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Touching Fate
(The Fated #1)
by
Aster Layne believes in physics, not psychics. A tarot card reading on the Ocean City Boardwalk should have been a ridiculous, just-for-fun thing. It wasn’t. Aster discovers she has a very unscientific gift—with a simple touch of the cards, she can change a person’s fate.
Reese Van Buren is cursed. Like the kind of old-school, centuries-old curse that runs in royal families ...more
Reese Van Buren is cursed. Like the kind of old-school, centuries-old curse that runs in royal families ...more
Paperback, 236 pages
Published
October 12th 2015
by Entangled Teen Crave
(first published January 1st 2015)
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Start your review of Touching Fate (The Fated, #1)

When out with her friends Aster Layne visits a tarot card reader thinking it's all just fun and games, that is until something happens during the reading. When Aster touches one of the tarot cards it seems to change her friend's bad reading but as with all magic Aster will soon learn that magic comes with a price and that price is usually very bad.
Reese Van Buren's family has been cursed for centuries and now Reese is doing everything he can to escape his fate. The first born male in each gener ...more
Reese Van Buren's family has been cursed for centuries and now Reese is doing everything he can to escape his fate. The first born male in each gener ...more

Jun 12, 2015
Brenda Drake
rated it
it was amazing
· (Review from the author)
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
i-wrote-this
Hello everyone, I'm the author, so naturally I'm biased. But I love this story and had such a fun time writing it. It's filled with romance, betrayal, curses, fates, friendships, family bonds, and a touch of magic. What would you do if you could change someone's fate with a touch of a tarot card, but with a price?
...more

This was another fantastic novel series by Brenda Drake. She is an amazing author whom even though she has plenty on her plate and a busy woman she still creates amazing novels that captivates her readers!❤ This one touches on the paranormal/metaphysical side and was so fun! This book had lots of sweet romance and great characters with a great plot to go with it.🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Like the Library Jumpers Series, I give this start of this series a hands down, 5 out of 5 stars!!!❤

Pages: 238
My rating: 2
Read other books by this author in the future: no
This book is hard to review. I actually did not like the story. Basically it’s supposed to be a love story with supernatural touch. But it is a love story gone wrong. There were so many things wrong: the family keeping life threatening secrets from the kids, Aster fooling around with the fates of others and her family instead confronting her family. Reese betraying Aster and her forgiving him without a second thought. A lot o ...more

This book gripped me and I couldn't put it down. Aster is one of many siblings and all of them have forbidden to come near Tarot cards. But Aster does and by accident changes the fate of one of her friends and gets a mark in return. Soon she discovers she is a Fate Changer, with the ability to change the future of people around her using Tarot cards. But all magic comes with a price...
Meet Reese. A guy who is cursed, as all his line is. He will die when he turns 18. Only person who can change hi ...more
Meet Reese. A guy who is cursed, as all his line is. He will die when he turns 18. Only person who can change hi ...more

Sep 01, 2015
Andrea Heltsley
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2015-read,
arc-reviews
I really wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book. The description grabbed me right away. It was so unlike anything I previously. The book sounded so good, I started reading it immediately.
WOW!! I'm soooo glad I picked up this story. It was better than I even hoped! This book rocked!
The author pieced together a wonderfully original and compelling young adult book.
A story centered on gypsies and tarot card magic was refreshing. It was a unique take on fate and curses. I couldn't put it ...more
WOW!! I'm soooo glad I picked up this story. It was better than I even hoped! This book rocked!
The author pieced together a wonderfully original and compelling young adult book.
A story centered on gypsies and tarot card magic was refreshing. It was a unique take on fate and curses. I couldn't put it ...more

Thank you to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for a copy of the eArc in exchange for a fair review!
I receive these lovely emails from Entangled and from there I can request to review books from them. They had Cursing Fate on the list, and I wanted too, but I hadn't read the first book, but then I saw that they were offering copies of Touching Fate so that you could read and review both books for Entangled. So I jumped on that chance as Touching Fate has been on TBR since January of this year. If th ...more
I receive these lovely emails from Entangled and from there I can request to review books from them. They had Cursing Fate on the list, and I wanted too, but I hadn't read the first book, but then I saw that they were offering copies of Touching Fate so that you could read and review both books for Entangled. So I jumped on that chance as Touching Fate has been on TBR since January of this year. If th ...more

I was pleasantly surprised with how much fun this book was. I thought the plot of the story was so interesting. I have never read a book like this before, and I thought Brenda did a great job of creating a fun and magical storyline. The main male character, Reese, was so swoon worthy. I adored him and his adorable accent. He was my favorite character in this book. I also really liked the other main character, Aster. She was snarky, loyal, and brave. She tried her best to understand her powers an
...more

Touching Fate swept me away in a world of magic, adventure, and sexy romance, where not everything is as it seems, and fate, while written in the stars, isn't always fixed. A spellbinding tale of love and choices...and did I mention the hot European accents??
...more

Because it seemed he held the algorithmic key to solving the encrypted code locking her heart.
There are two different kinds of people: those who believe in fate and those who don't. Aster Layne falls into the later category. She knows her role in life, she has her routine with her friends and family, and most importantly, she doesn't believe in magic.
Reese Van Bruen not only believes in magic, but is also cursed by it. And not just a tiny curse, one that will kill him on his 18th birthday. Rei ...more
There are two different kinds of people: those who believe in fate and those who don't. Aster Layne falls into the later category. She knows her role in life, she has her routine with her friends and family, and most importantly, she doesn't believe in magic.
Reese Van Bruen not only believes in magic, but is also cursed by it. And not just a tiny curse, one that will kill him on his 18th birthday. Rei ...more

Oct 11, 2015
Nicole Hoefs
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
reviewed-on-blog,
read-in-2015
I really liked this book. Aster and Reese were good characters, and I even enjoyed some of the secondary characters like Leah and Jan. I ended up giving it 4 out of 5 stars. Thank you Netgalley for giving me a copy in exchange for a honest review.
I think Brenda did a great job with the characters. Dual POV can be hard to pull off, but she did it. I think Reese was pretty true to how a guy would think/act. My one problem with the book was that it felt a bit rushed, especially the romance part. I ...more
I think Brenda did a great job with the characters. Dual POV can be hard to pull off, but she did it. I think Reese was pretty true to how a guy would think/act. My one problem with the book was that it felt a bit rushed, especially the romance part. I ...more

I'm not much of a reader of young adult, but I found the theme of Touching Fate to be so unique. I don't think I've ever seen an idea like a fate changer, using Tarot cards. That alone had me wanting to read.
The ending couldn't happen fast enough. And by that I mean that I was dying to see what happened. I was so tempted to cheat and jump to the end.
For me there was just enough romance without being all clingy and in your face. The characters remained themselves and weren't the type to get comp ...more
The ending couldn't happen fast enough. And by that I mean that I was dying to see what happened. I was so tempted to cheat and jump to the end.
For me there was just enough romance without being all clingy and in your face. The characters remained themselves and weren't the type to get comp ...more

Ah, I'm so disappointed with this book. I felt so sure I would love it. The whole idea of the book seemed so promising, but it just fell really short for me.
The characters lacked depth and I found the romance to be a bit unbelievable - you know something is wrong when, in a book about tarot cards and curses, you find the ROMANCE to be the unbelievable thing! I thought there was a serious case of insta-love here. I mean, their first kiss was 23% into the book! Then practically the next day they ...more
The characters lacked depth and I found the romance to be a bit unbelievable - you know something is wrong when, in a book about tarot cards and curses, you find the ROMANCE to be the unbelievable thing! I thought there was a serious case of insta-love here. I mean, their first kiss was 23% into the book! Then practically the next day they ...more

Brenda Drake never fails to amaze me with her originality and creativity, and this book is no exception. Touching Fate presents us with an intriguing world of tarot cards and fate changers. I love the characters so much and especially love the difficult moral choices with which they are faced. Reese is adorable, and I love his relationship with Aster. I can totally see why she falls for him! It is a fun and fast-paced read. Highly recommended for anyone who likes stories with fascinating worlds
...more

Brenda Drake definitely knows how to build tension and suspense. The more I read, the more intense it got, in part because of the 18th birthday deadline, but not only.
It brought to mind all of my own tarot card experiments as a teen, including the fact that one of my friends almost always got the death card. (But no, she didn't die on the moment she was born on her 18th birthday.) ...more
It brought to mind all of my own tarot card experiments as a teen, including the fact that one of my friends almost always got the death card. (But no, she didn't die on the moment she was born on her 18th birthday.) ...more

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for not only a very quick review, but also for my honest opinion. I'm thrilled to say that I absolutely loved this book. When I first read the synopsis, I was afraid this book would be like The Raven Boys, a book I still haven't finished to this day because it was such a disappointment. But I'm happy to say that Touching Fate is everything I had hoped The Raven Boys would be and more. I adored every second of this book and read it wit
...more

Aster has been told to stay away from Tarot cards, but she has no idea why. She doesn't believe in psychic powers, which is the reason she tries a reading anyway. When she touches the cards something that's supposed to be funny changes into something life altering instead. Aster is a fate changer and Tarot cards are an essential part of her rare gift.
Reese will die at his eighteenth birthday unless he can find a fate changer to help him. Reese comes from an old Dutch nobility line that has been ...more
Reese will die at his eighteenth birthday unless he can find a fate changer to help him. Reese comes from an old Dutch nobility line that has been ...more

TOUCHING FATE by Brenda Drake is a fast-paced, intense young adult novel with a unique concept.
Aster can change people’s fate. Reese has a centuries old curse. When they come together? The dynamic is explosive!
I loved this book and the characters within it. Aster is a no-holds-bar seventeen year old girl who has a strong voice and a slew of endearing qualities. Her journey is an intense one and I loved following her through it. Her love of her crazy family is what drew me to her first (because s ...more
Aster can change people’s fate. Reese has a centuries old curse. When they come together? The dynamic is explosive!
I loved this book and the characters within it. Aster is a no-holds-bar seventeen year old girl who has a strong voice and a slew of endearing qualities. Her journey is an intense one and I loved following her through it. Her love of her crazy family is what drew me to her first (because s ...more

Brenda creates a world with likable characters that you grow to feel for and love. The twist of fate? The touching of the cards? Absolutely well done. I liked that most of this spanned a large chunk of the school year, and that Aster and Reese actually clicked for me.
While they were immediately aware of/attracted to each other, the passage of time is quite obvious in that it takes them a while to actually fall into synch. It took me back to those moments in high school when you have a new crush, ...more
While they were immediately aware of/attracted to each other, the passage of time is quite obvious in that it takes them a while to actually fall into synch. It took me back to those moments in high school when you have a new crush, ...more

The moment I saw this book, I was intrigued. Putting together a girl who can change fates and a guy who is cursed sounded like a perfect recipe to me, and it certainly met my expectations. I liked that the book had a very realistic feel to it, I almost kept forgetting the fact that there was magic involved because it was so believable.
In the beginning I felt that the relationship between Aster and Reese was a little forced. I'm not sure why I felt this way and I can't really put my finger on it ...more
In the beginning I felt that the relationship between Aster and Reese was a little forced. I'm not sure why I felt this way and I can't really put my finger on it ...more

Nov 14, 2016
Poulami
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
paranormal-fantasy-young-adult,
romance
Originally posted on Daydreaming Books.
* I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Thiiiiis.... was an okay read though I expected more, much more from it. Some things were fun and some meh but it was still a somewhat fun ride.
Aster Layne is a fate changer but she is unaware of her powers. Reese's eighteenth birthday is coming up fast and like all the other firstborn in his family, he is probably going to die on that day due to an ill-fate ...more
* I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Thiiiiis.... was an okay read though I expected more, much more from it. Some things were fun and some meh but it was still a somewhat fun ride.
Aster Layne is a fate changer but she is unaware of her powers. Reese's eighteenth birthday is coming up fast and like all the other firstborn in his family, he is probably going to die on that day due to an ill-fate ...more

“All Aster’s relationships (three to be exact) started off like fusion and ended up like fission—she and a guy would collide, releasing so much energy that they’d become unstable, making their relationship susceptible to outside influences (like other girls), and they’d split up. She desperately wanted to overcome her attraction to rebellious guys. She even made a pact with her mom—the next guy, she’d date against her type.”
Aster touches a tarot card and ignites her inherited power to change fat ...more
Aster touches a tarot card and ignites her inherited power to change fat ...more

Review also posted at: http://underthebookcover.blogspot.com...
3/5
Thank you to Entangled Teen for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for review!
This was such a quick and fun read that I absolutely devoured in no time at all! I loved the synopsis and thought that the idea of a girl that loves science having a "very unscientific gift" tied together with a guy who is cursed to die on his eighteenth birthday would make for an interesting read, and it definitely did.
Aster never imagine ...more
3/5
Thank you to Entangled Teen for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for review!
This was such a quick and fun read that I absolutely devoured in no time at all! I loved the synopsis and thought that the idea of a girl that loves science having a "very unscientific gift" tied together with a guy who is cursed to die on his eighteenth birthday would make for an interesting read, and it definitely did.
Aster never imagine ...more

This book was filled with action from the beginning. There was deception/betrayal/bullying. The main female character was strong. I liked how she handled the unexpected throughout the book. The dynamics between the sisters was great. The family that was pulling together during touch times was good. There were plenty of surprises and it pulled me in from the beginning. I really enjoyed this book.

Although I wasn't hooked by the first chapter, I'm SOOO glad I stuck with it. It didn't take long after that to get sucked into the story and its magical concept. I love tarot cards so this was right up my ally and found it very unique in my opinion. Started reading this around 9am and have now (4:30pm) just finished it. It's an easy read and a wonderful way to spend my day off :) thx for the journey!
...more

Touching Fate is a quick but fun read. I usually don't read romance, but this book was hard to put down. Can't wait to read the next book from Brenda Drake's Fated series.
...more

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Moderately dark story about a girl who can change people’s fate with the touch of a Tarot card. There were a few minor issues with the plot but overall I enjoyed the uniqueness of the story.
Opening Sentence: It looked like the house had swallowed an entire art store and thrown up the supplies all over the lower level.
The Review:
When I read the synopsis for Touching Fate I was intrigued by a story about a girl who could change someone’s fate with ...more
Quick & Dirty: Moderately dark story about a girl who can change people’s fate with the touch of a Tarot card. There were a few minor issues with the plot but overall I enjoyed the uniqueness of the story.
Opening Sentence: It looked like the house had swallowed an entire art store and thrown up the supplies all over the lower level.
The Review:
When I read the synopsis for Touching Fate I was intrigued by a story about a girl who could change someone’s fate with ...more

At first I wanted to smack Reese upside the head. I mean yes he was desperate but still he was playing with someone’s emotions and that is nothing to sneeze at. Over time though as I saw him grow and see Aster as more than just a way to stay alive but a girl that is strong, funny, smart and sexy I warmed up to him. And his sacrifice in the end made him swoony.
His cousin Jan I loved. He was a sweet guy. I was so glad he stood by Reese and was there for him no matter what. He totally deserved the ...more
His cousin Jan I loved. He was a sweet guy. I was so glad he stood by Reese and was there for him no matter what. He totally deserved the ...more

"Touching Fate" is a YA fantasy romance about Reese and Aster. Reese has been on a quest to find a Fate Changer, a rare person who can alter another person's fate through their connection to tarot cards. Reese happens to be in town when he locks eyes with Aster, and they feel an immediate connection (there is some insta-love here). Aster is coming from a bad break-up though and resists. Reese knows he must find and get her to fall in love with him so that she can break the curse which has haunte
...more

I really loved the story premise and concept to Touching Fate. I loved the idea of a gypsy-based, magical story where a guy's family is cursed for all the first-born male children to die at the age of 18 unless they find a fate changer. It started off great.
I loved Reese as a character. He was sweet and lovable, as was his friend Jan. Both of these characters were so endearing that I loved them immediately. I felt sad for Reese's situation,and thought the story had some wonderful conflict on his ...more
I loved Reese as a character. He was sweet and lovable, as was his friend Jan. Both of these characters were so endearing that I loved them immediately. I felt sad for Reese's situation,and thought the story had some wonderful conflict on his ...more
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Brenda Drake, the youngest of three children, grew up an Air Force brat and the continual new kid at school. Her fondest memories growing up is of her eccentric, Irish grandmother’s animated tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling. So it was only fitting that she would choose to write stories with a bend toward the fantastical. When Brenda’s not writing or doing the social media thing
...more
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The Fated
(3 books)
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