Review - Embrace

by Jessica Shirvington
publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
date of publication: March 6, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 369
source: won in a giveaway

From Goodreads:

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…

Having heard all the hype surrounding Embrace, I went in expecting a great story with lots of romance and butt-kicking. I was intrigued by the premise as it was described and had been eagerly awaiting the time that I could pick it up and give it a read. Unfortunately, that's where my enthusiasm left off. Though the premise is, indeed, an interesting one, there were several aspects of the book that left me with feelings of disappointment.

The first issue I had with the book was the main character. I'm going to be completely frank here: Violet drove me absolutely bonkers. I don't expect flawless, goody-goody characters, but Violet is something else entirely. Even before there is any excuses for her behavior, she was so irrational and bratty that I soon found myself wishing that Embrace had an alternating point-of-view plot line. Unfortunately for me, it doesn't have that, so I was stuck with Violet for the duration. Not only is her reaction toward Lincoln when her secret is revealed above and beyond what is reasonable, but she constantly flouts warnings of the danger she will be in if she wanders around and does it anyway. It was absolutely maddening and I have the feeling it will be a while before I ever attempt the second book.

Usually, I don't mind the usual love triangle trope that you often see in YA books. However, I have decided that the love triangle featured in Embrace is the mother of all love triangles. It was so over the top and overwhelming that it very nearly consumes all other aspects of the story. The pacing was actually done well, but I almost missed out on that fact due to the utterly distracting relationship quandaries Violet finds herself in. I really wish that the Grigori aspect of the book had had more prominence than it did. Not much else about the storyline really stood out thanks to the near-constant angst that arose from the love triangle.

I wasn't sure about writing this review, but I realized that not writing one wouldn't be honest. I know several people have enjoyed this book, and I really wish I had been one of them. Unfortunately, I wasn't, so now the onus is on me to explain why. Disappointment does not sit well with me, so I hope that my review allows me to get it all out and let it go. I might someday give the series another chance and read the second book, but I think I'll be waiting for quite a while.

Buy Embrace at the Following Locations:

Amazon/ IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Review - The Vicious Deep

by Zoraida Cordova
publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
date of publication: May 1, 2012
format: hardcover
pages: 384
source: Southern Book Blogger ARC Tours
read it in: 2 days

From Goodreads :

For Tristan Hart, everything changes with one crashing wave.

He was gone for three days. Sucked out to sea in a tidal wave and spit back ashore at Coney Island with no memory of what happened. Now his dreams are haunted by a terrifying silver mermaid with razor-sharp teeth.

His best friend Layla is convinced something is wrong. But how can he explain he can sense emotion like never before? How can he explain he’s heir to a kingdom he never knew existed? That he’s suddenly a pawn in a battle as ancient as the gods.

Something happened to him in those three days. He was claimed by the sea…and now it wants him back.

Tristan Hart has managed to make a name for himself amongst the girls at his school as a womanizer and, to some, a jerk.  Things are about to change, however, when he is washed out to sea by a freak tidal wave.  When he is found laying upon the beach by his best friend, it is with the realization that he can't quite remember what happened to him and that his feelings for his friend are growing stronger.  There's another problem, however: he was missing for 3 days and no other survivors have been found.  As if that weren't enough, he's beginning to change.  Can Tristan hold the remaining shreds of his life as he knows it together, all the while trying to stop a force that could bring the world to its knees?

I know that Tristan is supposed to be something of a jerk in the process of reforming.  I get that.  However, while I did have problems becoming interested in him as a main character, he isn't the only character that I found myself supremely annoyed by.  I'm just going to say it plainly: Layla drove me absolutely batty!  Sure, her attitude toward Tristan is often warranted, but there are other moments that left me wondering just what was supposed to be so appealing about this girl.  It was all so over-the-top that it became more of a distraction than anything.  I found myself more drawn to Tristan's parents and "cousins" than either Tristan, himself, or Layla.  Neither were exactly my cup of tea.

The settings were much more appealing, as they were written with great attention to detail and no small amount of imagination.  Even if I didn't enjoy the primary character and his best friend, I did enjoy the adventure he set out on.  The villains were threatening and ensured that the story had the level of urgency needed to warrant the troubles Tristan encounters and the tasks he is set are intriguing.  The plot did hit a few snags that left me confused, but it did manage to bounce back and catch me up to speed.  Over all, the story's progression was a good one and I enjoyed the quest aspect more than I would have expected initially.

The Vicious Deep may not have resonated with me as much as I had hoped it would, but I did see the potential in the story by the end of the book.  Having been the first mermaid (merman?) story I had read in quite a while, it did rekindle my interest in the subject, which is always a nice touch.  I will keep an open mind about the next book in the series, but I know that I have some hopes for things I would like to see in it.  It is my hope that I can become more attuned to the characters in the future and that the plot keeps intensifying.  I'll be waiting to see where the story goes from here.

Buy The Vicious Deep at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository 

Obligatory legal statement: This ARC was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Southern Book Blogger ARC Tours. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review: Darker Still

by Leanna Renee Hieber
publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
date of publication: November 1, 2011
format: eGalley
pages: 320
source: Netgalley
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...

Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

What I Thought

Imagine my surprise when I began reading Darker Still and realized that it is an epistolary novel.  I absolutely love books written in this style, so immediately my attention was snared.  As I worked my way into the book, getting to know Natalie and discovering the intrigues of Victorian-era New York along the way, I became more and more absorbed until I felt as though I was part of the story.  Sparks fly, magic is in the air (literally!), and an evil has taken residence in Denbury's body.  The events that take place are nothing short of thrilling, terrifying, and exciting.

Usually when I read a novel set in the Victorian-era, the setting is somewhere such as London.  I was looking forward to reading this book in part because of its setting in America, which is a novelty to me, having read little that takes place in such a setting.  As for the plot, I was immediately sold upon reading the description.  There is always a chance that a book won't live up to its description, but I would say that this one delivered and then some!  The evil found in this book is so very chilling that you can not help but wonder if everyone will come out unscathed (though I'm not telling!).  The level of romance contained is sweet, intense, and impetuous all at once.  There is a wonderful variety of characters, though the most-developed character of all is Natalie, since the book is in the form of her diary (this only makes sense, as she would know herself better than anyone).  Imagine my surprise to learn that Natalie is mute due to childhood trauma.  I simply can not recall any other protagonist with this affliction, though I could be easily forgetting such a one.  Seeing how she solved communication issues and reacted to people's reactions to her only served to make her even more interesting.  There are other characters I made note of, as well.  I couldn't help but become fond of Mrs. Northe and the real Denbury, irritated by Maggie, and disgusted by "Barry" (Denbury's doppelganger/jailor).  All of these elements combined into one excellent, spooky novel that left me immediately wanting more.

If you are a fan of books that have a high concentration of magic and/or historical novels, then you should definitely try Darker Still.  There is much more to this book than a pretty cover.  You can expect great characters, an engrossing plot, and a vivid setting.  I am very glad to have read this novel and can not wait for the sequel.  Thank you for a great read, Ms. Hieber!

Obligatory legal statement: This eGalley was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.