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lenoreo's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars - This one had me fighting to get into it at the very beginning....Rena just comes across as so flaky, and I couldn't understand her actions. She could be quite flip floppy in her feelings and thoughts, and so I was kind of skeptical at times. I really did enjoy the friendship (later love) that developed between Rena and Wallace, and he seemed like a sweetie. But I guess in the end I was only so so on a few of the characters and it left me wanting more (particularly Gabby, and even Aiden a bit). I thought the church scene was kind of out of place, like I wasn't sure about it's importance in the storyline.... It's so weird, b/c it's another book that I would say in the end that I enjoyed, but when I start thinking about investing in the next book (both money and time-wise), I can't help but hesitate. And then when I start writing my reviews, I can't help but focus on the things I didn't like, so then I wonder why I initially thought more 4 stars. *sigh* It's like these books are good and enjoyable, but they're just not blowing me away and I keep waiting to be blown away....
lifeandliterature's review against another edition
5.0
It was all I could do to suppress a shiver as the warmth of his breath danced over my skin, his scent clouding the air between us. God, it smelled so familiar, like the air before a downpour.
The word around campus is that Wallace Blake is a madman. And if the strange noises that come from his room each night are any indication then those rumours are true. But when Rena Collins runs into Wallace in the hall she is shocked to see that he is incredibly gorgeous, as well as considerate and caring. So Rena sets out to find out a bit more about Wallace. In the process she discovers that not only are the rumours about Wallace completely crazy, but she really enjoys his company and finds herself opening up to him as they spend more time together.
But Rena learns that Wallace has secrets. For one, why does he clam up whenever there is a mention of his twin brother Cole? After overhearing a conversation between the brothers, Rena becomes embroiled in the supernatural world that she never imagined actually existed!!
I can't begin to tell you how much I loved this book. Everything flowed so perfectly. There was the exact right amount of romance, heat, supernatural, mystery and Humour.
"See, this is what I like," Cole interjected with a laugh, dusting himself off. "One second she's all timid and then reeoowr! Hellcat."
Rena is a kick ass character. She is gutsy, spirited witty and outspoken about what she believes in. But she also had moments of vulnerability. She is compassionate and caring and I think once she cares about you, she is in for the long haul. I loved the relationship that she had with her roommate Gabby. They were hysterical together!! There were quite a few times that I laughed so hard that I had tears rolling down my cheeks.
Wallace is such a complex character. He has, and continues to endure so much. There were times that my heart ached for him and what he has gone without throughout his life. He carries a heavy burden on his shoulders and keeps people at arms length. But he didn't count on Rena's determination and the extent of the feelings that they share for each other.
So help me, as long as I live, I'll never get tired of seeing that man shirtless.
I adored the romance between Rena and Wallace. There was no instant love but a relationship built on friendship first. But when things heat up between the two of them, boy do they heat up!!! The moments that they shared together were wonderful. Bt there are plenty of obstacles for them to overcome.
I also have to make mention of the book cover and title of the book. They were another perfect aspect of the whole reading experience. They just fit the story to a tee. But to be honest I really can't find fault with anything related to Strength. It was a near flawless read for me. I was anything but happy the few times that I had to put it down and stick my head into the real world. It's definitely a book that I will read again and cannot wait for the next book!!!
5/5 Swoony Wallace Stars!!
The word around campus is that Wallace Blake is a madman. And if the strange noises that come from his room each night are any indication then those rumours are true. But when Rena Collins runs into Wallace in the hall she is shocked to see that he is incredibly gorgeous, as well as considerate and caring. So Rena sets out to find out a bit more about Wallace. In the process she discovers that not only are the rumours about Wallace completely crazy, but she really enjoys his company and finds herself opening up to him as they spend more time together.
But Rena learns that Wallace has secrets. For one, why does he clam up whenever there is a mention of his twin brother Cole? After overhearing a conversation between the brothers, Rena becomes embroiled in the supernatural world that she never imagined actually existed!!
I can't begin to tell you how much I loved this book. Everything flowed so perfectly. There was the exact right amount of romance, heat, supernatural, mystery and Humour.
"See, this is what I like," Cole interjected with a laugh, dusting himself off. "One second she's all timid and then reeoowr! Hellcat."
Rena is a kick ass character. She is gutsy, spirited witty and outspoken about what she believes in. But she also had moments of vulnerability. She is compassionate and caring and I think once she cares about you, she is in for the long haul. I loved the relationship that she had with her roommate Gabby. They were hysterical together!! There were quite a few times that I laughed so hard that I had tears rolling down my cheeks.
Wallace is such a complex character. He has, and continues to endure so much. There were times that my heart ached for him and what he has gone without throughout his life. He carries a heavy burden on his shoulders and keeps people at arms length. But he didn't count on Rena's determination and the extent of the feelings that they share for each other.
So help me, as long as I live, I'll never get tired of seeing that man shirtless.
I adored the romance between Rena and Wallace. There was no instant love but a relationship built on friendship first. But when things heat up between the two of them, boy do they heat up!!! The moments that they shared together were wonderful. Bt there are plenty of obstacles for them to overcome.
I also have to make mention of the book cover and title of the book. They were another perfect aspect of the whole reading experience. They just fit the story to a tee. But to be honest I really can't find fault with anything related to Strength. It was a near flawless read for me. I was anything but happy the few times that I had to put it down and stick my head into the real world. It's definitely a book that I will read again and cannot wait for the next book!!!
5/5 Swoony Wallace Stars!!
kindlelitkat's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
*I received a copy of this book for review from Sapphire Star Publishing / Xpresso Book Tours.
I first heard about Strength over on Absolute Write, a really great community for writers and authors that I've been a member of for a couple years. Carrie Butler had started a thread to share her new cover with everyone in the romance forum and after seeing the stunning design and reading the equally great synopsis, I knew I wanted to read the book.
So imagine my surprise when I got an e-mail telling me Xpresso Book Tours was hosting a tour for Strength, a book that I've been dying to read? I don't sign up for tours very often--I'm not good with fixed dates for anything and tend to prefer to do stuff at my own pace. But here, I just couldn't resist. The opportunity to read this sooner, and to share my thoughts with everyone in a way that would hopefully get the word out about this book, was too much for me to resist.
Of course, the danger of signing up for a tour is that while we can hope a book will be the most awesome thing under the sun, there is no guarantee. Strength is an interesting story and there are some really great things going on in it. But there are also certain things that drove me a little up the wall. I can't quite sing the praises and give the gushing review I had hoped for, but hopefully I can give you all information to help you decide whether Strength will be worth checking out for you. Despite any flaws I do feel it has, I am glad that I read it.
My Thoughts
I first heard about Strength over on Absolute Write, a really great community for writers and authors that I've been a member of for a couple years. Carrie Butler had started a thread to share her new cover with everyone in the romance forum and after seeing the stunning design and reading the equally great synopsis, I knew I wanted to read the book.
So imagine my surprise when I got an e-mail telling me Xpresso Book Tours was hosting a tour for Strength, a book that I've been dying to read? I don't sign up for tours very often--I'm not good with fixed dates for anything and tend to prefer to do stuff at my own pace. But here, I just couldn't resist. The opportunity to read this sooner, and to share my thoughts with everyone in a way that would hopefully get the word out about this book, was too much for me to resist.
Of course, the danger of signing up for a tour is that while we can hope a book will be the most awesome thing under the sun, there is no guarantee. Strength is an interesting story and there are some really great things going on in it. But there are also certain things that drove me a little up the wall. I can't quite sing the praises and give the gushing review I had hoped for, but hopefully I can give you all information to help you decide whether Strength will be worth checking out for you. Despite any flaws I do feel it has, I am glad that I read it.
My Thoughts
First, I want to praise the paranormal elements in this book. They were interesting, well handled and original. They were also integrated very slowly into the story, allowing the reader to get a handle on the characters, what their concept of "normal" was and showing interest between Rena and Wallace before things shifted too much. This created an interesting mystery, and many questions, as I read. I knew from the blurb that things weren't going to be what they seemed, but the pacing regarding this element of the story gave me time to guess things, come up with theories, etc. in a way that isn't always common in paranormal or urban fantasy.
Unfortunately, this came at the cost of the opening being a bit slower then I would have liked. Things moved about in what I felt was a rather odd fashion and there were several times early on where the book lost my attention because of strange plot shifts that (at the time) did not make any sense.
I also had a lot of "Why are you telling me this?" moments as I read. This is bad for two reasons: (1) If I am asking the author this, it means I am not being pulled into the text, which means I'm not seeing / hearing / practically tasting it the way I tend to when I read something that has really sucked me in. (2) This often results in pacing issues that hold back my need to keep reading. I don't know about anyone else reading, but if I walk away from my kindle and haven't left myself at a point where I'm dying to go back it can be really hard for me to pick it back up. As an author, you really don't want that loss of momentum in a story because most readers won't be reading the story for a tour like I was. There's no guarantee they will pick the book (in general--I don't necessarily mean *this* book, just to be clear) back up.
However, the above issues are honestly side effects. The real problem for me, I think, was that I never really connected with Rena. There are several reasons for this. When we meet her at the beginning of the story her immediate and pre-existing judgments about Wallace are (or were for me, at least) very off putting. It may not be fair, but I found myself annoyed with her on page one. Now, this is a gutsy move on Carrie Butler's part and the way it allowed her to open the story did up the tension and make me have an immediate need to know what the heck was going on. But unfortunately, for each thing that I learnt about Rena that brought her a step closer to being likable or relatable, she would inevitably do or say something that would push her back onto my shit list. It's very hard to root for a character when I feel like that, and when I'm not rooting for them to succeed, it ties back into what I was saying about the plot and causes my "care meter" to start nose-diving and my interest in continuing the book to wane.
Fortunately Rena is countered by the intriguing and endearing Wallace, whom I immediately liked and felt deeply sorry for. It's to Carrie's credit that he, as a character, was just as interesting and memorable as the mysterious circumstances surrounding him. Every time that Rena did something that made me want to use my Kindle for a frisbee, Wallace was the saving grace that kept the Kindle in one piece and the book being read.
The other thing I want to praise on the character front is the very real feeling and unique friendship between Rena, Gabby and Aiden. I liked the grounding presence this friendship added to the story, even if it was sometimes responsible for the plot taking a bit of a lull. These characters do not fit into some type of pre-existing clique or stereotype. They felt real, unique and like the kind of trio that could actually exist within a college setting. They were both parts loyal and able to push each other's buttons, which made them feel very fleshed out and memorable.
That's the final thing I want to make clear before I move on from characters. Despite any complaints I may have given here, and despite how they may have effected my reading experience, these characters were all well created with depth and individuality. Given a choice between a character like this not working for me or the author chickening out and creating something more palatable, but also more cardboard, give me this any time. Because even in a situation where a real character does not work for me, I would not want to deprive another reader from discovering a character her or she may really love. I don't get along with everyone in real life and I don't expect fiction to be any different.
The imbalance in my feelings toward the characters did cause me to not be as invested in their romance as I would have liked to be.
Speaking objectively I can tell you that there is no weird funky insta-love here, although there is definitely some attraction to Wallace on Rena's part from word go.
There was nothing 'wrong' with the romance. Rather, I just felt like Wallace and Rena didn't fit together quite the way I like a couple to. This likely, again, has much to do with how I felt about them. I honestly couldn't imagine becoming interested in someone who had previously been (at least partially) responsible for an entire dorm thinking thinking I was crazy, and while I admired Wallace's obvious capacity to put that behind him my own biases (I have never been a real social butterfly, and university was not any better then high school) likely played a part here.
Purchase or Pass?
Strength is by no means a bad book. It just wasn't as good (as far as my own reading experience) as I would have liked, and this was largely due to a disconnect between me and Rena, who was a first person narrator. That is a key danger of first person: the narrator gets to have a lot of influence on how the story feels overall and can work wonders or wreck havoc.
Strength is well written and has some really original ideas. I don't want to make it seem like there was a tremendous error on the author's part, because that is not so. Rather, Carrie Butler took some interesting chances and for me, some of those paid off while others, well, didn't. If you've been looking forward to reading Strength, though, you really should. There is some real brilliance here and as I keep saying, your experience and mine may differ greatly.
kate2440's review against another edition
4.0
I've had this for a while for review and then recently I got myself a finished copy that was free on amazon at the time.
I kind of like this cover, I'm not too sure on the guy on the front as he doesn't scream Wallace. I do like the background and the colours used as they make the cover stand out. I also love the font of the title which also makes this particular cover stand out.
The first half of the book I actually wasn't a fan of as it just dragged and I hated that I didn't know what on earth was going on. It wasn't until the second half that I fell in love with Strength, it had so many things happening in a short space of time with so many twists and turns. I found myself obsessed with Strength to the point that even when I had to put the book down I was still thinking about it. The romance side of the story was a little bit of a slow burner but I think that made for their feelings more realistic than if they fell in love the minute they met. The second half of the book was where their feelings started to really bloom and I just loved them together even when they where just friends. I loved the paranormal elements in this book as it was unique to what I've read before I just wish it wasn't all explained right at the end. There was a lot of action that happened in the end of the book that had me on the edge of my seat. The ending sure left me wanting more and I can't wait to get my hands on book 2.
I did love most of the characters but there was a few that I was 100% sure on though. Rena was a great female character although she did start of a little annoying but the more I read about her the more I found her endearing and the more she didn't play the damsel in distress was a huge plus. Wallace was such a great character and I felt so sorry for him especially when I find out how much those rumours hurt him. Even though Cole is hard to trust it wasn't until he appeared in the book that the book actually started to blow me away. I wasn't a fan of Rena's friends as they where so annoying and to me wasn't actually true friends.
Overall, this could have been an amazing book if it started off the way in which it ended.
I kind of like this cover, I'm not too sure on the guy on the front as he doesn't scream Wallace. I do like the background and the colours used as they make the cover stand out. I also love the font of the title which also makes this particular cover stand out.
The first half of the book I actually wasn't a fan of as it just dragged and I hated that I didn't know what on earth was going on. It wasn't until the second half that I fell in love with Strength, it had so many things happening in a short space of time with so many twists and turns. I found myself obsessed with Strength to the point that even when I had to put the book down I was still thinking about it. The romance side of the story was a little bit of a slow burner but I think that made for their feelings more realistic than if they fell in love the minute they met. The second half of the book was where their feelings started to really bloom and I just loved them together even when they where just friends. I loved the paranormal elements in this book as it was unique to what I've read before I just wish it wasn't all explained right at the end. There was a lot of action that happened in the end of the book that had me on the edge of my seat. The ending sure left me wanting more and I can't wait to get my hands on book 2.
I did love most of the characters but there was a few that I was 100% sure on though. Rena was a great female character although she did start of a little annoying but the more I read about her the more I found her endearing and the more she didn't play the damsel in distress was a huge plus. Wallace was such a great character and I felt so sorry for him especially when I find out how much those rumours hurt him. Even though Cole is hard to trust it wasn't until he appeared in the book that the book actually started to blow me away. I wasn't a fan of Rena's friends as they where so annoying and to me wasn't actually true friends.
Overall, this could have been an amazing book if it started off the way in which it ended.
authorheatherw's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great debut from Carrie Butler! I loved the characters in the book, especially Wallace (swoon) and I’m excited to see where this story ends up going in future novels.
Rena was a strong female lead. She was tough when she needed be, especially when it came to looking out for Wallace. I loved how she refused to be pushed away by him, despite his insistence that he was only trying to protect her. The only thing I wish was that the author provided a little more background on Rena. I think this would’ve helped readers understand her motivations a little better.
Wallace was my favorite character in the book by a mile. It was refreshing to read about a romantic lead that didn’t have a womanizing past or a bad boy reputation. The author wrote Wallace with plenty of depth and I loved the natural development from friendship to romance between Rena and him. When Wallace’s bad boy brother Cole comes into the picture, I was so relieved that the author decided not to have Rena fall for him too. Although I didn’t want a romance between Cole and Rena, I did enjoy his one-liners.
Most of the novel is centered on Rena meeting Wallace and learning about his supernatural heritage. I was looking forward to the paranormal aspects to come into play and I found it took a really long time until they were finally introduced. The last quarter of the book felt rushed and I found myself a little overwhelmed with the inclusion of the new characters and plotlines.
That being said, I get that this is a series starter and I think the author did a good job of laying the foundation for future books. I’d imagine the action would start quickly in the next novel and not be focused as much on the development of Rena and Wallace’s relationship. I’ll definitely read the next book and I hope it’s released soon. I need more Wallace NOW!
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Rena was a strong female lead. She was tough when she needed be, especially when it came to looking out for Wallace. I loved how she refused to be pushed away by him, despite his insistence that he was only trying to protect her. The only thing I wish was that the author provided a little more background on Rena. I think this would’ve helped readers understand her motivations a little better.
Wallace was my favorite character in the book by a mile. It was refreshing to read about a romantic lead that didn’t have a womanizing past or a bad boy reputation. The author wrote Wallace with plenty of depth and I loved the natural development from friendship to romance between Rena and him. When Wallace’s bad boy brother Cole comes into the picture, I was so relieved that the author decided not to have Rena fall for him too. Although I didn’t want a romance between Cole and Rena, I did enjoy his one-liners.
Most of the novel is centered on Rena meeting Wallace and learning about his supernatural heritage. I was looking forward to the paranormal aspects to come into play and I found it took a really long time until they were finally introduced. The last quarter of the book felt rushed and I found myself a little overwhelmed with the inclusion of the new characters and plotlines.
That being said, I get that this is a series starter and I think the author did a good job of laying the foundation for future books. I’d imagine the action would start quickly in the next novel and not be focused as much on the development of Rena and Wallace’s relationship. I’ll definitely read the next book and I hope it’s released soon. I need more Wallace NOW!
Rating: 4/5 Stars
seemeghanread's review against another edition
4.0
I recently decided I wanted to read more novels in the "new adult" category. However, so many new adult novels are contemporary romances, and that's not really my thing, for the most part. So, I started scoping for some new adult novels with a paranormal twist, and Strength is what I found. And am I glad I found it!
Strength is told from the point of view of Rena, a third-year university student. Wallace, another student in her residence, has a reputation of being insane (a reputation not helped by the gossip of Rena and her friends). However, when Rena spends time with him, she learns he's not crazy after all. Soon, an attraction grows between them, and Rena learns that Wallace is not what he seems. As Rena and him become closer, he shares a secret with her about his family, and suddenly she is part of a world she never knew existed.
I really enjoyed this book. First of all, I love paranormal books where the paranormal element doesn't reveal itself right away. And I had to wait till about halfway through to discover just what was up with Wallace. And the paranormal element isn't something you've ever read about before. No vampires or werewolves here; Butler came up with her own original idea.
Rena is a fun narrator and her voice was easy to get into. I just wish we knew more about her. I want to know more about her family, her childhood, her dreams for the future. Wallace was also a great male lead. The romance between the two of them was beautiful, and there were some wonderful steamy scenes! (That's one thing I like about new adult novels; they have the liberty of being a little sexier than young adult; even though there was so sex, things were definitely hot!)
Butler also did a good job setting up a plot for the sequel. I've heard the next book incorporates more perspectives, so I am very much looking forward to reading it, and the rest of the series. I've had some bad experiences with indie books, and while the editing in this book wasn't perfect, it did not take away from my enjoyment of the novel at all. Butler is a strong writer and I can't wait to read more of her work.
If you need any more convincing to give this book a try, what if I told you that it's free on Amazon Kindle? I love when authors give away the first book in a series. It gives readers the chance to trust them and their writing. So give it a read, give it a review, and show the author you support them by purchasing the next book. That's what I'll be doing!
Strength is told from the point of view of Rena, a third-year university student. Wallace, another student in her residence, has a reputation of being insane (a reputation not helped by the gossip of Rena and her friends). However, when Rena spends time with him, she learns he's not crazy after all. Soon, an attraction grows between them, and Rena learns that Wallace is not what he seems. As Rena and him become closer, he shares a secret with her about his family, and suddenly she is part of a world she never knew existed.
I really enjoyed this book. First of all, I love paranormal books where the paranormal element doesn't reveal itself right away. And I had to wait till about halfway through to discover just what was up with Wallace. And the paranormal element isn't something you've ever read about before. No vampires or werewolves here; Butler came up with her own original idea.
Rena is a fun narrator and her voice was easy to get into. I just wish we knew more about her. I want to know more about her family, her childhood, her dreams for the future. Wallace was also a great male lead. The romance between the two of them was beautiful, and there were some wonderful steamy scenes! (That's one thing I like about new adult novels; they have the liberty of being a little sexier than young adult; even though there was so sex, things were definitely hot!)
Butler also did a good job setting up a plot for the sequel. I've heard the next book incorporates more perspectives, so I am very much looking forward to reading it, and the rest of the series. I've had some bad experiences with indie books, and while the editing in this book wasn't perfect, it did not take away from my enjoyment of the novel at all. Butler is a strong writer and I can't wait to read more of her work.
If you need any more convincing to give this book a try, what if I told you that it's free on Amazon Kindle? I love when authors give away the first book in a series. It gives readers the chance to trust them and their writing. So give it a read, give it a review, and show the author you support them by purchasing the next book. That's what I'll be doing!
whitneyleann's review against another edition
1.0
DNF 72%
What the hell did I just read??? No really because I could barely follow the plot. It was all just so weird. The friends barely felt like friends they seemed to hate each other more. The romance just was not there at all and yet they were best friends and bonded or whatever??
I tried to finish but I just couldn't do it.
What the hell did I just read??? No really because I could barely follow the plot. It was all just so weird. The friends barely felt like friends they seemed to hate each other more. The romance just was not there at all and yet they were best friends and bonded or whatever??
I tried to finish but I just couldn't do it.
becxreadz's review
4.0
The publishers sent me a copy of “Strength” for review. The cover alone appealed to me =) I really liked the story as well. I was introduced to a new paranormal being, the Dynari. I liked that Carrie created her own paranormal world instead of rehashing the usual. The college setting struck a chord with me. I know what it’s like to live in a dorm with constant fire alarms and noisy neighbors. I wish I could come across a guy like Wallace though. Wallace is a very sexy character. He’s smart, kind, strong, vulnerable in some ways, and oh yeah he’s HOT!! Rena didn’t stand out for me. She was a good character but I felt like I’ve read her personality type before. The whole ‘guy likes girl, guy wants girl, guy holds back for fear of hurting girl’ storyline isn’t new but Wallace and Rena work with it instead of outright avoiding each other. The ending was where all the action was and where I learned more about the Dynari. I give “Strength” 4/5 stars. The beginning was slow but I enjoyed reading a different paranormal story. I’ll be picking up the next in this series for sure.
amburhostyn's review
5.0
It's been a while since a book has kept me up until the early hours of the morning, but Strength did that...and on a weekday when I had to tutor and be up early (at least my version of early :P). I just did not want to put it down at all! I loved the story, the characters, and just the all-around emotion that this book made me feel! :D
First, I loved the introduction! Rena starts this book off by hiding from the "Madman" a.k.a. Wallace, who turns out to be super hunky, and super in some other ways, too. ;) It was definitely a fresh and exciting way to start the book since I was expecting some kind of mass murderer, and got a hunk instead. :P haha
My favourite part of Strength was the characters. I just loved Rena! I found her so easy to relate to, and I loved her fierce spirit! :D I especially loved when she would stand up to Wallace, or stand up for him. It's nice to see a main character who isn't afraid to say what she really feels and thinks. It's also awesome to see a character who sets a great example by standing up for others. I really wish I had a Rena in my life because she's amazing. :) I also LOVED Wallace! Yes, he was totally sexy, but he was also such a sweet character...and so chivalrous! ;D I always forget how sexy I find chivalry until I meet a character like Wallace...it's kind of sad how little can make me swoon. Men...you need to be more chivalrous! You'll have ALL the ladies! :P Anyway...I loved Rena and Wallace...and when you put them together, I LOVED them even more!!!! I also kind of love that Rena pretty much would just blurt out whatever she wanted to know about Wallace right to his face...it's the kind of awkward thing I would do, so thumbs up for Rena! ;D
Along with the awesome characters, the story itself was amazing! Carrie Butler has crafted an incredibly unique backstory that explains what Wallace and his family are, and I loved that within their history there were myths, too...myths that we got to see in Strength. I'm a huge fan of new-to-me paranormals with awesome backstories, so I completely love it, and I can't wait to find out more about the mark of Nexus!!! :D
Overall, I absolutely loved Strength and I would recommend it to anyone who loves paranormal stories with fierce, yet vulnerable main characters. While Rena was strong and stood up for herself, it's clear that she's vulnerable in the world that Wallace belongs to, and the fact that she stays strong in the face of all of that impressed me even more! I'd also recommend this one to people who like to see romance evolve. I really enjoyed the pacing of Rena and Wallace's relationship. It was a bit fast at times when we'd get the time jumps so that the story would progress, but it was clear to see that it wasn't sudden and it wasn't instalove...although there was definitely some attraction from the start. ;) haha
First, I loved the introduction! Rena starts this book off by hiding from the "Madman" a.k.a. Wallace, who turns out to be super hunky, and super in some other ways, too. ;) It was definitely a fresh and exciting way to start the book since I was expecting some kind of mass murderer, and got a hunk instead. :P haha
My favourite part of Strength was the characters. I just loved Rena! I found her so easy to relate to, and I loved her fierce spirit! :D I especially loved when she would stand up to Wallace, or stand up for him. It's nice to see a main character who isn't afraid to say what she really feels and thinks. It's also awesome to see a character who sets a great example by standing up for others. I really wish I had a Rena in my life because she's amazing. :) I also LOVED Wallace! Yes, he was totally sexy, but he was also such a sweet character...and so chivalrous! ;D I always forget how sexy I find chivalry until I meet a character like Wallace...it's kind of sad how little can make me swoon. Men...you need to be more chivalrous! You'll have ALL the ladies! :P Anyway...I loved Rena and Wallace...and when you put them together, I LOVED them even more!!!! I also kind of love that Rena pretty much would just blurt out whatever she wanted to know about Wallace right to his face...it's the kind of awkward thing I would do, so thumbs up for Rena! ;D
Along with the awesome characters, the story itself was amazing! Carrie Butler has crafted an incredibly unique backstory that explains what Wallace and his family are, and I loved that within their history there were myths, too...myths that we got to see in Strength. I'm a huge fan of new-to-me paranormals with awesome backstories, so I completely love it, and I can't wait to find out more about the mark of Nexus!!! :D
Overall, I absolutely loved Strength and I would recommend it to anyone who loves paranormal stories with fierce, yet vulnerable main characters. While Rena was strong and stood up for herself, it's clear that she's vulnerable in the world that Wallace belongs to, and the fact that she stays strong in the face of all of that impressed me even more! I'd also recommend this one to people who like to see romance evolve. I really enjoyed the pacing of Rena and Wallace's relationship. It was a bit fast at times when we'd get the time jumps so that the story would progress, but it was clear to see that it wasn't sudden and it wasn't instalove...although there was definitely some attraction from the start. ;) haha
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