Out in the Wilds, apothecary apprentice Tessa Cade is tired of seeing her neighbors die, their suffering ignored by the unyielding royals. The brothers have learned to react mercilessly to any sign of rebellion-it's the only way to maintain order when the sickness can strike anywhere, and the only known cure, an elixir made from delicate Moonflower petals, is severely limited. King Harristan was thrust into power after his parents' shocking assassination, leaving the younger Prince Corrick to take on the brutal role of the King's Justice. Rifts between sectors have only worsened since a sickness began ravaging the land, and within the Royal Palace, the king holds a tenuous peace with a ruthless hand. (Sept.The kingdom of Kandala is on the brink of disaster. Agent: Mandy Hubbard, Emerald City Literary.

Main characters are assumed white many secondary characters are described as having dark skin. Switching between the perspectives of Tessa and Prince Corrick, the expansive plot promises a commanding sequel. Political intrigue flourishes as the royal brothers battle outsider rebels and scheming counsels Kemmerer presents intense moments of torture amid scenes rich with covert power plays and swoon-worthy romantic dialogue, and the positioning of Tessa as peacekeeper and nurse conforms to gender stereotypes.

Discovered, Tessa bargains for her life with her knowledge of potions, assisting 19-year-old Prince Corrick in tracing the fever’s trajectory. When Prince Corrick, the King’s Justice, does the unthinkable, Tessa sneaks into King Harristan’s palace for revenge. By day, 18-year-old Tessa Cade, whose parents were killed by the King’s night patrol, is an assistant apothecary by night, though, she is a masked outlaw stealing petals to make elixirs for the poor.

A new series starter from Kemmerer ( A Curse So Dark and Lonely) centers on an illness that divides the kingdom of Kandala into those who can afford the Moonflower petal elixir that keeps the deadly fever at bay and those who cannot.

Defy the night by brigid kemmerer