Hello Fiction Dwellers! I’m sure by now you have heard of Joan He’s new young adult sci-fi standalone The One’s We’re Meant to Find. If somehow you haven’t heard of it or if you’re thinking about picking it up but still unsure, let me hype it up and attempt to convince you by giving you five reasons to read The Ones We’re Meant to Find. As of today the book is already released so don’t worry about waiting because you can easily buy a copy in your local bookstores or click one of the links below. To hype it up even more I’ll also be including a playlist for you to listen to, hand picked by yours truly, in the hopes to help you set the mood and vibe with the story as you read.

Before I present my five reasons to read The Ones We’re Meant to Find, I would like to thank TBR and Beyond Tours for letting me be part of this tour together with an group of amazing bloggers. Don’t forget near the end of this post for US readers you can enter a giveaway to win a copy of the book!

#1 – Emotional Sci-Fi

The first thing that stood out to me while reading The Ones We’re Meant to Find is how exquisitely detailed, well written, and emotional the writing is. Joan He did a masterful job in combining a lot of emotions that I thought could not go together, such as : dread, longing, resentment, heartbreak, and calm chaos; into her writing. The quality and research He put into the story is imminent from start to finish. He’s prose is magnetic, calm, and concise in delivering hauntingly breathtaking moments to the point I was rendered empty as I unbox the emotions in each chapter. These emotional moments are present in the sci-fi aspect of the story which ties in with the world building. I can’t say it enough how addicting and fast paced the writing is, even with two perspectives Joan He masterfully weaved a story that twist ones expectations. What makes it even more astounding is that it is condensed within 384 pages, making The Ones We’re Meant to Find as a book that packs a smashing emotional punch.

#2 – Complex Characters

The story centers around two sisters trying to find their way to each other. Their journey spans an ocean of memories as they both go through a journey of self discovery and emotional growth. Both characters are well written and distinct. Each character is clear cut in their own pov’s without them bleeding out to one another. There is maturity in the characters as they are the product of their environment as it is shown in Kasey and Cee. Even the supportive characters created a huge impact on the story and the overall plot showing He’s masterful skills in characterization. All of Joan He’s characters are complex and has depth that can intrigue readers of all ages. Characters deal with mature issues such as grief, loss, acceptance, etc; layering on their already solid foundations laid by He. Their motivations are clear and the humanity of each character has their own shade of color that readers can easily discern.

#3 – World building

In The Ones We’re Meant to Find the world isn’t just a setting or background of the story. The world also plays a big role in progressing the story just like the characters. The story takes place on the dying earth as humans are driven to live in eco cities escaping from the inhabitable lands and oceans. As the last sanctuary for humans on earth these eco cities are only accessible for a few chosen individuals of privilege. Joan He adopted a Black Mirror-esque vibe to reflect the imminent dread and desperation as humans clung to their last chance in survival. With astounding descriptive writing He transports readers to a world full of convenience, tech, and stream lined efficiency that is on the verge of natural catastrophe. Humans have exhausted all the options to preserve and prolong their life on it. Joan He created the perfect world for the story as the world became the very thing that takes intensity and stakes even higher for the characters to ponder upon.

The amount of research He has done is evident within the pages as seen in the well detailed descriptions of the world and in the data reports Kasey receives in the story. What makes this story so haunting is how realistic and near to true life the world is, I seriously can see a possibility the world He created becoming a reality. He didn’t guide us into understanding the world at all, readers are thrusted into a world full of orderly chaos and dread, similar to being thrown into the ocean with no life vest.

#4 – Themes

Until the very end Joan He will keep you on your toes and woe you with waves upon waves of emotion in this sci-fi dystopian story about two sisters. There are reoccurring themes explored in The Ones We’re Meant to Find such as : grief, family, connection, and humanity. How ones grief can either destroy their connection to their humanity drowning them in an ocean of anger and sadness. How one can find meaning in surviving, living, and being human against the circumstances and ones already defined purpose in life. And the over arching plot about climate change and ocean conservation that offers a possible glimpse into a future that isn’t far off from the current state of the world now. I am not going to dive deep into environmental science as I don’t have the knowledge what is accurate or not accurate. But the important takeaway from the story is that actions have consequences and consequences can happen immediately or far into the future. What is important is too preserve what we already have the best we can and minimize any further harm we inflict on earth. In the story we’ll get to see these actions and consequences narrative explored in a emotionally impactful story of Cee and Kasey. There isn’t many books that package topics such as climate change in a easily digestible manner that’s thought provoking and isn’t intimidating. If you’re looking for a light stand alone sci-fi dystopian that includes topics about the environment with a fast paced plot and magnificent storytelling this is the book for you.

#5 – Gorgeous Book Cover

I am going to state the obvious reason why you should read The Ones We’re Meant to Find is the gorgeous book cover. This book will surely elevate your collection, because the art itself is so beautiful and capture the story without spoiling anything about the book. The cover is done by Turkish artist Aykut Aydoğdu. I can just look at the cover forever because it’s so damn stunning. And from the pictures I’ve seen of the end pages there is a stunning landscape illustration of the world done by Eduardo Vargas. If you are already enticed by the cover please purchase and read the book! If you’re looking for a short stand alone young adult book that packs complex story telling about reuniting and closure set in a dying world with emotions as deep as the ocean, high quality writing, and soul-stirring twists; this book is for you.

Playlist

2. Swim by ADOY

With this song I wanted to capture the desperation and dread felt by Cee. Specifically any scene that involved her attempts to get off the island. The lyrics also goes well with Cee’s coping mechanism whenever she loses hope. By thinking or dreaming of her sister. Falling back into Kay as she conscience floats to the sea.

I think of you
When I am sad and down
When the silence makes me cry
When it's hard to try
I simply fall back into you

I think of you
When I am safe and sound
When the universe is kind
When the stars align
I can't help but to fall back into you

3. Heaven Up There by Palace

The second verse of this song reminds me of that scene when Kasey finally lets go of her emotions. That scene carried so many emotions for a character that doubted her own humanity for not having the same reactions as other people about her sister’s disappearance. For me this song is a perfect song to describe the screaming to the sea while breaking down then finally finding closure. And the first verse of this song could be a foreshadowing of one character, truly this song can be applied to anyone! For those who have read the book you know what I mean when you read the lyrics.

First Verse :
When the night has gone
And the shadows clear
When I hear my song
Will the grave be near?
See what you want
But I’m the rising tide
I’m no force of god
I'm a thousand lies
I take what I want
'Cause I’m the frightening sky
I’m a selfish man
Designed to die

Second Verse :
Believe in existence spent
To separate us from them
To know that your blood runs thin
Is to live with the truth within
So scrape up the bruise I wear
Eradicate all my fears
Prepare me to walk these stairs
I don’t know what my future is
I don't know what my future is

4. Slow Dance by SUNEOHAIR

Slow Dance is that song I imagined playing during the Act and Kasey reunion scene. The whole vibe of the song describes the vibe I got from both of the characters. The opening guitar riff specifically! When both characters laid eyes on each other. I just die inside. Its that whole pier scene. Top notch story telling!

多分そうさ 気づいてたのね
いつかに過ぎた夢
あからさまな態度見せて
予\言の様な空の色 

Translation :
Have you noticed, that in
my dream, someday I could
show to you my attitude,
the color of the sky, just like in a prophecy.

5. Ways to Go by Zeph

This song perfectly describes the last scene and ending of the story. I picked this song specifically for the lyrics, it made me think about Kasey’s state of mind and her overall character growth. The last chapter is the conclusion of the story and heavily resonates that feeling of an uncertain future.

I'm brushing my hair
I'm changing my clothes
And all this time I'm thinking of
Ways to go
I woke up yesterday
And I'm ready tomorow
But all this time I'm thinking of ways to go
Ways to go

I'll love you forever
And always though
When I'm with you I still think of ways to go
I don't think I can do this
But I hope
There's only a little more
Ways to go
Ways to go

About the Book

The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He

Published by Roaring Brook Press

Young Adult Science Fiction

Goodreads | Amazon | BookDepository | B&N | Indigo | Indiebound

Release Date : May 4th 2021

Content Warning: terminal illness, suicide, violence (including choking), death, death of parent (off page), vomiting, large scale natural disasters and mass casualties, some gore.

SYNOPSIS

One of the most twisty, surprising, engaging page-turner YAs you’ll read this year—We Were Liars with sci-fi scope, Lost with a satisfying resolution.

Cee awoke on an abandoned island three years ago. With no idea of how she was marooned, she only has a rickety house, an old android, and a single memory: she has a sister, and Cee needs to find her.

STEM prodigy Kasey wants escape from the science and home she once trusted. The eco-city—Earth’s last unpolluted place—is meant to be sanctuary for those commited to planetary protection, but it’s populated by people willing to do anything for refuge, even lie. Now, she’ll have to decide if she’s ready to use science to help humanity, even though it failed the people who mattered most.

About the Author

Joan was born and raised in Philadelphia but still will, on occasion, lose her way. At a young age, she received classical instruction in oil painting before discovering that stories were her favorite kind of art. She studied psychology and Chinese history at the University of Pennsylvania and currently writes from a desk overlooking the city waterfront. Descendant of the Crane is her young adult debut.

For updates, please sign up for her newsletter: http://eepurl.com/c5rvdL.

For business related inquiries, please contact her literary agent, John Cusick of Folio Lit.

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Giveaway!

One winner will receive a finished copy of The Ones We’re Meant to Find (US Only).

This giveaway ends on May 10^th 2021.

The Ones We’re Meant to Find Book Tour Information

Follow The Ones We’re Meant to Find book tour by clicking the links below and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Thank you for reading!

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