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Defy #3
Endure
At last, Alexa and King Damian are engaged to be married. But their lives are far from safe. The kingdom of Antion is under siege, and Rylan is a prisoner of the enemy. Even worse, Alexa remains at the mercy of the evil Dansiian Rafe, who controls her mind and can force Alexa to kill or harm Damian at any moment. Despite this, Alexa is determined to rescue Rylan, which soon leads her far from Damian and deep into enemy territory.
When she arrives, what awaits her is deadlier than anything she could have ever imagined: an army of black sorcerers and a horrifying plot to destroy the world as Alexa knows it. Will she be able to gather the strength to free herself, protect the love of her life, and save the land? Will there ever be true peace?
Acclaimed author Sara B. Larson has woven a stunning, romantic, and evocative finale to the Defy trilogy that is sure to leave readers breathless until the very last page.
When she arrives, what awaits her is deadlier than anything she could have ever imagined: an army of black sorcerers and a horrifying plot to destroy the world as Alexa knows it. Will she be able to gather the strength to free herself, protect the love of her life, and save the land? Will there ever be true peace?
Acclaimed author Sara B. Larson has woven a stunning, romantic, and evocative finale to the Defy trilogy that is sure to leave readers breathless until the very last page.
320 pages, Paperback
First published December 29, 2015
342 people are currently reading
6863 people want to read
About the author
Sara B. Larson
12 books1,898 followersSara B. Larson is the best-selling and critically acclaimed author of multiple YA fantasy books,
including A Promised Vengeance (coming Oct 2025), the Defy trilogy, the Dark Breaks the Dawn duology, and the
Sisters of Shadow and Light duology. Every Beat After will be her adult debut 6.2.26. 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, their four children, and their dogs, Loki the Maltese and Bindi the English Cream Retriever, where she also runs a commercial preschool. When she’s not mothering, preschooling, or writing, you can often find her at the gym repenting for her sugar addiction
She’s online at www.SaraBLarson.com.
including A Promised Vengeance (coming Oct 2025), the Defy trilogy, the Dark Breaks the Dawn duology, and the
Sisters of Shadow and Light duology. Every Beat After will be her adult debut 6.2.26. 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, their four children, and their dogs, Loki the Maltese and Bindi the English Cream Retriever, where she also runs a commercial preschool. When she’s not mothering, preschooling, or writing, you can often find her at the gym repenting for her sugar addiction
She’s online at www.SaraBLarson.com.
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December 18, 2015*I received my final copies yesterday and OH. MY. AAAAGGGGHHHH!!! They are GORGEOUS. I can't wait for you guys to see just how stunning this cover is with all the iridescent coloring and foiling and just...wow. I have to say the bookplate map looks pretty awesome in it, too. Remember to preorder and fill out the form on my blog before the 29th if you want one! :-) It's almost here!!!
*Update 11.14.15 Did you see that Scholastic is giving away 10 advanced copies of ENDURE through a giveaway on Goodreads?? If you want a shot at reading it before everyone else, there you go!
*Update 11.4.15* HOLY CRAP. We're less than 2 months away until ENDURE comes out on Dec. 29th!! Did you see the map I'm giving away to everyone who pre-orders a hardcover of ENDURE? It will be a signed bookplate you can put in your book and it. is. GORGEOUS. Just sayin'! I'm also giving signed bookmarks to everyone who preorders an ebook. Make sure you go to my blog to fill out the form if you do preorder it! We're almost there!! :D
*Update 5.26.15* Just finished my 1st Pass Pages yesterday. I am officially done editing this book, and therefore done working on this trilogy. Can I just tell you that I am SO proud of this book. I think it is such a powerful conclusion to the series and I can't WAIT to share it with all of you! I promise the wait will be worth it!
*Update 4.15.15* Just got my copy edits! Getting so close to finishing this book...and series...completely, forever. Very bittersweet. But man, I can't wait to share the ending with you all!!
*update* Doing line edits this week and guys...I just love this book so hard. <3
*Update 11.14.15 Did you see that Scholastic is giving away 10 advanced copies of ENDURE through a giveaway on Goodreads?? If you want a shot at reading it before everyone else, there you go!
*Update 11.4.15* HOLY CRAP. We're less than 2 months away until ENDURE comes out on Dec. 29th!! Did you see the map I'm giving away to everyone who pre-orders a hardcover of ENDURE? It will be a signed bookplate you can put in your book and it. is. GORGEOUS. Just sayin'! I'm also giving signed bookmarks to everyone who preorders an ebook. Make sure you go to my blog to fill out the form if you do preorder it! We're almost there!! :D
*Update 5.26.15* Just finished my 1st Pass Pages yesterday. I am officially done editing this book, and therefore done working on this trilogy. Can I just tell you that I am SO proud of this book. I think it is such a powerful conclusion to the series and I can't WAIT to share it with all of you! I promise the wait will be worth it!
*Update 4.15.15* Just got my copy edits! Getting so close to finishing this book...and series...completely, forever. Very bittersweet. But man, I can't wait to share the ending with you all!!
*update* Doing line edits this week and guys...I just love this book so hard. <3
December 21, 2023
Endure is the final book in the Defy trilogy by Sara B. Larson. I didn’t realize that, going into it. Earnestly entering Antion, enchanted by Alexa and King Damien, it was evident the story did not begin here. (Yes, thus the title. I get it, now.) While I did immediately add Defy and Ignite to my To-Be- Read stack, I never truly felt late to the party.
The bond between Alexa and Rylan blatantly had background, but was too authentic to warrant doubt. Maybe that hot fudge sundae wows with whipped cream, but it’s also delectable despite the absence. Similarly, Damien’s trust in Alexa—both in her abilities as well as her commitment to him, is astounding…and unquestionable.
But this isn’t just a story of passionate people, complex choices and difficult, dangerous decisions….it’s about community, doing for the greater good, even if incurring loss. Listening and learning, evolving, even—or especially—when plowing forward.
And there’s magic! Good and bad; healing and harmful. Also, a battle! One that’s been brewing, boils over beating down kingdoms. It is a fantastically furious, frantic, ferocious fight to a final victory. Grief and hope, strength and support, friendships and fondness bring balance to angst and action.
If you happen to know of a Middle Grader searching for Summer Reads, the Defy trilogy may do the trick.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
The bond between Alexa and Rylan blatantly had background, but was too authentic to warrant doubt. Maybe that hot fudge sundae wows with whipped cream, but it’s also delectable despite the absence. Similarly, Damien’s trust in Alexa—both in her abilities as well as her commitment to him, is astounding…and unquestionable.
But this isn’t just a story of passionate people, complex choices and difficult, dangerous decisions….it’s about community, doing for the greater good, even if incurring loss. Listening and learning, evolving, even—or especially—when plowing forward.
And there’s magic! Good and bad; healing and harmful. Also, a battle! One that’s been brewing, boils over beating down kingdoms. It is a fantastically furious, frantic, ferocious fight to a final victory. Grief and hope, strength and support, friendships and fondness bring balance to angst and action.
If you happen to know of a Middle Grader searching for Summer Reads, the Defy trilogy may do the trick.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
May 30, 2023
“She had suffered; she had endured loss; she wore sadness like a second skin.”
Note: This will contain minor spoilers from “Defy” and “Ignite.” Read at your own risk.
Hello hello. Welcome to Mango bashes books part 2. Please sit down and have a calming cup of tea. You’re going to need it. Trust.
**You can read part 1 of my book bashing here.**
So first of all, a lot of you may be wondering why it took me so long to finish this. It’s not that long right? Only 320 pages. The thing is, it was not the best. I had to force myself through this book, and even then I kept procrastinating. So yeah, that’s why it took me almost a month to read this.
Moving on…
This book was not really enjoyable for me. I know I’m really generous when it comes to my ratings, but this really sucked. This book had bland, boring characters, a nonexistent plot, and some pretty confusing writing.
Starting off with the plot :
Haha. What plot? Honestly there was hardly any plot in this book. There was literally just gore. So much gore. I am fine if a book’s action-packed, meaning it has gore, but it drives the plot forward. But, just pointless violence? Nuh-uh.
Alexa, the main character is now engaged to Damian, the king of Antion. However, she has not told him her secret: she is under control of Rafe, one of the antagonists. When some hypnotized Blevonese soldiers break into the palace, and kill some people, Alexa is convinced that Antion needs to be saved.
Just then, she gets a letter from Rafe, sending a ransom for Rylan. If she gives herself over to him, Rafe will set Rylan free. Alexa decides once and for all that she needs to save Rylan, who was captured.
Along with Eljinn, she goes to Dansii where Rylan is being held to save him. When they turn up, they realize that they got it all wrong. Rafe isn’t the main antagonist, he is just part of a horrid operation. The black sorcerer's under the command of King Armando and the Summoner are behind this whole scheme. They plan to draw blood from people to use in their experiments to creat black sorcerer’s They need Alexa’s blood specifically for some reason which was not stated clearly.
So Alexa along with Eljinn wage war against the people of Dansii to get back Rylan, save the sorcerers, and save all the kingdoms.
Now this may sound awesome right? If I read this synopsis, I would have picked up the book right away, eager to read it.
BUT
No. This is the synopsis of the book...at it’s best. The plot was just so violent. Again, I am okay with violence, if it drives the plot forward. But Larson killed off a LOT of characters. I think she was trying to make us feel emotional and stuff, but really? It just made me feel angry. She killed off the characters way too suddenly and there was no point to it.
I am completely fine with character deaths, but when an author kills off a character with no objective, it really gets on my nerves.
Are there any plot twists? Haha, you're hilarious. It seems I have forgotten what plot twists are. No, there were hardly any. Unless you count the plot being worse than you expected a plot twist, there was nothing.
And third of all? The ending was so rushed. One second Alexa is battling furiously against Rafe, the next second “unseen voices” save Alexa’s and Damian’s lives. There was literally no transition. And then suddenly it jumps to two years into the future (the epilogue) with no proper ending to the actual story.
Overall, the plot pretty much sucked. It was too gory, no plot twists, and inaccurate pacing.
Continuing onto the characters:
God. The characters were pretty crappy in this book, in my opinion. Surprisingly, my opinions about the characters have changed AGAIN in this book.
Alexa: Meet Alexa, not the future queen of Antion, but the queen of idiots. Everyone bow to her.
This is the one character in which my opinion didn’t change. I hate her.
Alexa the main character, is the captain of the guard, soon to be Damian’s wife.
But when Alexa hears that Rafe has blackmailed her, she along with Eljinn go on a huge journey to rescue Rylan.
First of all, that was NOT smart. Why the heck would Alexa risk her life and her kingdom for Rylan, who got mad at Alexa just for loving Damian? I think this is supposed to make her selfless, but no. That’s just making me question her life choices.
Not only that, but along the journey she keeps thinking why she is saving Rylan. Yeah, Alexa, why are you saving him? And then Alexa realizes that she loves Rylan too. It was never clear whether it was brotherly love, or romantic love, but it was leaning on the romantic side.
Haha. Alexa, you are engaged to the man you love. This man risked his life for you. This man is the King of Antion. Why the heck are you thinking about Rylan, the dude who ignored you because of your engagement?
And at last, Alexa’s nonstop mentioning of Damian. Oh look the sky is blue, just like Damian’s eyes. Oh wow this blanket is soft, just like Damian’s touch. Wow! This horse is so kind, just like Damian’s smile.
I GET IT GIRL. YOU LOVE DAMIAN. THANKS FOR TELLING ME.
So...I don’t even know what personality traits to describe at this point. Reckless? Impulsive? Moronic? I don’t know guys.
There was no growth in her either. If you looked at Alexa in the beginning, and her at the end, you would see that they are exactly the same.
So yeah. Thanks for reading through my rant about Alexa.
Damian: Nope. I know I said I liked him in my book bashing part 1, but my opinion has changed yet again. Though I hardly saw Damian in this book, when I did, he was a 100% Gary Stu. He was literally ~perfect~ and not in a good way. He was so kind, caring and compassionate to Alexa, but he was too perfect. Here’s an example.
Damian had to persuade his WHOLE kingdom of Antion to flee into the jungle for safety. He managed to convince the whole kingdom in 1-2 days. How is that even possible??
The author described Damian’s kingdom as vast and huge. I don’t see how he could have gotten every single citizen to flee so quickly. That too, flee into the jungle. The jungle is full of dangerous snakes, plants, and jaguars. How could these citizens be so quickly convinced to take their chances there?
And again, Damian was underdeveloped. He was bland, and way too perfect. Definitely not my favorite character in this book.
Rylan: Okay Rylan, so it’s your turn to receive an apology. Sorry for bad0mouthing you in my book bashing for Ignite. Even though you were crap in Ignite, I think you were way better in this book.
I think there was a lot of development in Rylan in this book. Even though, we couldn’t see into Rylan’s head, I could sense his development and growth. He learned acceptance, and how to push past grief and focus on his goal.
He definitely became tougher and mentally stronger. He rid himself of jealousy and learned to be happy for Alexa. I really liked him in this book.
Overall, Rylan was actually a really good character in this book. :)
Eljinn: Another great character! Honestly, I only liked Rylan and Eljinn in this book.
Eljinn, who traveled with Alexa was daring, kind and compassionate. Even though he was going through so much, by leaving his love Tanoori, he selflessly fought for Antion. I really enjoyed watching how he went through his conflicts and faced danger. He and Rylan were my favorite.
Overall, I really appreciated him, he definitely made this story way better.
Finally, the writing:
The writing was okay I guess. Oh, except for the run-on sentences. Take this for example:
“It was much smaller than something that would have fit Damian, and in the center of the band was a large, stunning blue gemstone that reminded me almost perfectly of the color of Damian's eyes, cut into a rectangle, with smaller glittering diamonds inlaid on the band to either side of the center stone.”
Is this a sentence or a paragraph? I have no clue, my friend.
There were many sentences like this, which were very hard for me to understand. Overall, this writing was very mediocre, and uneccessarily graphic in the gory scenes.
So, I took off 3 stars for the nonexistent plot, Alexa, and the run-on sentences. The only reason this is not one star is because of Rylan and Eljinn. And maybe Tanoori. That’s it.
Edit: SIKE I CHANGED MY RATING TO ONE STAR 8 MONTHS LATER BECAUSE I REALIZED I WAS BEING TOO NICE.
Overall, I did not care for this book, or the series. It was an okay read, but not something I would recommend.
Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.
----------------------------------------------
Oh God. I'm dead. Not by how good this book is, but how underwhelming this book was. What a disappointment, review to come.
----------------------------------------------
Oh. Hello there. Hehe I had mixed feelings about the previous two books...but ehh, can't get worse so might as well read it. Later though.
Note: This will contain minor spoilers from “Defy” and “Ignite.” Read at your own risk.
Hello hello. Welcome to Mango bashes books part 2. Please sit down and have a calming cup of tea. You’re going to need it. Trust.
**You can read part 1 of my book bashing here.**
So first of all, a lot of you may be wondering why it took me so long to finish this. It’s not that long right? Only 320 pages. The thing is, it was not the best. I had to force myself through this book, and even then I kept procrastinating. So yeah, that’s why it took me almost a month to read this.
Moving on…
This book was not really enjoyable for me. I know I’m really generous when it comes to my ratings, but this really sucked. This book had bland, boring characters, a nonexistent plot, and some pretty confusing writing.
Starting off with the plot :
Haha. What plot? Honestly there was hardly any plot in this book. There was literally just gore. So much gore. I am fine if a book’s action-packed, meaning it has gore, but it drives the plot forward. But, just pointless violence? Nuh-uh.
Alexa, the main character is now engaged to Damian, the king of Antion. However, she has not told him her secret: she is under control of Rafe, one of the antagonists. When some hypnotized Blevonese soldiers break into the palace, and kill some people, Alexa is convinced that Antion needs to be saved.
Just then, she gets a letter from Rafe, sending a ransom for Rylan. If she gives herself over to him, Rafe will set Rylan free. Alexa decides once and for all that she needs to save Rylan, who was captured.
Along with Eljinn, she goes to Dansii where Rylan is being held to save him. When they turn up, they realize that they got it all wrong. Rafe isn’t the main antagonist, he is just part of a horrid operation. The black sorcerer's under the command of King Armando and the Summoner are behind this whole scheme. They plan to draw blood from people to use in their experiments to creat black sorcerer’s They need Alexa’s blood specifically for some reason which was not stated clearly.
So Alexa along with Eljinn wage war against the people of Dansii to get back Rylan, save the sorcerers, and save all the kingdoms.
Now this may sound awesome right? If I read this synopsis, I would have picked up the book right away, eager to read it.
BUT
No. This is the synopsis of the book...at it’s best. The plot was just so violent. Again, I am okay with violence, if it drives the plot forward. But Larson killed off a LOT of characters. I think she was trying to make us feel emotional and stuff, but really? It just made me feel angry. She killed off the characters way too suddenly and there was no point to it.
I am completely fine with character deaths, but when an author kills off a character with no objective, it really gets on my nerves.
Are there any plot twists? Haha, you're hilarious. It seems I have forgotten what plot twists are. No, there were hardly any. Unless you count the plot being worse than you expected a plot twist, there was nothing.
And third of all? The ending was so rushed. One second Alexa is battling furiously against Rafe, the next second “unseen voices” save Alexa’s and Damian’s lives. There was literally no transition. And then suddenly it jumps to two years into the future (the epilogue) with no proper ending to the actual story.
Overall, the plot pretty much sucked. It was too gory, no plot twists, and inaccurate pacing.
Continuing onto the characters:
God. The characters were pretty crappy in this book, in my opinion. Surprisingly, my opinions about the characters have changed AGAIN in this book.
Alexa: Meet Alexa, not the future queen of Antion, but the queen of idiots. Everyone bow to her.
This is the one character in which my opinion didn’t change. I hate her.
Alexa the main character, is the captain of the guard, soon to be Damian’s wife.
But when Alexa hears that Rafe has blackmailed her, she along with Eljinn go on a huge journey to rescue Rylan.
First of all, that was NOT smart. Why the heck would Alexa risk her life and her kingdom for Rylan, who got mad at Alexa just for loving Damian? I think this is supposed to make her selfless, but no. That’s just making me question her life choices.
Not only that, but along the journey she keeps thinking why she is saving Rylan. Yeah, Alexa, why are you saving him? And then Alexa realizes that she loves Rylan too. It was never clear whether it was brotherly love, or romantic love, but it was leaning on the romantic side.
Haha. Alexa, you are engaged to the man you love. This man risked his life for you. This man is the King of Antion. Why the heck are you thinking about Rylan, the dude who ignored you because of your engagement?
And at last, Alexa’s nonstop mentioning of Damian. Oh look the sky is blue, just like Damian’s eyes. Oh wow this blanket is soft, just like Damian’s touch. Wow! This horse is so kind, just like Damian’s smile.
I GET IT GIRL. YOU LOVE DAMIAN. THANKS FOR TELLING ME.
So...I don’t even know what personality traits to describe at this point. Reckless? Impulsive? Moronic? I don’t know guys.
There was no growth in her either. If you looked at Alexa in the beginning, and her at the end, you would see that they are exactly the same.
So yeah. Thanks for reading through my rant about Alexa.
Damian: Nope. I know I said I liked him in my book bashing part 1, but my opinion has changed yet again. Though I hardly saw Damian in this book, when I did, he was a 100% Gary Stu. He was literally ~perfect~ and not in a good way. He was so kind, caring and compassionate to Alexa, but he was too perfect. Here’s an example.
Damian had to persuade his WHOLE kingdom of Antion to flee into the jungle for safety. He managed to convince the whole kingdom in 1-2 days. How is that even possible??
The author described Damian’s kingdom as vast and huge. I don’t see how he could have gotten every single citizen to flee so quickly. That too, flee into the jungle. The jungle is full of dangerous snakes, plants, and jaguars. How could these citizens be so quickly convinced to take their chances there?
And again, Damian was underdeveloped. He was bland, and way too perfect. Definitely not my favorite character in this book.
Rylan: Okay Rylan, so it’s your turn to receive an apology. Sorry for bad0mouthing you in my book bashing for Ignite. Even though you were crap in Ignite, I think you were way better in this book.
I think there was a lot of development in Rylan in this book. Even though, we couldn’t see into Rylan’s head, I could sense his development and growth. He learned acceptance, and how to push past grief and focus on his goal.
He definitely became tougher and mentally stronger. He rid himself of jealousy and learned to be happy for Alexa. I really liked him in this book.
Overall, Rylan was actually a really good character in this book. :)
Eljinn: Another great character! Honestly, I only liked Rylan and Eljinn in this book.
Eljinn, who traveled with Alexa was daring, kind and compassionate. Even though he was going through so much, by leaving his love Tanoori, he selflessly fought for Antion. I really enjoyed watching how he went through his conflicts and faced danger. He and Rylan were my favorite.
Overall, I really appreciated him, he definitely made this story way better.
Finally, the writing:
The writing was okay I guess. Oh, except for the run-on sentences. Take this for example:
“It was much smaller than something that would have fit Damian, and in the center of the band was a large, stunning blue gemstone that reminded me almost perfectly of the color of Damian's eyes, cut into a rectangle, with smaller glittering diamonds inlaid on the band to either side of the center stone.”
Is this a sentence or a paragraph? I have no clue, my friend.
There were many sentences like this, which were very hard for me to understand. Overall, this writing was very mediocre, and uneccessarily graphic in the gory scenes.
So, I took off 3 stars for the nonexistent plot, Alexa, and the run-on sentences. The only reason this is not one star is because of Rylan and Eljinn. And maybe Tanoori. That’s it.
Edit: SIKE I CHANGED MY RATING TO ONE STAR 8 MONTHS LATER BECAUSE I REALIZED I WAS BEING TOO NICE.
Overall, I did not care for this book, or the series. It was an okay read, but not something I would recommend.
Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.
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Oh God. I'm dead. Not by how good this book is, but how underwhelming this book was. What a disappointment, review to come.
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Oh. Hello there. Hehe I had mixed feelings about the previous two books...but ehh, can't get worse so might as well read it. Later though.
January 17, 2016
UPDATE: A fantastic ending to fantastic series, definitely recommended!
***************************
Finishes Ignite, frantically looks up release date for next book.............2016?!
*cries*
Please?
***************************
Finishes Ignite, frantically looks up release date for next book.............2016?!
*cries*
Please?
December 31, 2015
SO...FREAKING...GOOD...
SOOOO WHY CAN'T I HELP MYSELF FROM CRYINGGGGGGGGGG...
THAT ENDING TORE MY HEART TO SHREDS...
BUT THEN SOWED IT BACK UP WITH THE EPILOGUE...
I ADORED THIS BOOK AND ALL IT'S HARDSHIP AND SHOCKING REVELATIONS...
WHEN IT WAS OVER THIS WAS HOW I FELT...
AND THIS...
JUST ONE LAST THING...
~~~~~~~EDITED REVIEW~~~~~~~
4 STARS
ENDURE was everything I dreamed it to be and more. Sara B. Larson never ceases to amaze with each sequel she pack a powerful punch that does not hold back one bit! I fell deeply in love with this series back in book one, with a kingdom in turmoil and one girl—forced to disuse as a boy, destined to be the kingdoms redemption. And each book just gets better and better.
In this thrilling conclusion, Alex goes through a whole new level of bravery and sacrifice, determined to save her best friend from a horrible fate at enemy hands. She plunges head first into enemy territory, ready to face the unthinkable to save the friend she loves and make it back in time to save the man she loves and the kingdom she's sworn to protect.
Theirs so many reasons why I enjoyed this book that I don't even know where to start. Should I start with how amazing it was to see all the other kingdoms, especially the evil kingdom of Dansiian? Or how the romance was to minimal, but was still just as desirable as the other books in this series? Or how fast my blood was pounding when Alexa plunged head first into the enemy hands, regardless of the horrors that awaited, or the pain she'd endure. Or how it had so much action and adventure that I could hardly get a breath before it started all over again? Or, lastly, how the middle/ending was soooo painful to endure, all the heartache they—NO, I suffered when this book came to a close, and how complete and utterly satisfied I was at the same time. With any developed book, you have losses and gains, and at the end of this book their was a lot of both!
Yes, this book had all that and some!! Lets talk about the characters and how much they've grown from book one. Alex is the perfect example of my favorite female protagonist. If all the female characters I read were all like her, then I would always fall in love with the books I read! ;) Alex's has come a long way from being the boy-girl, hidden behind her breast wraps and short hair. She's now engaged to the king, and to be the future queen of Antion. Alexia is a selfless character that always puts the ones she loves first. She's strong even when the odds are stacked against her, and is such a bada** with her hands, and even deadlier with weapons.
And Damian has also come a long way from the man he was forced to be in the face of his tyrant of a father, to the man he's free to be now. Forced to portray a spoiled prince in order to keep his father from discovering his most deadly secret about the sorcery running through his veins, Damian has had little time to be himself. But now that he's finally defeated the evil tyrant king he's able to be himself, embracing his country and righting all the wrongs his father inflicted on the people of Antion. I think him and Alex made a great couple, strengthening each other with their fierce devotion to their country and genuine love for each other. It's definitely hard saying goodbye to them!! Sniff, sniff!!
I only had a few issues with this book, and really they were minor and nothing too serious. One being that their wasn't enough scenes with Damian. I REALLY wanted more from the romance department too. I think Alexa and Damian make a wonderful couple, but we didn't get enough of them together for them to really develop a more in depth relationship. Because almost the whole second book was filled with them fighting and acting like they hated each other when they really didn't. So in this book I was hoping for a chemistry and attraction that was more action and less talk and feeling! And then mending and molding their new lives together! But we get very little of them actually together, and even less of them acting on their desires. Which was a BIG let down and made it even harder for me to wrap this series up and let go.
The other issue was that it wasn't long enough to feel complete. It seemed like everything flew by so fast and then BAM, it was all over. I wanted more closure and a thorougher wrap up of this series. And a more developed epilogue that fit the pieces of their new life together better. It felt rushed at some parts and dragged in others. The final battle went too fast and ended way too easy. And as soon as the battle was over, so was the book. Well besides a short epilogue that really didn't give us that much into the future of their world, or the developed closure like I was hoping for.
THE PLOT:
After saving her kingdom from the ruthless tyrant of a king, Alexa has waged wars and defeated battles only to have them return full circle, quickly taking down their defenses and striking when they're at their weakest.
War is finally on Antion's door, waging on all sides and forcing them to their knees. With all their sorceress executed by their former king, and a now depleted army, Antion is more weaker then ever, and the rival kingdom of Dansiian knows it.
It's only a matter of time before the real army marches on them, lying fire and waste to the kingdom they only just gotten back.
But that's not the only problem weighing down Alexa. She manged saved her kings brother only to loose her best friend to the enemy in the process.
Engaged to King Damian and wanting nothing more then to give in to her desires and finally be his, something Alex has secretly longed for since she's come to know the real Damian.
But unfortunately that's something that must wait as she travels into enemy territory with only one ally by her side to save the best friend she fears may already be lost.
Now with her kingdom plunged into chaotic war, and nothing for certain only that death and body count are rising, Alexa is unsure of what or where to go next. Only that she can't bare to leave her only true friend to his horrific fate, even if it means sacrificing her own life for his.
But once they arrive in the blood-thirsty kingdom of Dansiian, Alexia realizes something they never could of imagined, something that could shatter their world more then just the few black sorcerers they've been preparing for, but a whole army of black sorcerers, and more in the making...
And Dansiian thinks Alexa is their kingdoms greatest hope of destroying both her kingdom of Antion, and the kingdom they really want, Blevon, and all the magical secrets it hold...
Alex will have to look deep inside herself and find the strength and courage to face the demons that haunt her in Dansiian, and all the horrifying things she'll endure at their hands. But if it's one thing Alex has, it's the strength and determination to fight these monsters head on, but her willingness to save the ones she loves may also cost her the very thing she promised to her king, her life . . .
Since reading DEFY last year this series has quickly become one of my new favorites. Their was something about this series that I instantly liked and was quickly ensnared me into the world. The world building is one of my favorites, set in a kingdom in turmoil and war on the horizon. The plot was more then thrilling and filled with plenty of action and adventure, and we FINALLY get all the answers that we've been desperately craving from the very beginning!! The characters have all grown from book one and have endured much. They're loyal, determined, and willing to face whatever necessary to save their kingdom and the ones they love!! The writing was flush and suspenseful, filled with a lot of pain and tons of death.
Overall, ENDURE was a great book that had just the ending I was hoping for, even if it wasn't as developed as I hoped it would be. Regardless of the minor issues I had with it ENDURE, it was still an amazing book that I thoroughly enjoyed, even if it didn't give me all the info I wanted. I am definitely satisfied with this series and the ending, and would HIGHLY recommend this book and series to anyone that enjoys Young Adult Fantasy with an epic world-building, wonderful characters, and a thrilling plot that takes us through three kingdoms and back!!
NOTE: I received a physical ARC from Scholastic Press for reviewing purposes! All opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced in any way!
December 25, 2015
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Endure by Sara B. Larson
Book Three of the Defy series
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: December 29, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
At last, Alexa and King Damian are engaged to be married. But their lives are far from safe. The kingdom of Antion is under siege, and Rylan is a prisoner of the enemy. Even worse, Alexa remains at the mercy of the evil Dansiian Rafe, who controls her mind and can force Alexa to kill or harm Damian at any moment. Despite this, Alexa is determined to rescue Rylan, which soon leads her far from Damian and deep into enemy territory.
When she arrives, what awaits her is deadlier than anything she could have ever imagined: an army of black sorcerers, and a horrifying plot to destroy the world as Alexa knows it. Will she be able to gather the strength to free herself, protect the love of her life, and save the land? Will there ever be true peace?
What I Liked:
What a lovely conclusion to this series! I thought Defy and Ignite were pretty good, but this book is probably my favorite. Another series completed! I'll definitely be looking out for more books by Larson in the future. This series is a light, quick trilogy that you could binge-read over a few days, and fall in love with the characters!
Alex has accepted Damian's proposal, but all is not completely well in Antion. Damian has no idea that Rafe can take over her mind at any minute. What's more, Rylan has been taken by Rafe, and Alexa must bring him back. The war against Dansii spreads to Blevon, and the showdown will be as devastating and as epic as expected.
This book wrapped up really well, exactly as a conclusion novel should. It's intense and had me at the edge of my seat at times, but everything is wrapped up by the end of the book. There are deaths, realizations, and new beginnings at the end, and I loved it all.
Alexa shows her strength and her nine lives in this book. She loves Damian with all of her heat, but she is determined to save Rylan. He saved her in Ignite, and he's like a brother to her; she can't leave him to die. Traveling to Dansii proves to be troublesome, and Alexa has to face King Armando of Dansii, Rafe, and the Summoner. I like Alexa's character growth overall, throughout the series. It's pretty brave of her to accept Damian's proposal, to be willing to step into the role of queen. It's even braver that she is willing to lay it all down to save a friend. At first this didn't sit well with me - she would leave Damian?! But then I thought about if my sister were taken - honestly I would totally leave my boyfriend behind to save a sibling or loved one.
Damian is such a sweetie! He carries so much weight on his shoulders, as a young king and newly affianced man. We often see him struggling, trying to make the right decision for Antion, for his people, for Alexa too. He never tries to cage Alexa in, though he always wants to protect her. I respect him so much for not trying to own her or use his title over her - though he'd be within his rights to do so, technically.
I won't say much about the plot but the story had me hooked - I didn't stop reading until the book was over. I was DYING to know what would happen, who would survive, why Alexa was so important to King Armando, etc. Rest assured that all questions are answered by the end of the book!
The ending is bittersweet but also very uplifting. I say bittersweet because there were many, many deaths (seriously, who survived?!), but there is hope for those that survived. I ADORE the epilogue - don't skip ahead and read the ending! Trust me, the ending makes all the pain of this book (and series) worth it!
What I Did Not Like:
I remember there were a few things that made me raise an eyebrow while I was reading the book, but I can't specifically remember them and they're not really bothering me anything - I really enjoyed this book. Larson took me through ALL the emotions!
Would I Recommend It:
If you've read Defy, or Defy and Ignite, there is no reason not to read Endure! It's an excellent conclusion novel that really makes the characters work for their ending, but there is a good ending. The "body" of Endure's story was thrilling, heart-stopping, and somewhat shocking, and I couldn't read the book fast enough. If you like fantasy, especially fantasy that isn't *too* heavy and reads pretty quickly, give this series a shot!
Rating:
4 stars. I am so happy with the way this book went, and how the series ended! I can't wait to read more by Larson in the future.
Endure by Sara B. Larson
Book Three of the Defy series
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: December 29, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
At last, Alexa and King Damian are engaged to be married. But their lives are far from safe. The kingdom of Antion is under siege, and Rylan is a prisoner of the enemy. Even worse, Alexa remains at the mercy of the evil Dansiian Rafe, who controls her mind and can force Alexa to kill or harm Damian at any moment. Despite this, Alexa is determined to rescue Rylan, which soon leads her far from Damian and deep into enemy territory.
When she arrives, what awaits her is deadlier than anything she could have ever imagined: an army of black sorcerers, and a horrifying plot to destroy the world as Alexa knows it. Will she be able to gather the strength to free herself, protect the love of her life, and save the land? Will there ever be true peace?
What I Liked:
What a lovely conclusion to this series! I thought Defy and Ignite were pretty good, but this book is probably my favorite. Another series completed! I'll definitely be looking out for more books by Larson in the future. This series is a light, quick trilogy that you could binge-read over a few days, and fall in love with the characters!
Alex has accepted Damian's proposal, but all is not completely well in Antion. Damian has no idea that Rafe can take over her mind at any minute. What's more, Rylan has been taken by Rafe, and Alexa must bring him back. The war against Dansii spreads to Blevon, and the showdown will be as devastating and as epic as expected.
This book wrapped up really well, exactly as a conclusion novel should. It's intense and had me at the edge of my seat at times, but everything is wrapped up by the end of the book. There are deaths, realizations, and new beginnings at the end, and I loved it all.
Alexa shows her strength and her nine lives in this book. She loves Damian with all of her heat, but she is determined to save Rylan. He saved her in Ignite, and he's like a brother to her; she can't leave him to die. Traveling to Dansii proves to be troublesome, and Alexa has to face King Armando of Dansii, Rafe, and the Summoner. I like Alexa's character growth overall, throughout the series. It's pretty brave of her to accept Damian's proposal, to be willing to step into the role of queen. It's even braver that she is willing to lay it all down to save a friend. At first this didn't sit well with me - she would leave Damian?! But then I thought about if my sister were taken - honestly I would totally leave my boyfriend behind to save a sibling or loved one.
Damian is such a sweetie! He carries so much weight on his shoulders, as a young king and newly affianced man. We often see him struggling, trying to make the right decision for Antion, for his people, for Alexa too. He never tries to cage Alexa in, though he always wants to protect her. I respect him so much for not trying to own her or use his title over her - though he'd be within his rights to do so, technically.
I won't say much about the plot but the story had me hooked - I didn't stop reading until the book was over. I was DYING to know what would happen, who would survive, why Alexa was so important to King Armando, etc. Rest assured that all questions are answered by the end of the book!
The ending is bittersweet but also very uplifting. I say bittersweet because there were many, many deaths (seriously, who survived?!), but there is hope for those that survived. I ADORE the epilogue - don't skip ahead and read the ending! Trust me, the ending makes all the pain of this book (and series) worth it!
What I Did Not Like:
I remember there were a few things that made me raise an eyebrow while I was reading the book, but I can't specifically remember them and they're not really bothering me anything - I really enjoyed this book. Larson took me through ALL the emotions!
Would I Recommend It:
If you've read Defy, or Defy and Ignite, there is no reason not to read Endure! It's an excellent conclusion novel that really makes the characters work for their ending, but there is a good ending. The "body" of Endure's story was thrilling, heart-stopping, and somewhat shocking, and I couldn't read the book fast enough. If you like fantasy, especially fantasy that isn't *too* heavy and reads pretty quickly, give this series a shot!
Rating:
4 stars. I am so happy with the way this book went, and how the series ended! I can't wait to read more by Larson in the future.
August 23, 2017
2.25 Stars
After finishing both Defy (3.75 stars) and Ignite (3.25 stars), I expected this to be in the 3-star range - given that that previous two revolved around there. However, this book left me feeling underwhelmed and outright disappointed. It's really quite a shame.
Whereas the previous two novels included a lot of tension between Alexa and Damian (which I enjoyed), this one had none of that because they were already engaged by the beginning of the novel. And rather than making me feel pleased, this made me upset because they acted differently towards one another, and not in a good way. For example, there was a scene where Damian was "forbidding" Alexa to go after Rylan, because he claimed he could not "lose her." I didn't like how he was demanding her to stay and pulling out the "King Card," ordering her to stay put. What is she, a dog? Though, he did later apologize about doing that, it still bothered me that Alexa didn't get upset about it. It didn't seem to fit her character.
Being the third book, there was plentiful action (obviously) and death and whatnot. Though, they weren't good deaths (that sounds weird). I mean, the characters that were killed off weren't too important, honestly speaking. Therefore, I didn't care about their deaths. Even Rylan's. I liked him in the first book, but by the third book I just found him tiresome and annoying.
Overall, I wasn't expecting a magnificent book going into this, but I had been expecting something decent/average. Unfortunately, what I got was nothing near that. And even though there were many parts of this book that read like a 3-star novel, there were too many other negatives that brought the overall rating down.
After finishing both Defy (3.75 stars) and Ignite (3.25 stars), I expected this to be in the 3-star range - given that that previous two revolved around there. However, this book left me feeling underwhelmed and outright disappointed. It's really quite a shame.
Whereas the previous two novels included a lot of tension between Alexa and Damian (which I enjoyed), this one had none of that because they were already engaged by the beginning of the novel. And rather than making me feel pleased, this made me upset because they acted differently towards one another, and not in a good way. For example, there was a scene where Damian was "forbidding" Alexa to go after Rylan, because he claimed he could not "lose her." I didn't like how he was demanding her to stay and pulling out the "King Card," ordering her to stay put. What is she, a dog? Though, he did later apologize about doing that, it still bothered me that Alexa didn't get upset about it. It didn't seem to fit her character.
Being the third book, there was plentiful action (obviously) and death and whatnot. Though, they weren't good deaths (that sounds weird). I mean, the characters that were killed off weren't too important, honestly speaking. Therefore, I didn't care about their deaths. Even Rylan's. I liked him in the first book, but by the third book I just found him tiresome and annoying.
Overall, I wasn't expecting a magnificent book going into this, but I had been expecting something decent/average. Unfortunately, what I got was nothing near that. And even though there were many parts of this book that read like a 3-star novel, there were too many other negatives that brought the overall rating down.
February 22, 2017
What a beautiful novel and conclusion to this series. I literally have so many different emotions running through me right now that I don't know what to say. Sadnes, joy, happiness, amazement... Wow. Especially from midway to the end of the book, that was really quite something. And the epilogue? Beautiful! So glad that I finally picked up this last book of this series and finish it.
September 8, 2015
After the ending in Ignite, I was so eager to see how it all played out. I will say that Sara definitely didn't disappoint.
There are swoons and serious action and some super creepy sorcery and a couple of things I definitely didn't see coming. And I swear all of that is all in the last 3 chapters...
Forgive the vague review, I just want to leave all of those delicious morsels for you to find on your own.
**Huge thanks to Mysterious Galaxy for letting me take the arc out of the back room**
There are swoons and serious action and some super creepy sorcery and a couple of things I definitely didn't see coming. And I swear all of that is all in the last 3 chapters...
Forgive the vague review, I just want to leave all of those delicious morsels for you to find on your own.
**Huge thanks to Mysterious Galaxy for letting me take the arc out of the back room**
January 17, 2016
I´d been extremely lucky up until this point to have survived my battles against so many sorcerers so much more powerful than I could ever dream of being. So many had sacrificed their lives to help me defeat them.
That´s true.
I´d love to call the conclusion to the Defy series an epic finale full of all the feels and a perfect dissolve of the story. Unfortunately it left me hanging somewhere between annoyance and resignation.
I was hoping for the Wow - moment since the first book, where I missed a fantasy world building that´s simply not there. Buuut I came to terms with that and looked upon the good things. Like Alexa. And the nice story line.
This time, the first pages made me hope for more of Damian´s PoV. That would´ve offered something new and a counteract Alexa´s stupid decisions. But nope, it´s just the prologue and epilogue. I really was in need of necessary explanations to fully understand this whole mess.
But apart from that, the final installment seems like a big build up for nothing. Plus a lot of "Was that really necessary?"
The story starts with bad decisions, mainly from Alexa. Followed by 70% of description of a journey to Dansii she didn´t have to take and a rescue that will make you facepalm yourself at the end.
In the end, when everything crumbles down, it seems this part of the story was there just to fill pages.
It sure had nothing to do with the plot development.
The build up was slow and I kept wondering all the time, what exactly Alexa´s role was. Why is she that important? Again, the necessary clarification was missing.
In comparison the end was rushed, unspectacular and way too easy. It made half of the story unnecessary. If anyone would´ve listened in the beginning we could´ve saved a lot of time.
I know it´s supposed to be heartbreaking, but all I could feel was a huge irritation and slight anger about the fact that it disappointed me a lot.
That´s true.
I´d love to call the conclusion to the Defy series an epic finale full of all the feels and a perfect dissolve of the story. Unfortunately it left me hanging somewhere between annoyance and resignation.
I was hoping for the Wow - moment since the first book, where I missed a fantasy world building that´s simply not there. Buuut I came to terms with that and looked upon the good things. Like Alexa. And the nice story line.
This time, the first pages made me hope for more of Damian´s PoV. That would´ve offered something new and a counteract Alexa´s stupid decisions. But nope, it´s just the prologue and epilogue. I really was in need of necessary explanations to fully understand this whole mess.
But apart from that, the final installment seems like a big build up for nothing. Plus a lot of "Was that really necessary?"
The story starts with bad decisions, mainly from Alexa. Followed by 70% of description of a journey to Dansii she didn´t have to take and a rescue that will make you facepalm yourself at the end.
In the end, when everything crumbles down, it seems this part of the story was there just to fill pages.
It sure had nothing to do with the plot development.
The build up was slow and I kept wondering all the time, what exactly Alexa´s role was. Why is she that important? Again, the necessary clarification was missing.
In comparison the end was rushed, unspectacular and way too easy. It made half of the story unnecessary. If anyone would´ve listened in the beginning we could´ve saved a lot of time.
I know it´s supposed to be heartbreaking, but all I could feel was a huge irritation and slight anger about the fact that it disappointed me a lot.
December 30, 2015
There were so many things to love about Endure. I had been waiting and waiting for this one, wanting to know how Alexa and Damian's story would continue, but also dreading the end, since I didn't want the story to be over.
Endure is exactly the right title for this one. This was my first thought after I finished. Sometimes, story titles don't seem to match the book, but this one, as soon as I finished, I just thought, what a perfect title. The characters endure so much for the final outcome, and it was one heck of a journey to follow along.
The characters have grown so much through this series, and I have loved making the journey alongside them. Sara B Larson continues to bewitch me with her craft and skill; the magical world that Damian and Alexa live in is one I'd love to be swept up in, and I consistently want to learn more about it.
The lore of the land becomes a bigger influence in Endure, and that in itself was fascinating. Paired with the high stakes, non-stop action, and that hint of romance between Damian and Alexa, it kept me coming back for more. Endure was that satisfying end to the series, one I'll look at with fondness since it was that perfect goodbye.
Endure is exactly the right title for this one. This was my first thought after I finished. Sometimes, story titles don't seem to match the book, but this one, as soon as I finished, I just thought, what a perfect title. The characters endure so much for the final outcome, and it was one heck of a journey to follow along.
The characters have grown so much through this series, and I have loved making the journey alongside them. Sara B Larson continues to bewitch me with her craft and skill; the magical world that Damian and Alexa live in is one I'd love to be swept up in, and I consistently want to learn more about it.
The lore of the land becomes a bigger influence in Endure, and that in itself was fascinating. Paired with the high stakes, non-stop action, and that hint of romance between Damian and Alexa, it kept me coming back for more. Endure was that satisfying end to the series, one I'll look at with fondness since it was that perfect goodbye.
January 22, 2016
Why is it that every author loves to kill my heart?! I can't...I just can't...This series was absolutely enthralling and I feel like sobbing cause it's over. Endure was painful but was also perfect. It brought the whole series to a bittersweet conclusion. Great series!
May 19, 2017
(Referencing my "review" of Ignite) Well what do you know, Alex didn't tell Damian that she was under Rafe's control and somebody dies as a result, color me shocked!
As for Rylan. Alex didn't spend the whole book thinking about how she can't live without him. So at least I didn't have to suffer through that shit.
There were other things I had to suffer through, however.
Goddammit man, can I read one YA series without the heroine being the one? Why couldn't it be Rylan or Damian? Special girl syndrome coming into play here and I fucking hate it.
Wait there's more! While Alexa is under Rafe's mind control, Damian tries to help her overcome it with this gem.
It's just so goddamn cliché. I groaned and rolled my eyes when I read it then and I did again just now typing that out.
Rylan's death scene came off corny and hilarious to me. To make it worse, I read it in Shatner voice.
This moment isn't supposed to be funny. So why is it so fucking funny? Comes off like a parody.
"Confess . . . my undying . . . love. . . . Ugh" *Dies*
This was the moment I just wanted this series to be over. Good lord man.
Endure. How appropriate, it's the perfect word to describe what I felt reading this series.
As for Rylan. Alex didn't spend the whole book thinking about how she can't live without him. So at least I didn't have to suffer through that shit.
There were other things I had to suffer through, however.
You are the one — the warrior no sorcerer can stop.
Goddammit man, can I read one YA series without the heroine being the one? Why couldn't it be Rylan or Damian? Special girl syndrome coming into play here and I fucking hate it.
Wait there's more! While Alexa is under Rafe's mind control, Damian tries to help her overcome it with this gem.
“Alexa, please! Remember who you are!”
It's just so goddamn cliché. I groaned and rolled my eyes when I read it then and I did again just now typing that out.
Rylan's death scene came off corny and hilarious to me. To make it worse, I read it in Shatner voice.
“No . . .” he groaned. “Pain . . . is all right. Die . . . in your arms . . .”
“No. You can’t die,” I sobbed. “It wasn’t supposed to end like this. You can’t leave me here alone.”
“You’re not . . . alone,” he whispered. “Love him . . . as I . . . loved you.”
This moment isn't supposed to be funny. So why is it so fucking funny? Comes off like a parody.
"Confess . . . my undying . . . love. . . . Ugh" *Dies*
This was the moment I just wanted this series to be over. Good lord man.
Endure. How appropriate, it's the perfect word to describe what I felt reading this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2018
Puh, das ist wieder schwierig. Einerseits ist das Buch echt nicht schlecht geschrieben, andererseits zieht es sich aber auch streckenweise, andererseits kommt das Ende sehr sehr überstürzt. Es sollte wahrscheinlich genau darauf hinauslaufen, aber es kam mir trotzdem vor, als wäre kurz vor Ende aufgefallen, dass das Buch langsam die vorhergesehene Länge erreicht hat und mal eben ein schnelles Ende her musste, ganz zu schweigen von einem sehr sinnlosen Ende für einen mir sehr lieben Charakter. Dazu kommt, dass ich, so leid es mir tut, einfach mit dem Pärchen Alex-Damian nichts anfangen kann, bei mir kommt ihre achsogroße Liebe leider nicht an und hat mich nicht wirklich berühren können. Den Epilog muss ich jedoch nochmal loben: . Andererseits finde ich hier auch wieder:
February 24, 2016
The last book in the wonderful DEFY series gave me everything I wanted: redemption, heartbreak, Alexa at her fiercest, and swoon-worthy romance. This series gripped me from the beginning, and ENDURE is a triumph of an ending for author, Sara B. Larson. Highly recommended for an fans of epic and romantic YA fantasy with a kick-butt heroine!
February 14, 2018
Although this book wasn't the best in the series. The ending made up for it and made me feel a lot of feelings while reading it.
February 1, 2016
4.5 stars
Endure by Sara Larson is the final book in the Defy series and if you haven’t started reading these books yet, you should definitely work to change that. Sara has written a wonderful fantasy series that has great characters, action and magic, and of course…swoony romance. All the things I love! Warning: If you haven’t read the other stories, there may be some spoilers below so continue at your own risk.
Endure picks up where Ignite left off and Alexa is back in Antion with Damian but things aren’t okay. Alexa knows that if/when she comes face to face with Rafe again, she won’t be able to control her reactions due to the control he has over her. Because of this, she worries how much danger she is putting Damian in. Along with that, Antion is under attack and she still needs to figure out how she is going to save Rylan.
I love Alexa. She is still the strong character she was in books one and two but she has grown along the way. She has always been familiar with heartache but now she has Damian’s love and with it, she has come to realize she is more than just a daughter, a sister, or a soldier. I also loved seeing her relationship with Rylan change and that is all I will say about that.
Larson concludes this series with a whole lot of action and there are a number of twists I didn’t see coming. I will also warn you, alongside the action is quite a bit of danger and Larson doesn’t hold anything back. Not everyone makes it out of this story alive…prepare yourselves.
Damian is still super swoony and I loved seeing him grow into his role as King. While he is adjusting to his responsibilities, he also realizes he can’t lock Alexa away from danger. She takes her role as a soldier seriously and just because he loves her, won’t stand back and let others step into danger for her. It is clear he really wishes he could hide her away but he also recognizes that her fierceness is one of the things he loves about her and wouldn’t want to change her.
A good portion of this book takes place with Damian and Alexa separated. I won’t give away any of the details but I have to admit, the goodbye these two had made my heart clench a bit. Through Alexa’s journey, we learn more about the sorcery involved in this book and I loved how Larson tied this into the story. I also thought she did a wonderful job of explaining how the black sorcerers came to be and ultimately how they were being used by King Armando. I can’t say too much more because I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone.
So really…that’s about all I can say. Overall I thought Larson did a wonderful job of wrapping up this series. If you are looking for a good fantasy series with strong characters, a wonderful story and some definitely swoony parts, you should have the Defy series on your list. I am so happy about the way this story was concluded and I definitely can’t wait to see what is next for Sara Larson. Whatever it is, I will be adding it to my to read list immediately. In the meantime, grab this book when you can!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
Endure by Sara Larson is the final book in the Defy series and if you haven’t started reading these books yet, you should definitely work to change that. Sara has written a wonderful fantasy series that has great characters, action and magic, and of course…swoony romance. All the things I love! Warning: If you haven’t read the other stories, there may be some spoilers below so continue at your own risk.
Endure picks up where Ignite left off and Alexa is back in Antion with Damian but things aren’t okay. Alexa knows that if/when she comes face to face with Rafe again, she won’t be able to control her reactions due to the control he has over her. Because of this, she worries how much danger she is putting Damian in. Along with that, Antion is under attack and she still needs to figure out how she is going to save Rylan.
I love Alexa. She is still the strong character she was in books one and two but she has grown along the way. She has always been familiar with heartache but now she has Damian’s love and with it, she has come to realize she is more than just a daughter, a sister, or a soldier. I also loved seeing her relationship with Rylan change and that is all I will say about that.
Larson concludes this series with a whole lot of action and there are a number of twists I didn’t see coming. I will also warn you, alongside the action is quite a bit of danger and Larson doesn’t hold anything back. Not everyone makes it out of this story alive…prepare yourselves.
Damian is still super swoony and I loved seeing him grow into his role as King. While he is adjusting to his responsibilities, he also realizes he can’t lock Alexa away from danger. She takes her role as a soldier seriously and just because he loves her, won’t stand back and let others step into danger for her. It is clear he really wishes he could hide her away but he also recognizes that her fierceness is one of the things he loves about her and wouldn’t want to change her.
A good portion of this book takes place with Damian and Alexa separated. I won’t give away any of the details but I have to admit, the goodbye these two had made my heart clench a bit. Through Alexa’s journey, we learn more about the sorcery involved in this book and I loved how Larson tied this into the story. I also thought she did a wonderful job of explaining how the black sorcerers came to be and ultimately how they were being used by King Armando. I can’t say too much more because I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone.
So really…that’s about all I can say. Overall I thought Larson did a wonderful job of wrapping up this series. If you are looking for a good fantasy series with strong characters, a wonderful story and some definitely swoony parts, you should have the Defy series on your list. I am so happy about the way this story was concluded and I definitely can’t wait to see what is next for Sara Larson. Whatever it is, I will be adding it to my to read list immediately. In the meantime, grab this book when you can!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
December 24, 2021
1st time:
My thoughts are everywhere. This is quite possibly the best and worst book in this trilogy. I loved it because my emotions were all over the place and I had no idea where the story was heading the whole time which drove me nuts! What a wonderfully, horrific book. That ending! I want to know if it's a boy or girl!(that's not a spoiler, is it?) That's an odd thing to want after everything that went down. I just need there to not be even a little cliff of an ending.
For those who read this book, know that there are surprises at every turn and there is no certainty. I enjoyed this book and I'm still in shock, but I cannot wait to read what Sara writes next.
2nd time:
I really respect this author because she wrote her prayer in the "acknowledgments" at the end of the book. My thanks go out to you, Sara B Larson. Thank you for making this story believable. It's not a happy ending. Bad things happen to good people. So, thank you for being real and true. Thank you for being a clean writer(loved the action, btw). And thank you for telling the world your prayer.
My thoughts are everywhere. This is quite possibly the best and worst book in this trilogy. I loved it because my emotions were all over the place and I had no idea where the story was heading the whole time which drove me nuts! What a wonderfully, horrific book. That ending! I want to know if it's a boy or girl!(that's not a spoiler, is it?) That's an odd thing to want after everything that went down. I just need there to not be even a little cliff of an ending.
For those who read this book, know that there are surprises at every turn and there is no certainty. I enjoyed this book and I'm still in shock, but I cannot wait to read what Sara writes next.
2nd time:
I really respect this author because she wrote her prayer in the "acknowledgments" at the end of the book. My thanks go out to you, Sara B Larson. Thank you for making this story believable. It's not a happy ending. Bad things happen to good people. So, thank you for being real and true. Thank you for being a clean writer(loved the action, btw). And thank you for telling the world your prayer.
June 2, 2017
2016 Book Awards
(more information about these awards on my blog)
I'm so, so happy that this book was not like Ignite because then I might have DNF:ed it shortly after starting it!
Whereas Ignite was predictable and slow - in my opinion - Endure kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole novel. I loved how the kingdom of Dansii turned out to be compared to the other two kingdoms - and how that made the whole story so much darker than the previous two books.
Also, I liked the romance much better in this novel than in the previous two. It felt more real, more accurate - it wasn't just a fairy tale thing anymore. And that meant heartbreak warning!
In short, I'm really happy with the ending to this series. Well done!
(more information about these awards on my blog)
I'm so, so happy that this book was not like Ignite because then I might have DNF:ed it shortly after starting it!
Whereas Ignite was predictable and slow - in my opinion - Endure kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole novel. I loved how the kingdom of Dansii turned out to be compared to the other two kingdoms - and how that made the whole story so much darker than the previous two books.
Also, I liked the romance much better in this novel than in the previous two. It felt more real, more accurate - it wasn't just a fairy tale thing anymore. And that meant heartbreak warning!
In short, I'm really happy with the ending to this series. Well done!
May 19, 2021
Endlich durch. Ich muss gestehen, dass ich die ersten beiden Teile vor einer halben Ewigkeit gelesen habe und das Buch hier eine echte SUB Leiche war. Dennoch hätte es mir nicht so schwer fallen müssen, wie es leider war. Zäh zu lesen, weil ich einiges nicht mehr so genau wusste oder weil es gekünstelt in die Länge gezogen war. Anderes machte keinen wirklichen Sinn und war zu konstruiert. Aber am schwersten habe ich mir mit den Figuren getan. Alexa war mir von Anfang bis zum Ende zu mühselig, sie war immer so leidend. Keine Ahnung, wurde überhaupt nicht mit ihr warm und leider auch mit keinem anderen Charakter. Vielleicht lag das ja an der langen Pause. Dennoch war die Welt gut erklärt und hin und wieder wurde es spannend, daher die 2,5 Sterne.
February 7, 2017
I liked the series, but this one seemed to drag a bit more, and some of the deaths seemed to just happen to shock or sadden the reader. Honestly, I wasn't. There were some secrets that seemed stupid to keep and some stubbornness that didn't feel real. It was a nice end, but just not as good as the first two books.
January 4, 2020
The last of my precious Alexa, Rylan and Damien. This book started a bit slow but around the 100 page mark, I couldn't stop reading. This was constantly thrilling and kept me on the edge of my seat needing to know if my beloved characters would make it out. I cried more than once, the wrap up was heartbreaking yet necessary to the story. It completed everything so well. I'm distraught over the fact that this series is over but I'm happy to know that I still have more Sara B Larson books yet to read. I think she is totally underrated and crafts an incredible plot.
March 26, 2021
Trigger Warning: Attempted rape, imprisonment, torture, and the mad king does "experiments" on his people.
I'd recommend skipping this book. Pretend it ended after book 2. (Or even better after book 1.)
I debated quitting several times, I really should have. (But I stupidly "Endured")
If you are expecting a war, you will be disappointed. Only the ending is the actual war. The "side quest" is most of the book. When does the war start?
We finally get some world building/ magic explainations. (Even if it wasn't very good)
What a stupid heroine! Seriously she's too stupid to live. Most of the problems in the book were caused by her.
The following is a rant about how stupid she was with examples. Big spoilers! I sure do a lot of facepalming reading this series.
The battle was good, but the ending felt too easy. Even if it was foreshadowed, it still felt like a Deus ex Machina ending.
Who dies?
I'd recommend skipping this book. Pretend it ended after book 2. (Or even better after book 1.)
I debated quitting several times, I really should have. (But I stupidly "Endured")
If you are expecting a war, you will be disappointed. Only the ending is the actual war. The "side quest" is most of the book. When does the war start?
We finally get some world building/ magic explainations. (Even if it wasn't very good)
What a stupid heroine! Seriously she's too stupid to live. Most of the problems in the book were caused by her.
The following is a rant about how stupid she was with examples. Big spoilers! I sure do a lot of facepalming reading this series.
The battle was good, but the ending felt too easy. Even if it was foreshadowed, it still felt like a Deus ex Machina ending.
Who dies?
October 13, 2018
THIS BOOK WAS THE BEST!!!! I just loved the happy ending and how Alexa and Damian had their special happily ever after. This book series had me hooked from the very first page of Defy. This ending tore my heart in two, but the epilogue (thankfully) sewed it back together. I fell in love with this book, and it made me cry when so many characters i had come to love, suddenly died in this beautiful book. The writing style was fabulous, the ending to the chaos was utterly perfect, and I cant wait till i read this series all over again.
April 26, 2016
I'm crying. This book ended so perfectly.
War has never left Alexa. Every turn might be her last. Every horror follows her in the shadows. Death has come, and the people she loves has been targeted.
Love, war, pain, tears.
Alexa
Damian
Rylan
Eljin
Tanoori
Marcel
Jude
Asher
......
Not everyone can be saved.
How long can you cheat death before death knocks on your door?
There may be a once upon a time, but is there a happily ever after?
War has never left Alexa. Every turn might be her last. Every horror follows her in the shadows. Death has come, and the people she loves has been targeted.
Love, war, pain, tears.
Alexa
Damian
Rylan
Eljin
Tanoori
Marcel
Jude
Asher
......
Not everyone can be saved.
How long can you cheat death before death knocks on your door?
There may be a once upon a time, but is there a happily ever after?
October 17, 2015
After I finished Ignite, my teacher told me that she was going to get Endure next week and I got so excited. I love the Defy series and I'm so sad the trilogy is over! A lot of the enemies and people that were close to her died. I won't say who they are since I don't want to spoil the book. Endure was such a great book and so is Sarah B. Larson. It has a great plot line and I would definitely give this a 5 out of 5.
December 26, 2016
I hate to say it, but this was my least favorite book in the series. I felt like the ending reminded me of the let down of an ending that Breaking Dawn in the twilight series was. I also didn't like Alexa so much in this novel. This ending didn't spoil the whole series for me, but it wasn't my cup of tea.
November 2, 2015
I absolutely loved this finale! I just finished and I cried during the last few pages because it was so good and I was sad to see it end! I do have one complaint though. I wish this book had been longer, some parts felt very rushed especially getting closer to the end of the story.
January 24, 2021
Overall, just a very mediocre YA fantasy series. It was an alright read, but most aspects of the book were underdeveloped, dull and bland.
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