Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 416pgs
Pages: 416pgs
The Story
Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows hot to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan - the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.
At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.
As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.
The Review
A big thanks to the publisher for sending me a review copy of this book!
What a marvelous and stunning debut book! DEFIANCE contains a fantasy and a dystopian-like world where young women are considered less important then men, and it was definitely one of the most intriguing reads I've ever come across this year and one of the most creative too because I didn't want to leave this world anytime soon. Just by reading C.J. Redwine's storytelling alone - with slight hints of slow-burning romances, action-pack sequences and riveting narratives - it's just something everyone must read and it's something that you don't want to miss out on by the end of this year!
DEFIANCE is told in two of our main character perspectives, Rachel's and Logan's, who are also love interests in the story. Now I was a super duper fan of both of these characters and I loved getting to know them both equally as individuals and as a potential couple in the works as well, and really it's no wonder why I highly regarded them as great heroes in this book. Rachel, our main leading heroine, was someone who wanted to defy the rules of women being treated with less respect and 'always' being overshadowed by the protection of men in her apocalyptic village and ever since her father went missing on the battlefield, she just went ahead and forced herself into the position of becoming a warrior - the one she has always meant to be, and that I guess was the beginning of my love affair with her. She was truly awesome! Her strength, her stubbornness, her questionable battle tactics, her will fight in whatever she believed in at the time . . . what more could you possibly want from a main heroine of an epic fantasy world? That's right nothing because she's pretty much got everything ticked off on my perfect heroine list!
As for our newly-introduced boy character, Logan, Rachel's main and potential love interest and soon-to-be confidant of a friend, he was straightaway loved by me and I'm sure by many other readers as well. He pretty much embodied everything I love in protective young hero and even though he experienced many conflicting emotions between himself and Rachel, someone whom admitted to loving him a few years back, I still just loved their connection and I loved how Logan was always there for Rachel, even when times had gotten tougher for him and his own role to play within the village. But trust me here fangals: Logan will melt your heart and frustrate you a lot . . . in a good way of course!
Overall, DEFIANCE was something I wasn't sure what to expect from but in the end I'm also very glad to have read it! It was definitely something new and exciting for the fantasy genre. With some great adventures and unexpected twists to make things really, really interesting, I definitely can't wait until I get to read the sequel, which I'm sure will just be as great as the first in this YA trilogy. So if you love books like A Game of Thrones, Throne of Glass or perhaps similar titles (genre-wise) to Mistwood and Born Wicked, then you will NEED to pick up this book soon!
DEFIANCE is told in two of our main character perspectives, Rachel's and Logan's, who are also love interests in the story. Now I was a super duper fan of both of these characters and I loved getting to know them both equally as individuals and as a potential couple in the works as well, and really it's no wonder why I highly regarded them as great heroes in this book. Rachel, our main leading heroine, was someone who wanted to defy the rules of women being treated with less respect and 'always' being overshadowed by the protection of men in her apocalyptic village and ever since her father went missing on the battlefield, she just went ahead and forced herself into the position of becoming a warrior - the one she has always meant to be, and that I guess was the beginning of my love affair with her. She was truly awesome! Her strength, her stubbornness, her questionable battle tactics, her will fight in whatever she believed in at the time . . . what more could you possibly want from a main heroine of an epic fantasy world? That's right nothing because she's pretty much got everything ticked off on my perfect heroine list!
As for our newly-introduced boy character, Logan, Rachel's main and potential love interest and soon-to-be confidant of a friend, he was straightaway loved by me and I'm sure by many other readers as well. He pretty much embodied everything I love in protective young hero and even though he experienced many conflicting emotions between himself and Rachel, someone whom admitted to loving him a few years back, I still just loved their connection and I loved how Logan was always there for Rachel, even when times had gotten tougher for him and his own role to play within the village. But trust me here fangals: Logan will melt your heart and frustrate you a lot . . . in a good way of course!
Overall, DEFIANCE was something I wasn't sure what to expect from but in the end I'm also very glad to have read it! It was definitely something new and exciting for the fantasy genre. With some great adventures and unexpected twists to make things really, really interesting, I definitely can't wait until I get to read the sequel, which I'm sure will just be as great as the first in this YA trilogy. So if you love books like A Game of Thrones, Throne of Glass or perhaps similar titles (genre-wise) to Mistwood and Born Wicked, then you will NEED to pick up this book soon!
The Rating
5/5 stars
I have this waiting to read. I bought it because I fell in love with the cover.
ReplyDeleteGlad youe enjoyed it, nice review.
Thank you! I fell in love with the cover too. So pretty!
DeleteI am so happy to heard that you enjoyed Defiance as much as I did! It is definitely one of my 2012 favorites, and Logan is easily a YA favorite! Thanks for sharing your thoughts :)
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty happy too. The book was really awesome. And Logan . . . geez he's one of my favourites too.
DeleteBrilliant review, Erin! I'm glad to hear Logan and Rachel made an impression on you. I liked them a lot too, though I did have some mixed thoughts about the book at parts. I'm looking forward to the sequel though! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sam! I can't wait to read the sequel too. Hope it's just as good as this one.
DeleteOh man, I love Logan to the moon and back. I loved this book too but had a hard time writing a review so I decided to just let it go. I like Rachel at first but the second half made me want to scream at her with frustration. But other than that this book is a must-read! Great great review Erin x
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I wasn't a huge fan of this book, but I'm glad to see you enjoyed much, MUCH more! :D I hope the sequel impresses you just as much. Awesome review, Erin!
ReplyDelete