Review: Defiance (Defiance #1) By: C.J. Redwine

Title: Defiance (The Couriers Daughter #1)

Author: C.J. Redwine

Published: August 28^th, 2012

Source: Bought

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

Defiance by C. J. Redwine is rich postapocalyptic YA fantasy perfect for fans of Graceling and Tamora Pierce.

While the other girls in the walled city-state of Baalboden learn to sew and dance, Rachel Adams learns to track and hunt. While they bend like reeds to the will of their male Protectors, she uses hers for sparring practice.

When Rachel's father fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the city's brutal Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector: her father's apprentice, Logan—the boy she declared her love to and who turned her down two years before. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself.

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.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book! I was definitely in the mood for a fantasy read, I picked this one for my TBR Thursday read because I have had it on my shelf forever and I knew that the series was coming to an end and I wanted to start it. Redwine created a bad ass, fiery red head that I loved and a simple but, interesting world around her. I did not want to put the book down, I was feeling everything right along with Rachel, I don’t think that this book was completely new and different in YA but, the story was so engaging, action packed, and exciting that I didn’t even care!

Rachel’s father is the courier of the walled in city state of Baalboden, he doesn’t return from his last mission and he is declared dead by the manipulative and evil leader of the city state the Commander. Rachel is to her surprise given to the custody and protection of her father’s apprentice Logan, who Rachel has despised ever since she admitted her love her him years ago and he didn’t return her feelings. But, Rachel doesn’t believe that her father is dead and she is determined to find him whatever the cost.

I don’t think that the world or the plot was completely original, the city of Baalboden doesn’t let women go around the city without their husband or protector, Rachel is of course not your typical girl. Her father has taught her to fight and defend herself and she is always wanting to prove herself and go against the beliefs of women and the laws that the city requires. She is definitely tough and has learned so much from being raised by her father. She is headstrong and at times you just wanted to tell her that she needed to be patient and not let herself get into situations that she can’t get out of. Unlike the rest of the citizens of Baalboden she wants to bring the Commander to his knees, and she doesn’t care how she does it. She reminded me a lot of Celeana from the Throne of Glass series which I absolutely loved.

Logan was someone who I loved, he made all kinds of interesting inventions and experiments that without him Rachel and the city of Ballboden would have been lost, and he was an orphan who owed everything to Rachel’s father. His mother had died for being disobedient to the laws and the Commander of Ballboden, I could definitely tell that all he wanted to do was protect Rachel and he understood the importance of the laws and the rule of the Commander.

Overall, Defiance was definitely everything that I hoped that it would be. I was definitely kicking myself for not reading this one sooner and letting it sit on my shelf for so long. I just got the second book and I cannot wait to continue on and find out where Rachel’s story goes next.