ARC Review: Defiance - C.J. Redwine

Release Date: August 28th 2012
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

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 how 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.

Admittedly, the first thing that got my attention in Defiance was the main character's name, Rachel! But after reading the synopsis on Goodreads and reading many amazing reviews, I just knew that I had to get my hands on it. And boy, it sure was worth getting excited over it. Redwine's writing will have you reading Defiance in one sitting.

The Plot: Defiance starts rather quickly and not once did things slow down. If you enjoy many action and suspense scenes, you should certainly check this one out. Furthermore the post-apocalyptic and dystopian aspects of the story didn't feel repetitive to me, which could certainly happen as so many of my reads fall in this genre. However, certain aspects of the story were too superficially explained like the Cursed Ones' existence. But since Defiance is set to be a trilogy, hopefully everything will be explained. Overall, Defiance has an action-packed and enthralling plot.

The Characters: I'm not going to lie, I was going to love the main character either way, I mean, she is called Rachel! But I really loved the character's determination and resilience, though with time she became a bit too stubborn for me. Logan was an interesting character, but what got my attention the most, was that he is the complete opposite of Rachel. While she is more spontaneous, he likes to calculate everything and be certain of the outcome. The dual perspective was a great idea but after the romance starts to bloom, I felt like both their voices became too alike and lacked distinction.

Redwine's Defiance was an amazing summer read. Full of action, suspense and a sweet romance, this one will please almost everyone. Strong characters, awesome plot, what else do you need?

A big thanks to Balzer + Bray for providing me with a copy of Defiance for review.

C.J. Redwine loves stilettos, lemon bars, any movie starring Johnny Depp, and books. C.J. holds a degree in English Literature from Pepperdine University and now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, four kids, two spastic cats, and one long-suffering dog. Website / Twitter