Defy By Sara B. Larson {REVIEW}

From Goodreads:

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

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?

I've been putting off writing this review for a really long time because of the fact that...my thoughts regarding Defy are really complicated.On the one hand I really enjoyed Defy but on the other hand,it had some things I didn't like.

First of all,I want to say that I read a lot of reviews before I started reading Defy.And most of them scared me.I read many negative things and truth be told they made me not want to pick it up.But the thought of a girl disguising herself as a boy really intrigued me and the fascination I felt only by reading the synopsis won so I started reading Defy.Going into the book,I was captivated.The first couple of chapters were promising and I couldn't wait to read what would happen next.I think anyone would be intrigued by the fact that the main character is a girl who disguised herself as a boy for the sake of surviving

And then everything turned complicated for me.I'll start with the things I liked even loved about this book.The world the author created was something really unique and different.I really enjoyed the beginning of Defy and loved the ending!The beginning was pretty intense and made me wanna keep reading.And the ending was so action packed and unpredictable.I really enjoyed the fighting scenes and the way everything was described.All the characters managed to survive and live in a world ruled by a deceiving,lying monster.Some of the people lived under awful circumstances and I think the author did a great job of describing them.What Alexa and everyone else did was admirable and really brave.Alexa herself was a really brave and caring character.She is strong,extremely loyal and talented.

I said that I immensely enjoyed the beginning and the ending of the book,but I can't say the same for the middle parts of it.Sometimes I liked what happened and sometimes the pace felt too slow for me.I was reluctant to keep on reading because nothing happened.Moving on to the next thing and probably the most important...for me.I'm a reader who really appreciates books with kick ass,brave and caring heroines.Great combination by the way.That's what motivated me to pick up the book.But this amazing,confident main character I met at the beginning of the book turns into this whining mess for a boy.It doesn't mean that what I said before about her isn't truth.I still believe she was an amazing main character but again...This change in her behavior really disappointed me.I don't know if other people felt this way but...I think that the author focused on the romance more than necessary.The middle parts of the book could have been more action filled and some twists could have changed everything.

I left Prince Damian for last because I'm not sure if I like him yet.He seemed like a spoiled brat but everything is not what it seems.He went through so much and it wasn't easy for him to trust Alexa.Not only did he keep so many things from her but he also betrayed her in the worst way.I can understand why but still...He had his good moments though so I guess I'll need to read the second book and decide if I like him or not.

Overall,Defy was an a good read.I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either and I hope with all my heart that the sequel will be better,more developed and action packed that this one was.And I really can't wait for it!