Fated by Sarah Alderson

Fated Book 1. Simon and Schuster, 2012. ISBN 9780857074348.
(Age: 14+) Thriller. Paranormal. Lucas Gray is half-human, half-Shadow Warrior, and belongs to the Brotherhood, a gang of assassins who are out to kill the last purebred Hunter. 17 year old Evie Tremain is a waitress, and is astounded to find out that she is a demon slayer and has been targeted by the Brotherhood. She is intrigued by Lucas, not realising that he has been sent to kill her. Both Lucas and Evie are bound together by fate, but will they be able to survive the intrigue that has been going on for a thousand years?
I decided I had to read this book as I had enjoyed Hunting Lila by Alderson so much. This has more paranormal aspects that Hunting Lila but all the hallmarks of Sarah Alderson's writing: fast action, characters that you really want to see succeed against all odds, and a growing romance between two unlikely people.
The action is non-stop. The shapeshifters, vampires and mixen creatures have amazing powers and their deadly feats highlight the skills that Evie develops as a demon slayer. She becomes a fast and canny fighter and the suspense about whether Lucas will kill her or protect her builds up throughout the book.
As a reader, I became involved in Evie as a character, in particular. She was strong and feisty and able to think for herself. Secondary characters, including some adults, added depth to the story and no doubt some of their stories will be enlarged in later books in the series. And of course, an ill-fated romance, and the question about whether it can survive, adds extra spice to the story.
Teen girls in particular will enjoy this story and will no doubt want to read the next in the series, as I will.
Pat Pledger