The title of the book, “Defy the Night”, truly encapsulates the essence of this story. The kingdom of Kandala is on the brink of disaster as sickness ravages the land; the only known cure, an elixir made from Moonflower petals, is greatly limited. King Harristan and the younger Prince Corrick, thrust into power after their parents assassination, react cruelly to any sign of rebellion. Her parents’ victims of the cruel rulers, apothecary apprentice Tessa Cade partners with her best friend Wes to steal Moonflower petals and secretly distribute elixirs in the dark midnight to those who desperately need it. In the end, this is not enough - while the rich drink the elixir three times a day, the poor can barely obtain it. Desperate, Tessa decides to daringly sneak into the palace, discovering secrets about her kingdom that she has never known, taking on new roles within the palace to stay alive and save her people. Overall, this book is absolutely splendid. Tessa’s bravery and perseverance is admirable, and she learns while unexpectedly staying at the palace about perspectives and issues she’s never considered, making her wonder if it’s even possible to fix Kandala without its destruction. This is even more so as politics and tensions between the consuls and rulers are thick, the situation full of incredible allies, and horrible betrayals and enemies. Furthermore, there is romance in the book. The romance between her and Wes is initially sweet, but their relationship becomes complicated as true identities are revealed and the kingdom’ situation becomes dangerous. As they begin to understand one another on a new, deeper level and come to trust one another again, their relationship becomes close, intimate, and trusting as the couple work together to save the kingdom. Ultimately, Tessa uses her kindness, apothecary knowledge, and vast perspectives to play a great role in fulfilling a new future for Kandala. I really enjoyed the complexity of this universe and I was really immersed and invested in what Tessa would do next when stuck in complicated situations. The book demonstrated the value of understanding various perspectives, as both Tessa, a poor apothecary, and the powerful rulers partner together to save the kingdom. I really liked this book and am excited to read book two of the series.