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Wednesday 23 October 2013

Review - Courage by Carrie Butler


Courage by Carrie Butler
Blog Tour  •  October 14th–16th


Title: Courage
Author: Carrie Butler
Series: Mark of Nexus #2
Expected publication: October 15th, 2013
Category: New Adult (NA)
Genre: Paranormal Romance (PNR)

• Short description:
Rena Collins never thought she’d long for the past—back when affection from Wallace, her freakishly strong boyfriend, was the most dangerous aspect of her life. But now that the human-altering organization known as ERA has gone on the offensive, nothing is safe. Her bloodline is exposed, her relationships torn apart, and just when it seems like things can’t get any worse, ERA ups the ante. To save mankind from forced evolution, Rena will have to mend her broken ties and form a resistance... hand-in-hand with the one she hurt most.

Long description:
Making a deal with the bad guys wasn’t the highlight of Rena Collins’ semester, but, hey, it saved her boyfriend. Now, in order to appease the human-altering organization known as ERA, she’ll crawl under their microscope while they study the Mark of Nexus and plot their eye-glazed version of the future—until she realizes that’s not all they’re plotting.

Wallace Blake has always known his girlfriend is unlike most girls. But now that information has surfaced regarding the two bloodlines that balance his supernatural race, he finally understands why. Rena belongs to one of them. She’s been augmenting his power, all along...

Enter: Corynn Catley. Brought into the country under the guise of an internship, she’s intended to become ERA’s secret weapon. Kind of. Her abilities cancel out Wallace’s, rendering him powerless, but that’s exactly what he’s always wanted. Too bad it only works when his girlfriend’s not around.

All the while, Rena fails to notice the crush her geeky best friend, Aiden Ross, is nursing. He’d give anything for her to see him in a new light—even reinvent himself through questionable means--but there’s a reason people are told to be careful what they wish for. Finding the courage to tell her could put everyone’s lives in danger.

***
Courage (Mark of Nexus #2) is a New Adult paranormal romance that features four unique points-of-view. While the novel stands alone, it is best enjoyed after Strength (Mark of Nexus #1).



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Title: Strength
Author: Carrie Butler
Series: Mark of Nexus #1
Publication: September 16th, 2013 (First publication: March 7th, 2013 by Sapphire Star Publishing)
Category: New Adult (NA)
Genre: Paranormal Romance (PNR)

• Short description:
When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, she’s stunned. Wallace Blake is everything she’s ever wanted in a man—except he can’t touch her. His uncontrollable strength, a so-called gift from his bloodline, makes every interaction dangerous. And with a secret, supernatural war brewing among his kind, there’s no time to work it out. To keep Wallace in her life, Rena will have to risk a whole lot more than her heart.

• Long description:
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.


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Author bio:
Carrie Butler 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.

Her passion for New Adult fiction led her to co-found NA Alley—a widely recognized informational hub for the category. She is the author of STRENGTH (Mark of Nexus #1) and COURAGE (Mark of Nexus #2).


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Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6265027.Carrie_Butler


My Review


Rena made a deal with the ERA, and now finds herself dragged even further into the supernatural mysteries surrounding Wallace’s family. But when she learns that she has abilities of her own, and that her family is connected to a bloodline that augments Wallace’s power, things get even more complicated. Rena can amplify or take on Wallace’s powers herself, but his uncontrollable strength is a barrier they have yet to overcome. Meanwhile, Faye’s world-domination plans for the ERA involve kidnapping Corynn, a girl with the ability to nullify others’ powers, and infiltrating Rena’s university to offer their experimental vaccines to students. But the temptation of superpowers comes with a price…

Courage was awesome! I enjoyed learning more about the three supernatural races, the Dynnari, the Augari and the Nullari, and the differences between them. I also really like the way Rena’s and Wallace’s relationship develops. The supporting characters add new dimensions – and complications – to the plot and kept me turning the pages. We get Rena’s best friend Aiden’s perspective as he nurtures a hopeless crush on Rena, and will do anything to win her attention. Corynn is an interesting character, who complicates Rena’s and Wallace’s relationship because she alone can nullify his uncontrollable powers. This isn’t a typical love-triangle situation, though! I’m looking forward to seeing more of her in the next book and finding out what happens next!

Rating: ****

2 comments:

  1. Yay! I SO loved the first book. Carrie's writing is so personable and fun. I mean, who doesn't want to root for spunky girl who likes to punch things? I'm so glad you loved book two, and now I just have to find a movie for the kids to watch while I splurge...

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  2. Nice review! I must read both of these. Congrats to Carrie.

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