Brian Review: Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Wolf by Wolf

Author: Ryan Graudin

Published On: 10/20/2015

Page Count: 388

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?

Overall Rating: 4/5

Cover: 5/5  

I really like the style of this cover. From the font, to the color scheme, as well as depicting a wolf as Yael’s shadow, I felt that this cover really encompassed the spirit of the novel.

Characters:  

Yael: Yael’s character was very complex. She must take on many different roles and personas to advance her goals, and although she must become each new person completely, some parts of who she really is bleeds through. Her personality felt like it occasionally became a bit confused, and I wanted more parts of her past to be explained, but she was a great protagonist.

Felix: The twin brother of the persona that Yael takes on for the majority of the story. He is constantly worried about his ‘sister’s’ safety, and seemed fairly one dimensional to me. He has his moments, but seemed like he hit the same note for most of the book.

Luka: The opposite of Felix, at least to me. Luka’s character had a lot of depth and character development, and you are constantly guessing what he will do next. Luka obviously cares for Yael’s persona from their history, but Yael doesn’t know what really happened between them before she became Adele, which keeps the audience trying to figure it out with her. I think Luka was my favorite character overall.

Plot: 4/5   There is a whole lot going on here. The overarcing plot of the bike race across the world for fame and fortune, combined with the personal intrigue between each individual racer as they progress was very interesting. Trying to figure out who Yael can trust and who she can’t, and knowing that winning the race is only a stepping stone to complete her goals keeps you on the edge of your seat most of the time. I did feel that the book didn’t seem to have enough time to flesh out some of the details and past, and am glad to see that there will be more to this story. Overall I enjoyed the book, and would definitely recommend it, especially if you like alternative historical fiction.

Quotes:

“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.”

“Even at their most basic function, needles do two things: They give and they take away.”

― Ryan Graudin, Wolf by Wolf

Brian

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Boyfriend Review: Sanctuary Bay by Laua J. Burns & Melinda Metz

Sanctuary Bay

Author: Laura J. Burns, Melinda Metz

Published: 01/19/2016

Pages: 320

Synopsis: (Found on Goodreads)

Will Sarah Merson's shiny new prep school change her life forever or bring it to a dark and sinister end?

When Sarah Merson receives the opportunity of a lifetime to attend the most elite prep school in the country-Sanctuary Bay Academy-it seems almost too good to be true. But, after years of bouncing from foster home to foster home, escaping to its tranquil setting, nestled deep in Swans Island, couldn't sound more appealing. Swiftly thrown into a world of privilege and secrets, Sarah quickly realizes finding herself noticed by class charmer, Nate, as well as her roommate's dangerously attentive boyfriend, Ethan, are the least of her worries. When her roommate suddenly goes missing, she finds herself in a race against time, not only to find her, but to save herself and discover the dark truth behind Sanctuary Bay's glossy reputation.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars – The book was well written and fairly fast paced, however the conclusion seemed rushed and not fully fleshed out.

Cover:  2 Stars – I don’t think the cover represents the book very well. The girl depicted does not look anything like the main character did to me, though it’s possible the meaning behind the scene is lost on me.

Sanctuary Bay was a suspense filled, teen high school drama, only without very much drama. The pieces were there, lots of angsty teenagers all trying to fit in or define themselves in their own way, but much of the typical youthful struggle felt somewhat glossed over to make room for flashbacks, foreshadowing, or saying the word bromcyan over and over (you’ll understand by the time you’re halfway finished). Not to say that the book wasn’t enjoyable, I found it an interesting and fast read, however the emphasis could have been shifted somewhat to make it more entertaining.

The main character, Sarah Merson has a difficult past that makes fitting in at Sanctuary Bay difficult. Her exceptional memory makes her an ideal student and classmate, but being unable to forget anything, recalling every moment of every day, can be a heavy burden. She finds friends in her room mates, Izzy and Karina, who are about as opposite as two girls can get. They pick at each other constantly, but still manage to stay friends. Soon, Sarah finds herself attracting the interest of Nate, a model student and popular boy around campus, but with a few dark secrets of his own. Ethan, Karina’s boyfriend, is the typical brooding teenage boy with a rough past. Most of the exploits in and around Sanctuary Bay, the ‘Perfect School’ revolve around these 5.

Some of the most interesting parts of the story are discovered when the climax of the book approaches. Unfortunately this doesn’t seem to happen until very close to the end, where it felt as though all of the loose ends of the story had to be wrapped up in 30 pages or less. There was a lot of very interesting build up towards this abrupt conclusion, but I was left feeling somewhat unfulfilled. Nevertheless, Sanctuary Bay is worth reading and I would not be surprised if there was a sequel in the works for some time down the line. I would recommend this book, though I will probably not be back for a second read.

~Brian

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Boyfriend Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus

By: Erin Morgenstern

Published: 9/13/2011 by Doubleday

Pages: 512

Synopsis: (found on goodreads)

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.

Overall Rating: 4 / 5 Stars – Thoroughly enjoyed the book though some parts were a little confusing.

Cover: 5 / 5 Stars  -  Excellent color scheme, intentional lack of detail and just enough mystery.

The Night Circus a very unique blend of romance with different types of fantasy. A circus is always supposed to be a fantastic and whimsical place, but when you add magic into the mix, it takes it to an entirely different level. This book speaks from the viewpoint of a few different characters throughout, but also takes the time to tell you a story through the eyes of an unnamed visitor to the Night Circus. Experiencing the Cirque de Reves from a first person viewpoint gave a different perspective that helped to become immersed in the story. I would recommend reading this story, and will probably read it again someday myself.

One of the most enjoyable parts of this book is the development of the characters. The story revolves around Marco and Celia, two very gifted individuals with unseen ties to the Circus and to each other. The growth of these two; from their very different childhoods and through the separate paths that lead them both to their shared destiny is very interesting and detailed. Their journey at times seems forced upon them, even though the choices they make are uniquely their own. Although they are both set up to be on opposite sides of a decades-long competition, you find yourself rooting for them both. The circus itself is also full of entertaining characters with personalities and histories that you sometimes forget that their stories are secondary to the two at the center.

The main story arc in this book revolves around the discovery and grooming of Marco and Celia to be players in a contest that is mostly unexplained throughout. They will be pitted against each other, the battleground is a Circus, but the rest is unknown. There is magic, mystery, and romance around every tent and attraction, and new performers and circus visitors to meet in almost every chapter. This story held my interest from beginning to end, and though some pieces were a little confusing at times, I will enjoy reading it again to look for parts I might have missed on my first time through.

“You think, as you walk away from Le Cirque des Rêves and into the creeping dawn, that you felt more awake within the confines of the circus. You are no longer quite certain which side of the fence is the dream.”

― Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus

~Brian

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Top Ten Tuesday: Thanksgiving Boyfriend Edition

Ten Things Boyfriend is Thankful For

Top Ten Tuesday can be found on Broke and Bookish

Cody has taken over the blog for this weeks topic. Hopefully he will be adding some content in the coming months.

1.       Stella (His 2015 Mustang)

    2.       Corgis (He wants to name his Cornelius when he gets him)

    3.       Cream Soda 

    4.       Family

    5.       Comfy Bed

    6.       Military (He`s in the Airforce, 3.5yrs so far)

    7.       Technology

    8.       PC Gaming

    9.       Taco Bell

   10.   My SO (AKA me, the girlfriend that he was forced to add to this list at last minute)

What are you thankful for this holiday?

-Cody

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Guest Post Boyfriend`s POV of Across the Universe

Across the Universe Sean`s POV Review

I started reading this book with my girlfriend about seven months ago, but don’t lose hope it didn’t take us that long to finish the book because it was no good, just because we have a limited amount of time to read together because our lives are so busy. Without further ado, now its time to begin the review of the incredible adventure with Amy and Elder aboard Godspeed.

From the beginning the adventure was set into our minds; a race across the universe to colonize a planet 300 years away from earth. Starting with a startling turn of events, Amy was release from her cryo prison before the landing of Godspeed. From that point on after the awakening of Amy started the awakening of all the secrets aboard Godspeed. Being chased by mindless workers across the field, or drugged up by the leader of the ship, and worrying for her parents every second hoping they aren’t the new victims of the cryo murders. New conspiracy after conspiracy was challenged by Amy and Elder to uncover the truth of the ship, and what a shocking discovery did they make.

Across the Universe kept my girlfriend and me totally drawn into this adventure of words. I am totally looking forward to reading the second book in the series with her and finding out how they are going to deal with the truth.

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