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The Soul Seekers #1
Fated
Until now, he's existed only in her dreams -
but fate is about to bring them together.
I shove through the crowd, knocking into girls and bouncing off boys, until one in 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.
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.
but fate is about to bring them together.
I shove through the crowd, knocking into girls and bouncing off boys, until one in 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.
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.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Alyson Noel
63 books15.7k followers*Note to readers: I'm slowly adding to the long list of books I've read, books I'm reading, and books I want to read. I only add books I loved, hence all my ratings are 5 stars.
Alyson Noël is the #1 NYT best-selling author of many award-winning and critically acclaimed novels for readers of all ages.
With 9 NYT bestsellers and millions of copies in print, her books have been translated into 36 languages, and have topped the NYT, USA Today, LA Times, Publisher’s Weekly, Wall Street Journal, NCIBA, and Walmart Bestsellers lists, as well as several international bestsellers lists.
She is best known for THE IMMORTALS series, THE RILEY BLOOM series, and SAVING ZOË, which was adapted into a movie now available on Amazon.
Upcoming works include:
RULING DESTINY- book 2, in the STEALING INFINITY series
STEALING INFINITY- Optioned for TV by Valhalla Entertainment - available now!
FIELD GUIDE TO THE SUPERNATURAL UNIVERSE - Optioned for TV by producers Charles Matthau and Michael Zoumas with Andrew Orenstein and Matt Hastings attached as show runners
Born and raised in Orange County, California, she’s lived in both Mykonos and Manhattan and is now settled in Southern California. Learn more at www.alysonnoel.com.
Instagram:
http://instagram.com/alyson_noel
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AlysonNoel/
Facebook:
Official me: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alyson...
Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/alysonnoel/
Alyson Noël is the #1 NYT best-selling author of many award-winning and critically acclaimed novels for readers of all ages.
With 9 NYT bestsellers and millions of copies in print, her books have been translated into 36 languages, and have topped the NYT, USA Today, LA Times, Publisher’s Weekly, Wall Street Journal, NCIBA, and Walmart Bestsellers lists, as well as several international bestsellers lists.
She is best known for THE IMMORTALS series, THE RILEY BLOOM series, and SAVING ZOË, which was adapted into a movie now available on Amazon.
Upcoming works include:
RULING DESTINY- book 2, in the STEALING INFINITY series
STEALING INFINITY- Optioned for TV by Valhalla Entertainment - available now!
FIELD GUIDE TO THE SUPERNATURAL UNIVERSE - Optioned for TV by producers Charles Matthau and Michael Zoumas with Andrew Orenstein and Matt Hastings attached as show runners
Born and raised in Orange County, California, she’s lived in both Mykonos and Manhattan and is now settled in Southern California. Learn more at www.alysonnoel.com.
Instagram:
http://instagram.com/alyson_noel
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AlysonNoel/
Facebook:
Official me: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alyson...
Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/alysonnoel/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,674 reviews
Want to read
July 31, 2010Hmmm...I wonder if the main character in this series will be less annoying then Ever.
January 31, 2023
“It's only at first sight,when the mind's a blank slate,that you get the purest look.”
![Profile Image for Diane ϟ [ Lestrange ].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1628026870i/3442094._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
Want to read
February 17, 2011hope the characters are nothing like in the immortals. especially "Ever".
December 3, 2014
Meh.
I’ll follow up that very articulate statement with this: I did not like this book, but it isn’t bad enough to be marked as a one star. I save one stars for the very worst of evils, and this didn’t inspire that much dislike.
This book didn’t inspire much of anything, really.
I went into the book with no prejudices against Alyson Noel, as I’ve never read the Immortals series. To those of you who cringe at her name, though, I can say: LOL. I GET IT.
Because really, it came to a point where if one more character "gazed" at another, I was going to drop kick a kitten. Holy crap she likes the word gaze.
In “Fated,” Noel introduces us to Daire Santos. Used to a life with her jet-setting-make-up-artist-single mom, Daire’s 16th birthday brings about a change that means finally settling down with her absentee grandmother- the only person who has the answers to what’s happening to her. And the answer is, Daire is a Soul Seeker. I’d tell you what that is, but after 300+ pages I’m not really sure. They have powers? and stuff? And can travel through the worlds of the dead and the living. Yeeeeeeah. That’s my final answer.
This is usually the point in the review where I highlight what was good about the book. The only answer I have for that is: the premise. It was interesting enough to get me to read, so hooray for potential, Noel. You’ve got a mean back of the book blurb.
Now that that’s out of the way, here are my big problems with “Fated:”
- Noel’s writing style and/or Daire’s narrative: Noel’s style is incredibly clunky. She infuses each bit of the story with so many descriptions it’s incredible the amount of text I was able to jump over. I’m not one to balk at description, Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books of all time, but again Noel’s writing is clunky. She uses three words where one would’ve been enough. Examples:
“His wings fluttering, spreading, lifting him high into flight.”
“Its clear thermal waters eliciting a fine misty heat that swirls and dances and skims along the surface.”
“My need like a fever raging within- relieved only by the feel of his hands cupping my face, his lips meeting mine- merging and melding - tasting and teasing- the kiss so bewitching it causes a spark of images to blaze through my mind.”
“Visions of a flower budding, blooming, falling from its stem, only to rise up and bud once again- fading into one of a crowd of dazzling souls that shine brighter than day, butting against souls turned so dark they blend with the night.”
It only takes a few pages of this before I wanted to tell the author to STFU. It's bad news when you think your narrator talks too much.
- I'm glad you've always known... The characters weren't anything special. The main problem was that there was very little plot, which translated to very little character development. We didn't learn anything about the characters. They didn't change. They didn't grow. Even the love interest never took off. See, he's literally the boy of her dreams. She pretty much fell in love with him before she ever met him.
This sucks for the reader because we don't know him or love him yet. We have to take the author's word for their chemistry and deep, deep love, because we never get a whiff of it. These two barely talk.
- What plot? Perhaps the above mentioned rambled style of narrative would not have grated quite as much if there were a meatier plot in between it. I usually make little notes if I know I’m going to write a review for a book. My first one for “Fated” was “34% in and we still don’t know anything.”
The beginning of this book starts with a series of unlikely events, which is fine. I mean, I went into this book knowing that it was fantasy. The problem is that Daire talks about the unlikeliness of it so much that as a reader, I started to agree with her. Imagine that. The book’s main character swaying me against the book.
I’m sure I missed a lot of stuff during my frantic attempt to just finish, but while the author was giving us three words to describe flying or kissing, the big plot points were glazed over. Don’t let the bad guy get into the Lowerworld or else... chaos... and havoc wreaking... and stuff.
- Slow, slow, FAST. So many parts of this book are dragged on and on. The author tries to cleverly disguise this ambling pace by Paloma’s, the grandma's, unwillingness to reveal everything at once. There are lots of “I’ll tell you laters” and “she didn’t answer my questions” and “you’ll know when the time is rights” and unfortunately, nothing comes soon enough. There is no payoff.
Oh, what maybe in book two or three or seventy-eight? No thank you.
During points that could've been great, we are quickly brushed away. A vision quest, which sounds amazing, consists of pages of sitting around doing nothing and then BAM, animals and people and being pecked at and DONE. Just like that. It all makes about as much sense as I've presented.
I’m not at all happy that I spent some of my monthly book allowance on this. I am proud of myself for finishing. Here, me. Have a cookie.
*eats cookie*
May 3, 2024
3.5/5 🌟 *rounded up
4/5 ❤️🩹
3/5 🥰
0/5 🌶️
0/5 🔎
3/5 😰😱
3/5 🎭😂
3/5 🎭😭
0/5 👻
3/5 🔬
⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️
Animal Death
Blood
Ableism
Terminal Illness
Violence
Transphobia
Death of a Parent
Racism
Alcohol Use
Misogyny
Confinement
Murder
Gore
🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️
Until now, he's existed only in her dreams -
but fate is about to bring them together.
I shove through the crowd, knocking into girls and bouncing off boys, until one in 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.
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.
🌎📖OVERALL REVIEWS📖🌎
Courtesy of Storygraph
COMMUNITY REVIEWS
SUMMARY OF 1,325 REVIEWS
Moods
adventurous 84%
mysterious 76%
emotional 23%
dark 15%
reflective 15%
tense 7%
Pace
medium 64%
slow 28%
fast 7%
Plot- or character-driven?
A mix: 63% | Plot: 18% | Character: 18%
Strong character development?
Yes: 63% | It's complicated: 27% | No: 9%
Loveable characters?
Yes: 72% | It's complicated: 27%
Diverse cast of characters?
Yes: 80% | No: 20%
Flaws of characters a main focus?
It's complicated: 50% | Yes: 25% | No: 12% | N/A: 12%
Average rating
3.32 ⭐️
🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔
This is a reread because I’m going to try to finish the series. I had 2 books left out of 4 and I needed to remind myself of what happened before starting the 3rd book.
I love these types of books that are mystical and ethereal that relate to religion, beliefs and folklore of the different cultures. Of course romance plays a part as well as being prophetic in this story. Daire and Dace are fated to be together but Dace’s evil twin, Cade has nefarious plans.
RATING KEY:
🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared🫣/Anxious😱 - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy😂/Tragedy😭
-based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy
👻 Spooky😵💫/Creepy🧟♀️ -based on if this had any occult or paranormal themes and if those elements creeped me out or gave me anxiety!
🔬 Sci-Fi -based on the Science Fiction in the book as well as the Dystopian elements.
4/5 ❤️🩹
3/5 🥰
0/5 🌶️
0/5 🔎
3/5 😰😱
3/5 🎭😂
3/5 🎭😭
0/5 👻
3/5 🔬
⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️
Animal Death
Blood
Ableism
Terminal Illness
Violence
Transphobia
Death of a Parent
Racism
Alcohol Use
Misogyny
Confinement
Murder
Gore
🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️
Until now, he's existed only in her dreams -
but fate is about to bring them together.
I shove through the crowd, knocking into girls and bouncing off boys, until one in 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.
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.
🌎📖OVERALL REVIEWS📖🌎
Courtesy of Storygraph
COMMUNITY REVIEWS
SUMMARY OF 1,325 REVIEWS
Moods
adventurous 84%
mysterious 76%
emotional 23%
dark 15%
reflective 15%
tense 7%
Pace
medium 64%
slow 28%
fast 7%
Plot- or character-driven?
A mix: 63% | Plot: 18% | Character: 18%
Strong character development?
Yes: 63% | It's complicated: 27% | No: 9%
Loveable characters?
Yes: 72% | It's complicated: 27%
Diverse cast of characters?
Yes: 80% | No: 20%
Flaws of characters a main focus?
It's complicated: 50% | Yes: 25% | No: 12% | N/A: 12%
Average rating
3.32 ⭐️
🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔
This is a reread because I’m going to try to finish the series. I had 2 books left out of 4 and I needed to remind myself of what happened before starting the 3rd book.
I love these types of books that are mystical and ethereal that relate to religion, beliefs and folklore of the different cultures. Of course romance plays a part as well as being prophetic in this story. Daire and Dace are fated to be together but Dace’s evil twin, Cade has nefarious plans.
RATING KEY:
🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared🫣/Anxious😱 - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy😂/Tragedy😭
-based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy
👻 Spooky😵💫/Creepy🧟♀️ -based on if this had any occult or paranormal themes and if those elements creeped me out or gave me anxiety!
🔬 Sci-Fi -based on the Science Fiction in the book as well as the Dystopian elements.
April 1, 2012
Read more of my reviews at Falling Books!
Fated is in many ways, similar to Alyson Noel's previous series, The Immortals. From looking at the cover and reading over the blurb, you would think that this is an amazing book, right? This book has a lot of potential but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Fated lacked something I was hoping for: an interesting plot. It wasn't the most exciting.
Daire has been sent to live with her grandma in New Mexico because of her unstable mental health. Soon, she discovers a whole new world, a world she has never acknowledged. Daire's grandmother is giving Daire a chance to become a Soul Seeker. But with evil forces around, how will it end?
I didn't think Daire as a very interesting character. She's pretty and blah, blah, blah, but she didn't have the determination and strong personality that I was hoping for. I could very much describe her as an empty shell. Obviously, she had to fall in love with the enemy, right? Because that always happens. The book was pretty much predictable when it came down to boys.
Daire has dreams about a guy named Dace. Long, black hair, handsome, lean, tall, you know, all the qualities a girl falls for, apart from the long hair. Can I just say, WHAT IS ATTRACTIVE ABOUT BOYS WITH LONG HAIR? When ever there was a scene with Daire staring at Dace all I could picture in my mind was a hippie.
The plot seemed so much better when I read the blurb. But when I read the book it just reminded me of The Immortals. In so many ways, the plot line was similar and I think that's why I didn't find the whole spiritual/paranormal dilemmas very exciting.
The book did have some enjoyable moments though! There were some funny moments, cringe-worthy moments and creepy moments. Even though I didn't like the main character, I did manage to finish the book and am able to say, "It's okay, guys! I'm alive!". I think that fans of The Immortals series might find this book a little bit of a let down, especially if your looking for another Damien (Character from The Immortals).
When I read the blurb, I was expecting a book full of romance and action. Unfortunately, Fated didn't have those things. Romance? I should say, "What romance?", because this book hardly had any in it! And as for action; there might have been a few scenes that kicked-butt, but apart from that, I don't think there was anything else.
I do recommend that you try this out when it is released, who knows you might even like it. For fans of The Immortals and spirit-lovers I think you might enjoy this. But, if your hoping for a book packed with action and steamy scenes, you won't be finding it here.
Overall, Fated is a satisfying read. A book that you shouldn't expect too much from. It isn't 'rubbish' or 'overly terrible', it's more of a 'good' or 'hmmm, that was okay', kind of book. Read it if you have a lot of time/nothing else to do.
Fated is in many ways, similar to Alyson Noel's previous series, The Immortals. From looking at the cover and reading over the blurb, you would think that this is an amazing book, right? This book has a lot of potential but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Fated lacked something I was hoping for: an interesting plot. It wasn't the most exciting.
Daire has been sent to live with her grandma in New Mexico because of her unstable mental health. Soon, she discovers a whole new world, a world she has never acknowledged. Daire's grandmother is giving Daire a chance to become a Soul Seeker. But with evil forces around, how will it end?
I didn't think Daire as a very interesting character. She's pretty and blah, blah, blah, but she didn't have the determination and strong personality that I was hoping for. I could very much describe her as an empty shell. Obviously, she had to fall in love with the enemy, right? Because that always happens. The book was pretty much predictable when it came down to boys.
Daire has dreams about a guy named Dace. Long, black hair, handsome, lean, tall, you know, all the qualities a girl falls for, apart from the long hair. Can I just say, WHAT IS ATTRACTIVE ABOUT BOYS WITH LONG HAIR? When ever there was a scene with Daire staring at Dace all I could picture in my mind was a hippie.
The plot seemed so much better when I read the blurb. But when I read the book it just reminded me of The Immortals. In so many ways, the plot line was similar and I think that's why I didn't find the whole spiritual/paranormal dilemmas very exciting.
The book did have some enjoyable moments though! There were some funny moments, cringe-worthy moments and creepy moments. Even though I didn't like the main character, I did manage to finish the book and am able to say, "It's okay, guys! I'm alive!". I think that fans of The Immortals series might find this book a little bit of a let down, especially if your looking for another Damien (Character from The Immortals).
When I read the blurb, I was expecting a book full of romance and action. Unfortunately, Fated didn't have those things. Romance? I should say, "What romance?", because this book hardly had any in it! And as for action; there might have been a few scenes that kicked-butt, but apart from that, I don't think there was anything else.
I do recommend that you try this out when it is released, who knows you might even like it. For fans of The Immortals and spirit-lovers I think you might enjoy this. But, if your hoping for a book packed with action and steamy scenes, you won't be finding it here.
Overall, Fated is a satisfying read. A book that you shouldn't expect too much from. It isn't 'rubbish' or 'overly terrible', it's more of a 'good' or 'hmmm, that was okay', kind of book. Read it if you have a lot of time/nothing else to do.
May 29, 2012
This review also appears over at my blog.
____________________________
Actual rating is 3.5 stars.
Yeah, I know right? Me giving an Alyson Noel book 3.5 stars? What sorcery is this?
To start off, yes, I did have low expectations for this book. After the absolute disaster that was The Immortals series, I didn't think there was any hope for Alyson Noel in the paranormal YA world anymore. But this book actually surprised me, because it was a pretty big improvement.
So The Immortals was about two selfish teens wanting to have sex, right? Well, this book is far from that. What I liked about it immediately is that it doesn't focus on the romance. Where The Immortals was all about the romance and nothing but, this book focuses mainly on Daire discovering her powers and learning more about it with her grandmother, Paloma.
The supernatural aspect in this book was very interesting to read. It explores a lot of Mexican and Native American culture, with the Day of the Dead and spirit animals and shamanism, etc. I can't really say if they're correct or if Noel did her research and everything, since I barely knew much about it, but to me it was pretty interesting to read about.
Daire is the main character in this book, and I sort of have a love-hate relationship with her. She's the daughter of a makeup artist named Jennika who works on movie sets, so they're constantly travelling all over the world. And then one day Daire has this breakdown and Jennika decides to send her to Paloma, the grandmother that Daire never even met before. When she goes to Enchantment, New Mexico to meet her, she finds out about her Seeker heritage and Paloma teaches her many things, like how to control and see through the eyes of animals, etc.
The reason I have a love-hate relationship with Daire is because, most of the times she's a pretty okay heroine. I like how she always thought of the antagonist as just that: the antagonist, and was never tricked by his hotness, but that was probably because the antagonist had a twin, who's basically a nicer version of him. With longer hair.
And this is where I start to hate her. When she's around the love interest, Dace.
She completely turns into this gushing, fangirling person that brings me so much memories of that brain dead troll, Ever Bloom. When Daire is around Dace, every paragraph is filled with her describing his "glossy dark hair" and "icy blue eyes". Of course, Alyson Noel just had to make the hero absolutely flawless, as usual. But I give her a bonus point for not making him an arrogant prick. Dace was actually a pretty decent guy.
Other characters I also really liked, especially the best friend character, Xotichl. Yes, I know her name is absolutely impossible, but in the book she said that it's pronounced So-chee. She's also blind, but she doesn't act it at all. The way she acts so . . . non-blind really freaks me out. But I was glad that she was a very sweet girl, unlike that fake poser bitch of a best friend from The Immortals series, Haven.
Overall, I liked this book, and I'm surprised that Alyson Noel improved. The romance ruined it, unsurprisingly. I don't think Noel could write a somewhat realistic romance to save her life.
I'd probably read more of this series, although I'm a little terrified to see where it will go.
____________________________
Actual rating is 3.5 stars.
Yeah, I know right? Me giving an Alyson Noel book 3.5 stars? What sorcery is this?
To start off, yes, I did have low expectations for this book. After the absolute disaster that was The Immortals series, I didn't think there was any hope for Alyson Noel in the paranormal YA world anymore. But this book actually surprised me, because it was a pretty big improvement.
So The Immortals was about two selfish teens wanting to have sex, right? Well, this book is far from that. What I liked about it immediately is that it doesn't focus on the romance. Where The Immortals was all about the romance and nothing but, this book focuses mainly on Daire discovering her powers and learning more about it with her grandmother, Paloma.
The supernatural aspect in this book was very interesting to read. It explores a lot of Mexican and Native American culture, with the Day of the Dead and spirit animals and shamanism, etc. I can't really say if they're correct or if Noel did her research and everything, since I barely knew much about it, but to me it was pretty interesting to read about.
Daire is the main character in this book, and I sort of have a love-hate relationship with her. She's the daughter of a makeup artist named Jennika who works on movie sets, so they're constantly travelling all over the world. And then one day Daire has this breakdown and Jennika decides to send her to Paloma, the grandmother that Daire never even met before. When she goes to Enchantment, New Mexico to meet her, she finds out about her Seeker heritage and Paloma teaches her many things, like how to control and see through the eyes of animals, etc.
The reason I have a love-hate relationship with Daire is because, most of the times she's a pretty okay heroine. I like how she always thought of the antagonist as just that: the antagonist, and was never tricked by his hotness, but that was probably because the antagonist had a twin, who's basically a nicer version of him. With longer hair.
And this is where I start to hate her. When she's around the love interest, Dace.
She completely turns into this gushing, fangirling person that brings me so much memories of that brain dead troll, Ever Bloom. When Daire is around Dace, every paragraph is filled with her describing his "glossy dark hair" and "icy blue eyes". Of course, Alyson Noel just had to make the hero absolutely flawless, as usual. But I give her a bonus point for not making him an arrogant prick. Dace was actually a pretty decent guy.
Other characters I also really liked, especially the best friend character, Xotichl. Yes, I know her name is absolutely impossible, but in the book she said that it's pronounced So-chee. She's also blind, but she doesn't act it at all. The way she acts so . . . non-blind really freaks me out. But I was glad that she was a very sweet girl, unlike that fake poser bitch of a best friend from The Immortals series, Haven.
Overall, I liked this book, and I'm surprised that Alyson Noel improved. The romance ruined it, unsurprisingly. I don't think Noel could write a somewhat realistic romance to save her life.
I'd probably read more of this series, although I'm a little terrified to see where it will go.
November 17, 2017
Review also here:
https://edwardsghostengine.wordpress....
About halfway through I was like...
Uuuuuuurrrrrggggghhhhh! I really wanted to like this!
This was a different save the world adventure with lots of philosophy and magick. I must say this was very different from Alyson Noel's other series.
This book is about a girl (Daire Santos) who discovers through terrifying visions that she has a destiny as a Soul Seeker, someone who apparently has a huge role to play by saving the world. To do this she must stop the evil Richters' from wrecking havoc in the Lowerworld (in this story the world is made up of three worlds the Upperworld, the Middleworld this is the world we see and live in and the Lowerworld where most of Daire's spiritual quests took place) which would cause chaos in the Middleworld. I found the concept of the three worlds with all their dimensions wasn't explained enough but I understood the rest well enough.
Despite this story being "right up my street", I found myself struggling to finish this. The blurb was very intriguing and the subjects of prophecies, fate and philosophy usually fascinate me. But not so much this time I'm afraid! That's why I've been debating whether to give this two or three stars. I will be reading the sequel and the rest of the series cause there is definitely more to come.
https://edwardsghostengine.wordpress....
About halfway through I was like...
Uuuuuuurrrrrggggghhhhh! I really wanted to like this!
This was a different save the world adventure with lots of philosophy and magick. I must say this was very different from Alyson Noel's other series.
This book is about a girl (Daire Santos) who discovers through terrifying visions that she has a destiny as a Soul Seeker, someone who apparently has a huge role to play by saving the world. To do this she must stop the evil Richters' from wrecking havoc in the Lowerworld (in this story the world is made up of three worlds the Upperworld, the Middleworld this is the world we see and live in and the Lowerworld where most of Daire's spiritual quests took place) which would cause chaos in the Middleworld. I found the concept of the three worlds with all their dimensions wasn't explained enough but I understood the rest well enough.
Despite this story being "right up my street", I found myself struggling to finish this. The blurb was very intriguing and the subjects of prophecies, fate and philosophy usually fascinate me. But not so much this time I'm afraid! That's why I've been debating whether to give this two or three stars. I will be reading the sequel and the rest of the series cause there is definitely more to come.
![Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1626057011i/10717098._UX200_CR0,33,200,200_.jpg)
November 12, 2015
I have gotten accustomed to the first book of a series being the sort of "get to know the characters" book. The pace perhaps being a little bit slower. Not so at all in this book. I was grabbed right from the start and not let go until the final page.
This is my first book by Alyson Noel. Her style of writing is just so beautiful. Her descriptions paint the most beautiful images in my head.
Daire is a 16 year old girl, raised by a single Mom. Her Mother is a make up artist in Hollywood and Daire has spent her entire life globetrotting around the world from movie set to movie set. Her Mom is the only family she has ever known. But, shortly before her 16th birthday, she starts to dream of a fantasy world and a beautiful boy. At the same time, she starts to have visions during the day as well, of glowing people and skies filled with ravens. She thinks she is going crazy and once her Mom finds out about what is going on, so does she. After trying to get help from numerous doctors, all saying she is crazy, and lots of prescribed drugs, Daire's Mom turns to Daire's paternal Grandmother for help. So Daire is sent to live with Paloma, the Grandmother she has never met, in a town called Enchantment, New Mexico.
After she finally accepts Paloma and Enchantment as her new home, Daire finds out that she isn't crazy at all. That these visions and dreams were real, and that it is her destiny to become the Seeker. She will have great power and also be able to travel back and forth between her own world and the underworld. And, then, she comes face to face with the boy from her dreams. Can she trust her instincts in that he is good?
"He's asking if I'll trust him enough to carry this out. Trust him enough to let him deeper into my life. Trust him enough to give him my heart."
This book is filled with mystery, suspense, love, courage and of course, evil. I loved every minute of it and can't wait to continue on with the next book.
This is my first book by Alyson Noel. Her style of writing is just so beautiful. Her descriptions paint the most beautiful images in my head.
Daire is a 16 year old girl, raised by a single Mom. Her Mother is a make up artist in Hollywood and Daire has spent her entire life globetrotting around the world from movie set to movie set. Her Mom is the only family she has ever known. But, shortly before her 16th birthday, she starts to dream of a fantasy world and a beautiful boy. At the same time, she starts to have visions during the day as well, of glowing people and skies filled with ravens. She thinks she is going crazy and once her Mom finds out about what is going on, so does she. After trying to get help from numerous doctors, all saying she is crazy, and lots of prescribed drugs, Daire's Mom turns to Daire's paternal Grandmother for help. So Daire is sent to live with Paloma, the Grandmother she has never met, in a town called Enchantment, New Mexico.
After she finally accepts Paloma and Enchantment as her new home, Daire finds out that she isn't crazy at all. That these visions and dreams were real, and that it is her destiny to become the Seeker. She will have great power and also be able to travel back and forth between her own world and the underworld. And, then, she comes face to face with the boy from her dreams. Can she trust her instincts in that he is good?
"He's asking if I'll trust him enough to carry this out. Trust him enough to let him deeper into my life. Trust him enough to give him my heart."
This book is filled with mystery, suspense, love, courage and of course, evil. I loved every minute of it and can't wait to continue on with the next book.
May 24, 2012
This is probably one of the hardest reviews I've ever had to write! I tried to like Fated, I really tried to, but the writing was hard to get through, Daire was hard to like, and the story started so hard and slow that I had to re-start this a few times before I finished.
Daire was... difficult. As the daughter of a celebrity makeup artist, she was selfish, disrespectful, and your classic I'm-not-that-gorgeous-but-guys-love-me-anyways type of girl. I couldn't understand what she was doing most of the time or why she was doing it. By the end, she did improve a bit but only to the point where I tolerated her rather than loved her.
Fated was very slow-paced. The characters spoke in monologue. And as a grammar girl, I was constantly frustrated by how there were so many sentence fragments that it was hard to tell what was complete and what wasn't! There's something about Alyson Noel's writing that you'll either love or hate, and I just couldn't get into it this time around.
BUT: I really liked the supernatural aspect of this book! As a part of their Soul Seeker magic, they can sort of draw energy from the earth and channel it into cool things like merging energies with a cockroach. It was different from the razzle-dazzle I'm used to in a cool way. Also, I liked the dynamic of Cade's evil twin to Dace's good twin; Cade's villain to Dace's Prince Charming.
With a gorgeous cover and fascinating premise, Fated was a book that I wanted to like so much more than I did! Maybe it had to do with the fact that I wasn't a huge fan of The Immortals series either. But if you did enjoy her other series or if you want to give the cool magic of this book a chance, then you might enjoy this series too! Who knows? Maybe I'm just one odd fish out of the water. :')
BUY or BORROW?: Unless you really liked Alyson Noel's other books, then I think that I'd recommend you borrow this book first! It's really hard to get into at the beginning, and there's a 50/50 chance you'll love it, give or take.
(Original review at Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog)
Daire was... difficult. As the daughter of a celebrity makeup artist, she was selfish, disrespectful, and your classic I'm-not-that-gorgeous-but-guys-love-me-anyways type of girl. I couldn't understand what she was doing most of the time or why she was doing it. By the end, she did improve a bit but only to the point where I tolerated her rather than loved her.
Fated was very slow-paced. The characters spoke in monologue. And as a grammar girl, I was constantly frustrated by how there were so many sentence fragments that it was hard to tell what was complete and what wasn't! There's something about Alyson Noel's writing that you'll either love or hate, and I just couldn't get into it this time around.
BUT: I really liked the supernatural aspect of this book! As a part of their Soul Seeker magic, they can sort of draw energy from the earth and channel it into cool things like merging energies with a cockroach. It was different from the razzle-dazzle I'm used to in a cool way. Also, I liked the dynamic of Cade's evil twin to Dace's good twin; Cade's villain to Dace's Prince Charming.
With a gorgeous cover and fascinating premise, Fated was a book that I wanted to like so much more than I did! Maybe it had to do with the fact that I wasn't a huge fan of The Immortals series either. But if you did enjoy her other series or if you want to give the cool magic of this book a chance, then you might enjoy this series too! Who knows? Maybe I'm just one odd fish out of the water. :')
BUY or BORROW?: Unless you really liked Alyson Noel's other books, then I think that I'd recommend you borrow this book first! It's really hard to get into at the beginning, and there's a 50/50 chance you'll love it, give or take.
(Original review at Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog)
May 22, 2014
Στα συν του βιβλίου, είναι η μυθολογία των Ινδιάνων (να υποθέσω) που παίρνει και αναπτύσσει, επίσης μου άρεσε το στορυ όπως επίσης και ο χαρακτήρας της ηρωίδας. Στα μείον είναι η πλοκή που μου φάνηκε πρόχειρη και σύντομη, οι υπόλοιποι ήρωες που ήταν λίγο μονοδιάστατοι κ ως ένα σημείο βαρετοί και οι ατελείωτες συζητήσεις που έτρωγαν πολυυύ χρόνο στο βιβλίο με περιγραφές και αναλύσεις (κάποιες τις πηδούσα).
June 1, 2012
in in love with this cover!!!!
August 17, 2012
I have (generously) dropped this rating down to 2 stars. I mean, what was I kidding? I didn't even like it.
Let's get this straight first - the writing was absolutely HORRENDOUS. It was clunky, thick, and sometimes didn't even make sense. It made my mind hurt just looking at the poorly structures sentences and how
almost.
every single sentance.
between paragraphs.
was like this.
It's one thing to use single-line sentances like that every once and a while for emphasis, but you don't have to do it on every single page.
It was driving me absolutely bonkers.
And that's why I think it should be stopped.
Right now.
Annoying, right?
Well it seems to be Noel's specialty. She just drops sentances like that in the middle of the page, when they're really not needed. There can be 4, 5, 6, and I think I even caught 10 on one page once.
Why?
If I had a dime every time those sentances were used, I would have enough money to buy this book over twice. (Not that I'd want to, or advise anyone to do the same).
So what makes this book a trademark Alyson Noel book?
1) A smoking-hot love interest.
2) A smoking-hot love interest.
3) A smoking-hot love interest.
I mean, I understand that ALL love interest in some novels these days are automatically SEW HAWT. But in Alyson Noel's books, that's really all the main character needs to be able to fall into his arms without any other characteristics/personality.
Its one thing to be attracted to somebody's looks - that's usually what starts what we like to call "a crush." Or, in the least, it helps fuel a human's natural drive for a relationship, almost like a starting gate for love(?).
Its another thing to throw yourself blindly into somebody's arms, based on only they're "smoking hot face" and a "radiating glare of kindness and love shooting from their eyes."
I have no idea if that whole premise is promoting love at first sight, or if its simply telling us, yeah, go for it. He's hot, and he's shooting some kind of kindness from his eyes. His brother is evil and all, and I actually have no idea who this guy is, but I've had sexy dreams with him in them. *gasps* So he must be perfect, right?"
Excuse me while I shudder.
The point is - you actually have no idea who this boy is . Yeah, you've done some (questionable) things with him in your dreams, but what if he's some kind of serial rapist? What if he likes to tourture kittens in his basement?
So what? I'll just get in the car with him anyway.
But while Dace is an extremely boring and dull love interest, this book is (somewhat) more about Daire finding out about her weird "powers."
"Powers."
Yeah, I still have no idea what these are.
...
SO....what was I saying again?
Oh yeah. I was talking about how this book sucked.
It's just a joke, really. Yeah, you have you're rare "average" parts, where I didn't want to strap a grenade to this book and throw it at my neighbour's roof workers (they woke me up at 8! EIGHT IN THE MORNING I TELL YOU).
I didn't think whats-his-face was bad though (Cam? Something like that. We'll just call him the evil-twin). Evil twin, I liked. Why do I always have such a soft spot for villians?
I think its because secretly, I'm a villian too.
Once, I brought a library book back late.
AND MADE SOMEONE ELSE PAY THE LATE CHARGE.
So basically, I'm up there with Voldemort and the Joker. I emphasize. I'm getting ready to be accepted into the all-villian's club any day now. Next thing you know, I'll be killing people my death note.
I suggest you hide now, before I really get going.
*Cue evil laugh*
So that's about it. I hold this book at the: maybe use it for kindling level right now. Basically, this book was a waste of time. Precious time. I could have been doing something usefull, like talking to my dog or browsing reddit, but no - I just had to go and read this book.
If you want an action-packed, romantic, intelligent novel, I'm afraid you're going to have to look somewhere else.
If, by chance, you want a confusing, dull, and horribly structured book, you've just won the jackpot.
PEACE!
Let's get this straight first - the writing was absolutely HORRENDOUS. It was clunky, thick, and sometimes didn't even make sense. It made my mind hurt just looking at the poorly structures sentences and how
almost.
every single sentance.
between paragraphs.
was like this.
It's one thing to use single-line sentances like that every once and a while for emphasis, but you don't have to do it on every single page.
It was driving me absolutely bonkers.
And that's why I think it should be stopped.
Right now.
Annoying, right?
Well it seems to be Noel's specialty. She just drops sentances like that in the middle of the page, when they're really not needed. There can be 4, 5, 6, and I think I even caught 10 on one page once.
Why?
If I had a dime every time those sentances were used, I would have enough money to buy this book over twice. (Not that I'd want to, or advise anyone to do the same).
So what makes this book a trademark Alyson Noel book?
1) A smoking-hot love interest.
2) A smoking-hot love interest.
3) A smoking-hot love interest.
I mean, I understand that ALL love interest in some novels these days are automatically SEW HAWT. But in Alyson Noel's books, that's really all the main character needs to be able to fall into his arms without any other characteristics/personality.
Its one thing to be attracted to somebody's looks - that's usually what starts what we like to call "a crush." Or, in the least, it helps fuel a human's natural drive for a relationship, almost like a starting gate for love(?).
Its another thing to throw yourself blindly into somebody's arms, based on only they're "smoking hot face" and a "radiating glare of kindness and love shooting from their eyes."
I have no idea if that whole premise is promoting love at first sight, or if its simply telling us, yeah, go for it. He's hot, and he's shooting some kind of kindness from his eyes. His brother is evil and all, and I actually have no idea who this guy is, but I've had sexy dreams with him in them. *gasps* So he must be perfect, right?"
Excuse me while I shudder.
The point is - you actually have no idea who this boy is . Yeah, you've done some (questionable) things with him in your dreams, but what if he's some kind of serial rapist? What if he likes to tourture kittens in his basement?
So what? I'll just get in the car with him anyway.
But while Dace is an extremely boring and dull love interest, this book is (somewhat) more about Daire finding out about her weird "powers."
"Powers."
Yeah, I still have no idea what these are.
...
SO....what was I saying again?
Oh yeah. I was talking about how this book sucked.
It's just a joke, really. Yeah, you have you're rare "average" parts, where I didn't want to strap a grenade to this book and throw it at my neighbour's roof workers (they woke me up at 8! EIGHT IN THE MORNING I TELL YOU).
I didn't think whats-his-face was bad though (Cam? Something like that. We'll just call him the evil-twin). Evil twin, I liked. Why do I always have such a soft spot for villians?
I think its because secretly, I'm a villian too.
Once, I brought a library book back late.
AND MADE SOMEONE ELSE PAY THE LATE CHARGE.
So basically, I'm up there with Voldemort and the Joker. I emphasize. I'm getting ready to be accepted into the all-villian's club any day now. Next thing you know, I'll be killing people my death note.
I suggest you hide now, before I really get going.
*Cue evil laugh*
So that's about it. I hold this book at the: maybe use it for kindling level right now. Basically, this book was a waste of time. Precious time. I could have been doing something usefull, like talking to my dog or browsing reddit, but no - I just had to go and read this book.
If you want an action-packed, romantic, intelligent novel, I'm afraid you're going to have to look somewhere else.
If, by chance, you want a confusing, dull, and horribly structured book, you've just won the jackpot.
PEACE!
September 10, 2016
Well that was a good read, outta the world experience,! ;)
I tried picking up this book so mny times before but failed and then when I succeeded then it was amazing!
Looking forward to echo!! :))
I tried picking up this book so mny times before but failed and then when I succeeded then it was amazing!
Looking forward to echo!! :))
October 23, 2012
I'll just sum the damn book into one simple picture since a picture is worth a thousand words. Then maybe you'll take the safer path and veer clear from this terrible book, which is full of crap.
There. Have I convinced you now? Surely you have grasped how horrible this book is with it! But if you haven't, I shall indulge you with three reasons to not read this book and waste your time and money somewhere else...
1) So predictable! I swear one can become a seer with this book! In fact, I should take Professor Trelawney's position as the teacher for Divination! I have so much more potential!
2) The writing was baaad! Or maybe it's just Daire? Honestly, there were parts in the book that has potential and would have been interesting if it wasn't for the narrative of our heroine, Daire. Either she describes things too much or she couldn't describe it enough.
3) Inconsistency! It was in the pace of a caterpillar and then it suddenly turned as fast as an ostrich! This of course leads to confusion, irritation, and you know it...
There. Have I convinced you now? Surely you have grasped how horrible this book is with it! But if you haven't, I shall indulge you with three reasons to not read this book and waste your time and money somewhere else...
1) So predictable! I swear one can become a seer with this book! In fact, I should take Professor Trelawney's position as the teacher for Divination! I have so much more potential!
2) The writing was baaad! Or maybe it's just Daire? Honestly, there were parts in the book that has potential and would have been interesting if it wasn't for the narrative of our heroine, Daire. Either she describes things too much or she couldn't describe it enough.
3) Inconsistency! It was in the pace of a caterpillar and then it suddenly turned as fast as an ostrich! This of course leads to confusion, irritation, and you know it...
June 3, 2012
I had always thought Alyson Noël's writing was beautiful before this, but I’ll tell you, she has done it again, but better. The way she writes in itself, feels magical, it really sucks you right into the story your reading. Her descriptions, are so vivid, its stunning when it feels like a movie is playing out in your head as you read. And the emotions you feel are awesome, you feel along with the characters. It touches you in such a good way, you just can't put the book down, and leaves you wanting more when your done.
I really did enjoy this new book by Alyson Noël, It was amazingly mind-blowing novel, filled with magic, mystery, and a really awsome guy. Very much a typical Alyson novel.. and I loved it so much! I know when the Immortals series had ended I was really sad to see it go, as it was one of my favorite series, but this definitely filled that void. Not to mention, I had read the free short story of when Ever meets Daire (you can get it free at Amazon) it shows me its still the same type of world Ever was from. This is all about Daire and Dace, and its so beautifully written. With magic and suspense filling the pages with such a unique story, I can’t help but want more.
The book is about a whole new type of people, Soul Seekers, Daire has these visions, and she thinks she is going crazy, so goes to live with her grandma in New Mexico. Once there, she learns she is a Soul Seeker, and she starts her training with her. Then she meets the boy of her dreams, and then the bad one of course, some major stuff happens for sure. I do not want to spoil it for anyone.
I’ll say the story was beautifully planned, going from one chapter to the next was seamless, and its such a unique story, I was amazed at the time and effort I know she had to put into this story, I know she had to have visited New Mexico to get all that so perfect, as I myself have been there before, and she described it all so perfect.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who has enjoyed Alyson’s previous work, but even if you have not, this would be a good one to start with. It’s very well written, and has the mystical suspense going on in a very believable way too.
Here is some quotes I liked:
quote (Kindle location 1624): Daire thinking about Dace “The sheer sight of him causing my limbs to tremble, my body to sway toward his-much like it did in the dream. The two of us drawn to each other-bound by forces unseen.”
A quote (Kindle location 3960) I like Dace to Daire: “I had an irresistible pull to come here, so I followed my instincts, and now I know why”
visit my blog for more review, author interviews, and more http://concisebookreviewsbymichelle.b...
July 19, 2018
I thought this book was egregious. My rant:
-Daire is impossible to connect to. Too bratty, too self-absorbed, too independent (yes, even as a teenager myself, I think it’s possible). Makes poor decisions. It’s impossible for anyone to get absorbed in or enjoy a book when they’re busy thinking up ways the main character could DIE.
-NO character development. Okay, Dace is the most perfect, the most OMG soul in the world, and his nasty twin brother is evil incarnate. NO, that does not count as character development. Black and white is for kids; give us some shades of grey so we can actually LIKE a character.
-I HATE the way Daire was immediately head over heels for Dace after meeting him in a DREAM. Just no. It’s cheap, it’s demeaning, it’s an easy way out so the author doesn’t actually have to spend pages describing their relationship and making them slowly, naturally fall for each other. When I meet a guy, yes, I do screen on looks, but after that initial first impression I am more interested in PERSONALITY – does he have a sense of humor? Is he thoughtful? – and CHEMISTRY – do we get along well? Are we a good match? Daire’s immediate star-crossed love is not only unrealistic, it’s demeaning to teen girls. Think about it, is this really the message you want to send?
-I HATE Daire’s mom. Jennika is just the epitome of the word ‘brat’. How can she possibly be a mother? She has no motherly qualities. Actually, she has NO redeeming qualities.
-The clique of b****y high school girls is completely unrealistic! As a high school student myself, I can assure you there is rarely such thing as the queen bee character. When you go to a 2,500+ student school, people split off into social groups that really DO NOT INTERACT. It’s so stupid all YA novels fall into this trap. At least the thing you can say about Twilight is that it was more faithful to high school social dynamics. And of course, in the end they’re all BFFs. Roll eyes here. How very sickening.
-Pacing. Dragged in some places, so fast in others. You know that psychedelic feeling you get when you don’t quite know what’s going on? I got that so much in the beginning, when she was being diagnosed, and there were huge time skips. It’s too jarring, with a lack of transition or rationality.
In conclusion, this book was awkward, stilting, dare I say fake? It was painfully below average, perhaps even mediocre.
-Daire is impossible to connect to. Too bratty, too self-absorbed, too independent (yes, even as a teenager myself, I think it’s possible). Makes poor decisions. It’s impossible for anyone to get absorbed in or enjoy a book when they’re busy thinking up ways the main character could DIE.
-NO character development. Okay, Dace is the most perfect, the most OMG soul in the world, and his nasty twin brother is evil incarnate. NO, that does not count as character development. Black and white is for kids; give us some shades of grey so we can actually LIKE a character.
-I HATE the way Daire was immediately head over heels for Dace after meeting him in a DREAM. Just no. It’s cheap, it’s demeaning, it’s an easy way out so the author doesn’t actually have to spend pages describing their relationship and making them slowly, naturally fall for each other. When I meet a guy, yes, I do screen on looks, but after that initial first impression I am more interested in PERSONALITY – does he have a sense of humor? Is he thoughtful? – and CHEMISTRY – do we get along well? Are we a good match? Daire’s immediate star-crossed love is not only unrealistic, it’s demeaning to teen girls. Think about it, is this really the message you want to send?
-I HATE Daire’s mom. Jennika is just the epitome of the word ‘brat’. How can she possibly be a mother? She has no motherly qualities. Actually, she has NO redeeming qualities.
-The clique of b****y high school girls is completely unrealistic! As a high school student myself, I can assure you there is rarely such thing as the queen bee character. When you go to a 2,500+ student school, people split off into social groups that really DO NOT INTERACT. It’s so stupid all YA novels fall into this trap. At least the thing you can say about Twilight is that it was more faithful to high school social dynamics. And of course, in the end they’re all BFFs. Roll eyes here. How very sickening.
-Pacing. Dragged in some places, so fast in others. You know that psychedelic feeling you get when you don’t quite know what’s going on? I got that so much in the beginning, when she was being diagnosed, and there were huge time skips. It’s too jarring, with a lack of transition or rationality.
In conclusion, this book was awkward, stilting, dare I say fake? It was painfully below average, perhaps even mediocre.
November 12, 2012
I had several responses as I read Fated.
I rolled my eyes and laughed aloud at the ridiculous ways that Noel presented "Native American" culture. It is bogus, so those of you who (in your reviews on Goodreads and elsewhere) think you're getting a peek into Native ways, forget it. You're not.
I felt confusion at the mish mash of peoples identities. If you read fast and don't care much about backstory, you probably missed that morass of identity. There's "Native American" characters, but without a tribal designation, Noel is giving you a full slate of stereotypes. Paloma is... "Old World Latina"/Spanish/Hispanic/Brazilian who speaks Spanish.
I felt anger at Noel for creating "Native American" names for the medicine man. Come on! "Leftfoot"?! I had to read that name more than once.
I just this moment (5:10 AM, Nov 12, 2012), looked up "Chepi" --- that's the name Noel uses for the "Native American" woman/mother in the story. The first hit on "Chepi" is that it is a Narragansett ghost who can be called upon to destroy an enemy. How does a "Native American" on a reservation in the southwest (setting is two hours from Albuquerque. I'm from a rez near Santa Fe) have a Narragansett name?!
The "Native American" content in this book is bogus and stereotypical. It seems a deliberate attempt to denigrate who we are---probably not intentionally, but it definitely feels that way to me. I've said a bit more in my full review at http://americanindiansinchildrenslite...
I rolled my eyes and laughed aloud at the ridiculous ways that Noel presented "Native American" culture. It is bogus, so those of you who (in your reviews on Goodreads and elsewhere) think you're getting a peek into Native ways, forget it. You're not.
I felt confusion at the mish mash of peoples identities. If you read fast and don't care much about backstory, you probably missed that morass of identity. There's "Native American" characters, but without a tribal designation, Noel is giving you a full slate of stereotypes. Paloma is... "Old World Latina"/Spanish/Hispanic/Brazilian who speaks Spanish.
I felt anger at Noel for creating "Native American" names for the medicine man. Come on! "Leftfoot"?! I had to read that name more than once.
I just this moment (5:10 AM, Nov 12, 2012), looked up "Chepi" --- that's the name Noel uses for the "Native American" woman/mother in the story. The first hit on "Chepi" is that it is a Narragansett ghost who can be called upon to destroy an enemy. How does a "Native American" on a reservation in the southwest (setting is two hours from Albuquerque. I'm from a rez near Santa Fe) have a Narragansett name?!
The "Native American" content in this book is bogus and stereotypical. It seems a deliberate attempt to denigrate who we are---probably not intentionally, but it definitely feels that way to me. I've said a bit more in my full review at http://americanindiansinchildrenslite...
August 28, 2016
This is a Did not finish book. Maybe one day I'll pick it up and continue reading this boring book. But right know I need a break. Until, I'm able to pick this up again, I'll rate this two stars. Maybe my rating and my thoughts will change if I ever finish reading this. So, I won't completely review it until then. Though,I should have known better since this is by the author of Evermore. For me Evermore was a dreadful book.
May 12, 2016
Having read the first three books in "The Immortals" series, I didn't expect much from this book. I was surprised that I actually really liked it.
Daire was nothing like Ever (thank god), and I liked the concept of the story. I'm really fascinated by shamans and the possibility of having a spirit animal. I also liked that the book wasn't really centered on the romance part. We see a lot of Dace, but Daire isn't always drooling over him or constantly thinking about him. She was more focused on finding herself and learning about her power then thinking about some boy.
I didn't like how she acted all high and mighty because she "saw through" Cade the first time he saw him. Like everybody's so stupid for mooning over him. When you're stealing humans souls, it's difficult not to have them worshiping you. I appreciated not whining part though. I'm so tired of reading about the main female whining about her life and whatnot (though we have that scene in the cave).
I don't really get all that Hollywood mentioning in the book. Why did Daire have to live there and hang out with all those famous people? She could have easily been a normal girl having some issues with her mind, no need to have her have a mom who works as a make up artist in Hollywood. I really didn't see the purpose of that part.
All in all, it was an entertaining read. Nothing hard but nothing annoying either. I don't know when I'll be reading the next book, but I'll hopefully get to it some time.
Daire was nothing like Ever (thank god), and I liked the concept of the story. I'm really fascinated by shamans and the possibility of having a spirit animal. I also liked that the book wasn't really centered on the romance part. We see a lot of Dace, but Daire isn't always drooling over him or constantly thinking about him. She was more focused on finding herself and learning about her power then thinking about some boy.
I didn't like how she acted all high and mighty because she "saw through" Cade the first time he saw him. Like everybody's so stupid for mooning over him. When you're stealing humans souls, it's difficult not to have them worshiping you. I appreciated not whining part though. I'm so tired of reading about the main female whining about her life and whatnot (though we have that scene in the cave).
I don't really get all that Hollywood mentioning in the book. Why did Daire have to live there and hang out with all those famous people? She could have easily been a normal girl having some issues with her mind, no need to have her have a mom who works as a make up artist in Hollywood. I really didn't see the purpose of that part.
All in all, it was an entertaining read. Nothing hard but nothing annoying either. I don't know when I'll be reading the next book, but I'll hopefully get to it some time.
November 30, 2016
It has been a long time since I read an Alyson Noel book. I thought that I might not be into it since it has been maybe 7 years since I read Evermore and remember it being a little juvenile. I do intend to try that series again soon. This book was great. I really enjoyed it. It left a lot of mysteries to figure out and only slightly subdued the villain. I'm most likely going to be hunting book 2 down as soon as I get the chance.
September 10, 2015
Source: I own a copy of this book.
Note: These are my personal opinions. I received no outside person comments or opinions.
I feel like I lost my passion for reading. I don't know how. Maybe I've been reading too many of the hyped books. But its gone. So I thought in order to find it again I'd read a book I once loved. I knew it wouldn't count towards my reading challenge, but I needed to find my passion again.
Plain and simple: I loved this book. Reading it again didn't change my perspective on it. I thought it was much better than The Immortals and the research done was clearly woven into the book lightly but efficiently.
Plot Summary:
Daire Santos comes from a long line of Shamans--Seekers. She is the most powerful in the longest time due to her father running away from his calling and meeting an unfortunate demise.
Daire is being trained by her Grandmother to fight the forces of evil who seek to eradicate the line of Santos' so they can rule.
Daire must hone her powers and embrace her visions as what they truly are: a way to navigate through the dimensions.
She dreams about her Fated one, but also about her enemy. Together, all three are apart of an ancient prophecy.
My Reaction:
Like I said, I loved this book. Noel once said in an interview she did extensive research for this series, reading tons of books, even traveling to New Mexico, and it is clear that she did exactly that.
Note: These are my personal opinions. I received no outside person comments or opinions.
I feel like I lost my passion for reading. I don't know how. Maybe I've been reading too many of the hyped books. But its gone. So I thought in order to find it again I'd read a book I once loved. I knew it wouldn't count towards my reading challenge, but I needed to find my passion again.
Plain and simple: I loved this book. Reading it again didn't change my perspective on it. I thought it was much better than The Immortals and the research done was clearly woven into the book lightly but efficiently.
Plot Summary:
Daire Santos comes from a long line of Shamans--Seekers. She is the most powerful in the longest time due to her father running away from his calling and meeting an unfortunate demise.
Daire is being trained by her Grandmother to fight the forces of evil who seek to eradicate the line of Santos' so they can rule.
Daire must hone her powers and embrace her visions as what they truly are: a way to navigate through the dimensions.
She dreams about her Fated one, but also about her enemy. Together, all three are apart of an ancient prophecy.
My Reaction:
Like I said, I loved this book. Noel once said in an interview she did extensive research for this series, reading tons of books, even traveling to New Mexico, and it is clear that she did exactly that.
December 13, 2016
Problems for me with this book, main character; brat. Why do so many YA books write teen girls as hating their parents?
Then this writer actually used the old, "with great power comes great responsibility," Spiderman?
Next, she is "ripped apart" by her family in a vision. I would have trouble trusting them afterwards, but that's just me.
And last; the first thing she does with her new powers is harass some bees? Really?!
Then this writer actually used the old, "with great power comes great responsibility," Spiderman?
Next, she is "ripped apart" by her family in a vision. I would have trouble trusting them afterwards, but that's just me.
And last; the first thing she does with her new powers is harass some bees? Really?!
February 28, 2016
Oli paska kirja, mutta tulipahan luettua.
October 4, 2024
Γνώρισα την Alyson Noel μέσα από την σειρά της, "Αθάνατοι", που κυκλοφόρησε με μεγάλη επιτυχία από τις εκδόσεις Ψυχογιός και πριν λίγους μήνες, είχα τη χαρά και την τιμή να την συναντήσω και από κοντά, όταν ήρθε στη χώρα μας όπου με χαμόγελο και θετική διάθεση, υποδέχτηκε σε μεγάλο πολυκατάστημα της Αθήνας, μικρούς και μεγάλους θαυμαστές της. Οι ίδιες εκδόσεις, έφεραν στη χώρα μας και τις δύο επόμενες σειρές της συγγραφέως, εκείνες της "Ράιλι Μπλουμ", την οποία και σας έχουμε ήδη παρουσιάσει, αλλά και τους "Κυνηγούς Των Ψυχών". Και μπορεί όσον αφορά την πρώτη σειρά, η απήχηση από το μεγαλύτερο σε ηλικία κοινό να μην ήταν η αναμενόμενη όμως, σε ότι έχει να κάνει με τη δεύτερη, τα πράγματα είναι πολύ διαφορετικά καθώς το περιεχόμενό του, αν και θεωρητικά εφηβικό, έχει να δώσει κάτι περισσότερο και μάλιστα, κάτι πολύ διαφορετικό από την πρώτη της σειρά που την έκανε ευρέως γνωστή.
Πρωταγωνίστρια της ιστορίας είναι η Ντέαρ, ένα κορίτσι που μεγάλωσε με τη μητέρα του, καθώς ο πατέρας της χάθηκε σε ένα τραγικό δυστύχημα πολύ πριν γεννηθεί εκείνη, και που ποτέ δεν έζησε σε ένα συγκεκριμένο μέρος αλλά, εξαιτίας της φύσης της δουλειάς της μητέρας της, ταξίδευε σε ολόκληρο τον κόσμο. Όμως η Ντέαρ, κάθε άλλο παρά φυσιολογική είναι. Βλέπει παράξενα πράγματα, οράματα θα έλεγε κανείς, η ένταση των οποίων κορυφώνεται όταν κλείνει τα δεκαέξι της χρόνια. Όλοι την θεωρούν ψυχασθενή όμως η αλήθεια, είναι πολύ διαφορετική και κρύβεται στο παρελθόν της οικογένειας του πατέρα της, σε μια κληρονομιά που φέρει ως πρωτότοκο παιδί του την οποία, πρέπει να αποδεχθεί, να κατανοήσει και να ελέγξει, πριν αυτή ή κάποιος εχθρός της, φροντίσει να ακολουθήσει τα βήματα εκείνα που θα την οδηγήσουν στο θάνατο. Έτσι, θα βρεθεί στο Μεξικό, στο σπίτι της γιαγιάς της που δεν γνώρισε ποτέ, η οποία και θα αναλάβει να την μυήσει σε σημαντικά, αρχέγονα μυστικά και να την εκπαιδεύσει για να υπηρετήσει τον σκοπό με τον οποίο γεννήθηκε.
Νομίζω πως όσοι έχετε διαβάσει βιβλία της Noel, έχετε καταλάβει πως σκοπός της, δεν είναι να αφηγηθεί παραμυθένιες ιστορίες αλλά, κάτι βαθύτερο, πολύ πιο ουσιαστικό. Η Noel, χαρακτηρίζεται από μια έντονη προσωπικότητα, γεμάτη ανησυχίες και προβληματισμούς πράγματα τα οποία, ξεπερνάνε κατά πολύ την πεζή καθημερινότητα, όλα εκείνα που οι άνθρωποι μπορούν να κατανοήσουν απλά και μόνο επειδή τα βλέπουν, περνώντας σε ένα διαφορετικό επίπεδο. Αυτό ακριβώς κάνει και στους "Κυνηγούς Των Ψυχών", μελετώντας δοξασίες και αρχέγονες λατρείες και πεποιθήσεις ενός λαού, μιας φυλής, που αν και μπορεί να μας φαντάζει πολύ μακρινή, υπάρχει, ζει και λειτουργεί σύμφωνα με όλα όσα κληροδοτήθηκαν από τους προγόνους της. Υπάρχουν πολλές λέξεις για να τους περιγράψουν. Σαμάνοι, θεραπευτές, ανιχνευτές και ένα ��ωρό άλλες. Όποια όμως κι αν επιλέξουμε να χρησιμοποιήσουμε, η ουσία είναι ίδια, δεν αλλάζει και έχει τις ρίζες της βαθιά σε μια ιστορία που είναι εξαιρετικά γοητευτική και θες να μελετήσεις, να ανακαλύψεις τα βαθύτερα μυστικά της και να την κατανοήσεις.
Οι Κυνηγοί αυτοί, έχουν μια αποστολή, ένα καθήκον, να προστατέψουν τα τρία επίπεδα του κόσμου, με την βοήθεια των ζώων προστατών τους, και να εμποδίσουν τις δαιμονικές δυνάμεις να κατακτήσουν τον έλεγχο και να σκορπίσουν το χάος, τόσο στο γήινο επίπεδο, όσο και σε εκείνα των ψυχών. Οι εσωτερικές δυνάμεις και ο τρόπος αξιοποίησής τους, παίζουν τον σημαντικότερο ρόλο και μονάχα όσοι έχουν το χάρισμα και την πρόθεση να το αξιοποιήσουν, μπορούν να ανακαλύψουν την αλήθεια. Και ακριβώς αυτό, καλείται να κάνει η Ντέαρ. Και παρά την όποια αρχική της άρνηση, δέχεται να ακολουθήσει το πεπρωμένο της, όσο τρομαχτικό και δυσοίωνο κι αν είναι, παρά που γνωρίζει ότι μπορεί να οδηγηθεί στο θάνατο, πολύ πιο εύκολα απ' ότι αν ζούσε μια θεωρητικά, φυσιολογική ζωή. Διακυβεύονται πολύ περισσότερα από την προσωπική της ευτυχία που στην πραγματικότητα, είναι άρρηκτα συνδεδεμένη με την ισορροπία και την προστασία του κόσμου γύρω της που αν αρχίσει να καταρρέει και να βυθίζεται στο σκοτάδι, θα παρασύρει όχι μόνο την ίδια αλλά, και όλους όσους αγαπά.
Η γραφή της Noel, είναι πιο γοητευτική από ποτέ. Προσεγγίζει ένα πολύ ιδιαίτερο θέμα με έναν τρόπο, τόσο αναλυτικό και ξεκάθαρο που παρά την πολυπλοκότητά του, είναι απόλυτα κατανοητός, ακόμα και στον μη μυημένο αναγνώστη. Σε γοητεύει και σε καθηλώνει, έστω κι αν το βιβλίο συνολικά, δεν ανήκει στα αναγνώσματα εκείνα που θα περιγράφαμε ως εύκολα και εύπεπτα. Κατά την ανάγνωση του βιβλίου, χρειάζεται προσοχή και απόλυτη αφοσίωση, είναι απαραίτητο να ενδιαφέρεσαι να διαβάζεις, κάτι περισσότερο από μια ιστορία φανταστικού αφού, όσο παράξενα κι αν φαντάζουν όλα όσα πραγματεύεται, ίσως, να είναι πολύ πιο ρεαλιστικά και αληθινά απ' όσο μπορεί να χωρέσει ο κοινός νους. Γλαφυρή, περιγραφική, η συγγραφέας, μας ταξιδεύει και μας συστήνει ένα νέο σκοτεινό και γοητευτικό κόσμο μέσα στον οποίο χανόμαστε και που αν μη τι άλλο, θέλουμε να εξερευνήσουμε περισσότερο, να τον κατανοήσουμε σε βάθος και να βγάλουμε στην επιφάνεια, κάθε μικρό και μεγάλο του μυστικό. Πολύ απλά, αναμένουμε την συνέχεια με αγωνία.
Πρωταγωνίστρια της ιστορίας είναι η Ντέαρ, ένα κορίτσι που μεγάλωσε με τη μητέρα του, καθώς ο πατέρας της χάθηκε σε ένα τραγικό δυστύχημα πολύ πριν γεννηθεί εκείνη, και που ποτέ δεν έζησε σε ένα συγκεκριμένο μέρος αλλά, εξαιτίας της φύσης της δουλειάς της μητέρας της, ταξίδευε σε ολόκληρο τον κόσμο. Όμως η Ντέαρ, κάθε άλλο παρά φυσιολογική είναι. Βλέπει παράξενα πράγματα, οράματα θα έλεγε κανείς, η ένταση των οποίων κορυφώνεται όταν κλείνει τα δεκαέξι της χρόνια. Όλοι την θεωρούν ψυχασθενή όμως η αλήθεια, είναι πολύ διαφορετική και κρύβεται στο παρελθόν της οικογένειας του πατέρα της, σε μια κληρονομιά που φέρει ως πρωτότοκο παιδί του την οποία, πρέπει να αποδεχθεί, να κατανοήσει και να ελέγξει, πριν αυτή ή κάποιος εχθρός της, φροντίσει να ακολουθήσει τα βήματα εκείνα που θα την οδηγήσουν στο θάνατο. Έτσι, θα βρεθεί στο Μεξικό, στο σπίτι της γιαγιάς της που δεν γνώρισε ποτέ, η οποία και θα αναλάβει να την μυήσει σε σημαντικά, αρχέγονα μυστικά και να την εκπαιδεύσει για να υπηρετήσει τον σκοπό με τον οποίο γεννήθηκε.
Νομίζω πως όσοι έχετε διαβάσει βιβλία της Noel, έχετε καταλάβει πως σκοπός της, δεν είναι να αφηγηθεί παραμυθένιες ιστορίες αλλά, κάτι βαθύτερο, πολύ πιο ουσιαστικό. Η Noel, χαρακτηρίζεται από μια έντονη προσωπικότητα, γεμάτη ανησυχίες και προβληματισμούς πράγματα τα οποία, ξεπερνάνε κατά πολύ την πεζή καθημερινότητα, όλα εκείνα που οι άνθρωποι μπορούν να κατανοήσουν απλά και μόνο επειδή τα βλέπουν, περνώντας σε ένα διαφορετικό επίπεδο. Αυτό ακριβώς κάνει και στους "Κυνηγούς Των Ψυχών", μελετώντας δοξασίες και αρχέγονες λατρείες και πεποιθήσεις ενός λαού, μιας φυλής, που αν και μπορεί να μας φαντάζει πολύ μακρινή, υπάρχει, ζει και λειτουργεί σύμφωνα με όλα όσα κληροδοτήθηκαν από τους προγόνους της. Υπάρχουν πολλές λέξεις για να τους περιγράψουν. Σαμάνοι, θεραπευτές, ανιχνευτές και ένα ��ωρό άλλες. Όποια όμως κι αν επιλέξουμε να χρησιμοποιήσουμε, η ουσία είναι ίδια, δεν αλλάζει και έχει τις ρίζες της βαθιά σε μια ιστορία που είναι εξαιρετικά γοητευτική και θες να μελετήσεις, να ανακαλύψεις τα βαθύτερα μυστικά της και να την κατανοήσεις.
Οι Κυνηγοί αυτοί, έχουν μια αποστολή, ένα καθήκον, να προστατέψουν τα τρία επίπεδα του κόσμου, με την βοήθεια των ζώων προστατών τους, και να εμποδίσουν τις δαιμονικές δυνάμεις να κατακτήσουν τον έλεγχο και να σκορπίσουν το χάος, τόσο στο γήινο επίπεδο, όσο και σε εκείνα των ψυχών. Οι εσωτερικές δυνάμεις και ο τρόπος αξιοποίησής τους, παίζουν τον σημαντικότερο ρόλο και μονάχα όσοι έχουν το χάρισμα και την πρόθεση να το αξιοποιήσουν, μπορούν να ανακαλύψουν την αλήθεια. Και ακριβώς αυτό, καλείται να κάνει η Ντέαρ. Και παρά την όποια αρχική της άρνηση, δέχεται να ακολουθήσει το πεπρωμένο της, όσο τρομαχτικό και δυσοίωνο κι αν είναι, παρά που γνωρίζει ότι μπορεί να οδηγηθεί στο θάνατο, πολύ πιο εύκολα απ' ότι αν ζούσε μια θεωρητικά, φυσιολογική ζωή. Διακυβεύονται πολύ περισσότερα από την προσωπική της ευτυχία που στην πραγματικότητα, είναι άρρηκτα συνδεδεμένη με την ισορροπία και την προστασία του κόσμου γύρω της που αν αρχίσει να καταρρέει και να βυθίζεται στο σκοτάδι, θα παρασύρει όχι μόνο την ίδια αλλά, και όλους όσους αγαπά.
Η γραφή της Noel, είναι πιο γοητευτική από ποτέ. Προσεγγίζει ένα πολύ ιδιαίτερο θέμα με έναν τρόπο, τόσο αναλυτικό και ξεκάθαρο που παρά την πολυπλοκότητά του, είναι απόλυτα κατανοητός, ακόμα και στον μη μυημένο αναγνώστη. Σε γοητεύει και σε καθηλώνει, έστω κι αν το βιβλίο συνολικά, δεν ανήκει στα αναγνώσματα εκείνα που θα περιγράφαμε ως εύκολα και εύπεπτα. Κατά την ανάγνωση του βιβλίου, χρειάζεται προσοχή και απόλυτη αφοσίωση, είναι απαραίτητο να ενδιαφέρεσαι να διαβάζεις, κάτι περισσότερο από μια ιστορία φανταστικού αφού, όσο παράξενα κι αν φαντάζουν όλα όσα πραγματεύεται, ίσως, να είναι πολύ πιο ρεαλιστικά και αληθινά απ' όσο μπορεί να χωρέσει ο κοινός νους. Γλαφυρή, περιγραφική, η συγγραφέας, μας ταξιδεύει και μας συστήνει ένα νέο σκοτεινό και γοητευτικό κόσμο μέσα στον οποίο χανόμαστε και που αν μη τι άλλο, θέλουμε να εξερευνήσουμε περισσότερο, να τον κατανοήσουμε σε βάθος και να βγάλουμε στην επιφάνεια, κάθε μικρό και μεγάλο του μυστικό. Πολύ απλά, αναμένουμε την συνέχεια με αγωνία.
Want to read
September 24, 2017For some reason, no matter how good the story is, I always have a very hard time liking Alyson Noel's leading ladies.
My first problem with this book is that I doubt the author has been to Morocco, if she did she would know that the hijab bit was an exaggeration (no one in any Arabic country would expect a foreigner to wear it), same goes to the doctor and woman in black. The thing you need to know about Arabic countries, especially countries like Morocco, that dealing with magic isn't all that strange. No one (and I mean it) would think you are crazy if you saw something that no one else could see. They wouldn't have tied her up or announced she was crazy, they would only read Quran on her to calm her down and try to make her describe what she saw (in detail). We have a very open mind to the supernatural more than people would ever think.
Apart from that I'm liking the story so far, I love the mythical Mexican aspect of the story, I just finished part one and can't wait to see what will happen next. The story is unique. So I guess I'll order the second book. The cover is gorgeous as well, what attracted me to it was the dreamcatcher earring.
My first problem with this book is that I doubt the author has been to Morocco, if she did she would know that the hijab bit was an exaggeration (no one in any Arabic country would expect a foreigner to wear it), same goes to the doctor and woman in black. The thing you need to know about Arabic countries, especially countries like Morocco, that dealing with magic isn't all that strange. No one (and I mean it) would think you are crazy if you saw something that no one else could see. They wouldn't have tied her up or announced she was crazy, they would only read Quran on her to calm her down and try to make her describe what she saw (in detail). We have a very open mind to the supernatural more than people would ever think.
Apart from that I'm liking the story so far, I love the mythical Mexican aspect of the story, I just finished part one and can't wait to see what will happen next. The story is unique. So I guess I'll order the second book. The cover is gorgeous as well, what attracted me to it was the dreamcatcher earring.
May 12, 2015
5 Words: Magic, heritage, conflict, souls, hollywood.
I was quite pleasantly surprised by this book. I've always looked at Alyson Noel's books and just walked past to something with a prettier cover, because I'm shallow like that and often pick books based only on the cover or title.
So when Steph mentioned this series to me, told me to give it a chance because by the end of the first book she was hooked despite her initial dislike of the story, I grabbed her copies and ran.
I think the part of this book I enjoyed the most was the beginning, where Daire is still around the movie-sets. It was just such a different setting, especially for a story like this, where there's so much emphasis on magic and different worlds. SO I was a little disappointed that the story quickly moved to your standard middle-of-nowhere shithole with no one and nothing of any merit, where even the name of the place is disappointing. I liked that different setting dammit!
I liked the relationships between the characters. Nothing was straight forward. There was turmoil and conflict and attraction and duty. And I liked the magical aspects. I liked how nothing could be trusted, that the narrator herself was unreliable until she learned to see with her heart rather than her mind.
But I found that Daire and Dace weren't the easiest names to say together. They sound a little awkward.
I was quite pleasantly surprised by this book. I've always looked at Alyson Noel's books and just walked past to something with a prettier cover, because I'm shallow like that and often pick books based only on the cover or title.
So when Steph mentioned this series to me, told me to give it a chance because by the end of the first book she was hooked despite her initial dislike of the story, I grabbed her copies and ran.
I think the part of this book I enjoyed the most was the beginning, where Daire is still around the movie-sets. It was just such a different setting, especially for a story like this, where there's so much emphasis on magic and different worlds. SO I was a little disappointed that the story quickly moved to your standard middle-of-nowhere shithole with no one and nothing of any merit, where even the name of the place is disappointing. I liked that different setting dammit!
I liked the relationships between the characters. Nothing was straight forward. There was turmoil and conflict and attraction and duty. And I liked the magical aspects. I liked how nothing could be trusted, that the narrator herself was unreliable until she learned to see with her heart rather than her mind.
But I found that Daire and Dace weren't the easiest names to say together. They sound a little awkward.
November 5, 2013
This review was posted in May, 2012 -A good start to a new series steeped in Native American mysticism. I would have liked to see more development to some of the main characters, but found that, overall, this was an enjoyable, fast read....
Review November 5, 2013:
Filled with Native American myths, dark evil vs good, Fated plunges a sixteen year-old girl into a world she never knew existed. Terrorized by nightmares filled with ravens, death and blood, Daire fears she is losing her mind. The time has come for her to know the secrets held by her father’s family and the legacy he left her.
The story builds slowly, as we are pulled into a world that transcends what we can physically see, taste or touch. Demons are real. souls are being stolen, piece by piece until the remaining body is a mere empty shell. Can Daire stop the growing evil when few believe it even exists? Could an entire town be under the spell of one powerful demonic family with hopes of taking over all of the realms in existence?
With Daire as our narrator, sometimes what the reader is willing to accept is dashed by her refusal to accept this strange new world. Not always completely likable, Daire is a strong character who is willing to do whatever she feels she should to protect those around her. But are her ways always correct? What about Dace? Is he merely an extension of his evil twin or is he the light to his brother’s darkness?
Ms. Noel writes with a crisp sense of style and is very straightforward with the interaction her characters have. As the tension rises and the pace quickens, the dialogue becomes even more direct, fitting the heightened sense of urgency well. With a cast of distinctly unique and potentially fascinating characters, there is a lot of world to be explored in future additions to this series.
I received a copy of each of the four books in the Soul Seekers series as part of the Horizon/Soul Seeker Review Tour and Giveaway stopping at Tome Tender November 8, 2013 in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Soul Seekers, #1
Publication Date: May 22, 2012 (re-print)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN: 0312664850
Genre: YA Paranormal
Page Count: 352
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
Review November 5, 2013:
Filled with Native American myths, dark evil vs good, Fated plunges a sixteen year-old girl into a world she never knew existed. Terrorized by nightmares filled with ravens, death and blood, Daire fears she is losing her mind. The time has come for her to know the secrets held by her father’s family and the legacy he left her.
The story builds slowly, as we are pulled into a world that transcends what we can physically see, taste or touch. Demons are real. souls are being stolen, piece by piece until the remaining body is a mere empty shell. Can Daire stop the growing evil when few believe it even exists? Could an entire town be under the spell of one powerful demonic family with hopes of taking over all of the realms in existence?
With Daire as our narrator, sometimes what the reader is willing to accept is dashed by her refusal to accept this strange new world. Not always completely likable, Daire is a strong character who is willing to do whatever she feels she should to protect those around her. But are her ways always correct? What about Dace? Is he merely an extension of his evil twin or is he the light to his brother’s darkness?
Ms. Noel writes with a crisp sense of style and is very straightforward with the interaction her characters have. As the tension rises and the pace quickens, the dialogue becomes even more direct, fitting the heightened sense of urgency well. With a cast of distinctly unique and potentially fascinating characters, there is a lot of world to be explored in future additions to this series.
I received a copy of each of the four books in the Soul Seekers series as part of the Horizon/Soul Seeker Review Tour and Giveaway stopping at Tome Tender November 8, 2013 in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Soul Seekers, #1
Publication Date: May 22, 2012 (re-print)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN: 0312664850
Genre: YA Paranormal
Page Count: 352
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
November 14, 2017
After being severely disappointed in where Noel took The Immortals series, I really had low expectations going into this one. And I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Whereas her other series that was pretty much one girls mission to have sex, Fated focuses more on family and ancestry.
We start with Daire - a teenage girl who believes that she is going crazy because time seems to stop around her and she's seeing things, strange things, and she's starting to wonder what is real and what isn't. With the help of her grandmother, Daire realizes there's a deeper meaning to her visions and her life is meant for so much more than she can even comprehend.
What I liked about this book was how different it was and the mythology aspect. I like the idea of Seeker and their spirit animals. There's lore surrounding almost every animal and Noel did a nice job of incorporating the different animals into the story. I also really liked the dynamic of the twins. You have one good and one evil, both with very different backgrounds and views.
What I wasn't a fan of was the pacing. It moved very slow in the beginning and then suddenly there was action and what I was lead to believe would be a big huge ending, only to have it kind of fizzle out. I can see from a series standpoint that this was a set up to bigger things to come and on that front I can understand it because it did what it was supposed to, and made me interested in reading more.
We start with Daire - a teenage girl who believes that she is going crazy because time seems to stop around her and she's seeing things, strange things, and she's starting to wonder what is real and what isn't. With the help of her grandmother, Daire realizes there's a deeper meaning to her visions and her life is meant for so much more than she can even comprehend.
What I liked about this book was how different it was and the mythology aspect. I like the idea of Seeker and their spirit animals. There's lore surrounding almost every animal and Noel did a nice job of incorporating the different animals into the story. I also really liked the dynamic of the twins. You have one good and one evil, both with very different backgrounds and views.
What I wasn't a fan of was the pacing. It moved very slow in the beginning and then suddenly there was action and what I was lead to believe would be a big huge ending, only to have it kind of fizzle out. I can see from a series standpoint that this was a set up to bigger things to come and on that front I can understand it because it did what it was supposed to, and made me interested in reading more.
April 11, 2018
Wieder ein schwer zu bewertendes Buch. Der Anfang ist unheimlich langsam und liest sich auch nicht gerade flüssig und mit den Charakteren wurde ich auch nicht so schnell warm. Erst, als Paloma richtig ins Spiel kommt, bin ich mit Daire ein wenig warm geworden.
Gegen Ende liest sich das Buch ganz gut und auch die Handlung und die Charaktere konnten mich dann mitreißen. Aber für eine gute Bewertung leider zu spät.
(Und gut, dass sie erklären, wie man Xotichl ausspricht, da stolpere ich jedes Mal drüber, auch nach der Erklärung noch.)
Die restlichen drei Bücher der Reihe liegen auf meinem SuB. Ob sie aber in Angriff nehmen werde... Wahrscheinlich dann erstmal nur, weil ich ja einfach kein Buch/ keine Reihe verlassen kann, wenn ich einmal angefangen habe.
Gegen Ende liest sich das Buch ganz gut und auch die Handlung und die Charaktere konnten mich dann mitreißen. Aber für eine gute Bewertung leider zu spät.
(Und gut, dass sie erklären, wie man Xotichl ausspricht, da stolpere ich jedes Mal drüber, auch nach der Erklärung noch.)
Die restlichen drei Bücher der Reihe liegen auf meinem SuB. Ob sie aber in Angriff nehmen werde... Wahrscheinlich dann erstmal nur, weil ich ja einfach kein Buch/ keine Reihe verlassen kann, wenn ich einmal angefangen habe.
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