Series: The Hybrid Chronicles, #2
Publisher:  HarperCollins
Publish Date: September 17th, 2013
Source: ARC
Goodreads

About the book: “I’m lucky just to be alive”

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. -Goodreads

Thoughts: It took me a long time to write this review… I’m conflicted! Not two souls in one body conflicted, but conflicted all the same. I still love the concept of Kat Zhangs, hybrid universe. When the series started, Eva was tucked away inside her sisters body. Everyone is born with two souls inside their body, but one soul eventually fades. But not all souls. Eva and Addie are hybrids (or are they one hybrid?). By book two, Eva has control as often as her sister does… which is good for Eva, but the book quickly becomes basically any other dystopian story. But hey, who doesn’t like dystopian stories?

Once We Were takes place not long after the events of book one. Now Addie and Eva are living in hiding, and being drawn into the hybrid rebellion. The first part of the book was really slow, and a bit of a struggle to get through. The characters were all bored, and we were definitely feeling it. Once they’re pulled further into the rebellion, things definitely pick up. There’s a lot going on and each of the 3/6 main characters has conflicted feelings about everything that’s going on. Main character Eva is definitely gung-ho, but the feelings of her friends keep things interesting.

As the rebel group becomes more confident, it becomes easy to equate their actions/plans with domestic terrorism, which is where things became quite interesting. When does rebellion cross the line? You may be in the right and fighting for your own right, but how far is too far? Of course, I’m not going to answer any of that right now… but this book will make you think! And really, can there be a higher recommendation than that?

Overall, I still preferred book one, but I will definitely be sticking with this series to see what happens next!

Purchase Once We Were
@Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN) @The Book Depository

Second Opinions:
@ABC Book Review
@Finding Bliss with Books
@The Quiet Concert