DEFEND THE DAWN is the sequel to DEFY THE NIGHT, both from YA fantasy-superstar Brigid Kemmerer. I have been following Kemmerer's releases for the past few years, and she never fails to deliver on the friendships, the found family, the humor, the romance, and so much more. DEFY THE NIGHT gave me all of this and more, I was immediately whisked away into the world with its wonderful characters and action. It was so great to see this cast back in action, and I think Kemmerer is establishing herself as a major player within this genre. I am so excited to see what she writes next!

Kemmerer continues to write books that I can sink into like a warm bath. The characters don't feel like caricatures, the world feels realistic and the plot moves on at a good clip. Can't wait for the next in the series!

Review originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 10/31/2022.

Cover Story: Part Of Your World

The pretty teal color is very calming and reminiscent of the sea, which—surprise!—is where we’re heading, so I think it’s all very thematic and on-brand.

The Deal:
The kingdom of Kandala has barely avoided a revolution, and now it’s time for the deals Harriston, Corrick, and Tessa made at the end of the last book to come to fruition. But…well, it’s hard to get anyone to come to the table in good faith. Then an unknown player sails in (literally): ex-pat Captain Rian Blackmore hails from Ostriary, a distant, war-torn country that is extremely difficult to get in and out of, but he brings an offer the Kandalans can hardly refuse: boatloads of the fever-reducing Moonflower in exchange for steel to rebuild their islands.

Before they know it, Tessa and Corrick are setting sail with an unfamiliar crew in hopes to broker a life-saving deal. But Ostriary and its promises may not be the panacea it purports to be: secrets abound on Captain Blackmore’s boat; there’s trouble at home that King Harriston may not be able to quell; and, the fragile trust between Corrick and Tessa begins to dissolve under misunderstandings and Rian Blackmore’s easy charm and righteous morals. Is that doom we see just over the horizon?

BFF Charm: Big Sister, Let Me Love You
Tessa is really showing her naivete in this book. It’s not exactly a “fault”, because from how and where she was raised and what we know of her from the first book I don’t expect her to be some political savant and amazing at reading other people. BUT, sometimes, I wanted to sit her down and ask her to please not be so trusting of what people say at face value. To ask more pointed questions and to consider what a person has to gain or lose that may make them act a certain way before jumping to judgments. Good grief.

Corrick needs the opposite advice: he needs to open up a little more and stop triple-guessing every word out of everyone’s mouths, although I know exactly WHY he’s so closed off and mistrusting, so yeah; it’s a tough ask. He says he’s politically savvy, but he has no chill when it comes to his jealousy. Dude needs a hug from an objective third party.

Swoonworthy Scale: 5

Kemmerer left Corrick and Tessa in a relatively hopeful spot at the end of Defy the Night, but under the light of day, this relationship is far from its HEA. There’s trust issues to sort through and possible differences in values, and people need to learn how to open their mouths and COMMUNICATE. While they frustrated me quite a bit throughout the book, it felt realistic. Kemmerer didn’t leave me with emotional blue balls, and it is much appreciated.

There are also hints of maybe, possibly something in its infancy beginning back at home between two certain someones, which I was heavily invested in.

Talky Talk: Let’s Talk It Out

I said in my last review that Kemmerer loves a good character study, and that is especially true in this book. There is a lot of story setup in the first third of the novel, leading to a bit of a slow start for me, so I kept picking this up and putting it back down for a few weeks. But once we got on the ship to Ostriary I ended up finishing the rest of the book in one sitting.

I think the third book will move faster now that our characters have begun working on some of their biggest emotional challenges and it now feels like the stage is fully set. I appreciate how Kemmerer doesn’t demonize or sanctify anyone, and you find yourself agreeing or disagreeing with everyone at some point or another. Compromise is the name of the game.

Bonus Factor: Ships

I know some will dislike the trope of everyone being stuck on a ship and all the boating language that can sometimes bring with it…but I like it. Though because our POV characters aren’t overly interested in the mechanics of keeping a ship running, you can rest assured that if the sea isn’t your favorite book setting, you’ll be fine.

Bonus Factor: Character Growth

There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing characters become better versions of themselves. I also liked the glimpses we saw of Kandala through the eyes of the Outlaw character, as it enabled us to get to know other background characters more intimately.

Factor: Bridge Book

I really need to get better at figuring out what is a trilogy or a duology because, once again, I played myself thinking two books was it. I’d say the first part was definitely giving me stronger bridge-book vibes—it took a while for anything to get started—but I was much more invested in the second half, and by the time that ending rolled around (Gah! No! Why?!) I was ready to dive into the next book (if only…).

Relationship Status: Loyal Subject

You’ve put me through a lot, Book, but I’m still prepared to stick it out because I think the world we could build together is something special.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Bloomsbury Childrens. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. Defend the Dawn is available now.

An excellent follow up to Defy the Night! We’re introduced to new characters, and we get to spend more time with Harristan and others introduced in the first book. There was an element of intrigue with the mysterious captain from the other kingdom, and he added some tension to Corrick and Tessa’s relationship. The book ended with a bang, and I can’t wait for the next one.

Second book in the Defy the night series, I was a little disappointed to find I did not enjoy this installment as much as the first book.
The king is running around the countryside pretending to be a crusader, leaving coins on doorsteps, much like his brother gave away medicine in the first book (instead of ... oh I don't know... running his kingdom...). The "King's Justice," Corrick, is spending a lot of time arguing with.. well.. everyone.
NO ONE is acting like adults capable of running a country. Except maybe Quinn, but he's too busy saving the actual royals from themselves.
New character, ship's captain Rian, who appears out of nowhere to possibly save the day but mostly muddy the waters of Corrick and Tessa's relationship seems to be the most "adult" of all the characters. But he's incredibly shady... and the only one who can see it is Corrick, who can't seem to articulate anything beyond argumentative statements. Except for one very charming encounter with a little girl. who is the ship cook's assistant.
I was pretty disappointed with just about everyone's behavior in this book. But, I will give them a chance to redeem themselves in book three - because I really did enjoy book one, and I would like to find out how it all wraps up.

The cliffhanger on this one is brutal, but I really enjoyed everything else about it. It's great at what it is. Political intrigue, a fantasy adventure element and the romance plot. It just feels so solidly YA and it's great at what it does.

This has been one of my favorite series. I love the characters, the twists and turns and the world. The ending will leave you hoping for more. I honestly would be ok if books in this world just kept coming. Even when I am frustrated with Tessa I feel like I understand her reactions. I liked the extra POV which rounded out the story and where things were happening at the same time. I highly recommend this series and will recommend it to my students and Bookclub members.

Yet another winner by Brigid Kemmerer. I loved this book more than the first book, Defy the Night. The secrets running through the book had me guessing. Who was Fox? What was going on with the captain of the ship? Politics were a big part of this book and was written very well, it was interesting where it could have been dry.We find out lot more about moonflower and how it is being altered and held hostage at the same time. This book was addicting and I cannot wait for the next installment.

The one negative thing I have to say is that the cliffhanger is brutal. I adored the first book and this one is just as good, if not better. I adore the characters, the story, the writing. Basically I loved everything except that I can't have the third book now. If you enjoyed the first one, you'll love this one.

I inhaled Defend the Dawn this weekend and oh my god, I am unwell. What a cliffhanger. I went into this thinking Defy the Night was a duology, but boy was I wrong!

This has quite a different feel to the first, with most of the story taking place in a short time frame on board a ship. There's not as much action, but rather a lot of concentration on the relationships between the characters. Which me personally I loved! In some ways this should have felt like a slow burn, but it didn't. I was still completely immersed, as the emotional tension was high and I was fully invested in the relationships.

This was such an amazing sequel and can’t wait for the third!

4.5 out of 5 stars

Well that was a cliff hanger and book #3 cannot come fast enough!

I don't want to include any spoilers so I will say that this book had unexpected twists and turns, a budding love story, betrayal, and intrigue. If you enjoyed Defy the Night, you need to read Defend the Dawn. You will not be disappointed.

Once again, Brigid Kemmerer has done it! This was a magnificent and exciting storyline, and was a wonderful continuation from where we left Tessa and Corrick. I loved the pirate-esque vibes, the new characters (especially the moments that we got with Corrick and Anya), and Harristan’s POV chapters. I was not the biggest fan of the love-triangle tension that got introduced with Rian but I really like his character and all the new questions and intrigue that surround him. I thought that Tessa and Corrick’s relationship was really realistic given the situations they were put in, even though they took some steps backwards. It really felt like this world was expanding and getting more complex while staying true to the setting and tensions that were set up in Defy the Night. Kemmerer has stayed true to what she does best in creating really complicated people and relationships that feel realistic and aren’t straightforward. I need the third book immediately, because the ending was a cruel cliffhanger to leave us on.

OOOkay. The beginning of this book had me frustrated because I didn't know where the story was going to go, it also took me a while to get into. BUT, the last 40% of the book? Just a wild ride and loved it so much and I do not want to spoil it - but if you read "Defy the Night" you NEED to read this one. Also, the ending. THE ENDING

Thank you to Bloomsbury USA and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Defend the Dawn is perhaps Kemmerer’s most introspective book yet, allowing readers a chance to really get inside the heads of her characters and go deep into their often churning, conflicting viewpoints. The downside of this, of course, is that this is also one of her slowest books yet, and a story that generally privileges conversation over action. (Right up until the last few chapters anyway.)

It is not fair that I have to wait for the next one after that cliff hanger! This one started out a little bit slower than the first but I loved this story as well. The tension was high throughout the book but so are the rewards. The balance between court life that Corrick and Harristan follow and what a regular person thrown into that life is so different and you could really tell that in this book. I am already impatiently waiting for the next book in this series. Brigid’s writing is amazing and I have been loving her books!

*Spoilers below* Defend the Dawn is the second book in the Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer series. It follows Tessa and Corrick as the set sail with an emissary from a neighboring kingdom; a land that apparently has moonflower readily available. Meanwhile, Harristan is left to manage the increasingly unsettled court and to determine who within the kingdom he can still trust. Will Tessa and Corrick return with enough moonflower to save their kingdom? Will Harriston be usurped? Or will there be a twist no one saw coming?

I have this book a 4/5 stars. I loved the ending of the book and the twist/cliff hanger at the end makes me anxious for the next book. I have always been a fan of Brigid Kemmerer's writing style and she did not disappoint in that aspect with this book. The only small gripe I have is I didn't really enjoy the waffling that Tessa did between her feelings for Corrick and her feelings for the emmissary. I felt like it played a significant role in this book, but it didn't feel genuine and instead felt forced. Otherwise, I loved it and can't wait to read the next installment!

Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing for gifting me an e-arc copy of this novel.

Wow, this novel ups the ante from the first books and it’s as strong as the first novel. It is full of political intrigue, and heart pounding action. This novel had me questioning my love for our beloved main characters, and which side I stood with. There is turmoil and unrest within the country of Kandala, struggling to makes ends meet and save people from the deadly disease that haunts the country. With the threat of the revolution, the palace is forced to start negotiations will multiple palace officials and rebellion leaders. With the threat of being overrun, a mysterious ship docks promising a trade agreement from with the one thing Kandala needs most. But with the people of Kandala on the line, is it too good to be true? Is this stranger promising them salvation a friend or foe?

I loved the expansion that was brought to the Defy The Night world. Kemmerer did an excellent job combining in this new country like it was always there, and bringing further political unrest to the story. Not only did we watch our characters grow, and expand outside of their current roles, we watched them take on new shores as they headed out to the high seas. The only thing wrong with this novel is that I tricked myself into believing this was a duology and in reality it is going to be a series and it crushed my reality.

I did not expect the twist and turns this novel took. They came out of know where and after revealed, I could see the small hints throughout both novels that had been pointing to these reveals. Our character relationships are expanded and explored more in this novel and it melted my heart. Getting flash back to Corrick and Harristan boyhood and their connection is everything I didn’t know I needed. We get an understanding of their bond and how that bond turned into their roles today. Watching them become their own person without one another was the character growth I didn’t realize we needed.

This is definitely an unforgettable sequel that kept me guessing the entire time. There wasn’t one moment where I was bored and wondering when the action will return. There are no moments to sit back and catch your breath as all the revelations and suspicions kept us going. I’m greatly upset that we have no idea when the next novel in this series is coming out, because I need answers now.

When a mysterious ship docks with a crew, supposedly from Kandala, baring Moonflower, our fearless King, his Justice and Apothocary are left trying to figure out who this captain is and if the story he tells can be trusted.  Rian tells a good tale and seems to have a crew loyal to him, but can Kandala trust him?  How does this play into the rebellion?  


Wow.  There was a lot of turmoil in this one, leaving readers trying to figure out who could be trusted.  At various points, Corrick, Tess, and Harristan were casting doubt in all directions that you had to wonder if it would be possible to unweave the giant tangle they found themselves in.  Court intrigue was definitely at an all-time high!  This installment moved a bit slower at first as we court dramatics play out, but once Tess and Corrick make their way to Rian's ship, the pace picks up and a lot happens.  The character I loved most in this book was Harristan.  He became more than his illness and we saw that backbone he liked to hide behind Corrick.  I never questioned him wanting what was best for Kandala, but now he was forced to do things that he would have relied on his brother for.  It was great to see him show people what he was made of.

Next year can't come soon enough for the next book.  I'll be over here waiting patiently for it.

Defend the Dawn is the sequel to Brigid Kemmerer's Defy the Stars!! Kemmerer really has an amazing writing style that will definitely keep you reading! I finished this in a day!! Can't wait for the 3rd booook!!!

Thank you to the publisher, Bloomsbury, and NetGalley for the eARC. Defy the Night was one of my favorite reads last year and I absolutely could not wait to dive into the sequel and revisit Tessa and Corrick again.

As someone who prioritizes the relationships when reading a book I really appreciate that the relationship between Tessa and Corrick is the beating heart of this series. But there's also other important relationships like Corrick and Harristan which I loved and there's action, adventure, and political intrigue. And in this book there's also new characters and an adventure on the high seas!

Overall I highly enjoyed this sequel. I enjoy high seas adventures and the new characters added a sense of higher stakes and mystery since we're not quite what their allegiance is and what their real story is. Also the last 1/4 of the book definitely kicks into high gear with a lot of things happening at once and a lot of answers to questions readers are wondering throughout the book. And I guarantee the ending will leave you screaming and demanding the next book immediately.

I absolutely love the relationship between Tessa and Corrick. The enemies-to-lovers trope along with a secret royal trope is everything I could have asked for. Plus there's a bit of a Only One Bed trope?? I mean what more could you want?! I will say that my one somewhat issue with this book was Tessa's characterization near the middle of the book. I could understand where she was coming from but I felt she was being a little more naive than she had previously shown herself to be and letting herself be swayed too easily by the opinions and comments of others. But I guess you can't have a book and an angsty relationship without some drama!

In the end I did give the book 5 stars and thoroughly enjoyed it and am anxiously awaiting the next one!