Blog Tour: Now I Rise by Kiersten White | Excerpt | Giveaway

Welcome to our stop on the Now I Rise tour for Kiersten White. This tour is hosted by Rockstar Book Tour.

---

Now I Rise
The Conqueror's Saga #2
Author: Kiersten White
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: June 27th 2017
Review Source: Delacorte Press

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.

Excerpt 

“I cannot breathe in this thing.” Lada tried to lift her arms, but the sleeves were not made for her broad shoulders or thick arms. She could barely move. “This weights more than my chain mail.” Lada tugged at the layers of material that made up the skirts.
“Think of it as armor.”
Lada’s lip curled up in a sneer. “What could this possibly protect me from?”
“Mockery. Ridicule. Your men are used to you, but this is a court. You have to do things a certain way. Do not mess this up.” Oana yanked one of Lada’s curls as she tucked it back into the elaborate style. 
“Radu should be here.” Lada stared down in despair. “I do not know how to talk to these people.”
“He was always better at that. How did he fare when you left? I worried for him. I thought they would kill you, and break Radu’s heart.” There was a wistful tenderness in Oana’s voice.
Lada took a deep breath. Or tried to—she could not manage it in this abomination of a dress. She and her nurse had not really spoken of Radu since Oana had asked where he was. The truth was as cold and brittle as the ice in her water bowl. “He grew into a new man. Smart. Sly. Too handsome. And, eventually, into a stranger to me.” She had had no word from Radu, no news. She wanted to tell Oana that Radu was coming, but it had been so long. What if he was not? “When I left, he chose the Ottomans. So you were wrong. I survived, and Radu grew a new heart.”
“Did you have nothing in common then?”
A strangled laugh escaped the prison of her bodice. “Well, one thing.” Lada wondered, yet again, whether her absence had granted Radu the portion of Mehmed’s attention and love that he so desperately craved.
And, yet again, she forced herself not to think on it.
Lada tugged at the bodice. She missed her Ottoman finery. At least those draped layers of tunics and robes were comfortable. “I am going to give the wrong impression, wearing this.”
“You mean a good impression?”
“Yes, exactly.”
Oana surveyed her with a critical eye, then threw her hands up in surrender. “This is the best we can hope for, at least as far as your looks. As far as everything else, tonight, pretend you are Radu.”
A small pang hit just above Lada’s heart. Did Oana wish that it were Radu and not Lada she had been reunited with? Everyone always loved Radu best. Well. Lada could be Radu for one night. She grimaced, then smiled broadly and opened her large eyes as wide as she could. It was her best imitation of him.
Oana recoiled. “That is terrifying, girl. I was wrong. Be yourself.”
Lada let her hooded eyelids drop low. She had never been able to be anyone else.

---

Kiersten White is the NYT bestselling author of the Paranormalcy trilogy, the Mind Games series, Illusions of Fate, The Chaos of Stars, In the Shadows with artist Jim Di Bartolo, and the upcoming historical reimagining, And I Darken. She has one tall husband and three small children and lives near the ocean, where her life is perfectly normal. Visit her at www.kierstenwhite.com.

   

Giveaway

3 Winners will receive a finished copy of NOW I RISE, US Only..

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week Two:
6/26/2017- Dazzled by Books- Review
6/27/2017- Books and Things- Review
6/28/2017- Rattle the Stars- Review
6/29/2017- YABC- Review
6/30/2017- Once Upon A Twilight- Excerpt

Week Three:
7/3/2017- Adventures of a Book Junkie- Interview
7/4/2017- Seeing Double In Neverland- Review
7/5/2017- Fiction Fare- Review
7/6/2017- YA and Wine- Review
7/7/2017- Little Red's Reviews- Review

Book Review: And I Darken by Kiersten White

---

And I Darken
The Conquerors Saga #1
Author: Kiersten White
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: June 28th 2016
Review Source: Delacorte Press

NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL.

And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

I was so stoked when I received this ARC. I hadn’t read a Kierstan White book since Paranormalcy, so when I saw that this was aimed to fans of Game of Thrones, I nearly burst with excitement. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. It wasn’t bad per say, but it didn’t keep me engrossed as I expected. The story follows siblings Lada and Radu as they are given away as hostages to the Ottoman Empire by their own father, the duke of Wallachia—who is a total a-hole in my book, but what’s a story without daddy issues. Now I did enjoy the character of Lada because she was strong and cunning, whereas her younger brother Radu was weak and naïve. It was a nice change in gender-roles that we don’t typically see in novels. Lada was a tough chick that didn’t let being “cursed” as a woman, stop her from being who she wants to be. Her snark and sass kept her character interesting. Sadly, that’s where my praise ends because there was no character growth whatsoever and it really bummed me out. I wanted—especially Radu—to grow out of that fear he constantly lives in. He really is a sweet kid, with a gentle soul, but in desperate need of some street smarts and a backbone.

My main issue with this novel was the lack of plot. More than half way through the book, and I didn’t have a clue to what the issue was. All we did was follow Lada and Radu around as they get shuffled from place to place. It made the story dull. Towards the end it picks up and we really get the GoT action we were promised (no spoilers), but that’s all we got. Most of the book was (poorly) building up to the end and when it arrived, I just wanted to be over and done with this book.

The beginning was promising, the world building was fantastic—but the lack of a plot really made this novel hard to read. I put it down a lot and almost DNR’d until a friend told me to keep reading. Am I curious about the next book? Yes, the ending is hella good! But am I willing to go through another slow novel? I’m not so sure.

Warning: this book is said to be aimed at kids 12 and up, and in my opinion, there is NO WAY I would allowed my 12 year old kid to read this. It is pretty dark in some areas and in no way appropriate for the age group this series was aimed for. Seriously though, what twelve year old watches GoT?

Book Review: Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White

Illusions of Fate

Author: Kiersten White
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Romance and Fantasy
Released: September 9, 2014
Review Source: HarperTeen

“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.” Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him. Kiersten White captured readers’ hearts with her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy and its effortless mix of magic and real-world teenage humor. She returns to that winning combination of wit, charm, and enchantment in Illusions of Fate, a sparkling and romantic new novel perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, The Madman’s Daughter, and Libba Bray.

Starting a new Life.  Away from what you have always known.  As well as family traditions and friends.  Sometimes the adventure to newer ground can be a challenging one, sometimes even lonely.  Jessamin, is determined to succeed.  Determined to rise above others.  Determined to be the independent girl she wants to be.  Just when Jessamin thinks she is on this journey alone, in walks Finn.  A young man of great statue, class, and nobility.  Finn is ready to capture Jessamin's heart, however, a little secret stands in their way.  Maybe the secret isn't so small after all.  As it truly controls who they are and the world they live in.

Jessamin is striving to fit into a world that is unlike her own.  However, when Lord Downpike enters the picture everything changes.  Jessamin has something that he wants, which she tries very hard not to give up.  There is a lot of unspoken symbolism sprinkled throughout the novel.  A shadow of reflection makes its appearance throughout the novel, protecting Jessamin.  A raven of protection is also a very important feature of the novel.  It doesn't talk, but its actions speak louder than words.

This is the first novel that I've read by Kiersten White.  I must say that it will not be my last.  Ms. White's creative and original storyline truly kept me intrigued throughout the entire novel.

Just as a side note.  This book will always be in my memory.  I began near the end of Summer break when the oldest was headed to college.  Just had to share.  

Book Review: Perfect Lies by Kiersten White

Perfect Lies
Mind Games #1
Author: Kiersten White
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy | Paranormal
Release Date: February 18th 2014
Review Source: HarperTeen

Annie and Fia are ready to fight back.

The sisters have been manipulated and controlled by the Keane Foundation for years, trapped in a never ending battle for survival. Now they have found allies who can help them truly escape. After faking her own death, Annie has joined a group that is plotting to destroy the Foundation. And Fia is working with James Keane to bring his father down from the inside.

But Annie's visions of the future can't show her who to trust in the present. And though James is Fia's first love, Fia knows he's hiding something. The sisters can rely only on each other - but that may not be enough to save them.

I don’t know where to begin with this review. After finishing Mind Games and how it ended I was expecting more action in this sequel. After all, the sisters are on the run and ready to fight back for their freedom. Yet, Perfect Lies felt like a claustrophobic for both Fia and Annie.

In Mind Games, I really loved Fia. She had this tough persona. I loved how she was always looking out for her sister. She did things that she never wanted to do but had to do to keep her sister safe. At the end of Mind Games, she did something unexpected and left Annie.

As mentioned before, Fia’s role has always been to protect her older sister, Annie. In Mind Games I didn’t like Annie much because although understanding her situation, she let everyone do things for her. But now that Fia has left her protected with strange people, Annie is finally tired of feeling useless. In Perfect Lies, Annie finally puts her big girl shoes on and does the unexpected.

So I am not a fan of the back and forth between the future and the present settings and the alternative point of views, which always leave me a bit confuse. Which happens in this series, but I really liked how Annie finally broke into this person I always thought she out to be. My issue with this sequel is Fia. I always felt like she was this tough chick that always got things her way. In Perfect Lies, her character is broken. It was frustrating reading her POV. I wanted to shake her and tell her to snap out of it!

So if you read Mind Games, make sure you pick up the sequel. Annie will surprise you.

Book Review: The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

The Chaos of Stars
Author: Kiersten White
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Mythology/Fantasy
Release Date: September 10th 2013
Review Source: HarperTeen

Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of Paranormalcy, is back with The Chaos of Stars—an enchanting novel set in Egypt and San Diego that captures the magic of first love and the eternally complicated truth about family.

Isadora's family is seriously screwed up—which comes with the territory when you're the human daughter of the ancient Egyptian gods Isis and Osiris. Isadora is tired of living with crazy relatives who think she's only worthy of a passing glance—so when she gets the chance to move to California with her brother, she jumps on it. But her new life comes with plenty of its own dramatic—and dangerous—complications . . . and Isadora quickly learns there's no such thing as a clean break from family.

Blending Ally Carter's humor and the romance of Cynthia Hand's Unearthly,The Chaos of Stars takes readers on an unforgettable journey halfway across the world and back, and proves there's no place like home.

What is it like being the human daughter of Egyptian Gods? Ask Isadora. Oh, but don't call her Dora or Issy! She would probably tell you it sucks. She hates feeling unnoticed by her parents and hates living in a house always full of relatives who, of course, also don't even bother to remember her name. Screwed up family right? Even worse, they are Gods and will be around forever- she is but a mere mortal. So as soon as a chance appears that has her move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But as badly as she wants that clean break from her family and heritage she soon realizes it isn't that easy. The "normal" world has it's own complications. Not to mention the dark nightmares she has that predict the destruction of her entire family.

Although I'd like to jump in and talk about dreamy Ry, let's get to Isadora first. She was a way cool character! She did annoy me at times, she was trying way too hard to not approve of love. Who turns down love? Ha. In steps Ry, dreamy dreamy Ry. Move aside bad boys of YA and make way for sweet, poetic Ry. It was a breath of fresh air to have a sweet and sincere boy be the love interest. And, those amazing blue eyes Isadora described him having- I wish I could witness them in real life. Read The Chaos of Stars and I can guarantee you will have your heart smiling because...Ry!

I loved the plot of the story, which is why I would recommend it for people to read. I also love books that have quirky catch phrases that I continue to use after I've read them. Isadora opts to say "floods!" versus what I'm guessing would be "crap!" She also says "chaos take me" often and I absolutely loved that!

I won't lie though, this book did take me a few chapters to get into the story. The way the book is outlined is sort of confusing at first, but getting the hang of it is quick. Isadora gives us history on her childhood, or history on the Egyptian Gods. We also get to read what goes on in her dreams, or rather her nightmares. But once I understood how White's writing went I did jump into the story and enjoyed it quite a bit. This is probably the first fictional mythology book I have read, it was different for me and I loved it. The pacing was slow but once it picked up everything was great. Overall The Chaos of Stars is a book you should put on your to-be-read list!

Chaos take me...

Book Review: Mind Games by Kiersten White

Mind Games
Mind Games #1
Author: Kiersten White
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Psychological Thriller/Science Fiction
Release Date: February 19th 2013
Review Source: Harper Teen
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways… or risking each other’s lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

The cover of Mind Games is gorgeous! I love face on the cover, who I assume is Fia. The colors are so bright and really eye catching. Love it!

Fia (Sofia) and Annie are sisters that end up in this "special school" after both of their parents die in a car accident. Their aunt, who much rather not have custody of them, drops them off one day and never comes back. She would write the girls every now-and-then, but then no more letters came and the sisters never heard from her again. When the girls were first brought there, Annie had been super excited because she was promised that she would have the best doctors and medical treatment to help her get her eye sight back. Fia was never convinced that the school was too good to be true and she also had a horrible feeling about it. Fia and Annie will later find out that they should have gone with Fia's initial gut instincts. It turns out that the school is not a "real" school after all. It’s a facility where the house young girls with super powers – which reminded me of X-Men. Except, only girls have these abilities – such as seeing into the future, reading minds, etc. Fia and Annie had a very special sister bond and Fia would do anything for her big sister. Even when that "anything" is killing people.

I had high expectations for this book, but there are a few things that confused me throughout the book. Every chapter jumped between the past and present and between Annie and Fia, which made it really hard to follow along and the story just didn’t flow like it could have. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the concept and the story, but for some reason it just wasn’t enough to really make me love it. I did enjoy Fia's character. You know I love when female character's kick butt and she is one tough cookie, so that was a plus for me. Annie's character was a little weak. I understand the author wanted to portray her as the poor blind older sister whose parents died and had only her younger sister to look after her. But seriously, snap out of it! I felt really bad for Fia because they were in this mess because of Annie. The ending was the highlight of the book. It was full of suspense and it really caught me off guard. Nailed it! I would read the next book to see what will happen next because I am curious as to how this is all going to play out.