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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
✨ Read for the 2018 Madcap MacHalo Fantabulous Bookish Challenge Extravaganza (MMFBCE™) Challenge over at the MacHalos - 1. Warriors & Legends ✨
Started this a little before Xmas of 2018, read up to 25% on the spot, put it down and never touched it again besides to clean under it. It didn't really capture me then and it's not capturing me right now. Maybe I'll return one day..
DNF @ P122 (25% - Ch.16)
Started this a little before Xmas of 2018, read up to 25% on the spot, put it down and never touched it again besides to clean under it. It didn't really capture me then and it's not capturing me right now. Maybe I'll return one day..
(for Romantic Times Book Reviews magazine, I gave this three stars)
This series starter is slow to get going, and readers may find themselves struggling to continue as the story and relationships develop. Those who pursue it to the end, though, will find an action-packed finish with unpredictable results.
As the unwanted daughter of Vlad Dracul in 16th century Transylvania, Lada has grown into adolescence determined to be fiercer than any boy, protecting as well as tormenting her weaker brother Radu. When the two are sent to the Ottoman Empire in a political trade, they develop a friendship with the sultan’s son, Mehmed, eventually complicating their own relationship and leading to impossible decisions when jealousy and treachery threaten the empire, Mehmed’s succession — and his life. (DELACORTE, Jul., 496 pp., $18.99, ISBN: 9780553522310, HC, 12 & Up)
- See more at: http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/and-i-darken#sthash.6DyJpscX.dpuf
This series starter is slow to get going, and readers may find themselves struggling to continue as the story and relationships develop. Those who pursue it to the end, though, will find an action-packed finish with unpredictable results.
As the unwanted daughter of Vlad Dracul in 16th century Transylvania, Lada has grown into adolescence determined to be fiercer than any boy, protecting as well as tormenting her weaker brother Radu. When the two are sent to the Ottoman Empire in a political trade, they develop a friendship with the sultan’s son, Mehmed, eventually complicating their own relationship and leading to impossible decisions when jealousy and treachery threaten the empire, Mehmed’s succession — and his life. (DELACORTE, Jul., 496 pp., $18.99, ISBN: 9780553522310, HC, 12 & Up)
- See more at: http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/and-i-darken#sthash.6DyJpscX.dpuf
Loved it! I felt a strong connection with the characters and the plot. Can't wait to read the next one.
Definitely a 5 star book, why is the rating only about 4 stars?
Brilliantly written and paced, very easy to be sucked in. My only issue would be that making Vlad a girl, while a very cool idea, doesn't add anything to the plot (her romance with Mehmed doesn't do anything for me). And it forced White to write herself out of a corner a little awkwardly to make Lada able to become Vaivode.
That said, I like Lada. I like her a lot. OK, I actually LOVE Lada. She's so fierce but fallible, cruel but human.
Brilliant, brilliant book.
Brilliantly written and paced, very easy to be sucked in. My only issue would be that making Vlad a girl, while a very cool idea, doesn't add anything to the plot (her romance with Mehmed doesn't do anything for me). And it forced White to write herself out of a corner a little awkwardly to make Lada able to become Vaivode.
That said, I like Lada. I like her a lot. OK, I actually LOVE Lada. She's so fierce but fallible, cruel but human.
Brilliant, brilliant book.
Although a far cry from being historically accurate, I enjoyed this re-envisioning of the Impaler and Mehmed the Conqueror. The writing was surprisingly good. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
a comprehensive guide on how to read this book:
step one: lock yourself in your room with a bottle of water, nachos and dark chocolate (you won’t be coming out anytime before the last page and you need the sugar for stress eating)
step two: obsessively highlight all two of nazira and fatima’s on screen interactions and scream inwardly
step three: don’t look up pictures of the real people. just don’t do it (definitely not radu)
step four: scroll through the and i darken tag on tumblr (and then sigh in disappointment)
step five: plot ways to kill mehmed (yes, thinking of murdering a semi-fictional man will give you satisfaction)
step six: pray for radu to moVE THE FUCK ON
step seven: hope that lada and radu meet again so you can laugh at the dialogue
step eight: sleep for eighteen hours when you’re done because there’s no way you can process the fantastic mess this book was
step nine: log onto goodreads and pretend you’re here to write an actual review
step one: lock yourself in your room with a bottle of water, nachos and dark chocolate (you won’t be coming out anytime before the last page and you need the sugar for stress eating)
step two: obsessively highlight all two of nazira and fatima’s on screen interactions and scream inwardly
step three: don’t look up pictures of the real people. just don’t do it (definitely not radu)
step four: scroll through the and i darken tag on tumblr (and then sigh in disappointment)
step five: plot ways to kill mehmed (yes, thinking of murdering a semi-fictional man will give you satisfaction)
step six: pray for radu to moVE THE FUCK ON
step seven: hope that lada and radu meet again so you can laugh at the dialogue
step eight: sleep for eighteen hours when you’re done because there’s no way you can process the fantastic mess this book was
step nine: log onto goodreads and pretend you’re here to write an actual review
“As the baby latched on with surprising fierceness, the nurse offered her own prayer.
Let her be strong.
Let her be sly.
And let her be ugly.”
Actually 4.8/5
OH MY GODDDD
This was everything I wanted it to be and more. I had already read the Guinevere Deception by K. White and loved it, so I decided to read another book by her while I found the second one. But this book exceeded my expectations in a way I never imagined.
Lada was my favorite. She was aggressive and violent, but she had feelings. This book really captured the way she thought in a way that even I could relate. She stuck to her ideals and never stopped searching for her first home: Wallachia.
Radu was really well written, even if he annoyed me sometimes. Even as he grew and became a silver-tongued man, I could still see the remnants of his childhood and of the impact Lada left on him.
I just... loved it. I think it's for a very specific audience though, so if you plan to read this keep that in mind.
OH MY GODDDD
This was everything I wanted it to be and more. I had already read the Guinevere Deception by K. White and loved it, so I decided to read another book by her while I found the second one. But this book exceeded my expectations in a way I never imagined.
Lada was my favorite. She was aggressive and violent, but she had feelings. This book really captured the way she thought in a way that even I could relate. She stuck to her ideals and never stopped searching for her first home: Wallachia.
Radu was really well written, even if he annoyed me sometimes. Even as he grew and became a silver-tongued man, I could still see the remnants of his childhood and of the impact Lada left on him.
I just... loved it. I think it's for a very specific audience though, so if you plan to read this keep that in mind.
Spoiler
The only reason it isn't five stars is Mehmed's harem. I just never got used to it and I feel that there was definitely a lack of understanding on Mehmed's part about what he and Lada discussed. I mean, sure Lada didn't want to hear about his harem, but I think she might have wanted to hear about his CHILDREN
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated