Title: Sarah's Fate (buy here)
Series: Maldito Book 3
Author(s): Christy Trujillo
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Publisher/Year: Devine Destinies/2010
-Webpage: Christy Trujillo Homepage
-blog: The Marvelous Misadventures of Mrs. T 
-related reviews: Book 1: Emmy's Song, Book 2: Emmy's Heart

Synopsis: 

Review:   I originally was introduced to Christy's writing while working with another review blog site.  I fell in love with her book Emmy's Song, that's the honest truth.  It wasn't perfect, it wasn't the most mind-blowing book ever, but it felt...warmer.  Refreshing.  Something that was well worth my time.  Christy and I got to talking through email and when her second book, the conclusion to Emmy's storyline, Emmy's Heart, came out I near leaped out of my seat to get a hold of a copy.  I reviewed that as well for a review site.

But for this book, Sarah's Fate?  It didn't come up on reviewer's loop and unfortunately being jobless I'm lucky to afford my bills every month (let's not talk about my book spending...I've spent $15 on new books in the last two months. And that was on one book.), but Christy sent me a copy and it made my morning.  I got all teary-eyed because it was shaping up to be a terrible day.

And now my friends I can submit my review to y'all and spread the word just a little more about Christy's books.

Both Sarah and Andres were introduced in the second book, though Sarah was a wee little thing and Andres was...a shadow of himself.  Flash forward and Sarah is now ready for college, Andres has found a meaning to his existence and fate has decided to kick their love lives into high gear.  Their progression from employer/employee to friends and finally something more doesn't happen overnight.  Oh they are certainly attracted to each other, and Andres feels very protective of Sarah, but they're both extremely cautious people.  With a side of angst tossed in for good measure.

Sarah is a good mesh between her mother's dramatic, but level-headed nature and her father's more act first, question later tactics.  She doesn't automatically assume things--well unless they have to do with her parents' overprotective behaviors--and while she reacts first, she tempers it with caution.  Andres meanwhile is kind of a worrywort.  I don't mean that critically, but he overthinks everything, especially when it comes to Sarah.  He's so busy trying to protect her (from himself) that he leaves her rather vulnerable to other predators or he alienates her.  He's big on the self-guilt thing as well, often silently berating himself for minor little things or things that were beyond his control.  His narrative voice definitely seeks to apologize for his behavior I think.  Kind of like 'I tried to do the right thing and the right thing bit me in the arse, so now I'm doing what feels good for me'.

The two of them together are amusing.  They banter, bicker and fight their attraction, without ever noticing that they're already acting like a couple.  This is a more dynamic relationship then how Sarah's parents (Emmy and Cale) first began, layered with a lot more tensions and obstacles, but it also builds more organically from the beginning.  Music, a strong theme in all three books, also plays a large part in this story.  Andres owns a singing night club bar type place--where the waitresses all take turns singing on the stage.  Sarah is attending college for musical therapy.  It draws them together as Sarah likes to listen to the 'oldies' (the story is set a couple decades into the future) and Andres is enthralled by her voice.

This is one of those times that I wish you could tap a button and hear the music, though Christy gives a good accounting of what music is talked of throughout so I can track down a lot of what I don't know.  Other than Steve Dickson, everyone else is easily found.  Steve Dickson is an indie musician and no I can't seem to find a webpage for him, though the perk of being a persistent fan of an author is that I got to hear the Sarah's song "Someone to die for" (its on my iPod actually).

For those of us of the more romantic bent this book is chocked full of romance.  Andres is of an older era, does everything with a sort of gentlemanly flourish that most women would swoon over.  Sarah, used to the odd quirks of people due to her upbringing amongst deceptively aged men and women, takes it in a stride, but she does call him out for being a hypocrite.  He kind of does a 'Sure totally think you can protect yourself!  Just going to follow behind to make sure you can protect yourself.' with her.  Which Sarah doesn't appreciate (her parents like to do this to her).  Granted he's not far off base, Sarah does need some help, but I think she would have liked it better if told her of the danger instead of assuming he should take care of it for her.

Of the three Maldito novels, Sarah's Fate is definitely my favorite.  It blends together the themes of the first two novels while still making it seem fresh.  I may also be a little in love with Andres, but I swear that has nothing at all to do with my love of this book.