Teaser Tuesday: Deception by C.J. Redwine

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

 

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Deception by C.J. Redwine
On Shelves Now
Published by Harper Teen

 

"I step into his arms, but his touch is only skin deep.  Inside me, the Rachel I once knew is gone." ARC, pg 320

 

Blog Tour Review and Giveaway: Deception by CJ Redwine

Deception by C.J. Redwine

On Shelves NOW!!  (As in Today!)

ARC received from CJ, thank you!

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Gripping, Suspenseful, and Heart-breaking

Baalboden has been ravaged. The brutal Commander's whereabouts are unknown. And Rachel, grief stricken over her father's death, needs Logan more than ever. With their ragged group of survivors struggling to forge a future, it's up to Logan to become the leader they need—with Rachel by his side. Under constant threat from rival Carrington's army, who is after the device that controls the Cursed One, the group decides to abandon the ruins of their home and take their chances in the Wasteland.



But soon their problems intensify tenfold: someone—possibly inside their ranks—is sabotaging the survivors, picking them off one by one. The chaos and uncertainty of each day puts unbearable strain on Rachel and Logan, and it isn't long before they feel their love splintering. Even worse, as it becomes clear that the Commander will stop at nothing to destroy them, the band of survivors begins to question whether the price of freedom may be too great—and whether, hunted by their enemies and the murderous traitor in their midst, they can make it out of the Wasteland alive.

In this daring sequel to Defiance, with the world they once loved forever destroyed, Rachel and Logan must decide between a life on the run and standing their ground to fight

***This is a review of the first half of the book as I just got my copy!

I just love this world!!!!  I was hypnotized by Defiance—a world that seemed futuristic, yet somehow lost in the past; a Commander as evil as the sun is bright; a love that has awoken a purpose; and an unkillable beast that haunts the underground.  CJ’s dystopian world is imaginative and terrifying, and I am captivated more with every turn of the page.

This sequel starts pretty much right where the last book ends, and I like that very little time has passed.  Straight off, we see the animosity and fear that has settled in the hearts of the survivors, and I have enjoyed seeing how everyone reacts to the realization that they are no longer under the Commander’s thumb.  Some of the women are finally starting to shed their old ways, and many of the men are learning that oppression is not the norm.  While I do like seeing deeper into this newfound society, I have noticed that the plot is slower than the first book.  This is because we are getting a more involved look at the characters, but I do wish that there would be some more action to move the growing relationships along.

Rachel is just as broken as she was in the last book, and while I like that this hardens her and makes her a warrior, I do find myself missing that connection between her and Logan.  The love is there, and you can see it; but it is definitely strained.  I feel like they are disconnected, and I just keep waiting for something horrible to happen because they aren’t being straight with each other.  Still, Rachel is a kick a** character, and I am having a blast seeing her stand up to even the strongest of men.

I just love Logan, and he’s not the type I normally fall for.  I tend to like the bad, mysterious guys; and Logan is not that.  He’s sincere and sweet, and he knows nothing about playing the games that bad boys do.  He’s just that sweet guy that knows how to steal your heart.  I love him so hard!

One thing I do miss is the tension and hatred that the Commander instills when he shows up.  I’m a little over 200 pages in, and he has been seen on a horse, like twice.  I want his anger and hatred to fuel the action, and it just isn’t there.  Now, that doesn’t mean there isn’t some good action.  There is a mystery in the group of survivors that needs to be solved or people will die (or continue to die), but it just doesn’t add the suspense and malice that the Commander did in the first book.  I’m definitely ready for a stand off between him and Rachel.

Overall, I’m really liking what I’ve read so far (I’ve read over 200 pages today which is rare for me now), and I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next with the Commander, the Cursed One, and the lovers.  Here’s to hoping that the ending doesn’t crush me since we have to wait another year for the final book!!

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Waiting on Wednesday: Deception by C.J. Redwine

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is DECEPTION by CJ Redwine.  DECEPTION releases on August 27, 2013 from Harper Teen.

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Baalboden has been ravaged. The brutal Commander's whereabouts are unknown. And Rachel, grief stricken over her father's death, needs Logan more than ever. With their ragged group of survivors struggling to forge a future, it's up to Logan to become the leader they need—with Rachel by his side. Under constant threat from rival Carrington's army, who is after the device that controls the Cursed One, the group decides to abandon the ruins of their home and take their chances in the Wasteland.



But soon their problems intensify tenfold: someone—possibly inside their ranks—is sabotaging the survivors, picking them off one by one. The chaos and uncertainty of each day puts unbearable strain on Rachel and Logan, and it isn't long before they feel their love splintering. Even worse, as it becomes clear that the Commander will stop at nothing to destroy them, the band of survivors begins to question whether the price of freedom may be too great—and whether, hunted by their enemies and the murderous traitor in their midst, they can make it out of the Wasteland alive.

In this daring sequel to Defiance, with the world they once loved forever destroyed, Rachel and Logan must decide between a life on the run and standing their ground to fight.

 

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I am so excited about this one!  I really loved Defiance--Logan and Rachel had such a sweet romance, and I just know its going to get steamier in this installment!  (At least I hope it will.)  I had such a strong reaction to the Commander in the first book--I wanted him to get ripped apart by the beast.  This cover is gorgeous, and I'm dying to find out what happens next for everyone!

Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Defiance by C.J. Redwine

ARC received from Balzer & Bray (Harper) at ALA

Release Date:  8-28-2012

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Dangerous, Daunting, and Delicious!

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses 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 one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a 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. 

I had been eyeing the cover of Defiance for months, and when I got a chance to read it I might (emphasis on the might) have jumped up and done a happy dance while singing, “I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it!”  Then for a moment I got distracted by Saved By the Bell memories, but soon I was right back to dancing for joy about it!!  It already had so much buzz around it, and I knew it was going to be one of this year’s biggest books.

From Chapter 1, I was completely drawn into C.J.’s world—I mean, it was a world with ancient roots yet filled with powerful technology.  It was like a world out of the 1800s was snatched up, thrown through a wormhole and ended up in an alternate future reality where danger from evil tyrants, wandering highwaymen, and immortal beasts is the norm.  C.J.’s writing is rich with imagery and as you read, you are lifted from your world and thrust into her’s—be careful or you might never want to return!

I loved how dynamic her characters were.  It is very rare that I have an extreme emotional reaction while reading a book.  I run the everyday gamut of emotions—happiness, sadness, jealousy, etc, but it is truly a feat for me to embrace such strong emotions and let them take over just from a book.  But, C.J. did it with the Commander.  His evil is rivaled only by Voldemort or Sebastian in my opinion.  As I witnessed his despotic actions, I could feel my hands closing into fists and I quite literally wished I could jump into the book just to punch him in the face (with brass knuckles).  Every move he makes is methodical and calculated; every word he says is dipped in cruelty; and every feeling he shows is laced with manipulation. 

Rachel, her heroine, is feisty and tough.  I will admit, she is a typical bad-a heroine who is forced to grow up too fast.  While she is unique in her own way, she does resemble other many other heroines we see in ya literature.  That didn’t really bother me, though, because while she started out like many other heroines, she ended up in a completely different place.  Many of today’s heroines go through something brutal and then hide away into themselves—Rachel fought back with every fiber of her being, and I enjoyed watching her character struggle and rise against.

I really loved Logan.  He’s strong and convicted, and tries not to let anyone get in his way.  I love the way he stands up to the Commander even when he’s in a losing situation.  It makes him all the more admirable and I found myself rooting for him to just grab the Commander and shove his face into the ground!  He is the perfect mix of anger, love, strength and weakness; and I can’t wait to see what is in store for him in the next books.  Plus, he’s a hottie—which always makes a book better!  I’m slightly jealous of his attraction to Rachel—and I can’t wait for more scenes to make me even more jealous!

The only thing that bugged me about the book was the length of the wilderness scenes.  At times I felt like they just went on too long after we had already got the point that they were alone, scared, and hurt.  While some of those scenes were too long, I wish the ending climax would have been longer.

A Warning about Content:  I would rate this Mature-YA because of the violence in the book.  It is very descriptive with murder and death, and there were times when I was bothered by how grotesqueness of some of the scenes.  Besides the violence, everything else would be fine for any teenager.

With all that said, I really enjoyed reading this book.  C.J. creates a world where violence is the foundation and people cower in fear of a murderous tyrant.  The fear that this world instills is real and palpable, and she really opened her imagination up to me.  She creates a world full of black and white, light and dark, where evil is easily seen, yet fear and tolerance keeps it in power.  I love that her heros are just the opposite, not white or black, but riddled with shades of grey.  I loved C.J.’s world, and I can’t wait to push through the wilderness with her again in the future.    

 

Teaser Tuesday: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

Defiance by C.J. Redwine
Balzer & Bray
August 28, 2012

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"I'm a weapon, now.  I embrace my rage.  Let it sink into my secret spaces and make me its own as I sit down beside the ruins of the fire, accept a bowl of stew, and begin to plan."  ARC, Location 3645-3647

"Everywhere I look, he's there.  A constant thread binding my past, my present, and the future I want so badly to have with him."  ARC, Location 3017-308

"Fury is a welome companion, warming me with something that almost feels like comfort." ARC, Location 3578-3579

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This is an absolutely ah-mazing book!  It's full of action and suspense, and you definitely won't want to put it down!  It comes out at the end of this month, so don't miss out!  Pre-order it NOW!