Interview & Review EMBLAZE by JESSICA SHIRVINGTON @SourcebooksFire @JessShirvington

Book Description

Publication Date: March 5, 2013

NO GOOD CHOICES

When you’re hanging off the edge of a volcano, how do you make the most important decision of your life? For Violet Eden the decisions between right and wrong are getting harder and harder. Because apparently being a half-angel Grigori doesn’t always make you right.

Where is the good in having to choose between the life of her best friend and saving humanity? How does she balance a soul-crushing need for her Grigori partner, Lincoln, and the desire to keep him safe at all costs? And what if the darkest exiled angel of all, Phoenix, isn’t as bad as she thought?

Both sides—Angels vs. Exiles—are racing to decipher an ancient scripture that would allow anyone banished to the Underworld to return. And at the very center: Violet. She only has one chance to make the right choice…


About the Author
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.

PLEASE WELCOME JESSICA TO BOOKHOUNDS!

What is the first book you remember reading by yourself as a child? 

I remember growing quite attached to a book by May Gibbs, Cuddlepot and Snugglepie. 

What are you reading right now?

The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown.

How does your garden grow?

Very poorly. No green thumb here.

What is the last thing you Googled?

Cuddlepot and Snugglepie - I wasn't sure is Gibbs had one b or two ;-)

What makes you cringe? 

Laundry. I'm sure I'd be a better person if I never had to deal with it.

My review...

SOURCE: PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

After coming to grips with her powers as a Grigori, Violet Eden must now save the world from evil, decide whether or not she needs a boyfriend, and still keep peace at home with her father who now decides to pay attention to her.  She is again caught up in her triangle between Phoenix and Lincoln with some major consequences and although I can't  rightly call this a love triangle any more , it does have some of those elements.  Essentially, Lincoln has abandon her because he is not sure he can admit his feelings towards her,  while Phoenix seems to know the score about the relationship between those two.  Even though Phoenix is a bad boy with mommy issues, he does care about Violet while at the same time is using her as a means to his own end.

There is so much excitement in this story.  First off, you have Violet finally coming to terms with her powers, although I think there is more than meets the eye.  It is alluded to a bit but I want to see more!  I am still on the fence about Phoenix since I know he isn't right for Violet (SPOILER ALERT- highlight with your cursor to read)  but he had every opportunity to destroy her, yet doesn't..    Oh and Linc really needs to get his act together and fight for Violet not just with her.  All of my favorite minor characters are all present and accounted for like Steph, who supports her BFF with everything she has.  Onyx and Dapper have a symbiotic thing going on but I can't really explain that relationship at all.  I hope that gets clarified soon.  Since this story focuses mostly on Violet, we only get brief glimpses of Phoenix and that little interlude is so telling. I sort of miss hearing more from Phoenix.  

This installment was a really fast read for me.  I couldn't do a thing until I finished it and even then, I didn't want it to end.  Actually, I would have been so upset if this one had ended the series since it left me hanging a bit.  I am so glad I checked and there are at least two more to come after this one.  I have so many unanswered questions about Violet and her mother, Evelyn, also I need to know what happens with Phoenix and Linc.  Ahhh!  So many things I need  to know.  Parents:  there is language and some violence which I would rate at PG13 and I almost wish there was a bit more kissing.  I have high hopes that I get that in the next installment which I think is called Endless.

Review ENTICE by JESSICA SHIRVINGTON @SourcebooksFire

Book Description

Release Date: September 4, 2012 | Series: Embrace

The war between Exiles and Angels is on — and she's wanted by both sides.
The hotly anticipated follow-up to Embrace, Entice ramps up the captivating combination of angel mythology, forbidden romance and intense action. Seventeen-year-old Violet Eden's whole life changed when she discovered she is Grigori – part angel, part human.
Her destiny is to protect humans from the vengeance of exiled angels. Knowing who to trust is key, but when Grigori reinforcements arrive, it becomes clear everyone is hiding something - even her partner, Lincoln.
And now Violet has to learn to live with her feelings for him while they work together to stay alive and stop the exiles from discovering the key to destroy all Grigori. It isn't easy. Especially when the electricity between her and exile Phoenix ignites, and she discovers his hold over her has become more dangerous than ever.
The race halfway across the world to find the one artifact that could tilt the balance of power between Angels and Exiles brings them to the cradle of civilization, where Violet's power will be pushed to the extreme. And the ultimate betrayal exposed.

About the Author

How many of us can say we fell in love in high school? A lot of us. But how many of us stayed in love with the same person? Jessica Shirvigton has been lucky enough to marry the man she fell in love with at seventeen, Matthew Shirvington--Olympic sprinter, five-time national 100m champion, and current sports personality with Australia's Foxtel and Sky News. Jessica and her family live outside Sydney, Australia, where she is currently working on the next book in the Embrace series.

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS

LOVED IT

++++slight spoilers if you haven't read Embrace++++


The story picks up right where Embrace ended with Vi more confused than ever and almost hating men in general.  She still has feelings for Lincoln and now that she has embraced her angel side, she has more power than ever although not all of the knowledge she needs to survive.  Lincoln and his boss Griffin has slowly been doling out that information slowly to her so when more experienced Grigori show up to help train her and with some new members to help fight the Exiles -- angels that have embrace their dark side.  Vi tries and tries to get Linc's attention but all she gets is a cold shoulder since he has been told there can never be any future between them because of *rules* between fighting partners.  I really appreciated the fact that Nyla and Rudy come aboard and tell her that rule may bent and in their case it has made them stronger partners.  

Magda, a witch if there ever was, keeps taking Linc away from Vi and there may also be some weird interference from her connection with Phoenix.  I guess this proves that your first always stays with you and for Vi that may be more than she bargained for.  This gives a whole new meaning to unprotected sex.   As Vi starts to put the bits and pieces together about her mother and exactly who Phoenix is, she comes into her own as a Grigori fighter. She finds that she herself must make choices about her own life. There is of course more epic battles and in all culminates in a major showdown as Vi becomes more comfortable in her own skin and with her own powers. 

The addition of some supporting characters help round out the story and add a pumch of humor.  Along with Steph, there in now Spenc who adds some world weary humor.  I expect more of him in the next installment, please! This one has less for parents to worry about since there is only Vi's unrequited love for Linc and some language as well as a bit of violence.  Again, I read this one quickly and thought it had a bit of a faster pace than the first one. As Vi becomes stronger, I like her more.

Details Reading level: Ages 13 and up Hardcover: 464 pages Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (September 4, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 1402268432 ISBN-13: 978-1402268434

Review EMBRACE by JESSICA SHIRVINGTON @SourcebooksFire

Book Description

Release Date: March 6, 2012 | Series: Embrace

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...

About the Author

How many of us can say we fell in love in high school? A lot of us. But how many of us stayed in love with the same person? Jessica Shirvington has been lucky enough to marry the man she fell in love with at seventeen, Matthew Shirvington--Olympic sprinter, five-time national 100m champion, and current sports personality with Australia's Foxtel and Sky News. Jessica and her family live outside Sydney, Australia, where she is currently working on the next book in the Embrace series.

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS

LOVED IT

Violet is just turning seventeen and on her birthday her father gifts her with a box her mother left her right before she died giving birth to her.  Yeah, that part is a real downer but it give Violet a bit of strength to go on.  Her BFF, Steph tries to get her in the mood for a celebration and dinner with her father.  Without Vi's knowledge, Steph invites her crush and work out partner, Lincoln.    At the hot night club for dinner, Vi and Linc start to dance when he leaves her on the dance floor and faster than you can say "love triangle" another guy takes his place and Vi's love.  Which is partly Linc's fault for running hot and cold with her.  Phoenix returns the Vi's misplaced lust and things get scary really fast.  Vi is just learning that she is part Angel and part human and there are a lot of things that go bump in the night, including her.

As Vi becomes more and more agreeable with her situation, she still wants nothing more to do with any of the Angels, good or bad.  So until her life really becomes endangered, she refuses to "embrace" the angel life until she absolutely has to and even then she is pretty much tricked into it.  At least she has Steph to unload on and that girl is a breath of fresh air full or snarky and intelligent comments.  Lincoln can't/won't tell Vi how he feels about her and that may be his downfall.  I adored how Vi is capable of learning from each situation and tries not to be too stupid to live which can be the downfall of a lot of main characters.  I was cheering for her! The fact that each character can neither be drawn perfectly good or evil adds a lot to the story so there is always that hope of redemption lurking.


This book really surprised me. I have read three Angel VS Demon books right in a row now and each one has been a bit different in their approach.  It took some serious arm twisting to get me to read this since I thought -- read one angel book you have read them all!  I am finding this is not the case. I really enjoyed this one and it was a really quick read for me.   I did think at parts of this book even the so called adults acted with petty high school standards but I have high hopes for the next installmetn. Fans of Courtney Allison Moulton and Lisa Desrochers should adore this series.  Parents:  there are mentions of drinking but since this story is written in another country where alcohol is more accepted, it is not glamorized -- just a fact of life.  There are also sexual situations but nothing graphic and a just bit of language here and there. 

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire; 1 edition (March 6, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402268408
• ISBN-13: 978-1402268403