Book: The Things We Know By Heart
Author: Jessi Kirby
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 291
Bought Hardcopy
Rating:✪✪✪✪✪
Blurb
When Quinn Sullivan meets the recipient of her boyfriend’s donated heart, the two form an unexpected connection.
After Quinn loses her boyfriend, Trent, in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her now-unrecognizable life. She hears back from some of them, but the person who received Trent’s heart has remained silent. The essence of a person, she has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then maybe she can have peace once and for all.
Risking everything in order to finally lay her memories to rest, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas—a guy whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into more, sparking an undeniable attraction. She doesn't want to give in to it—especially since he has no idea how they're connected—but their time together has made Quinn feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost…and all that remains at stake.
Review
Things We Know By Heart was my first Jessi Kirby book and also my most anticipated book of the year. And I have to say it lived up to my expectations. This is the second book I have read this year involving heart transplants. The other book was What Remains by Helene Dunbar
Things We Know By Heart was such an emotional read. Quinn loses her boyfriend in a car accident and she's utterly devastated. Jessi brought Quinn's emotions to life and I felt all that Quinn was feeling right along with her.
The Story opens 400 days after Quinn loses Trent and we see she's still not healing, she is getting on with the motions of everyday things but she's really not "there". When Trent passed, his organs where donated and Quinn, though Life Alliance Donar Family Services Program has made contact with all the recipients except the person who received Trent's heart. Quinn thinks if she can find the donar of Trent's heart then maybe she can move on thus starts her journey of discovery, recovery and hopefully moving on.
Things We Know By Heart was predictable in the aspect of Quinn finding the donar of the heart, Colton and you can probably guess what happens. But even though it's predictable, I didn't mind as it felt very natural at the same time.
The thing I loved about the book was Quinn's journey. As she starts to try to live her life again she resists and feels guilty for having a life when Trent doesn't. I loved how Jessi made me feel like I was living the journey with Quinn. Her voice was fantastic. I also loved that Quinn had a supportive network and that her family really tried to help her and understand her. Quinn's journey will stay with me for a long time to come.
The same can be said for Colton as he goes on his own journey, he is such an upbeat guy but underneath he is very complex and I just fell in love with him. Colton's journey was as fantastic as Quinn's but I connected more to Quinn's.
Overall I thought Things We Know By Heart was fantastic. I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes contemporary reads, journey stories, second chance stories and books that make you go though every emotion. I will definitely be picking up more of Jessi's books.
I don't mind predictable either as long as it works like it sounds like it does in this story. This isn't the type of book I would normally read but this sounds great. I'll have to add it to my TBR.
ReplyDeleteI do love a good emotional read from time to time, and this sounds really wonderful. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI have a copy of this one and can't wait to read it now! It sounds like there is a lot of emotions in this one and it is a great contemporary. I really do have to break into this one soon now :D
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