“The tsunami of Celia’s life pulled back, taking Kasey’s with it. She felt like a corpse, deposited on the sand.”

CW: Familial grief, near drowning

I went into this book with no expectations. Literally none. I had no idea what this book was about when I started reading it. And it blew me away. It was full of so many twists and it was such an interesting story and I’ll be thinking about it for a while.
The Ones We’re Meant to Find follows two characters, Cee and Kasey. From the start, you know there’s something tying them together, but it’s almost impossible to work out what. I made notes for this (I literally never make notes) just to try to puzzle some things out, but I still didn’t manage it. When the twists were revealed, I was genuinely surprised, I saw none of them coming.
The setting was really interesting and very poignant. Half is set in a world that has continued to be ruined by humans and climate change. Seeing how we don’t change in the future is sad and, unfortunately, recognisable. We just continue to make a mess and don’t own up to it. The other setting was… brief. We don’t really see enough of it to judge it.
I loved how science was included in this and how it wasn’t just simple and good. The characters were complex and the plot had many twists. I would definitely check out the author’s other works.

When I was approved for the ARC of this book by Netgalley I couldn't quite believe it. I had been eyeing it for months: the cover is incredibly beautiful, and the synopsis sounded truly intriguing. It's also a standalone, what else could you wish for?

We immediately jump into the heart of the story: on the one hand, we have Kasey, a sixteen-year-old prodigy who lives in one of the 8 eco-cities of the planet, where only those who previously protected the planet from pollution can live. The eco-city in turn protects its residents from climate disasters that have become a habit on Earth, but in return people must spend at least a third of their time in stasis pods, conducting business virtually whenever possible. Kasey is a loner, she doesn’t feel part of the society she lives in and, on top of that, her sister’s been missing for three months. On the other hand we have Cee, who three years earlier found herself on an abandoned island, without any recollection of how she arrived, or memories from her life prior. All she knows is that somewhere out there, she has a sister named Kay, who she must find. She then devotes her days to building a boat from junk parts scavenged inland.

If you think you have more or less understood everything after reading the plot, I invite you to reconsider your assumptions because this book features one of the best plot twists of recent times! Actually, there are a lot of twists and turns, but if I have to be honest, no one particularly impressed me, except for the one mentioned above.

In addition to the plot twist above, the strengths of this book are definitely the dual POV, which generates chapters that seem to clash with each other, and Cee's character, with all her life on the desert island. The chapters regarding life on the abandoned island are exciting and varied, and Cee is a really nice and pleasant character to follow. I adored her unassailable willpower, even in the face of the worst adversity, as well as her sweet relationship with u-Me, the little robot that keeps her company. The arrival on the island of the boy we will learn to know as Hero adds yet another touch of mystery to the story, and brings to life some really interesting dynamics.

The weaknesses are the incredibly confusing world-building, the twists and turns that are a bit meh, the non-existent relationship between Kasey and her father, but especially Kasey herself: she's introduced as this prodigy of a girl, but she has trouble socializing with people. Kasey constantly reminds us how she's basically apathetic, unable to experience the full spectrum of normal human emotions - she did not cry or feel particularly sad when her mother died, nor does she feel so now that her sister has disappeared. It’s not that she doesn’t care, she just can’t feel the desperation that anyone else would feel in her place, and she can’t understand why. Much of her chapters consist of her wondering what’s wrong in her head, and why she’s so rational, cynical, and logical in every situation. At first, this side of her character had intrigued me, for the simple reason that I thought there was something more to it. Given how many times Kasey herself questions the reason for her coldness, I expected that at some point we would be given an answer to such questions... and I was disappointed. Apparently, there’s no specific reason behind this weirdness of hers, and we readers should just accept the fact that she's not like everyone else. Don't get me wrong, I do not mean that this is impossible, but usually behind such particular personality characteristics, there is an explanation. And above all, if I am forced to spend half of the book inside the mind of an apathetic girl, I would like to be given a valid reason to accept the idea of having to endure her frightfully cold and rational thoughts. Not to mention Actinium - difficult to find a character so flat and bland.

To wrap up my thoughts, the main problems I had with this book are: the ambiguous characterization of Kasey, the confusing world-building, but above all the timing of the main plot twist. I know I said I loved it, and it’s true! However, it must be said that it is revealed to us more or less halfway through the book, which makes what remains of the story quite boring and useless. It also leads to an ending that, frankly, left me a little bitter in the mouth. I still recommend this book because the premise is really interesting, and the execution of the first part of the story is phenomenal.

4.25 ⭐️

TW/CW: asphyxiation, terminal illness, suicide, suicidal ideation, violence, past death of a parent, vomiting, murder attempt, grief, natural disasters, and mass casualties

The writing and story telling in this book was beautiful and I will for sure be reading any other books that Joan He writes or has written.

I completely forgot what this book was about at all when I actually got around to reading my e-ARC so it was a wonderful surprise to unfold this story and these characters page by page and to discover this phenomenal sci-fi dystopian commentary on society and these two sisters and their stories.

This was both terrifying and amazing to read - terrifying because of how true this reality might come to be eventually if we keep going in the path we are taking as a world - amazing because the writing and the story was so interesting and gripping that you could hardly hold yourself back from going and going all the way until the end.

Again if you've been following my reviews you know I just don't like abrupt or open ended stories so that was something I was missing in this book and just a little more complexity in the sister relationship to make this fully heart wrenching would have been the cherry on top.

I love that we only get interactions from these flashbacks and memories from both of them and an unraveling bigger picture with every step.

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

Disclaimer: I received the e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

If you expect this book to not ruin you, let me curb that expectation. It will indeed ruin you. Joan He's second book is SUCH a different feel entirely to her first, Descendant of the Crane, and yet the elements of He's writing that I loved in that book are in this one as well.

The writing style remains fluid but the tone of this book is almost like Deus Ex Machina, I'm always expecting something to happen, nothing loud or obnoxious but quiet and creeping so it kept me on my toes the whole time. I knew there had to be more, and as a reader you're not disappointed by that.

Totally did not expect what actually happened, so, still a huge element of surprise. The differences in the sisters is a very stark contrast, they are clearly of two different minds, but they're still sisters, I still felt that bond between them that I do with my own sister. It's a hard one to break and He doesn't want to do that, she just wants to break you, the reader.


Pacing is really well done, the book feels like you're always on the cusp of finding out something, and you want to keep reading to see if that's true or not.


The plot is incredible and the sort of dystopia/future that Joan He builds is so believable that for a moment in reading I would forget it was fiction, I just expected this would be how it felt. There are some nice interesting twists with her version of the future which made sense and I appreciated that her world-building was throughout the book so it always felt as if I were learning a new piece of the world as I went.


5/5 Huge cups of coffee from me and I cannot wait to see what Joan He writes next. Thanks so much to Xpresso Tours, Publisher, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Firstly, let’s address the gorgeous cover! I could stare at it all day and hang it up on my wall. Big thumbs up to the artist!

Now, for the actual review. Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. The concepts He came up with were amazing in theory but they did not translate well on paper. I found the execution to be quite lacking because I was so confused with the world-building half of the time. The confusion left me disconnected from the plot and characters, which was a shame because I really wanted to love this book.
I found the ending to be very bittersweet but I wished it wasn’t so confusing so that I could appreciate it more.

In terms of the characters, I found it hard to connect to Kasey and Cee, Kasey more so. I appreciated that they loved each other so strongly, but there was a lot of “telling than showing”. I never got an insight into what other motivations and goals they had, apart from the love that they shared. They weren’t as fleshed out as I had hoped.

Overall, I am slightly disappointed because this was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I will, however, check out He’s other books because her ideas are always so fresh and intriguing.

Firstly, I’d like to thank Netgalley, and the publishers of The Ones We’re Meant to Find for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Plot: 5⭐️
The plot was very unexpected and refreshing. And I can see how this book will easily be one of the most hyped books.

Pacing: 3.5⭐️
Honestly I felt that a lot of the book was dragging and wished the pace was a bit more faster. I think the slow pace of the book made me feel a bit disconnected at times.

Character Development: 3⭐️
I did struggle with liking the characters or getting attached to them. I was hoping to see a more strong relationship between the sisters and it felt like something was missing. It felt that there are not many side characters, which is okay, but even for those side characters, it felt like there was not much personality or engagement for them to be memorable and to stick with me.

Writing Style: 4⭐️
I have such mixed feelings about Joan’s writing style. I felt that the dual perspective between the two sisters was very refreshing, however, I found myself confused many times throughout the book and at the beginning I really struggled with understanding the world that the two sisters lived in.

Would you recommend it? I recommend this to anyone who likes YA fictions full of twists and secrets

A wonderfully written novel set in a future where humanity is dealing with the consequences of climate catastrophe we follow two sisters, Celia and Kasey Mizuhara. One is a STEM prodigy almost destined to be the one to save the world and the other has been trapped on a deserted island for three years. Celia, lost and alone with nothing by a bot, has spent her time trying to build and find a way back to her sister.

The thing that immediately stands out in this novel is the writing. The prose is lush and emotive. He knows her characters so well that both perspectives are clear and distinct. The longing to find each other and understand each other is tied into the thematic themes of the novel.. Environmentalism and the consequences of human arrogance, in addition to humanity's relationship with technology and the privilege among the social classes.

About half way through the novel there is a massive tonal shift and the pace also changes dramatically. I think the tonal shift works but it does disrupt the pacing. However, it's not a big issue and I think many readers will embrace it.

There is a certain reveal that I didn't see coming and I think it was just so well done!

I can see this book becoming a scifi/speculative classics in years to come.

Man y'all, when I saw that Text Publishing had The Ones We're Meant to Find available on Netgalley as read now for the US even though they're based in Australia, I jumped on it because this has been one of my most anticipated books for a while now! It releases today, May 4th, so if you haven't already grabbed it or picked it up from your library or talked to a friend about borrowing it from them when they're done reading it, you need to get on that ASAP!

The Ones We're Meant to Find 5/5 Stars

Summary from Goodreads:

One of the most twisty, surprising, engaging page-turner YAs you’ll read this year—We Were Liars meets Black Mirror, with a dash of Studio Ghibli.
Cee has been trapped on an abandoned island for three years without any recollection of how she arrived, or memories from her life prior. All she knows is that somewhere out there, beyond the horizon, she has a sister named Kay. Determined to find her, Cee devotes her days to building a boat from junk parts scavenged inland, doing everything in her power to survive until the day she gets off the island and reunites with her sister.
In a world apart, 16-year-old STEM prodigy Kasey Mizuhara is also living a life of isolation. The eco-city she calls home is one of eight levitating around the world, 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. Their residents, in exchange, must spend at least a third of their time in stasis pods, conducting business virtually whenever possible to reduce their environmental footprint. While Kasey, an introvert and loner, doesn’t mind the lifestyle, her sister Celia hated it. Popular and lovable, Celia much preferred the outside world. But no one could have predicted that Celia would take a boat out to sea, never to return.
Now it’s been three months since Celia’s disappearance, and Kasey has given up hope. Logic says that her sister must be dead. But as the public decries her stance, she starts to second guess herself and decides to retrace Celia’s last steps. Where they’ll lead her, she does not know. Her sister was full of secrets. But Kasey has a secret of her own.

This book is like the perfect kind of sci-fi because it's great for people who aren't normally into sci-fi and people who love it will love so many of the finer aspects of it. It's told in alternating points of view between Cee and Kasey and at first you're not 100% sure what's going on, but as the chapters go on, you start to piece together that Cee must be Kasey's sister Celia and Kasey must be the Kay that Cee is looking for. The information from each chapter is given to you in such a great and detailed way that you don't really realize how important something might be until a chapter or two later when it clicks and you're like OMG that just happened! I loved the way Joan He tied her characters together and she explored class structure and privilege in such a nuanced way that really forced you to think about how often times, privileged people don't even realize how much power they hold. For example, I vividly remember one scene where Kasey's friend Meridian yells at her about how she probably hadn't even tried to help get Meridian's family's petition to become part of the eco-city approved and Kasey is shocked that it even strike her to try and help. It just further cemented the fact that people forget the power they hold. The world and scientific discoveries that He had integrated into Kasey's chapters contrasted with the deserted island and pretty much the wasteland it had become were such interesting foils to each other and I loved reading those chapters one after the other. In terms of plot and pacing, I thought The Ones We're Meant to Find did a really good job in keeping me engaged and interested throughout without feeling like I was ever confused (in a bad way, there was always good confusion that made me want to figure out what was going on) or bored. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone- it's definitely one of my top reads of 2021!

*4.5 Stars*

This was so so good. I don't want to summarize it because the best thing one can do, in my opinion, is jump in and get surprised by everything.
This was a ride. I'm not going to lie it took me a second to fully get into the story. I was just fully lost for a long while there but I ended up just going with it and really really enjoyed the ride.
This is honestly so hard to review. The characters were truly great and layered and just so interesting. So was the world and it was truly a mindf***.
I truly couldn't recommend it more but I'm having trouble saying why? I definitely want to read Joan He's debut now though.

This arc was provided by Roaring Brook Press, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

TW: asphyxiation, terminal illness, suicide, suicidal ideation, violence, past death of a parent, vomiting, murder attempt, grief, natural disasters, and mass casualties.

Having read Joan He's debut, there was no doubt in my mind that The Ones We're Meant to Find would be an unforgettable tale.

We follow two sisters that are an ocean apart. Cee is stuck on an island, desperately trying to leave to find her sister. Kasey is trying to accept her sister's disappearance as everyone around her has. It's not only a novel about these two sisters and their secrets but a story about climate change and the inevitable consequences of our actions.

The climate has reached a point where eco-cities were built to protect the people. These are levitating cities where everything is regulated. The people must spend a third of their time in a stasis pod, doing their errands or meetings virtually to reduce their environmental footprint. Whilst Kasey neverminded these restrictions, her sister longed for a world where they were free to go into the ocean and swim. A time before humankind had poisoned the world.

My only criticism is in wanting more complexity in the sister relationship, I think it would have had a deeper emotional impact on me if that was the case. Nevertheless, individually, I adored Cee and Kasey, and I was always rooting for them. It has been a long time since a book made me stay up late into the night reading because I couldn't go to sleep without knowing.

The writing is breathtaking, the twists had me crying, the characters own my heart... what else could I want?

I don't know if I found exactly what Joan He wanted me to, the only thing waiting for me at the end of the last chapter was my pillow and thirty minutes of me crying and staring at my white wall.

What I'm saying is, you need to read this. Trust ME.

This book was very unexpected. By the time I started reading it, I couldn’t remember a single thing from the synopsis (as usual 😂), so it was a complete rollercoaster for me. I was particularly amazed by the sheer complexity of this book, not only the world building but also the characters. We start with a story of two sisters separated by a sea, but as the story develops, a bigger picture is shown: how global warming and pollution on earth deeply affected the standards of living. The way Joan intertwined these two sisters stories with the climate reality of the world was astonishing. Through each sister you get a different need for the standard of living: one is completely acclimated to how life is at the eco-cities where you basically live life majorly as a hologram, and the other that longs for a life lived in community with nature.⁣⁣
This book really made me wonder if we cannot make real drastic changes to stop global warming now, if the reality described in this book could be in our future. It’s a fascinating, engrossing, bittersweet and tragic story, but it’s a story that makes you reflect on your own actions toward the world/nature.

the ones we’re meant to find is a beautiful, twisting story that kept me gripped from the beginning to the end. it definitely has the same vibes as an episode of black mirror, i never new where the plot was going in the best kind of way. granted, i was pretty confused for the first 100 or so pages as the switches between first and third person took a bit of getting used to, and the way the story unfolds had me getting a bit mixed up. however, as you get towards the end and the plot all comes together, the narrative choices make SO much sense and are so clever, and i ended up just being more impressed than anything. i preferred the chapters about Cee and the island, but both sides of the story constantly keep you guessing on the characters’ motives and the fate of the world. the topic seems very timely and the debates over humanity added even more depth to what was already a beautifully complex story about sisterhood, loss and identity.

Two sisters determined to find each other, a world consumed by natural disasters due to climate change. A perfectly craft world-building. Two very distinguishable voices. A story that will capture your attention from the very first pages. You will find yourself immersed in a calm, if eerie, sea of wondering, until suddenly the waves will come when you least expect it, leaving you gasping, and you will want to keep swimming to find your footing, to find out more. Joan He words are as captivating and her story.

Having read a boat load of positive reviews for this book I had ridiculously high expectations going in, expectations that it met and then some. The Ones We're Meant to Find is a story about humanity, and what exactly it is that makes us human. But it's also a story of family, about love, about loss and about exactly how far we would go to find those we love. Cee barely remembers her name, let alone anything else about her life before the Island, but she does remember she has a sister called Kay. A sister that she is determined to get to, no matter the cost. Kasey is a genius, but like most genius' she doesn't do well socialising, nor in the public eye. Something she has had to put up with since her sister Celia disappeared 3 months ago. She is adamant that Celia is dead, but the public disagree, so Kasey decides to look into her sister's movements in the months before she disappeared, but even she isn't prepared for what she finds. In the aftermath of her discovery Kasey put's into place a plan, a plan that could save humanity, or destroy it.

The strength of this book definitely comes from it's characters. Cee is determined and resilient, after spending three years on the Island, barely remembering her own name, and getting only flashbacks of her life before. Alone except for a robot U-Me ( who is bloody hilarious), she has spent the past years building a boat to take her back to her sister, the one person she remembers with a clarity. She remembers a life in the sky, and is sure this is where Kasey must be. Cee's story is one of loss, loss of more than just her memories and I couldn't help but empathise with her story. Kasey is the polar opposite of her sister Celia. She is a social recluse, an introvert. Her outlook on life sometimes puts people ill at ease around her, but Kasey just wants humanity to survive, no matter the cost. With growing dangers on the mainland, and shortage of space in the eco-cities, it is Kasey who come's up with a plan to save as many people as possible, because Celia always told her she could save the world, and Kasey is determined to do just that.

You could say this story has been told before, and you would be right. This story of humanity destroying earth and the desperate solutions having to be made to ensure survival. And while this story differs in many way from the ones that have come before, it's the emotional impact of this story that really makes it stand out. There were certain parts of this book where my heart simply broke in two for the characters, characters who's lives I felt entwined with, whose goals had become my goals. No detail is insignificant in this story, from the ways in which the POV's are written, to the details on the cover. I will admit to being a little blindsided by the 'big' plot twist, but in the best way possible, it really hit me and I had to just put the book down for a little while whilst I digested what I had just read.

The world that He builds is brilliantly rendered, and I found myself being dragged into both Cee's Island as well as the Eco-City where Kasey resides. In He's dystopian future, humanity has brought the world to it's knees. On the mainland Tsumami's and super earthquakes threaten the lives of the humans who reside there, whereas the ones who where lucky enough to move to the eco-cities live in relative luxury, travelling through life without the permanent fear of death. I always think these kinds of stories pack more of an emotional punch because of how close to reality they could be. We all know about global warming, and the effects of pollution on the planet, and it's not hard to envision a future like the one in this book.

I haven't read any other books by this author yet, but you can bet your ass I will be picking them up asap. He's prose and writing style completely enveloped me in the story. Her foreshadowing is amazing, and I couldn't believe I didn't see the plot twists coming when they hit. I found it almost impossible to put this book down, and work and sleep were pretty much the only two things that kept me from devouring it in one sitting. There are plenty of WTF moments, and the author certainly likes to keep you guessing what exactly is going on, but it all add's to the impact of the big plot twist and makes the story that have that much more of an emotional impact.

This was my first book from Joan He, so I didn't really know what to expect aside from the fact that people has been raving about this book. My first impression of this book was that it was fairly easy to follow, the worldbuilding and setting were elaborate and complex enough without being confusing for readers (re: me). I managed to read it in two sitting despite my (almost) reading slump, so that's a testament to how engaging the story was for me.

I loved the characters and I would give everything for them to be happy. That being said, I did feel that the characters weren't fully fleshed-out, especially for a book that is pretty contained and focused on only 4 characters for more than 80% of the book.

Overall, this book was a very engaging read for me and I would recommend this to anyone who loves YA sci-fi.

I loved Descendant of the Crane and I had high expectations for this new book.
I'm on the fence because the world building is excellent but I found the characters a bit weak and underdeveloped.
It's entertaining but I can't say I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

An interestingly twisty sci fi story- the Black Mirror comparisons are very apt, though I prefer He's ambiguous hopefulness at the end to Black Mirror's tendency to cynicism. Kasey and Cee are fascinating protagonists (Kasey in particular)- I enjoyed how they both explored the mind, its limits, and how that relates to the body and the world you live in.

However, I was also a little frustrated with Kasey towards the second half of the book. Time starts moving very quickly as it goes on, and (possible spoiler ahead) Kasey and Actinium in particular go through massive changes in their characters quite fast, leaving the reader little time to mentally ground themselves for what are important plot developments. The whole book, I think, could have done with being a bit longer to give these moments room to breathe.

Overall though, I enjoyed this clever, dreamlike book.

There were definitely moments and passages of this book that I enjoyed. I liked the writing style and the short chapters for impact.
However, the overwhelming feeling I experienced while reading The Ones We're Meant to Find was confusion. I didn't understand the sci-fi/dystopian world for the majority of the book because a lot of it was left unexplained. This confusion left me feeling detached from the characters and the story. I think the world is very interesting and I really would be appreciated more explanation of it.
I definitely feel that this book would be perfect for others but it wasn't really my cup of tea. I will still be recommending it as an interesting dystopian that really makes you think.

I cannot emphasise enough how much I think people ought to pick this book up. Feeling stagnant in your reading? Feeling like nothing gets you excited or emotional any more? BUCKLE UP.

Ok, maybe I'm being a tad dramatic, but this book catapulted me out of my reading slump with just how intriguing the plot was and how gorgeous the writing and the setting were.

I was dubious after the first chapter, was this going to be another story that sets up a mystery only to have it kind of sit there before ultimately fizzling out? Was I going to be disappointed by another 'it was merely a dream and also kind of a metaphor' ending?

Obviously, I cannot spoil the ending for you but suffice to say that this book did what I have been wanting books like this to do for years. It set up a mystery - in fact it set up multiple mysteries - and then slowly and carefully revealed more and more information to the point where I was sat with my nose an inch away from my Kindle desperate to confirm my suspicions and also certain that that confirmation would in fact make me cry.

One of the things I really loved about the setting in particular is that Joan He writes about a world in environmental crisis without the book feeling cheesy or cliché. I was burned by a YA series that started off with a cool concept and inexplicably became about going to the arctic and it felt preachy and very 'hello fellow kids'. In this instance we have a story that *is* about those issues but in a far more subtle way but that almost makes *more* impact as a result.

I thought that overall this book was stunningly written and devastating for me emotionally - which is definitely a reason for you to order yourself a copy *immediately*.

This was phenomenal.

I think I've found one of my favorite authors. I am in awe of Joan He's prose. She's truly one of the best authors I've come across in a long time.

This is a dual perceptive book between two sisters and the way He weaves their points of view together is magical. Not to mention, she does this while switching from first-person point of view to third person which I thought was incredibly clever. Both sister's voices were distinct and I was never once confused.

Now, I haven't read dystopian in a long while but this was just so refreshing. I loved the atmosphere and found the world so interesting. It's a world after the effects of climate change and global warming have sunk in and it's honestly kinda terrifying because you can see this happening in the future.

The characters- Cee and Kasey... I loved them both equally. I could see myself in both of them. Kasey's analytical brain and Cee's strength- I never once found myself wanting to go back to the other's point of view because they are both so wonderful.

It has been a long time since I've been engrossed by a book THIS much. At about the halfway mark, I couldn't physically put the book down, it was just that good.

So why not five stars? Alright. The ending. I can't say much because of spoilers but I just did not like how sudden it was. At all. It was like someone tore out the last few pages of the book. Just so abrupt. I think this was meant to be an open-ended ending but I am just- not a fan of those.

All in all, this was absolutely incredible and you need this on your shelves!!