This was disappointing, to say the least.
I was confused the whole time and made zero connections with the plot and characters.

Joan He’s writing is absolutely magical. This book gripped me from the beginning and kept my attention the whole time. The lush prose, amazing characters… This book was absolutely perfect. Socially conscious and a warning of what could happen in the very near future.

I love cli-fi, I love Joan He, and I love Black Mirror. therefore, i love this book. i thought it was such an original and unique story and the plot twists were absolutely wild. I really highly recommend this!

This book was so good and I don't know why it took me so long to get to it! Joan He's world building is fantastic. Everyone needs to read this book! Highly recommend!

The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan He is a YA sci-fi story. We follow two sisters, Kasey and Cee, who live in a conservation-focused, eco-friendly world which determines rank and class structure by how "green" of a person you are. The rank of each person in this society is digital and can go up/down instantly depending on their actions which was a super cool and unique concept - it almost felt game-like.

The crux of this story is that one day, one of the sisters goes missing, winding up on this deserted island in the middle of nowhere. She has no idea where she is, no way to contact anyone, and is missing many of her memories. Meanwhile, her sister is back in the city trying to figure out where she went and what happened to her.

Overall, I had mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the writing and the world-building. I thought both were beautifully done. I also really liked the mystery-element of this story where we're trying to figure out the mystery behind where C went and also what happened in Casey's past. The "what's going on here exactly" element really kept me engaged throughout the reading experience.

My favorite part of the book was the twist that happened at the 60% mark. Let me tell you, I was SHOOK. It took such a turn that I wasn't expecting and didn't see coming at all and I really appreciate when a book can add a twist that knocks my socks off, but still makes sense.

Unfortunately, this book kind of lost me a bit in the ending. I did feel like it slightly went over my head, so maybe it's just me. I also felt like there were too many character revelations in the story that didn't totally make sense for how the characters were developed throughout the story. And, my feelings were just hurt honestly. I think I'm never expecting YA books to be too dark, and this one definitely verged on being too dark. I don't know, I had so many complicated emotions about the ending and, even though I didn't personally love how it turned out, I think it's a testament to how talented of an author Joan He is because she made me feel so conflicted and like I understood the character's actions even though I didn't like them.

All in all, this was a rich and immersive story. The writing was excellent. The plot and pacing were incredible. It just had a lot of elements that aren't personally my cup of tea and the ending made me sad.

It's complicated to write something about this book because this one is complicated to read if are not paying attention for what's is happening, but luck me I was. Joan He delivered a second masterpiece.

I have finished this story over a month ago (at the time of writing) and I haven’t stopped thinking about it. I have tried to sum it up in the best words I could think of, but I am afraid that whatever words I put down won’t do the review justice that it deserves.

The Ones We’re Meant to Find tells the story of two sisters separated by distance in a distant future where environmental factors has caused people living in eco-cities in the sky. Immediately, I knew this was going to be interesting and good for multiple reasons. Joan He creates amazing stories from beginning to end and in a future where people are living in close groups, how does one go missing? As I wondered about that question, I actually stumbled upon more questions as I read more of the story. These questions were absolutely necessary for the story to continue.

As I have continued, I noticed little details between the sisters that kept feeding into my questions. I have written down notes in order to keep track of all these details I have kept noticing. There was a mystery and I wanted to solve it before Joan just drops it on me (trust me, she’s good). Despite me trying my best, Joan has won this time and with something I have never thought would be possible.

Overall, The Ones We’re Meant to Find is another amazing work from Joan He. Joan has the ability to do everything that a story needs to become good and is able to work details to have the greatest effect. When it comes to books, Joan He is becoming a name, a name everyone should know. It is simply just that. Do yourself a favor and get to know Joan through her books.

OKAY WOW! it’s been a while since i’ve enjoyed a book and this one took me for a ride. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this one as much! This is tabbed as almost every genre and It’s spot on, there SO much about this book that I want to talk about, it’s amazing. I couldn’t have picked this up at a better time, I was in a huge reading slump and now i’m ready to tackle a whole bookshelf! The plot twists, that ENDING, the quotes i saved, just so much!! It really had an impact on me.

This book was a switch up from Joan's first book. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and the secrets that are uncovered throughout the story. The stark differences between the two MCs made it even more jarring to read but in the best of ways.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Cee has been stuck on an island trying to get back to her sister, just trying to survive. In an eco-city far away, her sister Kay is living a far different life, yet is still isolated. When one sister is assumed dead, secrets are unearthed.

The Ones We're Meant to Find is very sci-fi, which is not a favorite genre of mine. Told in dual POV, the writing was absolutely beautiful. There were several twists and turns that had me guessing. It was a great YA thriller, but it wasn't a favorite read for me.

I really liked this book and how she got over someone. I enjoyed the romance and the friendships. I liked she came to enjoy her family. I liked that she was able to get over a boy and move on with her life. Great story.

Where to even begin on this post? I absolutely loved it. I was drawn in from sentence one. Something I’ve admired about Joan’s writing is how lyrical it is. This one especially felt like she was mimicking the soft sounds of waves crashing on a shoreline as well as waves during a storm. Growing up in a beach town, I felt transported in this novel, despite the major differences (no eco-cities here. . .yet.).

The central focus of this book is the fractured relationship between Celia/Cee and Kasey/Kay. I love how the chapters alternate between the two’s perspectives, and it should be noted that one is written in first person and the other is written in third. I think this is really clever of He because it really ties into the characterization of each young woman. Through Celia’s perspective, and even Kasey’s view of her sister, we see that Celia is someone who craves to live in the moment. She wants to feel the sunshine on her skin, the wind blowing through her hair, and she wants to dance in the waves on the shore. It all feels more real when you read her chapters. Kasey is still someone who feels very removed from herself, and I think this was an excellent choice to writer her in third person. It really put you into Kasey’s headspace. It made me want to know more, read more, learn more about Kasey.

As someone who has three sisters, I always am drawn to novels about sisters. Previously I discussed this in my review of Yolk by Mary H. K. Choi, and I think it’s worth stating again. The bond between sisters is something that is worth exploring because of the power of these relationships. I don’t know where I would be without my sisters, and it’s very obvious that though they have a relationship fraught with tension Celia and Kasey care deeply for each other. Somehow I don’t think waking up on a deserted island with your only mission to get back to your sister means that you don’t like her. I love how He plays with the dynamic between these two. They don’t ever come onto the same page in real time until the very end — I’m going to stop here to avoid spoilers! You can see, however, through memories that the sisters cared for each other in the ways they knew how, and I think that is what makes this special.

Let’s talk setting. I will be 100% with you, I didn’t read the description of the book before jumping in. I often do this with authors I’ve previously read and enjoyed — I would read these people’s grocery lists if I’m being honest. It was a bit of a shock to me to discover such a distorted yet recognizable world in this book. I love what He did with this. It’s incredibly fascinating to me when an author can world-build so well. Early on you can see the cracks in the dystopian society, and Kasey is slowly catching onto what larger games may be in play. It all is so intricately planned that I found myself unraveling the truth until the very end because it was so masterfully and carefully executed. To me, these are the best kinds of books, ones that have strong characters/voice and have a nice blend/support of a truly interesting world.

Overall, this is definitely a book you need to dive into. If you like dystopia, are into ecology/science/STEM, or are a fan of sisterly bonds this is right up your alley. I can’t wait for you to get to know Celia and Kasey!

It took me a long, long, long time to get into this book. But, once it got rolling I was all in. Such an inventive piece of literature. I will be recommending it to my college students.

This book was so good. It took me awhile to get into as it just throws you in, Once I was in the story , I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going on. The was a page turner. The chapters switch between sisters and ends at a spot that you want to keep reading to get the next chapter for that sisterto continue with the story

I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I dove into Joan He’s The Ones We’re Meant to Find. Her first book, Descendant of the Crane, has been on my TBR for a long time but I, unfortunately, haven’t had a chance to pick it up just yet. So, I went in completely unknowing what a Joan He’s writing is like, her storytelling style, anything like that. Even if I had to read her previous book, it might not have given me any indication of what to expect with The Ones We’re Meant to Find because they are completely different genres.

I would also like to note that I am always a little hesitant to pick up books in which sisters are the main focus of the story, because I’m an older sister myself–it’s a bit of a tender subject as I am very protective of my sister. I don’t like to read things in which sisters can lose each other, or hurt each other, or anything like that…

All that being said, The Ones We’re Meant to Find was an exception because I just couldn’t resist the synopsis or that beautiful cover. So, I decided to take the plunge (pun intended because of the water on the cover and the overall water theme of the book)!

It took me a little bit to adjust to the writing and to get a full grasp on the world that Joan He created but found that once I did get a grasp on what was going on and what kind of world I had found myself in, it was completely worth the time and effort. While this world in The Ones We’re Meant to Find is fictional, I found that it was tied closely enough to the real world, especially considering where we are headed (especially if we don’t change our ways).

While this book didn’t turn out being what I expected based on the synopsis (for example I didn’t really get the Studio Ghibli vibes at all), I still found it enjoyable I think Joan He’s writing is unique as well as the world that she created (despite its roots in our current reality).

This book also made me pause for moments of introspection–regarding my own relationship with my sister or my relationship with the planet and climate change and everything going on with the human race in general. I’m very intrigued by what the author did with this book and I will definitely be reading her debut as well as keeping an eye out for what she hopefully plans to write next.

Very imaginative and surprising! There was such an eerie futuristic atmosphere to this story, and for a while it's hard to really get your bearings on what exactly is going on, who each character is and if they are real?...dead?...in an alternate universe? The writing draws you in and the mystery keeps you turning pages just to find out the truth. Definitey a writing I'll be checking out more from in the future!

Thank you so much for granting my request for this title. Unfortunately I am struggling to get into this book. I adored this author's debut so I may try to return to this book at another time. I have decided to not finish it at this time. I will not be be reviewing this work because of this. I think that many younger readers will enjoy this book and I do wish it all the best.

Kind regards,

Brittney

Whoa boy. This one grabbed me from the first page and wouldnt let go. These characters are absolutely magnificent. The plot entirely orginally. I couldnt put this one down!

WOW what a beautiful book. I loved everything about it. Some of the world building was a little difficult to get into, but I was also sleep deprived, which could have contributed to it. I loved Cee and Kasey's relationship, I loved the dual POVs, and I loved the twists that kept popping up. Joan He is a master at building a new world and writing a beautiful story in it. I am continuously impressed by her and will def read anything else she writes!

Sci-fi isn't my main genre so switching from fantasy lands to the new setting took a couple re-reads, but once I saw the world through Kay's eyes the world captured my attention.
I love Cee and Kay so much, but I definitely resonated with Cee the most. She's all passion, and while my brain followed Kay's dilemma my heart was always with Cee. The narrative balance the sisters share makes the plot one multiple types of people can identify with.
I reccomend this book to everyone but especially sci-fi lovers, my friends who like to read about environmental science, and my friends that love a good dilemma and a heartwarming story about the relationships you have with the ones we're meant to find.