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A review by rhodered
Free Chocolate by Amber Royer
4.0
Saw this as a recommended book at Powell’s. It’s a NON STOP ACTION ROMP.
There are assasinations, attempted assassinations, space pirates, two types of beheadings, thievery, explosions in space, the threat of civil war, street parties in Rio, murders, running away from murderers, poison, venom, a plethora of scary aliens and also a great deal of chocolate. Plus cooking with chocolate and eating chocolate cake. Oh, and there’s loyal friendship, love of family and boyfriend troubles all mixed in, not to mention the paparazzi.
In short, a lot going on, and all of it at high speed as well as often concurrently. I loved how the heroine would be answering the phone via a jack embedded in her head while in the midst of an unrelated adventures. So, chatting reassuringly with Mom about the party next week while you dodge a venomous assassin.
I also loved how the heroine slipped Spanish into her thoughts and conversation continually, mixing it with English (it’s easy to read though even if you don’t know Spanish.) It suprised me to learn the author isn’t hispanic or Latinx herself.
Plus, the plot includes a romantic side story in which the heroine is truly tough on the guy she loves. He has to measure up to her ideals and she’s absolutely willing to walk away if he messes up too badly. That’s a lesson a lot of young women have a hard time learning, so I was happy to see it here. Oh and he’s an alien so we have the whole cultural misunderstandings thing which is always fun.
I liked it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action, adventure with a thick side helping of madcap. And a kickass heroine who is not the only kickass woman in the book - in fact she’s one of several. (Frankly a heroine who is ‘the only’ is kinda sexist cuz it implies regular women can’t be heroines)
However, I probably will not read the next one because for me it was a little too much adventure. But that’s solely personal preference.
There are assasinations, attempted assassinations, space pirates, two types of beheadings, thievery, explosions in space, the threat of civil war, street parties in Rio, murders, running away from murderers, poison, venom, a plethora of scary aliens and also a great deal of chocolate. Plus cooking with chocolate and eating chocolate cake. Oh, and there’s loyal friendship, love of family and boyfriend troubles all mixed in, not to mention the paparazzi.
In short, a lot going on, and all of it at high speed as well as often concurrently. I loved how the heroine would be answering the phone via a jack embedded in her head while in the midst of an unrelated adventures. So, chatting reassuringly with Mom about the party next week while you dodge a venomous assassin.
I also loved how the heroine slipped Spanish into her thoughts and conversation continually, mixing it with English (it’s easy to read though even if you don’t know Spanish.) It suprised me to learn the author isn’t hispanic or Latinx herself.
Plus, the plot includes a romantic side story in which the heroine is truly tough on the guy she loves. He has to measure up to her ideals and she’s absolutely willing to walk away if he messes up too badly. That’s a lesson a lot of young women have a hard time learning, so I was happy to see it here. Oh and he’s an alien so we have the whole cultural misunderstandings thing which is always fun.
I liked it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action, adventure with a thick side helping of madcap. And a kickass heroine who is not the only kickass woman in the book - in fact she’s one of several. (Frankly a heroine who is ‘the only’ is kinda sexist cuz it implies regular women can’t be heroines)
However, I probably will not read the next one because for me it was a little too much adventure. But that’s solely personal preference.