"I don't know how I knew, when the sirens woke me just before dawn, that they were for him." 
 With its beautiful prose and tear-inducing premise, Things We Know by Heart was almost a 5 star read for me. So close. Unfortunately, I felt like I was left wanting more from these characters, more depth, more emotional connections, more something. But even with this reservation, I still loved this book. Kirby creates a story that is as hopeful as it is heartbreaking as these all too real characters attempt find a way from the past and learn to live again. A story about healing in more ways than one, Things We Know by Heart is refreshingly honest and profoundly heartfelt. A great addition to my contemporary Young Adult shelf.