Pacifica

by Kristen Simmons

Marin is corsario royalty, a pirate like her father and his father before him. Sailing the ocean to chase adventure is in her blood. But these days no one cares that the island town her people call home is named after her grandfather. They have a new leader, one who promises an end to their hunger – and one who thinks that girls are meant for the kitchen or the brothel. Marin knows she's meant for more than that, and with the sudden influx of weapons on the island, and rumors of a pending deal with the enemy oil nation in her wake, she knows a big score to gain the council's favor is the only way to save her people, and herself.

Ross lives a life of privilege. As the president's son he wants for nothing, but he longs for a life of adventure. On a dare, he convinces his best friend Adam to sneak out to the Docks, the site of local race riots between the poor Shorlings and the upper class. But when Adam is arrested along with the other Shorlings, and not even the president is willing to find him, Ross finds himself taking matters into his own hands. He journeys back into the Docks, ready to make deals with anyone, even a beautiful pirate, if it means Adam's safe return.

When Marin and Ross meet in dangerous Shoreling territory he sees a way to get his friend back and she sees her ticket home. The ransom a president’s son would command could feed her people for years and restore her family’s legacy. But somewhere in the middle of the ocean, Marin must decide if her heart can handle handing over the only person who has ever seen her as more than a pirate.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Pirates, Dystopia, Romance, Science Fiction, Adventure

384 pages, Hardcover

First published March 6, 2018

About the author

Kristen Simmons is the critically-acclaimed young adult author of the dystopian Article 5 trilogy, The Deceivers boarding-school thriller series, and speculative fiction stand-alones, PACIFICA, METALTOWN, and THE GLASS ARROW. She has co-written the magic-wielding, gladiator fantasies, SET FIRE THE GODS and RISE UP FROM THE EMBERS, and created the yōkai horror, FIND HIM WHERE YOU LEFT HIM DEAD. She is also the author of spicy adult thrillers, including The Masseuse Series and The Talent Trilogy (for mature audiences only).

Her work has received star reviews, librarian recognitions, and been nominated for the Edgar Award and Anthony Award for best young adult mystery. Several of her titles are included in junior high and high school reading curricula, and are used in reluctant reader programs nationwide.

Kristen’s writing is inspired by her work with trauma survivors as a mental health therapist, specializing with soldiers with PTSD and individuals in foster care. She currently lives with her husband and son in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she spins stories, herds a small pack of semi-wild dogs, and teaches Jazzercise.

Follow Kristen on Facebook (Author Kristen Simmons) and Instagram at @kris10writes.

Reviews

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I looooooooooooooooooooooooved this book. So much. OMG.


***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Pacifica by Kristen Simmons
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication Date: March 6, 2018
Rating: 5 stars
Source: Review copy sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Marin is cosario royalty, a pirate like her father and his father before him. Sailing the ocean to chase adventure is in her blood. But these days no one cares that the island town her people call home is named after her grandfather. They have a new leader, one who promises an end to their hunger – and one who thinks that girls are meant for the kitchen or the brothel. Marin knows she's meant for more than that, and with the sudden influx of weapons on the island, and rumors of a pending deal with the enemy oil nation in her wake, she knows a big score to gain the council's favor is the only way to save her people, and herself.

Ross lives a life of privilege. As the president's son he wants for nothing, but he longs for a life of adventure. On a dare, he convinces his best friend Adam to sneak out to the Docks, the site of local race riots between the poor Shorlings and the upper class. But when Adam is arrested along with the other Shorlings, and not even the president is willing to find him, Ross finds himself taking matters into his own hands. He journeys back into the Docks, ready to make deals with anyone, even a beautiful pirate, if it means Adam's safe return.

When Marin and Ross meet in dangerous Shoreling territory he sees a way to get his friend back and she sees her ticket home. The ransom a president’s son would command could feed her people for years and restore her family’s legacy. But somewhere in the middle of the ocean, Marin must decide if her heart can handle handing over the only person who has ever seen her as more than a pirate.

What I Liked:

I expected to enjoy this book, because I've read all except one of Simmons' books, and I've loved all of them. (I reaaaaaally need to read Three. Why am I so bad at finishing series.) I really trust Simmons and I honestly didn't even read the synopsis very closely, because I knew I had to have this book. Here's the thing: not only did I enjoy Pacifica, but I loved it. I fell into this story and I didn't want to stop reading until I was finished, which is exactly what happened. There are so many things about this book that absolutely worked for me, and I hope I can convince others to give this thought-provoking a novel a chance.

This is the story of Marin, a corsario living on mainland, struggling to feed herself and live a semblance of a good life. It is also the story of Ross, the president's son who has everything at his fingertips. Everything, that is, until one bad decision costs him, and he finds himself caught up in the madness of Pacifica. What exactly is Pacifica - is it the green paradise in the middle of a clear blue ocean that the government wants everyone to believe? Why is the government "choosing" five hundred Shorelings to go? What's really out there? Marin and Ross meet in uncertain circumstances but must work together to stay alive, and discover the truth about Pacifica.

This book is told from third-person dual POV, with each chapter being told by either Marin or Ross. Their mutual story converges fairly quickly and they meet when Ross and his friend Adam decide to leave the fancy government party celebrating Pacifica and the pending lottery to go out and watch the riots. Marin isn't trying to be in the riots, but she needs to make a deal with someone, and that someone is where the riots are. The riots throw Marin, Ross, and Adam together, but only Marin and Ross make it out. Ross is determined to find Adam no matter the cost, and Marin knows that Adam is going to be taken to Pacifica. This is how Marin and Ross find themselves in a predicament - find Pacifica, find Adam. Marin needs the money, Ross needs his friend back... but they both get much more danger and shocking discoveries than they expected.

Once Marin and Ross set out to find Adam, I was completely hooked. I mean, I was hooked before then, but I was totally dialed in and anxious to read more, by the time Marin and Ross take to the seas. By then you must know that Pacifica isn't what it is made out to be, the government isn't being truthful, and the Shorelings are being taken somewhere to die - or worse. So many secrets! So much danger. This story was rife with high stakes, and an all-or-nothing type of adventure.

I really felt for Marin, who is such a strong and capable young lady trying to live in emptiness and nothings. She isn't a Shoreling - she was born a corsario (pirate) - but she is just as trapped as the other Shorelings scraping by to eat and survive. Marin was brought up to be tough and a survivor, but she has a soft heart underneath the thorns. There is a lot of complexity and grey area when it comes to Marin, and my heart broke for her throughout the story.

Despite Ross living a lavish, pampered life as the president's son, I connected with and liked him from the start. He is so noble and loyal, which we get to see over and over in the book. He listens and observes and has an open mind. He has a soft heart, like Marin. Ross is a paradox, but aren't we all?

The world of this story is a brutal world, a world set in the somewhat far future, but a world that is quite possible and could very well happen. There is very little clean water in this world, and absolutely no ice/icebergs/polar icecaps. There is little food, little shelter, little oil, little of everything. The world is in ruin, for many reasons, and there are few options for many people. This is how Pacifica came into works by politicians. You'll have to read more to find out what Pacifica really is...

I really, really appreciated the harsh environmental themes of this book. Climate change is at the forefront, with the melted ice, rising sea levels, disappearing coasts, acidic water. I'm an environmental engineer and climate change is something we studied very heavily in school, as well as water quality and the future of the environment. The author did not shy away from the details and nuances of a world ravaged by climate change, and I appreciated this. This could be the future, fam.

Another thing I appreciated (though it made me so sad) was how much the story of Pacifica reminded me of some good old US history. Doesn't it sound familiar? Sending five hundred of X type of people to what is basically a prison, telling them it's for their own good and safety, that they'll be able to have a better life there? This happened not too long ago, in US history. I was thinking about this as I was reading the book, and how familiar the idea seemed, and how there was conflict on both sides of everything, and way too many innocent people that deserved better. Read the author's note at the end of the book when you get a chance. After reading the book, I read the author's note, and my heart broke. The author knew exactly what she was doing, and what type of story she was telling, and this... this made me appreciate the story even more. Props to you, Kristen Simmons. Pacifica is so important from an environmental point-of-view, but just as much or maybe even more so from a historical and social and political point-of-view.

The author clearly did her research, not just on the environmental issues, or when it came to the mechanics of sailing a ship. She really captured history in this book, without writing a historical fiction novel.

I adored was the romance, as subtle and slow-burning as it was. There is no love triangle (and I only make this statement because yes, while Adam might be considered a very important secondary character, he isn't a love interest or anything like that. Not even close.). There is no insta-love between Ross and Marin, but rather a slow building of feelings and closeness. I loved their relationship, from perfect strangers on the the extremes of the societal totem pole, to two people who need to trust each other and depend on each other to survive. Like I said, the romance is very slow-burn and not something I was really thinking about as the story was progressing, but it was something that crept up on me and I appreciated the subtlety. Yes, there is kissing in this book!

The ending of this book is very hopeful, from all standpoints. Nothing is perfect and riding off into the sunset, but many political decisions were made about this and that, and so we know change has been happening. And on the romantic side of things, the ending is really sweet.

I could probably gush about this book some more. I loved the story and I would reread it again in a heartbeat (and I think I will!). It's not a fluffy, fun story to read - it's an intense, sometimes dark story that sheds some light into the potential future of the world. It's honestly not so far off. This story is so important and I hope many people read it, especially teenagers, who are our future.

What I Did Not Like:

I really can't think of anything so I'll be skipping this section!

Would I Recommend It:

I really recommend this book. Yes, I'm an environmental engineer and former environmental engineering student and I'm super excited about a post-apocalyptic/dystopia novel focusing so heavily on the future of the environment and consequences and climate change. But I also loved the story of Ross and Marin, two people coming from very different backgrounds to change everything. I loved the message of the story and how it reflected on a dark time in US history. I can't recommend this book enough; it is fiction, but it is also reality.

Rating:

5 stars. Pacifica is a thought-provoking, moving novel that exposes a future that could very well be reality for the world. This book should be in classrooms, among students and teachers. Fiction is great for escape, but it can teach us so much. I am never disappointed by Simmons and I'm glad Pacifica was such a hit for me. I hope many readers share the same sentiment!

[aimee (aimeecanread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. The world-building creates a plot that's really timely and relevant.
This book shows a world of trash--literally. In this dystopian world, everything we haven't done to save Mother Nature has taken its toll. Global warming went to an extreme; all the icebergs in the world melted; miles and miles of trash make the seas almost inhabitable.

2. The heroine was strong, fierce, and smart.
At first, Marin was just your typical, I-need-redemption-so-I-need-to-be-badass heroine. She grew a lot throughout the novel, proving to be loyal, compassionate, and resourceful. She always had the welfare of the common people in mind, and she always put them before herself. And she always stayed true to her word!



3. The hero was always either knocked out or useless, but I loved him anyway!
See, there's a legitimate reason as to why the main dude, Ross, is this way--he's the President's son, so obviously, he grew up shielded from the harsh realities of the world. He didn't know how to sail a boat; he didn't know how to fight on the streets. But he tried his best!!! His desire to serve his people well was so obvious, and so genuine. He was such a pure, loving soul.

4. The writing could have been better.
The writing was alright, technically, but it made me feel a bit disconnected from the characters and from the story. It took me a while to finally get into the book, and it was mostly because of the lovely characters, and nothing to do with the zero-personality writing.



5. The romance was cute, and it took a backseat!
It took me a while to finally tell myself, "Yup, this one has a romance!" I didn't think it would have, based on the first 50% of the book or so, which was okay. BUT!!! The romance actually made things a bit better. Okay, okay. It was a little bit too fast-paced to be amazing, but I did like the dynamics between the two characters. They were respectful towards each other, and never pushed the other too far.

6. The friendship dynamics get an A+ from me!
Ross has this best friend, Adam, who was a Shoreling--AKA he wasn't born wealthy. When he was bullied, or when other people looked down on him, Ross always stood up for him. And when Adam was kidnapped, Ross never considered sitting back and letting someone else find him. He went out of his way, doing things he knew he couldn't really do, just to find his best friend.

7. The ending was a bit too convenient!?
I'll try not to spoil anything, but this is one of those books where some things happen behind the scenes, so we don't really know how things got to the ending, and we just know what the actual ending was. This wasn't really a big issue for me, though. This book was still a really solid, and relevant read.

[Actual rating: 3.5 stars]

[Mogsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/03/17/...

I had high hopes for Pacifica, even more so after I read the author’s foreword and realized the story was in part inspired by the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II—a topic that gets touched upon relatively rarely in this genre. And yet, despite the book’s poignant themes, I felt that much of their significance was lost amidst some plot, pacing, and characterization issues. I still had a good time with the novel overall, but ultimately it failed to reach the heights I expected.

The future is bleak in Pacifica, which opens in the year 2193 featuring a world ravaged by natural disasters and epidemics. The North American continent has become unrecognizable after numerous changes to the land and flooding, and what used to be the state of California is now an archipelago. Noram City, the capital of what’s left of the country, is home to both the elites who live safely at high elevations and to the indigent Shoreling population who struggle to survive down near the coasts. With resources dwindling, the government has proposed a new bill called the Relocation Act which will resettle five hundred of Noram’s poorest citizens on a new island called Pacifica.

Understandably, the announcement was met with mixed reactions. Some Shorelings were optimistic, hoping to be chosen for the voyage so that they would have a chance at a fresh start. Others, however, were more skeptical. After all, if Pacifica was such a wonderful paradise, why weren’t the wealthy citizens clamoring to be the ones to go there first?

As the unease sweeps through the city in response to the Relocation Act, Ross Torres, the seventeen-year-old son of the president, gets it into his head to have a bit of fun. Along with his friend Adam Baker, the vice president’s son, the two young men decide to sneak past their security details to check out the riots, subsequently falling into a situation they can’t handle. In the chaos, they meet Marin, the exiled daughter of a pirate king who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, finding herself caught up in the protests. When Adam becomes separated and abducted in violence, Ross is forced to team up with Marin, taking to the seas with her in order to rescue his friend.

This book took a long time to take off. Admittedly, before I knew more about the story, I was drawn to Pacifica because of the promise of pirates and seafaring adventures. Well, none of this good stuff came until much later, because first we had to sit through a long intro of politics and getting to know our protagonists—none of whom were very likeable, if I’m to be honest. Ross’s character was a study in stupidity and arrogance, who just couldn’t seem to take responsibility for his own mistakes or see beyond his own self-interests. It’s also terribly unoriginal, i.e. the rich politician’s son who doesn’t get enough freedom or attention because dad’s too busy with work and mom’s too doped up on prescription drugs. Marin herself fares no better, embodying the cliché of the pirate princess with a heart of gold, complete with a mandatory soft spot for orphaned children. The world-building isn’t very imaginative either; it’s the same old post-apocalyptic dystopian scenario with the earth all messed up because of climate change, and strained resources leading to a huge disparity between the rich and the poor.

But as predictable as this story gets, things do pick up considerable around the halfway point when Ross and Marin finally set sail. Also, fans of YA romance will probably enjoy this book, since I found that aspect to be done very well. More authors should take a page from Pacifica when it comes to gradually exploring and establishing trust between characters before proceeding with the romance. Ross also makes leaps and bounds with regards to his personal growth and development—even if all those changes were to be expected. In spite of this, reading about his eventual epiphany and insight into the situation made the journey worth it in the end.

In sum, more focus on the deeper and more important issues coupled with less reliance on well-trodden tropes would have probably made this one better. While nothing about Pacifica really blew me away or made it stand out from other YA books in the same genre, the story provided an entertaining diversion (especially once it gained momentum in the second half), making this a decent choice if you’re looking for a light, fluffy read.

[Mindee Arnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristen Simmons has a gift for cultivating the sweetest of loves from the darkest of places. In Pacifica, she's created a bleak, futuristic world that's utterly believable and terrifying, and yet from out of it springs the greatest of hope, carried on the back of its fierce main characters. I was swept away.

[Katie McGarry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an early copy of this manuscript and loved it!

[Fafa's Book Corner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mini review:

DNF

GR Ultimate Summer Reading Challenge: Ocean Blue.

Kristen Simmons is an author who I've known about for awhile. When I heard about Pacifica I decided to give it a go. Unfortunately it wasn't for me.

Before deciding to buy Pacifica (not in my library) I read the sample. I was intrigued! The world was interesting, and the characters were good! I was really looking forward to reading it. I was just going to wait a few days before I bought. Those days passed and I completely forgot about Pacifica.

I came to realize while I enjoyed it, Pacifica just wasn't memorable for me. What I read just didn't have any real impact on me. After this realization I just couldn't bring myself to read the whole book. Why waste my time? And write a bad review in the end.

I still recommend. This was a personal thing.

[Karen’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Pacifica, Kristen Simmons gives us a scary realistic near future post apocalyptic world where the Melt has covered much of the landmasses with water.

Kristen bases much of the story on an island of garbage (and this is based on reality! Look up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which is twice the size of Texas!) where the Eighty-Sixers (pirates) live.

I really enjoyed the characters of Ross, Marin, and Alex. Marin was a strong kickass female lead with a good heart.

I thoroughly enjoined this book and found the ending exceptionally satisfying! I’m looking forward to reading more from Kristen.

[alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, Kristen Simmons creates a vivid post-apocalyptic world view, this time focusing on climate change and the effect it has on the future. PACIFICA is filled with action-packed scenes, a tender romance, and a harrowing and intriguing setting.

PACIFICA follows Marin, a cosario (think pirate), and Ross, the son of the President in this futuristic government. As their paths cross, they figure out the truth about Pacifica, the tropical island to which five hundred citizens are to be sent. I immensely enjoyed the discussion of climate change, especially the timeline that depicted the effects of climate change and the disintegration of the world as we know it.

Told in alternating perspectives of Marin and Ross, PACIFICA was incredibly unique and creative. The characters were lovely to read about, if a little dense (such as Ross and his unbelievable stupidity). The only reservation that I have is that the unfolding of the Pacifica scandal was a bit difficult and confusing to interpret when I read it.

Overall, PACIFICA is a solid futuristic standalone that probes deeply into the effects and dangers of climate change. If you enjoy adventure, post-apocalyptic settings, and a kick-ass heroine like Marin, be sure to check this book out!

Thank you to Tor for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Erin Arkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Pacifica, Kristen Simmons has created a world where climate change has impacted the world so negatively that the world we know today doesn’t exist any longer and I have to say, it is quite frightening that this could probably actually happen. It's no secret that I love the stories that Simmons writes and this one is no different. From start to finish I was immersed in this story of politics, friendship, and family. Also – the cover is amazing! As always...no spoilers below.

This book is told from two very different perspectives. We get Marin, a corsario pirate, and Ross, the son of the president. At the center of this story is something called the Relocation Act. The president has developed a program that will allow five hundred “lucky” lottery winners amongst the shorelings to relocate to a place called Pacifica which Marin knows doesn’t exist because she has been out there. Those opposed to the relocation support revitalization near the shore to make life better for that group and because there is such opposition between the groups, riots occur almost every night. As a way to get away from the boredom of another political event, Ross and his best friend Adam, decide to go see what’s happening.

As far as characters go, I thought Simmons did a fantastic job of developing both Marin and Ross. From the first page we see what kind of life Marin comes from and how that has shaped her. As the story moves forward, we get to learn more about her corsario roots and exactly why she couldn’t go back. I love that she is always willing to do what she can for those she cares about.

As for Ross, he first comes across as a bit spoiled and the fact that he is looking for adventure amongst the danger that the shorelings live in day to day, made me a bit annoyed with him at first. With that said, when he and Adam get into real trouble, Ross finally realizes it’s not a game and his choices have real consequences. He also decides he is going to do whatever is necessary to bring Adam home.

I thought the secondary characters added depth to the story and were just as well developed. We get to learn more about Ross’s family and those who surround them as well as Marin’s family and why she is living with the shorelings instead of her corsario family. There are some key individuals introduced who both help and cause problems for these two along the way.

There is a lot of action in this book and Marin and Ross face a lot of challenges and danger from the second they meet. Simmons does a great job of using this to propel the story along while still focusing on the characters and what the core of the story is.

Overall this book feels relevant to some key political things going on in our world today and while this is a fictional story, it felt very realistic to me and with that said, somewhat frightening. Adding to the story is the personal perspective that Simmons has included by tying this to her family history with internment camps during WWII. For me, this made the story even more impactful and don’t miss the author’s note when you read this book to read about Simmon’s family background.

In the end, I loved this book you guys...Kristen Simmons has written another fantastic story that has interesting characters, lots of action, danger and my favorite, swoons. Definitely add this to your TBR now if it isn't there already. As a standalone you won’t have to worry about waiting for the next book and I count it as a win that Simmons didn’t make me cry like a baby in this one.

Thank you to the publisher and author for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG ALL THE FEELS.



The beginning was meh. I didn't care for Ross or Adam because to me, they seemed like rich brats living privileged lives without knowing how lucky they are and taking what they have for granted. But as I continue reading the book, I realised that they are not as shallow and stuck-up as they may seem at first. Their bromance is so adorable and it is really clear that they care a lot about each other. Ross even risks his life to find Adam when he is missing.

Before reading the book, I read that the author based the story on her great-grandma's experiences in WWII, and wow. She is such an incredibly strong woman. The author included a note about what her grandma went through, and I really admire how brave and determined she was.

MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IS DEFINITELY MARIN. 1. She is a pirate (kind of like a younger version of Lila Bard? I LOVE LILA BARD), 2. she is badass as heck and 3. she has got amazing sailing skillz!

Okay I was secretly shipping her with Ross from the moment they met and I can't believe my ship sailed! I was waiting for them to kiss and when they finally did... *clutches heart because FEELS* They are so cute together and that little natural reserve scene at the end aahh IT'S SO FREAKING ADORABLE.

And wow I got a bit scared reading this. The story's set in the future and the ocean is filled with rubbish and debris, all of the ice on Earth has melted, there's acidic rain and many cities have sunk underwater because of the melting icebergs. *shudder* If we humans don't stop trashing the Earth, this will likely happen in the future and I'm sure none of us want to see that happen. So yeah guys, reuse, reduce, recycle (oh gosh I sound like an environmental advocate... but that's not a bad thing right? :D)

Overall rating

★★★★.5

This book totally exceeded my expectations. The bromance + romance was beautiful and I love how this story was based on the life story of a strong woman. Please go read it right now, okay?

[mith · Rating 4 out of 5]

ahhhh, this was just as wonderful as I'd hoped it would be!! I've been waiting--wanting--to read Pacifica for the longest time now, and it was so, so worth it. I loved Marin, I loved Ross (despite... his name... which shouldn't matter, but when it's the same as the guy from Friends, yeah), and I loved the complicated relationships they had with each other and with other people in their lives.

This was just SO GOOD.

[Nitzan Schwarz]

tbh after The Foxhole Court I want to read every single thing Cait says is worth reading??

[Raven_Blake (dreamy addictions) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars!
Same Review Also Posted On My Blog: Dreamy Addictions

First of all, I never read Kristen Simmon's books but I was very much excited to read Pacifica because it says pirates and sea adventure in a dystopian world. I mean who could resist that? not me. This story was actually inspired from the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. It was an enjoyable read and I really liked the plot and the concept, but it was missing that wow factor that'll leave you in amazement so I finally ended up giving it a 3.5 out of 5 stars. But honestly, it was really a good stand-alone dystopian novel with interesting plot, great setting, and intriguing characters. 

Marin is a born Casario, a pirate like her father and his father before him. She craves sailing in the ocean but she doesn't have ruthlessness that every pirate possess. After she was exiled from her people, she comes to Noram City, the great metropolis of the Western Seaboard. It is a dangerous place, divided in half by a jagged cliff that separated the poor Shorelings who lived on the waterline from the rich who lived above.  The shorelings call the upper class rich people "Kanshu" which means jailers because while they were living a poor life starving for food everyday, the kanshu's are living a luxurious life and controlling their city. When the government came up with a relocation plan, the shorelings are totally against it. 

Ross is the President's son who had lived a sheltered life in his entire life. He was bored with his routine life and he always craved for adventure and the outside world. On a dare, Ross and his best friend Adam sneaks out to watch the large riots at the docks made by the shorlings. Unfortunately, things doesn't go as planned when the riots gets out of control and they get tangled in it. Adam is the Vice President's son who once used to be a shoreling and during the riots he gets arrested and taken to an offshore prison. No one is willing to find him because everyone's busy with the relocation, and their pending deal with their enemy oil nation. So Ross takes matters into his own hand and hires Marin, his last hope to find his best friend. Together they embark on a rescue mission. During their journey, they discover many shocking secrets, secrets that could bring chaos to their world. 

I really liked Marin. She's a strong, independent, compassionate, and fierce character. Her backstory was interesting. She was looked down by the other pirates for being soft hearted but she never let it bother her, and her helping starving orphans is quite admirable. She sells drugs to provide for the children. Ross is pretty enjoyable character. I actually didn't like him at the beginning because he was a bit reckless and acted like a rich spoiled brat, but as the story progressed  he grew on me. I enjoyed his character growth throughout. I also enjoyed the sweet slow burn romance between Marin and Ross. They're star crossed lovers who comes from different worlds. I liked how their relationship developed slowly. As for the side characters, I also liked Ross's best friend Adam. He's such a sweet guy who's often bullied in the school for being a shoreling. I wish he played more part in this book. I enjoyed the bromance between Adam and Ross, and how they always look out for each other. 

  The plot was interesting and thought provoking. I really liked the idea behind the story. Despite not meeting my expectations, the story never failed to hold my interest. The pacing is a bit slow at the start, but eventually gains speed as the story progresses. There's not much kick-ass action in the first half, it was mostly focused on the political stuff, and getting acquainted with the characters and the world.  Some parts of the story was predictable but not everything.  Kristen has a great writing style and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story was told in third person perspective shifting between Marin and Ross. The world building was amazing. The author build a dangerous dystopian world where polar ice caps has melted due to the extreme temperature change, air is polluted, food and fuel crisis, natural resources are low, animals slowly becoming extinct, Oceans are filled with trash. Sounds pretty horrifying, right? It might be our possible future. Everyone is struggling to survive in this world and that tar thing really gross me out.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! It's not only an adventurous read but a well thought out story. It's a good read and I think we need more stand-alone novels like this in the future. 

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 star read from Kristen Simmons!

I loved everything about this. It was a quick read, with lots of action, and the world building was amazing. A lot of it took place on boats and the ocean, and that was so cool! I loved the 3 main characters and their differences and similarities. The dynamic between the 3 of them really made this book for me.

[Amanda B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book by Kristen Simmons that I have tried because she is going to be at an event I am also going to be at. Sadly, I am once again disappointed. I liked Pacifica more than her other novel, but I don’t think I’ll be trying any other books by her.
I have the same issues with this story that I did with ARTICLE 5. The setting was incredible. A dystopian California full of political drama and ruined by natural disasters along with other human causes. The world was interesting and chaotic and filled with all the things I like (read: pirates, futuristic messed up America, hate to love).
Despite the potential this story had with the setting, I just didn’t care about the characters. They were alright. They weren’t anything special. The typical misunderstood poor girl and privileged boy from the nice side of town. One teaches the other how messed up the world really is and all the things that the rich people are doing wrong. I just didn’t care about any of it. I really wish I did because it could have been a story I really like but I just wasn’t invested in these characters.
I wish I had liked this story more, but I didn’t. It had all of the elements of a story I would like, but the characters just fell flat for me.

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.

[Scottsdale Public Library]

This fascinating teen novel is sure to give environmentalists nightmares, set in the world after the Melt has raised sea levels to dangerous heights. Marin is a young woman who ekes out a living using her skills as a sailor and scavenger while navigating ocean waters filled with debris. Added to the mix is a plan to evacuate some portions of the population to the island of Pacifica, promised to be a paradise for its inhabitants. When you mix a romantic interest, danger, political intrigue and a heroine as strong and capable as Katniss Everdeen, you're in for a great read! -- Louisa A.

[All Things Urban Fantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

PACIFICA is a compelling story of what the future could look like in a world ravaged by global warming. While that might seem like a super intense subject, PACIFICA manages to show the cost to humans while still entertaining with pirates, romance and nearly constant action. One of my most anticipated books of the year, PACIFICA did not disappoint.

When the story opens, the reader is thrown into the middle of everything. With alternating chapters between Marin's and Ross's narration, we see the opposite ends of the class spectrum that exist in the PACIFICA world. It immediately grabbed me and made me want to read more to see what was going to happen. I haven't read anything else by Simmons, but the world building is very well done, and super plausible. You can tell that Simmons did her research on global warming and what our world could look like. But it never feels heavy-handed, in a cautionary tale kind of way. It's more of a backdrop to the story of Marin and Ross.

The underlying story between Marin and Ross is a bit of a romance, which I swooned over. The two of them are the most unlikely pairing, and yet, it works. The more we learn about both of them, we can see how they are perfect for each other - and they see the same thing. There is no instalove here, instead we see the slow build of a relationship. Plus, there's pirates! Fighting! Sailing through storms! So much to keep your attention even if the relationship isn't your favorite thing.

I knew even less about PACIFICA going in than the current description of the book. So, not wanting to spoil anybody, I am going to end my review here. However, I do wholeheartedly recommend PACIFICA.

Sexual content: Kissing, implied threats of rape

[nia🏹 •shades0fpaper• · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find this review and others on my blog shades of paper

“Even if Marin didn’t want to go, she didn’t have a choice. Living here, hiding here from her own people, didn’t come free. She would not starve, or let his crew starve, while she could still do something.”

Oh, my god! This was the pirate book I never knew I wanted until I read it! To be completely honest, I didn’t have any idea that it was going to be a book about pirates, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised with the whole story.

When I first read the premise, it immediately caught my attention and ever since I knew I had to read it. Despite the fact that I don’t usually read dystopian novels and this one was one of those, it was such a great and action packed book, and I just really enjoyed the whole plot.

One of the things that I loved about Pacifica was the fact that it addressed a lot of important topics that concern us now, regarding the environment and the differences between wealthy and poor, and it did it so well. The whole plot was focused on those things, and that is something that I enjoy reading in dystopian or futuristic stories.

I also loved the fact that there were pirates in the book! They were much different from the original ones, mainly I think because this was a futuristic story and not an historical fiction one, but I just adored how the author portrayed them. They were basically how I imagine pirates to be: ruthless, liars and quite selfish. And though they didn’t really appear until the last half to 30% of the novel, it was so worth the wait because the whole plot was quite intriguing.

“You don’t like me. That’s okay. You will not be stuck here forever, mouette. One day you’ll fly away from this place; you just need to stretch your wings.”

I really enjoyed the characters, as well. Marin was such a badass and intelligent protagonist, with lots of layers and a nicely done character arc. I absolutely loved her evolution throughout the story. Even though it wasn’t that big, there were some parts where you could she how much she’d grown.

Also her interactions with the male characters, and her relationship in general was so good. I think because they both were quite different people with very different personalities is why they clicked so well. And I think that the romance was very well done, because it wasn’t rushed and it took its time to happen, and first they became friends.

Another thing that I absolutely adored seeing in this novel was a pure and beautiful male friendship. I haven’t seen many of these in books I’ve read previously, and seeing a relationship where the two guys cared about each other so much and were trying to help the other out was so precious.

Overall, it was such a fast paced and action packed novel, and I’m so happy I decided to read it, because I was so pleasantly surprised by Pacifica. It was quite easy to get into and I loved the characters and the journey they went through in the story, so I highly recommend it if you’re interested in it!

Actual rating: 4.25⭐️

[Jane ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

GUYS THIS BOOK ADFSAHFKJSDH
FIRST OF ALL, I'VE ALWAYS LOVED PIRATES



SECOND OF ALL, THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING I'VE EVER WANTED

1. Marin - I don't remember the last time I loved the MC so much. Marin is such an interesting and complex character - she is a totally badass pirate, but at the same time a sweet girl who just want to be loved and appreciated. "Sailing the ocean to chase adventure is in her blood" is totally true. The moment she stepped on that boat you could see how capable she is and how much she loves being on the sea. Not only can she sail the boat perfectly on her own, she also made a boat out of nothing. That girl has some mad skills. Not to mention how dangerous and kickass she is and how she can beat yo ass in 2 seconds if you get on her bad side.


^you don't mess with Marin

2. Ross/Adam - Ross is a precious baby who needs to be protected at all costs ♥ Even though he's the president's son, he wasn't a spoiled brat. He didn't think he was better than everyone else. It's actually the opposite, he always took care of his BFF Adam, who has been bullied by other "rich kids" for not being like them. Their friendship was one of the main points of the book - the whole reason why Marin and Ross go on this adventure. I think it was completely adobrable ^u^ Can you imagine how much Ross cared for Adam when he was ready to cross half of the ocean just to save him? This is some real bro love ♥

3. World-building - Simmons described this world with so much detail that I could picture myself walking through this city, interacting with these characters. There's Noram where half of the people live by the shore and the rich half lives on the hill of sorts. Then there's the whole freaking ocean where you never know if a storm's gonna hit you and if you will even survive. And of course, there's Careytown.... The place where the worst of the worst live. Where people live in the garbage and for the garbage. They shape it, produce it, sell it and basically do anything they can to survive. And it's a place where survival is hard, something Marin know better than most people.



4. The plot - it's very hard to achieve success in all 3 areas - character development, detailed world-building and interesting plot. For example, in some books you have complex characters with excellent development, but nothing barely happens. I don't know how, but Simmons managed to do all of it. I already talked about the first 2 areas, but the plot was also fantastic - the book was interesting, action-packed and had just enough of little twists to make things a bit unpredictable. To be perfectly honest, I have a short attention span - if there's no action, twists, interesting events...I'm gonna be bored. Therefore, there's a small amount of books, that focus only on the characters, that I find interesting. What can I say, I live for the adventure ;) And here, we get lots of adventures. From running away from the bad guys through the city, fighting with pirates to surviving in the middle of the ocean while a storm's coming. When I opened this book, I had no idea what was waiting for me :D



I almost forgot the romance. I think it was just right. It developed slowly and it didn't take much of the story - first it's in the form of a strong friendship and later something a bit more. Slow-burning romance is the best kind of romance.

Now that I've finished the book, I'm equally happy and sad this is a standalone. I wish I could read more about their adventures, but it also had a perfect ending and I think the sequel wouldn't be as good as the first book.

[Meigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kristen Simmons states in the acknowledgments of Pacifica that this is her most personal book to date, as it incorporates several important themes that are relevant to both herself and her family, mainly the oppression and prejudice that her family has experienced during WW2 and the heartbreaking mistreatment of the Japanese by the Americans. That very important element plays a strong role in this novel and while the ire and the prejudice isn’t aimed directly at people of a particular race or ethnicity, but rather those of a particular social status or location. Shorelings, as they’re derogatorily referred to, are those who aren’t part of the elite — the politicians, in this case — who live in areas below cliffs that were created by earthquakes. In this fictional world, the elite really do look down upon the less fortunate, both figuratively and literally.

Set several hundred (one hundred? Two? I can’t remember) years into our future, the world that we knew has succumbed to global warming and undergone something called The Melt. The polar ice caps are gone, sea levels have risen dangerously and uncontrollably, rendering much of the land uninhabitable by either creating islands, or swallowing cities entirely. To top it off, fresh water is so acidic that it burns, storms rage on for weeks, garbage is everywhere, particularly plastic, choking the waterways and building up everywhere you look. Except for above the cliffs, of course, because the elites prefer to pretend that these conditions don’t exist. Ross Torres is one such elite. Son of the president, he lives a life much different than those below the cliffs, and it shows in his attitude and his inability to comprehend that the elites are essentially trying to eradicate anyone who isn’t like they are. It’s not until certain events get wildly out of control and his only ally is a Shoreling named Marin, who doesn’t particularly want to be helping someone who doesn’t care about anyone but himself and his kind. Such an unlikely partnership for sure, and certainly one that provided a perfect setup for characters to gain enlightenment and understanding through empathy.

Not only did Pacifica touch on important themes that are relevant in today’s climate, particularly prejudice, but it also gave a realistic glimpse of what essentially could happen if the world continues on its trajectory of ignoring global warming and heavy reliance on oil and plastics. Anything apocalyptic is always a little scary, but when you take that apocalypse and add in a realistic scenario, it makes it feel much more real. And definitely incredibly more frightening.

My only grievance with Pacifica is the pacing seemed a little off to me, with not much in the way happening in the first half. And I get it, this is such a detailed story, particularly with getting to know the characters and getting a feel for the inequality and the mistreatment of folks, but it still felt a little unbalanced to me. Especially since the synopsis gives the impression that pirates will play a much bigger role, as will the actual story surrounding the “paradise” known as Pacifica, but both seemed incredibly crammed together in the second half. It’s still an excellent story, and my grievance is easy to overlook, especially since there’s so much goodness otherwise.

Bottom line - I really enjoyed Pacifica, especially since there are so many relevant and important themes running throughout, and it’s certainly one I’d recommend to anyone looking for a more realistic approach to the creation of a dystopian society. 3.5 stars.

[Munro's Kids · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

This kind of book isn't really what I gravitate towards. I didn't love it, but I do respect it. Despite the fact it didn't do much for me, I would happily recommend it to the right audience.

It's a very topical book: climate change has destroyed parts of the earth, and most of the west coast of North America is underwater (i.e. there are plenty of references to "the California Islands"). I'm sure lots of other places are underwater too, but our story is focused on this area. We have two narrators: Marin, a pirate's exiled daughter, and Ross, the president's son. Family ties and loyalties play a strong theme, and both characters struggle with the weight of their parents' legacy. The book does a great job of amping up the tension and constantly raising the stakes. Ross and Marin just never catch a break, and it's very action-driven. Whatever can go wrong does go wrong, pretty much as a rule. So for readers who like lots of plot and thrills, this book delivers.

The character development does seem a bit forced in comparison. I thought the romance between Ross and Marin was pushed on me through longing looks and dramatic statements (you know, the typical "He was a part of her now, and belonged to her in a way no one else ever could!" kind of stuff). But I suppose that's bound to happen when the plot takes precedence. I also didn't like how the ending was tied up neatly in a pretty little bow... I understand it's a standalone, but I found some of the secondary characters did a massive U-turn to avoid any unpleasant conflict lying around.

I liked the author's afterword citing her inspiration coming from Japanese internment in WWII, and her own family ties to those events. I wish it was a foreword, because it did change how I viewed the book, and I wish I'd picked up on those ties beforehand. The racial/social undertones are also pretty darn topical. I can see this being a good recommendation for high school teachers/librarians given the environmental and political themes.

[Hannah D · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a post-apocolyptic world, nature is lashing out. Humanity has had to change to survive, but with people, somethings never truly change. Marin is a pirate in this new world. She is a cut throat, sailing and dangerous buccaneer, and she also has been trapped away from her people on land with the land lovers; then one day, and opportunity arrived. Ross is the son of the President, prestigious and powerful. He needs Marin to help him find and save his friend, and in the process they both get sucked into the drama and danger of the elusive and mysterious island paradise: Pacifica.
I really enjoyed Pacifica. It was intense, dramatic and contained many elements of mystery and real life concerns. Based in a world post extreme climate change, Pacifica takes a look at classism and poverty. It looks at what people do when they are desperate for food and to survive as well as how the actions of those in the past can critically effect the now. I found Mari was a very redeemable pirate and Ross a very redeemable spoiled brat. There was wonderful amounts of character development in the novel as well as plenty of intriguing plot twists. Overall, my only complaint is towards how the end of the novel was almost too perfectly and smoothly cleaned and wrapped up. But, even with that, it doesn't stop me from giving Pacifica the rating of FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!!!

Want more of me? Go to: http://thenotsopubliclibrary.blogspot.ca

[Jeraca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this free eARC novel from Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.

I admit, the word pirate got to me. I am a sucker for pirate novels and have a high expectation of what the novel should consist of. And the way this novel starts? Not at all to do with pirates. And I understood that, so I kept trucking along through the book, but when I got to 40%, I just couldn't do it anymore. It was all political, giving the reader the backstory of what happened to the world with global warming and why they are making poor people go to this new island, this new world, for a better life.

But I was. Just. So. Bored! I couldn't handle the political aspect anymore, and then the characters were freaking out over people they met for 2 seconds. I had just gotten to the blackmail part when I decided I was skimming the novel more than reading it, and if it did get to the pirate stuff, I was already so disconnected from the story that it didn't even matter.

I haven't read Kristen Simmons other novels yet and I have been wanting to, so eventually I will pick them up and give them a try - just like I did with this one.

I wish I had liked it more because the synopsis and the cover really sucked me in. Maybe later I'll try it when it's published and see if I can be a bit more invested in the story to finish it. Especially since it's a stand alone and I love reading those, with no impatient waiting for the next.

I'm glad that I got an eARC of this book and I think other readers will enjoy it a bit more than I did!

[Carina Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been meaning to read this book for so long. And now I finally made myself start it. Which I'm so happy that I did. Even though I did not completely love this book, I enjoyed it so much. And I'm so glad that I read it. It is an important story. One that I think everyone should read. It felt so real and all kinds of scary.

There was so much I liked about this book. The writing was so stunning. The story was interesting. The characters were well done. And the history behind everything was perfect. And truly heartbreaking. So real and honest. And I loved that. The author note at the beginning of the book was everything. Was so good.

And then the story alone was pretty incredible too. What I liked most about everything was how real it was. This is a story set in the future. After the earth have started to collapse on us. With all the trash humans throw in the ocean. Liked how this story spoke about that. I liked how real it felt. Heartbreaking and a little scary. But real. And important too. I don't want our future to be the one in Pacifica. This is also a story about all the differences between the rich and the poor. It hurt my heart to read about. But that, too, was so real and so well done as well. I liked how Kristen included everything in this book. I liked how well she wrote it. There was not too much, yet there was enough. And I feel like this is a book everyone should read. About what could happen to us.

This book tells the story of Ross and Marin. The rich boy and the poor girl. Living in the same city, but on different sides of it. Living completely different lives. Ross is the son of the president. Marin is a daughter of a pirate. Though she has not been with the other pirates for five years. She has not been sailing on the ocean for five years. Which means she was way softer than I thought she would be. But I didn't mind one bit. Because Marin was fierce and brave and all kinds of sweet. I adored her. I loved getting to know her.

Then there was Ross. I could not help but love him a whole lot. He is the sheltered rich boy, not knowing the truth about those that do not have everything that he does. But he grows a lot in this book. And I liked that so much. He sees so much more. He was never unkind or cruel, though, only ignorant. Which means I loved him from the very beginning. He was adorable and so sweet yet fierce too. He would do anything for his best friend, Adam. Which is what he does. He risks his life for him. He would give his life for Adam.

And that simply made me love Ross even more. His friendship with Adam was awesome. Though we do not get to see them together much, considering the book begins with Adam being arrested and Ross is trying his hardest to find him again. Which is not an easy thing. I also liked how their friendship got better as the book went on; that Ross wanted to improve on himself. This book is about Ross searching for his missing friend. Doing everything he can to find him again, after he was arrested and sent away on a ship.

Which is how he ends up with Marin. She knows where Adam was taken. And she is willing to take him there, if he pays her. Which he promises to do. And so off they go on her small ship. And I have to admit that I enjoyed reading about them together and them sailing together. This book only takes place in less than a week. But it was enough time to make me adore both characters. I loved how they were around each other. How they slowly became friends, how they learned to care for each other. It was truly sweet.

There is a lot going on in this book. It is a search for Adam. But it is also a book about wanting to make their world a better place. Their city is running out of oil. And there is so much going on because of this. Secrets and secret plots. By pretty much everyone. It was interesting to read about. There is a lot about how the poor people were being treated. Which was sad to read about and made me so very angry too. Because it is so real and it is not fair at all. I hope this world we live in ends up getting better really soon.

I have already written too much about this book. Yet not nearly enough about everything that happens in it. And I will not say much more. Just that the reason for why this is a four star for me is because while I liked the book so very much, I did not fully love it. The romance was sweet, but not exciting enough for me. I wanted a little more action from the story too. And the ending was a little bittersweet to me. Pretty much perfect, but a little sad too. This book was not perfect to me, but it was not far from it. I liked it a lot.

I also have to mention that the summary for this book that is on goodreads is completely wrong. It was so confusing to read that before reading the book, considering that is not how the story is told. At all. Hmm. Okay, a lot of it do happen, but not in the way goodreads says. And the summary in the book is different from that as well. But that one was more real at least. So I do not recommend reading what goodreads tells you about this book. Because it's wrong. This book is much better than what goodreads has to say.

Pacifica was just as amazing as I had hoped it would be. The writing was gorgeous. The characters were interesting and amazing to get to know. The romance was small but cute. There was no drama. This was simply such an incredible book. I have been a fan of Kristen for years now. And I cannot wait to read even more books by her. She is also so kind and sweet. If you are not reading her books yet you are seriously missing out. They are all different from each other and all good and all important. You must read Pacifica.

---

This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: https://carinabooks.blogspot.com/2019...

[☆Stephanie☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Pacifica
Author: Kristen Simmons
Publisher: Tor Teen, 2018 (March 6)
Genre: YA Dystopian

**I received a copy of this book from the author and my review is in no way affected or influenced by receipt of this book**

This review can be found on my Blog, TeacherofYA’s Tumblr, or my Goodreads page

My Review:

First of all, I am a big fan of Kristen Simmons. I loved The Glass Arrow and it’s one of my favorite books, as underhyped as it is. She writes with a grace and a connection to the reader and I respect that. Her covers are always so amazing…Pacifica is no different and I wanted to read it the moment I saw it available.

Awesome premise so I thought awesome book, right?

Here’s the synopsis, which I find goes into more detail than the blurb on the book jacket:

Synopsis

Marin is cosario royalty, a pirate like her father and his father before him. Sailing the ocean to chase adventure is in her blood. But these days no one cares that the island town her people call home is named after her grandfather. They have a new leader, one who promises an end to their hunger – and one who thinks that girls are meant for the kitchen or the brothel. Marin knows she’s meant for more than that, and with the sudden influx of weapons on the island, and rumors of a pending deal with the enemy oil nation in her wake, she knows a big score to gain the council’s favor is the only way to save her people, and herself.

Ross lives a life of privilege. As the president’s son he wants for nothing, but he longs for a life of adventure. On a dare, he convinces his best friend Adam to sneak out to the Docks, the site of local race riots between the poor Shorlings and the upper class. But when Adam is arrested along with the other Shorlings, and not even the president is willing to find him, Ross finds himself taking matters into his own hands. He journeys back into the Docks, ready to make deals with anyone, even a beautiful pirate, if it means Adam’s safe return.

When Marin and Ross meet in dangerous Shoreling territory he sees a way to get his friend back and she sees her ticket home. The ransom a president’s son would command could feed her people for years and restore her family’s legacy. But somewhere in the middle of the ocean, Marin must decide if her heart can handle handing over the only person who has ever seen her as more than a pirate.
So Pirates and special islands and a dystopian world…those seem to me like a recipe for awesomeness!!

Though there’s a summary above, I always like to put the book into my own words.

Ross is the president’s son. His father is hard on him, and his best friend is a Shoreling, a slang term for a person who comes from the poor areas that lay below the line that separates the pollution and trash from the breathable air. His best friend also happens to be the Vice President’s son, who all know was elected for his opposing views and his connection to the people.

When Ross and Adam decide to slip out and see the riots against the new relocation plan, they don’t know what they really are in for: people do not like the idea of a lottery that will take 500 people and put them onto a boat for a new island paradise named Pacifica. Many are skeptical and don’t want to leave their homes…others are looking for a new start away from the slums and trash and meager living that the climate devastation had wrought after the ice caps melted.

Marin, on the other hand, is a pirate through blood. A cosario. With a tattoo of the number “86” on her neck, she makes drugs to help the starving Shoreling orphans and hopes to one day return to her island home – where if she brings the right tithe, she will take her father’s place and have a ship and crew of her own.

When Ross and Marin collide during the riots and lose Adam, the two team up to save him: Ross out of friendship and Marin out of a desperate need for cash. But the trip to save Adam is perilous…and the President’s son isn’t exactly the best traveling partner. Soon Marin and Ross encounter trouble that will make them see that Shorelings and kanshu (the wealthy) actually are being lied to – that the Pacifica dream is more insidious than either could imagine.

Is it Classroom-Appropriate?

Yes. Simmons’ book tells the story of a world where ice caps have melted and the temperature has risen steadily; the world has restarted the clock as time “pre-Melt” and “post-Melt,” and acid rain leaves burns on the faces of those that can’t drink anything but purified rainwater. Discussion about this world and the class/caste system would be rich with questions.

There is a quote in the book that truly reflects some bias toward wealthy people and it really could be a good bell-ringer where students could write what they interpret the quote to mean:

“You don’t know me,” he said.

“You’re the son of one of the richest men in the world,” she said. “That’s all I need to know.”

“It’s not that simple,” he argued. “It’s not like I’m eating money for breakfast and sleeping on the crushed dreams of poor people.” (pg 202)
The world, the people, and the piracy would have excellent potential in a classroom environment, so I have to recommend this as an excellent read for educational purposes.

I give Pacifica ★★★★★ for classroom use.

Age Range

It’s probably because it is so new, but there is no Lexile score for Pacifica yet. Kristen’s book Article 5 has a Lexile score of 660HL, so I would assume that Pacifica is around the same level. It is recommended for ages 14 to 17, and perhaps the drug use in the book might be a bit of a problem, but nothing is explicit and the drug use is actually quite understated and explained to a point that would discourage use instead of encouraging or inspiring it.

I would feel comfortable even going as low as 13, as Pacifica does not have graphic language or intimate scenes, and the benefit of the world described makes me think it would be an excellent book for an 8th grade course or higher that included climate studies.

End Result:

So I enjoyed Pacifica but I wasn’t “in love” with it. I honestly wanted to know more about the island and instead the story focused more on the pirate-upper class relationship between Marin and Ross. Though that wasn’t a bad thing, I kept hoping to learn more since the book is literally titled Pacifica. I’m thinking the name is slightly misleading. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn’t kept waiting to learn more about the island and don’t get more until the very end.

I would give Pacifica ★★★☆☆ overall – it’s a pleasant read and has all sorts of academic and Dystopian value, but the story was just much different than what I was expecting. This isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy reading it! I just felt it was a solid three star read and one that would be enjoyable if you are a fan of Kristen’s other books. (Especially her other Dystopian reads).

Age Range

It’s probably because it is so new, but there is no Lexile score for Pacifica yet. Kristen’s book Article 5 has a Lexile score of 660HL, so I would assume that Pacifica is around the same level. It is recommended for ages 14 to 17, and perhaps the drug use in the book might be a bit of a problem, but nothing is explicit and the drug use is actually quite understated and explained to a point that would discourage use instead of encouraging or inspiring it.

I would feel comfortable even going as low as 13, as Pacifica does not have graphic language or intimate scenes, and the benefit of the world described makes me think it would be an excellent book for an 8th grade course or higher that included climate studies.

End Result:

So I enjoyed Pacifica but I wasn’t “in love” with it. I honestly wanted to know more about the island and instead the story focused more on the pirate-upper class relationship between Marin and Ross. Though that wasn’t a bad thing, I kept hoping to learn more since the book is literally titled Pacifica. I’m thinking the name is slightly misleading. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn’t kept waiting to learn more about the island and don’t get more until the very end.

I would give Pacifica ★★★☆☆ overall – it’s a pleasant read and has all sorts of academic and Dystopian value, but the story was just much different than what I was expecting. This isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy reading it! I just felt it was a solid three star read and one that would be enjoyable if you are a fan of Kristen’s other books. (Especially her other Dystopian reads).

I’ll be using this in a lesson plan ASAP. I hope all you educators and librarians out there recommend it to your readers – especially your fans of Dystopian lore.

This book could eerily spell out our future, so let’s get Pacifica into the hands of our young readers!!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Pacifica is a future dystopian novel by Kristen Simmons. I am kind of picky when it comes to dystopian novels, because like a lot of people, I read a TON of them several years back, and they all started to feel similar and I got burnt out on the storyline. But Pacifica sounded too good to pass up, and I am so glad that I didn't pass it up because I loved this book! I loved it! it made me want to go binge read all of Kristen's other books. (I already own them all, but I haven't read them! #bookbloggerproblems)

Pacifica is set in our world in the future, when pollution and climate change has taken a very noticeable toll on the inhabitability of the earth. The waters are filled with waste and completely polluted, and people are trying to flee to this elusive uptopian island, that is supposedly untouched by the pollution of the main lands. It was scary how easy it was for me to envision this world. But as awesome as the world building in Pacifica was, the plot and the characters really stole the show for me.

I loved Marin, our kick butt lady pirate. I also loved Ross and Adam, the president and vice president's sons respectively. Obviously, Marin Ross and Adam all come from very different backgrounds, and each of their characters felt fleshed out and wonderfully complex. They felt like real people to me. It made it easy for me to become completely immersed in this story. Right from the start. Pacifica is told in dual perspective between Marin and Ross, but Adam is a really important character as well. I loved the friendship between Adam and Ross just as much as I loved the relationship between Marin and Ross. I love it when an author is able to incorporate a wonderful friendship into a story. Very often the focus becomes the romance and friendships sour, which I hate to see. It was great to see both a wonderful romance and a great friendship.

And finally...the plot. The plot pf Pacifica kept me interested and engaged the entire time I was reading. I didn't really encounter any slow spots. This is a kick butt pirate adventure. One that I totally dug! There are tons of political undercurrents in Pacifica, many of which Kristen Simmons drew inspiration from the internment camps of WWII (read her authors note before you read the story...it made everything so much more meaningful for me!) This book was a huge hit for me! I loved it and I can't recommend it enough to everyone...even people burnt out on dystopian! Plus, it has pirates! :)

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[Syd (deertales) · Rating 3 out of 5]

curse you goodreads for your lack of half star ratings! this was more like a 3.5 star read...

as far as post apocalyptic stories go, pacifica is one of the best that i have read. the book deals with some very relevant climate and environmental issues as the foundation of the world building, but also some pretty heavy social issues as well. we're talking about corrupt politicians, systematic racism, drug use, hoarding of resources to create an even greater disparity between the rich and the poor. i was absolutely unsettled by the world that kristen simmons painted, even if it was nothing i really haven't heard before.

the romance was very sweet, and despite the characters being a little trope-y (rich, upper class boy with little to no personal freedom is all too familiar), i really enjoyed the way their relationship progressed. there really wasn't an insta-love, but the two had adventures, confided secrets, gained each other's trust. that was actually a refreshing take on YA romance.

but my favorite part of the book was that the friendships superseded the romance, and that felt so right to me. the romance was laid upon a foundation of friendship, and ultimately you could say that the whole plot is driven by another friendship. really well done and realistic friendships too!

the flaws of pacifica lie with the slow pacing in the first half of the novel, as well as the predictability of the story itself. its always nice to have a complete story within 350 pages, but that also means that the epilogue usually wraps everything up nice and neatly off screen. while the last third of the book only took me a night to complete, the rest of the book was dragged over the course of a week because i never felt the overwhelming urge to pick it up and find out what happened.

ultimately though it turned out to be a fun read and even with my complaints the ending did give me some warm fuzzies. thank you to tor teen for providing me with a finished copy!

[Klancy Hoover-Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pacifica is a very timely warning about the effects of global warming. In the book, the land on earth is slowly sinking beneath the waves of the ocean, and resources are scarce. People are hungry, and oftentimes have to go without power because of blackouts. When they're promised a chance at a new life on a tropical island called Pacific by the wealthy, the people living near the shoreline are apprehensive. If the island is so great, why don't the wealthy go? What aren't the wealthy telling them?

Reading Pacifica was like looking into the future of the world if something isn't done to stop global warming. The water is acidic, and people have burns on their skin from it. The fish they eat are radioactive. Trash covers the surface of the ocean, and piles of trash stick together to form larger, deadly mountains of trash that the people call icebergs.

The book has important themes that need to be considered in real life. I would give it 5 stars for its commentary on the issue of global warming, but I've given it 4 because of my overall experience with reading it. Although I enjoyed reading about pirates sailing on the ocean and discovering the secrets of the government, I just never felt attuned to the story for some reason.

[Minni Mouse]

DNF at 31% because the YA dystopian and post-apocalyptic themes are not my thing.

THE GOOD
1) Action was good.

2) Plot elements were being explored well with subtle nods to current social affairs.

THE BAD
Book chemistry fail.

FINAL THOUGHTS
I'm okay, thanks.

[Tiffany Heitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this book 3.5 stars. I always round up though. :)
I did a review on my wordpress :)