I try to go into books with no expectations, that way I’m not disappointed when they don’t live up to what I wanted. I tried to do the same for Defiance, but for some reason, there was this voice in the back of my mind telling me it was going to be a good book.

It was.

The characters are real. They have flaws, but they work with them and find ways to work situations to their advantage. They grow as characters in real ways. They don’t suddenly come to life-altering conclusions that make your head spin. Every time they realize something, it fits. It makes sense.

There’s wasn’t insta-love like so many Young Adult books like to have. Yes, there was attraction right from the beginning. But it wasn’t disguised as love. It took a while to get to the love and when it happened, it was perfect.

The story itself is pretty unique, with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. There’s plenty of action to keep the pace moving, but when there is a moment to rest and relax, it’s not filled with dribble. Every word has a purpose and I loved that.

There was enough world-building to make it work, while still leaving enough questions to have me eagerly awaiting the next book. There was enough of a resolution to leave a content feeling, but enough of a cliffhanger to have me counting down the days until the next book is released.

Defiance is a fantastic novel, kicking off what is sure to be a huge series. It has enough of everything a great novel needs without being completely heavy. It’s definitely a book people need to pick up and read.