Book Review: ‘Defy the Night’ by Brigid Kemmerer

I’m extremely picky when it comes to young adult novels. Divergent and The Hunger Games are two of my favorite series. Minus the ending to Divergent. No spoilers though, so that’s all I will say in case you haven’t checked it out. But when it came to Defy the Night, I was hooked from about page three. And I’ve been so excited to write about all the things I loved about it while doing my best to stay away from spoilers. Though I do recommend reading it before reading this review! So keep reading for my Defy the Night review!

A Dystopian Rebellion

The setting in this book was the epitome of perfection. It had all the medieval vibes going on. And the female Robin Hood plot was incredible. There’s an illness traveling all over Kandala and the only cure comes from an elixir made from Moonflower petals. Which would be fairly simple if it weren’t for the fact that Moonflowers are extremely rare. So naturally, only those with royal status or the most money are the ones to get the elixir they need. But that’s not something Tessa will stand for. She’ll risk her life daily doing her best to help save those in the kingdom of Kandala who need elixir.

Quote via Brigid Kemmerer

Tessa isn’t the only one risking her life. She and her partner Wes sneak into patrolled grounds in order to steal Moonflowers to make the needed elixir. They mix and make the elixir and then continue to risk their safety by delivering the elixir to as many people that cannot afford it as they can. But the Moonflower supply is continuing to dwindle and the entire kingdom is worried about what happens when they get to a point where there really are none left. And about what happens after that. It creates high tensions and even all the royals are nervous about what happens next.

Loved and Lost

There was so much more emotion in this book than I ever would have expected. And Brigid wrote them in such a way that I experienced them all right there with the characters. I’ll be honest and admit that there were a couple of chapters that had me tearing up. Moments where I was enraged and wanted to flip a table, ones where I found myself laughing out loud, and others where I went from hope to devastation and back to hope again. The range of emotions Brigid Kemmerer evoked in me while reading this will have Defy the Night seared into my mind forever!

The relationship between Corrick and Tessa was frustrating and yet so beautiful. There was also a ton of chemistry between the two of them that had me continuously intrigued to see what was going to happen next. There were also some twists and plenty of unexpected events that had me wishing I could read even more words per minute just so I could find out what happened next. I ordered the sequel, Defend the Dawn before I was finished reading this one just so it could be here fast enough so I didn’t have to wait to discover what happens next!

What’s to Come

If the action in this book was an indication of how this series is going to be, I’m here for it. Because I know the momentum is just building with this book. Brigid Kemmerer did a great job not spending a ton of time on world-building in the beginning. She gave it to you as the story went on so there wasn’t a single moment where I was bored. I learned things along the way and it helped make for a great read. And I have a feeling that the momentum is going to continue building throughout the second book as well. Honestly, I think Brigid is going to keep that momentum going right until the end of the third book.

Quote via Brigid Kemmerer

Have you had a chance to read Defy the Night yet? Or is it on your TBR list? If you have read it, let me know your thoughts! If you haven’t read it and it isn’t on your TBR list, trust me, this is one that you’re going to want to add to it. Have you read this and the sequel, Defend the Dawn? What have you thought of the series so far? You can find and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter! Be sure to also check out our site for more content on all things Disney and beyond! We are always in the mood for a bookish discussion.