Hello chocoholics and chocolatiers!
It’s time for another book review.
This time I chose to read The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart (Tales from the Chocolate Heart #1) by Stephanie Burgis.
I needed some cozy fantasy for my grad school assignment, and this one definitely fit the bill. I mean, who doesn’t like chocolate? Let’s get this review started!
Blurb
Aventurine is a brave young dragon ready to explore the world outside of her family’s mountain cave . . . if only they’d let her leave it. Her family thinks she’s too young to fly on her own, but she’s determined to prove them wrong by capturing the most dangerous prey of a human. But when that human tricks her into drinking enchanted hot chocolate, she’s transformed into a puny human without any sharp teeth, fire breath, or claws. Still, she’s the fiercest creature in these mountains–and now she’s found her true chocolate. All she has to do is get to the human city to find herself an apprenticeship (whatever that is) in a chocolate house (which sounds delicious), and she’ll be conquering new territory in no time . . . won’t she? A classic fantasy with terrific girl power, perfect for fans of Shannon Hale and Jessica Day George.Praise for Kat, IncorrigibleBank Street Best Books of 2012A Spring 2011 Kids’ Indie Next pick A 2012 ALA/ALSC Notable Children’s Book A Top 40 Pick for the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association
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Amazon
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The Review
Much like chocolate, this sweet read was addictive!
In this novel we follow young dragon Aventurine. She lives with her family of dragon kin in a mountain, and she hates that she’s being forced to spend the first few decades of her life in isolation. Desperate for a change of scenery, she escapes her home and makes a horrible mistake when she threatens a food mage. Finding herself in human skin, Aventurine must find a way to undo the curse. Along the way she finds friends, trust, and most of all, her true passion for chocolate.
Cozy fantasy isn’t my normal type of read, but I ate up every page of this book!
Aventurine is a wild, curious, and headstrong young dragon. I loved her personality, especially after the curse takes place. It was oddly endearing to see this bossy young girl assert her supposed dominance only to realize her dragon-like qualities don’t get her the same results as a human. She had a lot of growth and learned some key lessons of trust, love, and friendship that was great for younger readers to absorb.
I also really loved all the details surrounding her work with chocolate. I felt like I learned a lot about the process, and the setting was comforting but paced fast enough that I didn’t lose interest. There were also some elements of mystery, magic, and light thrills, but the coziness really dominated here, and I felt that was the right move for this story.
Overall, this is a great book to introduce young readers to the fantasy genre or curl up with a good cup of hot chocolate. Definitely give it a try!
That’s A Wrap!
Well that’s it for this book review. I hope you enjoyed it!
Have you read this book? Are there other similar books you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!
Have a great day!
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