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A review by annawhit
Now I Rise by Kiersten White
5.0
When I thought it couldn't get any better than the first book...ding dong, I was wrong.
First off, I love Lada. Lada is the most hardcore, down-to-earth, stubborn, won't-take-no-for-an-answerheroine warrior I've ever read about. Despite her feelings for Mehmed and her lack of court etiquette, she knows what has to get done, and she achieves her goals using the most brutal and efficient means possible. Killing the boyars at the end and then her letter to Radu...*whistle* And even after all that, Lada is still human. She still craves Mehmed's love and Radu's guidance, but she deals with it (in the form of Bogdan, which I wasn't exactly keen on, but whatever). She goes from poor girl wallowing through the land with her soldiers to Prince Lada of Wallachia, dragon of the empire and taker of what is rightfully hers.
In the first book, I enjoyed Radu more than Lada, and now in the second, I enjoyed Lada more than Radu, which I suppose is fitting. Radu's storyline in this book was a bit slower than Lada's, but it was still excellent. I was mildly hoping to see him let go of Mehmed in the end, which he didn't, but he grew more attached to Cyprian and acknowledged that his feelings towards Mehmed were dissipating. And man, Radu is smart. He knows precisely how to manipulate others' pride, greed, and other emotions to bend towards his cause. He was placed smack in the middle of a political war, with a few cannons involved, and he did what he could, all the while retaining his human essence.
All of the background characters were excellent; the way the chapters had dates made it a bit confusing, as I had to go back to compare what events were happening when, but it was still alright. I was worried that with two completely different storylines going on that barely intersected (Radu and Mehmed occupied with Constantinople, Lada carving a path to her Wallachian throne) things would get boring, but both sides were excellently pulled off. Also, this series is home to some of my favorite quotes, including one that perfectly describes Radu and Lada's approaches to literally anything:
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.
Also, really hardcore scenes of Lada's exceptional 'I take what I want.'
"Silviu?" Lada asked. "I am here to negotiate your support." Lada drew her crossbow and shot him in the chest. One of Toma's men shouted in surprise. Lada turned her horse. "That went well. We have the full support of this estate now. It is yours."
Like, who doesn't want to read stuff like that? This review was basically just a rant of my favorite parts about the book but whatever:) CAN'T WAIT FOR THE THIRD!!!!
First off, I love Lada. Lada is the most hardcore, down-to-earth, stubborn, won't-take-no-for-an-answer
In the first book, I enjoyed Radu more than Lada, and now in the second, I enjoyed Lada more than Radu, which I suppose is fitting. Radu's storyline in this book was a bit slower than Lada's, but it was still excellent. I was mildly hoping to see him let go of Mehmed in the end, which he didn't, but he grew more attached to Cyprian and acknowledged that his feelings towards Mehmed were dissipating. And man, Radu is smart. He knows precisely how to manipulate others' pride, greed, and other emotions to bend towards his cause. He was placed smack in the middle of a political war, with a few cannons involved, and he did what he could, all the while retaining his human essence.
All of the background characters were excellent; the way the chapters had dates made it a bit confusing, as I had to go back to compare what events were happening when, but it was still alright. I was worried that with two completely different storylines going on that barely intersected (Radu and Mehmed occupied with Constantinople, Lada carving a path to her Wallachian throne) things would get boring, but both sides were excellently pulled off. Also, this series is home to some of my favorite quotes, including one that perfectly describes Radu and Lada's approaches to literally anything:
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.
Also, really hardcore scenes of Lada's exceptional 'I take what I want.'
"Silviu?" Lada asked. "I am here to negotiate your support." Lada drew her crossbow and shot him in the chest. One of Toma's men shouted in surprise. Lada turned her horse. "That went well. We have the full support of this estate now. It is yours."
Like, who doesn't want to read stuff like that? This review was basically just a rant of my favorite parts about the book but whatever:) CAN'T WAIT FOR THE THIRD!!!!