And I Darken

This is a twisted tale of Lada Dracul and her brother Radu. They are used as hostages when their father Vlad Dracul of Wallachia disappoints the Sultan and forfeits his children. Lada is a warrior even a small child. She is ugly and mean and incites fear in everyone she meets. Radu is a gentle soul, afraid of his own shadow, and his sister. They meet Mehmed, the Sultan's son and the three become inseparable. But Lada will never be happy until she is allowed to go home to Wallachia. Even when she falls in love with Mehmed. She does not want anything to do with the Ottoman Empire and resents her role as a female. Powerless, she finds ways to fight back, training with the Janissaries and finding a way to make herself useful and beholden to no one. Radu finds himself in love with Mehmed too. This makes for a difficult life for him as this is not an acceptable way of life. So he suffers in silence, doing all he can to keep Mehmed safe from those who would kill him. Together, Radu and Lada work to make sure Mehmed will one day become Sultan and to keep him alive. But trouble is around every corner, from even those they thought could be trusted. And in the end, Lada Dracul is really only loyal to herself and her beloved Wallachia. Will she become the Dragon of legend or stay by Mehmed's side living in the shadows? I love a good Dracula tale, especially one based in history. And I love the switch of gender. Lada is not exactly likable, but you do find yourself rooting for her, especially since it's all about girl power! This was a good read, not a favorite but definitely a like. Happy reading my friends!