booksgamesart 's review for:

Secrets of the Chocolate House by Paula Brackston

4.0

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I read The Little Shop of Found Things last year and enjoyed it. Afterward, I set the idea of reading Secrets of the Chocolate House aside for just the right time, and this was it. All in all, it was a lovely story with likeable characters and an interesting premise. I preferred this story to the first, if only because I wasn't a particular fan of the angry, fear-inducing ghost who motivated Xanthe's time travel in the first. This is just personal preference, of course. Both novels made for a pleasant experience, still, and the inclusion of antique chocolate pots and period chocolate houses in Secrets of the Chocolate House sweetened the experience. It really is a fun little series, and I'm sure to continue with it in due time. My only complaint would be the amount of time spent describing Xanthe's fears and concerns. I felt it was unnecessary and seemed redundant at times. (A glimpse would have been sufficient for me.) This is a minor trifle that I often contend with, so I'm sure I'm just being nitpicky. 4 stars.