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Wednesday 20 October 2010

EMBRACE by Jessica Shirvington

Violet Eden is dreading her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. The one bright spot is that Lincoln will be at her birthday dinner. After he gives her the world’s most incredible kiss – and then abandons her on her front doorstep – Violet is determined to get some answers. But nothing could have prepared her for Lincoln’s explanation: he is Grigori – part angel and part human – and Violet is his eternal partner. As Violet gets caught up in an ancient battle, she must choose between dark and light.

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

I was looking forward to reading this book, especially when I found out it was about angels. :)

Violet doesn't enjoy her birthday because every year she can't help but remember that when she was born, her mother died. So this year's no different. She's once again not looking forward to celebrating, and turning seventeen brings a whole new set of things that no average teenager would expect.

She doesn't have too many people in her life. There's her mostly absent, workaholic father. Her best friend, Steph, who helps keep her socially-active, and Lincoln. He helps her stay physically active and strong by training her in a variety of sports. Something that stems from an incident that made her feel weak and useless, but training keeps her in shape. Besides, she loves spending time with Lincoln, and is hoping that one day their close friendship will turn into something more. Even if he always seems a little distant in that respect, it's obvious that he cares about her.

But everything changes on the rainy day she decides to surprise Lincoln with a visit to let him know exactly how she feels. Now that he knows the dark, deep secret she's been keeping from everyone else, she figures she's got nothing to lose. Except, when she gets there she stumbles on him having a heated conversation with a man named Griffin. And they happen to be talking about her. Even if what they're saying sounds fictional.

When Violet finds out the truth about what she is, what Lincoln is, and what she's expected to do because of it, she's angry and refuses to believe that any sort of angels walk the earth. Yet, it's a fate she can't fight, and after meeting the very alluring, Phoenix, her life only gets more complicated. Now she finds herself torn between two guys and a destiny she doesn't want but her mother hinted towards in a letter she instructed Violet's father to give her on her seventeenth birthday.

She might not want to become a Grigori by embracing her duty but if she doesn't, other angels called exiles are willing to force her hand. That's when she finds herself in the middle of an ancient battle, making one wrong decision after another, and putting her trust in the hands of the wrong person. It's not until the life of someone she cares about deeply is on the line, that she chooses to accept the only option left.

I really enjoyed this book, even if Violet annoyed me several times with her stubborn and sometimes immature reactions. She kept reacting so harshly towards those trying to help her that I couldn't help but feel frustrated about some of the trouble she gets herself into. Then again, who can blame her for being so confused and angry? It can't be easy to hear someone tell you such an incredible story, or realising that the one person you've trusted and loved for a while now has always known and kept it from you.

Embrace was an interesting paranormal YA book that puts angels into our everyday, contemporary life. I also liked how the author managed to create and expand on a lot of the myths and lore that I've researched myself. I really like it when an author does that--takes the research and then bends it to make it their own, it's a very cool world.

Check this out:

Embrace, October 2010, ISBN 978-0-7344-1184-6, Lothian Books

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