Ryan Graudin

The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule the world. To commemorate their Great Victory over Britain and Russia, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor's ball.

Wolf By Wolf

alexandra

this review was originally posted on twirling pages

i don't know why i waited this long to read Wolf by Wolf. probably because it's no longer a loud NEW RELEASE and probably because it's not very hyped, but BUT this duology is so so wonderful.

the world is the first thing that caught my attention; it could've easily been our actual world. if Hitler had won world war two, this would've been us!! okay, maybe not, because maybe shapeshifters wouldn't be an actual result of some Nazi experiment, BUT it seemed so possible. speaking of which...



the characters are so so cool!!! for one thing, our main character is a shapeshifter?? HOW AWESOME IS THAT?! throughout the novel, she's constantly in a dark space – which is understandable considering everything at stake – and i LOVE IT. she's kidnapped and impersonated someone, is planning on murdering Hitler, is filled with deceit, and I LOVE HER. Yael's unfortunate history makes me understand her vengeance, but also makes me want to cry for her. she's mastered the art of impersonation, but she doesn't remember her SELF – her real self. which brings the question of...

who is your real self? is it the face you have, or is it the past you carry? is it neither or both or more? *cue severe existentialism* among all the action, Graudin manages to share clear and unshakable themes. and i am here!! for!! it!! as a person who constantly questions my ~true spiritual being~, these themes are exactly what i need.


"Her self-reflection was no reflection at all. It was a shattered mirror. Something she had to piece together, over and over again. Memory by memory. Loss by loss. Wolf by wolf." 


also, the ROMANCE. the slow burn is so so painful (and i love it v v much). Wolf by Wolf almost had 0 romance – which i was fine with since it was more about the plot and other things – but MAN, Blood for Blood was so slow it physically pains me. i just – *exhales*. 

if i had to compare the two, Wolf by Wolf was more enjoyable. Blood for Blood was good, but it felt like a typical dystopian sequel; life was on the run, the edge, and we didn't know where the plot was going. another thing is because BfB was SO! ANNOYINGLY! FRUSTRATING!!!! (due to circumstances in the plot) and i couldn't simply enjoy it.

Wolf by Wolf was the happy, somewhat stressful beginning; Blood for Blood was the seriously stressful jokes-on-you ending. *cries in German* but overall, both wrap up nicely in an emotional duology. GO READ IT.

mercy

Rachel Kanyid

This though. This is so good. You should read it.

Siya S

4/5 stars!

You can read full review at:
https://thebleedingeyes.wordpress.com/

OK this book...this book is amazing. I've been waiting for a cool, badass, tough and super likable female protagonist for so long that when i came across one it took me awhile to register what the hell was actually happening. This book, my friend, promises a lot of good stuff. WbW will keep you on the edge of your seat. A captivating introduction to a great book series to come.

What would the world look like if the Nazis had won the war? Wolf by Wolf is a gripping thriller about one girl's extraordinary mission to kill Hitler. "Wild and gorgeous, vivid and consuming. I loved it! I can't wait for the sequel." Laini Taylor, bestselling author of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, they host an annual motorbike race across their combined continents. The prize? An audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor's ball. Yael has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost when she was a prisoner in a brutal concentration camp. Now part of the resistance, Yael has one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. But the only way to enter the race is to impersonate last year's only female racer, Adele Wolfe. Yael is a master of deception but there are two other competitors it may be impossible to fool - Adele's brother, Felix, and Luka, a boy she clearly has history with. But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and stay true to her mission? The future on the world is depending on her . . . A fast-paced, clever story that will leave you breathless.

Wolf by Wolf

Emelie

jess

This was quite a cool work of alternate history that was, I think, a bit more creative and unique than most "What if the Axis powers won WWII?" scenarios. 

The author did her research when it came to the history, and while it isn't an in-depth explanation of how the Axis powers won, it was sufficient enough to set up the world. I'm not really fond of introducing fantastic elements to alternate history, but I could buy Yael's skinshifting with some suspense of disbelief. The motorcycle race was a really cool way to set things up as well, and it was a lot different from other premises I've seen before. 

Yael was a cool character. She wasn't as well-rounded as I would have liked her to be, but she was interesting and tough and determined. I wish the other racers as well had gotten more characterization. I liked Felix a lot, but I would have liked to know more about Luka, though I suppose that Graudin was setting up for the sequel. 

I'm not fond of when authors use text sizes and fonts to accentuate their writing and it's done quite a bit in this book. Otherwise I really enjoyed it. The flashback chapters distracted from the pace a bit - I skimmed to get back to the motorcycle race. 

And that ending - oh boy. I'm definitely reading the next book soon.

"Wild and gorgeous, vivid and consuming. I loved it! I can't wait for the sequel." --Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy Her story begins on a train. The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, they host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their combined continents. The prize? An audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor's ball in Tokyo. Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year's only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele's twin brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael's every move. But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and stay true to her mission? From the author of The Walled City comes a fast-paced and innovative novel that will leave you breathless.

Elizabeth Neill

I love history, especially WW2, so I just had to pick this book. I am glad I did because it had me hooked from page one. What I liked about the book is the author Ryan Graudin didn't sugarcoat anything nor romanticize what happened like a lot of people seem to do. Yael, a former death camp prisoner is the main character of the book and I felt like I was right along side with her. Ryan's writing had me on the edge of my sit wanting no needing more. I will be going out soon to buy Blood by Blood and all her other books.

emily allen

Just to make things clear, I didn't hate this book. From the very beginning, I thought I would despise it. The premise, I originally thought (to put it bluntly) was dumb. Hitler won WW2 - a trope that's done and used. A resistance trying to overthrow Hitler. Motorcycles. Random fantasy shapeshifting. The whole thing sounded like some adrenaline junkie's key smash. 

But honestly? I actually really liked it. It takes a miracle to get me absorbed in a book that heavily centers around a sport, but Graudin did a really good job with this. She kept the biking scenes short and adrenaline packed, which kept me from getting overly bored. They were intense and heart-racing, and I'll be honest, I really enjoyed them.

But this book was still far from perfect. 

One thing that I really didn't like was Yael. She was a young teenager, yet highly skilled in all forms of weaponry and martial arts. Miraculously, she could speak a ridiculous amount of languages and had learned them all in the space of a few years. She had this amazing, magical gift, that really didn't have enough explanation or boundaries (they were established at the beginning, yeah, but Graudin kept adjusting that as the story went on). Bottom line: she reminded me of every other "chosen one" Mary Sue character I've read in a YA novel. There wasn't enough character development, and it seemed her entire character completely depended on her backstory. It was interesting for the first couple of chapters, but I got the idea quickly. I didn't need to hear about the experiments for the rest of the novel.

Also: (view spoiler)[when she fell for the poison on the lips thing?? YAEL! She's supposedly this strategical genius, and yet she falls for a Nazi boy for no clear reason (he was cruel and she clearly hated him). She dedicated her entire life to this mission, and yet she risked it all for one kiss with a man that she was hardly attracted to. All in all, it seemed forced and ridiculous.  (hide spoiler)]

The writing in this book was beautiful, but there was a little too much YA angst for my taste. If Graudin had focused on the action, rather than on Yale whining about everything, I think I would've like it a lot more. A lot of what Yale had to say was just a little too poetic for me.

I wasn't loving this book while I read it, and I was pretty frustrated with the actions of the characters for large portions. But I do have this to say: the ending was fantastic. She wrapped up the book perfectly, leaving just enough interest for me to want to read the sequel, but not a confusing cliffhanger that would've driven me insane. The ending wasn't what I could've anticipated, not by a long shot, but I thought it was fantastic and I really enjoyed it.

Amanda Kordeliski

This is a solid 4.5 stars maybe even a 5. Fantastic alternate history with a world where the US is indifferent and the Axis powers rule the rest of the world. Highly recommend.

From the author of The Walled City comes a fast-paced and innovative novel that will leave you breathless. Her story begins on a train. The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, they host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The prize? An audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor's ball in Tokyo. Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year's only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele's twin brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael's every move. But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and stay true to her mission?

One girl’s mission to win a race and kill Hitler

Flavia Louise

Jessica Pearl

I'll have a video up soon, but wow just wow. I went into this book with no expectations and it blew my mind. Yael is a badass chick, rides motorcycles, is out for blood and is on a mission.

Lincy

Erin Russell

4.75/5 stars. Wow wow wow. This book was practically made for me. Alternate history? Nazi revenge fantasy? Supernatural elements? Action and suspense? YES PLEASE. I've never read a book like this before and I don't know if there are any others like it. Yael is my type of badass female character. She knows how to whoop your butt, but she's contemplative and multi-faceted as well. She's not blood thirsty but she's out for blood. Does that make sense? While I only have a rudimentary knowledge of vehicles I was still able to understand and picture the action taking place on the motorcycles throughout the majority of the story, that is a testament to Ryan Graudin's writing ability. There were also elements of romance which were conflicting but interesting, since Yael spends the entire book impersonating another girl. Overall this book was fantastic, and I will be starting in on the sequel right away.

Lila Harrison

i cannot even begin to express my love for this book. unique, eloquent, and astonishing, wolf by wolf wows in every element! i need the sequel, yesterday!

Vera Sokolyanskaya

See my review for Blood For Blood for review of both books.

Maria

ревью после второй книги напишу
саспенс - ок!

Becky

This book was just as good second time around. I know it took me over a week to finish it this time but I really really enjoyed it. I also realised I never posted my original review on here so I'll do that too.

I am going to begin by saying I am so glad this book came in the first Illumicrate box because I would never have bought it of my own volition. I admit, I’d heard about this book and was mildly intrigued, but only in that it sounded interesting, not so interested that I planned to buy. There is one simple reason for that unwillingness to invest and that is because I became jaded by the British history curriculum. I am a history graduate, so I have spent a lot of time studying the past, but I almost became jaded by the World Wars. Don’t get me wrong, it is important to study them, but I’ve done so about three times in the space of a few years and I got fed up with them. As such, I have avoided reading books set during the World Wars for a few years now. I’m glad I broke my aversion with this book, it was a prime example of what I’ve been missing.



It’s Weird… But It Works


I loved this book. I admit the whole Germany winning the war thing reminded me of The Man In the High Castle, which I’ve not read but I’ve seen the adverts for Amazon Prime and so have a vague idea of what it’s about. The only other book I’ve read with a similar concept is a book by Stephen Fry where a guy travels back in time, killing Hitler, and changes history. I was concerned that I may end up feeling like this book was copying those concepts… but it didn’t. I think this was partially due to the various characters, and very much because of Yael. The character of Yael was heartbreaking due to her experience in the death camps of Nazi Germany (not a cheery thing to read about) but also because of the experiments that were done to her that caused her to become a skin shifter also led to her loss of identity.



This Book Is More Than It Appears


This book was about the action adventure of pretending to be someone else trying to win a cross-country motorcycle race and trying to succeed in assassinating Hitler. It was great, but that most definitely not what this book was about either. The action was just an added bonus, as I said, it was about finding out who you are.



Yael’s appearance changed with time, and she can literally change her appearance to look like anyone (as long as they’re female) and that obviously impacts on her ability to remember what used to look like. This is all about her figuring out who she is, what lengths she’ll go to and deciding if the greater good is enough of a cause. It is interesting to read about her struggle, about how she has taken a new identity and is growing attached to those close to Adele Wolfe whilst being aware she shouldn’t be. It’s certainly a new dilemma to read about, much better than the usual dystopian ‘getting close to the enemy’ trope as she was quite literally pretending to be a member of the Aryan race, not infiltrating in the same way.



Overall, I Thought It Was Awesome


Look, I haven’t really covered all the reasons why I loved this book, have I? It’s hard because I don’t want to reveal too much and I don’t know how much is too much for you all. I can only tell you I struggled to stop reading this book, I was intrigued and that seriously attached by the character of Yael, I couldn’t figure out where the story was going to go. Most importantly, I wanted to know how she got to where she was and became who she was. I cannot believe where the book left off, either. Talk about a cliffhanger! All good books have a decent cliffhanger otherwise they wouldn’t be worth reading and you wouldn’t be left impatiently waiting for the next book in the series.

Jen Estrella

There would be no dressing up as a maid. No cyanide slipped into his crystal glass of mineral water. The Fuhrer’s death was to be a loud, screaming thing. A broadcast of blood over the Reichssender.


Damn, that was good.

alice

Achei um pouco devagar durante a corrida, mas nada que afetasse minha leitura, até porque o livro não é longo. Achei a história divertida, bonita e original. Ótimo pra quem curte mídias relacionadas a Segunda Guerra Mundial mas tá cansado de acompanhar soldado americano. 

María Belén

4.5 stars

A very original story. 

Wolf by Wolf is a great book. I loved everything about it and I'm looking foward to the next book.

I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a different, original and completely entertaining story.

Deborah Kerr

Amanda J 

Actually 4.5
 I need the sequel to this book NOW. While it doesn’t end on a cliffy (well not precisely), I need to know what happens. I wanted more story because the story was that good. However, I think more plot could have been added. I don’t with what exactly, but I just needed more. Its that feeling you get when you finish a roller coaster- It was amazing and fun-but it was over too soon and you just think “that’s it?!”. Nevertheless, this is an amazing story of what-ifs and I can’t wait to read more.

Marissa Scudlo

I really like the concept of the book. I guess it was interesting that the author thought let's write a story about a different universe where Germany and Japan won the world war. Yael is one of those heroes that is willing to do anything to succeed and you know what I like that I like the fact that she took a character at had hell for lack of a better word thrown on her and use it to do something amazing. So I would recommend this book to anybody.

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I was recommended this book by Molly @mollysbooknook! Thank you Molly! All opinions are my own.

Book: Wolf by Wolf

Author: Ryan Graudin

Book Series: Wolf by Wolf Book 1

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Jewish main character!

Publication Date: October 20, 2015

Genre: YA Historical Fiction/Sci-Fi

Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, slight romance, some language)

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Pages: 388

Amazon Link

Synopsis: Her story begins on a train.

The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor’s Ball in Tokyo.

Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year’s only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin’s brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael’s every move.

But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission?

Review: I really loved this book! It was a fantastic imagining of what the world would look like if Hitler had won. The characters were well done, the world building was amazing, and I was totally enraptured by the book from page one. The plot grabs you by the throat and refuses to let you go. I also adored how the background was told, through a then/now perspective.

The only issue I had was that sometimes the pacing was a bit slow but I really loved this!

Verdict: I definitely recommend this one! Thanks Molly!

Wolf By Wolf

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