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ursula_fricke's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
annie_charan's review
5.0
I really really enjoyed reading this book. I honestly preferred this book over the first one. All the characters were so cute, the story was so good that I couldn't keep my book down. Looking to reading the third novel in this series.
lizzyg21's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
mariahistryingtoread's review
1.0
Beware spoiler-y review ahead.
I was surprised by how good The Dragon With the Chocolate Heart was after it caught my eye randomly at the library. I fully anticipated that level of quality to sustain. I was shocked by how massive a let down The Girl With the Dragon Heart ended up being.
The book operates in the same universe as TDWCH, but it focuses on a side character from the first - Aventurine’s best friend Silke. Silke is sent on a mission for the cutthroat princess from the previous book. If she succeeds she’ll have the home she always wanted. As is always the case in these kinds of stories, she quickly finds that there’s more to the mission than meets the eye.
Halfway through the book it was a 3 star read; a clear drop though not the worst dip I’ve seen. This was for 3 major reasons.
• Aventurine is inherently a more compelling character. The dragon learning how to human thing had a lot more versatility. Aventurine’s refusal to conform entirely made her stand out. She is still super rough around the edges, but that’s what makes her fun to follow. You’re never quite sure what direction she’ll take in social interactions. Silke is merely an archetype I've seen many a time before. It doesn't make her bad it just means she's immediately less interesting by default. I’m sure I’ve seen bits and pieces of Aventurine before as well, but the way that Stephanie Burgis wrote her is what made her special anyways.
• I was very into seeing how the palace intrigue mixed in with scary, unscrupulous fairies and political mischief would play out. Conversely I absolutely did not care about Silke’s attempts to find out what happened to her parents in the least. Thus I was checked out rather quickly as the book allows this to consume the entirety of the plot to the detriment of all other elements. Also I'm pretty sure it's not technically revisionist to add in a ‘might not really be dead’ parents plot but because I operated under the assumption for the entire first book that her parents were dead to me they are as good as. My brain already mentally categorized them as inconsequential so I struggled to care even before it started to overtake everything else.
• Silke's storyline is more emotionally based vs Aventurines’ and in this shift some flaws are revealed that were not apparent in the first book. Namely where Burgis will have Silke blatantly outline exactly what she is pursuing and why she is acting a certain way. I don't think a 13 year old would be so self aware and it leaves no room for me to analyze or piece motivation together on my own. It makes Silke read as more immature than she's supposed to because it’s so on the nose.
It only continues downhill from there.
The catalyst for the story is supposed to be Silke’s status as an expert spy. She’s quick on her feet, a smooth talker, and would be an unknown face in the castle. Except everything in the story just goes to prove Silke is an awful spy.
For example she blunders into a secret meeting in an attempt to try and 'save' Aventurine. We’re told she talks her way out of the situation, but the lie she gives is super poor for a spy of her purported skill and the fairies don’t even believe her which defeats the whole purpose. If she’s so charming then there should be no doubt as to the veracity of her tall tales. It’s made worse by the fact that after this mistake she’s let go from the job when it’s only been one day.
All this build up and hype over her skills for her to blow it immediately.
Also her sacrificing Aventurine would have been better because it would be a callback to when a different character declared Silke 'uses' people. It would show that she'd sunk to a point where she could no longer keep hold of the truth and loses herself in pursuit of stability thereby tying her arc altogether. Again, this all goes out the window because she has no time to do anything except attend a single dinner, and have one conversation before bungling the whole thing up.
The fairies are used horribly as antagonists. Fairy culture as a whole is underdeveloped. The magical system is ridiculously ill defined. The bargaining system is a great way of presenting tension and stakes but it's obviously only set up so that Silke's parents can still be alive. It's not an actual meaningful part of the story. The fairies super secret reason for showing up for the first time in decades was super obvious. So much so Silke literally did not even have to be there. Which is good since she didn’t gather any intel anyways.
Everyone in the castle assumed it was dragons before the fairies and then the fairies literally stepped off their carriage being like 'yeah what about those dragons'. It wasn’t that deep at all.
The revelation of the parents being alive is not only too convenient, it contradicts a major theme. I would have preferred if the parents actually had been lost forever due to a bad bargain because that better emphasizes the message that family is what you make of it not just blood. Silke spends most of the book thinking poorly of herself though she hides it behind a facade of apathy. She thinks no one would choose to be her family, they have to be stuck with her instead. So Marina and Horst and Aventurine actively choosing to take her in is a much better button on the arc. For similar reasons I didn’t like that she had an older brother.
If this had been the first book I would not have liked this series. That’s how disappointed I was. I almost don’t even want to continue. The first book really was so good my expectations were through the roof. If you’re determined to see the series through then go ahead. If you’re not a completionist, pretend the TDWCH is a standalone.
I was surprised by how good The Dragon With the Chocolate Heart was after it caught my eye randomly at the library. I fully anticipated that level of quality to sustain. I was shocked by how massive a let down The Girl With the Dragon Heart ended up being.
The book operates in the same universe as TDWCH, but it focuses on a side character from the first - Aventurine’s best friend Silke. Silke is sent on a mission for the cutthroat princess from the previous book. If she succeeds she’ll have the home she always wanted. As is always the case in these kinds of stories, she quickly finds that there’s more to the mission than meets the eye.
Halfway through the book it was a 3 star read; a clear drop though not the worst dip I’ve seen. This was for 3 major reasons.
• Aventurine is inherently a more compelling character. The dragon learning how to human thing had a lot more versatility. Aventurine’s refusal to conform entirely made her stand out. She is still super rough around the edges, but that’s what makes her fun to follow. You’re never quite sure what direction she’ll take in social interactions. Silke is merely an archetype I've seen many a time before. It doesn't make her bad it just means she's immediately less interesting by default. I’m sure I’ve seen bits and pieces of Aventurine before as well, but the way that Stephanie Burgis wrote her is what made her special anyways.
• I was very into seeing how the palace intrigue mixed in with scary, unscrupulous fairies and political mischief would play out. Conversely I absolutely did not care about Silke’s attempts to find out what happened to her parents in the least. Thus I was checked out rather quickly as the book allows this to consume the entirety of the plot to the detriment of all other elements. Also I'm pretty sure it's not technically revisionist to add in a ‘might not really be dead’ parents plot but because I operated under the assumption for the entire first book that her parents were dead to me they are as good as. My brain already mentally categorized them as inconsequential so I struggled to care even before it started to overtake everything else.
• Silke's storyline is more emotionally based vs Aventurines’ and in this shift some flaws are revealed that were not apparent in the first book. Namely where Burgis will have Silke blatantly outline exactly what she is pursuing and why she is acting a certain way. I don't think a 13 year old would be so self aware and it leaves no room for me to analyze or piece motivation together on my own. It makes Silke read as more immature than she's supposed to because it’s so on the nose.
It only continues downhill from there.
The catalyst for the story is supposed to be Silke’s status as an expert spy. She’s quick on her feet, a smooth talker, and would be an unknown face in the castle. Except everything in the story just goes to prove Silke is an awful spy.
For example she blunders into a secret meeting in an attempt to try and 'save' Aventurine. We’re told she talks her way out of the situation, but the lie she gives is super poor for a spy of her purported skill and the fairies don’t even believe her which defeats the whole purpose. If she’s so charming then there should be no doubt as to the veracity of her tall tales. It’s made worse by the fact that after this mistake she’s let go from the job when it’s only been one day.
All this build up and hype over her skills for her to blow it immediately.
Also her sacrificing Aventurine would have been better because it would be a callback to when a different character declared Silke 'uses' people. It would show that she'd sunk to a point where she could no longer keep hold of the truth and loses herself in pursuit of stability thereby tying her arc altogether. Again, this all goes out the window because she has no time to do anything except attend a single dinner, and have one conversation before bungling the whole thing up.
The fairies are used horribly as antagonists. Fairy culture as a whole is underdeveloped. The magical system is ridiculously ill defined. The bargaining system is a great way of presenting tension and stakes but it's obviously only set up so that Silke's parents can still be alive. It's not an actual meaningful part of the story. The fairies super secret reason for showing up for the first time in decades was super obvious. So much so Silke literally did not even have to be there. Which is good since she didn’t gather any intel anyways.
Everyone in the castle assumed it was dragons before the fairies and then the fairies literally stepped off their carriage being like 'yeah what about those dragons'. It wasn’t that deep at all.
The revelation of the parents being alive is not only too convenient, it contradicts a major theme. I would have preferred if the parents actually had been lost forever due to a bad bargain because that better emphasizes the message that family is what you make of it not just blood. Silke spends most of the book thinking poorly of herself though she hides it behind a facade of apathy. She thinks no one would choose to be her family, they have to be stuck with her instead. So Marina and Horst and Aventurine actively choosing to take her in is a much better button on the arc. For similar reasons I didn’t like that she had an older brother.
If this had been the first book I would not have liked this series. That’s how disappointed I was. I almost don’t even want to continue. The first book really was so good my expectations were through the roof. If you’re determined to see the series through then go ahead. If you’re not a completionist, pretend the TDWCH is a standalone.
katykelly's review
5.0
Sequel/companion piece that works by itself. Chocolate, dragons, fairies - a great adventure.
You could read this in isolation from Burgis's first, but it definitely works better with knowledge of the story, characters and universe of Aventurine, the dragon who became a human.
After the excitement of Aventurine's journey towards the chocolatier life, this next episode moves to Silke, her best friend with the 'gift of the gab', who lives with her brother and by her own wiles.
Silke is trying to keep her emotions from tying her down, to keeping herself free from attachment. Her past, long suppressed, comes back to the forefront of her mind, when the Crown Princess hears of her clever advertisements and sees her ability to talk her way out of trouble and recruits her for an assignment as a spy when the neighbouring fairy kingdom arrives for talks.
Aventurine takes a back seat in this story, it is Silke's time to come to the fore, which I thought was the right decision - Aventurine's story is now more a routine one, her crisis has passed and she has achieved all she wanted, now Silke and her troubled past can become our centre.
Silke becomes a more rounded character here, we learn of why she behaves as she does, and I enjoyed the plot that takes her from market and riverside to the royal palace. Spirited, brave and resourceful, she's a great role model.
Readers of around 9 and over will thoroughly enjoy this second outing into the world of The Chocolate Heart.
You could read this in isolation from Burgis's first, but it definitely works better with knowledge of the story, characters and universe of Aventurine, the dragon who became a human.
After the excitement of Aventurine's journey towards the chocolatier life, this next episode moves to Silke, her best friend with the 'gift of the gab', who lives with her brother and by her own wiles.
Silke is trying to keep her emotions from tying her down, to keeping herself free from attachment. Her past, long suppressed, comes back to the forefront of her mind, when the Crown Princess hears of her clever advertisements and sees her ability to talk her way out of trouble and recruits her for an assignment as a spy when the neighbouring fairy kingdom arrives for talks.
Aventurine takes a back seat in this story, it is Silke's time to come to the fore, which I thought was the right decision - Aventurine's story is now more a routine one, her crisis has passed and she has achieved all she wanted, now Silke and her troubled past can become our centre.
Silke becomes a more rounded character here, we learn of why she behaves as she does, and I enjoyed the plot that takes her from market and riverside to the royal palace. Spirited, brave and resourceful, she's a great role model.
Readers of around 9 and over will thoroughly enjoy this second outing into the world of The Chocolate Heart.
sunsess's review
3.0
After reading The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart I just had to read the second book, you know? So I quickly got on half priced books and skimmed for the cheapest buy. I waited and waited and waited... then eventually it showed up at my door! And even better, it was an ARC copy! I was so happy.
Overall, however, I wasn’t impressed. Silke wasn’t as brave or spunky as she was in the first one. She crumbled almost immediately under the pressure and never recovered in subsequent chapters. If I was the author, I would have had her break down in the middle of perhaps even towards the end of the book like Adventurine did in the first one. That way, the character remains true to her personality while still being flawed. The way it was written was just disappointing.
The addition of fairies also didn’t sit right with me. Not only were they all unlikable (a little fairiest if you ask me), but the way they were described along with the magical orbs just didn’t fit with the setting of the first book. The first book felt more... warm, and this book was cool colors and random electricy things.
I gave it 2 and a calf cows instead of three because the character and some plot/setting pieces seemed inconsistent with the first book, but a part of me loves the first book so much I couldn’t give this one two. I will probably end up reading the third book, but I’m not near as eager to do so.
Overall, however, I wasn’t impressed. Silke wasn’t as brave or spunky as she was in the first one. She crumbled almost immediately under the pressure and never recovered in subsequent chapters. If I was the author, I would have had her break down in the middle of perhaps even towards the end of the book like Adventurine did in the first one. That way, the character remains true to her personality while still being flawed. The way it was written was just disappointing.
The addition of fairies also didn’t sit right with me. Not only were they all unlikable (a little fairiest if you ask me), but the way they were described along with the magical orbs just didn’t fit with the setting of the first book. The first book felt more... warm, and this book was cool colors and random electricy things.
I gave it 2 and a calf cows instead of three because the character and some plot/setting pieces seemed inconsistent with the first book, but a part of me loves the first book so much I couldn’t give this one two. I will probably end up reading the third book, but I’m not near as eager to do so.
booklover160's review against another edition
4.0
Accurate rating 3.5 stars rounded up
I have to admit this now; I listened to the audiobook for the first one and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I would have liked this one better if it was in audio format too. But I read it as a book, so I'll just write the review now.
I liked Silke enough in the first book, and now she gets her chance to shine. This is written in first person POV from Silke's view and that took a little bit to get used to after Aventurine's strong narration of the last book. But Silke shows her resourcefulness time and time again.
The elusive fairies declare a surprise visit to Drachenburg and so the crown princess enlists Silke's help to spy on them and figure out what they're really after. And Silke bits off way more than she can chew. All throughout this adventure, we also see Silke struggling to find her place. In her family of just her brother, in her job at the Chocolate Heart, and in the palace as a new lady-in-waiting. I liked her vulnerable side and how she questioned her choices and realized her consequences.
I found the plot of this one nice, but paced poorly. 80% of the book is exposition and build up to a climax and resolution that was way too quick and neatly tied up. That was the only flaw in this book, in my opinion.
Overall, a satisfying second book that will thrill fans of the first.
I have to admit this now; I listened to the audiobook for the first one and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I would have liked this one better if it was in audio format too. But I read it as a book, so I'll just write the review now.
I liked Silke enough in the first book, and now she gets her chance to shine. This is written in first person POV from Silke's view and that took a little bit to get used to after Aventurine's strong narration of the last book. But Silke shows her resourcefulness time and time again.
The elusive fairies declare a surprise visit to Drachenburg and so the crown princess enlists Silke's help to spy on them and figure out what they're really after. And Silke bits off way more than she can chew. All throughout this adventure, we also see Silke struggling to find her place. In her family of just her brother, in her job at the Chocolate Heart, and in the palace as a new lady-in-waiting. I liked her vulnerable side and how she questioned her choices and realized her consequences.
I found the plot of this one nice, but paced poorly. 80% of the book is exposition and build up to a climax and resolution that was way too quick and neatly tied up. That was the only flaw in this book, in my opinion.
Overall, a satisfying second book that will thrill fans of the first.
coryanderson_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
brandypainter's review against another edition
5.0
The Girl with the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis is her brilliant follow-up to [b:The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart|26869762|The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart (Tales from the Chocolate Heart, #1)|Stephanie Burgis|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472822247s/26869762.jpg|46913191]. While this book could be read independently, I think it would be better read following the first book. If you haven't read it yet, you have two exciting and excellent books to look forward to! I, of course, may be biased as these books contain all my favorite things.
"But there's one other truth I know for sure: if you have the courage to tell your own story, you can remake the world."
If there is one thing Silke knows she is good at, it is spinning tales. She can make an exciting story out of pretty much anything, and if she happens to stretch or alter the truth to make it just a tad more interesting, what is the harm really? Silke is trying her hardest to bring customers into The Chocolate Heart after all, a chocolate establishment that deserves everyone's patronage. Silke works there as a waitress too as well as helping her brother in his market stall. Silke wants most to protect all of the people she cares for most. She is not losing anyone else. When her tales and antics capture the attention of the savvy Princess Katrin, Silke finds herself offered the adventure and position of a lifetime. However, spying on the newly arrived Fairy court who want to bargain with the royal family is not a simple task, especially when Silke's own priorities for spying on the fairies may interfere with the job the princess have given her. If there is one thing Silke is certain of, it is that you can not trust the Fairies.
Silke as a character was fascinating in The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart. In her own story, she becomes even more so. Silke is one of those people who goes full throttle toward what they want. Once she is convinced she is in the right, there is no stopping her. This makes her relationships with others difficult at times as the people she is closest too wish she would slow down and listen more. Her prickly personality (put in place as protection) makes it hard for people to get to know her, but once she considers you part of her inner circle, her loyalty is ride or die fierce. She grew a lot over the course of her story as she came to see the importance of listening to others, understanding all of the pertinent details of a situation before jumping in, and not rushing head long into a situation with no plan. Her intelligent mind and ability to tell stories are what save her and the people she loves most in the end. It was fun revisiting so many characters from the first novel too. It was interesting to see Aventurine from Silke's perspective. (That is an aspect of these novels that is really well done: how the girls see themselves vs how each sees the other and the uniqueness of their voices.) Both of the princesses have a large part in Silke's story. I find myself fascinated by both of them and would love to read stories about them as well.
Burgis expands the world she created in The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart. It feels like an actual, real place with history and depth. The story of the Fairies and how they operate is based on old fairy lore but is adapted to fit the story Burgis is telling. I found the way she combined the history of the Fairies and the Dragons to be unique and interesting. The Fairies are manipulative, cold, and ruthless, and their mannerisms fit perfectly in the world Burgis has created for her other creatures and characters.
The Girl with the Dragon Heart explores the theme of independence and community, the tension between the two, and how both are necessary for a complete life. I also loved the exploration of the importance of found/chosen family, but also loving and living with the family you are born into.
"But there's one other truth I know for sure: if you have the courage to tell your own story, you can remake the world."
If there is one thing Silke knows she is good at, it is spinning tales. She can make an exciting story out of pretty much anything, and if she happens to stretch or alter the truth to make it just a tad more interesting, what is the harm really? Silke is trying her hardest to bring customers into The Chocolate Heart after all, a chocolate establishment that deserves everyone's patronage. Silke works there as a waitress too as well as helping her brother in his market stall. Silke wants most to protect all of the people she cares for most. She is not losing anyone else. When her tales and antics capture the attention of the savvy Princess Katrin, Silke finds herself offered the adventure and position of a lifetime. However, spying on the newly arrived Fairy court who want to bargain with the royal family is not a simple task, especially when Silke's own priorities for spying on the fairies may interfere with the job the princess have given her. If there is one thing Silke is certain of, it is that you can not trust the Fairies.
Silke as a character was fascinating in The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart. In her own story, she becomes even more so. Silke is one of those people who goes full throttle toward what they want. Once she is convinced she is in the right, there is no stopping her. This makes her relationships with others difficult at times as the people she is closest too wish she would slow down and listen more. Her prickly personality (put in place as protection) makes it hard for people to get to know her, but once she considers you part of her inner circle, her loyalty is ride or die fierce. She grew a lot over the course of her story as she came to see the importance of listening to others, understanding all of the pertinent details of a situation before jumping in, and not rushing head long into a situation with no plan. Her intelligent mind and ability to tell stories are what save her and the people she loves most in the end. It was fun revisiting so many characters from the first novel too. It was interesting to see Aventurine from Silke's perspective. (That is an aspect of these novels that is really well done: how the girls see themselves vs how each sees the other and the uniqueness of their voices.) Both of the princesses have a large part in Silke's story. I find myself fascinated by both of them and would love to read stories about them as well.
Burgis expands the world she created in The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart. It feels like an actual, real place with history and depth. The story of the Fairies and how they operate is based on old fairy lore but is adapted to fit the story Burgis is telling. I found the way she combined the history of the Fairies and the Dragons to be unique and interesting. The Fairies are manipulative, cold, and ruthless, and their mannerisms fit perfectly in the world Burgis has created for her other creatures and characters.
The Girl with the Dragon Heart explores the theme of independence and community, the tension between the two, and how both are necessary for a complete life. I also loved the exploration of the importance of found/chosen family, but also loving and living with the family you are born into.