Sarah's Books & Life: DEFY

I have been a HUGE fan of Raine's Estilorian stories since I first read Becoming, Central, and Foretold last summer. As soon as I finished reading Foretold, I emailed Raine to see if there would be more and she said YES!

I've been waiting for the first installment in The Firstborn Trilogy and DEFY did not disappoint. To catch you up, here is the summary for DEFY from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Tate is about to make her parents’ dreams come true. Unfortunately for her, their dreams foretell her death.
Eager to explore more of the Estilorian plane and prove her abilities, Tate goes against her parents’ wishes and leaves the area of protection surrounding her home. Her choice puts her on a deadly path…one that leaves her alone, severely injured and battling for her life.
Her possible savior arrives in the form of Zachariah, a male who has removed himself from Estilorian society for more than fifty years. Fighting an unexpected connection to Tate, he must decide whether saving her life is worth destroying his.
As Tate struggles to find a way home, she ends up drawn into a dark Mercesti plot involving multiple murders and a powerful ancient artifact. With the unpredictable Zachariah as her only source for aid, she’ll soon find out if her abilities are strong enough to help her defy her Fate.

Would you like a little peak at what to expect from DEFY?

Well, I've picked out one of my favorite exchanges to share with you, I hope you enjoy!

"Now I am Sparky?" he asked, growing irritated despite himself. He was trying to aid her and she was being difficult. "Yeah," she said, giving him a tart look.
"It's called sarcasm, Sparky. Haven't you ever heard of it?" Clenching his jaw briefly, he replied, "I know very well what sarcasm is, Beautiful." He deliberately accented the last work, then regretted it when he watched the harsh statement hit her while she was already down.
“Touché,” she said in a quiet voice, all signs of anger gone. “Look, you’re right, whoever you are. I’m having a rough time. Just let me have my personal collapse in private, okay?”

My Review: 5 stars

I'm sure I had very high expectations going into this book because I loved the original trilogy so much and I was not disappointed! Defy starts off with a glimpse into what life is like for Amber, Olivia, and Skye years after we left them in Foretold. While this book is about Tate, you still get to know more about the other Firstborn's and their talents. I still haven't mastered gushing without giving away details that you really have to figure out by reading the story, because there are some things that are weaved in the story you will enjoy figuring out! Tate is very much like her mom, free-spirited and stubborn. She is gutsy and often thinks after she has acted, which is what gets her into trouble a few times before she catches on. I really enjoyed seeing her grow into her own, though some of the situations she found herself in were heartbreaking.

And you really can't have an Estilorian story without a little romance. There really isn't a triangle, which I enjoy, it's more of different characters realizing the feelings they have for each other and figuring out how to express them in a way that the other one understands. While there are only two confirmed new couples by the end of the book, there is another that is almost there. Even though DEFY is about the Firstborn's there are some old favorites back, Ini-herit and Quincy have large parts and I personally enjoyed seeing how they develop their emotions, it's pretty funny at times. While Amber, Olivia, and Skye have had several children, but since this is The Firstborn Trilogy, we don't get to learn much about the younger generations. DEFY is a great addition to the Estilorian stories and I can't wait to read what challenges await them in the next installment of the Firstborn Trilogy.

I hope you read DEFY soon and I can't wait to hear what you think about it. Check out the Trailer for DEFY:

Now for the GIVEAWAY!! Raine has kindly donated some SWAG to be given away to one lucky winner! All you have to do is fill out the form below and spread the word! Good luck!

Click on the banner at the top of the post for a link to stops on the Blog Tour!

If you are a regular to my blog, you may have noticed reviews/ interview/ trailers from the Daughters of Saraqael books by Raine Thomas. I fell in love with her first trilogy last summer and always keep my eye out for the next installment. Raine is currently working on the Firstborn Trilogy and the first book in that series is DEFY:

Seventeen-year-old Tate is about to make her parents’ dreams come true. Unfortunately for her, their dreams foretell her death. Eager to explore more of the Estilorian plane and prove her abilities, Tate goes against her parents’ wishes and leaves the area of protection surrounding her home. Her choice puts her on a deadly path…one that leaves her alone, severely injured and battling for her life. Her possible savior arrives in the form of Zachariah, a male who has removed himself from Estilorian society for more than fifty years. Fighting an unexpected connection to Tate, he must decide whether saving her life is worth destroying his. As Tate struggles to find a way home, she ends up drawn into a dark Mercesti plot involving multiple murders and a powerful ancient artifact. With the unpredictable Zachariah as her only source for aid, she’ll soon find out if her abilities are strong enough to help her defy her Fate.

If you haven't seen the other covers for Raine's books, then you are missing out! Following in the eye catching style of The Daughters of Saraqael covers, here is the beautiful cover of DEFY: