Review: Defy The Night by Brigid Kemmerer

Defy The Night by Brigid Kemmerer

on September 2021
Pages: 496
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher
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A fantasy series about a kingdom divided by corruption, the prince desperately holding it together, and the girl who will risk everything to bring it crashing down.

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.

King Harristan was thrust into power after his parents' shocking assassination, leaving the younger Prince Corrick to take on the brutal role of the King's Justice. The brothers have 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.

Out in the Wilds, apothecary apprentice Tessa Cade is tired of seeing her neighbors die, their suffering ignored by the unyielding royals. Every night, she and her best friend Wes 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. But what she finds upon her arrival makes her wonder if it's even possible to fix Kandala without destroying it first.

Defy the Night is just what I needed. It’s an adventure story with kind hearted and complicated outlaws, cruel princes, politics and romance.

I think Kemmerer can’t do anything wrong and I’ve been a fan of hers for a while now, especially her last trilogy. And this one is just as good if not better, combining real danger and a very dark and cruel prince.

The world is wonderfully laid out with the counsel setting up hints of larger and more political tensions ahead. The relationship between Wes and Tessa is so heartwarming. Sure they’re attracted to each other, but I really like how they are friends. They depend on each other, they worry about each other, they keep each other grounded. Tessa is strong willed but also pragmatic. She feels like she really has a calling to take care of the people who are sick and she’s willing to risk her life to do so. I found her to be a wonderful hero and it’s her heart and sympathy that really drives her as a character and really changes those around her, even if they’re filled with anger.

Prince Corrick is a really wonderful character. I enjoyed reading from his POV a lot because it showed how torn he was between his duty and his brother and what he thought was to be helpful and right. Losing his parents so young and being the King’s Justice really took a tole on him. It was very clear to see why he would be drawn to Tessa, she represents a lot of what was missing in his life.

Overall I think Defy the Night is a promising and engrossing first book to what is sure to be a delicious trilogy! When is book two coming out??