Title: Wolf by Wolf & Blood by Blood
Author: Ryan Graudin
Series: Wolf By Wolf duology
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Cool
Page Count and Format: 400 & 496 pages respectively, Ebook
Published: October 6th 2015 & November 1st 2016 respectively by Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: Purchased
My Rating:
Blurb (from Goodreads):
Wolf by Wolf:
Code Name Verity meets Inglourious Basterds in this fast-paced novel from the author of The Walled City.
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.
Yael, who escaped from a death camp, has 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 victor, 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 begins to get 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?
Blood for Blood:
There would be blood.Blood for blood.Blood to pay.An entire world of it.
For the resistance in 1950s Germany, the war may be over, but the fight has just begun.
Death camp survivor Yael, who has the power to skinshift, is on the run: the world has just seen her shoot and kill Hitler. But the truth of what happened is far more complicated, and its consequences are deadly. Yael and her unlikely comrades dive into enemy territory to try to turn the tide against the New Order, and there is no alternative but to see their mission through to the end, whatever the cost.
But dark secrets reveal dark truths, and one question hangs over them all: how far can you go for the ones you love?
Okaaay, so I finally read this duology!!!!
In a million times I hadn’t expected it to end like that. Like seriously? How could it end like that?!! I am still pretty much upset about that fact but I cannot deny the fact that this duology was epically fantastic!
First of all, the plot of this duology was fresh and unique.
Sassy heroine? Check.
Full on adventure? Check.
Killing Hitler? Double check!!
I mean, I wanted to read this book for soooo long but for some reason I didn’t pick it up. So one day while going to work, I just started the ebook and I was hooked!!
“These were the names she whispered in the dark.
These were the pieces she brought back into place.
These were the wolves she rode to war.”
Yael has only one mission and that is to assassinate Hitler. Although Hitler does not make public appearances anymore, but the winner of Axis Tour which is an annual motorcycle race hosted by Germany in collaboration with Japan, gets to meet Hitler in the winner ball. Yael is a face changer which was one of the many projects done under the reign of Hitler. Due to all those experiments she lost everybody but she gained one deadly advantage. Now posing as Adele Wolfe, the winner of the precious year’s race, Yael takes her entry. But Adele’s old flame Luka and her brother Felix pose a major treat to her mission. It’s up to Adele weather she wants to utilize her brain or heart for reaching the end of this mission.
Wolf by Wolf was such an intriguing read. This book depicted the whole journey of the Axis Tour. I didn’t think reading about a motorcycle race would be this interesting actually! But it was so much more than that. This book kinda reminded me of the Hunger Games but this was definitely more fun. The participants in the race had to use various strategies to stay ahead in the race and although violence was not legal, it was definitely allowed as long as it didn’t get capture in the cameras. This definitely added a dangerous element to the book. Well aside from the fact of assassination which was a total suicide mission!
*Major Spoilers*
You can read the highlighted parts though!
*Proceed at your own risk!*
Blood by Blood was much more intense compared to book 1. The major twist at the end of Wolf by Wolf was expected but fairly surprising at the same time. Of course, that was going to happen! But what followed after was unexpected as hell. In book 1, the death of T actually quite shocked me as much as it did to Yael. I didn’t expect to actually feel bad for that guy. He might have sneaky and self-centered but he was just a guy who wanted to win like the others.
Book 2 started with a major bang where Yael broke out after the attempted assassination attempt. I particularly grew attached to Luka in this book, who unlike Felix gave Yael a real chance. Although romance was not a major aspect of this book, but it existed and I loooved the little moments between Luka and Yael. Another one of the major unexpected surprise about her fourth wolf made me tear up!
“Fear is not an excuse,” Yael told him. “Fear is being human.”
Whiiich brings me to Yeal’s past! The experiments done on her made me flinch every time. I couldn’t imagine Yael had to go through so much. But she grew up as a strong woman. Of course, she had her demons from the past but she knew how to fight them. She fought as fiercely as she cared. I loved her character so much. I mean, even after going through hell, how could she be so selfless?
And Aaron-Klaus. I really loved Aaron-Klaus. His death tore me apart too but one of the last revelations gave me some closure. So many deaths. There were too many deaths.
The development of characters throughout the duology was refreshing to read about. I was not a fan of Luka when I got first introduced to him but he slowly won me over. I didn’t think it would get my heart ripped apart in the end. And Felix, I really admired him. He just went from the best brother category to straight in my shitlist!! I mean, did he care about anyone beside his family? Ever? Whatever Yael might have done, she always protected him and Felix couldn’t even trust her this much. And Adele’s a real bitch.
I read Iron to Iron because I wanted to know what went wrong between the two of them. maybe Luka just misunderstood Adele but oh no! That was so not the case. Her shitty character was perfectly revealed in the novella. And on top of that, she added fuel to Felix’s doubts. I wouldn’t have cared if she died. I mean for that shit, Luka had to die!!! Freaking die!!!
I died too along with that.
“The wolves of war are gathering. They sing a song of rotten bones.”
Overall, Wolf by Wolf duology left me into pieces but I do not regret picking it up. This duology earned a place in my heart, forever! The plot was witty and executed in a unique manner. I loved some characters and hated some others with passion. I was really rooting for the resistance the whole way and although their fate was bittersweet, this book ended with hope. Hope for a new world.
Recommend it?
Yes!
Sooo guys, what are your thoughts on this duology? Did it break your heart like it did mine? Or is it still waiting in your tbr?
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