Review: Fateful

Author: Claudia Gray

Pages: 325
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Rating: 5/5
Summery:
Eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, troubled family she serves. It’s 1912, and Tess has been trapped in the employ of the Lisles for years, amid painful memories and twisted secrets. But now the Lisle family is headed to America, with Tess in tow. Once the ship they’re sailing on—the RMS Titanic—reaches its destination, Tess plans to strike out and create a new life for herself.
Her single-minded focus shatters when she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets of his own. He’s in a hurry to leave Europe, and whispers aboard the ship say it’s because of the tragic end of his last affair with the French actress who died so gruesomely and so mysteriously. . . .
Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves exist and are stalking him—and now her, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over.

Review:
Wow.  Before I read this book I never thought I would like reading about the Titanic, but did Claudia Gray ever prove me wrong.

This book is amazing.  The plot was so complex, and the characters were so good.  If Claudia Gray had picked a single other historical event and had the same paranormal stuff going on, I don't think it would have worked half as well.  The plot was amazing, all the events happening and flowing together and leading up to one another.  The way Gray wrote Tess's situation, it was like she was pretty much guaranteed to be killed, but somehow, she always managed to survive and keep her cool.  If I had been in that situation, with some lunatic werewolf coming after me, I would have freaked. :p

I love Tess.  I love her name, I love her strong will, and I love her defiance.  She is the kind of strong female character that all books like this need, and she's so sweet to Mr. Marlowe and Miss Irene.  She is the perfect character for this book.
I hate Mikhail.  Hate, hate, hate him.  But in a way I also like him because his evilness and ruthlessness was what made this book as good as it is.  He is the perfect villain.
I really, really wanted Tess to take Irene with her when she quit her job, because I just felt so bad for her.  Her mother is so mean, and Irene is so kind and different from the rest of her family.
Alec *swooning*.  OH MY GOSH!!!  I love Alec.  He is so cute!  He is so kind and gentle, and he really feels bad about what he does when he is "different". (I won't say anything more because I would give away the story.)

All in all, this is a really sweet romantic fantasy that I think everyone will love.  And you also learn about the Titanic :P

OTHER COVER EDITIONS:

  

Which cover is your favorite?  And what do you think about this book? (:

Teaser Tuesday: (#6)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Anyone can do it.  You just have to do is:

 (1): Grab your current read.

(2): Open it to a random page.

(3): Share 1 or 2 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.  BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!! 

(4): Make sure you also mention the author and title.

Fateful, by Claudia Gray

#2: "These are the eyes that followed me on the dock.  Even before I was him with the young man from last night, he had seen me. Give him the box, I think.  Give him the box, tell them it was just stolen, and even if they don't believe you, they won't put you in jail.  Or will they?  Is that all I'll ever see of America--a jail cell?"

#1: "But the wolf doesn't hit the door.  It skids to a stop just short of the booth.  I stare down at my feet, terrified it's going to crawl underneath the small gap there, or just bite at my ankles.  It doesn't.  Instead the wolf starts pacing, back and forth.  Back and forth.  I can hear it panting, its claws clicking against the tile floor."