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juicygreenmom's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
alicebme's review against another edition
3.0
nice follow up. enjoying maturity of characters. love loved the Mexico parts most. can.t wait to see how that thread plays out.
snakeboba's review against another edition
4.0
Will she ever learn?
It is rinse and repeat. She believes herself a step ahead and wants to run from what has always been in her blood.
Can Anya escape her fate? Can she live without worries? Will Win still ever love her or forgive her?
It is rinse and repeat. She believes herself a step ahead and wants to run from what has always been in her blood.
Can Anya escape her fate? Can she live without worries? Will Win still ever love her or forgive her?
babyskillet's review against another edition
Because it wasn't working for me. I was so exited to hear what would happen to the characters, but when I started listening to it it wasn't doing it for me. Maybe I'll come back to this one day, it just isn't what I need right now from my audio books.
christiana's review against another edition
3.0
As far as being a second in the series, this did really well. I didn't feel constantly like I didn't know what was going on and it moved forward the plot rather than just set things up for the next book. I liked that Anya was kind of getting more into the business and that this had some classic Godfather moments and references-the sending the mentally less stable brother off, the learning more about the family business, the horse head reference (man, I love a good horse head reference). I also liked that this one had a satisfying stopping point, but still left enough things open for the next book.
But I don't know.
This one just wasn't that exciting. There's so many characters that come in and out and get offed that I kind of stop even trying to understand or care about them because I assume they're not going to be around for much longer. Win and Anya lacked a spark for me this time around and I just keep waiting for Natty and Scarlet to turn on Anya forever or vice-versa. The narrator for this was the same as before, but she kept inflecting her voice midsentence? Like she was asking questions all the time? It was a bit jarring and annoying.
But will I be back for the next installment? Well, yeah. So I don't even know what I think, really.
But I don't know.
This one just wasn't that exciting. There's so many characters that come in and out and get offed that I kind of stop even trying to understand or care about them because I assume they're not going to be around for much longer. Win and Anya lacked a spark for me this time around and I just keep waiting for Natty and Scarlet to turn on Anya forever or vice-versa. The narrator for this was the same as before, but she kept inflecting her voice midsentence? Like she was asking questions all the time? It was a bit jarring and annoying.
But will I be back for the next installment? Well, yeah. So I don't even know what I think, really.
books4susie's review against another edition
5.0
I think this book was better than the first. Now only a 3 month wait to see how Anya's story ends!
squirrelsohno's review against another edition
4.0
The mafia, chocolate, the near future, the pseudo-end of life as we know it. All these things were what drew me to ALL THESE THINGS I’VE DONE, book one in the Birthright Trilogy by Gabrielle Zevin. In the end, ATTID ended up being one of my top twenty books of 2011 for its well-crafted blend of family drama, romance, action, and chocolate.
By the time BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD rolled around, I admit, I had forgotten some of the intricacies of book one (some important details from book one are not rehashed in book two), but I dove into BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD and was not disappointed.
This series is not for the YA reader who demands non-stop balls to the wall action in their sci-fi/sorta-dystopian stories. There is action, yes, but it is more subdued. A lot of the dramatic elements in this story are subdued and left in the familial interactions.
In Anya Balanchine’s world, she is a murderer, but she rarely lifts a weapon against another. In BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD, she is released from Liberty and tries to form a new life before she fails (thanks to betrayal) and ends up in Mexico learning to farm cacao with a new love interest, the quirky and patient Theo.
To be honest, I think that the first fifty pages could have been cut. Starting the book with Anya’s escape from Liberty (on her latest trip) and flee to Mexico would have been a stronger jumping off point, leaving us more time with Theo and his remarkable family. I really enjoy Anya besides her strange asides to the reader. She is strong, crafty, passionate about her life and her family, and she doesn’t need a man around. In the YA world, this is especially awesome for me.
But the romance was still there in this tale. We have Win, who has moved on with a new girl, and we have Theo, who may or may not have tried to woo Anya. He says he doesn’t like her repeatedly, but it came off as one-sided love. I’m not sure if this was Zevin’s intention, but who cares, I personally preferred Theo over Win in this one.
The main plot point in this episode of the trilogy was a murder mystery. Someone has ordered a hit on the Balanchine family (Anya, Natty, and Leo) – and succeeds in assassinating one of the siblings, although the reader – and Anya – are never afforded any evidence besides a box of ashes. On one hand, I loved that Zevin was willing to go there and actually kill off a family member, but at the same time, the mystery element wasn’t there. But surprise! I didn’t guess the killer/mastermind until the reveal. I was quite frankly surprised.
BIIMB was well paced and well-plotted. Except for the first fifty pages or so, the book was tightly wound and unfurled with a quick pace. I read the last 200 pages in one sitting, hooked and desperate to know more. And now that book two is over, I am salivating for book three, especially with Anya’s new business venture at the ends that leads to a rather distinct (but surprisingly not very eventful) loss in the last chapter. I must know more, and I hope Theo is there.
VERDICT: Although not very action-packed and belayed with a love interest I am not quite a fan of (he’s whiney), BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD is a worthy successor to ALL THESE THINGS I’VE DONE. Bring on book three!
(Also, the last half of this book really came off as the story about chocolate being banned being an allegory for marijuana. Especially with the medical cacao dispensary. It ended up being rather amusing.)
By the time BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD rolled around, I admit, I had forgotten some of the intricacies of book one (some important details from book one are not rehashed in book two), but I dove into BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD and was not disappointed.
This series is not for the YA reader who demands non-stop balls to the wall action in their sci-fi/sorta-dystopian stories. There is action, yes, but it is more subdued. A lot of the dramatic elements in this story are subdued and left in the familial interactions.
In Anya Balanchine’s world, she is a murderer, but she rarely lifts a weapon against another. In BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD, she is released from Liberty and tries to form a new life before she fails (thanks to betrayal) and ends up in Mexico learning to farm cacao with a new love interest, the quirky and patient Theo.
To be honest, I think that the first fifty pages could have been cut. Starting the book with Anya’s escape from Liberty (on her latest trip) and flee to Mexico would have been a stronger jumping off point, leaving us more time with Theo and his remarkable family. I really enjoy Anya besides her strange asides to the reader. She is strong, crafty, passionate about her life and her family, and she doesn’t need a man around. In the YA world, this is especially awesome for me.
But the romance was still there in this tale. We have Win, who has moved on with a new girl, and we have Theo, who may or may not have tried to woo Anya. He says he doesn’t like her repeatedly, but it came off as one-sided love. I’m not sure if this was Zevin’s intention, but who cares, I personally preferred Theo over Win in this one.
The main plot point in this episode of the trilogy was a murder mystery. Someone has ordered a hit on the Balanchine family (Anya, Natty, and Leo) – and succeeds in assassinating one of the siblings, although the reader – and Anya – are never afforded any evidence besides a box of ashes. On one hand, I loved that Zevin was willing to go there and actually kill off a family member, but at the same time, the mystery element wasn’t there. But surprise! I didn’t guess the killer/mastermind until the reveal. I was quite frankly surprised.
BIIMB was well paced and well-plotted. Except for the first fifty pages or so, the book was tightly wound and unfurled with a quick pace. I read the last 200 pages in one sitting, hooked and desperate to know more. And now that book two is over, I am salivating for book three, especially with Anya’s new business venture at the ends that leads to a rather distinct (but surprisingly not very eventful) loss in the last chapter. I must know more, and I hope Theo is there.
VERDICT: Although not very action-packed and belayed with a love interest I am not quite a fan of (he’s whiney), BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD is a worthy successor to ALL THESE THINGS I’VE DONE. Bring on book three!
(Also, the last half of this book really came off as the story about chocolate being banned being an allegory for marijuana. Especially with the medical cacao dispensary. It ended up being rather amusing.)
tagger's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
amypt46's review
2.0
I finished this second book in the series because I like Anya’s character. However, the story just didn’t improve enough for me to read any more of this series. I wish Anya well in her medicinal chocolate endeavors
grayh722's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25