Fated by Alyson Noel
Soul Seekers #1
Release Date: May 22nd, 2012
Number of Pages: 306
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Source: Raincoast books
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 have read both The Immortal series and the Riley Bloom series by Alyson Noel before reading this book. The first series I did enjoy (though I didn’t LOVE it), but the second really wasn’t for me. I was quite curious to see where this new series would take me. I have to say, I did find it to be better than her other work. Now the question is if the story will keep getting better or if it will go the other way.
I have to be honest; if you really dislike her other work, don’t bother. You probably won’t suddenly fall in love with her work, because it is similar to what she has done before. I personally think that it’s part of her style, which isn’t something everyone will love. It’s okay. That’s why there are so many different things out there.
I do have to confess, there were a couple of things that did annoy me in this book, the kind of things that makes you stop and wonder. First, I found it hard to believe that the mother could send her daughter to a veterinarian for help. I get that he’s a friend of her grandmother, but still. Not mother of the year material. The fact that Dari dated many movie stars wasn’t really necessary, wasn’t it? I could get one (the last one as a matter of fact), but still. I just didn’t get why she needed to have that history.
One of the things that really made me stop was the brothers. I find it funny that their names are Dace and Cade. After all, just switch the consonants and you get the other’s name. How original…. Talking about the brother, I have to say that I did like Dace, as he was really sweet, but I do hope we won’t get the ‘way too perfect male main character”. Now, Cade was a guy I would have gladly punched in the face. He’s clearly a jerk. Now, Daire was one of those characters that I neither love nor hate. I think I just need to see more of her to make up my mind. I there is one thing for sure, I really hated the mother while I really like the grandma.
Overall, it wasn’t the best book I had read this year, but I still curious to see where Alyson Noel will take us next. I found the idea of the Soul Seekers quite interesting. Fated is a book that I believe will please fans of Alyson Noel and the Immortal series.
