Hello, now that summer is drawing to a close, we’re coming into prime book release time. As usual, I have a metric tonne of books about whose release I am super excited. Some of these are continuations of series in which I am already invested, some are new series from authors I love and some are reissues of old favourites. So, let’s get into it, shall we? To kick off, I was really excited by the recent news that Raymond E.Feist has managed to resolve the ebook rights issue for North America. While most of his newer works have been released in ebook, his earlier novels have so far been unavailable in my preferred format. This will all change on August 22nd when his Riftwar saga as well as his Empire trilogy with Janny Wurts will be released as ebooks. I understand audiobook format will follow later this year. Although I have read all of these, I am very happy to add them to my collection. I consider Feist a true master storyteller and if you are not familiar with his work, this is a great opportunity to get started. Be aware, though,that the series does have a somewhat slow…
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced Netgalley copy of Invictus by Ryan Graudin – thanks so much to Hachette for giving me a copy. I ADORED Graudin’s earlier series Wolf by Wolf so I was very excited to read Invictus.Invictus is described as young adult time-travel adventure with a dash of Doctor Who (guys, you already had me at “Ryan Graudin,” no need for overkill) and Firefly. So without further ado, here’s my review. What I liked Characters From my enjoyment of her previous books, character development is one of Graudin’s strengths as a writer and this is borne out by those we meet in Invictus. I really enjoyed them all and was very much invested in their journeys, romances and challenges. Each person was nicely developed with his or her quirks, wishes and weaknesses. The interrelationships between them all were very well done and I really enjoyed seeing how they developed. Certain characters start out as quasi antagonists, but by the end, I came to care for them as much as for our heroes. Plot Without saying too much – spoilers!- I did like where Graudin went with the storyline. There are some really nicely done twists….
Hachette was kind enough to send me an Advance Reader Copy of Blood for Blood by Ryan Graudin, the sequel to Wolf by Wolf. Thank you so much, guys! I was super excited to receive it as it was one of my most anticipated reads of 2016 and it did not disappoint in the least. Blood for Blood is the second book in an alternate history young adult series set in a world in which the Hitler and the Nazis won World War II. Our protagonist is a young Jewish death camp survivor with the ability to shape shift. The series consists of the two main novels, Wolf by Wolf and Blood for Blood as well as the prequel novella Iron to Iron. The story starts immediately after the cliffhanger ending of Wolf by Wolf and expands the points of view to three. It continues the quest Yael was assigned in Wolf by Wolf and deals with the fallout of the events and discoveries of the book. What I liked The world. Once again I was completely drawn into the alternate history that Graudin has created. The world felt so real and fleshed out I could easily imagine our…
Good morning and welcome to another reading roundup. And happy St Jean to my fellow Quebecers! [book-info]This week I read the wonderful Iron to Iron, the prequel novella to Ryan Graudin’s Wolf by Wolf. Like Wolf by Wolf, it is set in an alternate universe in which the Axis won World War II. It tells the story of Luka Löwe and Adele Wolfe’s burgeoning romance during the 1955 Axis Tour, a relationship which causes much of the tension in Wolf by Wolf. Within a couple of pages I was immediately back in the world created by Graudin and back following the Axis Tour. I listened to Wolf by Wolf in audiobook and although this novella is an ebook only, I still heard it in my mind with Christa Lewis’ voice. It’s not often that I have such a strong link with narration. For those of you who have not yet read Wolf by Wolf (and why not may I ask?) the Axis Tour is a motorcycle race between Berlin and Tokyo, with the winner receiving an Iron Cross and many accolades. Iron to Iron is told from Luka’s perspective, and we learn more about him. Both he and Adele…
Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin is a young adult alternative history novel set in a world in which the Nazis won the Second World War. We follow our protagonist, Yael, who is a death camp survivor, and her mission to kill Hitler. This mission hangs on the fact that Yael’s experiences in the death camp gave her the ability to change her appearance to look like any other woman. She must impersonate famous motor cyclist Adele Wolfe, the only person in recent times who has been able to get close to the Führer. To achieve this goal she must first compete in a trans continental bike race from Germania (Berlin) to Tokyo while not revealing her secret to Adele’s brother and former flame Luka Löwe. I have to say this book really got under my skin. I was completely invested in Yael’s story and rooting for her. I lay awake at night thinking of her story What I liked The protagonist. I loved that Yael is a blend of kick ass heroine and vulnerability. Graudin did an excellent job of making the mission personal to Yael through the use of flashbacks and the imagery of the wolf tattoos. Her…