I had a really hard time getting into this book and I think that it just wasn't for me. I really liked Cee and her chapters, but I had a really hard time relating to Kasey. I knew it was time to dnf when I found myself skimming and then skipping entire chapters from Kasey's POV. I think this book maybe would have been better from Cee's POV only.

4.5 stars

"None of us live without consequence. Our personal preferences are not truly personal. One person's needs will deny another's. Our privileges can harm ourselves and others."

The Ones We're Meant to Find is the kind of book that will leave staring at your ceiling hours after finishing it, pondering upon all your life decisions that have led you to that moment in time.

Okay, that was a little dramatic but that's how it seemed to me.

This book follows two sisters, Celia and Kasey, the former who is stranded on an island, stripped of all her memories except those of her sister, with only a raft and bot to keep her company. The latter lives in The Metropolis, the only habitable place left on planet Earth. Everyone believes Celia is dead, but Kasey doesn't lose hope. Meanwhile, Cee is trying everything in her power to get back to her sister.

Joan He concluded this novel in the most unexpected way ever. I couldn't really process what had happened till at least half an hour later. The Ones We're Meant to Find is an enthralling, deceiving, and heart-wrenching rollercoaster ride. Coming out of this book I was a changed person. It impacted me in an immense way and brought out so many things to light that I could never imagine of.

I'm going to be honest, (and I don't know if it was just me) but I did have to look up some of the science terminologies used in the writing because I had no idea what they were. The worldbuilding was so immaculate, and I couldn't resist picturing the stasis pods and holograms in my head.

Needless to say, this book left me with tears rolling down my cheeks. Kasey's POV was eye-opening and actually gave me a glimpse of what our world could be like in the future, where you couldn't do simple activities like swimming without wearing an anti-skin because the water was so overtly contaminated. Cee's, on the other hand was truly memorable. We see her gain hope, lose it, and get it back again. We see her survive on an island for three years, so long that she forgot what it was like to be alone. Her chaotic emotions and thoughts kept me reading and I wasn't ready to let go her and Kasey at the end.

"She was looking for meaning. For something bigger than her. I can give it to her. I can find her. A girl lost at sea.
Not anymore."

Joan He has left me craving for more. My broken soul needs questions answered. The several relationships and ties in this novel were very engaging and I can only hope for a sequel with the same.

If you love sisterly support, a whole lot of worldbuilding, and tear-jerking endings, then this book is the one.

⭐⭐⭐.5

Thank you to Fierce Reads and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Ones We’re Meant to Find follows Cee, who awoke on an abandoned island three years ago with nothing but a rickety house, an old android, and a single memory of her sister who she needs to find. Meanwhile, STEM prodigy Kasey lives in an eco-city, Earth’s last unpolluted city, which was originally only meant for those committed to protecting the planet. She has to decide if she’s ready to use science to humanity, even though it’s already failed the people that mattered the most.

Although The Ones We’re Meant to Find was on my list of anticipated books for 2021, I tried to not read too much about it past the synopsis. This book is often described with multiple genres, including sci-fi, dystopian, and mystery, and I think a combination like that is best read going into it with little information. That being said, this book was not what I expected – in a good way! Despite the synopsis discussing the setting of an eco-city, I wasn’t expecting such a heavy prevalence of technology. Starting off this book with bots like U-me was a pleasant surprise! (I really like robots.)

I also really liked the integration of these technologies and the relationship to the environment at present. Especially in Kasey’s perspective, we see a dystopian future where the world’s carelessness towards caring for the environment carries a heavy impact. But despite the damage they’ve done and the lives they now live, their own convenience still takes precedence. I found this to be a major eye-opener to our behavior in relation to the planet and I thought this book explored this concept so well.

And while many parts of The Ones We’re Meant to Find are very thought-provoking, the second half of this book was an absolute page-turner. There’s a major twist revealed around the halfway mark that I never would have anticipated, and I’d say I’m pretty good at predicting things? The pace completely changes at this point, and at such a speed that I did find it a bit unsettling myself. This also led to a continuation of what we know about the characters and the world to keep being explained far into the second half through the end, which is not something that I’m personally used to. But while I did feel unsure on this, this part of the book was so much harder to put down.

All in all, The Ones We’re Meant to Find is an anticipated release I’m glad to have read. I’d recommend this book to those that like sci-fi and dystopian standalones, and especially to those that want to explore the impacts of convenience and consumerism on the environment. I would just keep the pacing in mind if that’s something you’re particular about!

Maybe I did read The Ones We're Meant to Find in a single day. What about it?


“It’s kind of sad.” I’m in a boat and Kay is sitting across from me. Around us is the sea, as far as the eye can see. The sun beats down, warming my skin as I say, “Everyone’s so focused on outer space, but we haven’t even finished exploring Earth.”
Kay considers my words. “Like the sea.”
“Exactly! Like the sea.”
“Maybe it’s not sad,” she says. “We would have drained it long ago if we could, just to find the secrets at the bottom. And then it’d be like everything else. Discovered.”


Goddess in the Machine meets Alita: Battle Angel meets The Blue Lagoon; The Ones We're Meant to Find is a futuristic Scifi climate crisis thriller tale of two sisters separated by secrets, time, and the sea. What begins as a search for each other, turns into a story of humanity and self-discovery. What would you you do to save the World? Would it come at the price of your loved ones? Who gets to decide who lives or dies?


Maybe I come from there.”
“The stars?” I ask, both our eyes on the night sky overhead.
“Mm-hmm. The thing about stars,” says Hero, voice soft, “is most of them appear close together, but not many actually are. None are meant to pass each other in orbit.”
“We’re not stars,” I declare. “We get to choose the places we go and the people we find.”
“Do we?” Hero wonders. “I don’t think either of us came here by choice.”
Fair enough.
“And I think we have even less choice over the ones we’re meant to find.”


What a beautiful and heartbreaking second novel from Joan He. Don't go into it expecting anything like Descendant of the Crane. It's a completely different story. And though DotC had beautiful writing, TOWMTF is that times a thousand. It took a little while for me to get into the story and to understand some of the science. But at some point, I realized I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I had to know what happened. Also, I'm a little frustrated with the semi-opened ending. I wanted more time on the island. I wanted more of Cee and Hero. I want at least a trilogy, if not more, of Cee and Hero. I loved them so much. Kasey and Actinium had an interesting dynamic. I wasn't ever sure of their exact relationship. But I liked the enemies-to-*vagueness* vibe they had going on. Maybe, if we beg enough (and read and review and buy and request!!!), Joan will one day return to this Universe. Until then, I'll follow her adventures into whatever Universe she travels to next. 💫


We’re nothing as timeless as stars in orbit. More like two grains of sand before the tide rushes in. Here, then not. Human.

We are the same, Hero and me. All we can do is live and feel as much as we can, to rebel against the life and feelings we can’t control. “It’s okay, love.”


***Thank you to the lovely Joan He, her Publicist, and Roaring Brook Press for allowing me the opportunity to review The Ones We're Meant to Find. Quotes are slightly modified and/or subject to change.***

The Ones We Were Meant to Find, despite a slow start, unfolded into a beautiful story of humanity and our frailty in a world we ourselves destructed. While a sense of mystery is exciting for the reader, it felt that the dual perspectives at the beginning were far too disconnected and left the reader with too many questions and few answers, which felt quite discouraging. The relationship between Kasey and Celia seemed to be more established on the narration telling us how much they missed each other and were close, rather than actual scenes were we were able to witness their supposedly close bond. It wasn’t until about two-thirds of the way through that the story picked up a faster pace and became more dynamic and interesting. It was very gratifying to watch the story all come together so cleverly, and left such a profound impact despite the hindrance of the first section.

I’ve seen this book all over my Twitter feed and I’m honestly still surprised I was able to get my hands on it, but I’m so so glad I did because wow! What a delightfully intimate, heart-wrenching character-driven story about relationships new and old, lost and found. And with such fantastic plot twists!! (This review will be spoiler-free).

Through this book, we follow sisters Kasey and Celia who, through mysterious circumstances, find themselves separated. Cee, living one of Earth’s many sky-cities, is convinced her sister is dead. Kay, who’s found herself washed ashore of an abandoned island, is determined to find a way back to her sister. I loved the intimate focus on their frankly messy relationship, especially the spotlight on Cee. The two sisters carry a lot of baggage and He unravels those dirty secrets, those pained memories, masterfully.

I particularly found myself resonating with Cee, social introvert and science genius. Early on, she struggles with the disappearance of her sister, but instead of the pain of the loss of her sister, she confronts an emptiness, a lack of feeling. I’ve personally faced similar situations with the exact same reactions and asked myself the same questions and the nuanced exploration of this feeling was delightful. Cee’s tone might come off as dead or unfeeling to some, but I assure you that tone is so so accurate in this situation and I’m in awe at how well He has managed to capture and depict that emotion.

The storytelling is laid out in one of my favorite formats, told in alternating chapters between Kay and Cee’s POVs, where details from one storyline will answer questions brought up three chapters ago in the other. He really does a masterful job of keeping the reader fully engaged, teasing information as one goes, and building an ever-growing sense of unease as you slowly realize certain details aren’t aligning properly. Without going into spoilers, I will just say the plot twists here are just amazing, truly re-contextualizing the story with every turn.

This is the second eco-focused/solarpunk novel I’ve read this March and I’m really loving this trend. The Ones We’re Meant to Find is set on an Earth humanity has brought to the brink of destruction, and humans have had to resort to cities in the sky to escape mega earthquakes and massive tsunamis. Of course, with space in these sky cities a scarcity, every person carries a rank based on their impact, and their ancestors, on the planet. There’s a subtle underlying dystopian vibe I wish was explored more, but He chooses to play it straight, instead focusing mainly on the character relationships

Overall, I rate this book a 4.5/5. He uses this eco-dystopian setting to intimately explore a complex, messy relationship between two sisters, told in alternating POVs that layer details on details into a delightful story!

Review will go live on my blog 8 May

There were moments when I feel lost but the redemption always follows up.

I love Joan He's writing - the characters felt alive and the connection are undoubted.

Finishing this book, with all its emotional content, feels so rewarding. And the rightful reward is to pay a visit with your therapist or talk to a friend.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and I will read more of it.

RATING: 4stars

First of all, than you to Fierce Reads and Net Galley for an eARC of this!

The Ones We're Meant to Find follows 2 sisters in a world ravaged by climate change. In 3rd person, we follow Kay, the sister trying to get on with a world without her sister and find a solution to save humans. The first person POV follows Celia, the sister who disappeared and woke on an island with few memories.

While I struggled to follow the story and first and understand what was happening, once I did I really started to enjoy it! On top of the beautiful writing and a story that discusses a point in science fiction where all pollution is permanent, THE TWIST IS AMAZONG. Just read this!!

There's more sci fi than I would normally like, but I couldn't resist requesting this one. I loved Descendant of the Crane, so I knew I would enjoy this one, too. It's a sad, beautiful story that made me question what was going on more than once. Kasey is the younger sister. Celia is the older sister and opposite of Kasey. When the book starts, we see two perspectives. One, Cee, is a girl alone on a island. She's been there for three years, trying to escape and find her sister. Cee doesn't remember much, or even see in color anymore, but she remembers Kay. It's all that keeps her going. Our other perspective is Kasey. Her sister, Celia, has been missing for three months and presumed dead. Kasey isn't an emotional person, but her grief is obvious. She wants her sister back, no matter what. The girls lived in a type of eco city. The book deals a lot with climate change and things caused by humans. They don't really live in this place. They're alive, but they live a lot of life as holos. There's not touching, no going into the lower levels without protective gear. Celia just wants to feel the ocean. Kasey advises against it, but she will do anything for Celia. Their mother had died years earlier and their dad doesn't seem to be around much. At least not emotionally. Celia is a social butterfly, but Kasey is more isolated. She cares about her science and the bots she ends up building.

As the book continues, we start to see how things played out. I'll be honest and say that I spent a lot of time early on trying to figure out if Cee was a ghost or a dream. But everything started to make sense. I won't get into anything further in the story so I don't ruin anything. In the end, the love between Celia and Kasey is what stood out to me. That love was everything.

I gave this book 4 stars. Thank you to both Edelweiss and Netgalley for my review copies.

When Cee wakes up on a deserted island, she has no memory of what happened to her. She does, however, have a strong compulsion to get back to her sister. Casey, desperate to find Cee after she is lost at sea, does everything in her power to find her. Three years later, Casey, who still holds out hope that her sister is alive, is also trying to decide if she should help the world from complete eco-decimation. Is she willing to save humanity even if it doesn’t help save her sister?

Told from both Cee and Casey’s points-of-view, this dual narration is fantastic. Their voices are unique and distinct, and you really get to understand the hopes and motivations of both characters. You empathize with Cee as she tries to figure out a way off the island, and you understand Casey’s desperation to find her sister. Cee and Casey are so different, yet their love for and understanding of each other is strong. Casey is ruled by science and logic and is a bit reserved. Cee is motivated by her emotions and is more outgoing. I thought the author did an excellent job of creating two unique protagonists that readers will relate to. I also like that we get to see snippets of their past, as it shows even more how close Cee and Casey are. I love how the sisters’ stories progressed, and how both held onto the hope of reuniting.

The world-building in this book is immense and serves as a good commentary on what could happen if we don’t start addressing the climate crisis more fervently. The story takes place on a decaying planet that humanity has basically been destroyed. Earthquakes, other natural disasters, water pollution, and toxic gasses in the air force people to live in designated eco-cities if they’re lucky, and advanced technology pervades these cities. The world is immersive and vivid and scarily possible to see in our future.

Topics like the ramifications of ignoring environmental crises, the inequities of society, the dangers of technology, and the detrimental effects of prejudice serve as a warning and really make you think about their world and the world we live in. This could be our future if we don’t change.

This story has it all – mystery, suspense, romance, two amazing sisters, thought-provoking messages, and several plot twists that I did not see coming! Above all, this is a story about sisters and hope and what people are willing to do to save themselves and others. If you like standalone dystopian sci-fi with compelling protagonists and immersive worlds, then you should definitely read The Ones We’re Meant to Find!

Wow. Wow. Wow.

This book was not at all what I was expecting. I don't even know how to begin describing it, so I won't even try, I'll leave the synopsis down below.

This story is so incredibly well written. The reader is immediately dropped into a future world where you're not really sure what's going on.

Told from 2 POV's, it's hard to get a grip on the time-line for the first half of the book. Are they happening simultaneously? No, no, they must be a couple years apart. And then the shoe drops, and you have the realization that NOTHING in this book is as it seems.

There are twists on twists on twists in this story.

I loved every second of reading this book, even if the ending left me feeling a bit hollow inside. I might still need a few days to really grasp what happened.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC

This book was even better than I expected!
⁣
When I saw the cover I immediately knew I wanted it, but I sort of thought, from the cover, that I was a beautiful fantasy book. It turned out to be a gripping dystopian that I couldn't put down and I'm so here for it. ⁣
⁣
I loved all of the elements of the story. A girl who struggled with social interactions. Sisters who were completely different from one another, but who would do anything for each other. A friendly robot. The dangers of climate-change. And a unique futuristic world juxtaposed against a deserted island survival situation. ⁣

Thanks NetGalley and FierceReads for the free copy to review!

This is the story of tow lost girls - one physically and one emotional. Two sisters separated by an event trying to find their ways back to each other. Cee has been stuck on an island for three years and only wants to escape to get back to her sister. Kasey is stuck in a booming eco-city and trying to escape her home and her past.

The main element that pulled me into this story is I was expecting a weird YA magical realism, contemporary along the lines of "You Must Not Miss" by Katrina Leno. While this story did have some twists and turns, the main focus was on getting the two girls back to each other.

The issues I took with this story are in the slowness of it. Often I find I can enjoy a slower book if I am invested in the mystery of it, but with this one I wasn't just bored, but also confused. Each of our main characters goes by so many different names, so now only am I having to learn all about this new environment and world but also these characters who I can't grasp as to who is who. I would have liked to have things explored a bit more, but then also if that had happened it would have slowed the story down even more, and many other readers would have disliked the book then.

Our main girl Kasey was a perfect example of a neurodivergent character who's neurodiversity was never addressed. From the beginning I was noticing how different she approached social situations and how she used technology to help her deal with those problems, but the author missed a really big moment when she could have spoken one this topic for her audience to better understand people who aren't the same as them; instead Kasey now comes across as a quirky teen. With the two sister, they fell into the old trope of one is perfect and everyone loves her, and the other is an odd ball and no one understands her.

The mystery was also one that did not grip me. Cee overcame some big problems early in the book, and while a lot of that failed and made things worse, opening up with her solving the problem of being stuck on the island made we feel like it wasn't as big of a problem as it really was.

This book will be enjoyed by people who love realistic sci-fi, mysteries with some twists, and slow plots.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Goodreads description telling me it would have a dash of Studio Ghiblio was all I needed for this one. This could absolutely be a phenomenal Studio Ghiblio movie!

This was a fantastically painful sci-fi. The world building was so immersive, it was incredible! The plot and storyline for these sisters was heartbreaking. You can feel so much determination, hope, and love from these characters. The storytelling twists and turns brought it all together to make for such a fantastic (and what felt very fast for me) read!

"And I think we have even less choice over the ones we're meant to find."

First off, this book was so so good! Joan He switching genres from fantasy to sci-fi is something I did not see coming, but we love to see it! The Ones We're Meant to Find follows two sisters on their journey and fight back to each other.

The story follows a dual POV narrative, with Cee and Kasey leading the story. What would you do if one day you woke up on an island? Did not know how to get back to your "normal" or how you got there? What would you do?

Both Kasey and Cee take risks, and they are aware that their actions can impact others. It is nice to read about characters that are aware of their surroundings and internally contemplating things. Also, I loved all of the STEM/STEAM elements throughout the story! As a science lover myself, it was nice to see the characters relying on what they loved for survival.

Set in a futuristic world, The Ones We're Meant to Find explores many elements of the questions we have for the future. How can we better our world, and where do we start? If one change takes place, will it be enough?

Reading stories like this book is so important because it causes us to think. We wonder if what we know is the truth or the best solution, and sometimes we don't know until the very end. This story explores the questions we all have, but it also takes you on a journey across the ocean. Where you end up is up to you.

"Even panicked, it's ... music. The sound of the sea as it sighs across the sand."

We read about characters, two sisters who are so similar yet so different. Even as sisters, you can be polar opposites, and this book really captured that. Cee and Kasey both have their struggles, but how they face them shows you who they truly are.

"We're at no fault. Even our faults are built into us."

The worldbuilding and storytelling throughout this story are truly remarkable. The writing is so captivating and lyrical. While the story is dual POV, the storyline continues to move forward with you on the edge of the page.

I did have some trouble getting into the story at first. It was slightly harder to connect to Kasey until we got more into the book, but once we hit a certain mark, everything flew by. Joan He does a wonderful job at storytelling and connecting you to the characters.

With plot twists, mysteries waiting to be solved, and some romance mixed in, this story is sure to captive your thoughts until the very last page. The story also prompts us to ask questions about ourselves. Who are the ones we're meant to find in life? Is it different versions of ourselves, people we seek, or something else entirely?

"His rage was a fire, yes, but it only burned bright in the darkness of his self-made coffin."

Thank you to NetGalley and Roaring Book Press (Macmillan Children's Publishing) for providing me with an ARC of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The worldbuilding in this book was spectacular and hyper-realistic. As a version of the future, I could completely see our world becoming the one He describes. What really sets this book apart, however, is the mystery at its heart, and the two sisters who fuel it. Their viewpoints and personalities could not be more different, and it is engrossing to read the two of them search for each other and answers.

5/5

The Black Mirror reminiscent sci-fi of my dreams that somehow managed to break my heart into smithereens before I ever finished reading. After awaking marooned on an abandoned island with nothing to retrace her steps but the memory of a sister awaiting her return, Cee will do anything to find her way home. Three years later and the island has become her captor, luring her back no matter how many times she tries to escape its clutches. Back home, Kasey mourns a sister lost forever to the sea while facing a tumultuous future in the eco-city, earth’s last sanctuary. With its useful life almost spent, Kasey knows that using her gifts to ensure earth’s future means finding a difficult solution, one that the citizens just might not want to hear. Right as Cee begins to turn desperate someone unlikely washes up on shore, Kasey begins to make her case, and two sisters set adrift must find their own destiny, whether that be together or apart.

The Ones We’re Meant to Find is quite frankly one of the most painful books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It’s a gut wrenching unpredictable novel that only someone as talented as Joan He could ever have written. Right from the start, this ensnared me in its grasp through its masterful world building and its vision of a future not so far off as one should like to think. To say I devoured this book would be the understatement of the century, when in reality I was possessed by some otherworldly being that had me completing this in well under two hours. This is one of those books with a keen air of mystery present, which naturally led to me creating wild theories in my head as the book progressed. I feel compelled to mention that I was way off the mark with my theories, to the point of embarrassment, but the whole journey was really just exquisite. He has combined components of both thriller and science fiction within this novel, creating a story so ingenious and immersive it's impossible to put down. Classifying this as a page turner seems appropriate given that, but this is also a thought provoking read that took me on an emotional journey I am not sure I will recover from any time soon. Not only was this book exquisitely painful, it was maddeningly frustrating at times. The very nature of a separation story such as this had me anxiously awaiting a reunion between both sisters, one that did not turn out at all how I was anticipating. Up until the last third of the book, I was on the edge of my seat completely at the mercy of Joan and her obscure plans. Well this is certainly shaping up to be one of my favorite books of the year, maybe even of all time. A rare glimpse into the future of climate change, the persevering nature of sisterhood, and the tenacity of the human spirit.

Trigger warnings: gore, violence, death, death of a loved one, suicide, terminal illness, drowning, choking, mass death, grief, natural disasters

In this lush and complex story, two sisters are trying to find each other in a world suffering from climate change catastrophes: Cee wakes up on an abandoned island with no memory but a compulsion to find her sister, and Kacey is a prodigy who uses all her tech and science savvy to try to track her missing sister. I loved everything about the book: the intricate world building, the compelling characters and their relationships, atmospheric storytelling atmospheric, and the deep philosophical questions about the nature of humanity. Not to mention the mind-blowing plot twists that keep coming.

Joan stuns again with a fantastic plot about the bond between sisters, beautiful yet gritty writing, and a unique plot! There is a lot of sci-fi out there and I don't like a lot of it, but THIS, this I adore. I will read anything from Joan if I'm being honest no matter the genre because she is just that good.

A wonderful second book that lives up to the success of her debut!

Thank you to Macmillan for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED THIS SO, SO MUCH!

It has been quite a while since I've read a sister focused story that has such a realized sibling relationship. But, its not only that. It is about finding yourself, discovering secrets that might tear your soul in two, and learning who to trust and who not to.

If you like a genre-bending thriller that focuses on mystery and fantastical elements, pick this one up.