| Title | : | Defend the Dawn (Defy the Night, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781547610082 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 496 |
| Publication | : | First published September 20, 2022 |
The kingdom of Kandala narrowly avoided catastrophe, but the embers of revolution still simmer. While King Harristan seeks a new way to lead, Tessa and Prince Corrick attempt to foster unity between rebels and royals.
But the consuls who control the Moonflower will not back down, and Corrick realizes he must find a new source for the lifesaving Elixir.
When an emissary from the neighboring kingdom of Ostriary arrives with an intriguing offer, Tessa and Corrick set out on an uncertain journey as they attempt to mend their own fractured relationship.
This could be their only chance to keep the peace and bring relief to the people of Kandala, but danger strikes during the journey to Ostriary, and no one is who they seemed to be...
Defend the Dawn (Defy the Night, #2) Reviews
-
Arghhhhhhhh! Oh my goodness! I’m screaming!!! This is not fair!That cliffhanger tore my heart apart! I need to know what’s gonna happen next! How will survive without knowing my favorite characters are safe and sound!
If you read the “Defy the night” and enjoyed it, the sequel guaranteed to blow your mind! It’s surpassed my entire expectations! This is MAGNIFICENT! Even better and five gazillion stars worthy reading!
It’s good to see Tessa and Corrick back! But this book is more than moonflowers and their healing powers or cold-hot relationship of Tessa and Corrick or intimate bound between Corrick and Harristan! In this sequel: knives out and ship ahoy: so many twists, action packed chapters taking your breath away!
The story opens by introducing a new vigilante/ brand new OUTLAW named Fox leaving silver coins at people’s door. Who is this new hero? Before we plotting our theories, we return back to kingdom where Harristan still negotiates with the counsils and rebels at the same meeting with the help of prince Corrick!
It seems like Lochlan leading the rebels and he still doesn’t believe king’s intentions to deliver medicine equally.
They need to find new sources of moonflowers to prevent any other imminent attack. An unexpected visit of an emissary from neighboring kingdom Ostiary might be answer to their big predicament. Captain Blackmore inherited the ship from his father, a spy offering extra moon flower sources in exchange of steel Ostiary needs to rebuild their kingdom.
He offers them to travel with him to Ostiary as a proof of his loyalty. Corrick has doubts about Blackmore’s intentions and he doesn’t want to leave his brother vulnerable. But new source for elixir will help to heal more people and prevent the inner conflicts inside kingdom.
Lochlan also is on the ship alongside three guards as a goodwill of Harristan even though Lochlan thinks this is a trap to kill him and throw his corpse to the sea.
Tessa will join the journey to check the quality of moon flowers to produce more elixir. She has complex feelings about Corrick, still missing outlaw Wes she fell for and she thinks king’s ruthless justice is not the man she loved.
Captain Blackmore and Lochlan already warned her about Corrick’s cruelty and gave her second thoughts to trust Corrick completely. This journey will threat everything they worked for and threaten the entire peace of the kingdom as the betrayals and lies start to come out!
The tension is rising. Things get heated and escalated at each chapter. You read the last third as your heart is on your throat! It’s so tense, action packed, shocking! I just jumped up and down! Hyperventilated!
And the ending, those last words….this is torture… how a normal human being can patiently wait for at least one year to read the next book! Have a mercy on us dear Brigid Kemmerer and bring us a new book ASAP!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury US Children’s Books, Bloomsbury YA for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts. -
i love BK, but i have never thought that writing sequels is her strength. her talents definitely lay in creating new worlds and developing new characters in self-contained stories. ive always thought that every first book in each of her series would have been remarkable standalones,
and this series is no different.
the overall storyline is so nearly wrapped up by the end of ‘defy the night’ that i was curious how everything would progress. and, while i did enjoy this book, i do think its no where near as good as its predecessor. and im so worried that this is going to fall under the same demise that the cursebreakers series did, where the second and third books feel separate/detached from the first book.
i will say that, at this point, the characters still feel the same and i love how their complexity/depth really shine in this installment. the writing is also still as easy-going and bingeable, and the world-building feels consistent and familiar. its just that the plot feels like a spin-off of the events of the first book, rather than a continuation, if that makes sense (even though i do think the pirate adventure is fun).
but knowing BKs track record when it comes to how she develops a series, i shouldnt really be surprised by these things. and knowing my own track record, it shouldnt come as a surprise when i continue to read all of her books, even when i know theres potential to be disappointed later on. i still have my fingers crossed!
↠ 4 stars -
I'm glad I wrote a review for the last book because I genuinely forgot how I felt about it. It seemed like I enjoyed the last book very much and it’s safe to say I liked this a tad bit less.
This was still a very worth-my-time read. Things that this book had that got me hooked were the twists (not super twisty though) and the tension between Corrick and Tessa. For a minute it did feel like nothing was happening but it did pick up somewhere more than halfway through the book.
I also really enjoyed more of the exploration of the bond between Corrick and Harristan. I don’t remember much about this bond in the last book but I definitely felt it here. I also really enjoyed Corrick and Tessa’s growing relationship in this one. Sometimes this kind of drama can lean towards the unnecessary side, but I found their tension very realistic because there was still way more they needed to know about each other.
There were also introductions to new characters that I didn’t feel were necessary at first. However, they helped reveal some things that needed to be known. I really like that we didn’t dramatically change the old characters, especially Corrick. They are still perfectly imperfect.
I didn’t see a third book but there was so much happening in the ending and I thought a lot of it was going to be rushed to give it an "ending". Obviously, with that ending, we need to get the third book. SOON! -
The fact that I’ve rated every single Kemmerer book I’ve read 5 stars says something.
Also rude of you to leave me on that cliffhanger ✋🏼 I NEED TO KNOW WHATS GONNA HAPPEN.
This book is set on a ship/boat(?), which I was honestly skeptical of at first. But I ended up loving it. It was definitely not as fast paced as the first book, but I still loved it non the less.
I don’t think I’ve ever smiled as much as I did while reading this book. I even shed a tear or two. It was an emotional roller coaster.
The way this book ended was *chefs kiss* if you ask me. It’s a perfect set up for the next book (if there is one) in my opinion.
I love all the main characters so much, they will always have a special place in my heart 🫶🏼
Thank you Brigid so much for sending me an ARC of the book!! -
THE COVER IS SO PRETTY AHHH
-
So for the first half of this book, I was not loving it, but the second half definitely redeemed itself for me 🥰
🆗 I THOUGHT THE PACING was a bit slower at the beginning? Like it was a lot of political maneuvering and scheming - it was still exciting, but felt more like a setup for the second half of the book.
❌ MY BIGGEST COMPLAINT was the tension and issues between Tessa and Corrick. So much drama and miscommunication. I particularly loved them as a couple in the first book because they seemed so supportive of each other, so seeing them devolve into this was frustrating for me for a large portion of the book.
✅ I ACTUALLY PREDICTED a lot of the twists 🙈🙈 But nonetheless, I still found it highly entertaining, and predicting the twists didn't make me enjoy it any less! Definitely a testament to the amazing writing.
✅ THE POLITIVAL MANEUVERING and scheming in this was top-notch! Seriously, Brigid Kemmerer feels like a genius for coming up with this 😆 Especially in the second half of the book, I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for everything to connect and come together.
Overall, this book was a fantastic sequel and I highly recommend reading this series if you want a complex fantasy world with lots of scheming and twists. And the ending was crazzyyyyyyy 😳 It was amazing, but how I am supposed to sit here and just wait when the next book doesn't even have a release date yet 😭😭 -
3.5 stars
Choices never seem like choices when the world only offers us bad ones.
I am distraught.
-over that ending
-over Corrick + Tessa
-over the plot twist(s)
-over the entire book in general 😓
Defy the Night was so well done in its entirety, but this book just felt confused. It didn’t even feel like a full book.
Filler, filler, romance, filler, filler, filler, a tiny resemblance to an actual plot, filler, filler, filler, filler, more romance, filler, filler, filler, and a totally action-packed and lowkey confusing last 15%.
But it wasn’t boring.
Looking back, I can tell how much filler there was. But somehow, it never dragged. I flew right through it, except I was basically waiting the entire time for it to ✨start✨. But it never did. But it was never boring.
It seriously didn’t even feel like an actual book?? At least, not a high fantasy. Maybe just a romance.
Maybe Brigid Kemmerer should have just cut out any attempts to make it a fantasy and just be a romance with very complex characters, because that’s basically what this book is anyways.
Speaking of the characters!
I absolutely adored Corrick in this book. He was adorable and misunderstood and I felt so heartbroken over him I just wanted to give him the biggest hug and tell him that he’s loved <3
Tessa was being a bit annoying and was letting herself be swayed by everyone who told her their opinions rather than form her own opinions. Listening to other people who knew nothing about the situation was what caused all the drama that took up hundreds of pages.
And what were all those boring chapters in Harristan’s POV? They were totally random and sooo boring.
I was hoping for the plot to take place in Ostriary, Tessa and Corrick negotiating for the Moonflower. Instead, they spent the entire book on the ship. Having conversations. Being confused. Trying not to punch people (at least in Corrick’s POV).Kissing.There weren’t even any pirates!! *riots*
It wasn’t boring though. Like I said.
3.5 stars because it was super enjoyable for no reason (i.e. there wasn’t even a plot). Happy reading! 💛✨
”I don’t deserve to be treated like a secret.” -
Sigh.
This book would’ve been so much better if Tessa weren’t in it.
In the first installment i had no issue with her whatsoever . She seemed useful and like an asset. In this book she comes off as a liability who is naïve ,annoying & continues to think everything is about her when people are literally dying.
"He takes a step closer to me, and I hold my breath. I half
expect him to ask for something just aggravate Corrick. A kiss
An hour alone. An embrace.”
GIRL. Nobody is thinking about that rn.
Not much happens for the first half of this book. The end is eventful but not enough to make me bump it up a star.
I think the strongest part of this book is the King Harriston & Corricks brotherhood. I actually did enjoy that & i think they should focus more on that in book 3 rather than the romance between Tessa and Corrick because it seems forced & I genuinely do not care about that. I actually found the OTHER relationship more interesting.
I’ll probably read book 3 but honestly Tessa sucks. Boooo -
THAT COVER IS SO GORGEOUS AND THE TITLE!
More Brigid Kemmerer?- YES!
I'm looking forward to more Corrick and Tessa, who knows what Brigid has in store for us.. -
5/5 patronat
Gdzieś w połowie tej książki zapomniałam jak się oddycha.
Tessa i Corrick starają się zaopatrzyć całe królestwo w lek - płatki Księżycowego Kwiatu, negocjując warunki z senatorami. Niczym manna z nieba, z dalekiego królestwa zjawia się ambasador, który proponuje wymianę handlową: lek za stal. Reprezentacja królestwa wsiada więc na statek.
Tak rozpoczyna się kolejna przygoda, tym razem na morzu, na którym znalazło się kilkanaście osób, którym nie można ufać. Tajemnice piętrzą się jak fale oceanu, intrygi zacieśniają się niczym sznury na rei, a napięcie, które jest niczym żagle na wietrze, towarzyszy bohaterom. W końcu, każdy z nich myśli, że znalazł się na pokładzie, by zginąć, doszukując się oszustwa.
Czas podróży to także test relacji Tessy i Corricka. Charyzmatyczny kapitan, który jest wzorem ideałów w oczach Tessy, skrada jej uwagę i oczernia brata króla, na każdym możliwym kroku wytykając mu wady, które są szpilką niezgody między bohaterami, prowokując do rozlewu krwi. Wyobrażenia dziewczyny o oby dwóch adoratorach, przeplatają się, a sama zielarka stara się utrzymać ster swoich uczuć prosto, mimo że w głowach i w sercach tej trójki dzieje się sztorm, który może zakończyć się tylko w jeden sposób: ktoś wyląduje za burtą.
Podczas gdy Corrick i Tessa płyną do drugiego królestwa, w Kandalii pojawia się Lis, który potajemnie przejął ich misję - pomaga mieszkańcom biedniejszych wsi, tym samym dając nam szerszą perspektywę na to, jak sytuacja z dostawami kwiatów i wojną domowa rozwija się pod okiem króla Harristana, który pierwszy raz nie ma przy sobie brata. Jeśli brakowało wam dreszczyku emocji, to Lis wam go zapewni.
Brigid kolejny raz udowodniła, że potrafi prowadzić wartką akcję przez całą książkę, upewniając się, że czytelnik jej nie odłoży, dopóki nie przewinie ostatniej strony i nie krzyknie "gdzie kolejny tom?". -
This was amazing and this entire story gave me so much delightful stress. That cliffhangers was epically brutal and I can’t wait for the next book.
-
4.5 ⭐️
One of my fave things about Brigid’s books is the guaranteed fun I’ll have while reading!! I was as hooked into this as I was with Defy the Night & the only sad thing about reading it this soon is the one year I’ll have to wait on for book 3 BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A BOOK 3!! There has to be with the way this book ended!!
I was ready to throw hands because I got to the second to last chapter thinking THAT was the last chapter and I literally felt panicked 😂
While i found that this was slower in progression, I was soooo invested in the characters that I read through it so quickly. Time literally flew while I was reading this, but that’s a constant with any of Brigid’s books for me. I’ve ended up loving them all because her writing is so easy to get into and I love the multiple POVs and that it’s written in first person.
while I of course love Corrick and Tessa (duhhh this is a given), I also just love the brother bond between Harristan and Corrick!!
GREAT JOB BRIGID I will likely be bugging you now until book 3 is in my hands
Thank you Bloomsbury YA for the ARC! You guys are the best ❤️ -
Alternate title: Corrick Tries Not to Punch Every Other Male Character and Fails.
Alright. I’m a bit bummed with this one, as I sadly didn’t enjoy it as much as Defy the Night, which I loved. I think part of this is due to the fact that some of the relational conflicts that arise between some of the characters felt really childish, pointless, and frustrating.
The plot itself also felt a little too politic-heavy. I actually like royal and political intrigue when it is done well and balanced with adequate amounts of action, romance, or other such subplots. However, I felt the balance was off in this one, and I was unable to enjoy this installment as much as I did the prior book because of it.
➳ 3.5 stars
CONTENT WARNINGS:
Language: A couple uses of d—mm and a—s.
Violence: A few fist-fights; characters are shot with crossbows; mentions of executions; a cannon ball fight occurs between two ships; mentions of war and torture; blood; death.
Alcohol/Addictive Substances: Characters drink wine, brandy, and ale somewhat frequently.
Sexual content: A couple kissing scenes; part of the story’s conflict revolves around rumors of an affair between two characters; frequent sexual implications.
Trigger Warnings: Blood, death, recollection of war. -
i really, really do not like politics
*rtc*
pre-read:
THE COVER IS SO PRETTY OH MY GOD AND WE GET MORE TESSA AND CORRICK
please someone give me an arc. please. im begging you. -
Such a cliffhanger ending! Cannot wait for the third.
-
The heart-stoppingly electric sequel to Defy The Night is just as addictive as its predecessor. With a whirlwind plot and compellingly complex characters I couldn’t get enough of this breathtaking tale of love, duty and revolution.
It immediately follows on from the events of Defy The Night which sees Tessa and Corrick embark on a dangerous journey to source the curative moonflower from a neighbouring Kingdom after an emissary arrives with an intriguing offer.
The embers of revolution continue to simmer in Kandala, with the country still plagued by the dreaded fever sickness but with the supply of it’s only known cure dwindling, the mysterious Kingdom of Ostriary could be the only chance to save the people of Kandala—but it will hold untold danger for both Tessa and Corrick as they navigate perilous waters, confront their feelings for one another and attempt to mend their own fractured relationship.
But danger strikes during the journey, for no one is who they seem to be…
I loved every action packed and plot twisty second of this! It a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish, the world building is phenomenally detailed and the writing just as masterful as the first.
There’s plenty of action in this multi-POV fantasy which alternates between the perspectives of Tessa, Corrick and a mysterious new outlaw whose identity I definitely didn’t see coming!
The relationship between Tessa and Corrick which I loved soo much in Defy The Night, definitely hits a rocky patch as Tessa, conflicted in her feelings for Corrick is still trying to come to terms with his true identity and the rebel boy she fell in love with.
The conflict is definitely exacerbated by the arrival of dashing sea captain, Rian especially with his optimistic views and disparaging opinion of Corrick. He’s very charismatic, confident, and for the most part I really liked him, but at times, he was really annoying—though maybe that’s due to how much I loved Corrick, who he clearly disliked.
Corrick’s actions throughout weren’t much better and it did get a little frustrating watching the angsty, almost love triangle dynamics unfold. I did however enjoy seeing more of Corrick’s brother, Harristan who really came into his own as a character—he definitely felt more fleshed out in this book than he did previously and I can’t wait to see more of him.
The non-stop twists and shocking turns we encounter more than made up for all that angst, as I was absolutely mind blown more than once and my opinions on certain characters (and their motivations) were constantly changing— I definitely spent the last half on the edge of my seat.
Overall, a really enjoyable and thrilling continuation of Defy The Night that fans of Kemmerer’s Cursebreakers trilogy definitely don’t want to miss. If you enjoy plot twisty YA fantasy with a healthy dose of romance then I definitely recommend checking this (and the first book) out.
Also, thanks to Bloomsbury UK and Netgalley for the e-arc. -
THE COVER AHHHHH I WANT IT SO BAD
-
Review very soon... 🌸🌜
-
3.75⭐️
Defend the Dawn tells us a story about the betrayal that the Crown’s facing. We finally get to see from Harristan’s POV. While, I’m delighted to see the way he’s thinking, I wish that the author dig deeper into his personality.
I can say that I spent at least half of the book pissed with Tessa. She’s too easily persuaded. I’m frustrated by how often she rethinks her opinions about Corrick. And while his character is morally gray, she should’ve been smart enough to know that he would never hurt her. But NO. She keeps thinking that she’s afraid of him, he's a bad person, he kills anyone he'd like to, etc. And here I thought that they were already established understanding to each other in the previous book.I stare up at Corrick, whose jaw is tight. I hate that he’s right about so much of it.
But not all of it.
***
I don’t know how we got here. It’s like Weston Lark and Prince Corrick have split into two different people again, as if the friendly, roguish outlaw really is a man who was killed by the cruel prince in front of me.
On the other hand, Corrick is understandably feeling conflicted how to court Tessa — she’s his weakness after all and politic in the court equals nightmare. Even though I really like his character, I have to say that sometimes he annoyed me with his passive aggressive comments towards Rian. Also, I don’t know why, but I could only feel a little chemistry between Corrick and Tessa. Maybe it’s just me🤷🏻♀️“Because the King’s Justice can’t go soft overnight.”
***
I may have fallen in love with Tessa Cade, but as usual, I’m reminded that she didn’t fall in love with Prince Corrick, the King’s Justice.
***
When I was in the palace, it was never easy to be the King’s Justice, but I could count the minutes of my day, knowing eventually the clock hands would crawl toward the early morning hours when I could escape into the Wilds with Tessa.
***
“I don’t think you do. I think you’ve realized that Wes never existed, could never exist, and you’ll never have our adventures back. I think you’ve met a man who could offer more than endless debates in stuffy conference rooms, and you’ve leapt at a new chance to make a difference, because my way was too slow and boring.”
When Corrick and Tessa are away for a diplomatic mission, Harristan tries his brother’s tactic as an outlaw to find any information about the treason that brewing in his kingdom. The author did a great job of giving us a hint of Harristan’s sexuality. I remember how my hope vanished when the first man that caught his eyes died in only two chapters (if I’m not wrong). But I'm pretty sure that there will be someone waiting for him in the near future. Anyways, like I said, Harristan is an interesting character and I’d love to see more about him.I don’t know how Corrick did this for years. Only now do I realize how very much my brother risked. How much guilt he must have carried.
I wish my brother were here.
The story is ended with a cliffhanger and I definitely intrigued to read the next book. With that being said, I felt some of the scenes are a bit underwhelming. -
BRIGID YOU HAVE *GOT* TO BE JOKING
if you or a loved one have had to deal with the emotional fallout from this cliffhanger you may be entitled to financial compensation
—
*Thank you to Bloomsbury YA for the ARC! All opinions are my own.*
GOODNESS WHERE TO BEGIN. Brigid Kemmerer seriously just never lets me down. She continuously delivers on all the tropes I love and is just *clenches fist* SO good at the angst and the tension and the romance and the twisty turny plots!!!
Defy the Night was my favorite book of 2021, so Defend the Dawn was easily my most anticipated release of the year. I FLIPPED when I received the eARC (thanks Bloomsbury!!) and immediately dove in and didn’t stop until it was 3 AM and I was turning the last page. And BOY, THAT ENDING. Absolute chaos.
To be honest not too much happens in this book. It’s very much a “we’re traveling” sequel. They’re on a boat for the majority of the book. BUT I was just having so much freaking fun with everything that was happening (even though my stress levels were also at an all time high) and I tend to like when characters are in close quarters for a long time. I liked the expansion of the worldbuilding but it was definitely a setup for the next book. The characters are always the star of Brigid’s books though, so let’s dive into those!
Tessa & Corrick’s relationship hits EXTREMELY rocky waters (pun intended) in this book. It seemed like every one of the interactions somehow got WORSE and I was flailinggggg. Even MORE angst than in the first book and they both really had to grapple with figuring out where they stand in terms of morals and trust. I love them so much so it was fun to see their relationship evolve!
Side characters were, as always, great. The additional POV chapters were definitely necessary so we could know what was happening outside of Tessa/Corrick, and I enjoyed them. The new addition of the sea crew added A LOT of fun and A LOT of anxiety; my opinions of them were constantly changing (my opinion on Rian flipped DRASTICALLY throughout this) and I really could never guess what their motives were. This book was truly a rollercoaster from start to finish.
I can see how some people might call this a filler sequel, because so much of it really won’t be a factor until the next book, but I love these characters so much that I am just enjoying the journey. I wouldn’t say this is as good as DEFY, but it is definitely a thrilling follow up. -
This was a solid 4,5⭐️ I think it's my favorite Kemmerer book 'till now!
I went into reading this without remembering any of the characters except for Tessa, Corrick, Harristan and Quin. So it was a little hard to get into.🙈
But here me out. I didn't expect much of Defy the Night but I enjoyed it a lot. It hit some really great tropes and I was in love with the twists. I didn't enjoy the serie ACSDAL as much as I wanted to.
✅️ enemies to lovers (kind of)
✅️ secret identity - royal
✅️ scared of their feelings
✅️ multiple POV ❤️
So now for Defend the Dawn. My expactations were high. I loved Corrick/Wes storyline with Tessa. And you get just enough of that! I loved how they searched for a way to be truthful and also the journey for Tessa to learn how to trust Corrick again. Surprise you get another man joining the party and his name is Rian! And oh man, he made an appearance 😳🧐 I didn't trust him fully and how I was right. But you need to find out for yourself. Corrick needed some redemption after all the hateful comments about who he was and who he stands for. He tried (in my opinion) to be better, but it's like in real life, when everyone think you are this super dangerous killer, nothing you do will change their minds. They only see what they want to see. It was hard to read that even Tessa started to believe everything they said about Corrick. I'm glad they made him as strong as he was throughout the book.
The bickering between Corrick and Rian was off the charts. I loved it!😍🥵 It was fun and fast-paced. Two alpha men on one ship, it's about to get down!
You also get more storyline from Harristan. I loved his storyline and how he progressed as a character. He has my heart already 🥰
The ending was great! It was fast with enough plot twists, that surprised me, without being rushed. I can't wait for the next one. I feel like the writing keeps getting better and better after each book. So I'm definitely reading the next one! -
you're telling me I'm going to have to wait an undetermined amount of time for more corrick content?????
-
I am so sad...
Defy the Night was one of my favorite YA reads of 2022, so I was super excited to read Defend the Dawn this year, unfortunately though... this was just nowhere near how good Defy the Night was.
I wanted court politics, rebels, brewing uprisings, backstabbery, looming wars etc. etc.
Instead I got completely unnecessary relationship drama in a journey book (aka the bane of my existence) where both the journey and the drama was dragged ouuuuuttt...
To make it worse, Tessa seemed completely unnecessary in this book? She was just there as a pawn between two guys (aka 2nd bane of my existence - love triangles... although this isn't a legit one of those) and didn't really make any decisions herself.
And lastly, I felt like this book was way too long for what it was. Not saying 430 pages is a long book by any means, but this FELT 150 pages too long for what it gave.
The pure frustration I've felt throughout reading this... Only finished because I'm hoping the third book will make it up to me, but WE WILL SEE.
I did enjoy the "The Outlaw" chapters, but unfortunately there were only 5-6 of those (or something like that) and they were resolved way too quickly.
3/5⭐ -
well that felt like half of a book.
The beginning sets up for this whole big plot and it ended in the middle of it 🥲 I need the next one asap but it doesn’t even have a cover yet 😭😭😭
It was interesting because there was a lot of mental conflict and one on one conflict between two people. This made for pages of dialogue which I felt took up most the book lol.
Overall, I thought it was a good sequel but the first one was better 😌 I LOVEEE Corrick and Tessa sm and it made me happy to read about them again 🤭 but the random povs in Harriston’s pov were kinda meh no offense to Harriston but he’s kind of boring 😂😂😂
Otay that’s all I have to say lol
mwah 👋🏻🥰 -
Good but a little slow. 2nd books seem to fall short pretty often. There just was nothing really resolved at all in this book and it felt like a lot of middle-story ground. I have high hopes the next book in the series will be really good for a read. Especially if it is the conclusion.
I really really wanted Rian to be a good guy the whole time I was reading the book, but like Corrick, I could tell he was hiding something. Obviously, I won't tell you how that went lol. Also, I think I'm developing and Harriston/Quint ship. Just me? -
have i read the first book?
no
am i still excited?
yes -
IMMA NEED BOOK 3 NOW, THANK YOU.
Rating: 3.5⭐️/5
Full review to come… -
This book was such a good read! I had high expectations, considering how much I loved Defy the Night, and this did not disappoint.
The plot of this book did not pick up till the last 50%, but I was alright with that. The first half mainly focuses on some of the political turmoil occurring, and we learn what every character has at stake here. Side characters from the first book have a bigger role, which was nice to see. We are also introduced to a wickedly charming pirate, who seems to be hiding something. The intricacies of all the character dynamics, and how they each interacted with each other differently were so well written. The level of mistrust among the group kept tensions high throughout the whole book, leaving me guessing who I should be rooting for!
In the second half, the book really picks up. All the tension set up in the first half comes to a boil in the last 50%.
No one trusts anyone, alliances are formed, and trust is broken, leading to an explosive cliff-hanger. Kemmerer did a phenomenal job of leaving hints for what is to come in the third book. There was just the right balance of secrets revealed, and secrets hinted at, that are going to leave readers counting down the days till the next book.
What a wonderful second installment in a delightful series!
(review will be posted on Goodreads closer to the release date) -
Gahhh what an incredible sequel! This one was much more politically inclined which normally means slow. This was not slow! Again, I ate this book up and completely binged it. I had to know what was happening at all times! The plot twists threw me for a loop in an exciting way- but I’m also scared for the characters in book 3. It ends on a cliffhanger that nearly ripped my heart out so just be prepared for that. Cannot wait for book 3!
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4.5??? 5????
this exceeded my expectations. THE ENDING!!???? AAAAHHH
