Synopsis: Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, 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 boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but 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. (From Goodreads)
This book has everything that I love - strong heroine, a dreamy , a truly cringe-worthy evil villain, the tension of a world on the brink of war, a hint of politics, and a touch of fantasy. I got so lost in this book - read it so fast and hungrily that I almost feel like it was an intense dream.
C. J. Redwine did an excellent job building Rachel's world. Baalboden is one of those places that you want to visit and observe, only if your safe somewhere inside an unpoppable bubble. It has the great marketplace and interesting citizen dynamics. It's definitely not a place that is women friendly, which is kind of heartbreaking - but it also makes Rachel stand out that much more.
All the obstacles thrown at Rachel seem to revolve around the fact that she is a girl. They know she's outspoken, rebellious, and strong - so they do their best to use societal rules against her. Yet, all the dangerous traits in Rachel are also the things that save her. I just have so much respect for her and she's really a heroine you can get behind and root for.
And man alive, does Baalboden need a heroine. The Commander is something else. He's controlling, power hungry, vindictive, ruthless and heartless. There's nothing redeeming about him. He needs nothing but power and that makes him single-minded and scary. I was quaking right there with Rachel every time he came along. Even when he's not in her face on the page, he's looming in the background as a truly scary threat. There are other monsters in this book, but he's the worst.
The world is great, the characters are fabulous, but - I'm not even going to try to hide it - my favorite thing about this book is the romance. It's the best kind - slow building. Logan and Rachel have a past that they've built on and torn apart. There's a lot that's unsaid between them, a lot that their hiding from one another. But as they begin to trust each other, their tension builds. I love it when you can see relationships build as they experience things together, grow together, and make decisions together. It makes the love real and epic. Better yet, it compliments the story rather than overpowering it - so the desolate world they live in isn't just the background.
I loved this book. I'm now a complete and dedicated fan of
Defiance and C. J. Redwine. There's something great and awesome that happens while you're reading this story that sticks with you. It's one I would definitely recommend to rush and find a copy as soon as you can.
