Review for Defy the Stars

Blurb: Circus grunt. Charmer. Fire wrangler.

Growing up within the grind of the enchanted Circus Faire, Crew’s unique talents have blossomed. Though, he’s been warned that the King of Hawkswing is determined to eradicate a certain species, and for his own sake Crew must keep his formidable gifts under wraps.

Relations between interspecies caused an imbalance of power and now are strictly forbidden. Dolorans, like Sage and her sister, are being hunted and persecuted because of their intense powers, leaving them no choice but to run to escape the genocide of their kind.

She possesses a forceful energy for good and evil.

His untapped powers are growing stronger by the day.

Survival will demand they rely on each other.

When Crew learns a dark wizard is holding his brother captive, he enters into a deal with him in hopes of getting close enough to free those he has imprisoned. Yet, what he uncovers is far more sinister than Crew could ever imagine. Can Crew harness the strength within him to save his brother and Sage and all those in the wizard’s clutches? Or will he be trapped by the wizard’s wicked plan?

Review: Crew grew up as a grunt at the magical Circus Faire, and he never thought himself anything special. Sure, the girls liked the look of him, but only Sage ever worked her way into his heart. It's been three years since they last seen each other, and both of them had blossomed in many ways. Crew and Sage both have unusual powers, which they must keep hidden or be hunted by the King of Hawkswing. Crew discovers a cruel wizard has his brother held captive, and the evil doctor has taken Sage's sisters as well as bait to lure her to his laboratory. Neither of them can resist the urge to save their families. Yet will they end up being on of the doctor's poor victims as well?

This is a great YA fantasy with so many layers. The world it takes place in is large. Eons ago, normal mortals separated themselves from magical beings and now they live in different lands. There is a lot of history that goes unsaid in this book, but it leaves room for so much growth. In the magical lands, there are quaint little villages and beautiful sprawling cities, but we see mostly Sage's small town and the traveling circus. The circus itself is huge, and once it sets up in a new place, it's open 24 hours a day until it leaves again. It's full of magic and wonders, and the details about it were marvelous. I wanted to spend more time at the circus but the story takes us to darker places. Crew has worked at the circus for as long as he can remember, and it's home to him. He is bold and good hearted next to Sage's stubborn, defiant, and compassionate soul. Each of them are discovering their newly developing powers, but even as they do, they're targeted for that very magic. I adore Sage's family and the cast of characters at the circus are so much fun. My favorite was Madame Rouge. I bet she has a whole saga of stories just her own! I have no idea if this is going to be a series, but this book sets the scene for a great epic. Highly recommended.

You can find Cathrina on her site and buy the book here!