Defiance by C.J Redwine

While most girls within the walled city of Baalboden were learning the importance of how to cook, sew and behave properly in public, sixteen year old Rachel Adams was also learning how to take care of herself with sharp objects. Her father Jared, Baalboden's top courier made sure she knew how to wield a sword and what to do in order to survive the Wastelands. He taught her well, so well in fact, that when he fails to return home after his most recent courier mission and is declared dead, Rachel decides to go looking for him. Danger lies beyond the wall but it could be more dangerous for Rachel to stay. In order to escape, she'll have to defy The Commander, Baalboden's tyrant leader.

Nineteen year old Logan McEntire is the orphaned outcast who Jared took on as his apprentice and he's also the boy who broke Rachel's heart two years ago. To make things even more awkward, he's just been appointed Rachel's new Protector. Logan is good looking, uber intelligent, and his inventions are nothing short of amazing! He also has a knack for weighing all the options in every situation which Rachel finds a strange mix of annoyance and comfort. Logan is also not afraid to stand up for what's right even if it means risking his own life.

Rachel is smart, beautiful, courageous and incredibly loyal, but her impulsiveness is what gets her into trouble and drives Logan insane. You can't really blame her though, she acts on her emotions, whereas Logan doesn't act until he has thoroughly thought through every scenario! Rachels journey through the Wastelands will test her in ways she never imagined and will threaten to destroy all thats important to her, as well as who she is. She'll have to fight with everything she has in order to save those she loves and try to not lose herself in the process. 

As Rachel and Logan make their way through the Wastelands, they'll have to fight an army, a dragon-monster who can't be killed, that The Commander controls and uncover a secret so powerful, it has the potential to start a war. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the alternating POV's between Rachel and Logan! Their relationship is strained at times but I enjoyed following along on how each situation affected them both... Overall this was one really GREAT book!