Friday, January 30, 2015

Defy by Sara Larson



  • ISBN-10: 0545695465 - Paperback $9.99
  • Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks; Reprint edition (November 25, 2014), 336 pages.
  • Review copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher.

The blurb:
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:
Defy introduces us to a brave, proud warrior who is forced to hide her true identity for her own safety.  She's proved her fighting ability and won a position among the Prince's Guard and is known to be one of the best swords person in the kingdom.  

Unfortunately, the Kingdom is suffering great upheaval and considerable uncertainty as the King becomes progressively more despotic as he forces young women into brothels and arrests those with magical powers. The King is aided by a dangerous advisor with magical abilities.

When the Prince is kidnapped by the rebels, our heroine Alexa, is taken with him. She learns that the Prince is working with the rebels against his father, with the purpose of ridding the Kingdom of inequality and to allow magic to be accepted and used.  In order to survive and to help her Prince, Alexa must learn to use her skills and develop whatever magic she might have - and to return to the Kingdom, use her new skills for the young Prince.  

Defy is a fun, witty, adventure story - a real delight!