Latest Read: Fragments by Dan Wells

Here are the basics ...
Fragments (Partials #2) by Dan Wells
Publication date: February 26, 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Category: Young Adult - Science Fiction / Dystopian
Source: Borrowed from library

Summary: Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues to who she is and why the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood. Her companions are Afa Demoux, an unhinged drifter and former employee of ParaGen, and Samm and Heron, the Partials who betrayed her and saved her life, the only ones who know her secret. But can she trust them? Meanwhile, back on Long Island, what's left of humanity is gearing up for war with the Partials, and Marcus knows his only hope is to delay them until Kira returns. But Kira's journey will take her deep into the overgrown wasteland of post-apocalyptic America, and Kira and Marcus both will discover that their greatest enemy may be one they didn't even know existed. (Adapted goodreads.com)

My thoughts…

Fragments picks up a few months after Partials left off. Kira is on her own trying to discover who and what she is and how her past is tied to ParaGen. Samm wants to prevent the Partials' expiration date from happening. And Marcus is left behind to synthesize the cure Kira found to save humans and babies from dying. It seems like this would be a fast-paced book considering they're basically trying to save the world but it's not. Depending on the type of reader you are, this can be a good thing or a bad thing.

Like its predecessor Partials, the book didn't pick up for me until Part 2. The author is meticulous when it comes to detail and setting the stage for our characters but sometimes it feels overly so. From page one, I was ready to dive back into Kira's, Marcus' and Samm's heads and uncover the secrets of their past and ParaGen along with them. I wanted answers (and romance!) right away so the pacing was too slow. Too much time spent watching them travel or struggle alone or switching points-of-view. The story shines when the characters interact and when we see the plot unfold from Kira's eyes. Not that I don't find Marcus and Samm likable because I do! But their view points and characters aren't developed enough for me to want to see things from their perspective. Unlike Kira.

Kira's character undoubtedly carries the book. She is a rebel fighting for what she believes in and is constantly faced with difficult personal and ethical decisions. At the core, she wants to save everyone but the question is, is that even possible? She also struggles with what it means to be a Partial brought up as human. Both sides are constantly in conflict which makes her journey, literally and figuratively, compelling. As much as I enjoyed her relationship with Marcus in Partials, I really wanted to see what was between her and Samm. I mean, c'mon - you know it was going to go there. I spent the entire book anticipating it and I have to admit, I was a little disappointed by how it played out.

Do I recommend?: Even though the books so far have been a consistent 3-star read for me, something about them pushes me to keep going. There are just these tiny moments where there's a twist in the plot or a sudden reveal and suddenly, the story just clicks into place for me. Even though I don't feel hooked 100% of the time, I do want to see how it'll all play out in the end. If you're interested in the plot, I'd probably wait until the whole series is out and read all at once.

Happy reading!