Mundie Moms

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

THE VALIANT by Lesley Livingston / Blog Tour: Book Review #TheValiant


By: Lesley Livingston 
Published by: Razorbill 
Released on: February 14th, 2017
Series: The Valiant #1
Purchase fromPenguin | Amazon 
Add it to Goodreads
Source: arc from publisher / purchased copy
Rating: 5 Stars - I LOVED It

Lost to history, the story of the female gladiator has never been told. Until now.

Fallon is the daughter of a proud Celtic king and the younger sister of the legendary warrior Sorcha. When Fallon was just a child, Sorcha was killed while defending their home from the armies of Julius Caesar.

On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is excited to follow in her sister's footsteps and earn her place in her father's war band. She never gets the chance.

Fallon is captured by ruthless brigands who sell her to an elite training school for female gladiators owned by none other than Julius Caesar himself. In a cruel twist of fate, the man who destroyed Fallon s family might be her only hope of survival.
Now, Fallon must overcome vicious rivalries, deadly fights in and out of the arena, and perhaps the most dangerous threat of all: her irresistible feelings for Cai, a young Roman soldier and her sworn enemy.

Sensational! The Valiant has everything I love! A strong heroine, a romance that swept me off my feet, gladiator battles, lush world building, and a rich Roman history. Not to mention a sisterhood of female gladiator warriors, and a strong female lead character whom I loved getting to know. 


I absolutely love Fallon. She is brains, strength, both inner and outer, fearless, and a true leader. She is out to prove that through a lot of dedication and hard work, she can fight along side the men on the battle field. She can be the fearless warrior her sister was. Fallon has a drive, and fearlessness I greatly admire. I also love that she is intelligent as much as she is strong. She is not one to back down, and as she puts it, hide. She has nothing to lose. She's someone who channels her heartache, and her wanting to help others, and makes something of it. She takes action, even when she's backed into a corner or arena. Fallon is a character who knows how to play the role she's been thrown into, and I for one can not wait to see what she does next.


There are some well written characters in this book, all of whom I enjoyed getting to know. There's so much more to the characters than what meets the eye. I loved how intertwined some of them are, and the roles they play in this book. I absolutely love that the women in this book as just as strong as the men, both physically and mentally. They're intelligent, know what they're doing, and not to be underestimated. This book is girl power. 


Aside from Fallon, there's a few characters who may have stolen my heart. One of them is Cai. I really enjoyed the way Cai and Fallon's relationship was built. It's very complex, and for good reason. The societal status's are something that can't be ignored. What they both feel for each other can't be denied either. Their relationship is just so good! The romance is fabulous, and so well written, but it takes a back seat to the sisterhood in this story. The women in this book, both good and bad are so well written. 
I felt like I got them. I understand who they are and the decision they make. I loved the sisterhood of gladiators. Thought brutal at times, it's fierce, loyal, and something more. 


The history in this book is one of my favorite elements, second to the character development, and over all storyline. My word, I felt like I stepped back in time. I LOVED it! I can't imagine the research that went into this story. The world building is just as amazing! It's lush, vivid and one that is so detailed it was easy to visualize it as I read the book. I loved being apart of Fallon's story, and feeling like a piece of history came alive. 


THE VALIANT is epic story where freedom has a price and love can be a dangerous thing. This is a beautifully told, captivating story. With a sweeping romance, epic battles and a strong heroine, I couldn't put it down. I loved everything about this book, I didn't want it to end. This is Lindsey's best book yet! It's a must read.


** ** ** ** ** 

I have been waiting for this book to be out since I first read the manuscript last Spring. It was one of my favorite reads for last year, and having re-read the arc and book this year, it will be one of my favorite reads this year as well. I am so excited this book is finally out. It is SO good. I even stole my own quote off the back of the arc, and included it in my review. I love this book. I hope this one read you guys enjoy as much as I did. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it. 

Don't miss the first part of today's blog tour. Check it out & ENTER TO WIN HERE!

THE VALIANT by Lesley Livingston / Weapon Spotlight & Giveaway #TheValiant


Welcome to the next stop in THE VALIANT blog tour, hosted by Penguin Random House. I am so thrilled to finally talk about this book. I feel like I've been talking about ever since I read the manuscript. This book is one of my favorite reads. Today's stop features is a weapons spotlight, on the shield, and has a giveaway! Be sure to check out the giveaway at the end of the post. You can also read my 5 star review for The Valiant, here


The shield. I don't know why, but I totally love shields. Historically, they are something that was used both as a weapon, and as well as protection. More often than not, a shield is used as a protector. It's an advantage. A life savor. Shields have been used all through out history. 



Shields can be plain, or they can be decorative, showing off one's family crest or more. One of my favorite shields, is the one used in The Chronicles of Narnia. It's empowering, and one that symbolizes Peter's growth both physically, and emotionally. A shield is no light thing to swing around or hold. His shield yields power, wisdom, and nobility. Plus there's so much more to it than that. 




While I am fan of a well designed shield, one of my favorite moments in The Valiant has to do with a shield. NO SPOILERS, but I will say that this is a scene in an arena, and it's one that shows both Fallon's strength and a weakness. It's a significant scene both in showing readers the kind of character Fallon is, and also in what the scene reveals. 

I absolutely love Fallon's stance on the shield in this scene. I loved how frustrated her opponent gets her stance on the shield (and why, which is for a good reason). I love why Fallon makes her decision about the shield. It really displays her fearlessness, her strength, her courage and her choosing that just because she is a girl, she doesn't need to hide behind something. It also shows both her inner as well as physical strength, and her intelligence. 


For as much as I loved this moment, and her reasoning for it, I also like that she learns the value of having a shield. The more she understands her position, and the more cunning gladiator she becomes, she learns that the shield can be a valuable asset in battle. It's not always a weakness, but protection. For Fallon, the girl who has nothing to lose, shield or no shield, she proves it's the person that's wielding the shield, that has the real strength to come out the victor in a battle. 


ABOUT THE BOOK




By: Lesley Livingston 
Published by: Razorbill 
Released on: February 14th, 2017
Purchase from: Penguin | Amazon 
Add it to Goodreads

Lost to history, the story of the female gladiator has never been told. Until now.

Fallon is the daughter of a proud Celtic king and the younger sister of the legendary warrior Sorcha. When Fallon was just a child, Sorcha was killed while defending their home from the armies of Julius Caesar.

On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is excited to follow in her sister's footsteps and earn her place in her father's war band. She never gets the chance.

Fallon is captured by ruthless brigands who sell her to an elite training school for female gladiators owned by none other than Julius Caesar himself. In a cruel twist of fate, the man who destroyed Fallon s family might be her only hope of survival.


Now, Fallon must overcome vicious rivalries, deadly fights in and out of the arena, and perhaps the most dangerous threat of all: her irresistible feelings for Cai, a young Roman soldier and her sworn enemy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR





Lesley Livingston is the author of Once Every Never, winner of the inaugural Copper Cylinder Award and shortlisted for the CLA Young Adult Book Award and the BC Stellar Book Award. She is also the author of the Wondrous Strange and Starling trilogies. She lives in Toronto. 



FOLLOW THE TOUR

Week One
2/13 – Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Gladiator Makeup
2/14 – Two Chicks on Books – Author Interview
2/15 – Alexa Loves Books – Weapon Spotlight: Bow & Arrow
2/16 – Novel Novice – Review
2/17 – Arctic Books – Review + Book Look

Week Two
2/20 – Brittany’s Book Rambles – Author Guest Post
2/21 – What Sarah Read – Review + Mood Board
2/22 – Mundie Moms – Weapon Spotlight: Shield
2/23 – ButterMyBooks – Author Interview
2/24 – Fiction Fare – Weapon Spotlight: Dimachaerus

Week Three
2/27 – Oh the Book Feels – Author Interview
2/28 – Seeing Double in Neverland – Weapon Spotlight: Gladius
3/1 – No More Grumpy Bookseller – Review
3/2 – The YA Book Traveler – Weapon Spotlight: Trident & Net
3/3 – My Friends Are Fiction – Author Guest Post

Week Four
3/6 – The Reading Nook Reviews – Weapon Spotlight: Spear
3/7 – A Page with a View – Like/Try/Why
3/8 – The Young Folks – Author Guest Post
3/9 – Icey Books – Quote Candy + Review
3/10 – Book Addict’s Guide – Bookish Scents


ENTER TO WIN
Enter for a chance to win one (1) of five (5) copies of The Valiant by Lesley Livingston 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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