Look what Marianne received today – which means only a couple of weeks until it’s in shops!
Jessica Shirvington lives in Sydney with her husband of ten years, FOXTEL presenter and former Olympic sprinter Matt Shirvington, and their two daughters. She has previously founded and run a coffee distribution company, Stella Imports, in London, and been involved in managing the restaurants Fuel Bistro, Tow Bar and MG Garage in Sydney.
She is currently a full-time mum, author and co-director in the company MPS Investments Pty Ltd.
1. Firstly thank you so much for stopping by to say hi to all of us here at Burn Bright. Embrace has recently been released into the international market (congrats!) and Entice is also on its way to foreign shores. For readers who haven’t yet met Violet how would you best describe her?
Hi! Thanks so much for having me as a guest. Violet is strong, but flawed. She is just about to celebrate her 17th birthday at the beginning on Embrace and she is struggling to hold a tight control over her life. She has a difficult past and it is very important to her to be strong and not to have to rely on other people. The problem is, that makes everything ten times worse when she discovers one of the few people she has allowed herself to get close to has actually lied to her and let her down. Ultimately, Violet is a fighter, even if she has to reach that conclusion whilst kicking and screaming! J
2. Throughout the series you have constantly kept me on my toes with each shock revelation and cliff-hanger ending. Have you ever surprised yourself by what direction her journey has taken?
Yes, my characters and the direction they steer the story constantly surprises me. I think as a writer the best thing you can do, is create characters that take on a life of their own and then it is our job to give them direction whilst allowing for their personality to shift the way they get there. In Entice especially, a few of the scenes were quite a surprise for me.
3. You’re currently working on book 4 in the series and I’m certainly on tenterhooks waiting to see what happens next. Is there a release date set and will there be more in Violet’s story to come?
The release will be in September, as far as I am aware. The final date is still to be announced. As for if there is more, I would like to think so. For me, I have always hoped that there will be a total of 6 books in the series, but we’ll see. Definitely if it continues on after book 4, it will take a slightly new approach and, as an author, I’m very excited about the potential.
4. Which of your fictional characters burns brightest in your mind and why?
Of my own characters, I think it would be Phoenix. He is so tormented and such a tormentor of others. He is one of those characters that you just want to fix, but at the same time, never want to change…
The kingdom of Ravka has been torn apart by the Shadow Fold, a strip of impenetrable darkness that homes a host of monstrous creatures. Even with the support of Ravka’s magically talented protectors, the Grisha, the divided country is slowly losing the fight against its neighbouring kingdoms.
Two orphans who have always relied on each other, Alina and Mal have been inseparable since they were eight. Lately though, the space between them seems to be growing. Mal is gorgeous and outgoing, succeeding in everything he tries; while Alina is abrasive and introverted, never fitting in with anyone aside from Mal. And away from the orphanage at last, they are about to make their first trip across the dreaded Shadow Fold.
Everything goes wrong; and somehow Alina unleashes a power that she never knew she had. One that will throw her in to league with the powerful and terrifying Darkling; the man who rules the Grisha.
The setting was the first thing to draw me into Gathering Dark. Bardugo borrows much of her atmosphere from Russian culture. While the backdrop isn’t faithful to every nuance of Russia, the taste readers get makes it stand out. Setting plays a vital role in Gathering Dark, as Alina travels through both the rustic and the opulent social circles. The contrast between them are written in loving detail; tied throughout to Alina’s emotional upheaval and her spiritual journey.
This spiritual journey is the core of the novel, permeating through many of the subtexts as well as driving the majority of the story. This is the matter that I was torn about. On one hand, I loved the spiritual journey. It resonates on an emotional level; and Alina’s voice is genuine enough that what would be annoying in another book fits this one. We all have that little voice that tells us we’re not enough. Reading it as a theme generally irritates me. I want my female characters to push through no matter what; I want them to think that they’re good enough because, all too often in literature, they don’t. In Gathering Dark, however, Alina sounds real. Her inner dialogue of not being good enough doesn’t bother me because I don’t feel like she’s a fictional character.
The other side of the coin, and the reason that I couldn’t fully appreciate Alina’s emotional journey is that so much of it was centred on looks. Alina is not beautiful. That should be a small detail; the difference between whether men will vie for her attention or not. Except, that’s not how it plays out. A character reminding the reader that she’s unattractive every few pages is just as annoying as one who reminds us how beautiful she is. I applaud Bardugo for stepping out and writing a genuinely plain female lead. I only wish that she had thought to add more depth to that aspect of the character, or that she had made Alina care less about looks.
There are a million things that I’m looking forward to seeing more of in the second book of the Grisha series. Bardugo builds up a brilliant courtly kingdom in Gathering Dark and I’m hoping that she will delve further into political intrigues in the next instalment. Mal is the other bit of sequel-bait for me. As Alina’s closest and oldest friend, he brings out a side of her that is sweet and less self-conscious. They work well together. I also want to see more of him for himself. Some other readers think that there is a rising of Team Mal and Team Darkling; but for me there is no Team Darkling. It is Mal all the way. He is confident and considerate – in that floundering manner that boys are considerate. Rather than stifling Alina, he draws out the best in her when he can and when he can’t he accepts her at her worst. Aside from that, he has his own issues and insecurities to work out; making the relationship a well-rounded one.
With a combination of superb writing, good pacing and strong, relatable main characters, Gathering Shadows is definitely not one to be missed. I only wish that I had read it a few months later so that I wouldn’t have to wait so long for the next instalment. Fans of Juliet Marillier and Isobelle Carmody should enjoy this talented new author.
Gathering Dark – Leah Bardugo
Orion (June 5, 2012)
ISBN: 9781780621104
Belinda:
Cover
I have a 4th edition copy (I think), with thanks to Renee. It has a black backdrop, purple flourishes, eye popping title font and an beautiful innocent brown eyed brunette representing Violet.
Characters
I liked that the players were relatively few in numbers. Their roles were well defined and I couldn’t imagine the story working as well as it did without each and every one of them.
Favourite
Phoenix – An odd choice. Granted he’s not a model exile, but he makes Violet smile when not much else is.
Least Favourite
Violet’s Dad – I realise he’s an absentee parent for a reason, but that is no excuse. In the real world I would hope that someone would call family services on someone as self-centered as he is.
Beginning
Violet is dreading her 17th birthday, mainly because it is a constant reminder of the day her Mother died. The people in her life begin acting weirdly and she’s expected to do a whole lot of growing up in an incredibly short period of time.
Storyline
As far as ultimatums go, Violet is left with a life or death situation. Life isn’t supposed to be fair … but seriously?
Ending
The ending is sweet, and makes a nice change from the emotional upheaval of the last half of the book.
Thoughts
I think this book would have been more appealing if Violet was able to create a bond with Magda. Considering there were really only 3 female characters in the book, Violet spends most of it looking for justification and validation from only the guys. I felt she was overly reliant on male leadership, and not enough value was placed on the vital role of a really good girlfriend.
That being said, I did enjoy the book for its unique take on angels and I applaud Jessica for not sending me to the dentist with sickly sweet overtures.
I have a feeling in future books Violet will kick some serious exile butt. I just hope she learns to do it without the constant need for approval by her male counterparts.
Quote
“Jesus.”
“No. He wasn’t there.” ~ Steph and Violet talking.
Krista:
Cover
I love the color purple. For the U.S. cover it shows her back to us, with pretty white wings and feathers to represent the story.
Characters
There is a love triangle between Lincoln, Phoenix and Violet. With some minor characters to help support their stories.
Favourite
I was going to say Phoenix, like Belinda. But I am going to say Griffin, kind of grumpy but brings some fun to the story I wasn’t expecting.
Least Favourite
Here I do have to agree it’s Violet’s dad. It always gets to me when parents are so mean; gets my emotions all riled up.
Beginning
With all the emotions and changes that Violet’s going though she frustrated me in the beginning. Her impulsiveness was frustrating for me at times. As the story progresses her emotions become more understandable to the reader. On her birthday, things with Violet will start with a bang, so many things to deal with all at once.
Storyline
Centuries old war, fallen angels and the protectors of humanity. Lincoln is her trainer and love interest. Phoenix is there to pick up the pieces when she breaks – also a love interest, bad boy. And a battle between Angels and Exiles which catches Violet in the middle. If she trusts the wrong person, it could be detrimental.
Ending
Loved the ending. It was on a high note for me. Something that will definitely get you wanting to pick up the next book in the series.
Thoughts
I have read a lot of Angel stories over the past 2 years. It becomes overwhelming, but when you get a story like this one that has a very great mythological twist to it, that’s unique to the rest of them, it’s worth the read. I have to say that I was not a huge fan of some of the characters, and their relationships to each other. What I really enjoyed was the world building and stories behind the different beings, what they stand for and the battle that must happen. There is also a lot of lusty, more mature sexual adventures in this story than in most YA. Some heavier topics, like rape. And the battle is handled a little more darkly as well. It will be interesting to see where the rest of the series goes.
Quote
Smiling at the phone, my fingers fumbling over the keypad quickly. ‘Yup-see you there!’
I deleted the exclamation mark and counted to thirty before I allowed myself to press send.
Lisa:
Cover
We all know the saying, “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”, and we all also know, that we all do it anyways! Looking at the cover of a book, I’m looking for three main things, originality (it shouldn’t be able to match any other book in its genre; it shouldn’t be generic), it has to give the readers a hint or idea of what the story inside might be inside, and lastly it should give off a good vibe. The cover of a book is like a first impression, it’s everything. And I’m glad to say Embrace has all three! The cover is unique, and it lets the readers know a little about the story.
Characters
There were a lot of interesting characters in Embrace.
Favourite
Two characters really stuck out to me and caught my liking! Both in different ways. While Lincoln had me going “awwh!” out loud while reading Embrace, Phoenix was dark, sexy and mysterious!
Least Favourite
I can’t really say thatI dislike any of the characters, but I do wish the reader could learn more about some of them. How did Lincoln become an angel?What’s his story? Who is Phoenix really? Did Violet’s mother know that Violet was going to be an angel? I just had a lot of questions while reading, but I’m sure they’ll all be answered in the second book!
Beginning
With her seventh birthday coming up fast, Violet is already dreading it. Birthdays aren’t just birthdays for her, instead every year they just remind her of the death of her mother. But things this year aren’t the same, and won’t ever be again. Violet’s life changes dramatically!
Story Line
Throughout Embrace, Violet has to make the decision of whether to accept becoming an angel. Many factors come into play, but when Violet’s close friend and angel partner, Lincoln is badly hurt and laying in his death bed, Violet has to decide quickly what she wants to do. Become an angel and save Lincoln, or forget everything and go back to a normal life, leaving Lincoln left to die.
End
The ending is nothing like I thought it would be. I don’t want to say anything at all, because I don’t even want to give a little bit of it away!
Overall Thoughts
Embrace was something totally new, and fresh! I’ve never read anything like it, and I couldn’t get enough! If you haven’t read it yet, and are looking for something about angels and don’t mind it being over 300 pages long, this book is for you!
http://www.jessicashirvington.com/
Paperback, 382 pages
Published March 13th 2012 by Hachette Australia (first published March 6th 2012)
ISBN139780734412393
Jorge Duran from Spotlight Report interviews X-Factor winner Reece Mastin and asks a question on behalf of the Burn Bright team. See what his answer is!
