Jessi Kirby’s Things We Know by Heart kept me up until 8 a.m. on January 1st. So you know that it’s good. In fact, it’s more than good. This is a book that I feel I could easily come to “know by heart” – pardon the bad heart pun, but seriously, there is something in this touching, incredibly gut-wrenching, book that just dares you not to love it immediately. This is a novel that’ll rip you open and then sew you back together, better than before. The characters are relatable and true to life, the story is unlike any I’ve read before. (It shares a similar vein with great works like Robin Schneider’s Extraordinary Means and John Green The Fault in Our Stars, but manages to remain singular and standout in its own right and way.) Truly, if you’re in need of a good reminder of how precious and fragile life is, a gratitude wake-up call, a refresher on the importance of forgiveness (for others as well as for ourselves), or just a solid cry-fest… This is a book you should pick up immediately. I swear, you’ll find it impossible to put back down.
Rating: 5/5 stars