ALL I KNOW IS PAIN: {Review in a GIFfy} BLOOD FOR BLOOD by Ryan Graudin

So, I've seen a few others doing early reviews for books pre-release by doing a less formal review and sorta just fangirling over the title prior to publication, which may be months away, depending on when they read the book. Jamie from The Perpetual Page-turner has a Save the Date feature, and Heather over at The Flyleaf Review showcases her pre-release thoughts in a Mark Your Calendars post. I have the same problem. I want to tell the world about some of the awesome books I read pre-publication, but I can't wait until just a few weeks before the release date to shout it from the rooftops. And sometimes there just aren't words for a book, ya know?

My dilemma led me to an awesome idea: Reviews in a GIFfy. I already (sometimes) post my reactions to a book via GIFs on Goodreads. (The one I did for World After was very well received.) But I wanted to make it a thing for those titles that I just can't wait until they appear on the ole reading schedule -- or for the ones that it's really hard to adequately express my feelings -- and I wanted to share my reactions via GIF with all of you. Essentially, these are going to be GIF-only reviews to tide you -- and me! -- over until I can expand on my thoughts in a legitimate review closer to the book's release date...if ever!




Title: Blood for Blood
Author: Ryan Graudin
Series: Wolf by Wolf, book #2
Publisher: Little, Brown BFYR
Publication Date: November 1, 2016
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The action-packed, thrilling sequel to Ryan Graudin's Wolf by Wolf.

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?

This gripping, thought-provoking sequel to Wolf by Wolf will grab readers by the throat with its cinematic writing, fast-paced action, and relentless twists.

Bloody verdammt book that made me cry all the tears and feel all the things. This follow-up to Wolf by Wolf was very different in tone and content but it was every bit as good and interesting and heartbreaking. Where Wolf by Wolf was all witty banter and racing and unbelievably sad flashbacks, this sequel was basically all of those sad flashbacks times a million.

Blood for Blood was essentially the antithesis of Wolf by Wolf. Wolf by Wolf was by no means a light-hearted story, but it was full of wit and snark and moments of levity interspersed with moments of immense pain. But Blood for Blood...it was mostly harrowing ordeals and narrow escapes punctuated by instances of frivolity.

I think my GIF-tastic review below will sum it up best, but before I get to that, here are a few more things I appreciated about this sequel:

• Multiple perspectives but with Yael always being the focal point - In the first book, I constantly wondered what the real Adele Wolf was doing while Yael was parading around as her, and you get that in this sequel, though not from the horses's mouth. The multiple points of view really help to form a complete picture.
• I applaud the author's choices, that she did what was right by her characters - Big risks and hard decisions make this a tragic story but also make it all the more genuine. This is war and with war comes loss and devastation.
• Unpredictable and thrilling story - I legit never knew what was coming in this book. I was blind-sided time and again and still kept coming back for more, even though it felt like my heart was being torn from my chest.
• Incredible character growth - Going from kids trying to win a race (well, except for Yael, sort of) to people with loved ones to save and sacrifices to make and fuhrers to kill and making all kinds mistakes along the way, these characters change so much.

Okay, before I get to the GIFfy portion of this review, I just wanted to share a short video that perfectly depicts my reading experience:

So, when the novel opens, Yael is on the run after her disastrous assassination attempt from the previous book.

But that's nothing new, as Yael is pretty much always on the run. Her life is nothing but one big chase with one singular mission...to kill this guy:

Yael finds herself escaping with the two boys she took turns racing beside in the first book, and even this early in the story, I just knew there was no way things were going to end well.

My money was on the fuhrer, but I like to be prepared.

Basically, I felt like Yael was always backed into a corner, ready to claw her way out if need be.

Didn't make it any easier to read, though.

Not only does Yael's past come back to haunt her ten-fold in this sequel, but you also get a peek at past-Luka and past-Felix, and though their stories don't even compare to the torture Yael has suffered, they definitely still had difficult upbringings.

Meanwhile, well-thought plans crumble. Betrayals abound. Truths can no longer remain buried.

And good intentions pave the road to hell.

And through it all...

So much pain. It's been a month since I finished this book and still the pain is so fresh.

This story is definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you have a heart, it will definitely hit you in the feels. HARD. Don't say I didn't warn you.

About the author:

Hello! I’m Ryan. This is me in a nutshell.

29.
Writer.
Traveler.
Believer.
Sherlock Whovian Browncoat.
Wife to a talented and handsome photographer.
Mother to a fluffy and winsome wolf-dog.
Drinks Chai Lattes.
Loves vintage Christmas lights.

And this is me in the officially-official version:

Ryan Graudin grew up in Charleston and graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in Creative Writing in 2009. She is the author of Wolf By Wolf, Blood For Blood, The Walled City and the All That Glows series. She resides near Charleston with her husband and wolf-dog.

Find Ryan:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Instagram | Tumblr

Previous posts in this feature:

Of Metal and Wishes
The Kiss of Deception
Between the Spark and the Burn
Blue Lily, Lily Blue
This Shattered World
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Heart of Betrayal
Of Dreams and Rust
Nightfall
Winter

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Labels: alternate history, favorites, girl power, hachette, historical fiction, review in a giffy, reviews, ryan graudin, wolf by wolf

{Review in a GIFfy} OMGITSOVERWHATISLIFEEVEN?!? - WINTER by Marissa Meyer

Title: Winter
Author: Marissa Meyer
Narrator(s): Rebecca Soler
Series: The Lunar Chronicles, book #4
Length: 23 hrs 30 mins
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: November 10, 2015
Source: purchased hardcover for shelf and audiobook for immediate immersion =)
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

So, yeah, that was me on Tuesday, upon waking and realizing it was Winter release day. I had pre-ordered a hardcover, but I'm an impatient person -- I mean, really impatient -- and I wanted to avoid anyone spoiling it for me, so I immediately downloaded the audiobook. I had no idea how long this book was expected to be, so when I saw that the audio was 23 1/2 hours long, I did a double-take. But it makes sense with all the loose ends and character arcs the author had left to tie up.

I'm not going to go into the story because if you've made it to this point, you know what's at stake. You know Levana is batshit. You know what sacrifices Cinder and company are willing to make to bring her reign of terror to an end. And you know who you ship and where your OTPs stand. I pretty much stand by what I said in my review of the Cress audio and so I'll just put this here:

Sooo worth it to hear Rebecca Soler bring these characters to life again. I don't think I'd like these books half as much if it weren't for her narration. That's a lie. I'd still love them, but it just wouldn't be as much fun because I wouldn't make Cinder sound as feisty in my head, Kai wouldn't seem nearly as regal, Scarlet wouldn't have that slight French accent, and Thorne, well, okay, Captain Carswell Thorne will always be that swoonworthy rogue. But you get the picture. Some audiobooks are just books that are being read to you via some unknown narrator, but the Lunar Chronicles on audio is like having a movie going inside your head. It's impossible not to put yourself in the story, to imagine everything as it's happening and hope for the best right along with the rest of the crew. Rebecca Soler's narration of this series is pure magic, and even if I were to get an advance copy of Winter -- assuming they will exist -- I'd still probably opt for the audio version because it's just. So. Much. Fun.

No matter how much I started off enjoying this series, I'm constantly surprised by it. Each book just gets progressively better, introducing new characters and new villains and new romances. And somehow, no one ever gets left out or sidelined in order to concentrate on a different story arc. No matter who the leading lady is in each book, the others are not forgotten. I follow the author's blog and Twitter and I know how crazy-organized she is and has to be in order to keep all of these storylines in check, so I can imagine how easy it might be to let a character fall by the wayside. But Meyer never does, and you seriously have to applaud what a masterful storyteller she is.

And I love seeing how everyone's story is coming together, how everyone fits into this giant picture Meyer undoubtedly has in her head. Her reimagining of some of my favorite childhood fairy tales is beautifully done, and I love how the author has woven bits of science and fantasy into her stories to create something fresh and vibrant and completely her own.

In this installment, it's Snow White's turn in the spotlight, with Winter as the damsel in distress, living with her deranged stepmother on Luna, within her own hero's grasp and yet so far out of his reach. It is so funny to me that while reading, I get so caught up in the story that I don't remember it's a retelling until one of the elements in the original story comes to pass, and then I'm like OMG YAAASSS!!!

I loved Meyer's take on Snow White, but I don't know that I could say I loved it more than any of the other heroines' arcs...because I love them all equally, obsessively, and completely. Don't ask me to pick a favorite because I absolutely CANNOT and WILL NOT and SHOULD NEVER be forced to do such a thing.

I will say that I appreciate the author's efforts to make her characters so dynamic and diverse, most obviously in Winter. You've got mental instability, bi-racial coupling, interplanetary-coupling...there's something for everyone and everyone for someone. Those ships...MY GAWD.

The swoons and kissing scenes in this book are pretty epic. I liked to pretend that I didn't hear it the first time and go back and listen again. And again. To the point that someone would see me blushing and ask what I was listening to and I'd finally have to move on. =)

• Winter and Jacin are adorable. But they let that whole class thing get in their way for far too long. Winter is whimsical and Jacin is resolute, and they're kind of perfect for each other.
• Cress and Thorne are yin and yang. She's innocent to the world and he's taken advantage of all it has to offer. I'd ship Thorne with just about anyone, though, as long as I got to hear his quips. I shipped him with Cinder at first because their banter was ah-mazing.
• Scarlet and Wolf are my OTP. They just...the bond, the love, the strength there...THAT IS LIFE. Even after everything they've been through and suffered, they still have the strongest relationship of all.
• Cinder and Kai are...they're the bones of the story. Without them, everything else falls apart. And together, they are a rock.

Obvs, I could have used more kissing. ALWAYS MORE KISSING. And I would really have liked to see a bromance develop between Kai and Thorne. I saw something there at one point, and I didn't want it to end. Maybe we'll see more of it in Stars Above? Maybe more kissing, too, yes?

I don't know if it was because I was listening or the pacing just really picked up in the second half, but it flew by. Like, I may need a re-listen very soon so I can parse some things out. (Or, I guess, I could just revert to my hardcover.) It was just so jam-packed with ALL THE THINGS HAPPENING and the mind-melds and manipulations and it was like who's doing WHAT? And NO, DON'T DO THAT...STAAAAAAHPPP!!! For a minute there, I thought I might never recover.

And then I went to my happy place and this is basically all I remember:

Worth it, though. SO. WORTH. IT. This is one of my absolute favorite series, and I've listened to all of the books on audio and I REGRET NOTHING. Every character, every story line, every single minute spent with these books has been amazing. Marissa Meyer is on my auto-buy list, and if she's not on yours yet, then you probably haven't read one of her books because if you had, you'd be hooked. I just loved these books so much. I could re-read them again right now. And I just might because I seriously don't know what to do with all these feels!

About the author:

Marissa Meyer lives in Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and three cats. She’s a fan of most things geeky (Sailor Moon, Firefly, color-coordinating her bookshelf . . .), and has been in love with fairy tales since she was given a small book of them when she was a child. She may or may not be a cyborg. Cinder is her first novel.

Find Marissa:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

Previous posts in this feature:

Of Metal and Wishes
The Kiss of Deception
Between the Spark and the Burn
Blue Lily, Lily Blue
This Shattered World
A Court of Thorns and Roses
The Heart of Betrayal
Of Dreams and Rust

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Labels: audiobooks, beautiful covers, book trailers, fairy tales, fantasy, favorites, lunar chronicles, macmillan, marissa meyer, must-read, retellings, review in a giffy, reviews, sci-fi

{Review} My NIGHTFALL Reading Experience - In Which I Use As Many Supernatural GIFs As Possible

I've been looking forward to reading Nightfall ever since it landed in my mailbox, along with all of the creeptastic paraphernalia you see pictured above. This book demands a certain type of reading experience. It's not the kind of story where you can read a few pages here and there because then you won't get the full effect. You can't read it while sitting on the bleachers at your kiddo's soccer practice. And you can't read it with all of the lights on, though you might be tempted once the eeriness really sets in.

At first, I tried reading while Supernatural was on in the background, but it's hard to ignore the Winchester brothers for very long. I thought it would add to the atmosphere of Nightfall, but it was distracting.

So, then I switched to the Supernatural soundtrack on Spotify, and that was actually working pretty well, until it just made me want to go back to watching Supernatural. :P What are you gonna do, am I right?

The next time I sat down to read, it started raining, the wind gusting hard against the windows, and the ominous weather lent itself perfectly to the weather turning colder in the story, knowing that the characters were about to embark on a journey with 14 years of night ahead of them.

And then the kids get left behind. And knowing what the Day inhabitants of the island have to do to prepare for Night, well...

Much of the book is terrifying.

And some of it is just flat-out surprising.

But on the whole, this story was completely engrossing and totally...

You can check out my full review below, and you can also check out a Top Ten Favorites List from the authors, as well as enter to win your own copy of Nightfall.


Title: Nightfall
Author: Jake Halpern & Peter Kujawinski
Series: n/a
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 22, 2015
Source: ARC provided by publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

The dark will bring your worst nightmares to light, in this gripping and eerie survival story, perfect for fans of James Dashner and Neil Gaiman.

On Marin’s island, sunrise doesn’t come every twenty-four hours—it comes every twenty-eight years. Now the sun is just a sliver of light on the horizon. The weather is turning cold and the shadows are growing long.

Because sunset triggers the tide to roll out hundreds of miles, the islanders are frantically preparing to sail south, where they will wait out the long Night.

Marin and her twin brother, Kana, help their anxious parents ready the house for departure. Locks must be taken off doors. Furniture must be arranged. Tables must be set. The rituals are puzzling—bizarre, even—but none of the adults in town will discuss why it has to be done this way.

Just as the ships are about to sail, a teenage boy goes missing—the twins’ friend Line. Marin and Kana are the only ones who know the truth about where Line’s gone, and the only way to rescue him is by doing it themselves. But Night is falling. Their island is changing.

And it may already be too late.

As I mentioned, I was pretty excited to read Nightfall. I've long been a fan of horror and stories of things that go bump in the night, and Nightfall epitomizes the type of scary book that will keep me up all hours of the night reading. Even if it terrified me to do so at times.

Because it wasn't necessarily what was happening in the story that was always scary. Nightfall is just so atmospherically creepy. It was impossible not to put myself in the character's position, with Night falling fast, the chaos of preparing for the trip, and the cold, bleak winter that was upon them.

The creepy factor itself was upped a few degrees simply through fear of the unknown, not knowing what to expect from Night since none of the elders were talking. And then to get left behind? The fear of being left alone on the island -- with who knows what nightmarish creatures lurking in the forest -- was an almost palpable thing.

The characters were a little younger than I expected going into this book, but that makes their story no less interesting. I think the fact that they are only around fourteen and the fact that the focus is on their attempt to get to the boats -- and not necessarily on a romance -- made the horror of their predicament much easier to get invested in. The narrative is split between the three teens, and although it felt a little Marin-centric at times, I think I enjoyed Kana's perspective a bit more than the others.

If you're looking for a creepy read to add to your Fall/Halloween TBR, look no further. Nightfall is a very atmospheric read and is high on suspense. I'll likely need a re-read, since I sped through it the first time around, ready to see those kids make it. :)

GIF it to me straight:

About the authors:

Jake Halpern is an author, journalist, and radio producer. His first book, Braving Home (2003), was a main selection for the Book of the Month Club by Bill Bryson and was one of Library Journal's “Best Books of the Year.” His next book, Fame Junkies (2007), was the basis for an original series on NPR's All Things Considered and portions of the book were published in both the New Yorker and in Entertainment Weekly. Jake’s most recent nonfiction book, Bad Paper (FSG), was excerpted as the New York Times Magazine and it was chosen as an Amazon "Book of the Year." Jake’s debut work of fiction, a young adult trilogy, Dormia, has been hailed by the American Library Association's Booklist as a worthy heir to the Harry Potter series. In September of 2014, Jake signed a two book deal with Putnam / Penguin for two more young adult novels. As a journalist, Jake has written for The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, The Wall Street Journal, GQ, Sports Illustrated, The New Republic, Slate, Smithsonian, Entertainment Weekly, Outside, New York Magazine, and other publications. In the realm of radio, Jake is a contributor to NPR's All Things Considered and This American Life. Jake's hour-long radio story, "Switched at Birth," is on This American Life's "short list" as one of its top eight shows of all time. One of Jake's stories is the basis for a new movie being produced by 20th Century Fox and Heyday Films (which made the Harry Potter movies). Last, but not least, Jake is a fellow of Morse College at Yale University, where he teaches a class on journalism. He recently returned from India where he was visiting as a Fulbright Scholar.

Find Jake:

Website | Goodreads | Instagram

Peter Kujawinski is an author and diplomat born in Chicago. His first fictional work, Dormia, was co-written with noted journalist Jake Halpern. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2009, Dormia was hailed by the American Library Association's Booklist as the next Harry Potter. The second book in the series, World's End, was released by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2010. The third book in the Dormia series is tentatively titled The Shadow Tree. He also works for the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer. His assignments as a diplomat include US Embassies in Tel Aviv, Paris, the UN Security Council in New York City, and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. In addition to his fiction, his nonfiction commentaries have been published in the international edition of the New York Times.

Find Peter:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

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Labels: horror, jake halpern, nightfall, penguin, peter kujawinski, review in a giffy, reviews