Defy (Defy #1) by Sara B. Larson - Ashley's Pre-Reading

*I received this book as an eARC from Scholastic Press on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Defy

Author: Sara B. Larson

Publication Date: January 7, 2014

Paul's Review

Paul's Pre-Reading

Synopsis: A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

Why?: I love high fantasy, and I love even more when I find a YA high fantasy novel. I have heard really good things about this book, so I'm pretty excited to read it.

Expectations: My expectations are fairly high for this book, since I've heard pretty good things about it. It's been promoted everywhere, and I think it has a lot to live up to because of that. It's also being placed in the same genre as books by Rae Carson, Leigh Bardugo, and the like, and that makes me think that it should be on par with The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Graceling, and Shadow and Bone. And I really want it to be. I do expect more romance from this book than the others though.

Judging a book by its cover: I actually really like this cover. I love the colors, and how the title is very prominent. I like the rose on top of the dagger (I think it's a dagger), and how everything just looks so good together. It doesn't give too much away, but it still looks like a high fantasy book. I think it would totally stand out from other books around it!


--Ashley

Defy by Sara B. Larson - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Defy
Author: Sara B. Larson
Year Published: 2014

Paul's PRE-READING

Synopsis: Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

--------------------------------------------------------------

Review: I was really getting into this novel for the first third of it. A fantasy world set in the jungle. Feuding kingdoms. A girl masquerading as the prince's guard. All the characters were unique as well. And then the romance started.

The romance definitely overpowered the story. In a situation with dire risks, the protagonist's thoughts were on what boy she liked more. I wanted the focus to be more on Alexa empowering herself. I also expected more interesting takes on gender roles, but many commonplace gender roles were supported.

There was so much explanation and blatant telling as opposed to showing. The first third of the book was so much stronger than the rest in my opinion. The religion or mythology of the cultures wasn't really present, but there were references to God and demons. I wanted to know more. Was this god the Christian God? I'm fine with no mention of religion in fantasy novels, but there were religious mentions with no more depth given.

The concept and the characters of this novel had so much potential, but I unfortunately felt it fell short. If you prefer a focus on romance in your fantasy you may like this more. Although it wasn't what I expected, I did enjoy reading this book I give it a 3.5/5.

--PAUL

Defy by Sara B. Larson - Paul's PRE-READING

*I received this book as an eARC from on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Defy
Author: Sara B. Larson
Year Published: 2014

Synopsis: Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

Why?: A fantasy involving a girl going undercover as a boy in the prince's guard? That sounds right up my alley. And a world where magic lingers? Sounds exciting.

Expectations:  I have heard there is a love triangle so I hope that is done well and feels natural. Aside from the romance, I'm expecting a fantasy with a kickass female protagonist.

Judging a book by its cover: This is a pretty simple fantasy cover. The rose atop the blade intrigues me. 

--PAUL