Embrace

Violet Eden discovers on her 17th birthday that she is a Grigori - a half-angel, half-human warrior destined to protect humans from fallen angels. This revelation forces her to confront her feelings for Lincoln, her enigmatic training partner, while also dealing with the mysterious Phoenix, who seems to know more about her destiny than she does. The story follows Violet as she learns combat skills and angel lore while navigating the complexities of her new supernatural reality. Her training reveals the existence of exiles - fallen angels who pose a threat to humanity - and the vital role Grigori play in maintaining the balance between good and evil. The narrative centers on Violet's struggle to accept her predetermined path as she faces choices that will impact both her personal relationships and her duty as a Grigori. Through internal conflicts and external battles, the novel explores themes of destiny versus free will, and the price of power and responsibility.

Readers highlight the strong character development of protagonist Violet and praise how the angel mythology differs from standard paranormal YA tropes. Many reviews note the well-paced romantic tension and realistic relationships. Liked: - Action sequences - Complex backstory for angel/human dynamics - Supporting character Lincoln - Lack of insta-love romance - Australian setting Disliked: - Slow first few chapters - Some found Violet indecisive - Love triangle felt forced to some readers - Religious elements too heavy for some - Secondary characters needed more development Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (22,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (300+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.3/5 (90+ ratings) Common reader quote: "Finally a YA paranormal that doesn't follow the same cookie-cutter formula." Several reviewers compare it favorably to Hush, Hush and Fallen while noting it has a more mature tone.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick A mortal girl discovers her connection to fallen angels while navigating romance and danger at her high school.

Fallen by Lauren Kate An ancient curse forces two souls to find and lose each other through multiple lifetimes until one girl uncovers the truth about her supernatural heritage.

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins A half-demon teenager must choose between her dark inheritance and her desire to be good while falling for the son of a Duke of Hell.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare A seemingly normal girl discovers she comes from a line of demon hunters and must embrace her destiny while protecting those she loves.

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout A half-blood warrior trains at a special academy to fight demons while struggling with forbidden feelings for her pure-blood instructor.

🌟 Jessica Shirvington wrote Embrace at age 27 while running a coffee shop in London with her husband, Olympic sprinter Matt Shirvington ✨ The story's angel mythology draws from various religious texts, including elements from Christianity, Judaism, and Islamic angelology 🔮 The main character Violet's unique violet-colored eyes were inspired by Elizabeth Taylor's famous violet eyes, which were caused by a rare genetic mutation 📚 Embrace is the first book in "The Violet Eden Chapters" series, which has been published under different names in different countries (known as "The Embrace Series" in some regions) 🎭 The book explores the concept of Grigori (half-angel, half-human beings), which comes from the ancient Book of Enoch, a religious text excluded from most modern Bibles