Review: Defy by Sara B. Larson

January 7, 2014
Goodreads
Source: Netgalley

Summary

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

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?

DEFY was a highly- anticipated book for a lot of readers. Just not for me. Maybe that’s why I loved it so much. A lot of the reviews I’ve seen around the blogosphere have been negative because the reader was expecting a lot from the book. I had almost no expectations at all going it because I really didn’t feel like reading DEFY. Long story short, I kind of love it. 

As I said, I expected near nothing. The story begins with her village being burned and her brother saving her from the breeding house. More like rape house. She’s a better fighter than he is so she has no problem joining the guard like him. She moves up the ranks to be the Prince’s guard. DEFY is a novel loaded with secrets, temperamental boys who knows she’s a girl and a love triangle that is out of wack. Also, there’s a bit of death and magic. You know, thrown in for good measure. 

Let’s talk guys. I have a love/hate relationship with both of our lovely suitors. Let’s start with Prince Damian. As I said, love/hate relationship. Damian is tasked with being silent and showing no emotion. When he realizes that he can trust Alexa, he takes the chance. He tries to get her to trust him and it works…for the most part. In Alexa he see’s someone like him. Someone who has lost so much and is forced to stay strong so no one sees the truth. I think that’s why he likes/loves (wait-loves?) her. Now here’s what bothered me: he expected her to trust him blindly. And whenever she questioned him he’s get all defensive and make her feel bad. I wanted to just scream at him sometimes. Okay, onto Rylan. He’s a guard who’s always knows she was a girl and has loved her for practically ever. He’s hot and sweet and strong and a bit of a sulker. *bangs head against a wall* And for those of y’all wondering, yes this is a love triangle. No I don’t like who she picked. And no I will not tell you which of our two hot but babyish guys I would want her to end up with. 

Also, although Alexa can kick any non-magical butt in swords, she really is very girly. And blushy. And just rather embarrassing. *le sigh*

Overall, I really love the plot and the writing and the guys were fun to read about. The dialogue was a mix between awkward and amusing. Also, you should read it with the knowledge that that main thing that is focused on is the romance. I enjoyed it and I would recommend it. 

If you had the weight of all your people on your shoulders, what would you do? If you had some crazy power, what do you think it'd be? And finally, what would you do if you had two gorgeous guys chasing after you?