Medical thriller that flies along.

3.5 stars.

I have loved Terry's YA work, and chose this on that basis. The audio version moved along quickly but I wasn't keen on the female voice taking on the male parts, a little jarring and they didn't sound right to my ear, not every narrator pulls off both genders well.

Still, a good premise, with young adult Saphy sped through the process of a heart transplant when one becomes available after (who she suspects of being) her donor is attacked and later dies in hospital. The reader knows that this is in fact the case, with Flora attacked by, supposedly, a man who loved her.

Saphy gets little time to enjoy her renewed vigour and life. The donor's family get in touch, wanting to meet her. And to ask her to both get to know them and to help in their quest to quash the worries about the organ donation that has cropped up since their daughter/sister's death and organ removal.

Then Saphy learns of the attacks of another of Flora's organ recipients. And that the possible attacker who allowed her own new heart to be given to her may not have been Flora's killer after all...

I guessed the 'real' identify of the nefarious party very early on, and did find some elements of the book a little silly - Saphy feeling she was turning into her donor. The part I DID like - debate over organ donation, didn't go anywhere in particular, which I thought was a shame.

The narration was split between Saphy and Flora's sister, which kept the story flowing and different perspectives giving us further clues and insight along the way, and the several storylines did move well together and eventually join.

But this for me wasn't hugely memorable, though I did enjoy the listen. Fairly standard for the genre, with a fairly rushed ending and female voice unsuited to male characters.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample audio copy.

A super quick twisty read.

This book had the shortest chapters I've had I'm a book which made for an enjoyable reading experience as it made reading the book very quick indeed; I really enjoyed the dual perspectives of the book as this also made you want to read even more.

I felt like the author had me guessing the whole way through with one of the reveals really shocking me (I had guessed one of the reveals but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book).

*Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Teri Terry for the copy of this book. All views are my own.*

The Patient is an interesting and original concept which I was intrigued to read. I found it to be quite a slow burner to begin with which I struggled with but once the twists and turns started I'm glad I carried on reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

I feel the steady thump of my new heart beating inside me. The surgeon said everything went well. But I can’t stop thinking about my the girl who was killed. Her death saved my life. But now whoever took hers is coming for mine…

Great mystery! Solid characters and great plot twists!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded interesting to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have
decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

A slow burn thriller with a little twist of supernatural? COUNT ME IN!

This is a slow burn thriller that focuses on a heart transplant recipient as she receives a life changing transplant that saves her life. Told in two POV's (the recipient and the sister of the donor) we see how each characters life intercept and grief as a whole.

This was refreshing and was fast paced once you really got to know the characters, there's lots of twists and turns and was such a fun and interesting read I haven't read anything like it before.

A fast paced thriller with some elements of the supernatural that was hard to put down . There were a lot of shocking twists that definitely kept me on the edge of my seat and rushing to finish this book

Thanks to Bookouture and Teri Terry for providing an eARC via NetGalley 🙌

Book Review:
The Patient by Teri Terry
Bookouture, 13th February 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:
I feel the steady thump of my new heart beating inside me. The surgeon said everything went well. But I can’t stop thinking about my donor: the girl who was killed. Her death saved my life. But now whoever took hers is coming for mine…

I can’t believe it when I learn my donor’s identity. The attack on Flora was all over the news. From my hospital bed I read every article, obsess over every word and soon I feel like I know her: the beautiful girl with flame-coloured hair, adored by everyone around her. Why would anyone hurt someone so perfect?

When Flora’s family reach out to me, I’m unsure. My hands are shaking as I arrive at their grand mansion with its golden stone and sprawling gardens, but they’re warm and welcoming, tears shining in her mother’s eyes as she smiles at me.

Maybe I’ve made a mistake by stepping into Flora’s life. Has this second chance really saved me? Or has it cost me everything?

Review:
The Patient's thrilling premise holds Saphy's life in the balance, and the story ebbs and flows, much like the beat of her freshly-transplanted heart. Teri Terry has a way of drawing you in to the story, and making you care about the characters; it matters what happens to them. A couple of things I predicted early on, but I read a LOT of this genre.
That it crosses over a lot of genres means it should have wide appeal - crime, thriller, contemporary lit, and more.

#BookReview #ThePatient #TeriTerry #Bookouture #Bookstagram

A gripping #psychologicalthriller, #ThePatient will keep you turning the pages. Fast- paced & incredible head spinning twists this book is unique in its storyline!

Thank you, Teri Terry, Bookouture, & netgalley for my copy! All opinions are my own.

Teri Terry is an author I always rush to read! This one was middle of the road for me. I felt like the first 200 pages were a bit slow but enjoyed the last 100 or so pages when things picked up. I liked the twists in this one: some I figured out and others I did not see coming!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC

This was a gripping novel that had me turning the pages. Told in dual POV, most of the story revolves around 2 characters; Fern, the sister of the deceased Flora and Saphy, the recipient of Flora’s heart. At the beginning of the story, there was a question if Flora’s death was murder or a natural progression of her medical condition. But the truth about her death becomes a focal point towards the end as answers and circumstances are revealed. I especially enjoyed the author touching on the moral dilemma about organ donation and the official “death” of a person. And does an organ recipient feel the thoughts and emotions of the donor? A fascinating topic that took me down another rabbit hole!

Due to a heart condition, Saphy is awaiting a transplant. Ever since the attack, Flora has been in a coma and has been declared brain stem dead. Receiving Flora's heart should have reinvigorated Saphy's passion for life, but instead she becomes fixated on Flora and her family. When some of Flora's organ recipients are under attack, she worries about her own life being at risk.

I loved it, especially because of the captivating cover that caught my attention, so I was eagerly anticipating reading it. The story was captivating, intriguing, and enjoyable. Saphy and Fern (Flora's sister) provide their unique perspectives in the story. The author did an excellent job of writing the characters, both main and secondary, and I felt a deep connection with all of them. I found the story to be enthralling, and it was enjoyable to puzzle out the events. I was pleased with how the story concluded, and the unexpected turns added excitement. Although the major action and attacks took longer to unfold, the rapid pace afterwards kept me engrossed in the story. A fantastic thriller all around.

Many thanks to @TeriTerryWrites @Netgalley & @bookouture for a spot on the tour.

Thank you Bookouture for inviting me to be part of the Books on Tour for “The Patient” by Teri Terry.
Saphy is a young girl who receives a heart transplant from Flora, a girl who died after a brutal attack. Saphy becomes obsessed with Flora and wants to know all about her. But then the other recipients of Flora’s organs start getting attacked. This book will have you flipping the pages so fast to see what happens. I love the twist at the end.
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Whoa! What a page turner! I devoured this book. The story is told from multiple POV-primarily Spahy and Fern. Spahy was dealt a rough hand in life. She was born with a congenital heart defect, and she lost both of her parents. A heart transplant gives her a new look at life. Fern is an ER resident, always living in her sister’s shadow, trying to earn the approval of her parents until her sister is murdered. I was really invested in these characters as they tried to figure out who killed Fern’s sister, Flora. Both are strong female characters determined to get to the bottom of the murder.

This is @TeriTerryWrites first adult psychological thriller, and I hope it’s not her last! I’m looking forward to more! I really liked this one and highly recommend you give it a try! Available now on Amazon in print, ebook, and on Kindle Unlimited!

Thank you @NetGalley and @bookcouture of this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I have also submitted a review on Amazon as the book is available now. Links attached to Goodreads,StoryGraph, and my Instagram/bookstagram

First, I want to thank Teri Terry, Bookouture Books and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

WOW!! Teri Terry’s The Patient is one story that will have readers talking! The Patient is an extreme outside of the box storyline that will make you think. It is a very addictive and fast paced read.

Teri Terry’s The Patient gives you an inside in-depth personal look into organ donation not only from a patient perspective but the donor’s family as well. Teri educates her readers on organ donations and heart transplants. It made for interesting reading getting both sides of the story.

One thing I loved about this book were the creative character names. Never in my reading career had I seen the name Saphy.

The Patient deals with some controversial topics that would be a great discussion at a book club gathering.

This is my first read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Terry took their time building up the story, so that does mean that it’s a bit of slow burn. I didn’t mind it here because establishing the characters and relationships was very important to the plot line. Then the action hits, and it’s non stop. I held my breath through it all, wondering how it was going to all play out. The twists I didn’t see coming. It was hard to trust most of the characters when any one of them could have been the culprit.

Aside from the thriller aspect of this book, I thought the author touched upon some other hot button issues – namely, organ donation and when does a person die. I was hoping that there would be more of a discussion as to the defense that Benji originally put up. But I understand why there wasn’t more of a discussion about it, and I appreciate that. However, being an attorney, I thought it was very interesting and could make a for a really good legal thriller.

This was refreshingly different from most books that I have read, and I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book.

A good slow burn thriller that kept me up late finishing it. Told from the POV’s of Fern, the sister of Flora whose organs were donated following her death and Saphy one of recipients of a donated organ. Flora was a lively party girl who lived life to the full until one day she was attacked and left in a coma. Her former partner has been arrested and is going to be charged. Quite an unusual topic and I like that this raises the important issue of organ donation.

Briefly, Saphy has received a new heart and whilst recovering feels that she knows who the donor is, having seen the media stories about Flora. Her thoughts are confirmed when Floras family get in touch and she arranges to meet them. They become close, very quickly, and the closer they get the more Saphy seems to be morphing into a Flora lookalike. Then a shocking incident happens…

The action ramps up in the last 25% of the book and although I had correctly guessed who the killer was there were some shocking revelations behind the killings. Well written with short chapters making it an easy read. Good character development and an interesting storyline that I enjoyed. An entertaining read.

What if your second chance at life is someone's second chance to murder? Yikes! This is the question to be answered as the author deftly navigates this nightmare scenario.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

Fern’s sister, Flora, was drugged, attacked and choked leaving her in a coma. After awhile, her body started to fail and she was taken off life support leaving her organs ready for transplant.

Saphine (Saphy) was born with a heart defect which got better until she hit her early 20’s and her heart began to fail. She is on the list for a list. When the call comes that one is available, she is scared but pushes herself to go through with the operation. She is told it was very successful and she is now healing. She can’t help but wonder whose heart now resides in her body. She heard about what happened to Flora and wonders if it’s her heart that she has received. Saphy’s parents have both passed away so she depends on her best friend, Zoe, and her mum, Claire, for her after care.

When Saphy receives a letter from the transplant organization asking if she would like to meet the family of her donor, she agrees. Thus begins a friendship with Flora’s family. Saphy is so grateful to them for making this difficult decision to donate her organs. However, there are some people who feel that the donor is not dead until they have been “killed" by retrieving the organs. A big controversy. But when some frightening events occur, the recipients are terrified.

This was a very educational read that is quite informative about the organ donation process. However, it also delves into who choked Flora and why while keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. Very well written. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was my first book by Teri Terry, and I will definitely be looking out for her books in the future. I really enjoyed this.

Saphy is in desperate need of a heart transplant since a congenital heart defect she has had since birth worsened when she caught Covid-19. She is alone family wise; her mum, died from cancer when she was 3, and her dad, who also caught Covid-19 when she did, sadly died from it. Saphy is open and accepting of the fact that she is indeed dying and that a heart may not be found in time. Then the call comes, a heart is available and it’s a match, cue her rush to the London hospital that will do the surgery with her best friend Zoe and Zoe’s mum, Claire, who have become family to Saphy. Meanwhile in London, Fern and her mother are saying their goodbyes to their beloved sister and daughter, Flora. Flora was a well-known socialite whose brutal attack by her boyfriend Benji shocked everyone. The attack led to her being in a coma and being dubbed by the press “sleeping beauty”. When brain stem tests were completed and came back non-existent Flora’s family knew they had to make the terrible choice to say goodbye to her. However, they felt that donating Flora’s organs would be the last little bit of good Flora could give to the world and so they said yes. Saphy’s transplant goes well and after reading about Flora’s tragic death she was sure her heart was once Flora’s and when she initiates contact with the heart donor’s family, she realises her hunch was right all along. Saphy meets Flora’s family and starts to get more integrated into Flora’s world but as she does so, she starts to wonder where Saphy ends, and Flora begins. Meanwhile Fern is finding out a lot of things about Flora that had been kept secret from her while Flora was alive. Then when the two other recipients of Flora’s organs get attacked Saphy starts to panic, is she is danger? And if so, who is behind the attacks and are they linked to Flora’s initial attack? When Saphy goes missing it’s a race against time for Fern to find Saphy and the killer, she still blames herself for Flora getting hurt, this time will she be able to save Saphy?

This was a very good and interesting read. I really enjoyed learning about the heart transplant procedure and all that follows afterwards especially when it comes to recuperating and all the dos and don’ts for the recipient. I liked Saphy’s attitude to life despite all that she had been through losing not only her mother but also her father too and then dealing with a fatal prognosis if a heart didn’t become available. I must admit I wasn’t really taken with Fern to begin with, however as the story went on, I did warm to her. I was led down the wrong path multiple times by the author so when the twist came, I was pretty gobsmacked, which is just what I love when reading a psychological thriller so great writing Teri Terry.

All in all, this was a good psychological thriller. I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy the psychological thriller genre, and I will be looking out for more books written by Teri Terry.

Thank you to NetGalley, Teri Terry and Bookouture for my advanced reading copy. Out now.