New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

I had some amazing books land in my mailbox this week. A huge thank you to Raincoast Books for both of them. I am excited to start reading them.

Empower by Jessica Shirvington (goodreads)
Plus One by Elizabeth Fama (goodreads)

I am curious as to how Violet's story will wrap up in Empower. I've enjoyed the journey so far and am hoping she ends up with a somewhat happy ending.

I've heard nothing but amazing things about Plus One by Elizabeth Fama. I will be diving into this one as soon as possible.

Happy weekend, and happy reading!

Endless by Jessica Shirvington

Endless by Jessica Shirvington
Release Date - October 1, 2013
Publisher Website -  Sourcebooks Fire/Raincoast Books
Publisher Social Media -  Twitter
Pages - 480 pages
My Rating - 3.5/5
**obtained for review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

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...

The Violet Eden Chapters series keeps getting better with each installment. Family takes the spotlight as Violet's family life is turned upside down with the reappearance of her mother, and things slowly build to the breaking point.

Violet Eden's story has seen many ups and downs. She's had some pretty life changing, crushing things thrown at her. The end of Emblaze throws the biggest by having her mother return.

This chapter in the story allows us to introduce Violet' mother Evelyn. Her shocking appearance at the end of Emblaze left me eager to get my hands on the next book. Having her back creates a tension separate from the angel/demon drama that is going on in Violet's life. It reminds you that even though she may have been touched by the supernatural, her problems at time can be all too human. Violet's father also undergoes a change from having Evelyn back in his life. Their family dynamic gets thrown into a tailspin, and secrets come gushing out. It was refreshing to have the focus on Violet's family, even if the outside threats are still at their heels.

With Violet's mother, we also have a returned Lilith. She's a fascinating, deadly character who is going to shape the final in the most dangerous ways. The questions that arise in having both her and Evelyn back play out throughout the novel, creating a tension that will have potentially huge ramifications for the next installment.

The romance is my favourite part of this series. It's sexy, captivating, and intoxicating. Violet's torn between Linc and Phoenix. Her decision only gets harder as each suitor shows a different side of themselves as the series goes on. Phoenix is the dangerous bad boy who is hiding something, and Linc is the guy whose always been there for her. Linc really won me over in Emblaze, and well I think Violet's heart is won, her feelings for the other guy are obvious. She wants the other one to be okay, and as a result the reader does too.

While Endless is not my favourite in the series, that honour goes to Emblaze, it's still an important installment in Violet's story. This is Violet hitting bottom. This is what needs to happen to prepare her for what's to come, even if the ending did almost kill me. This is what is going to lead to her ultimate decision in the final book. It feels like an set up for what's to come, because it had a slower pace than the others.

Violet has to make some tough decisions before the final chapter of Endless. These decisions set up what I expect will be an epic finale. A series that has impressed me with it's danger, sexiness, and intense main character. Those who have loved Violet's story so far will eagerly race through this installment. I, personally, am excited to see how it's all going to end.

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews). 


A few borrowed books this week and some ebooks for review!

Endless by Jessica Shirvington (Goodreads)
Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (Goodreads)
Onyx by Jennifer L Armentrout (Goodreads)

I also snagged this via ebook after the news broke

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (AKA JK ROWLING!!!!) (Goodreads)

So if you missed the news JK Rowling has written a crime novel under a pen name that released in April of this year. It was announced late Saturday (or that's when I stumbled upon the news) that she is indeed the writer. I can't wait to read this.

I am also going to be part of the Endless blog tour. Super excited to read this as I've enjoyed the previous installments of this series. Huge thank you to Sourcebooks for the chance to review.

Big thank you to Ciara (from Lost At Midnight) for lending me Incarnate and Onyx. After Obsidian, I am dying to read Onyx and will hopefully be starting it soon.

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!

Emblaze by Jessica Shirvington

Emblaze by Jessica Shrivington 

Release Date – March 5, 2013

Publisher Website - Sourcebooks/Raincoast Books

Publisher Social Media -  Twitter

Pages -  464 pages

My Rating- 4/5

**Received from publisher for review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

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 realize 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….

Angels. An epic battle. Steamy romance. One thing I’ve come to expect with this series, and Jessica Shirvington’s writing,  is that each book amps up the romance, and danger. Each book dives deeper into the mythology. Each book just gets better. This is a series that grabs you before you even know that you’re hooked. 

Romance is a huge part of Violet’s story. The forbidden variety seems to be what Violet specializes in. The other novels have shown the seductive side of Phoenix, but Emblaze let’s her connection with Linc shine. There is an especially electric scene between the two that left me a little breathless. It seems obvious, to me anyways, that what Violet and Linc have is undeniable. Their chemistry is palpable, and as torturous as it as for them (and for the reader) I enjoyed every delicious moment.

The characters continue to surprise me. It may not be unique, but I like that Jessica has allowed them to not fit into a specific category. Nobody is all good, or all bad. They ebb and flow, and continuously change. 

Phoenix continues to fascinate, and seduce me. His character is your typical bad boy with a good heart underneath it all. It’s his reasons for doing what he does that intrigue me. I am curious to see what his next move is after the events of this novel. A broken heart tempts even the strongest individuals to darkness, and I think Phoenix does care for Violet. He's dangerous, but controlled and that leaves him as being capable of anything.

Spence has quickly become one of my favourite characters. His snark, humour, and unwavering loyalty make him a fantastic addition to Violet's life. He’s a true friend to Violet, and I find myself becoming quite attached to him, and his outcome at the end of the series.

Jessica Shirvington takes real life locations and fuses them with her angel mythology so seamlessly that it feels organic and possible. Creating a mythology that is woven into something real creates this connection that allows disbelief to be suspended, which makes falling into the story that much easier. It makes Violet’s journey that much more vibrant, and our connection to it that make deeper.

Everything Violet has been avoiding dealing with kind of creeps up on her in this installment. Her feelings for Linc, the bond with Phoenix, her relationship with her father, her mother’s death, and bringing Steph into this dangerous world. It’s not surprising that Violet crumbles. I’ve always thought she was impulsive, and should let others in more, and this chapter of her story is no exception. Her guilt over many things is eating her inside, and it triggers the recklessness inside her. 

The ending, once again, provides a killer cliffhanger that this series is known for. It’s one that monumentally changes the series and assures that as intense as Violet’s life was, it’s about to get even more complicated.

The Violet Eden Chapters is a series that continues to delight, and thrill me with each new chapter. With characters that you care about, non stop action, and swoon worthy romance, it’s a series that is both captivating and addictive. 

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

This week is a big one for bookish goodness. I met with some of the Ottawa blogettes this week and borrowed books from them, and also got a package of awesome from Raincoast Books.

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins (goodreads)
Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins (goodreads)
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (goodreads)

Thanks Katie (from Bookishly Yours) for lending these!

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan (goodreads)

I got this one from the library after hearing how amazing it is.

Package of awesome from Raincoast included

Unremembered by Jessica Brody (goodreads)
Emblaze by Jessica Shirvington (goodreads)
Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally (goodreads) *not pictured as it was promptly borrowed by another blogger*

Thank you so much to the people at Raincoast. I was so excited to get these.

Happy Sunday and Happy Reading!

Entice by Jessica Shrivington

Entice by Jessica Shrivington
Release Date – September 4, 2011
Publisher Website –  Raincoast Books/Sourebooks Fire
Publisher Social Media -  Twitter
Pages -  464 pages
My Rating- 4/5
**obtained from publisher via BEA for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

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.  

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

Angels, temptation, romance, action. All these are found in abundance in Jessica Shirvington’s engrossing series.  A betrayer will be exposed, romance heats up, and new characters are introduced in this second instalment to the Violet Eden Chapters.

The writing in this novel is just as readable as in Embrace. Simple, yet packed filled with descriptions and feelings. Jessica Shirvington’s strength is in her characterization. I was quickly invested in these characters from the beginning and those feelings only grew in this novel.

Violet is still dealing with the aftermath of the events from Embrace. She’s embraced her angel side, and is actively training to be Grigori. She is changed by her connection with Phoenix, but is trying to move on. The Violet we meet in this novel is a little less sure of herself, a little more hesitant, yet just as strong. She is not someone to sit back and let others do the heavy lifting. Her eagerness to dive in is reckless, but it makes her endearing. She isn’t perfect, but she is trying with every fibre of her being.

We get to meet a group of new characters. Spence immediately bursts on to the scene like a firework. Full of energy, anger, and charm. He makes sure you notice him. The other characters are equally wonderful, and learning more about them in subsequent novels will be a pleasure. The development of even secondary characters is substantial for this type of main character driven story.

Phoenix is once again compelling and tempting.  This novel however, cemented my Team Linc status. Phoenix is dark, dangerous and volatile. Linc, well he has his faults, has nothing but Violet’s best interest at heart. The two sides to Violet are pulled towards each guy for different reasons. She gets something unique out of each relationship. The one she’s built with Linc feels real, and based on something other than sexual attraction and chemistry. Phoenix is the exact opposite. He is all sexual chemistry and lust.

The tying in of religious elements is done in a way that will appeal to everyone. It balances perfect between the reality of angels being tied into religion without it dominating the storyline. It’s woven is as a captivating part of the story. The race to find a powerful relic relies heavily on action and the religious elements to push the story along.

Violet’s father is of the all too familiar missing parent in Young Adult variety. I have hope that he will realize something is going on with his daughter and become more involved. There are signs that he tries in this novel, but I look forward to seeing how this develops.

The ending will leave you breathless for Emblaze, the next instalment in this fast paced series. This series blends action, romance, and intrigue as well as having some fantastic characters. If you haven’t fallen under this series spell already - what are you waiting for?

Jessica Shirvington - Guest Post - Embrace Blog Tour

Today I am part of the ongoing blog tour for Jessica Shirvington's Embrace. I have Jessica stopping by with a guest post about her novel and setting.

If you haven't read this wonderful novel and would like a chance to make sure to stop by and enter the giveaway I am hosting.

You can learn more about Embrace over at Goodreads, follow Jessica on Twitter and visit the author website. Thank you Jessica for stopping by again during the angel event!

Where Are You From?

By Jessica Shirvington

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.

Angel Pecking Order - Jessica Shirvington Guest Post

Today for my Angel Event Jessica Shirvington stops by to talk about the angel pecking order in her novel Embrace. I loved this novel, and am very happy to have Jessica stop by twice during this event.

Thank you for stopping by Jessica!

Angels Have A Pecking Order

by Jessica Shirvington

Researching for EMBRACE, I discovered the entire subject of Angelology to be truly fascinating. In the end, I chose to go with the most popular theory, that there are 3 choirs of angels and within each choir, 3 ranks.

At the top of the angel hierarchy sit the Seraphim. They are the angels that are supposed to burn with an all-consuming white flame and who perform the all-important role of maintaining the source of Existence within the physical world.

Following the Seraphim come the Cherubim, and Thrones. I always like the descriptions of the Thrones – bringers of justice.

In the second choir are Powers, Dominations and Virtues. And in the third choir – Principalities, Archangels and Angels (guardians).

In writing EMBRACE, discovering each of these ranks and their purpose on earth was what led to the development of my characters powers. Each character is specifically placed within a rank of angels and then given powers accordingly. For example: Griffin is parented by a Seraph angel, meaning he is a leader and his unique power is a mind power (that of reading and delivering truth) to correlate with the description of the Seraphim’s function in the universe. It is a great way of keeping order to the power pool!

Each angelic rank also has a different appearance and different color that represent them and I found this really interesting. Any time I describe an angelic image, it relates back to this research in some way. Additionally, combining this research with things like the Chakra has led me to the use of color as a representation of power and also gemstones as a link to old mythology. 

For example: Phoenix’s hair is like opal – so black that it shimmers with purple and it catches the light exposing streaks of dazzling silver. First, I loved the idea of his hair being different, but also, it linked to the significance to his power, and his heritage in the story. 

Basing the story around the bones of angel mythology and hierarchy gives me a solid structure to use as my foundation. It anchors the story and gives me direction any time I think the story might be straying.

Also, it allowed me to develop one of the big mysteries within the series: what rank is Violet from?

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
Release Date – March 6, 2012
Publisher Website – Sourcebook Fire/Raincoast Books
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 367 pages
My Rating- 9/10
**obtained from publisher for an honest review**

Here is the 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…

You may have read angel books before. This however is not your typical angel novel. Pulse pounding action, steamy scenes and great characters had me turning the pages late into the night.

Violet is a character that has to grow on you. You may not love her at first, but she will win you over by the end of the novel. She makes mistakes, is a little reckless, and you may want to shake her sometimes but she is also strong, determined, and willing to sacrifice herself for others.

There is romance, and somewhat of a triangle emerges. The two guys in Violet's life are Phoenix and Linc. Linc is the guy that has been there for her. Sweet, caring, and Violet feels she can share anything with him. I adored him right from the moment he says this line "'Did you ever think we would be anything other than unbelievable?". Seriously - SWOON!

Phoenix is temptation personified. He pushes Violet’s buttons in all the right ways. I felt him to be a little too aggressive, and was not a fan of certain things he did. However, there is no denying that his chemistry with Violet is sizzling and many will love him. What I love about both of these guys is that they are on pretty equal footing. Each has done sweet things for Violet and each has lied to her for their own reasons.

The strongest aspect of this novel is the story itself. The mythology is detailed and interesting. I am still not 100% sure I fully understand the angel hierarchy and what it means in the story. I am especially curious to learn more about the whole angel of light vs. angel of dark aspect of the story. I hope it’ll be explored more in the next books. The foundation for a rich back story is there and there are many questions still to be answered in Violet’s story. Jessica Shirvington writes in such a way that you immediately want to read more. Her writing has an addictive quality to it that makes you want to continue reading.

Jessica Shirvington has done what I didn’t think possible. She’s turned angels into sexy, seductive, and deadly beings. My heart pounded with the action. I found myself blushing with the steamy scenes and Violet is a heroine you will grow to like. I am very much looking forward to continuing this adventure in the next installments.

In My Mailbox

This is a weekly meme hosted by the awesome Kristi at The Story Siren. It gives us a chance to showcase the books we got during the week.

I have a ton of books to show you this week, as I have two weeks worth of books.

First my review stash

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington (goodreads)
New Girl by Paige Harbison (goodreads) *not pictured Netgalley title.

A huge thank you to Raincoast Books, and Harlequin Teen/Netgalley for these two review copies.

My library stash

This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel (goodreads)
Shine by Lauren Myracle (goodreads)

Super excited for both of these titles. Savvy Reader has made me want to read This Dark Endeavour so bad. I have heard amazing things about Shine as well.

My Christmas gift stash

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (goodreads)
Anna Dressed in Blood (goodreads) *not pictured as my friend Nikki took it to read!
Little Princes by Conor Grennan (goodreads)
Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose (goodreads)
A Brief History of Vampires by M.J. Trow (goodreads)

That little coffin shaped thing? Blood Hot Chocolate! My friend (and former room mate) got my the vampire book and hot chocolate for Christmas. I may have a thing for vampires, and she knows this.

I am getting my friend Nikki to read Anna Dressed in Blood. I loved it, and can't wait to see what she thinks of it.

Happy reading everyone! Have a fantastic start to your New Year!