Fateful - Claudia Gray

Rating: 5/5

GoodReads Synopsis

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. 

In Fateful, New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray delivers paranormal adventure, dark suspense, and alluring romance set against the opulent backdrop of the Titanic’s first—and last—voyage. 

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Why I had to read this book: 
--The cover itself is AMAZING! However, like they say, don't judge a book by its cover 
--I've been hearing such great reviews from my fellow GoodReaders (if that's a word xP) 
--I'm a huge fan of Claudia Gray. Her Evernight series is one of my all time favorite series, so naturally I have to read everything else she writes :D 
Claudia Gray's Evernight series is by far one of my favorite series; especially when it comes to books about vampires. So when I heard that Gray was coming out with another book, I just HAD to read it. I had very big expectations for this novel. Mainly because of Gray's previous novels, and also because the whole story-line itself completely peaked my interest. The Titanic with a twist? Sounds awesome right? Of course it does ;) 

But as we know, the Titanic does not end well for everyone. People die, or lose loved ones. So going into this story, I knew I was in for some heartbreaking moments. 

The heroine of the story, Tess, has to be my favorite heroine from any novel I've ever read so far. She has been working as a servant girl for a wealthy English family for the past few years. She's strong, and doesn't want for things to be handed to her; she works for what she wants. She knew, as a servant, what her self value was, but she also knew that even a servant deserves a life of freedom and happiness. A huge plus (at least for me) was that fact that she was not a whiny crybaby like some other female leads. I get so irriatated when I'm reading a book and all the character does is whine and complain and act helpless. Sure they're allowed to be vulnerable and have their moments every once in a while, but not throughout the whole book. Tess stood up for herself, when she knew the time was right, and took what came at her with a straight face. 

Alec. I admit I thought he was kind of a jerk at first, but then again, it alwaysstarts off like that. As his relationship with Tess began to grow, I couldn't help but grow to love him. He has had such a hard life and feels guilty all the time for what he is. At one point, Tess says that the two of them probably wouldn't be together if he wasn't a werewolf. I suppose that is true. Servants in the early 1900s were definitely not allowed to marry wealthy noblemen, but the idea of them not ending up together kind of makes me sad. I think they're so sweet together. 

I think Gray did a fantastic job depicting the lives of people during the early 20th century. She showed us the life of a servant and their employers, and how society back then ran. She also beautifully turned the Titanic love story into an even greater epic. Everything appeared very well researched and factual so it's obvious she put a lot of time and effort into this story. 

I have to say, this is probably my favorite book by Claudia Gray, or at least, tied with Evernight. I cannot wait for her next project! This book gets a 5 out of 5 :D