Blog Tour + Review: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Hi My dears!
I've been looking forward for this date! Today, C.J.Redwine, author of the marvelous book Defiance, stops by Dazzling Reads to share with us a list of "Top Ten Things You Need to Survive in Defiance's World" In addition to this, I am also sharing my thoughts on this novel that I really, really liked it!!!! I totally recommend this fantasy novel so if you haven't read it yet, what are you waiting for?

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About the Author

C.J. Redwine loves stilettos, lemon bars, and any movie starring Johnny Depp. She lives in Nashville with her husband, four kids, two cats, and one long-suffering dog. To learn more about C.J., visit her website at http://cjredwine.blogspot.com/


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Top Ten Things You Need to Survive Defiance’s World

by C.J. Redwine

1. Boots:  And not the super sleek high-heeled, comic book super hero kind. You need high quality, can take a beating and keep on going boots. You’re going to be hiking through the Wasteland, which has had 50 years without man’s interference. Mother Nature has reclaimed it with a vengeance. Plus, you’ll probably get in at least one fight, and boots give you both traction and the ability to really hurt your attacker with a well-aimed kick.

2. Water purifier:  Unless you’re that crazy Survivorman on the Discovery Channel who drinks absolutely anything he can find, you’re going to want a way to purify water before you drink it.

3. Cloak: A good leather cloak protects you from the elements and from the underbrush. It can also help disguise you if you’re being hunted. And let’s face it, it looks cool.

4. Bow & Arrows: You want to eat fresh meat sometimes, right? Then you’ll need a bow and arrow for hunting. Plus these come in really handy when you need to drop an attacker before he even gets close enough to harm you.

5. Knife: Again, this is essential not just for hunting, but for battle. Plus, it’s shiny. Everybody likes something shiny.

6. Attitude:  You’ll need plenty of this if you want to survive. I’m not talking about a “bad” attitude, but you need to be ready take on a harsh terrain with well-trained enemies snapping at your heels. That takes moxie. MOXIE. And maybe a dash of craziness.

7. Tracking device: This is one of Logan’s inventions, and you’ll definitely want it strapped to your arm. If you get separated from your traveling companions, you can use the sonar power inside this device to take a read on their frequencies until you’re reunited with them. And if you know the frequencies of your enemies tracking chips? You can totally hunt them down and end things.

8. Pack of food: Yes, you have your bow and arrows and your knife for hunting. But there will be times when you can’t stop to hunt. Or when lighting a fire will draw unwanted attention your way. For those meals, you’ll need a traveling pack full of mutton jerky and preserved fruits.

9. Ability to climb trees: I can’t stress this enough. A giant, fire-breathing wingless dragon lives underground and tunnels up onto the surface to destroy everything in its path. It’s blind and tracks by sound. You need to be able to climb a tree at a moment’s notice (Remember, you’re in a densely packed forest), and then tree leap from one sturdy limb to the next to get out of the beast’s way.

10. Logan: Honestly, I think the most important thing you’ll need to survive the world in Defiance is my hero, Logan. He’s a super-smart inventor who can use elements and abandoned tech supplies to create weapons and tracking devices. Plus? He’s got mad sword skills. Cute nerd warrior FTW!

Thank you so much C.J. Redwine for stopping by Dazzling Reads! It's been a great pleasure to have you here =D
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Title: Defiance (Defiance #1)

Author:  C.J. Redwine

Pages:  403

Publisher:  Balzer + Ray

Genre:  Fantasy

Release:  August 28th 2012
Source: Purchased

 | Indigo Chapters

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.

         As a big fan of the fantasy genre, I had  Defiance on my list of 2012 most-awaited-releases since last year and Oh boy! the wait was long, but it was really worth waiting for! 

         I previously heard that there were some dystopian elements on  Defiance and I was definitely able to see a little bit of it in Baalboden, which is the city where most of the story takes place and which is in fact, ruled by a tyran. However, the term post-apocalyptic fantasy (like C.J.Redwine likes to define her novel herself) sounds much more accurate. I did in fact felt like I was living this story in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world that felt wonderfully new. The city, the wastelands and the Cursed Ones are some of the elements that C.J. Redwine masterfully developed giving birth to a terrifying yet fascinating world.

         I was absolutely delighted to read a story told from two different points of view. Rachel and Logan are the two characters we get to deeply know in a course of 403 pages. I love getting to know Rachel and Logan's thoughts. The story flows wonderfully and the romance between these two charming characters is really well balanced. Thanks to the dual points of view, readers have the chance to know each side of the coin and we get to know what both, Rachel and Logan, think about each other ( I SO enjoyed this!) and we also get to know in details both characters' story. 

        I grew to love both characters deeply, but Rachel was definitely a very different kick-ass heroine. Rachel is in fact very good at fighting, but she goes through some quiet traumatic events that push her to the limits. It was quiet unsettling to see the main character lose it so badly. However, seeing her in shock was absolutely understandable after what she went through (I don't think I would have handle things any better). What doesnt kill you makes you stronger, and I love seeing the reasons why this characters turns into a stronger one, rather than meeting a super physically and emotionally strong character from the beginning of the book. This definitely felt different, even unsettling (as I previously said) yet, it is absolutely credible plus it backups character's development. 

        Filled with action, adventure, danger and  breathtaking romance, Defiance is the gripping and heart-racing beginning for a new great fantasy series! 

Watch the Trailer!

Visit the author's website at http://cjredwine.blogspot.ca