Brigid Kemmerer always knows how to keep me hooked in her stories. She writes books that are hard to put down and beg you to read one more chapter.
A timely story that I don't think was meant to be timely. Tessa and Wes are outlaws who are delivering necessary medicines to the poor people in their sector that have fallen ill due to a sickness that is plagues the kingdom (sound familiar yet?). But when Wes is captured, Tessa must go farther in her quest to help the people. King Harristan and his brother Prince Corrick don't seem to be helping, only hurting the less wealthy people in their kingdom, and Tessa will do what she can to avenge Wes and help her people. Told in alternating perspectives of Tessa and Prince Corrick, readers will be reading as fast as possible to find out what happens!

While the worldbuilding is a bit slow and tedious to start, this book was a showstopping and addicting piece of literature. I loved the characters and the dynamics, the uniqueness of the narrative, and the twists and turns of the plot. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

I enjoyed the first third of the book and slogged through the rest. The Zoro-type rebels-by-night aspect was what I really enjoyed. When that changed, I lost interest.

I received an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I didn't even realize I had been approved for the arc until the day before it's release, but better late than never.

I wasn't sure what to expect because I didn't read the synopsis. I saw the author's name and just knew this would be good. And it was. I was drawn into this world immediately, and I almost never wanted to leave. It is very reminiscent of Robin Hood, in the sense that they steak from the rich. They steal flowers, which I was not expecting, but I really ended up liking.

There were a few parts that felt like could've been developed further, the sickness and such, but overall, it was a really good read and adventure and world. And sometimes the characters didn't feel like they lived up to what I expected them to, but that's probably just more of a me thing.

Thank you Bloomsbury YA Publishing, Netgalley, and Brigid Kemmerer for sending me an eARC to read and review.

"Mind your mettle."

Content Warnings:
- Death
- Illness
- Panic attacks
- PTSD
- Torture
- Violence

This story was a fun adventure! Think of a Robin Hood retelling, except instead of stealing GOLD from the rich, Tessa and Wes steal flowers from the rich. These flowers reminded me of the Sundrop Flower from Tangled since they had the power to heal/ guard against sickness (it is called the exact opposite- "Moonflower"). I feel like the main component in this book, the sickness, was a bit underdeveloped. I questioned if it was contagious or if just sprang up in people erratically. I feel that Harristan should have noticed the rise of cases and dislike for him in society and used common sense to fix them (limit nobility from overbuying petals, give more petals to poor). I admire Tessa because she was ballsy enough to stand up to the royals and distribute elixir to the poor. I also think Tessa is an interesting heroine since she was impulsive - she didn't even have a plan when she entered the castle and was captured.

I knew who Wes really was before she did though. Besides that obvious plot twist, the plot itself and pacing of the story were both amazing! It was well-written and kept my attention the whole time. I didn't want to put this book down. The worldbuilding kept me fully immersed in Kandala too. There wasn't an info dump at the beginning - it was dispersed evenly throughout Act 1. The second plot twist, who the Benefactors really were, was something I predicted as well. It seemed weird to me that only the guy's supply chains were being attacked and the lady returned to her country early.

On the downside, I felt like Tessa was a bit naive, and that Corrick was not ruthless as the synopsis said. He just showed people what they wanted - a villain. Tessa had a too simple view of life. However, I did like the romance between Tessa and Wes. I think Corrick, Tessa, and Harristan could have bonded more since they all lost their parents from one side (royalty assassinated by citizen of Kandala, parents killed by night squad).

Overall though, I enjoyed Defy the Night! Definitely moving the A Curse so Dark and Lonely trilogy up my TBR!

I was pulled into this story from the beginning and enjoyed it so much. From watching Tessa and Wes save people and risk themselves and the very real emotions there. To having the inside look of the Corrick and the life inside the palace. Tessa had all her emotion and heart on her sleeve and just wanted to save the people and those among her. The struggle and tension of the rebellion/betrayals made unlikely allies. I hope to see what they do next in this kingdom.

Mind Your Mettle
I was fresh off gushing about “A Curse so Dark and Lonely” when our Queen Bee surprised me with the opportunity to read the newest upcoming release by Brigid Kemmerer “Defy the Night.” There was not one thing that would have kept me from devouring it as quickly as possible!


Set in times maybe the tiniest reminiscent of current events there is a mysterious sickness ravaging the land. The main ingredient in the treatment is scarce and people are dying. Our main character Tessa and her partner Wes work to steal the much-needed miracle ingredient to brew medicine to distribute to those who are not lucky enough to receive doses provided by the King. They must do so in the middle of the night while avoiding the King’s patrol, or risk meeting a fate similar to Tessa’s parents, Death. After a disastrous night where all their carefully laid plans go wrong Tessa must make a last-ditch effort to get into the palace to continue her work. It is then she is captured by the ruthless King’s Justice (and brother) Prince Corrick, who is known for showing no mercy to those seen to be working against the crown. When she is not immediately punished she discovers that everything she knew was nothing at all. She must continue her work in a different way, and with unexpected help. In a twist I was not expecting we are also given Prince Corrick’s POV which allows us to see the inner workings of royals who were given power far too young and are struggling to maintain peace while doing what they can for their people who desperately need answers.


What I have learned after now reading two of Brigid Kemmerer’s books is that she has absolutely perfected the ability to create meaningful relationships in just a few pages. I was invested in Tessa and Wes’ connection almost immediately and when things went awry my heart broke as if I had been with them through an entire series instead of mere chapters. And though the romance in her books is noteworthy, she was also able to show the multi-faceted relationship between Prince Corrick and King Harriston. The brotherly love they share for each other is unshakeable, but they are not only family they are King and King’s justice, and as such there are obstacles that most never face. The strain is real and secrets are necessary, but they are always revealed in time.


While I have seen that Defy the Night was not based on Robin Hood, this was a captivating take on rob the rich to help the poor. Tessa was a heroine that despite tragedy is able to find the strength to keep going for a cause she believes in. And Prince Corrick is cast as the evil dictator, that has more to him than even he realizes. If you want a fantasy novel that is full of heart, will make you cry and then put you back together I highly recommend Defy the Night!

Tessa Cade is tired of watching people die.

Thank you to Bloomsbury YA and NetGalley for this free digital copy in exchange for my honest review.


She spends her evenings with her mysterious friend, Wes, illegally making moonflower tonics to distribute those who cannot procure it for themselves. Spending their nights navigating the shadows to avoid capture by King Harriston and his feared brother, Prince Corrick, the two friends are a legend among the poorer folk. When Wes disappears, Tessa takes matters in to her own hands. But what she finds in the castle may change everything she believes to be true.

This book kept me up reading all night. The characters are well written with a friends to enemies to lovers twist.

The kingdom of Kandala is on the brink of disaster with a plague running rampant, fighting between sectors, and a royalty who ignores its dying citizens. Tessa Cade's parents were brutally murdered for their work treating the plague with an elixir made from delicate Moonflower petals but she still carries on their work, stealing the precious flowers from the rich and redistributing the medicine to the suffering poor. When her partner is captured, Tessa invades the royal palace with the plan to fix Kandala by destroying it first.

Defying the Night is a great book! Bridgid Kemmerer writes in a way where you are completely hooked from the first line. It is a fun, action-packed, fast-pasted read with characters you will love and love to hate. One of Kemmerer's strengths is her writing of characters. She has a way of giving each character a distinct voice that makes you connect with them, even when you disagree with their decisions. There were so many plot twists and I loved being kept on my toes. This book will tug on your heartstrings. While reading I have screamed in both excitement and disbelief. I would definitely recommend this book to teens.

Review was written by a member of Canton Public Library's Teen Advisory Group - Akaya K., Age 13

I really struggled with this one as it just didn't hold my interest well. I'm pretty sure after this one that the Robin Hood adjacent stories just don't work well for me, though this story had more to it. It was quite predictable, though, which makes it hard for me to want to keep reading to the end.

Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer was an imaginative and original world. I thought it was interesting that she was writing a book dealing with a plague during these times but the idea came before covid. The way you feel about the characters depending which perspective your reading from shows just how good of a writer Brigid Kemmerer is. You really can see that there are always multiple sides to every problem. I loved this world she built and look forward to the next book.

Brigid broke my heart into a million pieces when I found out that her first series A Curse so Dark and Lonely was finished. I fell in love with the world and character she had created!! Defy the Night had blew my expectations out of the water! Dare I say better than A Curse so Dark and Lonely??? Possibly!! This one should not be overlooked

3.5 stars = Good+

I have been a Kemmerer fan since Letters to the Lost and the Elementals series. She always writes engaging characters that will pull me through a story. And that is the case here, too. Sure, parts were predictable and I don't know that anything in the story was surprising. But I was curious enough about the characters to keep turning pages.

But as I kept turning those pages and reading, I found myself wondering what the goal was - for the characters, for the story. I didn't get a great sense of what the main characters were working toward or against. If that piece had felt stronger for me, I would have been sold on keeping with this series. As it stands today, it is iffy if I will pick up the next book when it releases. (Violence)

Defy the Night was a fantastic read. I adored the characters and found their world to be interesting. I love a good Robin Hood-ish story. I look forward to reuniting with Tessa and her comrades in Kandala.

This is the second YA Fantasy book of the year to remind me of why I fell in love with YA to begin with. It never tried to be more than it was, which was a well thought out story about love, people just trying to do their best to survive and how it costs nothing to be kind.

Tessa was the biggest cinnamon roll with an even bigger heart. Every night she would risk her life to bring those who lived in her sector just a bit of the cure that they couldn’t afford. She offered what she could to others while expecting nothing back in return. The girl was smart as a whip, not one to be taken advantage of in the political game she’s been thrust into. I liked seeing her hold her own at court and how she helped to upend the kingdom, making them see things in a new light.

Corrick is unfortunately very well known and not in a good way. As not only the King's brother, but his Justice, he’s done some not so great things to keep the people of Kandala in order. Thrust into power at such a young age after the assassination of their parents, both him and his brother were give quite a crap hand. Sickness has spread throughout the kingdom with only a single antidote and few sources to obtain it. People were dying and desperate, doing anything any everything to survive. I felt so bad for Corrick, his situation seemed impossible and I truly don’t know how else they could have had things play out. Political games were being played and no one was winning, especially not him.

The romance was perfection. From the start you could feel the tension and it definitely delivers. I wasn’t quite sure where it would go since we had two love interests, but it didn’t disappoint. We have some YA approved steamy moments that never got too hot, but nonetheless had me begging for more.

Defy the Night had a few twists and turns that kept me guessing. Right from the start I thought I knew how it would play out, but Kemmerer got me good. The writing was fantastic with the perfect pacing that made me not want to put it down. It combined all of my favorite classic fantasy elements of politics, rebellions and of course romance into a new an exciting series I can’t wait to continue.

I haven’t read the Cursebreakers series, but was eager to pick up Defy the Night because I know Brigid Kemmerer is an author beloved by many and I had high hopes for this book.

I ended up really enjoying myself and if you watched my stories you’ll know that there is a fun plot twist that I DID NOT SEE COMING (but probably should have LOL).

If you’re looking for an exciting, Robin Hood-esque YA fantasy filled with morally grey characters that will keep you on your toes, I think you’ll enjoy this one.

Although some may make comparisons to COVID (because of the deadly fever spreading through the kingdom of Kandala), it was actually written prior to COVID but will certainly be experienced through a different lens by readers because of current events.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for providing an advance copy of this book for review purposes.

Tessa Cade is an apothecary apprentice who spends her nights illegally smuggling an elixir made from Moonflowers to the people of Kendala who are suffering from a mysterious and deadly illness threatening the kingdom of Kendala. King Harriston has chosen his brother, Prince Corrick, to serve as his King Justice, a brutal role in which he is expected to execute anyone who is found committing treason (a.k.a. smuggling Moonflower petals or elixir). When rumors begin spreading that the elixir is no longer working and Prince Corrick’s brutality begins spiraling out of control, Tessa decides to sneak into the palace to find some answers herself but instead find herself with an unexpected ally.

Defy the Night is a rollercoaster of emotions with an abundance of twists and turns. There is mystery, romance, violence, and unexpected friendship. Between the fantastic character development, engaging plot, and beautiful storytelling, this is not a book that readers will find easy to put down.

4.5 Stars rounded up! What a fun read! It took me until about the 25% mark to really get into the story, but once I hit 25% the rest of the novel flew by and was a very enjoyable quick-read! I loved the two POVs and experiencing both Tessa and Corricks stories. It had so many elements of other stories I've loved like the classic Robin Hood and the Delirium trilogy.

It was so interesting to hear in the acknowledgements from Brigid that she wrote this prior to Covid, as it kind of fits with the current state of the world well.

Overall, it's a really solid start to what is sure to be an exciting new YA series! :) Thanks very much to Brigid and NetGalley for the opportunity to read! I can't wait for the sequel.

The Kingdom of Kandala, separated into multiple sectors, is on the brink of collapsing when a deadly virus has been spreading for many years now. King Harristan was appointed after the assassination of his parents, causing young Prince Corrick to step into the role of King's Justice. As the years pass, the bothers have gained the reputation of being ruthless, when it comes to the punishments they bestow on their people when crimes are committed. When people begin thinking that the medicine supplied by the Kingdom, created by Moonflower petals which are limited to certain sectors is no longer effective, this sparks rumors of a rebellion. Tessa Cade, an apothecary apprentice living in the Wilds takes it upon herself, with the help of her masked bestfriend Wes, to deliver medicine to those who can't afford it. When a sudden tragedy occurs, Tessa does the unthinkable and sneaks into the palace in the hopes of finding more elixir to help those in need. She finds more secrets than she expected, and she realizes that things aren't what they seem in the Kingdom of Kandala.

This is my first Brigid Kemmerer book, but I have heard nothing but great things about her writing. I LOVED THIS SO MUCH AND NEED MORE! I believe this is meant to be a retelling of Robin Hood (I may be wrong, but I saw many similarities between these two stories, so I do hope I am right!) I was instantly hooked on these characters and invested in the plot. Although a bit predictable at some points, I found this to be thrilling and action-packed, I read it in one day. There were also twists and turns I did not see coming, so I found the balance of predictability and the unknown to be in the perfect balance. The political intrigue in this was really interesting, and I loved the crumbling dynamics between the Kingdom and the counsel members.

I think the characters are what really shone for me in this book. They are all pretty complex, and I had so much fun getting to know them. Tessa and Wes are both such awesome characters and I loved their vigilante relationship. I love how they wore masks, to ensure they didn't know each others identities in case of capture, I think it added a fun element to their relationship. Tessa is such a fierce and passionate character, and I love how she never backed down when standing up for the things and people she believed in. Also, I am a ginormous fan of the morally grey Prince Corrick, even with his scary reputation, he is so mysterious and I couldn't help falling in love with his character. I loved getting to know him as the story progressed and learning more about his backstory and how he gained his reputation in the palace. I loved the complicated relationship in this book and how the two characters had to learn to trust one another after feeling betrayed by the other. I also really enjoyed the side characters as well, especially Quint, the palace master. He was such a fun loving character and I loved his relationship with Corrick.

I am so happy that this is going to be a series, because I fell in love with this world and all of these characters and can't wait to see how the story progresses from here!

I was not expecting to like this book as much as I do. We follow Tessa who, with her friend Wes, thieves rare medicine from rich people in order to help those that are less fortunate in fighting the disease that has spread across the land. We also follow Prince Corrick, who is the King's Justice. His job is to manage the council members that help to run his brother's kingdom, as well as to provide justice and law to anyone who does not follow the rules. Things get a little out of hand, however, when cries for medicine and uprising start occuring. Tessa and Corrick end up meeting and through various circumstances have to bind the rich and the poor together in order to fight not only the plague that covers the land, but also those within who decide that maybe a rebellion is just what is needed, regardless of the cost.

This books is fabulous; although I have to admit, I did see the twists that happened in this book coming from the very beginning. Regardless, I still had a fabulous time! I loved the characters and their interactions. This book definitely tugged on my heartstrings quite a bit. The romance was really good and I liked seeing the differences in perspectives from what it is like being poor to what it is like being rich and how not everything is as it seems on both sides. This is a Robin Hood inspired tale, so if you are a fan of that story and you like rebellions and forbidden romance, then this is a book you need to read!!