Missing Pieces by Meredith Tate

One Month Ago I Showed you the Cover...

Today, we Open the Kimono!

Hopefully that got your attention, because Missing Pieces is a gem in the vastly overcrowded world of dystopian novels.

First the book summary:

Your family is the most important part of your life. Your families are the people you love, and love is what separates us from scoundrels and criminals. It maintains order. Your parents, your sibling, and your Partner are

the ones you love. There should never, ever, be anyone else who comes close to that bond. You have only one best friend, and that is the person you’ll be marrying some day. We must learn to differentiate the relationships in our lives: the people we love, and the ones we don’t. It’s inappropriate, it’s foolish, and it’s forbidden to think otherwise.”

Trace Bailey’s mouth is her worst enemy—somehow it always gets her in trouble. Luckily, she has a partner in crime—her best friend and neighbor since age seven, Piren Allston. He can’t get enough of her crazy sense of humor, and she loves that he’s always up for another adventure.

They can’t be friends, though, not in their world. Trace and Piren were Assigned to other people at the age of six, and they’re supposed to marry their Partners when they turn twenty-four. Failure to comply leads to Banishment, a fate worse than death.

Worse still is the growing realization that their bond is stronger than just friendship.

In a world without freedom, there are still choices to be made. Following their hearts means losing their family, but following the law means losing each other.

Now MY review (as seen on Amazon):

If more dystopians were like MISSING PIECES, the genre would still thrive and no one would complain about too much dystopian. Because there’s no such thing as too much great storytelling. And Meredith Tate delivers a page turner of a story.

Let me be clear: debut author, Meredith Tate, remains true to fans of the genre while keeping it fresh and not relying on overused approaches. She has breathed life into a genre that has suffered in the last couple of years.

The protagonists, two best friends, Piren and Tracy, are natural. They remind you of the couple you knew in school who were so good with each other. And over the years you and your friends wondered when they’d wake up. Well, in the case of Piren and Tracy, it’s not about waking up and realizing that they are perfect for each other. Their feelings are illegal because they are not paired/assigned to each other. In this world (which feels eerily familiar) even a friendship is illegal. This is a relationship that can not be.

When they’re together they hum. Their dialogue flows with ease. Their chemistry is organic and beautiful. And although there were a couple of scenes where I wanted to strangle the guy, he is fundamentally a good guy. The perfect guy for her. As the name of the book implies, they are each other’s missing piece.

The writing is effortless and the storytelling compelling. By mid point, the book has hit a fast stride. So when twists happen, the derailment is profound and well executed. I may have grunted in pain a few times.

And can I say how nice it is that the story reaches a conclusion in this book? Maybe Tate will write a follow up, and I’d love to see how the world evolves, but it’s not required. Which makes this very atypical, but oh so welcome. I am so tired of artificially derived multi book series. Tate plays fair with her readers and delivers across the board.

A fantastic book and a beautiful cover. I look forward to more great stories from Meredith Tate.

Bottom Line:

A great book by a fantastic debut novelist. If you're into the genre, this is a no brainer. If you're not, read the sample pages on Amazon. You may find something in there that you'll like.

BUY FROM AMAZON!

Social Media

To stalk follow the author, here are her favorite hang outs :)

Website: http://meredithtate.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mltate24
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormeredithtate
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31158937-meredith-tate

About the Author:

A proud New Hampshire native, Meredith Tate lives in St. Louis with her husband. She loves reading

and writing in all genres, but has a soft spot for dark young adult and new adult speculative fiction. Meredith has a master's degree in social work from the University of New Hampshire. She is a contributor to the St. Louis Writer's Guild's "Write Pack Radio Show" every Sunday afternoon. When she’s not writing, Meredith enjoys traveling, playing the piano, befriending wild geese, and spending time with family and friends. Much like her characters, she’s always up for another adventure.