Loved this one! I wasn't sure going in because I wasn't a fan of the curse breakers series but I did enjoy the authors contemporary books, I loved Tessa as a main character and the secondary characters are always hit or miss for me but these ones I couldn't help feel for. I can't wait to see where the author takes the series in the second book. This is one you aren't going to want to miss.

I absolutely LOVED this book. It's action-packed, intense, angsty and a page turner. I FLEW through this, even though it's 500+ pages.

It's been a second since I picked up a YA fantasy and this was just so good. The way Brigid worldbuilds is one of my favorite parts of her writing and this definitely became a new favorite. Told in dual POV, the book is set in a kingdom plagued by fever, with limited access to medicine. The storyline hit a little close to home, given that we're in the midst of a pandemic. I've seen it described as a "robin hood" story and I think that fits perfectly for our main character, Tessa.

Speaking of characters, I loved them all. The development was written so well and I did NOT see the twist coming (I partially suspected it, but then Brigid threw me off). Every character was complex, even the minor ones, and I want so much more.

In case it wasn't clear: I LOVE this book. Brigid, you've outdone yourself.

I loved the setting of this book, it really brought the desperation and urgency that the main characters were facing to life. The characters were compelling and it was particularly interesting to see Prince Corrik's character development. Tessa was a wonderfully strong character and I loved seeing her apply her skills to solve different problems. She really saves the day for so many other characters so many times. The plot had several great twists that made the book so hard to put down and I really enjoyed the Robin Hood angle of the story. I have really enjoyed Brigid Kemmerer's Cursebreaker series so I had high hopes for this book. They were exceeded and this is my new favorite of her works.

*4.5 stars*
This was such a delightful page turner with layered characters and an excellent storyline! Very impressed with this author's writing style. I'm going to be reading her A Curse so Dark and Lonely trilogy very soon!

I really like the world building in this book - I could pretty clearly see the different sectors in my head, and I felt like I could picture everywhere Tessa went! As for Tessa herself - loved her! She was fierce and fiery, fighting for what she believed in and what was right, and she was just downright entertaining. Her sass and defiance was awesome! King Harristan and Prince Corrick were also really well written characters. They had so much depth to them, I enjoyed every minute of unpeeling their layers.

This was such a great start to a series - I'm super excited to see what happens next! Only one book in and there's already been some major twists and turns, and a romance that I quickly fell in love with! This is definitely an author to keep your eye on!

Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for a digital ARC of Defy the Night!

This is the first book that I have read from Brigid Kemmerer and it took me awhile to even start the book. But once I started, I was mesmerized and had to find out what happened next.

This book follows the kingdom of Kandala which is struck with a wave of disease that is ravaging the people. The royals are at a constant struggle with the people, trying to keep the peace and cure the sickness. In the Wilds, apothecary apprentice Tessa and her best friend Wes steal Moonflower petals to help cure those who need it but can't afford it. After a tragic event by the hand of the King's Justice, Tessa risks everything to sneak into the palace. But what she finds upon her arrival makes her wonder if it's even possible to fix Kandala without destroying it first.

This was an amazing book full with beautiful writing that will make you emotionally invested and on the edge waiting to see what's next! If you like action packed books that feature a strong female character, beautifully written world-building, surprising twists of love, betrayal, revolution, and morally grey characters, then you will LOVE this book!

This book has major parallels of a Robin Hood re-telling combined with political intrigue...which I usually don't like, but absolutely LOVED in this story. One interesting thing about this book was the romance aspect. The sweet romance develops throughout the story from friends to enemies to lovers and was so wonderfully woven into the plot without taking over that it has easily become one of my favorite pairings.

I absolutely LOVED this book, and I can't wait until the sequel become available!

Defy the Night is the first installment in a brand new series by author Brigid Kemmerer. The story alternates between 18-year-old Tessa Cade, and Prince Corrick, aka Weston Lake. The kingdom of Kandala is on the brink of disaster. Rifts between sectors have only worsened since a sickness began ravaging the land, and within the Royal Palace, the king holds a tenuous peace with a ruthless hand, and his consul's are at each others throats trying to one up on each other.

When his parents were assassinated 4 years ago, King Harristan was thrust into power, leaving the younger Prince Corrick to take on the brutal role of the King's Justice. The brothers learned to react mercilessly to any sign of rebellion--it's the only way to maintain order when the sickness can strike anywhere, and the only known cure, an elixir made from delicate Moonflower petals, is severely limited. But Corrick also has a secret identity, Weston Lake, only known to one other person.

Out in the Wilds, apothecary apprentice Tessa Cade, who watched as her parents were murdered for treason and black market dealing, is tired of seeing her neighbors die, their suffering ignored by the unyielding royals. Every night, she and her best friend Wes, who saved her life the night her parents were killed and wears a mask to hide his real identity, risk their lives to steal Moonflower petals and distribute the elixir to those who need it most--but it's still not enough.

As rumors spread that the cure no longer works and sparks of rebellion begin to flare, a particularly cruel act from the King's Justice makes Tessa desperate enough to try the impossible: sneaking into the palace. After being caught by the King's Guards, Tessa finds comfort in the most unusual places as well as finding out that her partner of two years isn't who she thought he was. There was a secret aspect to their relationship to protect them both if one or the other was caught. After Tessa is captured, she discovers a hard truth about her best friend. Now, Tessa has to find a way to help not only her people, but King Harristan as well who appears to be sick with a fever.

Harristan and his brother are also dealing with a rebellion by the Tessa's people and it's not just the people they need to worry about. Certain Consul members would love nothing more than to see Harristan and Corrick removed from power permanently. With Tessa involved in the mix, she suddenly becomes a key voice of reason between angry factions. She also finds that Harristan isn't the villain she's made him out to be for the past 2 years.

This story is definitely the authors own retelling of Robin Hood. This may be neither here nor there, but with the author coming out with a new book next year, a sequel in this series might be a year or more away. The author intends to return to her Cursebreakers series but 4 years in the future.

I finished this book a week ago and I'm still thinking about it! I loved Brigid Kemmerer's Cursebreakers series but I think this became my favorite of her books! This book explores some really complicated political situations in such a well thought out and intelligent way. Tessa and Corrick each have a totally different perspective of what it means to do the right thing and the moments when they drop their masks to each other completely made this story for me. The story was engaging but the characters were everything to me, and I loved that it alternated between Tessa and Corrick's perspectives. This was a 10/10 for me, I couldn't put it down and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy with political games, high stakes, and swoon worthy men in masks.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for a digital ARC of Defy the Night!

Whenever a book character has the same name as me, I worry that I won’t like them. Luckily, that is not the case here. In fact, I am quite happy to share a name with Tessa Cade. Tessa is an apothecary and an outlaw. In a kingdom overrun with a mysterious fever that can only be treated with an elixir of moonflower petals, Tessa and her companion Wes steal the petals to give medicine to those who cannot afford it. Tessa is smart, tough, and, above all, compassionate. She seeks to help others in all that she does, even if that means working with those she has been taught to hate in the midst of a growing rebellion. All of our main characters have so many layers to them, they felt incredibly real and human. In uncovering some of these nuances of human behavior and their political repercussions, Tessa comes to question what it will really take to change Kandala for the better.

I could not get enough of this story. We get to understand just how humans these characters are thanks to the dual POV. Not only were the characters compelling with all their complexities, but the plot also had me reading well beyond “just one more chapter.” From Kandala’s epidemic to the start of a revolution, to the political intricacies, and all the uncovered secrets that just left me with more questions, I simply could not put this book down. I will be anxiously awaiting the sequel as my science-inclined mind is itching to join Tessa in solving the mystery of the fever.

In this new series, Brigid Kemmerer introduces Tessa, the daughter of an apothecary and a Robin Hood character who steals Moonflowers from the rich to make vital medicine. Along with Wes, her mysterious partner, they distribute the medicine to the townspeople who can’t afford it. Readers also meet Prince Corrick, the King’s Justice, enforcer of the Kandala laws—including the one against stealing the Moonflower petals.

Defy the Night is unpredictable in all the right ways, familiar like a good friend, and an all-around great read.

I honestly don't even know how Brigid keeps getting me hooked on these books but I can't help it. Her writing just makes me obsessed with her characters and needing to know what's going to happen. I was a little worried because of the illness part of this book and how not ready I am for that to be in the books I read to escape but it actually ended up being okay for me. (And it helped knowing she actually wrote this before 2020, but I'm not really sure why.)
The first 100 pages were a little rocky for me because of the illness and how much I hated some of the characters but after that, it really started moving. We get to know the characters a lot better and learn more about the kingdom and the issues the brothers have had trying to keep the kingdom from falling apart after their parents' assassination. It was a good reminder that nothing is black and white and we almost always exist in a world of gray, with no easy answers.
I will also say that while this book kept me hooked and turning the pages, it also wasn't hard figuring out who was really behind the smugglers and the attacks on the cure for the fever. I didn't really mind because I enjoyed so much of the journey but it would have been nice to have a bit of a surprise at the end.
Overall, this ended up being a really enjoyable book. I liked watching the relationship between Harristan and Corrick develop as brothers while also trying to run a kingdom and the glimpses into their past. I liked watching Tessa evolve in her beliefs about right vs wrong as well as her beliefs in herself and her own strength and character. I had fun getting to know the side characters as well, especially Quint. And, of course, the romance. Which you know will be great because it's a Kemmerer book.
I definitely recommend this book to fans of YA fantasy. If you like Robin Hood stories and royalty and betrayal and love and romance and friendship. It's a pretty entertaining story.

Title: Defy the Night
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Pub. Date: September 14, 2021
Rating: 5


This will be a spoiler free review. Thank you to Brigid for gifting me an ARC! And thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for providing a digital eARC in exchange for an honest review. I love everything she writes and puts out, and this book is absolutely no exception. The way I fell into this book, wholly and completely.

I inhaled it.
The first 100 pages leaves you reeling.
Seriously.
Ask Brigid. I hit roughly that 100 page mark and I was madly texting her emotional reactions. Because omfg. Y’all aren’t ready.
She told me “don’t throw it” in regards to my reaction – talking about the book. Because y’all, its throw your book worthy in like, the best way possible.
You instantly fall in love with Wes and Tessa. You can’t not. It’s impossible. From the moment they hit the page, I knew I would be sunk.
Then you also have Corrick, Quint and Harristan and you end up loving them as well. Quint is truly going to be a favorite and I might be putting him in a basket with Tycho as Characters To Protect At All Costs. The boys need a friend, and Quint is that person. Nothing can happen to him. Okay Brigid? Leave Quint alone. Please.
Then Brigid does a thing that she does so well, and what the fuck was I supposed to do next?
I mean, continue reading obviously.
So, I did, and then I was screaming.
Screaming in real life and screaming at Brigid through texts.
I kind of had a suspicion about something pretty early on, and the Brigid does a thing and I figured my suspicion was DOA. Only for it to be right, and that was a whole other freak out. Honestly, the first 100 pages are so good, so wild, and seriously draw you in.

Moving on from those first 100ish pages – the rest of the book is amazing. The relationship between Corrick and Harriastan – the background surrounding them. The pressure they both feel…
You end up just wanting to give them both hugs.
As for the tension and chemistry between Tessa and Corrick – well, you’re just going to have to read the book to find out. I’ll say that I thoroughly enjoyed it – enjoyed the two of them. Their dynamic is so good, and Brigid leaves you wanting for nothing. Just know I spent the majority of the book wanting to reach in and hug Corrick. That poor boy… the weights on his shoulders.

The plot immediately hooks you. From Tessa and Wes brewing plague remedies for those who can’t afford it, to the political machinations of those in power, the struggle of two young brothers ruling a kingdom post tragedy…Brigid enthralls and captivates. It’s the age-old tension of the Haves and Have Nots and Brigid creates something that is wholly new, but familiar.
There are a fair number of characters that you want to protect at all costs and others that can and should go kick a bag of rocks and do everyone a favor by deep diving into a hole.

Overall, the world was captivating and alive. Everything was so vivid, and I had no problems picturing what was happening. The plot keeps you hooked and guessing. And the last 100 or so pages is so intense and packed full of action. They left me with my mind blown. I know I say this after every Brigid Kemmerer book I read, but this might just be my favorite yet. Brigid transports us to a whole new world with characters that once again tug at your heart and your feelings. It was a fantastic read and ya’ll are going to love it.

I had such high hopes for this book because I have LOVED the author's other books, and my expectations were correct. I really loved this book and I can't wait for more in this series. I love the characters, the exceptional world building, and just everything about Defy the Night. It was action packed from the beginning and I never got bored, I just wanted to keep reading.

This book follows Tessa, who is the local apothecary who happens to grab the attention of the king and the cruel prince. She finds out about some horrible secrets that has her changing her views on everything. She is soon deep into the rebellion and plotting to rob Kandala of medicine. I really loved Tessa and the other characters. I loved how this book centers around what is right and how it is quite difficult to stick to what is right when other's are always saying they're right.

I can't wait to read more!

Brigid Kemmerer is an auto read author and this book did not disappoint. I was shocked by some of the twists in the story and absolutely loved following Tessa and Corrick. The digital download had some major formatting errors which always unfortunately affects the experience but overall I know the final product is going to be great and I can’t wait to discuss with others!

This is an absolutely amazing start to a new series. Brigid Kemmerer knows how to build wonderful worlds and Defy the Knight is no exception. It’s a Robin Hood retelling with a gender bend. It’s action packed, has a strong female lead, and an absolutely sweet romance. I can’t wait to see where this series goes.

The Kingdom of Kandala suffers from mysterious sickness. Tessa Cade, an apothecary out in the Wilds, and her friend Wes, are doing everything they can to help, by stealing petals and distributing the Moonflower elixir to those unable to pay. When rebellion stirs amongst the sectors and the King's Justice steps over the line, Tessa find herself sneaking into the palace. Only, King Harristan and Prince Corrick may not exactly be the monsters she made them out to be.

Tessa still has raw emotional wounds from her parents' deaths but has carried on their work to help her community in any way she can. Her empathy for the people lending to a greater understanding of the growing rebellion.

Prince Corrick is such a well crafted character. Just a teenager when he and his brother came to power, he was forced to craft a persona that commanded respect. His role as the King's executioner became one of many masks he would wear to shoulder the weight of the kingdom.

The characters and world in Defy the Night are so richly developed. Tessa and Corrick are one of my favorite book pairings. There was so much passion and heat in every moment they exchanged. I loved that the Robinhood element to this story was stealing medicine for the sick. I felt the fear and desperation from all the characters and I was so pleased that it wasn't easy to hate any of the characters.

Defy the Night is a triumphant beginning for this series, consider me a fully converted Brigid Kemmerer fan. Thank you to @Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books for this eARC!

A 14-minute video version of this review will be available on my channel on Sept 13th. After being thoroughly disappointed by Victoria Aveyard's newest, I was terrified that one of my favorite YA fantasy authors would let me down again. That is absolutely NOT the case with this book. I didn't think I was going to read it in one sitting, but I had no choice! The political landscape of this book is wonderfully morally gray and technically intricate, and the characters are easy to get attached to. I don't normally find myself unsure where the story will go at the end, but with this one there is so much opportunity and uncertainty that it is keeping me interested and intrigued. I will certainly be recommending this one to all fans of intricate and interesting young adult fantasy.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Defy the Night in exchange for an honest review.

I think? This is my least favourite Brigid Kemmerer book (minus sequels in the ACSDAL series). Whether writing contemporary or fantasy, Brigid's previous work has always been character-romances. The plot exists and can be compelling, but if you're not invested in her main couple none of that matters because it's always the center piece.

In Defy the Night the relationship once again takes up most of the page space with some plot happening in the background to propel it forward, but I think an attempt to make this more plotty accidentally made both our MC and her love interest less real. Neither really have any interest, personality, or stakes beyond generically good and generically broody. I think Tessa needed more friends and close relationships outside of her romance to allow us to see her caring about something else because as is, she felt really boring. This isn't bad, I was just disappointing that I found the characters the worst part in this when I know Kemmerer normally excels in that.

** Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury US for giving me an EArc in exchange for an honest review**

I so happy to say that I loved this book! It was a highly anticipated release for me as I loved Kemmerer's Cursebreaker series. This did not disappoint!

This story is set in a kingdom where a vicious fever has set into the populace, and there is no cure. However, there is an elixir that is created with Moonflowers that can betaken to offset the symptoms and prevent anyone from dying from the fever. As the medicine becomes more vital as the politics around the herb increase as well. The elite who have more money can buy more of their share of the elixir, leaving many of the poorer people without medicine. Here comes our MC's Tessa and Wes, vigilante outlaws that steal the Moonflowers from the elite to give back to poor. With their city on the brink of revolution Tessa searches for a way to unite the people.

I didn't realize that this was a Robin Hood re-telling until I read the author's note at the end of the book but I definitely see the parallels of that story. I thought the characters were well developed with their motivations and personalities very complex. It is an enemies to lovers story line with IMO a believable romance. I was able to guess the plot twists but that didn't take away from my enjoyment as I liked the twists. I really enjoy Kemmerer's writing as it is very easy to get into and before you know it you've read 100 pages. The story isn't slow but also isn't non stop action either.

This is classified as fantasy but there isn't any magic or fantastical elements. Maybe there will be more in the next book. It is set in a world not our own but its very similar to ours just medieval.

I had such a great time with this book there is love, betrayal, morally grey characters, politics, illness, and revolution. If these sound like your cup of tea I highly recommend checking it out!!

This one packed a PUNCH, let me tell you. I was gripped from the beginning. I am so excited for where Kemmerer's next series is going. Full of herbal magic, secrets, and a romance that can stand against any illness.

I loved ACSDAL by Brigid Kemmerer, and when I saw that she was coming out with another book, I knew I wanted to give it a try! Honestly, I had no idea that this was a retelling of “Robin Hood” before I read a few other reviews, but now that I do, I think it does a good job at distinguishing itself from the story. I’ve been in a big slump of “mediocre” books, and I’m glad to say that this one did surpass my expectations!

This book starts off with the introduction of our two main characters, Tessa and Corrick, in an alternating dual POV. In the Kingdom of Kandala, a sickness is spreading through the land, threatening all that aren’t rich enough to secure the limited cure made from Moonflower petals. People are dying, towns are suffering, and the country is on the brink of rebellion and revolution. It’s interesting to see the whole divide between the rich & the poor, as well as the tensions created as a result of the whole scenario.

As for our characters, we first meet Tessa Cade, a young apothecary apprentice who dedicates her nights to stealing Moonflower petals from the royal palace. She’s not my favorite character and I found her a bit too rash, sappy, and boring at times, but it didn’t affect my reading too much. Along with her best friend Wes, she creates these elixirs and secretly distributes them across town to those who need it the most. There’s a secret aspect to their relationship, with both of them promising to never reveal their faces or further their relationship beyond what they currently have to protect their identities from being uncovered. Learning about this high-stakes job they take on really helps emphasize the suffering Kandala is currently in along with the severity of the whole spreading sickness. It definitely helps set up the rest of the story in terms of immersing us into this new world.

We also get introduced to the members of the Kandala royal palace. There’s King Harristan, who was unexpectedly thrown into power after the death of his parents. He’s suffering from his own illness, and faces constant coughing that he tries to hide to preserve his public image. He’s harsh at times, but also really caring about the wellbeing of his people. He is also rather sheltered when it comes to the less ideal parts of his job, which he leaves up to his brother Corrick, but you can definitely see his growth in attempting to be more involved in his role as King throughout the story.

There’s also Corrick, who is designated as the King’s Justice, or assassin to those against the crown. He’s your classic morally-grey swoonworthy hero, but it’s okay because we always need more of those! Despite his apathetic appearance, he truly does suffer from carrying out his violent job. He protects those close to him and takes on a lot of the political responsibilities of the nation, especially with the King’s secret health condition. There’s also a bunch of side characters, including Allisander and Quint, who are all interesting to read about. I especially loved Quint, and I thought he was kind of a “cinnamon roll” character who is one of Corrick’s best friends and does everything possible to protect him, even in defiance of the King.

I also LOVED listening to all of the court politics of Kandala, as well as its complexities. Along with the King, there are royal Consuls of all the neighboring regions, and you get to witness their own dynamics, alliances, and relationships as well as how they influence the story. There are political aspects from the beginning that get brought up at the end of the story, and I liked how it underlined the whole book. We also see how the Consuls deal with the countrywide illness, especially with two regions having a monopoly on the Moonflower supply. I enjoyed reading about Harristan and Corrick managed these relationships, especially when the health of the country was on the line.

I don’t know about anyone else who’s read this, but there was a big big plot twist in the middle of the story that kind of took me by surprise! I sort of guessed parts of it, but definitely not the main aspect, and I was like gasping in actual shock. It made the story so much more interesting and set off the next events to come. It was just really good and made me want to read more of the book, when I usually have to set a page goal to motivate me. There’s also a lot of reveals that come towards the end of the book one after the other, and it was really nice to have all the plot points tie up.

I know I’m all over the place, but going back to the relationships, there’s a huge focus on the romance throughout the story. There is definitely still the plot to back it up, which I enjoyed because there are so many times where I feel like the plot doesn’t stand up to the characters well enough. I really loved the hate-to-love romance throughout the story, and I just wanted more angst! I mean, there’s a few chapters where it’s at its peak, and if it lasted through more of the story, I would have probably liked the book even more. The relationship eventually comes to a point where it slows down and becomes too simple and gushy, which isn’t wrong, but it just wasn’t that interesting. I don’t know, I know hate to love has to eventually turn into love, but I missed the retorts, entertaining banter, and romantic tension between them! It’s just that the tension was the only thing that kept me reading.

Anyways, it was a pretty good book overall! The plot was good, the characters were good, and the romance for a decent chunk of the story was good. I thought it was a pretty fun read to end off my August with, and I’d highly recommend this to anyone else interested in the genre, especially if you’re a big fan of political intrigue or the ACSDAL series.