Unlike a couple of other reviewers, I enjoyed this book, the second title in the Birthright series. As the book moved to its conclusion, Anya Balanchine seems to embrace her heritage and look for a way to honor her father's wishes while remaining true to herself. If she hurts others along the way, including friends, enemies or even herself along the way, then that will be part of the collateral damage. Her sojourn in Mexico made sense to me. After all, anyone in a business needs to know as much as possible about their products and their origin. After spending time there, she has an entirely new appreciation for chocolate. While some of the twists, turns, and plot devices are not unexpected and more attention could be given to describing Anya's late-twenty-first century world, the author still manages to spin a yarn satisfying to hold the attention of most readers. And if she makes costly mistakes or behaves impulsively, who among us has not. While discussions about the illegality of chocolate and the discrediting of its health benefits in the future may abound, teen readers are likely to be just as interested in exploring what leads to the banning of certain substances or making their possession illegal. There is much to consider here, sweet and bittersweet. I love a romance novel that actually makes you flip pages while you are thinking to yourself, "okay, on the next page things will get better for her... everything will be fine" and then they aren't and you say to yourself "surely, in the next chapter things will turn out for her"... all the way to the end of the book.So Anya's life does not turn out exactly as she (or anyone else in her family) has planned and she makes some surprising enemies and friends but it turns out well. She is living the life that she is able to live within the choices given to her. This second book is just like the first in that Gabrielle Zevin brings such a fresh perspective to the YA romance that the whole book seems bright, even though dangerous and disappointing things are happening to her main character. No spoilers here, can't share too many details without saying much, just saying that this second book is a delight and this is a series that must be read in order. Not because it is so important to read the events in her life in the correct order but because you owe it to yourself to love this storyline as it was written. It's just fantastic.
Do You like book Edelherb (2013)?
Enjoyed thoroughly - and now I really want some chocolate.
—sulprise
Great book. I can't wait to read the 3rd in the trilogy.
—gebadaia
Loved this book! Can't wait to read the next book :)
—kimflowers2011
