In Case You Missed It - Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Published: January 1st, 2010

Publisher: Sourcebooks, Fire

Pages: 369

Copy: Library

Summary: Goodreads

On her 17th birthday, everything will change for Violet Eden. The boy she loves will betray her. Her enemy will save her. She will have to decide just how much she's willing to sacrifice. 
Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, EMBRACE is a compelling novel of good and evil, seductive desires and impossible choices. A centuries old war between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity chooses a new fighter. It's a battle Violet doesn't want, but she lives her life by two rules: don't run and don't quit. If angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden. 
LINCOLN: He's been Violet's one anchor, her running partner and kickboxing trainer. Only he never told her he's Grigori--part human, part angel--and that he was training her for an ancient battle between Angels and Exiles. 
PHOENIX: No one knows where his loyalties lie, yet he's the only one there to pick up the pieces and protect her after Lincoln's lies. In a world of dark and light, he is all shades of gray. 
Two sides: Angel or Exile.
Two guys: Lincoln or Phoenix.
The wrong choice could cost not only her life, but her eternity... 

Embrace first came out several years ago and I seem to remember passing it by because it was about Angels.  I was on an angel overdose at the time and it didn't appeal.  However, when I saw a few weeks ago that #5 in the series, 'Empower', was due out, I reread the blurbs and decided it was time to give it a try - and boy, am I glad I did.

My first misconception was that Embrace was just about angels, but it's more about angel offspring, or Grigoi than angels themselves.  Ms. Shirvington has developed a very interesting mythology about the Grigori - an angel gives a piece of its soul to a child who loses a parent within the first 20 days of his/her life.  Enter Violet Eden, whose mother died giving birth.  The twist here is that it turns out Violet's mother was also Grigori and that makes Violet special.  Enter Lincoln and Phoenix.  One Grigori, one a fallen angel - both keeping secrets from her and adding major complications to violets life.  As a reader, we are rather more aware of what is going on than Violet and that makes some of her actions somewhat frustrating, but understandable.

There is a nice thread of tension that runs through the story and some mysterious goings on that will delight and enthrall.  I really enjoyed Embrace and I'm impatiently waiting for Entice to arrive for me at the library so that I can find out more about these fascinating characters.

Wanna win some free books? We are hosting a Canada Day giveaway.  Win up to two books up to $20CND each to anywhere the Book Depository ships!  See our post for details!