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The Temperforged Trilogy #1
The Measure of Strength
Kyra’sian Blake knew life on Calyndra would demand everything, but nothing could have prepared her for the night her sister was torn from her arms by an unseen force. That was the moment her world broke beyond repair.
It’s been 247 years since the Shattering fractured reality and scattered humanity across magic-torn realms. Calyndra was meant to be a refuge, but its beauty is laced with danger and its wild magic never forgives.
Now, with one fragile lead, Kyra will stop at nothing to bring her sister home. But the path forward means trusting those she never expected.
Nyxa, an untamed Ashenborn huntress with wildfire in her blood, is as lethal with a blade as she is with her words and something in her heat feels dangerously like home.
Thaniel Harper, a half-elf sentinel bound by duty, is ice to Nyxa’s flame. Controlled. Guarded. Everything Kyra despises about the elven elite. And yet... beneath the armor is a loyalty so absolute it terrifies her, because it asks for a trust she doesn't know how to give.
Together, they are a storm waiting to break and Calyndra shows no mercy to those who stand still when the winds rise.
As ancient powers stir, Kyra must walk the razor’s edge between loyalty and love, between what’s right… and what she needs most.
Because love doesn’t just heal, it burns. It carves. And if she falters, she won’t just lose her sister… she’ll lose herself.
A modern fantasy of ruin, resilience, and love that tears you open and makes you choose who you’ll be when the pieces don’t fit back the same. The kind that can break you… or make you unstoppable.
It’s been 247 years since the Shattering fractured reality and scattered humanity across magic-torn realms. Calyndra was meant to be a refuge, but its beauty is laced with danger and its wild magic never forgives.
Now, with one fragile lead, Kyra will stop at nothing to bring her sister home. But the path forward means trusting those she never expected.
Nyxa, an untamed Ashenborn huntress with wildfire in her blood, is as lethal with a blade as she is with her words and something in her heat feels dangerously like home.
Thaniel Harper, a half-elf sentinel bound by duty, is ice to Nyxa’s flame. Controlled. Guarded. Everything Kyra despises about the elven elite. And yet... beneath the armor is a loyalty so absolute it terrifies her, because it asks for a trust she doesn't know how to give.
Together, they are a storm waiting to break and Calyndra shows no mercy to those who stand still when the winds rise.
As ancient powers stir, Kyra must walk the razor’s edge between loyalty and love, between what’s right… and what she needs most.
Because love doesn’t just heal, it burns. It carves. And if she falters, she won’t just lose her sister… she’ll lose herself.
A modern fantasy of ruin, resilience, and love that tears you open and makes you choose who you’ll be when the pieces don’t fit back the same. The kind that can break you… or make you unstoppable.
347 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 17, 2025
2 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 16, 2025
Equal Measure Harmony and Chaos
While a wild departure from my regular venue of literature, The Measure of Strength is certainly an interesting ride.
Without getting into spoilers the basic story follows a young but mature pharmacist/apothecarian by the the name Kyrasian Blake who must work with her father to find and rescue her younger sister. Along the way, she forges a deep and intimate romance with an an elven enforcer and Ashenborn(a demonborn-esque creature) in an unconventional romantic relationship.
Pros
So perhaps the biggest strength of the novel will have to be the character work. With the exception of one or two antagonists, the majority of the cast are well painted with their own distinct goals and personalities and often play off in some interesting angles. A personal favorite of mine, the Ashenborn surrogate father to Kyrasian seems vacillate between menacing and heroic and as the story progresses, it shows the circumstances that built up to this and hints on more trouble to come from him.
Secondly, the world of this story is a vast, sprawling expanse of ideas all swirling around this collision of realities not unlike something from Marvel’s Secret Wars and Stephen King’s Dark Tower novels. The fauna are bizarre and otherworldly and there is clearly a lot of thought put into how the varying peoples and worlds relate and conflict with one another. My only biggest gripe is that I felt we could have maybe seen a bit more of what this place has to offer, but then this is a trilogy so next book then…
Shattercry. By a combination of post apocalyptic remains and advanced quasi science magic, the world had achieved a form of modern tech in a few limited areas such ac well, music. A scene roughly in the second act introduces the in-world band of Shattercry who bring on a charming energy that almost upstaged the main caste.
Cons
While the world and characters therein certainly are compelling, there are few glitches with the narrative, tone, and genre that can be a turnoff for some. The story clearly wants to be a romance novel first and foremost and while adventure elements is what brings the cast together, much of the story also gets into spurts of an epic that seems to distract from the three and leads to a plot twist that is set at the denouement of the conflict that would have been better suited in a third act.
Which segues into the pacing itself. The story though compelling has tendency to slow down when it needs to speed up. Sex scenes, though plenty are just little too long and rendered in very explicit detail to the point they take away from their neighboring build up and wind down scenes
Final Thoughts
In summary, the boom is best approached as a romance novel first and foremost with just dashes of action here and there. The world and characters are simply amazing and well realized and make for an immersive and entertaining read. I’d stress this is one…vivacious novel that should be born with an adult audience in mind. It’s a solid novel that though is out of my arena or tastes had me looking forward to see where the author goes next with it.
While a wild departure from my regular venue of literature, The Measure of Strength is certainly an interesting ride.
Without getting into spoilers the basic story follows a young but mature pharmacist/apothecarian by the the name Kyrasian Blake who must work with her father to find and rescue her younger sister. Along the way, she forges a deep and intimate romance with an an elven enforcer and Ashenborn(a demonborn-esque creature) in an unconventional romantic relationship.
Pros
So perhaps the biggest strength of the novel will have to be the character work. With the exception of one or two antagonists, the majority of the cast are well painted with their own distinct goals and personalities and often play off in some interesting angles. A personal favorite of mine, the Ashenborn surrogate father to Kyrasian seems vacillate between menacing and heroic and as the story progresses, it shows the circumstances that built up to this and hints on more trouble to come from him.
Secondly, the world of this story is a vast, sprawling expanse of ideas all swirling around this collision of realities not unlike something from Marvel’s Secret Wars and Stephen King’s Dark Tower novels. The fauna are bizarre and otherworldly and there is clearly a lot of thought put into how the varying peoples and worlds relate and conflict with one another. My only biggest gripe is that I felt we could have maybe seen a bit more of what this place has to offer, but then this is a trilogy so next book then…
Shattercry. By a combination of post apocalyptic remains and advanced quasi science magic, the world had achieved a form of modern tech in a few limited areas such ac well, music. A scene roughly in the second act introduces the in-world band of Shattercry who bring on a charming energy that almost upstaged the main caste.
Cons
While the world and characters therein certainly are compelling, there are few glitches with the narrative, tone, and genre that can be a turnoff for some. The story clearly wants to be a romance novel first and foremost and while adventure elements is what brings the cast together, much of the story also gets into spurts of an epic that seems to distract from the three and leads to a plot twist that is set at the denouement of the conflict that would have been better suited in a third act.
Which segues into the pacing itself. The story though compelling has tendency to slow down when it needs to speed up. Sex scenes, though plenty are just little too long and rendered in very explicit detail to the point they take away from their neighboring build up and wind down scenes
Final Thoughts
In summary, the boom is best approached as a romance novel first and foremost with just dashes of action here and there. The world and characters are simply amazing and well realized and make for an immersive and entertaining read. I’d stress this is one…vivacious novel that should be born with an adult audience in mind. It’s a solid novel that though is out of my arena or tastes had me looking forward to see where the author goes next with it.
November 18, 2025
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
My review:
This is a slow burning and character driven fantasy. You get a slow burning romance, in depth world building, and a plot that leaves you hooked. The book takes place in a realm of what is left after ‘the shattering.’
In this realm you get to experience mythological creatures, dangerous magic, and other species most Romantasy readers will be quite fond of.
Kyra is the FMC, whose sister was abducted and her mission is to find her and this is really the heart of the novel. Immediately you’ll find yourself impressed with her driven nature, though her relentlessness can be poorly timed.
Then you have Nyxa, a stunning and seductive heroine who uses her charm and cunning tongue relentlessly. Though don’t be fooled, she’s definitely not all talk! You get to know quite a bit about her.
The trio of Nyxa, Kyra, and Thaniel is quite intriguing. With as blatantly different as they are from one another you can’t help but to be captivated with the tension unraveling between the three. Reluctance from one front while another shines with eagerness. It was an interesting side quest amongst the main story line!
December 1, 2025
The Measure of Strength is a narrative driven modern fantasy with a soft dystopian undertone. The world building feels expansive and imaginative, and the premise itself caught my interest straight away.
Kyra’s search for her sister sets the foundation for a story filled with emotion, connection, and shifting trust. Along the way she forms meaningful bonds with Nyxa and Thaniel, and although they each bring very different energies to the page, their dynamic adds depth to the journey.
The writing leans heavily into prose, which creates a vivid and atmospheric reading experience. At times this slower pacing made it harder for me to stay fully anchored, especially when multiple points of view revisited the same events. For my reading brain, this sometimes felt repetitive and I found myself wanting the momentum to build a little earlier.
That said, the heart of the story is strong. The final chapters were the most engaging for me, with the tension and emotion landing exactly where I needed them to.
I genuinely enjoyed this book, and readers who love rich narration, character focus, and immersive world building will likely connect with it.
I received this book as an ARC, however this review reflects my honest thoughts and feelings shared voluntarily.
Kyra’s search for her sister sets the foundation for a story filled with emotion, connection, and shifting trust. Along the way she forms meaningful bonds with Nyxa and Thaniel, and although they each bring very different energies to the page, their dynamic adds depth to the journey.
The writing leans heavily into prose, which creates a vivid and atmospheric reading experience. At times this slower pacing made it harder for me to stay fully anchored, especially when multiple points of view revisited the same events. For my reading brain, this sometimes felt repetitive and I found myself wanting the momentum to build a little earlier.
That said, the heart of the story is strong. The final chapters were the most engaging for me, with the tension and emotion landing exactly where I needed them to.
I genuinely enjoyed this book, and readers who love rich narration, character focus, and immersive world building will likely connect with it.
I received this book as an ARC, however this review reflects my honest thoughts and feelings shared voluntarily.
November 17, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
The Measure of Strength by Jenna Raines is a beautiful story of love, sacrifice, and the quiet resilience that comes from choosing your own path. I was pulled in by the way the book balances trust and betrayal, showing how finding your identity sometimes means breaking apart before you can grow stronger.
I loved the magic woven throughout the story and the immersive world-building, it added depth without overshadowing the emotional journey. The main character’s vulnerability is one of the book’s greatest strengths, and her ability to rely on people she least expected genuinely touched me.
This story is heartfelt, atmospheric, and empowering. A lovely read that stayed with me after I closed the final page.
The Measure of Strength by Jenna Raines is a beautiful story of love, sacrifice, and the quiet resilience that comes from choosing your own path. I was pulled in by the way the book balances trust and betrayal, showing how finding your identity sometimes means breaking apart before you can grow stronger.
I loved the magic woven throughout the story and the immersive world-building, it added depth without overshadowing the emotional journey. The main character’s vulnerability is one of the book’s greatest strengths, and her ability to rely on people she least expected genuinely touched me.
This story is heartfelt, atmospheric, and empowering. A lovely read that stayed with me after I closed the final page.
November 16, 2025
ARC Review! (3.5 stars)
Fun fantasy read! I really loved the bond between Kyra, Nyx, and Thaniel - their dynamic was the best part of the book! The plot kept me intrigued and wanting to know what would happen next, which made it a compelling read overall. The writing style was a bit tricky to follow at times, and sometimes felt overly descriptive, which slowed things down a little. Still, I enjoyed it overall and definitely plan to read the next one!
Fun fantasy read! I really loved the bond between Kyra, Nyx, and Thaniel - their dynamic was the best part of the book! The plot kept me intrigued and wanting to know what would happen next, which made it a compelling read overall. The writing style was a bit tricky to follow at times, and sometimes felt overly descriptive, which slowed things down a little. Still, I enjoyed it overall and definitely plan to read the next one!
November 1, 2025
The writing for me was a bit hard for me to fully get into it but I loved the heartfelt meanings that was going on through out the book. I have a sister myself so I can just imagine me in her shoes.
November 17, 2025
The Measure of Strength by Jenna Raines is a beautifully written, character-driven fantasy that delivers sweeping worldbuilding, slow-burn romantic tension, and a fierce emotional core. Set in the fractured realms left behind after the Shattering, the story pulls you in with vivid landscapes, volatile magic, and a heroine whose determination borders on ferocity.
Kyra’s mission to find her sister is the beating heart of the book, and her unwavering resolve makes her instantly compelling. Watching her navigate Calyndra—a realm as breathtaking as it is brutal—is one of the novel’s greatest strengths. The magic feels alive, unpredictable, and woven into every corner of the world.
The dynamic between Kyra, Nyxa, and Thaniel adds captivating tension on multiple fronts. Nyxa is all wildfire and raw instinct, while Thaniel is ice-cold discipline and loyalty—opposites that both challenge and steady Kyra in different ways. Their personalities clash, spark, and build into a trio full of conflict, chemistry, and reluctant trust. The emotional push-and-pull feels organic, not forced, and gives the story a strong romantic undercurrent without overshadowing the central quest.
The plot moves with steady intrigue, especially as ancient powers awaken and moral lines blur. The themes—identity, loyalty, and the cost of love—hit hard, especially as Kyra begins to confront not only the threats around her but the ones within herself.
Kyra’s mission to find her sister is the beating heart of the book, and her unwavering resolve makes her instantly compelling. Watching her navigate Calyndra—a realm as breathtaking as it is brutal—is one of the novel’s greatest strengths. The magic feels alive, unpredictable, and woven into every corner of the world.
The dynamic between Kyra, Nyxa, and Thaniel adds captivating tension on multiple fronts. Nyxa is all wildfire and raw instinct, while Thaniel is ice-cold discipline and loyalty—opposites that both challenge and steady Kyra in different ways. Their personalities clash, spark, and build into a trio full of conflict, chemistry, and reluctant trust. The emotional push-and-pull feels organic, not forced, and gives the story a strong romantic undercurrent without overshadowing the central quest.
The plot moves with steady intrigue, especially as ancient powers awaken and moral lines blur. The themes—identity, loyalty, and the cost of love—hit hard, especially as Kyra begins to confront not only the threats around her but the ones within herself.
January 23, 2026
Hey! I just finished reading the book, and what I can say is that it was such a beautiful experience. A bit painful, yes, but overall it was an amazing experience. I also just want to mention that I really appreciate the map and the guides in the last pages. It was really helpful.
The writing was really well done. The flow of the story, and the descriptions or the imagery of scenes were really engaging for me. Like, there are parts where the pacing just makes me feel like I'm also there with the characters, and I can also feel the urgency of what's happening.
The characters. Oh my, the characters are all so lovely. The scenes with Kyra, Nyxa, and Thaniel, minus the high stakes and tense scenes, were honestly such a comfort read to me. I love their interactions so, so much. Even the side characters were so well-written that they've really impacted me even long after their "screen time."
Overall, I loved it. I'm ashamed that it took me so long to read, but you best believe that I enjoyed every second of it. Also, I most definitely shed a tear.
The writing was really well done. The flow of the story, and the descriptions or the imagery of scenes were really engaging for me. Like, there are parts where the pacing just makes me feel like I'm also there with the characters, and I can also feel the urgency of what's happening.
The characters. Oh my, the characters are all so lovely. The scenes with Kyra, Nyxa, and Thaniel, minus the high stakes and tense scenes, were honestly such a comfort read to me. I love their interactions so, so much. Even the side characters were so well-written that they've really impacted me even long after their "screen time."
Overall, I loved it. I'm ashamed that it took me so long to read, but you best believe that I enjoyed every second of it. Also, I most definitely shed a tear.
November 15, 2025
The Measure Of Strength is a tale of exactly that, strength. The story follows Kyra'sian as she attempts to save her stolen sister. Kyra faces many challenges that break her physically and mentally but her strength remains and she never loses her fight.
This isn't a happy story, there's no HEA waiting at the end, but there are moments of happiness that Kyra clings to in desperate times.
This is a very romance heavy fantasy, Kyra finds herself in a very steamy why choose relationship with an Elf and an Ashenborne and we have spice that lasts for literal chapters! This definitely helped to bring moments of light into an otherwise very dark story.
The writing is very descriptive and poetic. While this worked in some scenes and I will always appreciate beautiful writing, I did find this an issue in some of the more action forward scenes where it slowed it down unnecessarily and found myself skipping over a few lines in hopes of keeping the pace going. But this aside, the descriptive detail of the writing was great for character development, we have many POVs in this book and I found myself connected to each and every one. I knew their hopes, dreams and motivations and I cared about all of them equally.
Overall this was a fantastic story, I really resonated with the characters and loved the deep emotions conveyed.
Releasing November 17th, if you love a tale of strength and courage with no promise of a HEA then pop this one straight on the TBR
This isn't a happy story, there's no HEA waiting at the end, but there are moments of happiness that Kyra clings to in desperate times.
This is a very romance heavy fantasy, Kyra finds herself in a very steamy why choose relationship with an Elf and an Ashenborne and we have spice that lasts for literal chapters! This definitely helped to bring moments of light into an otherwise very dark story.
The writing is very descriptive and poetic. While this worked in some scenes and I will always appreciate beautiful writing, I did find this an issue in some of the more action forward scenes where it slowed it down unnecessarily and found myself skipping over a few lines in hopes of keeping the pace going. But this aside, the descriptive detail of the writing was great for character development, we have many POVs in this book and I found myself connected to each and every one. I knew their hopes, dreams and motivations and I cared about all of them equally.
Overall this was a fantastic story, I really resonated with the characters and loved the deep emotions conveyed.
Releasing November 17th, if you love a tale of strength and courage with no promise of a HEA then pop this one straight on the TBR
November 18, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
This story is descriptive, imaginative, and vast. The world-building and character development is well done, and I enjoyed following the relationship that forms between Kyra, Nyxa & Thaniel.
This is a fantasy romance with spice, found family, corruption, power, loyalty & betrayal. It also has trials and a twist that I wasn't expecting.
The plot is engaging and kept me interested all the way through.
I did find some parts to be a little slow, and it is quite descriptive throughout, which at times was a little much for me.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading the next installment!
Thank you to the author, Jenna Raines, for providing me with an ARC of The Measure of Strength ♡
This story is descriptive, imaginative, and vast. The world-building and character development is well done, and I enjoyed following the relationship that forms between Kyra, Nyxa & Thaniel.
This is a fantasy romance with spice, found family, corruption, power, loyalty & betrayal. It also has trials and a twist that I wasn't expecting.
The plot is engaging and kept me interested all the way through.
I did find some parts to be a little slow, and it is quite descriptive throughout, which at times was a little much for me.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading the next installment!
Thank you to the author, Jenna Raines, for providing me with an ARC of The Measure of Strength ♡
September 7, 2025
The Measure of Strength by Jenna Raines is a descriptive and imaginative fantasy with an intriguing premise. Kyra’s search for her missing younger sister, Cora, drives the story forward, and along the way she forms meaningful connections with Nyxa and Thaniel—characters who add heart and depth to her journey.
The worldbuilding is vivid and the plot kept me engaged, but the writing style just wasn’t a fit for me personally. While some readers will love the richly descriptive prose, I found it a bit difficult to get through at times.
That said, the story itself is compelling and well thought out, and I am positive there will be fantasy fans out there that enjoy this one more than I did.
The worldbuilding is vivid and the plot kept me engaged, but the writing style just wasn’t a fit for me personally. While some readers will love the richly descriptive prose, I found it a bit difficult to get through at times.
That said, the story itself is compelling and well thought out, and I am positive there will be fantasy fans out there that enjoy this one more than I did.
November 22, 2025
The story itself was interesting, but the writing was very repetitive and sometimes redundant. I don’t know how many times the phrases “unreadable expression” and “their touch grounding me” came up and there were at least two spots where something was described as breathtaking and then it was stated that it made it hard to breathe. It was very hard for me to push through this writing. I believe this is the author’s first book, so I’m sure that their writing will improve with the next book.
November 17, 2025
I had a little trouble getting started, but once the trio was together, I was engaged. The story does move slowly as there's a lot of details, and the characters are fairly cliché. I actually didn't really like their relationship at first, but I grew to appreciate them. The story itself was engaging and dramatic, and had me laughing and crying throughout. Overall, this was a good read.
November 19, 2025
A Measure of Strength is a breathtakingly beautiful tale of love, loss, family and betrayal. While a touch on the darker side, this book is brimming with beautiful emotion and description. I loved every minute of it. I was absolutely enthralled with the characters, be that love or hate, and it's a fantastic piece of storytelling. I can't wait for book two!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews