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Things We Know by Heart
In this unforgettable novel, Quinn Sullivan falls for the recipient of her boyfriend’s donated heart. Printz Award winner John Corey Whaley calls it “not just a love story, but one with a ferocious pulse.”
After Quinn’s boyfriend, Trent, dies in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the fragments of her now-unrecognizable life. But whoever received Trent’s heart has chosen to remain silent. The essence of a person, Quinn has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then in a way, she will still have a piece of him.
Risking everything to get closure once and for all, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas, whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into something 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 the time Quinn spends with Colton makes her feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, though, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost . . . and all that remains at stake.
Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, this unique and emotional story about an unexpected bond between two strangers will leave no heart untouched.
After Quinn’s boyfriend, Trent, dies in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the fragments of her now-unrecognizable life. But whoever received Trent’s heart has chosen to remain silent. The essence of a person, Quinn has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then in a way, she will still have a piece of him.
Risking everything to get closure once and for all, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas, whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into something 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 the time Quinn spends with Colton makes her feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, though, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost . . . and all that remains at stake.
Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, this unique and emotional story about an unexpected bond between two strangers will leave no heart untouched.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 21, 2015
412 people are currently reading
33.4k people want to read
About the author
Jessi Kirby
11 books1,358 followersJessi Kirby is a former English teacher and librarian. She lives in Orange County, CA with her husband and two kids, where she writes stories and runs the beach every day. Well, almost every day.
You can contact Jessi at jessi@jessikirby.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,330 reviews
May 15, 2022
colton thomas was one of my first book boyfriends.
he is truly the most precious and needs to be protected at all costs.
i would gladly give him my own heart - to use, to love, to keep. its his. ❤️
he is truly the most precious and needs to be protected at all costs.
i would gladly give him my own heart - to use, to love, to keep. its his. ❤️
November 10, 2017
Honestly?? I don't even know who I am right now because I just five starred the most cheesiest, cliché and predictable book with.......INSTA LOVE.
I mean, falling in love with the dude who has your dead boyfriends heart transplant?? Sign me up lmao.
But, there's more than that to this book. It's about taking learning to give yourself the happiness you deserve and moving on. There's nothing wrong with moving on. Yes, it is the absolute worst when someone you loved so so much is taken away and it's okay to be sad, miss them and grieve, but it's also okay to be happy and to live your life.
In Quinn's case, it was falling in love again, spending more time with her family, getting back into running and doing all the things she loves.
The story?
After Quinn's boyfriend died, his organs were given to those who needed them. For closure, Quinn decided to reach out to those with his organs and got responses except from the boy who had Trent's heart.
Quinn decides to track Colton and a lot of cliché shit happens. She doesn't tell him who she is and what started out as a stake-out turns into love.
Listen, believe me you're going to hate this if you can't stand cheesy and cliche shit because boi, this book is filled with it. But if you're into that then oh my god you're going to love this.
▫Colton is the sweetest cinnamon roll ever. I love this guy so!!! much!!!! From Quinn we kniw that he had a pretty bad illness that left him in hospitals, weak and suffering for a very long time. His heart was weak and if not for Trent's, who knows what would have happened to him. :( So when he sees a pretty girl (Quinn) he decides to take a chance and fall in love.
He's super sweet. He shows her all the beautiful and right places. He's always trying to please Quinn by taking her to places and he helps her live again!! There isn't an ounce if arrogance or cruelty in this boy. I can 100% assure you, he's made up of sugar cookies.
▫Quinn is a character I really loved. She's depressed and sad her boyfriends gone. She's quiet, kind and shy?? She's also a sweet character and I just lived how much she grew. She went from counting the days Trent's been gone and sinking in grief to someone who is being themselves again. She still misses Trent and he was obviously someone very important in her life, but with the help of her family and Colton, she was able to move on.
I ROOTED FOR COLTON AND QUINN!!!!
Yes it's incredibly cheesy but it's super adorable and honestly I loved it so much and that's all that matters.
▫Quinn's family is also like, the greatest to ever exist. Her sister and parents are literally always there to support her and make sure she's feeling well. They are there to let her know that she shouldn't feel guilty for her happiness. They give her love and support and encourage her to take her time and do what makes her feel content.
Quinn was able to talk about things with her sister. Like, their relationship is do healthy and all the rainbows and cupcake!!! They're best friends and it's wonderful. With some encouragement and help from her sister and father she also starts running again!!!
So like, overall, this book was honestly very great IMO and I love it so so much!!!!!
Reaction right after reading:
CHEESY? ✔
CLICHÉ? ✔
PREDICTABLE? ✔
INSTA LOVE? ✔
TOO CUTE? ✔
HEARTBREAKING? ✔
MADE ME CRY? ✔
SAD? ✔
MADE ME SCREAM AND CRY? ✔
BITCH I LOVED THIS CHEESY, CLICHÉ BALL OF CUTENESS OH MY GOD. FIND ME A COLTON RIGHT NOW, ORDER HIM ON EBAY OR WHATEVER THE FUCK, I NEED.
REVIEW TO COME.
I mean, falling in love with the dude who has your dead boyfriends heart transplant?? Sign me up lmao.
But, there's more than that to this book. It's about taking learning to give yourself the happiness you deserve and moving on. There's nothing wrong with moving on. Yes, it is the absolute worst when someone you loved so so much is taken away and it's okay to be sad, miss them and grieve, but it's also okay to be happy and to live your life.
In Quinn's case, it was falling in love again, spending more time with her family, getting back into running and doing all the things she loves.
The story?
After Quinn's boyfriend died, his organs were given to those who needed them. For closure, Quinn decided to reach out to those with his organs and got responses except from the boy who had Trent's heart.
Quinn decides to track Colton and a lot of cliché shit happens. She doesn't tell him who she is and what started out as a stake-out turns into love.
Listen, believe me you're going to hate this if you can't stand cheesy and cliche shit because boi, this book is filled with it. But if you're into that then oh my god you're going to love this.
▫Colton is the sweetest cinnamon roll ever. I love this guy so!!! much!!!! From Quinn we kniw that he had a pretty bad illness that left him in hospitals, weak and suffering for a very long time. His heart was weak and if not for Trent's, who knows what would have happened to him. :( So when he sees a pretty girl (Quinn) he decides to take a chance and fall in love.
He's super sweet. He shows her all the beautiful and right places. He's always trying to please Quinn by taking her to places and he helps her live again!! There isn't an ounce if arrogance or cruelty in this boy. I can 100% assure you, he's made up of sugar cookies.
▫Quinn is a character I really loved. She's depressed and sad her boyfriends gone. She's quiet, kind and shy?? She's also a sweet character and I just lived how much she grew. She went from counting the days Trent's been gone and sinking in grief to someone who is being themselves again. She still misses Trent and he was obviously someone very important in her life, but with the help of her family and Colton, she was able to move on.
I ROOTED FOR COLTON AND QUINN!!!!
Yes it's incredibly cheesy but it's super adorable and honestly I loved it so much and that's all that matters.
▫Quinn's family is also like, the greatest to ever exist. Her sister and parents are literally always there to support her and make sure she's feeling well. They are there to let her know that she shouldn't feel guilty for her happiness. They give her love and support and encourage her to take her time and do what makes her feel content.
Quinn was able to talk about things with her sister. Like, their relationship is do healthy and all the rainbows and cupcake!!! They're best friends and it's wonderful. With some encouragement and help from her sister and father she also starts running again!!!
So like, overall, this book was honestly very great IMO and I love it so so much!!!!!
Reaction right after reading:
CHEESY? ✔
CLICHÉ? ✔
PREDICTABLE? ✔
INSTA LOVE? ✔
TOO CUTE? ✔
HEARTBREAKING? ✔
MADE ME CRY? ✔
SAD? ✔
MADE ME SCREAM AND CRY? ✔
BITCH I LOVED THIS CHEESY, CLICHÉ BALL OF CUTENESS OH MY GOD. FIND ME A COLTON RIGHT NOW, ORDER HIM ON EBAY OR WHATEVER THE FUCK, I NEED.
REVIEW TO COME.
Shelved as 'dnf'
March 20, 2015I really wanted to like this after I loved Golden so much. Jessi Kirby has a talent for writing cute, bittersweet romances, but I think this one is just a little too cheesy for me.
I couldn't get past my disdain for the premise: a girl's boyfriend dies and donates his organs, so she tracks down the recipient of his heart and - would you believe - he's a hot surfer dude with pretty eyes. Still, Kirby's writing is lovely as usual, so I'm sure many others will enjoy Things We Know by Heart.
I couldn't get past my disdain for the premise: a girl's boyfriend dies and donates his organs, so she tracks down the recipient of his heart and - would you believe - he's a hot surfer dude with pretty eyes. Still, Kirby's writing is lovely as usual, so I'm sure many others will enjoy Things We Know by Heart.
October 28, 2016
♥ Another story that steals my breath away...
I can hardly explain it, can barely describe the amount of happiness I felt bursting from my heart when I picked up this book, but know that this story is totally and utterly beautiful, sometimes in such an aching way, sometimes filling one's heart with so much delight.
There is grieve, there is love, there is hope, there is happiness.
Jessi can create the most romantic and lovely moments ever, also the deepest and the most heartbreaking, leaving you truly breathless and making your heart skip quite a few beats on the way.
If you fell in love with her other stories you will simply adore this one! It was all that I wanted.. everything I hoped for, and my expectations were actually sky-high. Her best so far!
Without knowing it, Jessi has created in this story scenes that I dreamt about, or things that I hold close to my heart, or places I would love to visit and things I’d like to do or see for myself. She has created characters I would love to meet someday and beautiful, intense love(s) that could never die. “Things We Know by Heart” was emotional, but also romantic and fun!
Also, Quinn and Colton are sensational.
I loved how crazy and clumsy their first meeting was, I loved how they couldn’t stay away from each other from that point on (though Quinn struggled and the truth was killing her inside), I loved how they used every opportunity to have the best days ever, together. The sweetest even.
I won’t say anything about the storyline because it’s way too early and I am not much into that anyways. For me what counts is what a book makes me feel, and this one managed to make me feel plenty and all soooo very good!
The writing is beautiful and lyrical and I have tons of quotes that I love from the bottom of my heart. As Quinn says, I wish I would be able to keep these feelings in a bottle, to have them and remember them forever. It is perfect, guys, this book is absolutely perfect!
Happy midnight reading!
More thoughts and love here! ♥
____________________________________________
Blog (EN) | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin' | Blog (RO)
____________________________________________
PRE-READING THOUGHTS:
Edit 2#:
Oh, I need this so very badly!
Edit 1#:
We have a cover, which is simple - and simple is good.
We have a book description, which is already breaking my heart.
Dear Jessi,
I gave my heart to all your other books, take care of it in this one.
Edit #0 - My reaction to finding about a new book from Jessi Kirby:
I have no idea what this story will be about, but if the author is Jessi I simply don't care - I'm pretty sure I'll end up loving it like all the others :D
And it comes out near my birthday, which is pretty cool!
I can hardly explain it, can barely describe the amount of happiness I felt bursting from my heart when I picked up this book, but know that this story is totally and utterly beautiful, sometimes in such an aching way, sometimes filling one's heart with so much delight.
There is grieve, there is love, there is hope, there is happiness.
Jessi can create the most romantic and lovely moments ever, also the deepest and the most heartbreaking, leaving you truly breathless and making your heart skip quite a few beats on the way.
If you fell in love with her other stories you will simply adore this one! It was all that I wanted.. everything I hoped for, and my expectations were actually sky-high. Her best so far!
Without knowing it, Jessi has created in this story scenes that I dreamt about, or things that I hold close to my heart, or places I would love to visit and things I’d like to do or see for myself. She has created characters I would love to meet someday and beautiful, intense love(s) that could never die. “Things We Know by Heart” was emotional, but also romantic and fun!
Also, Quinn and Colton are sensational.
I loved how crazy and clumsy their first meeting was, I loved how they couldn’t stay away from each other from that point on (though Quinn struggled and the truth was killing her inside), I loved how they used every opportunity to have the best days ever, together. The sweetest even.
I won’t say anything about the storyline because it’s way too early and I am not much into that anyways. For me what counts is what a book makes me feel, and this one managed to make me feel plenty and all soooo very good!
The writing is beautiful and lyrical and I have tons of quotes that I love from the bottom of my heart. As Quinn says, I wish I would be able to keep these feelings in a bottle, to have them and remember them forever. It is perfect, guys, this book is absolutely perfect!
Happy midnight reading!
More thoughts and love here! ♥
____________________________________________
Blog (EN) | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin' | Blog (RO)
____________________________________________
PRE-READING THOUGHTS:
Edit 2#:
Oh, I need this so very badly!
Edit 1#:
We have a cover, which is simple - and simple is good.
We have a book description, which is already breaking my heart.
Dear Jessi,
I gave my heart to all your other books, take care of it in this one.
Edit #0 - My reaction to finding about a new book from Jessi Kirby:
I have no idea what this story will be about, but if the author is Jessi I simply don't care - I'm pretty sure I'll end up loving it like all the others :D
And it comes out near my birthday, which is pretty cool!
October 29, 2015
"Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back." --Plato
First off, you guys need to know that Things We Know by Heart will break your heart into a million shards, then tape the pieces back together (and possibly even staple the holes shut). And then the ending will... well, I'm not going to spoil you. Let's just say my feels are all over the place.
So let me give you a few things you need to prepare for in this book...
#1: Tears. Jessi Kirby knows how to bring out the tears. There was just the right amount of angst mixed into the lovely romance, and you're going to feel like the tears are just being forced out of you. In a good way!
#2: Flailing over the most adorable YA hero ever. You'll forget about your crushes on Edward Cullen or Christian Grey after reading this one. Colton Thomas was cute, quirky, sweet, shy... Definitely my type of guy. He also had a really sensitive and caring side that not a lot of YA heroes like to show. So adorable.
"I realize now in this moment how much I love my gran, and how much I've missed my sister."
#3: Amazing family ties. Quinn has such an awesome relationship with her family. She, her grandmother and her sister had amazing chemistry, and I loved their weird antics! Quinn's mom and dad were such a sweet couple as well, and you can really feel everyone care for each other. Colton's sister also shows how much she loves her brother, and she's willing to sacrifice little things for him to be happy.
#4: A beautiful, deep romance. Holy crap, guys. I SHIP QUINN AND COLTON SO HARD AND I CAN'T STOP FANGIRLING OVER THEM. Enough said, people. Normally I wouldn't want the MC to get together with another guy once her partner's dead (not a spoiler, it's in the synopsis), but this book's a total exception.
"I can feel the endless rhythms of light and dark, the tides and the winds. Life and death, and guilt and forgiveness. And love. Always love."
#5: The elegant writing. Normally, I would hate those ala John Green type writing styles, but Jessi Kirby managed to mix it with a little bit more of casual writing as well, which was the perfect balance for me. It was both beautiful and easy to read.
#6: The ending. It isn't a "whoa my brain exploded" kind of ending, but it was nice. Very nice. It kind of left me drifting on a peaceful, dreamy cloud.
Despite all that I loved about the book, I had two issues with the novel, which was the stalking and the pacing. At some points in the novel, both Quinn and Colton may have gone a little creepy and stalked each other. Both instances made me cringe, but I pushed myself to get past those, and eventually, I let them slide (mostly). Also, Quinn and Colton were attracted to each other way too quickly, which I guess could be justified because of the whole heart thing, but it could still be bothersome to a few people like me.
Overall, I still highly recommend Things We Know by Heart. Anyone looking for an emotional read with depth, close-knit families and an endearing romance will surely not want to pass this up. In other words, READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW.
February 14, 2015
Win a pre-order of this book by joining my giveaway on Twitter! Click this for details!
----
You know a book is really special when you've only just begun and you're already overwhelming with emotions. Imagine, I've only read a few pages of this novel and my eyes were starting to water already. My little brother was even giving me a bewildered look as he saw me wipe my tears away with the back of my hand.
Pffft, brothers. Who needs them?
I've first read Jessi Kirby in Golden, a heart-warming and relatable story of a girl who was looking towards her future with uncertainty, and it remains as one of the best Contemporary books I've read up to this day. Kirby has this unique writing ability that truly brings out the thoughts and feelings of her characters, to the point that they accurately mirror the kind of thoughts and frustrations of people undergoing the same issues. You read her book, and you feel like her characters are so real, because how could anyone write such heartfelt monologues if they weren't written by someone who went through the same thing? I'm not saying that Kirby probably went through similar insecurities and feelings herself, but whether or not she did or didn't, you can really see through her work that she is able to put herself in individuals with such problems and convert their emotions to words.
Things We Know by Heart is not an exception.
This book was utterly beautiful and honest. I've read a lot of books about characters mourning and in grief over the death of a loved one, but Things We Know by Heart is probably the only book that really reached out to me, that really showcased how mourning really is: that empty feeling inside you; the constant longing and yearning for that one person and the hurt that comes along with it knowing he's never, ever coming back. How it's easy to say "move on!" or "move forward!" or "he would want you to be happy!" and how it's actually hard to do any of those things, because the concept of letting go is just so scary. You've been with someone you love and care about, and then all of a sudden he's gone from your life, and days float by and nothing seems to really matter, and you take anything - anything - to lift a fraction of that heaviness away.
Which is what Quinn Sullivan did.
When her boyfriend died, he gave life to five other people when his organs were donated. She wrote a letter to each of them, and four wrote back, and the one recepient who didn't had the organ that mattered to her - the heart. And so she sought him. She found him. And by finding him, she found herself - that part of her that died with Trent, waiting to be cured and resurrected.
I really can't praise this book enough. It's profound and deep, written in a genuine and heartfelt way that only a master storyteller is capable of telling. Even though we only know very little about Trent, mainly through the snippets of memories Quinn, the heroine, tells us, we already feel a veil of heaviness when it came to him. Like we also lost a friend, or a lover, or a family member. Every time the heroine remembers him and their memories together, I can't help but get teary-eyed, something I couldn't imagine happening because Trent died before we even get to know him. This is how effective the writing is - it grabs you instantly and makes you mourn with Quinn, feeling every helplessness and vulnerabilities she felt.
But this book is not all about grief. It's also about healing and one's journey to self-recovery. I love how it portrays the difficulties of getting back on your feet, and how it only takes one small step to jumpstart it. That step? Colton.
I used to hate the name "Colton". There was this one season of Survivor where a person named "Colton" was the embodiment of an extremely annoying and migraine-inducing male primadonna. I hated him so much and every time I heard the name "Colton" I would rememeber him and all the things his lazy ass did. But the Colton Thomas here made me forget all those ridiculous things and fall in love with him. His persona was such a breath of fresh air. He was the one who received Trent's heart, and although he feels grateful for being given a chance at life, he still has his own demons to face. He was a sweetheart who was patient, kind, and caring; because of his sickness, he viewed life as both fragile and beautiful, and he reminded Quinn that despite all the bad things happening around us, there is always something to look forward to, too, that would make life worth living.
Seriously, there are so many life lessons to be learned here. Golden was life-changing for me, because I had the same problems as the heroine at the time I read it. Things We Know by Heart was the same way in which it reminded me of what's important.
That life is fragile, but it's because it is that makes it beautiful, too. By recognizing the fact that life can end so suddenly and for no reason at all, we must always live life to the fullest. And sometimes, it's the simple things that mean the most to us.
That letting go doesn't mean forgetting what's in the past. Letting go simply means accepting them to have been a part of who you are. It's not betraying anyone, but being grateful for the mark they left in your life, and opening yourself to others again.
That having weaknesses doesn't make you weak. Getting through them is hard, but it doesn't do anyone any good to force yourself through it. Baby steps are okay, and there will always be others who'll walk with you overcoming them. However long it takes.
If you have to buy ONE contemporary book in 2015, please, please, please let it be this. This is a beautiful and heartfelt story written in the rawest, most heartfelt way possible. I absolutely love it.
----
You know a book is really special when you've only just begun and you're already overwhelming with emotions. Imagine, I've only read a few pages of this novel and my eyes were starting to water already. My little brother was even giving me a bewildered look as he saw me wipe my tears away with the back of my hand.
Le brother: What's up with you?
Me: This book... this book is... it's just so sad...!
Le brother: You're crying over a book?
Me: I'm not crying over a book. I'm crying over the characters in this book!
Le brother: ... you're crying over a book.
Me: Fuck you, you heartless bastard. You wouldn't understand.
Pffft, brothers. Who needs them?
I've first read Jessi Kirby in Golden, a heart-warming and relatable story of a girl who was looking towards her future with uncertainty, and it remains as one of the best Contemporary books I've read up to this day. Kirby has this unique writing ability that truly brings out the thoughts and feelings of her characters, to the point that they accurately mirror the kind of thoughts and frustrations of people undergoing the same issues. You read her book, and you feel like her characters are so real, because how could anyone write such heartfelt monologues if they weren't written by someone who went through the same thing? I'm not saying that Kirby probably went through similar insecurities and feelings herself, but whether or not she did or didn't, you can really see through her work that she is able to put herself in individuals with such problems and convert their emotions to words.
Things We Know by Heart is not an exception.
This book was utterly beautiful and honest. I've read a lot of books about characters mourning and in grief over the death of a loved one, but Things We Know by Heart is probably the only book that really reached out to me, that really showcased how mourning really is: that empty feeling inside you; the constant longing and yearning for that one person and the hurt that comes along with it knowing he's never, ever coming back. How it's easy to say "move on!" or "move forward!" or "he would want you to be happy!" and how it's actually hard to do any of those things, because the concept of letting go is just so scary. You've been with someone you love and care about, and then all of a sudden he's gone from your life, and days float by and nothing seems to really matter, and you take anything - anything - to lift a fraction of that heaviness away.
Which is what Quinn Sullivan did.
When her boyfriend died, he gave life to five other people when his organs were donated. She wrote a letter to each of them, and four wrote back, and the one recepient who didn't had the organ that mattered to her - the heart. And so she sought him. She found him. And by finding him, she found herself - that part of her that died with Trent, waiting to be cured and resurrected.
I really can't praise this book enough. It's profound and deep, written in a genuine and heartfelt way that only a master storyteller is capable of telling. Even though we only know very little about Trent, mainly through the snippets of memories Quinn, the heroine, tells us, we already feel a veil of heaviness when it came to him. Like we also lost a friend, or a lover, or a family member. Every time the heroine remembers him and their memories together, I can't help but get teary-eyed, something I couldn't imagine happening because Trent died before we even get to know him. This is how effective the writing is - it grabs you instantly and makes you mourn with Quinn, feeling every helplessness and vulnerabilities she felt.
But this book is not all about grief. It's also about healing and one's journey to self-recovery. I love how it portrays the difficulties of getting back on your feet, and how it only takes one small step to jumpstart it. That step? Colton.
I used to hate the name "Colton". There was this one season of Survivor where a person named "Colton" was the embodiment of an extremely annoying and migraine-inducing male primadonna. I hated him so much and every time I heard the name "Colton" I would rememeber him and all the things his lazy ass did. But the Colton Thomas here made me forget all those ridiculous things and fall in love with him. His persona was such a breath of fresh air. He was the one who received Trent's heart, and although he feels grateful for being given a chance at life, he still has his own demons to face. He was a sweetheart who was patient, kind, and caring; because of his sickness, he viewed life as both fragile and beautiful, and he reminded Quinn that despite all the bad things happening around us, there is always something to look forward to, too, that would make life worth living.
Seriously, there are so many life lessons to be learned here. Golden was life-changing for me, because I had the same problems as the heroine at the time I read it. Things We Know by Heart was the same way in which it reminded me of what's important.
That life is fragile, but it's because it is that makes it beautiful, too. By recognizing the fact that life can end so suddenly and for no reason at all, we must always live life to the fullest. And sometimes, it's the simple things that mean the most to us.
That letting go doesn't mean forgetting what's in the past. Letting go simply means accepting them to have been a part of who you are. It's not betraying anyone, but being grateful for the mark they left in your life, and opening yourself to others again.
That having weaknesses doesn't make you weak. Getting through them is hard, but it doesn't do anyone any good to force yourself through it. Baby steps are okay, and there will always be others who'll walk with you overcoming them. However long it takes.
If you have to buy ONE contemporary book in 2015, please, please, please let it be this. This is a beautiful and heartfelt story written in the rawest, most heartfelt way possible. I absolutely love it.
March 21, 2018
No wonder the heart literally hurts when you’re in emotional pain. It is, after all, the organ that works overtime daily. Imagine how it beats approximately one hundred thousand times a day. Poor organ. But that’s not the point of the book. I was just really impressed by this factual information presented in it.
Now onto the review. The book was released in 2015 but only around December of 2017 did a copy finally grace our local bookstores. I have always wanted to read Things We Know by Heart since its release because I was very drawn to that blurb. I mean if you could get a glimpse of the recipient of the heart of that person you loved so much, would you pass up on that chance? I definitely wouldn’t if only on the off chance that the recipient might be a kind and beautiful blonde boy with green eyes. Lol.
Perhaps I’m just being my overly hopeless romantic self but I’ve always had the feeling that this story calls to me. I’m very glad my instincts didn’t fail me because the book is exactly everything I was expecting it to be. It’s touching, encompassing and uplifting. Most stories about grief often render me heartbroken but this book only left me very hopeful and appreciative of life. The writing is also very beautiful in the most simple and natural sense. It never tried to be melodramatic or flowery and yet it still spoke to the heart. Plus the settings- summer and ocean? That’s like the best time and place for a love story to take place, don’t you think? Now you have another title to add to your list of summer reads.
February 13, 2015
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
2.5 stars
Golden was one of my favourite novels that I read in 2014, so naturally, I was expecting many things for Things We Know by Heart. Unfortunately, I don't see this novel getting on my 2015 favourites list; but that being said, it won't be sitting on my most-hated-novels-of-2015 either. Instead, Things We Know by Heart will be somewhere in the middle; somewhat unremarkable in my eyes.
When Quinn's boyfriend (Trent) dies in an accident, his organs are donated. Five of Trent's organs are given away, and when Quinn reaches out to the recipients in hopes to bring herself back on her feet weeks later after the incident, only 4 people respond. It is the boy who received Trent's heart that doesn't reply to Quinn's letter. Still believing that meeting the boy will help her come to terms with Trent's death, she tracks the boy down, and discovers that he lives closer than she actually thought. And what Quinn doesn't expect is that she falls for the boy.
My main criticism for this book was the lack of an emotional connection between me and the characters. I was not fully immersed into the read, and I honestly felt like an observer as opposed to being right in Quinn's head. It's not that I didn't like Quinn--heck, I really liked the girl. After her first awkward encounter with Colton, Quinn is rushed to the hospital to get stitches on her lip. I could immediately empathise with Quinn because when I was 9, I fell off a sofa and almost bit my entire lower lip off from the impact. I had to go to hospital and get 4 stitches. But today, 6 years later, you cannot even tell I had an accident there because my lower lip covers the tiny scar. ANYWAY (I am getting totally off track here), you can see why I felt like Quinn and I should become instant biffles. We practically had the same accident (except I cried much more) (and I didn't get to meet a cute guy along the way) (boohoo for me) but as the story progressed, I didn't feel any empathy for neither Quinn nor Colton. It sucked because I wanted to love these characters so much, but it evidently wasn't happening.
I do need to say though: I LOVED QUINN'S GRANDMOTHER! That woman had me in fits of laughter with the things that come out of her mouth. I loved her attitude and how she didn't care less about what others thought of her--she just did her own thing, and made sure no one got in her way.
Another issue I had with this book was that the plot left a lot to be desired. For me, it is very obvious as to how this book concludes, but what makes me interested is the path that leads the characters to that ending. Alas, that path that the characters go on is an incredibly predictable, somewhat boring, and pointless-drama-filled one. Before going into this novel, I was expecting a book that was about a girl dealing with the grief of someone she loved, and how she comes to terms with it. Instead, for me, the message that I felt was coming from this book was: 'you must find true love to forget and replace the burning and aching grief.' I mean, what kind of message is that? Quinn's emotional journey did not seem fully discovered, and neither was Colton's because the romantic arc was taking over the storyline. And this links back with my first issue of not being able to connect with the characters. These characters, while seemingly fun and loveable on the surface, didn't have a lot of backbone to go on with. I wanted to know more about Colton's past, and more about his own journey before he was donated Trent's heart. I want to know more of how he and his family dealt with it afterwards, too. Sure, we do get snippets of how Colton dealt with it afterwards, but the love story seemed to take up all the spotlight when the journey of these characters should have been.
What I wanted was more. More. More. More depth.
The emotional journeys that our two main characters were supposed to go on only scratched the surface of their potential. I felt like I was reading your average fluffy love story instead of one that had the potential to be profound and hopeful story of dealing with grief. Things We Know by Heart turned out to be incredibly mediocre, for this story line is one I've read several times before.
While Things We Know by Heart does not sit on par with Golden, this novel was still a quick and fluffy read. It wasn't a chore to finish, but it didn't do anything for me for this story has been written several times before and didn't hit many of the right notes.
2.5 stars
Golden was one of my favourite novels that I read in 2014, so naturally, I was expecting many things for Things We Know by Heart. Unfortunately, I don't see this novel getting on my 2015 favourites list; but that being said, it won't be sitting on my most-hated-novels-of-2015 either. Instead, Things We Know by Heart will be somewhere in the middle; somewhat unremarkable in my eyes.
When Quinn's boyfriend (Trent) dies in an accident, his organs are donated. Five of Trent's organs are given away, and when Quinn reaches out to the recipients in hopes to bring herself back on her feet weeks later after the incident, only 4 people respond. It is the boy who received Trent's heart that doesn't reply to Quinn's letter. Still believing that meeting the boy will help her come to terms with Trent's death, she tracks the boy down, and discovers that he lives closer than she actually thought. And what Quinn doesn't expect is that she falls for the boy.
My main criticism for this book was the lack of an emotional connection between me and the characters. I was not fully immersed into the read, and I honestly felt like an observer as opposed to being right in Quinn's head. It's not that I didn't like Quinn--heck, I really liked the girl. After her first awkward encounter with Colton, Quinn is rushed to the hospital to get stitches on her lip. I could immediately empathise with Quinn because when I was 9, I fell off a sofa and almost bit my entire lower lip off from the impact. I had to go to hospital and get 4 stitches. But today, 6 years later, you cannot even tell I had an accident there because my lower lip covers the tiny scar. ANYWAY (I am getting totally off track here), you can see why I felt like Quinn and I should become instant biffles. We practically had the same accident (except I cried much more) (and I didn't get to meet a cute guy along the way) (boohoo for me) but as the story progressed, I didn't feel any empathy for neither Quinn nor Colton. It sucked because I wanted to love these characters so much, but it evidently wasn't happening.
I do need to say though: I LOVED QUINN'S GRANDMOTHER! That woman had me in fits of laughter with the things that come out of her mouth. I loved her attitude and how she didn't care less about what others thought of her--she just did her own thing, and made sure no one got in her way.
Another issue I had with this book was that the plot left a lot to be desired. For me, it is very obvious as to how this book concludes, but what makes me interested is the path that leads the characters to that ending. Alas, that path that the characters go on is an incredibly predictable, somewhat boring, and pointless-drama-filled one. Before going into this novel, I was expecting a book that was about a girl dealing with the grief of someone she loved, and how she comes to terms with it. Instead, for me, the message that I felt was coming from this book was: 'you must find true love to forget and replace the burning and aching grief.' I mean, what kind of message is that? Quinn's emotional journey did not seem fully discovered, and neither was Colton's because the romantic arc was taking over the storyline. And this links back with my first issue of not being able to connect with the characters. These characters, while seemingly fun and loveable on the surface, didn't have a lot of backbone to go on with. I wanted to know more about Colton's past, and more about his own journey before he was donated Trent's heart. I want to know more of how he and his family dealt with it afterwards, too. Sure, we do get snippets of how Colton dealt with it afterwards, but the love story seemed to take up all the spotlight when the journey of these characters should have been.
What I wanted was more. More. More. More depth.
The emotional journeys that our two main characters were supposed to go on only scratched the surface of their potential. I felt like I was reading your average fluffy love story instead of one that had the potential to be profound and hopeful story of dealing with grief. Things We Know by Heart turned out to be incredibly mediocre, for this story line is one I've read several times before.
While Things We Know by Heart does not sit on par with Golden, this novel was still a quick and fluffy read. It wasn't a chore to finish, but it didn't do anything for me for this story has been written several times before and didn't hit many of the right notes.
~Thank you HarperTeen for sending me this copy!~
June 26, 2015
"They say time heals all wounds, but meeting those people tha tafternoon - a makeshift family of strangers brought together by one person - had healed more in me than all the time that passed in the days that had come before."
REACTION AFTER READING THE BOOK
This book made me google and check if there is a possibility of a donated heart remembering something from the organ donor's past. I actually did some research and found that after a heart transplant, some people do experience a bit of a change (in personality) on the part of the receiver of the heart. I don't think it was medically proven that such a thing do happen, but the author could have gotten an idea from there... maybe?
This book was heartwarmingly beautiful. It isn't without faults, but the writing and how the story wrapped up was really beautiful. I think the thing that I loved about it the most was how simple it was, but it would touch your heart in certain ways.
THE GIST
What would you do when the love of your life dies? What would you do if you know if pieces of him/her now belongs to other people? How do you deal?
These are questions Quinn asks herself. After her boyfriend, Trent's death in an accident a year ago, she still couldn't let go. She still couldn't move on.
Senior year became a fog. I didn't mail my college applications. Didn't go dress shipping. Forgot there was even a sky or sunlight to kiss under.
Quinn reaches out to the recipients of Trent's organs. She wanted to see if they were okay. She wanted to see that they're fine because of Trent. Then maybe, she could finally move on. Finally let him go. All of them responded to her, except one. Colton Thomas.
I will respect Colton Thomas' wish for no contact, though I don't think I'll even understand it. I just want to see him. See who he really is in reality. Maybe then I can understand. Or at least make peace with it.
And she does exactly that. She went looking for Colton.
She didn't intend to talk or even utter a single word to him.
But it happened.
She didn't expect to get to know more about Coltron.
But she did.
And now, she is at risk of falling in love with the person who now own Trent's beating heart.
THE CHARACTERS
Quinn: I felt for Quinn, at least when I got to know her better.
I couldn't connect to what she was going through at first because in my head, how could you still not have moved on after a year of your boyfriend's death? That sounded really mean, but I just found it a bit unbelievable for someone this young. Could you really have loved someone that deeply at that age that you couldn't function well a year after you lost the person you love that is not a family member? I would get it if you lost a mom or a dad, but a boyfriend? I am just not too convinced at first.
But like I said, after a while... she grows on you. You then realise why she is the way she is. You then sympathise for her. You feel her struggles and see how genuine her feelings were for Trent and also Colton.
Colton: Unlike Quinn, I was drawn to Colton the first time he was introduced. Not only because he was good looking (*wink wink*) and such a gentleman, but also because he was such a strong character. It's not easy to be sick. I mean, I hate it when I get a cold or even just the sniffles. But what he had to have gone through being sick for a long time, must have been terrifying and... well I have no words to explain how I would have felt if I was in his position. You see how positive he was the entire time even when he was sick and that it so fucking admirable. It makes him even more loveable in my opinion.
THE ROMANCE
Ohhh.. I am a bit on the fence with this.
Why?
Quinn and Colton do look good together. I like them together, don't get me wrong, but I felt that... It was too sudden?!!!
Maybe it's just me, but I would have preferred this to be a book about friendship, moving and letting go.
THE WRITING
I liked the writing. It was easy to read and relate to. The topic was something you don't encounter every day in a YA book or any contemporary book, but the author wrote it in a way that wasn't overly sad and gloomy. It was light and cute and I really liked that.
PLOT DEVELOPMENT
I think it was paced pretty well. The thing was... I saw the plot twist coming from a mile away. I knew things were going to happen, but it didn't bother me at all. Usually, I wouldn't like a book that has a very simple and predictable plot line, but it wasn't the case here. I actually liked it for that reason. The author didn't throw you with so many unnecessary plot lines. The story was simple and on point and I liked that.
FINAL WORDS
All in all this book was pretty good.
If you're looking for a light hearted contemporary read then I would highly recommend this.
It would make you smile. and get swooned on some parts.
I forgot to mentioned Quinn's family, but I loved them. They were so supportive and loving and caring. This book involved their family. It's not like some YA books that mostly disregard the importance of family.
RECOMMENDED? YES!! :)
July 18, 2018
Very cute, quick summer read. Set at the beach.
Of note, this is 100% built on miscommunication, BUT it was one of the better done stories I've read that revolve around this. There was a good reason for it and I appreciated how much the main character examined her feelings and mistakes.
Representation/Potential Triggers - death of a boyfriend (it's in the summary!), grief, heart transplant recipient, stroke/TIA.
Of note, this is 100% built on miscommunication, BUT it was one of the better done stories I've read that revolve around this. There was a good reason for it and I appreciated how much the main character examined her feelings and mistakes.
Representation/Potential Triggers - death of a boyfriend (it's in the summary!), grief, heart transplant recipient, stroke/TIA.
December 31, 2016
This review is approximately three years late. . .
#oops.
I’m going to be honest. This book is cheesy. It’s cheesy but it’s also sweet and endearing and heartwarming.
Things We Know by Heart is narrated from the perspective of Quinn Sullivan. Quinn is heartbroken and shattered after an accident leads to the death of her boyfriend. To help her cope with her grief, Quinn reaches out to the recipients of Trent’s donated organs.
Despite all her trying, there is one recipient who has never returned her messages; and he has Trent’s heart. Although she knows it’s wrong, Quinn tracks down Colton Thomas but doesn’t intent to make herself known. No matter how discreet she tries to be, Colton has definitely noticed this heartbroken girl.
What I enjoyed most about this book was that it was a very easy read. It was cute and quirky and solemn and thoughtful at the same time.
It dealt with common problems like getting over heartbreak and bonding with your siblings and it also discussed more difficult problems like losing someone you loved and having to live your life with what feels like borrowed time.
The romance in this story, thought very cute and fluffy, was a little too fast paced for my liking. However, I did enjoy the moments shared between Colton and Quinn. There was an effortlessness they had when they were around each other and I enjoyed that.
I also loved the element of family. I thought that theme was expressed especially well. The bond Quinn had with her parents and her sister was wonderful to read about.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read. It’s a mixture of thoughtful and outgoing and a really great read to put you in a good mood.
“Little victories, they're the ones that counts.”
3 stars!!
May 10, 2017
Em Busca do Insubstituível...
“O Coração - descobriram os cientistas - não é apenas uma bomba, mas também um órgão de grande inteligência, com o seu próprio sistema nervoso, capacidade de tomar decisões, e de se conectar com o cérebro. Eles descobriram que o coração efetivamente “fala” com o cérebro, comunicando com ele de modos que afetam a maneira como sentimos e reagimos ao mundo.»”.
Fala Coração, Fala!...
A Felicidade - não descobriram cientistas - sabe a banana com lascas de chocolate.
E a morangos com chantilly! E a bolas de Berlim com creme!... Acrescento eu! ;)
Ele perece - desaparece de repente e sem aviso prévio - mas o amor persiste!
Há um vazio que clama por preenchimento e ela procura-o nos fragmentos que dele ficaram!
É o insubstituível que ela procura!...
Não se encontra o insubstituível mas a busca compensa sempre!...
Food for heart! Recomenda-se!!!
“O Coração - descobriram os cientistas - não é apenas uma bomba, mas também um órgão de grande inteligência, com o seu próprio sistema nervoso, capacidade de tomar decisões, e de se conectar com o cérebro. Eles descobriram que o coração efetivamente “fala” com o cérebro, comunicando com ele de modos que afetam a maneira como sentimos e reagimos ao mundo.»”.
Fala Coração, Fala!...
A Felicidade - não descobriram cientistas - sabe a banana com lascas de chocolate.
E a morangos com chantilly! E a bolas de Berlim com creme!... Acrescento eu! ;)
Ele perece - desaparece de repente e sem aviso prévio - mas o amor persiste!
Há um vazio que clama por preenchimento e ela procura-o nos fragmentos que dele ficaram!
É o insubstituível que ela procura!...
Não se encontra o insubstituível mas a busca compensa sempre!...
Food for heart! Recomenda-se!!!
April 21, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
“Four hundred days and too many heartbeats to count.
Four hundred days and too many places and moments where Trent no longer exists.”
This was an okay story, but it felt quite average, which is odd considering what it’s about.
I felt quite sorry for Quinn, she obviously really missed Trent, and losing him so suddenly was really difficult for her. I understood the way she wanted to meet the people that his organs had gone to though, as a way of keeping his memory alive, and showing that his death resulted in something amazing.
“When she took a deep breath with Trent’s lungs and brought my hand to her chest so I could feel them fill and expand, my heart had filled right along with them.”
I liked the storyline in this book, but I wasn’t a fan of the lying. I know Quinn didn’t outright lie, but the lie of omission just went on for so long that it became an even bigger thing than it was to start with.
“Finding the guy who got Trent’s heart isn’t gonna bring him back. Neither is acting like you died.”
There was some romance, but again, I was a little hesitant about it because of the secret between them.
“Because this is the part where you fall in love.”
The ending to this was okay, and I was pleased that things worked out okay in the end, this book was just missing a little something for me though.
6 out of 10
“Four hundred days and too many heartbeats to count.
Four hundred days and too many places and moments where Trent no longer exists.”
This was an okay story, but it felt quite average, which is odd considering what it’s about.
I felt quite sorry for Quinn, she obviously really missed Trent, and losing him so suddenly was really difficult for her. I understood the way she wanted to meet the people that his organs had gone to though, as a way of keeping his memory alive, and showing that his death resulted in something amazing.
“When she took a deep breath with Trent’s lungs and brought my hand to her chest so I could feel them fill and expand, my heart had filled right along with them.”
I liked the storyline in this book, but I wasn’t a fan of the lying. I know Quinn didn’t outright lie, but the lie of omission just went on for so long that it became an even bigger thing than it was to start with.
“Finding the guy who got Trent’s heart isn’t gonna bring him back. Neither is acting like you died.”
There was some romance, but again, I was a little hesitant about it because of the secret between them.
“Because this is the part where you fall in love.”
The ending to this was okay, and I was pleased that things worked out okay in the end, this book was just missing a little something for me though.
6 out of 10
January 26, 2024
|4.8 Stars| Ages 13 1/2+| YA/Contemporary| 291 Pages|
I will be keeping this in my heart for as long as I can.
I loved this book so much, and my heart has been so full since I finished reading it. Was it the most amazing book I've ever read? No. Was the writing the greatest I've ever read? Not by a long shot. But was it good? Yes. Did it fill my heart and make me genuinely happy? Absafrikinlutly.
From page one, I was in love with the main character and cried with her because this book was sad. Being there when your boyfriend of two years dies is no small thing to move past, even 400 days after the fact. It's hard and awful, but, eventually, you have to move on. You have to continue your life because people need you. And you need to live. Quinn has the hardest time with that, but her character arc is beautiful.
--
Quinn's whole world is turned upside down when she wakes up to the sirens.
She didn't know how she knew, but she knew they were for him. In one moment the life she knew, the life she planned for, was gone.
Searching for closure, Quinn reaches out to the recipients of Trent's (her boyfriend who died) organs. All but one have gotten back to her, the boy who received his heart. Despite all the letters that have been sent, the emails, all efforts have been shut down. So, Quinn takes matters into her own hands and goes to find him.
But when she finally meets Colton, the boy with Trent's heart, she finds that letting go might not be that easy. And, without even meaning to, she finds herself falling in love with Colton. But, the problem is, he has no clue that Quinn is the girl who tried reaching out to him through letters, the girl he wanted nothing to do with. And the longer Quinn keeps that a secret from Colton, the bigger the reaction will be when the secret finally gets out.
--
One of my favorite aspects of this book was how it constantly talked about how short our time here on earth is, and that few things last forever. It reminded me that time is a precious gift and shouldn't be wasted because not everyone gets that gift. Colton's desire to live and to see and to smile and laugh and watch the sunset is so infectious, even though he was a book character.
Finding joy in the simplest of things is such a gift and I loved that about this book. Joy from flowers or sunlight can change a person's entire life around in a second. Colton showed Quinn how to find the beauty in the world that was right in front of her. He taught her how to live again.
Why I didn't give this book a full 5 stars is a very simple and probably insignificant reason, but I'm gonna say it anyway. I feel like we needed more time at the end. It felt choppy like the author thought that if she went over 300 pages, something bad would happen. But we needed those few extra pages to wrap things up and to smooth things over. And, to add to that, I would've liked to see a few other things happen, but for the sake of keeping this review as spoiler-free as possible, I won't talk about those.
All in all, this was such a fun and light-hearted read and exactly what I needed after Kingdom of the Cursed! Definitely add this to your TBR if you want a fun, quick, makes-you-cry, and happy read!
" heart: (n)heart."
a hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system by rhythmic contraction and dilation;
the center of the personality, especially with reference to intuition, feeling, or emotion
the central, innermost, or vital part of something
-definition of the word
I will be keeping this in my heart for as long as I can.
I loved this book so much, and my heart has been so full since I finished reading it. Was it the most amazing book I've ever read? No. Was the writing the greatest I've ever read? Not by a long shot. But was it good? Yes. Did it fill my heart and make me genuinely happy? Absafrikinlutly.
“Little victories, they're the ones that count.”
From page one, I was in love with the main character and cried with her because this book was sad. Being there when your boyfriend of two years dies is no small thing to move past, even 400 days after the fact. It's hard and awful, but, eventually, you have to move on. You have to continue your life because people need you. And you need to live. Quinn has the hardest time with that, but her character arc is beautiful.
“But it's terrifying to realize how much of your world is wrapped up in loving another person”
--
Quinn's whole world is turned upside down when she wakes up to the sirens.
She didn't know how she knew, but she knew they were for him. In one moment the life she knew, the life she planned for, was gone.
Searching for closure, Quinn reaches out to the recipients of Trent's (her boyfriend who died) organs. All but one have gotten back to her, the boy who received his heart. Despite all the letters that have been sent, the emails, all efforts have been shut down. So, Quinn takes matters into her own hands and goes to find him.
But when she finally meets Colton, the boy with Trent's heart, she finds that letting go might not be that easy. And, without even meaning to, she finds herself falling in love with Colton. But, the problem is, he has no clue that Quinn is the girl who tried reaching out to him through letters, the girl he wanted nothing to do with. And the longer Quinn keeps that a secret from Colton, the bigger the reaction will be when the secret finally gets out.
--
“For so long, I was the one with his heart. I just need to see where it is now.”
Book Content:
Language- Briefe uses of sh!t, damn, and hell.
Violence- Mentions of smashing glass bottles.
Sexual Content- Kissing and two characters have sex. Nothing is really described, it just talks about them undressing and kissing.
Other Things To Note:
~Death is talked about frequently
~MC saw her boyfriend dying
~Depression
~Death of family members in mentioned
~Griefe is talked about frequently
~MMC had heart failure and had to have a transplant“It’s too much, this. Life, and love, and how fragile it all is.”
One of my favorite aspects of this book was how it constantly talked about how short our time here on earth is, and that few things last forever. It reminded me that time is a precious gift and shouldn't be wasted because not everyone gets that gift. Colton's desire to live and to see and to smile and laugh and watch the sunset is so infectious, even though he was a book character.
Finding joy in the simplest of things is such a gift and I loved that about this book. Joy from flowers or sunlight can change a person's entire life around in a second. Colton showed Quinn how to find the beauty in the world that was right in front of her. He taught her how to live again.
“We are made of our pasts, and our pains, our joys, and our losses. It's in the very fiber of our beings. Written on our hearts.”
Why I didn't give this book a full 5 stars is a very simple and probably insignificant reason, but I'm gonna say it anyway. I feel like we needed more time at the end. It felt choppy like the author thought that if she went over 300 pages, something bad would happen. But we needed those few extra pages to wrap things up and to smooth things over. And, to add to that, I would've liked to see a few other things happen, but for the sake of keeping this review as spoiler-free as possible, I won't talk about those.
All in all, this was such a fun and light-hearted read and exactly what I needed after Kingdom of the Cursed! Definitely add this to your TBR if you want a fun, quick, makes-you-cry, and happy read!
“We don’t have to, because these are the things we know by heart.”
September 19, 2015
Loved it! The story, the plot, the characters.... All of it. Jessi Kirby ranks up there with Sarah Dessen when it comes to YA contemporaries that are full of substance and meaning. I was drawn to this story and the characters from the first to the last page. I could have used a few more chapters for my own selfish reasons... I simply wanted more.
In Things We Know by Heart, we meet Quinn Sullivan at a time in her life when she’s trying to recover from her boyfriend’s death where a tragic car accident robbed him of his life. Immediately upon his death, Trent’s parents decide to donate his organs, and as part of the healing process Quinn is able to meet several of the recipients. As time passes, Quinn wonders who received Trent’s heart, and a few clicks on the internet leads her to Colton. Quinn wonders why Colton never came forward to meet Trent’s family and herself, and the pain of her loss as well as her curiosity leads her to a beach café where she crashes into Colton… literally.
I was a bit conflicted about Quinn’s actions at first because I felt Colton deserved some privacy. However, it was quite clear that Quinn never meant to run into Colton, but rather just see him from afar to quench her curiosity. When Colton pursued her, I knew the ultimate reveal could go south very easily.
Overall the story unfolded in just the right away to make you fall for Quinn and sympathize with Colton. I loved their moments together and hoped they’d be able to find an ending that worked for both. I also appreciated how Kirby offered insight throughout the novel about the heart and transplants. I loved walking away from a novel with a little bit more knowledge than what I came into it with.
Things We Know by Heart is a great story if you’re looking for a beach side read that’s filled with substance and meaning. Kirby clearly knows her craft when she sets out to make you fall in love with a cast of characters that stay with you long after the story concludes. Love!!
In Things We Know by Heart, we meet Quinn Sullivan at a time in her life when she’s trying to recover from her boyfriend’s death where a tragic car accident robbed him of his life. Immediately upon his death, Trent’s parents decide to donate his organs, and as part of the healing process Quinn is able to meet several of the recipients. As time passes, Quinn wonders who received Trent’s heart, and a few clicks on the internet leads her to Colton. Quinn wonders why Colton never came forward to meet Trent’s family and herself, and the pain of her loss as well as her curiosity leads her to a beach café where she crashes into Colton… literally.
I was a bit conflicted about Quinn’s actions at first because I felt Colton deserved some privacy. However, it was quite clear that Quinn never meant to run into Colton, but rather just see him from afar to quench her curiosity. When Colton pursued her, I knew the ultimate reveal could go south very easily.
Overall the story unfolded in just the right away to make you fall for Quinn and sympathize with Colton. I loved their moments together and hoped they’d be able to find an ending that worked for both. I also appreciated how Kirby offered insight throughout the novel about the heart and transplants. I loved walking away from a novel with a little bit more knowledge than what I came into it with.
Things We Know by Heart is a great story if you’re looking for a beach side read that’s filled with substance and meaning. Kirby clearly knows her craft when she sets out to make you fall in love with a cast of characters that stay with you long after the story concludes. Love!!
November 18, 2021
Things We Know by Heart was a book full of the ocean, starry summer nights, beautiful niché scenery, and last but not least, attractive beach hunks with their bronzed skin, white smiles, and green eyes. In short, it was a purely adorable book, but I think what made it the most memorable was definitely its plotline.
To me, the process of Quinn falling in love with Colton was unbelievably cute, and I have to say that Jessi Kirby wrote it very well - it's what I loved most about the whole book. It definitely wasn't a case of instalove, but rather her learning to let go of her demons and her guilt and opening her heart up to new possibilities, and inevitably falling in love with Colton. Quinn understood how fleeting life could be, how life could change, or end in a matter of seconds, and because of her grief, she seemed more mature, like she was already carrying a heavier burden than she should bear. It made the story that much more enjoyable.
I thought that what made this book stand out was its plotline, which was what first drew me in. Yet after reading it, I can't help but feel like the story is lacking in some way that I can't explain. It could have been a moving, emotional book to make me shed tears and laugh with joy, but I felt no strong emotions, no tug at my heartstrings when reading this, even though I certainly liked the book. Everything considered, I do think this was overall a good book and it had so much potential because of its unique, captivating plotline, but ultimately it fell short in language and execution.
To me, the process of Quinn falling in love with Colton was unbelievably cute, and I have to say that Jessi Kirby wrote it very well - it's what I loved most about the whole book. It definitely wasn't a case of instalove, but rather her learning to let go of her demons and her guilt and opening her heart up to new possibilities, and inevitably falling in love with Colton. Quinn understood how fleeting life could be, how life could change, or end in a matter of seconds, and because of her grief, she seemed more mature, like she was already carrying a heavier burden than she should bear. It made the story that much more enjoyable.
I thought that what made this book stand out was its plotline, which was what first drew me in. Yet after reading it, I can't help but feel like the story is lacking in some way that I can't explain. It could have been a moving, emotional book to make me shed tears and laugh with joy, but I felt no strong emotions, no tug at my heartstrings when reading this, even though I certainly liked the book. Everything considered, I do think this was overall a good book and it had so much potential because of its unique, captivating plotline, but ultimately it fell short in language and execution.
September 17, 2015
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. No man has learned anything rightly until he knows that every day is Doomsday."
Things We Know By Heart is one of the books I know by heart that I will love. And eventually, I did. Another death book (emphasis on death) that I devoured. And tormented me again by the pouring emotions that I can't believe I still can hold on with life, with everything.
As a matter of fact, this is so bitin. (Lol sorry. No time to google what is the equivalent of bitin in English language). I mean, I wanted more. I expected more than what this book has been told, then poof.. the end. Holy shit. That was fast. But, anyway, I still love this book. Very.
Things We Know By Heart brings all the feels that I was left mending my poor heart. It holds the appropriate emotions about death and longing and the void inside the people who was left behind that I can surely feel the change in atmosphere while I'm reading it. It was like I am enclosed in a whirlwind of emotions of grief and joy and everything in-between.
Moreover, I like how the characterization has done well. I can't say a lot about these characters but truly, they did affect me. Even the story line is predictable, it moved in an achingly mysterious way. The setting was uplifting, bringing good tidings of great joy and the promise of tomorrow.
Again, I'm expecting more but I am very much happy that I have read this beautifully-written, heart-warming book.
August 1, 2017
"Things we know by heart" is the emotional and heartbreaking story of Quinn and Colton. Quinn has recently lost her boyfriend, Trent, and his family decides to donate his organs. Quinn is feeling heartbroken, drowning in the pain of missing Trent, unable to move on. She sets on a mission to meet the recipients of her boyfriends organs hoping to finally get some closure. She meets Colton, who has been battling a heart condition for years and its literally dying, in till the fateful day when he gets Trent's heart.
Like I said this was an emotional story, Quinn really breaks my heart so young and having lost such a beautiful love. We get to know a little of the connection she had with her boyfriend Trent. When she meets Colton it was like a jolt to her heart that slowly starts to bring her back to life even when she fights it. With Colton we see the other side of the situation, how it's not so easy for him to live with the guilt of knowing his alive because someone else died.
The relationship between Quinn/Colton was sad because of the reason why they meet but at the same time beautiful. They definitely had the connection a certain pull where they knew how much they needed each other. I loved seeing them build up their relationship I just wished we could of seen more of it.
Other than that I enjoyed this book and the message of life and death of how even in the saddest of tragedies there's always hope and a second chance to love and live, again.❤️
"Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much a heart can hold"
- Zelda Fritzgerald
Like I said this was an emotional story, Quinn really breaks my heart so young and having lost such a beautiful love. We get to know a little of the connection she had with her boyfriend Trent. When she meets Colton it was like a jolt to her heart that slowly starts to bring her back to life even when she fights it. With Colton we see the other side of the situation, how it's not so easy for him to live with the guilt of knowing his alive because someone else died.
The relationship between Quinn/Colton was sad because of the reason why they meet but at the same time beautiful. They definitely had the connection a certain pull where they knew how much they needed each other. I loved seeing them build up their relationship I just wished we could of seen more of it.
Other than that I enjoyed this book and the message of life and death of how even in the saddest of tragedies there's always hope and a second chance to love and live, again.❤️
"Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much a heart can hold"
- Zelda Fritzgerald
April 25, 2015
Official Rating 3.5
This book is really emotional, especially in the beginning; my heart was torn into a thousand pieces. I think that the author captured sadness extremely beautifully, the way she wrote how sad losing someone you love is so heartbreaking.
I would have given this a 4.5 stars if I could have felt more connected to the protagonist, somehow her narration was exceedingly heartbreaking and the way she's perceive the world after the traumatic event she'd through has left her so broken and fragile. Which somehow made it hard for me to read from her perspective.
Overall it was a nice read. I would only recommend this book to people who likes cliché sad books but not exactly cheesy.
This book is really emotional, especially in the beginning; my heart was torn into a thousand pieces. I think that the author captured sadness extremely beautifully, the way she wrote how sad losing someone you love is so heartbreaking.
I would have given this a 4.5 stars if I could have felt more connected to the protagonist, somehow her narration was exceedingly heartbreaking and the way she's perceive the world after the traumatic event she'd through has left her so broken and fragile. Which somehow made it hard for me to read from her perspective.
Overall it was a nice read. I would only recommend this book to people who likes cliché sad books but not exactly cheesy.
March 20, 2015
There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart. Pursue those.”
—Michael Nolan
What a beautiful, quick read! I liked it but didn't love it, though. It's one of those books that you'll adore while reading but will forget in the long run. But it's a perfect summer read!
P.S. Colton was really adorable. ALL THE FEELS
Review to follow.
November 16, 2017
“As hard as we both tried, and as much as we both wanted to be otherwise, we are made of our pasts, and our pains, our joys and our losses. It’s in the very fibers of our beings. Written on our hearts.”
Over a year after Quinn has lost her boyfriend to a tragic accident she is still hurting from the loss. She has reached out to all the organ donor recipients that his life had gifted and all has responded except for one, the heart. In an attempt to get some peace for her own broken heart, she goes behind the agencies back and researches until she finds the donor and sets out to see him. Just to see him. That is until circumstances brings their lives crashing (literally) together and she gets a glimpse at the boy whose life was saved by the one she loved. Despite her original plans to stay away from Colton, her life is slowly transforming from his vivacity for life.
The Story - I picked up this book because I wanted my feelings to get punched in the gut so hard I would about cry. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the feels full force till 90%. But that’s totally okay. To begin we spend the first part of this book with a broken Quinn. What I liked was that it wasn’t a lot of wallowing staring out a window. Like please, no, I don’t read these books to be depressed.
Quinn is merely trying to honor her dead boyfriend’s memory and is ultimately feeling guilty for moving on. I really appreciated how we got to see Colton slowly change her world. I loved how realistic it was for Quinn to slowly adapt and learn to be happy again. The way Colton helps her is just by showing her life. Like, hey there open your eyes there’s this bright world out here, come be a part of it. I love that nothing was rushed, it was a slow, slow burn.
Trent seemed to be such an idyllic first boyfriend. Despite the fact that Colton had his heart and Quinn wasn’t quite over her heartbreak, the book didn’t spend a lot of time comparing the two. Trent is mentioned as a part of her hurt, but never in a way where Quinn expected his soul or personality to be within Colton.
Even though I didn’t appreciate the slow budding feelings till almost the end this book had pretty much everything for me that I expected from it.
The Characters-
Quinn-This poor girl! I just love how much love she has for her dead boyfriend and her family. Though her hurt is no way an excuse for what she does to Colton, I understand the desperation she would have had in those low moments. Her bond with her sister is really touching, especially when she reaches out for advice.
Colton-How cute is this guy? You know what I loved so much about this book? The fact that his smile or eyes weren’t repeatedly mentioned throughout the book, as if that is a legitimate reason for a romance. For a guy who has every reason to (now) be smiling it was so refreshing to have his actual reactions, his comments, and his thirst for life so evident without having him continually grinning like a maniac.
Soundtrack-
Eisley – A Song for the Birds
Death Cab for Cutie – Your Heart is an Empty Room
Paramore – When it Rains
Banks – Waiting Game
John Mayer – Great Indoors
More reviews can be found at:
Over a year after Quinn has lost her boyfriend to a tragic accident she is still hurting from the loss. She has reached out to all the organ donor recipients that his life had gifted and all has responded except for one, the heart. In an attempt to get some peace for her own broken heart, she goes behind the agencies back and researches until she finds the donor and sets out to see him. Just to see him. That is until circumstances brings their lives crashing (literally) together and she gets a glimpse at the boy whose life was saved by the one she loved. Despite her original plans to stay away from Colton, her life is slowly transforming from his vivacity for life.
The Story - I picked up this book because I wanted my feelings to get punched in the gut so hard I would about cry. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the feels full force till 90%. But that’s totally okay. To begin we spend the first part of this book with a broken Quinn. What I liked was that it wasn’t a lot of wallowing staring out a window. Like please, no, I don’t read these books to be depressed.
Quinn is merely trying to honor her dead boyfriend’s memory and is ultimately feeling guilty for moving on. I really appreciated how we got to see Colton slowly change her world. I loved how realistic it was for Quinn to slowly adapt and learn to be happy again. The way Colton helps her is just by showing her life. Like, hey there open your eyes there’s this bright world out here, come be a part of it. I love that nothing was rushed, it was a slow, slow burn.
Trent seemed to be such an idyllic first boyfriend. Despite the fact that Colton had his heart and Quinn wasn’t quite over her heartbreak, the book didn’t spend a lot of time comparing the two. Trent is mentioned as a part of her hurt, but never in a way where Quinn expected his soul or personality to be within Colton.
Even though I didn’t appreciate the slow budding feelings till almost the end this book had pretty much everything for me that I expected from it.
The Characters-
Quinn-This poor girl! I just love how much love she has for her dead boyfriend and her family. Though her hurt is no way an excuse for what she does to Colton, I understand the desperation she would have had in those low moments. Her bond with her sister is really touching, especially when she reaches out for advice.
Colton-How cute is this guy? You know what I loved so much about this book? The fact that his smile or eyes weren’t repeatedly mentioned throughout the book, as if that is a legitimate reason for a romance. For a guy who has every reason to (now) be smiling it was so refreshing to have his actual reactions, his comments, and his thirst for life so evident without having him continually grinning like a maniac.
Soundtrack-
Eisley – A Song for the Birds
Death Cab for Cutie – Your Heart is an Empty Room
Paramore – When it Rains
Banks – Waiting Game
John Mayer – Great Indoors
More reviews can be found at:
July 9, 2015
Visit Stay Bookish for more book reviews!
Actual rating: 4.5
Jessi Kirby has touched my heart once and does so again with her latest novel- Things We Know By Heart. Honestly, I’ve waited for a new book by the author since I fell in love with Golden and my excitement was not for nothing. In merely a few chapters, I was easily wrapped. The writing is just so beautiful and striking that you can’t help but turn pages and be moved by the story.
By the story, I mean Quinn’s story. The reader gets into it headfirst, immediately made aware of Quinn and her heartbreak- losing her boyfriend, Trent. Counting the days since his death and struggling to move on, she seeks out Colton, the boy who received Trent’s heart upon organ donation. When the two meet, it’s not just their connection that binds them together, but an attraction. After the long grief from Trent’s tragic accident, Quinn is smiling again. There’s only one thing that threatens this, one thing that Quinn failed to mention to Colton: that the heart that’s beating for her now, has beat for her before.
I wish I knew how to describe the emotion in this book better. All the same, it was there, all over the words, undeniably present and strong. I loved it. Quinn’s narrative tugged at my heart strings and I found her to be such a genuine character. I felt for her a lot but more importantly, I felt glad to see her slowly letting go and moving on. She’s not one to deny herself of happiness and instead, she sought it out and let herself feel more alive with Colton. Of course, she struggled with it, especially when she when Trent seemed to have taken a backseat on her mind. Still, I thought it was inspiring, how she wanted to live again despite her grief.
Aside from that, I really liked Quinn’s relationship with her family. Their bond was lovely and I really commend how open they were to each other. I thought it was great that she confided in Ryan, her sister, and how Ryan in turn, did her best to counsel Quinn. Both girls go through rough times and it just warmed my heart that the two sisters leaned on each other.
Now, let’s talk about Colton Thomas. The boy is sweet, caring and okay- totally absolutely cute. Is your new book boyfriend alert going up yet? Because it should. Colton is not without his own troubles, sick of being so treated so fragile. For once he’s trying to live a normal life with his new heart. Then he and Quinn get to know each other and- I JUST SHIP THEM. There are so many beautiful meaningful moments that happen between Quinn and Colton and I loved every single bit. Seriously, the romance was all kinds of wonderful. It happened gradually but you anticipate is because you know that they belong together.
This is a book written from the heart and I can’t stress enough how flawless and profound the prose was. So much love. Things We Know By Heart is surely a must-read for all fans of contemporary romance!
Actual rating: 4.5
Jessi Kirby has touched my heart once and does so again with her latest novel- Things We Know By Heart. Honestly, I’ve waited for a new book by the author since I fell in love with Golden and my excitement was not for nothing. In merely a few chapters, I was easily wrapped. The writing is just so beautiful and striking that you can’t help but turn pages and be moved by the story.
By the story, I mean Quinn’s story. The reader gets into it headfirst, immediately made aware of Quinn and her heartbreak- losing her boyfriend, Trent. Counting the days since his death and struggling to move on, she seeks out Colton, the boy who received Trent’s heart upon organ donation. When the two meet, it’s not just their connection that binds them together, but an attraction. After the long grief from Trent’s tragic accident, Quinn is smiling again. There’s only one thing that threatens this, one thing that Quinn failed to mention to Colton: that the heart that’s beating for her now, has beat for her before.
“I love that. Little victories.”
“They’re the ones that count. Like being out here today, right now.”
I wish I knew how to describe the emotion in this book better. All the same, it was there, all over the words, undeniably present and strong. I loved it. Quinn’s narrative tugged at my heart strings and I found her to be such a genuine character. I felt for her a lot but more importantly, I felt glad to see her slowly letting go and moving on. She’s not one to deny herself of happiness and instead, she sought it out and let herself feel more alive with Colton. Of course, she struggled with it, especially when she when Trent seemed to have taken a backseat on her mind. Still, I thought it was inspiring, how she wanted to live again despite her grief.
Aside from that, I really liked Quinn’s relationship with her family. Their bond was lovely and I really commend how open they were to each other. I thought it was great that she confided in Ryan, her sister, and how Ryan in turn, did her best to counsel Quinn. Both girls go through rough times and it just warmed my heart that the two sisters leaned on each other.
“We are made of our pasts, and our pains, our joys and our losses. It’s in the very fibres of our beings. Written on our hearts. The only thing we can do now is listen to what’s in them.”
Now, let’s talk about Colton Thomas. The boy is sweet, caring and okay- totally absolutely cute. Is your new book boyfriend alert going up yet? Because it should. Colton is not without his own troubles, sick of being so treated so fragile. For once he’s trying to live a normal life with his new heart. Then he and Quinn get to know each other and- I JUST SHIP THEM. There are so many beautiful meaningful moments that happen between Quinn and Colton and I loved every single bit. Seriously, the romance was all kinds of wonderful. It happened gradually but you anticipate is because you know that they belong together.
This is a book written from the heart and I can’t stress enough how flawless and profound the prose was. So much love. Things We Know By Heart is surely a must-read for all fans of contemporary romance!
February 28, 2017
Uma boa estreia com esta autora. Achei este romance muito fofo e nem me importava que fosse mais longo. Fiquei curiosa para ler mais algo de Jessi Kirby.
O plot até é bastante simples e sejamos sinceras, percebemos logo que a protagonista e o rapaz que ela procura vão logo desenvolver uma relação, portanto nesse aspecto não há muita imprevisibilidade na trama. Também o facto de o tal interesse amoroso ser um surfista todo jeitoso também não me agradou muito, mas pronto ainda falta algum realismo aos protagonistas dos romances contemporâneos. Ao menos a autora não retratou a protagonista feminina - a Quinn - como um patinho feio, ao menos isso.
(...)
Gostei da importância dada ao desporto como o surf, caiaque, corridas e claro não podia deixar de mencionar o tema da doação de orgãos. Acho de louvar quem, depois de partir, ainda consegue ajudar outras vidas.
O que faltou na trama de Kirby foram mesmo mais umas páginas. Às vezes há tanto livro com palha e por vezes outros tão pequenos que gostávamos que fossem mais desenvolvidos. Se a autora tivesse desenvolvido melhor a relação da Quinn e do Colton e não tivesse posto 3 acontecimentos importantes todos juntos nas últimas 40 páginas, tinha gostado muito mais do livro. Contudo acho que foi uma óptima estreia e por alguma razão este livro é o mais conhecido da autora e o talvez o único com mais traduções para outros países.
http://algodaodoceparaocerebro.blogsp...
O plot até é bastante simples e sejamos sinceras, percebemos logo que a protagonista e o rapaz que ela procura vão logo desenvolver uma relação, portanto nesse aspecto não há muita imprevisibilidade na trama. Também o facto de o tal interesse amoroso ser um surfista todo jeitoso também não me agradou muito, mas pronto ainda falta algum realismo aos protagonistas dos romances contemporâneos. Ao menos a autora não retratou a protagonista feminina - a Quinn - como um patinho feio, ao menos isso.
(...)
Gostei da importância dada ao desporto como o surf, caiaque, corridas e claro não podia deixar de mencionar o tema da doação de orgãos. Acho de louvar quem, depois de partir, ainda consegue ajudar outras vidas.
O que faltou na trama de Kirby foram mesmo mais umas páginas. Às vezes há tanto livro com palha e por vezes outros tão pequenos que gostávamos que fossem mais desenvolvidos. Se a autora tivesse desenvolvido melhor a relação da Quinn e do Colton e não tivesse posto 3 acontecimentos importantes todos juntos nas últimas 40 páginas, tinha gostado muito mais do livro. Contudo acho que foi uma óptima estreia e por alguma razão este livro é o mais conhecido da autora e o talvez o único com mais traduções para outros países.
http://algodaodoceparaocerebro.blogsp...
August 21, 2018
“Little victories, they're the ones that counts.”
This was such a heartwarming book. I enjoyed the romance (even though I wished it was a bit more slow burn), I liked the MC's grandmother (such a diva!) and older sister. It was a story of grief and guilt. Moving on and falling in love again. It was sweet and sad and inspirational sometimes. But it was also quite cheesy. A bit too much for me. While I enjoyed reading this book, it was sadly nothing special in the contemporary genre for me.
Quotes:
“There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart. Pursue those." - Michael Nolan”
“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. No man has learned anything rightly, until he know that every day is Doomsday.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson”
“Scientists have identified individual neurons, which fire, when a particular person has been recognized. Thus, [it is possible that] when a recipient’s brain analyzes the features of a person, who significantly impressed the donor, the donated organ may feed back powerful emotional messages, which signal recognition of the individual. Such feedback messages occur within milliseconds and the recipient [may even believe] that [he] knows the person.” —“Cellular Memory in Organ Transplants”
This was such a heartwarming book. I enjoyed the romance (even though I wished it was a bit more slow burn), I liked the MC's grandmother (such a diva!) and older sister. It was a story of grief and guilt. Moving on and falling in love again. It was sweet and sad and inspirational sometimes. But it was also quite cheesy. A bit too much for me. While I enjoyed reading this book, it was sadly nothing special in the contemporary genre for me.
Quotes:
“There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart. Pursue those." - Michael Nolan”
“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. No man has learned anything rightly, until he know that every day is Doomsday.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson”
“Scientists have identified individual neurons, which fire, when a particular person has been recognized. Thus, [it is possible that] when a recipient’s brain analyzes the features of a person, who significantly impressed the donor, the donated organ may feed back powerful emotional messages, which signal recognition of the individual. Such feedback messages occur within milliseconds and the recipient [may even believe] that [he] knows the person.” —“Cellular Memory in Organ Transplants”
April 19, 2019
It was so. good.
I admit I was looking for a cheesy romance novel when I picked this up, but what I got was so much more. It's about loss, health, family, love and taking risks, which made it the perfect book for me.
I loved how realistic Quinn's loss is. Sometimes, people expect you to move on and start being happy again, but it's simply not something you can choose to do. Time hasn't healed her yet at the beginning of the book, even though it's been a year, but she starts healing by doing tiny things that she wouldn't usually have done. The fact that she's afraid made me sad for her, but reinforced my compassion, because I could relate to her. She grows a lot as the story goes and I loved seeing her become a bit more like what she was before Trent's death, only stronger. Also, I liked how it wasn't really love that lessened her pain, but a mixture of everything she experienced. It felt a lot more realistic.
The fact that Quinn's family is important to her struck me hard, especially when everyone left around her tried to make her feel better in different but loving ways. I liked how many details I learned about her parents, her sister and her grandmother, because it made me feel like I was part of the family, too. I came to love everyone for their little quirks and their mutual love, so I finished the book caring a lot about this entire family.
If Jessi Kirby did one thing right with this book, it's creating lovable characters. I don't think I encountered a single character that I didn't like, because all of them seemed to have a kindness that drew me to them. It made me feel loved and appreciated, because the entire story is surrounded by a cloud of love. Even if there hadn't been any romance between the characters, I would have enjoyed reading this book for all the love there is between the characters and how helpful to each other they all are.
Overall, this story left me with a giddy feeling from all the love I read about. There are many sad moments in this book, but I don't think that's what I'll remember the most. I highly recommend it as an easy read for the summer, especially since it's full of summer activities, which made me want to go outside and enjoy the sun.
I admit I was looking for a cheesy romance novel when I picked this up, but what I got was so much more. It's about loss, health, family, love and taking risks, which made it the perfect book for me.
I loved how realistic Quinn's loss is. Sometimes, people expect you to move on and start being happy again, but it's simply not something you can choose to do. Time hasn't healed her yet at the beginning of the book, even though it's been a year, but she starts healing by doing tiny things that she wouldn't usually have done. The fact that she's afraid made me sad for her, but reinforced my compassion, because I could relate to her. She grows a lot as the story goes and I loved seeing her become a bit more like what she was before Trent's death, only stronger. Also, I liked how it wasn't really love that lessened her pain, but a mixture of everything she experienced. It felt a lot more realistic.
The fact that Quinn's family is important to her struck me hard, especially when everyone left around her tried to make her feel better in different but loving ways. I liked how many details I learned about her parents, her sister and her grandmother, because it made me feel like I was part of the family, too. I came to love everyone for their little quirks and their mutual love, so I finished the book caring a lot about this entire family.
If Jessi Kirby did one thing right with this book, it's creating lovable characters. I don't think I encountered a single character that I didn't like, because all of them seemed to have a kindness that drew me to them. It made me feel loved and appreciated, because the entire story is surrounded by a cloud of love. Even if there hadn't been any romance between the characters, I would have enjoyed reading this book for all the love there is between the characters and how helpful to each other they all are.
Overall, this story left me with a giddy feeling from all the love I read about. There are many sad moments in this book, but I don't think that's what I'll remember the most. I highly recommend it as an easy read for the summer, especially since it's full of summer activities, which made me want to go outside and enjoy the sun.
February 19, 2017
Ein wirklich schönes Buch, und mit soviel Gefühl geschrieben! Sehr gut gefallen haben mir auch die Einleitungen zu jedem Kapitel. Das Ende kam für mich recht plötzlich, gerne wäre ich noch ein bisschen länger bei Mia und Noah geblieben!
March 6, 2016
I'm crying.
Review... to come.
Review... to come.
May 8, 2015
An ARC of this title was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own.
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
I've seen a premise like this before, in a Lurlene McDaniel book I read when I was like, ten. Except in Someone Dies, Someone Lives, the main character was the one being saved by an organ transplant and trying to get back to life as usual, not the potential love interest. Maybe it's because I read such tragic stories like that when I was so young that I find them harder to stomach now that I'm older. But however sad I thought Things We Know by Heart would be, it ended up being twice as heartfelt and hopeful as that, so maybe that's why I gravitated toward these types of stories when I was younger.
I've only read Golden by Jessi Kirby, and I got much the same vibe from it that I did this one. Which is probably why I also have Moonglass and In Honor waiting on my shelves. Jessi Kirby's books aren't all sunshine and rainbows, but they have that distinct feel of possibility. They approach the coming-of-age story realistically, even if that means delving into subject matter that is less than pleasant and more than likely heart-wrenching.
I enjoyed this story, just not as much as I had hoped to, and that was mostly due to Quinn's inability to come clean about who she really was and how she was connected to Colton even before they'd met. The connection they formed after their initial meeting was beyond sweet, and the romance that was developing was even more so, but with that constant threat of the truth looming over them, I just couldn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. However, Quinn's relationship with her family did save the story a little for me. A spry old granny and a newly heartbroken but sassy sister will do that, though.
As is usually the case, I didn't get around to my review copy before release date, so I bought the audio because I'd really been looking forward to this book. I'm not familiar with the narrator chosen for this performance, but her portrayal was solid. There was enough variation in her voice to differentiate between characters, even the two sisters because she allowed their personalities to shine through her performance.
All in all, Things We Know by Heart was a beautiful story, if not exactly what I'd been hoping for. It's actually kind of a perfect summer read, what with the beach setting and anything is possible vibe. It also served as a good reminder that I still need to read Kirby's backlist. :)
GIF it to me straight:
Cute but sad but still kinda cute.
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
I've seen a premise like this before, in a Lurlene McDaniel book I read when I was like, ten. Except in Someone Dies, Someone Lives, the main character was the one being saved by an organ transplant and trying to get back to life as usual, not the potential love interest. Maybe it's because I read such tragic stories like that when I was so young that I find them harder to stomach now that I'm older. But however sad I thought Things We Know by Heart would be, it ended up being twice as heartfelt and hopeful as that, so maybe that's why I gravitated toward these types of stories when I was younger.
I've only read Golden by Jessi Kirby, and I got much the same vibe from it that I did this one. Which is probably why I also have Moonglass and In Honor waiting on my shelves. Jessi Kirby's books aren't all sunshine and rainbows, but they have that distinct feel of possibility. They approach the coming-of-age story realistically, even if that means delving into subject matter that is less than pleasant and more than likely heart-wrenching.
I enjoyed this story, just not as much as I had hoped to, and that was mostly due to Quinn's inability to come clean about who she really was and how she was connected to Colton even before they'd met. The connection they formed after their initial meeting was beyond sweet, and the romance that was developing was even more so, but with that constant threat of the truth looming over them, I just couldn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. However, Quinn's relationship with her family did save the story a little for me. A spry old granny and a newly heartbroken but sassy sister will do that, though.
As is usually the case, I didn't get around to my review copy before release date, so I bought the audio because I'd really been looking forward to this book. I'm not familiar with the narrator chosen for this performance, but her portrayal was solid. There was enough variation in her voice to differentiate between characters, even the two sisters because she allowed their personalities to shine through her performance.
All in all, Things We Know by Heart was a beautiful story, if not exactly what I'd been hoping for. It's actually kind of a perfect summer read, what with the beach setting and anything is possible vibe. It also served as a good reminder that I still need to read Kirby's backlist. :)
GIF it to me straight:
Cute but sad but still kinda cute.
January 3, 2016
"The days passed, one after another, measured out in an unbroken, never-ending rhythm.Seemingly infinite, but gone in the blink of an eye—like waves crashing on the shore, or the seasons passing.
Or the beating of a heart."
What an amazing book!I loved everything about it-the phenomenal main characters,the fantastic story,the supporting characters(the sisters),the ending.There are so many heartbreaking moments,so many realistic situations and feelings and so many beautiful conversations.I loved Quinn and the way she was dealing with the loss of her boyfriend.That moment when she forgets how many days it's been since his death was so raw and sad.Colton was adorable,I seriously have a huge crush on him.Also,how cool is Quinn's grandma?You go Gran!
Overall,a wonderful story that I can't stop thinking about.
Favourite quotes:
"What I mean is,how does he somehow know to show me things I didn’t realize I needed to see, or take me places I wouldn’t have guessed I needed to go?"
"We lie together, quiet, under an endless sky, beside a bottomless ocean, and we don’t talk about how these are all the things that brought us together. We don’t talk about how we wouldn’t change any of them.We don’t have to, because these are the things we know by heart."
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*** Reading this for Addicted to Ink's July #inkathon.
Theme: Standalones
July 13, 2016
I have been in such a terrible roll of contemporary suck-fest lately. Usually, it’s the genre I run to whenever I feel the tell-tale bump of a reading slump coming on. The last couple of tries left me feeling disillusioned, and wondering what I ever liked in the genre to begin with.
And then this book came long.
Things We Know By Heart is a thought-provoking book about a person’s willingness to cross a line for the sake of closure. Truthfully, I’ve never even given a thought to what I would do in Quinn’s situation. I don’t know if I’d risk being labeled a stalker by insinuating myself into another person’s life because I wanted to know, had to know.
I’m sure you’ve read quite a few loved-loved reviews for this book. I’m sure they told you that it left its readers in a soggy mess. I’m sure they all told you it’s a heart-wrenching read. And they would be right. It was all those.
It gave me an insight into what it’s like to deal with the knowledge that a part or parts of the person they loved who’d died still lived in another: sight, liver, kidney, heart. It’s easier to deal with the first three. The last one is a bit more difficult. Imagine for a moment that your partner’s heart continues to beat in another’s body. Wouldn’t you question whether or not it would beat the way you remember how it sounds?
So is the heart really a muscle that has the capacity to retain its memories long after a person has passed? It is an interesting question, but this book being fictional is probably not a good source to get an answer. You’re better off reading Science and Medical research journals. It’s at least thoughtful and it does make its readers consider that possibility.
I’ve always thought that Jessi Kirby is quite adept in giving us well-rounded, realistic characters. It couldn’t be more true in Quinn’s and Colton’s respective situations. Quinn’s grief was palpable, understandable. Readers will feel how heavy it weighs her down. And Colton’s difficulty in accepting his gift was understandable. I was able to empathize with both; I understood why Quinn temporarily forgot the moral implications of her actions. I got why Colton was unable to deal with the fact that someone had to die in order for him to live. That kind of gift is both a blessing and a curse.
Things We Know by Heart was a lovely read that didn’t pretend to know what its talking about. It didn’t tell you that sure, the heart is like a brain that can somehow retain memories. You might be led into believing that, but you have to remember that the book is fictional. It’s hard to explain love. Lust is much simpler. There are a lot more involved for a person to truly recognized it’s love staring at them in the face. My point is, when Colton met Quinn the first time, there wasn’t an instant recognition or even remembrance that made his heart quiver to a healthy degree. Unless I missed it altogether. In the end, Colton and Quinn had to get over their own guilt to have a fighting chance at a relationship.
And then this book came long.
Things We Know By Heart is a thought-provoking book about a person’s willingness to cross a line for the sake of closure. Truthfully, I’ve never even given a thought to what I would do in Quinn’s situation. I don’t know if I’d risk being labeled a stalker by insinuating myself into another person’s life because I wanted to know, had to know.
I’m sure you’ve read quite a few loved-loved reviews for this book. I’m sure they told you that it left its readers in a soggy mess. I’m sure they all told you it’s a heart-wrenching read. And they would be right. It was all those.
It gave me an insight into what it’s like to deal with the knowledge that a part or parts of the person they loved who’d died still lived in another: sight, liver, kidney, heart. It’s easier to deal with the first three. The last one is a bit more difficult. Imagine for a moment that your partner’s heart continues to beat in another’s body. Wouldn’t you question whether or not it would beat the way you remember how it sounds?
So is the heart really a muscle that has the capacity to retain its memories long after a person has passed? It is an interesting question, but this book being fictional is probably not a good source to get an answer. You’re better off reading Science and Medical research journals. It’s at least thoughtful and it does make its readers consider that possibility.
I’ve always thought that Jessi Kirby is quite adept in giving us well-rounded, realistic characters. It couldn’t be more true in Quinn’s and Colton’s respective situations. Quinn’s grief was palpable, understandable. Readers will feel how heavy it weighs her down. And Colton’s difficulty in accepting his gift was understandable. I was able to empathize with both; I understood why Quinn temporarily forgot the moral implications of her actions. I got why Colton was unable to deal with the fact that someone had to die in order for him to live. That kind of gift is both a blessing and a curse.
Things We Know by Heart was a lovely read that didn’t pretend to know what its talking about. It didn’t tell you that sure, the heart is like a brain that can somehow retain memories. You might be led into believing that, but you have to remember that the book is fictional. It’s hard to explain love. Lust is much simpler. There are a lot more involved for a person to truly recognized it’s love staring at them in the face. My point is, when Colton met Quinn the first time, there wasn’t an instant recognition or even remembrance that made his heart quiver to a healthy degree. Unless I missed it altogether. In the end, Colton and Quinn had to get over their own guilt to have a fighting chance at a relationship.
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