rustedtulips's review against another edition
2.0
I struggled to really get into the book, it starts out describing this dystopian world of 2082. Which seems so hard to understand how in the next 60 years we will be entirely running out of water and living off rations including rationing candles and making caffeine/ chocolate illegal ? Either way the whole dystopian world scene doesn't add much to the picture I think this story could have almost been set in modern days just from a different persception for the characters.
The story is told from the views of Anya, a teenage girl and middle child to New York's notorious crime family. Her dad used to run the whole operation and their now illegal chocolate business. Anya is responsible for both her older brother Leo and her younger sister Natty while their guardian is actually a dying grandmother kept alive only by machines. Since both her mother and father have died from their association as leaders of a crime family.
Anya falls in love with a boy at her Catholic school but since he's also the son of the new Assistant DA in town, it's a bit more complicated than a teenage romance.
Sounds pretty good right?
Wrong, I really had wanted to like this book, it seemed just like others I read and really enjoyed. The first several chapters seemed so slow and not much actually happened after the first few pages which do seem exciting ( everything described above is within the first chapter). Things picked up and I had hope it would stay that way but they quickly died back down to their slow pace where not really anything was happening or it seemed to just feel almost drawn out and boring.
The last two chapters got a little exciting again but this is the first of a trilagy and I won't be subjecting myself to the other two books so this one will forever be a cliff hanger. I honestly think if the other two are similar in pace to this one then the whole series could have been broken down and better placed all together as one cohesive, fast paced and more enjoyable book.
I did like the characters and I liked their story, minus the dystopian world and strange chocolate legality that comes with it. I have given it two stars because the basics of their stories, timelines and lives seem to be very good and I had just wished I enjoyed it more or enough to find out the rest of their stories as I do hate a cliff hanger.
The story is told from the views of Anya, a teenage girl and middle child to New York's notorious crime family. Her dad used to run the whole operation and their now illegal chocolate business. Anya is responsible for both her older brother Leo and her younger sister Natty while their guardian is actually a dying grandmother kept alive only by machines. Since both her mother and father have died from their association as leaders of a crime family.
Anya falls in love with a boy at her Catholic school but since he's also the son of the new Assistant DA in town, it's a bit more complicated than a teenage romance.
Sounds pretty good right?
Wrong, I really had wanted to like this book, it seemed just like others I read and really enjoyed. The first several chapters seemed so slow and not much actually happened after the first few pages which do seem exciting ( everything described above is within the first chapter). Things picked up and I had hope it would stay that way but they quickly died back down to their slow pace where not really anything was happening or it seemed to just feel almost drawn out and boring.
The last two chapters got a little exciting again but this is the first of a trilagy and I won't be subjecting myself to the other two books so this one will forever be a cliff hanger. I honestly think if the other two are similar in pace to this one then the whole series could have been broken down and better placed all together as one cohesive, fast paced and more enjoyable book.
I did like the characters and I liked their story, minus the dystopian world and strange chocolate legality that comes with it. I have given it two stars because the basics of their stories, timelines and lives seem to be very good and I had just wished I enjoyed it more or enough to find out the rest of their stories as I do hate a cliff hanger.
annemtipton's review against another edition
5.0
I loved the main character. Interesting future where caffeine and chocolate are outlawed. Finally a teenage book where the love story is there but not the starry eyed...it will all work out story line in so many ya books.
mrsjkamp's review against another edition
4.0
See full review here!
I received this audio book from Macmillan Audio. Here is my honest review:
3.5 stars
Chocolate and caffeine are illegal, but Anya Balanchine's family has a company that makes and sells chocolate. She has close ties to organized crime in her family, both of her parents are dead, and her grandmother is near death herself. Anya tries to take care of her family, but her older brother was left somewhat mentally challenged after a car accident and her younger sister can't take care of herself. Anya's boyfriend also tries to get her to have sex with him. Then enters Win, the assistant DA's son. It's somewhat all downhill from there.
This is a pretty fast-paced novel. Lots of events go down. I couldn't believe how strong and smart Anya is, but you'd seriously have to be in her position. I don't want to say too much about what goes on in this novel, but I definitely liked it. It was kind of stressful, but I also laughed a couple times, which I wasn't expecting. I like when that happens. It seemed pretty well written and detail oriented, since there are all these new rules in Anya's world.
The narrator, Ilyana Kadushin, did an alright job. She read Twilight, and I never finish listening to the first one. Not because I didn't like her, I just stopped after a good part and moved on. She pronounced Win's last name differently a couple times throughout the novel, and I kind of got tired of hearing her say Balanchine and chocolate. But other than that, I liked her voice and the different voices she did for the other characters. She was a good voice for Anya.
Full review coming to imabookshark blog soon.
I received this audio book from Macmillan Audio. Here is my honest review:
3.5 stars
Chocolate and caffeine are illegal, but Anya Balanchine's family has a company that makes and sells chocolate. She has close ties to organized crime in her family, both of her parents are dead, and her grandmother is near death herself. Anya tries to take care of her family, but her older brother was left somewhat mentally challenged after a car accident and her younger sister can't take care of herself. Anya's boyfriend also tries to get her to have sex with him. Then enters Win, the assistant DA's son. It's somewhat all downhill from there.
This is a pretty fast-paced novel. Lots of events go down. I couldn't believe how strong and smart Anya is, but you'd seriously have to be in her position. I don't want to say too much about what goes on in this novel, but I definitely liked it. It was kind of stressful, but I also laughed a couple times, which I wasn't expecting. I like when that happens. It seemed pretty well written and detail oriented, since there are all these new rules in Anya's world.
The narrator, Ilyana Kadushin, did an alright job. She read Twilight, and I never finish listening to the first one. Not because I didn't like her, I just stopped after a good part and moved on. She pronounced Win's last name differently a couple times throughout the novel, and I kind of got tired of hearing her say Balanchine and chocolate. But other than that, I liked her voice and the different voices she did for the other characters. She was a good voice for Anya.
Full review coming to imabookshark blog soon.
carlylwbug's review against another edition
3.0
After reading this book I'm extremely disappointed. I love Zevin's writing but this novel didn't flow or make me feel any connections. It was an okay book but it had so much potential and practically none of the problems throughout the book were solved. I'm completely turned off and I really didn't like Anya and Win's relationship. I really thought she was going to Romeo and Juliet-it but she didn't and it was once again disappointing! Basically no plot or story or anything that had emotion. No action at all. I'm actually wondering why I have given it three stars when this is two star quality. But it wasn't particularly offending and didn't rant on and on like Twilight.
lambchops814's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
While not as good as Zevin's later books, this YA distopian novel held my attention and had me rooting for the main character.
aanchalbh's review against another edition
3.0
I cannot even begin to imagine a world where coffee and chocolate are illegal. Gosh. Reading this, I know Anya is not the most lovable character but the choices that she had to make were justified. She started looking after her siblings and her grandmother at the age of nine. The hard wired brain of hers was somewhat a desirable quality. Looking forward to reading the second book.
thebookguru's review against another edition
4.0
i LOVE THIS BOOK.
i'm so happy it's not like so many of the other dystopian novels which as much as i love they seem to all have some sort of pattern.
this one at least gives us the year. 2083. chocolate is illegal...
also it's about a girl who's father was the leader of a mob...pretty much part of a mafia.
oh it's such a good book...i do like the narrative as well because Anya (LOVE THE NAME) talks to the readers directly.
the sequel Because it is my blood is out in september. ggrrr i have to wait. sigh.
it's okay i have plenty of other books coming out to preoccupy me in the meantime.
Happy Reading!!!
=)
i'm so happy it's not like so many of the other dystopian novels which as much as i love they seem to all have some sort of pattern.
this one at least gives us the year. 2083. chocolate is illegal...
also it's about a girl who's father was the leader of a mob...pretty much part of a mafia.
oh it's such a good book...i do like the narrative as well because Anya (LOVE THE NAME) talks to the readers directly.
the sequel Because it is my blood is out in september. ggrrr i have to wait. sigh.
it's okay i have plenty of other books coming out to preoccupy me in the meantime.
Happy Reading!!!
=)
snowbenton's review against another edition
1.0
By the time I finished the audio I was up to 2.4x speed. I didn't even know that was possible. It still didn't make it any better.
lisaluvsliterature's review against another edition
5.0
This book, well, let me just say that it is almost impossible to put down once you pick it up. Honestly, there are no "down" or "slow" parts in the book. Not to say it is all action, excitement, adventure, etc. But it is always something going on that you want to know about. Someone that you need to know what is really going on with them, or where they've been, or what they've been up to.
Check out my full review at Lisa Loves Literature.
Check out my full review at Lisa Loves Literature.