REVIEW: Faster We Burn by Chelsea M. Cameron

Title: Faster We Burn (Fall and Rise #2)
Author: Chelsea M. Cameron
Publication Date: April 20, 2013
Format: eARC*
Rating: 5/5
Get it: Amazon | B&N

Katie Hallman is done with douchebags. Done with guys who treat her like crap and leave her broken. But then Stryker Grant is there anyway. With his numerous piercings and bleached hair, he’s the polar opposite of all of her past relationships, which makes him the perfect candidate.

At first, Katie just sees him as a physical escape from her previous rocky relationship, and Stryker doesn’t seem to mind just being a distraction from Katie’s problems. But soon he’s getting under her skin, peeling back layers she’d rather keep covered. She tries to make it clear that she doesn’t want a relationship, but keeps breaking her own rules.

Then a tragedy sends Katie into the only arms who are there to catch her, and she’ll realize that she needs him more than she ever thought possible. But is she ready to let herself trust another guy with her already-battered heart? Or will she push him away to protect herself from getting hurt again?

My thoughts, feelings, and reactions

I was touched with Lottie and Zan’s love story and was introduced to all of their friends in Deeper We Fall. Among those friends were Katie and Stryker, two characters that made an imprint in my heart early on. This time around in Faster We Burn, it’s Katie and Stryker’s story. A story that is full of hope, strength and of course, love. 




Getting to know more of Katie in Faster We Burn was a lovely experience. That strong sometimes self-absorbed and happy go lucky girl I first saw was just one layer to Katie. Due to her previous abusive relationship, that spark of light I saw in Katie dwindled into a girl who became a little broken, bent, and was scared to open her heart. Katie loses herself, but slowly finds and rebuild herself with the help of her amazing friends and her most complicated non-relationship with Stryker. With him, Katie was sarcastic, stronger, fiercer, and able to open up more than ever before. What Katie goes through in this book is tough and heart breaking, but she really perseveres. The immense amount of willpower she shows was commendable. Katie made mistakes, but she really learns from them and grows as a daughter, friend, and girlfriend. 


I was infatuated with Stryker Grant the minute he showed up on page in DWF. He fascinated me and being able to be in his head and feel his emotions was exhilarating. Stryker has had a rough and hard childhood, but he has made something of himself. The man was extraordinary! He was highly intelligent, artistically and musically talented and loved to restore cars. He was comfortable with Katie’s obsession with the color pink and wasn’t embarrassed to paint her nails either. Stryker even likes to keep his kitchen in order and has a spice rack that is arranged in alphabetically. Though he looked like a bad boy with his tattoos and piercings and could sometimes be an asshole, he had a really big heart. He saw something in Zan and in Katie. He never reserved judgement and always gave them the benefit of the doubt. He stood up for what he believed in and defended anyone he cared about. He was there for Katie whether she needed him or not. When he thought he would never fall in love, he did and he fell hard and deep and not without passion. I loved Stryker, his wrongs and rights and every little flaw and perfection he had. 

The chemistry between Stryker and Katie wasn’t something I was expecting, but they totally had me smiling like a fool and feeling all the fuzzy feelings at every turn. I enjoyed their complicated undefined relationship that started out as a physical attraction and builds into something more as they spent more time together, slowly destroying the walls they had. The blooming love and realization of that love was beautiful to read. The mutual connection and understanding Stryker and Katie had was proof how meant to be they really were. 

Again, Chelsea Cameron managed to captivate me and uplift me. She created a story that was a total knock out, one that was impressionable and memorable. Cameron brought out the best and worst of these characters, putting them situations that are relatable to all. Faster We Burn was definitely heavier, darker, and a lot more emotional. There is just something about Cameron’s writing that just hits home. Her ability to create heartfelt stories with such an authentic voice takes my breath away and completely leaves me needing more and more. 


*Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours & Chelsea for sending a copy for review