All These Things I've Done

All These Things I've Done ( Birthright ) by Gabrielle Zevin
Relase Date: September 6, 2011
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Age Group: YA
Format: Hardcover
Source: Own
Intrest: Dystopian
Challenge: 2011 Reading Challenge
Buy the Book: Amazon

 

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

Typically I am attracted to books because of the cover art. With this book, I heard so many great things about it. So when I was getting ready to go to Austin Teen Book Festival 2011 I was excited to find out that among the great authors that were going, was Gabrielle Zevin! It was hard for me to pick just 4 books to buy there and get autographed. Trust me, I was biting my nails, trying to figure out which one to buy. I was intrigued by the description of the book, and all the good things I'd heard about it. I am so glad that I chose this one! It is incredible!

All These Things I've Done is a story about Anya, or "Annie". Set in the future at a time when chocolate and coffee are illegal! ( Ok I would just like to insert here, that I would DIE without chocolate. Ok maybe thats a little on the dramatic side, but still! No chocolate??? Who would WANT to live is the better question! ) They are only available in the black market, through the mafia! Eeek!

This is where Annie and her family come in! Annie's family the Balanchine's, family business has always been making chocoalte! This creates a bit of a problem, when chocolate is illegal! The Balanchine family become the head of the chocolate mafia! No joke! Annie's parents both die, due to a mob hit. Annie is left to take care of her brother Leo, her sister Natty, and her ailing grandmother. All she has to do is stay under the radar until she turns 18 and can get legal gaurdianship of her brother and sister.

Little does Annie know that her world is about to be turned upside down when she unknowingly gives her boyfriend a candy bar, or two, laced with a potent and fatal drug! She becomes the primse suspect of his attempted murder, and is thrown into a juvenille detention center. So much for staying under the radar now! Annie falls in love with Winn the District Attourney's son, which only complicates things. As much as she tries, Annie can't escape her families "buisness" for long!

I absolutely adore this book and highly recommend it! I couldn't put it down! It was fast paced book that was a joy to read. I loved Annie's character, as well as the others in the book. Gabrielle did an incredible job with All These Things I've Done. She painted a very vivid picture of the future, and the characters! I can totally see some of these things happening in the future! Water, food and clothing being rationed!

All These Things I've Done is an original story full of love, loss, tragedy, family loyalty, and illegal substances! ( We mean chocoalte and coffee! ) It's a fast paced read that will keep you entertained from start to finish!

I am so glad that this is going to be a trilogy! I enjoyed this book so much and I can't wait to read what happens next to Annie and her misfit friends!