Blood and Chocolate by AC Klause

Based on the recommendation of the November Pick it For Me Challenge on Goodreads, I picked up Annette Curtis Klause’ Blood and Chocolate.

Vivian Gandillon relishes the change, the sweet, fierce ache that carries her from girl to wolf. At sixteen, she is beautiful and strong, and all the young wolves are on her tail. But Vivian still grieves for her dead father; her pack remains leaderless and in disarray, and she feels lost in the suburbs of Maryland. She longs for a normal life. But what is normal for a werewolf?

Then Vivian falls in love with a human, a meat-boy. Aiden is kind and gentle, a welcome relief from the squabbling pack. He’s fascinated by magic, and Vivian longs to reveal herself to him. Surely he would understand her and delight in the wonder of her dual nature, not fear her as an ordinary human would.

Vivian’s divided loyalties are strained further when a brutal murder threatens to expose the pack. Moving between two worlds, she does not seem to belong in either. What is she really–human or beast? Which tastes sweeter–blood or chocolate?

Initially, I was really slow at reading this book, not through any fault of the book or author, but because I was in a slump after reading a series that I just loved so much and couldn’t get over.  Still, Blood and Chocolate turned out to be absolutely wonderful. It was about a teenage shifter (wolf) whom, while growing into a young woman, is beginning to learn more about herself.  There was a little bit of the teen angst, but nothing near as bad as some other YA books. I actually enjoyed reading about her feelings and relationship woes, as they made sense because she was discovering herself and who she is as a shifter and what it’s like to be part of a pack. I loved the interaction between Vivian and her “meat-boy” as she learns the dangers of falling for a human as well as what it means for her pack.

While the main focus of the story is about Vivian discovering herself, Blood and Chocolate did have a side plot, but I fear if I mention much of it that it will spoil it for those who haven’t read it. Without giving anything away I will say that the ending of the book was not what I expected at all, and it left me wanting so much more from this author.

The characters were lovable from the start and I found myself not being able to put the book down. The world was also interesting and I loved the fact that the supernatural in Blood and Chocolate were hidden and not out in the open like a lot of other books have been writing them.

The only thing that bothers me is that I believe this is the only story for these characters, and that makes me sad because I fell in love with them.

Also reviewed by:
Book Reviews from Inside an Igloo
Readergirl Reviews
Avid Book Reader
Book Bopper
Stainless Steel Droppings

4 Comments

  1. Indeed, a very good book. I’m told that the movie was really bad. I have zero plans to watch it myself. But if you do, let us know.

  2. I loved this book when I read it in junior high. I also loved The Silver Kiss, which is by the same author…yet a vampire story. I don’t recommend the movie when it comes to Blood and Chocolate. It was okay, but it was just not up to par with the book.

  3. I didn’t know there was a movie about this book! lol That goes to show how much of a movie fan I am (not! lol). I will have to watch it just to see what it’s like :)

    This book was chosen for me to read, as mentioned, and so it was a completely new author for me. I had been in a reading sludge and was so tired of couples instantly falling in bed together by page 5 lol.

    So this came at a really good time for me and I absolutely enjoyed it.
    I definitely plan to pick up anything else by this author :)

    Thank you for the recommendation Jenni!

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