Fated

I really, really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it just didn't hit the mark for me. It was semi engaging, however I thought that with a topic as rich and steeped in history as shamanism that I would have learned a lot of "new" information - instead, I felt that this just reinforced every cliche I had already seen or read about, and the same goes for the cultures it explored.

That being said, I did enjoy the relationship Daire forms with Dace - largely because it isn't an all-consuming, head-over-heels, love at first sight kind of thing. By the end of the book, they are only just getting to know each other, and that seemed really fitting considering the amount of time they had acually spent together.

There were some interesting moments in the book and despite my aggrivation with the cultural cliches, I do still think I will read the next book in the series. Hopefully with all of this setup out of the way, the next book will really delve into the "meat" of the story and the relationships.

Fated is the new novel from Alyson Noel and she has not disappointed! It includes a heroine, hunky guys, magic and so much more. Definitely an exciting read!

The plot itself is an excellent idea, with resemblance’s to her previous novels, The Immortals. I also enjoyed the idea of spirit animals in the book and the powers that come with being a Seeker. It was most definitely interesting to read and I was keen to know more.

I really admire the main character, Daire, because Alyson Noel has portrayed her as a strong character that isn’t afraid to voice her own opinions. I also admire how Noel portrays relationships, as from the start as the reader you feel quick sad for Daire as it comes across that she doesn’t really have anyone close to her other than her mother. But as the characters begin to grow, relationships grow.

I do have to admit that there was perhaps a little less action and eye opening scenes than I expected, however I have no worry that the next book, Echo, will not disappoint in providing this!

Alyson Noel stands out in the current crowd of young adult writers because even though she writes books with supernatural elements there are no vampires, werewolves, zombies, fallen angels or any other supernatural being. All her characters are very much human however some of them are in possession of paranormal powers, powers that according to the author lay within many of us. Alyson Noel has been hugely popular with her Immortal series. Fated is her venture into a new series (The Soul Seekers) and into the ancient art of shamanism. The story is set in the contemporary times in the USA ( mostly in New Mexico) and her main character Daire Santos seems like an ordinary girl with a bit of an unordinary upbringing as her mother is a makeup artists and Dairy grows up amongst the movie stars. She has all the markings of a character that resonate with today’s teenage girls: she 16, she is head strong, outspoken, and she can appreciate a nice pair of boots when she sees one. The novel has also all the traditional elements of good supernatural story: there is a battle of good and evil, a hero quest and of course a love story. There are also two brothers, who look identical (and make all the girls swoon) but are exact opposite. The story is pretty fast moving and will probably want you make discover what happens next…. I hope that in the next volumes we will see a bit more of the character and relationship development and that we will hear a lot more from some of her secondary characters like Xotichl. If you are looking for a new series to start you might want to give a try to this one, there are three more books to come