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Things We Know by Heart

Jessi Kirby (Goodreads Author)

3.99 · Rating details · 14,155 ratings · 1,918 reviews

When Quinn Sullivan meets the recipient of her boyfriend’s donated heart, the two form an unexpected connection.

After Quinn loses her boyfriend, Trent, in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her now-unrecognizable life. She hears back from some of them, but the person who received Trent ...more

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Hardcover, 291 pages

Published April 21st 2015 by HarperTeen

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My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

2015 Contemporary YA

255 books — 1,372 voters

YA Novels of 2015

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· 14,155 ratings · 1,918 reviews

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Nov 04, 2017 sunny rated it it was amazing

Shelves: im-all-kinds-of-shook, romance, contemporary, v-emotionally-moving, young-adult, i-want-to-reread, bf

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' ...more

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Feb 10, 2015 Emily May marked it as dnf

Shelves: young-adult, arc, contemporary

I 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. ...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Ari rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: emotional, favorites, rereading-material, sweet-romance, standalone, mixed, my-kingdom-for-an-arc, best-of, beloved, great-books

♥ 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 y ...more

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Oct 21, 2014 Aimee ♥ | Aimee, Always rated it really liked it

Shelves: covergasm, swoony-book-boys, arc, i-think-my-heart-stopped, favorites, i-cried, grinning-like-an-idiot, i-ugly-cried

"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 ...more

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Nov 22, 2014 Faye, la Patata rated it it was amazing

Shelves: death, philosophical, romance, heartwrenching, realistic-fiction, best-books-i-ve-ever-read, young-adult, adorable-love-interest, no-instalove, power-of-love

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.

Le brother: What's up with you?
Me: This book... this book is... it's just so sad...!
Le b

...more

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Mar 20, 2018 Aj the Ravenous Reader rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, physically-owned-books, auto-buy-authors, shortie, young-adult

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 si ...more

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May 17, 2013 Melanie rated it it was ok

Shelves: could-have-been-so-much-better, death, romance, young-adult, e-arc, books-i-own, contemporary, me-likes-you

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 don ...more

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Dec 06, 2014 Aria ・❥・Midnight Perusing ˚ · . rated it really liked it

"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 ...more

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Jul 18, 2018 Trina (Between Chapters) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018, contemporary, romance, young-adult, audiobooks, standalones

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. ...more

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Dec 25, 2016 ♛ may rated it liked it

Shelves: decent, audiobook, super-cute, 300-pgs, contemporary, standalones

This review is approximately three years late. . .

#oops.

description

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 h ...more

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Nov 03, 2014 Sarah Elizabeth rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss, read-2015, r2r-complete, romance, as, contemporary, young-adult, death

(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 wa ...more

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Jan 16, 2015 Arlene rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2015, ya-contemporary, young-adult, overdrive-audio

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 acci 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!! ...more

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Oct 16, 2014 Neil (or bleed) rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed

"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 ...more

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Jul 31, 2017 Karla rated it really liked it

"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 ge ...more

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Aug 10, 2017 enqi ♡ rated it liked it · review of another edition

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 d ...more

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Oct 17, 2014 Sophia Sardothien rated it really liked it

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 broke ...more

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Dec 06, 2014 Marga rated it liked it

Shelves: arcs, 2015-releases, young-adult, book-boyfriends, new-years-resolution, contemporary, light-and-cute

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. ...more

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Nov 08, 2017 Scrill rated it really liked it

Recommended to Scrill by: sunny

“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 ...more

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May 22, 2014 Hazel (Stay Bookish) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015-lovelies, wishlist

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 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 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! ...more

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Mar 10, 2015 Maggie ☘ rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary-na

“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: ...more

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Aug 03, 2014 Maria rated it really liked it

Shelves: must-read-when-it-release, harpercollins, gimme, e-arcs-i-have, fav-books-read-in-2015, contemporary-fluff

I'm crying.
Review... to come. ...more

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May 07, 2013 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015, arcs, contemporary, audiobooks, this-is-probably-going-to-kill-me, edelweiss, tough-subject

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 w ...more

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Apr 08, 2015 Christy LoveOfBooks rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, arc-galley, read-in-2015

4.5

"For so long, I was the one with his heart. I just need to see where it is now."

I can’t believe I almost skipped this book. Things We Know by Heart was so moving and beautiful. I don’t know if it was just my mood that enhanced the emotions or what, but I swear, it felt like my eyes were on a continuous drip while reading. Ah, but there were plenty of smiles and laughs too.

Quinn’s boyfriend died and his organs were donated to various people. First of all, I’m so happy that the subject of organ donation was covered and we get to briefly see the people who were saved because of it. It was incredibly touching. Quinn has met with all the recipients except the one who means the most to her. All she wants is a glimpse of the guy who received Trent's heart, but apparently fate has other plans.

I adore Colton and Quinn. Colton has a great attitude and doesn’t want to waste any of his second chance at life. While Quinn is stuck, not sure how to move on from her loss. Oh, these two. The chemistry and pull between them is palpable, and their connection feels so easy and natural. It just feels good when they’re together.

"Are you hungry? I know this great taco place. We could eat, and then maybe- " He stops when I shake my head.

"I can’t. It’s Sunday."

"You don’t eat tacos on Sunday?"

I manage, barely, to match his straight face. "No. Only on Tuesdays."

The secondary characters are wonderful too. They are so supportive of Quinn and are really there for her. My favorites are her sister and grandma; how they showed such strength and pushed Quinn in just the right ways.

And of course, I love the setting! The author does a wonderful job at transporting us to the small coastal town and taking us on their little adventures. Anytime a place like this is mentioned in a book, I automatically conjure images of places I’m familiar with and love on California’s central coast. So it made me giddy when actual places I know were mentioned. I about died laughing at the description of Pirate’s Cove because it’s spot-on.

Something else I really enjoyed was how each chapter starts with a quote, fact or statistic about the heart. This was such a great touch! Even some of the facts and statistics are beautiful and felt emotional given the context.

The Things We Know by Heart is an absolute gem. This is my first Jessi Kirby book, but it’s definitely not my last. ...more

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Apr 04, 2015 Laurence R. rated it really liked it

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 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. ...more

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Jan 09, 2015 Norah Una Sumner rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: young adult readers

Shelves: great-male-characters, loss, super-nice-authors, young-adult, covergasm, great-female-characters, humor, shipshipship, contemporary, family-theme

"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 love ...more

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May 23, 2015 Joy (joyous reads) rated it really liked it

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 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. ...more

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May 05, 2013 Sarah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemp-realistic, favorites

This is hands down Jessi Kirby's best book to date. It's stunning and breathtaking, at turns heartbreaking and healing. I can't wait for this book to officially hit the shelves! ...more

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Nov 21, 2014 Nikki rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-from-edelweiss, released-2015

This review can also be found at my blog, There were books involved...

-----------------------------
Final Rating: 4.5 stars!

A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.

Okay, full disclosure: I was actually considering not reading this one. And let me tell you right now: That would have been a huge mistake. But this was the last book I was considering reading in March, and I was in the mood for a contemporary with heart (hah... okay that was bad, I'm sorry), so I ...more

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May 20, 2013 Jasprit rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-galley, contemporary, read-in-2015, out-2015, love-the-cover, ya

I’ve been struggling a lot lately with finishing books, it’s taking me over a week to finish some, because it’s not suiting my mood or I’ve just found my focus drifting elsewhere. But I’m glad to say this was not the case with Kirby’s Things We Know by Heart, once again Kirby was able to weave a gorgeous story which totally stole my heart.

Quinn’s boyfriend Trent left a big gaping hole behind when he unexpectedly died. Quinn’s world was everything with Trent, that even a year later Quinn’s barely I’ve been struggling a lot lately with finishing books, it’s taking me over a week to finish some, because it’s not suiting my mood or I’ve just found my focus drifting elsewhere. But I’m glad to say this was not the case with Kirby’s Things We Know by Heart, once again Kirby was able to weave a gorgeous story which totally stole my heart.

Quinn’s boyfriend Trent left a big gaping hole behind when he unexpectedly died. Quinn’s world was everything with Trent, that even a year later Quinn’s barely getting by. As Trent was an organ donor, he was able to help so many other people’s lives afterwards and slowly Quinn has been getting in touch with these individuals, it’s sort of the only way that she can still connect with Trent. But one person, who Trent helped in the biggest way, still hasn’t got back in touch with her. Quinn doesn’t intend to but ends up tracking down this person, she ends up frequently checking up his sister’s blog posts about his life and how tough it was for him, soon enough Quinn feels like she knows him pretty well without meeting him at all. Quinn finally decides to take the biggest step of all, going out to see him. She doesn’t really know what she intends to do, but just seeing this person that Trent made a difference to could probably help all the hurt Quinn had to deal with.

Kirby writes Thing We Know by Heart wonderfully, over the course of the book she would give us snippets into Quinn’s beautiful relationship with Trent, it was hard enough to see Quinn struggle with taking each day one day at a time without Trent by her side, but when we’re given insights into small meaningful parts of their life, it made my heart break all over again. Why did life have to be so unfair and take away the best thing Quinn ever had? The struggle that Quinn had to go through was understandable, her best friend, boyfriend, her everything was taken away from her and she was just expected to carry on, all she had left were small reminders of Trent in her room, or memories of their time together, but even these were beginning to fade. So the last real life things left of Trent were with those people he helped out when he became an organ donor. But Quinn never expected what would come about from the last person that Trent helped out.

I loved the slow build up of relationship between Quinn and Colton, even though Quinn already knew so much about him through reading his sister’s blog post, she couldn’t really let on that she knew who he was. There must be a really good reason as to why he didn’t respond to her initial letter and she had to respect that. Also Colton was just the sweetest guy, I loved him from their very first encounter he was sneaky enough to get Quinn’s attention, but also he was super nervous about taking the first step to spending more time with Quinn. I really do adore guys who wear their hearts on their sleeves and have a vulnerable side to them, so I was easily able to become a fan of Colton. The slow build up of their relationship really just left butterflies in my stomach, I was eagerly anticipating what their next day together could entail, and I loved the gorgeous scenes that Kirby infused into the story, they truly contributed to making the sweet gestures between Quinn and Colton that more much meaningful.

I also adored how Kirby made family once again an integral part of this book, Quinn’s family was always there for her, they were concerned about her well being, always doing things together and were ready and willing to dish out well needed advice when necessary. It’s always great to see great family dynamics in YA books these days.

Things we Know by Heart was a book which I adored, Kirby’s beautiful passages really spoke volumes with me that my kindle was overfull with highlighted passages. Kirby dealt with the issue of losing a loved one and being able to move forward and find happiness again, but not forgetting this person in the most eloquent way. (view spoiler). But other than that I’m thrilled to have picked up Things We Know by Heart, it was one of the most beautiful, and heart breaking reads I have read in a long time!

This review can be found on: The Readers Den ...more

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Nov 27, 2014 Rose rated it really liked it

Shelves: coming-of-age, contemporary, drama, realistic-fiction, grief, young-adult, tough-subjects, audiobooks, romance, psychological

Quick review for a quick read. I think this story went over a little better for me than "Golden" did, but I think it might be my connections to liking stories akin to this that might've given it the edge. "Things We Know By Heart" actually reminds me of a reverse storyline to several stories I've read/watched before. From the movie "Return to Me" with Minnie Driver and David Duchovny to the anime/manga series "Angel Heart" - an off-shoot of the popular anime series "City Hunter" by Tuskasa Hojo, Quick review for a quick read. I think this story went over a little better for me than "Golden" did, but I think it might be my connections to liking stories akin to this that might've given it the edge. "Things We Know By Heart" actually reminds me of a reverse storyline to several stories I've read/watched before. From the movie "Return to Me" with Minnie Driver and David Duchovny to the anime/manga series "Angel Heart" - an off-shoot of the popular anime series "City Hunter" by Tuskasa Hojo, I'm familiar with stories (real and fictional) revolving around the impressions that donors get when their lives are saved thanks to a needed organ transplant.

Thing about it is, usually the stories I've read/heard revolve around the people who received the transplant. And in stories like that I found myself identifying because the character's survivor's guilt, their renewed energy, their struggle to get to a place of normalcy and going through their relationships is usually very vivid and heart breaking. It's hard not to feel emotional in stories like this. This story takes a different angle in that it involves the girlfriend left behind, frantically searching for the person who received her boyfriend's donated heart.

Quinn only wants closure in the aftermath of losing her boyfriend Trent to a tragic accident exactly a year before (and she counts the days to a certain point). She reaches out to the donors who received Trent's organs, but Colton Thomas, who received Trent's heart, hasn't responded. So what does Quinn do? She goes out to find him. Darned if she does, darned if she doesn't to try to find some connection to close her grief over Trent. She doesn't expect to fall for the boy who got his heart though. Romance! (Cue in choir singing and bright spotlights.)

For the record, I wasn't comfortable with the stalking aspects of this story, despite how much I could understand the grief of the two MCs and their need for closure/reaching out. This notation was hard to read, but for the sake of the story, I followed it to see where it would go. I thought the relationship between Colton and Quinn was very sweet in spaces. They had very good chemistry, the emotions, interactions, and grief they both felt was very vivid. I did find that some moments might've been a touch overwritten and most definitely cheese, but Kirby knows how to draw out the heart of emotion in her characters and situations - I even saw that back in my read of "Golden" despite having issues. I also liked the relationships Quinn and Colton had with their families, which is way better than most portrayals in YA fiction.

I kind of want Colton as a book boyfriend. He was a great LI and well-dimensioned character that I wanted to see more of in the length of the work. His moments of happiness are framed just as well as his struggles, and I thought the narrative did a great job of showing his range of emotions and personality. I feel also Kirby did a good job of showing Quinn's character and her respective struggles, though it made me think of an Asian drama that I still can't put my finger on for the title as to her perspective point. But it took forever for Quinn to tell Colton the truth. Ye Gods, I was like "JUST TELL HIM ALREADY!" One could curse my impatience, but the narrative, to me, felt much longer than it had to be for the way it drew the situation out. While I could definitely see where some moments had Quinn struggling for timing and knowing how to tell Colton the truth, I still felt - from a narrative standpoint - it was more drawn out than I would've liked.

It's a story I really liked and connected with, even with some noted flaws in the progression. I do hope to read more from Jessi Kirby eventually. I'm sad I haven't picked up some of her other work until now. Great audio narration by Amanda Wallace.

Overall score: 3.5/5 stars. ...more

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About Jessi Kirby

Jessi Kirby

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Jessi 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