Attention Young Adult/Dystopian fans! (And fans of quality, dark adventure tales in general…) Some of you have undoubtedly noticed the sequel to C.J. Redwine’s ‘Defiance’ was released at the end of August. If you’ve been holding off getting to it until some cozy holiday reading time came your way, I’m about to light an early fire under your yule log.

Blurb:  Baalboden has been ravaged. The brutal Commander’s whereabouts are unknown. And Rachel, grief stricken over her father’s death, needs Logan more than ever. With their ragged group of survivors struggling to forge a future, it’s up to Logan to become the leader they need—with Rachel by his side. Under constant threat from rival Carrington’s army, who is after the device that controls the Cursed One, the group decides to abandon the ruins of their home and take their chances in the Wasteland.

But soon their problems intensify tenfold: someone—possibly inside their ranks—is sabotaging the survivors, picking them off one by one. The chaos and uncertainty of each day puts unbearable strain on Rachel and Logan, and it isn’t long before they feel their love splintering. Even worse, as it becomes clear that the Commander will stop at nothing to destroy them, the band of survivors begins to question whether the price of freedom may be too great—and whether, hunted by their enemies and the murderous traitor in their midst, they can make it out of the Wasteland alive.

In this daring sequel to Defiance, with the world they once loved forever destroyed, Rachel and Logan must decide between a life on the run and standing their ground to fight.

Here’s what I thought about book #2 in the trilogy:

Rating: 4 ½ Stars

The engaging second installment in the Courier’s Daughter series. At times unflinchingly brutal, and at other times…soul-touchingly profound.

Redwine shows notable growth from the previous book, weaving her story with breathless pacing, harmonious cadence, and dynamic prose. But by no means would I call this dark, epic-fantasy continuation an “easy read.” At some points, I thought the plot was beating me like I owed it money. The depraved potential of humanity comes through as savagely as the base drive for hope and survival against all odds. But any who’ve read the first book in the series should already realize this isn’t a fluffy tale for the faint-of-heart. (The author does NOT shy away from a body count.)

Rachel may be one of the strongest heroines this reviewer has ever encountered. I was able to form a better understanding of her from the very start of this book, despite the character being trapped in a wearying feedback loop of self-recrimination. Those who’ve suffered mind-shattering trauma and loss will likely be best able to identify with the internal conflict Rachel struggles with throughout the story. In that way, it’s almost therapeutic—working the reader through internal damage and frailty along with the heroine. Which segues into one of my favorite quotes:

“Maybe that’s what love is. Giving others the power to hurt you and trusting that they’ll use it to heal you instead.” – Rachel

By far, the most overall character advancement is seen in the ever-logical hero, Logan. With leadership thrust upon him by a desperate band of fleeing survivors, he’s forced to take responsibility for the welfare of a broken people he’s not sure he can save. Several side-characters come into their own in this book as well–siblings Quinn and Willow displaying the most intriguing and noteworthy development.

Though the identity of the killer is easy to narrow down to a handful of qualified possibilities, motives and identities are more nebulous than they may seem. And while the cliffhanger ending doesn’t leave the kind of closure or satisfaction this reviewer might have preferred, it did leave me wanting more. (I probably wouldn’t gripe so much if book 3 were already out.)

——–

Just in time for the holidays, I have a treat for you. The quirkily charming C.J. Redwine has been so generous as to provide a signed ARC copy of Deception to one lucky participant. (And I, the blogger, hereby promise to get it to you well before Christmas!)
The drawing will run for 10 days–don’t forget to check back daily for additional entry opportunities!

a Rafflecopter giveaway