Fated by Sarah Alderson

Fated by Sarah Alderson.


Information.
Pages: 320.
Publication: January 5th 2012/Simon & Schuster UK.

"What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it? 

When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight. 

But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends. 
If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it?"


Review.
I first read Sarah Alderson's Hunting Lila (Find review here) and I really enjoyed it, so when I saw that Fated was coming out in January I knew I had to read it. Fated has Alderson's writing feel, which is the only thing similar between to the stories. I enjoyed the story within Fated more than Hunting Lila.

One aspect of Fated that I thought was great was the world or should I say, worlds that Alderson has created. Different realms harboring different species or Unhumans, as they are known, from Scorpio Demons to Mixens to Vampires and Shapeshifters. All of the creatures, which make up the brotherhood had me engrossed especially with the personalities of these creatures in the Brotherhood.


Our heroine, or more of an anti-heroine, is Evie. Little do she know, that she has Hunter blood. A strong will and intelligent seventeen year old whose only dream is to get out of her small and gossipy home town, and if that means working two jobs, she will. However, the Brotherhood have other plans. Half Shadow Warrior, half human, the only thing Lucas wants is revenge. And his target? Evie.
I really liked Evie. She's realistic as well as being easy to relate to. She is strong and what I loved is that she isn't whiny or feels the need to keep saying that all this paranormal stuff can't be happening for half of the book.

Fated is written in dual narrative and, Lucas, as a second main character was also enjoyable. He was not overbearing which I find can happen with second, especially male, lead characters. I really enjoyed finding out what Lucas was thinking while trying and failing to assassinate Evie as he begins to feel protective and even begins to care for Evie. Lucas, throughout the book, grow into an admirable character. 

All the other secondary characters were also satisfying. Victor, Jocelyn, Earl and Risper were all different and complemented in each other as Hunters.

The only thing lowered the book rating for me was the speed and rush of the romance. Fast paced romance never do anything for me and although, with only three hundred pages to work with training Evie and a lot of secondary characters, I suppose a rushed romance was bound to happen. However, that said, I did like Evie's and Luca's chemistry. It had this Romeo and Juliet, doomed feel and I love a bit of doom!

A fast-paced novel set in an intriguing world, full of entertaining characters, Fated is definitely one to read, and when you do, you will be hooked and begging for the sequel!

Rating: 4/5.

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson.


Information.
Pages: 320.

Publication: August 4th 2011/Simon & Schuster Childrens Books.

"17-year-old Lila has two secrets she's prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she's been in love with her brother's best friend, Alex, since forever. Or thereabouts.After a mugging on the streets of South London goes horribly wrong and exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust - her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organisation called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they've found them. Trying to uncover the truth of why her mother was killed, and the real remit of The Unit, Lila becomes a pawn in a dangerous game. Struggling to keep her secrets in a world where nothing and no one is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realises that she is not alone - there are others out there just like her - people with special powers -and her mother's killer is one of them." - Goodreads blurb.

Review.
Alderson's novel makes an impression on the reader from the first page. Hunting Lila is quite the page turner from the beginning. It is an asset to Alderson, the author's debut novel.

There is action from the first page. where we meet the leading lady of the book, Lila. She lives a lonely life with an absentee, working father, a murdered mother and a brother who lives thousands of miles away.

She also holds a secret, one she guards with her life: she is telekinetic. What I found really interesting in Hunting Lila. Although, Lila's telekinesis plays a part in the book, it does not over take nor over shadow which I found very refreshing.

To be honest, romance and love plays a larger part than the telekinesis. Lila is OBSESSED with Alex, her brother's Jack, best friend, and at in practically every page, this is brought up which was, for me a little irritating. However, the relationship develops at a good pace.

Hunting Lila kept me entertained especially as it takes an unexpected twist in the climax. I'll definitely be reading the second book, Losing Lila, for sure. 

Rating: 4/5.