The Ones We're Meant to Find and The Darkness Outside Us

 

I recently read two new books that ostensibly are very different (one set in space, one set on an abandoned island) but they ended up having freakishly similar twists and themes.  Because both contained surprise elements that this reader didn't see coming, this is a hard review to write without spoilers.  So, I'll keep it vague and just say this: if you are a fan of sci fi that plumbs the depths of humanity, either or both of these books should be on your TBR list. 

I had a hard time getting into both of these books. The Darkness Outside Us is set on a spacecraft in the future and the protagonist awakes with no memory of the launch or the immediate thereafter. Ambrose quickly realizes he is not alone on the craft and thus his relationship with Kodiak begins. I've seen this book tagged as "romance" and the cover makes it looks like it's going to be a lighthearted intergalactic rom com, but do not be fooled.  This is intense. Once I got past the protagonist's original disorientation, I devoured The Darkness Outside Us.  So, if you try this one, stick with it a little longer than you otherwise might.

The Ones We're Meant to Find has a similarly disorienting opening. We meet Cee, who has been trapped on an abandoned island for three years and she has no memory of how or why she got there.  All she knows is that she must survive so that she can find her sister.  

And that's really all I can say about these two without giving anything away! If you're intrigued and read one or both of these books, I'd love to know what you think.