FATED by Benedict Jacka

Alex Verus runs a magic shop called The Magic Emporium in London, England. But few people know that Alex is actually a mage. Alex likes to keep a low profile, especially since he was kept prisoner by a dark mage. During his years as an apprentice, Alex learned that dark mages can never be trusted. His former Master, Richard Drakh not only kept him prisoner, but also killed his friends. Alex has never forgiven The Council, who oversee all mages, for not punishing Richard. Years later, The Council come to Alex for help. Alex is the only mage who can find an ancient relic that has been traced back to the Dark War which took place 2,000 years ago.

Alex is weary about trusting The Council, especially considering his history with them. But when other mages begin threatening Alex to find the relic, Alex knows the relic must be invaluable for his old enemies to ask for his help. But before Alex decides who he will help find relic, he must see the relic for himself. His ability as a seer, takes him to the heart of The British Museum. Alex quickly senses that powerful mages are guarding an ancient statue. Not only is the statue guarded, but the statue contains an alarm which is set to alert an elemental, a powerful being who can quickly destroy any mage.

Alex gets some help from his friend and co-worker, Luna. Luna is not a mage, but she was born with a strange family curse - anyone around her will suffer a terrible fate. After watching family and friends die, Luna takes comfort in Alex's friendship and his bizarre world of magic. Although Alex wants to keep Luna safe from The Council and the dark mages, Luna turns out to be the magical key to unlocking the lost relic.

This magically unique novel takes readers into the world of fantasy and magic. Readers will be entertained by Alex's fascinating history as an apprentice to a dark mage, which is slowly revealed throughout FATED. I especially enjoyed Luna's family history and her friendship with Alex. However, I found Alex's past more interesting than his present. I thought the mage war was tedious and lacked the spark to keep readers motivated in the storyline. Some of the most pivotal moments in FATED were the most difficult to read. I still enjoyed Alex's history, his nightmares about Richard, and Luna's strange family curse.

Alex Verus is part of a world hidden in plain sight, running
a magic shop in London. And while Alex's own powers aren't
as showy as some mages, he does have the advantage of
foreseeing the possible future--allowing him to pull off
operations that have a million-to-one-chance of success. But
when Alex is approached by multiple factions to crack open a
relic from a long-ago mage war, he knows that whatever's
inside must be beyond powerful. And thanks to his abilities,
Alex can predict that by taking the job, his odds of
survival are about to go from slim to none...