Title: Once We Were
Author: Kat Zhang (Twitter. Facebook)
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publish Date: September 17, 2013
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Pages: 352

Eva was never supposed to have survived this long. As the recessive soul, she should have faded away years ago. Instead, she lingers in the body she shares with her sister soul, Addie. When the government discovered the truth, they tried to “cure” the girls, but Eva and Addie escaped before the doctors could strip Eva’s soul away.

Now fugitives, Eva and Addie find shelter with a group of hybrids who run an underground resistance. Surrounded by others like them, the girls learn how to temporarily disappear to give each soul some much-needed privacy. Eva is thrilled at the chance to be alone with Ryan, the boy she’s falling for, but troubled by the growing chasm between her and Addie. Despite clashes over their shared body, both girls are eager to join the rebellion.

Yet as they are drawn deeper into the escalating violence, they start to wonder: How far are they willing to go to fight for hybrid freedom? Faced with uncertainty and incredible danger, their answers may tear them apart forever.

I am SO excited today to have the amazing Kat Zhang on the blog as part of the final leg of the Once We Were blog tour! Kat took some time out of her busy day to answer some of my most pressing questions because I'm super demanding like that...so, here goes nothing!

1. The theory of dual souls in one body is both original and compelling. What, if anything specific, inspired the plight of Eva and her soul sister, Addie?

Thanks! I don't know if anything specific inspired their situation. I just got to wondering about the idea of being stuck in your own body. We all have an "inner monologue," so to speak, or a "conscience." What if that voice in the back of your head were a real, other being? What would it be like to be her, living and yet not living? The rest of the story really developed from that :)

2. If you lived in the world of Addie and Eva, do you think you'd be the dominant one soul, or would you be the one that settles, and why?

I dunno! Considering that recessive souls tend to disappear, I guess I'd rather be the dominant one :P However, in their world, I don't believe that the dominant/recessive divide is based on traits of the souls themselves. One is simply marked recessive from the beginning. Sometimes, a recessive soul can be tenacious enough to overcome its fate, but there was nothing it could do to avoid being marked in the first place. It's really a toss of the coin--or genes, as the case may be.

3. In ONCE WE WERE, we're offered a beautiful, touching romance, but it's complicated by the fact that Eva and Addie share the same body. What do you think the most challenging aspect of such a romance would be (besides the obvious)?

I think many of the challenges would be based on one's idea of "normal." Obviously, being in a relationship like this would be incredibly weird for most of us, because we're a part of a society that views certain kinds of relationships as normal. Hybrids would find it pretty difficult to conform to that kind of normality, but luckily for most of them (unfortunately, not our protagonists!), they were raised in a completely different kind of community--one where being hybrid is not unusual, and the kind of life people are expected to have is different.

4. If you had to choose a favourite soul between Eva and Addie, who would you choose and why?

That's like asking for a favorite child! ;) Well, I chose to write from Eva's point of view, and at the end of the day, I do think this series is, to a certain degree, more her story than Addie's (which isn't to say that Addie doesn't have her own story--just that it's Eva's that's explored more in the text). I empathize with both of them. Both are trying to figure out a lot of things in a really tough situation, and they both make mistakes and need each other, in the end, to balance themselves out.

5. If you could describe ONCE WE WERE in just five words, what would they be and why?

Choice, Precipice, Expansion, Discovery, Mistakes

Explaining too in-depth would be spoiler-y, but ONCE WE WERE is definitely a time for Eva and Addie to learn more about their world (and the one beyond it) and themselves. They're faced with a number of tough decisions, and they struggle with being (and becoming) the kind of people they want to be.

6. The drama really amps up in this second installment of the Hybrid Chronicles series. Can we expect a TON more drama before we see any resolution?

An entire bookful ;)

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And now, here's the best part. Because of the amazing folks at HarperTeen, I was lucky enough to score two ARCs of Once We Were. I'm offering up one (1) ARC internationally to one lucky reader! This giveaway will end promptly at midnight EST on 9/26/13. Simply fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter. Good luck!

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Title: What's Left of Me
Author: Kat Zhang
Publisher:  HarperCollins
Publish Date: September 18, 2012
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi
Pages: 343
Source: Publisher

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t...

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet...for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

In a world where children are born with two souls, Addie and Eva somehow still stand out. One is dominant, and one is recessive, but for most children, one eventually settles while the other thrives. But in their case, for some reason, Eva hasn't settled. She's still there...living, existing, but not really thriving as Addie, the dominant soul continues to breathe and live for the both of them. Eva's existence has to remain a secret because Hybrids are dangerous, feared and threaten the balance of society. Nevertheless, Eva wants to live, and Addie will do just about anything to help her move and exist on her own.

The young adult market is overrun with dystopian novels these days - books that broach the topic of science fiction a lot - but never actually delve into the depths of it. What's Left of Me, however, is not one of those novels. Pure, raw sci-fi, this novel is a new spin on dystopia with a searing plot full of loss,  companionship and the struggle to survive. Kat Zhang has a melodic writing voice, weaving a soulful story in a heartfelt and believable way for a host of incredibly deep characters. The prose is simple and beautiful, albeit a bit repetitive at times, but altogether meaningful and creates an intense, emotional and incredible journey within the pages of What's Left of Me.

I have to say that the true beauty of What's Left of Me lies within the depth of the characters. I'm usually not too much of a fan of prologues because I feel like there is too much foreshadowing, but I actually liked this one. Eva's voice is so tragic, but rather than being cloying or overwhelming, I was actually heartbroken for her. She desperately wanted to live. She wanted to speak, and to feel, and to be able to simply do the little things that we, ourselves take for granted. But, despite her grave situation, she never wallowed. I pitied her, but not because she was pathetic. I pitied her because she had such an immense strength that emanated from her being, and I wanted to see that thrive. Likewise, Addie was such a beautiful character. Flawed but powerful and strong in her convictions, I felt like I knew her throughout, and as the story progressed, I became more and more invested in their journey together. I have to say, on the downside, I was a bit frustrated with not truly understanding why Hybrids were considered dangerous, and I think that would have heightened the intensity of the drama. Finally the ending was a bit of a letdown for me, considering the whole story had me reeling, and I guess I'd expected a more poignant conclusion to What's Left of Me.

Overall, however, I really enjoyed reading What's Left of Me. I thought it was refreshing, thorough and beautifully-done, and it was definitely a book I'll recommend to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy science fiction and dystopian novels. I give it a very solid 4 out of 5.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.