So I enjoyed this book. I definitely preferred Celia’s chapters on the Island to Kasey’s chapters. I kept hearing that this book was confusing which I didn’t find at all. There was a plot twist that I did not see coming and the whole book was written so beautifully I’m excited to see what Joan He comes out with next!

Okay you know when you go in a book with low expectations because your friends didn’t like it but you’re still disappointed? The cover is gorgeous yet it wasn’t enough - I debated DNFing the whole time but I stuck through it and it wasn’t worth it even a tiny bit.

I found this extremely boring and confusing. I think the futuristic dystopia setting wasn’t explained enough and got lost in the boring plot details. The sister dynamic wasn’t what I expected, it was more like we were just told they were super close but I found that hard to believe.

I see how the plot twist was described as Black Mirror and honestly, I ended up guessing it HOWEVER I think if the book itself wasn’t muddled down by unnecessary romance and boring details - that could’ve been very cool.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book definitely gives a black mirror vibe, written really beautifully but then twists everything. It was slightly confusing within the first part of the story when everything is being set up, but once things began to make more sense about how the main characters were related and the technology in the story. Liked this

I buddy read The Ones We’re Meant to Find with Amanda, and it was so much fun! A poignant tale about climate, how our world is slowly changing, and losing the people we love, the twists in this book had me reeling. Although yes, it was extremely slow until around the 47% mark, I was invested in the sisters, and their intertwined fates.

At around the halfway point though, the book changed dramatically in pace, with SO many twists, I honestly just didn’t know what to expect. Everything started all at once, and I loved screaming about this to Amanda, because honestly, none of us expected it!

Joan He’s gorgeous prose helped bring out the personality of each character so well. Even though at surface level you didn’t know much, with each chapter she digs a little deeper into each of their pasts (and thoughts), making every character so much more three-dimensional, also adding depth to the story, a larger element of surprise, and making every twist all the more unexpected.

Along with the lovely writing, the commentary on social and environmental change, as well as humanity and its faults was something I loved reading. It helped add so much to the worldbuilding – which was a marvel in itself. Joan He created an atmospheric, futuristic world – that was equal parts terrifying and intriguing. The sheer creativity of the world – and how well it was developed would alone have been enough to carry the story. Because it was completely powered by science, there was always going to be a part that hadn’t been explored, and whenever a big reveal took place – I loved that it always impacted, or was directly related to the main storyline.

3.5 stars. Oh wow this book was both weird and very intriguing. I read the latter half of it in one day because I just could not stop reading and I needed to know how it ended. While I predicted a couple of things, some reveal still surprised me and overall I really enjoyed my reading experience.

Also this is solely a fault of the ARC and nothing to do with the actual book, but the formatting was off and sometimes I found it difficult to know who was saying what. I might one day get myself a finished copy (if only to have that beautiful cover on my shelves) and reread it, but honestly the formatting had nothing to do with my rating!

A futuristic world in the middle of a climate crisis and two sisters separated from each other, trying to find their way back.

We’re following the perspectives of two sisters - Kasey and Celia - as they search for each other and discover the secrets they were both keeping. Kasey lives in the eco-city, a safe place, free from the dangers of natural disasters, but only available to the highest ranking people in the society. The majority of the citizens’ lives are taking place in holo - a sort of virtual reality, in order to minimise the impact on the environment and preserve the dwindling resources. But Celia, or Cee, is on an abandoned island… She doesn’t remember how she got there, she doesn’t remember much about her past, but she knows she has to find Kay, her sister.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this story. The mystery was intriguing and Joan He paced it really well, I felt engaged and curious the whole time and the twists and reveals were synchronised in both perspectives, which amplified the suspense. I also liked both characters, they were imperfect, lacking confidence and in different ways standing out, outsiders in the eco-city, their home. What's more, I found the world building really interesting - the technological development, living in holo and using an Intraface implants or personal biomonitors were all exciting concepts to explore!
All in all, it was a very solid read and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes futuristic or dystopian sci-fi with mystery elements.

I loved this.

The author drops you straight into the plot when you wake up with one sister, who has amnesia on a deserted island and all she can remember is her desperate need to get back to her sister. Her sister lives in one of the eco cities their parents helped build due to Earth being ravaged by the consequences of climate change. This book is a dystopia, a mystery, and a bit of a thriller all rolled into one.

I loved reading about both sisters, especially Kay. She was so dear to me, from the start, and following along with her journey was one of my favourite parts of the book.

I was so focused on aspects of the story that I missed others unfolding until they were right in front of me. That’s something I think most straight thrillers don’t manage that often. There were so many moments where a twist happened, and I was gripped by the intense urge to keep on reading despite struggling to keep my eyes open.

I really loved this book. I believe I have recently picked up a copy of the author's first book and I can’t wait to get to it now.

This was excellent.

The writing is clean and completely addictive, the story moves at a great pace, there's mystery and science and wonderful reveals.

The use of first person narration from Cee and third person from Kay was a really impactful way to differentiate the perspectives; the character voices were distinct too, so I never felt lost.

Each character's motivation was believable and consistent, every decision they made was in line with everything we already know about them.

I know it sounds like I'm outlining the wonderful technical aspects of the book, but there isn't really a way to talk about the plot or story without giving away important surprises.

Whatever you think this book is about, you're wrong. You should read it if you like futuristic, semi-dystopian, female-centred mystery sci-fi.

I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley and Text Publishing in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

Oh man, at least I don’t feel alone with this one as more reviews come in, they have very similar feelings as mine so that’s good I guess. So just the basics, a story of two sisters trying to find each other on a far-future science fictional Earth is what I got from it. I got to page 90 something before I called it quits. I definitely liked one sister far more than the other, the stranded one was more interesting. The other sister was like reading an instruction manual. The author just tried to put so much in where there was so much happening but essentially nothing was happening.

It was an interesting concept, I just don't think that it was executed well. Nothing in here hooked me at all, I was flipping pages just wanting it to be done. At least I don’t have to look at this creepy floating heads in the ocean cover anymore.

This is a dystopian sci-fi filled with lots of cliffhangers and more than one plot twist. The world building was really good, I could picture this Earth in the future after we have made it inhabitable. I found the characters interesting and I would have liked to read more about them. However I kind of liked this book, but found it a bit confusing. It felt like there were parts missing and bits that weren't explained enough. I would have liked to know some more about the side characters to understand the backstory.

Well, I had a really fantastic time reading this book! I wanted to know what the heck was going on, and we knew something was up right away when we learn how long Cee's been on the island. But I wasn't expecting what was going on!

I really enjoyed getting to know these characters. Cee's been trapped alone on this island, just trying to survive. And Kasey is living in an eco-city, part of the effort to minimize human impact on the planet. They're very different people, and I suspect that Kasey has something along the lines of antisocial personality disorder. She really only cares about her sister, and otherwise, retreats into science and numbers.

It's easier to talk about Kasey then it is about Cee. Because their stories are very intertwined, and Cee's story is harder to talk about. Kasey has a lot of secrets to discover, about Celia, and what's going on, and Cee doesn't know the secrets of her existence. But I loved how most of the chapters ended in a mini of a cliffhanger!

One thing that I really loved was that we got the majority of the answers of what was going on about halfway through. And I was like, where is the story going to go from here? But there were a few tricks up Joan He's sleeve, and I loved seeing where the story went from there!

A great deal of this book made me rage at the unfairness of it all. Some of humanity just didn't care of take steps to preserve our planet, and even though some are, it's just not working. But I loved how it all tied into this story, and the solution that Kasey came up with. Though I would really love to know what happened at the end!

This was a really fantastic read, I enjoyed reading about this sisters!

An absolutely stunning dystopian world that drags you in the moment you are washed up on the shore. The trickery of fate combined with unwielding sisterly love drives the core of the story to a heartstopping climax and twist that will literally knock the breath from your lungs.

I didn’t know what the book was about when I picked it up but I’m glad I did.

You can understand early in the book why it’s different from other sci-fi reads. The world building is truly remarkable! JH has created a future world and you can see the work and research put into it to be realistic and stick to the facts and be believable at the same time. Huge respect for this!

The mystery part of the book was a very good one too and I must admit that I didn’t get it right when I tried to guess what’s happening which is a big plus for me.

What I also admired in the book is the effort to alert people around environmental issues too. I loved how every environmental problem was justified and how the plot is built around this without making it the centre of the book.

JH’s writing is beautiful!

Such a fantastic read! A science fiction about two sisters trying to find each other? Yes, please. I adored the writing and the plot. It was both interesting and emotional, and thee setting was so vivid and unsettling- I LOVED IT!

If you like YA sci-fi, dual POV and open-ended endings, you'll love this book ! I'm definitely adding it to my list of novels I'd like to own a paper copy of, to lend to any friend who might be interested !

9/10 would have my heart ripped repeatedly out of my chest again.

I received a copy as a teacher reader so that is the frame of mind that I will approach this book.

Overall, an engaging read. Appropriate for maybe 8th grade and mature middle school and high school students. Of course for ELA, there is a wealth of material for study here including dystopian novels, narratives, and points of view. I really think one of the aspects in which this book shines it the cross circular potential. It discusses climate change, technology, philosophy, and ethics.

This was a clever, gorgeously written Sci-Fi standalone. I loved the way He weaved together the plotlines of the two sisters in such a tense and innovative way. My only complaint, I wish it had been even longer so I could have stayed in this world for longer! That final twist was mind blowing and I can't wait to see what He writes next.

The Ones We’re Meant to Find includes:
-YA Thriller
-Slow burn

Celia has been trapped on an island for three years and has no idea how she got there. Her sister Kasey is a stem major and they are both polar opposites. Celia takes a boat out to see and leaves the island never to return. Kasey almost gives up hope in finding her sister, but secrets come out and it is a ride.

This book is We were Liars meets Black Mirror with Studio Ghibli thrown into the mix. First of all this cover is absolutely gorgeous, I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy. I’ve never read a thriller before, but I will definitely be reading more. This was such a guy-wrenching and unpredictable story. The world building was written so well and I was completely immersed in this world. I don’t typically read a sci-fi, but would highly recommend this if it isn’t usually your preference either. The prose was also so urgh *chef kiss*.

This book also, deals with loss of a loved one, suicide, mass death and grief. My issue with the book was that the world building was a little bit complicated.

The book starts with Cee waking up on an abandoned island, with vague memories. Cee remembers her sister and will do anything to find her again but ends up spending years on the island. Kasey has just lost her sister to the sea a few months ago, but the eco-city where she lives is facing difficult challenges. The earth has suffered many disasters and now is the time to find a solution to the survival of the earth and its people. There are discussions on the repercussions of the destruction of the earth on descendants and who is complicit in the deaths of those who have died as a result of the manmade disasters.
The writing in this book is fantastic, it deepened the atmosphere of the themes of humanitarian crisis and survival. This book also has one of the best uses of dual POV. The story could not stand as a single POV. I will say that the beginning part confused me a lot. It was hard to wrap-up my mind around the timelines of the book. However, slowly throughout the book I started to figure out what is happening and the build-up of the novel to the reveals is excellent. Everything I found confusing was revealed piece by piece and the twist came as a surprise.
The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars was the ending. I’m not personally a fan of open ended books, which this very much is. I understand why this doesn’t have a more conclusive ending, and for someone who loves open ended books, this will likely be a perfect dystopian read.
Thank you to Text Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with an arc.

“The problem with oceans? They always seem smaller from the shore.”

From the author of The Decendants of the Crane, this YA sci-fi novel quickly made it to my most-anticipated-releases for 2021, based on its synopsis, strong coatal setting and its stunning cover design. The story had me intrigued from beginning to end and caught myself thinking about it between sittings. However, there were a few reasons why it wasn't the 5-star read I hoped it'd be.

The Plot:
Told in dual perspective, we follow two sisters, separated by an ocean in a post-apocalyptic world, on a desperate quest to reunite. Cee has been trapped on an abandoned island for three years now, with no memories of her prior life. The one memory, and motivator she has is the image of her sister Kay: the one she’s meant to find across the horizon. Crafting boats from scapmetal and matresses, and only conversing with a broken robot for company, Cee sets out on a desperate quest.
Meanwhile Kasey, an introverted STEM-prodigy, lives in an eco-city built for people who protected the planet―and now need protecting from it. With natural disasters on the rise due to climate change, eco-cities provide clean air, water, and shelter. Wrecked with longing for her missing sister Celia, who couldn’t handle the claustrophobia of the eco-city-life style, Kay looks to the shores, hoping against hope to see her sister reappear.

What I loved:
It blows my mind that this is only Joan He’s sophomore novel, and clearly shows her incredible talent as an author. As with Decendants of the Crane, her superb writing and feeling for creating a vivid setting are the novels biggests selling point for me. Not only am I a sucker for anything with a coastal-setting, the concept of the eco-cities protecting humans from a flooded world, wrecked by climate change just speaks to my imagination. Joan He’s stunningly lush and descriptive writing manages to create this immersive world that speaks to the readers imagination, without the need to meticulously describe or explain every detail. Joan He never tells us, sometimes shows us, but often creates the conditions for us to be able to imagine. I love when an SFF-author can do that.
That same talent as an author shines through in her characters: easily distiguishable by the use of first-person for Cee and third-person for Kay, and their different narrative voices. Although I liked both their narratives, I clearly preffered Cees over Kays.
When it comes to the story, you can tell it’s all well thought out. There is clear direction from the very start, and although it moves at a very leisurely pace, it plants the seeds of its revelations every step of the way, creating the set up for a very interesting conversation later on.

What I didn’t love:
Some of the things that work in the book’s favour also form its biggest downfalls however. First of all: that pacing I mentioned walks the very thin line between “leisurely” and “plain dull and slow”, and often ends ends up on the wrong side of it. For context: the actual storyline only picks up around 55% into the story, which isn’t a problem in itself, but it may turn off some readers who lose their patience long before. This book is very slow, and reads more on the contemplative/speculative side of sci-fi than the more traditional action-packed one. Unfortunately it doesn’t do what contemplative sci-fi does best: dive deep into the themes at hand.

That brings me to my biggest problem: the entire novel hinges on a “twist” that is so heavily forshadowed, predictable and overdone in sci-fi that I’d pretty much guessed it after the first few chapters. It wasn’t a problem for me, as it opened the door to discussion on a lot of interesting topics like humanity, ambition and placing another persons well-being over your own. This is where slower speculative sci-fi usually shines, and although the beginning was there, I wanted a lot more depth than we ended up getting.
Without the deep emotional or contemplative pay-off, ánd without an action-packed plot, this novel is at risk of being neither here or there, and I feel that’s the reason for many of the mixed reviews.

Overall I personally enjoyed this novel: I love the “softer sci-fi” narrative, the beautiful writing-style and the vivid setting. I rarely wish for standalones to be part of a series, but in this case I found myself wishing for a sequel to explore a bit more of this interesting world, its history and themes. Athough that might be the sign of an interesting world, it may also be the sign of an unsatisfying standalone with missed potential…

Many thanks to Roaring Brook Press for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.