The seventeen original stories in Defy the Dark, an eerie, mind-bending YA anthology, could only take place in darkness. Open the pages and discover: A creepy guy who stares too long. The secrets of the core of the earth. Dreams of other people’s lives. A girl who goes mad in the darkness. Monsters in Bavaria. A generational spaceship where night doesn’t exist. And other mysteries and oddities. The contributors to the enthralling collection are: Sarah Rees Brennan, Tessa Gratton, Rachel Hawkins, Christine Johnson, Valerie Kemp, Malinda Lo, Myra McEntire, Saundra Mitchell, Sarah Ockler, Jackson Pearce, Aprilynne Pike, Dia Reeves, Beth Revis, Carrie Ryan, Jon Skovron, Courtney Summers, and Kate Espy, winner of the Defy the Dark new author contest.

Instant New York Times Bestseller! From New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer comes an electrifying fantasy romance, perfect for fans of Holly Black and Victoria Aveyard. A desperate prince. A daring outlaw. A dangerous flirtation. In the Wilds of Kandala, apothecary apprentice Tessa Cade has been watching people suffer for too long. A mysterious sickness is ravaging the land and the cure, Moonflower Elixir, is only available for the wealthy. So every night, she defies the royal edicts and sneaks out, stealing Moonflower petals and leaving the elixir for those in need. In the palace of Kandala, Prince Corrick serves as the King's Justice, meting out vicious punishments and striking fear into the hearts of agitators and outlaws. Corrick knows he must play this role convincingly--with a shortage of elixir and threats of rebellion looming ever closer, the King's grip on power is tenuous at best, and Corrick knows his brother is the kingdom's best hope for survival. But when an act of unspeakable cruelty brings the royal and the outlaw face to face, the natural enemies are faced with an impossible choice--and a surprising spark. Will they follow their instincts to destroy each other? Or will they save the kingdom together . . . and let that spark ignite?

On August 12th, 1996, Dylan Sessler found himself facing the hardest moment of his life at just 6 years old. The unexpected trauma of loss broke the innocent nature of his childhood and left behind an unending storm of confusion, pain, and hard truths in its wake. Defy the Darkness is a raw account of how Dylan processed his way through his trauma and offers guidance on how others can do the same. This book was written to discuss the things people have always been afraid to talk about. From depression and PTSD to grief and suicide, this book dives headfirst into the taboo nature of mental health and delivers a path forward that few have been able to describe. Now as a Mental Health Coach, Dylan himself is able to reach into a place of human consciousness and deliver reality in a way that clarifies the pain, informs with perspective, and develops a clear sense of purpose in the face of some of the hardest questions life has to offer. Fun Facts: Dylan wrote 90% of Defy the Darkness in the first months of the Covid-19 shutdown while also posting daily on Tik Tok. His social media presence alone helped hundreds of thousands of people keep fighting for life. From zero to nearly half a million followers in just 18 months, Dylan is a walking paradox as an introvert and influencer. He wrote this book to show others the things he wished he had understood growing up. If you want to support Dylan, please leave a review once you have finished so others may see the value this book offers. Don't forget to find Dylan on social media @Dylan_Sessler to keep up-to-date with his new ventures.

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and heart-racing romance. Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

“A twisty, dark psychological thriller that will leave you guessing til the very end."—Teen Vogue “[A] riveting read…"—NPR The line between best friend and something more is a line always crossed in the dark. Jess Wong is Angie Redmond’s best friend. And that’s the most important thing, even if Angie can’t see how Jess truly feels. Being the girl no one quite notices is OK with Jess anyway. If nobody notices her, she’s free to watch everyone else. But when Angie begins to fall for Margot Adams, a girl from the nearby boarding school, Jess can see it coming a mile away. Suddenly her powers of observation are more a curse than a gift. As Angie drags Jess further into Margot’s circle, Jess discovers more than her friend’s growing crush. Secrets and cruelty lie just beneath the carefree surface of this world of wealth and privilege, and when they come out, Jess knows Angie won’t be able to handle the consequences. When the inevitable darkness finally descends, Angie will need her best friend. “It doesn’t even matter that she probably doesn’t understand how much she means to me. It’s purer this way. She can take whatever she wants from me, whenever she wants it, because I’m her best friend.” A Line in the Dark is a story of love, loyalty, and murder. ★ "Mesmerizing."—Kirkus, starred review.

In this electrifying YA dystopian sequel to Beware the Night, Veda is captured and leveraged against her best friend, who fights for the opposing force. Civil war has come to the island of Bellona. Veda Adeline believes in the Night. She’s joined the underground revolutionaries, led by Dorian Winters, and they're determined to overthrow the ruling Imperi and find justice for her people. Nico Denali, Veda’s childhood friend and maybe-something-more, is one of those ruling Imperi, and he’s just been named heir to the most powerful man above ground. As the war intensifies, Veda and Nico are leveraged against each other: Veda is above as a hostage of the Imperi and Nico is below, taken by the Night. There's no way Dorian is letting such a valuable hostage go. The island will burn unless Veda and Nico can come together to rip everything apart. But Nico and Dorian will never trust each other, and Veda's heart might be the biggest casualty. Praise for Defy the Sun "Jessika Fleck's duology is a lyrical adventure with a twisting vein of romance throughout. I was both enchanted and haunted till the very end!" —Erin Beaty, author of the Traitor's Trilogy Beware the Night “Jessika Fleck delights with a new fantasy novel set in a world where the Sun reigns supreme and the Night is your enemy—literally. Brims with secrets, betrayal, and a genuinely believable love triangle!” —Pintip Dunn, New York Times bestselling author of the Forget Tomorrow series

A stunning blend of action-packed science fiction and love against the odds. Perfect for fans of the DIVERGENT series. Noemi Vidal dreams of travelling through the stars one more time - but she is now an outcast from her home planet of Genesis after a forbidden trip through the galaxy with Abel, the most advanced cybernetic man ever created. But when a deadly plague arrives on Genesis, Noemi gets her chance. As the only soldier to have ever left the planet, it will be up to her to save its people...if only she wasn't flying straight into a trap. On the run to avoid his depraved creator's clutches, Abel believes he's said goodbye to Noemi for the last time. After all, the entire universe stands between them...or so he thinks. When word reaches him of Noemi's capture by the very person he's trying to escape, Abel knows he must go to her, no matter the cost. But capturing Noemi was only part of Burton Mansfield's master plan. In a race against time, Abel and Noemi will come together once more to discover a secret that could save the known worlds, or destroy them all.