Marked (Servants of Fate, #1) in The Reader's Lounge

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Feb 15, 2015 Glass rated it really liked it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, paranormal-romance

Review posted at Ja čitam, a ti?

Tanja: I strongly believe that you've heard of Sarah Fine and her Sanctum book, which was highly praised when it came out. I wanted to read it ever since, but somehow something else was always a priority. So when my girl Glass told me that Marked is on NG I had to have it. Now I am happy that Claimed was available too.

Glass: Oh, me too. Especially because story picked up the pace in last 30%. I know that a lot of our friends from blogosphere love Sarah Fine and he Review posted at Ja čitam, a ti?

Tanja: I strongly believe that you've heard of Sarah Fine and her Sanctum book, which was highly praised when it came out. I wanted to read it ever since, but somehow something else was always a priority. So when my girl Glass told me that Marked is on NG I had to have it. Now I am happy that Claimed was available too.

Glass: Oh, me too. Especially because story picked up the pace in last 30%. I know that a lot of our friends from blogosphere love Sarah Fine and her young adult series, Guards of the Shadowlands, but I am happy that I started with this, more adult series. It combines two things - mythology and post-apocalyptic society. Sounds weird, I know! Still, it works great - at moments I had a feeling like I was reading Georgina Kincaid series by Richelle Mead combined with TV show Dead Like Me. But that beginning was so slow...

Tanja: Exactly, that is why I even planed to DNF it, but then you and Purple told me to go on and that it gets better later on. I'm glad I finished it now as I expect Claimed to be much better. This one really offered a great base for the story. But my biggest issue here was actually main character, Cacy. One thing I adore in UF stories is kick-ass main character. Cacy was that later on, but her behavior at the start almost made me pull out my hair. You're so kickass just because you walk shirtless around guys. GAH! It annoys me more than it should.

Glass: Ugh, I know! I'm not her biggest fan as well. She did get better later, but Cacy is nowhere near awesomeness of Merit or Mac. On the other hand, I really liked Eli - he is the most intriguing character. It is obvious that there is some big secret about his past (or at least I got that feeling) and I cannot wait to see what will happen next. There is one thing that bothered me - instant love and I-love-you after how many days. It would be so much better if author left that part for later.

Tanja: Girl you're reading my mind. I want to read Claimed mostly to see what's his past. There is something mystical there. Somehow I think he knows much more than we think. But that about insta love bothered me too. I loved the sparks between them and all, but it was rushed. But still I hope that we won't get this into any sort of love triangle or something. Just slowing it down would be great. I haven't read the blurb for the sequel so I hope that I'm not good at fortunetelling.

Glass: Next book is focused on his sister, Galena, and Declan Ferry, so probably, we will find out what are siblings hiding. I just hope that won't end up disappointed. ...more

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Nov 23, 2014 Pili rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015-mythology-challenge

I have heard such great things about Sarah Fine's books and although I have her YA series already in my shelves and Kindle library, once I got approved for the eARC of the sequel, I decided to start her first adult series!

Marked is fantastic mix of different genres, since it's got mythology, dystopian, paranormal, urban fantasy and some quite awesomely done romance.

We meet Eli once he's just moved to a new city with his sister Galena, we don't know much of their past or the world they live in, I have heard such great things about Sarah Fine's books and although I have her YA series already in my shelves and Kindle library, once I got approved for the eARC of the sequel, I decided to start her first adult series!

Marked is fantastic mix of different genres, since it's got mythology, dystopian, paranormal, urban fantasy and some quite awesomely done romance.

We meet Eli once he's just moved to a new city with his sister Galena, we don't know much of their past or the world they live in, but we keep getting tidbits here and there. Eli is a paramedic and find himself paired with Cacia Ferry, who aside from a great paramedic is also the daughter of the most powerful man in the city. And that man and his family have a few mysterious secrets.

I loved how everything was so well described, from the futuristic work as paramedics with techniques even if the technology is different, to the dystopian/postapocalyptic setting and world, with climate changes and water shortages. Even if we don't get the full background story about how it came to happen, we get enough information for us to get a clear picture of the world.

And the most intriguing part is the Greek mythology that's woven into the story. How a family has the charge to help the souls of the dead cross to the place they ought to go (they Ferry them along...), the head of the family is the Charon and those who will die are "marked" by Fate and then the Kers are the one that make sure they die. I wasn't expecting that twist added and really loved it!

I love how the plot and the world building progressed pretty much in parallel, finding out more about the world as we try and unravel the murder mystery that is the linchpin to all the events to come! And at the same time we're trying to figure out things and make sense of the world and discover who's behind everything that doesn't make sense, we also see the relationship between Eli and Cacia develop, from an early attraction that both refuse to act on, to becoming partners at work and a big support through tough times to finally getting together. And boy, do they have chemistry! Chemistry enough to jump off the pages!

Both Cacia and Eli are complex characters that have many secrets that belong to the past that shapes them, but they discover that together they can find a way to go ahead accepting that past and stopping it to define who they are and who they can be.

My first Sarah Fine book was a complete success because I stayed up till 4 am reading till I finished the book, completely engrossed with it, its world, the plot and the amazing romance between Eli and Cacia! Very well deserved 4 stars! ...more

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Dec 19, 2014 Jasprit added it

Shelves: kindle, read-in-2014, dnf

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