Now I Rise had an even stronger plot, and more intricate story line than And I Darken. This is due, in part, to the fact that the characters have aged and are more mature.
I absolutely loved this instalment, Lada is my kind of heroine, even if she is kind of scary, and I can't wait to read more about her.
What happened to the other characters was heart-wrenching, and overall, I found the story and the world building to be very well constructed, entertaining, and quite addictive.

Thanks to the publisher for access to a DRC in return for an honest review.

The Conqueror's Saga continues in book two with Lada leading her army of men, determined to regain her Wallachia. Radu travels to Constantinople on Mehmed's orders to operate as a spy, taking his wife Nazira with him. Through it all, Lada and Radu meet new friends, lose old ones, and struggle both physically and emotionally to live to see another day. Will the Dragon win her country? Or will she forever be seen as a powerless girl? Will Radu find love? All of this and more is revealed in this installment.

Overall, this is a great read. There is so much history and culture mixed into the story. I'm not very familiar with this time period, and I feel like a learned a bit as I read that brought Constantine and this time period to life. At times there was a little too much introspection on Radu's part, but for the most part that was all brought together at the end to make sense. Book three is going to be intense as all of the conflict, both personally and between armies, comes to a head.

So much better than book 1! I didn't struggle as much and waltzed through the pages quickly!

Now I Rise was more than a worthy sequel to And I Darken. Things were definitely way more intense in this one, I must say. But the story was just magnificent. I absolutely loved it!

There's something I want to say first before getting around to the rest of my review. I know a lot of people think these books are fantasy. It is definitely not. It does not have a single fantasy element. To remind everyone, it's about a gender-swapped Vlad the Impaler and it's (mostly) set in the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century with events happening that actually took place.

So let's be honest, Lada is one of the most brilliant main characters out there right now. She is terrible and terrifying and I absolutely love her for that. In this book she was quite brutal in how she would do anything to secure the Wallachian throne, which is exactly what she did. A lot of the things she did were really questionable but I wouldn't expect any less from her.

Radu was probably my favorite character this time around. I felt like he was in the spotlight a lot more in this book than his sister. His part mostly takes plays in Constanstinople where Mehmhed has send him to be a spy. His wife Nazira comes along with him, which I thought was a very good idea. Although their relationship is purely platonic, I love their dynamic. But it sure wasn't easy everything he went through in Constanstinople and playing a double agent.

A lot of the secondary characters were really great to read about as well. I already mentioned Nazira but I also liked the new character of Cyprian who ended up being friends with Radu and ultimately they both broke my heart... With Lada I really liked that Bogdan remained so loyal to her. I actually really like all of Lada's men who follow her. Their loyalty was something Lada really needed. Mehmhed wasn't a lot around in this book because the most part took place away from him so I don't actually have a lot to say about him.

Overall, Now I Rise was every bit as amazing as And I Darken Was. Maybe even a little bit more so. I have said it before and I will say it again, these books are Kiersten White's best work so far. I can't wait for the next book!

This review might contain spoilers if you haven't read 'And I Darken'. :)



In 'Now I Rise' the sequel to 'And I Darken' by Kiersten White the story around Lada, Radu and Mehmed gets told onwards and starts right where it ended in 'And I Darken'.

Lada left Mehmed and Radu, to claim her heritage Wallachia while Mehmed follows his own plans...


The cover is really pretty, like the cover from 'And I Darken'. It's simple and makes again a big impact with the colors and the expressive motive. Here I like the UK Version much better, too. It shows Lada which looks really terrific. I'm hoping for an hardcover release with the UK cover.


The style of writing again is amazingly strong. It's a good and fluid read, creating an amazing and dark atmosphere. Kiersten Whites is really good in playing with words and obviously likes doing it. I liked it a lot!


What attracted my attention positive in 'Now I Rise' was again the terrific character development. It reads so good and you really feel the vibes and the whole story.

Kiersten Whites characters are just incredible.

My absolute favourite is Lada, which developes sooo amazingly. I liked her senseless and brutal what was really varied, but right now she is so incredible. I like her even more.

Lada stands with what she beliefs in and gives you a hell of a plot twist.

Radu in the other hand was a character I hoped so much more or well just a different direction for the character development. It really annoys me how obsessed he is with Mehmed. Come on...I hope and I think this will change...

Mehmed... well what can I say... see it for yourself! Whit that I won't spoiler too much and will leave you with surprises. Mehmed himself will give you a lot of them...


The plot in 'Now I Rise' stays exciting from the start till the end. It is really great written and thrilling.


I gave this book 4 strong stars and I can recommend it to everyone who can take an anti-heroine.

4 to 4,5 stars

ARC kindly given by Random House Children Delacorte Press via Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest opinion

I fell maddly in love with “And I Darken”. I think Lada is a strong and very unconventional heroine that could inspire many little girls. I loved Radu and Mehmet as well even if I had some reservation about Mehmet (go see my review of “And I Darken”).
So I was beyond thrilled when Random House Children chose to grant my wish!

Now I can honestly say that I did not want to stop reading but I also don’t know what I should wish for the third book. This is very unusual as I always know what I want or hope to find in a sequel!

But her… her I’m puzzled as granting Mehmed and Lada some of their wishes is not what I thought it would be. I won’t give spoilers because you don’t spoil others fun but let’s just say that happiness does not always come from what you wanted most.

The book seemed to drag sometimes but that was just because I wanted to already know if they would have their wish come true. We alternate between Lada and Radu’s point of view. Both will do their best to reach their goal but it will take time! We’ll have the siege of Constantinople and a siege is a lasting affair! Especially when a city has such formidable walls. So of course we wait and wait and wait….Even if events happened during the siege I became impatient. I just wanted it to be over and see if Mehmed would succeed in his crazy move. Maybe he would just crash and burn?

Lada is headed to Wallachia with Mehmet‘s seal of approval. Much good it will do her! She has her men only. No one wants to ally with her. Her men aside no one takes her seriously because she is a woman.
“What, then, was left to her? She had no allies. She had no throne. She had no Mehmed, no Radu. She had only these sharp men and sharp knives and sharp dreams, and no way to make use of any of them. “

Countless times she’ll make an alliance or hope to just to be rebuffed or mocked. Here again time was passing by. I was all : “ Damn girl, kick their behind and prove them wrong already! Take the throne and rise!”

BUT
It made me realize that Lada and Mehmet are really alike. Both live for their dream. Both would sacrifice people to reach their goal. Both wants to lead and not just be a consort. Their ambitions known no limit. It’s a huge driving force.

Lada is resilient beyond anything and strongly determined to conquer HER land. She is still the Dracul, a dragon. She is not a lady. She is not a princess. She’ll never be someone’s wife and live in his shadow. She is Lada and she is enough.

“She showed all her small teeth in a vicious smile. “I will make you proud. No one will be more brutal than me. No one will be more ruthless. And I will never stop fighting.”

I really, really admired her determination and strength. She knows what she wants and who she is.
It gave some fun moments as well when she was confronted with some feminine matters and was horrified by something most women relish in.

This sequel cemented my resentment and dislike for Mehmet. I know many feminine readers love Mehmet but I don’t. I think he is selfish and a manipulator. Lada can also manipulate people but it’s clumsier or even unconscious. Mehmet is a master manipulator. He would do anything to quench his thirst even sacrifice his most trusted friend.

Results: now I don’t wish Lada would end with Mehmet. And yet they’re not happy separate either. So I’m really puzzled.

Radu is playing a greater role in this second book. He will grow and question his dreams and wishes. As much as I dislike Mehmet I love Radu. I want him to find his happiness. And yet countless time I wanted to shake some sense in his handsome skull when I realized Mehmet was using him. Foolish Radu didn’t see it! He was naïve and devoted. Radu has a heart so big he could never lower himself to commit such atrocities as Mehmet and even Lada to some extent committed in this sequel.
For the first time in his life he’ll deny Lada’s unexpected call for help.
“And though she had never asked for Radu’s help growing up, he had helped her. He had worn away her edges, talked their way out of trouble she would have welcomed. Maybe … maybe she had always needed him. And he always chose Mehmed. Someone shouted his name, and he hurried back to his duties. His duties to his God. His duties to the Ottoman Empire. His duties to Mehmed. Lada would have to figure it out on her own. He owed her nothing. But the promise of the guilt he would carry if she died without his help clung to his skin like a shadow.”


Radu will be used, abused and betrayed. He will suffer great anguish torn in his loyalties for Mehmet for Lada for Constantine and his people. He thinks he owes Lada nothing and yet if she died when he rebuked he would never forgive himself. Lada and Mehmet never seem to carry much guilt for their past actions but Radu is plowing under guilt’s weight. He really is a good soul to his core.
From rather weak character he’ll grow up by the end of the book. He won’t know who he is anymore. He won’t know what to wish for.

Here are the lessons I learned reading this sequel:
-ambition won’t warm your bed neither your heart;
-it’s sometimes better to keep your dream a fantasy than to accomplish it whatever the cost;
-you’re enough. You don’t have to be someone else or play a role in your life. If you’re a girl in a men’s world you’re as worthy as they are (it’s now a common knowledge but not at the time of the book). If you’re gay you’re not a monster. You love “someone” not a gender. Again it’s now easier now in many countries than it was at the time of the story.
-you don’t buy loyalty or respect you earn it. Lada earned her men’s loyalty by her actions. And Mehmet lost loyalty by his actions too.
-as much as I don’t know where I want this story headed to (unusual for me) I know that I want Lada and Radu reunited.

So would I recommend this book? A thousand times yes! And I’ll wait for the third one with great curiosity as I really don’t know what choice Mrs White will make for her characters and her plot!

.5 stars in truth, rounded up to 4 due to the fact I still have a girl crush on Lada

When we last left Lada and Radu, the brother and sister Dracul had split up. Lada went home to reclaim the throne of Whamalamadingdong (aka Wallachia) and Radu stayed with his wife (and her girlfriend) in the Ottoman empire so he could continue crushing on the sultan (who, is in turn, in love with Lada. Oh, and Lada loves the sultan. Best love triangle ever.).

I adored the first book and was very eager to dive into this one. For the most part, I wasn't disappointed. It was almost as fucked up as the first one.

Each chapter alternates between the siblings, which makes for great balanced story telling. Both Lada and Radu are on their own journeys and, for the most part, both of them learn something about themselves and the people around them on their journeys.

I still adore Lada and her badass ruthlessness. She makes a goal and achieves it, no matter who or what stands in her way. Don't you ever tell her a girl can't be a prince. She will cut your intestines out and make you eat them. Radu, while not my favorite character, grew on me during this book. He learns a lot about himself in this novel, as well as learning about the people he chooses to love. However, both siblings continue to make the same mistakes, which can get kind of grating after 300+ pages. Especially when they acknowledge that they've made this mistake before and then do the equivalent of shrugging and saying "oh, fuck it, let's do the same thing again! Maybe something different will happen."

I adore this book (and the series) for its positive look on both religions (Christianity and Islam) as well as LGBT relationships. It is also greatly researched. It's a beautifully written book that offers a lot of different perspectives and character trope flips for this time in history (the 1400s).

Unfortunately, much like the first book, the middle section of the book gets very slow and a little skim-worthy. The beginning and the ends are fabulous, though, and will suck in you completely and make you forgive the author for the slow pace.

If you enjoyed the first novel, definitely pick this up. If you're a fan of historical fiction, you should pick this up. If you love kickass heroines, you need this.

The much-awaited sequel of 'And I darken' (Review). I was so excited when I got approved for this because I had already waited so long for this. I loved the characters in book one. our strong Lada, my beautiful Radu, complicated Mehmed and to say that there is such a huge character-development in this book would be an understatement. I loved Book 1 but this sequel takes the story to another level. Everything is better. The story is more intense and complicated which I enjoy because the only complaint I had with the previous book is that I found the plot to be a little weak. Well this book amazed me.

This was literally me during the book. *screams of frustration *punching pillows *repeating character name again and again *yelling at my phone (since ebook) *closing my eyes and just letting myself feel the agony

It was so beautiful though. I love when I fully immerse in a book so much that every little thing affects me. This book started right where the first book ended. Lada has left Mehmed and Radu behind to claim her throne. Radu is still in love with Mehmed. Mehmed is still in love with Lada. The war on empire of Constantinople is still in progress.

I have to say I loved Radu more than ever in this book. For me, he is the highlight of this series. yes, he may be naive when it comes to some situations. He also makes despicable choices and yet my heart bleeds for him.

But the promise of the guilt he would carry if she died without his help clung to his skin like a shadow.
And Lada, she is strong, fearless, ruthless and brutal as always. Any sane person would like her fierceness but despise her actions but I never claimed to be sane. She does what she does for her dream of Wallachia. She will do anything to prove her worth.

Push out so no one can push in. A dealer of Death. that was what Tohin had said one must become. Deal enough death elsewhere to keep it away from your own home.
Where Lada was bringing me hope during this book, Radu was breaking my heart. And Mehmed. From the beginning of this book, I sensed something wrong with him and that hunch turned out to be right. How much he has changed! like I said, HUGE character-development. But one thing remained the same.

I thought they would kill you and break Radu's heart.
Because in the end, this sentence is what defines these two characters. Because Lada has a warrior's soul. She is always putting herself in danger. And My beautiful Radu has a golden heart and he always gets hurt.

Apart from the characters ( though they are the main highlight of this book), the plot is gripping. I finished it in one sitting because I was hooked. One hand there is lada, dealing with fights, politics, trying to win her throne. And on the other hand, Radu and Mehmed are planning to take over Constantinople. The intenseness and intricacies of war and politics make this an entertaining read but what I also can't help myself from mentioning is the writing.

It just flows in a way that it is both strong yet lyrical. The dialogues, the descriptions, the emotions, nothing would've reached me if the writing hadn't been this good. this has to be my best read of 2017 so far and trust me, I have read some pretty amazing books this year.

Now all that is left is waiting for the sequel. My heart sinks at the thought. I am very impatient.

While this book is a little too mature for my library I will definitely be recommending to high school and more mature libraries.

Lada, where you been girl?! This book is amazing and draws you right back in where book 1 left off.

I can't even begin to express how much I love this series and this book in particular. I couldn't put it down, and, at times, had to actively fight to keep off Wikipedia so I wouldn't spoil myself. My heart continually breaks for Lada and Radu...I can't believe I have to wait a year to find out what happens next.

Even better than the first book, And I Darken. White continues her development of the characters and themes and makes this an even deeper and more powerful story. I keep thinking about Lada and Radu and their different paths and decisions, about how the same events taught them different things and motivated them in opposite ways. Highly recommend for fans of dark historical fiction and strong female characters.

This book is amazing. So often, the second book in a series is dull and falls flat. The opposite is true here. This book never stops being amazing. Lada is truly a fierce dragon warrior and one of my all time favorite characters. I cannot wait for book three!!!

https://librarianonthelake.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/now-i-rise-by-kiersten-white/

I really wanted to like this series, but it was super slow. The time period and the inspiration are interesting enough to prompt you to pick up the book, but the plot just drags.

The second installment of the Conqueror's Saga follows Lada and Radu along their fateful quests. Lada continues to hate being born a woman, and Radu continues to hate having feelings for someone he can never have. The characters continue to grow and change in various ways, all the while leading the reader through the battle for Conastantinople. The rich history is fascinating and watching the characters get side tracked and then put back in their paths is exciting. Kristin White does not disappoint in book 2.

This book is well written and there is a lot that's interesting about it. Both the actual history and the way that Keirsten White has modified it. However, I don't care. I just don't. I have tried SO hard to love these books, because I see so many people raving about them and because I've been a fan of Keirsten White's for a long while. But honestly, I'm so bored. I wanted a lot more action and a lot less politics and Mehmed obsession. I don't care about the politics, I don't care about a battle over a stupid city that neither side actually really wants or needs. And I do NOT care about Mehmed. Ugh stupid, stupid, shallow, one dimensional Mehmed. I am so sick of seeing that name.

When he first came around I liked him okay. But the more the Dracul kids have obsessed over the dude and the more Mehmed has indifferently LET them obsess over him, the more I've started hating him. These two people have hugely changed their entire lives just to hang out with this dude and be his friends and help him run his kingdom. He knows they love him. And yet he gives them nothing. Crumbs maybe, sometimes. Tiny bits of affection to keep them clinging to him, but not enough to let them really live and have full lives. I don't believe he loves Lada, I don't believe either Lada or Radu love him. There's no chemistry there whatsoever with any of them. Both Lada and Radu are offered so many opportunities to go LIVE a full life of their own. Do things they want with people who actually see them and know them and love them. And yet every thought, every choice, every decision always comes back to Mehmed. Are they hypnotized into abject loyalty? Did I miss that part?

Besides the irritating, all consuming Mehmed obsession, everyone in this book has their eyes set on Constantinople. But it's all for the flimsiest of reasons. There was a prophecy or something? It's just such a weak excuse to go to war over. I'm not saying it hasn't been done. I'm just saying I didn't find grown men, rulers of empires, fighting over a city like preschoolers fighting over a toy compelling.

Incidentally, I also kept waiting for Lada to be a lot more cruel and actually live up to her name. She's had her moments, but she usually doesn't seem that bad to me honestly. Not compared to what I've heard and read of Vlad Dracul. Lada and Radu are basically just really insecure kids trying to navigate politics and wrangle some affection from the sultan.

Ultimately this book (and the first, really) was just too long and drawn out for me. Like I said, I stopped caring. I was really bored. If you love political drama and strategy to dominate your novels, you'll probably like it. I'm still rating this 3 stars even though I know it sounds like I hated it, because it was decently written and the concept is cool. Even though I wasn't a huge fan of the first book, I read this one as well. Something must have intrigued me.

Full Review to be posted at http://kaitgoodwin.com/scintillatingreads in June 2017.

I LOVED this book! I laughed, I cried (a lot), Nazira became my favorite character. It's been over a week and I'm still trying to get over the fictional betrayal of a fictional character. I haven't been able to read another book since.

Basically, it was the BEST BOOK EVER. (and yes, I know I said that last year about And I Darken, but this counts too because it's the same series) Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity!

Well Wishes & Candy Fishes,
Kait :)

Lada is determined to rule Wallachia, Mehmed is determined to conquer Constantinople, and Radu finds himself caught up in his misplaced loyalty for a love that can never be.

Thus continues the story of Lada Dracul and her brother, Radu, sent to be raised at court with Mehmed, the future Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Lada's determination is inspiring and a bit terrifying. This, along with Radu's loneliness and eagerness to please Mehmed are at the heart of this sequel. The supporting characters shine, especially in Radu's tale as he's sent off to Constantinople to spy for Mehmed. Even though they are leagues apart, these three remain entwined in each other's lives, and the conclusion to this saga will be anyone's guess!

Atmospheric and compelling, Now I Rise is a worthy sequel to And I Darken, and readers will find themselves continuing to be invested in the lives of the Dracul siblings.