Stuffed Animal Saturday: And I Darken - Kiersten White

Stuffed Animal Saturday is a meme that we post here at We Live and Breathe Books to showcase the book we're currently reading with one of our favorite stuffed animals and discuss our stuffed animal's opinion (well, it's really our opinion, but that's besides the point). We hope you enjoy our quirky feature as much as we enjoy writing it!

This Saturday, me and Grumpy Puff are reading And I Darken by (my name twin) Kiersten White!

So far: We're only 20 pages into And I Darken right now, but Grumpy Puff is really enjoying it! She likes how Lada has a tendency towards biting people. Grumpy Puff thinks they probably deserve it and much more misery. She can't wait to see Lada become even more vicious as the book continues.

Sneak peek: Speaking of biting, here's a passage where Lada bites someone. (It's from the ARC, so it may vary from the final copy!)

Lada stood as tall as her short, stocky legs allowed. "This is my home! I am the Order of the Dragon! I kill infidels!" 

One of the three men accompanying Vlad murmured something in Turkish. The nurse felt sweat breaking out on her face, her neck, her back. Would they kill a child for threatening them? Would her father allow it? Or would they simply kill her for being unable to control Lada? 

Vlad smiled indulgently at his daughter's display, then bowed his head at the three men. They returned the bow and swept out, acknowledging neither the nurse nor her disobedient charge. "How many infidels have you killed?" Vlad's voice, this time in the melodic romance language tones of Wallachian, was smooth and cold. 

"Hundreds." Lada pointed the knife at Radu, who hid his face against the nurse's shoulder. "I killed that one this morning." 

"And will you kill me now?" 

Lada hesitated, lowering her hand. She stared at her father, recognition seeping across her face like milk dropped in clear water. As quick as a snake, Vlad snatched the knife out of her hand, then grabbed her by the ankle and lifted her in the air. 

"And how," he said, her upside-down face level with his, "did you think you could kill someone bigger, stronger, and smarter than you?" 

"You cheated!" Lada's eyes burned with a look the nurse had come to dread. That look meant injury, destruction, or fire. Often all three. 

"I won. That is all that matters." 

With a scream, Lada twisted herself up and bit her father's hand.

And I Darken hits shelves June 28th, so look out for a review near the end of this month!

- Kiersten

Are you and your stuffed animal reading anything interesting? 

Let us know in your own Stuffed Animal Saturday!