Book Review: Embrace by Jessica Shirvington & Giveaway

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington is releasing on March 6 and let me just say right off that I loved this book! This book had me up half the night on Wednesday and then I finished it off on Thursday. It all boils down to me being completely and utterly addicted to this series and anxiously awaiting the sequel! Embrace is a YA novel but let me tell you, as an adult, I was utterly lost in this fantasy world. It has all the elements that I love in a paranormal read with angels – good and bad, a little romace, a great heroine, and plenty of action!

Violet is turning seventeen. Now for any normal teen this wouldn’t be a huge deal but for Violet it is; it’s the anniversary of her mother’s death. This birthday though is going to be a hard one for Violet to ever forget – it will be the year she learns that she is a Grigori – part human, part angel. Worse yet she learns that Lincoln, the guy that she’s fallen for and who is one of her best friends, is also a Grigori and apparantely her destined partner although they can never be together the way she wishes they could. Now if that isn’t enough to kick a girl in the butt on her birthday, I don’t what is.

Violet is steamed. Lincoln has been lying to her all along and she trusted him with everything she had. Now she finds that she has to embrace this power in her to become a Grigori but she wants nothing to do with any of this business. She just wants her old life back but even that’s hard to do because the ‘oh so hot’ Phoenix seems to always be everywhere she is. After he helps her out of a few scrapes she begins to trust him and since being with Lincoln is forbidden she takes up with Phoenix instead. The question to ask though is if she takes up with him of her own free will or not? Soon enough the drama and jealousy is swirling around as Lincoln and Phoenix both vie for Violet’s attention and love. Are either of these loves pure and true or is there some evil force lurking in the wings?

Violet is a great character. She’s sassy and spunky and doesn’t hesitate with the smart remarks. As she learns more about the mother who passed without her ever knowing her and more about herself she realizes that she may not have a choice but to embrace this world. When something happens that takes Violet’s free will from her she enters this new world and she finds that even in this world she is unique. It seems she has powers and markings on her arms that surprise even the oldest Grigori members.

Embrace is a story of the fight between good and evil – an age old battle; only now it’s between the Angels and the Exiles. There are angels of light and angels of dark. It is Violet’s duty to protect the innocent on earth. Shirvington maps out the distinct hierarchy of the angel world and there is a lot of information to take in on how this world functions. I did find it hard to follow all the ins and outs of this world at times but I expect it to make much more sense as the series moves forward. Regardless of that I was fascinated by this world and can’t wait for more.

Shirvington has created a fantastic world with characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. I would recommend this series to those who enjoyed The Twilight Saga and yet I hate to compare it to that because I actually think Embrace is much better. It also reminds me a bit of Cassandra Clare’s Immortals series in terms of the fast paced action that grabs you and holds on. Either way I think Embrace was a terrific book and I’ll be one of the first in line to read the sequel Enticed in September!

Be sure to check out Jessica’s website and blog.  You can also follow the Embrace series on Facebook and Twitter.  Pre-order your own copy of Embrace here in the US and here in Canada.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

I have one copy of Embrace by Jessica Shirvington to share with my readers.  To enter…

• For 1 entry simply leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
• For 2 entries, follow my blog.  If you already do, just let me know and the second entry if yours as well.
• For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway and spread the word!

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, March 17/12.  Good luck everyone!

Source: Review copy provided by Sourcebooks. No compensation was received for this review and all opinions are my own.

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