I received an arc from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Things I liked about Now I Rise:

- It is more action-packed than the first book, even though it is still very slow paced. A lot of the plot still revolves around politics, though.

- We got to know some minor characters from the first book better, like Hunyadi and Cyprian. I was immediately drawn to their storylines. I wished to see more of Oana, though. We were introduced to some amazing new characters as well, like Daciana and Guistiniani. I will let you discover these ones yourself.

- We see less of Mehmed!

- Kiersten White amped up the violence and the cruelty factor. If you thought the first book contained a lot of horrors, you better prepare yourself for the second one.

- The book alternates between a Lada chapter and a Radu chapter. At first, I was only interested in Lada's story, I thought Radu's part was quite boring, not much happened and his side was all politics. About 60 % into the book, things changed. I found myself enjoying Radu's chapters the most as they too became more action-packed.

- Radu slowly began to think more for himself instead of just blindly following Mehmed.


Things I didn't like:

- First of all, all these books in the trilogy are too long, in my opinion. They could and probably should have been a lot shorter.

- Mehmed has become even more insufferable, he and I will never get along.

- I would like to know more about all the secondary characters. I want to know more about Nicolai, Bogdan, Cyprian, etc. I feel they could have been more developed.

- Most of my dislikes from the first book haven't really changed in the sequel. The first book nicely set up the events in Now I Rise, but I'm not sure what is going to happen in the third book. I feel this could have been a duology.

- I would like to see more interaction between Lada and Radu.


I gave this book 3,5 stars because I liked it better than the first one. So if you enjoyed And I Darken, you should definitely check out Now I Rise!

Now I Rise is the second installment in author Kiersten White's The Conqueror's Saga. The story is once again set to the backdrop of the era of the Ottoman Empire circa 1453 under Sultan Mehmed II aka Mehmed The Conqueror. One of my main complaints about And I Darken was the religious aspects of the story and the characters who were forced into converting against their will. Thankfully, White doesn't get bogged down with the religion this time around, but instead focuses on the character development of Lada and Radu. The story alternates chapters between Radu and Lada who has left on her own conquest.

“He had imagined Constantinople, had wanted it for Mehmed. It had been simple and straightforward. But now he knew the true cost of things, the murky horrors of the distance between wanting something and getting it.”

Now that Lada has left him behind, Radu has Mehmed all to himself and because of it, he actually shows amazing character growth. Radu loves unconditionally, which puts him in some very awkward positions. His desire and love for Mehmed really does break the emotional bank. His marriage to Nazira is a sham, but she's still his rock. Even more so after he is later sent to Constantinople to spy on the city and she travels alongside him. Radu has had to deal with Mehmed obsession with Constantinople for years. He hasn't exactly muted that obsession, but helped it along by attempting to be part of building the Sultan's navy. He gets a first hand look at the city, and really, I think a better understanding of the people.

Radu's time in Constantinople really pulls not only on his faith, but what's right and what's wrong. There are times when Radu struggles, and this is why I really loved his development. Radu meets with several interesting characters in this book, most especially Constantine XI who's death would mark the end of the Byzantine Empire. The other happens to be a woman named Urbana of Transylvania who claims she can build a canyon the likes of which has never been seen before. Radu most interesting relationship is with Cyprian. Cyprian becomes his stalwart and friend not knowing that Radu is betraying him and the cities residents.

“Hold hands with the devil until you are both over the bridge. Or kill the devil and burn the bridge so no one can get to you.”

I am pretty sure you know by know that this series is a reimaging of Vlad the Impaler in a gender swap way that makes Vlad, Lada. Lada and her troops are having a hard time getting to Lada's ultimate goal of retaking her home and becoming Prince of Wallachia. She's betrayed, ignored, laughed at, and look down upon. She may only have a little under three dozen Janissary soldiers left, but they are pretty loyal, especially Nicolae, and Bogdan. Lada may have to make a deal with the deal himself to get what she desperately wants, and she is nothing like Radu who has skills in areas she doesn't. Lada is a character who believes in carrying a big stick, and going full throttle.

Lada's desire of reclaiming Wallachia comes at the same time that Mehmed has stepped up his plans of conquering Constantinople. Lada, I think, has come to an interesting place in her life. Unlike Mehmed, Lada's sex gets in the way of her own conquest. She has to deal with ruling families who want to keep what they have, and take away what Lada has worked hard to gather. I adored this story because it is so intense, so dark, brutal, and historically close to the actual facts of what happened during this time period. I do hope that White goes full throttle in the next book. There is plenty to come if she intends to follow in Vlad the Impaler's path.

Kiersten White’s Now I Rise is a stunning sequel to And I Darken

NOW I RISE, by Kiersten White, Delacorte Press, June 27, 2017, Hardcover, $18.99 (young adult)

It was this time last year that I fell in love with a new series by Kiersten White. And I Darken about Lada Dracul and her brother, Radu, took my breath away. Its followup, Now I Rise, is just as engrossing, if not more so.

In And I Darken readers are introduced to the Dracul siblings who have been abandoned in the Ottoman courts as a way to secure their father, Vlad’s, position as leader of Wallachia. Lada and Radu become pawns in an international game of intrigue, with the threat of death always hovering over their heads.

Lada and Radu move up in the ranks, befriending the sultan’s son Mehmed. Mehmed loves the siblings — Radu as a brother and Lada as something more — and wishes nothing more than they remain by his side forever. But Lada has always seen her time with the Ottomans as temporary. Her heart lies in Wallachia, and all she can think of is regaining the throne. Radu, on the other hand, can’t imagine life away from Mehmed, and the siblings part ways.

Now I Rise picks up where And I Darken left off. Lada has returned to Europe to claim her title, but she has no allies. She has no throne. Failure is not something Lada is willing to accept so she does what she does best — punish anyone who gets in her way. News of her spreads as she leaves a bloody path across the countryside, and it becomes clear that what Lada really needs is Radu’s diplomacy. But Radu made his choice. He chose Mehmed.

Choosing Mehmed has its consequences, though. Mehmed has his eye on Constantinople, and he thinks that Radu might be the one to help him get it. Radu is sent to the city as a spy. Trapped in a city under siege, Radu finds himself wishing for Lada’s strength and questioning everything he thought he knew. Lada, too, finds herself wondering how much she’s willing to sacrifice and for whom. And at the center of everything is Mehmed, pulling the strings and bending things to his will.

As with And I Darken, Now I Rise, tells Radu and Lada’s stories in alternating chapters. Though the siblings appear to be complete opposites, as the book develops, similarities arise. Lada continues to be cold and calculating, but there is also a softness that rears its ugly head every once and a while. Radu remains soft and sensitive, though there’s also a sharpness that develops during his time in Constantinople.

Again, neither character is one you’d want to cheer for, at least at first glance. Lada is still unlikeable, and yet, even if you don’t agree with her methods, you want her to succeed. Radu, who felt very milquetoast in the first book, is much more interesting.

The reason these infinitely flawed characters work is because of Kiersten’s writing. Her pacing is spot on and her prose is sharp. From the moment I picked up Now I Rise until the moment I finished, I was completely engaged.

I’ve been a fan of Kiersten’s since first reading her Paranormalcy series. She’s written a number of standalone novels as well. But it’s with the Dracul series that she sets herself apart. Here she has proved herself a chameleon, able to truly craft characters so compelling, you have to know their stories.

Sensitivity note: Both of the books in the Dracul series are quite dark. Elements of violence and sexual elements and innuendo are tastefully laced throughout. I recommend these books for older/mature YA readers, 9th grade and up.

WOW!!! Now I Rise was such a kickass book! This book was fascinating, heartbreaking, dark, bloody, and addictive.

The plot of this book was interesting and very compelling. I really enjoyed reading about the fall of Constantinople and Lada taking Wallachia back. There were times where I felt the book were a bit slow, especially in the beginning, but I still wanted to continue the book. This book had action, politics, humor, brutality, and so much more.

Lada was as bloodthirsty and ruthless, which I was LIVING FOR. I sympathized with Lada, surprisingly, and then there were other times when she made me almost hate her because of her decisions. Lada didn't think twice about killing and betraying people to get what she wanted. She became almost obsessive about her goals with Wallachia. As much as I hated her in those dark moments, I also really loved those moments? I loved how she was just as mean as the male Vlad the Impaler was. She wasn't any softer or kinder version just because she was a female. I might have hated the consequences of her actions, but I always found her so badass. OKAY, MAYBE I AM A BAD PERSON FOR LOVING HER DARK SIDE, BUT I CANNOT HELP IT. HER BLOODTHIRSTY SIDE IS JUST SO POWERFUL AND AWESOME AND I DON'T CARE. SHE SHOWED ALL THOSE MEN THAT A FEMALE IS NOT TO BE MESSED WITH AND THAT THEY ARE JUST AS POWERFUL AS MEN. HECK YEAH!

Radu was as precious as ever in this book. I talked about how I loved the darkness of Lada's character, but with Radu, I loved how sweet he was. Radu felt so human and relatable. He was always trying to do what was right, just, and true. He struggled with some inner darkness, but he tried to fight it to do what he felt was the right thing to do. His character development in this book was phenomenal and it was truly incredible. I cannot wait to see how he continues to grow. RADU WENT THROUGH SO MUCH IN THIS BOOK AND I WISH I COULD JUST GIVE HIM A HUG. HE DESERVES ALL THE HAPPINESS IN THE WORLD. PLEASE, JUST LET MY CUPCAKE, RADU, BE HAPPY.

THE ENDING OF THIS BOOK. OH MY GOSH. IT WAS AMAZING AND PERFECT AND I DIED. I NEED THE NEXT BOOK!!!

If you are looking for an epic and unforgettable book, then you need to get your hands on Now I Rise!

4 / 5 Fangs

*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *

"Why must I always be a man's servant?...If anything, I should be partners with the devil, not his servant." 

And with that one sentence I was reminded why I love Lada so much.
She is a beyond amazing character, her drive, her fighter attitude and just the will to keep going until she gets what she wants and thinks she deserves. She is not a stand on the sidelines and wait for it to happen type she's making it happen.

I'm sure I've mentioned it before, no doubt even in my review for the previous book And I Darken, but I kind of have a soft spot for badass ruthless characters that know what they want and do whatever it takes to get it.

There are other characters in this book, they're there doing what they're doing. Mainly making me wonder how long until I get to go back to the Lada chapters.
Really, I did enjoy Radu's journey also, his conflict between what he feels is right and what he believes. He's probably the only character that has grown with his experiences.

I love this twist on history; it's books like this that leave we wanting to know more about the facts it's based on. For me they're gateways because when I discover an unknown topic I don't stop until I've gotten everything I can from it.

It was exciting to get back into the lives of Lada and Radu. Once again, their lives are turned upside down and sent to the far reaches of the world (their small version of the world that is).
White’s characters start where the left off in And I Darken and charge forward into their new lives. Lada is as brave and stubborn as ever, growing more and more into a fearless leader, while Radu’s love for Mehmed pushes his loyalty to the limits and into the belly of the beast. Both characters have great voices that propel the action and themselves into greater beings. The landscape is well laid out, easy for the reader to navigate along. White’s wording is as powerful as ever and takes in the history that generates this story. With the final chapters, readers, including me, will read faster and faster and then wait, quite impatiently, for the next installment.

It's not without its faults, but I love Now I Rise with all my heart for its complexity, for its phenomenal supporting cast, for the way it induces both undeniable hatred and unfailing empathy for the main characters in me. I needed a book to really get me back into the practice of reading, of getting to know characters and worlds and live in them in new and unexpected ways. Now I Rise did just that for me. All things considered, I regard it as Kiersten White's finest work to date, and I'm so glad that I got the opportunity to read it before its release.

Even so, it wasn't all smooth sailing. Now I Rise started off pretty dry for me. It took a while to put names to faces and get my timeline correct (both in terms of the plot and the history behind the story), and I wasn't too psyched about the idea of struggling through almost 500 pages of a story I only vaguely understood. Because I loved the first one so much, I went on without remembering much, and it eventually started coming back to me in bits and pieces. The longer I went, I also noted the way White drops brief segments of essential backstory in for anyone who doesn't remember. That doesn't mean you should read this book without reading the first one--this isn't one of those series by any means--but don't be afraid to trek into this one if you don't completely remember the first.

The parts I was most impressed by in And I Darken, the first book of this series, had to do with the ways it pushed the characters and explored history just about seamlessly, and in Now I Rise, White's managed to focus almost solely on those aspects to the story. She focused almost exclusively on the development of the main characters without losing the story, setting, or supporting characters. In doing so, she took me on a journey to see Radu and Lada, and history itself, at their very limits. I've never really seen this kind of historical fiction accomplished within a book, much less in YA, and it was incredible to watch.

In this one, I definitely came to side with Lada. It wasn't easy. I went back and forth numerous times, and it makes it harder to think that it could down to Lada vs Radu, but I would still choose Lada. It's not a perfect choice, and I think White was playing on the difficulty between the two when she decided to end Now I Rise the way she did: with heart-wrenching brutality on both sides. In fact, I can't completely justify why I would choose Lada over any other option, but I think it has to do with how much she endeared herself to me throughout the course of the story. Considering that both sides are vicious and both sides used each other, all that there's left is effectiveness. If history is any way of predicting, I feel like she can create something truly great in Wallachia. Catherine the Great and Peter the Great were terribly ruthless, but they ushered in modern-day Russia. Besides, in comparing the way that Lada deals with empathy and the way that Radu deals with empathy, I can honestly say that in that world, I'd rather be killed by Lada's sword than Radu's kindness.

If I remember correctly, history stands against Lada, but screw it. I hope that she comes out of it all okay. At this point, I can't bring myself to hate either side, and I think that's one of the greatest impacts an author has the ability to effect.

However, that's not to say I lost my affection for Radu. In fact, that affection became something more. I stopped just pitying him and actually felt the weight of his mistakes and confusion. Even more so than with Lada, I was blown away by how much my view of Radu changed. In the beginning, I respected him for his prowess in the court and felt for his personal struggles, but in the end, he was more than just a list of attributes to me. He became his own person, and I rooted for him, especially in the second half of the book. I wanted him to make his own decisions. I wanted him to break away from the toxic loyalty that's one of the only things that defines him as the man he's grown up to be. Just as desperately as he wished that he could, I wished that he could go back to the time when he could follow that loyalty without ghosts in his closet and blood on his hands.

The inevitably of these characters' predicaments is what grabbed me and showed me a maturity in writing that's difficult to write and even more difficult to find. They want to be different, but they can't be anything but inherently flawed. Despite that, they still find faith, love, and hope in each other, and we as readers find those things in those characters.

A short note on the supporting cast before I go on: they are glorious. For the most part, anyway. I especially loved Lada's men. There could've been a lot of meaningless drama and filler there, but White chose to make it about loyalty and shared purpose. In doing so, she unveiled much of Lada's capacity to love outside of Radu and Mehmed, which was refreshing to see.

Mehmed felt like more of a supporting character in this one, which was marginally disappointing. I was hoping for more from him, but he seems to be destined to be a pawn between Radu and Lada. But who knows? The ending sequences between him and Radu were pretty intriguing, and I'd interested in seeing what happens now that the honeymoon period is 120% over. Now that I think about it, Mehmed did develop over time, almost like White was growing his character through what we see of Radu and Lada. It's an unorthodox approach, but I'm looking forward to seeing where it leads.

The plot and pacing were the other parts of the story that were a little hard to swallow for me, mainly because there was always a POV that I wanted to read more than the other. It did alternate who I wanted to see more, but that one chapter was more consistently more interesting than the next wore on me and slowed the pace of the book. I do think that this book had to be around as long as it was to get the character development that we did, especially when it comes to the way Radu changes at the end, but the execution could've been better.

Overall though, an incredible story. Strangely enough, even though I felt like it was far less broad in what it tried to achieve than And I Darken, I thought it covered more in the subtleties like the fragility of promises and the claws and teeth on the beast we try to call love. If all historical fiction were like this, I would be reading the genre far more, and I'll definitely be recommending this one.

4.5 stars.

With this second book of the historical retelling and gender bender version of Vlad the Impaler, White proceed inside a dark path, for the joy of every bloodthirsty bookworms.
Premise: I liked this book but I will not be a part of the reviews that had given this book five full stars. I'm the one that will lower your expectation.
Read this as an ebook ARC, I was bumped and I started without holding me. Later I asked myself if that has been a fault. Did I read it to fast? I don't think so, since the book flew naturally page after page. My real problmes are Lada and Radu.

Now I Rise is a cruel book that doesn't hold bakc, even if White has been able to conceal a bit the most grugesome event without denying the horros of war, battle and blood.
I cannot mve any critique to the book's events. They're historical fact and everything collied perfectly even if they weren't.
My fragile point are the characters. I'm an emotional person and pieces by pieces all the bond that I constructed with the characters started to die.

Nazira, whom I liked a lot in And I Darken, started to get on my nerves with some of her affirmations and I hoped that my notable tendency to get affectionate towards secondary characters was going to strike again... but it didn't happen.

Radu has a moral downfall and Mehmed isn't better. I never liked neither cared about him since the first book, but this second one made me hated him and hated even more how Radu and the Sultan get tangled toghter into politics and war without managing to turn back.

Even if I felt Radu's moral struggle I cannot really feel sorry for you, no matter how much he can weep and wreck his own heart over his actions.
Rada always knew what was going to happen when he would made his final decision. I appreciate that he tried his best but still... I've issue.

Lada has been delusional to me. She comes like she the badass herself but the further I got inside the story, I started to ntice how Lad improved her skills really poorly. Yes, she fight and she obtain what she wants - even if realistically talking she should be dead by long time - but she kills, Only. Everything she tries to made, allegiances, pacts, swearing loyalty to someone... nothing lives enough for Lada to start payling politics game. She has her sparks of humanity but for most of the time she unable to feel complete simpathy - I don't pretend empathy for her - even for Wallachina women.
Also this made me reconsier a lot her image of feminist. Many other readers consider her so, but Lada is feminist only for herself- hating at the same time her body as a woman - and most of the time she unable to understand other women.

In the end, I cannot say that I didn't appreciate the book. It was a good read, that hold me the pages nearly without pauses, and even if I had a difficult relationship with the characters, I can presume that it's a good sign: I still care about them.
Now I Rise has an ening that left me presume how White still hasn't unlashed the dark side of her story, so if you love this series you should brace yourself.

Much better than the first one. Favorite character is actually a new one and that is Cyprian. I really like Radu a lot more when his around him then with Mehmed that's for sure. I just don't understand why Radu or Lada sees in that weak jerk, he makes me sick to my stomach. Radu I feel is finally getting the picture that its not going to happen between them two, and Lada is already for at least right now understand that she needs to let him go, it took for what he did for her to realize this.
I really hope that Radu lives in the end of this series and that if its not Cyprian that its someone fitting for him to end up with.
I am not sure yet if I like or don't like Lada, I still have a love hate relationship with her. What she did at the end of this book is making me think that it will turn to a hate relationship. I can understand why she did what she did in regards to something's but not other things.
Can't wait to see what happens in the next book.

First off, let's talk about how much I love Radu.
He is just such a good character and Kiersten keeps putting him in these really difficult situations and I'm just sitting here on the edge of my seat like flipping out because I can't deal with anything bad happening to him or even just him being unhappy at all like I need him to smile at all times forever.

Then we get this beautiful family dynamic between Radu, Nazira, and Fatima. They are all just such amazing people and they deserve every good thing to happen to them. Nazira was such a queen in this book and it made my life. I was so excited that Kiersten gave her a bigger role in this book. I hope in the next book we get to see even more of Fatima as well because we (and by we I mean Radu and me, of course) kept getting hints and I was like I love this cinnamon roll so much and I need to know her entire backstory right now so I can keep her safe and protected forevermore.

That's one thing that I think Kiersten did super well in this sequel-- she brought back minor characters from And I Darken and gave them pivotal roles. It was just so well done and I love when authors do that because I feel like it shows that they really respect their readers to care about details and continuity instead of just always creating new characters. *pats Kiersten White on the back* I just reread And I Darken a week ago and Kiersten brought back a character that must have been mentioned in literally one sentence in the first book and now he is a new fave of mine.

I also really loved how the back and forth between Radu's and Lada's plotlines were so consistent. Their two storylines were pretty separate for the entire book and usually I don't like that because I like when they merge at some point. But I think this book did a really good job of it as I was equally interested in both storylines, so I never wanted to stop reading.

Kiersten is really a master of making the worst thing that could possibly happen to a character happen and forcing that character to deal with the repercussions. I was so frustrated throughout the entire book because I couldn't give the characters advice. Especially knowing historically about the fall of Constantinople, which for some reason was one of the most emphasized events in all of my two years of high school global/world history classes. I knew what was going to happen and the dramatic irony was killing me. I feel like readers who know nothing of Ottoman history will still really enjoy the book regardless, but having a little background info made me feel really invested in the story, especially on top of my deep investment with Radu's wellbeing.

Okay so I don't know how I got this far into the review without talking about Lada?? I love her a lot, even though her sections in this book didn't feel *quite* as relevant or urgent as they did in the last book (she sort of fell a little bit on the backburner for me behind everything that was going on with Radu, but I still loved reading about her). Reading about Lada reminds me of the way I felt when I first read about Celaena Sardothein in Throne of Glass. She's just so cool and badass. I love how morally gray she is, but at the same time she was like so empowering. I especially loved the contrast between Radu and Lada's chapters when Radu would be like we can't let this one random person die because it's not right, and then immediately after we'll see Lada stabbing like an entire army.

All in all, I was so satisfied with this sequel. I found reading about the characters now that they are older was much more interesting for me. I can't wait for the next book when all the character's will somehow inevitably be brought together. (*whispers* I hope Radu realizes he is way too good for Mehmed and joins Lada and they take over the world... that's a totally acceptable creative freedom from history right??) I loooved the letters in the last two chapters of the book even though they sort of made me want to cry. It was such a strong ending and it made me so excited for the concluding novel!

An amazing sequel that mantains the stronger points of the first book: flawed and complex characters and relationships that keep shifting, great political plot and a rich, intrincate world that appeals to every sense

Now I Rise by no means suffers from the so-called ‘weak-sequel-syndrome’. This second book of The Conqueror’s Saga starts out strong and stays that way until the very end. The focus is slightly different than in the first book, mostly because it has two completely different storylines this time and the story switches between those POVs. I personally liked this change and it didn’t distract from the main plot at all, especially since there is still an obvious connection between the two storylines both through the characters and the plot itself. I also liked the glbt elements in the series in general, although I do have to say the love triangle bits did started to bother me as well as some of the decisions of the characters. This is probably the only negative thing I could find about this series though! Because there is no doubt I’m truly enjoying this Vlad The Impaler based series so far. Another thing that stood out for me is that there is more action and more fighting in Now I Rise, although it is balanced with further excellent character development and detailed descriptions of the worldbuilding and historical references that will make it feel as if you were back in the 15th century yourself. Because there is no doubt that Kiersten White‘s writing style is wonderful and will have you under its spell… Well written, beautiful, rich, engaging and highly addictive: Now I Rise will have you in its claws and won’t let you go until you reach the last page, leaving you wanting for more. Thankfully the sequel doesn’t end with that big of a cliffhanger, making the wait for book three a little more tolerable… Although it’s still going to be a long one.

Book one of this series I ended up DNFing to start but then I picked it back up and realized that without the starting backstory we get in it. The story just isn't as good. This book two is the same way. We get so much story packed into this almost 500-page book and I couldn't be happier. I loved this twist on history more than book one and man I really hope we get more from this author. This is by far my favorite series from her and it's another one that I don't want it to end. I love how strong Lada is and the story that White is giving us. And it's one that makes me want to read the true history of Vlad the Impaler. Not many books come along that make you want to dive into the real history but this is def. one. This one gives you everything you could ask for. Funny banter between the characters, some romance, and some epic adventure.

I have been waiting ages for this sequel to come out. Was both nervous and excited about reading it. But now that I have read it, all I feel is disappointed. Because I disliked this book so much, and it breaks my heart a bit. I'm giving it two stars. I have tons of reasons for this. Ahh. Feel so sad. I wanted to love this so much.

One thing I feared before reading this book, was that there would be a bad love triangle. Haha. There wasn't even romance in this book. And what little there was, well, it was bad. Maybe because I didn't care one bit. Shrugs. There is so much that I did not like about this book that I don't even know where I shall begin. Sigh.

So I shall start with the writing. I actually loved the writing in this book. Which, honestly, makes me more sad that I hated most of the plot. Ugh. But yes, the writing was really good. Had no issues with it at all. And oh, how I loved Lada. Well, loved her in the first part of the book, then my feelings changed a bit, as she changed too. But Lada is still my favorite of them all. I did not like Radu in book one, and in this one I liked him even less. Aw. Then there is Mehmed. I thought I loved him in book one, but I do not, not anymore. Though he is barely even there in this book, and he doesn't have a point of view, so I have no idea what to feel about him, truly. Curious to know if he will get a point of view in book three. But even if he does, I don't really think I'll like him, sadly.

One thing that I didn't enjoy in this book, was how time was passed. Every chapter mentions the time, and the book is told one chapter from Lada, then from Radu, and they each take place in different times of the month. It made me a bit dizzy, to be honest. And also because I am not fully sure when this book takes place. I think it's supposed to have been a year since Lada left Radu and Mehmed. But I'm unsure. Anyway. This book takes place all that time after And I Darken. It's told by Lada and Radu, which I liked.

But sadly didn't really love any of the characters this time. Lada is my favorite, yes, but she changes a lot in this book. She was always a bit brutal, but gentle too, yet in this one she isn't very gentle at all. And I did not like how many people she murdered and had her men murder. Especially at the end. It was a bit much, sigh. And while I didn't like her childhood friend, as he also almost never speaks in this book, I didn't like how she used him either. It wasn't fair to him, to be honest. And I expected better from her. Aw.

And then there was Radu. I would say that this is his book, as I felt like there were much more from his point of view and what he was doing. And I must admit that this is the biggest reason for why I didn't like this book. Because I couldn't stand Radu. Not at all. To me, he is all kinds of awful. He worships Mehmed. For no reason. He loves him more than anything, and it made no sense to me at all. He has a weird way of thinking too, that I just didn't like. Aw. Plus he does so much awful, so much betraying too. Not good.

What I did love was the people around Radu. His fake wife, Nazira. She was amazing to read about, and I wanted all the best for her. Though she also did some betraying that I didn't like. Sigh. Then there was this man, Cyprian. He has a crush on Radu. And he is beyond adorable and amazing and I wanted more of him so badly. But Radu is a jerk. And he is blind to everything but Mehmed. Bothered me so, so much. He could have had the most amazing relationship with Cyprian. Sigh. I wanted the best for that kind man.

The point of this book is war. And that is all there is. And gosh, it was boring. I felt like just about nothing happened in this book, and yet it is almost five hundred pages. Lada is focusing on taking back her home, and that is all she wants. She's too brutal about it. I loved some moments with her a whole lot, but those were few, and she wasn't in this book a lot. Sigh. She never see Radu in this. She meets with Mehmed one time, and I didn't like that time, because it was too rushed and it had so few details and talking. Ugh.

But the biggest war is happening with Radu. Mehmed has sent him as a spy into the city he is planning to go to war to take for himself. I hated Mehmed for this; especially once we learned the reasons for why he sent him away. Mehmed is not a nice person. At all. I hope he gets better in book three, as he wasn't in this one much, but I doubt it. But yeah. Radu is in a new city, with lots of new people. Also, nothing bad happens to him, which was boring. Nothing bad happens to Lada either, and again, boring. Which is sad.

But bad things happens to everyone else. Which is why I changed my rating from three stars to two stars. The last part of the book is the end of the war, one side just won. And the soldiers now get three days of stealing and ruining and raping women and children. And reading about this, well, it wasn't okay for me. I didn't want to know these things. It was a bit much, a bit too brutal, a bit too sad. Especially considering it was all Radu's fault. Made it even more bitter. I just. I don't want these bad feelings while reading books.

I'm not going to say too much more about this book. Just that I was really disappointed. Aw. I had hoped it would be much better. But it wasn't. It was boring and too brutal at times; not in a good way. I disliked Radu so, so much. He was beyond stupid and just awful at times. I am also not a God person, so all the different religion things were not for me at all, and there was a lot of that. Sigh. One character I wanted to know more about was Hunyadi, but he wasn't there much at all. Sadly, just one more thing to disappoint.

Sadly, I do think that a lot of people will love this book, lol. Sorry. It just wasn't for me. Not at all. But I'm glad that I read it, though, and I will be reading the third book, because there are things that I am curious about. But I'm not dying to read it. Sigh. I'm so sad that this book was so bad for me. But nothing to be done about that. As I mentioned, I liked some parts of this book. Lada was awesome at first. But the story was just war and boring. I felt like this book could have been so much more. So, yeah, I'm disappointed.

"It will work," Radu said. It had to. It would prove, once and for all, that he was the better Dracul sibling. The most valuable. The most deserving of love. And it would prove to himself that he had made the right choice in staying.


This book hurt me in ways I never imagined I'd hurt. And I Darken was brutal and unforgiving, and whilst the atmosphere is not lost in Now I Rise, this sequel is almost bittersweet in comparison.

We spend a lot of time in Radu's head, since he and Lada split ways. Radu, desperate for Mehmed's love and approval, is ready to do absolutely anything, including becoming a spy in Constantinople. The goal: befriend the politicians running the city, and exploit the weakest points.

Radu is merciless in his work -- from sabotaging food stocks, to dismantling the hard work behind repairing the weakest points of the wall, and even befriending Cyprian, the emperor's nephew, in order to find out what, exactly, Constantine's plans are, Radu sees only the end goal.

Bowing his head, Cyprian smiled, his eyes crinkling until they nearly disappeared. Radu thought Mehmed's smile the best in the world, but he could not deny something about Cyprian's transformed his whole face in a way that made Radu feel some hope for the first time in days.


However, Radu doesn't count on being so openly accepted in Constantinople as a traitor to Mehmed, and he certainly doesn't count on making friends. Even Nazira, his wife, finds Constantinople rich with trusting people -- an aspect that would certainly be the city's downfall eventually. Although Radu begins to second-guess everything he had stood for, his heart lies true: he would continue to do anything for Mehmed, even if it meant his death.

"... I want you to find that same love, and I never want you to hate yourself for any love that is in you." She [Nazira] pulled him close and he let her, wondering it was possible for him to ever have the clarity and purity of love that she had.
Knowing that with Mehmed, it was not possible.
But how could he let go of the man written onto his very soul?


Treachery is afoot. Radu is unprepared to face the challenges Constantinople poses -- and the rumours that have followed him all the way from home. Rumours that could ruin him, and that have dubbed him "Radu the Handsome."

It's no secret that when it comes to Radu, I have a huge, smushy spot in my heart that melts and bleeds every time he is on page. Lada, it seems, is very much the same. After forming an unlikely alliance with Hunyadi (the same man that had taken Lada and Radu to the Ottoman Empire in And I Darken), Lada is intent on becoming Prince of Wallachia, even it means killing anyone who stands in her way. I was pleased to see that, although Lada is growing up, her intentions remain the same. Unlike most YA novels, Lada does not let herself be distracted by the promise of romance and although her love of Mehmed could make or equally destroy the Empire, she is happy to kill him if it means securing Wallachia.

And when it comes to her beloved brother...

"Where is my brother, Mehmed?"
He looked at the ceiling of the tent. "Constantinople."


Lada's fury at the mortal danger her brother is in spurs her to make a quick decision: become the Prince, and destroy Mehmed.

"You betray my brother with your feigned ignorance of his feelings. You betrayed me. But I will never betray Wallachia." She lifted the knife, pointing it at him. "If you set foot on Wallachian soil again -- my soil -- I will kill you."


Kiersten White penned an explosive sequel, full of treachery, murder and love. I actually found myself caring about characters I didn't want to care about: Nazira and the sweetness and purity of her soul; Urbana, the Hungarian cannon designer; Cyprian, who believes the best of Radu and only wants his happiness in return. I found myself flipping the pages faster than I could read, wondering if Radu would betray Mehmed or Constantinople. If Lada would kill the boyars holding her throne, or relinquish Wallachia in order to save her brother. If Constantinople would fall, or stand strong.

But this is a historical retelling, and we all know how it ends. The Fourth Crusade was my favourite in history class, because it truly is as bloody, diabolically schemed and frenzied as Now I Rise depicts. I fell in love all over again, and now my heart lays in tatters.

Is it too much to ask for a happy ending?

Didn't love it as much as the first book. Definitely felt like a middle book with not a lot taking place except for battles and all the main characters were separated. Lada and Radu only communicate through letters, never once are they together. Lada and Mehmed spend a short bit of time together (that did not disappoint) but still the majority fighting their own battles to further their own countries. I enjoyed following Lada's character the most. The scene at 98% was the top of her badassery. I don't get Radu. Why he can't clearly see by not that Mehmed has zero interest in him is beyond me. And still he's his beck and call boy. I like Mehmed a bit less in this book. I think he will become the enemy in the next installment.

This was a stunning installment! I love the book even more than the first one, because I already know the characters and it's not as confusing.
It is still a bit slow but I have to say I was really invested in the story. The plot becomes more twisted and the characters grow much more. Especially Radu, who has become one of my favourites. Lada's still as fierce as before, but her character development was one of my favourite parts of the book.
The ending, even though didn't have a cliffhanger, made me want to immediately pick up the next book. I'm so excited to see how everything ends.

I didn't realize this was a sequel book, so it didn't work for me.

White has managed to not only put a remarkable and utterly believable twist on history in her character Lada (think Vlad the Impaler here) but has also managed to make her completely lovable in all her wickedness and harsh ways. Someone that isn't necessarily endearing but instead captivating. Fascinating simply because you never know what she will do next to prove herself and show the world the fierce, smart, and strong woman that she is in a world run completely by men.

She is a no hold, balls to the wall kind of girl and it is hard not to fall in love with that ferocity that she shows the world and the determination that she has to take what is rightfully hers. With each new step in her journey, each new chapter in her story, I fall more and more in love with White's ability to twist this story into something new and unique. Something bloody and battle worn but also something beautiful and hopeful and with a heroine that is every bit as determined as she is feared by those around her.


What I love most about this series though is that White isn't afraid to tell it how it is, darkness and all. She gets her hands dirty and things aren't pretty. This is not a book of romance or of fun. It is a brutal trying time filled with a whole lot of death and blood, murder and deceit. There is very little happiness and no sunshine or rainbows. What it is instead is imaginative, captivating, and undeniably addicting, this story is truly something you don't want to miss out on.

An amazing sequel to an impressive historical novel. Lada and Radu burst back onto the scene to navigate the courts of Constantinople and the complicated relationship between the boyars and their role in placing a Prince on the Wallachian throne. Now I Rise continues the story that began in And I Darken, taking the characters down new paths that spit them out changed--but that's not necessarily always better. Highly, highly recommend this series for fans of historical fiction, as this one is written so well that it's so easy to visualize everything as it happens.

My full review is found at [a cup of tea and an armful of books] at the link below.