach"