Review: Endless

ENDLESS
The Violet Eden Chapters #4
Jessica Shirvington
Paranormal Young Adult
480 pages
Sourcebooks Fire
Available now
Source: eARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
LOVE WILL KILL US ALL
 
Violet Eden thought she was getting things under control. Then all hell breaks loose-literally. In the war between angels and exiles, she's about to face the biggest baddie of all time. Except she's not nearly ready.
 
The dark exile Phoenix is still messing with her head-not to mention her heart. And her undeniable attraction to Lincoln has gotten downright dangerous. When Hell unleashes its worst, Violet must embrace every facet of her angel self to save the people she cares about and the world as she knows it. But death is not the worst thing she will face...

MY THOUGHTS
Endless is a story we enter into with heavy hearts, knowing this second-to-last installment will likely be a case of “it’s always darkest before the dawn” and thus bracing ourselves for the emotional onslaught. Ms. Shirvington does not disappoint on this front, delving deeper into the connections between Violet and those closest to her and poking at our hearts hard enough that we flinch in response, instinctively recoiling to protect ourselves from the bigger blows we know are likely to come. Though this story is certainly the darkest and most painful yet, Ms. Shirvington doesn’t leave us totally adrift in the turbulent swells of our feelings, often granting us extraordinarily beautiful moments right when we need them most to ensure we stay afloat with Violet as she takes on Lilith.

In the past, this series has been one of those where we would strongly benefit from a reread of the prior book before wading back into the world of the Grigori, but unlike in previous installments, Ms. Shirvington provides a brief but detailed recap of what’s happened thus far as Violet explains her world to her very human father. She not only reminds us of details we’d forgotten, but she also explains things in a way that brings new clarity to Violet and her story as a whole, leaving us with a greater understanding and appreciation for a series with which we’re already desperately in love.

Violet continues to prove herself a force to be reckoned with, growing in both power and fighting prowess and maturing in her decision-making, her communications with Lincoln and Griffin more open than they have been previously. Her relationship with Lincoln–one stunningly excruciating–reaches a more level playing field for majority of the book, the push-pull nature of their romance (it should be noted that the push/pull in this case is for extremely valid reasons and not simply a result of teenage whims and angst) finally finding a bit of a happy medium with the two of them accepting that though they can’t be together, they also won’t be with anyone else.

The happy medium of their relationship is one of those aforementioned fleeting moments of haunting beauty though, and in the final chapters of Endless Ms. Shirvington tests just how much a heart can take before shattering beyond repair, bringing tears to our eyes even as we smile with pride at what Violet has become. The most romantic, heartbreaking, and deeply moving installment yet, Endless should be moved to the top of everyone’s must read list.

Rating: 4.5/5

Find Jessica:

Website • Blog • Embrace Website • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon

Don't forget to check out my interview with Jessica for more info on Endless!

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.