There's the loyalty of family, and not only the family that you are born into but the family that you chose for yourself. There's the fact that the entire plot is based in ancient Rome and deals with the politics of Ceaser and Cleopatra and Roman culture and customs. Firstly, there's the kickass female gladiators (gladiatrices) and there's also the addition of another set of kickass Amazonian warriors. “But even if we’re too late for rescue, we’ll still be right on time for revenge.” The Defiant was a really great sequel and I loved the themes explored in these books. I really enjoyed The Valiant when I read it earlier this year and I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of The Defiant from Razorbill, even though it was past publication date which I am very grateful for! This has not effected my rating and all opinions are my own. The only trouble is, they might just kill her themselves first. 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. 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. Now she is about to pay the price for winning the love of the Roman people as Caesar’s victorious gladiatrix.

Once you win Caesar’s love, you’ll earn his enemies’ hate. Source: ARC received from Razorbill via Edelweissīe brave, gladiatrix… And be wary.

The defiant by lesley livingston