DEFY by SARA B. LARSON, 2014

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? (Amazon)

Review by Amy Finnegan - Writer, Reader, Bookshop Talk Host

There has been a lot of great buzz about DEFY for a year now, and Bookshop Talk was lucky enough to get our hands on an advanced reading copy! If you like one or all of the following, you should definitely read this book:

1. Girls who aren’t just fought over, but do the fighting themselves . . . and save the boys.

2. Hot guys (often in distress)

3. Nonstop action (it’s amazing how much is going on in this novel!)

4. A three book series so you don’t have to say goodbye to your favorite characters after just one adventure!

The thing I liked most about this book is that the main character, Alexa, truly has a good reason to be fighting—and fighting hard. But here’s the twist (no real spoiler here, I promise): Alexa works for the bad guys. So it isn’t like the usual tale of “good-vs-evil.” And not everyone who works for the king is bad . . . so Alexa’s internal dilemmas are realistic. She has to go up against the kingdom that houses and feeds her . . . and will be inherited by a boy she becomes rather attached to.

This book hasn't been officially released yet, but you can preorder DEFY now so it can be on your porch as soon as January 7^th!

Also, Sara B. Larson has a great publishing story and an exceptional blog that often gives tips to aspiring writers. So check it out at www.sarablarson.blogspot.com.

Market: Young Adult

Language: Mild

Sensuality: Mild

Violence: Moderate

Mature Themes: rape, a lot of war-related deaths, loss of loved ones