Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Fates

Title: Fates (Fates #1)
Author: Lanie Bross
Published: February 11th 2014 by Delacorte Pres
Source: Finished copy courtesy of the publisher for an honest review
Goodreads/Amazon

"Perfect for fans of Jennifer Armentrout, Julie Kagawa, Rachel Vincent, and Sarah J. Maas, and for girls who love all things pretty, romantic and inspirational.

One moment. One foolish desire. One mistake. And Corinthe lost everything.

She fell from her tranquil life in Pyralis Terra and found herself exiled to the human world. Her punishment? To make sure people's fates unfold according to plan. Now, years later, Corinthe has one last assignment: kill Lucas Kaller. His death will be her ticket home.

But for the first time, Corinthe feels a tingle of doubt. It begins as a lump in her throat, then grows toward her heart, and suddenly she feels like she is falling all over again--this time for a boy she knows she can never have. Because it is written: one of them must live, and one of them must die. In a universe where every moment, every second, every fate has already been decided, where does love fit in?"

First line: "Principal Sylvia Patterson pulled her office door shut, checked the lock, then hitched a stack of folders, slightly higher in her left arm as she made her way down the empty halls of Mission High."

Thoughts: What initially drew me to FATES was the cover. Honestly, the picture above doesn't do it even half of the justice it deserves. If you just happen to be in a bookstore and spot FATES, I highly recommend picking it up and enjoying it's beauty. As far as what's inside the book, I have to be honest and say I was a tad disappointed with this novel. There were a lot of highs and lows as well as sections where the book was fast-paced but then died for fifty or so pages. I guess I was just underwhelmed, which leaves me somewhere in the middle of neither hating it nor loving it. Merely just lukewarm.

This was kind of a confusing book for me. The story jumped from past to present so quickly to where I had a hard time keeping up. Are Corinthe and/or Lucas talking about what's happening now or happened before? Not sure. It was all just jumbled in, and while the writing was lovely, I couldn't truly ever just sit back and admire it.

I also found the world building to be lacking. Honestly, what's the difference between Pyralis and Earth? Other than sucking up energy from everything Corinthe touches, I wouldn't be able to tell you. Corinthe spent a good portion of the beginning pinning over Pyralis, and I couldn't fathom why. Did Pyralis rain Jimmy Choo shoes? Corinthe seems to enough the colors and fashion Earth has to offer as oppose to Pryalis' plain outfits and monotony. I don't know, but other than the constantly pain, I personally wouldn't have been missing Pyralis like she did.

My last issue with this book is that I found that both points of views very humdrum and not distinctive. Both characters are drowning with longing, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad one. Out of the two characters, I did find Lucas more interesting. He has such a gentle heart and truly worries over his sister. He hasn't had an easy life, but I'm really hoping things get better for him. He's one of those good guys you can't help but cheer for.

I will say that I very much enjoyed the romance factor in this novel. I loved how it wasn't overdone but still present. In so many words, it had the perfect amount of swoon. Also, I really enjoyed the last quarter of the book. To me, it's where the author truly shined. The story started coming together and though the ending does leave you with a lot of questions, you still feel somewhat satisfied and obviously craving for more.

For the most part, it was a lovely story, and I enjoyed it. The cliffhanger ending definitely has me itching to read the sequel (CHAOS). Other than the few issues I had with the book, I truly believe the author is a talented, lovely writer and look forward to her other books.

Rating:

3 Stars



Giveaway: Thanks to the fabulous folks at Random House, I am giving away one hardback of FATES. This giveaway is only open to US participants and ends March 21st.

Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

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