[Brittany’s Review]: Defy the Night (Defy the Night #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

Defy the Night
by Brigid Kemmerer
Pages: 496
Published by Bloomsbury
Release Date: September 14th 2021
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, YA
Source: Publisher
Format Read: ARC
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From New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer comes a blockbuster 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.

Set in a richly imaginative world with striking similarities to our own, Brigid Kemmerer's captivating new series is about those with power and those without . . . and what happens when someone is brave enough to imagine a new future.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Going into this book I was super excited, because this was my first Brigid Kemmerer book and I’ve heard amazing things about this author’s writing. So, you could say my expectations were high. Let me just say, Brigid surpassed my expectations. This book BLEW MY MIND.

In this book, you meet Tessa, an apothecary who is tired of watching people die from the sickness that has spread over the lands. Tessa, with the help of her friend Wes, have been stealing petals of Moonflower, the only known cure, and giving it to those who cannot afford the medication. You go throughout this book watching Tessa deal with heartache and realization. Let me say, I loved Tessa’s character. Her emotions were so realistic and justified in this book, which is sometimes hard to come by. She is kind and brilliant and I couldn’t get enough of her.

Prince Corrick has the weight of his kingdom and his people on his shoulders. Many thinks of him as cruel, and he tries to live up to their expectations that way he shows a strong front for the kingdom. I loved every single moment Corrick was in this book. He is strong, but also thoughtful and…sigh. SIGH. He’s perfect.

I loved watching the character growth in this book and watching the plot unwind. This book had me desperately turning the page. If you like fantasy and romance then I HIGHLY recommend this book! I can’t wait for book two!