Book Review: Fated
Media Type: Print Book
Title: Fated
Author: Alyson Noel
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pages: Hardcover; 306
Release Date: May 22, 2012
Source: Publisher
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Intended Reading Group: Young Adult
Content Screening: Nothing of note
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HDB Rating: 3 Keys to My Heart
Recommended to: Readers who enjoy a suspenseful read, with a touch of romance and hints of Native American lore.
Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N
The first book in a magnificent new series about a girl who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead by #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël.
Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.
There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before…but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with…or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.
I’ll admit that what first drew me to Fated was the gorgeous cover. Everything about it is gorgeous, and I give massive kudos to the artist. Just lovely. That being said, this is my first foray into Alyson Noel’s books. Her Immortals series has been on my reading list for a long time, but I hadn’t had the opportunity to start it yet. I was excited to dive into this new series from the beginning.
At first glance Daire was definitely not my favorite character. Her attitude was okay, but I felt like she was kind of disinterested in everything that was happening around her. Even when things picked up speed, and she needed help, it was like she was watching it from outside of herself. I felt more connected to her in her dreams than I did when she was awake. However, as the story progressed I started to like Daire more and more. About half way through the book she does a 180 and really comes to life. It’s almost like a brand new character. If you feel the same way I did about her at the beginning, keep reading. It gets better.
The concept of Fated is extremely intriguing. Watching Daire learn who she really is, watching her form a bond with the power inside her, it’s all fascinating and makes for a great read. That is honestly why the book picks up so much after the first half. My gripe was that there really wasn’t much Dace and Cade development in this story. Since it is the first in the series, I’m willing to give it some time. Admittedly Cade is a great villian! Also I liked that the romance aspect wasn’t rushed, or took over the story. I do hope to see a little more later on in the series though.
As a package, I enjoyed Fated and will come back for more. There were little things that kept me from being fully immersed in it, but it did peak my interest for the other books in the series and also the books that Alyson Noel has already written! If you are new to her books, I think this is a good place to start. I’ve been told it shadows the other series, but I read it as a standalone and I had no trouble following. If you enjoy stories with heart, and just a touch of romance, this is one to add to your reading list.
FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.
