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Blog Tour: YA Gladiatrix Matchups We’d Like To See In Honor Of Lesley Livingston’s THE DEFIANT

Our favorite YA heroines duke it out to celebrate THE VALIANT and THE DEFIANT!

In Lesley Livingston‘s The Valiant series, young female gladiators aka gladiatrices engage in fierce battles for honor, power, and of course, the entertainment of the people of Rome. Fallon is one such gladiatrix, stolen from her life as a Celtic princess and taken to Rome as a slave, forced to participate in Caesar’s charades. But life as a Roman warrior has given Fallon a new family and lit a fire in her, one that causes her to challenge her place in the dark new society.

The Valiant‘s sequel, The Defiant, is out on January 23, 2018. Like the first book in the series, it’s going to feature some fearsome battles alongside deceptive politics and a touch of romance. But Fallon isn’t the only YA heroine ready for a fight!

In honor of The Defiant’s release, we though up some other YA gladiatrix matches we’d like to see (non-lethal, of course!)

Aelin Ashryver Galathynius (Throne of Glass) vs. Helene Aquilla (An Ember in the Ashes)

Aelin is a trained assassin, Helene a fierce solider. Both have been fighting for most of their lives. They’re hardened in ways, but they’ve both got a strong sense of commitment and pride that means they won’t give in easily. Not to mention, these ladies have skills for days! They would absolutely battle it out with all their hearts.

 

Clary Fray (The Mortal Instruments) vs. Rose Hathaway (Vampire Academy)

Clary fights demons, Rose fights rogue evil vampires. They’ve both been trained to take down a fierce supernatural being, but how would they fare against each other? Clary knows how to use several different weapons, but Rose the master of her stake. This match would involve skill, but probably also some rough comments and hair-pulling.

Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games) vs. Tris Prior (Divergent)

The two leaders of Dystopian YA are quite different but really, they’re meant to fight each other. They’re both used to adversity and because of that, they’re extremely resourceful. They can fight anyone using just about anything as a weapon. They both have actual body strength, but depend on sheer will to survive in the midst of a fight. This battle would get ugly, but it would definitely entertain the Romans!

Ruby Daly (The Darkest Minds) vs. Juliette Ferrars (Shatter Me)

Time for some power plays! Both Ruby and Juliette have special abilities, but they’re very different. Ruby can control a person’s mind and thus their actions. Meanwhile, Juliette can incapacitate or even kill a person with just a touch. There are ways to avoid both of their powers– It’s really all a matter of who strikes first and who learns their opponent’s weaknesses faster.

Fallon (The Valiant) vs. Anyone

The ladies mentioned above are all dangerous and fierce, but Fallon is also super creative. Her time as a gladiatrix has taught her to fight on the fly and we’d love to see her take them all on… one at a time, of course! Hail, Victrix!

The Defiant hits bookshelves on January 23, 2018. You can preorder it now via Amazon.

Gladiator Fallon and her warrior sisters must face off against a rival gladiator academy in this lush sequel to the highly anticipated historical fantasy The Valiant.

They call her “Victrix” now. Victory.

But winning the highest honor ever bestowed upon a gladiatrix in Rome has earned Fallon more deadly enemies outside the arena than she ever faced within it. And it is those dearest to Fallon who will pay the price for her success.

Now, Fallon and her warrior sisters are thrust into a vicious conflict with a rival gladiator academy, one that will threaten not only Fallon’s heart – and her love for Roman soldier Cai – but the very heart of the Roman Empire.

 

 

By Kait

Kait is a New Englander, a YA book and adaptation lover, and a Slythindor, as well as a red velvet and red wine enthusiast. She likes to like things. Catch her on Twitter: @kaitmary