Book Recap: Fateful by Claudia Gray

Cover Inspection:
This is the cover I got.
I think it's boring and similar to the covers of the Evernight series.
I found there is another  design, but not available where I live. 

SUMMARY (book description based on GoodReads):

In Fateful, eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, overbearing family she works for. Once the ship they’re sailing on reaches the United States, she’ll strike out on her own. Then she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets....

Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves are real and they’re stalking him—and now Tess, 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.

Featuring the opulent backdrop of the Titanic, Fateful’s publication is poised to coincide with the 100-year anniversary of the ship’s doomed maiden voyage. It is sure to be a hit among Titanic buffs and fans of paranormal romance alike.

BOOK REPORT CARD:

Cover	2.5
Plot	3.5
Writing	3.5
Characters	3.0
Ending	3.0
Overall Rating	3.0 Very Good! (89% to 92%) * highest rating possible is 4.0

LOCATION/SETTING:
The story takes place during the first and that last voyage of that unsinkable ship Titanic in the year 1912.

MAIN CHARACTERS:
The story is narrated by Tess Davies. Tess is a maidservant of Viscount Lisle's family. Physically, she describes herself as an English Rose - pale skin, pink cheeks, and fair curls. Throughout the book, she was very conscious of her low social status. However, this did not deter her from aspiring for more in life. She firmly believes that her life will improve as she is strong-willed, brave, and intelligent.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT:
** spoilers ** The story opens in Southampton, England, where the Titanic was docked before sailing across the Atlantic to New York. Tess Davies, the maidservant of the Lisle family. The family is going to New York dragging Tess along. Tess is quite excited as this gives her a chance to start anew in America after she quits her job as a maidservant. While running an errand, she was caught eavesdropping by a man, a Russian noble named Mikhail. Mikhail stalked her incessantly like its the end of the world. Then a mysterious, and yes, handsome man saved her from her stalker, but the two parted ways as her mystery man asked her to leave him. Tess was then asked to bring a box to the ship's first class suites for the Lisle family when she again caught the attention of Mikhail. Tess found out that Mikhail was a first class passenger at the Titanic, and he was very, very interested in the box that Tess is carrying, and would stop at nothing to get it. The young man she met earlier appears and saves her again. She later found out that this young man is Alec Marlowe, the son of a steel magnate. She soon found out Alec and Mikhail are werewolves, and that Mikhail wants Alec to be part of The Brotherhood, a dominant group of werewolves and the ruling pack, so they can control Alec and have a share in the Marlowe money. In return, Alec would have the power to control himself in shifting into a werewolf. But Alec refuses to be controlled by anyone. Meanwhile, Tess is falling in love with Alec but is very aware of the gap in society and knows that she cannot expect anything from Alec. But Alec is falling for her too. Now, they must stop Mikhail, and find a way to stay alive and be together as the Titanic is sinks. ** spoilers end **

LOVE:
I love the romance in this book. Tess and Alec are meant to be together, but they are also meant to be apart. There are so many things that point out their differences, but they inevitably fall in love with each other. In many ways, it is similar to Jack and Rose from the movie Titanic. I also love the fact that Tess is so determined to change and improve her status in life. I love that she is independent and do not want to rely on anyone for anything.

NO LOVE:
The book emphasized too much on the differences in social status between the first class passengers and the third class passengers. I felt that everything revolved around this. I am fully aware that that's just the way it was at that point in history, but reading about the differences between rich and poor page after page in a book  can be annoying.

FAVORITE CHARACTER:
I like Tess. Like I said, she is strong-willed, and determined to change her life for the better. Unlike other servants in the Lisle household, she believes that she will not be a maidservant forever. And she's not only dreaming of change, she's actually doing something to achieve this dream.

FAVORITE LINE:

What I feel for Alec - the depth of his desperation - moves me more than logic or caution or any thought of my own safety. Perhaps I should believe it has only made me insane, but down deep, I know: He has made me braver. Stronger. Someone who could do anything.

MUSINGS:
Here's the equation: Titanic + Werewolves + Romance + Claudia Gray's Writing = Fateful. Imagine the movie Titanic, add a paranormal element of shifters, and what you have is this amazing book! The romance is very much like Jack and Rose in the movie, and if you loved the movie, then there is 99.99% chance that you'll love Fateful. Claudia Gray's writing is so smooth and flawless, the pages will fly, and you'll be sinking in Tess and Alec's romance in the RMS Titanic.

DOODLES:

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE:
Claudia Gray

SIMILAR READS:
Nothing like it! Unique combination of the paranormal and the Titanic! Amazing!

CONTENT REVIEW:
profanity: mild
violence: mild
sexual content: mild to moderate (tackles virginity; implied sex scenes)
mature themes: mild to moderate
age recommendation: 14+