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magencorrie's review against another edition
4.0
My Thoughts
I loved this book! Yes, I really, really did! It was such a different kind of paranormal read, one I haven’t really encountered before. From the first page I was sucked in, I couldn't put this book down. Now, I haven’t really read any New Adult paranormal kind of books before, so all I can say now is, I want more! Strength was amazing. It was gripping and thrilling, yet sweet and beautiful. It’s a book world I would love to get lost in again and again.
Carrie created, in my opinion, a very interesting and unique book. She took her own mythology and intertwined it stunningly into her own story, creating a world exclusively its own. Then she added a spunky female, a dark yet sweet guy with some special talents. A dash of supernatural. A twist of mystery. And bam, magic! A book that I still can’t get out of my head even after days of finishing it.
Rena was one spunky girl, which is why I enjoyed her so much. But not only is she spunky, she’s a girl who owns up to her own words, and if she makes a mistake, she’s not afraid to fix it. She had her flaws, but she tried her best to do what was right. That made her feel even more like a real person, not just a character in a book. Rena also proved to be strong, and to be there for the ones she loves and cares about, I really liked that about her.
Now! I get to talk about Wallace! Oh, I really, really (seriously) loved this character. I don’t know if it was his ‘strength’ his personality-shy and a bit tortured- but I really enjoyed everything about him. Yes, he is a bit of a tortured soul, but that gives Wallace his depth. Being who he is, and having to live with what he is makes Wallace, to me, a strong character in many ways. And seeing him struggle with everything just made me wish I could hug him!
One character did get on my nerves, and I just have to vent about. Gabby. She was, to me, that annoying friend who you just wanna shake or probably slap. Though she meant good, Gabby just ended up being annoying. Hopefully in the next book she’ll have grown and become more of a less self-centered kind of girl.
Another character that made this book, and took me by surprise, would have to be Cole. Wallace’s brother.Now, this character definitely went through a transformation in the book. At first, I thought I was not going to like him, especially when he pulled a certain stunt. But low-and-behold Cole became a character I just adored. I wasn't sure if I could forgive for what he done, but his true personality pulls you in, and captures you! Plus that humor of his!
I loved the characters (most of them), I enjoyed the story-line and I was sucked into the world of Strength. Though sometimes the situations didn't feel natural, or that the characters didn't reaction in a way that felt normal, this was an amazing read! The pacing was done wonderful, and I saw some amazing character development in most of the characters. I fell head-over-heals in love with Rena and Wallace’s struggle and love. I’m also very intrigued by how Carrie’s supernatural/mythology mix she put within her story.
I couldn't get enough of Strength, and days after finishing it, the story and characters still consumed my thoughts. I definitely recommend this book to lovers of the New Adult genre who also love a good paranormal mix and romance!
I loved this book! Yes, I really, really did! It was such a different kind of paranormal read, one I haven’t really encountered before. From the first page I was sucked in, I couldn't put this book down. Now, I haven’t really read any New Adult paranormal kind of books before, so all I can say now is, I want more! Strength was amazing. It was gripping and thrilling, yet sweet and beautiful. It’s a book world I would love to get lost in again and again.
Carrie created, in my opinion, a very interesting and unique book. She took her own mythology and intertwined it stunningly into her own story, creating a world exclusively its own. Then she added a spunky female, a dark yet sweet guy with some special talents. A dash of supernatural. A twist of mystery. And bam, magic! A book that I still can’t get out of my head even after days of finishing it.
Rena was one spunky girl, which is why I enjoyed her so much. But not only is she spunky, she’s a girl who owns up to her own words, and if she makes a mistake, she’s not afraid to fix it. She had her flaws, but she tried her best to do what was right. That made her feel even more like a real person, not just a character in a book. Rena also proved to be strong, and to be there for the ones she loves and cares about, I really liked that about her.
Now! I get to talk about Wallace! Oh, I really, really (seriously) loved this character. I don’t know if it was his ‘strength’ his personality-shy and a bit tortured- but I really enjoyed everything about him. Yes, he is a bit of a tortured soul, but that gives Wallace his depth. Being who he is, and having to live with what he is makes Wallace, to me, a strong character in many ways. And seeing him struggle with everything just made me wish I could hug him!
One character did get on my nerves, and I just have to vent about. Gabby. She was, to me, that annoying friend who you just wanna shake or probably slap. Though she meant good, Gabby just ended up being annoying. Hopefully in the next book she’ll have grown and become more of a less self-centered kind of girl.
Another character that made this book, and took me by surprise, would have to be Cole. Wallace’s brother.Now, this character definitely went through a transformation in the book. At first, I thought I was not going to like him, especially when he pulled a certain stunt. But low-and-behold Cole became a character I just adored. I wasn't sure if I could forgive for what he done, but his true personality pulls you in, and captures you! Plus that humor of his!
I loved the characters (most of them), I enjoyed the story-line and I was sucked into the world of Strength. Though sometimes the situations didn't feel natural, or that the characters didn't reaction in a way that felt normal, this was an amazing read! The pacing was done wonderful, and I saw some amazing character development in most of the characters. I fell head-over-heals in love with Rena and Wallace’s struggle and love. I’m also very intrigued by how Carrie’s supernatural/mythology mix she put within her story.
I couldn't get enough of Strength, and days after finishing it, the story and characters still consumed my thoughts. I definitely recommend this book to lovers of the New Adult genre who also love a good paranormal mix and romance!
klouallen's review against another edition
4.0
WANT TO READ. Not available to buy from amazon or any ebooks!! :(
cheesytwistie's review against another edition
4.0
I was kind of nervous with buying this book at first, it didn't completely catch my eye. The only reason I ended up getting it was every review I read on here and amazon had nothing but praise for it so I took a leap of faith and bought it and god am I glad that I did!!
This book was fantastic! The only reason I put it down last night was because I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open but 7am this morning I was back into it.
I enjoyed it a lot and I can't wait for the next one and the development for the characters, especially between Wallace and Rena. I thought those two formed a beautiful friendship with delicious sexual tension (hopefully there is more of that in the next one!) and I hope to learn more about Cole as I felt a little indifferent to him. He was a dick at first then he turned out to be not so bad but I'm still on the fence about him so I hope there is more of him in the next one.
I definitely recommend this book. It was a great read and had a great pacing to it and a steady build up of friendship, romance and action.
This book was fantastic! The only reason I put it down last night was because I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open but 7am this morning I was back into it.
I enjoyed it a lot and I can't wait for the next one and the development for the characters, especially between Wallace and Rena. I thought those two formed a beautiful friendship with delicious sexual tension (hopefully there is more of that in the next one!) and I hope to learn more about Cole as I felt a little indifferent to him. He was a dick at first then he turned out to be not so bad but I'm still on the fence about him so I hope there is more of him in the next one.
I definitely recommend this book. It was a great read and had a great pacing to it and a steady build up of friendship, romance and action.
itsannabbyy's review against another edition
4.0
At first, I began read Strength and thought nothing but "Wow. Cliche much?" The beginning was full of Twilight-esque situations and a girl completely entranced by some hot, mysterious guy with a bed rep. The plot was full of coincidences and while the writing style was fine, the actual events... I disliked it and almost didn't want to continue.
HOWEVER, once the relationship between Rena and Wallace (the "hot, mysterious guy") began to develop, I could truly sense the chemistry between the two and kept reading. The storyline truly developed, and Rena became a sassy, independent, absolutely hilarious character. Carie Butler did a fantastic job of creating characters that are flawed and relatable, even if there is the common cliche of "Average Girl falls for Hot Guy who falls for her." The climax evolves naturally and makes sense. The supernatural elements of it are not overdone, and add a great new layer to an otherwise typical romance.
Strength is a great novel full of funny dialogue, a sassy heroine, an extremely hot male lead, great action, and a wonderful plot. The beginning starts of terrible cliche, but manages to pick up well. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good romance novel complete with action and some hilarious dialogue.
**I received this from a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. This has not influenced my opinion regarding the novel in any way.
HOWEVER, once the relationship between Rena and Wallace (the "hot, mysterious guy") began to develop, I could truly sense the chemistry between the two and kept reading. The storyline truly developed, and Rena became a sassy, independent, absolutely hilarious character. Carie Butler did a fantastic job of creating characters that are flawed and relatable, even if there is the common cliche of "Average Girl falls for Hot Guy who falls for her." The climax evolves naturally and makes sense. The supernatural elements of it are not overdone, and add a great new layer to an otherwise typical romance.
Strength is a great novel full of funny dialogue, a sassy heroine, an extremely hot male lead, great action, and a wonderful plot. The beginning starts of terrible cliche, but manages to pick up well. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good romance novel complete with action and some hilarious dialogue.
**I received this from a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. This has not influenced my opinion regarding the novel in any way.
vikcs's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
kblincoln's review
3.0
It was okay. The beginning was much stronger than the ending. I felt like there were themes or plot lines that got shoved in there that I was waiting to get tied together at the end and it never happened. While I was totally rooting for the feisty, hit-first-ask-questions-later heroine, the reasons she and super-strong Wallace didn't act on their feelings seemed contrived. And I wanted both Wallace's cluster migraines and his church-going to have some effect on plot or character development and I didn't really feel it. Interesting, but probably not my cup of tea in the end. (Also can't really forgive Cole for kidnapping and threatening with a knife and we're supposed to like him? Went too far without a real reason I feel.)
ashleyderoche's review
4.0
I'm not into YA books. But this one I loved! You got one little steamy scene, but it's not like adult books. I have a soft spot for paranormals like this one. I'll definitely continue reading this series.
rainbow_grace's review
2.0
I really wanted to like this book, and there were parts that I really enjoyed. The beginning is engaging, with Rena meeting Wallace and finding out that he is nothing like her preconceived notions. The idea of a race of superpowered people has been done to death, but that's okay. I like fantasy, and just because something is cliché, that doesn't necessarily make it bad. Unfortunately, the promise at the beginning of [b:Strength|18310859|Strength (Mark of Nexus, #1)|Carrie Butler|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1376353874s/18310859.jpg|20862060] was empty. The last half or so of the book just fell apart.
My first peeve came early on, though. Can anyone tell me why [a:Carrie Butler|6265027|Carrie Butler|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1348020509p2/6265027.jpg] felt the need to invent a new word that means the same as another perfectly good word? The non-word in question: 'confliction.' What the hell? That's not a real word, and 'conflict' is already a noun so why on God's green earth would you add 'ion' to the end of it? It just sounds so incredibly stupid. And it's not just once, either. 'Confliction' shows up over and over and over in the text. I wanted to scream. The word you're looking for, Carrie, is 'conflict.' That's the word you want.
One of the things that is a deal-breaker for me when reading a story is when a character does something they would never ever do. Well, that didn't quite happen here, because the characters kept changing. I couldn't tell you about Rena's character, besides that she's stubborn (and stupid), because I have no idea who she is. She's all over the place. What's her motivation? And Wallace: he goes to church but he's not above killing someone, and the only reason he won't fornicate (which is kind of a no-no by church standards) is because he's afraid he'll hurt the girl. The only characters I really got a handle on are Aiden and Gabby, and they're a stereotypical geek/nerd and a stereotypical slut. Ugh.
At one point, Rena's wrist gets broken. I'm not going to say how, in case anyone cares about spoilers. Anyway, she continues on blithely in spite of the excruciating pain, even using her wrist to push herself up at one point, though to be fair, that does hurt... just not as much as it should.
Speaking of Rena: it is possible to write an unlikable main character and keep the reader engaged, but it's not easy, and it's a huge risk. I don't think that was the goal here, but it was a big fail whether I was supposed to dislike Rena and still want to keep reading or... was I supposed to like Rena? Because I didn't. She was so annoying. I wanted to reach into the page and slap her... hard.
The big showdown with the villains is one of the most boring I've ever read. Most of it is a bunch of exposition where the villains explain what they're up to and why they're doing it in an attempt to get the heroes to join them. I understand that they're trying to get their support, but my eyes glazed over. I really don't care about your stupid plans, villains! I want some action and internal conflict and emotional angst.
I gave the book 2 stars because of the potential promised in the first little bit. Unfortunately, I can't give it more than 2 stars, because the last bit didn't live up to that potential. I'm disappointed.
My first peeve came early on, though. Can anyone tell me why [a:Carrie Butler|6265027|Carrie Butler|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1348020509p2/6265027.jpg] felt the need to invent a new word that means the same as another perfectly good word? The non-word in question: 'confliction.' What the hell? That's not a real word, and 'conflict' is already a noun so why on God's green earth would you add 'ion' to the end of it? It just sounds so incredibly stupid. And it's not just once, either. 'Confliction' shows up over and over and over in the text. I wanted to scream. The word you're looking for, Carrie, is 'conflict.' That's the word you want.
One of the things that is a deal-breaker for me when reading a story is when a character does something they would never ever do. Well, that didn't quite happen here, because the characters kept changing. I couldn't tell you about Rena's character, besides that she's stubborn (and stupid), because I have no idea who she is. She's all over the place. What's her motivation? And Wallace: he goes to church but he's not above killing someone, and the only reason he won't fornicate (which is kind of a no-no by church standards) is because he's afraid he'll hurt the girl. The only characters I really got a handle on are Aiden and Gabby, and they're a stereotypical geek/nerd and a stereotypical slut. Ugh.
At one point, Rena's wrist gets broken. I'm not going to say how, in case anyone cares about spoilers. Anyway, she continues on blithely in spite of the excruciating pain, even using her wrist to push herself up at one point, though to be fair, that does hurt... just not as much as it should.
Speaking of Rena: it is possible to write an unlikable main character and keep the reader engaged, but it's not easy, and it's a huge risk. I don't think that was the goal here, but it was a big fail whether I was supposed to dislike Rena and still want to keep reading or... was I supposed to like Rena? Because I didn't. She was so annoying. I wanted to reach into the page and slap her... hard.
The big showdown with the villains is one of the most boring I've ever read. Most of it is a bunch of exposition where the villains explain what they're up to and why they're doing it in an attempt to get the heroes to join them. I understand that they're trying to get their support, but my eyes glazed over. I really don't care about your stupid plans, villains! I want some action and internal conflict and emotional angst.
I gave the book 2 stars because of the potential promised in the first little bit. Unfortunately, I can't give it more than 2 stars, because the last bit didn't live up to that potential. I'm disappointed.
megansendlessreads's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the story line of Strength and felt that the author did a great job of creating this book with a unique plot. The book was put together fabulously and was really interesting. The plot and characters seemed to be surrounded in mystery that really built up anticipation for the truth. The book had a great flow and each scene transitioned smoothly into the next. I felt that some parts of the book were a little too dramatic and that they fit together oddly. Otherwise this was a great read.
Rena was an inquisitive character and added uniqueness to the story. She wasn’t very dynamic and yet that could be a good thing as her morals never changed. She was very determined to find out the answers to the mysteries surrounding Wallace and her attitude made the book an enjoyable read. I didn’t like how she made excuses when Wallace gave her bruises but overall her character was easy to like.
Wallace was a mysterious character and I liked his attitude throughout the book. Although the book was told from Rena’s POV I felt that I was still able to gain insight into his character and therefore his actions.
This book was an enjoyable read and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. I will be keeping an eye out for Courage and hope to read other series by this author.
***I received an e-book for an honest review an opinion.***
Rena was an inquisitive character and added uniqueness to the story. She wasn’t very dynamic and yet that could be a good thing as her morals never changed. She was very determined to find out the answers to the mysteries surrounding Wallace and her attitude made the book an enjoyable read. I didn’t like how she made excuses when Wallace gave her bruises but overall her character was easy to like.
Wallace was a mysterious character and I liked his attitude throughout the book. Although the book was told from Rena’s POV I felt that I was still able to gain insight into his character and therefore his actions.
This book was an enjoyable read and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. I will be keeping an eye out for Courage and hope to read other series by this author.
***I received an e-book for an honest review an opinion.***
melodicfate's review against another edition
4.0
When I first heard about this book, I instantly knew that I had to read it. The fact that it was about a girl meeting someone who was an outcast, and who was believed to be a madman was really intriguing. Not to mention the supernatural powers that the synopsis referenced. . Just those two elements alone made it too much for me to resist. So when I finally was able to buy and read this story, I was extremely happy to not be disappointed.
The character of Rena was awesome. She was relatable, and I felt like I could definitely be friends with her. She made mistakes, but she owned up to them, and she tried to change her ways. This is especially true with Wallace, and I thought that was probably the best part of the story. Also, Rena had some really admirable internal strength, and this was my favorite part of her character. It's all well and good to be outwardly strong, but you need internal power, as well.
Wallace was a great character as well. I felt so horrible for him when everyone thought he was crazy, and nobody wanted to talk to him. I thought his bitterness was definitely justified. After Rena starts getting to know him though, it quickly became apparent just how kind and considerate he is. I loved it when he and Rena were together. His supernatural strength made things a lot more interesting, as well, and I loved how his external power balanced Rena's fiery courage. This novel was definitely well-titled.
As for the side characters, I thought Rena's friends were a great support for her, and I loved that they'd help her out with anything when it came down to it. Clara was a great grandmother, and I definitely took a liking to her. However, I definitely couldn't like Wallace's brother Cole, after some events that transpire between him and Rena. I don't understand how she can even talk to him after them, much less be around him. He definitely isn't all bad, and in a way, I get why he acted how he did, but it doesn't excuse him whatsoever. Therefore, I'd definitely say that Carrie Butler can not only build well-developed main characters, , but secondary ones as well.
The actual plot of this novel was interesting. A part of it had to do with first impressions, and how unbelievably wrong they can be. Another part had to do with Wallace's abilities, and the whole paranormal aspect of his family. It was a great blend, and I was never bored. I read this book in one sitting, and whenever I do that, it's definitely a great book. I never found it slow or boring, and I always had to see what happened next.
With all that said, I definitely have to say that my intuition was right on wanting this book. There wasn't much that I didn't like, honestly. I thought the main characters were great, and the paranormal aspects were original. I was never bored, and after the way this story ended, I'm in serious need of the second book, and it can't get here fast enough.
The character of Rena was awesome. She was relatable, and I felt like I could definitely be friends with her. She made mistakes, but she owned up to them, and she tried to change her ways. This is especially true with Wallace, and I thought that was probably the best part of the story. Also, Rena had some really admirable internal strength, and this was my favorite part of her character. It's all well and good to be outwardly strong, but you need internal power, as well.
Wallace was a great character as well. I felt so horrible for him when everyone thought he was crazy, and nobody wanted to talk to him. I thought his bitterness was definitely justified. After Rena starts getting to know him though, it quickly became apparent just how kind and considerate he is. I loved it when he and Rena were together. His supernatural strength made things a lot more interesting, as well, and I loved how his external power balanced Rena's fiery courage. This novel was definitely well-titled.
As for the side characters, I thought Rena's friends were a great support for her, and I loved that they'd help her out with anything when it came down to it. Clara was a great grandmother, and I definitely took a liking to her. However, I definitely couldn't like Wallace's brother Cole, after some events that transpire between him and Rena. I don't understand how she can even talk to him after them, much less be around him. He definitely isn't all bad, and in a way, I get why he acted how he did, but it doesn't excuse him whatsoever. Therefore, I'd definitely say that Carrie Butler can not only build well-developed main characters, , but secondary ones as well.
The actual plot of this novel was interesting. A part of it had to do with first impressions, and how unbelievably wrong they can be. Another part had to do with Wallace's abilities, and the whole paranormal aspect of his family. It was a great blend, and I was never bored. I read this book in one sitting, and whenever I do that, it's definitely a great book. I never found it slow or boring, and I always had to see what happened next.
With all that said, I definitely have to say that my intuition was right on wanting this book. There wasn't much that I didn't like, honestly. I thought the main characters were great, and the paranormal aspects were original. I was never bored, and after the way this story ended, I'm in serious need of the second book, and it can't get here fast enough.