#weareshadowhunters

Summary

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her. At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared. 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

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It's always interesting to read a book that explores a different type of society and lifestyle. I was pretty excited to read Defiance and having finished it, I come back with both positive and negative thoughts of the novel, as is to be expected.

Let me start off by saying that this book was a really good read, I honestly couldn't put it down when I started it. The beginning of the book was so interesting and plot driven that I couldn't stop myself from turning page after page, one chapter was never enough. I really like how the author built the relationship between Logan and Rachel, it felt real and believable. What I also love is that you read from both Rachel and Logan's perspective, about 50/50 of each. Normally I am really against books that switch perspective too often but this was just the right amount and only between the main two characters so it totally worked with the story.

The society the author chose to write about was pretty interesting it was like they were living in the middle ages/1800s yet they had extremely advanced equipment like trackers and wrist identification which made for an interesting read. It took a little from modern and ancient times and combined them into a society that was really interesting to read about. Their traditions, especially towards women were extremely archaic and frustrating for the audience to read about, however, the characterisation of Rachel as a strong, defiant and independent woman really over powers any animosity you feel towards the society for their archaic ways. 

Logan. Let me just say that I love Logan, he has such a completely strong sense of loyalty towards those he loves which really makes you appreciate the difficulties in his childhood and how he overcame them. He had a rough past and that's what makes his connection with a Rachel a little more special. And he is SO smart. You know how they always characterise the main love interest as more brawn than brain? Well in this novel Logan, while also incredibly good looking, is exceedingly smart more so than Rachel the heroine in this book and it's really a nice change of pace to see the males have a bit of intelligence. I'm not saying he's not brave or a bad fighter, because he's the opposite of both, but he also has this incredible intelligence which more often than not gets him out of difficult situations.

I love the relationship between Rachel and Logan. Without saying too much Rachel had feelings for Logan before but he shot her down for his own reasons. Now a few years later they are forced into a situation that makes them face their feelings for each other. And there's this one scene before the Choosing ceremony (if you read the books you will understand) that just made me laugh out loud because Logan's reaction to Rachel (and what she was wearing) was perfect and so Logan

No onto what I didn't like about this book

spoilers beyond if you don't want to know anything about what happens in this book. It's kind of big yet it's not so choice is yours.

Now I absolutely cannot stand when an author separates the two love interests, I feel like it doesn't allow their relationship to foster and grow and, obviously it doesn't allow them to communicate and show their feelings for each other. So it's a big no no for me but unfortunately it's what happens in this book. Normally authors separate the love interests in their second novel but not in this case and initially it cause me to stop reading the book, not for long, just for a day or so but it really impacted my perspective of the novel. It was also when the two were separated that I found the book to be less interesting than it was when they were together. The plot just didn't have the same wow factor, for me, as it did in the beginning. Don't get me wrong it wasn't so bad that I had to stop reading it (like i've done before) but it felt a bit like 100 pages of filler to me, yet the novel might not have made sense without out, either way it wasn't the best part of the book but no novel is perfect right? Although during this time a major plot twist is revealed and the two main characters discover their love for each other. If. Only. They. Weren't. Separated. To. SHARE. IT. 

Regardless of that 100 page filler bit the ending was really good and unexpected if not maybe a bit rushed. It also didn't end of  a major cliff hanger that left me empty for days wondering what was going to happen next and aching for the next book which defiantely earns the book points in my opinion.

I would definately recommend that you guys give this book a try it's a pretty good read if not a little flawed, but nothing's perfect right?