Monday, February 20, 2012

Blog Tour: Embrace by Jessica Shirvington (Review + Giveaway)

Genre:YA Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural
Publication.Date  March 6th 2012
Pages:367
Published By:  Sourcebooks Fire   | 
WebsiteJessica Shirvington

Embrace - Goodreads
My review copy:ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Where to get: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | Book Depository






    It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

Look for the sequels ENTICED in September 2012 and EMBLAZE in March 2013!

(Goodreads)




It's hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother's death. It's not that I blame myself for her not being here. No one could have known she wouldn't survive childbirth. It's not that I miss her either. I mean, I never knew her in the first place. But it is the one day each year that at some point I'll be forced to ask myself, was it worth it? Was my life worth taking hers?
Not everything is black and white, Violet. Don't believe everything you've been told. I'm... I don't fit into any of your little boxes. Anyway, if I meant to hurt you, it would be done.
"You're enthralling," he continued. "It's as if you become each of the senses and can affect them in me. Through you, I feel birds flying around me and even feel morning and evening manifest their power."


 
     Wildly compelling, sexy and taut, Embrace by Jessica Shirvington offers a hot new take on angels! This fabulously written page-turner explores destiny, betrayal, love, trust, and free will. It's a delicious treat for everyone who enjoys fast-paced and totally engaging stories, filled with gorgeous characters, shivery sexual tension, heart-stopping plot twists, and richly developed mythology. This isn't yet another mediocre angel story, this is the real deal - an angel story to die for!

     Violet's seventeenth birthday is approaching and she is not happy about it. In fact, she doesn't like celebrating her birthday at all, as it also marks the anniversary of her mother's death. Raised by a workaholic father, Violet seems to be just a typical teenage girl - with friends, hopes and dreams, and plans for the future. Well, maybe she's a little bit more talented than other kids her age - she can draw and paint like an artist. And OK, she's also quite athletic - ever since she met Lincoln, she's been exercising regularly: running, wall climbing, even practicing martial arts! And, well, there's no denying the fact that she's also quite a beauty.

      Strange things have been happening to Violet recently. She's determined to find some answers, but who can provide them? Everything gets even more complicated when she learns that her long time crush (Linc) has been keeping secrets from her, too. Nothing seems to be the same anymore, her life is turned up side down. Having discovered who she really is, Violet is now facing some very difficult decisions. She can either take the final journey to becoming a full-blown Grigori (it's called embrace) or she can choose to remain human. Whatever she'll decide, there will be consequences, and nothing will ever be the same again.

     Jessica Shirvington managed to do this one thing that many before her have tried and failed - she made angels sexy! With her excellent writing style, she created a beautiful, emotionally engaging, and entirely captivating story. I honestly did not expect to love this book as much as I did. It's gripping and intense. Lush. Steamy. Taut. Action-packed and entertaining. The tension never lets up, the characters are well-drawn, likable, easy to connect with. There's a fabulous chemistry between them. I'm not a big fan of love triangles, but this one worked so well! I won't even try to deny it - I LOVE PHOENIX!!! Mysterious, cocky, powerful, arrogant, passionate, H-O-T, Phoenix knows exactly what he wants and he will stop at nothing to get it. In terms of character development, Embrace is absolutely phenomenal. At least when it comes to male love interests. Violet is a whole different story - some will like her, some will not. Although you might find her just a tiny bit annoying at first, she will probably grow on you as your read farther into the book. Not exactly what you'd call a "match made in heaven", but give her a chance. For the most part I wasn't very fond of Vi, but as long as she doesn't go Calla on me, I am willing to tolerate her for Linc and Phoenix.

     The plot line blew me away. There's no denying that. I'm fairly confident that this is one of the best - if not THE best - angel book out there. Jessica Shirvington's take on angels is not only original and well thought-out, but also very well balanced, believable and charming, without being cheesy or preachy at the same time. Let's face it - it's hard to talk about angels without mentioning God, Heaven and Hell, and other Christian mythology-related issues. And yet she managed to avoid digging deeper into the heavy stuff. She focused on Grigori and angels, and it turned out fabulous. As much as I loved the world building and all the 3D characters, I appreciated Shirvington's skillful and enjoyable storytelling the most. Her plotting was smart, elaborate and often full of surprises. I found myself totally invested in the story and eager to find out what will happen next. It's a dynamic and powerful read, destined to become a bestseller. Highly recommended!






Sourcebooks Fire generously offered a copy of Embrace up for grabs!


Ends: March 10th
US/Canada

Enter through Rafflecopter below:
(CLICK on Read/See More if you can't see it!)



a Rafflecopter giveaway

96 comments:

Jacquelynne said...

Who wouldn't leave a meaningful comment about this review! It was absolutely amazing!! Seriously, I love the thought and detail you put into the review, and now it just makes me want to read this book even more!!

I've been patiently awaiting the release of Embrace for a couple months now, and I think after reading so many fantastic reviews about it my patience is running thin, HAHA! What a perfect review for such a great book Evie!

Jacquelynne said...

PS: For the giveaway entries, my GFC name is Jacquelynne (no space was coming up to enter it in) and the link where your button can be located at is: www.hardcoverobsession.blogspot.com - right hand side in the blog scroll! :)

Val said...

I really like the cover for this book. It was interesting to listen to how they choose what would be on the cover. It really got me interested in the story.

I love angel stories but sometimes they can be um... well not so good. I'm glad you think this is one of the best angel books you've read. It's definitely going on my TBR list.

Thanks for the chance to win it.

Valerie
StuckInBooks

Val said...

My GFC name is StuckInBooks - no line on the giveaway for that info.

Thanks

Valerie
StuckInBooks

Krista said...

I'm really excited about this book! I think it's kind of cool that she doesn't like birthdays. I'm not a fan of my birthday either. It will be interesting to see Jessica's take on angels. Great review! Thanks for the awesome giveaway :)

my GFC name is Krista R (no space in the rafflecopter)

Val said...

Okay sorry for all the comments but there was no line for me to leave you my blog link where I have you on my blog roll. It's at StuckInBooks

Thanks.

Valerie
StuckInBooks

CrystalGB said...

Great review. Sounds like an interesting book. Thanks for the giveaway.
GFC CrystalGB
Crystal816[at]hotmail[dot]com

Kristen - Seeing Night said...

Great Review! I was look forward to seeing if anyone had reviewed this one yet, I love the cover and it was hyped about a lot of shelf awareness. Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the giveaway :)

GFC:Kristen-Seeing Night
seeingnightreviews@gmail.com

Marla said...

I really can't wait to read this one and am so glad to see such a glowing review. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it!

Marla said...

GFC - Marla
blog - Starting the Next Chapter

Sara @ Forever 17 Books said...

I LOVE angel books and the fact you said this one could be THE BEST has me all excited for it!! Thanks for the review and giveaway!

GFC: sarabara081

Anonymous said...

Angel novel with actual mythology, a plausible love triangle, and a main character who's not totally perfect?

Um, yes, SOLD. Great Review :D

Thanks for the giveaway!!

GFC: Carissa St. Amand (name also used for rafflecopter entry)

Angie said...

Sexy angels, huh? Well that certainly makes me want to read this even more!

Angie @ Pinkindle Reads & Reviews

Doodle said...

No place for GFC...mine is Doodle

Anyways, great review. I have only heard good things about this book and I love reading about angel!

Chrystal said...

I am in love with this cover. And I am super happy to see that you really enjoyed this book. It sounds pretty amazing considering it's ANGELS :) Love it!

Thanks for the chance to win!

Shelby said...

Ooh, looks like an amazing book! Great review, and thanks for the giveaway!

Proserpine said...

Hi! Thanks for this chance! Great review! I heard that the publisher did one of the biggest marketing for this book! And I see it everywhere! LOL well, it's to-be release so.... I love mysterious characters and your review really makes me want to read this book!
I follow via GFC : Proserpine

hernameisavril said...

I really wanna read this book thanks for having this contest :D

GFC: Brittany Hiester

hernameisavril@yahoo.com

Cookie said...

To be honest, when I first read about this book I thought it was, as you said, just another "mediocre angle book" but this review makes me much more interested. I wanna read the book now and prove myself wrong. I want to meet the "sexy" angels you describe and experience their adventure. This book looks really good now!

And my GFC is Cookie

Cookie said...

http://cookiesreadingcorner.blogspot.com/

Here is my blog! I posted about you :)

Molli @ Once Upon a Prologue said...

Sexy angels?! Evie! You've definitely caught my interest with this one. For some reason, I've kind of been anxiously awaiting it. I guess I tend to gravitate toward the angel plots, and the way you talk about this one, I really really want to read it for myself. :)

GFC: Molli @ Once Upon a Prologue

Lexie said...

Ahhh! This one sounds fabulous. I often side-eye angel stories, but this one sounds like the type that I have to pick up. Awesome review!

Na said...

I haven't read many angel books but I can always appreciate an original plot line where angels are different from common perceptions.

Kayla Jeanne said...

I'm always hesitant to read more YA books that deal in angel (and demon) mythology because I've essentially sold my soul to Cassandra Clare. But this review was excellent and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Embrace - maybe this angel book will change my mind about trying more!

Shelagh said...

Your review warms my angel-loving heart Evie!

I am such a fangirl that I will scoop up any book vaguely angel-related. But so many of them disappoint me in some way - usually because they become too similar to each other. That doesn't stop me looking though and Embrace looks like a winner!

Lilian said...

Sounds wonderful, I always have a sweet spot for angels (and mermaids). Embrace looks like my kind of book.
Thanks for the giveaway + review.

Amy said...

I am not too into angle books because so many have not been great for me, but this sounds like one that I will enjoy. I am glad that it is original too. It seems like there are so many angel books lately, and a lot are pretty similar. Great review. I am convinces this will be one of the angel books that takes me by surprise.
GFC- Amy Fournier (there was no spot on the rafflecopter for it)

Andrea @ Cozy Up said...

Awesome review Evie!! I have been seeing this book a lot and can't wait for it now. I love how detailed your reviews are, they always make me want to read the books you recommend!

Lexie@BookBug said...

GFC: Lexie@BookBug
Haha! Sexy angels! I love it! Can't wait to read the book!

Tiffany Holme said...

Great review!! I have heard so many good things about this book and I can't say I have ever heard a book with angels be called lush and steamy :)

Kris Mathewson said...

Thank you for the Giveaway!!! Great reveiw!

Sayomay said...

Awesome review! :D

Unknown said...

i love this cover! This book is actually on my tbr list and after reading your review i might push it up a bit higher on the list. :D

xo
stephanie

Asheley T. said...

I've seen this around so much lately, but I've chosen to read this review first - and possibly only - because I trust your opinion. And WOW, you make it sound like I need it now. Somehow lately I've gotten into reading the angel stories...not really on purpose, it's just how they've fallen in my stacks. I've liked them okay, but none have really been sexy. This sounds promising!!

I don't really mind the mention of God and Heaven and all of that, so if it is in there, it won't bother me. I do love a well-executed mythology, no matter what type, so I'm excited that you mention one here.

This just really sounds compelling and I think I'm gonna march over and add this to my Goodreads right about NOW.

Thanks Evie. You are ultimately responsible for a large portion of the books on my list!! Enjoyed your thoughts, as ever and always. xoxo

Also, thanks for hosting the giveaway. ;)

Alysia said...

I love the cover. The wispy wings are so cute! Thank you for the giveaway!

Ashley @ Ashley Loves Books said...

GFC: Ashley

I laughed at your "she made angels sexy" comment! You would think it would happen more since they're such an ethereal literary figure! I've heard great things about this book and can't wait to finally read it.

Also, those quotes make me want to read it so much more! "If I meant to hurt you, it would be done." Very powerful.

Bonnie said...

With an endorsement like that how could I *not* be dying to read this book! ;) But seriously, this book has been on my TBR list for a while, it just sounds SO good. I always have high hopes for angel books and want to LOVE them, but haven't found *that angel book* yet... This sounds like it could be the one! Absolutely fantastic review Evie!!!

Margay Leah Justice said...

This is my kind of book. i love everything about angels, so I like to read other people's take on them. Thank you for providing such a concise review on this book.

Margay Leah Justice said...

GFC name: Margay

Margay Leah Justice said...

Shared link on my blog: http://margayleahjustice.blogspot.com/

Carl Scott said...

I do agree with your comment about the difficulty of writing about angels without getting too deep into Christian mythology. It's a fine line, but one that needs to be observed in order for the writing to not get bogged down. It does sound like Jessica succeeds pretty well with this issue.

Doodle said...

You can find your blog button on my page at http://doodlesbookblog.blogspot.com

Doodle :D

Monica Lopez said...

Meaningful? Here it is!

Sayomay said...

Here's a link to my blog!
tctpomp.blogspot.com

Patricia's Particularity said...

I have heard so many things about this book. I keep reading how great it is. I especially love how you 'highlight' your words - really draws you to the review. I can't wait to read this!

Deb said...

This is a difficult one, isn't it...making angels sexy!? :] LOL I always thought they should be beautiful, but not especially sexy because, actually, they aren't "sexed." However, in comes the fiction writer and makes them girl and boy angels!! I liked your review of this book in particular because you used dynamic words to describe the author's writing techniques. It's important not to retell the story so much as to define the way the story is told, it seems to me. In this review you did a bit of both, including giving your opinions which is also good to know.
It all made of a soup that makes me want to read the book! :] Thanks for the opportunity.
Deborah/TheBookishDame
thebookishdame@aol.com
http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com

Bookluvr Mindy said...

I'm glad you liked this one. I have it waiting for me to read. I was planning it on being my next book.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the great giveaway!!!
Blog: http://howlingbooksanddesign.blogspot.com/

GFC: red_tigergirl2

Unknown said...

I love books about angels. I have had my eye on this one for a while. I loved the cover! I am also not really a fan of love triangles but, if done right they work well! Thanks for the opportunity to win!

May said...

I've heard a lot about this book and cannot wait to read it. Loved your review :)
Thanks for the giveaway!

Unknown said...

GFC: Sarah Walker

I love the eye catching cover and that the book is about angels. Your review provided me with a accurate description of the book and has further compelled my desire to read this book.

Book Sake said...

Glad to hear that this one isn't preachy. I love books that have angels for characters - but sometimes the religion aspect gets in the way of the storyline.
GFC - Book Sake
- Jessica @ Book Sake

Syren said...

I absolutely love stories about angels, but I never seem to find any. You make this one sound so good.

Unknown said...

I have been dying to read this book!!!The cover is beautiful and the review is intriguing!! Thanks for the giveaway!

Bookish Fangirl said...

I have been dying to read this! The plot sounds very interesting and I love anything related to angels.

GFC follower Tanya Contois

Ruby97 said...

I love this cover, its a great mix between otherwordly and human. I think it will be a wonderful book, Jess Shirvington is going to be a great debut author!! :)

Ruby97 said...

This is my blog link :)
http://vampireacademyfan101.blogspot.com.au/

Ruby97 said...

This is my blog link :)
http://vampireacademyfan101.blogspot.com.au/

Ruby97 said...

This is my blog link :)
http://vampireacademyfan101.blogspot.com.au/

Anubha said...

well my friend told me about it... now she is trying to arrange it for both of us to read it... :)

Alexandra L said...

I can not wait to read this!

Emily @ Falling For YA said...

Wonderful review, I've been really excited about this book for a long time. I'm excited to find that the novel is well written and not cheesy!

ZaraAlexis said...

Sexy angels...I can read about that! And the way you gush about Phoenix, I might just HAVE to read about that. And I'd like to make my own judgement about Violet myself. The fictionalized idea of angels are fascinating.

Crossing my fingers for the giveaway!

Zara D. Garcia-Alvarez
zgarcia(dot)alvarez(at)gmail(dot)com
On Twitter: @ZaraAlexis

Adventurewithashley said...

I love your reviews! They contain everything I need! I love angels! <333


GFC: Ashley Chen
Blog: http://perfectsquaretrinomial.blogspot.com/

Jamie Canosa said...

I've read several reviews of this book and they have all left me wanting more. I cannot wait to get my hands on it :)

Steph said...

Thanks for the giveaway! This book is going to go BIG!!

Lea Christine said...

Evie, thanks so much for this awesome giveaway, and also I've been meaning to say so for awhile now, but I just LOVE your new blog design! It's so pretty and cute and girly lol! :)

Lea @ LC's Adventures in Libraryland

Michelle Chew said...

I can't wait to read this book. Seems interesting!

brandisbookmusings said...

Great review. The last angel book I read was just ok. I think I'll give this one a try next. Thanks for the giveaway!

GFC brandisbookmusings

Leslie said...

Thank you for the great Review and the Giveaway!!

ashley said...

Hooked from the very beginning Sexy Angels where do I sign up!

ashley said...

My blogroll!

http://bookcasesiren.blogspot.com/

ChiKittie said...

Wow, your review was amazing and it makes this book even more appealing. I just love the whole idea of within the book and the story that Jessica creates.

- Beckie

ChiKittie said...

GFC - Chi Kittie

Blog Roll: http://www.bittersweet-enchantment.com/

- Beckie
ChiKittie(at)gmail(dot)com

Lilly Bear ♡ said...

Very intriguing (and I can't stop staring at the cover!). I'm so glad you described it as a "hot, new take" since Angels have just been done to death. It's hard to find a really well-done, creatively written story about Angels nowadays. Pretty much your entire first paragraph sold me on this book! I've been seeing it around everywhere I go, but now I think I'll definitely be adding it to my TBR. Thanks for the review, dear! And the giveaway, of course :)

Sarah Elizabeth said...

I love books about angels and the cover on this one is so beautiful too. can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

Anonymous said...

I'm super glad to read that you enjoyed Embrace as well, Evie! Excellent tour stop post!

Steph said...

This book looks so good. I have seen it all over lately and am very intrigued. I have a think for purple covers and wings... :)

Unknown said...

Great review this one sounds pretty fantastic. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

Unknown said...

Okay this book sounds great and has an awesome cover that is very intriguing. I'm just dying to read this one!

Anonymous said...

5 stars, wow! Great review. I actually heard some not so great reviews of it but you make it sound so awesome.

Kelly said...

I love your reviews. You are creative. I have this book just haven't opened it yet. I guess I will put it as next to read. I want to see the sexy angels too!

aliaa said...

This sounds like a really cool book :D

Jaime Lester said...

I adored Embrace, so much so that I am seriously contemplating spending an inordinate amount of money to get the rest of the books shipped here from Australia. I am trying to wear my hubby down. I was a little hesitant going in, because I had heard some unflattering things about Embrace. I decided to give it a chance anyway, because I honestly can fall in love with a book easily. I am glad that I gave this a chance. I liked Phoenix alright, but that one major issue with his ability is just too major for me, and I hated how he used it. I loved Linc. Loved him. I hope there is a lot more of him in Entice. Thanks for your review!

Gaby said...

I am dying to get my hands on this book. Just reading this review makes me want to go to a bookstore and buy it :D

medinahusa said...

There are a lot of angel books out there but most of the characters are boys, and it's really refreshing to see that there is a girl that is an angel. I haven't seen that but i'm still hesitant to read that because most of the angel books i've read dissapointed me.

Alice said...

I recently just bought this book! I can't wait to read it since you gave it five stars! Thanks for the awesome review!

gracelo said...

I can definitely see how Embrace would appeal to some readers, but it was a bit of a generic angel/demon read for me. Maybe I'll go take the book out again and do a double-take . . .

Mary Preston said...

A fabulous review thank you. I'm looking forward to reading the entire series.

E_V_E said...

That cover is so cool!
The book can be very interesting for me, going to the to-read list 8)

JennH said...

The cover is amazing and I loved your review!
Now I really want to read it! :)

Hannah said...

So glad you like it! I really want to read it! Thanks for sharing!

aliaa said...

I've heard and read a lot about this book! I can't wait to read it and absolutely ADORE the cover!
Glad you liked it, great review!

Cass said...

I really enjoyed this book just when I was reading it, but after I had time to think about what's behind it all, I just couldn't bring myself to continue the series. I have the whole series (for review)... :X Well, at least you loved it!

Yuska said...

I'm a fast-paced reader since I don't have plenty of time to read. The cover is gorgeous, I agree. And of course, considering the explanation about the characters, I really want to read this book. Thanks for your review.

Amber said...

When I first saw this book, I knew that I had to read it~ after i did, it became one of my favorite books~ just luv it!!!

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