Entice

Written by Jessica Shirvington

Goodreads Synopsis: Violet Eden 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 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 Confession: When I read the first book in this series, Embrace, I had a feeling this series was going to be really exciting. After reading the second installment, I knew I was right. This book is so full of intricate plot twists, inventive details, and steaming-hot love and restraint -- I loved it. I don't know how this author has managed to weave such a delicate and crazy-complicated story that somehow continues to make sense, despite the constant introduction of new rules and new people. Violet's journey as a Grigori is shaping up to be long and winding -- at the very least. The obstacles thrown into her path, the danger she is constantly in, and the pain she endures over her inability to connect with the man she loves makes her someone you instantly root for. Despite her low moments, she's an absolutely kick-ass heroine who refuses to quit.

Entice picks up where Embrace left off, with Violet and Lincoln struggling to move past their encounter with Phoenix, who truly ruptured their already-fragile relationship. Being destined Grigori partners, they are still unable to physically express their love for one another. If they do, they risk severely diminishing their powers and upping their odds of being overpowered and killed. Just the slightest touch can burn, a constant reminder of what they can never have. While we can read Violet's frustration and sadness, Lincoln's anguish, seen through pained looks and choked words, is just as palpable. When a group of other Grigori arrive, they inform Lincoln and Violet of a way (though improbable and unlikely) that they can be together. The ups and downs of their relationship seem centered on their inability to express their feelings, so this glimmer of hope survives most of the book. However, once they realize what is at stake with this new "opportunity," their love for one another prevents them from taking the risk necessary to cement their relationship. If they loved each other a little less, they could totally make it work. Oddly ironic.

The addition of Grigori around Violet's age (especially the adorable and endearing goofball, Spence) was a really great touch. Allowing Violet to form new friendships, while maintaining a close bond with her human friend Steph, softens some of Violet's hardness. Having other people around to talk to seems to take some of the burden of not having Lincoln off her shoulders. Her relationship with her dad is still bizarrely detached, and his presence in this series still doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me yet. Her mother is alluded to once again, and I'm really hoping we learn more about her later. There's a lot of potential there, and I'd love to see it unfold. Violet's odd family dynamic can't be for nothing, but it's just hung there in the background for two books now. I'm ready to see what purpose it truly holds here.

Phoenix returns in all his villainous glory, and Violet finds out the hard way that she's forever connected to him. But I have the feeling that there's more to Phoenix than what we've seen so far. While he's definitely dark, something about his feelings for Violet seem genuine. He's a complicated character with a newly-revealed control over Violet, a control that ensures he'll be sticking around for a while. I think this connection is going to be explored further in the upcoming books, and at the very least, it'll continue to complicate things for Lincoln, who we know isn't over what went down between Phoenix and Violet.

The action in this book is fantastic. You really feel like you're right there, in the middle of battle, watching the magical and ferocious carnage unfold. I often find myself shying away from books that rely too heavily on the paranormal to tell a story. This series is totally different. The paranormal aspect doesn't drive the story like you'd believe; to me, it merely enhances it. I'm so much more fascinated by this take on fallen angels and the re-imagining of Bible passages (not to mention the emergence of a particularly famous Bible character). There are still so many stones left unturned, and I was relieved to read that this series is slated to be six books long. Hallelujah, indeed.

Recommendation: With the Grigori engaging in a battle for the "Scriptures," and therefore for the fates of all Grigori, the best part is yet to come. I enjoyed this book so much more than Embrace, and it's never a bad thing when a series continues to up the ante. I can't predict where things are going to go and how anything will ever be resolved. This doesn't strike me as a happily-ever-after type of series, but I'm totally along for the ride anyway.

Rating: 5/5
438 pages, published by Sourcebooks Fire (Sept. 4, 2012)

Embrace

Written by Jessica Shirvington

Goodreads Synopsis: 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 Confession: This was my very first ARC (advance reader copy, for those of you not schooled in publishing terms). It appeared in my mailbox at work as if by magic, a puffy manila envelope of promise, come to bring me the slightest of smiles on a Monday afternoon.  The bundle of joy contained an uncorrected proof for a new YA series, the first of which is Embrace, a story of fallen angels and a love triangle-gone-very-wrong. It's a three-book series that has already been published (and made quite a splash in) Australia, so the final two books in the series will be released in six-month increments. Given the usual year (at least) between series that are written a book at a time, the pacing for these novels could prove influential in how the story is embraced (whoa, no pun intended there) by American YA readers.

And, all in all, I think people will like these books. First of all, the cover art is brilliant. I'm a big fan of bright, bold colors, and the purple used here is undeniably eye-catching. Second, people still love paranormal romances. Why this trend hasn't died out yet still muddles my mind a bit, but there is a market for books like these, especially when they're done well, which is definitely the case here. The story is complicated and varies greatly from other fallen angel stories out there. Violet is a pretty strong heroine, with a background in martial arts and a complicated, estranged relationship with her father. She seems to have been forced to fend for herself, which leaves her a bit callused and abrasive.

But she falls for Lincoln, a much-older martial arts instructor who takes a special interest in Violet. The two become close friends when he offers to teach her one-on-one. You immediately get the impression that Lincoln is the only stable thing in Violet's life, her trust and confidence in him so physically tangible. So when she finds out that he is hiding his true nature from her, she's shattered. His interest in her begins to look like obligation, and as she grapples with his betrayal, she falls under the spell of another guy, a fallen angel named Phoenix, whose influence on her life proves detrimental to not just her relationship with Lincoln, but the bigger angel battle currently being waged around her.

Recommendation: You're going to get sucked in, so get ready. The story is very addictive, and while the numerous twists and turns will leave you a bit whiplashed at times, it's a pretty inventive rollercoaster. I really like these characters. I like Lincoln, and I like Violet. This isn't so much a love story as it is a story about forgiveness: forgiveness of others and forgiveness of yourself. And then it's a battle. A giant, psychological and physical battle that's pretty awesome. But the one thing I have to harp on, because I just have to, is the barrier that keeps Lincoln and Violet apart. Because they're destined "angel partners," a physical relationship between the two is impossible. In other words, just like a famous vampire novel phenom, sex can kill them.

Oh, please.

Rating: 4/5

367 pages, published by Sourcebooks Fire (March 6, 2012)

*I received this book free from YPG*