Defy (Defy Trilogy, Book 1)

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and heart-racing romance.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and heart-racing romance.

Praise for Endure:"Readers of the previous books in the trilogy will be lining up to read the conclusion to this epic story. Readers who are looking for fantasy with strong female characters, such as Cinder in The Lunar Chronicles or Celaena Sardothien of the Throne of Glass series, will find a great new trilogy here." -- School Library Connection"Fans will be very satisfied with this final journey." -- School Library JournalPraise for Ignite:"[A] fast-paced fantasy novel laced with political intrigue." -- School Library Journal"Alexa [is]... an interesting, multilayered character, a valiant fighter with heart." -- Booklist"Alex is so strong... The intrigue is really thick in this book, and there are secrets within plots and people." -- Jessie Plots, blogging for USA TodayPraise for Defy:An Indie Next List Selection"A wonderful tale of adventure, romance, and embracing your true self. Alexa is a heroine readers will love to follow!" -- Marie Lu, bestselling author of the Legend series"Grand adventure, romance, and thrilling political intrigue." -- Booklist"Powerful and narratively satisfying." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"DEFY by Sara Larson is an amazing, fantastic book. It has everything you'd want: intrigue, awesomely real characters, suspense, and a captivating plot. All in a world that comes to life in your mind. Highly recommended." ­– James Dashner, bestselling author of THE MAZE RUNNER

Sara B. Larson is the author of the acclaimed young adult fantasy Defy trilogy: Defy, Ignite, and Endure; and Dark Breaks the Dawn, the first book of a duology. She can't remember a time when she didn't write books -- although she now uses a computer instead of a Little Mermaid notebook. Sara lives in Utah with her husband and their children. When she's not mothering or writing, you can often find her at the gym repenting of her sugar addiction. You can visit her online at SaraBLarson.com.

From DEFY"Have you ever heard the theory that it is better for one man to die, than an entire nation to suffer? Do you believe that to be true? Is it ever okay to take a life in hopes of saving others?" Prince Damian took a step closer to me, so that I had to tip my head back farther to keep looking up into his eyes. I'd never felt so aware of just how tall he was before. "I think so." I didn't know what to do with him standing so close -- close enough that I could feel the heat from his body. My heart beat erratically and my fingers tingled for some reason. I forced my face to remain impassive. I drew on all of my training, all of the practice I'd had over the years pretending to be a boy, to maintain my composure. With a much steadier, lower voice, I said, "Who's life are you thinking of taking?" "Don't do that with me," he replied, staring down at me with a look of almost hunger on his face. "We're too much alike to pretend with each other. At least when we're alone, let's be who we truly are." The intensity of his gaze nearly made me tremble. No one knew me as I truly was, except for Marcel, and he was gone. But here was Damian, the strikingly handsome, sometimes capricious, sometimes gentle Prince of Antion, asking me to allow him past the guise I'd been holding up to the world since my parents died. How could I do that when all I had done for so long was train to guard him -- and make sure he never realized that deep down inside, buried where no one could see, his best fighter was actually just a frightened girl?