Publish Date: December 30, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 304
BookDescription:
Murder, abductions, and forbidden romance abound in this thrilling sequel to Sara B. Larson's acclaimed YA debut, DEFY.
Alexa remains by the newly crowned King Damian’s side as his guard, ever committed to helping him rebuild Antion and reclaim the hope of Antion's people, despite continuing to harbor a secret love for him. However, when another threat to Damian and his kingdom emerges, and blame is cast on their newly forged allies from Blevon, Alexa knows things are not what they seem. With the fate of her nation hanging in the balance once again, will Alexa be able to protect her king and uncover the true enemy -- before it's too late?
My Thoughts
*sigh* Such a GREAT series so far! I'm loving it! I think I am going to have to add Sara B. Larson to my list of favorite authors! I was blown away by Defy which is the first book in this series and this second book is no different. If you're looking for an adventure with swoon worthy romance, this you should definitely check this serious out. LOVING IT! I did have issues with some things in this book which made me give it a 4 instead of a 5, but we'll get to that later.
I really liked that there wasn't a lot of missing time in the beginning of book 2, we start off basically where book 1 left us.
Just when things start to look like there will be peace again, an assassination attempt on the new king's life put their entire kingdom at risk against a kingdom that should be their ally. Which causes Alexa to put all her feelings for a certain someone aside to keep him and herself safe.
I really enjoyed the political intrigue, the twist and turns of the story, where you had to keep asking yourself, "is it them?" "could it really be them?" "but what about...?" it was great, and I loved every minute of it.
I loved how Damian is a GOOD guy! Too many guys in books these days are TERRIBLE and yet they have the "bad boy" so awful to the female and yet they fall in love and somehow that changes he "bad boy" and blah blah blah, now don't get me wrong I enjoy a good brooding but the GREAT thing about this story is that the main male role is actually a GOOD MAN! YAY! He was perfect of what male characters should be! Strong, kind, thoughtful, smart, good, etc.
One thing that kinda bothered me was the fact that there was SO MUCH romance that I felt it ALMSOT overtook the story. Is this a romance? Sure, but I don't like it to overtake the story TOO much and this almost did. But it was sweet, which is good.
I did NOT like the fact that Ry (Alexa best friend from Defy) turned into such a boring and a bit annoying character! He was supposed to be cool! Instead I find myself disliking him more and more as the story went on. He became whiny and a bit more like a 13 yr old who was slighted by some girl. GROW UP MAN! anyway, a bit disappointed in his character and lack of development.
Overall the story keeps you on your toes and I read it in one sitting, it sucks you and keeps you wanting for more. I loved it, regardless of things that bothered me.
Sexual Content: Moderate (PG-some kissing, talk of a breeding house for human females)
Language: mild/none
Violence: moderate (fighting scenes-not too graphic)
Drugs/Alcohol: mild
*A HUGE thank you to Scholastic Press for this physical ARC which I got in exchange for an honest review*
Meet the Author
Sara's debut YA fantasy novel, DEFY, released in January of 2014 from Scholastic. The sequel will come out in early 2015--stay tuned for announcements about the title, cover, and synopsis! Sara lives in Utah with her husband and three young children. She writes during naptime and the hours when most people are sleeping. Her husband claims she should have a degree in "the art of multitasking." On occasion you will find her hiding in a bubble bath with a book and some Swedish Fish or some mint chocolate truffles. She is represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary. You can find out more about Sara at her website: www.sarahblarson.com
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