Review: Something Like Fate, by Susane Colasanti

Something Like Fate, by Susane Colasanti

Published: May 4th, 2010

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Pages: 240

Rating:

Lani and Erin are bonded for life. One thing that connects them is their fascination of fate. Lani wonders how much of our lives has already been decided and how much we can actually influence. Since the Unknown can unexpectedly change our lives forever, how much can we really control? 


From the minute Lani meets Jason, she can't deny the intense connection they share. It feels like she's known him forever. She's not sure if he feels it, too. But it doesn't matter. Because Jason is Erin's boyfriend. Lani is determined to ignore her feelings for Jason, no matter how powerful they are, rather than risk hurting her best friend. 



How long can Lani keep running from the boy who might be her destiny?

Blah...I have so many things to say about this, and yet I can't think of a thing to say about it.

Let's start with....the plot. I had a feeling I wouldn't care much for this book, simply because it's about a girl stealing her best friend's boyfriend. Sure sure, soul mates, blah, fate....whatever. I don't believe in fate, and even if I did, I still wouldn't find this okay. It's never okay. (And as far as literature goes, it isn't very original either.)

I adored both Waiting for You, and When it Happens, by Susane Colasanti. I've yet to read Take Me There, but I definitely will, despite my dislike for Something Like Fate. I feel like this book was a step backwards for her. The writing was so simplistic, it's almost unbelievable. One thing that bugged me about the other two books was her way of using "She goes...", "I'm like...", and the funny thing is, that didn't even bother me this time. It was just the writing in general....just, blah.

I felt no heat at all between these supposed soul mates. There was no heat, no passion, nothing. It was all coincidences, all this "fate" mess....they had so much in common, but other than describing water by shape and color, playing in the sandbox as children, and their mutual love for kites and writing in code...what was there? Nothing. I feel there needs to be chemistry to fall in love with someone, not just a series of things you have in common.

Shallow characters. Other than her love for all things fate and astrology, and her personal mission to save the world, Lani had zero depth. Unless you include being a push over as having depth. Jason hardly even speaks, and when he does, it isn't very believable. Erin goes from loving best friend, to gone, to a very mean girl (seriously though, her boyfriend dumped her for her best friend. She kind of has every right to be mean.) Blake--Lani's gay best friend, and Conner--a kid in her class from Canada, both had far more going for them than the main characters. This isn't a huge problem for me though. There have been many books with weak characters that I still enjoyed, because of the story it's self.

I think a little more character development, and more chemistry between the characters would've made this book a lot better.

I sincerely hope this was just a small blunder for Susane Colasanti. I like her, I liked her other books, and I really wanted to like this one. The problem is, I didn't.