Interview: Jessica Shirvington & Disruption

Today I'm thrilled to welcome author Jessica Shirvington back to the blog to answer a few questions about the first book in her newest duology, Disruption. I fell madly in love with Jessica's storytelling with her Violet Eden Series, and that love continued with One Past Midnight, so I can't wait to get sucked into Disruption:) If you've yet to read any of Jessica's books, they have my highest recommendation and I hope you leave here immediately and add them to your shelves!

Dystopian and Science Fiction novels often depict a rather terrifying future, altogether too believable even in their fiction. What Dystopian, Sci-Fi or Post-Apocalyptic world from any piece of fiction is the most nightmare-inducing for you?

Yes, they are all fairly terrifying. Oddly enough, I don’t mind the ones that take us back to the basics – where we have to rebuild and start again. There is a part of me that sometimes thinks that is the way things will probably go. The dystopian worlds which really frighten me are the ones run by technology. It worries me to think that we hand over so much trust to technology that is basically without morals, foresight, need, emotion or hope. That is really scary.



If Maggie could escape from her world and jump into any other YA novel, which would top her list?

Good question. I’m not sure there is any other dystopian story she would particularly like. However, there are a few worlds that I think she would survive well in. If I had to pick, maybe Under the Never Sky, by Veronica Rossi. It would certainly be interesting to see her in that world.

If Maggie could send a warning back to us about what the evolution of the smartphone and the effect it’s had on her world, what would she most like to say?

No matter how smart the technology is, you can’t map out and decide what and who people are going to become based on statistics and history. Every person is unique and deserves their chance to try and fail-or-succeed. Technology gives us too much of the wrong kind of information. 



Aside from the smartphone, what’s one other piece of modern technology you can easily see evolving in a disturbing kind of way?


Food and the way we eat it. If we don’t start looking after the environment we won’t be able to have the same kind of fresh produce and animal life that we are used to. Our food will become a technology based resource – it will be heavily processed and bolstered by more and more supplements on the side. Already an apple tastes different to when I was a kid. I worry that if we don’t take steps to look after the climate issue, my children’s children will have a very different understanding of food.

How would the Maggie at the beginning of Disruption describe Quentin Mercer, heir to the M-Corp empire? The Maggie at the end?

In the beginning, Maggie would describe Quentin as entitled and predictable. She would also describe him as nothing more than a stepping stone. In the end…well, I think she would describe him as someone she values greatly, and as the person who is her greatest weakness (amongst other things ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by Jessica!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

DISRUPTION

The heart-stopping first chapter in bestselling author Jessica Shirvington's Disruption series.

What if a microchip could identify your perfect match?

What if it could be used against you and the ones you love?

Eight years ago, Mercer Corporation's M-Bands became mandatory. An evolution of the smartphone, the bracelets promised an easier life. Instead, they have come to control it.

Two years ago, Maggie Stevens watched helplessly as one of the people she loved most was taken from her, shattering her world as she knew it. Now, Maggie is ready. And Quentin Mercer - heir to the M-Corp empire - has become key to Maggie's plan.

But as the pieces of her dangerous design fall into place, could Quentin's involvement destroy everything she's fought for?

In a world full of broken promises, the ones Maggie must keep could be the most heartbreaking.

Amazon • Goodreads • B&N

Find Jessica:

Website • Blog • Facebook

Review: One Past Midnight

ONE PAST MIDNIGHT
Jessica Shirvington
Paranormal-ish Young Adult
352 pages
Walker Children's/Bloomsbury
Available July 22nd
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Above all else, though I try not to think about it, I know which life I prefer. And every night when I Cinderella myself from one life to the next a very small, but definite, piece of me dies. The hardest part is that nothing about my situation has ever changed. There is no loophole.

Until now, that is...

For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she Shifts to her ′other′ life - a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she′s a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she′s considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.

With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments which bring her dangerously close to the life she′s always wanted... But just what - and who - is she really risking?

MY THOUGHTS
One Past Midnight is a story we enter into with not only enthusiasm but also a touch of wariness, knowing this is not the first book that features parallel lives or universes to make its way into our hands. So many times in these types of stories the focus is on the hows and whys of the world, and we ultimately spend our time trying to figure out which life the protagonist will choose for themselves in the end. While those same questions are present in One Past Midnight, they’re solidly in the periphery, the strength of Ms. Shirvington’s characters stealing all our attention from page one and holding on to it so thoroughly that we can’t worry about whether or not every aspect of our curiosity is sated by the time we reach the last page.

Sabine’s circumstances are a touch unusual in terms of parallel worlds in that she’s fully aware of both her lives; we don’t simply meet two separate versions of her and follow both of them thorough their respective days, instead she lives every single day twice – once with one family and once with another. She takes her memories from both lives with her when she shifts every night at midnight, and we meet her when she's finally reached a place where she’s figured out how to juggle the strangeness of her existence. 

What’s particularly interesting about this setup is the fact that while Sabine has two different roles to play depending on which life she’s currently living, we get to know her as both girls but yet also as neither, our relationship with her a unique one that exists in those quiet, empty spaces on either side of midnight as she reorients herself to her current world. We feel her fear; her unrelenting terror at the prospect of forever living out both of these lives while pieces of her true self are left behind in the life she’ll pick up again tomorrow, and as things progress, her desperation to find a way to exert some control over her situation becomes our own. 

Woven through her confusion and her desire to unburden the truth of her reality on a single soul is the type of romance that leaves an indelible mark, building so slowly that we thrum like live wires while reading, the anticipation of their emotional and physical intimacy a gorgeously addicting thing. Ms. Shirvington, as she proved with her Violet Eden series, has a gift for writing painful relationships; the love between her characters so beautifully visceral that it’s nearly impossible not to get caught up in them. The romance between Sabine and Ethan is absolutely no different, and when we reach the end, we find ourselves with tear tracks on our cheeks but a wobbly smile on our faces, thankful for the story we’ve just been treated to yet desperately in need of something adorably cute to help us recover. 

Overall, One Past Midnight should not be missed, the story not so much that of two parallel lives but rather of one remarkable girl and the unification of her self thanks to a split in her worlds.

Rating: 4.5/5 

Find Jessica:

Website • Blog • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon

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.

Review: Empower

EMPOWER
The Violet Eden Chapters #5
Jessica Shirvington
Paranormal Young Adult
496 pages
Sourcebooks Fire
Available Now
Source: eARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
It has been two years since Violet Eden walked away from the city, her friends, her future and - most importantly - her soulmate, Lincoln. Part angel, part human, Violet is determined to stand by the promises she made to save the one she loves.

Living in the perpetual coldness of a broken soul she survives day to day as a Rogue Grigori in London.

But when an unexpected visitor shows up at her door, the news he bears about someone she swore to protect leaves Violet with no choice.

Even worse, she fears that this might all lead back to the night she tries hardest to forget. And what was taken without her permission.

Violet is going back to New York ... and she knows exactly who is going to be there.

With Phoenix in her dreams and Lincoln in her heart she knows it is only a matter of time before the final choice must be made.

MY THOUGHTS
Coming off an emotionally devastating series of events in the previous book, the bar set for Empower is a high one, and while it’s not quite as strong overall as its predecessor, it beautifully concludes what has been a truly captivating series. The reason for Empower’s failure to surpass Endless in strength and intensity is Violet herself, a young woman who’s shown astounding growth throughout the series, but who in the first third of the book seems to have devolved into someone we’d thought we’d move past. She’s understandably cold and distant in the wake of all that happened in the concluding chapters of Endless, but while her pain is fresh, ours has dulled with the time in between books, so we’re left floundering as we try and remember her reasoning for running from all that was important to her.

Violet and Lincoln are the driving force in this series, and with each book the two of them have grown closer together and more in love even when circumstances have kept them from what they want most, but the game playing and secrets that were so frustrating in the very first book rear their ugly heads in the beginning of Empower. We’re given a few well-timed hints to remind us of previous events, but yet we’re kept thoroughly in the dark as to why Violet is so intent on staying away from Lincoln and hurting them both in the process. They both return to two people whose pain and anger cause them to lash out at one another–something we haven’t seen from them in several books and had hoped they had matured beyond–and as a result, we get off to a very rocky start.

Luckily for us however, after we’ve all endured unnecessary pain for nearly thirty percent of the story, the reasons for Violet’s utter conviction that keeping physical and emotional distance from Lincoln is the right thing is finally revealed, and she thankfully decides that secrets no longer have a place between them. While her reasons are valid in many ways, they also have a “can’t see the forest for the trees” vibe about them, with Violet sticking her head in the sand and refusing to consider what everyone around her continues to point out: There’s more than just the solution she’s chosen open to her. Once she decides to listen though, the story proceeds flawlessly, our team of beloved characters and a number of brilliant new characters teaming up for the showdown between the Grigori and the Exiles that’s been building since book one.

Nearly all of our questions are answered in this final installment, the truth of Violet’s angel maker and the extent of her abilities brought to light in all their glory, and the haunting and memorable type of pain that stems from the loss of those we care for settles deep in our bones. We’re not left wallowing in pain or asking ourselves why the author made the decisions she did however, instead we feel the loss of a select few in battle keenly but are left with a smile on our faces thanks to those who remain. Overall, The Violet Eden Chapters is a spectacular series, rich in characterization and emotional growth, and I simply cannot wait for more from Ms. Shirvington.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find Jessica:

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

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.

 

Waiting on Wednesday: Empower

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

EMPOWER

The Violet Eden Chapters #5

Jessica Shirvington

Paranormal Young Adult

Releases May 2014 from Sourcebooks Fire

From Goodreads:

It has been two years since Violet Eden walked away from the city, her friends, her future and - most importantly - her soulmate, Lincoln. Part angel, part human, Violet is determined to stand by the promises she made to save the one she loves.

Living in the perpetual coldness of a broken soul she survives day to day as a Rogue Grigori in London.

But when an unexpected visitor shows up at her door, the news he bears about someone she swore to protect leaves Violet with no choice.

Even worse, she fears that this might all lead back to the night she tries hardest to forget. And what was taken without her permission.

Violet is going back to New York ... and she knows exactly who is going to be there.

With Phoenix in her dreams and Lincoln in her heart she knows it is only a matter of time before the final choice must be made.

If you didn't know already, I'm madly in love with this series. Violet and I got off to a bit of a rough start in book one, Embrace. Rough. I didn't care for her at all even though I was intrigued by the world, and it wasn't until the very end of the book that I came to understand the reason I didn't like her, but by then it was too late and my opinion of her remained unchanged. Still, I was curious to see if I could come to care for her given the concluding chapters of Embrace, so I gave book two, Entice, a try and promptly fell in love. I've been a fan of this series ever since and each book only improves upon the last (getting darker and more emotionally crippling), so I can't wait to see what's in store with Empower.

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.

Endless Blog Tour: Interview with Jessica Shirvington

I'm beyond pleased to welcome author Jessica Shirvington back to the blog today to answer a few questions about the newest installment of the Embrace series, Endless (releasing October 1st from Sourcebooks Fire). I absolutely LOVE this series, it's dark and emotionally challenging, and each book is better than the one that came before it. I can't recommend this series enough and I hope you all enjoy the interview!

If Lincoln and Violet could recruit one character from any other young adult book to fight with them against Lilith, who would they most like to join their team?

Valek from Maria V Snyder's Magic Study Series! He'd kick some serious exile butt! (and look good doing it!)

Now that Violet’s been putting all her physical training and fighting skills to use as she battles exiles, what would she say has been the best tip/trick/piece of advice she’s gotten on facing down an opponent?

Win at all costs even if you have to fight a little dirty. Exiles have no morals, no ethics when it comes to the fight. It is kill or be killed and Lincoln made sure Violet understood that getting caught up in code conduct fighting would be a fast way to get dead!

Let’s say Josephine requires Violet and Lincoln to take a class or two of their choice while at the Grigori academy in New York. Which ones might interest each of them most?

Violet definitely errs on the side of anything artistic or combat focused. In the Academy I imagine she would choose the more physical classes above any history studies etc. For Lincoln, though he is very physical I actually think he would thoroughly enjoy the academic side of studies so I would throw him into the history of mythology! Although, if Violet is next door sparring, I can't imagine Lincoln would miss his opportunity to be her partner. ;-)

Violet’s dad has been largely absent for most of her life, but he finally has his eyes opened and gets to see the young woman his daughter has become in this book. If he were given 5 minutes alone with her, what’s the first thing he would say?

I think he'd say something along the lines of: I'm sorry it took me so long to open my eyes and I hate that I let you, even for one minute, believe you weren't enough.

If you were in Violet’s shoes during testing in front of the assembly and were faced with the same three choices of weapon with which to demonstrate your skill, which one would you choose?

Tough choice considering one of the weapons isn't a ticket the hell out of there! Ah, so I guess I would go with the katanas like Violet. Not for the reasons she did of course, more because they would give the most distance between me and my opponent!

There are some dark and painful moments in this book, is there anything specific (listen to music, take a walk, etc.) you do to gear up to write those scenes?

I listened to a lot of music while writing ENDLESS. Music like Florence and the Machine, Sia, Land Del Rey, Muse... And not just while writing it, but also while writing the other books in preparation for it. I always knew this storyline was coming and my mind would often travel to it. It is safe to say a lot of emotion went into writing ENDLESS. I cried. A lot!

*Ummmmm. ME TOO. My heart hurts just thinking about this book, but it's a must read for fans of the series!*

• • • • • • • • • • 

JESSICA SHIRVINGTON

One day, instead of picking up a new book, I started to write. The first name that came to mind was Violet. From there the rest naturally followed. I can honestly say, once Violet was discovered – she really did write the rest of the book!

Writing this book has drawn on my life experience – in my travels around the world and the different people I have met. It draws on love and loss and the overall confusion that comes with growing up. It also looks to many of my friends and their experiences.

I have always loved ancient history – tales and stories of the best kind.

Website • Blog • Embrace Website • Facebook 

 

• • • • • • • • • •

 

ENDLESS

 

 

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...

 

Goodreads • Amazon

Super Six Sunday: Bad Bookish Boyfriends

Inspired by Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and The Bookish, Super Six Sunday, a new feature from the fabulous ladies at Bewitched Bookworms, has different book-related topics each week and asks participants to address each one in the form of a list of six. Obviously.

This week's topic is bad bookish boyfriends, something those of you who read this blog with any frequency know is all-too perfect a topic for me. The hard part of course comes in narrowing this list down to only six–rather than say, one hundred–bad bookish boyfriends. *shakes fist at the Bookworms for limiting me so!* MY LOVE FOR FICTIONAL MEN CANNOT BE CONTAINED IN SUCH A MANNER! I have so very much to give you see, but I endeavored to adhere to the rules of this feature and picked only a handful. *exasperated sigh*

In order to help me compile this list, I narrowed the topic further and chose men who walk a fine line between hero and anti-hero, often saying or doing things that make me want to revoke their candidacy for Fictional Love of Jenny's Life, but yet I find them all the more interesting for their deep, and sometimes very dark, flaws.

1. RYODAN

The Fever Series (adult urban fantasy)

I know. I talk about him a lot. There's just so much to say! He has layers, my friends, LAYERS UPON LAYERS and I adore him. I'll spare you my fawning all over him because I already did that in a previous post, but suffice to say he pretty much owns the term badass and skates the line between someone I love and someone I could easily hate so very, very expertly. I need Burned in my hands as soon as physically possible.

First book in the entire series: Darkfever

First book in Dani's series in which Ryodan is a major player: Iced

2. KAIDAN ROWE

The Sweet Trilogy (paranormal YA)

Okay, like Ryodan, I may have mentioned Kaidan a time or two on this blog. Or possibly 23849203394 times, but that's completely beside the point. The point is Kaidan is the son of the Duke (think demon) of Lust, and he won me over the minute he came on page in Sweet Evil. He's more than just a bad boy who happens to ooze sex appeal; underneath the sharp wit, the British accent, and the devil-may-care attitude lies a young man stuck in a situation he's powerless to change, and he has perhaps more fear in him than he does cocky swagger if you take the time to really look, something very few actually do. If you couldn't tell already, I'll let you in on a little secret: I love him.

First book in the series: Sweet Evil

3. COLE

The Everneath Series (paranormal YA)

Oh, Cole. What a tangled web you weave my friend. Though Cole plays second fiddle to primary love interest Jack in this series, he remains the far more intriguing of the two (but my love for Jack is still epic!), his motivations for every action always shrouded in an untold number of mysteries, and just when I think I have a handle on the man he is, he cracks a sinister smile and laughs right in my face for being so dense. He is both kind and cruel, genuine and devious, and I simply cannot wait to see where things go with him in the third installment of this series.

First book in the series: Everneath

4. GREYFRIAR

Vampire Empire Series (adult urban fantasy/steampunk)

This trilogy completely and unexpectedly blew me away when I first picked it up a couple years ago, the world a welcome yet devastating return to a time when vampires were not the stuff of romance novels, but rather the monstrous killing machines of legend. The Greyfriar is one who hunts them, but as things unfolded in the first book I quickly realized the mask he wears hides far more than just his features from the world, and once I got a peek at what was underneath, I had to know everything there was to know. Like the others on this list he sometimes straddles the line between black and white, though he proves again and again that gray is a far more attractive and addictive color.

First book in the series: The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire)

5. PHOENIX

The Violet Eden Chapters (paranormal YA)

Phoenix has led me on a merry dance through this series (though like Cole, he is not the primary love interest, that honor falls to Lincoln). In one book I despise him and everything he is, but then in the next book he shows a completely new side to himself that has my fingers turning from claws that would slice him open to clutching digits that would pull him closer and never let him go. He can be brutal and plays a mean emotional game with Violet and Lincoln, but in the rare moments when his guard drops he shines brighter than any other character, and the glutton for punishment in me never fails to rejoice when he makes an appearance on page.

First book in the series: Embrace

6. RAPHAEL

The Guild Hunter Series (adult paranormal Romance)

Ooooo Raphael, you are a sexy bastard. I am an enormous fan of all things Nalini Singh, and though you've probably seen me gush most often about my love of alpha wolf Hawke from her Psy-Changeling series (YOU'RE STILL MY FIRST LOVE HAWKE!), I absolutely adore her Guild Hunter series as well. In these books we get to spend time with Raphael, the archangel of New York, a man who is all power and steel and immortality, and who time has hardened and shaped into someone unyielding and unrelenting. He is perhaps the most alpha of all Nalini's many alpha men, but when Elena enters his life we have the pleasure of watching the rigidity of him start to ever-so-slightly relax (though not much mind you), giving but the barest of inches before his archangel superiority snaps back into place. He's infuriating and intoxicating and if you've yet to meet him, you're missing out.

First book in the series: Angels' Blood

Review: Emblaze

EMBLAZE

The Violet Eden Chapters #3
Jessica Shirvington
Paranormal Young Adult
464 pages
Sourcebooks Fire
Available Now
Received from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Once again Violet Eden faces an impossible choice ... and the consequences are unimaginable.

Violet has come to terms with the fact that being part angel, part human, means her life will never be as it was.

Now Violet has something Phoenix - the exiled angel who betrayed her - will do anything for, and she has no intention of letting it fall into his hands. The only problem is that he has something she needs too.

Not afraid to raise the stakes, Phoenix seemingly holds all the power, always one step ahead. And when he puts the final pieces of the prophecy together, it doesn't take him long to realise exactly who he needs in order to open the gates of Hell.

With the help of surprising new allies, ancient prophecies are deciphered, a destination set and, after a shattering confrontation with her father, Violet leaves for the islands of Greece without knowing if she will have a home to return to...

MY THOUGHTS
Emblaze wastes little time in making us brutally aware of how emotionally intense it's going to be, bringing us up to speed on the notable events of Entice quickly and riddling the emotional dam built in the time since the last book with holes, allowing the painful waters of Violet and Lincoln's relationship to pour through and envelop us once more. Where Lincoln and Violet were hopeful of their future together in book two despite the lingering issues caused by Phoenix's role in their lives, this book deals in the aftermath of having that hope violently ripped from them, hearts and souls now raw and fully exposed with the roughness of their pain like sandpaper to our skin, rubbing constantly until we find ourselves hurting as much as they are.

The highlight amidst the darkness of this tale is Violet herself, a young woman we struggled to connect with upon our initial meeting–thanks in large part to Phoenix's manipulations–who has grown into a heroine of extraordinary strength emotionally and physically. She exists in a state of suspended torture in this book, pieces of her soul tied with rope and handed off to a handful of people who each pull their end in an opposite direction. She's stretched to the limit many times over in this story, but she never breaks or cries out, the only evidence of her pain being the tears that track their way down our cheeks as she holds herself together for the sake of those around her, and we can't help but be impressed by the transformation she's undergone from the girl we first met.

The romance between Violet and Lincoln is at its most dramatic in this third installment, and while our hearts ache with their pain, we find ourselves thankful their hurt stems not from playing games with one another now that they know they cannot be together, but rather from the bone-deep chill that results from forcefully denying love. While Phoenix and Lincoln are both uniquely entangled in Violet's life, there's no triangle in sight, Violet's feelings for Lincoln radiating from her body and soul so there's simply no question as to where her heart lies. Phoenix is not so easily disregarded however, his dark complexity and his search to find a place he truly belongs making it incredibly difficult to hate him the way we'd like to, and he remains at the forefront of our thoughts even though he's no threat to Lincoln and Violet's relationship.

Overall, this is a series that continues to get better with each an every installment, delving deeper into the thoughts and feelings of all the characters as the battle between Grigori and Exile reaches its turning point in the final pages. Ms. Shirvington expertly balances emotional drama with physical action, ensuring we devour hundreds of pages despite our intent to read only a chapter or two before bed, but she makes the weight of sleep lost the next day a burden we're more than happy to bear. As mentioned previously, we conclude our time with Violet in this book at a turning point in her fight, riveted to every word spoken and praying our eyes are deceiving us when they reach the last sentence, loving how addictive these books have become and already craving the next fix.

Rating: 4.5/5

Interview + Giveaway: Jessica Shirvington and Emblaze

Today I'm thrilled to welcome young adult author Jessica Shirvington to the blog to talk a little bit about the third book in her Violet Eden series, Emblaze (releases March 5th from Sourcebooks). This is a series that, for me, has gotten better and better with each installment, and Emblaze is definitely the best one yet. I was a gloriously emotional mess by the time I reached the last page (my review will be posted soon), and I'm strongly considering moving to Australia just so I can get my hands on book four already. Who's with me?

If Lincoln was to sit down with Violet as part of the promotional tour for Emblaze, what’s the first question he would ask her?

Do you love Phoenix?

*Jenny dies a little inside at this answer*

What one piece of art might Violet say adequately summarizes her emotional journey since the events of Embrace?

I don't know that any one art piece sums up Violet. But I have often found myself looking at this depiction of The Last Judgement and thinking of my characters and the roles they play.

There’s something undeniably appealing about a bad boy, and Phoenix wears that label rather deliciously. Would Phoenix attach a different label to himself if asked?

At times I think he would be very comfortable with the bad boy image. But really, I think Phoenix is often looking for something with more substance. He just struggles to make the appropriate changes to get there.

What is one quirk Lincoln has that he’d be embarrassed by if Violet found out about it?

He can dance. Like really dance - ballroom dance! And she will find out...one day. ;-)

All the books in the series have single word titles that begin with the letter “e”. Were there any other title frontrunners for this third book that you can share?

I think EMBLAZE found its title fairly easily. I remember we almost called ENTICE, EXILE instead but there were a few books around with that title. I think for EMBLAZE we considered ENTRAP and maybe ENDURE but EMBLAZE was an easy pick in the end (once you've read it you'll know why).

Let’s say your characters get to spend a half hour with you in which they can ask you any questions they want about their world or how you wrote them; whose questions would you fear answering most?

Probably Steph. She would come at me all guns blazing wanting to know what the hell I was thinking and how I could have made things so hard for Vi. Yep, definitely Steph (never mess with a gal's bestie!).

If Violet were to paint a mural based on Emblaze, what color would be predominant in her palette?

Red. Things get more than a little fiery in this book!

Thanks so much Jessica for stopping by!

• • • • • • • • • •

JESSICA SHIRVINGTON

One day, instead of picking up a new book, I started to write. The first name that came to mind was Violet. From there the rest naturally followed. I can honestly say, once Violet was discovered – she really did write the rest of the book!

Writing this book has drawn on my life experience – in my travels around the world and the different people I have met. It draws on love and loss and the overall confusion that comes with growing up. It also looks to many of my friends and their experiences.

I have always loved ancient history – tales and stories of the best kind.

More information on Jessica and her books can be found here:

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

• • • • • • • • • • 

EMBLAZE

Once again Violet Eden faces an impossible choice ... and the consequences are unimaginable.

Violet has come to terms with the fact that being part angel, part human, means her life will never be as it was.

Now Violet has something Phoenix - the exiled angel who betrayed her - will do anything for, and she has no intention of letting it fall into his hands. The only problem is that he has something she needs too.

Not afraid to raise the stakes, Phoenix seemingly holds all the power, always one step ahead. And when he puts the final pieces of the prophecy together, it doesn't take him long to realise exactly who he needs in order to open the gates of Hell.

With the help of surprising new allies, ancient prophecies are deciphered, a destination set and, after a shattering confrontation with her father, Violet leaves for the islands of Greece without knowing if she will have a home to return to...

Can't wait to read Emblaze? Then check out an excerpt HERE.

• • • • • • • • • •

 GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the fabulous people at Sourcebooks, I have one copy of Emblaze to give away on the blog today! To enter, please just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US and Canada only, good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Character Profile: Phoenix from Entice

Today I'm absurdly excited to be a part of the street team for Entice, the second book in the Embrace Series by Jessica Shirvington. As a team member, I have the pleasure of bringing you the profile for one very special character in this series: Phoenix. Who's Phoenix you ask? He's the bad boy. And I think anyone who knows me is well aware of how much I love a good bad boy, so Phoenix and I are clearly the perfect match ;-) Except he's kind of a fan of Violet. Minor detail.

All this week, street team members along with the fabulous team over at Sourcebooks will be bringing you character profiles, tweeting quotes from the books, and hosting giveaways on Twitter to celebrate the release of Entice. All these fun promotions will culminate in the epic Entice Me Day, taking place this Saturday, September 15th, the details of which can be found using the link above. It should be an absolute blast! There will be giveaways. There will be a live chat with author Jessica Shirvington. There will be much Embrace Series awesomeness, so mark your calendars!

Now, on to the good stuff. The hot stuff. The Phoenix-related stuff :)

Here are just a few things about Phoenix you should know:

“Not everything is black and white, Violet. Don’t believe everything you’ve been told.”—Phoenix

He’s intense, sexy and otherworldly. Full of secrets, Phoenix is all gray in a world of dark and light. As an exile, he is not to be trusted, but Phoenix always seems to be there to protect Violet when she needs it most. Together, they shared one intense moment of passion. Now, when the electricity between Violet and Phoenix ignites, she discovers his hold over her has become more dangerous than ever.

Sitting in Sydney’s glamorous Water Bar, Jessica reveals some enticing secrets about everyone’s favorite bad boy!



Still want more Phoenix? You can check out his full character bio over on the Embrace Series page, and don't forget to take the "favorite quote" quiz while you're there! You can also find the full schedule leading up to Entice Me Day here, as you don't want to miss out on getting to know all the other characters!

A Random Assortment of Fun

Hey Everyone!

A bunch of book-related awesomeness has been brought to my attention over the past week, so I just wanted to do a quick post to put said awesomeness on your radar. I know, I know. I'm a giver through and through ;-)

First up: ENTICE ME DAY

Entice Me Day: September 15th, 2012

Entice Me Day is going to be an amazing day for both fans of the Violet Eden series as well as those who are new to it, with all sorts of amazing giveaways and a live chat with author Jessica Shirvington. From Sourcebooks:

During the day, @EmbraceSeries and Facebook.com/embracetheseries will be posting cool character quotes, informing readers about the character videos, directing people to quote quizzes, announcing a new chapter release and hosting a giveaway.

ENTICE ME DAY Sweepstakes: We are offering one lucky grand prize winner the chance to win a NOOK Color!  We’re uploading this device with the e-books for EMBRACE, ENTICE, and early chapters from the next book in the series, EMBLAZE.  PLUS, we are including a “YA Starter Library” with a selection of our other cool YA titles, for a total of about 10 books.  The Sweepstakes entries will begin midnight on September 7th and end midnight on September 15th. 

If that weren't exciting enough, the entire week leading up to Entice Me Day will be filled with special character profiles each day, giving you behind the scenes info on everyone involved in this world. I'm thrilled to announce that I will be hosting bad boy Phoenix here on Supernatural Snark, so be sure and check in on the 12th for all the juicy scoop on this delicious baddie!

A full schedule for the week as well as all the details for Entice Me Day can be found here. I hope you guys are as excited for this as I am!

BREATHE

Thanks to the fabulous people over at HarperTeen I have a very cool video in which author Sarah Corssan discusses her writing process to share with you! I'm very excited about the world of Breathe, how cool does it sound?

In a barren land, a shimmering glass dome houses the survivors of the Switch, the period when oxygen levels plunged and the green world withered.

A state lottery meant a lucky few won safety, while the rest suffocated in the thin air. And now Alina, Quinn, and Bea—an unlikely trio, each with their own agendas, their own longings and fears—walk straight into the heart of danger. With two days’ worth of oxygen in their tanks, they leave the dome.

DEFIANCE JEWELRY GIVEAWAY!

Pop over to Epic Reads (such a great site - all sorts of entertaining things like giveaways, polls, and quizzes happen here) and enter to win some custom jewelry based on C.J. Redwine's Defiance. Awesome.

Last, but not least, I want to quickly announce the winners of my past several giveaways. A huge thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and Authors on the Web for providing such fantastic books, and to all of you who entered! All winners have been emailed.

ANASTASIA FOREVER

Winner: Rebe

ANGELFALL

Winner: Asheley

BACK TO BOOKS

Winner: Anatea

Review: Entice

ENTICE (The Violet Eden Chapters #2)

Jessica Shirvington
Paranormal Young Adult
464 pages
Sourcebooks Fire
Available September 4th
Received from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)

Violet Eden is Grigori - part angel, part human. Her destiny is to protect humans from the vengence of exiled angels.
 
Knowing who to trust is key but, when Grigori reinforcements arrive, it becomes clear everyone is hiding something. Even Lincoln. The only thing Violet does know: Phoenix's hold over her is more dangerous than ever.
 
The race to find the one thing that could tilt the balance of power brings them all to the sacred mountains of Jordan, where Violet's power will be pushed to the extreme. And the ultimate betrayal exposed. 

MY THOUGHTS

Completely captivating, Entice begins right on the heels of where Embrace left off, thrusting us back into the tension-filled world of Violet and the recent discovery of her Grigori heritage. While hitting the ground running is usually something that ensures the story has our unwavering attention and focus, a few reminders here and there of important events that took place in the book prior would have been appreciated, our slight confusion over more minor character names and associations keeping us from fully engaging initially. Our confusion is quickly overshadowed however by both the beautiful intricacies of the battle between the Grigori and the Exiles as well as the painful complexities of a relationship perhaps damaged beyond repair by Violet’s actions in Embrace, a combination that causes our eyes to dart frantically back and forth across the pages as we attempt to absorb everything that happens at record speed.

Violet was a bit of a tricky character to decipher in the first book, her exaggerated reactions to Lincoln and her new life as a Grigori forcing our arms to remain stiffly at our sides while reading instead of opening wide to wrap around her. So much time was spent blinking in bafflement as her anger toward Lincoln steadily increased in intensity, and though the ending did provide an explanation for her behavior, it also came so late that this second book basically has to introduce us to Violet all over again. This Violet is a far more likable young woman, struggling with the repercussions of actions for which she can’t claim sole blame, and trying desperately to mend a relationship she and Phoenix riddled with more holes than we fear she'll be able to patch.

The lingering hurt on both sides is a palpable thing, a character almost unto itself as it hovers between Violet and Lincoln, forcing them to tread softly in the presence of the other so as to not disturb a sleeping beast that will easily shred their hearts with claws tipped in Phoenix-laced poison should it awaken. At times Violet wavers in her resolve to fix things, keeping information to herself we know will only make her situation worse for not sharing it, but before we can work up sufficient ire she takes the high road and adopts honesty as her new policy, allowing us to release an audible sigh of relief. Her flaws are still on prominent display in this second book, but where previously she was almost completely unbelievable in her fury, in this installment her imperfections only mark her as a human with a vulnerable heart despite her angelic link.

Entice is a solid middle book, giving us the opportunity to see Violet clearly for the first time while ratcheting up the conflict on both personal and physical levels. The only real complaint with this story is the aforementioned lack of recap of book one, characters popping up throughout with no brief introduction as to who they are and what role they played previously, leaving us flipping to the back in the hope we’ll find a glossary to help us place them. It’s recommended readers refresh their memories by at least skimming Embrace before tackling Entice, but slight befuddlement aside, readers will no doubt be glued to the pages as Violet’s world comes to life.

Rating: 4/5

A Look At ENTICE: Teaser Trailer

Today I'm hugely excited to share the teaser trailer for Entice, book two in Jessica Shirvington's Embrace series. I will be honest and say I hit a few snags with protagonist Violet in the first book, mainly due to some extenuating circumstances affecting her behavior, but I got a sneak peek at Entice and adored it! I'm now thoroughly depressed that I have to wait so long for the third book. *cries* Silver lining though? The awesome people at Sourcebooks are taking pity on all of us fans by revealing an amazing trailer and putting together an EPIC promotional tour for Entice to help pass the time more quickly. I've included the details below the trailer, enjoy!


Entice Teaser Trailer from Sourcebooks Inc on Vimeo.

From Sourcebooks:

Dangerously exciting, darkly romantic – the teaser trailer for the next book in Jessica Shirvington’s Embrace series is here! In Entice, the war between Exiles and Angels is on—and Violet Eden is wanted by both sides.  Living a secret life as a warrior protecting innocent human lives isn’t easy. Knowing who to trust is key, but when Grigori reinforcements arrive, it becomes clear everyone is hiding something. Even her partner, Lincoln. And with Phoenix more dangerous than ever, Violet is truly on her own.

As mentioned above, there's going to be a fantastic 8-day tour in September with extensive character profiles, concluding with a party on September 15th where the full trailer will be revealed and opportunities to win awesome prizes will abound! Hope you'll join me for Entice Me Day and the events leading up to it!

More information on Jessica and the Embrace series can be found here:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon Buy Link

Cover Reveal: Entice

I'm super excited today to be a part of the cover reveal for the second book in Jessica Shirvington's paranormal young adult series, Entice.

What do we think? I really like the darker nature of it - it's a little grittier and a little more haunting than the cover for Embrace, but I love how the two are linked with the type treatment, the wings, and the use of purple.

Jessica and the fabulous people over at Sourcebooks Fire have provided a quick glimpse into what's in store for Violet:

“Two tutors and three students from the Grigori training center in New York were arriving in two days and I couldn’t be happier.  I was going to be able to learn from the experts and have people my own age to train with, something I really needed.  I was sure with their help I would be able to get over whatever it was that had been holding me back.

Griffin had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the two senior Grigori –the intelligence, resources and backup they could provide was much needed.  The Scripture that can decipher the identity of all Grigori, even those who have not yet embraced and are therefore defenseless, was at stake.

I would not stand by and watch it fall into the hands of exiles.  If they found they key to destroying all Grigori and gained the upper hand, the slaughter would not stop until all the humans knelt before them, worshipping them as gods.”

For those who can't wait until September 1st to read, fear not, you can check out the first two chapters of Entice HERE. Woot! Also, Jessica Shirvington will be coming to the US for a two week tour starting September 18th, and you can check for all the latest details regarding the tour on the Embrace website.

If all that goodness wasn't enough, Jessica has also posted a video blog wherein she discusses all sorts of fun things from the comfort of her very favorite chair. Enjoy!

Review: Embrace

EMBRACE
(The Violet Eden Chapters #1)
Jessica Shirvington
Paranormal Young Adult
367 pages
Sourcebooks Fire
Available Now
Received from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
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…

MY THOUGHTS
Embrace is a maze made up of light and shadow, each step we take alongside our protagonist exposing us to both in equal measure as we twist and turn through a story where it seems as though we're the only ones denied a map to help navigate the labyrinth, and we tread carefully in a world of angels who defy all previous definition. One of the more fascinating elements of the story is the angel mythology itself, giving us beings free for the most part from any ties to organized religion and God who occupy a realm all their own where light and dark don’t necessarily correspond to good and evil, but rather each type muddies the waters and we must open our minds to a new interpretation full of blurred lines and complex lore.

For as interesting as Ms. Shirvington’s history of angels is–our naturally inquisitive minds itching for more of the fresh and new relationships between human, angel and Grigori while reading–protagonist Violet poses a rather unique set of problems for us. Her behavior through ninety percent of the book is confounding and at times downright frustrating, her seemingly illogical anger toward Lincoln for withholding information from her causing us to grit our teeth and groan out loud every time she opens her mouth to berate him. Yes, someone she loves desperately kept secrets that involved her, but his intent was never the slightest bit malicious, and so while we understand her initial pain and hurt, the intensity of her continued reaction to him tests the limits of our patience as she seems to grant extraordinary leeway to a stranger while denying the young man she supposedly loves even the smallest of courtesies.

It’s not until the very final pages that we come to understand Violet’s behavior fully and completely, and while the revelations suck some of the heat out of our ire, we’re given so little time to deal with the person Violet actually is as opposed to the one we’ve seen for the past three hundred pages that we’re left somewhat at a loss as to how to feel about her. We want to believe in her and disregard her words and actions based on our new information, but the end of this first installment finds us before our opinion of her can really change. Thus, we finish this story with a character who is a complete stranger to us despite all the time we’ve spent with her, and we now have to wait for the second installment to reintroduce ourselves to a young woman who will hopefully prove herself more worthy of our affection.

Overall, Embrace is a rather tricky read given our tumultuous relationship with Violet, Lincoln and Phoenix, but ultimately the world is interesting enough and the characters certainly written in a way that guarantees an emotional response whether positive or negative that our desire to pick up the next book is strong upon finishing.

Rating: 3/5

Guest Post: Jessica Shirvington + Embrace

I'm extremely excited to share the blog today with young adult author Jessica Shirvington who's going to share with us her experience in creating a setting for Embrace, the first book in her new paranormal series. Take it away Jessica!

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

In my first draft of EMBRACE (there were eight!), I didn’t set the city. I was in two minds the entire time. I suppose I was drawing on all the places I have been around the world. Although I now live in Sydney, when I started to write EMBRACE, my family and I had just moved back from six years living in London. And prior to that, I’d spent quite a lot of time travelling to many cities around the world – so much so, that when I was writing scenes in EMBRACE, I found myself thinking of different cities around the world and never being able to truly decided which one most suited Violet’s world.

In my second and third and fourth drafts, I chose different cities (I’ll never tell) from around the world and set Violet’s story there. But each time, it felt forced.

I wanted her to live in a city, as opposed to some small town where all these major apocalyptic events just miraculously found her. To be believable she had to be in a metropolitan environment, but which one?

In the end, the answer was … any of them, and none of them. It wasn’t that the cities I chose didn’t work; it was that in my mind I’d amalgamated them into what I needed for her story to work for me. So I made the decision to give that option to all of my readers and simply called her city, the City.

It isn’t the ‘done thing’ usually, but I believe for this story, it works. I want readers to be able to put this story where they know. If they live in a city, it can be there, if they live in a rural area, then it isn’t a stretch for them to imagine a city nearby. It is an element of control that I wanted to give to the reader.

That said, I like a little control myself … and I discovered that by giving this open setting for Violet’s hometown, it also opened up the possibility to use other locations around the world that would really pop off the page.

In ENTICED (the sequel, out in September!), Violet and her friends find themselves travelling to Jordan – on a quest to the place of Moses’ death – Mount Nebo. In EMBLAZE (book 3, out March 2013) they travel to the island of Santorini in Greece, which is small and stunning, and holds terrors that none of them are prepared for.

Each book I take the characters somewhere new and as I write the series, I have discovered how very important this is to me. I want my characters to go to the world, to find the problems and be part of the solution, rather than the fight always, and too conveniently, finding them.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by Supernatural Snark Jessica! More information on Jessica and her books can be found here:

Website
Blog
Embrace official website
Facebook
Goodreads

EMBRACE

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…