A "Buzz-Worthy" Review: Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Embrace
(The Violet Eden Chapters #1)

by Jessica Shirvington 
Release date: March 6th, 2012
Published by: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Young Adult - Fantasy and Romance (Angels)
Format read: Hardcopy

SUMMARY

It starts with a whisper: "It's time for you to know who you are..."

On her 17th birthday, everything will change for Violet Eden. The boy she loves will betray her. Her enemy will save her. She will have to decide just how much she's willing to sacrifice. 

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, EMBRACE is a compelling novel of good and evil, seductive desires and impossible choices. A centuries old war between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity chooses a new fighter. It's a battle Violet doesn't want, but she lives her life by two rules: don't run and don't quit. If angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden. 

LINCOLN: He's been Violet's one anchor, her running partner and kickboxing trainer. Only he never told her he's Grigori--part human, part angel--and that he was training her for an ancient battle between Angels and Exiles. 

PHOENIX: No one knows where his loyalties lie, yet he's the only one there to pick up the pieces and protect her after Lincoln's lies. In a world of dark and light, he is all shades of gray. 

Two sides: Angel or Exile.

Two guys: Lincoln or Phoenix.

The wrong choice could cost not only her life, but her eternity... 

BOOK TRAILER - Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

MY REVIEW

Embrace has got it all - a great paranormal romance with a fast paced story that I was not able to put down. If you know me at all, you know how much I love my angel stories (as much as I love my fairytales), but this story was not like any other angel story that I have read. Shirvington's version of "good vs. bad" angels was exhilarating .. the slightly predictable love triangle between "slightly whiny damsel in distress" with "perfect guy vs. dark and brooding bad boy" wasn't overpowering and in the end left me breathless and seeing that it wasn't so predictable after all.

It's Violet Eden's seventeenth birthday and things are about to change for her. She finds out things about herself and her deceased mother that cannot be ignored. And as more of her mother's history unravels and revelations are made, Violet handles it all just like any other person would - slightly panicked and somewhat in denial, but she keeps her head on straight and focuses on what needs to be done. She is smart, sassy, and be no means not perfect at all. I really felt like I could relate to her and her imperfections. But she was also so very strong and determined, definitely not one to back down, and not afraid to stand up for what she believes in and  protect the people that she cares for.
Now she must decide if she is to embrace her destiny or go on and try to live a normal life.
If she chooses the latter, it will be with much difficulties.

She's known Lincoln for a while now, and is one of the very few people that she trusts. Once I met Lincoln, I could not blame Violet for having a severe crush on him - he is endearing and patient, and you can feel how much he cares for Violet. And as much as Violet thinks she knows him, his likes and dislikes and such, Lincoln is holding back. And when the secrets start to unfold, the consequences are brutal. Violet knows that Lincoln can help her and has the answers to all of her questions, but his slow revelations and over-protectiveness wears Violets patience - why couldn't he have told her everything right from the beginning, she doesn't know if she can ever fully trust him again.

And right on cue, in walks Phoenix - handsome, mysterious and alluring - who wouldn't be attracted to him? He is doesn't hold back and answers Violets questions without much hesitation. But there are some questionable things that he does, things that were a little difficult for me to understand and how Violet wasn't questioning the things that he did and didn't feel threaten by him. In the end, we are told why. And now I understand her enchantment with him. Yes, the dark gorgeous look and vibe for him does make him irresistible, but once the truth comes out, you'll probably want to run away too... or not.

The plot-twists and continuous revelations hooked me right from the beginning! This is definitely an angel series that you won't want to miss out on!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Jessica Shirvington

Jessica Shirvington is the author of THE VIOLET EDEN CHAPTERS 

also known as THE EMBRACE SERIES. 

An entrepreneur, author, and mother living in Sydney, Australia, Jessica is also a 2011 finalist for Cosmopolitan’s annual Fun, Fearless Female Award. She’s also one of the lucky few who met the love of her life at age seventeen: Matt Shirvington, a former Olympian and current sports broadcaster for FOXTEL and Sky News. Married for almost eleven years with two beautiful daughters, Sienna and Winter, Jessica knows her early age romance and its longevity has definitely contributed to how she tackles relationships in her YA novels.

Previously, she founded a coffee distribution company, Stella Imports, in London, and before that was involved in the management of restaurants Fuel Bistro and MG Garage in Sydney. 

Jessica is now a full-time novelist and living her dream.

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