I wasn’t too sure about this one when I checked it out. I mainly grabbed it for the cover alone, though I can honestly say that I am super thrilled that I did!

I loved Daire, Dace, Xotichl and most of the other characters in the book. I even had a soft spot for Cade, as much as I hate to admit it! Learning about the visions and dreams that have been haunting Daire, was a little shocking at first, and how everything happened after the latest vision was beyond messed up, I still knew that once her mother took the call from Paloma, I was hopeful that things would look up for Daire quickly.

Daire is sixteen and has just been told that she comes from a long line of Seekers. This at first prompts her to run away like her father before her did, though there is an accident and she ends up staying and learning what she must. She has been having the same dream featuring the same two boys; whom happen to be twins, and she realizes that one of them is “fated” to be with her. She tries to keep her distance, though it proves to be harder than she thought.

While trying to learn everything she can about being a Seeker, she has to end up battling with the undead thanks to Cade; the evil twin” in order to save Paloma’s soul. Dace and Daire find her soul and bargain to get it back. Once everything has settled, Dace and Daire return to Paloma’s house to find all of their friends there, and once Daire senses Cade’s presence she goes out to speak to him and she hear’s once again that Dace is the Echo…

I am so glad that I already checked out the second book in the series, otherwise I would be scrambling to get my hands on it. The writing style of Fated was amazing, and I had no problem getting sucked into the story. I cheered everytime Daire made progress and cringed when Cade was being particularly evil.
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I thought this book was good, but not the best. I liked the original premise of the book, but at certain times it was a little slow. It was unique and I loved that it focuses on ancestry and mysticism. The main character, Daire, could be difficult and annoying but I think that is kind of the point as she gets better throughout the book. I do not care for how one note the romance plot line is, but then again, I like a slow burn instead of instant attraction/love. It's just not my cup of tea. But overall, I do think this book was good and worth the read. ( )

I have to say first that Goodreads sent me an early edition so some of my comments might be nulled by that fact. THANK YOU GOODREADS FOR THE GIVEAWAY! :)

Anyway... The first thing that I noticed was the tense that the book was written in (this might be something that was fixed before it's release date). Instead of being written in the simple present, parts of it were written in the present continuous which meant that some sentences looked like this: "Pretending not to notice the way his gaze roams over me, straying from my waist-length brown hair peeking out from my scarf, to the tie-dyed tank top that clings under my jacket, to the skinny dark denim jeans, all the way down to the brand new slippers I wear on my feet." (Yes this is an example straight from the book.)Every action felt like it was still going on instead of happening and then ending. In some cases like this sentence, it felt like the sentences were left open and like there was something else that was supposed to be added onto the end of it. The writing style smoothed out as the book went on, but the beginning was written poorly and distracted the heck out of me.

The plot was well crafted and you were sort of able to gain a relationship with some of the characters, but their development was a little shallow.

The ending also felt a little rushed to me. There is a part when Daire and Dace go into the Underworld and while I thought this could be a really good spot to beef up the book and really work out some descriptions of what things looked like and what the character's experiences were, that part took up less than one chapter and left me feeling like I had skimmed that part of the book and not actually read it.

Overall, I gave the book 2 stars (hopefully in between the time I received it and the publishing day there were some changes made.) The development of characters and the plot (in some spots) left me feeling like I was skimming parts and I could NOT get over the poorly written first few chapters (present continuous tense). I would recommend this book to a crowd of teens who aren't too worried about the development of characters and who want a quick read that has magic and romance in it (this book will offer both).

I was thinking about reading another of Alyson Noel's books to see if all hers are written this way. Any suggestions for me? ( )

Let me start by saying that I really wanted to like this book. According to the blurb it has mysterious magics that complicate the protagonist's life and haunting/haunted characters. Sadly, what it didn't have for me was tension. There wasn't anything that was making me want to turn the page and keep the forward reading momentum going.

And, no, I don't demand action-packed extravaganza's to hold my attention. I also like slow burn stories where the big payoff doesn't happen until the end. However, even in those stories there is something that pulls me forward through the narrative, usually a compelling question/mystery I want answered or a character I've bonded with.

FATED just didn't have those things for me, and while I think it could appeal to some readers, it wasn't for me. ( )

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.
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