Book Review: Wolf By Wolf; Ryan Graudin.

I'm having a really great run of books recently: three five star reads in a row! This read set February off to a great start because it was so amazing. I can't wait to review it and tell you all about it! I'm entering this book into the 'Monthly Motif' challenge!

SOURCE: Illumicrate
TYPE: Paperback

TITLE: Wolf By Wolf
AUTHOR: Ryan Graudin
SERIES: Wolf By Wolf (#1)
PUBLISHER: Orion Children's Books
PAGES: 390
GENRE: Alternate History, Young Adult, Thriller

RATING: 5/5 Stars

Blurb:
Germania, 1956. Over ten years since the Nazis won the war. 18-year-old Yael is part of the resistance, and she has just one mission: to kill Hitler.

But first she's got to get close enough to him to do it. 

Experimented on during her time at Auschwitz, Yael has the unique ability to change her appearance at will. The only part of her which always remains are the five tattooed wolves on her arm; one for each of the people she's lost. Using her abilities, she must transform into Adele Wolfe, Germany's most famous female rider and winner of the legendary Axis Tour; an epic long distance motorcycle race from Berlin to Tokyo, where only the strongest (and wiliest) riders survive. If she can win this, she will be able to get close enough to kill the Fuhrer and change history forever.

But with other riders sabotaging her chances at every turn, Yael's mission won't be easy...

What I Liked:

• I was completely blown away by this book for a variety of reasons but the biggest by far was the writing. Like in 'The Walled City', Graudin did a wonderful job of recreating history and giving it the feel of a heart-pounding Dystopian thriller. The fast-paced energy that this book exudes really impressed me and I'm just such a huge fan of her right now. The concept behind the plot was exceptionally creative too: obviously it's impossible to tell exactly what would have happened if Hitler had won the War but this proves to be a well thought-out possibility in most aspects.
• The heroine, Yael, was very well-written and I loved her to bits. She was a survivalist and totally kicked ass which I always look for in a heroine, but I loved her vulnerabilities and dedication to the side of good. The characters around her, particularly Luka and Felix really added both to the plot and to the wonderful character development throughout the story. I loved the flashbacks to Yael's past too. Graudin did such a great job of making her characters complex and fun to read.

What I Disliked:

• Uhhh, I am not prepared for this question? It definitely has to be the fact that I have to wait for Book Two! Other than that I'm pretty much out of ideas! Perhaps I would have liked to have known the other racers better?

Overall Conclusion:

When I reviewed 'The Walled City' I enjoyed it and said that I would like to read more of Graudin's work, but after reading 'Wolf By Wolf', Graudin is now one of my favourite Authors. Her writing has come on leaps and bounds with gorgeous writing, fantastic plot development, gorgeous characterisation and some pretty impressive world-building skills. There was not a single point that I felt disappointed by this read and I'm looking forward to Book Two when it comes out!