sadblueapple's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
4.0
gracedreads's review against another edition
5.0
This book is amazing! Read it in one night, I recommend this book to anyone who buoys a good dystopian or just romance. It literally has the best of everything, it's fast paced without confusing
edelm's review against another edition
3.0
70 Pages into the book I had to look up the reviews. I do this when I am seriously hating on a book to see if it is just a lost cause. When I saw all the glowing reviews I was like:REALLY???
This book had so many glowing reviews and was just sitting there resisting the urge to throw the book out the window. I was going to DNF this one, I even put the book on my "I don't really care about" bookshelf but all those reviews had my like "I gotta read this and see what happens". I also read a review which had me thinking that the romance was going to get a lot more bearable. So that is where I will start, with the romance, as the first 200 pages are about pretty much nothing else. In this world women are not allowed to go anywhere outside without their protector, and for Rachel, this was always her father, but when he goes missing, presumed dead, Rachel is transferred to the care of Logan, who happens to be only three years older and dashingly handsome of course. Oh, and I forgot to mention she was madly in love with him at one point and he turned her down so there is all this animosity between them (don't worry you find out all of this straight away). Of course there is animosity between them though because they couldn't just be friends and fall in love, they obviously have to have an obstacle to overcome. Now, the romance is almost a slow burner, well at least I think that is what the author meant it to be, but they both spend most of the story obsessing over each other, with quotes such as this:
"My gaze wanders to her lips, and I can't see anything but a thin trail of water gliding over her skin, gathering at the corner of her mouth, and then slowly drifting toward her neck. She raises one shaky hand and presses her fingers against her lips. Her breath catches, a tiny sound that makes me realise how close I am standing to her"
Or this:
"He laughs, and the sound makes my skin tingle. I'm suddenly aware of his shoulders full his cloak. How his hair glows like honey in the morning sunlight"
Ensue some serious eye-rolling on my part.
This I could have handled if I had actually liked the two main characters narrating the story, sadly I did not. Rachel is such a typical YA female character it hurts. Good fighter? Check! Smarter and more independent than the other females in the story who only care about dresses and weddings? Check! Loses all sense of independence once she falls in love? Check. Rachel is fierce, more independent than most females in the city she grew up in thanks to her father's teachings but she is also a total IDIOT!
Ya, I said it.
I smacked my face so many times thanks to Rachel's stupidity it hurt. Like A LOT. Just like most YA female characters she would do ANYTHING for the ones she loves, which usually means she thinks through absolutely nothing, is terribly stubborn and ends up getting herself and several other characters in whole pile of trouble. Well done Rachel. There was one deeming sentence that came from Rachel:
"I never thought it was fair that anatomy decide what my brain is fit for"
Oh, but then she had to ruin it later by saying this:
"And I need Logan because he would understand that something inside me is broken. Something I have no idea how to mend. He'd understand, and if he didn't know how to fix it, he'd dedicate himself to learning how"
*SMACKS FACE HARD*
The girl goes on and on about how she does want a protector nor need one because she is so independent - GIRL why do you need a man to fix you? Fix your damn self! Ugh the author went to so much trouble to show us how differnet Rachel was to the other girls in the town who relied on the men to take them places and were happy to be married off, only then to make the character wholly reliable on the love interest. EVERY DAMN TIME. (Caelena anyone?)
Oh and let's not even go into this:
"I know you won't let me buy you pretty frilly things"...Rachel responds with "That's because I don't like pretty frilly things".
Ok I said I wouldn't go into but why, oh why, do authors think that girls can't be independent, bad'ass fighters but also like "pretty frilly things" which by the way is such a demeaning way of putting it. Why does a girl have to show her equality to men by renouncing her femininity? Can a girl not be feminine and equal? Rant over.
Ok, ok so I had some problems with Rachel, I must have liked Logan right because how could a person read a 400 and something page book and hate the two lead characters? Sheer will and determination people, that's how. Yes, I also didn't like Logan, BUT I liked him somewhat more than Rachel. Rachel I didn't like even when there was no love interest, Logan, however, I did. Logan is the kind of guy that, quite unrealistically, seems to be good at EVERYTHING (inventor, tracker, fighter, protector, you name it he can do it). But no, that is not why I liked him at the beginning, I liked him because of his logic, he is the complete opposite of Rachel. He thinks everything through, weighs every option and assess the risk (this did get annoying after awhile as there was a constant option 1: everything goes great, Option 2: I die, Option 3: Blah, this occurred every couple of pages with Logan and it get old FAST!). However, yet again the male character turns into a soppy fool once he falls in love. I am doomed to keep reading the same characters over and over in every book I read.
So now I have you thinking, why in the name of all that is holy did she give this book 3 stars when she clearly hated it...Am I right? Well that's because after suffering through 200 pages I really started enjoying the book. The action was fantastic and the book went in a completely different direction then I thought I would. After ranting about what I hated for so long I wish I could talk about why I liked the second half so much but that would completely spoil the whole book for everyone so I am not going to do that. Just know that the action was fantastic, the twists and turns were great and certain characters went a bit cray-cray. I also really loved a lot of the new characters that were brought into the story, especially Willow, she was so fun and upfront and seems like a really spunky character. I am really hoping to see more of her and her brother along with Nola who seems like she could be a great female character also.
I am really glad that I stuck with this story because I was totally glued to it from page 200 onwards, but due to the fact that I hated the first 200 pages and the two main characters I can only give this one a three star rating, which might even be a bit generous but due to all the bashing I just did I feel like it deserves it.
erinarkin20's review against another edition
4.0
After skimming the ratings on this one I felt like I needed to dive right in...and boy did I. I will warn everyone - I am hiding this review. I feel like some of it gives a bit of the story away so turn away and come back after you read it if you are truly interested.
The story begins with Rachel waiting at the gates of her town (I'm not even going to try to spell it) for her father to return. We find out he is 60 days late and based on the Commander's rules, is to be declared dead. With the declaration and the reading of her father's will, we find he made a decision about who her protector should be that shocks everyone. Instead of putting Rachel in the care of Oliver, her grandfather figure, Logan becomes her protector.
First, let me say - the commander is an a-hole...it is very clear the first time he is introduced and he only reinforces it throughout the entire story. He has too much power and ego...
There is a lot of history between Logan and Rachel but I am happy that it wasn't dragged out and we get to the rest of the story - Their quest to rescue/find Rachel's father and hopefully take down the Commander at the same time.
I really enjoyed the story and the characters in this one. Rachel is tough, smart and acts rashly but knows that is one of her flaws. The other thing I liked about her was the same thing the Commander thought was her fault - loyalty. She would do anything for the people she cares about.
Logan is almost perfect - he is strong, knows how to fight, very smart (I love how he runs through all potential scenarios with decisions - no matter what they are) and truly cares for the people in his life. He has experienced a lot in his 19 years and most of it things he shouldn't have. His mother was executed in front of him and he was made an outcast. He has plenty of reasons to be angry but instead he becomes an apprentice to Jared Adams (Rachel's dad) and makes a plan for the future.
Jared is a character that has an importance despite him not being involved in the actual story. His being missing is the catalyst to everything progressing the way it did but as a reader I was able to understand how important he was to Rachel, Logan and Oliver.
This story has a little bit of everything. There is a lot of action throughout the book, there is definitely a love story here but it doesn't take over the main story which is great. I felt like I got just enough to between them to move their relationship forward and although I am always for a HEA ending, I figured it was too soon. I will say there is also a bit of intrigue here...the biggest question being what the heck is going on with the Cursed One.
I will most definitely be continuing to read this series and look forward to the next book.
The story begins with Rachel waiting at the gates of her town (I'm not even going to try to spell it) for her father to return. We find out he is 60 days late and based on the Commander's rules, is to be declared dead. With the declaration and the reading of her father's will, we find he made a decision about who her protector should be that shocks everyone. Instead of putting Rachel in the care of Oliver, her grandfather figure, Logan becomes her protector.
First, let me say - the commander is an a-hole...it is very clear the first time he is introduced and he only reinforces it throughout the entire story. He has too much power and ego...
There is a lot of history between Logan and Rachel but I am happy that it wasn't dragged out and we get to the rest of the story - Their quest to rescue/find Rachel's father and hopefully take down the Commander at the same time.
I really enjoyed the story and the characters in this one. Rachel is tough, smart and acts rashly but knows that is one of her flaws. The other thing I liked about her was the same thing the Commander thought was her fault - loyalty. She would do anything for the people she cares about.
Logan is almost perfect - he is strong, knows how to fight, very smart (I love how he runs through all potential scenarios with decisions - no matter what they are) and truly cares for the people in his life. He has experienced a lot in his 19 years and most of it things he shouldn't have. His mother was executed in front of him and he was made an outcast. He has plenty of reasons to be angry but instead he becomes an apprentice to Jared Adams (Rachel's dad) and makes a plan for the future.
Jared is a character that has an importance despite him not being involved in the actual story. His being missing is the catalyst to everything progressing the way it did but as a reader I was able to understand how important he was to Rachel, Logan and Oliver.
This story has a little bit of everything. There is a lot of action throughout the book, there is definitely a love story here but it doesn't take over the main story which is great. I felt like I got just enough to between them to move their relationship forward and although I am always for a HEA ending, I figured it was too soon. I will say there is also a bit of intrigue here...the biggest question being what the heck is going on with the Cursed One.
I will most definitely be continuing to read this series and look forward to the next book.
sarahjanejudson's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars
I enjoyed this....but some of it dragged a little & repeated itself. I know in real life when things are happening we all tend to continue thinking the same things over & over....however I prefer in books to not actually have to reread the characters thoughts over & over.
I enjoyed this....but some of it dragged a little & repeated itself. I know in real life when things are happening we all tend to continue thinking the same things over & over....however I prefer in books to not actually have to reread the characters thoughts over & over.
waywardskyril's review against another edition
3.0
2.5
Well, to be honest, the story idea was all that was good. C. J. Redwine had some clever schemes, but her writing needs work. Of course, practice will help with that.
Basically, it was the two main characters, Logan and Rachel. Their personalities switchbacked so many times, it was unbelievable. They also seemed to occasionally be naive, like how it took Rachel so long to realize she wouldn't be clearing her father's name. The Commander didn't care about that- he had his own agenda.
The romance was sappy, kind of cheesy. The hints of it were dropped from the first, even though Rachel was determined to be angry at Logan, and Logan never looked at her in that way, suddenly, they like each other so much.... It's not believable, and it doesn't make you cling to it, hoping for it, waiting for it like many other books do, building the suspense until the perfect moment that one can dream about and imagine.
Plus, there was the occasional silly tidbits of conversation, like:
"What did you do to ruin everything?" -Rachel
[then, after he tells her, she says,]
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."
Um..., well, yes..., you did.
Basically, an OK book. So many others out there I enjoyed much more.
I think with practice and real criticism from her friends, C. J. Redwine can turn her good ideas into great writing.... It's just hasn't quite happened yet.
Well, to be honest, the story idea was all that was good. C. J. Redwine had some clever schemes, but her writing needs work. Of course, practice will help with that.
Basically, it was the two main characters, Logan and Rachel. Their personalities switchbacked so many times, it was unbelievable. They also seemed to occasionally be naive, like how it took Rachel so long to realize she wouldn't be clearing her father's name. The Commander didn't care about that- he had his own agenda.
The romance was sappy, kind of cheesy. The hints of it were dropped from the first, even though Rachel was determined to be angry at Logan, and Logan never looked at her in that way, suddenly, they like each other so much.... It's not believable, and it doesn't make you cling to it, hoping for it, waiting for it like many other books do, building the suspense until the perfect moment that one can dream about and imagine.
Plus, there was the occasional silly tidbits of conversation, like:
"What did you do to ruin everything?" -Rachel
[then, after he tells her, she says,]
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."
Um..., well, yes..., you did.
Basically, an OK book. So many others out there I enjoyed much more.
I think with practice and real criticism from her friends, C. J. Redwine can turn her good ideas into great writing.... It's just hasn't quite happened yet.
joliendelandsheer's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book (and devoured it so fast, which is saying something because I've been in a reading slump lately). It's action packed, there's a lovely romance, yet no triangle, an evil ruler.. AARGH. everything that I love!
illidia316's review against another edition
4.0
I am a big fan of post-apocalyptic trilogies, and the first book in the Defiance series did not disappoint! The characters are well fleshed out and the storyline is fresh and suspenseful. I am excited to start the second book!