Sourcebooks Blog Tours

Whenever I’m in the mood for a delightfully good read I know that a book by Jill Mansell will be the perfect pick.  Needless to say my latest read by Jill was The Unexpected Consequences of Love and it was fabulous!  I say this every time I read a book by her but I can’t say enough how much I love her writing style, her sense of humor, and of course I adore all the British tidbits.  Her books have a way of taking me away from my own life for a while and placing me firmly in another world with characters that never fail to capture my heart.  Who could ask for anything better from a book!

Sophie Wells is a very successful photographer working in the seaside town of Cornwall.  She loves her job and really it is the focus of her life now.  She’s had some experiences in her past that have kept her living a solitary existence other than her job and she’s okay with that.  What she doesn’t have time for is men.  That is a thing of her past and she has no intention of ever reliving any of that.  So when Josh Strachan returns to Cornwall to manage his family’s hotel with his grandmother Dot it isn’t long before he notices Sophie.  So let’s get something straight – Josh is not a man used to being rejected so when Sophie flatly refuses to go out with him he is stunned.  He is even more stunned to learn that she doesn’t date any man and has no interest in doing so.  Just what happened to Sophie to make her this way?  Well Josh, who is falling for her more and more, is going to find out.

But that isn’t all to this story.  Oh no there is much, much more with a host of other wonderful characters.  Dot, Josh’s grandmother is such an endearing lady who I loved from the moment I met her and even her ex-husband Lawrence is charming in his own way.  Sophie’s friend Tula plays a big role in the book as well after she loses her job and comes to work in Cornwall.  She captures the attention of the very handsome Riley.  Riley is another man used to being the apple of many the women’s eye but he hits a stone wall with Tula.  Tula seems besotted with Josh – oh yes the Josh in love with her friend Sophie.  Oh the complicated webs we weave…

The Unexpected Consequences of Love is such a charming book although I expected no less.  I’ve often described her reads as comfort reads and this was yet another one like that for me.  My  only complaint about her books is that they pass by much too quickly for my liking.  I get so invested in the setting and the character’s lives that it’s a little sad when it’s all over… but I have another of Jill’s books on my nightstand to look forward to so all is good.  Highly recommended!

Be sure to pop over to my spotlight post where there is a Rafflecopter giveaway going on until the end of February for a Jill Mansell Book Bundle!  *CLICK HERE* to be taken to that post!

Source: Digital review copy received from the publisher for an honest review.  No compensation was received.

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Empower is the fifth and final book in the Embrace Series by Jessica Shirvington and it was as awesome as all the others were and a fitting end.  As I was reading though I couldn’t help but be sad that this was the end.  I’ve grown attached to these characters and their lives and saying a final goodbye is hard.  The Embrace series is a fantasy series all about the battle between good and evil and Empower is the final and ultimate battle.

I’m going to try hard not to put any spoilers out there but as each story builds on the other it may be hard not to say a little bit.  At the end of the last book Endless Violet left everything behind to become the best Grigori warrior she could be.  She left  her friends, the Academy, her family,  but by far the hardest was leaving her soul mate Lincoln behind but she had to do it.  She’s spent most of her time fighting Exiles as a Rogue Grigori.  However when she receives news that someone dear to her is missing she knows that she has to go back to the Academy and find any way she can to bring him home.  Going back to the Academy though also means seeing Lincoln again and Violet isn’t sure how she’ll be able to handle that.

Violet has to be one of the best characters and one of my favorites of any series I’ve read.  She’s strong, independent, and fiercely loyal.  It’s been amazing to watch her grow over the past years as I’ve read my way through the series.  Each book found her really coming into herself and her power.  Lincoln as well grew in this final book.  He’s realized that he has to trust Violet to know what’s best for her – that she can handle things without his help all the time.  Mostly though I like that the two of them grew together in both love and understanding of each other.  Their romance is one thing that I’ve really enjoyed in this series because it has always been good and pure.  Another thing that has always impressed me about this series and in particular this final book is the beautiful writing of Jessica Shirvington.  She can take battles, fighting, and death and write about with such class that it amazes me and when she writes of love and soul mates it touches a person’s heart.

Empower is a great end to a series I won’t forget.  I recommend the whole series if you enjoy fantasy novels but especially to young adult readers.  I have to mention as well that I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Rebecca Macauley and she is nothing short of fabulous in the narration of these books.  I’ve listened to the last 3 books in the series because of her.  I love her accent and all the emotion and effects that she puts into telling these stories.  She brings alive the world that Jessica Shirvington built in a most exciting way!  Either way I recommend the whole series either in print or audiobook – it really is a memorable series!  Loved it  and very sad to see it over!

Buy at:  Amazon, Amazon Canada, B&N, Audible

Source:  Digital review copy was provided by the publisher but audiobook is from my own personal library.  No compensation was received for this review and all opinions are my own. 

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I adore the Embrace series!  Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way I have to say that the newest in the series, Endless, is by far the best yet!  There is action, love, loyalty, and the ongoing fight between good and evil all culminating in an ending that will have readers anxious for the next book in the series.  I was hooked from the very first book called Embrace and gobbled up Entice and Emblaze as soon as Sourcebooks released them as well.   This is one of the best series I’ve read with characters that you come to care about and a storyline that just doesn’t quit.

As Endless is the fourth book in the series I’m not going to say much about the plot other than to give an overall impression of the story itself.  Violet’s life has changed a lot since she first learned she was a Grigori – part human, part angel, and even more so in this latest book as the mother she believed dead has come back.  At first Violet isn’t sure how to feel about her mother since she believes that that her mother accepted a deal from her angel maker and left her motherless.  Even more troublesome is that with her mother’s arrival also comes the arrival of Lilith, an extremely evil exiled angel who is bent on destroying Violet.  This triggers the most violent war yet between good and evil.  Who will win?  More importantly who will survive to talk about it?

As always the relationship between Violet and Lincoln, her soul mate and partner, is a big draw.  The two love each other and yet are forbidden to be together except as partners and yet being together would strengthen the power they have.  I love the relationship they have and how they always look out for each other.  They are my favorite characters but the supporting characters in this series are just as awesome.  I like Violet because she’s strong and independent and believes so strongly in love and the good in people.  I found the relationship with her dad in this installment funny too as in the past he hasn’t bothered much with her life but decided this time around to take an interest just when she doesn’t want him too.  Needless to say that had me laughing a few times but there were parts of this novel that also had me shedding a tear or two… or three.

If you enjoy urban fantasy then I can’t say enough how much you should read this series.  Should you start with the first book – yes.  You need the back story and the development of the characters to really understand what is going on but I can guarantee that once you start the series you will want to keep going.  I actually listened to Endless which was narrated by Rebecca Macauley and she does an amazing job.  I love her accent and she uses a lot of emotion in portraying the story which really lends well to a person’s enjoyment of the book.

I loved Endless as I have the whole series and I am absolutely, without question, completely hooked.  Sadly I think there is only one more book to come entitled Empower out next year and I can’t wait!  There is also a television series in development which really excites me as I think this series would translate very well to television.  This is one series I recommend especially if you enjoy urban fantasy!

Jessica’s website, Facebook, and Twitter
Buy at Amazon, Amazon Canada, and B&N

Source:  Audio from my personal library.  No compensation was received for this review and all opinions are my own.

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