Defy the Worlds

I love Noemi as a protagonist. She's so proactive, driven, and committed to her ideals. Even though the book begins with her being kidnapped, you know she won't just sit quietly and wait for rescue. This book delves some more into the issue of humanity, and where it crosses over between mechs and humans. Abel also continues to evolve, and although he and Noemi are close now, they still hold differing opinions on things. One downside of this book is that it falls into the common problem sequels have--reminding you too much about what happened in the previous book. I read these pretty close together, so maybe it felt even more egregious, but that's really my biggest complaint. I like that when they solve one problem, more are created. I'm show more interested to see what happens in the final book, because this one went in directions I didn't expect.  show less

This was a really good sequel. It takes place not long after the first book, with Noemi back on her home planet Genesis and Abel flying around with Victoria and his new space crew. Genesis is hit with an attack from Earth in the form of the spiderweb virus and when she goes to Earth to surrender, she is taken hostage by Abel's creator Mansfield. He uses her to lure Abel back to him so he can use him to live forever. I love these two as a couple, they're super cute, especially Abel, who believes he is worth less than a human. The back and forth narration was fun and kept the story moving. The ending!! Now I need to get my hands on the final book asap!

I just loved this book.

The relationship between the two leads doesn't overpower the story but it's perfect. It's so wholesome that you can't help but love it. It compliments the story by showing character growth and adding in some tension, but never in a distracting way because both leads are amazing on their own and especially when they're separated.

Overall, I enjoyed continued exploration between Noemi/Abel and all the forces in the story (Genesis, Remedy, Mansfield, Gillian) of what it means to be human, to have a soul, to be lonely, to respect others with different opinions, and empathy. It's a pretty easy, lighthearted, and fun read.

Noemi is back on her home planet of Genesis after refusing to cut it off from Earth by destroying Abel, the mech with a soul, and everyone is angry with her. When a plague strikes, she’s sent to surrender to Earth, only to be interrupted by Abel’s creator, who still has plans for him. Abel sets out to rescue Noemi, even though she wants him to focus on saving Genesis; adventure and romance ensue.

I thought things were tying up into too nicely of a bow at the end. Cliffhanger!

This one wasn’t as fun as the first but boy do they travel across space super quickly. He’s told to get to earth in 2 hours when he’s off planet. I can’t guarantee I’ll make it to Target from my house in 2 hours without planning.

The CONSTELLATIONS by Claudia Gray is a thought-provoking science fiction adventure series exploring the relationship between a soldier and a robot.

In the first book DEFY THE STARS (2017), readers are introduced to teen soldier Noemi who stumbles upon a sophisticated robot named Abel. Although enemies, they work together to save Noemi’s planet of Genesis.

In the second book DEFY THE WORLDS (2018), a deadly plague threatens Genesis. Noemi and Abel once again must work together to save the universe. A cliffhanger at the end of this book establishes intriguing questions for the next book in this series.

Librarians will find an audience for this series among young adults who enjoy the combination of science fiction and adventure with a hint show more of romance. Exploring topics such as immortality and tolerance, the series is deeper than the standard YA options.

Published by Hachette. ARCs courtesy of the publisher. show less

Marry me Abel!