In Gabrielle Zevin’s dystopian Birthright Trilogy, we’re brought into a world where chocolate & caffeine are illegal in America, and supplies are run by the mob. Anya Balenchine is at the heart of the controversy; as the rising matriarch of the mob family, she’s finally decided to accept the role, is determined to protect her siblings from the life.
The second in the series is Because it Is My Blood. Anya is on the lam, but is utilizing her time in hiding to learn more about the business and history of chocolate. But back in New York, the race for district attorney is heating up, and the politicians are becoming just as corrupt as the mobsters.