This was a tremendous Sci/Fantasy. Vey strong, compelling characters and an impressive storyline.. I was hooked from the start, I even did my early morning swim after two hours sleep, I couldn't stop reading.. I hope there is another book in the pipeline, my imagination is on fire!

How fantastic was this book?! I can’t remember the last time I got so enthralled into a book, so much so that I wanted to devour its pages in record speed so I could know everything but at the same time, wanting it to last because I was enjoying it so much.

I reached a happy medium and read it in a few days, but I honestly want to go back and read it again. This book has everything - a great story, absolutely brilliant characters that you can really get behind and enough plot twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.

In a time when sickness is strife, and a struggling kingdom is trying to do what it can to save the lives of those who succumb to the fevers, it’s often only the rich who can afford medicine. With court politics and overarching figureheads who control the supply, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor is one of the only ways to try and lessen the suffering and distribute this lifesaving flower that provides relief to the sickness.

Tessa and Wes on their missions to save the people from death. But how long can it last?

Seriously such a good storyline and one that I was well immersed into. I honestly can’t wait to read more and can see this becoming a real favourite.

In Defy the Night the kingdom of Kandala is on the verge of falling into chaos as unrest begins to grown due to a mysterious fever which can only be cured by a tea brewed from moonflowers. However, not everyone has access to these flowers and so Tessa along with her friend Wes steal petals from the Royal sector in order to help their suffering neighbours. As things worsen and smugglers are punished, Tessa finds herself in the castle desperate to put a stop to the growing issue.

Being a fan of the author’s A Curse So Dark and Lonely series I was excited to read Defy the Night but went into it completely blind. I had no idea what to expect, which I felt was the best way to get into this book. The world building was rich and more intricate than her previous series, with an intriguing political system and a great mystery. There was a slight instance of romance but I don’t think it takes much precedence over the events of the story. The characters were incredibly likeable and I found myself rooting for them almost immediately. This book definitely surprised me and I cannot wait to find out what happens next in the sequel. 5/5 ⭐️

'Defy the Night', is everything I could want from a fantasy book, and somehow more.
From rebellion, royalty, and morally grey characters (and an amazing romance), this book left me longing for more.

The emotional portrayals of both protagonists- as well as many of the side characters- felt both perfect and yet heart-breaking, and I found myself attached to them much quicker than I expected to be. Kemmerer's presentations of these emotions are so achingly real, I felt myself tearing up at points.

The moral dilemmas presented within the novel also provoke interesting questions when reading, something that feels especially relevant in society today, and something I was especially glad to be presented with.

Overall, this novel blew me away. I eagerly await the next instalment, as this book encompasses everything I love about fantasy.

(The biggest thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for this eARC!)

Thank you @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The world building is fantastic, in which we see the impact of a virus on the Kingdom. The desires of the King and his brother, the council and leaders of the different districts and the poorest members of society.
With any disaster comes greed from some, self sacrifice from some and self preservation. The author explores the difficulties of rule for the King and his brother. Alongside, Tessa and Wes who are distributing the medication. In the end Tessa has to make some difficult choices when the brutality of consequences to smugglers becomes something she is embroiled in. Tessa life becomes tangled with the King and Prince and puts others lives at risk. At the same time others are plotting to overthrow the crown.
This was a page turning read with some excellent unexpected twists and turns. I can’t wait for the sequel!

This is an entertaining fast paced read and I'm sure it will be a huge success for the author. The characters and world building is great with all the angsty tropes you could hope for in this kind of, sort of, Robin Hood retelling about a kingdom dealing with a sickness pandemic, making it a very fitting 2021 read.

I look forward to reading the sequel.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the chance to read Defy the Night.

Tessa lives in a country where the only cure to a sickness is the Moonflower, a rare plant that only grows in two areas and which is expensive. The rich are thriving, the King and his brother rule with an iron fist after their parents were assassinated, the poor are sick and dying - often from the King's forces. Tessa and Wes are accomplished at stealing supplies and making the elixir that helps the poor, but it's getting harder until one night it all starts to go wrong.

There are a couple of good twists in this, I did guess them beforehand but one comes out fairly early and is a major part of the plot from then on as trust is built. They're no less good for me guessing them! Tessa is a good character, she's good at what she does and confident in it, whilst also realistically navigating the sudden changes she's plunged into and trying to do the right thing. I really enjoyed it!

Oh, I really did enjoy this book, it was an exciting, well-written fantasy story. A robin hood tale with a twist and although I had sort of guessed the twist in the tale that didn't take away from my enjoyment of reading it. With wonderful characters to love and hate and an interesting narrative, I found it hard to put this one down.

For me, the characters made this story and I loved the dual point of view. I really liked Tessa, she was honest and determined and I found her easy to relate to. Wes her counterpart in stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, was so lovely, kind and always there for Tessa. There are villains aplenty too which brings lots of interest and excitement to the story. The characters are really well written and well rounded, and I loved and hated them as appropriate.

This is a new author to me and I really liked her writing style. The book has everything you can want from a good fantasy and towards the end, I was desperate for it not to end...but it did and now I really am hoping there is a sequel soon.

Wow, what a book. Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for this wonderful Arc.

I could not put this book down and I sneakily read this work because I simply needed to know what was happening. The characters were amazing and the world-building was fabulous.

I did guess a few bits that happened but it didn't spoil it for me at all. However, I wouldn't have mindedna map showing the different areas.

Looking forward to book two

I've been hearing so much hype about this and it definitely did not disappoint!! It was so fast-paced that by the time I realised I had finished it! Can't wait to read the next one in the series.

A Robin Hood retelling by Brigid Kemmerer you say? Sign me up.

Set in a kingdom barely managing to keep a grip on its rule as a deadly fever is endemic to the country. Tessa steals the one found cure, moonflowers, from the rich to give to the poor. But when her partner in crime Wes is captured she’ll find out what lengths she’ll go to for him. Thrown into the same world as King Harristan and his brother Corrick who works as the king’s justice she needs to find a way to reconcile her previous beliefs with what she discovers there.

This was such an engrossing and fast paced read that I devoured it in one sitting.

While there were some twists I literally saw coming from chapter 1, the revelations at the end twisted in ways I didn’t expect.

I really loved that Kemmerer didn’t play into the purely good or purely evil trope that can find itself in YA fantasy. Due to this Corrick was probably my favourite character and I loved reading his chapters.

Overall I really liked Tessa, and a lot more than Harper from Kemmerer’s other fantasy series. There were a few scenes where her reactions or dialogue was a little unrealistic but that was only about 15% of the time.

While I enjoyed the ending from a plot perspective there were a few scenes and character interactions that felt very trite and gave me flashbacks to tumblr ’everyone stood up and clapped’ posts. That’s why it lost a star from me, but I wouldn’t say that should be a deterrent from reading it.

If someone could magically get me the next book in the series that would be greatly appreciated!

⭐️ 4/5 stars ⭐️

HOLY COW, Brigid Kemmerer has out done herself. I remember first hearing about Defy the Night on Brigid’s Instagram back in 2020, I was so excited to read this book it became one of my most anticipated reads of 2021. When I saw that it was on NetGalley I had to request to see if I could get it. When I did I was so excited I finished my book that I was reading and went straight on to Defy the Night. It did not disappoint.

The plot was fast moving and held my attention throughout the book. There were twists I saw coming and twists I didn’t that made me fall in love with this book. The world that Brigid had create in this book is one that I could fall right into (I wouldn’t want to with the events of the books happening but I loved the world anyway).

The characters were so well written that I loved getting to know them, I love how Brigid writes characters with flaws. They seem so well put together, like Brigid has a whole background story on each of her characters that she can draw upon whenever she wants. The character development never felt forced, it flowed beautifully and not once did I think that the development was too quick or rushed.

My gosh, this was a rollercoaster and a half from the first page to the end. I adored every word. There are so many twists and turns. So many characters in this to adore - Quint has my total heart; Tessa is the bravest of folk and I wanna be her one day. There’s so many questions about right and wrong to consider in this. This is a properly compelling story with politics, secrets, lies, medicine and rebellion. Just incredible. I feel like I raced through this incredibly quickly because it’s just so bloody well written. There’s so much brilliance in this!

A wonderful fast paced fantasty tale of a kingdom crippled by a fever, killing its citizens and dividing the rich and the poor. Sides are being drawn and not everyone is being true. Outlaws in masks are helping the poor with medicine but who are they? strong characters and a great political plot with a fantastic female lead I can't wait the next one! 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am a big fan of Brigid Kemmerer’s contemporary YA novels and her fantasy novels and her latest fantasy offering doesn’t fail to deliver. Tessa Cade is caught in a world where fever has turned a well ruled country into one driven by the need to obtain the flower that provides both cure and prevention against the deadly illness. Where those with wealth and power control that cure and prosper from it to the detriment of the poorer people and regions. Especially, it seems the king and his brother, Prince Corrick. But Tessa, an apothecary is committed to help those that can’t afford it and with her accomplice, Weston, by night she steals the precious flowers, makes up the elixir and distributes it to the poor. But now, this mission has become more dangerous and her fears for herself and Weston have increased as have her feelings for the mysterious mask clad man. Filled with great emotional tension, the story unfolds at a perfect pace as treachery abounds and trust is called into question on all sides. Rich characterization brings great life to the story and the world Kemmerer created and the issues they face are relevant to the world we live in today. My only one thought is that the ending seemed a little quick and made me wonder if there was more to come.

Read this or regret it. That is not a threat, it's a promise. Hell, you don't even need to read my review. JUST READ THE BOOK. It's so good I had it added to my favourites list before I'd even finished reading. This is the first book I've read by the author so I'm not even biased.

Brigid Kemmerer has created a rich world you can't help but become immersed in. In a country struggling with deadly fevers and on the verge of civil war, star-crossed lovers Tessa and Wes (who can't even see each other's face!!!) do what they can to lessen the burden on the forgotten folk - you definitely get some Robin Hood vibes.. But there is even more at stake than either of them know...

There are loveable characters, hateable characters, morally grey characters that you both love and hate. And you can't help but feel sorry for every single one of them (well... maybe not for one). There is no black and white here, just lots and lots of grey. Who is right? Who is wrong? What if no one is? You see both sides of the coin here with the perspectives of the rebel and the authority. Lots of politics!!!

The saying 'desperate times call for desperate measures' has never rang so true.

This is one you're likely to like straight away, I know I did. It's brilliantly written with a great plot, characters, action and pacing (it's generally fast but slows down slightly in places). I was so immersed it had me in tears twice, and I was so proud of myself thinking that I saw a certain plot twist coming - and was left gaping like a fish when it ended up being so much bigger than I had imagined. You know a book's good when you end up internally screaming while you stare at a wall.

I absolutely loved this, but it was frustrating waiting for the characters to figure out who The Benefactors are when I thought it was obvious 😭 I can't wait to hear everyone's guesses when you get your hands on this.

I really felt the romance. It manages to have slow-burn, friends to lovers, and enemies to lovers all at the same time. I ❤️ Wes so much and Tessa has a heart of gold. I absolutely cannot wait for book two. Sign me up for an ARC right now please.

"I hate you."

"That'll probably work out for the best."

The one comment I hope the publishers will take on board is that a map would be really beneficial for this series - and that's coming from someone who usually doesn't like maps. But maybe that's just missing from the ARC copies.

Thank you so so much to NetGalley, Bloomsbury, and Brigid Kemmerer for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fans of the Cursebreakers series will not be disappointed! Once again Brigid Kemmerer has delivered a swoon-worthy romance, a kingdom in peril, and two protagonists who the odds are stacked against from the beginning. The stakes are high, and the parallels to our real-life pandemic can make for unnerving reading, but I am looking very much forward to the second instalment already. Bring on more!

'Mind your mettle, Tessa.'

What a vile world Tessa lives in, Kandala has a sickness that can only be staved off with moonflower petals so obviously they are a hot commodity and as usual, the rich prosper and the poor suffer. Tessa tries to put this right by stealing the moonflower, making a medicine and distributing to the poor.

But it all goes wrong.....well sort of. Every cloud has a silver lining and all that and in this case it like a sort of very pale silver of linings!

This was a story that hooks you straight in and makes you want more and more and I need that next book to see how this story continues!

thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. i’ve loved all of the authors other books, so i was really looking forward to this, and it didn’t disappoint! i really loved this book. because of this i am giving it 5/5 stars

Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for an E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Defy the Night is the first book in a new series by best-selling author Brigid Kemmerer (A Curse So Dark and Lonely). In the kingdom of Kandala, the different sectors having been drifting apart since a sickness started ravaging across the land, leaving Kandala on the brink of distaster. King Harristan and Prince Corrick have learned to react swiftly at the sign of any rebellion. Acting without mercy is how the kept order especially since there is no pattern to the sickness as the only cure, an elixir made from Moonflower petals, is severely limited. Apothecary apprentice Tessa Cade has had enough of seeing people due because of this sickness. Teamed up with her best friend, Wes, they risk their lives through stealing Moonflower petals and distributing the elixir to those that need it - however, it is nowhere near enough. Rumors start spreading that the cure no longer works and rebeliion starts to brew. Tessa is desperate and tries her hand at sneaking into the palace. Seeing the workings of the Royal Court makes her wonder whether she can fix Kandala or if she'll destroy it first.

After really enjoying the Cursebreaker's trilogy, I went into Defy the Night with high expectations and it did not dissapoint! I cried. A lot. I screamed. A lot. My jaw dropped open. A lot. I had so many emotions reading this book that I just became overwhelmed and had a nice long cry.

The story is a really intruiging twist on the Legend of Robin Hood which really interested me because, who doesn't love a good retelling? The plot was really thought through and part of the story felt unique. Pacing wise, the book is a really good pace for a 400 page book. I read it in a good few sittings but if I didn't work, I probably would have read it in one or two settings. The worldbuiding in the book is super easy to follow, it's not complex and it doesn't hurt your brain trying to figure out different systems. What I will say is that I predicted the "big" plot twist in the book less than 20% into the book with dissapointed me a little. I would have liked to have been a little bit more taken by surprise.

Onto the characters, OMG I loved pretty much all of the characters. The character development was on point and I didn't feel like I was missing anything when reading the book. I would say part of the character development is what led me to figuring out the plot twist and, honestly, I said a bunch of expletives when I read a certain paragraph and realised. It was a rough 5 minutes.

One thing I didn't like was the term "black marketeer". Whilst I understand the meaning now, I didn't when I first went into the book. I've always known people who sell stuff on the black market as "people who sell stuff on the black market". So when I read a part at the beginning and an alarm sounds and a character mentions that a black marketeer must have been caught, it did rub me the wrong way. I feel like this part could have been written a little better in order to not come across as offensive or racist to people, like me, who have no knowledge of the term.

All in all, this was a really good book and I can't wait for it to be out in the world! And to get my hands on a special edition!