Fated by Alyson Noel - Review

I've read Alyson Noel's previous series, The Immortals Series, and while it had its problems, I did enjoy it. So when I noticed she had started a new one, I bought it straight away.

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.

From Goodreads

My review:

Positive Aspects:

- The book and its plot were good, in a relaxed kind of way. I wasn't hooked, and didn't feel the need to read it all the time, but it was interesting enough to keep me wanting to know what happens. 

- While she had a lot of flaws, I did like the main character, Daire. She comes across as quite a strong character who knows what she wants, although she is almost a little too independent. She hates asking for help and refuses to take people's advice, which is annoying at times. She's also quite selfish, and doesn't think of other people very much. 

- There wasn't a lot of romance in the book, but I was ok with this - it didn't detract from the plot in any way. The main focus is on Daire and her journey as a seeker, discovering her powers. 

- I found the plot interesting and I really liked the supernatural aspect - I love the fact that they had spirit animals (I've liked the idea of spirit animals for a long time now; I even used it in my nano novel last year) and I enjoyed following Daire's progress as a seeker, and going with her on all of her spirit journeys. 

- I also liked the normality of the book - as well as learning to use her supernatural powers, Daire also finds herself attending school for the first time in her life. It was interesting to see how she handled it, and to see her standing up to the popular kids.

Negative Aspects:

- I didn't like the few times where romance was involved in the plot. This is possibly because the build up wasn't very good; it seemed like it happened out of nowhere. Daire and Dace (her love interest) barely speak during the novel, and all of a sudden they're all over each other. It's a little far-fetched. She spends most of her time with him in dreams, which isn't the same as spending time with him in real life. 

- Like I said, I wasn't really pulled into the story as much as I would have liked to have been. I didn't really care what happened to the characters. 

- I also think there were a lot of things that went unexplained. I still don't fully understand what a seeker is and why it's Daire's responsibility to stop the evil happening in their little town, but maybe Alyson will explain more in the next novel. 

Overall:

The novel was satisfactory. I'll probably read the next book in the series eventually, but I won't be rushing to buy it. I give it 3 stars.