Not Written In The Stars...

Expected Publication: May 22nd, 2012

Fated (Soul Seekers # 1)

By: Alyson Noel

St. Martin's Press

ISBN-13: 9780312664855

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.

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.

Review

   Daire Santos has lived with her single mother for her entire life, because her Father died before she was born and his mother, her Grandma, disappeared.  But now that Daire has turned sixteen, her Mother's free-wheeling traveling lifestyle has become too much for her - or so it seems.  On the surface it appears that Daire is suffering from a break with reality and her mental health is in jeopardy.  But in reality she is the newest in a long line of soul seekers, able to navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead.  Now she is sent to live with her long-lost Grandma and learn to control her powers before it's too late.  Not everyone wants her to succeed, including the family of evil shape-shifters living in town.  Also, Daire forges a connection with Dace, a boy she's seen only in her dreams.  Can she discover her allies and manage to stand against the evil threatening to destroy her?  Or will Daire be consumed by it?  I will admit that I went into this ambivalently, expecting the worst on a subconscious level.  I have read exactly one and a half books by Alyson Noel, because I couldn't stand the direction of her Immortals series after the first book.  So, I was wary.  I ended up liking Daire and admiring her stubborn nature (much like my own) and wishing that I had a Grandma as cool as hers.  Every other character in the novel fell flat for me.  This book had far too much setup for my tastes and it left me feeling disconnected.  The powers that Daire struggled with felt a little too vague for my mind to comprehend and I was disappointed by how little time was spent on action versus romance and boring trivialities.  The mythology of the Native American tribes was at various times over and under utilized. I probably won't read the next book in the series.  It wasn't a horrible book, certainly not the worst I've ever read, but it was far from the best as well.

VERDICT:  2.75/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading Copy from the publisher, via LibraryThing. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is May 22nd, 2012.*