While Defy is Sara Larson's YA debut, readers will likely recognize Robin Benway from Audrey, Wait! (Walker, 2014) and Michele Jaffe (Penguin, 2014) from her 'Bad Kitty' series. Our new crop of reviewers from Johnson County (KS) Libraries Young Adult Advisory Councils (YAAC) are starting the year off with three reviews that don't hold back on strong opinion! LARSON, Sara B. Defy. Scholastic. Jan. 2014. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9780545597586. Gr 8 Up—Having to disguise yourself from an early age, only to be taken in by a new kingdom and coerced into becoming a guard for the very people who destroyed your previous life, seems like a heavy duty, but not for Alexa. Alexa, aka “Alex,” has been pulled from her world and holds strong at every adversary except that of the heart, when two completely opposite men vie for her love. It is while she tries to simultaneously protect the foreign country she is now loyal to that her real strength is shown. I loved Alexa’s adaptability. It seemed wherever an obstacle would occur, she could think herself through it and it would work itself out. It isn’t very often that we see a kick-ass heroine that also has a brain and is relatable. That is a tall order to fill and I think Alexa does just that. She is stoic at times and then compassionate the next. I just felt she wasn't as predictable with her actions as much as her thoughts. The fantastical elements made the book all the better. Without a “Mary Jane” protagonist the drama was actually real and we, as readers, didn't know what to expect. Defy definitely defied my expectations for a first-time author. To set the scene—Alexa must survive in a falling kingdom with two lovely men vying for her attention, while she simultaneously tries to figure out her purpose in life by kicking butt and taking names. Loved it. It really reminded me of Tamora Pierce’s "Alanna" series (S & S), which gave me a hint of nostalgia.—Riley A., age 17 BENWAY, Robin. Going Rogue. Bk. 2. (Also Known As Series). Walker. Jan. 2014. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9780802736048. Gr 7-12—Maggie looks like an ordinary teenage girl trying to balance high school, friends, and a boyfriend. But on top of all that, she's part of a family of spies, and they are in trouble. Maggie has to try to help salvage her family's reputation while keeping her friend and boyfriend safe, too. If you're looking for a cliché young adult spy novel, this is it. It fits in all the spy stereotypes you can think of, and then some. I was bored throughout almost the entire book and found myself wanting to skip the intro because it had so many unnecessary parts that didn't add anything to the novel. There were a few characters that had the potential to be very interesting. Roux, despite the fact that she's a typical rebellious teenage girl, was entertaining and altogether one of my favorite parts of the book. Angelo was also intriguing in his mysterious spy mannerisms, and I loved that he and Roux often played chess together. However, he too was very stereotypical. I had an extremely hard time getting into this book. It felt like it took a long time to get to the important parts of the plot, and it seemed like it spent a lot of time on her friendships, which, frankly, was boring. I was bored throughout the majority of the book. It also includes pretty much every spy cliché ever made. Also, the main character was flat and unrelatable. This book seems like younger audiences would enjoy it, despite the fact that it was written with high schoolers in mind. Fans of the 'Gallagher Girls' series (Disney-Hyperion) might like this.—Alexis C., age 17 JAFFE, Michele. Minders. Penguin/Razorbill. Jan. 2014. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9781595146588. Gr 8 Up—Sadie Ames is sent into the mind of Ford Winters. For four weeks she sees and feels everything from his perspective. A person named the Pharmisist is killing off people and one of them was Ford's brother. Ford doesn't know exactly who that is but wants to get closure, and find out how his brother was killed and why. Ford goes on a search for his answer along with Sadie. Along the way, Sadie falls in love with Ford and does everything she can possibly do to protect him. I would be disappointed if there isn't a second book. If not a whole new book, maybe another epilogue for people like me that can't get that the book is over! Make a couple of extra chapters that has Ford fall in love with Sadie, please! I loved this book and I don't think I can say it enough. It's my all time favorite book now.—Mikayla W., age 16