Cait’s Review of “Defiance” by C. J. Redwine

By: Cait Marie

Blurb

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.

Review

This was a re-read, but it had been so long that I actually didn’t remember a lot of the story. It’s been on my TBR to re-read for so long. I think I originally read this first book about ten years ago, which is kind of mind blowing for several reasons.

But the main reason I wanted to start over is because I realized I never finished the series, despite loving this first book! It was back before I was part of this community, before I was a reviewer, and long before I read more than 20-30 books each year.

So, I re-read Defiance… and I’m so glad I did! I think I loved it more this time around. It’s no secret that I adore Redwine’s books. The Shadow Queen is one of my top comfort reads, despite it being dark and twisty. I’m obsessed with her stories, and it was fun going back to the beginning.

Her world building is just top notch. I honestly envy how she’s able to do such an incredible job at creating these fully developed worlds with such rich descriptions, histories, and cultures. While also not overdoing it, I might add. She doesn’t bog down readers with details but still paints a vivid picture, bringing us right into the story.

Rachel and Logan are absolutely everything. That was the one thing I did distinctly remember… my love of Logan, in particular. Rachel is wonderful too though, of course. Just like with her world building, Redwine always has really well-developed characters. She writes these fierce females, who are the opposite of damsels in distress, and swoon-worthy love interests.

Everything about this book makes me happy. It’s set in a dystopian world, but it reads like a fantasy. It’s a great blend of the genres. The writing flows nicely and kept me interested from the start. This time around, I did use the audiobook, and I really liked the narrator as well.

I’ve already jumped into the second book, so I should have the next review soon. I cannot wait to finally read the series as a whole!