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The Pairings

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The secret is locked in her mind—and they’ll do anything to get it.

Generations ago, humanity was devastated by a virus that wiped billions from the planet. If not for AmeriGlobe’s Pairing programme to match immune survivors, and VaxWell’s immunity-boosting biomods, humans would’ve died out.

Lora Flannigan has sought to conform to the strict laws throughout her eighteen years, and after the Testing she now stands on the brink of a prestigious pairing with high-caste Jarid. Accepting the match will pull her and her family up from their low-caste existence.

But Lora never counted on the sparks that ignite when she meets her Pair’s striking brother: Syeth—dark, brooding and harbouring secrets. But before she’s managed to make sense of her feelings, he’s embroiled her in the rebellion underworld.

And when still darker truths come to light, Lora realizes the purpose behind not only her pairing… but her very existence.

This novel contains violence.


400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 3, 2019

842 people are currently reading
539 people want to read

About the author

Ramona Finn

22 books109 followers
Ramona Finn writes about courageous characters who fight to live in broken, dystopian worlds. She grew up sitting cross-legged on her town's library floor - completely engrossed in science fiction books. It was always the futuristic world or the universe-on-the-brink-of-extinction plot lines that drew her in, but it was the brave characters who chose to fight back that kept her turning the pages.

Her books create deep, intricate worlds with bold characters determined to fight for their survival in their dystopian worlds - with a little help from their friends. And, of course, romance is never out of the question...

Like young-adult dystopian books? Then you're going to love Ramona Finn's "The Glitch" -- set in a futuristic world where an Artificial Intelligence rules, Lib wakes up in a barren land with one thought lodged in her mind: "Find the Glitches".

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5 stars
125 (26%)
4 stars
155 (33%)
3 stars
122 (26%)
2 stars
48 (10%)
1 star
14 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
Profile Image for Beth.
3,114 reviews301 followers
January 7, 2020
The Pairings was a light, dystopian, young adult (I'd say more young teen) read. The story was interesting and well conceived with a premise that should of blown my socks off. It didn't. There is a deficit in character development that greatly diminished the character connection required for me to love a story. The potential is there, it just needs the engagement factor.

I received this copy of The Pairings from Relay Publishing. This is my honest and voluntary review.

My Rating: 3 stars
Written by: Ramona Finn
Print Length: 325 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publication Date: November 3, 2019
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
Genre: Teen Dystopian

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Pairings-Ramon...
Profile Image for Lia Carstairs.
561 reviews2,854 followers
November 23, 2020
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I must say, this was kind of boring.
Many times I was tempted to DNF The Pairings but I forced my way through this book.
The torture......
It's not that this book was horrible. I mean maybe some of you might love this series.
It's just that to me, I felt like there were so many cliche scenes that made me cringe.
Lora Flannigan is a girl who's applying for something called the Pairing, where of course people are paired together. She's paired with a boy, Jared, who also happens to have a twin brother and can you guess what happens?
Yep. Of course she falls in love with the twin brother, Syeth. Typical.
Oh! And of course, what's better is that Syeth happens to be the dark and brooding type compared to his brother Jared, who's all cheerful.
There were some cool scenes in this book like when she jumped off the building😂 (of course she didn't die).
I guess this wasn't just my type.
Others probably loved this and I'm just in the minority😅. Wouldn't be a first, lol.
792 reviews
April 15, 2020
Had a hard time buying into the current society; needed more background and context. Also, just the whole idea of making yourself prettier to make yourself immune? Not buying in there either. And on top of that, all the sudden the main character is a spy even though she seemed so timid and unsure at the beginning. Half a hot second in and she’s leading the charge. Some of the logic seemed flawed as well. The mother catches them. They loop Jarid in and want him to not stay with his mom but no, don’t worry, she won’t have any idea what they’re up too! Doesn’t make sense at all. Ugh. There was so much potential here and it’s just a case of too much, too soon.

Not sure about continuing the series.... curious but not sure if I’m curious enough to read two more books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Chance Ruff.
6 reviews3 followers
Read
March 13, 2020
“The pairings” is a very interesting story full of adventures and unexpected twists. in a world where the zero virus has almost wiped out the whole population the only way to survive is to work together and use the vaccine, but it prevents reproduction, causing the need for computerized pairings and bio mods, how will Finn survive in this world?
Profile Image for Beth.
624 reviews2 followers
November 23, 2019
This dystopian, post apocalyptic YA novel is based on a unique and interesting premise. Zero, a dangerous virus, decimates the world and a person's rank in society is determined by the amount of immunity and vaccinations they have. Because of the virus, people are unable to reproduce naturally so when they turn eighteen, they are paired with a person they are most likely to be able to produce test-tube children with. The pairings are decided by VaxWell, a vaccine company, and are based on a person’s individual score which is determined by immunity and the number of vaccines and body mods a person has taken. Lora Flannigan signs up for a pairing because she thinks her father wants her to. She is paired with Jarid and is shocked to move to an upper level of society. All is not well in Jarid’s family though and he suffers from terrible headaches. Lora finds out from Syeth, Jarid’s twin brother that her potential mother-in-law, the CEO of VaxWell, may be the cause. She, Syeth and other rebels work together to find proof of what his mother has done, to find a cure for Jarid and to stop VaxWell from controlling and manipulating people. While investigating VaxWell, Lora finds out some secrets about her own family along the way. I liked the premise of this story but the characters were a little shallow and were not well fleshed out. With a little tweaking in characters development, this could be a better book. I know this is YA but the romance was simple and not very believable. I think this is a good book for tweens but beyond that, the writing style is a bit simplistic. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own
Profile Image for Karen Voitik.
3,219 reviews
September 14, 2020
>Book Review – The Pairings
>I am an independent reviewer. This book is the 1st in the Pairings series and ends in a cliffhanger. The reality in this story is post-pandemic. The company that came up with the virus vaccine now practically runs the world. There is a cast system, where the higher level of the population is allowed to physically modify themself. The result creates perfect people. In order to continue to create perfection, the people are studied and paired with their perfect match. Perfect, that is, to create a perfect offspring. In any system, there are rebels and this system is no different.
>Lora is paired with Jarid, the son of the company running everything. She notices that all is not perfect in the seemingly perfect house. Jarid’s twin, Syeth is treated poorly by his mother and Jarid suffers from debilitating headaches. Lora is exposed to the truth in the system by Syeth and falls for him. Jarid is a sweet boy, but seems to be only a half person. Turns out his memory has been tampered with and he has a true love out in the world that his mother is forcing him to forget.
>There is a lot of exciting new technology, fun chase scenes and a very “G” rated romance between Syeth and Lora. The settings are described in such a way as to really make them pop. The whole “evil is taking over the world” theme is not a new one, but this book has fun with it. This book is appropriate for a young adult audience. I am giving this book 4 stars. I think a little more romance would have made the story better.
Profile Image for Jenna D Morrison.
Author 3 books27 followers
November 22, 2020
Lora lives in a society that has been decimated by a deadly virus. As a result, 18-year-olds are paired with their future mates based on their immunity to the virus. When Lora meets the boy she has been paired with, her adventure begins. Conspiracies, lies, and evil people surround her. This book is full of action and adventure as Lora tries to escape and save herself and her friends while trying to find out what caused her mother’s suicide when Lora was young. I love the characters in this book and the story kept me glued to the book from start to finish!
Profile Image for Jennifer.
2,279 reviews19 followers
February 6, 2021
I received an eARC courtesy of Relay Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Was this predictable? Yes. Did it have some super-cliché moments? Also yes.

But I don't think it necessary detracts from the story. Overall, this is a solid addition to the dystopian genre and I feel like it has that lighter touch for those teens that were a bit over-whelmed by the high body count of Hunger Games. And it's a definite bonus that it is quite the quick and easy read.
Profile Image for Cathy.
242 reviews13 followers
February 19, 2021
Really good storyline with great characters !

I like the plot and characters, but some of the world this author's created is a little difficult to understand or picture. She talks about biomods or mods and I just don't understand how make-up, clothes, or lifestyle has anything to do with immunity to a virus ?! It's very confusing. Other than that, I enjoyed the rest of the book a lot ! On to book two!
17 reviews1 follower
March 30, 2021
Good but needed better development

Overall I enjoyed it, but there wasn’t enough character/plot development. Lora seemed all over the place with her feelings, and came to dramatic conclusions wayyy faster than a teenager would. I think spending a bit more time developing the plot would have helped for sure. The second half got better, so I’m going into the next book with an open mind!
Profile Image for Xtina Parada.
1 review
November 6, 2019
The book was an interesting read. Not quite what I was expecting but interesting non the less. It's not the type of book I usually read but it was a decent read. If you loved the divergent trilogy then this book is perfect for you.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Rachel.
22 reviews2 followers
December 6, 2020
The Pairings

Typical YA dystopian. The main character is paired with a level 1, an advantageous match for her. Things aren’t as wonderful as they seem and she soon finds herself in the middle of a rebellion. Characters are likable, though I would have liked to see more development. The plot is somewhat predictable. It’s and easy read and overall an ok book.
Profile Image for Tracy Karol.
142 reviews10 followers
April 14, 2021
Good, nice suspense

This book was good and built suspense well enough to keep me reading. There were some annoying grammar mistakes and the plot could have been more solid, but still I finished it pretty quick. Probably 3.5 stars, and I will likely finish the series at some point. The villain was somewhat silly.
Profile Image for Rebecca.
4,057 reviews
August 8, 2020
Must Read

Well that was crazy. I can’t believe their mom was that nuts and where in the depths of Hades is their father because he’s been mostly a no show and just let her do whatever she wanted especially with/too their children.
Profile Image for Breanna.
1,174 reviews21 followers
August 26, 2020
YA dystopian

This is young adult dystopian book is an enjoyable adventure! It’s perfect for YA or those who love the genre. It’s suspenseful, exciting and the imagery is enticing. You are rooting for the characters the whole time. You’ll definitely enjoy the series.
Profile Image for Fonda.
21 reviews1 follower
January 13, 2022
I liked the pitch - The secret is locked in her mind and they will do anything to get it. Honestly, it is an interesting and adventurous dystopian novel. I was looking for more romance in the story but overall it was a good read. I would recommend it to YA audience.
Profile Image for tiff.
217 reviews1 follower
February 2, 2022
had really high expectations for the story but it didn’t capture my attention the way I wanted it to… a pretty decent read though! I’ve bought all the books in the series so I’ll finish it and give another review then!
146 reviews2 followers
March 11, 2021
Okay

The book was okay but didn’t really draw me into it. Also there were a few spelling errors that need to be fixed.
Profile Image for Marie.
623 reviews47 followers
June 4, 2021
Getting STRONG Divergent vibes. Probably going to read the rest of the trilogy because I hate myself
Profile Image for Kit Tee.
373 reviews
August 9, 2021
Kittee Approved

This book has been read, laughed at, gasped at, raged at, cried over, nd is now cherished nd treasured by Kittee. Read It!
285 reviews7 followers
December 27, 2019
Preface: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was disappointing, and I wasn't expecting a lot from it to begin with. The premise is pretty simple cookie-cutter Big Brother dystopia stuff, with an added romance element, but both of these end up being pretty flimsy in execution. The evil business behind everything doesn't make a whole lot of sense, in terms of how they control people - they monitor everyone's immunity number, and tell people it can be influenced via music, clothing, etc...but why? How? The link between these things - or how they would have literally any effect in staving off a virus - is literally never mentioned. It also ends up being almost completely dropped after the first few chapters. You would think a society based around surviving a virus that killed most of humanity would be obsessed with healthiness, terrified of the common cold, all that stuff, but none of it ever comes up. You could swap out the disease for any other apocalyptic scenario, and literally nothing in the world would change, besides the idea of "pairing" for genetic success.

The "pairing" idea - the other facet the story is based around - also comes to basically nothing. No other characters in the story are paired, beyond the lead and one of her love interests. No one really brings it up in conversation. Despite all the weight the hero puts on it, she and Jarid never really interact beyond a little dancing and a carriage ride. And the idea that she belongs with him is thrown aside halfway through the book, when she decides she is completely in love with his brother (to the point where she wants to build a life with him) after knowing about him for a few days. Yawn. It's very weird to me that the author decided to name both the first novel and entire series after this idea, only to completely disregard it before the novel even finishes.

None of this is to say the book is bad, or remotely offensive, or anything like that. Lora is fine as a protagonist, even if she is very passive, and her motivations change constantly. The villain is boring, but fine. The love interests are boring, but fine (not problematic/abusive or anything like that). It's just all very shadow. I would not say it is worth a reader's time.
856 reviews8 followers
November 11, 2019
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This novel was an enjoyable read in a post apocalyptic world, where humanity now relies on pairing, which are based off one's immunity and use of biomods to enhance themselves. Lora Flannigan wants to do what she believes she father has always wanted her to do: find a pairing. When she gets paired with high caste Jarid, she thinks everything is looking up. However, there is so much she does not know, and it begins with her being enlightened by Jarid's dark, brooding twin brother, Syeth. They have an instant connection and attraction, and Syeth knows there are secrets and truths he must uncover. As the black sheep of his family, he does what he wants, hiding his talents, looking for evidence to prove his theories. Syeth convinces Lora to see to the truth behind the facade that the world sees, and they begin to work together. Lora gets deeper in with the rebels, wanting to help Jarid and looking for clues about her dead mother, for it seems things have been hidden from her as well. Lora also has an ability, one that VaxWell wants to exploit and use to control others. A great read and looking forward to the next novel!
Profile Image for Chris.
123 reviews55 followers
November 14, 2019
I received a copy from NetGalley, but this review contains my honest opinions and feedback.

One might be tempted to think this is another YA book with a plucky heroine who triumphs over corporate evil… and there’s some truth to that. But that doesn’t detract from the fact that this is a thoroughly enjoyable, light read.

I enjoyed Lora, the main character, and I want to get to know her better. I understood her motivations, what drove her to take the actions that she did. But there’s a reveal in the story that isn’t explained fully in this book, and I want to know more.

The quick pace of this story was great, as I kept getting swept up in the momentum. I wanted to know what happened next.

The down side is that I felt like we just didn’t have enough time to really dive into the characterization and see the character growth. Some of the characters were a bit blank, despite the fact that they were central to the action. And due to the rapid pacing, I wasn’t quite able to buy into the romantic elements. I still enjoyed the romantic storyline, I just…wish it were a bit deeper.

Although there’s a definite portion at the end of the story that sets up book two, this is a complete story, and I was satisfied at the end of it.
1,402 reviews13 followers
November 6, 2019
I absolutely loved this tale!
In this scary futuristic tale where the government/VaxWell controls your future, the main characters, Lora, Jarid and Syeth are determined to end this control. This is a well-written plot-driven tale that has creative world-building scenes with suspense and action that takes your breath away. In a world where you get "mods" injections to “improve” to your body, hair, and beauty, which increases your ranking for pairing, one girl wants to fight the system. When she meets her pair the chemistry between Lora and Jarid is immediate, but she also has chemistry with her pairs brother Syeth which is hard to understand or label. The intrigue in the story keeps you glued to the pages as you wonder, is Lora’s life a lie? Is VaxWell conducting illegal pairings? Why are they controlling everyone’s life? and at the end, you’re asking “What’s next”? This is an amazing tale and well worth the read.

I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily.
Profile Image for Tamara.
291 reviews1 follower
March 14, 2020
Is she the key to restoring or removing everbodies memories?

If you enjoyed the Divergent series or even AEon Flux then this book may interest you. The world's population has been reduced due to a virus called Zero. Now everyone is encouraged to use mod's to boost there immunity and the better the immunity the better the your status is and better for being paired with someone.

In this book Lora only uses some mod's just to try to make her and her father's life better. When it is time to be tested and interviewed for pairing there is a rebel attack and thus starts Lora's journey.

She doesn't understand how she gets paired with who she does since both her test and interview were interrupted. More mysterious things start to happen and she starts to question everything she knows.

A must read to find out the truth that is hidden and the journey to help overthrow what Lora finds as corrupt. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Veronica Prowant.
515 reviews3 followers
November 7, 2019
*spoilers* I absolutely enjoyed reading this book. The MC is a young woman who, deep down, hates the system in place for her life. Her best friend refuses to be paired but she feels torn because she doesnt want to let her father down. Having lost her mom to suicide at a young age. Shes all he has. But her low level status being paired to a level one seems too good to be true. Enter the twins....one shes paired to who seems broken, and one she falls for who will fight to fix his brother. Their mom runs the company that handles their bio mods, and shes insane. After alot of secrets unravel, our girl realizes her life in super intertwined in the resistance, her father isnt who she thought, and things surrounding her mom just got super crazy. Now its off to the New California to seek out the answers.
I cannot wait to see what happens!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Dee/ bookworm.
1,400 reviews4 followers
December 18, 2019
#ThePairings #NetGalley

I really like this author and the premise of this book is great. There a few things that would have made the book better. One is the way one chapter ends and the next begins. When the next chapter begins, it is as if you step back and repeat the end of the previous chapter with more detail. One chapter began with her 'holding the only piece of evidence', which she really couldn't know since she didn't know the piece's origin or if anything else excised since she was newly introduced to this environment. Another thought would be to make the fighting/fleeing scenes more realistic. It felt like she went from a normal almost paranoid teenage to a warrior ninja.
I really did like the book, I just felt it has some wrinkles to iron out.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. The opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Theresa.
8,295 reviews134 followers
December 28, 2019

The Pairings
By Ramona Finn
Many apocalyptic stories start with what is normal and what goes wrong after. This book starts after they found a solution whether right or wrong the solution has a fix. The book looks into our need for self assurance and reliance that other people can be relied on. It asks you to question what is given and find a solution through honest vision and knowing your priorities. The given nature of a devastated world this book is dark. The idea that we can genetically change our own human nature is universal.
The strongest part of the story is the concept that media and public manipulation can make society that has questionable morality. The book teaches children to learn to evaluate what they are told on the fire of what is really good for them.

A great new series that may help students learn to seek answers when the questions become difficult.
Profile Image for CrazyCat (Alex).
902 reviews22 followers
November 14, 2019
The Pairings is a story about hope of a better future, romance, technology and the fight for independence. In a future were you get paired with your best match, but only if your scoring is high enough, Lore gets matched with Jarid. A Level 1 boy, a dream come true for a Level 3 girl like Lora. What she doesn’t know is that not everything is as it seems in the Rothkind family and that Jarid’s twin brother Syeth might change her look on life. I loved this book and can’t wait to read the next. There is bound to be a lot of fighting in New California and more secrets to discover.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Relay Publishing!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews

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