Series: Defiance or Courier’s Daughter Trilogy
Author: C. J. Redwine
# of Books: 3 (Defiance, Deception, Deliverance)

There is a prequel novella called Outcast

Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Action, Adventure, Dystopian
Heat Rating: cool
Point of View: First Person, Alternates

Thoughts:

I went into Defiance thinking it was going to be more of a romance novel set in a dystopian-like world. Why I thought that I’m not too sure because the synopsis sure doesn’t give me that impression when I read it again. Regardless, this series is more of an action series set in a post-apocalyptic world that has a dash of romance.

It was great to read a book about a strong heroine. While Rachel probably follows every stereotype of the typical rebellious girl, I liked her a lot. She was smart and determined and doesn’t mope around after Logan. Simply put her maturity about everything is what I really like about her. Although she did begin to irritate me at the start of Deception I can forgive her based on the events of the previous book and she does improve drastically by the end of the novel.

Logan is also a great character! He’s a great match for Rachel and I think if the plot was solely focused on Logan I would enjoy this book just as much. The fact that we get duel POVs from both these strong characters is fantastic.

As I said before, the romance between these two really takes a back seat. It’s all about uncovering the truth about the Cursed Ones and what happened to Rachel’s father. Defiance features some great twists but Deception takes the cake with great plot twists abounds. Both books start rather slow in my opinion, but all it takes is one good twist and the ball starts rolling in both. While I could guess what would be happening in each book, I felt like I was always surprised and didn’t find them to be overly predictable. I would say that Ms Redwine isn’t afraid to take her characters to places that other authors would shy away from and I really appreciate that in these two books.

–October 23, 2014– Book 3: Deliverance

Unfortunately though, Deliverance was a bit of a let down for me. Given how book 2 ended, I thought the action would be right there from the start of book 3 but it wasn’t. Again, it was a super slow start and I found myself skimming over the many scene descriptions and inner monologues of the characters because it was just too much. Similar to the other two books, the action picks up in the last quarter of the book but I just expected a faster paced novel given that it was the final book of the series. Regardless, it was a solid finale for the series and fans will be happy with how it all goes down.

I don’t have any interest in reading the prequel novella, Outcast, because I feel like I have a pretty good grip on the characters that it focuses on. Though my recommendation based on reading the synopsis is that you should read it after Defiance just because the main focus of Outcast‘s plot will give away some spoilers about a certain plot aspect in Defiance.

Series Rating: 4/5

Defiance 4/5 | Deception 4/5 | Deliverance 3/5

If you are looking for a book that features two strong and mature young adult leads, this is a great series to check out. The books have lots of twists, a dash of romance and some great action. While a little slow at the start, each book really start to pick up after a few chapters to make it worth your time.

Read if You Like: slower starts, strong characters
Avoid if You: dislike slow stories, want more romance

• Starling by Lesley Livingston (Starling Trilogy #1)
• Black City by Elizabeth Richards (Black City Series #1)

Synopsis for Defiance (from Goodreads):
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.