Kazumi Reads

Plot Summary:
The Allies have lost the war and Hitler and Hirohito rules Europe and Asia. When Yael and her mother stepped off that horrid train car, Yael was selected by the Angel of Death to undergo horrible experiments for the Aryan empire. Fast forward to the present, Yael is no longer the scared little girl but a fighter who can not only change her face in the blink of the night, but she is the final hope for the Resistance to bring Hitler down once and for all. The million dollar question is: how will she able to carry out her mission as Hitler is untouchable? The answer: assuming Adele Wolfe's identity and compete in the Axis Motorcycle Tournament where she will ride across the continent to travel to the castle of the Emperor and meet Hitler. The only problem with this plan is not only does Yael have to assume Adele's identity, she has to outwit Adele's twin brother, Felix, and rival, Luka. What Yael doesn't realize is that there is quite a bit of information that are not in Henrikah's files and Yael must improvise or get caught. For Yael, failure is not an option and she will do whatever is necessary to complete her mission. 

Critical Evaluation:
WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW! This is such an amazing story that I couldn't put it down! What makes this story unforgettable is that it tackles the question: what if Europe and the US lost WWII. As awful as it sounds, the hope for this world rests on the shoulders of a young woman who suffered so much at the hands of the Nazis. Along with his extreme hatred for the Jews, Hitler was obsessed with the perfection of the Aryan race, which resulted in unethical human experimentation. I thought it was brilliant of the author to use skin shifting as the result of the experimenting because it became an asset that only Yael could possess. In other words, Graudin turned the evil that was Hitler into something strong and brave--Yael. Along with Yael, Luka and Felix have a tremendous effect on her as they reveal intimate details about Adele, which not only reveals Adele's character, but it also forces Yael to re-evaluate who she is and what she wants. The ending will send readers over the edge and craving for the next installment.

Information about the Author:
According to the author's website:

I was born and raised by the sea in Charleston, South Carolina. I grew up on a steady diet of fairytales, salt-marshes, music and brothers who would reenact Redwall battles with me in the backyard. I went to an artsy sort of high school that allowed cello recitals in the hallways and impromptu poetry slams in the cafeteria. It was there I decided that writing was what I wanted to do more than anything.

So I wrote. I went to the College of Charleston and graduated in 2009 with a degree in Creative Writing. I met the love of my life and got married at 21. We started traveling the world together and never really stopped. We’ve taught English in South Korea, farmed in New Zealand, hiked through Peru, spied on lions in Kenya. Country number 20 is next on the docket.  

I still live close to the sea, with my husband and my wolf-dog. We try to grow gardens, but haven’t had much success. Sometimes I get bored and color my hair or pierce my nose. One day I’ll be brave enough to commit to a tattoo.

Genre:
 Teen Dystopian Thrillers, Teen Historical Fiction

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to Wolf by Wolf:

• The Diviners by Libba Bray
• Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
• Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Septys

Awards & Recognition:
From Amazon.com

An Amazon Best Book of the Year

"Wild and gorgeous, vivid and consuming. I loved it! I can't wait for the sequel."―Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy

"A haunting portrayal of one girl's courage in the face of a vicious world. I was racing along with Yael until the book's heart-pounding conclusion. A triumph."―Megan Shepherd, author of The Madman's Daughter

"Ryan Graudin opens one of the darkest chapters in history and spins a what if into an incredible tale of survival, identity, and purpose. This is the kind of book you can't put down, and the kind that follows you long after you have. It is, quite simply, a masterpiece."―Victoria Schwab, author of The Archived series 

"The rush of an action movie combined with a flawlessly executed history, this is the book I've been waiting for. I loved WOLF BY WOLF, and I'm not speaking to my friends till they've read and loved it too."
―Jackson Pearce, author of Sisters Red and Tsarina

Plot Summary:
Cath has always dreamed of owning her own bakery, but, as a lady, becoming a business woman is not an option. In fact, her only option, according to her mother. is to become Queen of Hearts and that is the last thing she wants. Although the King of Hearts is the the sweetest person around, there is no way Cath could ever fall in love with someone who bounces when the giggle. However, at the night of the ball, Cath and the entire kingdom met the new royal jester who not only stole show, but her heart as well. What started out as an inadvertent rescue attempt from an impending proposal from the king (and a super tight corset), Cath fell hard for the mysterious Jest. While trying to evade the King, and make her dream come true, Cath doesn't know what to do or who to trust. Meanwhile, there's a Jabberwocky on the loose and the people are concerned as it's been centuries since a Jabberwock has been seen around the land of Hearts. With each adventure, and mishap, Cath and Jest's attraction rapidly grows and, when the unthinkable happens, readers will know why the next Queen of Hearts demands that heads roll.


Critical Evaluation:
Marissa Meyer has done it again! Not only has she taken a beloved story and made it her own, she finally gives us the story we have all been dying for: the story of the Queen of Hearts. I will confess that this story not only me falling in love with "Alice in Wonderland" all over again, but the characters were my absolute fave. Cath is definitely my kind of gal as I identify with her in many ways. For most of us, we all have experienced, or will experience, deep loss. However, we all choose to handle our losses and grief in different ways and, for Cath, her grief turns to vengeance and, ultimately, destroyed the sweet girl that her family and friends loved. This story is a story about love and not a love story as the ending will have readers in tears and craving revenge as well. Very well written and I can't wait to see what Marissa will write next!

Information about the Author:
According to the author's website:

One of my first spoken words was “story” (right along with “bath” and “cookie”), my favorite toy as an infant was a soft, squishable book, and I’ve wanted to be a writer since I first realized such a job existed.

When I was fourteen my best friend introduced me to anime and fanfiction—over the years I would complete over forty Sailor Moon fanfics under the penname Alicia Blade. Those so inclined can still find my first stories at fanfiction.net. Writing fanfic turned out to be awesome fun and brought me in contact with an amazing group of fanfiction readers and writers. As Alicia Blade, I also had a novelette, “The Phantom of Linkshire Manor,” published in the gothic romance anthology Bound in Skin (CatsCurious Press, 2007).

When I was sixteen I worked at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Tacoma, Washington, affectionately termed “The Spag.” (Random factoid: This is also the restaurant where my parents met some 25 years before.) I attended Pacific Lutheran University where I sorted mail that came to the dorm, carted tables and chairs around campus, and took writing classes, eventually earning a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and Children’s Literature. Knowing I wanted a career in books, I would also go on to receive a Master’s degree in Publishing from Pace University (which you can learn more about here). After graduation, I worked as an editor in Seattle for a while before becoming a freelance typesetter and proofreader.

Then, day of days, someone thought it would be a good idea to give me a book deal, so I became a full-time writer. CINDER is my first novel, though I have an adorable collection of unfinished ones lying around too.

I now live with my husband and our three cats (Calexandria Josephine, Stormus Enormous, and Blackland Rockwell III), who go in and out, in and out, about eight hundred times a day. My favorite non-bookish things include Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, re-watching episodes of Firefly, and playing all manners of dress-up.

Genre:
Teen Fantasy, Teen Romance

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up
 
Books Similar to Heartless:

• Roseblood by A.G. Howard
• Stealing Snow by Daniel Paige

Awards & Recognition:
From Amazon.com
"In Heartless, the nonsense that is Wonderland gets a reverential makeover, full of heart and its own idiosyncratic character."--Gregory Maguire, WICKED and AFTER ALICE

"The author’s best fantasy yet. ...Meyer has woven all the elements of darkness and light, fate and free will, and love and hatred into an unforgettable story of the evolution of the Red Queen from a young girl who dreamed of true love and freedom to a madwoman best remembered for the phrase 'Off with his head.' If you only read one fractured fairy tale this year, make it Heartless. A must-have title.--School Library Journal, starred review