Something Like Fate
Best friends Lani and Erin couldn’t be more different. Lani’s reserved and thoughtful; Erin’s bubbly and outgoing. Lani likes to do her own thing; Erin prefers an entourage. There’s no possible way they could be interested in the same guy.\ So when Erin starts dating Jason, Lani can’t believe she feels such a deep connection with him—and it may be mutual. The more Lani fights it, the more certain she feels that it’s her fate to be with Jason. But what do you do when the love of your life is...
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Best friends Lani and Erin couldn't be more different. Lani's reserved and thoughtful; Erin's bubbly and outgoing. Lani likes to do her own thing; Erin prefers an entourage. There's no possible way they could be interested in the same guy. So when Erin starts dating Jason, Lani can't believe she feels such a deep connection with him—and it may be mutual. The more Lani fights it, the more certain she feels that it's her fate to be with Jason. But what do you do when the love of your life is the one person you can't have?Publishers WeeklySixteen-year-old Lani feels an instant spark with Jason, but tries to ignore her feelings because he's dating her best friend, Erin. When Erin goes to summer camp, Jason breaks up with her and Lani starts seeing him in secret. Lani and Erin are both obsessed with fate--horoscopes, birth charts, dream analysis, etc.--and Lani must decide if her relationship with Jason is meant to be, even if it is what a fortune teller predicted will destroy her bond with Erin. Readers will understand both Lani's connection with Jason, who "feels like home," and her bond with Erin, which was crystallized when they were in a car accident years earlier, but has been weakening. Erin's reaction to the romance is intense, and Lani soon find herself a social outcast, while her friendship with her closeted gay friend, Blake, is strained after he's outed and harassed. Lani's obsession with the mystical can feel more like a device than an innate part of her personality, but her struggle with fate nonetheless adds needed depth to this familiar romantic triangle. Ages 12–up. (May)
\ Publishers WeeklySixteen-year-old Lani feels an instant spark with Jason, but tries to ignore her feelings because he's dating her best friend, Erin. When Erin goes to summer camp, Jason breaks up with her and Lani starts seeing him in secret. Lani and Erin are both obsessed with fate--horoscopes, birth charts, dream analysis, etc.--and Lani must decide if her relationship with Jason is meant to be, even if it is what a fortune teller predicted will destroy her bond with Erin. Readers will understand both Lani's connection with Jason, who "feels like home," and her bond with Erin, which was crystallized when they were in a car accident years earlier, but has been weakening. Erin's reaction to the romance is intense, and Lani soon find herself a social outcast, while her friendship with her closeted gay friend, Blake, is strained after he's outed and harassed. Lani's obsession with the mystical can feel more like a device than an innate part of her personality, but her struggle with fate nonetheless adds needed depth to this familiar romantic triangle. Ages 12–up. (May)\ \ \ \ \ BooklistCredible and engaging character development… and interactions that spark just the right amount of tension to make this a romantic page-turner\ \ \ Children's LiteratureLani and Erin have been best friends for a long time. Even though they have completely opposite personalities, they share the bond of having lived through a potentially deadly accident. Their increasingly fragile friendship is put to the test when Erin starts to date Jason, who Lani instantly feels connected and attracted to. The trouble boils over when Lani finds out that Jason is just as attracted to her as she is to him. What should a girl do when your best friend's boyfriend likes you back? Probably not hang out with Jason while Erin is away at summer camp. Not only is this is a look at how complex relationships can be, but how high school drama magnifies love, betrayal, and revenge. With characters that seem like friends rather than a portrait of words, readers will race through the pages to find out what fate has dealt Lani this time. Colasanti has given readers a brilliant look at the complications and joys of this teen romance. Reviewer: Joella Peterson\ \ \ \ \ VOYALani doesn't like surprises. She's a planned Taurus who likes to know what's coming so she can be prepared. Much of this fear stems from a childhood car accident with her best friend, Erin. Lani loves astrology and relies on her weekly horoscope as a guide. Erica, Lani's other best friend, is happy-go-lucky, outgoing, and guy crazy. When Jason enters the picture, Erica is immediately smitten and sets out to become his girlfriend. Jason and Erica begin dating, but as the group of friends spends more time together, it becomes obvious that Lani and Jason are better suited for one another, based on shared interests and personality. Things get complicated when Erica goes to summer camp and Jason and Lani begin spending time together. Jason breaks up with Erica, and Jason and Lani begin dating. Though the story begins slowly, Colasanti has her finger on the pulse of teenage dialogue and emotions. The author easily portrays the love triangle between Lani, Erica, and Jason. Erica reacts badly when school begins in the fall and she finds out that Lani and Jason have been dating during the summer. As Lani's secrets are exposed, her friendships are threatened, including those with Blake and Erica. Erica's initial response seems a bit disproportionate and borders on hazing, but the book has a believable resolution. Reviewer: Lisa M. Kreutler\ \ \ \ \ Kirkus ReviewsLani, a reserved, grounded Taurus, and Erin, an outgoing, mercurial Leo, are best friends who couldn't be more different. Then Lani meets Jason, who has just started dating Erin. Lani and Jason have so much in common it's like they're joined at the soul, and they fall for each other quickly. To avoid the school rumor mill, they keep their love a secret through the summer, even after Erin goes away to camp and Jason breaks up with her. Lani gets wrapped up in her summer relationship with Jason, but not to the point where she loses herself. When Erin finds out the truth about what Lani and Jason did over the summer, she is furious with Lani, lashing out publicly, and leaving Lani fearful that her senior year will be fraught. Lani recounts both the thrill of romance and the terror of losing what little social status she has in an intelligent, fast-paced present-tense narration. Despite her suffering, she is determined to hang on to her fated relationship with Jason, which will resonate with readers attracted to bittersweet and tear-jerking romances. (Fiction. YA)\ \
