Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray

                                                 🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌓 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:

She's a soldier -- Noemi Vidal is willing to risk anything to protect her planet, Genesis, including her own life. To their enemies on Earth, she's a rebel.

He's a machine -- Abandoned in space for years, utterly alone, Abel's advanced programming has begun to evolve. He wants only to protect his creator, and to be free. To the people of Genesis, he's an abomination.

Noemi and Abel are enemies in an interstellar war, forced by chance to work together as they embark on a daring journey through the stars. Their efforts would end the fighting for good, but they're not without sacrifice. The stakes are even higher than either of them first realized, and the more time they spend together, the more they're forced to question everything they'd been taught was true.

After I finished Claudia's Firebird trilogy and fell in love with her writing, I knew that I had to read whatever book she came out with next. She did not disappoint me with Defy the Stars! Claudia Gray is a genius when it comes to writing sci-fi! 
I loved this book! From the very first pages the book starts off right in the middle of the action. What was meant to be a routine mission to scout for issues that could be solved before the real mission was to take place takes a turn. The enemy begins shooting at the pilots from Genesis. I loved being thrown right into the action because it started off the book with a bang. I know that the length of the book might be a problem for some readers but I found that the pacing and story were so well thought out and interesting that I didn't mind the length. 
I loved both of the main characters so much! They were alike in a lot of ways even though physically they were extremely different. They each found that they were lonely which I think was because those around them couldn't completely understand them. Abel and Noemi each had very strong personalities and were afraid to show their weaknesses to the other. They are each soldiers in their own right but appear to almost be fighting different wars. 
I found it interesting to ponder the question of what makes someone human. Is it the ability to feel and express emotions? Having organs? Agency? There were many other questions that this book posed but humanity seemed to be the main one. 
Claudia Gray wrote a captivating world that I got lost in. I found it so interesting but scary at the same time. I could see the world potentially going in a direction that this book does. I think that is another reason why I liked the book so much. It was realistic and believable.
My only wish is that there would have been more of a conclusion at the end rather than what felt a bit like a cliff hanger. it felt a bit anti-climatic but I suppose the author needed another sequel to be able to wrap the story up the way that she wanted to. I know now that this is going to be a duology so the ending of the book makes more sense to me. I have to admit that even though this book was 500 pages I wanted more so I'm so glad that there will be another book.