Defy by Sara B. Larson

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Defy bk 1. Scholastic, 2014. ISBN 9780545695466
(Age: 13+) Fantasy. Romance. After her parents have been brutally killed, Alexa Hollen is forced to disguise herself as a boy so that she will not be taken by the King's army. She is an excellent fighter and soon earns a spot on the prince's elite guard, but even her skills are not enough to prevent a sorcerer from abducting her, Prince Damian and Rylan, her companion guard. Forced together as captives it soon becomes apparent that she is not the only one hiding a secret.
This fantasy is sure to appeal to young girls who enjoy the idea of a heroine who has the ability to fight for the welfare of the country that she loves while having to subdue the feminine side of herself to avoid the king's wrath. Of course there is a love triangle and that too will have immediate appeal to the target audience. What young girl wouldn't want a prince to fall in love with her?
Defy, the first in the series, (followed by Ignite (2014) and Endure (2016)) is an easy to read book that could be offered to readers who want something similar to The Hunger Games or the Divergent series.
Pat Pledger

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