Book Review: The Parts That Followed (The Parts I Remember #2) by A.K. Mills


Starting 12/16 and ending 12/21, download the Kindle version of The Parts I Remember (book one) for free here.

Summary: 
Act first. Think never. Remember nothing.

If only things were still that easy for Kelly Rockport. Enveloped in guilt after surviving the crash that claimed the life of her best friend Meredith, Kelly returns to Haysville University refusing to forget. In her mind, letting go of the accident would be like killing Meredith all over again. With therapy proving futile and sex leaving her emptier than ever, Kelly's attempts at rebuilding her life continue to fail. But just as she begins to accept hopelessness as her destiny, Kelly catches a glimpse of happiness—or something close enough to it. The only question is if she can hold herself together and rebuild a new normal. Or, in true Kelly fashion, will she crumble under the pressure and prove that happily-ever-afters don't exist for people like her? These are the parts that followed.

Release Date: December 15, 2014
Age Group: New Adult
Source: Review copy from author
Reviewed By: Kelli

Review:
I enjoyed The Parts I Remember (read my review here) but I had a hard time connecting with Kelly.  Kelly is my complete polar opposite.  She's reckless, wild and impulsive.  I thought she was pretty selfish and her personal growth came too late in the story for my personal taste.  I liked The Parts I Remember but considered it almost a "what not to do in college" type of book. 

Because of my ennui about Kelly, I started The Parts That Followed not sure what to expect.  I really loved this book!  Kelly was so much more likable.  I thought she had a lot more depth and I really respected her, instead of shaking my head at her like I did in book one. 

The Parts That Followed starts with a prologue that is actually the end of the story, and the epilogue picks up where the prologue ended.  I usually don't like it when authors do that, but it really worked for this story.  Kelly's in the hospital again but for a completely different reason.  She has lost a lot of blood and succumbs to the darkness as doctors and nurses fight to save her life.  As she goes under, she goes back to the time right after the accident that killed her best friend, Meredith.  So, like The Parts I Remember, The Parts That Followed is told in flashbacks.  I like this style of storytelling and also appreciated the fact that it was consistent with the style of book one.

The Parts That Followed is an emotional story.   I found myself tearing up several times while reading, especially at the end.  Kelly changed so much throughout the book.  I was so happy to see her grow as a person and shift from her self-centered personality into thinking about others.  She really matured and that was awesome to read about. 

Mills had lots of surprises built into the plot. I was quite shocked a couple of times, and I love it when authors surprise me like that.  The pace was perfect: it was steadily exciting and it kept me reading every chance I got.  In fact, I finished The Parts That Followed in a day.  And it's been a while since I read a book that was so good, I couldn't put it down.

The epilogue was everything I wanted it to be and more.  There was the perfect amount of closure, and the conflict resolution was just right.  I was so pleased with how Mills ended Kelly's story---it was a surprise but a good surprise. 

The Parts I Remember is A.K. Mills' debut novel, and I highly recommend it and The Parts That Followed.  The books are so well-written and engaging.  I recommend reading the two books back to back if possible.  That's always the best way to get the most out of a series, and prevents the reader from forgetting details from book one.  Luckily, Mills provided enough flashbacks from The Parts I Remember that I easily remembered the storyline from book one.  

If you like contemporary fiction, you'll love this series.  I look forward to Mills' next book!  And even better, the Kindle version of book one, The Parts I Remember, is free from 12/16 to 12/21---get it here.

 

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