OMG ALL THE FEELS.

The beginning was meh. I didn't care for Ross or Adam because to me, they seemed like rich brats living privileged lives without knowing how lucky they are and taking what they have for granted. But as I continue reading the book, I realised that they are not as shallow and stuck-up as they may seem at first. Their bromance is so adorable and it is really clear that they care a lot about each other. Ross even risks his life to find Adam when he is missing.

Before reading the book, I read that the author based the story on her great-grandma's experiences in WWII, and wow. She is such an incredibly strong woman. The author included a note about what her grandma went through, and I really admire how brave and determined she was.

MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IS DEFINITELY MARIN. 1. She is a pirate (kind of like a younger version of Lila Bard? I LOVE LILA BARD), 2. she is badass as heck and 3. she has got amazing sailing skillz!

Okay I was secretly shipping her with Ross from the moment they met and I can't believe my ship sailed! I was waiting for them to kiss and when they finally did... *clutches heart because FEELS* They are so cute together and that little natural reserve scene at the end aahh IT'S SO FREAKING ADORABLE.

And wow I got a bit scared reading this. The story's set in the future and the ocean is filled with rubbish and debris, all of the ice on Earth has melted, there's acidic rain and many cities have sunk underwater because of the melting icebergs. *shudder* If we humans don't stop trashing the Earth, this will likely happen in the future and I'm sure none of us want to see that happen. So yeah guys, reuse, reduce, recycle (oh gosh I sound like an environmental advocate... but that's not a bad thing right? :D)

Overall rating

★★★★.5

This book totally exceeded my expectations. The bromance + romance was beautiful and I love how this story was based on the life story of a strong woman. Please go read it right now, okay?

Pacifica follows two very different characters, whose paths intertwine in an effort to save what's left of the world as they know it. Told from the perspectives of both Marin and Ross, our main characters, we get the perfect insight to a world plagued by the negative and terrifying effects of climate change, which eventually led to environmental damage and as a result, destroyed the planet itself. In this Dystopian version of a completely altered and mostly ruined Earth, the Relocation Act plans to make things right by sending a selected few to a place called Pacifica, the future of civilization and the beginning of something wonderful for those lucky enough to visit it first. But, not everyone is as keen to embark on this out of nowhere journey, as the government seems to be and those that oppose to it, make sure to let everyone know by rioting every night. One reckless night leads to Adam, Ross's best friend, being arrested along with the poor Shorlings that reside in the Docks and when his father, the President, will do nothing to bring him back, Ross will take matters into his own hands. He's determined and will do whatever it takes to find Adam, even if it means making a deal with a pirate. Which is where his path crosses with Marin and together, they embark on a dangerous journey to bring his best friend back safe, while preventing a sinister plot and saving the world in the process!

Pacifica is such a well written novel and I was immensely intrigued, as soon as I laid my eyes on its cover and read the synopsis. I've read so many books over the years but, none that had to do with pirates which is extremely weird since I live for them and their scandalous adventures! The beginning was a bit slow and it took me a couple of chapters to get into it but, after the idea behind the book itself was introduced and the characters' background slowly started coming into focus, I became completely engrossed in the story and couldn't stop reading! Kristen Simmons managed to create this terrifying world I could easily imagine myself living in and make the main characters easy to connect with, even though they were at the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of social and economic status. Which just goes to show that, in the end, we're all the same and our ''differences'' don't matter when it comes to saving the world. It also hit very close to home since, pollution is getting out of hand because of this materialism that's taken over the world and the negative impact our continuous technological progress has on the environment.

The characters themselves were a perfect reflection of the world and the circumstances they grew up in. Marin is a carefree spirit who refuses to be trampled by a system that keeps taking without giving anything in return and will do anything for her survival. She's extremely clever and will take every opportunity that arises, if it means feeding herself and all the unfortunate souls affected by this unacceptable manipulation of power and influence rich people unfortunately have. Her strength could be felt from the very first chapters and her voice had meaning and depth. Definitely a three dimensional character who managed to accomplish so much with her mind and sense of right and wrong!

Moving on to Ross who, at the beginning, came across as very privileged and spoiled, not understanding the consequences of his actions until it was to late to go back and change them. His development was definitely more obvious than Marin's, in terms of character growth. I felt like he matured so much throughout the novel and started taking things seriously when he realized that, life's not a game and when the inevitable happens, the string of reactions it sets off cannot be prevented, even if we're talking about the president's son. He had to make some tough choices which shaped him and made him realize that, doing what's right for the world was more important that conforming to the wrongs of a selected and privileged few.

The secondary characters added so much more to the story and gave us a sense of understanding from where both Marin and Ross came from. The dangers they faced together brought them closer and the author did a great job of using them to keep the story going, without making it feel predictable or slow paced. On the contrary, once everything about the changes the world had to face in the wake of this environmental disaster was revealed, everything fell into place and the plot became even more interesting than it had started out being.

Moreover, the writing spiced things up, especially because the book was told in both Ross and Marin's perspectives, something that I personally prefer as a reader but is so hard for authors to get right. Meaning that, sometimes, the different voices of the characters don't stand out because there's nothing to set them apart from each other. Thankfully, that was not the case for Pacifica! Kristen Simmons managed to give us an insight on both worlds, before they merged together and became one in the face of disaster and utter destruction! The political aspect of the story - which is what had me worried - was also very well written and executed, a fact that I was extremely thankful for! It made complete sense without overshadowing everything else and added so much more to the story, how it progressed and eventually, how it ended!

Even though this was a Fictional story set in a futuristic world, it was extremely relevant to the world we live in today and definitely made an impact on me, as a reader! Seeing the world destroyed because of climate change is a fear most of us don't realize can become reality much sooner than we expected, which makes it even more terrifying! Not trying to be a pessimist but, both the stories we read and the world we live in are extremely unpredictable and we can only delay the inevitable, without completely preventing it from taking its course, for a certain amount of time.

Overall, Pacifica was a great and solid read, which will have an impact on anyone who decides to pick it up and dive into its pages! Its characters have a certain depth that makes them even more likable and its fast pace makes it engaging and suspenseful, making it impossible to put down before reaching the final chapter!