Plus One

In an alternate reality where the Spanish flu has wiped out 50 million people, the United States adopted day and night workers to handle the care of treatment of the sick. Having worked so well that the pandemic was over, it turned into the regular way of life. Sol is a Smudge, only living her life at school, home and work during the evening. When she encounters D'Arcy, a Day, she realizes he may be her way to save her dying grandfather from kidnappers? What they find instead is something that can change the fate of her world as she knows it. Told in past and present tenses, Sol's voice is loud and unique. We find ourselves immersed in her life before her brother was arrested, to the present where things are chaotic and she has gotten herself into trouble with the law. I love the fact that Sol and D'Arcy know French and speak it loud and clear. I love that they dislike each other so much. There is no instant love here whatsoever. And before we even see the two being together, we get an inside look at who they really are. Elizabeth gets into their minds and we see a much clearer picture of their characters. Their attraction is real though, and you know they'll turn their hate into love soon enough. The anticipation is what killed me. I just wanted them together already. Sol's last thoughts were very wise and mature considering the outcome..I found her to be extremely refreshing. Lovely dystopian story.. Thank god the romance was super slow.. They didn't even like each other in the beginning. And the way the knew each other was just too darn cute. I also loved the fact that the ending wasn't predictable. If you're looking for an instant romance, there is none! If you're looking for a unique twist to the dystopian genre, grab this one. Sol's voice is true and very wise which made her one of my favourite likable characters this year.show more

I was first drawn to Plus One because of the gorgeous cover, but then with the synopsis of the alternate reality along with the segregation of people into people who are allowed to be out during the day and those only at night cemented my interest. Plus One was addicting for me. I read half of it in one sitting and wanted to read more, but had to go to bed. Sol's family loyalty and her bravery to get things done made me admire her. She was smart, but also she was a rule breaker, so she has been in a factory doing mindless work. She doesn't seem to mind too much because she is taking care of her grandpa, Poppu. Her parents passed when she was little and it had been them and her brother Ciel since. Ciel got into trouble and now he was recruited by the Rays (Day people) in order to hack, which is what he was locked up for. So Sol doesn't get to see him anymore and she's hurt by that because she'd always felt so close. She goes through great lengths to get her brother's new baby to Poppu so he could hold her. He was gravely ill and wouldn't make it to the next Unity night, where Rays and Smudges could be out during their opposite hour. The world building for this was pretty good, I liked learning about how the Day/Night system was set up and it was harrowing how strict it was. There are what they call Hour Guards who checks ids and makes sure that each perspective group is where they should be. When she is in the hospital she meets D'Arcy, who she refers to as Day Boy in her head, which made me smirk. He is the doctor's apprentice, but the way he gets wrapped up in Sol's life kept my attention. What made him stick around and continue to help her was admirable even if he did certain things following procedure that got her in more trouble at first. Also, his family brings another element of depth to the story. He is the apprentice of his mom, and his dad has such a story as to their differences and lives. I like though that the relationship between Sol and D'Arcy was slow. They had the banter that I enjoyed from the start, as well as D'Arcy's motives. It made me a little nervous not knowing why he kept helping her, but then meeting his dad, and realizing what a heart he has, it become more clear. I was so cheering for them especially with the desk situation and its resolution. So. Normally I am all about a stand alone but I seriously hope that this one is not. The ending was sweet in ways, but it just didn't sit right with me. Maybe its brave to end that way and it shows just the depth of the loyalty of Sol to those who manage to weave their way into her heart. But still. It was sad to me, and I know it should be hopeful and giving that open end where you can argue with yourself about exactly how it will play out. Bottom Line: Grabbed my attention. Loved the slow build, but had an issue with ending, which would be resolved with a 2nd book.show more