Blood for Blood - Ryan Graudin

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?

So much energy. So much awesomeness. So much action and fantastic twisty goodness. It is rare that a sequel holds up so well to a first book, but Blood for Blood stands up spectacularly. I had no idea what to expect, but I certainly wasn't disappointed. I've been a fan of Ryan Graudin's for years, since the publication of The Walled City.
BOOM. Luka looked up and saw the Führer falling. His chest looked as if it had been turned inside out. Standing over the body—left hand stretched out, still holding the gun—was Adele.
Though some of the final quarter of the novel did feel slightly rushed, the overall pacing was superb, and the relationship dynamics between Yael, Luka, and Felix become incredibly complex. There is a necessary exploration of the fine line that separates violence for the sake of power and violence for the sake of freedom. Lies and deception wait around every corner creating a suspenseful and heart-pounding narrative.

There is a lot of great, thought-provoking content in Blood for Blood. Fans of thrillers, alternative histories, and kick-ass teen protagonists will hopefully find themselves enthralled by Graudin's latest novel.

Highly Recommended

(NOTE: This review is from an Advance Reading Copy - Out Nov. 1, 2016)

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