“I will court you,” he said. “And I won’t give up. I will wait for you like I waited for you outside that cave, and I’ll follow you like I followed you home that night, keeping you safe. I will wait for you because you are meant to be mine~” his voice grew husky with desire~“and because you’ll be worth the wait.” Excerpt from Blood and Chocolate
Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause was a big surprise to me. That scene I just quoted for you is why. I stayed up till 1am reading this book and finished it this morning. This story has a really hot hero only that I didn’t notice him until halfway through the book. Just in case you hadn’t realized, Blood and Chocolate is now a major motion picture. After seeing the commercial for it on TV, I went searching for my copy of the book and decided to sit down and read it. I’d had it for years.
Vivian makes the mistake of thinking that she can live in two worlds: one with her pack and another in the human world. Right now, the stability of the pack is in trouble because they are leaderless. In opening of the story, Vivian and the pack had to flee West Virginia because of an incident that happened there. Things went terribly wrong and a life is lost as a result. So off to Maryland they go and that’s where they stay and try to settle in temporarily without drawing much attention to themselves.
However, there are the “Five” which is a group made up of five teenage boys who are somewhat, uncontrollable. Vivian and the rest try to keep an eye on them but everyone knows that they are a restless bunch. A leader is needed soon to keep them in order among other things. Thus, the elder pack members meet and assemble a ritual from the old days, to find a leader for the pack to mete out the Law. It is after that ritual is over that the story really starts to get interesting for me.
Again, this book would have been an “A” read for me if I was half-way interested in the teen stuff but I wasn’t. Yet, this is a YA novel where the teenage experience is a major part of the story. The author spent most of the book showing us how Vivian tries to blend into the human world and sometimes feeling shut out of it. Then there’s the other world, wolf-kind. Unlike most characters we read about who can’t stand that they are a monster, Vivian embraces her wolf-skin. She hopes that Aiden, the boy she likes, will see the beauty of the Change. Will he see the beauty of it or shriek in horror? You’ll have to read it to find out.
I liked the second half of the book much better than the first; but it’s like Rachel from AAR said, the hero in this book is hot. The plot/story was good but again I had to speed read through the teenage angsty stuff. I doubt I’d want to see the movie but I am glad that I have finally read this book. My track record with this author hasn’t been a good one but I may go back and give The Silver Kiss another try. Maybe. My grade, B+.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
The directer said herself she basically wanted a Romeo and Juliette with wolves. Well, she got it. The effects and things were cool enough, the actors all trained with free runners so the movements are interesting, but it didn’t carry quite the same tone as the book.
Ya. I was extremely disappointed and now I really want to read this book!
A fellow LJ-er commented on my blog that the movie was not getting good reviews and gave me a link: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/blood_and_chocolate/
I had no idea the movie was out already. Thanks Lulu.
Well I just saw the movie and wasn’t impressed.
[quote comment=“6685”]Looks like the movie version is set in Bucharest. What? And the actor who plays Gabriel is like 40 years old. Hmmm.[/quote]
Hmmmm. Interesting since in the book he’s 24 years old.
Looks like the movie version is set in Bucharest. What? And the actor who plays Gabriel is like 40 years old. Hmmm.
Gabriel — fan me off!!
I love this book. And I LOVE the Alpha circle scene, even with the gore.
I can’t see myself seeing the movie, though. Not unless I hear some raves from fellow Blood and Chocolate [the book] lovers.
As far as the rest of Klause’s work goes — I’ve tried all three of her other books and haven’t really liked any of them.
Mostly don’t read much paranormal, but I did buy this book last week and am excited to start it. I’ve heard great things about it even before I’d heard of the movie coming out. The teenage stuff would probably interest me, since I’m up close and personal with that age group anyway. I also think a few of my daughter’s friends might enjoy this book.
FWIW the movie previews look pretty good too
Nope.
I’ve heard alot about this book and now I have to buy it. I suppose it is not an ebook, is it?