March 20, 2013

BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Strength (Mark of Nexus #1)

Strength (Mark of Nexus #1), by Carrie Butler
Published March 7, 2013
Publisher:  Sapphire Star Publishing
Format:  e-book - obtained from publisher
Genre:  New Adult Paranormal Romance
To Buy:  Amazon * Barnes & Noble

 Rating:  4 STARS

(From Goodreads) When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, her rumor-laced notions are shattered. Handsome, considerate, and seemingly sane, Wallace Blake doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, screaming and banging on the walls of his dorm room. Hell, he doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, period.

Too curious for her own good, Rena vows to uncover the truth behind Wallace’s madman reputation--and how two seconds of contact had left her with bruises. Of course, there are a few setbacks along the way: guilt, admiration, feelings of the warm and fuzzy variety…

Not to mention the unwanted attention of Wallace's powerful, supernaturally-gifted family.

They’re a bloodline divided by opposing ideals, two soon-to-be warring factions that live in secret among us. When Rena ends up caught in their crossfire, Wallace has no choice but to save her by using his powers. Now they’re really in trouble. With war on the horizon and Rena’s life in the balance, he needs to put some distance between them. But Rena won’t let go. If fighting is what it takes to prove her own strength and keep Wallace in her life, then that’s what she’ll do--even if it means risking a whole lot more than her heart.


I read a lot of books. So, eventually a lot of them end up sort of running together. It's hard to surprise me. And, it's rare that I find something that's unique. So, on one of the occasions that I find one of these special books, it's such a treat. 

Butler does a really nice job of creating an air of mystery around Wallace. She makes him seem scary and evil and very mysterious. From that aspect, I was sucked into the story almost immediately. Rena literally runs into him in the hallway and gets bruises all over her. The "why" of that was intriguing and made me want to read more.

Wallace himself was really well developed. The mystery surrounding him notwithstanding, once Rena has an opportunity to interact with him some, he becomes even more interesting. He can be sweet and chivalrous and caring and passionate, but still manages to keep most people at arm's length. It isn't until Rena meets his family that she begins to see what a multi-faceted person Wallace really is. And what all his "otherness" is all about.

The Mark of Nexus was my favorite part of the whole book. What a cool concept! Even if I hadn't enjoyed Wallace and wanted to see where his and Rena's relationship goes, this one thing would've kept me reading to the next book in the series. It's a really unique idea and one that I can't wait to see developed further.

Bottom line, Strength was a unique book with a fresh concept and really likable characters. It's classified as New Adult Paranormal Romance - honestly, it's a very light New Adult. There's not much bad language and there's only one very mild sex scene. Nonetheless, this is a really good book!


Giveaway

Enter to win one of five e-copies of Strength.


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About the Author

Carrie daydreamed her way through college—until they thrust a marketing degree into her hands, slapped a summa cum laude seal on the corner, and booted her out into a less-than-stellar job market. Instead of panicking at the prospect of unemployment, she used her Midwestern logic to steer into the skid and point her life in the direction she really wanted to go: writing out those daydreams.

Find Carrie on Goodreads * Twitter * Facebook * Website




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