| Title | : | Defy the Night (Defy the Night, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781547610457 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 443 |
| Publication | : | First published September 14, 2021 |
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 (Defy the Night, #1) Reviews
-
ughhh. i am obsessed with this. but after how BKs cursebreakers series turned out, i dont quite trust her and im going to be beyond upset if she ends up ruining this series, too. but i want to try to remain optimistic for right now.
because this is such a great first book and i love how some of the content felt more mature than what i am used to with BKs writing. it suits the characters ages and the overall situation that is filled with death and illness, political mistrust and desperation.
in the acknowledgements, BK cites robin hood and zorro as the inspiration for her characters and i totally see that. i think the story does a great job at presenting all sides of the situation in a grey light, showing that not everyone is completely good or completely evil, that everyone is just trying to do what they think it right, even though that means different methods. its great complex characterisation for those in the kingdom and the rebels outside of it.
again, this is a really amazing start to a series. wonderful characters, an engaging plot, and fast pacing had me falling in love with this. so BK better have learned from her mistakes and not screw this up. lol.
↠ 5 stars -
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“I think that very few people truly deserve what they get, Tessa.” He pauses, and for the briefest moment, sadness flickers through his eyes. “For good or for bad.”
~ Rating- 3.5 stars ~
Note- 22/9/21- After some thinking I am lowering my rating from 5 stars to 3.5 stars. I still really enjoyed the book but I didn't completely consider its flaws, which is why I am lowering it. I think I was a bit too biased while rating it the first time. Sorry.
This review is very long and it is spoiler free. You can skip to the 'pros' & 'cons' if you don't want to read the full thing.
Content/ Trigger Warnings- Alcohol, Betrayal, Blood, Being chained, Biting lip and drawing blood, Crying, Dying, Death of a mother, Death of a father, Death of parents (recounted), Dead bodies, Death of a friend, Death of children & Murder of children, Possible Depression, Execution, Eyeball trauma, Epidemic, Faking a pregnancy, Fire, Grief, Guilt, Guilt over death of a friend, Locking yourself in a Cupboard, Murder, Nightmares, PTSD, Panic-attacks, Prison, Rebellion, Sickness & Illness, Self-harm (digging fingers into palms), Suicidal Ideation (mild), Suffocation, Several Mental Breakdown Scenes, Threat of Rape & Sexual Assault, Mention of Sexual assault occurring, Torture, Urine, Vomiting, Violence
Note- I have tried to include all the content warnings that I noticed, but there is no guarantee that I haven’t missed something.
-Mention of some of these in the review-
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
“True strength is not determined by how brutal you can be,”
Defy the Night, by
Brigid Kemmerer is a dark, atmospheric YA fantasy with morally grey characters. I was hoping this would be a 5 star read,and was very happy that my prediction came trueand was happy with the book even though I lowered my rating, though Imightam a little bit biased considering
Brigid Kemmerer is one of my favourite authors.
“It’s easy to love your king when everyone is well fed and healthy. A bit harder when everyone is not.”
In the kingdom of Kandala, sickness stalks the streets. The cure is Moonflower, a rare and expensive flower only the richest can afford. King Harristan and his brother Prince Corrick are forced to rule with an iron fist, and show no mercy.
“When there are calls for revolution,” I say to him, “we should be riding at the front, not hiding in the shadows.”
Tessa Cade is a masked outlaw, who robs from the rich to help the poor by distributing food and medicine to those who need it most, along with her friend Weston. When it becomes clear that the only way to save her people is to assassinate the King, Tessa must face a deadly mission that will take her to the dark heart of the kingdom to work with the very people she intended to destroy.
“I hate the king,” I whisper. “I hate the prince. I hate what they’ve done. I hate what Kandala has become.”
The plot of the book was entertaining. It is fast-paced, despite being so long. There isn’t a dull moment, it hooks you from the start. It does take some time for some important things to start happening though and the plot takes a while to progress. There were a few plot twists which were good and foreshadowed well, but I had predicted them quite early on.
The main flaw in the plot is the amount of clichés and tropes it has. Having read a lot of YA, I knew the exact direction in which this book would go in when I was about 50 pages in. It wasn’t exactly a bad thing considering I was still invested regardless of this, but there isn’t much in this book that makes it very different from the other YA books that exist.
We have several overused tropes like ‘the morally-grey prince who doesn’t really want to be cruel’, ‘a king who isn’t really ruling’, ‘an orphan girl looking to rebel and get vengeance’ and clichés like ‘the male character getting flustered when the female character enters in a gown’ and ‘the female character getting flushed when the male character takes his shirt off as he is injured’ etc. These don’t bother me as much, but if they bother you I think you will be annoyed by this book.
Apart from all of this, I liked the plot a lot and the other elements of the story do make up for these stereotypes in YA.
“There are too many layers here. I thought it was as simple as right or wrong . . . but it’s not.”
The world building of Defy the Night was excellently done. It isn’t info-dumped (thankfully!) and the map was a great addition to the book. We don’t really explore much apart from Kandala, but I am expecting to see more of the world in the sequels.
“All this time I’ve thought that the people within the gates were the most powerful, but maybe I was wrong. We all have power.”
The writing was my favourite part of the book.
Brigid Kemmerer’s writing and her ability to tell a great story has never failed to amaze me, and Defy the Night was no exception. The pacing in
Brigid Kemmerer’s books are always wonderfully done and the 500 pages didn’t feel like a drag at all. The writing isn't over the top or filled with purple prose, but its not dry either. It's subdued, which is perfect for this book and the tone it is going for.
“We buy what we can from the taxes we collect, and we distribute it among the people. But there is never enough: not enough silver, not enough Moonflower.”
The characters were properly-written, and I would say they are three-dimensional. The side-characters didn’t really play any big role though, which was quite disappointing.
➼Tessa
“I’m not a killer. I heal people; I don’t harm them.”
Tessa is an apothecary, and also the one who steals Moonflower for the sick and poor of the village, along with her friend Wes. They are the Robin Hood’s of Kandala, and rob from the rich to give them to the poor.
“I keep notes in my father’s notebooks of what cures the fevers—the Moonflower—and what doesn’t: everything else.”
I liked Tessa as a character. She is strong, rellistant and kind. I liked the role she played in the book, but despite all of this I felt something was lacking about her character arc. There is a lot of character development, but my main problem was the lack of relationships she has with other people. I know not all people are that social, but when the only relationship Tessa has is a romance, it isn’t a good look.
“We don’t discuss what could happen, because I’m right. The king wouldn’t care that we’re stealing to help people. If we’re caught, we’ll be executed right next to the smugglers.”
Tessa doesn’t interact with many people apart from her love interest, and she only has one friend who she says she doesn’t trust. She essentially doesn’t communicate with that many people on page, and I wish that wasn’t the case. I understand why it must have been hard for her to make friends, but Tessa has the kind of personality that is very open and loving, so this is quite contradictory to how she is portrayed.
“I wonder if this is why it’s so easy for the royal elites to ignore the people outside the walls of this sector. Are we all invisible to them?”
In fact, everyone says they trust her a lot (rightfully so, as she is one of the main reasons they are not dead yet) but we don’t get to see much of that on page, though we do get some moments. I guess it would have been difficult to portray all of that on page, but it would have been a lot more interesting if Tessa had friends and relations apart from the romance as well. Apart from this, I enjoyed reading about Tessa's character.
“Kindness leaves you vulnerable, Tessa. I learned that lesson years ago.”
➼Corrick
“I have heard every manner of scream without flinching. I have listened to promises and threats and curses and lies—and occasionally, the truth.
I have never hesitated in doing what needs to be done.”
Prince Corrick is the King’s Justice, the one responsible for bringing justice to the kingdom and enforcing order in Kandala.
“to my face, I’m Your Highness, or Prince Corrick, or sometimes, when they’re being especially formal, the King’s Justice.”
He is also the morally-grey character that dreads all the violence he has to do, yet he has no choice but to do everything and ~follow orders~. I know, you are thinking 'Bhavya, this trope has been done so many times before!' Yes it has, but this is one of my favourite tropes in books and I always have a soft spot for this kind of character, but I only like it if it is well done.
“Because despite all outward appearances, I’m not cruel. I don’t delight in pain. I don’t delight in any of this.”
Corrick’s character arc was so well written and was so subtly done. The whole “i am pretending to be cruel and heartless when in reality i am a sweet cinnamon roll who means no harm, but i will hurt you if you mess with me or my loved ones’ wasn’t rubbed in our face. Corrick’s mental dilemma isn’t filled with petty angst. It didn’t bore me at all. Instead we get a beautiful blend of court politics, betrayal and a desperate man doing what he needs to do for everyone to survive. He was definitely my favourite character and I loved him.
“I’ll never be free of this. Of who I am. This will be my life as King’s Justice: Cruel Corrick, the most feared man in the kingdom, and somehow also the most alone.”
Character Dynamics
➼Wes & Tessa
Wes and Tessa had such a sweet bond, and I was smiling every time they were on page.
“I wish Weston were here. I’m better with the medicines, with the dosages and the treatments and our patients, but he’s better in the face of violence and danger. He’s cool and reserved when I’m hot and rattled.”
I don’t have much to say about them without spoiling something, so I will just say that they were a moment of light in a much darker book.
➼Corrick & Harristan
I loved the brotherly bond between Corrick and Harristan.
“They respect my brother—as they should.
They fear me.
I don’t mind. It spares me some tedious conversations.”
It was so well written. Corrick and Harristan love each other very much, and it was wonderful to read about how they supported and trusted each other.
There is another great character dynamic in this book, but I won’t be talking about it here to avoid spoilers!
“But we’re still taking action. We’re not backing down from that horrible king and his awful, cruel brother. We’re saving the people who need saving.
Fight back. We are.”
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
➼Analysing Pros & Cons
➡Pros
◙ Good Writing.
◙ Interesting Characters.
◙ An engaging plot.
◙ The romance is well-written.
◙ The character dynamics.
➡Cons
◙ The writing is not really quotable.
◙ The lack of 'diversity'.
◙ The amount of clichés and typical YA tropes.
◙ The world isn't really a fantasy as there is no magic.
◙ Predictable plot-twists & the side-characters don't play a big role.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
“I did what I could,” I say to her now, and my voice almost breaks. I have to take a shuddering breath. “I do what I can. And every day, I regret that it’s never enough.”
In short, Defy the Night is an action-packed YA fantasy novel- with a twinge of romance and court politics. While it has its flaw- like the tropes and clichés, it also has its strengths- like the incredible writing and good characters. I binged this book in a day and I can say I loved the experience. I’m hoping the sequel comes out soon! Until then, we all have to wait and ‘mind our mettle’. :)
“Mind your mettle, Tessa.”
Buddy read with
Nashita. Thank you so much for reading it with me!
Review written and uploaded on 15th September, 2021.
Review edited on 11th November, 2021.
P.S.- I tried something different for this review. Feel free to me know your thoughts on which format you prefer!
Storygraph Review.
Storygraph.
Spotify Book Playlist.
Spotify.
Youtube.
Pinterest.
Linktree.
DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.
How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/ was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/ was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/ was average / Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/ new favourite
............................................
And another 5 star read from Brigid Kemmerer. Review to come.
………………………………………
Going to start this today!
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I AM WAITING. 11 MORE DAYS.
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OMG WE GOT A COVER AAAAAHHHHHH
It looks nice, but I liked ACSDAL covers more... -
This is promising, action packed, engrossing, thrilling brand new series from one of my favorite authors who can write both brilliant and addictive romance and fantasy novels!
I have to admit I loved this new installment more than A curse so dark and lonely trilogy the author recently published. If you ask me why? I can honestly say I’m all time favorite fan of Robin Hood and his remarkable philosophy: stealing from the rich to give to the poor.
So I always enjoy to read any new version story inspired by Robin Hood philosophy. And honestly portrayed, so much likable vigilantes / outlaws Tessa and Wes stole my heart since the first action packed opening the book.
Let me tell you more about the blurb:
The story takes place in Kingdom of Kandala divided by different sectors which have problematic relationships between each other because of outburst of contagious disease ravaging the land. Royal Palace barely holds it the control by negotiating with the consul members who are representatives of each sector demanding more power they can hold and King Harristan rules the entire kingdom with the help of his brother Prince Corrick who is designated with the most compelling title : King’s Justice. He takes the role of brutal killer, merciless punisher who triggers night terrors of entire folks of the kingdom.
He never chose to be brutal person and he was reluctant to deal with the shitty hand the faith dealt with him after their parents died before their eyes when they were young boys who were forced to rule the entire kingdom before dealing with their griefs.
Now the contagious sickness threats the entire land and only cure is made by moonflower petals which are limited, not equally shared by the sectors. As the richest and wealthiest consume more they can absorb, the poorest always suffers from lack of medicine.
Tessa Cade is apprentice apothecary who is so sick of seeing the inequality about sharing the medicine at entire land so she starts following the paths of her dying parents by stealing moon petals for concocting a powerful elixir and distribute them to the poor people who cannot afford. Her partner in crime Wes, wearing his mask and join her to lurk in the Wilds, helping the miserable people heal and give them enough hope to survive.
But the rumors spread so fast telling the cure is not effective enough to heal people and the rebellious attracts start arising. And a sudden tragedy changes everything in Tessa’s life, forced her to sneak around the palace to confront the cruel King and his merciless brother prince. But she finds out more secrets and she realizes nothing as it seems in the kingdom.
She may be forced to make a deal with her worst enemy to find a solution to stop her own people’s dying and the rising revolution can destroy the peace of the kingdom.
I loved genuine, honest, brave, hot tempered Tessa and tormented, charismatic, powerful, mysterious Corrick a lot.
Remarkable characterization, surprising twists, blossoming sweet romance, enthralling action packed adventure earned my four blazing stars!
I’m looking forward to read the next installment ASAP! This is freaking amazing start to unforgettable brand new fantasy installments!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions. -
3.5⭐️ I loved Tessa and Corrick a lot and I enjoyed their story both together and apart. It is just that the story was too dragged out and that was very obvious. It felt like the story is going somewhere but isn't there yet because some parts are missing
***
hi! it's me and my high hopes again 🙂 -
A THOUSAND PERCENT YESSSS 😍
I haven’t been reading fantasy books lately so this was my jump back into the genre and MANNNN, it didn’t disappoint!
This is a story told through two POVS—Tessa and Corrick’s.
AND YKNOW WHAT—I didn’t expect to tear up?! But I got so attached to them and there are chapters here that really TRY YOUR HEART 😭
It’s a story that’s easy to follow along. You won’t get bogged down by the world building. I have such an attachment to not just Tessa and Corrick, but to Harristan and Quint and even Rocco!
I loved the Cursebreakers series (I always say that’s one of my favorite YA fantasy series, hands down) and I found Defy the Night to be just as great!
I was hooked from the start; I liked the flow of the plot, I LOVED the romance, and it reads fast for a book over 400 pages!
I had theories as I went through the book and the beginning literally took me through a rollercoaster because I thought I had it, then I didn’t, but then I thought I did and UGH. Also I genuinely dropped my jaw in surprise.
I loved it. 1000% recommend for when this releases. Great cover, great story. I can’t wait for book boxes to release special editions because I’m IN THERE LIKE SWIMWEAR BYEEEEE ENJOY! -
Minor Spoilers !!!
“Please Tessa, forgive me. You make me wish Weston Lark was real, because you'll never look at me the way you look at him. I don't know how to fix everything I've done wrong, Tessa. I don't even know if I can, but I want to try.”
4 🌟’s
🌺🌸My Thoughts🌸🌺
This book was so good. Like I was already intrigued by the cover. But yeah I definitely recommend this one. It’s a mix of so many emotions like I was literally sobbing within the first couple of chapters. 😭 Usually I’m all for the characters hating each other in the beginning but like the way the story went with the main characters was kinda messy. And I didn’t like the way they made it seem like Tessa was the weak one bc of it. They definitely could’ve found a way to improve their enemies to lovers romance better in the beginning. Once they got past it, it definitely got better and I became their #1 fan like I love these two sm!! So I definitely recommend this. 💖💗💘
🌺🌸Main Characters🌸🌺
◇Tessa◇
She reminds me of Scarlett from Caraval. Tessa is so fearless and sweet. I loved how she risked her life every day to give out the medicine to everyone. It was kinda reminding me of the hunger games a little bit with the districts. Idk why tho? But she is definitely a favorite character of mine eventho the author didnt really do her justice in this book. After the whole character reveal everything just went downhill and the mood of the book changed. I was so crushed bc at first i thought the character was dead and I wanted to give her the biggest hug ever. 🫂 And then things happened and my heart was like ripped out of my chest and stomped on like idk how Tessa survived through that. However it did get better and my girl stole the whole book like i loved the plot after the bomb dropped and everything was sorted out. I definetly want to see more of her character when she isn’t being portrayed as the stereotypical weak girl that cries the whole book which was only for a short period of time in this book so im glad that she was able to speak up bc theres a saying close mouths don’t get fed and she definitely spoke up. Such a queen!!👑
◇Wes◇
Where do i even begin with him? Sm happened with his character like I think i'm still slightly confused even to this day. 🙉 But after getting through that rough patch he started to grow on me. I did like him in the beginning but the whole “thing” that happened at that time made me not like him for a good little while. Luckily he redeemed himself and now i am shipping him and Tessa now. 🥰 I would like to see more of his character in the next one bc i felt after the whole “thing” it kinda shined a negative light on him and took away from his character and his relationship with Tessa.
🌺🌸Side Characters🌸🌺
There were so many people in this bookthere was only like 7 people 🙈but for me if the character doesn’t stand out I’m mostly likely not going to remember them. Or if you’re talking about family members just go ahead and know that I’m not going to be able to remember someone’s grandma’s cousin’s mom 🤣 bc I can barely remember the three main characters names. Its like the Inheritance Games series all over again. The only like side characters I remember is Harristan who was okay. Like everytime they mentioned him tho he was coughing up a lung so, I’m not really sure what his character really is like. God bless him 😬🫂 And ofc Lochlan which made me think of the Lochness monster which basically is how he acted and frankly just annoyed me and definitely Wes too.
🌺🌸Best Couple Moments🌸🌺
◇He brought her breakfast
◇He wants to fix everything for her
◇Tessa patching Wes up
◇The kiss they shared
◇Their special spot
◇Threatened any man that tried to kill her
🌺🌸Favorite Quotes🌸🌺
◇“Mind your mettle.” (Weston)
◇“You remind me of how it felt like to be Wes.” (Weston)
◇“You laughed, I didn't think that would ever happen again.” 😭 (Weston)
◇“Please Tessa, forgive me. You make me wish Weston Lark was real, because you'll never look at me the way you look at him. I don't know how to fix everything I've done wrong, Tessa. I don't even know if I can, but I want to try.” (Weston) 🥺
◇“You'll keep your hands off her.” (Weston)
◇“You can do this.” (Tessa)
“We can do this.” (Weston)
◇“You make me want to do better.” (Weston)
🌺🌸Hopes for Defend the Dawn🌸🌺
◇More Tessa badass scenes
◇More Wes scenes where he isn’t portrayed as a bad guy
◇More Tessa and Wes scenes
🌺🌸Last Thoughts🌸🌺
I am so excited to see how this series goes. I have a feeling its going to be a wild adventure. And its crazy how this book was so similar to Throne of Glass with the whole palace scenes. Like I was reading this, Throne of Glass, and Powerless all at the same time and I kid you not these books all have very similar plots. It’s kinda scary like idk if that was planned or what?! But I can’t wait to read more. Definitely recommend this to everyone!! 🤌💖🌸🎀 -
Imagine a kingdom plunged into chaos by a strange fever that has reached epidemic proportions. The only cure is a tea made from the petals of the moonflower.
In this retelling of the legend of the heroic Prince of Thieves,(aka, Robin of Sherwood Forest), Tessa Cade is dispensing elixirs made from contraband moonflower petals to the less fortunate inhabitants of her village in the Wildes sector of Kandala. Tessa's father, a master Apothecary, taught her everything he knew before he and his wife were brutally executed by the Kandala Night Patrol for smuggling moonflower petals and unlawfully distributing the cure in their district. (Moonflower petals were a tightly controlled commodity in Kandala.)
Traumatized by their deaths, Tessa secretly continued her parents' crusade. Tessa would sneak into the more affluent parts of Kandala, steal from the hording rich, and then redistribute the medicine to the suffering poor. Wes Lark had saved Tessa from certain death on the night her parents were killed, and has been her accomplice for several years now. They each wear masks so that, if they are captured, they will not be able to disclose the identity of the other if they are tortured.
When Wes is captured, Tessa - wild with grief - invades the royal palace, intent on some vague/half-formed notion of revenge. But before she can even catch a glimpse of the King, she is almost immediately captured by the ruthless Prince Corrick - the King's Justice! He is notorious for the slow torture and brutal extermination of all smugglers and traitors. Tessa is prostrate with fear and prays for a swift death!
Imagine her mounting terror when she is taken to Prince Corrick's private chambers! No spoilers here, but instead of her immediate execution, Tessa is given her own rooms at court and finds herself under Prince Corrick's protection!
The rest of this wild tale kept me up until the wee hours of the morning because I just had to find out what was going to happen to Tessa, Corrick and the rest of the characters of this madcap kingdom!
(Tessa's transformation from village waif to a lady of the court:)
I was highly entertained! There was a fair amount of violence, but it was not overly prolonged and graphic - for which I was very grateful! I approved of the redemptive themes in this novel. The King and Prince Corrick were as much victims of the power struggles and violence of those uncertain times as the rest of the inhabitants of Kandala.
Kind-hearted, brave Tessa was the voice of reason, reconciliation and the hope for peace: messages that I will support and uphold each and every time! Applause, Applause! A 5 out of 5 star rating for this stirring melodrama! My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Kandala's only hope: moonflower petals.... or is it!!?!!
Note: I've been a long-time fan of Brigid Kemmerer's YA novels. The exotic realm that Kemmerer takes us to in Defy the Night is not totally removed from present day society - with the exception of the long Disney-style princess gowns and courtly attire.
(By the way, morning glory SEEDS are toxic, if taken in large quantities so treat this plant with caution, especially near children and small animals.) -
⤷This book had an interesting premise, and the plot kept me intrigued (for awhile...)!! However, I had a few problems 🥲 With the way the twist was written, I wished we had more of Tessa and Wes' time together on their mission to spread the moonflowers. The romance was cute, but I felt like the build up wasn't really there?? It was more telling than showing of how they got to like each other. I felt like the main message/question being repeated a bit too much. If you like politics, this is definitely for you, though!! The ending was a bit underwhelming, but overall, it was a fun read and I'll probably finish the series!! <3
[But just for a moment, I close my eyes, lean into his touch, and remember what it was like when it was just the two of us against the night.] -
3.25 stars ⭐️
⤷ spoilers ahead!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
“Mind your mettle.”
the first 30% of the book was really promising. the plot was intriguing and i loved the main characters (tessa, corrick, quint, and harristan), but the story began to drag and it kept going in endless circles 😭 the rebels were pretty annoying and ungrateful too ngl, and despite understanding their perspective, i couldn’t forgive them for what they did to corrick. my heart ached for him throughout the book and he deserved so much better 💔 i also figured out allisander sallister was funding the rebels, so the revelation at the end wasn’t surprising 🤷🏻♀️
overall, the book had a lot of potential and i really wanted to love it, but i didn’t 🥲 i truly hope
defend the dawn is better 🤞🏻
pre-read:
i’ve been wanting to start this series for a while now yet i know absolutely nothing about it… 🫣
br with
tanu 💜 -
4.5⭐️
Now how the hell am I supposed to wait till September?
I love how the synopsis barely gives anything away so I’ll try to do the same. The kingdom of Kandala is suffering from sickness and the only cure is not enough for everyone. It’s usually a certain class of people that can usually afford it, and this makes Tessa really mad. She and her best friend Wes steal some and give it to those who need it, something that her parents also did. After some events, she finds herself in the palace. There in the palace live the king and his cruel brother, the king’s justice. I know. This is already sounding so interesting right?
The twists come in right in the early chapters, which was great! Because you know that feeling when you feel like a book is going to be predictable? Yep! I thought I knew what was going to happen but events were not always as I expected.
We learn a lot about these characters. We do get both the prince and Tessa’s points of view, and I found the prince to be the more interesting character. He is known for not giving mercy to people who rebel against the kingdom, but is there more to him? I loved his relationship with his brother. Their parents died, and since then, the only people they really trust are each other. I love a good brother bond plot. Tessa is really smart and throughout the story, she learns more about the sickness and how she can help. Her father was an apothecary so she learned a lot since childhood.
This one was definitely darker than expected, not incredibly dark, but still darker than expected. I enjoyed the sexual tension between some of these characters. Not too slow burn and not too “instant” love.
The ending was great. We still have some problems to solve though, and I really can’t wait to read the next book. I really hope the second book is just as good or better!! -
4.5 ★
Tessa is an apothecary who is determined to distribute an elixir to the less fortunate in order to help cure this mysterious sickness that’s swept across the kingdom of Kandala.. then we have Corrick— the prince and his brother Harristan’s (the kings) justice. their paths cross in more ways than i originally thought at first and i ended up liking both of them, both together and apart. i thought the moral dilemmas and all the grey area in between were executed well. i also just adored the romance and thought they were so cute together🫶🏽.
“True strength is not determined by how brutal you can be,” she says, and her tone is still quiet, but full of steel. “True leadership is not determined by killing those who oppose you.”
im keeping this short cause it’d be hard not to spoil with the way this story plays out.. but just know i had fun reading this book and it was a great palate cleanser from all the other heavy fantasy i tend to read lol. the writing flowed smoothly too, even when some of the pacing itself could’ve been a bit better. this had just the right amount of intrigue, rebellion and romance to keep me invested and i will 100% be continuing the series. -
sigh.....
this whole book for me was empty head, no thoughts, not even good vibes.
watch my recent reads video here for my full thoughts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myv3U...
2 STARS
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This book is a beautiful edition that came in my Fairyloot box. It has purple stained edges and a purple ribbon. I might show it later.
Anywayyyyyy, I’m going to leave this at a 4. I’m on the edge because her last trilogy I was moving until the last book. I mean I gave it a three star which isn’t bad, but I traded those Fairyloot editions in to. the used bookstore and I’m hoping this isn’t going to happen with this trilogy 🤨
Fingers crossed!
Mel 🐶🖤🐺🐾 -
ⓘ ✧ 4.5 stars
─ ﹒ 01.30.24 𐙚
THIS BOOK? oh my god it was so addictive i literally stayed up till 4am to finish it 😭😭 i usually get bored when i read politics but def not with this one, i was so intrigued!! and the romance ofc was amazing as well, tessa and corrick deserve their happy ending sm <3 i cannot wait to start the next book aaa -
꒰ 4 ⭐ ꒱
aaahhhh what a wild ride!!!!
this was SUCH a great start to a series. the characters and side characters were endearing, the romance was so wholesome (especially because of how devoted corrick was to tessa TwT), and the plot was very engaging and fast-faced! i was pleasantly surprised by the amount of political intrigue that was in this book as well. the conspiracies and politics involved in this world really made for an engaging story (at least for me, because i'm a sucker for political intrigue hehe).
overall, this was so much fun!! and stressful!!
જ⁀➴ 🌺 ┊ pre-read:
in the mood for some good old ya fantasy ^o^ -
I haven’t read a single book that I truly enjoy for about a year now (more or less) and this book is highly disappointing. I didn’t even have any expectations toward the story, but it managed to be this dull. Here are the reasons why I didn’t like this book:
THE PLOT
The plot was so slow and dragging a lot of times. There were so many descriptions and informations; but honestly I couldn’t care less about them. Perhaps it’s because it’s info-dumping or perhaps it’s because I was extremely bored reading it. I also skimmed reading it and frankly speaking, the course of the story and ending weren’t exciting at all. I wasn’t even intrigued or had a slight of curiosity for how the book ended. I just finished it because I bought for it and I tried not to waste my money. Lol.
THE CHARACTERS
My God, the characters were AWFUL. TERRIBLE. The book is narrated in two point of views and they’re all horrendously dull. It’s been a while since I truly loathed a main character and the female character managed to pull it off since the beginning of the story. I couldn’t stand her at all. There’s no problem in having weaknesses or being sensitive person. But this female character which I forget the name cried for all sorts of strange things and it happened a lot. She’s also stubborn in a foolish and dangerous way. I honestly don’t get what’s going on inside of her head. She couldn’t think logically based on reasons, pros and cons. Wow.
The love interest was slight better. Slightly. He wasn’t annoying. I didn’t loath him. But still he’s such a bore. Not exciting at all. At first I pretty enjoyed reading his point of view but then around the middle of the book I just didn’t care about his POV any longer lol. He’s just not remarkable at all. The personality and the characterization weren’t interesting.
THE ROMANCE
Don’t get me started on the romance. I loathed the female character and the male character was so dull. I couldn’t stand both of them and I honestly didn’t understand how the love interest actually liked the main character? Like how? She didn’t think logically. She’s foolish. She’s annoying.
REASONS I LIKED THIS BOOK:
NONE. I HATE THIS. I WASTED THE TIME OF MY LIFE READING THIS. What is it with me and terrible books? I seem to read unenjoyable books most of the time. It seems like a curse at this point. 🙂 -
4 ⭐️
This was a really enjoyable fantasy read!! 🤩🤩 Lots of political intrigue, a super interesting storyline + a romance subplot- it was a great time! 💜💜🫶🫶
“Mind your mettle, Tessa.”
Defy the Night follows our two mc Tessa and Prince Corrick, who live in a kingdom plagued by a deadly illness. Tessa is an outlaw who steals medicine from the rich to give to the poor along with the mysterious Weston. Prince Corrick is the King's Justice, ruling over the people with an iron fist. Tensions in the kingdom are at a deadly high, with rebellion threatening to destroy everything. In order to save her people, Tessa will have to infiltrate the palace- and maybe even work with the very people she was intending to destroy.
“A spark of rebellion is all it takes to defy the night.”
I've had my eye on this series for a while- it's always seemed so intriguing- and I'm really glad I finally gave it a try!! 💜💜 This was such an entertaining fantasy book and a great start to a series 🫶
Starting with the characters- I liked them! ✨️ They were definitely not my fav characters ever or anything, but I feel like I did connect to them. I really sympathized with Tessa- she's been through a lot and is doing everything to try and help her people 🥰🥰 I also enjoyed seeing her development throughout this story. Corrick was honestly a super interesting character to follow- although he seems so cruel at first, he definitely has a lot of layers. I thought the author did his development really well! 🤩🤩 They were both solid mcs and I enjoyed getting both of their povs 🫶
I also really enjoyed both the writing and plot ✨️ Brigid Kemmerer has a really enjoyable writing style- it's super easy and enjoyable to read, but also has a lot of depth. The plot of this book was super interesting- there was a ton of action and also lots of political intrigue. The politics were really well done while not being confusing, which I appreciated 🥰 The ending also wrapped things up in a very satisfying way so I think this could be read as a standalone, although I definitely plan on continuing the series ✨️
“When there are calls for revolution,” I say to him, “we should be riding at the front, not hiding in the shadows.”
Lastly, the romance- which I did enjoy!! 🫶🫶 It wasn't my fav romance ever, but I thought the chemistry between Tessa and Corrick was done really well and there was a lot of tension! 🤩🤩 They had a little bit of an enemies to lovers thing going on (which I'm always down for) but also a really interesting dynamic to their relationship, which I can't really explain without spoilers. They definitely had some good scenes and overall, a cute little romance subplot 💜💜
“He looks like revolution. He looks like compassion. Blue eyes and gentle hands and quick feet and a core of strength and steel.”
Overall, really enjoyed this!! 🤩🤩 I would definitely recommend if you want:
✔ Great writing
✔ Political intrigue
✔ Solid romance subplot
✔ Enjoyable fantasy read
I'm really excited to pick up the sequel! 🫶🫶💜💜
《 2023 Challenge: Book 97 of 110 》
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really enjoyed this!! 🤩🤩 Such a great fantasy read- really interesting political intrigue, great writing and a pretty good romance! I had a great time 💜💜
RTC! -
Jan 2023: Re-reading to prep for when I pick up the sequel sometime soon! Still as good as I remember.
-------------------
This was absolutely magnificent! I really did not like Brigid Kemmerer's Cursebreaker series, but I still had high hopes for this new book because of all the great reviews I've been seeing, and it did not disappoint!
✅ THE PREMISE FELT VERY relevant to the state of the world with the current pandemic, but still had a fantastical flare that allowed it to feel fictional and not too similar to the current COVID crisis.
✅ THE ENTIRE CONFLICT and everyone's motives were completely explained and realistic. This is so important to me because I hate when characters are either good or bad "just because".
✅ I LOVED HOW THE BROTHERLY relationship between King Harristan and Prince Corrick was portrayed. It felt so real and so raw. While there was conflict between the two at times, it was still always obvious how much they both cared about each other and their relationship was just so well done.
✅ THE ROMANCE was also incredibly well written. It was small things like pretending to read a book when they were actually just stealing glances at each other that made their crushes so cute and relatable. It was obvious they were both pining for each other, but they had some things to work out before they could be together. Even though the romance wasn't steamy, there was still a lot of heat and tension because of how much you could tell they cared for the other
✅ PRINCE CORRICK DESERVED a big hug 🥺🥺 Seriously, he had so many layers and he is now one of my favorite male characters ever. His internal conflicts were so emotional but relatable that my heart was bleeding alongside his as I read 😥 My bby better be getting a HEA at the end of all this!
Overall, this book exceeded my expectations in every way possible! I kind of made the mistake of spoiling myself with some of the key twists by reading other reviews, so I tried to keep mine as vague as possible 😅 If you are looking for a book that has emotionally conflicted characters, a good combination of political intrigue and action, and a swoon-worthy romance then you really need to read this book!
Steam Scale: 🔥/5
Swoon Scale: ❤️❤️❤️❤️/5 -
3.5*
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I'm in big trouble if I've started adding books that come out in 2021. -
The things I liked about this book: how compulsively readable it was. the writing and the pacing were good enough to get me through this book.
The things I didn't like about this book: basically everything else.
Soooo, I know that was harsh, but I promise I have good reasons for the last sentence. And I tried to build a complete list of all those reasons.
1. This Is Not a Fantasy. So if you're thinking of reading this book because the idea of Robin Hood in a fantasy setting sounds amazing just wait a minute and let me explain this. There is absolutely no magical element in this book, no magical creature, no magical power, no witches or wizards or anything that would classify this as a Fantasy book. Even the sickness and its cure had no relation to fantastical elements. I think there should be another genre other than fantasy called secondary world stories, or something like that. Because that is what this book is. I know that for some people, when they say fantasy is their favourite genre, what they actually mean is that they like stories about royalties and adventures and quests and rebellions and Great Destinies. So for those people this wouldn't be a problem. But I live for the magical elements, I want to lose myself in magical worlds, I want to see what insanely creative things every author comes up with every time I pick up a fantasy book. And I need to tell you this, if you're like me, you're going to be very disappointed with this book.
2. Corrick this one really hurts because the primary reason I read this book was Prince Corrick. If you know me then you know even the mention of a cruel guy as the point of view character is enough to send me screaming from excitement. In the blurb he's mentioned as this ruthless prince that is willing to do anything to keep his brother in power, and in the book, he's not like that at all. I mean for a while I could believe him as such a character and I was dying for him and Tessa to meet. but after a while it becomes clear that he's just all talk and no show. Now, you could argue that is just a part of his characterisation, that he doesn't like violence and is just pretending to do so because he thinks it's necessary. But then we'll have a new problem, he doesn't even put up a good show for other characters. there's a scene when he has to execute others to show how ruthless he is, another character later on tells him that you looked like you wanted to cry, which is fair and accurate. but the point is that, he's not even convincing enough in front of the exact type of people he wants to convince. Which begs the question, why haven't these brothers been overthrown? they're neither competent enough to keep the elite and their subjects happy, nor cruel enough to keep them afraid. so again, how the hell have they lasted this long?
3. Tessa this is the second book I read from this author and both books had heroines that were super kind and understanding and naive and saw the world through rose-coloured glasses and had no thought about the realities of leadership. Both of them had to face male characters who would explain to them that things aren't as easy as they thought. I'm not going to point fingers here, but if in all of your books the female character is the naive one and the male character is the one who sees the world for what it is, then maybe just maybe you have some internalised issues about gender roles.
4. This world is just very stupid. Here's the thing: there's a limit to my suspension of disbelief and I can't take it when a book asks me to throw away all of my logic and reasoning. there are certain things that just don't happen in real life. For instance, there's a scene of mob violence and the MC can just stop them by asking them kindly. I don't know which world Kemmerer lives in, but in my world you just don't stop mob violence like that. then there's the issue that when the revolution reaches the palace the king tries to stop it and it FUCKING WORKS. yes I've seen leaders trying to calm down revolutions ( with pretty promises, which is what the king does in this book ) when it's loud enough for them to notice it. the chances are that by then whatever they offer is too little too late. and the people have had enough, so it almost never works. By that point the only thing that can stop the revolution is even more violence from the authorities. lastly, there's the issue of incompetence. These brothers are extremely incompetent, so why the fuck the book wants us to root for them? For a looong time Corrick knew that they could cure more people with less medicine, and he's the second most powerful person in the realm, and he is the closest person to the most powerful person, and he chose to do NOTHING about it. I mean he has his excuses, but those are just that: EXCUSES. I'm sorry I can't root for monsters like that. He chose to do nothing about a cure and you want me to root for him?
5. The second twist was incredibly obvious and the fact that the two brothers haven't seen it is just another testament to their incompetence and stupidity. So there's a kind girl who is always advocating for the people, always talking about the fact that people are acting out of desperation because their leaders have failed them and the said leaders need to show them leniency, so you're telling me that girl wasn't the Big Bad our hero thought she was. Instead the Big Bad was the power hungry guy who is constantly trying to put doubt and distance between the two brothers, and is constantly asking them to prove their power and constantly trying to get benefit out of the completely terrible conditions. * gasps * wow just wow, I could never saw that coming. SUCH A GREAT TWIST. you know a twist is good when the guy you always knew was evil turns out to be, *gasps* actually evil.
Now that I'm done ranting, I suppose it's time for me to say some obligatory nice things about the book to avoid coming off too harsh, so here we go: I liked the first twist with Corrick, and I liked the romance in the beginning, and like I said, the book is very readable. But it lost its readability when I saw all the flaws, and I can't ship a couple if I don't like neither of them. So basically, all the good things lost their value by the end of this book.
****
Pre-Review:
I feel like I lost all of my brain cells reading this 🥴 -
FRIENDS TO ENEMIES TO LOVERS. That's a pretty good reason to read this. (👍 ͡❛ ᴗ ͡❛)👍
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Unsure if I feel like this is 3.75 or 4 ⭐️ I really loved most of this book it was a fun YA read. Surprisingly didn’t end on a cliff hanger though?? So I don’t feel a massive urge to pick up the next book but I did love the characters, their banter/dynamic and the overall story was fun
-
Nobody is more surprised at how much I enjoyed this than me. I’ve read the first book in Brigid Kemmerer’s Cursebreakers trilogy,
A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and I did…….not love it. So when
Madison suggested Defy the Night for our Fantasy Frenemies book club I wasn’t sure I would be into it, but I’m so happy to have been proven wrong!
A deadly illness has been ravaging the kingdom of Kandala for years, the single cure being rare Moonflower petals that grow in only a handful of locations. After their parents death, King Harristan and Prince Corrick have been doing their best to deal with the contagion, though the cracks in their hold seem to be showing. Nobody knows how it’s spread, only the rich and powerful have access to treatment and the leaders of the two sectors that supply the flower are constantly at odds with the rest of the realm. And on top of the political and logistical tensions, there has been an uptick in smuggling of the precious petals….and whispers of rebellion amongst the common folks.
There’s also people like Tessa and her partner Wes, who steal and redistribute the life-saving elixirs to people with the least means who need it the most. They may not be smugglers, but the ruthless crown under the iron grip of Prince Corrick, the King’s Justice, makes no distinction between stealing for profit or survival. But desperate people make desperate choices, and after Tessa suddenly finds herself on her own there’s even fewer options for this apothecary turned Robin Hood if she wants to keep providing relief for her people.
I did go back and read my
A Curse So Dark and Lonely review to try pick out some of the differences between my experiences with the two. And wow, I forgot how mad I was after reading that book. My biggest issue seemed to be the two main characters, namely that the male love interest was terrible and irredeemable and the female lead was a typical ‘nOt LiKe OtHeR gIrLs’ protagonist. I’m also going to throw out there that I hate Beauty and the Beast retellings so that may not be entirely on the author.
I think, though, if you’re someone who had issues similar to me then you’re probably going to like Defy the Night much better. One of the most interesting things about Tessa Cade is just how common she is. There’s nothing ‘special’ about her in a fantastical chosen-one sense, she just deeply cares about other people. She sort of fell into the life she’s living through circumstance and having limited options, but does absolutely everything in her power to help her community that’s struggling. In this way she’s so much more relatable than some vague description of intangible superiority I’ve seen attached to other young, female main characters. *See: Harper (ACSDAL), Bella (Twilight), Feyre (ACOTAR), etc*
And as far as love interests go, I’m not going to spoil anything here, but I will say that while there’s some moral greyness the character is not irredeemable. I think Kemmerer does a good job generally at writing each character in a way that is easy to, if not sympathize with, then at least understand where they’re coming from. Personally I found a few of the issues described that the king, prince and nobility were having to be a little, ehm, whiney in comparison to what the rest of the populace was dealing with. Harristan in particular seemed like a pretty lame king if he wasn’t allowed to *seize* things during an epidemic in his country. (even the US army could, like, march into Nebraska and take all their corn if it cured COVID so???? idk)
I enjoyed the romance in this book much more than Harper and Rhen in Cursebreakers, not like that was a super high bar to clear, but still. I bought into the struggle Tessa was having reconciling her past with her present and thought the relationship she has in this book was well-developed. And okay, I’ve got one petty complaint I’ll put under spoiler tags
Overall, I loved this. It’s not a perfect book, and I’ve liked other ones more this year, but it was still a great read. I am so excited for the next in the series and clearly any misgivings I had about Kemmerer’s last book are more about that specific story and not her as an author. I love seeing how much her storytelling and characters have evolved with her as time has gone on and am expecting the sequel to be even better!
*Thanks to Bloomsbury YA for an advance review copy!
**For more book talk & reviews,
follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks! -
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Rating: 3.5 stars
'Defy the Night' presents an entertaining blend of political intrigue and romance, although the character-driven storyline is fairly simple.
Similar read: The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford
Cover: 🌟🌟🌟
This design does not really stand out to me, except for the striking gothic title font. Still, the purple flowers in the background are central to the story, and the red sparks on the sides hint at the danger the main characters face.
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟.5
The simple writing effortlessly drew me into this story and smoothly established the world and characters. However, I struggled to find the limited scope of the world and the generic theme of classism captivating.
"True strength is not determined by how brutal you can be"
Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟.5
The character-driven storyline delves into the struggles of the main characters as they navigate injustice, political intrigue, and a budding romance. Despite some surprising twists and bursts of action, the pace seemed relatively slow due to the characters' internal reflections. The storyline ultimately picked up in the final third as moments of action led to a tense climax and satisfying (but slightly convenient) ending.
Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Tessa's sweet and caring personality made her character easy to like but somewhat cliche and unmemorable. However, some depth is given to her character through the growth she experiences once thrust into the complex political landscape. On the other hand, Prince Corrick's unwavering loyalty and complexity won me over, despite the tropes used for his tragic backstory and anti-hero characterisation.
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟
I loved the deep brotherly bond between Corrick and Harristan, as it was rooted in a tough shared history and felt so genuine and heartwarming. A few other secondary characters stood out due to their contributions to the storyline and ties to Corrick, but the heavy focus on the main characters limited the depth given to these characters.
"hope can be powerful, but it’s worthless without action."
Romance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The connection and chemistry between the main characters were well-shown and undeniable. Their many cute moments surprisingly made me smile and not cringe despite relying on several tropes.
Narration & Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Christopher Ragland and Lexie McDougall narrate Corrick's and Tessa's points of view, smoothing these narrative transitions in the audiobook. Their natural inflexions and subtle character voices also added to the listening experience. I only wished they had conveyed more of the dynamics and emotions within the story. -
So good!
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5/5★
I can’t believe I’ve been putting this book off for so long!! This was literally sooooo good and brought back into my fantasy mood! It gave everything it needed to give and more and I’m more than pleased on how this book and its plot was executed!
Sadly, I can’t talk too much about the plot because of how many amazing and unexpected twists and turns it had and I most definitely don’t want to spoil anyone who hasn’t read the book. But let’s just say that it is.. INSANELY ADDICTIVE and AMAZING!!
Istg there was never a boring moment whatsoever. Everything was just so well involved into the plot and storyline. Even the political part of the world building (which I’m normally not a fan of) was executed in a way that actually had me invested in its system!!
Besides that, the characters were all also so well written! Especially Corrick and Harristan! These two… gosh I LOVE THEM!!! I loved learning about their backstory and how everything evolved the way it did and how they turned out the way they did. Specifically, Corrick.
I’ve never related to a main male character this much before! I absolutely adore him. His way of thinking and how he acts is just so relatable to me and I totally get why he ended up doing certain things that would be considered rather immoral. I just love him so much. He’s complex, interesting, deep and so much more. Fr couldn’t get enough of him!!
The FMC Tessa is also such a sweet soul. She’s fr an angel and I love how strong and intelligent she is. Although, I feel like we’re still missing a bit of background knowledge of her past, so I hope that the next book will provide us more of that!
What I loved the most about this book was obviously the romance!! The love story in this book was just *chef’s kiss*!!! Friends/Allies to enemies to lovers?!?! Ugh.. I’m deceased!!! The grovelling and betrayal in this book?!?! I’m on my KNEES!!! The chemistry and tension??? So fucking goooooood!!! I can’t wait to hopefully see more of it in book 2! I NEED more!!
And like I already mentioned, the plot in this book was also so interesting! With the decease and political issues in this world, there was never a dull moment. The world building was also really well done and you could immediately catch up with things!
However, while I did love the ending, I’m kinda confused on how book 2 will continue. This book kinda felt like a stand-alone, so I’m very intrigued on how things will proceed in the next one! Hopefully, we’ll get even more romantic moments between our main couple and perhaps a bit more depth about Harristan’s character.
Overall, so glad that I finally picked this book up! It definitely did not disappoint and I can’t wait to continue reading about these characters and this universe! -
No blurb, no cover, no problem. YA Fantasy and Brigid Kemmerer is apparently all I need ?
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4.5 stars
When you reaaaaalllllyyyy want the person you like to make a move and then you realize they probably won't because:
1. They're not a royal in disguise
2. You aren't in the midst of a kingdom-wide rebellion
3. You aren't extremely wounded by rebellious officers trying to take out the monarchy and they probably aren't extremely wounded either
*please read this book now because this was so good* -
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This book was more remarkable than I expected it. It's the first book of Brigid that I read, and I'm positively surprised.
I didn't start this book earlier because I was wary about the virus theme, since it reminded me of coronavirus, but it was still cheery and captivating enough to compare the virus in the book with coronavirus, thus comparing the situation in the book to the reality we've been through to better understand the plot and the character's motives/feelings, without dwelling in the negative parts of it.
The pace is correct and steady during the whole book, and the world building is incredibly well-written and broad without losing the reader's attention.
I love how Brigid's prose is full of detail about the vast but interesting world, the complexity of the situation and the realistic characters without entering into tedious infodumping
Tessa, Corrick and Harristan are remarkable characters anyone could relate to at some point , but so it is with other more secondary characters, like Karri, Jossalyn or Lochlan, that are deep and round in terms of personality too.
Brigid has the talent to portray the convoluted emotions of unique, round and complex characters in a way that the reader can understand easily, without telling too much and showing exactly what's needed.
The romance was quite strong in this book, accurately depicted and not rushed, demonstrating the deeper, prettier and more pure meaning beyond it besides the superficial looks and infatuation, the evolution the characters in love suffer through the ups and downs of friendship, animosity and a possible courtship (so swoon worthy during many scenes). Basically, it is one of the best elaborated slow-burn romances I've ever read, I want to see how it will still develop in Defend The Dawn.
Brigid has the magic to turn things that would normally bore the readers into captivating elements of the story. I tend to avoid political books, even if I'm interested in politics, due to the extreme political discourse that plagues media and makes me want to avoid discussion, but this story weaves politics around the plot in a way that everyone, regardless of age, can enjoy and reflect while being entertained by the action, the mystery, the humor, the romance and the characters in general, in a youthful and approachable way. We can see the differences between social classes and their priorities while not being weighed down by it, but having hope for a better Kandala.
Brigid reminds us to open our minds to different perspectives apart from our own, since the lack of perspective will blind us and prevent us from seeing the whole picture, the significant piece that will aid in the solution of the problems the people of Kandala suffer, if we also add compassion, respect and equity to the equation.
The revelation wasn't so surprising but well justified. The ending, an elaborated and good comma for all the problems to finally be solved in the second book.
What can I say more? This book was fascinating and I can't wait to read the continuation. 5 ⭐️ -
Actual rating: 3.5 (rounded down—and maybe subject to change?)
Many thanks to Bloomsbury Children’s Books and NetGalley for providing me this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.
First thing’s first: this was a very quick read for a 500 page book! I was surprised at how fast I got through it. It’s one of those rare books that keeps you reading long into the night, and well past the time you said “Just one more chapter.”
The big plot twist you can see coming from a mile away. I had a thought—for an excited, fleeting moment—that the author would give us a double fake-out… but no. Another downside was that this felt a little like ‘been there, done that’ in terms of characters, story, and dialogue. It’s not the author’s fault, though. The YA Fantasy genre is oversaturated, to the point where tropes and cliché have made it incestuous.
In terms of characters… well, they were fine. Really. I didn’t grasp anything nuanced or surprising here. I get it, though: Corrick, the morally grey Prince (who I am sure will have people fangirling, fanboying, and fantheying—I will not be one of them!), and Tessa, the bleeding heart apothecary. I’ve encountered these characters many times before. Nothing new to see here. I think my favorite characters were King Harristan and Quint.
I wish the romantic aspects were less obvious (and less frequent!). This is coming from me, though: Someone who doesn’t care much for romance in literature to begin with. In this instance, with Defy the Night, everything about the romance was trope-y and expected. I will never not roll my eyes at a female character “gasping” or blushing when a male character takes his shirt off, or a male character left speechless mid-sentence when a female character enters a ballroom with her hair done up… or some sappy sh*t like that (which happens quite a bit in this book).
I so wish there had been a map of Kandala! The surrounding territories are mentioned a LOT, and I wanted a visual representation of the geography of this world. This being an ARC, I’m thinking it wasn’t ready (maybe?)? I’m hoping there’s one provided in the finished copy.
All that aside, I was all-in on the political intrigue, violence, and (surprisingly) socially-relevant themes. I like it when a YA titles veers more towards the “adult” side of the genre. I don’t really know where the story will go from here… it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, which is a nice change of pace, but it did end in a very saccharine way, which I didn’t like (again, I’m a curmudgeon when it comes to romance and lovey-dovey passages). We shall see, I guess. I’m 60% sure I’ll read the next in series.
*side note*
There’s another review out there that stole some of the language, ideas, and syntax from my review here. It might not be blatantly obvious to some, but if you spend as long as I do on my reviews, you’d know when your words are being plagiarized by another. It’s unfortunate, but Goodreads is notorious for plagiarism.
