Book Review: The Defiant by Lesley Livingston

The Defiant (The Valiant #2) by Lesley Livingston
Genre: Young Adult Fiction (Historical Fiction)
Date Published: January 23, 2018
Publisher: Razorbill

Gladiator Fallon and her warrior sisters must face off against a rival gladiator academy in this lush sequel to the highly anticipated historical fantasy The Valiant.

They call her "Victrix" now. Victory.

But winning the highest honor ever bestowed upon a gladiatrix in Rome has earned Fallon more deadly enemies outside the arena than she ever faced within it. And it is those dearest to Fallon who will pay the price for her success.

Now, Fallon and her warrior sisters are thrust into a vicious conflict with a rival gladiator academy, one that will threaten not only Fallon's heart - and her love for Roman soldier Cai - but the very heart of the Roman Empire.

The Defiant is the second book in the Valiant Trilogy by Lesley Livingston. I loved Valiant! So, I went into this one with some pretty high expectations. But, for some reason I just couldn’t stay focused. The pacing was a bit slow. I didn’t feel the chemistry in the romance. And, it just didn’t grab me like the first book. There was still a whole lotta girl power, which was fun, and the action scenes are pretty entertaining. I was just waiting for it too pull me in like the first book, and that never happened. Maybe it was just me, as I just couldn’t stay focused this time around.

Check out my review of the first book!

Check out my review of another book by this author!

Lesley Livingston  is the author of Once Every Never, winner of the inaugural Copper Cylinder Award and shortlisted for the CLA Young Adult Book Award and the BC Stellar Book Award. She is also the author of the Wondrous Strange and Starling trilogies. She lives in Toronto.

To learn more about Lesley Livingston and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads and Twitter.

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Top 10 Week! Books I'm looking Forward to in 2019

Finale (Caraval #3) by Stephanie Garber 

Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy/Romance)
Expected Publication Date:  May 7, 2019
Publisher: Flatiron Books

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Welcome, welcome to Finale, the third and final book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Caraval series!

Welcome, welcome to Caraval...all games must come to an end.

It’s been two months since the last Caraval concluded, two months since the Fates have been freed from an enchanted deck of cards, two months since Tella has seen Legend, and two months since Legend claimed the empire’s throne as his own. Now, Legend is preparing for his official coronation and Tella is determined to stop it. She believes her own mother, who still remains in an enchanted sleep, is the rightful heir to the throne.

Meanwhile, Scarlett has started a game of her own. She’s challenged Julian and her former fiancé, Count Nicolas d’Arcy, to a competition where the winner will receive her hand in marriage. Finaly, Scarlett feels as if she is in complete control over her life and future. She is unaware that her mother’s past has put her in the greatest danger of all.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun―with lives, empires, and hearts all at stake. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win...and those who will lose everything... Check out my review of the first book in this trilogy!

Devil's Daughter (The Ravenels #5) by Lisa Kleypas 

Genre: Adult Fiction (Historical Romance)
Expected Publication Date: February 19, 2019
Publisher: Avon

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New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers a scintillating tale of a beautiful, young widow who finds passion with the one man she shouldn't...

Although beautiful young widow Phoebe, Lady Clare, has never met West Ravenel, she knows one thing for certain: he's a mean, rotten bully. Back in boarding school, he made her late husband's life a misery, and she'll never forgive him for it. But when Phoebe attends a family wedding, she encounters a dashing and impossibly charming stranger who sends a fire-and-ice jolt of attraction through her. And then he introduces himself...as none other than West Ravenel.

West is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. However, from the moment he meets Phoebe, West is consumed by irresistible desire...not to mention the bitter awareness that a woman like her is far out of his reach. What West doesn't bargain on is that Phoebe is no straitlaced aristocratic lady. She's the daughter of a strong-willed wallflower who long ago eloped with Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent—the most devilishly wicked rake in England.

Before long, Phoebe sets out to seduce the man who has awakened her fiery nature and shown her unimaginable pleasure. Will their overwhelming passion be enough to overcome the obstacles of the past?

Only the devil's daughter knows... 
Check out my review of the first book in this series!

The Triumphant (The Valiant #3) by Lesley Livingston

Genre: Young Adult (Historical Fiction)
Expected Publication Date: February 12, 2019
Publisher: Razorbill

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The final book in the Valiant series takes Fallon and her warrior sisters on an epic journey from the corrupt Roman Republic to the wonder of the ancient world: Alexandria, Egypt.

“You are from a world, Fallon, that values honor over everything else. Rome is not that world.”

In the wake of their victorious fight to win back the Ludus Achillea, Fallon and her gladiatrix sisters have become the toast of the Republic. Only for Fallon, glory turns to ashes when she learns that Cai has been stripped of his Decurion rank and declared infamia, cast down to serve as one of Caesar’s gladiators. All because he chose his love for her over the life of his treacherous father during the ludus uprising.

But treachery in Rome runs far deeper than Fallon ever suspected. While she is fighting for Cai’s freedom, the unthinkable happens and the Republic begins to tear itself apart at the seams. In the chaos that follows, the Achillea gladiatrices lose any protection they might have had once and for all. They’re not the only ones.

When Fallon discovers that Cleopatra is in grave danger, she and her sister Sorcha rally their war band in an attempt to spirit the Queen of Aegypt out of Rome, embarking on a remarkable journey that will take them to Alexandria—the wonder of the ancient world—and beyond. Far beyond. Along the way, Fallon will have to decide where her heart truly lies, as well as what—and who—she is willing to sacrifice to get there. Check out my review of the first book in this series!

Soul in Darkness by Wendy Higgins 

Genre: Adult Fiction (Historical Fantasy)
Expected Publication Date: February 12, 2019
Publisher: TBA
Pre-Order Here!

People travel from afar to the small isle in the Aegean Sea hoping for a single glimpse of Princess Psyche. Their adoration for the mortal woman is so all-consuming that citizens begin to shower her with the very gifts and offerings they once left at the alter of Venus, goddess of love and beauty.

But gods are known for their jealousy.

Cupid, the god of love, takes pleasure in causing strife and mischief in the lives of humans. He uses love as a weapon, humoring in the weakness of people at the whims of their feelings. When his mother Venus approaches him about punishing the human girl who dares to steal her offerings and affections from the people, Cupid gladly accepts.

Psyche's punishment is to be given to a mysterious creature who only comes to her in the dark of night under the pact that she will never lay eyes on him. She is terrified of this stranger, who the oracle described as a serpent. Her mate, however, is masterful in his dealings with his bride. He takes his time, morphing her fears into different sensations completely.

Based on the Roman/Greek mythology of Cupid and Psyche by Lucius Apuleius, New York Times bestseller Wendy Higgins brings the tale to life, weaving layers that show exactly how a sacrificial lamb can be enchanted by an unseen monster.

Adult Historical Fantasy. Standalone. Check out my reviews of other books by this author!

Defy Me (Shatter Me #5) by Tahereh Mafi

Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal Romance/Dystopian)
Expected Publication: April 2, 2019
Publisher: HarperCollins

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The gripping fifth installment in the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling Shatter Me series. Will Juliette’s broken heart make her vulnerable to the strengthening darkness within her?

Juliette’s short tenure as the supreme commander of North America has been an utter disaster. When the children of the other world leaders show up on her doorstep, she wants nothing more than to turn to Warner for support and guidance. But he shatters her heart when he reveals that he’s been keeping secrets about her family and her identity from her—secrets that change everything.

Juliette is devastated, and the darkness that’s always dwelled within her threatens to consume her. An explosive encounter with unexpected visitors might be enough to push her over the edge.

Check out my review of the first book in this series!

Stain by A.G. Howard 

Genre: Young Adult (Fractured Fairy Tale/ Fairy Tale Retelling)
Expected Publication: January 15, 2019
Publisher:  Abrams/Amulet Books
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A high-fantasy gothic fairytale inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea.

Once upon a nightmare, her fairy tale begins...

After Lyra—a princess incapable of speech or sound—is cast out of her kingdom of daylight by her wicked aunt, a witch saves her life, steals her memories, and raises her in an enchanted forest ... disguised as a boy known only as Stain. Meanwhile, in Lyra's rival kingdom, the prince of thorns and night is dying, and the only way for him to break his curse is to wed the princess of daylight, for she is his true equal. As Lyra rediscovers her identity, an impostor princess prepares to steal her betrothed prince and her crown. To win back her kingdom, save the prince, and make peace with the land of the night, Lyra must be loud enough to be heard without a voice, and strong enough to pass a series of tests—ultimately proving she’s everything a traditional princess is not. 

Check out my reviews of other books by this author!

Bloodleaf (Bloodleaf #1) by Crystal Smith 

Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy)
Expected Publication: March 5, 2019
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

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Princess Aurelia is a prisoner to her crown and the heir that nobody wants. Surrounded by spirits and banned from using her blood-magic, Aurelia flees her country after a devastating assassination attempt. To escape her fate, Aurelia disguises herself as a commoner in a new land and discovers a happiness her crown has never allowed. As she forges new bonds and perfects her magic, she begins to fall for a man who is forbidden to rule beside her.

But the ghosts that haunt Aurelia refuse to abandon her, and she finds herself succumbing to their call as they expose a nefarious plot that only she can defeat. Will she be forced to choose between the weight of the crown and the freedom of her new life?

A Curse So Dark and Lonely (A Curse So Dark and Lonely #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

Genre: Young Adult (Fractured Fairy Tail/Fairy Tale Retelling)
Expected Publication: January 29, 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
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In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer.

Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she's instead somehow sucked into Rhen's cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

Tanner (Sexton Brothers #3) by Lauren Runow & Jeannine Colette

Genre: Adult Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Expected Publication: January 2019
Publisher: Self

“A kiss was all I needed.”
“Looks like you got what you wished for.”
“Yes. About that…”

I was supposed to find a finely dressed businessman, have a one-night stand and forget about my failed relationship. Instead, I meet Tanner Sexton—a gorgeous man in street clothes, messy hair and the sexiest smile I’ve ever seen.

When my ex shows up at the bar, Tanner notices my panic and kisses me just so the prick can see. Then he takes off, leaving me breathless.

So, I do what any rational person would. I chase after him onto the subway, and embark on a wild night in New York City with a complete stranger.

No matter how much I fight it, this mysterious artist painted his soul onto my skin, and I haven’t been able to forget him. Our romance is one for the ages, but age isn’t the only thing standing in our way.

Check out my review of the first book in this series!

The Beautiful (The Beautiful #1) by Renée Ahdieh 

Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal/Historical Fiction)
Expected Publication: October 8, 2019
Publisher: Penguin Teen

In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and--especially--to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien's guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.

When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose--one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.

At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful. And these vampires don’t sparkle. They slay. 

Top Ten Week!!!

My Favorite Books of 2018

My Favorite Quotes of 2018

My Favorite Book Covers of 2018

My Favorite Book Boyfriends of 2018

Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2019

Top 10 Week! Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2018

Legendary by Stephanie Garber 

Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy/Romance)
Date Published: May 29, 2018
Publisher: Flatiron Books

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Stephanie Garber’s limitless imagination takes flight once more in the colorful, mesmerizing, and immersive sequel to the bestselling breakout debut Caraval, following Scarlett’s younger sister, Tella, on a journey to the empire’s capital to fulfill a mysterious bargain.
Check out my review of the previous book!

The Defiant by Lesley Livingston

Genre: Young Adult (Historical Fiction)
Date Published: January 23, 2018
Publisher: Razorbill

Pre-Order Here!

The darling of the Roman Empire is in for the fight of her life.

Be brave, gladiatrix… And be wary. Once you win Caesar’s love, you’ll earn his enemies’ hate.

Fallon was warned.

Now she is about to pay the price for winning the love of the Roman people as Caesar’s victorious gladiatrix.

In this highly anticipated sequel to THE VALIANT, Fallon and her warrior sisters find themselves thrust into a vicious conflict with a rival gladiator academy, one that will threaten not only Fallon’s heart – and her love for Roman soldier Cai – but the very heart of the ancient Roman Empire.

When dark treachery and vicious power struggles threaten her hard-won freedom, the only thing that might help the girl known as Victrix save herself and her sisters is a tribe of long-forgotten mythic Amazon warriors.

The only trouble is, they might just kill her themselves first.
Check out my review of the previous book!

Seized by Love at Seaside by Addison Cole

Genre: Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: February 7, 2018
Publisher: World Literary Press

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Lizzie Barber runs a successful flower shop by day and secretly hosts the Naked Baker webcast at night to help pay for her younger sister’s education. To keep friends and family from finding out about her sexy secret, she’s put her social life on hold until her sister’s education is paid off and she can stop filming the webcast.

Blue Ryder fell hard for Lizzie when he met her a year ago, and he hasn’t been able to get her off his mind since. Everything about the feisty little brunette, cuts straight to his heart. Though Lizzie has turned down every invitation he’s extended—Blue is not about to give up trying.

Renovating Lizzie’s kitchen brings Blue further into Lizzie’s life, and the oven is not the only thing heating up. One night and one powerful kiss changes everything. But when Lizzie’s secret is revealed and the safe bubble she’s hidden in shatters, true love may not be enough to put the pieces back together. Check out my review of the first book in this series!

Breaking Down by Juliana Haygert

Genre: New Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: TBA
Publisher: Self

Gabi was born to play polo, but her career opportunities are far from abundant. She’d have her best shot at her goal if she could move from Brazil to the U.S., where many of her family and friends already live. However, the U.S. government doesn’t exactly issue work visas without a sponsor. And there aren’t many women’s polo teams in the U.S. that are hiring.

Tyler already gave up his dreams. Because of an inherited debt, he’ll probably finish paying it off when he’s dead. Tyler had to drop out of vet school and work, work, work. He desperately needs money, but his options are limited.

Until Tyler meets Gabi, and she proposes a deal with the potential to change everything.

She will pay him to marry her. He’ll get the money to pay off his debts, and Gabi will get a green card and the freedom to follow her passion. A fake, temporary marriage to a beautiful, hot girl doesn’t sound like a bad deal.

As their fake marriage starts to turn into a real one, a twist of fate threatens to tear them apart, and a choice needs to be made.

Their dreams or themselves. Check out my review of the first book in this series!

Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi

Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal Romance/Dystopian)
Date Published: March 6, 2018
Publisher: HarperCollins

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Juliette Ferrars thought she'd won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander, and now has Warner by her side. But she's still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch—and now she's got the whole world in the palm of her hand. When tragedy hits, who will she become? Will she be able to control the power she wields and use it for good?

Check out my review of the first book in this series!

Losing the Field by Abbi Glines

Genre: Young/New Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: August 21, 2018
Publisher: Simon Pulse
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Losing his dream, his ultimate plan, and his future- Nash Lee never expected to be facing a life without football. One wrong move and it had all changed. Going back to school for his senior year no longer appealed to him. He’d rather not leave his house. Walking back into Lawton High School, seeing pity in everyone’s eyes was just another reality in his nightmare.

Revenge wasn’t a pretty thing. Tallulah Liddell had found it was rather controlling. The way you looked at life changed completely when you clung to the ugly notion. But she’d done it anyway. From the last day of her junior year when Ryker Lee had made a fat joke about her and Nash laughed with him, she’d been driven by pain. It wasn’t like no one had made fun of her weight before. She was used to that. What had hurt so deeply was Nash’s laughter. He’d always been the one person to notice her, include her, not treat her differently. But that one moment had changed it all. From the time she walked out of the school building to the moment she returned for her senior year Tallulah had been determined to lose weight and finally be the size her peers considered acceptable.

What she wasn’t expecting on her return was to find a broken Nash Lee who no longer smiled, rarely spoke, and didn’t care about anything or anyone around him. He was just existing. But the pain in his eyes she understood all too well. He was alone. He no longer fit into the perfect package.

Check out my review of the first book in this series!

My Sister's Intended by Rachael Anderson

Genre: Adult Fiction (Historical/Regency)
Date Published: March 2018
Publisher: HEA Publishing

For as long as Prudence can remember, it has been understood that her sister will one day wed the eldest son of their nearest neighbor. Such an alliance will benefit both families and bring a great deal of joy to all parents involved.

Unfortunately, Prudence has never been able to feel as joyful. She believes her sister is mad to consider marrying a man she hardly knows, even if he will one day make her a countess. Titles and wealth shouldn't factor into matters of the heart, and as an aspiring romance novelist, Prudence cannot fathom how anyone could even think of settling for less than love. She certainly wouldn’t, and she doesn't want her sister to either.

Unable to stand by and do nothing, Prudence sets out to help the awkward couple discover the best in each other with the hope that they will eventually find love. What she neglected to foresee, however, was the possibility that she might fall in love with Lord Knave herself.

Check out my review of another book by this author!

Like Never and Always by Ann Aguirre

Genre: Adult Fiction
Date Published: July 17, 2018
Publisher: Tor Teen
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On a hot summer night, a screech of brakes and shattering glass changes two lives forever.

Liv wakes in the hospital, confused when they call her Morgan. She assumes it’s a case of mistaken identity, yet when the bandages come off, it’s not her face in the mirror anymore. It’s her best friend Morgan’s.

Morgan always seemed to have the perfect life, yet Liv must navigate endlessly disturbing secrets of the criminal and murderous variety—and a romance that feels like a betrayal. Torn between the boy she loved as Liv and the boy she’s grown to love as Morgan, Liv still has to survive Morgan’s last request.
Check out my review of another book by this author!

Tempt by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Genre: New Adult (Paranormal Romance)
Date Published: TBA
Publisher: Self

TBA

Check out my review of the first book in this series!

Missed Connections #4 by Jeffe Kennedy

Genre: Adult Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: May 2018
Publisher: TBA

TBA

Check out my review of the first book in this series!

Getting Burned by Chris Cannon

Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: TBA
Publisher: TBA

TBA

Check out my review of the first book in this series!

Top Ten Week!!!

My Favorite Books of 2017

My Favorite Quotes of 2017

My Favorite Book Covers of 2017

My Favorite Book Boyfriends of 2017

Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2018