Two souls live in one body in ‘What’s Left of Me’, though one was supposed to fade away long ago. Can the recessive soul live on? Rating: 3.5/5

*This is book #2/75 for my 2013 book challenge. It also counts as book #2 for my “New Authors” group-challenge. You can take a look at my different reading challenges here.

I want to start this review off by thanking the Goodreads group Rated YA-MA, and especially Emily for offering up her ARC copy of What’s Left of Me as a traveling book for the group. I really loved seeing everyone’s little notes in the margins. Which, speaking of, why do I have such terrible handwriting? Also, since it was an ARC, meaning advanced reader’s copy, there is a possibility that some things were changed before the book went out to stores. Character names, other small things and such, so if something I say here doesn’t make sense… that would be why. Moving on now.

I must say, this book has a fascinating plot. Two souls, Eva and Addie, share the same body. Everyone had two souls at first, though usually the more recessive soul fades away by the age of 10. Those whose souls don’t fade away are called Hybrids, and they’re dangerous (though I’m not sure why. I sense conspiracy). Eva and Addie, you guessed it, never ‘settled’, meaning the recessive soul (in this case, Eva) never faded away. Addie is dominant, and she acts as though Eva is gone for good. It’s safer that way, and she can stay with her family. But once she starts hanging out with Hally/Lissa and Devon/Ryan who are brother and sister and also hybrid, her carefully webbed lie starts to unravel. I’ll leave the rest for you guys to figure out.

The book was very good, almost on the verge of great. There were a few plot inconsistencies, which always tend to rub me the wrong way. Toward the beginning of the book Eva said that she wished she could hear Addie’s thoughts sometimes but can’t unless they voice them to each other in their mind. Later in the book, Eva was having a monologue with herself as narrator of the book, and Addie answered an unvoiced question. Also, with so many hybrids there were a ton of names. I could not keep everyone in track, which made it kind of difficult. Other than that, I really liked it. There were a few parts that were a bit boring and predictable, but that kind of stuff happens.

There were some great characters, especially the supporting ones, that I wanted to know so much more of. Their stories, how they got to where they were. So for that, I’m really glad that they’ll be at least one more book. With that said, the way that it ended, it would have been perfect o leave it as a one-shot. There was closure, and peace, and I would have been okay with it ending. I worry that dragging the story out will take away from this particular story.

Ps. – Can I just point out, that this book was an ARC, meaning it’s not yet finished and they’re still proofing it, and there were much less typos and errors than most published books I’ve read recently? Kudos to your editor Kat Zhang!

Overall, lovely book. I was rooting for Eva, and even a few times Addie, and there were even characters to hate right there with them. Be sure to go check out What’s Left of Me, as well as Rated YA-MA!

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If you’re interested in reading my GoodReads updates from this book you can do so here. I must say, they’re quite entertaining. It will tell you exactly what I was thinking on certain pages.