Fated by Alyson Noël

Publication Date: May 22^nd, 2012

St. Martin’s Griffin

Format: Paperback, 352 pages

RATING: 2 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Strange things are happening to Daire Santos. Crows mock her, glowing people stalk her, time stops without warning, and a beautiful boy with unearthly blue eyes haunts all her dreams. Fearing for her daughter’s sanity, Daire’s mother sends her to live with the grandmother she’s never met. A woman who recognizes the visions for what they truly are—the call to her destiny as a Soul Seeker—one who can navigate the worlds between the living and dead.

There on the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico, Daire sets out to harness her mystical powers. But it’s when she meets Dace, the boy from her dreams, that her whole world is shaken to its core. Now Daire is forced to discover if Dace is the one guy she's meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she's destined to destroy.

By my standards, a true testament that a book is worth the time I spent reading it is measured by the actual time I spent reading it. The longer it takes, the most likely that the book couldn't hold my attention enough to receive a favourable review. I'm one of those readers who would have three to five books on the go. Fated fermented in my currently reading shelf for a week or so. This is not a big book to begin with. At 352 pages, I've certainly read my fair share of door stoppers that only took me two or three days to read.

I can appreciate the painstaking care that Noël spent weaving her myth and legends. What I don't appreciate is how this book was presented with a romance that bespoke of destined loves and yet were fated to be doomed from the start. I felt tricked. While this book may very well be about that, it took forever...and a day for that to happen. Heck, it took them exactly as long to even meet.


"Until now, he's existed only in her dreams - but fate is about to bring them together. 

I shoved through the crowd. Knocking into girls and bouncing off boys, until one particular catches me, steadies me. 

I feel so secure, so at home in his arms. 

I melt against his chest - lift my gaze to meet his. Gasping when I stare into a pair of icy blue eyes banded by brilliant flecks of gold that shine like kaleidoscopes, reflecting my image thousands of times. 

The boy from my dream. 

The one who died in my arms. "

(Taken from Fated's cover jacket Copyright © Alyson Noël)

Much like her Immortals series, the characters left a lot to be desired. It's hard to like them when all you really feel is disinterest and detachment. It's frustrating since this book could've been so good. Paloma (her grandmother) spoke in long narrations that I was nodding in and out of consciousness as I read. This was unfortunate because if you're not paying attention, you would miss out on the richness of the myths that she's telling. 

I'm sorry to say that this was such a snoozer. I must admit that I was taken with this book for about the first two chapters and then my interest fizzled into sublime boredom. Sigh. I hope the second book is better because I now own two copies (1 - for review, 1 - bought).