~Waiting on Wednesday~ Now I Rise (And I Darken #2)

                “Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

Now I Rise (And I Darken #2) by Kiersten White

Out: 6/27

From Goodreads:

                Lada Dracul has no allies.  No throne.  All she has is what she’s always had:  herself.  After failing to secure the Wallachian throne, Lada is out to punish anyone who dares to cross her blood-strewn path.  Filled with a white-hot rage, she storms the countryside with her men, accompanied by her childhood friend Bogdan, terrorizing the land.  But brute force isn’t getting Lada what she wants.  And thinking of Mehmed brings little comfort to her thorny heart.  There’s no time to wonder whether he still thinks about her, even loves her.  She left him before he could leave her.

                What Lada needs is her younger brother Radu’s subtlety and skill.  But Mehmed has sent him to Constantinople—and it’s no diplomatic mission.  Mehmed wants control of the city, and Radu has earned an unwanted place as a double-crossing spy behind enemy lines.  Radu longs for his sister’s fierce confidence—but for the first time in his life, he rejects her unexpected plea for help.  Torn between loyalties to faith, to the Ottomans, and to Mehmed, he knows he owes Lada nothing.  If she dies, he could never forgive himself—but if he fails in Constantinople, will Mehmed ever forgive him?

                As nations fall around them, the Dracul siblings must decide:  what will they sacrifice to fulfill their destinies?  Empires will topple, thrones will be won…and souls will be lost.

               

Why I’m Waiting:

                 Normally I’m not big on historical fiction but And I Darken (review) really pulled me in and the whole concept of a female Vlad the Impaler seemed interesting.  Not being a fan of history I don’t know how close it follows real historic moments and to that end I have no idea where it will go but I’m ready to find out what happens to Lada and Radu.

                What are you waiting on?  Tell me below what you think of this title and leave a link to your WoW as well so I can check it out.

And I Darken (The Conquerors Saga #1)

                Hello Happy Readers!  So today I am happy to share with you a review I did for No BS Book Reviews and the original post can be found here.  It’s the first book in a new Conquerors Saga by Kiersten White, And I Darken which puts a twist on history as we know it. 

Rating:  4 Stars

Female Vlad the Impaler.  I was in.  Nothing else just that and I wanted to read it.  Oh and the pretty cover didn’t hurt matters.

This book covers so much ground literally starting with our MC Lada is born.  We follow along as she grows giving us enough in certain years to understand who she is at each point which was a huge plus because Lada is a bit rough and having her story, her backstory, really develops her character.  Plus things of importance were happening early on.  Very intricate story.

The world is lushly described and I feel like I could have been there which is good since I wasn’t the best student in history.  So I knew next to nothing about the Ottoman Empire.  And Vlad is what people say spurred the Dracula story is the extent of my knowledge there.  The lands change as the story progresses and the characters grow they move around.  In her original home of Wallachian, where she feels a sense of home and connection.  When she is away from there she always sees the Ottoman Empire as her prison even if sometimes the prison isn't so bad.

Lada was a strong character for me and I enjoyed her immensely as she voiced or thought many of the same things I was thinking when I was reading.  I normally don't read historical fiction all that often being one who doesn't take well to the whole women's place is to be used for trade like cattle and having no rights and such.  She doesn't agree with that either and refuses to be defined by her gender.  I adore this!  The way she interacts with everyone from servants to people who are supposed to be her superiors.  She understands the world and how it works.  She is cruel but she is also cunning and smart as a whip she is made for this world.  Including her interaction and dedication to the Janissaries specifically my favorite one, Nicolae!

"The sooner you stop fighting, the easier your life will be.  That is what your purpose is."

Lada stood so abruptly she nearly fell backward.  "No."

Another POV we see through is Lada's younger brother, Radu.  He is much the opposite of Lada.  While she is brawn and sheer might and a force to be reckoned with Radu is more of a quite force working from the sidelines playing long games.  I remember reading and likening him to Littlefinger or Varys on Game of Thrones in the way he can change and adapt. My favorite thing about dual POV books is seeing how different halves see the same event so vastly differently and you get tons of that here.

This book has lots going for it from the history and world to the diverse and complex characters even before diving into the action of a world at war with battles to be fought on many fronts.  Both from outside forces and within.  It's a political story as well as there is always a power play happening with thrones and leadership. With all this going for it and the ability to keep me on the edge of my seat it also held some romance as well.  Romance that conflicted my emotions.

What held this book back for me a bit is also something that despite my issues with it kept me hoping for more and wanting so desperately to root for it.  Romance.  The romance was well played out and I could see how it naturally fell in so many different forms throughout the book but my biggest issues is more a cultural one.  I couldn’t really ship the ship I wanted so badly to ship.  I wanted to but any feelings expressed from one party while they seemed so sincere, they lost that when he would say this then visit his harem full of wives and concubines.  I understand that is a cultural thing and what is to be expected and such but I don't like it.  Still the fact that I wanted so badly to want to ship it even when it would ruffle my feathers says a lot. 

This is the first book in a new series and I do intend to follow up with the next book for sure and recommend this one!  Lada, Radu, and Mehmed have a lot more story in them to be sure and I'm excited to see where it will take them.