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Some Fine Day
A generation ago, continent-sized storms called hypercanes caused the Earth to flood. The survivors were forced to retreat deep underground and build a new society.
This is the story that sixteen-year-old Jansin Nordqvist has heard all of her life.
Jansin grew up in a civilization far below the Earth’s surface. She’s spent the last eight years in military intelligence training. So when her parents surprise her with a coveted yet treacherous trip above ground, she’s prepared for anything. She’s especially thrilled to feel the fresh air, see the sun, and view the wide-open skies and the ocean for herself.
But when raiders attack Jansin’s camp and take her prisoner, she is forced to question everything she’s been taught. What do her captors want? How will she get back underground? And if she ever does, will she want to stay after learning the truth?
This is the story that sixteen-year-old Jansin Nordqvist has heard all of her life.
Jansin grew up in a civilization far below the Earth’s surface. She’s spent the last eight years in military intelligence training. So when her parents surprise her with a coveted yet treacherous trip above ground, she’s prepared for anything. She’s especially thrilled to feel the fresh air, see the sun, and view the wide-open skies and the ocean for herself.
But when raiders attack Jansin’s camp and take her prisoner, she is forced to question everything she’s been taught. What do her captors want? How will she get back underground? And if she ever does, will she want to stay after learning the truth?
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2014
85 people are currently reading
2380 people want to read
About the author
Kat Ross
62 books812 followersKat Ross is an award-winning and bestselling fantasy author whose series range from the Persian-inspired Fourth Element to the cozy Ravencroft Hall books. She lives in Connecticut with her son and a gang (clowder?) of anarchist cats. When she’s not writing, you can find Kat wandering in the woods or poring over maps in the cartography turret. For more info, check out her website: www.katrossbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
July 29, 2016
4.5 stars. I really liked this one.
To be honest, I've sort of tired of the dystopian setting YA books that have flooded the market in the last few years. I loved them to start with, but then they started to feel sort of same-y and most of them just... well, weren't very good. The "spunky girl stumbles across a reason to rebel against her world/government, finds insta-love, becomes a bit useless, somehow manages to overthrow stuff, narrated in first person present tense" formula has, for me, outstayed its welcome.
So, yeah. I saw this book and something in the description sounded a bit more interesting than most others of its ilk. Also, I liked the cover.
When I actually got around to reading it, and realised it's a book with a spunky girl finding out not-so-nice stuff about her world and government, and meeting a cute boy, and narrated in first person present tense, I was a little... well. Meh. But it still didn't sound too bad, so I soldiered on.
And, well. Familiar formula or not, I liked this.
The good stuff.
Jansin. I liked Jansin. A lot. She's just the type of teen girl protagonist I can root for - she's capable, intelligent, resourceful, trained (eight years in military academy) and actually able to use her training - we see her use her combat skills and training, instead of having to take her word for it and witness her make one stupid, useless mistake after another.
She's also 16, so she messes up sometimes. She makes rash choices sometimes - choices that stem from her heart, not her head. On the other hand, those rash choices usually come at times when they're possibly the best of a bunch of bad choices, so I can't fault her for them. And even when her choices are driven by her feelings for the young man she's come to care for, they're also driven by the bigger picture and a desire for truth.
She's not perfect. She's not a robot. She can break down when the circumstances become impossible. But she can also then pick herself up again and work hard to get what she wants and needs.
Also, she's not an orphan! And even more wonderfully, while her parents are pretty much there to support the plot, they do feel like real people. Not necessarily perfect people, but people who care about their daughter.
World-building. This is sort of ... well. I had some niggles with it, for example with the lack of a properly satisfying explanation of how the catastrophic storms and basically the end of the world came about, other than some fairly vague "catastrophic global warming" implications, but at least it's set in the far enough future (~80-90 years from now) that I could suspend disbelief, and at least some vague explanations are offered - and Jansin makes it clear throughout the book that the things she's been taught have been heavily edited for public consumption, so she doesn't know everything.
Also, I'd have liked to have more detail on how the underground world was set up. On the other hand, there were clear indications of a world being down there - world! Global stuff! People from other countries! Not just Americans! This was so refreshing and wonderful, as one of my huge pet peeves with modern dystopian YA books is that they tend to focus very narrowly on some specific location (almost always in the former US) and completely ignore the rest of the world to the point of never even bothering to mention what happened in and with anything that wasn't the US.
Granted, there wasn't a lot of that actually seen, but at least we got some rough idea of non-former-American people existing. Yay!
Plot. As said above, mostly standard "spunky girl finds out about government being actually rather evil, stands up to fight against it / to save beautiful boy", but it all came together rather nicely. I could complain a bit about the pacing - I'm fairly sure some people might find the first half too slow, but I enjoyed it, both the underground and surface parts.
Romance. Actually not too bad. No insta-love! No triangle! There are two boys in the picture, yes, but she breaks up with the first before even meeting the second (and to me, the first relationship felt realistic - not love-forever-soulmates stuff but two teens liking each other well enough to date for some time without it being massively serious, and then one of them just realising they're not really compatible enough for a long-term commitment). And while she finds the second boy nice-looking from the start, deeper feelings are a more gradual development.
The slightly less good stuff.
There really wasn't a lot I disliked. I think my main issue was (in addition to wanting a bit more detailed world-building), in spite of the paragraph above, with romance and Will (and romance with Will). I just never really got a good sense of Will - he was ... well, he was there. A nice guy. A decent guy. All that. It's just that the characterisation of him felt rather flat, and while the romance wasn't insta-love, we also weren't - to me - really shown the development of Jansin and Will's relationship enough for me to "feel" it, especially to the extent that she'd risk everything for him.
Also, the ending - on the one hand, the book does have an ending, and can stand alone, but on the other hand, it felt very much like a lead-in to a new story - I hesitate to call it a cliffhanger, but certainly something. I rather hope this means this isn't a stand-alone, as I'd very much want to know how the story of Jansin (and this world) continues.
* ARC of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review. Thanks!
To be honest, I've sort of tired of the dystopian setting YA books that have flooded the market in the last few years. I loved them to start with, but then they started to feel sort of same-y and most of them just... well, weren't very good. The "spunky girl stumbles across a reason to rebel against her world/government, finds insta-love, becomes a bit useless, somehow manages to overthrow stuff, narrated in first person present tense" formula has, for me, outstayed its welcome.
So, yeah. I saw this book and something in the description sounded a bit more interesting than most others of its ilk. Also, I liked the cover.
When I actually got around to reading it, and realised it's a book with a spunky girl finding out not-so-nice stuff about her world and government, and meeting a cute boy, and narrated in first person present tense, I was a little... well. Meh. But it still didn't sound too bad, so I soldiered on.
And, well. Familiar formula or not, I liked this.
The good stuff.
Jansin. I liked Jansin. A lot. She's just the type of teen girl protagonist I can root for - she's capable, intelligent, resourceful, trained (eight years in military academy) and actually able to use her training - we see her use her combat skills and training, instead of having to take her word for it and witness her make one stupid, useless mistake after another.
She's also 16, so she messes up sometimes. She makes rash choices sometimes - choices that stem from her heart, not her head. On the other hand, those rash choices usually come at times when they're possibly the best of a bunch of bad choices, so I can't fault her for them. And even when her choices are driven by her feelings for the young man she's come to care for, they're also driven by the bigger picture and a desire for truth.
She's not perfect. She's not a robot. She can break down when the circumstances become impossible. But she can also then pick herself up again and work hard to get what she wants and needs.
Also, she's not an orphan! And even more wonderfully, while her parents are pretty much there to support the plot, they do feel like real people. Not necessarily perfect people, but people who care about their daughter.
World-building. This is sort of ... well. I had some niggles with it, for example with the lack of a properly satisfying explanation of how the catastrophic storms and basically the end of the world came about, other than some fairly vague "catastrophic global warming" implications, but at least it's set in the far enough future (~80-90 years from now) that I could suspend disbelief, and at least some vague explanations are offered - and Jansin makes it clear throughout the book that the things she's been taught have been heavily edited for public consumption, so she doesn't know everything.
Also, I'd have liked to have more detail on how the underground world was set up. On the other hand, there were clear indications of a world being down there - world! Global stuff! People from other countries! Not just Americans! This was so refreshing and wonderful, as one of my huge pet peeves with modern dystopian YA books is that they tend to focus very narrowly on some specific location (almost always in the former US) and completely ignore the rest of the world to the point of never even bothering to mention what happened in and with anything that wasn't the US.
Granted, there wasn't a lot of that actually seen, but at least we got some rough idea of non-former-American people existing. Yay!
Plot. As said above, mostly standard "spunky girl finds out about government being actually rather evil, stands up to fight against it / to save beautiful boy", but it all came together rather nicely. I could complain a bit about the pacing - I'm fairly sure some people might find the first half too slow, but I enjoyed it, both the underground and surface parts.
Romance. Actually not too bad. No insta-love! No triangle! There are two boys in the picture, yes, but she breaks up with the first before even meeting the second (and to me, the first relationship felt realistic - not love-forever-soulmates stuff but two teens liking each other well enough to date for some time without it being massively serious, and then one of them just realising they're not really compatible enough for a long-term commitment). And while she finds the second boy nice-looking from the start, deeper feelings are a more gradual development.
The slightly less good stuff.
There really wasn't a lot I disliked. I think my main issue was (in addition to wanting a bit more detailed world-building), in spite of the paragraph above, with romance and Will (and romance with Will). I just never really got a good sense of Will - he was ... well, he was there. A nice guy. A decent guy. All that. It's just that the characterisation of him felt rather flat, and while the romance wasn't insta-love, we also weren't - to me - really shown the development of Jansin and Will's relationship enough for me to "feel" it, especially to the extent that she'd risk everything for him.
Also, the ending - on the one hand, the book does have an ending, and can stand alone, but on the other hand, it felt very much like a lead-in to a new story - I hesitate to call it a cliffhanger, but certainly something. I rather hope this means this isn't a stand-alone, as I'd very much want to know how the story of Jansin (and this world) continues.
* ARC of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review. Thanks!
December 4, 2014
UPDATE: This book has a new home! The ebook is out and the paperback will be available in Feb: http://www.amazon.com/Some-Fine-Day-K...
Set in a world where super-powered hurricanes devastated the planet, a highly trained soldier who never saw the sun before gets an unwanted extended excursion on the surface and learns that her life has been a lie in SOME FINE DAY by Kat Ross.
This was a fast-paced, Young Adult read. I got Jansin. For so long she's been going along with the program, enjoying the life as one of the near-elite, but she feels disconnected. She left her family at a young age to go to the Academy, she isn't sure that her boyfriend really likes her or just wants a well-placed connection with her father, the general, and she isn't a diehard believer in the goals of her government. Yes, she is well-trained, but that doesn't mean she wants to go to war. She's at a crossroads, like most of us at graduation, and that is when her father gifts her with a vacation to the surface.
Seeing the sun, feeling the air and the ocean, it makes it hard to go back underground. Of course, then she ends up captured by hypercane survivors and staying alive becomes her goal. Then, as she comes to find her place on the surface world, she has to question where she wants to belong.
I liked that, although as I said this is a fast-paced book, the action unfolds over almost a year, so when Jansin makes friends, she didn't just meet them a day ago and now they are a cohesive team. Jansin is not someone who trusts easily and the story reflected that. The ragtag bunch of survivors was endearing and I wish we got to spend more time with them.
On the romance front, there is a love interest but no triangle. Also refreshing, said love interest is not a bad boy, nor does he continually push her away because reasons. He's smart and fairly level-headed.
Jansin's home of Raven Rock is a fascist regime and it's easy to on the surface paint the underground societies as evil, that left the rest of humanity to die above. However, we do get at least some hope that not all of the governments are as harsh as Raven Rock. Also, it can't be denied that while life is absolutely not perfect below ground, that living there did save lives.
The end goes quickly and there are some loose ends, a few that I really wish has been solved before the finish, but overall I liked where it went. I'll be looking for more from Ross.
[received a review copy]
Set in a world where super-powered hurricanes devastated the planet, a highly trained soldier who never saw the sun before gets an unwanted extended excursion on the surface and learns that her life has been a lie in SOME FINE DAY by Kat Ross.
This was a fast-paced, Young Adult read. I got Jansin. For so long she's been going along with the program, enjoying the life as one of the near-elite, but she feels disconnected. She left her family at a young age to go to the Academy, she isn't sure that her boyfriend really likes her or just wants a well-placed connection with her father, the general, and she isn't a diehard believer in the goals of her government. Yes, she is well-trained, but that doesn't mean she wants to go to war. She's at a crossroads, like most of us at graduation, and that is when her father gifts her with a vacation to the surface.
Seeing the sun, feeling the air and the ocean, it makes it hard to go back underground. Of course, then she ends up captured by hypercane survivors and staying alive becomes her goal. Then, as she comes to find her place on the surface world, she has to question where she wants to belong.
I liked that, although as I said this is a fast-paced book, the action unfolds over almost a year, so when Jansin makes friends, she didn't just meet them a day ago and now they are a cohesive team. Jansin is not someone who trusts easily and the story reflected that. The ragtag bunch of survivors was endearing and I wish we got to spend more time with them.
On the romance front, there is a love interest but no triangle. Also refreshing, said love interest is not a bad boy, nor does he continually push her away because reasons. He's smart and fairly level-headed.
Jansin's home of Raven Rock is a fascist regime and it's easy to on the surface paint the underground societies as evil, that left the rest of humanity to die above. However, we do get at least some hope that not all of the governments are as harsh as Raven Rock. Also, it can't be denied that while life is absolutely not perfect below ground, that living there did save lives.
The end goes quickly and there are some loose ends, a few that I really wish has been solved before the finish, but overall I liked where it went. I'll be looking for more from Ross.
[received a review copy]
August 7, 2014
3.5
While not the most innovative in its plot or directive, Some Fine Day remains an exciting and satisfying post-apocalyptic novel without the hair-pulling, mind-numbness, eye-rolling, and terribly, monotonously good, fulfilling characters that seem to pervade this genre. It was not mentally tiring and that's a rare thing these days.
Jansin is about to graduate and become a full-fledged assassin for the government in the underground world that is her home. There are political strains, shortage of resources, calamities above ground, biological weapons, evil scientist, and boy she has to battle all that and more but first, she wins the war by conquering the most important: learning the actual history of what happened ages ago, finding camaraderie and livelihood amongst the ones she's never known to exist, and falling in love.
Of course, then things go south. But she's already won the war, see? Only the un-consequentials are left, like rooting out corruption, cruelty, blah di dah, rescue operations, safe havens.
SEE? It won't midfuck you till all your neurons have fertilised, but it was a pleasant read that was a good respite from the other books that try so fucking hard to achieve fuck-all in the end, at least where I'm concerned.
Jansin was a serious, pragmatic character, occasionally given to bouts of disgustingly teenage of sappiness(eugh! idiots). -_- There are phases to this story and as required of her changing situations, her thought processes develop along with the contexts within which they're placed. Thankfully, she isn't given to philosophizing about the turd(s) in clouds, or how could they be sooooo? how could humans be sooooo? No overwrought drama. Or emotions that make me want to barf.
Her due sobriety and maturity, the simplicity in the mode of presentation of her character without smokescreens, veils and other crap in between, were a refreshing change that I am ever thankful for.
The particulars of the story- the ones that vary in every dystopian- like how the world ended, enemies made, new creatures were interesting enough, and sometimes their descriptions(such as of the hypercanes) were chilling without seeming contrived to be so.
As I said before, there are phases to this story and in the very first of them, when Jansin learns to live amongst survivors of the hypercanes, there is a lull because Jansin is easing into her life and that could put off readers; personally, I didn't find it specifically boring, although it failed to enthrall me since the character dynamics established fell flat for me.
Here's where my problem lies: besides Jansin and to some extent, her mother, there was no getting to know any other character. They weren't fleshed out, not even the romantic interest, and nor could I feel their chemistry which had supposedly developed during their time together on the island. However, the only reason I knew there was romance was because a) it was expected and b) the after-effects of this chemistry were felt in the latter stages of the story.
Character dynamics are truly crucial to my enjoyment of a book, which in turn says a lot about Some Fine Day, I suppose, that I still give it the rating that I do.
There's finagling of people, codes, ships and truths in the next phases that also enjoy action. All kinds of brainpower required. However, the final action scenes, as the climax mounted and kept on, were slightly disappointing in their blood-letting and drenching.
Okay, you can hate me now but don't pretend you don't ask for the same. A story is simple not as fun as could be unless and until there's some green intestines collaring the poor good guy who was destined to die, and broken nails lodged in throats. Duh. Because that kinda happened to me and it was sooooo bloody annoying like what the fuck do I need this esophagus for? The need to get rid of it easily overpowers instincts of self-preservation.
Anyways, I'll be on the lookout for more of Kat Ross's books, if/when they come and yeah, this might a cool read for a slow day when your patience isn't absolutely worn-out.
Review copy provided by publishers.
While not the most innovative in its plot or directive, Some Fine Day remains an exciting and satisfying post-apocalyptic novel without the hair-pulling, mind-numbness, eye-rolling, and terribly, monotonously good, fulfilling characters that seem to pervade this genre. It was not mentally tiring and that's a rare thing these days.
Jansin is about to graduate and become a full-fledged assassin for the government in the underground world that is her home. There are political strains, shortage of resources, calamities above ground, biological weapons, evil scientist, and boy she has to battle all that and more but first, she wins the war by conquering the most important: learning the actual history of what happened ages ago, finding camaraderie and livelihood amongst the ones she's never known to exist, and falling in love.
Of course, then things go south. But she's already won the war, see? Only the un-consequentials are left, like rooting out corruption, cruelty, blah di dah, rescue operations, safe havens.
SEE? It won't midfuck you till all your neurons have fertilised, but it was a pleasant read that was a good respite from the other books that try so fucking hard to achieve fuck-all in the end, at least where I'm concerned.
Jansin was a serious, pragmatic character, occasionally given to bouts of disgustingly teenage of sappiness(eugh! idiots). -_- There are phases to this story and as required of her changing situations, her thought processes develop along with the contexts within which they're placed. Thankfully, she isn't given to philosophizing about the turd(s) in clouds, or how could they be sooooo? how could humans be sooooo? No overwrought drama. Or emotions that make me want to barf.
Her due sobriety and maturity, the simplicity in the mode of presentation of her character without smokescreens, veils and other crap in between, were a refreshing change that I am ever thankful for.
The particulars of the story- the ones that vary in every dystopian- like how the world ended, enemies made, new creatures were interesting enough, and sometimes their descriptions(such as of the hypercanes) were chilling without seeming contrived to be so.
As I said before, there are phases to this story and in the very first of them, when Jansin learns to live amongst survivors of the hypercanes, there is a lull because Jansin is easing into her life and that could put off readers; personally, I didn't find it specifically boring, although it failed to enthrall me since the character dynamics established fell flat for me.
Here's where my problem lies: besides Jansin and to some extent, her mother, there was no getting to know any other character. They weren't fleshed out, not even the romantic interest, and nor could I feel their chemistry which had supposedly developed during their time together on the island. However, the only reason I knew there was romance was because a) it was expected and b) the after-effects of this chemistry were felt in the latter stages of the story.
Character dynamics are truly crucial to my enjoyment of a book, which in turn says a lot about Some Fine Day, I suppose, that I still give it the rating that I do.
There's finagling of people, codes, ships and truths in the next phases that also enjoy action. All kinds of brainpower required. However, the final action scenes, as the climax mounted and kept on, were slightly disappointing in their blood-letting and drenching.
Okay, you can hate me now but don't pretend you don't ask for the same. A story is simple not as fun as could be unless and until there's some green intestines collaring the poor good guy who was destined to die, and broken nails lodged in throats. Duh. Because that kinda happened to me and it was sooooo bloody annoying like what the fuck do I need this esophagus for? The need to get rid of it easily overpowers instincts of self-preservation.
Anyways, I'll be on the lookout for more of Kat Ross's books, if/when they come and yeah, this might a cool read for a slow day when your patience isn't absolutely worn-out.
Review copy provided by publishers.
June 20, 2014
Review also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?
There is something in dystopian settings which seem so real and possible that lure me in. This is one of them. With huge climate-changes happening all over the planet it's really not hard to imagine that the weather will change drastically and that humans won't be able to live in the surface any longer. Well, this book offers you a solution - underground cities. I really hope you're not claustrophobic.
Jansin Nordqvist is a sixteen-year-old cadet living in one of the underground cities within the society highly controlled and divided. As in Utopia everyone knows its place and what one should or should not do. This order is what was a result of people's moving from underground after the hypercanes destroyed any possibility of living on the surface. So now, the government has organized the society and Jansin knows her place. Traveling to surface is something rich members of society get a chance to so the scientist can observe things on the land. Once Jansin gets a chance to travel up she is happily obliges. Only what she's about to learn there is not what the government hoped.
Now we're moving onto a tricky territory as I really don't want to spoil things. You can assume that the government kept many secrets and that Jansin has got to reveal some of them. She discovers life among the rage of hypercanes and her life changes.
Like I said I hope you're not claustrophobic as I really don't know how would I survive under the ground without seeing stars and sky everyday. It's something that people there are used to and how the cities are created under there really blow me away. It's maybe hard to imagine but if you think of it the world builds in your imagination. When it comes to Jansin, she was a great character most of the time, strong, capable and most of all human. But at moments she was too perfect and way too lucky near the end of the story.
What fascinated me here the most was the writing style. Kat Ross really did a great research and all characters possessed the right and suitable voice. And there is also romance which was so sweet and loving to me. It's also action packed and it kept me turning the pages like a madman.
There is something in dystopian settings which seem so real and possible that lure me in. This is one of them. With huge climate-changes happening all over the planet it's really not hard to imagine that the weather will change drastically and that humans won't be able to live in the surface any longer. Well, this book offers you a solution - underground cities. I really hope you're not claustrophobic.
Jansin Nordqvist is a sixteen-year-old cadet living in one of the underground cities within the society highly controlled and divided. As in Utopia everyone knows its place and what one should or should not do. This order is what was a result of people's moving from underground after the hypercanes destroyed any possibility of living on the surface. So now, the government has organized the society and Jansin knows her place. Traveling to surface is something rich members of society get a chance to so the scientist can observe things on the land. Once Jansin gets a chance to travel up she is happily obliges. Only what she's about to learn there is not what the government hoped.
Now we're moving onto a tricky territory as I really don't want to spoil things. You can assume that the government kept many secrets and that Jansin has got to reveal some of them. She discovers life among the rage of hypercanes and her life changes.
Like I said I hope you're not claustrophobic as I really don't know how would I survive under the ground without seeing stars and sky everyday. It's something that people there are used to and how the cities are created under there really blow me away. It's maybe hard to imagine but if you think of it the world builds in your imagination. When it comes to Jansin, she was a great character most of the time, strong, capable and most of all human. But at moments she was too perfect and way too lucky near the end of the story.
What fascinated me here the most was the writing style. Kat Ross really did a great research and all characters possessed the right and suitable voice. And there is also romance which was so sweet and loving to me. It's also action packed and it kept me turning the pages like a madman.
July 11, 2020
I’m a lover of this genre in general and I know there are a lot of books like it around, but this one felt original, intriguing and I picked it up not sure what to expect! I loved this dystopian adventure and it far exceeded my expectations. I loved the characters, the twists and turns and the book takes you through many things you’re not likely to expect! Overall, an enjoyable book!
May 21, 2017
3.8/ 4ish stars
Here's the thing, I have never been a big fan of dystopian fiction. Yet, in the past years I ended up reading tons of dystopians (they grew on me lol)...
As it is often the case, it might become boring as more often than not the books end up being more or less very unoriginal.
However I'm happy to say this is not the case, Kat Ross does not disappoint, delivering an original and action packed book.
Believe me when I saw I found the concept of hurricanes and humanity gone underground extremely new (it was to me, at least) and very cool.
Some fine Day might like the polish her writing has in her recent works but it is still damn good.
The world-building was well done and even if the book was interesting but slow (but not to much) at first , the pace picked up soon enough...so much I couldn't put it down, it was a crescendo until the very end.
The characters were great, both the main ones and the secondary.
Jasin was a hell of a characters and I appreciated her greatly. Will was simply adorable. But I loved Nileen, the ship's captain whose name I can't spell, Rafiq and the others.
Besides, I can't stress this too much, the romance never got sappy and there was no love triangle in sight. Yuppie!!
The epilogue left me breathless and there is definitely room for more so...I'm definitely hoping for a sequel.
Here's the thing, I have never been a big fan of dystopian fiction. Yet, in the past years I ended up reading tons of dystopians (they grew on me lol)...
As it is often the case, it might become boring as more often than not the books end up being more or less very unoriginal.
However I'm happy to say this is not the case, Kat Ross does not disappoint, delivering an original and action packed book.
Believe me when I saw I found the concept of hurricanes and humanity gone underground extremely new (it was to me, at least) and very cool.
Some fine Day might like the polish her writing has in her recent works but it is still damn good.
The world-building was well done and even if the book was interesting but slow (but not to much) at first , the pace picked up soon enough...so much I couldn't put it down, it was a crescendo until the very end.
The characters were great, both the main ones and the secondary.
Jasin was a hell of a characters and I appreciated her greatly. Will was simply adorable. But I loved Nileen, the ship's captain whose name I can't spell, Rafiq and the others.
Besides, I can't stress this too much, the romance never got sappy and there was no love triangle in sight. Yuppie!!
The epilogue left me breathless and there is definitely room for more so...I'm definitely hoping for a sequel.
April 15, 2015
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
Jansin has always lived under ground. In fact, all of society has retreated there after super big hurricanes, called Hypercanes, have made life on Earth's surface impossible. Or is it? Just before finishing her long military training her parents take her on a vacation to the surface. She's thrilled to see the sun for the first time. But when the camp gets raided, her belief in the system will get tested.
It started quite promising. Jansin starts as the normal, model citizen in this Dystopian society. This is nothing new. She learns that they've been telling her lies. That's also nothing new and it wouldn't really have mattered, if it was done properly. But Jan changes her opinion quicker than you can say 'that's a cliché'. She's special. So is her new love-interest. By this time I had lost interest.
And, finally I just have to conclude that it didn't bring anything new into the story. And I do think that is important, especially right now when there are so many of these books coming out. It was not a awful read, but it was far from refreshing enough to keep me interested.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Jansin has always lived under ground. In fact, all of society has retreated there after super big hurricanes, called Hypercanes, have made life on Earth's surface impossible. Or is it? Just before finishing her long military training her parents take her on a vacation to the surface. She's thrilled to see the sun for the first time. But when the camp gets raided, her belief in the system will get tested.
It started quite promising. Jansin starts as the normal, model citizen in this Dystopian society. This is nothing new. She learns that they've been telling her lies. That's also nothing new and it wouldn't really have mattered, if it was done properly. But Jan changes her opinion quicker than you can say 'that's a cliché'. She's special. So is her new love-interest. By this time I had lost interest.
And, finally I just have to conclude that it didn't bring anything new into the story. And I do think that is important, especially right now when there are so many of these books coming out. It was not a awful read, but it was far from refreshing enough to keep me interested.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
July 10, 2020
Another dystopian novel to add to my list, yay! (Yes, I have a weakness for dystopia. I love this weakness and indulge it often.)
There's a lot of good stuff about this book and a few bad things, but overall, not a bad debut novel!
First of all, I love our main character, Jansin. Although she's just sixteen, Jansin isn't one to just sit back and accept what life hands to her. A daughter of a general, she's always dreamed of something more than what her underground society presents her, and she's tired of the boy always at her side, Jake. As the book goes on, Jansin is by turns stubborn, loyal, resourceful, brave and headstrong, which I absolutely loved. She's not swoony, her head isn't in the clouds, and she's by no means perfect, and all of that added so much to the book.
The world building was very interesting, straight out of the 'climate change' headlines and easy to imagine as a not so distant future. I found it pretty believable and kind of scary - sometimes I do wonder what the world will be like in fifty, one hundred years, and this book plays on those curiosities and fears. Humanity is resourceful, it's easy to imagine that we might retreat below the surface and try to build a new civilization for ourselves.
The book is also action packed, with very rarely a dull moment - it doesn't take long for things to heat up as Jansin's life is thrown into chaos and she's exposed to a world and a life she never imagined, even in her dreams. It's a direct contrast to where she's come from and seeing it through her eyes made me ache, thinking about what the people in the book have lost.
Around halfway through the book it started getting a bit confusing for me, however. The plot that I had been following suddenly veered and went down an entirely different path, and although it was still highly enjoyable, I didn't find that the shift in tone worked so well for me. I was reading one thing and then found myself reading another, I guess you could say. The latter half of the book has even more action than the first!
Now, here is where some of my quibbles with the book come in. First of all, the abrupt change in tone and pace threw the book off a bit, in my opinion, making the latter half of the book feel off balance in comparison to the first.
I also would have loved to see more emphasis put on the secondary cast of characters. Jansin is wonderful, but as the book progressed I felt a bit as though the author was focusing on her and her love interest, to the detriment of really giving the book that depth that can only be achieved if the reader feels like they know and care about the other people in the book. In romance I expect the secondary cast to recede into the background, but in science fiction/dystopia I expect more and it was a bit lacking in this book. There were some characters that I was really interested in and that I did care about, but it felt as though they weren't around long enough for me to really get invested.
I also had a lot of questions about certain areas. For example:
The 'quibbles' are what kept this book in the middle of the range, rather than top, but it's still a pretty solid book, with concepts that I quite liked and a heroine I was able to root for.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
There's a lot of good stuff about this book and a few bad things, but overall, not a bad debut novel!
First of all, I love our main character, Jansin. Although she's just sixteen, Jansin isn't one to just sit back and accept what life hands to her. A daughter of a general, she's always dreamed of something more than what her underground society presents her, and she's tired of the boy always at her side, Jake. As the book goes on, Jansin is by turns stubborn, loyal, resourceful, brave and headstrong, which I absolutely loved. She's not swoony, her head isn't in the clouds, and she's by no means perfect, and all of that added so much to the book.
The world building was very interesting, straight out of the 'climate change' headlines and easy to imagine as a not so distant future. I found it pretty believable and kind of scary - sometimes I do wonder what the world will be like in fifty, one hundred years, and this book plays on those curiosities and fears. Humanity is resourceful, it's easy to imagine that we might retreat below the surface and try to build a new civilization for ourselves.
The book is also action packed, with very rarely a dull moment - it doesn't take long for things to heat up as Jansin's life is thrown into chaos and she's exposed to a world and a life she never imagined, even in her dreams. It's a direct contrast to where she's come from and seeing it through her eyes made me ache, thinking about what the people in the book have lost.
Around halfway through the book it started getting a bit confusing for me, however. The plot that I had been following suddenly veered and went down an entirely different path, and although it was still highly enjoyable, I didn't find that the shift in tone worked so well for me. I was reading one thing and then found myself reading another, I guess you could say. The latter half of the book has even more action than the first!
Now, here is where some of my quibbles with the book come in. First of all, the abrupt change in tone and pace threw the book off a bit, in my opinion, making the latter half of the book feel off balance in comparison to the first.
I also would have loved to see more emphasis put on the secondary cast of characters. Jansin is wonderful, but as the book progressed I felt a bit as though the author was focusing on her and her love interest, to the detriment of really giving the book that depth that can only be achieved if the reader feels like they know and care about the other people in the book. In romance I expect the secondary cast to recede into the background, but in science fiction/dystopia I expect more and it was a bit lacking in this book. There were some characters that I was really interested in and that I did care about, but it felt as though they weren't around long enough for me to really get invested.
I also had a lot of questions about certain areas. For example:
The 'quibbles' are what kept this book in the middle of the range, rather than top, but it's still a pretty solid book, with concepts that I quite liked and a heroine I was able to root for.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2015
This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd
I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MY THOUGHTS
This was such an interesting book.
This book takes place in a future where hypercanes (super-hurricanes that last years) devastates the Earth. So, the Earth's population lives underground. Jasin has always wanted to see the surface and the sky, but it has always been deemed unsafe. When her parents decide to go on a retreat to the surface, it's a surprise to Jasin. But when the island her and her family is vacationing at gets attacked, she begins to question everything she was raised to know.
What I really loved about this book was how much Jasin changed throughout the book. I loved seeing how her perceptions changed throughout the book and I loved seeing her interactions with the surface dwellers.
The plot, while similar to many dystopian books, brings many new ideas and the overall plot is very different than any other dystopian. This book is full of twists-and-turns and questions, that kept me wanting to turn the page. I did have issues that I didn't feel like everything got resolved, but that was my only issues.
As far as romance, as this is a YA book, it was great. There was very little romance in this book. Enough to make me happy and want to ship it, but not too much to distract from the plot.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this book was thrilling, fast-paced, with lots of twists. The plot, characters, and romance were all great. I had issues with how much was unresolved, so I wish this was a series, not a stand-alone. Otherwise, this was a really great read!
I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MY THOUGHTS
This was such an interesting book.
This book takes place in a future where hypercanes (super-hurricanes that last years) devastates the Earth. So, the Earth's population lives underground. Jasin has always wanted to see the surface and the sky, but it has always been deemed unsafe. When her parents decide to go on a retreat to the surface, it's a surprise to Jasin. But when the island her and her family is vacationing at gets attacked, she begins to question everything she was raised to know.
What I really loved about this book was how much Jasin changed throughout the book. I loved seeing how her perceptions changed throughout the book and I loved seeing her interactions with the surface dwellers.
The plot, while similar to many dystopian books, brings many new ideas and the overall plot is very different than any other dystopian. This book is full of twists-and-turns and questions, that kept me wanting to turn the page. I did have issues that I didn't feel like everything got resolved, but that was my only issues.
As far as romance, as this is a YA book, it was great. There was very little romance in this book. Enough to make me happy and want to ship it, but not too much to distract from the plot.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this book was thrilling, fast-paced, with lots of twists. The plot, characters, and romance were all great. I had issues with how much was unresolved, so I wish this was a series, not a stand-alone. Otherwise, this was a really great read!
February 21, 2015
*Received from publisher via Netgalley for review
4.5 Stars
I have been wanting to read this for quite some time. The synopsis intrigued me, and I was saddened when Strange Chemistry shut down just weeks before the release of Some Fine Day. But luckily, this book ended up being published, and even more luckily (for me), I saw it on Netgalley. Obviously, I got a bit nervous, as you do when you've kind of built a book up in your mind. More good news: I didn't need to worry, because it was even better than I'd expected! Now, certainly I am a sucker for a good dystopian, but I must emphasize good. The market has been inundated, and I think I have read so many that it takes something special to keep my interest these days. So, what did this book have that made me stay up all night last night to finish? Glad you asked!
Jansin Jansin is an amazing protagonist. She wasn't your typical protagonist, and I liked that. At first, she is so sure of herself, cocky even. And why shouldn't she be? She's about to graduate from military school, mom and dad are super proud, and she has a military boyfriend who everyone seems to love. Of course, we know from the synopsis that a lot of this is going to get messy, and Jansin's character development is both lovely and realistic.
Hypercanes What now? Yeah, I like these. As a plot choice, not as a weather pattern I'd want to spend time in. It's different, and I like the idea of the weather influencing such global catastrophe (again, in plot terms only). It seems like a plausible way for things to go down, and I think the author did a good job with giving enough world building without being overly scientific. I understood exactly what was happening, but I didn't feel like I was reading an Earth Science book, so it was a win.
Family I have already mentioned Jansin's mom and dad, because wonder of wonders, they were in the book! And not just "there", but actually a huge part of the story. I mean, they were on a family vacation when some of this stuff goes down! They are integral, as Jansin's relationships with them matter quite a bit to the story as a whole. We even get family backstory. This is refreshing, and great.
World Building I like that this isn't too far into the future, but far enough that it makes it believable. First, I could actually feel the claustrophobia setting in with this underground world. I mean, if you are born there you wouldn't know, so it makes sense. But previous generations' reactions are also touched upon. When the group first gets to the surface, I was almost relieved not to "be" underground, so I take that as a sure sign that the world building was very authentic.
Other Characters Alas, I cannot tell you much about them. But trust that I liked them. Or didn't, but because they were a "bad guy". They just work, and that's all I can say.
Fast-pacing This was an "I can't put this down!" sort of book, because there was constant action. And the lulls were necessary and appropriate. I liked almost all of the pacing in this book, except for a bit in the end when I actually felt a bit overwhelmed with action, and kind of wished for a bit of a break. But other than that, it worked really well. I most certainly was never, ever bored.
The Plot Beyond just the hypercanes, there is a lot more going on. Again, I can't say much, but there is really something for everyone here. If you enjoy the science part, there's tons of that, if you enjoy the dystopian part, there's that, if you're into the relationships/characters, there's that. And even more, but I feel like I could go on for a bit too long.
Bottom Line: Loved it. Need more of it. It can be a standalone, if it must be. But this world offers a lot in the way of potential for more books, and I would be very happy if there were a sequel. Is there a petition I can sign or something? (Maybe this petition is hiding next to the Rites of Passage sequel petition that I have been looking for...) Anyway, it was a win for me. It is out in ebook now, or paperback in February!
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
4.5 Stars
I have been wanting to read this for quite some time. The synopsis intrigued me, and I was saddened when Strange Chemistry shut down just weeks before the release of Some Fine Day. But luckily, this book ended up being published, and even more luckily (for me), I saw it on Netgalley. Obviously, I got a bit nervous, as you do when you've kind of built a book up in your mind. More good news: I didn't need to worry, because it was even better than I'd expected! Now, certainly I am a sucker for a good dystopian, but I must emphasize good. The market has been inundated, and I think I have read so many that it takes something special to keep my interest these days. So, what did this book have that made me stay up all night last night to finish? Glad you asked!
Jansin Jansin is an amazing protagonist. She wasn't your typical protagonist, and I liked that. At first, she is so sure of herself, cocky even. And why shouldn't she be? She's about to graduate from military school, mom and dad are super proud, and she has a military boyfriend who everyone seems to love. Of course, we know from the synopsis that a lot of this is going to get messy, and Jansin's character development is both lovely and realistic.
Hypercanes What now? Yeah, I like these. As a plot choice, not as a weather pattern I'd want to spend time in. It's different, and I like the idea of the weather influencing such global catastrophe (again, in plot terms only). It seems like a plausible way for things to go down, and I think the author did a good job with giving enough world building without being overly scientific. I understood exactly what was happening, but I didn't feel like I was reading an Earth Science book, so it was a win.
Family I have already mentioned Jansin's mom and dad, because wonder of wonders, they were in the book! And not just "there", but actually a huge part of the story. I mean, they were on a family vacation when some of this stuff goes down! They are integral, as Jansin's relationships with them matter quite a bit to the story as a whole. We even get family backstory. This is refreshing, and great.
World Building I like that this isn't too far into the future, but far enough that it makes it believable. First, I could actually feel the claustrophobia setting in with this underground world. I mean, if you are born there you wouldn't know, so it makes sense. But previous generations' reactions are also touched upon. When the group first gets to the surface, I was almost relieved not to "be" underground, so I take that as a sure sign that the world building was very authentic.
Other Characters Alas, I cannot tell you much about them. But trust that I liked them. Or didn't, but because they were a "bad guy". They just work, and that's all I can say.
Fast-pacing This was an "I can't put this down!" sort of book, because there was constant action. And the lulls were necessary and appropriate. I liked almost all of the pacing in this book, except for a bit in the end when I actually felt a bit overwhelmed with action, and kind of wished for a bit of a break. But other than that, it worked really well. I most certainly was never, ever bored.
The Plot Beyond just the hypercanes, there is a lot more going on. Again, I can't say much, but there is really something for everyone here. If you enjoy the science part, there's tons of that, if you enjoy the dystopian part, there's that, if you're into the relationships/characters, there's that. And even more, but I feel like I could go on for a bit too long.
Bottom Line: Loved it. Need more of it. It can be a standalone, if it must be. But this world offers a lot in the way of potential for more books, and I would be very happy if there were a sequel. Is there a petition I can sign or something? (Maybe this petition is hiding next to the Rites of Passage sequel petition that I have been looking for...) Anyway, it was a win for me. It is out in ebook now, or paperback in February!
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
August 19, 2014
In this dystopian world, a deadly heat wave followed by devastating superstorms called hypercanes, and flooding, forced humanity to live underground to survive. Not all was given the opportunity to evacuate and many were left to die on the surface. The surface of the Earth became a hostile place where hypercanes can ravaged at any moment and toads—lethal, human-like amphibians—are a threat. No one should have survived. But they were proven wrong when a trip outside the surface went wrong. Jansin Nordqvist, our protagonist, was left stranded and captured by a clan. Not only was she to withstand the harshness of nature, but she also needed to survive living with people on the surface.
Dystopian novels are sprouting like mushrooms these days and while some barely clings to existence by their genre alone, Some Fine Day is a stand-out—wildly kicking, and boasting a story that will enthrall even the most jaded dystopian reader.
I could tell that a lot of research has gone into creating this dystopian world, and I tip my hats off to Ross for handling deftly the story's plot. As a picky reader, I appreciated all the minute details that went into making this world as believable as possible. As mentioned, the plot has a lot going for it. It's so deliciously jam-packed and while I was reading, it was exciting to think about all the different possibilities Some Fine Day could explore.
But without doubt, Some Fine Day brought to life some of the best characters I've ever read in the dystopian genre. I felt such a strong bond with Jansin. She's strong, brave, resourceful and intelligent. She also proved time and again that she could kick-ass and I have witness this so many times. Will is this character that I thought I could disregard but he grew on me like every other character we met on the surface. I'm tempted to describe him as Jansin's love interest, but that would do him a great disservice because he's clearly more than that. Jansin and Will together makes my heart sing. And as enemies became friends, it just fills me with so much affection for every people on the surface. I was so heartbroken to know what had happened to some of them and I'm scared to know what might have happened to the others.
The one thing that threw me off was the ending. I really wish it didn't end that way, so I could at least hope that Jansin and Will are in a better place for a while, as I wait to (hopefully) get my hands on the (still non-existing) next installment. It leaves the reader in a cliffhangerish ending, but I think it could also pass as a stand-alone ending. I am not sure what it is. I felt slightly cheated. I am so lost right now.
Some Fine Day is a remarkable debut. It has all I want from a dystopian novel: substantial world-building, compelling characters, a pacing with a good build-up that leads into a thrilling, nonstop action. I implore you to read this outstanding novel as soon as you can. Some Fine Day deserves to be read, loved and devoured.
This review is also posted at Smitten over Books.
July 14, 2014
When I requested this one, I knew I'd probably liked it cause it was a Strange Chemistry book and those are usually gems. Now that the Strange Chemistry press is closed, this lil gem of a book is in need of publisher and I count myself lucky cause I got to read it.
Some Fine Day is a dystopian which is what made me request it, and not only that it also have a good dose of science fiction, and not any science fiction but the classical, Jules Verne kind of science fiction, and that to me, an absolute fangirl of everything Jules Verne... was a treat!
The world where Jansin lives is postapocalyptic since after massive climate changes society collapsed and the best and greatest of humanity moved underground to survive. Massive storms and hurricanes (called hypercanes) travel the surface of the earth destroying everything in their way. Civilization has continued in a different way underground, with city states, rigid society rules and big on the military. She gets a chance to go on vacation to the surface before graduating from the military academy and that's when everything changes.
I've read many dystopians, and I can get a feeling where things might go now and then, but this book managed to blindside me not just once, but twice. I was expecting the plot to move one way and it ended up going somewhere different! Which made me happy, cause it was a great direction both times and not only showed us different points of view, progressed the world building and allowed Jansin to grow and progress as a character, but I also like when things are not predictable!
There's a pair of twists, a Star Wars reference that made me laugh out loud and that has won this book a half star extra, a LOT of action, world building without info dumping for the most part and a little bit of romance that was a big motivator and that despite the fast pace of the book didn't feel like too rushed or insta-love-y.
The ending is a cliffhanger and now it feels even more horrible cause I need this book to be published and the sequel to be written and published, cause I want to know what happens next!
Well deserved 3.5 stars to this one and with the well earned SW extra .5 rounds up to 4 stars!
Some Fine Day is a dystopian which is what made me request it, and not only that it also have a good dose of science fiction, and not any science fiction but the classical, Jules Verne kind of science fiction, and that to me, an absolute fangirl of everything Jules Verne... was a treat!
The world where Jansin lives is postapocalyptic since after massive climate changes society collapsed and the best and greatest of humanity moved underground to survive. Massive storms and hurricanes (called hypercanes) travel the surface of the earth destroying everything in their way. Civilization has continued in a different way underground, with city states, rigid society rules and big on the military. She gets a chance to go on vacation to the surface before graduating from the military academy and that's when everything changes.
I've read many dystopians, and I can get a feeling where things might go now and then, but this book managed to blindside me not just once, but twice. I was expecting the plot to move one way and it ended up going somewhere different! Which made me happy, cause it was a great direction both times and not only showed us different points of view, progressed the world building and allowed Jansin to grow and progress as a character, but I also like when things are not predictable!
There's a pair of twists, a Star Wars reference that made me laugh out loud and that has won this book a half star extra, a LOT of action, world building without info dumping for the most part and a little bit of romance that was a big motivator and that despite the fast pace of the book didn't feel like too rushed or insta-love-y.
The ending is a cliffhanger and now it feels even more horrible cause I need this book to be published and the sequel to be written and published, cause I want to know what happens next!
Well deserved 3.5 stars to this one and with the well earned SW extra .5 rounds up to 4 stars!
January 5, 2015
Some Fine Day is a gripping thriller that snatched me into a horrifying, futuristic world where science clashes with nature. This heart pounding adventure kept my pulse racing until I reached the end where I found myself utterly shocked and desperate for more.
May 15, 2014
HOLY CUPCAKES, THIS BOOK IS FREAKIN' AWESOME! It gave me the chills people.
Will review soon.
Will review soon.
July 21, 2015
Read our revew here:
http://readforyourfuture.blogspot.com...
http://readforyourfuture.blogspot.com...
July 21, 2019
The popularity of post-apocalyptic fiction is an interesting facet of the current literary landscape. Why this? Why now?
Some aspects of it are self-explanatory. It's the perfect way to set the adolescents in a YA novel free from adult/parental restraints, in a kind of modern desert island scenario. In a time when desert islands are few and far between, post-apocalyptic stories offer a return to something deeply satisfying to the human storytelling mind.
And of course, there's the fact that we do seem to be hurtling towards an apocalypse in real life. Fiction, as always, is a way to explore the deeper truths, showing ourselves our deepest fears while also offering us the comforting possibility of a happy ending. People yearn for heroism without, most of the time, having the courage to go out and get it, and this is a way to fantasize about being *forced* into heroism through no fault of your own.
Some part of it may also, I suspect, be wishful thinking. A major recurring feature of most of these post-apocalyptic stories is a dramatically depopulated landscape. Humans go from overrunning the planet, to being few and far between. All of a sudden, the hero *matters*, in a way that she just can't in a world with more than seven billion people in it. In our current overcrowded state, individuals cease to have much meaning, and we are all, even if only subconsciously, aware of our own insignificance against the backdrop of so much teeming humanity. But in a world where 90% of the human population has been wiped out, the survivors suddenly start to have meaning again.
All that is background musings on "Some Fine Day," which is a engaging post-apocalyptic YA novel about a world in which climate change has forced humanity to take refuge underground. The world elites fled to their bunkers when hypercanes made the surface unfit for human habitation, and they have created a high-tech and borderline fascist society in the elaborate underground cities they created. When sixteen-year-old Jansin, the daughter of a general and herself a cadet in an elite military academy, goes on a very special vacation to the surface of the planet, she is kidnapped by the ragged remnants of humanity that have, in contradiction to all the official propaganda she had been fed, been left to fend for themselves. What follows is a combination of castaway adventure and escape story.
"Some Fine Day" borrows heavily from the tropes of YA romance and adventure stories, but it does so in a way that is satisfying rather than derivative. Teenagers have to fend for themselves while finding adolescent love, a story that is repeated so many times because we like it so much. The underground world in the story is chillingly believable, with its evil plausibly good-intentioned and human rather than cartoonish. There is tons of action, including multiple fight and flight scenes that feel like something in a high-budget sci-fi action film. The romance is a minor part of the book, but there's enough to satisfy readers' hunger for that kind of story.
In short, this is a well-done YA post-apocalyptic story that is likely to appeal to fans of the genre, adults as well as teenagers. It's high-action but also grounded in scientific plausibility and a set of moral questions about the ends justifying the means. If you enjoy the genre, you should check this book out.
Some aspects of it are self-explanatory. It's the perfect way to set the adolescents in a YA novel free from adult/parental restraints, in a kind of modern desert island scenario. In a time when desert islands are few and far between, post-apocalyptic stories offer a return to something deeply satisfying to the human storytelling mind.
And of course, there's the fact that we do seem to be hurtling towards an apocalypse in real life. Fiction, as always, is a way to explore the deeper truths, showing ourselves our deepest fears while also offering us the comforting possibility of a happy ending. People yearn for heroism without, most of the time, having the courage to go out and get it, and this is a way to fantasize about being *forced* into heroism through no fault of your own.
Some part of it may also, I suspect, be wishful thinking. A major recurring feature of most of these post-apocalyptic stories is a dramatically depopulated landscape. Humans go from overrunning the planet, to being few and far between. All of a sudden, the hero *matters*, in a way that she just can't in a world with more than seven billion people in it. In our current overcrowded state, individuals cease to have much meaning, and we are all, even if only subconsciously, aware of our own insignificance against the backdrop of so much teeming humanity. But in a world where 90% of the human population has been wiped out, the survivors suddenly start to have meaning again.
All that is background musings on "Some Fine Day," which is a engaging post-apocalyptic YA novel about a world in which climate change has forced humanity to take refuge underground. The world elites fled to their bunkers when hypercanes made the surface unfit for human habitation, and they have created a high-tech and borderline fascist society in the elaborate underground cities they created. When sixteen-year-old Jansin, the daughter of a general and herself a cadet in an elite military academy, goes on a very special vacation to the surface of the planet, she is kidnapped by the ragged remnants of humanity that have, in contradiction to all the official propaganda she had been fed, been left to fend for themselves. What follows is a combination of castaway adventure and escape story.
"Some Fine Day" borrows heavily from the tropes of YA romance and adventure stories, but it does so in a way that is satisfying rather than derivative. Teenagers have to fend for themselves while finding adolescent love, a story that is repeated so many times because we like it so much. The underground world in the story is chillingly believable, with its evil plausibly good-intentioned and human rather than cartoonish. There is tons of action, including multiple fight and flight scenes that feel like something in a high-budget sci-fi action film. The romance is a minor part of the book, but there's enough to satisfy readers' hunger for that kind of story.
In short, this is a well-done YA post-apocalyptic story that is likely to appeal to fans of the genre, adults as well as teenagers. It's high-action but also grounded in scientific plausibility and a set of moral questions about the ends justifying the means. If you enjoy the genre, you should check this book out.
March 13, 2020
This was a such an interesting book and a very unique storyline in the dystopian genre. In this world set in the distant future (but not too distant . . . I think it was less than a hundred years maybe?), super powered hurricanes and global warming have basically destroyed the earth. Because of that, people have created a whole community underground. It's kind of wild the way you can view the hypercanes on a TV network or fake weather. Apparently, the discovered that when there are no weather changes, people get anxious, so they created a virual network of fake weather patterns. Ha.
Jansin was an awesome protagonist. She was a total bad ass, being trained in the military as basically an assassin. She accepts all the propaganda her government tells her, not daring to question anything. And why would she? It isn't until a trip to the surface when a raid from people who actually live aboveground results in her being kidnapped that she starts to question everything.
I do think that for the most part, this is a fast paced book. The only part that dragged at times a little was when Jansin was with the aboveground group. I loved her relationship with Will and the characters that she met, but I was a little disappointed that those characters weren't as developed as Jansin. I can't say to much about the plot because I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that there were so many twists and turns and so much action that it was hard to put this book down. Of course, I did have to put it down at times because life got in the way. Ha. I also loved the ending. Great read!
Jansin was an awesome protagonist. She was a total bad ass, being trained in the military as basically an assassin. She accepts all the propaganda her government tells her, not daring to question anything. And why would she? It isn't until a trip to the surface when a raid from people who actually live aboveground results in her being kidnapped that she starts to question everything.
I do think that for the most part, this is a fast paced book. The only part that dragged at times a little was when Jansin was with the aboveground group. I loved her relationship with Will and the characters that she met, but I was a little disappointed that those characters weren't as developed as Jansin. I can't say to much about the plot because I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that there were so many twists and turns and so much action that it was hard to put this book down. Of course, I did have to put it down at times because life got in the way. Ha. I also loved the ending. Great read!
November 11, 2015
"Maybe the canes were nature's answer to a species that was making the whole planet sick. Or maybe we just brought it on ourselves."
I went into Some Fine Day with all the wrong expectations I suppose. I was expecting your typical easy to read YA novel and came out with a solid attempt at sci-fi in the YA world. It is a little bit more about the setting than it is about the characters, and I am a character driven girl, but it also reminded me of those sci-fi short stories you read in college about how the authors thought the 2000s would look like. Part sci-fi and dystopian Some Fine Day will take you years into the future into a society that brought on mass genocide in order to survive underground and away from the horrible consequences of our current missuse of planet Earth.
How far are you willing to go in order to save humanity? Or what you think is the best of humanity. Some Fine Day didn't specifically tackle any talk about race instead every person (in the USA) that was considered of value (mostly men/women of science and in the high ranking military, not to mention of course political figures) were saved from the end of society as we knew it when huge hypercanes start developing on the surface. To survive said hypercanes humanity pulls a meerkat and make this underground living network.
Some Fine Day is the story of Jansin, a girl trained in the military who on a vacation trip to the surface gets kidnapped by the remaining humans who have managed to survive top side. On her journey she starts to uncover all these lies and propaganda that her government made up in order to keep those living underground "safe" and oblivious to the possibility of surviving top side. We also get to learn about this mutated strain of humans called "Toads" who will scare you shitless.
Overall the beginning for me was quite dry and slow, Jansin being a not so fun main leading lady to start with. She seems to be going through the motions of her life, not really caring where she ends up, or with whom. Her life, and views, start changing only after she gets kidnapped and starts learning that maybe the way her life has been always planned for her isn't the only way to live.
"I've always had a purpose even if it was just to serve as someone else's weapon. He's my purpose now. And I'm my own weapon."
By the middle and end there Jansin starts being her own person and kicking some serious ass while uncovering a lot of what her government has been doing behind everybody's backs and risking it all (including her family) to see it all come to light.
"Toads. Newly emerged life form, amphibian but with primate characteristics. As in bipedal, as in crudely intelligent. Also, if you hadn't guessed, not friendly."
I enjoyed the parts that included the infamous Toads and only hopped we could have learned more about these creatures, but in the end we are left with the same questions the main lady has. Are they sentient? What drives them? How are they keeping alive in these conditions? In the end they are the big boogie man but weren't explored to their fullest potential. One thing for sure, they are hella terrifying.
Some Fine Day is more of an exploration of what happens to society when they are hardwired to survive in strange and extreme circumstances, and the sci-fi, while interesting, isn't explored or explained to the fullest. In any case it is more of an effort that I have seen in other "sci-fi" YA novels that are more about the adventure and romance than about the sci-fi itself, so kudos.
I thought that Some Fine Day would make a kick ass movie, with its action scenes, interesting view of the world, the characters that will not be placed in a genre stereotypical roles (Jansin is the kick ass military gal while Will is the healer) SIDENOTE: Who is Will? The love interest of course that only starts getting interesting at the very end of the novel (after some real fucked up shit happens to him) and who's only real purpose if to get Jansin's journey rolling. The whole book might need a little bit more work to make it more fulfilling for the general audience seeing as Some Fine Day ends on a very broad note that leaves the consequences to the reader's imagination.
So the ending was FULL of action, non stop thrills, but little to no conclusive answers. I don't know if it is because we are meant to fill in the holes ourselves or because Some Fine Day wanted a little wiggle room in case of a sequel? There's a whole lot of room since we don't get to read how some favorite characters ended up, or if any definitive change was made by the powers that be below. Very open ended ending, which can be both frustrating and liberating. I personally would have liked a few more chapters to clear some things up, maybe even be introduced to the next part of our main characters' lives. But maybe a sequel is in the works, which would be awesome and I think I can definitely make the room in my library for one. And next time please hit it harder on the sci-fi stuff, cause those parts were really interesting ;)
I went into Some Fine Day with all the wrong expectations I suppose. I was expecting your typical easy to read YA novel and came out with a solid attempt at sci-fi in the YA world. It is a little bit more about the setting than it is about the characters, and I am a character driven girl, but it also reminded me of those sci-fi short stories you read in college about how the authors thought the 2000s would look like. Part sci-fi and dystopian Some Fine Day will take you years into the future into a society that brought on mass genocide in order to survive underground and away from the horrible consequences of our current missuse of planet Earth.
How far are you willing to go in order to save humanity? Or what you think is the best of humanity. Some Fine Day didn't specifically tackle any talk about race instead every person (in the USA) that was considered of value (mostly men/women of science and in the high ranking military, not to mention of course political figures) were saved from the end of society as we knew it when huge hypercanes start developing on the surface. To survive said hypercanes humanity pulls a meerkat and make this underground living network.
Some Fine Day is the story of Jansin, a girl trained in the military who on a vacation trip to the surface gets kidnapped by the remaining humans who have managed to survive top side. On her journey she starts to uncover all these lies and propaganda that her government made up in order to keep those living underground "safe" and oblivious to the possibility of surviving top side. We also get to learn about this mutated strain of humans called "Toads" who will scare you shitless.
Overall the beginning for me was quite dry and slow, Jansin being a not so fun main leading lady to start with. She seems to be going through the motions of her life, not really caring where she ends up, or with whom. Her life, and views, start changing only after she gets kidnapped and starts learning that maybe the way her life has been always planned for her isn't the only way to live.
"I've always had a purpose even if it was just to serve as someone else's weapon. He's my purpose now. And I'm my own weapon."
By the middle and end there Jansin starts being her own person and kicking some serious ass while uncovering a lot of what her government has been doing behind everybody's backs and risking it all (including her family) to see it all come to light.
"Toads. Newly emerged life form, amphibian but with primate characteristics. As in bipedal, as in crudely intelligent. Also, if you hadn't guessed, not friendly."
I enjoyed the parts that included the infamous Toads and only hopped we could have learned more about these creatures, but in the end we are left with the same questions the main lady has. Are they sentient? What drives them? How are they keeping alive in these conditions? In the end they are the big boogie man but weren't explored to their fullest potential. One thing for sure, they are hella terrifying.
Some Fine Day is more of an exploration of what happens to society when they are hardwired to survive in strange and extreme circumstances, and the sci-fi, while interesting, isn't explored or explained to the fullest. In any case it is more of an effort that I have seen in other "sci-fi" YA novels that are more about the adventure and romance than about the sci-fi itself, so kudos.
I thought that Some Fine Day would make a kick ass movie, with its action scenes, interesting view of the world, the characters that will not be placed in a genre stereotypical roles (Jansin is the kick ass military gal while Will is the healer) SIDENOTE: Who is Will? The love interest of course that only starts getting interesting at the very end of the novel (after some real fucked up shit happens to him) and who's only real purpose if to get Jansin's journey rolling. The whole book might need a little bit more work to make it more fulfilling for the general audience seeing as Some Fine Day ends on a very broad note that leaves the consequences to the reader's imagination.
So the ending was FULL of action, non stop thrills, but little to no conclusive answers. I don't know if it is because we are meant to fill in the holes ourselves or because Some Fine Day wanted a little wiggle room in case of a sequel? There's a whole lot of room since we don't get to read how some favorite characters ended up, or if any definitive change was made by the powers that be below. Very open ended ending, which can be both frustrating and liberating. I personally would have liked a few more chapters to clear some things up, maybe even be introduced to the next part of our main characters' lives. But maybe a sequel is in the works, which would be awesome and I think I can definitely make the room in my library for one. And next time please hit it harder on the sci-fi stuff, cause those parts were really interesting ;)
deals
March 1, 20201 March 2020: $0.99 on Kindle
March 7, 2015
I just finished reading this novel and have to say, I enjoyed it thoroughly! I'm having a difficult time writing this review without creating spoiler-age, but here goes:
Post apocalyptic - The scientists were right, of course and global warming has claimed the earth. Hypercanes (immense hurricanes) have been birthed and are scouring the surface of the planet. We humans are rather resourceful and have gone underground and created new civilizations. It's early on, and the heroine is of the first generation that was born there. The novel brushes into Sci-fi, but doesn't become TOO technical, so casual readers won't find their eyes glazing-over in the minutia and techno-babble. The emphasis is more on the social evolution or devolution of humankind.
There were several of these huge cavernous cities built around the globe in consortium and were planned as a federation, but the satellite system failed to send or receive for many years and when communication was re-established, what emerged was a sort of city-state and now it's more of a confederation. Not a lot is explained about other city-states, but several suceded outright while others loosely stayed together. They function more as allied, non-allied, and neutral.
That's basically the background story and you learn more and more as the main story unfolds. The main story is about a girl who is about to graduate from a military academy (she has been trained for spec ops) and is off with her family for one last holiday before she receives her first assignment. She is from an influential family (her father is a general and her mother, a biochemist) and as a last hurrah, they set out for a luxury holiday on the surface! (complete with tiki bar, etc). All major life forms have been scoured off the planet, but these hypercanes move slowly and there are places that flourish with plant-life if only for a period of time before they too are masticated by one of the 5 monsters.
Her father also invites her apparent boyfriend and plans seems to have been made for her life that the girl is not happy about, but this is interrupted by a lethal raid performed by.... you guessed it...[deleted by me due to spoiler-age] Someone has some 'splainin' to do. Before the 'splainin' part happens, she is begrudgingly taken captive. That's where the fun begins and I'll let you read on.
The only real problem I have with this read, is the age of the heroine. I'm just not buying that she's 16. Eighteen would be the youngest I would have put this character, but perhaps they are trying to cash in on Twilight or Hunger Games, I dunno. I do know that she is physically, psychologically, and emotionally advanced. They all are, even the boys. It's the physically I really have problems with, but perhaps they put hormones in the synth-meat. I just mentally made her 18 and left it at that.
It read quickly; I read the 300 plus pages within a day easily. I was never bored. I never felt thought was sacrificed for action and visuals were painted nicely. Oh, go ahead...You know you want to read it, and I would suggest you do. Then go on and read your Russian novel. =D
Post apocalyptic - The scientists were right, of course and global warming has claimed the earth. Hypercanes (immense hurricanes) have been birthed and are scouring the surface of the planet. We humans are rather resourceful and have gone underground and created new civilizations. It's early on, and the heroine is of the first generation that was born there. The novel brushes into Sci-fi, but doesn't become TOO technical, so casual readers won't find their eyes glazing-over in the minutia and techno-babble. The emphasis is more on the social evolution or devolution of humankind.
There were several of these huge cavernous cities built around the globe in consortium and were planned as a federation, but the satellite system failed to send or receive for many years and when communication was re-established, what emerged was a sort of city-state and now it's more of a confederation. Not a lot is explained about other city-states, but several suceded outright while others loosely stayed together. They function more as allied, non-allied, and neutral.
That's basically the background story and you learn more and more as the main story unfolds. The main story is about a girl who is about to graduate from a military academy (she has been trained for spec ops) and is off with her family for one last holiday before she receives her first assignment. She is from an influential family (her father is a general and her mother, a biochemist) and as a last hurrah, they set out for a luxury holiday on the surface! (complete with tiki bar, etc). All major life forms have been scoured off the planet, but these hypercanes move slowly and there are places that flourish with plant-life if only for a period of time before they too are masticated by one of the 5 monsters.
Her father also invites her apparent boyfriend and plans seems to have been made for her life that the girl is not happy about, but this is interrupted by a lethal raid performed by.... you guessed it...[deleted by me due to spoiler-age] Someone has some 'splainin' to do. Before the 'splainin' part happens, she is begrudgingly taken captive. That's where the fun begins and I'll let you read on.
The only real problem I have with this read, is the age of the heroine. I'm just not buying that she's 16. Eighteen would be the youngest I would have put this character, but perhaps they are trying to cash in on Twilight or Hunger Games, I dunno. I do know that she is physically, psychologically, and emotionally advanced. They all are, even the boys. It's the physically I really have problems with, but perhaps they put hormones in the synth-meat. I just mentally made her 18 and left it at that.
It read quickly; I read the 300 plus pages within a day easily. I was never bored. I never felt thought was sacrificed for action and visuals were painted nicely. Oh, go ahead...You know you want to read it, and I would suggest you do. Then go on and read your Russian novel. =D
April 15, 2015
This review was originally post at Lilybloombookst
4.5 stars
Some Fine Day had not been on my radar prior to seeing it on the February release titles for Brilliance Audio. Shame really, because I would have been all over this book months ago had I known about it sooner!
In this post-apocalyptic novel, the world has been ravished by Hypercanes; powerful hurricanes that spread thousands of miles wide and destroy everything in their wake. In the years leading up to the full destruction - the leaders of the world joined together and fled underground, taking only the best of the best to rebuild society.
Can you imagine living underground, thousands of miles into the earths surface? That is all Jansin has known - until the day she and her family "vacation" to the surface and she is taken prisoner by a group of survivors. People that Jansin didn't even know existed.
I adored Jansin. She is tough, smart and brave. Since being the daughter of the General - her life wasn't easy in the Academy, so she worked harder, training endlessly to be treated as an equal. When her situation becomes dire, she has her moments of self-pity and despair, but it doesn't consume her. She adapt's and makes the most out of her situation. It's admirable, because when everything you have ever known has been a lie - and you learn about first hand - it's easy to succumb to anger. She is a survivor through and through.
The overall plot of the book is somewhat similar to other post-apocalyptic novels, but there is so much more involved. There are secrets, betrayal, romance and a heroine that will stop at nothing to save those she loves. Yet at the same time, I felt like this was more real. The enormity of this is mind-blowing. To have full destruction of the world, to learn about so many deaths and now what the survivors are doing for evolution. It's horrifying. It's hard to understand what those have done to survive - what they are continuously doing to survive.
The romance is very subtle - but there. While it doesn't consume the plot - it's weighs very heavy on Jansin's actions and propels her to do what she did. I loved it. I loved all the characters, even the bad guys, because they were written so well.
There are many things that I was left questioning at the end of Some Fine Day - but it's one of those rare instances that I am okay with. A lot of things are left open for your imagination. Between the outcome of some of the characters, a few sub-plots and the like. The pacing was close to perfect, slowing down when necessary and then non-stop action. And the narrator was amazing.
Overall - I really liked Some Fine Day. It's one of my favorites now in the genre and I highly recommend it.
*I received a copy of this book from The Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
4.5 stars
Some Fine Day had not been on my radar prior to seeing it on the February release titles for Brilliance Audio. Shame really, because I would have been all over this book months ago had I known about it sooner!
In this post-apocalyptic novel, the world has been ravished by Hypercanes; powerful hurricanes that spread thousands of miles wide and destroy everything in their wake. In the years leading up to the full destruction - the leaders of the world joined together and fled underground, taking only the best of the best to rebuild society.
Can you imagine living underground, thousands of miles into the earths surface? That is all Jansin has known - until the day she and her family "vacation" to the surface and she is taken prisoner by a group of survivors. People that Jansin didn't even know existed.
I adored Jansin. She is tough, smart and brave. Since being the daughter of the General - her life wasn't easy in the Academy, so she worked harder, training endlessly to be treated as an equal. When her situation becomes dire, she has her moments of self-pity and despair, but it doesn't consume her. She adapt's and makes the most out of her situation. It's admirable, because when everything you have ever known has been a lie - and you learn about first hand - it's easy to succumb to anger. She is a survivor through and through.
The overall plot of the book is somewhat similar to other post-apocalyptic novels, but there is so much more involved. There are secrets, betrayal, romance and a heroine that will stop at nothing to save those she loves. Yet at the same time, I felt like this was more real. The enormity of this is mind-blowing. To have full destruction of the world, to learn about so many deaths and now what the survivors are doing for evolution. It's horrifying. It's hard to understand what those have done to survive - what they are continuously doing to survive.
The romance is very subtle - but there. While it doesn't consume the plot - it's weighs very heavy on Jansin's actions and propels her to do what she did. I loved it. I loved all the characters, even the bad guys, because they were written so well.
There are many things that I was left questioning at the end of Some Fine Day - but it's one of those rare instances that I am okay with. A lot of things are left open for your imagination. Between the outcome of some of the characters, a few sub-plots and the like. The pacing was close to perfect, slowing down when necessary and then non-stop action. And the narrator was amazing.
Overall - I really liked Some Fine Day. It's one of my favorites now in the genre and I highly recommend it.
*I received a copy of this book from The Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
August 4, 2014
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks so much!*
White book covers always intrigue me. I seem to have a thing for them. So naturally, I had to read Some Fine Day and I have to say that I enjoyed this book a lot! It had action, romance, decent world-building and convincing writing, basically everything a good book needs. I thought the pacing was a bit off in the second half which is why Some Fine Day is a four-stars read for me overall.
I liked Jansin a lot. I feel like lately I wasn't that much into YA heroines. They are either too whiny, too kick-ass, too dumb and naive or too swoony. But Jansin was just right for me. She was tough but also had her soft moments, the romance part of the plot was very authentic, I didn't once have to roll my eyes. Jan is intelligent and persistent, she can be brave but is never reckless. I enjoyed to experience the story through her eyes.
Kat Ross has written an exciting dystopian novel. She created a world where superstorms are wrecking the world's surface and a certain elect percentage of the people have left everyone else behind and moved beyond the surface. That is where Jan comes from, a world of stone and artificial light. It's a reality I can imagine quite well if we keep destroying our environment.
But when Jansin is abducted during her very first trip to the surface, she has to learn that she's been lied to all her life. She meets the people that are still living on the surface and who've learned to run from the storms (or hypercanes as they're called). She meets Will, who has experienced way more than any seventeen-years old guy should have and who's the physician of the group. Now she simply has to decide which life she'd rather live. But naturally, life's never that simple and soon things get out of control.
I loved this story! I liked Will and his quiet nature, but I could also understand the changes that he went through. And I got why Jansin had to earn his trust first. There weren't a lot of secondary characters, just a few appearing and reappearing from time to time.
The only problem I had was with the pacing in the second half of the book. Yeah, naturally the story had to pick up a little bit after the surface part, but it didn't for a whole while. When it did, it seemed like it never stopped right up until the end. It was one giant, epic finale describing fight after flight and more of it without a second to catch your breath. And suddenly that was it. I would have wish for a more round ending.
I'm sure fans of the dystopian genre will love this book. It can be pretty gruesome at some points but it is still a highly entertaining read with lots of action and some interesting world-building. I would very much enjoy to read a sequel of Some Fine Day.
White book covers always intrigue me. I seem to have a thing for them. So naturally, I had to read Some Fine Day and I have to say that I enjoyed this book a lot! It had action, romance, decent world-building and convincing writing, basically everything a good book needs. I thought the pacing was a bit off in the second half which is why Some Fine Day is a four-stars read for me overall.
I liked Jansin a lot. I feel like lately I wasn't that much into YA heroines. They are either too whiny, too kick-ass, too dumb and naive or too swoony. But Jansin was just right for me. She was tough but also had her soft moments, the romance part of the plot was very authentic, I didn't once have to roll my eyes. Jan is intelligent and persistent, she can be brave but is never reckless. I enjoyed to experience the story through her eyes.
Kat Ross has written an exciting dystopian novel. She created a world where superstorms are wrecking the world's surface and a certain elect percentage of the people have left everyone else behind and moved beyond the surface. That is where Jan comes from, a world of stone and artificial light. It's a reality I can imagine quite well if we keep destroying our environment.
But when Jansin is abducted during her very first trip to the surface, she has to learn that she's been lied to all her life. She meets the people that are still living on the surface and who've learned to run from the storms (or hypercanes as they're called). She meets Will, who has experienced way more than any seventeen-years old guy should have and who's the physician of the group. Now she simply has to decide which life she'd rather live. But naturally, life's never that simple and soon things get out of control.
I loved this story! I liked Will and his quiet nature, but I could also understand the changes that he went through. And I got why Jansin had to earn his trust first. There weren't a lot of secondary characters, just a few appearing and reappearing from time to time.
The only problem I had was with the pacing in the second half of the book. Yeah, naturally the story had to pick up a little bit after the surface part, but it didn't for a whole while. When it did, it seemed like it never stopped right up until the end. It was one giant, epic finale describing fight after flight and more of it without a second to catch your breath. And suddenly that was it. I would have wish for a more round ending.
I'm sure fans of the dystopian genre will love this book. It can be pretty gruesome at some points but it is still a highly entertaining read with lots of action and some interesting world-building. I would very much enjoy to read a sequel of Some Fine Day.
May 15, 2014
This. Book. Is. Good. Period!
If you're looking for a little dosage of Jules Verne imaginary travels to the centre of the Earth (not the nasty movie), a luxuriously described survival in a remote island setting (including a hot guy named Will) with dangerous mutants that may be lurking around, a little bit of Ender's Game military training; and some scary crazy weather: hypercanes that destroy everything in their way; this is it: just read Some Fine Day. You'll be rewarded with the awesomeness of this story.
The plot centres around Jansin Nordqvist, a 16 year old girl who is the daughter of a high level military head. They live in one of the cities that have been built underground as in response to the crazy climate change that occurred in the future. The melting of the Arctic and Antarctic ice unchained a crazy weather where 5 immense hurricanes hypercanes, erratically move in the surface of the Earth, continent-sized storms, destroying everything they encounter.
Jansin has been training in military school since she was 8 years old. Thus, she is basically a kickass with some serious combat skills.
The plot of this story thickens after Jansin and her family take a vacation on the surface, making the reader travel with her to unexpected adventures.
I found it fun, quick and very interesting! But I think that the ending could have delivered better closure, as I have so many questions.... Is this really it? No more Jansin and Will?
I don't think my imagination is good enough to fill in the blanks :(
I WANT MORE
I had so much fun reading it! Be gentle with it and it will reward you with its subtle messages. It was super appropriate and scary to read during this week as the terrible news of where a study from NASA explained that "a major section of west Antarctica's ice sheet will completely melt in coming centuries and probably raise sea levels higher than previously predicted, revealing another impact from the world's changing climate." YIKES!
Source
---
I received an advanced copy of this book from its publisher, Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for this :)
If you're looking for a little dosage of Jules Verne imaginary travels to the centre of the Earth (not the nasty movie), a luxuriously described survival in a remote island setting (including a hot guy named Will) with dangerous mutants that may be lurking around, a little bit of Ender's Game military training; and some scary crazy weather: hypercanes that destroy everything in their way; this is it: just read Some Fine Day. You'll be rewarded with the awesomeness of this story.
The plot centres around Jansin Nordqvist, a 16 year old girl who is the daughter of a high level military head. They live in one of the cities that have been built underground as in response to the crazy climate change that occurred in the future. The melting of the Arctic and Antarctic ice unchained a crazy weather where 5 immense hurricanes hypercanes, erratically move in the surface of the Earth, continent-sized storms, destroying everything they encounter.
Jansin has been training in military school since she was 8 years old. Thus, she is basically a kickass with some serious combat skills.
The plot of this story thickens after Jansin and her family take a vacation on the surface, making the reader travel with her to unexpected adventures.
I found it fun, quick and very interesting! But I think that the ending could have delivered better closure, as I have so many questions.... Is this really it? No more Jansin and Will?
I don't think my imagination is good enough to fill in the blanks :(
I WANT MORE
I had so much fun reading it! Be gentle with it and it will reward you with its subtle messages. It was super appropriate and scary to read during this week as the terrible news of where a study from NASA explained that "a major section of west Antarctica's ice sheet will completely melt in coming centuries and probably raise sea levels higher than previously predicted, revealing another impact from the world's changing climate." YIKES!
Source
---
I received an advanced copy of this book from its publisher, Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for this :)
May 8, 2014
“Some Fine Day” was published in 2014 (July) and is the first novel by Kat Ross (http://katrossbooks.com).
“Some Fine Day” is a Young Adult SciFi novel. I was given access prior to publication through NetGalley (https://www.netgalley.com).
The setting of the novel is a near future earth where climate change has gone severe, flooding the world as we know it and spawning huge, permanent hyper hurricanes. These have rendered the surface uninhabitable, so humanity has gone underground.
Jansin Nordqvist is 16 and nearing graduation from The Academy, a military institute in her subterraneon colony city-state. Her family is taken to the surface for a brief, once in a life time holiday by her father, a general in the military. The group is attacked one night and Jansin gets separated from the others. She discovers that there are still humans living on the surface, the remnants of the many who were left behind when the elite and connected went underground. They take her captive and sail off before a rescue can be staged.
While Jansin is a prisoner she meets Will, a self trained “physic” who is only a little older than she is. Jansin discovers many things that her government has been keeping secret. Will tells her of a rumored land mass that is free from the hurricanes. Jansin comes to like the people and they finally accept her. But Jansin’s father does not give up the search for her.
As the story unfolds there is a little romance, some intrigue, and a lot of excitement as Jasmin seeks the truth about the surface, looks for the mystical land that is free from the hurricanes and tries to keep her new friends, and Will in particular, free.
I enjoyed this novel. It is well written and the characters were developed well. The story keeps moving along, never bogging down. The way the story ends I expect there to be a sequel and I look forward to reading it when it appears.
While only a minor part of the story, I did find the idea of the “mole” vehicles which were able to relatively quickly mechanically dig their way from the colony to the surface and back a little far fetched.
“Some Fine Day” is a Young Adult SciFi novel. I was given access prior to publication through NetGalley (https://www.netgalley.com).
The setting of the novel is a near future earth where climate change has gone severe, flooding the world as we know it and spawning huge, permanent hyper hurricanes. These have rendered the surface uninhabitable, so humanity has gone underground.
Jansin Nordqvist is 16 and nearing graduation from The Academy, a military institute in her subterraneon colony city-state. Her family is taken to the surface for a brief, once in a life time holiday by her father, a general in the military. The group is attacked one night and Jansin gets separated from the others. She discovers that there are still humans living on the surface, the remnants of the many who were left behind when the elite and connected went underground. They take her captive and sail off before a rescue can be staged.
While Jansin is a prisoner she meets Will, a self trained “physic” who is only a little older than she is. Jansin discovers many things that her government has been keeping secret. Will tells her of a rumored land mass that is free from the hurricanes. Jansin comes to like the people and they finally accept her. But Jansin’s father does not give up the search for her.
As the story unfolds there is a little romance, some intrigue, and a lot of excitement as Jasmin seeks the truth about the surface, looks for the mystical land that is free from the hurricanes and tries to keep her new friends, and Will in particular, free.
I enjoyed this novel. It is well written and the characters were developed well. The story keeps moving along, never bogging down. The way the story ends I expect there to be a sequel and I look forward to reading it when it appears.
While only a minor part of the story, I did find the idea of the “mole” vehicles which were able to relatively quickly mechanically dig their way from the colony to the surface and back a little far fetched.
April 30, 2014
3.5 stars - I'm a huge dystopian fan, but after a while, they all start to sound very similiar to me. On one hand, I enjoyed this book quite immensely, as much as I would any other dystopian. Additionally, I really liked the concept, but I just felt that Ross missed out on a lot of the world-building aspects.
An underground world. So-called savages that live on the surface. Hypercranes that can devastate a community. These toads that are brutally vicious. How interesting. However, I felt I missed why underground people and those like Jake would take so much interest in hypercranes if they never affect the underground people. And we never really got to experience one until much later, and it wasn't as scary as I thought it was going to be. And the toads? I honestly forgot about them until near the end where everything is explained. I just felt as dangerous as the surface was made to be, I just felt those threats should have been more prevalent in the book. I understand that Jan has been lied to all her life. However, I just felt disappointed that I didn't get more adventure out of a book with such a cool concept.
As far as the story itself, not too unique from any other dystopian but still enjoyable. I did feel a bit disconcerted about how weak Ross made Will's character. Sure, I'm always up for a kick-ass heorine, but I just felt like she needs a partner who can at least hang. On one hand, I tried to convince myself that Ross was trying to make a point that those living on the surface were not savages by making Will a smart healer. Still, a girl wants to feel protected every now and then, and I don't think he can if it came down to it, especially since she's lived a literally sheltered life full of lies.
Overall, it was good book to read. The pacing was a bit on and off, but the story line was interesting. I think people who enjoy reading dystopian adventures who are not looking for a totally mind-blowing experience or not as picky as an analyst would really enjoy this book.
An underground world. So-called savages that live on the surface. Hypercranes that can devastate a community. These toads that are brutally vicious. How interesting. However, I felt I missed why underground people and those like Jake would take so much interest in hypercranes if they never affect the underground people. And we never really got to experience one until much later, and it wasn't as scary as I thought it was going to be. And the toads? I honestly forgot about them until near the end where everything is explained. I just felt as dangerous as the surface was made to be, I just felt those threats should have been more prevalent in the book. I understand that Jan has been lied to all her life. However, I just felt disappointed that I didn't get more adventure out of a book with such a cool concept.
As far as the story itself, not too unique from any other dystopian but still enjoyable. I did feel a bit disconcerted about how weak Ross made Will's character. Sure, I'm always up for a kick-ass heorine, but I just felt like she needs a partner who can at least hang. On one hand, I tried to convince myself that Ross was trying to make a point that those living on the surface were not savages by making Will a smart healer. Still, a girl wants to feel protected every now and then, and I don't think he can if it came down to it, especially since she's lived a literally sheltered life full of lies.
Overall, it was good book to read. The pacing was a bit on and off, but the story line was interesting. I think people who enjoy reading dystopian adventures who are not looking for a totally mind-blowing experience or not as picky as an analyst would really enjoy this book.
April 27, 2014
Thanks to Angry Robot and NetGalley for the ARC.
I have to admit from the off, I devoured this book in one sitting. There went my early night. Kat Ross just sucks you into Jansin's world. With civilization having moved underground due too rising sea levels, a fraction of the world's population remain and war is imminent between the different underground cells. Yet, that is not where we start. We start off very happily, Jansin is going to see sunlight for the first time on the surface.
Obviously this is to help build in how her world is broken. Peace on her holiday is shattered and Jansin is captured, having been injured fairly badly. Luckily she is patched up and has a skill which she can use to be accepted into the camp. She falls in love and then her new somewhat idyllic life is shattered and she returns to Raven Cove knowing all the uncomfortable lies of her society, laid bare before her.
Kat Ross builds a world in the not too distant future, where rising sea levels have forced humans to move underground. She also adds in the harsh reality that a fraction of the world's population is saved in this manner, the rest left to survive through the "Hypercanes" which are circling the planet. Ross makes a highly believable and relatable world which we could one day see if we do not look after the planet. Set within her readers possible life-times Ross effectively makes you think about the consequences of what will happen if we don't look after our world today. She also entwines within the story the genetic mutations which scientists could one day, be capable of.
Read the rest of this review at http://readbetweenthescenes.blogspot....
October 3, 2015
It was THE BEST novel I've read in a very very long time. I'd even say one of the best YAs I've EVER read. I mean, better than Divergent...we're talking Hunger Games status.
September 7, 2015
Some Fine Day is an epic story about survival and love. Read this book!
Full Review: http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/reviews/...
Full Review: http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/reviews/...
September 18, 2016
Enjoyed the audio on this one and the story was as good as I remembered.
March 15, 2020
Climate change has altered the face of the world dramatically. Sea levels have risen, cities washed away. The emergence of hypercanes, gigantic and devastating hurricanes hundreds of miles across, have destroyed what little of humanity didn’t escape below the surface. Humans now live underground, reduced in numbers and in strength, living their lives in huge caverns with layers of rock to protect them from the devastating conditions that continue to rage on the surface. Some Fine Day follows the story of Jansin, military cadet and daughter of two of the privileged who escaped underground when the surface grew too difficult to keep living on. The first couple of chapters are set-up, a slow build-up with details about Jansin’s life, how society works underground, and her family’s trip to the surface for a luxury vacation before she’s scheduled to graduate from her academy.
It’s on the surface that the story really begins, after an unexpected pirate attack leaves Jansin isolated from her family, who escaped back underground while she was injured and captured. Here’s the first moment that the story diverges from what I expected. While much of the story in Some Fine Day is fairly standard for a post-apocalyptic or dystopian YA novel in broad strokes, there are plenty of departures from what I’ve come to expect in novels. Case in point; when the novel stars in the underground society, I expected it to largely continue there, with the Jansin slowly uncovering signs that her life is more complicated and that society has more secrets than a teenager typically knows. I expected romance, which there was, but not from the immediately obvious source, and there were more hiccups along the romantic subplot that didn’t involve the usual, “You don’t understand me” or “Our goals are different” arguments that are often seen. There’s enough familiar material to make fans of the genre feel quite at home reading it, and enough unexpected differences to make it stand out from many other of the genre’s offerings.
Whether you consider it a pro or a con, Ross’s writing style for this novel is a fairly typical example of the genre. First person viewpoint, female protagonist, a good amount of descriptive detail but largely the focus is on perception rather than objectivity. Which is fine; it establishes the connection between the reader and the protagonist whose eyes we see the world through. It brings the action up close, and allows for internal monologues and introspection. The problem I find with this narrative style is that it’s everywhere. This isn’t the fault of Some Fine Day in particular. But it serves to make the book blend in with other books in the genre, not stand out. The things that make this book worth reading are evident only after you’ve made the decision to read it, which means that while it will definitely appeal to fans of the genre, it doesn’t do much to pull in anyone on the fence, doesn’t do anything to really distinguish itself from the competition.
Which is a shame, because I does walk some less common paths that other such novels don’t usually visit. True, it often returns to the safe and familiar after doing so, but it does deserve that recognition for breaking from the norm once you get into the real meat of the plot. Some plot twists may not be surprising, per se, but they are unexpected.
When you get right down to it, Some Fine Day is some fine novel, a welcome addition to the genre. And considering how easily I get burned out on the YA dystopian/post-apoc genre these days, that’s saying something. It may not be destined to be a classic, but that doesn’t stop it from being entertaining, with an unexpectedly dark and mature feel underpinning the whole story. It’s has a greater focus on discovery and justice than is typical, and while it does have a strong romantic drive and subplot, it doesn’t overtake the whole story at any point, it’s portrayed realistically and with realistic consequences, and was a nice addition to the tale as a whole, rather than being something that wars with the main plot for priority. I’m interested to see where Ross takes the story in the future, since it has quite a bit of potential and I want to see how my expectations get turned upside down again later on.
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
It’s on the surface that the story really begins, after an unexpected pirate attack leaves Jansin isolated from her family, who escaped back underground while she was injured and captured. Here’s the first moment that the story diverges from what I expected. While much of the story in Some Fine Day is fairly standard for a post-apocalyptic or dystopian YA novel in broad strokes, there are plenty of departures from what I’ve come to expect in novels. Case in point; when the novel stars in the underground society, I expected it to largely continue there, with the Jansin slowly uncovering signs that her life is more complicated and that society has more secrets than a teenager typically knows. I expected romance, which there was, but not from the immediately obvious source, and there were more hiccups along the romantic subplot that didn’t involve the usual, “You don’t understand me” or “Our goals are different” arguments that are often seen. There’s enough familiar material to make fans of the genre feel quite at home reading it, and enough unexpected differences to make it stand out from many other of the genre’s offerings.
Whether you consider it a pro or a con, Ross’s writing style for this novel is a fairly typical example of the genre. First person viewpoint, female protagonist, a good amount of descriptive detail but largely the focus is on perception rather than objectivity. Which is fine; it establishes the connection between the reader and the protagonist whose eyes we see the world through. It brings the action up close, and allows for internal monologues and introspection. The problem I find with this narrative style is that it’s everywhere. This isn’t the fault of Some Fine Day in particular. But it serves to make the book blend in with other books in the genre, not stand out. The things that make this book worth reading are evident only after you’ve made the decision to read it, which means that while it will definitely appeal to fans of the genre, it doesn’t do much to pull in anyone on the fence, doesn’t do anything to really distinguish itself from the competition.
Which is a shame, because I does walk some less common paths that other such novels don’t usually visit. True, it often returns to the safe and familiar after doing so, but it does deserve that recognition for breaking from the norm once you get into the real meat of the plot. Some plot twists may not be surprising, per se, but they are unexpected.
When you get right down to it, Some Fine Day is some fine novel, a welcome addition to the genre. And considering how easily I get burned out on the YA dystopian/post-apoc genre these days, that’s saying something. It may not be destined to be a classic, but that doesn’t stop it from being entertaining, with an unexpectedly dark and mature feel underpinning the whole story. It’s has a greater focus on discovery and justice than is typical, and while it does have a strong romantic drive and subplot, it doesn’t overtake the whole story at any point, it’s portrayed realistically and with realistic consequences, and was a nice addition to the tale as a whole, rather than being something that wars with the main plot for priority. I’m interested to see where Ross takes the story in the future, since it has quite a bit of potential and I want to see how my expectations get turned upside down again later on.
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
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