Blog Tour for Defiance

A. L. Sowards, ,
Defiance BTB
This week is the blog tour for Defiance, and I’m so excited! Reviewers on multiple blogs will read the book and tell everyone what they think. There will also be a Rafflecopter giveaway with a $25 Amazon card and a copy of the book as prize.
Here’s the Schedule:
(As the week progresses, I’ll update the links to the actual reviews and highlights.)

April 17th:

Joy in the Moments:
“This was an excellent book. Characters were developed and complex. The plot was intense and had lots of twists and tear-inducing scenes. The emotions it evoked were strong. No sitting on the fence with your heart for this book. Overall, it was the perfect book. I can’t think of anything I didn’t like about it. I’m still just sitting here feeling kind of awed by the story and what the character went through.”

April 18th:

My Book a Day:
“I liked the way Luke’s perception of himself changed throughout the book. In the beginning, he seemed to think he was invincible, he was going to single-handedly end the war. Then as he goes through the experiences he has, he realizes that he’s really nothing in the grand scheme of things. And I really liked the end, when he feels terrible about all he’s been through and his brother helps him to know that it’s okay and that through the Savior all will be made well. This part really hit me, because isn’t that the way it is for all of us really. We try to do our best to do what’s right, but we all make mistakes, and we all need him to help make up for those mistakes. I really enjoyed this great book! I can’t wait for more by this author!”
Bookworm Lisa:
“I just want to start the review by expressing how amazing the books written by A. L, Sowards are. . . Lukas has a rough road in this book.  You can visualize the war through his eyes.  Sowards is excellent at not sugar coating war, but at the same time not painting graphic scenes.  I never miss an opportunity to read her books.  She does her research and she brings her books to life.”
Rockin’ Book Reviews:
“This is a terrific tale of loyalty, love, conviction, faith, hardship, endurance, perseverance and discovery of one’s inner strength. A.L. Sowards has brought her character to life, pulled the reader into the story, and caused the reader to connect with the situations and individuals there. . . This is a book you will not want to put down!”

April 19th:

EmpowerMoms:

“This is one book that never had a dull moment and was extremely hard to put down. It is one of the best books I have read and I would recommend it to people who are history fanatics.”

I Love to Read and Review Books:
“This book is a page-turner!”
Why Not? Because I Said So!

“If you see this book getting 5 stars from most reviewers, there is a good reason why… because it truly deserves it! . . . This is an amazing story of courage, hope, faith, and enduring through great tribulation. The title of “Defiance” is Lukas showing Defiance against the enemy and against his own doubts about himself and the will to survive. I’ve read most of the books written by A.L. Sowards and in my opinion, this book is the best. The emotions that this story stirs up in the reader definitely makes this a story you will remember for a long time.”

LDS and Lovin’ It:

“A.L. Sowards has become one of my favorite historical fiction writers.  She seems to have a knack for creating great characters, intense, intriguing plots, and powerful historical settings.  Defiance certainly fits that description. . . Frankly this sort of story can be hard to read sometimes because of all the awful things that happened to so many people.  At the same time I find these stories inspiring as well, that people sometimes managed to survive in the face of such horrors.  Another remarkable book by one of my favorite authors.”

April 20th:

The Things I Love Most:
“I would totally recommend this book if you are studying World War II, or just want a good read. It keeps you wanting to read so that you will know what happens to him!”
Singing Librarian Books:
(review pending)
Getting Your Read On:

“I love reading books by A. L. Sowards.  You can tell that she does her homework because her stories come to life.  They feel meaty, real and emotional.  One of my favorite genres is historical fiction- just like this. War is never an easy subject to read about.  While I loved this book, I had to read it in doses because my heart just couldn’t take it all in one sitting.  I had so many emotions reading this book- gratitude, heart break, anger, sadness, pride, hope, relief, but mostly gratitude.  So many people have given so much- everything, really, to defend humanity from tyrants, to ensure freedoms and to defend what is right.  It’s humbling.  This book brings all of this to the forefront for me.”

Katie’s Clean Book Collection:

“. . . The writing is real, raw, and just plain amazing. Sowards has an uncanny ability to write about this time in history in a way that engages the reader, tells things how they probably were, and really makes a reader think.”

Literary Time Out (Triple Review):

Andrea’s Review: “A.L. Sowards’ new book Defiance is a must read for WWII fiction fans! It is an excellent story that I devoured. And, like Sowards other historical fiction novels, she is able to engage readers and really make them feel the horrors of war without bogging them down with graphic, gory, details. Sowards creates such deep characters. You can’t help but become attached to them. I really liked Lukas, and I ached for him and his fellow soldiers. . . . Defiance is well written, and I highly recommend it, along with Sowards’ other books.”

Tarah’s Review: “My husband looked at the cover of this novel, and then looked at me, and then looked at the cover and said, “This isn’t your typical read.” It’s true…it’s not, but boy did I stay up way too late finishing it. . . I can’t wait to recommend this book to different people than I normally recommend books to, and also to the regular people.”

Rorie’s Review: “Wow. So much description in this book. Description so rich, you almost feel like you’re there with them. . . This book is one I will recommend to anyone who is interested in WWII, or even if they’re not, this book is just that good. Heartbreaking, hard to read at time, but full of hope too.”

April 21st:

Mel’s Shelves:

“This is a well-written and well-researched book. There were times that I forgot it was fiction because it felt so real. I have loved every book I’ve read by this author and she delivered with this one as well! This is a fantastic choice for anyone that enjoys reading World War II novels!”

Tressa’s Wishful Endings:

“DEFIANCE is a heartbreaking but inspiring story. A candidly told story about the struggles of one young man and his fellow soldiers during WWII from the front lines to various POW camps. It’s also a story of survival, perseverance, forgiveness, and faith. Highly recommended!”

A huge thank-you to all the bloggers! And to Stephanie at Covenant for setting everything up!

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Published by A. L. Sowards

4 Comments

  1. I think this one is probably my favorite you’ve ever done. It tugged at every single one of my emotions and I could not stop reading once I started. My son wants to read it next, but I told him to read a few of the earlier ones first. Good job, Amanda. I nominated it for a Whitney.

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    Reply

    1. Thank you so, so much Charissa, for the review, the comment, and the nomination. Your review made my day! (Now I want celebratory cheesecake, lol.) I hope your son enjoys whichever book(s) he reads. I love introducing readers (especially younger readers) to aspects of history they might otherwise be unaware of.

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    2. Yeah, he picked it off the table and read the back, then said, “Can I read this?” Since he doesn’t have tons of time to read, I was impressed. So he has 3 of your books in his room now.

      Liked by 1 person

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