Now I Rise (And I Darken)

This book made me want to read the history. I dislike historical non-fiction, but this book made me want to do some research. I actually did look up some of the main characters from this story and the whole story is now very familiar. It is so inspiring to see how this author has blended historical fact with fictional characters long forgotten to make us all interested in their fate.I feel like this story moved faster than the first book because it covered a much smaller time span. That seems wrong, but the first book covered decades and this story takes place over a year or less. This story alternated between Lada and Radu’s POV. Radu is sympathedic to Lada but wants Mehmed to love him. Lada wants her country and feels Radu’s rightful place is with him. Things are finally getting put into place for both Mehmed and Lada to achieve their life long goals leaving Radu with the scraps.I really loved the historical setting for this story. There is something to be said for writing historical fact into a fictional setting. The author describes this gritty time in all its uncomfortable glory. The clothes, the housing, the weather, it is all well laid out for the reader. I think the most interesting place we visited in this story, and there was so much traveling happening here, is Constantinople. The city is not at all what Mehmed and Radu think it will be, but somehow it is exactly what I imagined a 15th century city to be.Lada is ruthless in this story. Living in the 15th century she hates the way women are treated and she vows to change that for the women in her own country. She gets her hands dirty, she is under estimated, she is the warrior her country needs to lead them. Lada struggles with her sexuality. She doesn’t regret leaving Mehmed but she needs something to fill the void. Lada seems bloodthirsty but she is only the product of a bloody family line that takes what they know is theirs. Lada spends most of this story building alliances in preparation of one final stand to demand the crown she knows is hers.Radu leads his life with his heart. He is torn between the safety of Nazira, his wife who he has grown to love very much in a platonic way, and pleasing the sultan he desires. Radu is such a good man and he is just in his approach to life. He may not be the warrior Lada is, but he fights for what is right. His is sickened by the war created by Mehmed for a city that isn’t really great, but housing some new friends Radu knows are worthy of living. The most disturbing aspect of Radu is that he fights for a religion he feels home in that forbids his very nature. His trials are heartbreaking. Radu has grown so much from the last book becoming possibly my favorite character. I need to see Radu with the happy ending he deserves.This is fast becoming one of the greatest series ever. The characters are unforgettable. I can’t wait for the conclusion to this saga and I am secretly dreading it. Even the ending of this book was bloody brilliant. If you haven’t read this, I suggest you go right now and pick this up. Once again for this series,if I gave 6 stars, this sequel would get it.

I love this book. Oh my gosh I love this book! It's the sequel so I'll spoil things that happen in the first book so only read if you have read And I Darken. Anyways, Lada is own her own with men she trust trying to take back her throne and it's not going well. Can I just say I love Lada with all my heart. She's mean, she's vicious, and she gets what she wants because of it. There were some points where I thought she can't get crueler but she does and I love her more for it. Now understand it's a historical gender bended retelling of Vlad the Impaler and totally fiction, Vlad was horrible so Lada is horrible. If Lada was real I'd probably hate her but she's not. I don't agree with her or how she acts but I loved how she refused to stop to get what she wanted. The story is split between her and her brother Radu and the different journeys they had taken from the first book. Lada going after her throne and Radu staying with the sultan going after Constantinople. Can I say Radu is an idiot and that he should have went with his sister without the world yelling at me? Sure he stayed for love but Mehmed didn't love him and didn't want anything to do with Radu outside of friendship. Their relationship and what Radu would do to survive in the war waged made me sad for him. He can't see his own worth outside of how other see him and it kind of broke my heart. Then the worth Lada gave herself was so much compared. They are the direct opposite of each other. I love it all. It was a relatively fast read when I had the time for the actual size of the book. I enjoyed the old side characters that made their appearances and the new ones. I really want another in the series that goes so far off the truth of history where Lada just rules the world but alas won't happen. If you want a good Slytherin book series this is it. It's filled with ambition and powerful people. I loved it.

NOW I RISE by Kiersten White is the sequel to AND I DARKEN, a gender-swapped Vlad the Impaler retelling. If you haven’t read AND I DARKEN, I urge you to buy a copy from your favorite bookstore! Now, onto the sequel review. This will have spoilers for the first book, so head’s up!Lada Dracul has failed to secure the Wallachian throne, and now she’s determined to punish everyone who crosses her path. Radu is by the side of Mehmed, preparing to take on Constantinople. Radu is then sent to Constantinople as a double-crossing spy, and oh my god, y’all, this story was amazing. Just as amazing as the first one!I love Lada, and I especially love how determined she is to become the Wallachian prince – since there is no word for “princess.” She’s vicious and brutal and will not stop until she gets what she wants. Mehmed, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, is the same way. He wants Constantinople. He wants to be the Emperor of the Roman Empire. The gold city is in his sights, and he wants it – even if it kills him and Radu.I was glued to the story. I read it quickly, even though I did try to slow down and enjoy the words because I didn’t want it to end. I hate having to wait until a year for the third, as-of-yet-untitled book!I love that Lada and Radu are separated in this story. I felt like we got to learn more about other characters in the story, such as Radu’s wife, Nazira, who I fell in love with. She’s so gentle and caring, and has Radu’s interests in mind even though their marriage a coverup for their sexualities. The story glimpses at Nazira and her secret wife’s, Fatima, relationship, and Nazira is as equally as loving with Fatima as she is with Radu. Nazira is probably the sweetest character in this story, and I longed for her scenes.Mehmed, of course, is a complicated character. I hate that Radu is pining over him; I want Radu to be happy and to find someone who loves him as much as Radu will love the person. (Nazira also wants this for Radu.) And I think he finds that person in Cyprian, to which the entire time those two had a scene together I was screaming “JUST KISS ALREADY.”Mehmed is still longing for Lada, who he does have an encounter with in this story – and it gets steamy. It’s quite clear that Mehmed and Lada are cut from the same cloth; they both desire places and will do anything it takes to get what they want. In a sense, they are made for each other, and it hurts that it seems like they won’t be able to be together.There are some uncomfortable bits in this story, such as Radu questioning his sexuality, and Christians calling Muslims “infidels.” It is in the text that the Muslims call the Christians infidels as well, but it’s still hard to read. It’s especially hard to read Radu questioning his sexuality as a queer person. There is also an extreme amount of squickyness involved – this is a story about a person called Vlad the impaler. Blood is shed in this story. Sexual harassment and assault is on the page.However, it’s still one of my favorite reads of 2017, and I am dying to get my hands on the last book in the trilogy. I recommend NOW I RISE to fans of the first book, AND I DARKEN, and I suggest the series to fans of darker young adult reads!

This is the second in the Conqueror's Trilogy, centering around Lada Dracul and her brother, Radu.As Lada's sights on the Wallachian throne never shift, neither do Radu's from the Ottoman Sultan, Mehmed. Both are determined to get what they want and both have very different methods of attaining them. Lada is as sharp as the knives she wields, and Radu has a gift for manipulation and words. Whilst Lada inches ever closer to her dream, Radu is sent further from his, in order to get closer than ever. Both brother and sister wish the other were with them in order to help them, and strive to harness what their sibling does best. Lada begins to realise she has no way with words, and Radu must muster confidence to plunge daggers into the hearts of men he bears no ill will. Both Lada and Radu come to realise that their dreams comes with a price, and both must make devastating choices if they wish to have them realised.This sequel is badass. Seriously. Lada is more bloodthirsty, and even Radu does some things that are out of character but he is forced into. Whilst Lada is supposed to be the main storyline, Radu's is just as engaging--as it was in the first book--and I can't pick a favourite between them. They are two sides of the same coin. Where the first book was a coming of age, this one is more centered around solidifying their characters and the reader really gets to grips with who they are as people and what they are willing to do. They have beautiful character arcs that are nicely fleshed out. Both journeys were incredible, and I loved every page.It also has me reaching for a history book, as I have no real knowledge of the Crusades or the Ottomans in general. Most of my education focused on WW2, so personally, I found it refreshing to be immersed in so different a culture that ultimately shaped the history of Christianity and Islam. Whilst White makes allowances for taking from history to create fiction, she writes so seamlessly and shows such understanding of nobility and the general way of life in Hungary, Wallachia, Constantinople, etc, that I feel thirsty to know more.For YA, it's quite dark, but isn't that the road the genre is headed down these days? Personally, I loved it. I can't wait for the next one.

Radu has chosen to follow Mehmed and his dream to take Constantinople. Lada has chosen their homeland of Wallachia. Both have impossible tasks in front of them.I really enjoyed the first book, and I finally treated myself to paperbacks of the whole trilogy. So, please excuse me if there is any crossover of content that is in the other books, because I've been tearing through all three in one go, and it's a bit of a blur!We jump in about 6 months after the end of the first book.Lada has tried to reclaim her throne, but she is being blocked by short-sighted boyars and other men in power, who can't see past her being a girl. They cannot see beyond their traditions and dismiss her.She can no longer rely on her brother, and Mehmed's promises are empty.Lada finally finds an ally in Hunyadi, the Hungarian general she has admired for years.I was completely hooked, following her frustrations with the men (and women) that constantly demand that she conform, that she should adopt dresses and a meek attitude to placate the men around her.Naturally, Lada is strongly opposed to this. I loved watching her pull apart the old world to forge a new, fairer one. She is utterly brutal.Meanwhile, Radu begins to feel like his friendship with Mehmed is getting strained. Mehmed is playing his part as Sultan, remaining professional and distant at most times, and let's not forget that Radu is still hopelessly in love with him.Radu gets to prove his usefulness when Mehmed sends him to Constantinople as a spy, to break the city from within, just as his army will lay siege to the walls.Radu goes willingly, but the theory of spying for the good of the empire does not match up to having to live with the people he is betraying.The distance helps Radu come to terms with his unrequited love for Mehmed - not to mention, a little help from a certain Cyprian.At the end, because of Lada and Mehmed's complete inability to compromise, it's clear that the three of them will be brought together again.Time for the final part!

Sequel to a very good first book, from which the reader could guess what was to come. However this book doesn't cover nearly enough ground and is less pacey by far than the first. It is easy to presume that book two was simply a vehicle to set up book three. Now that's all well and good if there is enough content to carry the reader along. I'm not convinced we weren't short changed slightly in that. So only 4 stars this time from me.

Where to start? This sequel just made the whole series so much better. This is definitely a contender for my favorite series I read this year.I wish all my history lessons would have been written like this. This book reads like a fun fantasy story but it is a total historic fiction, it seems very well researched and I learn so much about the era and the Ottoman empire. Thank you Kiersten for teaching me a thin or two about that time and place.It is incredible how a gay/lesbian story arc is woven into that time period, makes total sense and doesnt feel preachery or pushed/fake. Well done!I enjoyed how the characters develoed so much. Especially Radu, who only felt like the whiney sidekick in the first book became one of my favorite story arcs. I could read about him and Nazira for hours, following them has turned into my favorite part.

I adore this series! It has EVERYTHING I love in a book.- Cool story- Amazing writing- Show don't tell at top speed- REAL characters with great development- Plot twists- Emotions coming right at you like cannon ballsIn book one I was Lada's n.1 fan. I liked Radu, but I was completely focused on how I can relate to Lada. Now, I love Radu as well! :DSo... yeah... dying to read book 3!

Toujours déchirée entre Mehmed et sa patrie, Lada Dracul est retournée prendre son trône en Valachie. Mais les nobles, qui y ont déjà mis leur pantin, repoussent ses troupes et elle doit alors faire des alliances inattendue dans l'espoir de reprendre ce qu'il lui a été promis.Pendant ce temps, Radu, qui a préféré rester auprès de Mehmed, l'homme qu'il aime, et a ainsi abandonné sa soeur, est envoyé en infiltration dans la cité de Constantinople, le but ultime du sultan. Mais les gens qu'il rencontre là-bas et les horreurs de la guerre le font rapidement remettre en question sa décision de suivre Mehmed au dépit de Lada.Entre victoires militaires, conquêtes amoureuses et vengeance, qui saura l'emporter?[Livre lu en VO]Après avoir beaucoup apprécié le premier tome, je n'ai pas pu attendre bien longtemps avant de me procurer la suite. En voyant que ce second volet était un peu plus long, j'avais un peu peur d'être déçue car le premier comportait déjà quelques longueurs et les seconds tomes se révèlent généralement être des transitions sans beaucoup d'action. Mes doutes se sont révélés incorrects, et j'en suis très contente!D'abord, le problème des enfants qui me paraissaient trop matures est bien évidemment éliminé puisque depuis la moitié de And I Darken, Lada et Radu sont sortis de l'enfance. Ce fut également un grand plaisir de retrouver l'univers ottoman que je découvrais dans le tome 1 ; et ce fut encore meilleur d'obtenir enfin les conquêtes et batailles que j'attendais déjà dans le tome précédent : le titre The Conquerors Saga prend enfin tout son sens, à ma grande satisfaction.Certes, on ressent légèrement qu'il s'agit tout de même d'un tome de transition, mais l'action s'enchaîne facilement sous la plume fluide et toujours parfaite de Kiersten White, avec ce qu'il de sarcasme et de langage soutenu sans en rajouter. L'alternance des chapitres entre Lada et Radu, qui ont chacun leur propre histoire malgré quelques liens, finit de rendre le récit très addictif.Les personnages, que j'appréciais déjà un peu dans And I Darken, sont encore plus attachants, plus particulièrement Radu mais aussi, de façon surprenante pour moi, Lada, qui est toujours une battante et ne lâche jamais. Malgré son sale caractère, j'ai enfin réussi à mieux m'attacher à elle. Tous les personnages sont plutôt rationnels et prennent des décisions compréhensibles...et même parfois satisfaisantes (notamment à la fin, du côté de Lada).Enfin j'ai également beaucoup apprécié le féminisme et la représentation diverse de la femme présents dans ce livre : il y a des battantes, des douces, des arrogantes ; et il en va de même chez les hommes, sans distinction. Ce tome-ci était aussi plus nuancé que le précédent : la ligne entre les "gentils" et les "méchants" se floute et est parfois franchie, ce qui ajoute au réalisme (et puis aussi, j'ai toujours eu un faible pour les histoires qui mettent en scène des antihéros).En conclusion, Now I Rise est un second tome qui a su encore mieux me convaincre que le premier, et où j'ai adoré retrouver Lada et Radu au coeur des intrigues politiques et guerrières qui manquaient légèrement à And I Darken. Je me retrouve donc avec une très grande envie d'enchaîner avec le tome 3, mais pour cela il faudra attendre Juillet!

Simplemente lo amé tanto como amé el primer libro And I Darken. Es una historia diferente y muy atrapante.

Un buen final

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