Teaser Tuesday: Empower by Jessica Shirvington

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

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"She thought about this, watching me. 'What did you give?'
I pressed my lips together, my teeth biting down hard to distract me.  Finally I answered, 'I gave my heart.'"  Australian copy, pg. 197

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There are no words.  NO WORDS!!!!!  This series is just so amazing.  I'm going to be so sad to see it end.

YA Sisterhood's Most Anticipated Books of 2014

There are so many good books coming out this year, and I cannot wait for so many of them!  But, there are a few that I am DYING to get my hands on!!! So, here we go....(in no particular order)

I just love Tahereh Mafi, and I just don't know what team I'm on!  I love Adam and Warner!

I'm usually not a huge high fantasy fan, but I LOVE this series.  The Grisha world is fantastic, and The Darkling--evil or not, he has my heart.

Oh Kaidan, how I love thee. I needn't say any more!

This is a family favorite--while Amy has already read Empower (I shake my fist at her), I remain ever hopeful that I'll get an early copy!  Because Phoenix and Lincoln--love them both.

 I loved April's debut novel--the setting and characters drew me straight into her mad world.  I can't wait to find out what's next. 

We love Cora, and now she is writing a book after this Texas girl's own heart--a book with a football heartthrob.  Just can't wait.

I have been waiting forever for Stephanie Perkins new book!!! 

This one sounds super creepy--and I love a good macabre story!

Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore--a historical romance that sounds to die for!

And finally....there are a few I'm dying for that have no covers yet (and some no titles!)

Dead of Winter (The Arcana Chronicles #3)--this is absolutely one of my favorite series, and Kresley Cole has become one of my favorite authors!!!

Invisible (The Twixt) by Dawn Metcalf--I loved the first book Indelible, and I can't wait to jump into the world again!

There you have it, my list (thus far) of 2014's I'm dying for.  This list always seems to expand as I find more and more. 

Leave me a link to your list (if you have one), as I would love to comment!

What books are you dying for?  (As I'm sure I left some out!)

Endless by Jessica Shirvington (Embrace #4)

Endless by Jessica Shirvington

Australian copy received from Brianna (Another thanks!)

Release date:  October 1, 2013

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  A Rainbow of Excitement, Love, and Loss

Love will kill us all.

Angels are real. They aren't always kind. Violet Eden is certain of all this because she is Grigori - part angel, part human. She has felt the influence of both light and dark.

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 that Violet will face. For her, the endless question 'Can love conquer all?' will finally be answered.

I don’t even know where to begin, other than, Jessica Shirvington, you have ripped my heart to shreds!!!!  I don’t even know where to begin to pick up the pieces.  This is one of those series that I am emotionally attached to—putting it in the esteemed company of The Covenant Series, Harry Potter Series, Mortal Instuments and Shatter Me.  I feel like I’ve come to know each and every one of the characters, and each one, good and bad, has managed to wriggle their way into my reality.  This series is unbelievably amazing, and as I much as I want to read what’s next, I wish it would never end.

Be prepared for heartbreak—there is your warning.

Instead of doing a normal review, I have picked out a few of the chapter headings to be my focus.

 

1.) From Chapter 3, “Can you hear Destiny laugh as she tiptoes toward you?  Destiny is heartless.” –Anonymous

Fate unfolds brilliantly in this fourth installment of the Embrace series.  You finally see more about Nox and Uri, and more importantly, you get more insight into Violet’s Angel Maker.  But these revelations won’t give you peace, not when you see how Destiny careens towards such a devastating cliff.  I loved how Jessica brought in the smallest details from the first books and brought them together, culminating in a remarkable set-up for action, betrayal, and revelations.

 

2.) From Chapter 8, “No man chooses evil because it is evil…he only mistakes it for happiness, the good he seeks.” –Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

One of the things I like about Jessica’s story is that no one is without redemption, if they so choose it.  That being said, you just never know who is going to step out of the shadows and show themselves a traitor.  Everyone’s actions are circumspect, and I love the mystery that surrounds the Exiles and Grigori alike.  And Phoenix, of course, the Exile that stole my heart (even though I love Lincoln, too!) shows us the ace up his sleeve.

 

3.) From Chapter 15, “The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple.”  Oscar Wilde

Oh what a tangled web we weave!  I can never seem to figure out what is going to happen next with this series, and that is truly a remarkable thing.  Books have become wholly too predictable, so it’s a breath of fresh air to not know what is going to happen with Violet, Lincoln, and Phoenix.

 

4.) From Chapter 30, “Let your plans be dark and as impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.” Sun Tzu

The climax of this book is amazing!!!  It was morose and heart-breaking, but the scene that Jessica has portrayed is as vivid as any movie you will ever see.  More so, I love seeing how Violet comes into her powers, and believe me, she does strike like a thunderbolt.

 

5.) The final quote is the quote at the beginning of the book, but I left it until the end because it illuminates the epicness of what is to come:  “Light and darkness, life and death, right and left, are brothers of one another.  They are inseparable.  Because of this neither are the good good, nor the evil evil, nor is life life, nor death death.”  The Gospel of Philip

Jessica has created a world where light and darkness co-exist and whose to tell which one is more good.  A world where good and evil exist as one, not separate entities trying to expunge the other.  It’s a world where life leads to death, and death may lead to true life.  I love this world, this book, these characters; and if I found myself on the edge of a cliff, being dared by an Angel to jump off; I might just give it a thought (you know, if there was a Phoenix and Lincoln waiting for me on the other side).

Blog Tour Review and Giveaway: Emblaze by Jessica Shirvington

Emblaze by Jessica Shirvington

eARC received from Sourcebooks via Netgalley

Release Date:  On Shelves NOW!

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Exhilarating, Excruciating, and Exceptional

Let me just say, I love Jessica Shirvington.  This series is turning into one of my absolute favorites, and I am giddy with excitement for the new CW show based on this series!  After that ending from book 2, “Care for a trade, lover?,”  I was on edge because I just had to know what was going to happen next.  So, as often happens, I started building up these huge expectations for Emblaze.  And I’m happy to say, that it did not disappoint!  This is the best book so far!

One of the things I love about this series is it doesn’t waste any time jumping into the action.  So many books waste time reminding us of every little detail of the past book, and that really bugs me.  I like being reminded of some things, but the bigger stuff?  No need to remind us.  Jessica doesn’t waste your time with this, instead, she jumps straight into Exile vs. Grigori action.  There is never a dull moment, and so many of the scenes are filled to the brim with powerful emotion.  I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!

So, if you’ve read my other reviews/teasers, then you know I’m a Team Phoenix fan.  Don’t judge me—I like the bad boys that are in dire need of redemption.  (I mean, come on, I’m Team Cole, Team Darkling, so it goes without saying, I’m Team Phoenix).  And we get SO MUCH Phoenix in this one that I felt like I was on Cloud 9.  I loved seeing inside his head, knowing the pain and loneliness that consumes him from the inside out.  It made him seem more human, even when his actions were cruel and demonic.  So many people might argue that he is truly evil, but I think, more than anything, he is suffering, and as a result, he lashes out at those he loves.  It happens.  How many of us have said something we regret to a loved one?  Now, Phoenix takes this much further than words, but I think everyone will understand him a bit more after seeing that he is truly broken.

Now even though I’m Team Phoenix, I still love Lincoln, and I won’t be disappointed when/if Violet ends up with him.  That’s another think I love about this book—both guys make me happy!  I usually have a strong negative reaction towards one of the guys when there is a love triangle involved, but here?  I like them both, and will be happy no matter what ending, unless somebody dies.  Then I’ll die of misery.  But if you’re a Lincoln fan, be ready for some angst.  Some heart-pounding, soul-ripping angst.  Violet and Lincoln’s love is epic, and this book really shows us the struggle they must undergo in deciding whether love is worth the risk.

Violet remains one of my favorite heroines.  She’s strong, but not the “I just woke up one day and was a bad ass” strong.  She still has to work on her powers, and there are definitely things about her powers and her past (not to mention her future) that are up in the air.  Still, she doesn’t let that bring her down.  She stands strong and fights the exiles head on without ever wavering.  She’s not whiney, even when she has every reason to be, and I really like this no pity side of her.  If she were to sit around moping, I would definitely get annoyed.

And

That

Ending!

Oh my gosh—I did not see it coming!  But don’t fret, it’s not one of those “Is he/she alive or dead” type of cliffhangers.  It’s more of a jaw dropping, “what the heck just happened?” cliffhanger.  It won’t let you upset or frustrated, only curious and thrilled for the next installment.

I highly recommend this series to paranormal romance lovers.  Jessica’s world is magical, where the characters are covered in either lies or love; and where the truth is the most heartbreaking thing of all.

 

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Teaser Tuesday: Emblaze by Jessica Shirvington

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!

(make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Emblaze by Jessica Shirvington
Published by Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date:  TODAY!

"I wasn't me; it wasn't some stupid crush.  I wasn't even love.  It was more--much, much more.  It transcended anything he and I could ever be individually and was all about what we were together.  My soul was screaming for him, demanding that it have his." 
eARC, Location 2116-2117

(Phoenix to Violet) "'Love will kill us all,' he said sadly 'First, it makes us lie furiously so we can be what we must in order to appear deserving.  Then, it tears us apart with raw truth.  Whether we are man, exile, or angel--it doesn't matter.  For us all, the nature of truth is unforgiving.'" eARC, Location 3455-3457

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This book is amazing.  I was drawn into the pain and drama of Violet and Lincoln's relationship, and let me say, love is pain.  It might be beautiful and unrelenting and passionate and perfect, but above all those things, love is pain.  Emblaze was the best yet in this series, and Jessica has a forever fan in me.  Plus, we get quite a bit of Phoenix in this one, and I still can't help it; the guy could hold a gun to my head and I'd still want him to kiss me.  He's undeniably sexy--evil and all.  Emblaze....it was just awesome, and if the CW doesn't give this series the green light for next season, then I'm going to throw the hissy fit of all hissy fits.
 

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington: A Review and a Giveaway!

Embrace by
Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany
ARC Received from Permabound Books
Release Date: 3/6/12
The Sisters say: Angelic. Amazing. Action-packed. That's Amore!

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… 

Look for the sequels ENTICED in September 2012 and EMBLAZE in March 2013!

You know... every time I think I'm tired of a certain trend-- a new book pops up that still manages to sweep me away! I thought I'd had enough of Angels, but sure couldn't get enough of Embrace.

Violet is a kick-butt heroine! She's independent, but not so independent that she's without weakness. She's witty, but not so witty that she's always knows exactly what to say. She's brave, but not without fear. She's attractive, but she's insecure. But... she's not so insecure that she's annoying. What I'm trying to say is.... she's real. I could see myself in her. She wasn't one of those heroines that seems to be good at everything, and is practically the second coming. On the flip side, she wasn't one of those heroines who is plain, but everyone treats her like she's amazing. She had all the right mix of attributes to make her an honest, relatable character.

Shirvington gives us a unique take on how her part-angels, known as Grigori, are created. Whenever the mom dies in childbirth, it creates an opening in the baby's... um, aura, I guess? Angels (either light or dark) then have the option of giving a piece of themselves to that child to make him or her a Grigori-- human protectors who wage battles against the fallen angels on earth. There's not a whole lot of religion involved in the book. The angelic realm is balanced by good and evil, and it's a mystery to the Grigori and to the angels, as much as it is to humans. There are a few big plot twists that will keep you hooked (though with the fast pace of this book, I don't think that will be an issue).

Okay... I've gotten some coherent thoughts in... SO NOW IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE BOYS. See what I did there? I held off as long as I could, really.

LIIIIIINNNNNCCCOOOOOLLLLLLLLNNNNNN.

That's what my brain looked like as I read this book. Or occasionally like this....

LINCOLNLINCOLNLINCOLNLINCOLNLINCOLN

Once or twice it looked like this...

LINCOLNLINCOLNPHOENIXLINCOLNLINCOLNPHOENIIIIIIIIIXXXXXXXXX.

Alright. Let me try and real some coherent thoughts back in.

The boys in this book are some of the most swoon-worthy boys I've seen in a long time. If Lincoln doesn't make the YA Crush Tourney this summer, I will die. Unless Phoenix saves me.

Lincoln is Violet's friend. He's older, and they met in a self-defense class. Since then he's become her pseudo-trainer. He's that perfect, hot older guy, that seems out of your reach, but then does something to make you think otherwise. I won't tell you much about it... but there's this kiss... and GUYS. DANG. IT IS SOME KISS.

But when Violet realizes she's Grigori, and that Lincoln is too-- things start to fall apart. Just when it seemed that something might be happening between them, she learns nothing can, because it's not allowed.

Enter Phoenix. Fallen Angel. The very creature from whom she's supposed to protect humanity. But he's different (far different than she will realize until the end of the book). He is hotness incarnate. And he's there when Lincoln isn't.

Seriously. SWOON. BOTH OF THEM. BUT MOSTLY LINCOLN.

And do you know what the best part is? This is a trilogy, but Sourcebooks has scheduled the releases only 6 months apart. Which is good, because I'm suffering from Lincoln withdrawals already.

Oh, wait, I almost forgot! Do you know what the even better best part is???

I HAVE A COPY OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY TO YOU FOR FREEEEEEE!