Sara B. Larson

Seventeen-year-old Alexa's parents were killed by a sorcerer during a raid, so she has disguised herself as a boy, joined Antion's army, and earned a place on Prince Damian's guard--but Antion is ruled by an evil king, and "Alex" must find a way to defeat him and protect her prince.

Alexa Hollen, forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alexa uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. The plot contains profanity, sexual situations, and graphic violence. #1

Defy

Megan During

Very interesting read. Would recommend to anyone who is a fan of YA.

Courtney Gendreau

Review Found: literarychaos.com

The synopsis of this book immediately caught my attention. I am a sucker for the protagonist hiding their true selves to survive trope. The author did a good job at conveying this trope and the circumstances that lead Alexa to hide her true identity. I fell in love with this book from the very beginning. The book was just so beautifully written that it left me eagerly anticipating what will happen in in the rest of the series.

One of the most striking aspects of this book was just how eloquent Larson's writing style is. I would often find myself re-reading passages, not because I was confused, but because of how vivid and powerful the passage was. Larson's truly has a poignant way of writing about a difficult subject matter that is both beautiful and impactful for the reader

The author's writing style also lent itself to the creation of a beautiful world. Larson created an amazing and vivid world that the reader could easily visualize. She really hit the sweet spot when it came to world-building; it never felt lacking nor did it ever feel like the descriptions were overdone, as can be the case with some fantasy novels. 

The only negative I had for this novel was the love triangle. I personally am not a fan of love triangles, however, I do recognize that there are cases where they can be executed well, but for me, this was not one of them. The love triangle felt cheesy, forced, and altogether unnecessary to the plot. Moreover, the triangle didn't even feel like a true love triangle. It was pretty apparent to both the main character and the reader who she would end up with, there was never a real inner struggle as to who she would choose, instead, it was more of an unrequited love situation than a true love triangle. For those who either, love a cheesy romance or can look past it, this book would be a good choice. There are so many good things about this novel, that I was able to look past the cheesy love interest and enjoy it for everything else it brought to the table.

Elisa Bieg

I quite enjoyed this book; it snapped me out of a book slump, and I basically devoured the audiobook. I would have moved right onto the sequel if it weren’t for the fact that my AirPods ran out of charge, so I decided to take this time to write a review while it’s still fresh in my mind.

I liked the world the story was set in: a sort of medieval society set in an imaginary world — this sort of setup seems to be a winner for me, even when it isn’t as complex and detailed as in the Song of Ice and Fire series, if my love for The Queen’s Rising and my continued interest in Falling Kingdoms (despite the lackluster first installment) are any indication.

The world building is summary, we get just enough to frame the story; the side characters are only mildly interesting and sort of blended with one another for me. I quite liked the back story, however, and the MCs were, if perhaps not terribly original, fairly well fleshed out; I could glean their character and motivation, and I enjoyed their interactions.

I know love triangles are the most hated trope by a lot of people, but I actually quite enjoy them when the characters are distinct and have enough dimension to add interest; and this one was no exception. I did find myself rolling my eyes a few times at the constant references to Alex(a) blushing and lusting after the men around her, and just generally being... thirsty, enough to deserve to be made fun of, at least a little bit 😏

I do quite enjoy a good slow-burn, though, and this didn’t disappoint.

I’d definitely recommend this if you enjoyed Shatter Me, and perhaps Red Queen as well; though the first book doesn’t have as much political intrigue perhaps; but enough to add some interest.

I don’t do quarter-stars or decimals, so I’m going to rate this 3 1/2 STARS without prejudice, because I am ready to give the sequel a listen, as well.

Julie Janis

This was an enjoyable read. It was quick, fun fantasy with lots of romance. I mean LOTS! If you're wanting to read a fantasy where the romance almost dominates the main plot, then read this one. Sometimes that can bother some people, but I found I really enjoyed the romance moments--even if some were kind of painful to watch haha. 

This does have a little love triangle, and the romance moved really quickly, which I wish it slowed down a bit at times, but I still wasn't bothered by it. 

Alexa is a great, strong heroine, and though I don't usually like female protagonist who don't let the guy who likes to be a gentleman and treat her like a lady, it made sense that she would act that way because she was posing as a boy for 3 years and doesn't want her relationship to change with the two guys vying for her heart.

The story wrapped up nicely in the end, but I'm intrigued to continue on to see where Alexa's arc goes--and I suppose who she chooses in the end. Yes, I know I'm the minority here in that I like love triangles still.

Cindy Lee

I've read a few negative reviews before reading this myself but I must say it wasn't as horrible as I thought it'd be. Sure, some of the things others pointed out were true, but they were exaggerating a bit. Even with others' influences, I still managed to enjoy this book as best as I can.

At the start, we are introduced to Alex (Alexa) Hollen who disguises herself as a boy to escape the fate of being in the breeding house. She quickly advances as the best of the guards, keeping her secret of being a girl to herself. There was definitely lots of action going on and Alexa is pretty badass. Even though she's a girl, she manages to best all the men. The plot was mediocore. They want to overthrow the king. Nothing was unexpected and it played out fairly okay.

Now let's get to the romance. It was certainly annoying at times but it didn't get on nerves too much. I managed to focus most of my attention on the action and plot (which were both okay). But if you're the type that loves romance and action at the same time, you might pull your hair out at this love triangle. Enters the charming and handsome Prince Damian with oh-so-sexy blue eyes and the other guy which Alexa didn't really care about (as much), the fellow brother-like friend, Rylan, with the chocolate flecked eyes. It was obvious who she would go for in the end. Oh yes, don't let me forget about the end. That was absolutely unacceptable. How.. sacrificial of her to do what she did. Exactly what I cannot stand. If you haven't grasped my distaste for Alexa's romantic choices, well I don't like them. I don't have anything against Damian but I hated how Alexa never gave Rylan any time of the day. I also Rylan better just as a FYI. Rylan needs to find someone better than her. He even said he'll be there for her, waiting. I'm just like, you ain't pulling this crap on me, you can get someone better than this. That is basically my whole feeling towards this love triangle.

This novel promised amazing things and after hearing many negative reviews, the book didn't wow me but it didn't make me hate it either. Action was awesome; the romance was a bit annoying. So everything balanced out to it being quite mediocore. I would still recommend it if you don't focus too much on the romance because the action scenes and the whole gist of the plot was written well.

Rating: C

Kristen

This book was a cliche. But I still LOVED it. During a war, an orphaned girl pretends to be a boy in order to join an all-male army. I thought she had a very motivating and believable reason for doing so. This girl has risen through the ranks and become the BEST fighter in the entire palace. She is now the Crown Prince's best guard, and when he starts acting strange and sending her on unusual tasks, she starts to question who he really is and where his loyalties lie. 

So cliche. I shouldn't have loved it as much as I did. I was expecting not to. But I surprised myself. It just goes to show that sometimes, a really well-done cliche is actually worth reading. I had a blast with this book. I really did. 

Also, this cover is amazing and I adore it.

Nikki Sojkowski

This review can also be found on my blog  Love at First Write 

I just want to start off profusely thanking Sara Larson and Scholastic for an ARC copy of Defy! I loved this book and it’s characters and have definitely become a fan :) I can’t wait until it comes out and I’ll have people to talk about it with haha. But for now I’ll have to settle for a review.

Defy is about Alexa Hollen, a girl disguised as a guy to serve in the king’s army. Her parents were killed when she and her twin brother, Marcel, were 14. Male orphans are forced into the army, and female orphans are forced into the breeding house where once they hit puberty they are raped to breed more men for the army. To save herself from that fate she and Marcel become twin ‘brothers’ and she now goes by the name Alex. She is pretty badass and unbeatable in a sword fight, which earns her a spot on the elite prince’s guard. How she manages to do all of that without revealing her secret, I have no idea. However, she’s no match for a sorcerer that abducts the prince, herself, and her fellow guard Rylan. Being in close quarters soon makes it obvious that she isn’t a guy, but fortunately for the reader, unfortunately for the characters, everyone has their share of secrets as tensions rise! Now Alex/a must trust the very people who might break her heart in order to stop a war and save the kingdom from an even deadlier enemy.

So as mentioned above, I LOOOOVVVVVED this book. I didn’t read it in one sitting (time not permitting), but I wished I had. I did, however, finish it in less than 24 hours since it showed up at my house though, so that must count for something. This book was so beautifully written that I found it hard to believe that Larson was a debut author! For me, the mark of a good author is A) me wanting to quote parts, scenes, or something a character says (Check!) and B) developing the characters to the point where the reader can just KNOW who is talking without it necessarily being specified (Check!). Alexa’s brother, Marcel was easily one of my favorite characters in the book. Even though he wasn’t in it long, he was so intellectual and caring, always protecting his sister even when she didn’t know it. This book’s Love Triangle consists of Rylan, her long-time friend and crush, the sweet, caring, concerned, brotherly type, and then there’s Damian, the lazy spoiled brat who isn’t all that he seems. In fact, it turns out that Damian is actually a great guy in his own right and god did I ship Damian and Alexa together <3

Most importantly, Alexa was a well-built character that is respectable and a great role model. Despite all she goes through, she learns about love and sacrifice, but most importantly she learns about how to be herself. With great side characters to back her up, she manages to make it through the intense plot twists in this splendid face-paced novel. Another enjoyable aspect of the novel was the setting in the rainforest. I found the concept and it’s affects on the characters intriguing and refreshing. 

I just have a couple things I’d like to say about what I didn’t like about the book, because there was a couple. There were plenty of unexplained parts that would’ve really added to the book if they had been addressed/ addressed in detail. Such as how some people caught on to the fact that she was a girl. Never explained, they just know! Also, how the heck did she possibly keep her secret, especially whenever it was her time of the month…. I think that would make her gender quite obvious. How Hector became king in the first place, building up the land and countries’ history would’ve been nice too. I felt like the reader didn’t know anything at all until the end of the book, which doesn’t work with huge chunks of information. Lastly, I wish that the whole ‘sorcerer’ thing had been better clarified, especially since it seems to be more complex than other author’s versions of sorcery and magic. There are clearly different kinds of sorcerer’s and I feel like the reader should have been enlightened, especially considering the number of characters who are sorcerers. Actually, I lied; I have two more last things to nit pick about, though they have nothing to do with things not being explained. At the beginning of the book there were so many names all at once that it’s hard to keep track of who’s who in the palace. And also why was Tanoori added to the book? She didn’t detract from the book of course, but she didn’t seem to add anything to it either. 

All in all, this book is completely worth reading, despite it’s little irks, and I can’t wait till book 2 (which will hopefully answer some of my questions). I think it will definitely get good reception and that fans of Graceling and Iron Fey would enjoy this novel. Either way I’m definitely looking forward to getting my hands on more of Sara B. Larson’s works in the future and watching her grow as an author :)

b.andherbooks

**Review based on a free digital ARC received from Net Galley**

When Alexa and her twin brother lose their parents and livelihood at the tender age of 14, they don't have many options. Instead of choosing the only path open to her as a girl, namely the "pleasure house" where she would endure rape and constant pregnancy, Alexa instead poses as a boy and joins the royal guard with her brother. The deception works for 3 years, and Alexa becomes the best fighter in the royal guard and personal protector to the Prince. However, after some shocking twists, Alexa soon finds herself in a fight to protect her prince, her identity, and her realm.

Do I recommend? Not really. The entire focus of this tale is the love triangle between Alexa, her prince and her closest friend in the royal guard. For reasons unclear to the reader, both boys are very entranced by this girl and instead of focusing on the dangers at hand, there is much flushing, blushing, and shirt whipping off. Read Graceling instead. I had high hopes, so I hope the author takes some time to flesh out her characters. I felt like I barely knew them.

Meagan

The Defy series was one of my favorites. With so many plot changes and twists, I BLEW through these books. Literally, I read all three within 3 days. Her characters are so loveable and well developed that you have feelings for every single one. With a badass main character and a sweet love triangle, you can't help but love this story for what it is. Magic.

Patricia Santos

Opinião do blogue Chaise Longue: http://girlinchaiselongue.blogspot.pt...

*Recebido do NetGalley em troca de uma opinião honesta*

Sara B. Larson adora três coisas: escrever, ler e… sobremesas. O seu primeiro livro era sobre uma mulher que tinha um bebé prematuro, acompanhado de uma imagem “à escala” do dito. Isto foi no seu segundo ano de escolaridade mas hoje escreve (durante as horas de sesta e nocturnas) sobre magia e romance para adolescentes e nada de bebés prematuros como se pode ver pelo seu primeiro livro, Defy, primeiro de uma trilogia cuja publicação será amanhã.
A minha relação com este livro foi de curiosidade benigna, depois de alguma antecipação até que se tornou uma necessidade lê-lo. Posso dizer que as expectativas não eram altas, tinha até algum receio do que aí viria mas assim que peguei nele a sério, Defy surpreendeu-me e leu-se de um fôlego pois apesar de alguns elementos mais típicos da literatura juvenil acaba por conseguir suprimi-los com uma história cheia de intriga e segredos a que a escrita da autora, simples mas envolvente consegue dar vida de uma forma fluída e cheia de acção. Não quero com isto dizer que seja um livro perfeito ou que se adore com paixão mas é sem dúvida um livro que entretém, de que se gosta e que dá vontade de ler o próximo.
Uma fantasia juvenil onde não falta feitiçaria, espadachins e momentos épicos de heroísmo assim como muitos momentos de acção intensa, cenários de temor e tensão, este livro perde pela falta de complexidade e por a autora não ter dado mais atenção ao fundo da história, tendo-se centrado mais no presente e na acção das personagens no que nas explicações do mundo ou dos acontecimentos. Contudo, este é um mundo onde não falta rudeza e temor e deve-se louvar a autora por não ter tido medo de colocar morte, sofrimento e desfiguração nesta história bem como pelo caminho que acabou por dar ao desenrolar dos acontecimentos.
E, se por um lado houve alturas em que existia uma maior concentração no triângulo amoroso, a autora acaba por salvar a situação não só apresentando bem os sentimentos da protagonista pelos dois pretendentes, a sua relação diferente com ambos como pelo final em que se destaca que não é este o elemento principal da trama mas sim o crescimento interior de Alexa, a sua posição enquanto guerreira e rapariga e a salvação de dois reinos. A atenção do leitor acaba por se centrar é nas cenas de acção dinâmicas, nas descrições de lutas e locais e no enredo que a pouco e pouco vai tendo reviravoltas inesperadas. O final é de cortar a respiração e a autora teve ainda o cuidado de deixar um ciclo fechado mesmo estando a continuação já estabelecida.
Um dos grandes fortes deste livro a meu ver é as personagens e a forma como se relacionam umas com as outras, as fortes emoções que têm e provocam. Apesar das personagens principais serem juvenis, são também racionais e não tendem a centrar os seus pensamentos e actos nelas mas sim nos que amam e que deles dependem. Alexa é uma protagonista há altura e a sua coragem, dedicação e lealdade conquistam-nos de imediato, podendo-se entrever desde logo que será uma heroína que irá corresponder às expectativas. O príncipe surpreendeu-me e tenho pena da autora não ter mostrado mais do lado supostamente intragável dele pois o leitor acaba apenas por conhecer apenas a versão escondida. Já Rylan é uma personagem fácil de gostar mas pareceu-me que de vez em quando se contradizia um bocadinho. Quanto aos vilões, tenho pena que tenham estado tão desaparecidos da trama e, apesar dos seus actos hediondos nos serem relatados não sentimos por eles a mesma atracção do que pelos protagonistas. Isto conta também para a restante guarda que mal conhecemos e que deixou alguma curiosidade.
Uma surpresa agradável e uma óptima leitura de início de ano, Defy peca apenas pela falta de profundidade e detalhe que teria dado ainda mais brilho a um livro que entretém, fofo e de que é fácil gostar. Espero que a continuação lhe faça justiça!

Jess Houston

Real rating: 4.5/5

Absolutely stunning. I loved this book so much! I regret not finishing it sooner! I will definitely have a review up soon! =]

Bridget Howard

There are no words to describe how fantastic this book was. If you are a fan of YA Fantasy this is a must read!!!!

Defy

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