Blood and Chocolate

( 738 )

Overview

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 ...

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Blood and Chocolate

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More About This Book

Overview

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?

From the Paperback edition.

Having fallen for a human boy, a beautiful teenage werewolf must battle both her packmates and the fear of the townspeople to decide where she belongs and with whom.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
Sixteen-year-old Vivian isn't fiction's most likable heroine, and not only because she's a werewolf. She's preoccupied with admiring her own "full breasts, small waist [and] tawny hair." She's viciously competitive with other girls, gloating, "Look at me.... I've got him. You don't. Too bad." Her pack, temporary leaderless and dislocated after the death of her father, is living in some low-rent Maryland suburbs. Expected to mate with one of the rowdy, blood-hungry werewolves her own age, Vivian rejects them as well as 24-year-old Gabriel, who flirts with her aggressively as he prepares to assume leadership of the pack. Instead, she nourishes a crush on a "meat boy" (human) from school, a retro-hippie poet-type who professes a yen for the supernatural. With the darkly sexy prose and suspenseful storytelling that gave such luster to The Silver Kiss, Klause lures readers into the politics of the pack, their forbidden desire for human flesh and the coming of age of their future queen. Though some readers may be alienated by Vivian's self-absorption, and others shocked by her eventual union with Gabriel, most will find this sometimes bloody tale as addictive as chocolate. Ages 14-up. (Sept.)
Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
When a 16-year-old werewolf falls in love with a human, she begins to live uncomfortably between two worlds. Klause propels her bloodthirsty tale with "darkly sexy prose and suspenseful storytelling," said PW. Ages 14-up. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
VOYA - Beverly Youree
Vivian, a high school student, is torn between two worlds-that of humans and that of werewolves. After her father died in a fire, she and the rest of the "pack" move to West Virginia. When a drawing she submits to the school's literary magazine is published next to a poem by an Aiden Teague, Vivian reads it and is amazed at his depth of understanding of werewolves. She plots to meet him and, eventually, they begin to date. Her mother and the pack warn her of the dangers of this relationship, but she refuses to listen. Vivian feels Aiden could handle, and would relish, the fact that she is a werewolf. However, her happiness ends when Aiden cringes and recoils during one of her transformations. That same night, a human is slaughtered. Since she has no recollection of anything since leaving Aiden's house, Vivian wonders if she is bringing danger to the pack by killing their neighbors. Parallel to this plot is one dealing with choosing a new leader of the pack. Following the "old way," the pack decides that a physical contest between the males will determine the new leader. After the males fight, the females compete to see who will become the winner's mate and earn the title Queen Bitch. When Vivian is tricked into participating, she wins and finds herself pledged to Gabriel, the new leader of the pack. But she thinks she is still in love with Aiden. Both plots merge as more deaths occur, and the pack's existence is threatened by Aiden's knowing Vivian is a werewolf. This tightly woven story is another superb title from a rising author. Teenage girls will understand Vivian's desire for popularity, her rebellion against her mother and other adults, her feeling of invincibility, and her wish to be part of a group. Despite these feelings, Vivian cares for the pack. This book should appeal to horror fans and even those who are not. VOYA Codes: 5Q 4P S (Hard to imagine it being any better written, Broad general YA appeal, Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).
Children's Literature - Mary Sue Preissner
Klause spins a modern day romance with a twist. Like Romeo and Juliette, or Maria and Tony, Vivian and Aiden are forbidden to be lovers, to share their secrets, to enjoy each other. Their backgrounds and family values are diametrically opposed. In sharing her secret with Aiden, that she is a loup-garou, Vivian alters their relationship as well as that of the whole community. Eventually each realizes that they must be with their own kind. The high school crowd will feast on this sensual tale of romance, mystery, and horror. Librarians and media specialists can pair up Klause's tale with Daniel Cohen's 1996 nonfiction book, Werewolves.
School Library Journal
Gr 9 UpA vivid portrayal of a young female werewolf coming of age. Vivian's father was killed in a fire that was the result of one pack member's thirst for human blood. The pack flees to regroup and select a new leader. At a new school, Vivian is attracted to Aiden, a sensitive human "meat-boy." With the pack in disarray, her mother's grief, and her loneliness, Vivian reaches out to him, believing that he will understand and love her even when she reveals herself "in her pelt." Therein lies the premise for this powerful story. The book is well constructed with visual imagery and deft descriptions. Klause's representation of the pack as a microcosm of society reveals the fragile nature of human behavior and emotions. Teens are shown that they can make mistakes and survive as they test the waters of friendship, love, belonging, and trust. The character's growth and development drives the plot, which sustains and creates moods that move readers from excitement to despair to hope. And throughout, they struggle between fascination, empathy, and revulsion with "werewolf culture." Few recent novels involve readers in such multiple levels of engagement. The climax is bittersweet and poignant. There are sexual overtones, both subtle and overt as Vivian's sexual awareness surfaces in scenarios throughout the book, as she struggles between human flirtation and her animal nature. There is no doubt that Blood and Chocolate is gripping, thrilling, and original. It is delicious and smooth, like chocolate, but only a good novel, like good chocolate, is this satisfying.Molly S. Kinney, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up--In the thick of her pack's leadership struggle, a 16-year-old werewolf complicates matters by falling for a human "meat-boy." A provocative exploration of a young woman's psyche in the flesh and "in her pelt." (Aug.)
Kirkus Reviews
Klause returns to the steamy sensuality of her first book, The Silver Kiss (1990), for this tale of a hot-blooded teenage werewolf who falls for a human "meat-boy."

Grieving for her father and unimpressed by the age-mates in her pack, Vivian defies her mother and fellow lycanthropes by setting her sights on suburban poet-schoolmate Aiden Teague. It's an experiment that's doomed from the start. Vivian may look human (when she chooses), but her attitudes, instincts, and expectations are decidedly wolflike; short-tempered, direct in action and emotion, rough in love and play, shapeshifters make dangerous companions, their veneer of rationality as thin as their senses are sharp. Poor Aiden—as a prospective lover he's not so different from prey; to Vivian his smile flashes like heat lightning, and at times he looks so delicious she wants to "bite the buttons off his shirt." When, after a series of sultry but frustrating dates, Vivian reveals herself to him, he responds, not with the pleasure and lust she expects, but stark terror. Extrapolating brilliantly from wolf and werewolf lore, Klause creates a complex plot, fueled by politics, insanity, intrigue, sex, blood lust, and adolescent longings, and driven by a set of vividly scary creatures to a blood-curdling climax. The werewolves' taste for risky pranks and the author's knack for double—and even triple—entendres add sly undercurrents to this fierce, suspenseful chiller.

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780385734219
  • Publisher: Random House Children's Books
  • Publication date: 8/14/2007
  • Pages: 288
  • Sales rank: 130,894
  • Age range: 12 - 17 Years
  • Product dimensions: 5.50 (w) x 8.20 (h) x 0.53 (d)

Meet the Author

Annette Curtis Klause is head of children's services at the Aspen Hill Community Library in Maryland.  Born in Bristol, England, she now lives in Hyattsville, Maryland, with her husband and their cats.

When she was young, Annette's daddy sat her on his lap and told her the plots of the best old horror movies.  This seems to have made a strong impression.

Annette Curtis Klause holds a B.A. in English literature and an M.L.S. from the University of Maryland, College Park, but when excited, she still has a tendency to howl.

From the Paperback edition.

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Read an Excerpt

The flesh of her arms bubbled and her legs buckled to a new shape. She doubled over as the muscles of her abdomen went into a brief spasm, then grimaced as her teeth sharpened and her jaw extended. She felt the momentary pain of the spine's crunch and then the sweet release.

She was a creature much larger and stronger than any natural wolf. Her toes and legs were too long, her ears too big, and her eyes held fire. Wolf was only a convenient term they had adopted. Those who preferred science to myth said they descended from something older--some early mammal that had absorbed protean matter brought to Earth by a meteorite.

Vivian stretched and pawed at the ground, she sniffed the glorious air. She felt as if her tail could sweep the stars from the sky.

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause. Copyright (c) 1997 by Annette Curtis Klause. Excerpted by permission of Delacorte Press, a division of the Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

From the Hardcover edition.

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 738 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(496)

4 Star

(144)

3 Star

(62)

2 Star

(21)

1 Star

(15)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 740 Customer Reviews

  • Posted March 6, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Deadly Little Secret (Touch Series #1)
    Beastly
    The Twilight Saga Collection

    Chocolate...Defintely!

    I can officially say that this is my all time favorite fiction book (so far). Vivian Gandillon is just an ordinary girl...kind of. You see, Vivian is part werewolf and she thinks her werewolf form is beautiful. Others would differ. Then Vivian meets Aiden and she thinks he will finally be the one to understand. Aiden is fascinated by magic and fictional characters but Vivian isn't fictional. As Vivian realizes that she's falling for Aiden that its best if she told him. Ha ha. Aiden apparently misinterprets what she meant by "Show him something beautiful.". After vivian shows him her true colors, well, Aiden freaks. Now that she showed him and that he didn't understand her pack was easily at risk. Of anything and everything. After Aiden says that he wants to talk to her she realizes he's in trouble, but as she tries to warn him, she realizes she's in even more trouble than Aiden.
    I loved this book it was amazing. I don't expect the movie to live up to the book. After reading Blood and Chocolate I really want to read The Silver Kiss. Annette Klause is an amazing author because she fits how teens are with fiction and love and thrill and the whole package tucked into an amazing book.

    13 out of 15 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 29, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    Twilight

    WONDERFUL!

    this book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. my favorite character was Gabriel. even though it didnt seem like it he really cared about Vivian. he stuck through with her until the end. werewolves dont exist, but Vivian's teenage character is relatable for all girls. it didnt end how i wanted it to but i would definitely read it again =]

    6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted November 5, 2008

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Alien Secrets

    great

    This book kept me up until 3 am and I still had to read it over to get the full meaning behind it.

    6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 15, 2008

    What...?

    This has to be one of the most shallow books I've ever read. The main character wasn't likeable at all, and every other character was totally inconsistant. One second she is disgusted with her mom, the next they're both going to get a beer at the bar. And Aiden turns into a complete wimp...I mean, what gives? Also, it seems like the author was trying to use as many cuss words as possible--not to mention everything else. In all, this book was an absolute flop, and I'd recommend you read something from the better urban fantasy writers, like Charles de Lint.

    6 out of 20 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 13, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Yummy Read!

    This book is so good it's delicious! The perfect combination of fantasy, horror and romance!

    5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted September 26, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    Shiver (Wolves of Mercy Falls Series #1)
    The Twilight Saga Collection

    Pleasantly Surprised!

    I really liked Blood & Chocolate. This book immediately drew me in within the first few pages (which doesn't happen to me often). A nice short read with a love story, danger, and unexpected conclusions. The pack dynamic is intriquing with all of its various kinds of competition. Good read!

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 13, 2009

    Like Twilight? Then you'll love this book.

    This book took me about 3 days to read. I never wanted to put it down by the 2nd day, (but I had to for school reasons). It's packed with romance and action. Just think of Twilight, but instead of vampires, think of werewolfs. I seriously think Stephanie Meyers probably picked up this book and read it herself, then wrote Twilight. This book is just so amazing, I wish there was a sequel. This book also almost made me cry! And when a book makes you cry, you know it's a good once. I had my moments with the characters, hating them then loving them. The book is just so amazing, I guarantee you will LOVE this book if you're into the whole Twilight thing.

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted June 7, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    The Summoning (Darkest Powers Series #1)
    Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson Series #3)
    Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega Series #1)
    Eclipse

    AN EXCELLENT READ!

    This book has one of the best story lines that I have ever read. The characters are complex enough to make you want to know more about them but not so complex that you get frustrated while reading the book and end up putting it down. The storyline was great through-and-through. It answered all questions by the end and made you desire to read the book the entire time you had it in your hands. I have read many books and this is one of the best books I have read in while. This book is a page-turner that is highly addictive.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 25, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Great Read

    The book was fantastic, captivating and addictive. I read it twice in one weekend. I still keep it on my bedside table with several other extremely well worn novels for perusal of my favorite parts. I recommend this for any fan other the supernatural.

    The book portrays a young girl and her struggle to accept who she is, and what that means.

    Just a note, while the movie is vastly different, and not even on the same plot line, I recommend it as well. Just watch it objectively and don't try to compare to the book or expect what happens next. :)

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 4, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    The Host
    Look for Me by Moonlight
    The Twilight Saga Collection

    completely and utterly AMAZING!

    this book is definitely one of my favorites right now! when i read about it i was like "sure. i guess i need something else to read so i don't read the twilight series for the 4th time in a row..." so i read it and i honestly couldn't put it down until it ended up being past midnight! :] i like it as much as i like twilight....almost! if you are a huge fan of twilight like i am, believe me, you will fall in love with the descriptive language, hardships, and impossible love. yes, it is a quick read, but it is very pleasurable! i hope you enjoy!

    3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted December 21, 2008

    more from this reviewer

    Not a Fan

    I read this book because my friends loved it.<BR/><BR/>I, on the other hand, did not.<BR/><BR/>Annette Curtis Klause had a great premise and an interesting story, but her writing style was bland and unemotional, and her characters were impossible to connect to. Even (and especially) her main character, Vivian.

    3 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted November 18, 2008

    I Also Recommend:

    Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods Series #1)
    Twilight
    Marked (House of Night Series #1)

    Nothing like the movie

    If you have seen the movie, and just want to read the book, looking for more detail. Don't. This book is nothing like the movie. I liked the movie and wanted to read the book but got a whole new surprise when I read it. Personally, I prefer the book. So if your looking for the best werewolf book, read this!

    3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 16, 2005

    Awesome

    I LOVED it! When I bought, I have to admit I was worried it was a waste of money. Boy, was I wrong. It rocked. My only complaint was that it has no sequal.

    3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 11, 2012

    Never gets old

    Ive read this book about 18 times since it came out! Its a must read if ur a fiction fan:)

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 9, 2012

    COOLYO

    I luv dis book !!! I hav read dis book over a million times and it still makes my heart race. I recommend dis book 6th grade up. When u read tha book sometimes u would ether scream,squeal,cry (doubt it), go bullistic, and etc. I could go on and type tha rest but there is over 20 more and my fingas hurt so ya. Ur welcome or thx for read, most peps r to stupid or lazy to read.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 15, 2012

    Blood and Chocolate

    Best. Book. Ever!!!! It's so sad and full of romance!

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 9, 2012

    I Also Recommend:

    Howl: Kane Wolves #1

    Great book

    I really enjoyed it. It moves fast, is pretty dark and sensual at times, and has characters that you love to hate. It kept me reading until I finished it.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 26, 2011

    Amazing

    I absolutely love this book! I couldnt put it down and finished it in one day. I definitely recommend... but do not watch the movie after you readthe book. The movie is absolutely horrible!

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 14, 2011

    Very good

    This book was very good but only teens should read it! It does have a few parts that children should not read. Over all great book!

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted November 8, 2011

    Thoroughly Enjoyed this Book...AGAIN

    I read this book a while back and had not read it in several years, but was thinking about it and decided to read it again. It was almost better the second time (ALMOST)! If you love vampires and werewolves and such I think you will really enjoy this romantic journey of a young werewolf girl.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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