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Because It Is My Blood (Birthright #2)

by Gabrielle Zevin (Goodreads Author)

3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 · rating details · 1,256 ratings · 290 reviews

“Every time I think I’m out, they pull me back in.”- Michael Corleone, The Godfather

Since her release from Liberty Children's Facility, Anya Balanchine is determined to follow the straight and narrow. Unfortunately, her criminal record is making it hard for her to do that. No high school wants her with a gun possession charge on her rap sheet. Plus, all the people in her l...more

Hardcover, 350 pages

Published September 18th 2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

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2012 YA/MG Sequels

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Mar 02, 2013 Gabrielle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Looking at the synopsis it appears Win has a new girlfriend. I don't like that but I will see where this book leads.

After reading:
I like how the story progressed. Some of the things Anya had to go through were unfair but she made it work. Her trip to learn about cacao was a nice addition. I'm looking forward to the conclusion of the story.

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Sep 15, 2012 Megan (Book Brats) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: physical-review-copies

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 r...more 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.)(less)

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Nov 17, 2012 Miss rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 14, 2012 Kara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, dystopian, for-review, religion, romance, young-adult, mexico, new-york

Don't let the three star rating fool you, I actually really enjoyed this book, it's just that there were many flaws. You CAN have both.

We're back again with Anya Balanchine, and we're pretty much continuing where we left off. In the opening of this book, she's serving out her sentence at Liberty and it's the night before her release. She goes home and that's pretty much where our story begins again. The thing with these books are, they are not very high energy. And for a mafia novel, you would...more Don't let the three star rating fool you, I actually really enjoyed this book, it's just that there were many flaws. You CAN have both.

We're back again with Anya Balanchine, and we're pretty much continuing where we left off. In the opening of this book, she's serving out her sentence at Liberty and it's the night before her release. She goes home and that's pretty much where our story begins again. The thing with these books are, they are not very high energy. And for a mafia novel, you would expect differently. I just always expect more action and you never get it. It's more of a character study and sometimes it seems like not that much is happening. It's not that that is necessarily a bad thing, it's just not what you expect from a book about organized crime.

I've always liked Anya Balanchine. I know I might be in the minority by saying that, and you might be surprised by ME saying that because of my feelings about religion, but I've never really been offended or bothered by Anya's religious views. In this book, Anya questions her beliefs quite a bit anyway. She says a few things that MIGHT offend someone that is highly religious. She's just finding it hard to believe in God right now what with everything going on in her life and the people around her getting hurt and dying. I can't say I blame her. Who wouldn't? But she is a fighter and a strong girl like always. Yes, she's a bit of a complainer, but thankfully I did find less of that in this book than in the first book.

I really enjoyed Anya's inner conflict over morality, mortality, and her beliefs. She really grows and develops as a character, and so do many of the others. Win and Anya continue their forbidden romance and there is a lot of back and forth and push and pull, and depending on whether or not you like them as a couple, this may annoy you. We also are lucky enough to be introduced to some new characters, both which I really liked. But I don't want to spoil that part of it for you. You should discover them for yourselves.

Anya gets to do a little traveling in this book, and although I really enjoyed learning about cacao farming, this part of the book felt a little out of place, disjointed, and not really connected to the other parts of the story. It was very strange. I really did like these parts though, I just felt at times like I was reading a completely different book.

As for the technical stuff, I really DO like Gabrielle Zevin's writing, but I hate how she makes Anya talk directly to the audience. I pretty much cannot stand any occurrence of that in ANY writing, but it truly grated on me here. I do, however, love the tone of her writing, and though the style is a little detached, I always liked the way Anya told the story. Perhaps it's because I really am a fan of Anya's voice and the way she deals with her emotions and the people around her.

Bottom line: This one didn't have nearly as much action as the first book (and that book didn't have much action either), but we are introduced to new characters, our existing characters experience some wonderful growth, and this story is a nice lead-in to the next book. Though parts of it felt like filler and just a bridge to book three, I did still enjoy it. Just not as much as the first book, All These Things I've Done. I'd recommend this one if you are already entrenched in this series. If you aren't, definitely read the first book before deciding. DUH.
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Sep 09, 2012 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-releases, publishers-arc

*Genre* Young Adult
*Rating* 3.0

*Review*

After being sent to Liberty Children’s Home in “All These Things I’ve Done,” 17 year old Anya Balanchine is now up for release. But, that's not the biggest problem or issue she has to deal with in this, the second installment of Birthright. She knows that her school doesn't want her back because she brought a gun to her school, and it appears that someone is trying to kill her, as well as her sister Natty, and her brother Leo who is still in Japan supposedl...more *Genre* Young Adult
*Rating* 3.0

*Review*

After being sent to Liberty Children’s Home in “All These Things I’ve Done,” 17 year old Anya Balanchine is now up for release. But, that's not the biggest problem or issue she has to deal with in this, the second installment of Birthright. She knows that her school doesn't want her back because she brought a gun to her school, and it appears that someone is trying to kill her, as well as her sister Natty, and her brother Leo who is still in Japan supposedly in hiding.

If you’ve read this series from the first book, you know that Anya has a penchant for getting into troubling situations. She lives in a time where cell phones with cameras are forbidden to be owned by teenagers. Chocolate is considered to be illegal and is a black market item sold at joints like speakeasies. She’s the eldest daughter of the Balanchine chocolate empire, and has been trying to remain above board with the things she does for her sister’s sake. She’s a decent enough student, yet everything seems to fall on her head.

Naturally, Anya is hit with more problems with when pictures of her and Win holding hands are leaked to the press. Once again, Anya finds herself back in Liberty where she finds a way, with help, to escape to a cacao plantation in Mexico.

I believe I liked the first book a whole lot better than this one. There was a point where the narrative changed midsentence and it was kind of confusing. It was like Anya went back and changed her story once it was already written. There was the whole mystery behind who was responsible for putting a hit out on Anya and her sister. That mystery was cleared up pretty quickly when you started comparing the characters and what they really wanted from Balanchine Chocolate.

The interesting thing about this story is that once Anya hated the idea of being a part of the chocolate world. After visiting Mexico, and nearly dying, she comes to learn that chocolate is in her blood and there’s no point of denying it any longer. In the end, Anya once again delves into the families business and I’m wondering if there will be further storylines after this particular ending.

*Recvd via ARC Trade 07/09/2012* Expected publication: September 18th 2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR(less)

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Oct 03, 2012 Misty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: excited-for, series, dystopia-postapocalyptic, juvenile-ya, own, review-copy_unsolicited, arc-or-galley, read-in-2012

INITIALLY:4.5
Maybe even a 5.
And I couldn't even tell you why...Though of course, when I get around to reviewing it, I'm certainly going to try. ;D

I ended up rounding up after consideration. Growth, my friends. Still can't quite put it all into something coherent, but I connect to Anya a lot for some reason.
Review to come closer to the release. :)

AND THEN:
After being told about Gabrielle Zevin for years (after having her relentlessly pushed on me by certain people, and 1 in particular, who shal...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

Gabrielle Zevin returns to the future world of ALL THESE THINGS I'VE DONE, where chocolate and coffee are illegal and water carefully rationed. Anya Balanchine is the oldest daughter of the most powerful chocolate cartel, but her cousins are the ones battling over control of the business. She's content to stay free. After all, she spent the summer in juvenile detention. It's the straight and narrow for Anya.

For a bit.

Anya is a frustrating character. She's in a position where she needs to be poli...more Gabrielle Zevin returns to the future world of ALL THESE THINGS I'VE DONE, where chocolate and coffee are illegal and water carefully rationed. Anya Balanchine is the oldest daughter of the most powerful chocolate cartel, but her cousins are the ones battling over control of the business. She's content to stay free. After all, she spent the summer in juvenile detention. It's the straight and narrow for Anya.

For a bit.

Anya is a frustrating character. She's in a position where she needs to be politically savvy and ruthless, but she is very much a seventeen-year-old girl. She's worried about school and her boyfriend-she-shouldn't-have far more than the family business. That gets her into trouble at times. It might be less frustrating if the book weren't narrated by an older Anya who likes to point out when her younger self makes a mistake.

BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD takes awhile to get going too. Anya has to go away, and it serves the narrative since she learns important skills in Mexico, but it also separates her from the supporting cast. The absence of her best friend Scarlet is particularly felt. Scarlet's got a spark that's great for lighting Anya up. It does mean more of the mysterious Yuji Ono, head of a rival chocolate family, which isn't a bad thing. He comes across, to me, like a peek at Anya's future. But things really get moving once Anya returns to New York after an assassination attempt. Assassination always gets things moving.

I like spending time in the Birthright world. Zevin seems to have put more thought into worldbuilding than many dystopian authors. Her world isn't wildly repressive, but there are obviously some things that have changed for the worse since our time. It's not too extreme, to where you wonder how people could ever act in such a way.

Zevin also writes with compassion for the system that makes it hard for anyone marked as a criminal to be anything but a criminal. Anya wants to be a forensic scientist, but no school wants her to attend since she's been incarcerated. Just getting a high school education requires navigating several obstacles. That's not so different from now.

BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD does a good job of being a dystopia that will appeal to non-dystopia fans. There's enough crime drama and exploration of social issues to satisfy a variety of readers. I, for one, will be back for the next Birthright novel. (less)

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Feb 10, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-kayla

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A girl tries hard to get out of the family business, but it keeps pulling her family back in. For fans of Ally Carter’s Heist Society.

Opening Sentence: “Come in Anya, have a seat. We find ourselves in the midst of a situation,” Evelyn Cobrawick greeted me, parting her painted red lips to reveal a cheerful sliver of yellow tooth.

The Review:

Anya thought that once she got out of Liberty Children’s Facility she would be able to put the past beh...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Debbie rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars (Birthright #2)

The year is 2083 in a New York City where chocolate is outlawed (gasp!). Though this is loosely a futuristic novel, I find it refreshingly different (which could be in part due to the lack of vampires and angst-filled love triangles) than the overabundance of YA dystopian trilogies I have been reading lately. Though there is plenty of action with attempted murders, and limbs lost as machetes are wielded in this organized crime world of black-market chocolate, this is def...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ala, arc, teens

I enjoyed this book, and I actually haven't read book 1 in the series. I could tell that the reader was expected to know a lot more background about all sorts of things, and I'm sure many things will mean more after I read the first book, but this one works quite well on its own.

I liked Anya. She's smart, strong and loyal, trying to figure out who she wants to be and how to be an adult. There are lots of good supporting characters as well (Theo is a clear favorite). The story is set in a recogni...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Shale Brenner rated it 3 of 5 stars

The novel Because it is my Blood by Gabrielle Zevin was not what I expected. This being a sequel to her previous book All These Things I've Done, I was expecting a book of similar content. I was surprised to find out the this book was quite different, and in several ways. Her previous novel was a dystopian love story combined with her dealing with her crime ridden family, but this book had far less of the dystopian love story element than her previous book. This one focussed on her escaping pers...more The novel Because it is my Blood by Gabrielle Zevin was not what I expected. This being a sequel to her previous book All These Things I've Done, I was expecting a book of similar content. I was surprised to find out the this book was quite different, and in several ways. Her previous novel was a dystopian love story combined with her dealing with her crime ridden family, but this book had far less of the dystopian love story element than her previous book. This one focussed on her escaping persecution and dealing with her destiny. Overall, Because it is my Blood develops into a book about finding your purpose and overcoming obstacles, reminding us that anything is possible to overcome.
When Anya Balanchine flees from the country in order to escape her incarceration, she goes to Mexico to learn about how cacao is grown. Although her time their takes up a large amount of the novels text, her being there overall did not seem very important. I learned in this book a lot about how chocolate is made, but I wanted to know what was going to happen to Anya.
When Anya finds out that her ex-boyfriend is dating someone her reaction is rather adult. We see this is the following test: “I told him I was happy for him. I didn't mean it, but I was trying to pretend like I was a grownup. (Didn't grownups tell lies like that?)” (Zevin 28). She grew up a lot in this book, but I wish that she would have made some different decisions. I understand why she decided to flee the country, but why did she insist on leaving all of her loved ones behind? Even her new friend Theo, in Mexico stated “The world needs more love not less" (168).
Overall, this book was not very impressive. In fact, it was only because her previous novel was so great that I continued to read this book, waiting for the point where it finally got interesting. This sequel had a lot of facts and events going on throughout it, but was never really able to grasp my full interest. Hopefully the next book I read will be really phenomenal.
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Dec 27, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

WARNING. If you have not read the wonderful first book, All These Things I’ve Done, you might want to go find that book, read it, and then come back and read this review for the sequel. :)

You know how a lot of series get better and better as they go? This is no exception! I loved the first one, but there was some lack of a cohesive plotline. In this one, the plotline kept heading in the same direction, there was great character development, and plenty of new characters and new discoveries.

In the...more WARNING. If you have not read the wonderful first book, All These Things I’ve Done, you might want to go find that book, read it, and then come back and read this review for the sequel. :)

You know how a lot of series get better and better as they go? This is no exception! I loved the first one, but there was some lack of a cohesive plotline. In this one, the plotline kept heading in the same direction, there was great character development, and plenty of new characters and new discoveries.

In the sequel, the storyline picks up a few months after the end of the first one, when Anya was thrown back in jail after promising to break up with her boyfriend. Anya gets out and realizes that her life is much more different than it was. She has no clue what to do now.

And that is the prominent theme of this novel. Should Anya stay in the chocolate world, or move on and give up her “birthright” in her family’s company? After much time thinking this over with new friends and seeing the impact of her family on the her city, she makes her decision and it affects absolutely everyone and will change many things she took for granted.

I thought that Anya’s character didn’t change too much, but she finally stepped up and made a decision instead of just remaining indecisive about everything. She and Scarlet tried to work out their differences and she tried to work things out with Win too.

Although I like this book much better than the first one, I still have some complaints. Even though Win is in this story…that’s all he is. He’s just there and doesn’t change, doesn’t grow, doesn’t really help with anything. He is as adorable as ever, but you almost forget about him. And the whole thing with him at the end disappointed me. I just feel like he could have been further explored as a character in this book. While yes, the main focus of the book was Anya finally making a choice about her future, it would have been nice if Win hadn’t been so shoved off to the side.

Scarlet also disappointed me with the choices she made. I know that it is just the character making the bad decision and not the author, but it did seem a little weak for Scarlet.

However. I realize that this is the second book in a trilogy, and it’s usually the one where bad things happen that get mostly fixed up in the third book. So I’m hopeful that the final book (which comes out in 2013) will be even more excellent than this one!

Content Warnings: Mild language

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Dec 23, 2012 VaultOfBooks rated it 3 of 5 stars

By Gabrielle Zevin. #2 in Birthright Trilogy. Grade: B+
“Because It’s My Blood” is the second book in the Birthright Trilogy. It continues on from the first book “All These Things I’ve Done”. The books are set in 2083 in a time where chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City life is rife with crime and poverty.
“Since her release from Liberty Children’s Facility, Anya Balanchine is determined to follow the straight and narrow. Unfortuna...more By Gabrielle Zevin. #2 in Birthright Trilogy. Grade: B+
“Because It’s My Blood” is the second book in the Birthright Trilogy. It continues on from the first book “All These Things I’ve Done”. The books are set in 2083 in a time where chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City life is rife with crime and poverty.
“Since her release from Liberty Children’s Facility, Anya Balanchine is determined to follow the straight and narrow. Unfortunately, her criminal record is making it hard for her to do that. No high school wants her with a gun possession charge on her rap sheet. Plus, all the people in her life have moved on: Natty has skipped two grades at Holy Trinity, Scarlet and Gable seem closer than ever, and even Win is in a new relationship.
But when old friends return demanding that certain debts be paid, Anya is thrown right back into the criminal world that she had been determined to escape. It’s a journey that will take her across the ocean and straight into the heart of the birthplace of chocolate where her resolve–and her heart–will be tested as never before.”

Because It’s My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin
The first book centers around a sixteen-year old girl called Anya, the daughter of a crooked chocolate manufacturer who gets into trouble when her ex-boyfriend is poisoned by the chocolate her family makes.
After being released from Liberty, Anya tries to start a new life for herself but is betrayed and ends up in Mexico, learning to farm cacao with a boy called Theo. The book started off very slowly for me and I think a few things could have been cut, but I kept reading because I had enjoyed the first book. We start to meet new characters like Theo and his family, and see some of the old characters develop and grow (like Win who has moved on with another girl). We see Anya’s slow progress as well; she makes plenty of mistakes but is able to understand how foolish she was and learn from that.
In this book, old enemies become friends and some friends become enemies. There are also some interesting plot changes (read a half brother and some deaths) that affect Anya and the other characters. There is also a complex murder mystery going on where someone has been ordered a hit on the Balanchine family and succeeds in assassinating one of the siblings (however the readers and Anya don’t know who, Anya is only left with a box of ashes as evidence).
Although this is a dystopian novel and it seems a bit absurd at times (like having a chocolate mafia), much of the book seems real and humane. I liked the way Miss Zevin was able to repair the relationships that had fallen apart for Anya and her friends in a very believable way. It was quite refreshing.
I liked how post-breakup, Anya has not become some suicide girl like most YA novels (Twilight! Twilight!) but is able to understand that reason is more important than passion. Anya didn’t let their relationship define her. This book is not for those YA readers who prefer straight up action (read Hunger Games fans); there is action, yes, but it is more subdued.
The cover is quite dark but pretty, with dark shades of red and a girl with short, edgy dark hair in the middle. Although I don’t normally like book covers with people on them I thought that this one looked good.
Overall I would give this book a B- as it was a pretty good read but not one of my favourites.

Originally reviewed at http://vaultofbooks.com/(less)

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Oct 23, 2012 Renee Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

A very worthy sequel. I'm still trying to process some thoughts etc. but it was most certainly as gripping as its predecessor, which is saying something.
I cared about Anya and where her life was headed (which was often in several conflicting directions, the poor girl!) and I still have those side characters to whom I will always be loyal (Mr. Kipling, I love you!)
While I didn't shed any tears, there were certainly some emotional moments contained within these pages, and I applaud Zevin for not...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Shaylee rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is going to be a long review, so if you want my overall consensus, skip the the very end.

Lately, I've been growing a little tired of the current young adult books. While this book is not the kind of book that will become a classic ( in my opinion, I would probably have rated this book four and a half stars, maybe even a four if it was for Anya's entertaining character), it's not some typical dystopian or vampire book. The ideas in the book seem realistic enough to me. Where you might read...more This is going to be a long review, so if you want my overall consensus, skip the the very end.

Lately, I've been growing a little tired of the current young adult books. While this book is not the kind of book that will become a classic ( in my opinion, I would probably have rated this book four and a half stars, maybe even a four if it was for Anya's entertaining character), it's not some typical dystopian or vampire book. The ideas in the book seem realistic enough to me. Where you might read a dystopian book that have worlds that are, well umm...not to be cliché, out-of-this-world crazy and unrealistic, the events in this book could actually happen, and in fact similar things have appended before ( though I don't necessarily believe that chocolate would banned). With that being said, Anta is not a typical character. Perhaps you might say that she resembles Katniss in that she wants to protect her family and essentially supports feminist ideas through their heroine/ anti-heroine attributes ( as I like to call it, the bad ass girl syndrome), which, let's admit it, is becoming incredibly common and unoriginal. However, Anya, has a really funny, sassy, sarcastic, smart-ass personality, which is not as common.

In YA Lit. you have these girls that are passive squeamish little things that by some (predictable) means (that often involves a stereo-typical male love interest. Then you have that girl that pretends that she is tough and strives to be rebellious, though we all know that they are secretly softies that use hide behind their boyfriends. Anya, however is different she is much more complex in that, without being overbearingly obvious, she is in war with her inner self. She is good, yet she is infamous. She wants to do right, by she always ends up in trouble. There are points where I pitied Anya because the majority of her problems were brought upon her and her mistakes were small and human, created with benign intentions. All the while, you don't see Anya going around pitying herself the entire story. While i pitied her, Anya didn't seem to feel sorry for herself at all, which makes me like her all the more. She knows her faults in her core, yet does not have a strong enough desire to canfe them, where other characters might would whine about how they wish to change for the ones they love and blah blah blah. The point is, Anya is very realistically human. I could probably write an entire paper on her character analysis; if fact, I think my dual enrollment class will have a character analysis paper coming up.

Besides, the character development, Zevin paced "Because It Is My Blood" very well. The only thing I might say is that the climax was much better in the first book, but this is to be expected of the first sequel. Zevin also knows how to emotionally involve her readers without being overbearing, as she gently plays on each of Anya's sensitive chords without allowing them to break off completely ( example and SPOILER ALERT: Instead of being that suicidal girl whose relationship with Win is left in turmoil, Anya has the grace to stick with her decisions and choose reason over passion.)

Generally, "Because It Is My Blood" is a good book that has character and a strong voice to guide along an interesting plot. If you read this first book, read it. IF YOU have not read the first book, get the first book, read that, and then read this book. Just read it.

I really wish the third book was out already. (less)

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Oct 08, 2012 Johara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 52-books-2012

I literally, just right now, put down this book. And I'm glad to find I liked it.

Ever since Elsewhere I've been a little miffed at Gabrielle Zevin, to be honest. And I'd figured All These Things I've Done had been a lucky shot, or a break, and I hadn't really looked forward to this sequel. And if I was nitpicking, I'd say the language was a bit cold at times, or that the book finished with so many questions left unanswered, that a lot of our interaction with the characters was cut short, focusi...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Sinéad Mannion rated it 5 of 5 stars

If someone told me there is this book reminiscent of The Godfather but in young adult genre where chocolate and coffee are banned in a dystopian future…I’d have to say no thanks.

But it works; I loved the first instalment of Gabrielle Zevin Birthright series – All the things I’ve Done. Despite the silly premise of a future with no chocolate or coffee, the world Zevin created for Anya Balanchine a 17 year old from a New York maffia family is completely believable.

I was very excited to see what the...more If someone told me there is this book reminiscent of The Godfather but in young adult genre where chocolate and coffee are banned in a dystopian future…I’d have to say no thanks.

But it works; I loved the first instalment of Gabrielle Zevin Birthright series – All the things I’ve Done. Despite the silly premise of a future with no chocolate or coffee, the world Zevin created for Anya Balanchine a 17 year old from a New York maffia family is completely believable.

I was very excited to see what the next instalment Because it is my Blood would have in store of Anya. The second book moves at a fast pace with some nice twists and surprises. Anya the lead protagonist, from whose point of view the story is told, is getting more and more likable to the stage where I may now like her more than Katniss! (from The Hunger Games). She is always going to struggle and fight against it, but we all know she will ultimately become her father (a mafia boss). Anya is wise beyond her years, like Tony Soprano or any mob boss, she is extremely good at strategy, she constantly recalls quotes and phrases her father told her, she seems to me to be made for this life despite how much she tries to avoid it. At the end she may have found a way to marry the two sides of her – there are parallels here with medicinal marijuana.

In this book, old enemies become friends and some friends become enemies. There are some great plot changes which leave Anya’s world and the cast around completely changed – a half-brother, a marriage proposal, a pregnancy, a few deaths and a machete. There is a complex murder-type mystery, that I would have never figured out.

I adored the reference to Twilight recalled by Anya’s cousin to describe the vampire nature that exists in any mafia family in order for them to thrive. I also like that her relationship with Win doesn’t define her, I feel that Win is too much a beta male to make any lasting effect on Anya and I suspect he won’t be around for long. New character Theo is introduced but I can’t see this becoming another Young Adult love triangle.

I’ve always felt that The Godfather was the perfect film and it looks to me from the two books so far in the Birthright series that it may become the perfect Young Adult book…I CANNOT wait for the third book.

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Sep 02, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Anya Balanchine has a lot to deal with for a seventeen-year-old. She is the daughter of a chocolate mafioso who ran Balanchine Chocolate before his death. When the story begins, Anya is just getting out of Liberty Children's Facility where she was sent after shooting someone. All the details can be found in the first book in this series - All These Things I've Done.

Anya faces a number of problems. She needs to find a school to accept her so that she can graduate. She has to get over her boyfrien...more Anya Balanchine has a lot to deal with for a seventeen-year-old. She is the daughter of a chocolate mafioso who ran Balanchine Chocolate before his death. When the story begins, Anya is just getting out of Liberty Children's Facility where she was sent after shooting someone. All the details can be found in the first book in this series - All These Things I've Done.

Anya faces a number of problems. She needs to find a school to accept her so that she can graduate. She has to get over her boyfriend and love of her life - Win - because that was the deal she made with his father who is running for District Attorney. She needs to figure out her role in Balanchine Chocolate when she doesn't really trust any of her relatives. Just as she is starting to get settled problems arise when photos of her and Win are leaked to the press which makes Win's father decide to sent her back to Liberty. Her lawyers help her escape and send her to a cacao plantation in Mexico.

Anya had developed strong negative feeling for chocolate after the happenings in the first book in this series. But learning about it and seeing the attitude toward it in Mexico change her mind. She makes friends on the plantation and learns a lot about chocolate production. And, while she is lonely, she is content to learn and wait. That is, she is content until a masked gunman invades the plantation and tries to kill her. She learns that an attempt has also been made on her sister's life in New York and a successful attempt has been made on her brother's life in Japan. Anya has to come back to New York to find out who is targeting her family and to do something about it.

I liked Anya very much in this story. She has grown up quite a bit since the first book. While she still asks herself what her father would do when she is in trying situations, she is more likely to find and take her own path than do what he would have done. I liked her relationship with Win. She wants to protect him even if it means not being part of his life. He is the one who has to make most of the accommodations in their relationship because she is determined to follow her own path. I liked Anya's love and loyalty to her family.

I liked the world that Zevin built here. A future where chocolate and caffeine are both banned substances is a foreseeable future. Following from that leads quite naturally to a criminal organization determined to supply the banned substances.

I liked the first person narration of this story and even enjoyed Anya's occasional asides to the reader. (But I would also have liked to see the story from Win's point of view.) I think readers will empathize with Anya's situation and will be interested in her story.(less)

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Jun 06, 2012 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, young-adult

This follow up to All These Things I've Done is not quite as good as the first, but it's darn close. The plot doesn't seem quite as tight, but Anya Balanchine is still one of the best, smartest, yet not without her faults, YA heroines around. Anya is the heir apparent to a mob family that controls the black market chocolate trade in a future New York where chocolate and caffeine are illegal in the Second Prohibition. Anya tries to distance herself from the family business and lead a clean life a...more

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Jan 05, 2013 Hpboy13 rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. There is a fantastic cast of characters, a plot hurtling along at breakneck speed, and a superb dystopian world. There are things to nitpick (a large plethora of things to nitpick), but none of them take away from how sheerly enjoyable this book is.

The world from ATTID is significantly expanded. A rival DA who is thoroughly corrupt, a Mexican family that grows chocolate, rival chocolateers, a legalize cacao movement, and more all serve to enrich this dystopian world. This isn'...more I loved this book. There is a fantastic cast of characters, a plot hurtling along at breakneck speed, and a superb dystopian world. There are things to nitpick (a large plethora of things to nitpick), but none of them take away from how sheerly enjoyable this book is.

The world from ATTID is significantly expanded. A rival DA who is thoroughly corrupt, a Mexican family that grows chocolate, rival chocolateers, a legalize cacao movement, and more all serve to enrich this dystopian world. This isn't a simple rebellion-vs-society, this has a million different players, with alliances always shifting, motivations always murky, and death always looming on the horizon.

That said, while a satisfying continuation, it is not as good as the original novel. I think this is because the characters grew so much during ATTID, that they really had nowhere else to go here. In Book 1, Anya struggles to grow and keep up with everything; in this book, all her trials come from circumstance, none from her character. Maybe because of the lack of growth, it feels like much less happened in this book than the previous.

In terms of nitpicking, my biggest nitpick is the predictability and foreshadowing. What kind of writer throws in a narrator's note along the lines "I should have paid attention to this, but I didn't, and it ended badly." That eliminates all suspense. Rather, the reader should be left guessing whether Anya should have paid attention or not, whether it was the truth or a bluff, etc. That was the whole fun of the first book, predicting who was behind everything and why.

Also, (view spoiler) was the MOST predictable thing ever. In a book where characters are always dying with lots of blood, hospital visits, corpses, and funerals, when (view spoiler) Sorry, Ms. Zevin, you'll have to try harder to dupe me.

With all that said, I am immensely relieved that the author actually capitalized the chapter titles and so forth, since that was my main nitpick. I lament that Scarlet regressed as a character and acted truly stupidly at the end, and I wish we'd seen more sides of Win than the "good-patient-boyfriend" angle. But this series is a total joy to read - bring on Book 3 right now please!(less)

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Oct 13, 2012 Brian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Because It Is My Blood is the second part of the Birthright trilogy that began with All These Things That I've Done. Like most middle parts of trilogies, I wondered what exactly it would entail since it, by definition, wouldn't come to a clear conclusion. Luckily, that doesn't matter because it's on par if not better than the first book.

For starters, the world of this series (somewhat economically ruined New York City 2083/84) opens a lot more in this installment. Anya winds up in Mexico (for re...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Kala rated it 4 of 5 stars

WOW!!!! i was in love with the first book, but the second one i am not so sure about! Ok i take that back, i still liked it, just not the ending. Anya needs to learn that 1) she decides her own life, the mistakes her family made in the past dont! 2) Family, friends, and her boyfriend, should all come before her business. 3) You dont throw away a loving relationship for a stupid business!!!!
So instead of me talking about everything that i liked and didnt like about this book i am just going to s...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Booknut rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-love-dearly, can-t-get-enough-of, ethics-and-society, dystopian-challenge, favorites, heartbreak-and-loss, mafia-stuff, mystery-and-sherlocking, not-so-dystopian-challenge, not-so-dystopian-challenge-2013

Some people's family problems come from money, power struggles, history. Anya's come from chocolate.

Anya Balanchine's family's involvement in chocolate goes way back. But in a dystopian world where chocolate is an illegal substance, her family name is drenched in infamy. Anya is determined to have a chocolate-free future, to be a model citizen and avoid the conflicts of the year behind her. But like any chocolate lover knows, sooner or later you're back for more. And with Anya, it's in her blood...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Colette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: liked-it-a-lot-so-maybe-i-ll-buy-it, not-dystopia-but-i-liked-it, tea-not-coffee-but-i-liked-it

This one deserves a 4 in my book world. I only give 5s to the books I own cuz they're worth being in my house. It's nice when it's hard to separate where the first book ended & the second picked up. It feels like one big long glorious story that I am in anticipation for the third book.
Zevin's BIIMB (the title is too long to type out), makes me want to curl up in my faux sherpa blanket and smile a deliciously wicked satisfied smile.
Anya does not fail me in this second book, nor do her friend...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Vivian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Book two in the Birthright series, Because It Is My Blood introduces a host of new characters and new intrigues in Anya Balanchine's life. Leo, Anya's older brother, has been safely hidden in Japan, with the help of Yuji Ono. Nataliya, or Nattie, has been sent to a summer camp for gifted children and returns a young woman. Scarlet, Anya's best friend is in a relationship with Gable, much to Anya's dismay. Anya, Leo and Nattie are still grieving the death of their grandmother Galina. Anya realize...more Book two in the Birthright series, Because It Is My Blood introduces a host of new characters and new intrigues in Anya Balanchine's life. Leo, Anya's older brother, has been safely hidden in Japan, with the help of Yuji Ono. Nataliya, or Nattie, has been sent to a summer camp for gifted children and returns a young woman. Scarlet, Anya's best friend is in a relationship with Gable, much to Anya's dismay. Anya, Leo and Nattie are still grieving the death of their grandmother Galina. Anya realizes that her continued relationship with Win is on dangerously shaky ground as a result of his father's campaign to become District Attorney. Imogen Goodfellow is currently functioning as Anya and Nattie's nanny, and is the only constant adult presence in their lives except for the family lawyer, Mr. Kipling.

As Anya struggles to keep herself and Nattie safe from Balanchine family machinations, she must also find a school willing to accept her for her senior year. Unbelievably, the latter is much harder than the former. Anya also finds herself embroiled in Balanchine family squabbles as a result of Mikhail "Mickey" Balanchine taking over the business now that his father, Yuri, is incapacitated. If that wasn't enough to deal with, Anya is used as a tool in the district attorney campaign race (the opponent constantly uses Anya's familial criminal ties, not to mention Anya's crimes, and her relationship with Win, to detract from the campaign of Charles Delacroix) and is constantly besieged by various adults with ulterior motives.

Just when it seems like Anya's life might be gradually turning around, she is arrested again, charged with violating the terms of her release, and then poisoned while in custody at Liberty. It is then decided that she should leave the country and arrangements are made for her to travel to Mexico and live with Sophia Bitter (Mickey's wife) Balanchine's family, the Marquez family. While in exile as an escapee from Liberty, Anya learns about the growing and production of cacao from this family. Again, just when it appears that things are going well for Anya an attempt is made on her life and the youngest son of the Marquez family is caught in the crossfire. This attempt ends with Anya returning to the US, making a deal with the new district attorney, a return trip to Liberty, and a brief home confinement.

To say that Anya is living a difficult life is a massive understatement, but even though she has moments of despair, she perseveres. Because It Is My Blood features political machinations, familial machinations, numerous attempts at murder, strange business plans and partnerships, and routine teenage angst. Once again, Ms. Zevin pulls the reader into Anya's world and it isn't possible to feel Anya's pain, fear, love and confusion as she attempts to make sense of everything that is happening. Nattie, Mr. Kipling, and even Simon Green are more prominently featured, as are Yuji Ono, Scarlet, and Gable. This was a fast read that held my attention from the first page until the very last. My only disappointment is that I have to wait for book three to find out what will happen to everyone. As I stated with All These Things I've Done, Because It Is My Blood may be classified as a YA book but it can truly be enjoyed by readers of all ages. If you read book one in this series, run and get book two (if you haven't read book one, add it and Because It Is My Blood to your to-be-read list ASAP) . . . you won't be disappointed.(less)

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Oct 22, 2012 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 5 of 5 stars

There is something about mafia stories along with the famine of chocolate that gets my heart going. I truly loved this book. It had all that I wanted. A character facing hard times along with action.

What I loved most about this book is Anya. She is out of serving her time and trying ti get her life together. I loved how Anya grows wise. Though her wiseness comes through lots of mistakes she made. She learns from it quickly from it and becomes stronger. I like how she faced things head on at the...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Marsha rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: YA

Anya Balanchine has now been released from the Liberty Facility for Youth. When she arrives home, she discover that her loving sister, Natty is angry with her for not telling the truth as to where she was going for the summer. Her hurt is evident since she is not at home to greet Anya when she arrives.

Then, while taking a ciy bus displaying campaign photos of Charles Delacroix the bus is involved in an accident that kills a girl. Of course, Delacroix's opponent uses this to her benefit. After un...more Anya Balanchine has now been released from the Liberty Facility for Youth. When she arrives home, she discover that her loving sister, Natty is angry with her for not telling the truth as to where she was going for the summer. Her hurt is evident since she is not at home to greet Anya when she arrives.

Then, while taking a ciy bus displaying campaign photos of Charles Delacroix the bus is involved in an accident that kills a girl. Of course, Delacroix's opponent uses this to her benefit. After unsuccessfully seeking a school that will take her in for her senior year, Anya is summoned back to her old school. She discovers that a mysterious benefactor has given the school a large donation with the one stipulation that Anya be allowed to return. When she goes back to school it is inevitable that she and her former boyfriend, Win will cross paths. The one and only time they hold hands, someone takes a photograph that lands in the paper. Soon, Anya lands back at Liberty.

This time she is immediately sent to the cellar where she sees Charles Delacroix. He is the one responsible for her incarceration. Suddenly, she becomes violently ill and is sent to the infirmary where she will stay for over a week. It is clear, she has to get out of there so she begins making plans for her escape. She heads off to Mexico.

In Mexico Anya learns all about the production of the cacao plant. She stays will a family whom be begins to love. But, one day someone send a hitman to kill her but not before, Anya cuts off his hand with a machete. She is once again forced to flee. She goes home where she discovers that Charles Delacroix lost the election and she makes a deal with the new D.A. She discovers that someone tried to kill Natty but killed her nanny, Imogen instead. She agrees to turn herself in after attending Imogen's funeral. Soon but Natty and Anya learn that there brother Leo has been killed in a car bomb in Japan.

Although they both are devastated, Anya is bound and determined to discover who is behind the hits. That is where her life will take on a turn that she never wanted. "Because It Is My Blood" is another goodread in the Birthright series but I must confess that the writing was not as good as in the first book. The author had the annoying habit of using parenthesis to make comments to the reader i.e. (Reader, this is.....) and at times the script was repetitive. I will admit there is a lot more action, mystery and intrigue in this installment but there was also much less of the Win/Anya connection. A book that little romance, it a less enjoyable read for me.

Overall, don't hesistate, pick up this sequel to the series. It really is a original plot and has great potential!(less)

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Aug 24, 2012 Valentina rated it 2 of 5 stars

What a disappointing sequel this book was. Although the first book had been far from perfect, it still kept me interested, while this one…not so much.
The main problem seems to be how contrived the storyline feels. If it were a marionette show, you’d see the strings being pulled. Everything is too coincidental. The trip to Mexico Anya suddenly takes makes little, if any sense, and the reader can see it was written mainly to get her to the next point in the story. It’s not fun reading books that a...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Julia Muldoon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-contemporary, ya-science-fiction

After finishing the first book I just could not tolerate being left on such a cliff hanger. Luckily the book was available to by for my e-reader so problem solved. Though I must admit, I really despise this cover compared to the first cover. I do respect that it is done in shades of chocolate but I would not buy this book based on that cover. Luckily for it I bought it based on how I felt about the first book.

This book is a bit of a YoYo for me. Annie gets out but beleives that Win has moved on...more After finishing the first book I just could not tolerate being left on such a cliff hanger. Luckily the book was available to by for my e-reader so problem solved. Though I must admit, I really despise this cover compared to the first cover. I do respect that it is done in shades of chocolate but I would not buy this book based on that cover. Luckily for it I bought it based on how I felt about the first book.

This book is a bit of a YoYo for me. Annie gets out but beleives that Win has moved on and is with someone else. Gable and Scarlet are together. And Nannie has skipped two grades. The world is moving on without Annie, and this seamed to be much of the theme throughout the book. Annie being unsure of what she wanted and letting circumstances dictate for her, was the first half of the book.

I really thoroughly enjoyed her time in Mexico though. This was by far my favourite part of the book. Theo was like a breath of fresh air and I could feel myself on the Cacoa plantation in Mexico. I loved the grandmothers and although I have yet to try it, the recipe for Hot Chocolate. This is a bit of the turning point, the part where we see her go from ignorant to understanding and more strong. While she is the daughter of a dead mob boss who ran an illegal chocolate business, she didn't know much about said business. This is the part, where you see that she starts to learn about it, and really realize who she is.

But then she must go back to New York. I don't begrudge her this, but the book for me was remarkably more dull, because once again it was clear that Annie didn't really have a place in that world, and didn't really have a plan either. She was floating and busy with being angry, but not about being smart about it.

Also I strongly believed that her and Win had sex, and I am mad that it was a turn the lights off gesture, that was never truly confirmed. All the fighting she did against it in the first book, and the close calls and how much we as the reader are let into that part of her life, make me mad that we where kept at arms length this time. Did she not say she would let us know should she change her mind? Then again this book is a questioning of her faith, of what she believes in, of her bemoaning unmoored and having to find her own path.

Gan and Mr. Green. I just don't even. and the Japan fellow. Just. GAH! There was some characters things happening in this book that I sure hope as well they cleared up in the last book. They felt unwieldily and clunky to me, in that they are in there with not resolution. Just like these unmolded pieces of clay sitting in the middle of my living room long after the class has finished, with no tools to finish them up, being all there and taking up space and looking blah!

I understand the title, and I am glad she found her own vision at the end of the book. But let me just say I am thoroughly disappointed in the way that Win has composed himself in this book, counselling her away from her dreams. I get his arguments, I do, but those arguments matter to a girl who has other passions and other drives. Not this girl.

I understand the theme of this book. There is a lot of being unmoored and questioning where you are going in life. But for me it didn't click as well as the first book did. That isn't to say I won't be picking up the third book. I am genuinely curious as per what happens, but lets just say I'm not hoping for a happy ending. (less)

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Jul 04, 2012 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: atw-arc-tour, read-in-2012, ya

Anya Balanchine and the rest of her crew are back in Because It Is My Blood, the second book in the Birthright series.

I don't know what it is about the mob, but combined with a "dystopian" future, I am totally hooked. Maybe it's because this seems like a future that could happen – everyday things that we consider normal are illegal in the future, and language that we use today is lost a hundred years from now. Whatever the case may be, I love it.

The story begins as Anya is being released fro...more

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About Gabrielle Zevin

Gabrielle Zevin has published six novels. Her debut, Margarettown, was a selection of the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers program. The Hole We’re In was on Entertainment Weekly's Must List and was a New York Times Editor’s Choice. Entertainment Weekly wrote, "Every day newspaper articles chronicle families battered by the recession, circling the drain in unemployment and debt or scra...more

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All These Things I've Done (Birthright, #1)

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Quotes from Because It Is My Blood

“Win interrupted me. "Stop," he said. "I love you, too." He paused. "You underestimate me, Annie. I'm not blind to your faults. You keep too many secrets, for one. You lie sometimes. You have trouble saying the things in your heart. You have an awful temper. You hold a grudge. And I'm not saying this one is your fault, but people who know you have a disturbing tendency to end up with bullets in them. You don't have faith in anyone, including me. You think I'm an idiot sometimes. Don't deny it--I can tell. And maybe I was an idiot a year ago, but a lot has happened since then. I'm different, Anya. You used to say I didn't know what love was. But I think I learned what it is. I learned it when I thought I had lost you over the summer. And I learned it when my leg ached something awful. And I learned it when you were gone and I didn't know if I'd ever see you again. And I learned it every night when I'd pray that you were safe even if I never got to see you again. I don't want to marry you. I'm just happy to be near you for a while, and for as long as you'll let me be. Because there's never been anyone else for me but you. There will never be anyone else for me but you. I know this. I do. Annie, my Annie, don't cry..."

(Was I crying? Yes, I suppose I was. But I was still so awfully tired. You can't possibly hold this against me.)

"I know that loving you is going to be hard, Annie. But I love you, come what may.” — 6 people liked it

“Theo nodded slowly. "You love Balanchine chocolate like I love cacao."

"I wouldn't say love, Theo."

"No, you speak the truth. Love isn't right. It isn't right for me either. Sometimes I hate cacao." Theo looked at me. "You don't love Balanchine chocolate. You are Balanchine chocolate.” — 4 people liked it

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Because It Is My Blood (Birthright #2)

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