Running Scared by Shannon K. Butcher

Running Scared by Shannon K. Butcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have gotten stingy with five star reviews. But I had to give this book one. It took me to this point where I couldn't stop reading this series if I wanted to.

There isn't one thing that made this a five star book. But a culmination of things.

Characterizations:

Zach--He is a real sweetie. A very worthy hero. His determination to do the right thing despite his own selfish needs. His complete commitment to following through. His tenderness and his fierce power together make him very drool-worthy. What a lovely combination. He is a hero after my own heart.

Lexi--Some aspects of her personality weren't my favorite. She's not trusting and she's hard about some things. Yet, her personality completely makes sense for someone who has led her life. I might be projecting a little. I know I am horrible at trusting people. When you have been let down, it's hard to open yourself up. And with a mother who always drummed into her head to run, to doubt, to reject, to project oneself from the ugliness and the evil in the world, it wouldn't make sense for her to be any other way. I can't expect anything less of her. What really shone through was that Lexi fought past this programming to do the right thing, to trust, to believe, and to sacrifice herself. I was so glad she came clean and she came clean when she needed to. That took some real integrity. I respect this girl. I really do.

Shannon K. Butcher has given us complex characters with so many angles to them. They feel realistic to me, their emotions. They aren't always pretty and pleasing to experience. But because I see the good and bad, that makes them come off the page to me. When a read a book, that's what I want. I don't want to be 'meh' or disconnected. I want to be engaged. Ms. Butcher has done a great job with this book.

The secondary characters in this series do so much to empower and endear this series to me. I am very intrigued by each and every one of them. I feel their pains and experience their suffering. I want to see their individual stories work out to their happiness and contentment. And there are several that I could name that I am eager to read more about, and none that I feel blah about. That's saying something.

Storyline:

The dire situation of the Sentinels is palpable in reading this book. It makes me want to keep reading to see the situation turn around. I love this concept of these men who are dying for women. Their whole civilization dependent upon it. Not that I derive a sadistic pleasure from the men suffering, but the idea of them needing a helpmate to channel their energy, to fight at their side, to heal and to keep them whole is what appeals to me. It takes the paranormal romance genre in a different direction. I know Christine Feehan's Carpathians have the idea of a male who needs his lifemate to keep him sane and whole, and I like it there. This is slightly different, and in an equally appealing manner, with its own distinct and organic feel. This series has a science fiction feel that I have to say works for me. I am curious about so much, and looking forward to seeing where Ms. Butcher takes things next.

Final Thoughts: I wasn't blown away with the first book, but I really liked the second book. It's safe to say I loved this book. This series is on fire for me now. I'm glad my sister gave me the push to read this one. She was right!

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