Series: Defy the Night #1
Published by Bloomsbury YA on September 14, 2021
Source: Publisher
Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy & Magic, Young Adult
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A spark of rebellion is all it takes to DEFY THE NIGHT.
In a kingdom where sickness stalks the streets and only the richest can afford a cure, King Harristan and his brother Prince Corrick are forced to rule with an iron fist.
Tessa Cade is a masked outlaw marked for death, but she likes it that way. Together with the mysterious, handsome Weston, she robs from the rich to help the poor, distributing food and medicine to those who need it most.
As 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 . and force her to work with the very people she intended to destroy.
From New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer comes a brand-new blockbuster fantasy series about a corrupt kingdom, a star-crossed romance and a girl who will do anything for justice.
After reading and loving A Curse So Dark and Lonely, I was excited for a brand new fantasy series by Brigid Kemmerer. Even though it references a deadly plague spreading through the kingdom, and the cure distributed on the black market – something that eerily reflects the current environment we live in of COVID19.
There’s just something so addictive about her writing and the worlds that she creates, and I really enjoyed this debut!
Here’s 5 Things I Enjoyed in Defy the Night
1. A Robin Hood origin story
I really enjoyed the Robin Hood-esque premise, where Tessa and Wes who are outlaws, steal the rare moonflower from the rich and privileged and distribute it to the poor. There’s always something intriguing about why they choose to do this to balance the power set up by the royal system. The kingdoms and the people who hold power over certain territories who have moonflower growing in abundance was also explained really well, especially when you need to cater towards the rulers of those territories.
2. Tessa is a brave, strong heroine
I loved Tessa’s character in Defy the Night, she’s an outlaw, driven by emotion and also incredibly brave risking herself to tend to people other than herself.
3. Young royals
Prince Corrick, as the King’s justice is known for cruelty and executions. His brother, King Harristan is a young but also a fair ruler. This doesn’t mean people don’t constantly try to take advantage of their age and experience. I really enjoyed hearing about their close sibling dynamic behind closed doors, and also how the rest of the Kingdom views them – as harsh, cruel rulers who are causing the injustice of the plague. They are very much the victim of their circumstances, especially when controlled by the politicians around them and the continual rebels who challenge the safety of their rule.
4. The chemistry between the two leads
Brigid Kemmerer is great at creating intriguing relationships between her two main characters, and there was definitely a lot of chemistry here! I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s not quite friends to lovers, not quite hate to love, but rather something in between. And I was totally here for it, particularly since we got to see both character point of views.
5. Plot twists galore
There’s one particular plot twist that happens in the book that makes it all the more intriguing to read about, and I loved it so much!
Defy the Night is an enjoyable start of a new YA fantasy series featuring royals, outlaws, a mysterious cure and lots of plot twists and romantic chemistry. I’m definitely looking forward the sequel!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Thanks to Bloomsbury Australia for sending me a review copy.
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