For the second part of today's FATED blog tour (you can read the 1st stop here), I have the chance to share my review of Alyson Noel's newest release, FATED as well as host a giveaway for a copy of the book!
By: Alyson Noel
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Released on: May 22nd, 2012
Source: book from publisher to review
4.5 stars: I Really Enjoyed It
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Series: Soul Seekers #1
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.
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 -quoted from Goodreads
Magic, an incredible journey to the underworld, romance and a beautiful blend of Native American make for a fabulous new read from established author Alyson Noel. Let me start off my saying I read the first book in the Immortal series years ago (back when I had just started reading YA), but never read the rest of the series. I have however read Alyson's spin off series, The Radiance series and have really enjoyed it. I excitedly jumped at the chance to read Fated, and I really enjoyed it!
I was immediately hooked within the first few pages of the book and I wanted to know more. What exactly had her grandmother witnessed before she was born, what was Daire really seeing now, and what was going to happen to her. Daire for me was a great character to get to know. She's strong, brave and fearless when she needs to be. Not only that, she has this incredible ability as a Soul Seeker to drift between both the world of the living and that of the dead. Daire isn't alone in her journey. Her grandmother teaches her how to embrace her powers and then there's the mysterious hot guy that appears in Daire's dreams, Dace.
Hello romance and fabulous character chemistry! What I enjoyed about Dace was the connection that he and Daire have. It's unique, because of the manner in which they meet and all they deal with together. I seriously loved these two together, and I don't want to say too much and give anything away. Their first meeting definitely got my attention and I wanted more, which Alyson graciously gave me in this book. Swoon worthy? Definitely! Talk about a bad boy, Dace's brother Cade definitely delivers on that. I mean that literally too. I enjoyed getting to know them as much as I did Daire. These two brothers balance out the good and evil that happen in this story perfectly.
The mystical world Alyson created in Fated is fabulous! It's a world that's both intriguing, and incredibly engaging. It's magical, alluring, and a little dark. Being set in New Mexico fit perfectly for both Fated's Native American lores that make up part of the Daire's story, as well as the feeling it gives the book. If I hadn't already had this place on my list of places to go visit, I would have added to my list after reading this book. Alyson's vivid, and beautiful descriptions of her setting and her world made it so easy for me to picture while I was reading the book. Now I could only re-read Fated while vacationing in NM.
Fated has an intoxicating mix of magic, lore, paranormal elements, romance and suspense. I think fans of Alyson Noel's writing will really enjoy what she offers them in her new series. This was a book I enjoyed, and one I'd recommend picking up. I'm looking forward to reading more from this series. On a side note, I totally love this cover! It fits the story perfectly.
Don't forget to stop by and read the short story that blends together Fated and The Immortal series on my 1st blog tour post here.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, I have a copy of FATED I'm giving away today on the blog. To enter, please fill out the form below. US residents only please. Good luck!
Don't forget to stop by and read the short story that blends together Fated and The Immortal series on my 1st blog tour post here.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, I have a copy of FATED I'm giving away today on the blog. To enter, please fill out the form below. US residents only please. Good luck!