Review: Embrace

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: March 6th 2012
Pages: 369
Source: Library
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Goodreads

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.

When I picked up this book I had absolutely no expectations, though I had heard a few mentions about how excited people were for the second book in the series. Embrace completely blew me away. Embrace is the story of Violet. Violet's mother died in child birth and now lives hating her birthday every year. Right after her 17th birthday, weird things begin to happen when she overhears her best guy friend (and secret crush) talking to a strange boy about them both being Grigori, humans with a parent who has died within 12 days of their birth and a special place on earth by defending the earth of the angels who have been exiled to earth.


I absolutely loved the paranormal in this story. The way that the paranormal is put together is really very unique and thought out. I really liked how the author came up with the idea that people with a parent who died when they are an infant becomes a Grigori.

I really liked the characters. Violet was very strong hearted and had an artistic personality, and at the same time she is able to hold her own and be strong when she needs to. Lincoln was also a favorite of mine. It's obvious that he just wants to help Violet and that he cares for her a lot, though he might not always be the best at showing it.

The biggest part of the story that made me almost cringe a little was the way that the Grigori 'Embrace' or come to there powers. When that part hits the cheese factor gets cranked up way to high and it just totally didn't go for me. I thought that the author had so much potential to make those few chapters so much better than they were, I was a bit disappointed.

I also really, really hated the love triangle. Love triangles really seem to be becoming really juvenile to me. If you really love someone, your really shouldn't even be thinking about someone else now should you!? Okay. I'm done with that short little rant. The love triangle was a little bit different than a normal triangle, but it still really bugged me.

Overall I REALLY liked this story. Though there were some points that made me roll my eyes I still can't help but love it with all my heart. Even with my dislikes I still have to give it five stars because the things I did like about the story out stood the parts I didn't.