Embrace

Jan 24, 2012 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, arc

Was I ever surprised by this! The blurb is very obscure. You don't really get a feel of what exactly we're getting into. But once I found out what this was actually about I was thrilled because it's one of my favorite types of paranormal books. I'm not much help am I? Well, I don't want to spoil it for you so you'll just have to give it a try! However I can say that 1) it's a paranormal YA novel, and 2) it's wonderful!

To start with what I didn't like; the romance is very instant. I didn't have t...more

10 likes · like · see review

Apr 08, 2012 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-must-reads, feb-2012

HOLY BATMAN is what comes to mind when I think about this book. I was reading my usual blogs when I saw on YA Bound they were hosting a blog tour for Embrace. I loved the cover the minute I saw it and the minute I read the blurb I was hooked! I have to say a huge THANK YOU to YA Bound for allowing me to be a part of this tour.

Cherie Colyer has crafted this world where good and evil live side by side fighting for their cause. The question is which side will you chose?

Madison is down in the dumps...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 30, 2012 Ruty B rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Every lover or paranormal-YA

Shelves: 2012, from-the-author, for-review, witches-magic-wizards, romance, paranormal, young-adult, fantasy, e-book

I felt really intrigued by the cover and the description of this book! And really it didn't dissappoint me. This is an amazing book!
A story full with mystery, romance, a rollercoaster of felings and a series of discoveries. It's a great recipe for an excellent book.

Lets start with some generalities:
*The characters are really well described, and every one of them is written wonderfully.
*The argument: OMG! is fantastic! I love when a book has a strong background and you can really feel that everyt...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 23, 2012 Penumbra rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone wanting a quick simple read of a predictably plotted young female romance book.

Shelves: reviewers-requested, read-to-review, free-ebook, format-ebook, young-adult-romance, ya-paranormal-romance, character-witches, young-adult-paranormal, young-adult-urban-fantasy, young-adult-fantasy, young-adult, paranormal, pov-first-person, pov-teenage-female, own, magic, het-romance, het, 151-to-200-pages, main-character-bland-or-boring, romance-predictable-plot, read-in-2012, books-i-rate-low-that-others-love, reviewed

Thanks to Young Adult R2R and the author for giving me a copy of Embrace to critique.

Embrace is written in first person from the viewpoint of Madison, a female high school student.
(view spoiler)...more Thanks to Young Adult R2R and the author for giving me a copy of Embrace to critique.

Embrace is written in first person from the viewpoint of Madison, a female high school student.
(view spoiler)[
I just finished this book and I have kind of mixed feelings about it. First, the editing was great. I think I only found a couple grammatical errors.

The book was a bit slow starting, and didn’t have much going on until the chapter “Grill,” I think it was called. The action built very slowly throughout the story. Embrace was fast and easy to read but for me, it wasn’t exciting enough. It fits the Young Adult Paranormal Romance Genre well, and if that is the only thing you’re looking for in a book then it works.

I found that I couldn’t really connect to the main character, Madison. Usually I’ll have some reaction to the main characters. I’ll love them, hate them, want to smack them, or think they are two dimensional. But with Madison, I felt like she was a non-character. It was like I was listening to someone recite a story in a bland monotone. I didn’t get a visual image in my mind of how she acted, the way she walked, the way she talked, or anything that made her unique, except that she was a voice. I think the only time that I began to get a picture of her, was in the last couple of chapters, when she came across as not very communicative, like a man, and a rather spiteful person over the events that had happened. I can’t remember the last time I had a blank, blah feeling about a main character. Madison was just a voice in the story, not a personality.

Now Isaac, Madison’s boyfriend, was a much more interesting character. I got a feeling and image of him and would have liked to know a lot more about him. He was the most interesting character in the book for me. It may have even been a better idea for Isaac to be the main character. All the secrets he carried, the control he had to maintain so no one learned his secret and his finding out that others were witches. I think there would have been much more tension in the story if Isaac was the main character.

There isn’t much else I can say about the book. It was easy to read and the editing was great. The main character, Madison, was bland and monotone. Isaac, the boyfriend, was the most interesting character. Embrace is a typical, cookie cutter, young adult romance book that would suit a teenage girl. I didn’t find anything exceptional about it that made it stand out for me. I probably won’t want to read it again, but would recommend it to someone who wanted a quick simple read of a predictably plotted young female romance book.
(hide spoiler)]
(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 01, 2013 Alicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: okayy, slow-burn

A romantic fantasy flavoured with yummy sprinkles of suspense andparanormal, Embracesurprised me on so many levels! When her best friend, Kaylee, is pronounced crazy when we know she isn't,Madison feels helpless that she can do nothing. All she knows is that someone dark and powerful is after Kaylee and with the help of Issac and Kaylee's boyfriend, Josh, she is determined to stop whoever is out to get them.

Despite the very clichéd insta-love start,Issac and Madison's relationship grew on me and...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 16, 2012 Alexa Yupangco rated it 3 of 5 stars

Reviewed on Alexa Loves Books.

The Story

I was completely taken by surprise when I read this novel, because I hadn't known what to expect from reading the blurb. I refuse to spoil the novel for you, but I will say this - major discoveries are made, friendships are formed and some really cool things that I wish I could make happen do happen in this book. It's the unexpected twists and turns that made this novel so fun to read - and trust me, there are quite a few of them.

The budding romance between...more Reviewed on Alexa Loves Books.

The Story

I was completely taken by surprise when I read this novel, because I hadn't known what to expect from reading the blurb. I refuse to spoil the novel for you, but I will say this - major discoveries are made, friendships are formed and some really cool things that I wish I could make happen do happen in this book. It's the unexpected twists and turns that made this novel so fun to read - and trust me, there are quite a few of them.

The budding romance between Madison and Isaac initially moved a little too fast for me at the beginning of the novel. There was quite a bit of eye-rolling on my part as I watched them go from acquaintances to a relationship at 100mph. But once the strangely strong attraction was explained a little more, I was able to let go of my reservations and enjoy their relationship.

The Characters

The book primarily revolves around Madison, a girl who is doing her best to deal with the changes that come with growing up, falling in love and high school life. It's definitely a period in your life where a lot of confusion reigns, but it is also a period where you're more likely to be open to the possibilities presented to you - and, in that sense, Madison fits the profile of your typical teen. One of the best parts about Madison is that she's simply a regular girl - she's intelligent, interesting and genuinely nice. She's got an inquisitive mind, demanding answers to things she can't explain. I think my favorite aspect of her life, however, is how she juggles the healthy relationships she has with her family and friends - she was extremely loyal and demonstrated her care and concern many times over.

Isaac, on the other hand, is a primary example of my type of boy in YA fiction - handsome and mysterious. Like Madison felt, I was extremely interested in learning more about who he was and what part he was to play in her life from the start. He seemed quite mature for his age, demonstrating wisdom and intelligence and I especially loved how he eventually came to be protective over Madison. He's a natural leader, and his take-charge personality was definitely attractive. The only fault I could find with him was his temper - and how that could rage out of control. But I think the fact that he is genuinely interested in Madison and would do anything for her gives him plus points.

Personally, I say you should...

... read this novel if you're a fan of young adult novels with a paranormal twist. It's a refreshing take on a familiar aspect of the paranormal, as well as just generally a light read.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 15, 2012 Cierra (The Book Lover's Report) rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review is from The Book Lover's Report

This book starts off with Madison going to a party with her best friend Kaylee. We find out that Madison and her ex Kevin had broken up a few months beforehand (he moved), and everybody assumes that she all sad because of it. When they get to the party, Madison feels an immediate attraction to Kaylee's boyfriend, Josh's, new neighbor. When she even touches him, she receives a shock.

They almost immediately start dating, and soon after she gets asked out...more This review is from The Book Lover's Report

This book starts off with Madison going to a party with her best friend Kaylee. We find out that Madison and her ex Kevin had broken up a few months beforehand (he moved), and everybody assumes that she all sad because of it. When they get to the party, Madison feels an immediate attraction to Kaylee's boyfriend, Josh's, new neighbor. When she even touches him, she receives a shock.

They almost immediately start dating, and soon after she gets asked out by Mark, a guy that she only feels on the friend basis with (read: Friendzoned). He gives her a necklace that she doesn't want, but she ends up keeping it, anyway, just to 'hold on to it'. She gives it to Kaylee to wear, because she wants nothing to do with it.

Then, it starts. Kaylee goes through hallucinations, seemingly randomly, and Madison needs to find out how and why. Duhn,duhn, duuuuhhhnnnn!

So, I really liked this book (yes, I know I say that a lot, but that's a good thing)!

I thought that the characters were thought out very well, as in I didn't have any questions about them, or any missing in translation information that I needed or wanted to know. The scenes and visuals were great, too! I easily felt like I was there, in the book, and that's how it should be when you're reading a good book.

You all know how I'm (kind of) a hard case when it comes to grammar and spelling mistakes in books that I read (just read nearly all of my reviews), and I can say that I have no complaints from this book. There was absolutely no mistakes that I saw, so I'd say: "Grammar police, this book is for you!"

For those of you who like books that you want to read all night and not put down, this is also a book for you. When I had to eat dinner, I didn't even stop reading... A hard thing to do, but I did it nonetheless. So.... book you don't want to out down: check.

So, a lot of reviews that I've read on this book, the reviewers said that they couldn't wait for the second book. I actually didn't know that this book was in a series (if it is), and I'd have to say that I liked the way it ended. If more was added, as in a new book via series, then I'd think that that was stretching out the book (like some authors we know who waits twenty-some-odd-years to write the final book in a series, but works on other series' books that ended just fine). I mean, all of the loose ends were tied nicely, in a little bow, and it went smoothly.

But the end of this book did leave me with ONE question: Where did THAT come from??? The part I'm talking about is in the last paragraph in the last chapter, on the last page. I was just completely confused on the whole matter: Is she imagining them, or is she making his magic symbolize those?

(this book was given to me to review, from the author)
(less)

like · see review

Apr 26, 2012 BookHookup rated it 4 of 5 stars

**This novel was given to The Book Hookup to review for the blog tour but did not influence the review**

Celeste’s review: Ahhh, I love a book when the title is just so perfect. I can’t imagine any other title working so well! I felt as if this book was written for a young teen, so my review is based on that mindset. The heroine, Madison, has always hated change in her life, as it seems that it only brings bad things. From there the story quickly starts up as Madison is introduced to the “hot new...more **This novel was given to The Book Hookup to review for the blog tour but did not influence the review**

Celeste’s review: Ahhh, I love a book when the title is just so perfect. I can’t imagine any other title working so well! I felt as if this book was written for a young teen, so my review is based on that mindset. The heroine, Madison, has always hated change in her life, as it seems that it only brings bad things. From there the story quickly starts up as Madison is introduced to the “hot new guy”, Isaac, (who smells like vanilla and spearmint) by her best friend Kaylee. When Madison and Isaac meet and touch, there literally is a spark that starts off the romance. But instead of being able to focus on her new love interest strange things start happening to Madison; from being miraculously healed, to almost being killed, to her best friend seeming to lose her mind. All of these things stray from the norm (change) and Madison absolutely hates the way things are going. She seems to be very realistically stressed out….I liked the fact that she seemed to react like a normal teen with normal feelings about a not so normal situation.

Some of Madison’s questions get answered, but then the bigger question is “who is out to get them?” Embrace is a novel about witches and magic, but there are two kinds of witches: natural witches and people that become witches by obtaining power. However, a natural witch is much more powerful than someone born without any powers. This concept was fabulous!

Madison learns she is a natural witch and after embracing her powers must learn to control them. Luckily she has Isaac to help. However, the problem is time, and can he teach her enough to save her from whoever wants to see her dead before it’s too late?

The writing style was so easy to read, which made it so enjoyable. I also loved all the descriptions, from Isaac’s bedroom to the fact that the witches seemed to use the sense of smell to tell if a person or that person’s emotion/intent was good or evil. There were some twists and turns that I didn’t expect, as well parts of the book that went just as I expected. This had me always guessing and I loved when I was surprised.

The ending had a fabulous “sizzle” between Isaac and Madison, a great finale! I feel like the book wrapped up very nicely and I wasn’t left with a cliff hanger or pent up emotions. All in all it was a fun and quick read, and for all of you that love young adult novels I would totally rec Embrace (less)

like · see review

Apr 12, 2012 The Haunted Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: YA Paranormal Lovers

Recommended to The Haunted Rose by: Ya Bound Book Tours

Cover Thoughts-
I was very drawn to it. The red was very inviting and I wanted to read the book and see if the girl compares to the one on the cover. To be honest I don't think they match. I can't imagine Madison wearing bright red lipstick. It just doesn't seem like her.
First Thought-
What an awesome summary! I'm excited to read something a bit different from the norm!
What I liked-
My favorite part about the whole book is how Madison doesn't start out as a witch using magic. She has to EMBRACE her...more Cover Thoughts-
I was very drawn to it. The red was very inviting and I wanted to read the book and see if the girl compares to the one on the cover. To be honest I don't think they match. I can't imagine Madison wearing bright red lipstick. It just doesn't seem like her.
First Thought-
What an awesome summary! I'm excited to read something a bit different from the norm!
What I liked-
My favorite part about the whole book is how Madison doesn't start out as a witch using magic. She has to EMBRACE her powers. She is a regular girl worrying about boys of course and it all goes downhill when a new guy arrives and he seems to have the hots for her. I also liked how the romance wasn't the main part of the book. Cherie Colyer included the bond in friendship, family, and the emotions you feel when you can't turn to anyone about your deepest secrets. I was having a hard time choosing what guy I liked better though. Isaac is hot, new, and enticing where Kevin is comfortable, cute, and loving. I actually never saw anything coming. I was shocked near the ending too! Who would have thought? :)
What I disliked-
I really don't see the how you can be looking up mental illnesses and find out about magic which is how Madison found out. Maybe a little more description about the pull that Madison feels towards that side of her would have made it more believable. If I was randomly looking up mental illnesses on panic disorders and schizophrenia and found some wierd stuff like witchcraft I would probably laugh and exit out. One other thing that caught my attention was I wish I could have read more from Isaac and his family. I wish Isaac's parents could have intervened somewhere with their own input about magic and what they know.
Overall Readability-
All in all it was a great read. It was something different from most paranormal books. It was like a combination of teem high school drama (contemporary) and the supernatural world. I'm really hoping there is a second so I can see what happens next in their new coven.
My Final Thought-
Issac is soooo sexy. :) I'm soooo jealous. I'm really hoping theirs a next one!

4 out of 5 Haunted Roses
My blog review is here- http://thehauntedrose.blogspot.com/20...(less)

like · see review

Feb 29, 2012 Justine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2-review

This is my second read 2 review book. So thanks to the author Cherie Colyer for sending it to me.

Madison and Kaylee are best friends. Kaylee is dating Josh. Madison use to date Kevin. Isaac moved across the street from Josh. Madison thinks Isaac is hot. They have a connection.

*SPOILER ALERT*

Kaylee claims to so weird things like people in parking lots or people in capes that resemble reapers. Madison swears weird things happen around Issac, slashed tires get fixed and her broken arm heals.

One day...more This is my second read 2 review book. So thanks to the author Cherie Colyer for sending it to me.

Madison and Kaylee are best friends. Kaylee is dating Josh. Madison use to date Kevin. Isaac moved across the street from Josh. Madison thinks Isaac is hot. They have a connection.

*SPOILER ALERT*

Kaylee claims to so weird things like people in parking lots or people in capes that resemble reapers. Madison swears weird things happen around Issac, slashed tires get fixed and her broken arm heals.

One day at school Kaylee loses it. She freaks out has to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance. She is screaming and hitting at things that aren't there. The doctors can't figure out what's wrong with her. They think she is on drugs even though the gets came back negative. Madison looks not he Internet to see if she can come to some sort of conclusion about what is happening to Kaylee. A site pops up that has the most similar set of symptoms, the problem is its a site about witches and curses.

The site tells you how to do a simple spell to see if you have powers. Madison try's it and it works. She lights a whole room of candles with only one lite to start with. Madison almost starts the house on fire because the flames won't go out the keep getting bigger. Then Isaac walks in. He extinguishes the flames with one word. Madison looks at him, he is a witch also.

Madison freaks out he must be the one who cursed Kaylee. Madison is so pissed. Isaac calms her down and explains he knew about her powers and that he didn't curse Kaylee but he could feel that someone had and he was trying to help.

Madison also finds out that Josh is a witch. All because they had family members that had powers. They could be traced back to the Salem witch trials. Madison has a epiphany. She knows what is cursing Kaylee. It's the necklace she is wearing. The one Mark had given to Madison but she gave it to Kaylee. They go to the hospital and break the necklaces hold on Kaylee and break her out.

Madison and Isaac have two near death experiences because someone is trying to curse them. Then Madison's old boyfriend Kevin shows up and everything get really complicated.
Like how Kevin is also a witch.

They end up finding out who is trying to curse Madison and take that persons powers away. Kevin goes back to his home and everyone lives happily ever after.

This book was okay. I found it very lovey dovey. It was a quick read. I just found the first few chapters not that exciting, it does pick up later on. At first I found it hard to tell if Madison or Kaylee were the main character. Also I found that there were a lot of witch characters so I found it too much. I liked that nothing was left unanswered. The book could have a prequel, but doesn't have to. For an ebook it had very good grammar. (less)

like · see review

Feb 11, 2012 Youknowbookpeople rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review from:

http://youknowbookpeople.blogspot.com

I'm going to do this review a bit backwards from the way I normally do. Let's start with dessert first and work out way to the appetizers last, shall we?

For dessert we have some strawberries and chocolate, yummy! The ending of this book was a but rushed I felt. Summing everything up in the last little bit of the book but all my questions I may have had were answered and there were no lose strings left over that would have had me asking "but what...more

like · see review

Jan 25, 2012 Angel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Embrace was a tale of mystery, romance, friendship, and magic. What more could you ask for in a book?!
I do have to say that this book started off slow for me. The writing was addicting, however. I don't know what it was, but I just couldn't stop reading!
We first meet our heroine, Madison, when she is going through a rough place in her life, not being able to get over her old boyfriend, Kevin, who has moved away.
She then meets our hero, Isaac, at a party, and, as the cool kids say: the rest is hi...more

like · see review

Jan 23, 2012 Autumn Review rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, blog-tours, review

Summary:
Madison's boyfriend of two years has recently moved away, her friendships are changing, and another school year is under way. She's having trouble adjusting to all these changes until she meets a hot new boy that's moved to town.

Isaac Addington is mysterious and absolutely gorgeous. Madison is attracted to him immediately. There is something "different" about Isaac, but Madison will do anything to get closer to him.

Beginning with the sudden death of local, things in town become quickly...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 07, 2012 Marissa Novels On The Run rated it 4 of 5 stars

4 out of 5 Stars!

If you love to read YA...and love a beautiful romance.....with a helping of paranormal....then Embrace by Cherie Colyer is for you.

Madison, our lead, has to deal with a number of changes - and change is not her ideal way of dealing with life. With odd happenings in her home town, in walks Isaac - a very hot and mysterious guy whom she's immediately attracted to. I did find that though the attraction was instant and acceptable, the love was a little too quick to happen - this is...more

like · see review

Apr 19, 2012 Jess rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-to-z-challenge

Source: From Publisher for review purpose, Blog Tour

Written by Cherie Colyer, this book brings to the table a fresh look of the paranormal theme. Madison is a high school girl with magical powers. She ignores her capabilities; she discovers them one day thanks to Isaac. Isaac is the new guy at school every girl wants. They love each other first and know each other second; they took a little leap of faith. He teaches her how to use her powers and soon she discovers that her closest friends also h...more
Source: From Publisher for review purpose, Blog Tour

Written by Cherie Colyer, this book brings to the table a fresh look of the paranormal theme. Madison is a high school girl with magical powers. She ignores her capabilities; she discovers them one day thanks to Isaac. Isaac is the new guy at school every girl wants. They love each other first and know each other second; they took a little leap of faith. He teaches her how to use her powers and soon she discovers that her closest friends also have talents of their own. They unite to protect each other from danger and to learn about their talents. Madison and Isaac put everything in the line to protect each other against the attack of other witches.
During the story a love triangle appears and Madison and Isaac see their bond deteriorating. Their love will be stronger, helping this to end all the threats around them.
This story is not only about witchcraft and powers; it is about young love and trust. Love and trust in one another is the clue in this story for the characters to be triumphant.

About the story
This novel is the perfect example of really good paranormal YA! I could say YA is my favorite genre and when I find a book that involves paranormal phenomena, a great story and great characters; that’s a happy day for me. Embrace is an example of this. I got interested on this tittle from the moment I read its synopsis.
The author writes in a fluid way. The story progresses easily on its own effortless. The characters have special abilities but they don’t stop being teens. I recommend it if you are looking for YA paranormal and something fun to read.
The only thing I would change is the cover of this book. I can’t reconcile this cover with the story, they don’t seem related.

Ideas shown on this story:
For this story Embrace = Acceptance. Madison embraces love. Also, she embraces her inner force through her powers. She gets stronger and more assertive.

What do I think about Madison? To me she is like the girl next door, nice and friendly. Her more relevant quality is loyalty. Been loyal is what defines her as a person, and we all can see it in the way she cares about her friends.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Great YA, entertaining! One of those read you can’t stop reading.
(less)

like · see review

Feb 21, 2012 Nikki (Fiction Freak) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Main character, Madison, hates change. It took people away from her, it made everything worse. But she’s about to find out, that not all change is bad, though it’s always surprising. But when new boy, Isaac comes around, creepy/weird things are starting to happen.
(There may be spoilers ahead. Be warned.) This book has to be one of the best romantic fantasies I’ve read in a while that has classic fantasy in it, excluding the vampires and werewolves that have become so popular nowadays. It was a...more

like · see review

Aug 29, 2012 Crystal Holder rated it 4 of 5 stars

My collage classes have recently started back and I have been swamped with homework. I decided to take a day off from my work to read this book and I am so happy that I did. I will admit the cover did not really grab my attention the way most covers do. It is pretty for sure but it did not really have anything about it that made me go I need to read that book. The description on the back of the book however grabbed my interest and I could not resist reading the book after reading it. I really en...more

like · see review

Aug 09, 2012 Shaheen rated it 3 of 5 stars

The blurb of Embrace being as mysterious as it is, I had no clues as to what this book is about aside from it being a paranormal novel. Thus I was taken almost completely by surprise when the paranormal aspect was revealed - totally wasn't expecting that! I won't give it away, I think all readers should go into it without knowing what will happen.

Embrace follows a teenager named Madison, who treats any kind of change with deep mistrust. When her best friend introduces her to Isaac, a new boy at...more The blurb of Embrace being as mysterious as it is, I had no clues as to what this book is about aside from it being a paranormal novel. Thus I was taken almost completely by surprise when the paranormal aspect was revealed - totally wasn't expecting that! I won't give it away, I think all readers should go into it without knowing what will happen.

Embrace follows a teenager named Madison, who treats any kind of change with deep mistrust. When her best friend introduces her to Isaac, a new boy at school, she is immediately guarded. But she has nothing to fear, not only is Isaac hot and interesting, but Madison feels a connection to him almost instantly. Since this occurs in the very first chapter, I was really worried because I hate insta-love. But somehow, in this story, the development of feelings between the two seemed to work. I was also scared that there would be a love triangle. With a long-term boyfriend who has moved away and Isaac coming into her life, there were a few moments where I saw it all going down hill and Madison not being able to be mature and be honest with both of them. However, I am happy to report that I enjoyed the romance in this book, and that while Madison is understandably confused, there isn't a love triangle in sight.

I liked Madison because she is sweet and surprisingly normal - by this I mean that she's not stunningly beautiful or incredibly plain, she's not clumsy or unhappy with her hair colour and pallor of her skin. Madison isn't a mis-understood social outcast with great grades and a 'follow the rules' attitude, and she's not the girl sitting in the back of the class with an eyebrow ring. None of these over-used stereotypes are present in the novel: Madison is happy and has healthy relationships with her family and friends and genuinely cares about those around her.

When strange things start happening to Madison's best friend Kaylee, she wants to help her but is clueless to what could be wrong. So, like all kids these days, she Googles. I feel like there is a growing trend in YA novels of using the Internet to provide important world-building details, and I wouldn't have a problem with it if it wasn't for the fact that the Internet will rarely spit any reasonable answers at you when you ask it for information. But somehow Madison manages to find the answers she is looking for in one afternoon. After this rather shaky start to the paranormal aspect of the novel, things speed up and readers are introduced to a world of magic and intrigue that I liked. The magical world opens up and readers witness all sorts of awesome as Madison explores it. That's all I can really say without spoiling it for you!

Embrace is a great read that I enjoyed a lot. Featuring both paranormal aspects, romance and mystery, this book will appeal to a wide range of audiences.

You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .(less)

like · see review

Apr 19, 2012 Sana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

Embrace dives straight into the heart of the story from the get-go. Madison is not sure she likes change so when her BFF, Kaylee, tells her to get ready to go to a life-changing party; she's not sure she likes the sound of that. But she goes and her life does take a turn for good when she meets Isaac. More than that, she feels static current pass through her when their skins touch. The same happens with his father when she shakes his hand.

Madison is a character who is still pining for her ex-boy...more

like · see review

Feb 24, 2012 Jennifer Clements rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, paranormal-romance, series, ya

A huge thanks to the author for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!!

I loved this book!

The characters in this book are teenagers you will fall in love with. If you take out the "paranormal" element to this book, both the teenagers and their high school are very easy to relate to. The storyline sucks you in immediately. In fact, I didn't put the book down for the first 6 chapters and even then only because I had to.

Isaac (the main male character) is definitely "swoon-worthy" a...more

like · see review

Jan 22, 2012 WovenMyst rated it 4 of 5 stars

Embrace is a book about magic. Anyone could become a witch in this novel, but no witch is as powerful as a natural witch.
For a natural witch to gain power he/she must Embrace them first, and become bound by them until forever. After embracing the power the witches struggle to stay good. They must not use their magic while angry or distressed for the energy used will turn them evil. How difficult is that to maintain? since any danger the characters go through will result in those emotions; thus n...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 24, 2012 Marian Cheatham rated it 5 of 5 stars

Cherie Colyer’s debut novel, Embrace, is a delightful surprise. Her rich, descriptive language paints a picture of a ‘normal’ teenage life. Madison Riley attends high school in Gloucester, MA, cares for her widowed father and six-year-old brother, and hangs with her BFF, Kaylee. Still healing from a recent breakup, Madison meets Isaac, the new boy in town, and finds herself falling fast and hard. Questioning her judgment and her sanity, Madison wonders what is happening to her and her life. Coly...more

like · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Lee (Rally the Readers) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, for-review, young-adult, paranormal

Also posted on Rally the Readers.

* A copy was provided by the author for review.

4.5 Stars

Embrace has a rather cryptic synopsis, and I’m going to have to be equally cryptic with this review lest I ruin the book for others. This was a highly enjoyable thriller of a read in huge part because I spent a good deal of the book trying to unravel all of its mysteries. I loved the plotting and how perfectly the suspense was built up; they were both just top-notch. Something very strange is happening in Ma...more Also posted on Rally the Readers.

* A copy was provided by the author for review.

4.5 Stars

Embrace has a rather cryptic synopsis, and I’m going to have to be equally cryptic with this review lest I ruin the book for others. This was a highly enjoyable thriller of a read in huge part because I spent a good deal of the book trying to unravel all of its mysteries. I loved the plotting and how perfectly the suspense was built up; they were both just top-notch. Something very strange is happening in Madison’s town and its newest arrival, Isaac, isn’t all that he appears to be, and trying to figure out exactly what is going on is a lot of fun.

Madison has a very engaging narrative voice and is a refreshingly realistic teen with normal adolescent concerns: her grades in school, the status of her relationship with her boyfriend who moved to another state, and her current attraction to Isaac. She’s also very devoted to her family and friends. When her best friend, Kaylee, starts hallucinating in class and has to be taken to the hospital, Madison frantically searches for a way to help her. That’s not to say that Madison is without flaws, though; there’s a good balance between her being a strong protagonist and not seeming too perfect.

The paranormal aspect of the book was very well done. It gradually makes itself known, leading up to a nice surprise when all is revealed. The foreshadowing in the book was stellar, with events that I was fairly certain were mundane at the time proving to be highly significant later on in the novel. And every time I thought I had figured out the who and the why behind the dark deeds that were going down, the plot would twist again and put me back at square one. A book hasn’t stumped me like this in a while, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Again, I apologize for sticking to generalities in this review, but I really want readers to appreciate the reading experience for themselves. Embrace was an absorbing novel that immediately intrigued me with its air of mystery and made me turn the pages to see how all of the puzzle pieces fit together. I loved Cherie Colyer’s writing style, and I’d definitely read a sequel!(less)

like · see review

Feb 29, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: r2r-complete, read-2012

(I was given this book for free on a read-to-review basis)
Madison is a junior in high school. Her boyfriend left her 4 months ago because he was moving to Minnesota, but they have kept in touch, and Madison has no intentions of starting a new relationship with anyone. That is until she meets Isaac.

Isaac is a senior and has just moved into the house opposite Madison’s best-friend’s boyfriend’s house (did you follow that?). Madison and Isaac begin spending time together, and Madison starts to deve...more

like · see review

Feb 22, 2012 Janina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: magical-psychic, witches, a-z-reading-challenge-2012, arc-for-review-blog-tour

Let me start off saying that I don't read to many witch books. You know, besides Harry Potter. But I must say I really enjoyed this one. This was a new concept on witches and I really enjoyed the characters and the storyline. The fact that the witch powers had a taste, I really liked.

Of course, Issac was my favorite character. He was sweet and protective, but dangerous all the same. I thought he was the perfect love interest. At times I didn't care for Madison, but she was still enjoyable. She c...more

like · see review

Dec 21, 2012 Mae rated it 3 of 5 stars

Embrace is your typical "girl-meets-boy" and afterwards "girl-falls-head-over-heals-with-the-boy" story. It was ordinary, nothing really special about it until I knew about the edge of this book. There were a lot of cliches, the main protagonist is sort of pathetic for falling instantly not even knowing a few information about the guy and the love interest is not developed well.

A lot of people gave this book more than the rating I'll be giving it. It seems that I'm the only one who wasn't entire...more

like · see review

Apr 26, 2012 Chrissy (The Every Free Chance Reader) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-on-blog

Did I enjoy this book: I really didn't enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would. I really wanted to because the synopsis I had read sounded so intriguing and exciting. I didn't read every free chance I had.

This book moved slowly and it did not hold my interest. For me, it was not developed enough. There needed to be more explanation and follow through. I wish we would have learned a bit more about Isaac's and Josh's back stories. They were good, strong male characters that cared about oth...more

like · see review

May 01, 2012 Nereyda Gonzalez rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, received-for-review

***Copy provided for review as part of blog tour***
Even though the book description is fairly vague, I was intrigued enough by it and the pretty cover to ask to be a part of the blog tour. Once I started reading and I found out what this book was really about, I was blown away by it because this is one of my favorite genres!

We meet Madison who has been through enough changes in her life. One of the biggest changes being the death of her mother. When her best friend, Kaylee, drags her to the beac...more ***Copy provided for review as part of blog tour***
Even though the book description is fairly vague, I was intrigued enough by it and the pretty cover to ask to be a part of the blog tour. Once I started reading and I found out what this book was really about, I was blown away by it because this is one of my favorite genres!

We meet Madison who has been through enough changes in her life. One of the biggest changes being the death of her mother. When her best friend, Kaylee, drags her to the beach, Madison meets the mysterious new guy, Isaac. Sparks immediately fly between them even though they are both cautious and hesitant. But things take an ugly turn when Kaylee starts hallucinating, seeing things and talking about demons. The doctors can’t seem to find anything wrong with her and with no other option she is taken to a mental institute. Kaylee only seems to be getting worse which forces doctors to keep her mostly sedated and restrained to her bed. Madison feels helpless and she knows her best friend isn’t crazy, all she knows is that there is definitely something or someone dark and powerful that is after Kaylee. With the help of Isaac and Kaylee’s boyfriend, Josh, they are determined to help Kaylee and save her from whatever is after her.

One big issue I had about this was that I felt like Madison and Isaac’s relationship was a bit rushed. Even though Madison barely knew him, she was already falling for him. We learn later why they have such a strong connection and after that it makes more sense. Even though they clearly like each other, they are still afraid to completely open up to each other and let the other know how they feel. To make matters worse, Madison’s ex best friend makes a pass at Isaac every chance she gets and one of Madison’s friends starts hitting on her too.

Madison was a very strong and likeable character. But I was surprised at how much I ended up liking her best friend Kaylee. I love the strong friendship between her and Madison and her relationship between her and her boyfriend Josh. Even though it starts off fast then slows down a bit, one they open up and really get to know each other I really liked the relationship between Madison and Isaac.

I know this is a really vague review but I was pleasantly surprised and I wouldn’t want to ruin that for any of you. This is a great and past paced story. Mystery, friendship, romance, betrayals a lot of surprises and twist will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next! I really want to know what happens next and I hope that this book is the start of another great series.
4 out of 5 sparkly stars!

Some of my favorite non-spoiler quotes or scenes from Embrace:
-“Your life is about to change, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

-“Always remember, people fear what they don’t understand.”

-The maze was a lot like my life: a series of paths that led to choices, turns that often led me astray, and dead ends that forced me to rethink where I'd just been. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t find the exit to my own happiness. I'd get close, but then there’d be one more choice to make, one more obstacle to get past, one more wall of cornstalks blocking the way.

-I wish I could say, in that moment standing between the people I loved, that I saw hope-a bright light that assured me things would be okay. Sometimes, you just know that isn’t true. Sometimes, you end up hurting the ones you love. You can’t save them or yourself.

-He wasn't playing fair. He never had, and I secretly loved that he didn’t.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 23, 2012 Alex Bennett added it · review of another edition

Embrace took me by surprise. I had absolutely no clue what it was about when I started to read it, but I got a pleasant surprise once I discovered what was inside. Soon after I started, I was hooked and found myself completely enjoying Embrace, and feeling satisfied when it was over.

Mystery, magic, and romance all intertwine in Embrace, and those aspects and more made it a great reading experience. I really enjoyed the mythology Cherie Colyer has created, and I was satisfied by how much was expl...more

like · see review

Mar 06, 2012 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

This is my second read 2 review book. Thank you to Embrace author Cherie Colyer for sending it to me.

By the description of this book I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into but I'm glad that I decided to give this book a chance. Without spoiling too much I will say that this a paranormal romance and it's worth the read.

The main character Madison is very down to earth, she doesn't care what others think and will do anything to help out her friend. Madison's boyfriend moves away but still r...more

like · see review

title link	preview: Embrace
avg rating	preview: Embrace Goodreads rating: 4.02 (199 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12931061-embrace?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320715686l/12931061.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12931061-embrace?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Embrace by Cherie Colyer[/url]

Embrace

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Cherie Colyer

Books by Cherie Colyer

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Embrace

Quotes from Embrace