Let me first say that the first half of this book deserves 3 stars. I really enjoyed the setting even though I still don't quite understand why the world is the way it is. Annie, Scarlet, Natty, Leo, and Win were all great characters in the beginning. I felt like the story moved along pretty well and that things were really going to get good with Annie's mafia family background. Unfortunately the second half of the book did not deliver at least for me anyway. I got tired of waiting for the action to start and by the last stretch of the book I just wanted it to be over.
The plot is basically about a girl, Annie, who is trying to keep her family together and safe after her Father who was the mob boss dies. The drug here is chocolate which I found a little weird but this is a YA book so I can understand why something like chocolate would be used as opposed to an actual drug. Annie has to care for her younger sister Natty, her older brother Leo who was hurt physically and mentally after their mom died, and her Grandmother who is falling fast away. Annie's mob family is of concern to her because they have recruited Leo to help them out and Annie doesn't want anybody in her little family to end up like her parents. So the story begins with her trying to keep her family together and keep her life as normal as possible.
When the book focused on the mafia part I really enjoyed it, but when the author would switch to the normal everyday problems of a 16 year old I got bored. I would have loved to have known more about her family and what they did behind the scenes. If you are looking for a mob type YA book check out Holly Blacks White Cat.