Empower Blog Tour: Review

 

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for EMPOWER! Today I have my review of the book to share with you!

Empower (The Violet Eden Chapters #5)

Author: Jessica Shirvington

Genre: YA Fantasy/Paranormal

Release Date: May 6, 2014

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Description:

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.  

Empower is the fifth and final book in The Violet Eden Chapters series. It finishes telling the story of Violet Eden, the Keshet or Rainbow, who is the most powerful Grigori in history. After the events that cost her everything - including her life and her soul mate - Violet has been on her own, acting as a Rogue around the world. Word comes from the Academy that one of her best friends, Spence, has gone missing and things are getting increasingly bad around the world. Something huge is coming - and it's going to take Violet and the rest of the Grigori population to attempt to stop it from destroying the world as they know it. Will Violet be able to go back to New York and face the past she's been running from for the past two years? Will she, along with her friends and the rest of the Grigori, be strong enough to save the earth from this immense threat?

This is a really hard review for me to write. There are tons of emotions and thoughts still whirling in my mind after finishing the book almost a week ago. Ever since I read a galley of the first book in the series, I have absolutely LOVED this series. It is - by far - one of the best YA paranormal series I've ever read and will be an all-time favorite of mine. From the beginning of the series, I was sucked into Violet's world. I loved learning about the Grigori, the exiles, all of it. It completely fascinated me and each book in the series added more to the history of it all. Even in the final book, the author shows us interesting histories and myths pertaining to Judgement Day, along with lots of other information about the paranormal beings we've all come to know so well. 

As for the characters - I think that Violet was perfect as the heroine of the series. She starts out as an innocent teenage girl in the first book and finishes the series as the most powerful and unique Grigori ever known. She grows so much in the series - including the final book - both in her Grigori destiny as well as her personal life and self. I seriously feel like I know Violet on a personal level after reading the books and being inside her head for so long. It's the same with the rest of the characters in the main group - Steph, Griffin, Spence, Phoenix, Lincoln - everyone. I feel as though I've grown to know and love everything about each and every one of them - flaws, strengths, quirks, and all. The way that the author wrote the books made it so easy for me to immerse myself into Violet's world and I willingly dove in with each book to experience all of the suspense, action, heartbreak, excitement, and everything else they all went through. It's strange to feel like you know fictional characters from a book series as well as, or even better than, people in real life - but that's exactly how I feel with the people from this series. I loved each of them in their own way and I see how important they each were for the series. One thing that I obsessed about in the series was the relationship between Violet and Lincoln. SO much happens between them - good and bad - I wasn't sure how things were going to end up. I found myself running the emotional spectrum from laughing to crying, smiling happily to being really mad. I believe it takes immense talent to have readers connect with characters in this deep of a manner - especially the fact that it's more than just the main character and their love interest. That was achieved and then surpassed in this book - this series - and I'll never forget them. 

The plot of the book was full of action, suspense, romance, and thrills that kept me eagerly reading to see what was going to happen next. I couldn't stop reading until I finished the book and found out how it all ended - I read the entire book in one sitting. It was easy to jump back into Violet's world and get caught back up into all the problems in the Grigori world as well as her personal life. The author used incredible imagery and detailed descriptions to help draw me into this world, and to be honest, I didn't want it to end. That's why this review is bittersweet and so hard for me to write. I loved this book - this series - so much and I wanted to see how everything would finally end, but on the other hand, I didn't want the series to end at all. I wanted more books about Violet and the gang and I'm incredibly sad that the series is over. To stop myself from rambling on and fangirling all over the place - I'll just say this: This is honestly one of my favorite series of all time - of all genres, subjects, everything. I loved every single thing about them and they will hold a dear place in my heart (and bookshelf!) for a very long time to come. I cannot recommend this book - the series - highly enough to anyone. I can't begin to do it the justice it deserves, so just take my advice and give this one a shot. I promise you won't be disappointed. With something to offer fans of all genres, this is one series that you do not want to miss out on. Trust me when I say that you NEED to read this series. Now.

A DEFINITE ALL-TIME FAVORITE SERIES!!

Cover Reveal + Chapter Sneak Peek: Empower (The Violet Eden Chapters #5) by Jessica Shirvington

Hey everyone! Today I have an awesome cover reveal and chapter sneak peek to share with you! As some of you may know by reading my blog, I am a HUGE fan of the Violet Eden Chapters series by Jessica Shirvington. In May 2014, the fifth and final book in the series will be released. I am both ridiculously excited and incredibly sad at the same time. I can't wait to see what will finally happen with the series and a couple of important relationships, but I really hate that the series will be done. Bittersweet, I guess. Anways, check out the gorgeous cover for the book and then read on for a great sneak peek chapter!

Empower (The Violet Eden Chapters #5)

Author: Jessica Shirvington

Genre: YA Fantasy/Paranormal

Release Date: May 6, 2014

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

 

Description:

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.

Chapter One

“But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”
 - ROBERT FROST

My sweater was coated in a layer of mist—-again—-a by--product of life in London. I barely noticed the constant drizzle anymore. It’s not as if the cold bothered me, not when I was the very definition of cold.

What was bothering me was the smell. There is something rank about a meat market at night—-especially when you’re wedged into the eaves wondering what, over the years, has been sprayed about and never cleaned away. I shuddered.

The Smithfield Market was currently in vogue, but a gritty sense of history thickened the air, giving it a density that made me sure this wasn’t the first time the site had been used for wicked intent. And right now, it was hunting hour.

At least I was the hunter.

I watched quietly as the exiles came into the center of the massive terminal--style space, vaguely interested to note that there were six of them, instead of the four I’d expected. No bother, I suppose. I still had the element of surprise on my side.

The past two years had taught me not to let the everyday hiccups get to me. Sure, the additional muscle would hurt, but only in the physical sense, and I could cope with that. Rolling with the punches is necessary when you are a Grigori—-a human--angel hybrid—-a weapon against the ever--increasing numbers of exiled angels on earth. For me even more so, since they gave me such a colorful nickname. I’m the Keshet—-the rainbow. I didn’t ask to be, but I made my choices and I stand by them.

So, there I was. Although I was still trying to figure out exactly what being the rainbow meant, mostly I found that the desire to know conflicted with my continuing need not to think about it at all. One thing I did know was that somehow I could create space with the angels—-an unknown place where we were able to take form and communicate. My angel maker—-whose name I still didn’t know—-said it was a place of new possibilities. For what, I was not sure.

But I know this is what I am. It is what I will be.

The final two exiles sauntered up to the four already waiting. It used to be impossible for me to be this close to exiles without them going into a frenzy, sensing my presence. But I’d learned many lessons over the past year, the most useful of which had been how to keep my guards up and locked so tight that even exiles couldn’t sense me when I was truly concentrating.

Which—-judging by the thin film of sweat on my forehead—-is now.

The exiles dumped the huge calico sack they had been dragging along the floor and pulled it open, revealing three mutilated bodies to join the two maimed ones already on display.

From my position it was difficult to tell how old the corpses were, and if the smell was able to give a clue, I wouldn’t have known, the stink of death and flesh being an overall theme of the place.

It was no wonder the exiles liked it so much.

Normally, exiles wouldn’t bother with the cleanup—-leaving evidence was of no concern. Normally, the exiles enjoyed the mess and despair they left behind. But not these exiles. These dark exiles were working for someone else. They’d been following a plan, using a hit list, and it was all too well constructed for any one of them to mastermind. Our intel told us they’d been hired. Such behavior would usually be considered beneath them, but apparently this group of exiles had decided the job was thrilling enough to suffer the humiliation of working for the highest bidder—-even if that was a human.

As for the billionaire businessman, well, that’s not my department, but someone will pay him a visit. Right after all the evidence of his wrongdoing—-minus the exile activity—-is handed over to the authorities and his bank accounts are heavily siphoned to pay for the futures of his victims’ families. And our fee, of course.

Which, thanks to certain people, is exorbitant.

Two of the exiles were dressed impeccably: one in a steel--gray suit and sporting villain--typical slicked--back hair; the other wore a slim--collared black suit that hugged his tall figure and set off his of--the--moment tousled, light brown hair. The remaining four were less striking in casual wear, though nonetheless picture perfect. All six looked over the bodies like fishermen comparing the size and quality of their haul. My hand grazed my dagger, the blade that had been given to me after I first embraced my powers and became a Grigori warrior three years ago. I was never without it. I even had a sheath attached to my bed for a quick draw if needed.

I’d learned the hard way—-through the death and suffering of people I loved and, strangely enough, through my own death and suffering—-exiles stop at nothing. Their insanity and misguided missions know no bounds, and they take pleasure in causing great pain and suffering to humankind.

At least tonight I would only face exiles of dark. A couple of years ago, the two opposing sides, light and dark, had called a truce. Of course, I tried not to think back to that time.

I tried constantly.

The discovery of the scripture that could end all Grigori had found its way into my hands. That in itself was part of the reason the Assembly had rejected me. They blamed me for trading with the dark exile, Phoenix. My decision had allowed him to resurrect Lilith—-his mother, the first dark exile—-from the dead, and she had taken control of the Grigori Scripture. But at the time, my choice had been a simple one. Phoenix had Steph, my best friend, and I wasn’t about to take any chances with her life. I’ve never regretted that choice.

Not like so many others I’ve made.

In the end, that made it easier to walk away from a place in the Academy when Josephine decided to change her mind. Of course, that was after I’d given my life, Lincoln’s soul had shattered, and Phoenix had died—-proving that not only was he the son of Lilith, but he was also the human son of the first man, Adam—-all so that I could kill Lilith. And those reasons weren’t even the ones I tried not to think about.

But I can’t go there right now.

I caught myself. I was working and the last thing I could afford to do was acknowledge that I was thinking about him.

The six exiles started to shift the remains of the bodies toward the incinerator, tossing them with supernatural strength and no care. I half expected them to try and mince the meat and load it onto trays for sale tomorrow. I wouldn’t put anything past them.

“Make sure you take the index fingers,” one of the suited exiles instructed. “Mr. George is expecting me to deliver them to him tonight.”

That’s a shame. Though I’m sure Mr. George will receive a knock at his door nonetheless.

“I still don’t understand why we don’t just kill him too,” another said.

“Are you challenging me?” The exile who had spoken first stepped forward.

His questioner mirrored his actions.

Here we go.

“If I must.”

Exiles never back down. Their pride and egotism combined with their unique brand of insanity is just too much to ignore. Angels were not created to take corporeal forms on earth. Though they have existed for eternity, in human bodies, they manifest emotions in ways their innate nature can never process. It makes them unstable. And almost unstoppable.

I wriggled into a better position and waited patiently, knowing that this would work in my favor.

Sure enough, the exile who had spoken out first also struck out first, engaging with the suited exile. It didn’t last long. The suit, clearly the older of the two and a true fighter—-my guess was he had once been either a Domination or a Power—-overpowered his opponent, snapping his neck and making quick work of removing his heart.

We had our methods of ending their immortal existence; they had theirs.

Happy days. I now have one less exile to take care of.

I checked the time and sighed. If I didn’t get this show on the road, I’d lose my window. And fighting alone was always my preference.

The drop to the ground was at least two stories high, but I landed behind the group of exiles lightly, thanks to my angelic enhancements.

Breathing calmly, I let go of the power I was holding tightly within, just enough to lower my shields.

The exiles, who had been preoccupied with their boasting, stiffened instantly and spun around to face the new threat. It was almost comical, the look of surprise on their faces. I guess a Grigori had never snuck up on them before.

Responding quickly, the suited exile stepped forward, shoving two of them to the side, the five of them quickly forming a semicircle around me.

So nice of them to stand in single file.

But the way he studied me—-with trademark exile insanity and undisguised raw desire—-made me think that this one recognized me. It happened from time to time.

I wanted to sit around and chew the fat. Really. I couldn’t think of anything I’d rather do with my time than hear about how they intended to rip me limb from limb and how that would make them as great as gods and me the most pathetic of humans. But when you’ve heard it all before and always walked away—-or, at the very least, been carried—-while they were returned for their ultimate judgment, it gets old. So, I cut to the chase.

“You have a choice. Make it or I will make it for you,” I said, knowing that of all Grigori, I alone had the right to put it like that. “Consider wisely,” I reinforced. After all, I could return them like any other Grigori with one of our blades, but if I willed it, I could also strip them of their angelic strengths and leave them human—-a fate exiles considered worse than an eternity in the pits of Hell. As far as I was aware, I was the only Grigori who could do this without requiring the exile in question to first choose such a fate. Which, of course, never happened.

“You brought Lilith to her end,” the suit said, his head tilted to the side, as if confused.

Yeah, that’s right, little ol’ me.

And it only cost me everything that mattered.

I raised my eyebrows. “Time’s almost up,” I said, refraining from closing my eyes briefly as I felt a surge of power within, something that had been happening increasingly. I was getting stronger, and exactly what that meant and how to harness it wasn’t the kind of knowledge I was excited to discover.

I could strip them all, make their choice for them, and be done with it, but I’d only done it twice. Onyx had been my first, and I’d seen the pain it caused him. I didn’t like knowing I was the one who took away his choice. Who was I to do such a thing? The second had been a demonstration, and had resulted in the exile in question meeting a quick death. I can’t say I regretted it—-he’d been one of the exiles so happy to see me strapped to a crucifix and tortured for hours—-but still…

Anyway, tonight was more like training, and I’d been taught to be thorough. So, when the suit threw the first exile at me—-knowing he’d be nothing more than a momentary distraction while I took him down and he lined up the next one—-I got to work.

I braced, grabbing my dagger and moving into position. By the time the exile came within range, my dagger had sliced through his heart and he was no longer there. Simply gone. Where did their physical forms go? Beats me.

I was already spinning by the time the second one was sent flying through the air toward me. My foot stopped his momentum and threw him back. I was on him in an instant, my dagger going straight to his heart. It didn’t need to be the heart to return them, just a killing blow inflicted by a Grigori weapon. You could slice into exiles all day long with your garden--variety knife or shoot them with a gun, but neither option worked. I’d never seen a Grigori manage to rip out an exile’s heart
barehanded, and even though the trick worked for exiles taking out other exiles, something told me that it did not alter our rules. Permanent results for Grigori over exiles only came via the blades of angels.

Or my blood.

The third exile went much the same way, and soon enough I was left being circled by the two suits. To my surprise, they actually worked together—-exiles aren’t good at that—-boxing me into a corner. The brown--haired exile in the black suit moved in on me when the other one feigned a move to my right. I took a closed fist across the face and a foot to the stomach.

I heard a crack—-broken rib—-but I didn’t register the pain. That kind of pain was barely a tickle compared to the agony I carried inside, every moment of every day.

My pause gave the other exile the chance to take a swing. His foot collided with my hand so hard that my dagger went flying across the room. I kept my eyes on my attackers but my ear on my weapon, listening to the reverberations as it slid along the concrete floor and eventually hit the far wall with a clang.

The exiles smiled.

I sighed.

Then I leapt into the air, gaining enough height to grip the brown--haired exile’s throat between my knees. Twisting my body as I fell through the air, I dragged the exile down with me, his neck breaking with a loud crunch.

It wouldn’t keep him down for good, but a broken neck buys time.

The exile in the gray suit grabbed me roughly from behind and threw me into the wall.

I groaned as I slid down the metal piping my back had hit. It was the opposite wall to my dagger.

Damn it.

It wasn’t an ideal situation. And I wasn’t fool enough to delude myself into thinking I could make it to my dagger. I was regretting my decision not to wear any other weapons tonight, but my dagger was the only weapon that, when sheathed, was invisible to human eyes.

Think, Vi.

I’d come down behind a wall of old crates. I was considering how I could use them to my advantage when I spotted a piece of the slim metal piping I’d broken in my fall. It lay by my foot.

I could hear the exiles moving toward me. They were cackling.

“We should take her body with us to the tournament tonight,” one said.

The other one laughed. “That would definitely put dark in the lead.”

“And everyone would know that we were the ones who killed her.”

Can anyone say “premature victory”?

Without stopping to think, I pulled off the bracelet from my left wrist, using the specially designed clasp to cut open the flesh around my silver marking, currently swirling in the presence of exiles, and let it spill onto the end of the metal bar.

It took just a few seconds, and as soon as I palmed the pipe, the exiles started to throw the crates aside then came into view, their smiles wide with anticipation.

I stood. I didn’t return their smiles. I didn’t bother to do anything other than what needed to be done.

I lunged, raising my elbow into the face of the black--haired exile as I spun, the metal pipe striking his companion through the heart. He was gone. I turned back to the first exile and, hoping that there was still enough of my blood on the pipe to do the trick and using my supernatural speed for all it was worth, I jammed the pipe straight into his neck.

His face wore an expression of pure surprise.

I’d seen that look before.

I sighed and my shoulders slumped forward, unfulfilled. This was my job, one that I would do for as long as I existed, which could be a significantly long time. But two years ago, I’d accepted that there was no longer any satisfaction to be had in my world.

No fairytales.

Only the cold.

Turning toward where I thought my dagger had landed, my surroundings suddenly changed.

I was no longer seeing the warehouse. There were flashes of white, moving fast, pounding hooves. Horses. Silver streaked through the air like a dance. Swords. Slashes of red painted the sky. Something sharp and deadly ripping through flesh—-wet and gruesome. Claws. Thousands and thousands of beings as far as I could see fought ruthlessly, with no sign of tiring. In the center, two warriors battled beneath a blinding light. I could not make out their faces.

I blinked hard.

The image was gone, and in its place Gray stood against the wall of Lincoln’s warehouse, casually flipping my dagger in the air. “Would you like me to applaud?” he asked.

Leaning against a metal support pole, he had that midtwenties look I’d come to associate with the older Grigori—-though I had no idea how old he really was—-and was dressed in his usual black jeans, black T--shirt, and black leather jacket. Black really was the only color worth investing in—-blood stains everything else. He sported about a week’s worth of growth on his face, though his head was shaved, the scars that ran over the top of his skull telling of a history both terrible and secret. Grigori did not generally scar, so I knew that whatever had caused these had occurred before Gray had turned seventeen.

I swallowed over the lump in my throat and glanced around as I composed myself. The whole…hallucination…had lasted only a couple of seconds. I clenched my jaw.

Christ. It was nothing. I’m just imagining things.

I snapped my bracelet back in place over my marking and shot him a dry look. “Should I be charging a spectator fee?”

My voice sounded normal but my ears felt like they were still ringing with the echoes of battle.

“Not if the show is going to be over so fast, princess.”

I glared at him for persisting with the stupid nickname. “You know, you could’ve stepped in and given me a hand.”

“Sure,” he said with a solemn nod. “And you could’ve waited until the meet time we’d all agreed on too.”

I looked away briefly. “So, why are you here early?” I asked, hoping to divert the conversation.

Gray tilted his head. “Because I know you.”

I shrugged off the veiled accusation, even though it was true. To a degree.

“It was easier this way.”

He threw my dagger into the air, and I caught it by the hilt and slipped it back into its sheath.

“Well you can explain that to the others, since they just arrived.”

Endless Blog Tour: Review + Guest Post

 

Welcome to my stop on the Endless blog tour being presented by Sourcebooks! Today I have a guest post from Jessica to share with you along with my review of the book!

Endless (The Violet Eden Chapters #4)
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Genre: YA Fantasy/Paranormal
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Description:

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...

Mythology of the Series

 

Discussing the mythology that has gone into the entire series is no small task.

I love every stage of research and have found throughout the books that it has become a bit of an obsession of mine to include hints or small snippets of mythology even at times when, unless the reader was really looking for it, they would not know it was there. From color choices, powers, geographical locations to different references, conversations, and wardrobe choices. I realize I may have a little problem! ;-) Every now and then a reader will write to me and say ... er, I happened to notice such and such and I was wondering if you had done that on purpose? Those messages are always a big highlight for me! 

More importantly to all of that is the direct mythology that I have chosen to use in order to anchor and drive the story and plot. When looking at what the big drivers have been – there is definitely the story from The Book of Enoch and his version of the Great Flood – that it was God’s response to discovering that angels on earth had been taking humans as husbands and wives and having children with them. According to his version, the flood was in fact brought by a legion of warrior angels and worked to rid the world of the children, and humans and to cast the offending angels into the pits of hell. That story more than any other was the foundation of Violet’s world of angels, exiled angels, and angel-human warriors on earth.

Beyond that, in each book I have selected a few pieces of mythology to manipulate into the story. In Entice I played with the tales of the Stigmata, the Tabernacles and the story of Judas. In Emblaze I used the historical references to the destruction of Thera, the mythology of the great City of Atlantis and the All Seeing Eye. In Endless, I had the opportunity to delve into biblical folklore, the angel hierarchy as well as some ancient Egyptian beliefs.

For me, having the opportunity to work with these references in this series has been an absolute highlight. It is not always possible to have such a huge range of research to work with when writing stories and I know I have been spoiled for choice with these books!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today and chatting with us about the mythology behind the series Jessica!

Endless is the fourth book in a young adult fantasy/paranormal series that follows our heroine, Violet Eden, as she continues to navigate the world of the Grigori and attempts to stop a full on war between exiles and angels. Things are about to get ugly - Lilith has been unleashed, Phoenix is still messing with her head, and war is not far off. Violet doesn't even know the full extent of her abilities - so how can she be ready to help save the world? Everyone believes that she's the key to winning the war, but she's having serious doubts. Not to mention her previously dead mother is back and her relationship with Lincoln is so complicated it hurts - literally. Will Violet and the rest of the Grigori be able to stop the exiles before they destroy the world or will Violet have to pay the ultimate price?

This is by far one of my favorite series I've ever read and Endless did not disappoint in the least. Most series start to burn out by the fourth book or so, but this one only seems to get more exciting and intense. I absolutely love the overarching plot of the series - the mythology of angels, exiles, and Grigori. We learn a little more about them and their history in each book and I'm utterly fascinated by every tidbit the author gives me. The story in this book was really intense as things are getting heated between the exiles and the Grigori. There's so much going on throughout the book, but I didn't feel overwhelmed or confused in the least. The characters are all incredible. There's quite an array of characters by now in the series, and they each have their own distinct personalities with flaws and strengths. Violet is a kickass heroine - she's smart, strong, brave, and doesn't back down from what needs to be done. There's definitely some romantic elements to the story, but I think it makes the series even better. There are so many obstacles and impossibilities in front of Violet and Lincoln, but they refuse to give up on each other. The writing was phenomenal, as usual. The book picked up where the last one left off and it was like I never missed a beat in the story. I was instantly back in Violet's world alongside her and the rest of the gang by the end of the first paragraph. There's a fast pace to the book due to the action and the impending war, so it had me reading as fast as I could to see what was going to happen next. Although it's catagorized as a fantasy or paranormal series, there's a ton of other genres mixed in - action, adventure, romance, thrills, suspense, and awesome mythology. I don't experience extreme reactions to books very often, but with this book (the entire series actually), I found myself going through a whole slew of emotions that I couldn't keep in check. There were points where I was rooting for Violet and the gang, parts where I was literally like "OMG! WHAT?!?!, and parts where I cried - a lot. It's always a sign of the author's exceptional talent when a book can affect me like that. I'm already anxiously awaiting the next book in the series to see what will happen next. The only problem is how long I'm going to have to wait. I honestly can't recommend this book or this series highly enough to everyone. I don't care what genres you usually prefer - this series will appeal to fans of all types of fiction. If you haven't read this series - DO IT NOW. You will not be disappointed - that I promise you.

An Ultimate All Time Favorite!!

Jessica Shirvington is the author of THE VIOLET EDEN CHAPTERS also known as THE EMBRACE SERIES, and stand alone novel, BETWEEN THE LIVES. An entrepreneur, author, and mother living in Sydney, Australia, Jessica is also a 2011 finalist for Cosmopolitan’s annual Fun, Fearless Female Award. She’s also one of the lucky few who met the love of her life at age seventeen: Matt Shirvington, a former Olympian and current sports broadcaster for FOXTEL and Sky News. Married for twleve years with two beautiful daughters, Sienna and Winter, Jessica knows her early age romance and its longevity has definitely contributed to how she tackles relationships in her YA novels. (Taken from Goodreads)

http://www.jessicashirvington.com/

*Note - I did not make the banner at the top of this post. It was originally found on the book blog, Chapter by Chapter.*

Emblaze Blog Tour: Author Interview & Review

Emblaze (The Violet Eden Chapters #3)
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy/Romance
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Description:

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...  

1. What was your inspiration for writing the Violet Eden series?

First and foremost it was just the idea of Violet's character. That she be flawed, destined for greatness but not already great, have to make life changing choices and live with unkind consequences. I wanted to use biblical folklore and mythology so that led to the angel hierarchy and from there the story grew.

2. Do you have to do any special research for the series (locations they visit or angel mythology)?

Yes. The research is endless and such a small portion ends up in the books but you need to do it anyway. Sometimes it is more about what not to include as well. I have done a fair bit of travel for the research and am about to depart on my final research trip next week for the last book in the series (book 5).

The mythology is researched in various ways. i try to use a combination of many mixed religions and ancient mythology. i have my preferred sources and I also do a lot of internet trawling too.

3. How many books do you have planned for the series?

Five.

4. Is Violet or any of the other characters based off of people you know?

No. I mean, there are certainly qualities that she has that remind me of people I know but I always keep my characters completely fictional - that way I feel confident that they belong solely to the story.

5. Can we expect any big surprises in the next book?

Yep. Emblaze is a book of revelations and will finish with a very big surprise. But I'm not telling ;-)

6. How did you become a writer? Was there a person or situation that prompted you to start writing?

I fell into it. I had never considered writing as a career. I owned a successful company in the United Kingdom and it wasn't until I moved back to Australia and had my second child that I started to write. Even then, I didn't realise I was writing a book, but one year later Embrace was on the shelves. I've been very lucky.

7. What tips do you have for aspiring writers?  

Just to give it a go. Write what you are passionate about. If you can inject your emotion and your heart into a story, then you will find your audience.

8. Biggest question! Are you Team Lincoln or Team Phoenix??

I'll never tell ;-)

A huge thanks to Jessica for stopping by and answers my questions today! Although I'm seriously intrigued by her question to number 8...

Emblaze is the third book in the Violet Eden Chapters, a young adult paranormal/fantasy series that continues to follow Violet Eden as she grapples with fate - only this time Phoenix is trying to kill her and resurrect his mother, Lilith, from Hell. With the fate of the world in her hands (along with her friends and backup from the Academy), Violet must push aside her volatile emotions toward her partner and soul mate, Lincoln, and prepare to face the biggest and baddest exile yet. Will Violet have what it takes to stop Phoenix before it's too late? Will she be able to contain Lilith and save thousands of innocent lives? And what will all this cost to Violet and her friends?

I just have to note first off that I am a HUGE fan of this series and I've been impatiently waiting for this book to release since I finished the last one (which feels like forever ago). This is one of the most thrilling, action packed, amazing series I have ever read - and it only seems to get better. Most series seem to fizzle out over the course of their books, with the characters getting boring and the plot lines getting old. NOT the case with this series! Emblaze lived up to my high hopes and then flew right past them all. I love Violet as a main character. She's strong - both physically and emotionally - but she has serious issues. She knows it and everyone else knows it. She struggles a lot with her feelings and desires for Lincoln - there are parts in the book that my heart really went out to her about their situation. Then there's the whole weight of the world on her shoulders thing - she's trying so hard to manage this special destiny that nobody really knows about but won't let her forget either. Shove a gorgeous yet deadly exile named Phoenix into the mix - one that has the ability to mix up Violet's emotions and use them against her - and the fact he wants her dead and they have a strange yet undeniable attraction... things get complicated fast. The characters in the book continue to develop and mature, along with their messy relationships with one another. We see them grow and become stronger yet more damaged - just like in real life. The plot to the story simply blew my mind. I love the mythology that continues to run deep throughout the series and I wasn't disappointed with the amount put into this book. I love learning the history of the exiles and the Grigori - it's really intriguing to me. We learn a lot in this book and there's more ancient prophecies and trips to stop the gates of Hell from being opened - you know, the usual. I loved reading all the special abilities that Violet is only starting to discover about herself and although we don't know her true abilities or her destiny - it's going to be huge and I can't wait to find out what will happen. Sadly, this book had to end (like they all do) and now I'm left to impatiently await the next book to release sometime next year. UGH. The worst part about finishing an amazing book is the fact that it has to end. At least I can take comfort that there are two more books in the series - that's something. Overall - the writing is fantastic, the plot is wonderful - this book is flat out awesomely amazing! READ IT NOW. If you haven't read this series yet, READ IT NOW. You'll thank me.

ONE OF THE BEST OUT THERE!!

 

Jessica Shirvington is the author of THE VIOLET EDEN CHAPTERS also known as THE EMBRACE SERIES. An entrepreneur, author, and mother living in Sydney, Australia, Jessica is also a 2011 finalist for Cosmopolitan’s annual Fun, Fearless Female Award. She’s also one of the lucky few who met the love of her life at age seventeen: Matt Shirvington, a former Olympian and current sports broadcaster for FOXTEL and Sky News. Married for almost eleven years with two beautiful daughters, Sienna and Winter, Jessica knows her early age romance and its longevity has definitely contributed to how she tackles relationships in her YA novels. Previously, she founded a coffee distribution company, Stella Imports, in London, and before that was involved in the management of restaurants Fuel Bistro and MG Garage in Sydney. Jessica is now a full-time novelist and living her dream.  

http://www.jessicashirvington.com/ 

 

Entice Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway

 

Entice (The Violet Eden Chapters #2)

Author: Jessica Shirvington

Genre: YA Paranormal

Release Date: September 4, 2012 

Description: 

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.

Entice is the second compelling book in The Violet Eden Chapters.   

Review:

Entice is the second book in a young adult paranormal series that focuses on our heroine, Violet Eden, as she continues to come to grips with her new identity as a Grigori - part angel and part human. On top of this, she has to focus on the return of Phoenix (and what that may mean for her), the arrival of Grigori from New York, and her ever growing feelings for Lincoln. When word that Phoenix is looking for the Scripture spreads, Violet and her fellow Grigori must rush to get there first. Will they get there in time to stop Phoenix and who among them is betraying them?

After reading and loving the first book in the series, I had high hopes for this book. I'm glad to say that I definitely wasn't disappointed. The story picks up where the first left off with ease, and I was right back in the story before I knew it. The book is very well written and was fast-paced - which made me unable to put it down. The characters are multi-layered and very likeable, and we are able too see a lot of character growth in the second book. The amount of detail put into the backstory and the intricate world of the angels and Grigori that the author created is incredible. I absolutely loved all the varied aspects of it - the hierarchy of angels, the different Grigori powers, all the detailed history - I think that this is a huge strength for the series and it had me completely enthralled. The romance in the novel between Violet and Lincoln is perfect. They have a complicated relationship, but the love they feel is undeniable and pulls at your heart. I can't say enough about this book or the series to relate how much I enjoyed it. It's a mysterious and enchanting world that I can't get enough of - and now I will be desperately waiting for the next book (even though it feels like forever until it will be released). Very highly recommended!

 

About the Author:

Jessica Shirvington is the author of THE VIOLET EDEN CHAPTERS also known as THE EMBRACE SERIES. An entrepreneur, author, and mother living in Sydney, Australia, Jessica is also a 2011 finalist for Cosmopolitan’s annual Fun, Fearless Female Award. She’s also one of the lucky few who met the love of her life at age seventeen: Matt Shirvington, a former Olympian and current sports broadcaster for FOXTEL and Sky News. Married for almost eleven years with two beautiful daughters, Sienna and Winter, Jessica knows her early age romance and its longevity has definitely contributed to how she tackles relationships in her YA novels. Previously, she founded a coffee distribution company, Stella Imports, in London, and before that was involved in the management of restaurants Fuel Bistro and MG Garage in Sydney. Jessica is now a full-time novelist and living her dream. (Taken from Goodreads)

 

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