What do you think?
Rate this book
Some of the Parts
Sometimes bad things happen, and we are not the same when they are over.
For months, Tallie McGovern has been coping with the death of her older brother the only way she knows how: by smiling bravely and pretending that she's okay. She’s managed to fool her friends, her parents, and her teachers so far, yet she can’t even say his name out loud: “N—” is as far as she can go. But when Tallie comes across a letter in the mail, it only takes two words to crack the careful façade she’s built around herself:
ORGAN DONOR.
Two words that had apparently been checked off on her brother’s driver’s license; two words that her parents knew about—and never confided to her. All at once, everything Tallie thought she understood about her brother’s death feels like a lie. And although a part of her knows he’s gone forever, another part of her wonders if finding the letter might be a sign. That if she can just track down the people on the other end of those two words, it might somehow bring him back.
Hannah Barnaby’s deeply moving novel asks questions there are no easy answers to as it follows a family struggling to pick up the pieces, and a girl determined to find the brother she wasn’t ready to let go of.
For months, Tallie McGovern has been coping with the death of her older brother the only way she knows how: by smiling bravely and pretending that she's okay. She’s managed to fool her friends, her parents, and her teachers so far, yet she can’t even say his name out loud: “N—” is as far as she can go. But when Tallie comes across a letter in the mail, it only takes two words to crack the careful façade she’s built around herself:
ORGAN DONOR.
Two words that had apparently been checked off on her brother’s driver’s license; two words that her parents knew about—and never confided to her. All at once, everything Tallie thought she understood about her brother’s death feels like a lie. And although a part of her knows he’s gone forever, another part of her wonders if finding the letter might be a sign. That if she can just track down the people on the other end of those two words, it might somehow bring him back.
Hannah Barnaby’s deeply moving novel asks questions there are no easy answers to as it follows a family struggling to pick up the pieces, and a girl determined to find the brother she wasn’t ready to let go of.
304 pages, Library Binding
First published February 16, 2016
19 people are currently reading
1220 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Barnaby
14 books96 followersHannah Barnaby is a former children's book editor and indie bookseller, and was the first-ever Children's Writer-in-Residence at the Boston Public Library. Her debut young adult novel, Wonder Show, was a William C. Morris Award finalist, and her second novel, Some of the Parts, received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly. Hannah makes her double picture book debut in 2017 with Bad Guy, illustrated by Mike Yamada, and Garcia and Colette Go Exploring, illustrated by Andrew Joyner. Hannah lives in Charlottesville, VA with her family.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
Read
March 13, 2016First, a few overall thoughts about this subgenre of contemporary YA. Strange but true: Some of the Parts is the seventh (at least!) YA book about organ donation to come out in the past year or so. I haven't read them all, but Some of the Parts worked much better for me than, for instance, Things We Know By Heart, which tried to bring a love-after-loss romance into the mix, and while this approach may have worked in the film Return to Me (haven't seen it) I remained skeptical and somewhat weirded out.
So, in thinking about the several YA organ donation books I've read, I realized that they combine at least two tried-and-true YA tropes: the grief book + the quest book. Because while grief books are very moving, anyone who's been through a grieving process knows that it's often very ... internal. Solitary. And sad. I can see the need for the quest: adding that element keeps things moving along and gives them more of a purpose.
Okay, on to the book at hand. After the death of Tallie's older brother, she feels stuck. Stuck with her guilt and grief, stuck with her withdrawn parents, stuck in a life she no longer recognizes. I thought that Some of the Parts did a great job portraying the grieving experience: the awkward reactions of others, the way you feel that you've gone through something that will make you feel forever different and very alone.
There's a boy. A boy who, in a very coincidental fashion, offers Tallie just what she needs: a distraction, a co-conspirator, and an important resource (that last part was the big coincidence). I wouldn't call their relationship a true romance, but they have enough of a connection that if you need romance in your books I think you'll be satisfied.
Okay, onto the quest. I was skeptical at first, but I ended up really liking this part of the story. The sneaky, crafty things that Tallie did reminded me so much of the way my scheming sixteen year-old self would have acted that I laughed out loud. The book had a minor subplot about her brother's girlfriend that could have been predictable, but took a more unexpected turn.
Overall, I really enjoyed Some of the Parts. I thought that the book offered up a moving account of the different ways people process grief and loss.
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
Thanks to the publisher for providing a free advance copy of this book for me to review.
So, in thinking about the several YA organ donation books I've read, I realized that they combine at least two tried-and-true YA tropes: the grief book + the quest book. Because while grief books are very moving, anyone who's been through a grieving process knows that it's often very ... internal. Solitary. And sad. I can see the need for the quest: adding that element keeps things moving along and gives them more of a purpose.
Okay, on to the book at hand. After the death of Tallie's older brother, she feels stuck. Stuck with her guilt and grief, stuck with her withdrawn parents, stuck in a life she no longer recognizes. I thought that Some of the Parts did a great job portraying the grieving experience: the awkward reactions of others, the way you feel that you've gone through something that will make you feel forever different and very alone.
There's a boy. A boy who, in a very coincidental fashion, offers Tallie just what she needs: a distraction, a co-conspirator, and an important resource (that last part was the big coincidence). I wouldn't call their relationship a true romance, but they have enough of a connection that if you need romance in your books I think you'll be satisfied.
Okay, onto the quest. I was skeptical at first, but I ended up really liking this part of the story. The sneaky, crafty things that Tallie did reminded me so much of the way my scheming sixteen year-old self would have acted that I laughed out loud. The book had a minor subplot about her brother's girlfriend that could have been predictable, but took a more unexpected turn.
Overall, I really enjoyed Some of the Parts. I thought that the book offered up a moving account of the different ways people process grief and loss.
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
Thanks to the publisher for providing a free advance copy of this book for me to review.
February 29, 2016
Rating Clarification: 3.5 stars
“Maybe this is the ultimate puzzle. Maybe, knowing there are pieces of Nate still in the world, I can find a way to fix what I did.”
A heartfelt story about loss, grief and the road to recovery. Some of the Parts by Hannah Barnaby sacrifices no expense at sharing a poignant story about a girl who tirelessly searches for ways to recover from the death of her brother.
Tallie McGovern lives is very different life than six months prior. She’s working at a job that requires little engagement from her. Her friends are no longer a part of her life, and mostly importantly she attends a grief counseling group at school to attempt to find ways to recover from the lose of her older brother.
The accident that took Nate’s life plagues Tallie with an overwhelming guilt because she was driving the car the day it happened. Then, months after that horrific event, Tallie comes across a correspondence that reveals her brother’s organs were donate the day he died. That leads Tallie on a quest, with the help of Chase, to find the organ recipients in an attempt to put the pieces of Nate together and find some comfort in knowing a part of him is still out there.
Throughout the story, I had to keep reminding myself that Tallie was young, grief stricken and well young… Some of her choices would have bothered me if she were older, wiser and in a different frame of mind. For example, I struggled with the lies and deceit that got her through the day, such as going through her dad’s history browser, reading her mom’s journal, skipping class, falsifying who she was to the possible donor recipients and doctors, and pretty much disregarding the two people who really cared about her. I found it ironic that she was upset her father read her email when Tallie was guilty of much worse.
There was a part of the story that I felt was conveniently dropped, and it revolves around her newly acquired friend Mel who has odd interests, such as welding old pieces of farm equipment into dangers sculptures, abstract paintings, and taxidermy. She’s different, but the reason Tallie gravitates to her is because Mel is the only one that doesn’t treat her differently. However, Mel’s true self was never fully explored. She shared something at the end with Tallie that felt unresolved. I would have liked to see this fleshed out a bit more.
Overall, this story explores the grief of a sibling that harbors intense sadness and guilt over the death of her brother. I appreciated the messages explored throughout the novel. Emotional story…
“Maybe this is the ultimate puzzle. Maybe, knowing there are pieces of Nate still in the world, I can find a way to fix what I did.”
A heartfelt story about loss, grief and the road to recovery. Some of the Parts by Hannah Barnaby sacrifices no expense at sharing a poignant story about a girl who tirelessly searches for ways to recover from the death of her brother.
Tallie McGovern lives is very different life than six months prior. She’s working at a job that requires little engagement from her. Her friends are no longer a part of her life, and mostly importantly she attends a grief counseling group at school to attempt to find ways to recover from the lose of her older brother.
The accident that took Nate’s life plagues Tallie with an overwhelming guilt because she was driving the car the day it happened. Then, months after that horrific event, Tallie comes across a correspondence that reveals her brother’s organs were donate the day he died. That leads Tallie on a quest, with the help of Chase, to find the organ recipients in an attempt to put the pieces of Nate together and find some comfort in knowing a part of him is still out there.
Throughout the story, I had to keep reminding myself that Tallie was young, grief stricken and well young… Some of her choices would have bothered me if she were older, wiser and in a different frame of mind. For example, I struggled with the lies and deceit that got her through the day, such as going through her dad’s history browser, reading her mom’s journal, skipping class, falsifying who she was to the possible donor recipients and doctors, and pretty much disregarding the two people who really cared about her. I found it ironic that she was upset her father read her email when Tallie was guilty of much worse.
There was a part of the story that I felt was conveniently dropped, and it revolves around her newly acquired friend Mel who has odd interests, such as welding old pieces of farm equipment into dangers sculptures, abstract paintings, and taxidermy. She’s different, but the reason Tallie gravitates to her is because Mel is the only one that doesn’t treat her differently. However, Mel’s true self was never fully explored. She shared something at the end with Tallie that felt unresolved. I would have liked to see this fleshed out a bit more.
Overall, this story explores the grief of a sibling that harbors intense sadness and guilt over the death of her brother. I appreciated the messages explored throughout the novel. Emotional story…
June 5, 2016
4.75 stars
I'm not someone that gives out five-star ratings very often. Call me cold-hearted, blame in on my Slytherin soul, whatever, but it's just not something I can do very often. For a book to warrant a perfect 'score' from me, it has to be pretty much perfect. I cannot have any major problems with it and I have to get that old, gut feeling I get when I finish the book where I know how goddamn good it was. Even if the book seemed perfect at the time, if it didn't get that gut feeling then it cannot get five stars from me. Picky, much? I know, but it keeps me honest... and this way when I love a book, I know it's worthy of it.
And damn, this book was practically perfect. If you enjoyed Up to This Pointe, Rules for 50/50 Chances or Things We Know by Heart, then you should pick this book up. It has the same gorgeously poetic writing style coupled with a heart-wrenchingly poignant story about identity and heartbreak and what it means to move on and live life and *flails*. It was damn gorgeous. I cannot stress that enough. It tore my heart. I cried so many times. And the writing was.... I just wanted to highlight the crap out of the book. You know sometimes writing just nail all those emotions that you didn't even know you felt until you read them, printed on the page? This book does that. It seriously made me cry so damn much.
And now, I'm just rambling, but man this book was beautiful. I wish I was more eloquent in this review to stress the beauty of this book, but I'm no Hannah Barnaby so you're going to have to go read this book yourself to find out.
Maybe a proper RTC? We'll see.
I'm not someone that gives out five-star ratings very often. Call me cold-hearted, blame in on my Slytherin soul, whatever, but it's just not something I can do very often. For a book to warrant a perfect 'score' from me, it has to be pretty much perfect. I cannot have any major problems with it and I have to get that old, gut feeling I get when I finish the book where I know how goddamn good it was. Even if the book seemed perfect at the time, if it didn't get that gut feeling then it cannot get five stars from me. Picky, much? I know, but it keeps me honest... and this way when I love a book, I know it's worthy of it.
And damn, this book was practically perfect. If you enjoyed Up to This Pointe, Rules for 50/50 Chances or Things We Know by Heart, then you should pick this book up. It has the same gorgeously poetic writing style coupled with a heart-wrenchingly poignant story about identity and heartbreak and what it means to move on and live life and *flails*. It was damn gorgeous. I cannot stress that enough. It tore my heart. I cried so many times. And the writing was.... I just wanted to highlight the crap out of the book. You know sometimes writing just nail all those emotions that you didn't even know you felt until you read them, printed on the page? This book does that. It seriously made me cry so damn much.
And now, I'm just rambling, but man this book was beautiful. I wish I was more eloquent in this review to stress the beauty of this book, but I'm no Hannah Barnaby so you're going to have to go read this book yourself to find out.
Maybe a proper RTC? We'll see.
February 25, 2016
The short
The beginning really pulled me in, but the character development wasn't done well. I really wanted to connect with Tallie; after the initial pages, however, it was very very hard to do.
The long
Some of the Parts deals with a heavy topic: death of a family member gone too soon. I think that part of what draws me to this genre is the fear of losing a loved one.
I haven't had to go through the grief of losing a family member so close to me, so I can't begin to fathom the mix of feelings one goes through. I don't want to imagine how it would feel to lose one of my immediate family members. I think that is part of my fascination with books like this. They give my insight into the emotions and struggles that one goes through upon losing a family member. They give me a safe place to explore loss of a loved one.
The beginning really pulled me in. It's very emotionally driven, especially given the guilt that Tallie feels over the death of her brother. Of course, we don't find out the details until later. All I'm going to say is that her feeling is certainly understandable. I just wish that her brother received more than the meager characterization he did. Tallie seems to deeply admire her brother and think the best of him, which is weird to me. I have a brother, and I certainly don't think he's all that (though I do love him). As all we have to go on is Tallie's claims, I don't see any evidence that her brother was who she claims he was. I would have liked to see more flashbacks—or at least reminiscing on Tallie's part.
Outside of Tallie's brother, the character development wasn't done well. I really wanted to connect with Tallie; after the initial pages, however, it was very very hard to do just that. Tallie's later actions make no sense to me at all. While her actions are understandable given that she seems to lose control of her sanity, I don't know where or why she's losing her grip on reality. In the end, I lost connection with her. I'm also bothered by the fact that there is no real romantic development. This guy just seems to fall in love with her out of nowhere. Not to mention the development with the friend who just drops out of the picture after her startling confession. Or the fact that it turns out that her brother also had a broken relationship (and that his girlfriend and "best bud" turned out to be the people that they were).
What drew me to this story in the first place was the family aspect what with Tallie searching for a connection to her brother after his death. Tallie's actions, however, serve to alienate her from her living relatives (her parents), from real connections to the people who love her (like her friends, though I'm still wondering what exactly was her relationship to her one kind of friend), and from moving forward. This is a novel about losing oneself in an obsessive desire to pick up the pieces after losing a loved one, and most of the healing will come after the last words of this novel.
All in all, I'm happy that more recognition is being given to organ donation, something that can really save lives. I just couldn't connect with the characters and their story, though Some of the Parts is definitely one to provoke discussion given the open-ish ending.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads
The beginning really pulled me in, but the character development wasn't done well. I really wanted to connect with Tallie; after the initial pages, however, it was very very hard to do.
The long
Some of the Parts deals with a heavy topic: death of a family member gone too soon. I think that part of what draws me to this genre is the fear of losing a loved one.
I haven't had to go through the grief of losing a family member so close to me, so I can't begin to fathom the mix of feelings one goes through. I don't want to imagine how it would feel to lose one of my immediate family members. I think that is part of my fascination with books like this. They give my insight into the emotions and struggles that one goes through upon losing a family member. They give me a safe place to explore loss of a loved one.
The beginning really pulled me in. It's very emotionally driven, especially given the guilt that Tallie feels over the death of her brother. Of course, we don't find out the details until later. All I'm going to say is that her feeling is certainly understandable. I just wish that her brother received more than the meager characterization he did. Tallie seems to deeply admire her brother and think the best of him, which is weird to me. I have a brother, and I certainly don't think he's all that (though I do love him). As all we have to go on is Tallie's claims, I don't see any evidence that her brother was who she claims he was. I would have liked to see more flashbacks—or at least reminiscing on Tallie's part.
Outside of Tallie's brother, the character development wasn't done well. I really wanted to connect with Tallie; after the initial pages, however, it was very very hard to do just that. Tallie's later actions make no sense to me at all. While her actions are understandable given that she seems to lose control of her sanity, I don't know where or why she's losing her grip on reality. In the end, I lost connection with her. I'm also bothered by the fact that there is no real romantic development. This guy just seems to fall in love with her out of nowhere. Not to mention the development with the friend who just drops out of the picture after her startling confession. Or the fact that it turns out that her brother also had a broken relationship (and that his girlfriend and "best bud" turned out to be the people that they were).
What drew me to this story in the first place was the family aspect what with Tallie searching for a connection to her brother after his death. Tallie's actions, however, serve to alienate her from her living relatives (her parents), from real connections to the people who love her (like her friends, though I'm still wondering what exactly was her relationship to her one kind of friend), and from moving forward. This is a novel about losing oneself in an obsessive desire to pick up the pieces after losing a loved one, and most of the healing will come after the last words of this novel.
All in all, I'm happy that more recognition is being given to organ donation, something that can really save lives. I just couldn't connect with the characters and their story, though Some of the Parts is definitely one to provoke discussion given the open-ish ending.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads
November 18, 2016
SOME OF THE PARTS:Tallie McGovern is a high school girl who lost her brother in an accident. When she and her family are trying to cope with their loss, she finds a letter in the mail labeled Life Choice. She finds information of her brother and calls them to get information. But this will be the least of her struggles.
This book was only so, so. There were certain parts where I didn't get what was going on. I lost track of what was happening and, truthfully, I got bored. It made me feel like I was lost and didn't know where to go or what was happening. This book is very similar to SUMMERLOST. But I think Summerlost is WAY better.
This book was only so, so. There were certain parts where I didn't get what was going on. I lost track of what was happening and, truthfully, I got bored. It made me feel like I was lost and didn't know where to go or what was happening. This book is very similar to SUMMERLOST. But I think Summerlost is WAY better.
April 11, 2018
This book suffers from the classic tale of great concept and terrible execution. Honestly, the plot line felt so disconnected, with multiple separate story lines, where everything is dragging out and then quickly rushed to wrap up. What you read in the synopsis is not what is reflected in the book, it was like two different people wrote the synopsis and actual novel.
I am going to start off with that Tallie is a disaster, never in the book is she described as "smiling bravely and pretending she is okay." In fact, she spends the majority of the book avoiding any conversation that would mention her brother (outside of her head), stealing his personal items and mail, hiding numerous things from her parents, and skipping class because even 4 months after her brother's passing no teacher would dare scold her. There was no character development, in fact this was more like character disintegration. She went from semi-function to literally losing her mind and then several pages later everything is perfectly fine.
Now as I mentioned there are numerous mini-plots in this book. First off, starting with the breakdown of Tallie's friendship with Amy. This is completely unnecessary to the story, Amy was a horrid character (based on her interactions) and then suddenly Tallie is over the obsession of fixing the friendship and washes her hands of the situation. Her friend at the moment, Mel...I don't even know how to deal with this absurdity. I won't ruin the "twist" but there was no build up on inclination to it and honestly I felt like Hannah was like well this is already going downhill so why not add this in? No...just no.
For the love of God authors, know when your story is enough. The first 225 pages were a messed up, pity party and then bam! The next 75 pages wraps up every delusional plot line and sends me on my way. Some key points of the story, like her parents discussing moving or therapy or healing...they are just completely forgot about. No mention of it after her breakdown. I am just confused and disappointed with what I just read.
I am going to start off with that Tallie is a disaster, never in the book is she described as "smiling bravely and pretending she is okay." In fact, she spends the majority of the book avoiding any conversation that would mention her brother (outside of her head), stealing his personal items and mail, hiding numerous things from her parents, and skipping class because even 4 months after her brother's passing no teacher would dare scold her. There was no character development, in fact this was more like character disintegration. She went from semi-function to literally losing her mind and then several pages later everything is perfectly fine.
Now as I mentioned there are numerous mini-plots in this book. First off, starting with the breakdown of Tallie's friendship with Amy. This is completely unnecessary to the story, Amy was a horrid character (based on her interactions) and then suddenly Tallie is over the obsession of fixing the friendship and washes her hands of the situation. Her friend at the moment, Mel...I don't even know how to deal with this absurdity. I won't ruin the "twist" but there was no build up on inclination to it and honestly I felt like Hannah was like well this is already going downhill so why not add this in? No...just no.
For the love of God authors, know when your story is enough. The first 225 pages were a messed up, pity party and then bam! The next 75 pages wraps up every delusional plot line and sends me on my way. Some key points of the story, like her parents discussing moving or therapy or healing...they are just completely forgot about. No mention of it after her breakdown. I am just confused and disappointed with what I just read.
February 6, 2016
This book is so close to reality. I didn’t experience it firsthand, but of course when our special someone dies we will never be the same. Tallie was having a hard time coping up with her brother’s death. She felt like she needed to do something, something that she thought her brother wanted her to do. She can’t accept the reality that her brother was dead, and when she knew that her parents gave his brother’s organs to other patients, she decided to find them.
She became “the girl whose brother died” for quite a while, and even some of her clique became distant, professors pity her and let her catch up with school works. Almost everyone gave their sympathy to her every single time. She was tired of all those, and one friend remained by her side, Mel, who she felt safe with, who doesn’t question her at all and acts normal around her. And then she met Chase, who helped her with her search for the patients who received her brother’s organs.
All throughout the search, she did everything she could - lied as her mother to reach the patients, travelled away to meet the patients, made Chase’s father help her and a lot of other things that she could. At the end, truths revealed, her parents knew everything, and she realized that she needs to face reality, even though facing reality means living without her brother.
What I loved about this novel is that there will always be some people who will stay by your side even when you are at the lowest point of your life, like how Mel stayed by her side and tried to understand her. Sometimes, we feel safe being with that someone who will not bombard us with questions - just someone who will stay by our side.
In life, even if something terrible happened to us, we need to move on with our lives, we need to accept the fact that something changed and it will never be the same.
She became “the girl whose brother died” for quite a while, and even some of her clique became distant, professors pity her and let her catch up with school works. Almost everyone gave their sympathy to her every single time. She was tired of all those, and one friend remained by her side, Mel, who she felt safe with, who doesn’t question her at all and acts normal around her. And then she met Chase, who helped her with her search for the patients who received her brother’s organs.
All throughout the search, she did everything she could - lied as her mother to reach the patients, travelled away to meet the patients, made Chase’s father help her and a lot of other things that she could. At the end, truths revealed, her parents knew everything, and she realized that she needs to face reality, even though facing reality means living without her brother.
What I loved about this novel is that there will always be some people who will stay by your side even when you are at the lowest point of your life, like how Mel stayed by her side and tried to understand her. Sometimes, we feel safe being with that someone who will not bombard us with questions - just someone who will stay by our side.
In life, even if something terrible happened to us, we need to move on with our lives, we need to accept the fact that something changed and it will never be the same.
Read
March 25, 2016Check out my full review posted on WhoRu Blog!
Congrats to Hannah Barnaby! This novel went into its second printing in less than a month!
The SOME OF ALL PARTS is a window into grief and a window into organ donation. For those who will be getting their driver’s licenses, this will be a fascinating look at the responsibility and impact checking that box can potentially have as a donor and on those who might receive “the parts.” And don’t at all be surprised if you find yourself loving Chase’s quirky side as he helps Tallie with her grief and recovery. Raw. Emotional. Revealing window into organ donation.
- See more at: http://www.whorublog.com/2016/02/21/s...
Congrats to Hannah Barnaby! This novel went into its second printing in less than a month!
The SOME OF ALL PARTS is a window into grief and a window into organ donation. For those who will be getting their driver’s licenses, this will be a fascinating look at the responsibility and impact checking that box can potentially have as a donor and on those who might receive “the parts.” And don’t at all be surprised if you find yourself loving Chase’s quirky side as he helps Tallie with her grief and recovery. Raw. Emotional. Revealing window into organ donation.
- See more at: http://www.whorublog.com/2016/02/21/s...
April 11, 2016
A very slow paced story with a practically nonexistent plot. It was a struggle to get through this novel. But, the writing was beautiful, at times.
March 12, 2016
When I heard of this book I was all for it. Y'all know how much I LOVE contemps that feature larger issues. Which means I'm really excited for all the books featuring organ donors in YA lately. In fact, this is the second book in a row featuring them that I've read featuring this process. (The other was The Way Back to You by Mindi Scott and Michelle Andreani which comes out in May!) I'm not sure if I was trying to break my feels reading these back to back or what...
What happened was a terrible accident, but Tallie can't stand to let him go. Him being her brother "N---." Until one day she finds out that her brother has signed up for something that she had no idea about. To be an organ donor. Now she thinks she if she can find the recipients she can bring him back.
For this story to be about grief, I didn't feel much of it. I really just felt angry at Tallie. I mean I could tell she was grief stricken. Especially with the accident being what it was. I know she was just going through it with her own way of dealing, but still. She came off more as selfish and mean alot of the time and that bothered me. She didn't seem to care much about anyone but herself. As for her mean streak, I could tell that she was angry and upset, but she just came off as rude. It just upset me because while reading this I expected to read it and be punched in the gut with feels. I didn't even come close to it until the end.
I also didn't like some of the things that happened. For this to be realistic fiction, it seemed like nothing happened the way it would have in real life. There were ALOT of things that could have gotten Tallie in serious trouble, but they either let her go on like it was ok because she was grieving. Some things, like the school situation, was ok. I've been in that situation before. But to get away with the stuff that she did, something should've been done. At least a "serious conversation." They did nothing and it didn't make it believable at all.
The ending is what saved this book for me. It wasn't what I was expecting out of a book about organ donors, because I was hoping for a bit more punch, but it was still emotional in it's own right.
What happened was a terrible accident, but Tallie can't stand to let him go. Him being her brother "N---." Until one day she finds out that her brother has signed up for something that she had no idea about. To be an organ donor. Now she thinks she if she can find the recipients she can bring him back.
For this story to be about grief, I didn't feel much of it. I really just felt angry at Tallie. I mean I could tell she was grief stricken. Especially with the accident being what it was. I know she was just going through it with her own way of dealing, but still. She came off more as selfish and mean alot of the time and that bothered me. She didn't seem to care much about anyone but herself. As for her mean streak, I could tell that she was angry and upset, but she just came off as rude. It just upset me because while reading this I expected to read it and be punched in the gut with feels. I didn't even come close to it until the end.
I also didn't like some of the things that happened. For this to be realistic fiction, it seemed like nothing happened the way it would have in real life. There were ALOT of things that could have gotten Tallie in serious trouble, but they either let her go on like it was ok because she was grieving. Some things, like the school situation, was ok. I've been in that situation before. But to get away with the stuff that she did, something should've been done. At least a "serious conversation." They did nothing and it didn't make it believable at all.
The ending is what saved this book for me. It wasn't what I was expecting out of a book about organ donors, because I was hoping for a bit more punch, but it was still emotional in it's own right.
March 8, 2016
its hard for me to explain how I felt about this book. I didnt dislike it. I just dont think I ever connected emotionally to any of the characters. tallie confused me a lot of the time. like of course I will never understand what she was going through on a deeper level, but I can generally understand why people react in certain ways. I couldn't ever read tallie; her character was capricious. OH I think a thing that kept me from connecting from the book was bc I didnt quite understand WHY him being an organ donation was so important to her. like she explained it to us but I guess I just couldn't Feel it.
chase was cool I guess but didn't really develop as a character. the reason I read this book is because my librarian read it before it was published and was like "MEL IS EXACTLY LIKE YOU!!!!" which I could see in some way bc ya know she does her own thing. spoiler: I WAS SO FJDKFJDM THO THE CONFESSION AT THE END WAS NEVER BROUGHT UP/WRAPPED UP AFTER IT HAPPENED I SCREAM
but ok yeah I don't have much left to say :/ it was fine
chase was cool I guess but didn't really develop as a character. the reason I read this book is because my librarian read it before it was published and was like "MEL IS EXACTLY LIKE YOU!!!!" which I could see in some way bc ya know she does her own thing. spoiler: I WAS SO FJDKFJDM THO THE CONFESSION AT THE END WAS NEVER BROUGHT UP/WRAPPED UP AFTER IT HAPPENED I SCREAM
but ok yeah I don't have much left to say :/ it was fine
April 4, 2016
Rating: 1.25
I've always been a little bit skeptical of reading books about organ donors - it seemed a bit weird. But then, I read Things We Know By Heart by Jessie Kirby, and I was elated, so SO happy with the outcome of that. I picked up this book, expecting a lot and it fell flat. The beginning 30 pages were good, and the last 20 pages were decent but the rest was just laboring to get through. I skimmed through it, and usually I like to give books a chance, but this was WAY too boring; I just couldn't do it, and the fact that I even finished it, says a lot. Tallie was an ok protagonist, but nothing special. I'd say the same for the rest of the character; I liked Nate and Chase, but still, I feel pretty indifferent towards them compared to characters I've read from other books. Utterly disappointed. :(
I've always been a little bit skeptical of reading books about organ donors - it seemed a bit weird. But then, I read Things We Know By Heart by Jessie Kirby, and I was elated, so SO happy with the outcome of that. I picked up this book, expecting a lot and it fell flat. The beginning 30 pages were good, and the last 20 pages were decent but the rest was just laboring to get through. I skimmed through it, and usually I like to give books a chance, but this was WAY too boring; I just couldn't do it, and the fact that I even finished it, says a lot. Tallie was an ok protagonist, but nothing special. I'd say the same for the rest of the character; I liked Nate and Chase, but still, I feel pretty indifferent towards them compared to characters I've read from other books. Utterly disappointed. :(
April 26, 2016
Tallie McGovern has been coming apart, ever since her brother was killed in a car accident when she was driving. Shunned by her those that she thought were her friends, Tallie finds herself connecting with Mel and Chase. When a letter arrives that completely rocks Tallie's world, she becomes determined to collect the only pieces of her brother that she has left.
Some of the Parts was a good book, but I found it hard to believe that Tallie's parents would have kept such a huge secret from her. Given her age and the fact that she was in the car accident along with her brother, I did not feel the book was realistic with the way that Tallie's parents handled the situation as a whole. I feel like the author missed an opportunity, as the book, despite its subject matter, did not evoke many emotions.
Some of the Parts was a good book, but I found it hard to believe that Tallie's parents would have kept such a huge secret from her. Given her age and the fact that she was in the car accident along with her brother, I did not feel the book was realistic with the way that Tallie's parents handled the situation as a whole. I feel like the author missed an opportunity, as the book, despite its subject matter, did not evoke many emotions.
June 21, 2016
I really liked the plot, but I could not connect to the protagonist. She seemed very selfish and didn't care or think about any consequences - it made her unlikable. In the beginning, she didn't want to exist or be noticed in any way. Throughout the novel, she acts impulsively not caring how it affects others. This felt contradictory. Her best friend and the "friendship" was one dimensional, and only seemed to serve to help move the plot. One minute she was really interested in the protagonist's life, and then the rest of the book she was uninvolved. There was also an overuse of metaphors and similes, which didn't fit the voice at all because there were so many (at least one per page). It's very hard to believe a teenager thinks in that way.
May 6, 2016
I wanted to like this book more than I did. Usually books about death, and organ donation can be very sad and emotional; it also makes a reader think about their loved ones and how they would react to a situation like this. In this book the grief almost felt forced, and the main character is just BS... like really you are going to basically incriminate your friend, his father (who could lose his medical license), and other people because you are too selfish to ask your parents why they "allowed" your brother's organs to be donated? How about, he checked the box on his ID and your parents respected his choice?
^^^ See, I just can't deal with this one.
2 stars.
^^^ See, I just can't deal with this one.
2 stars.
June 27, 2016
I chose this book because it was about organ donation and thought it would be an interesting read. Unfortunately, while the concept was good the execution wasn't. I never connected with the story and Tallie was just too woebegone for my liking. I know losing a sibling must be devastating, but there were times I wanted to shake her until her teeth rattled and some of her actions later in the book did not make sense. Also, it would have been nice if I had known Nate better. His death affected Tallie deeply but, as the reader, I was not given insight into his character which was disappointing. Overall, I was underwhelmed by this book.
September 16, 2017
This book just dragged for me. Though I understand that the idea was to depict the downward spiral of a teen experiencing both the unbearable grief of losing her only sibling and the searing burden of survivor guilt, Tallie was a remarkably unsympathetic protagonist. At the onset, I thought that perhaps this would be a book to recommend to John Green fans-- I particularly liked Mel, Tallie's eccentric friend. But the tone of this book became quite uneven as Tallie's mental status deteriorated, and I just found the hands-off-give-the-girl-space-and-time attitude of the adults in her life to be unrealistic.
January 27, 2019
Solid 3⭐️
I don't really enjoy the story, it's quite dragging, I almost DNF this book. First of all, the story is about organ donor and co-op with loss. I was hoping that this will be very touching story, but it wasn't. I can't really attached to the main character here, which is Tallie. I don't know if it's because the writing style or the story itself. Character development also wasn't very good. Yes, she is young, and her decision might be out of place.
I don't really enjoy the story, it's quite dragging, I almost DNF this book. First of all, the story is about organ donor and co-op with loss. I was hoping that this will be very touching story, but it wasn't. I can't really attached to the main character here, which is Tallie. I don't know if it's because the writing style or the story itself. Character development also wasn't very good. Yes, she is young, and her decision might be out of place.
July 14, 2020
Its. . . It's not the best. I couldn't even finish. The characters aren't exactly likeable, and the main character is kind of selfish and rude. The plot is confusing, and there is a lot of filler scenes. Lots, and it gets annoying. Also, I didn't really get what the book was about, even when I was 1/2 done. Sometimes it felt like we were making process, then Talkie was right back where she started. Wouldn't recommend.
April 8, 2016
I enjoyed "Some of the Parts," but thought some parts of the novel were strange. Tallie was very naive and vulnerable since she was hurting from the loss of her brother. It was hard for me to connect with her. On the other hand, I'm thankful that a young adult novel has shed some light on being an organ donor. Life is simply meant to be lived!
June 26, 2017
Eh, it was okay. I found myself skimming large parts by the middle. And I liked Chase, the love interest, but his character seemed a little flat and I never really understood why he liked Tallie. I did love Mel though, Tallie's friend. She was fun and her interest in taxidermy was unique. Overall, not a bad book but not one I'm gonna read again.
February 12, 2018
It was good but I kept waiting for something, it felt like I wasn't getting the whole picture. Minimal description of Tallie so it was difficult to get a picture of her in my mind... Its like I couldn't see the characters in the story and it would've been nice to know more about Mel's story.
I liked the premise of the story but it needed more depth.
I liked the premise of the story but it needed more depth.
September 25, 2018
This is a book about a girl who has lost her brother. When she finds a letter in the mail regarding him she wonders if she could find something she didn't know about what happened. I personally didn't enjoy this book, it moved pretty slowly and was quite confusing in certain parts.
February 5, 2016
Unclear whether the theme was teen guilt or some statement on organ donation.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
February 10, 2016
Gorgeous, engrossing, hopeful. One to read!
September 6, 2016
I didn't see a point in this book. I only finished it to get it out of the way. I was excited and hopeful for it, but it just disappointed me. I wouldn't recommend reading it!
June 11, 2017
The premise of this was super-interesting, but it just didn't hold my interest.
February 19, 2020
it was very boring and i abandon it mid read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews