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    All These Things I've Done: A Novel
    All These Things I've Done: A Novel
    All These Things I've Done: A Novel
    Audiobook10 hours

    All These Things I've Done: A Novel

    Written by Gabrielle Zevin

    Narrated by Ilyana Kadushin

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    From Gabrielle Zevin—the author of the critically acclaimed Elsewhere—comes the first book in the Birthright series, All These Things I've Done, a masterful novel about an impossible romance, a mafia family, and the ties that forever bind us.

    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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateSep 6, 2011
    ISBN9781427213594
    Author

    Gabrielle Zevin

    Gabrielle Zevin is the bestselling author of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow as well as Elsewhere and the Birthright trilogy. In addition to writing fiction for adults and teenagers, she is also a screenwriter. Her books have been translated into eighteen languages. Gabrielle Zevin lives in New York.

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    Reviews for All These Things I've Done

    3.5/5

    308 ratings56 reviews

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    • 2/5
      I started to listen to this as an audiobook and really couldn't get into it, so I picked it up in print to try it that way too. I liked it more this way. I liked a world where chocolate was contraband. I liked the relationships between Anya and her family members. However, she never really came together as a character I cared about. I lost interest and didn't finish it. I wanted to like it but just couldn't.
    • 5/5
      This was an interesting and thought-provoking dystopia with a very well-drawn main character. Anya is the daughter of a chocolate mafioso. You see, chocolate and caffeine have been banned in the US in this future world. She was present, along with her younger sister, when her father was gunned down in their home. They had already lost their mother to a botched hit and had their older brother damaged in the accident such that he would never be mentally older than eight. Now the three kids are living with their dying grandmother. Anya is in charge and she is very bright and very responsible. She worries about both her brother and her sister.When she falls for the new boy at school (or when he falls for her), she doesn't know that he is the son of the new assistant District Attorney who wants to clean up crime and make a name for himself. She tries Not to get involved with Win because she wants to keep a low profile until she is legally old enough to be the guardian for her younger sister but events make this impossible.When her ex-boyfriend becomes ill after eating tainted chocolate, Anya is accused of his attempted murder. Getting her out of the juvenile detention system brings her to Win's father's attention. He makes a deal to help her in return for her breaking up with his son. Anya has to weigh the needs of her family with her heart -- and her heart can't win.The world is well-drawn. It felt very realistic. The hardships of a world with shrinking resources were very clear. Anya's family dynamics were also well-done. She loves her dying grandmother but caring for her is hard. She loves her older brother and wants to shelter and protect him. She idolizes her dead father and frequently remembers things he said to her and uses them to guide her decisions. She tries very hard to be practical and pragmatic. She has had an adult's responsibilities since she was nine years old which makes her rather solemn and cynical. Since the story is told in the first person, we don't get a chance to see Win from the inside. He is persistent in his pursuit of Anya. We hear from his father that he is soft and naive. But he is certainly steadfast in his support for Anya.I enjoyed the story and thing readers who are fans of dystopias and romances would enjoy this one.
    • 4/5
      All These Things I’ve Done is not what I would call a great literary accomplishment. The author’s writing is somewhat simplistic, but this is partially offset by the fact that it seems like Anya herself is telling her backstory. At least that’s what I assume, given the few side notes scattered throughout the story. When I think back, I feel as if there was a lack of world-building, at least in a memorable way. The society is a dystopian one, where vouchers must be obtained to get supplies and stimulant-containing chocolate and coffee are illegal. However, this is basically backgrounded — the story is about Anya and her family, seeded deep in crime.While I wouldn’t go all out on praises for the author’s style and world-building, I will say this. Gabrielle Zevin created a fun book. This novel is a quick, enjoyable read. I found the premise interesting, the conflicts Anya had to deal with entertaining, and I enjoyed the characters of Anya and her family and friends. I’d recommend this to fans of contemporary fiction, particularly of a romantic line. At it’s heart, All These Things I’ve Done is a story about a girl — and whether she will do what she wants, or what it is her responsibility as a member of the Balanchine family to do.
    • 4/5
      This was fantastic! Something different as it was set in the future by 70 odd years & about something that is dear to my heart - chocolate.

      This is the first in a trilogy & I can't wait to read the next one. It follows a teenage girl, Anya (Annie) who has both her parents murdered; a brother that is "sensitive" & a younger sister. Annie is responsible for her siblings & a dying Grandmother, Galina.

      It follows Annie through her daily life, the daughter of the deceased Mafiya boss & trying to cope with falling in love with the Assistant DA's son.

      Annie's father was the boss of Balanchine Chocolates, which is illegal in Amercia as is coffee. As the daughter, this seems to get her in trouble numerous times.

      Annie gets herself into trouble numerous times for the chocolate, her brother & her boyfriends.

      This was a great read & was left in a cliffhanger. Can't wait to read the next one.
    • 4/5
      She may have been the daughter of a police woman but it was her father who people remembered most, who she remembered most. It was his name she carried after all, and with it his reputation. It didn't matter that he had been dead for years, it didn't matter that he was a good man, it only matter that he was in a business that was illegal. A business that produced and sold an illegal substance; chocolate.There was nothing more important in her life then her family, her brother and sister were her responsibility and she took that very seriously. There was nothing she wouldn't do for them, nothing she wouldn't do to keep them safe; however she never guessed at the lengths she would go to do just that. But when her heart interferes with her responsibilities she finds more trouble them she can handle and her only way out is to give up the boy she loves.All These Things I've Done were done to keep her family safe and to keep her family together. However with a family like hers that was harder then expected. With criminal activity, mob wars, family politics, a vindictive ex, poisoning, attempted murder, betrayal, love and chocolate, this story literally has a bit of something for everyone. An engrossing and engaging story that is as bitter as it is sweet. A brilliant introduction to an exciting new series.
    • 3/5
      3.5 stars

      Really interesting story set in a dystopian future in which chocolate and coffee are illegal and everything else is rationed. I liked Anya even though I didn't agree with all of her choices. When I got frustrated with her, I had to remind myself that she was just a 16-year-old girl.
    • 4/5
      Great premise.
    • 3/5
      Anya Balanchine is trying desperately to live her life as a normal teenage girl. However, she is an orphan, with a big brother, Leo, who was injured in an accident from a hit meant for their father, (this is where the mother dies), and a younger sister. Their guardian is an 80 something year old grandmother on machines that keeps her alive.
      The story takes place in 2083 and life is strangely chaotic and decrepit at the same time. Caffeine and chocolate are illegal. And Anya's family business is chocolate. To complicate matters, a new boy at her school likes her, and he's not hard on the eyes apparently, but he's the son of the new Assistant D.A. But hey, who says they can't be together? After all, her own mother was on the right side of the law before marrying her father.
      It's a cute, witty, and entertaining book. A bit far fetched at times, but Anya's character keeps it fun.
    • 2/5
      I bought this book with my own money.
      That basically defines the reason I felt the need to finish it.

      It WOULD'VE or COULD'VE been a good story. However it wasn't. Not for lack of trying though. The writing was amateur. I just felt like for a published author, the writing should be on a higher level than this is. The character building and world building just wasn't at the place where other YA authors are. It reminded me of some of the writing I see done by people on the internet, not people who've been educated in writing and how to correctly develop characters and plots.

      I was disappointed, but give it two stars because it was OKAY. I did finish it after all, I just felt like I SHOULD'VE been given more with such an interesting take on a dystopian future.
    • 5/5
      I don't know what to say other than I REALLY enjoyed this book. I've read it more than once and cannot get enough of it. The setting was great and the character development was just fantastic! Can you imagine living in a world where chocolate has become illegal? Where water and paper is rationed? I know I wouldn't be able to live without taking a bite. It's not all the time that I like the main character, but with Anya, I felt a connection. Now, I'm not the type to get in trouble, but what she went through made her tough and I felt that. I felt just how tough she was in that connection. It made her independent in certain ways and I loved that about her! She's daring and goes to great lengths to protect herself.. and her family. A story I really couldn't put down!
    • 5/5
      This is a great book almost ruined by religion. Sixteen year old Anya Pavlova Balanchine is the second oldest orphan child of the don in a crime syndicate Family which revolves around the production of illegal chocolate in a dystopian 2083 New York City. The culture no longer produces anything but laws. There's a midnight curfew for teenagers, and a limitation on almost all goods including water and paper. All the fountains have been drained of water, all books are digital except for the very wealthy, Central Park is pretty much a wasteland, Ellis Island is a juvenile detention facility, and museums are being used for speakeasies for illegal coffee. Anya's grandmother lives with the family but is being kept alive by strange machines - not a ventilator because she can talk. I can only think she must have some kind of mechanical heart and kidney or liver contraption. Anya's 19 year old brother should be the head of the family, if not the Family, but he suffered a brain injury in the hit that killed their mother so now has the intelligence and emotions of an eight year old. All this is fascinating. Then we get to the part that just doesn't click. I feel the same kind of off kilter response to this book that I did to her The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry. They're both great stories that don't quite ring true.Anya and her twelve year old sister Nataliya (Russian mafia obviously) attend the best private school in the city, Trinity, which is Catholic. Anya buys into all the catholic nonsense especially thinking she will go to hell if she has premarital sex. This is 2083 and there's still an absolute premium on virginity. I don't think so.So I loved the books for Anya's intelligence and felt let down by her heavy reliance on superstition, which I guess is a mafia attitude, so maybe not as contradictory as it seems.Anyway, I know big things are coming for Anya, and I plan to read about them in the following books.
    • 5/5
      I absolutely adored this book! It was very hard for me to put this book down and go about doing things I needed to get done. This story was beautiful, sad, funny, and refreshing. It was a change from other YA novels I have read recently. I am hoping that the author is going to continue this story. I fell in love with these characters and I am not ready for this story to be over. Gabrielle Zevin is on my MUST READ list for authors now. I will DEFINITELY read her other books.
    • 1/5
      This book takes place in a future New York, where caffeine and chocolate are illegal. Anya is the daughter of a murdered mob boss. She struggles with full filling this role or that of a good catholic girl. The one redeeming value of the book is the author's portrayal of family.The book starts out hopeful but by the end I'm sick of what the main character Anya's father would have said. I feel that the author should have expanded on plots she cut short and should have cut short others. I have no intention of reading the second. 
    • 3/5
      All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin is the first of a YA trilogy involving organized crime, a prohibition on chocolate and coffee, and a Romeo and Juliet style relationship between the daughter and son of competing crime families.The book is set in New York in 2083 and it's trying to evoke a combination of the Jazz Era (speakeasies, jazz and the like) and the big hair and cynicism of Generation X. For the dystopian / Dickensian city setting, there is also the ailing grandmother, recently dead father and special needs brother.The problem is, all these competing tropes get in the way of a rather decent premise — what would happen if caffeine were illegal. And a rather decent murder mystery — who poisoned the chocolate and why?
    • 5/5
      I've had this book in my possession since 2012 BEA. After contemplating my TBR pile, I picked up All These Things I've Done and so glad I did! Gabrielle Zevin has written a wonderfully unique story about the prohibition of chocolate and coffee. The relationships in this are real and meaningful. Can't wait to read the next in the series.
    • 4/5
      Did I have a hard time putting this one down. Well written, with interesting characters, a plot that runs smoothly and a girl whose life I couldn't possibly identify with but still loved all the same. Anya is the daughter of a murdered crime boss(the crime - dealing in chocolate). Set in New York in the not too distant future, Anya is dealing with the pressures of keeping her family safe, from outside forces as well as those within, keeping out of the family business and trying to keep a low profile. She has done pretty well with that since she witnessed her father's murder and took over the care and responsibility of her family at 9. However, that all changes the year she is 16.

      An interesting hard to put down twist on the mafia of the future, and of a girl who is trying not to be the mob boss's daughter, but just a high school girl with too many responsibilities.
    • 4/5
      The Good Stuff Fast paced with plenty of twists to keep you intrigued Fabulous dark and snarky humour Intriguing strong female character with depth - really impressed with the character development Interesting secondary characters Liked the importance of family that is highlighted. Nice to see realistic and strong bond between Anya and her family Virgin doesn't lose her virginity, even-though she is tempted, she really wants to wait until she is married (this is done in a non in your face preachy way) Will definitely be picking up the next book (when it comes out in paperback later this year) Mix between mafia, mystery and dystopian - very unique Characters actions fit her personality - you don't always agree with her decisions/actions but you get why she does itThe Not so Good Stuff Had a hard time dealing with the fact that chocolate and caffeine could make someone act like they were drunk Would have liked more background on how the world became this way Made me crave chocolate4.25 Dewey'sJen from work lent this to me and I didn't have to review (Thanks Jen I am glad you lent me this one)
    • 3/5
      Read from September 19 to 23, 2011Another good one from Gabrielle Zevin! Elsewhere is still my FAVORITE by Zevin, but I really enjoyed how ATTID is set in the future without being all sad & violent. It's definitely more Delirium than The Hunger Games and I like that because there's a lot of HG copycats out there.Anya is a very likable character with a lot of responsibility and even more decisions to make. Anyway, I liked it.What's interesting is that as I read When She Woke, I keep meshing the two worlds together...note to self, don't read too many futuristic books in a row. It can get tricky.
    • 4/5
      I should throw on the series tag as it's probably going that way. Le sigh, what has happened to the stand alone novel.
      Another note, it was good, very good. I find I'm liking stories about organized crime families, Holly Black's White Cat, Ally Carter's Heist Society. I also liked that this was a future dystopian-ish setting without trying to be Hunger Games. I liked Anya, very authentic 16 year old voice, confident, hard but still vulnerable. I don't mind the first person confessional point of view but the odd times Zevin addressed the reader, at one point actually saying "Dear Reader." I hate that but it's a personal taste thing I realize.
      That all said I wouldn't mind if this turned into a series. But still.
    • 3/5
      A half-hearted attempt to get on the dystopian-romance train. Manages the latter half, but misses the mark on the former by a wide margin. Still, an engaging mafia story.
    • 3/5
      This was a weird book. Based on the cover and inside cover, I thought I was getting into something much darker, gritter, dystopia-esque. Although this world is set in our future and a few things have gone haywire, it's really very much familiar. The plot was interesting enough, and the characters compelling... but it just didn't jump off the page for me.
    • 5/5
      All These Things I've Done is brilliant and hilarious and I couldn't put it down. In the NYC of 2083 that Zevin has created, anyone can purchase alcohol and cigarettes as long as they have the "vouchers" but paper (and paper books), chocolate and caffeine have been outlawed. Teens go to illegal speakeasies for a taste of coffee and chocolate. The Egyptian Wing of Metropolitan Museum has been turned into a disco. The heroine of the novel is Anya Balanchine. An orphan who is under the guardianship of her bedridden and occasionally delusional grandmother, Anya takes care of everyone in her family from her brilliant younger sister to her older, impaired brother. Fortunately, Anya doesn't do this alone. She has the help of her family lawyer, her oldest and best friend, and a gorgeous and fascinating newcomer named Win. Win is the son of the new assistant district attorney, so Anya is wary of revealing family secrets (contraband, illegal speakeasies, mafiya secrets). But when Anya is thrown in a juvenile detention center, it's Win who intervenes. All These Things I've Done is written in a fresh, engaging voice and introduces us to some of the most sympathetic and interesting characters that I've come across in a long time. Not only are Anya and her friends witty but they find themseles in unusual predicaments. The plot twists, characters and dialogue make All These Things I've Done a fantastic read!ISBN-10: 1250010284 - Paperback $9.99Publisher: Square Fish; Reprint edition (May 8, 2012), 384 pages.Review copy courtesy of the publisher.
    • 3/5
      The problem that I have with All These Things I've Done is the fact that it's not really a dystopian, in my opinion. For me, I'd rather remain blissfully ignorant of the fact that it is marketed as is, because if I did, then I definitely wouldn't have liked this book. I prefer the mafia in the book way more than the things that are supposed to make it dystopian.But starting on the review, I cracked open All These Things I've Done after piano practice and I was pretty sleepy at the time. I didn't know what to expect when I read this, because even though I've read one of Zevin's novels before, I wasn't sure how I'd see this book in a positive or negative light. But the first chapter was very intriguing and Anya's voice made me want to continue on reading. So I read it, and I read the whole thing in a couple of hours, after I left piano practice and went home. I was beyond tired, but there was just something about All These Things I've Done that kept me reading.In All These Things I've Done, it's 2083 and chocolate and coffee, among other things, are illegal. The main character, Anya Balanchine is the daughter of a well-known crime boss and she takes care of her older brother, younger sister, and grandmother. Her life is pretty much routine, until her ex-boyfriend gets poisoned by chocolate and all the evidence gets pointed to her. The novel premise is interesting and the problem with All These Things I've Done is that I wished it focused more on the crime story that it's supposed to be about. Because All These Things I've Done, while enjoyable, is more romance than crime or dystopian. The inciting event about her ex-boyfriend getting poisoned happens about a hundred pages in and even then, that gets taken to the side for the romance. I really enjoyed this book until the romance came. I really don't mind romance, but there was just way too much as it took the center stage for the novel. One moment, it wasn't there and then there it was, taking up the spotlight of the book.There was also another thing that bothered me about this book. In some scenes, there'd be these random tidbits where Anya would address the reader and it wasn't done in a clever way. No, it was actually pretty annoying and obnoxious because it was worded weirdly and I just didn't like it.All These Things I've Done could have been more, more crime and less dystopian and romance. But it just wasn't.(Now, a vain complaint, why did they have to change the cover? I loved the hardcover chocolate one so much!)
    • 5/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A humorous and well thought-out story of loyalty to family and friends.Opening Sentence: The night before junior year–I was sixteen, barely– Gable Arsley said he wanted to sleep with me.The Review:Can I just say how much I love the writing and message and plot of this book? ‘Kay, I feel better getting that out of the way.Anya Balanchine has many responsibilities. One: take care of her dying grandmother. Two: care for her mentally eight year old brother who is actually 19 and her 12 year old sister. Three: stay out of the lime light at all costs. Four: avoid her jerk of an ex-boyfriend and try not to fall for the new boy in town who happens to be the son of the head of the police. Did I mention her father was the head of a major mafia family? Juggling all of these responsibilities while also trying to get through high school makes Anya’s life a little more than hectic. But when she is thrown into the spotlight at the most inconvenient time, her life takes a turn for the worst. Fabulous characters with great morals make this story one of my favorites.I can’t help but compare this book (characters, plot, writing, etc.) to Ally Carter’s Heist Society series. If you like the characters in Heist Society, you will love the characters in this book. Anya is a strong, dependable narrator (and she even says so) and protagonist. She has “Daddy-isms” for almost anything pertaining to business or just life in general. Her father, a crime lord in New York who has his own business in chocolate (also illegal), died when she was younger from a hit squad who broke into their house. It left her in charge after her mentally unstable brother and genius little sister. Originally their grandmother watched over them, but when her health slowly declined, it left Anya with more responsibilities than even an average adult would have. I admire her strength and her morals that she sticks to no matter the temptation. Even if the temptation is an extremely good-looking young man that wears fedoras.Win isn’t the average YA boy. He isn’t particularly a “good boy” or a “bad boy.” I consider him more of a neutral person that has good morals. He tries to rebel against his D.A. dad (who, by the way, is intimidating as all get-out). He tries to impress and get to know Anya despite her family background (which is really endearing). He tries to stay tough, even though he was brought up with everything he ever asked for. He isn’t really broken, like most other YA boys, but there is a hint of insecurity. Overall, he’s a unique love interest that’s very lovable but also is a very flat character.The writing is what really hooked me from the very first chapter. The narrator (Anya) is aware of the audience and often times talks directly to the audience. If you love Ally Carter’s writing, then you will love Zevin’s witty banter and (insightful? I guess you could consider them insightful to Anya’s characteristics) maxims.Warning: cliffhanger dead ahead. BUT the next book is already out so: cliffhanger avoided.Notable Scene:“Why are you crying?” I asked.Scarlet waved her hand in front of her face in a manner that struck me as almost comical. “The way that boy looks at you! And he doesn’t even know why you’re…I wish I could tell him.”“Scarlet, don’t go getting any ideas.”“I would never betray your trust! Never!” Scarlet blew her nose on her sleeve. “It’s so tragic.”“It’s not tragic,” I assured her. “This is nothing. Tragedy is when someone ends up dead. Everything else is just a bump in the road.” For the record, that was something Daddy used to say, but I’m pretty sure Shakespeare would have agreed, too.Birthright Series:1. All These Things I’ve Done2. Because It Is My BloodFTC Advisory: Farrar, Straus and Giroux/Macmillan provided me with a copy of All These Things I’ve Done. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 4/5
      I would not really put this book in the dystopia category. Yes it’s got some sort of elements (the shortage of paper, chocolate and coffee being illegal, etc) but it just seems like everyone’s putting everything in dystopia when it shouldn’t be because it’s all the rage. What got me to really liking this book was Anya as a character. She’s basically on her own taking care of her family, at the same time managing to run parts of the mafia underworld and going to school. That’s a lot on her plate and she manages to do it quite well. It’s that strength that she’s got that really got me liking her, she’s very down to earth and manages to maintain a wry sense of humor as well. The characters overall in the story are pretty good. I liked Scarlet a lot, didn’t care for her choice of boyfriend though (he’s a LOSER and a JERK I don’t care what happened to him, I did not like his past actions with Anya). The romance with Win and Anya, I really didn’t care too much for. It just seems to be so, overdone and cliched. (Surprise surprise, mafia girl goes for.. *gasp* the DA’s Son...riiiiighhhttt....)The plot is a slow pace, so it may not be for everyone. World building isn’t a great emphasis here, so you don’t really know why chocolate and caffeine are illegal. (Which may irk a few). I didn’t mind the plot despite the pace, there were times when I thought it should have gone quicker, despite the slow start and momentum, the plot is decent and the ending leaves you satisfied (at least for me it did)Looking forward to book two! I really liked the mafia spin on this book and am looking forward to more!
    • 4/5
      16-year-old Anya lives in a world where chocolate and caffeine are illegal and resources are scarce. She just happens to be the daughter of one of the most notorious chocolate smugglers in America, but he's been dead for years. She tries to distance herself as much as possible from the rest of the family, but when an ex-boyfriend gets poisoned by a bar of chocolate and she's the prime suspect, she gets drawn back in. To complicate things further, she's fallen in love with Win, the son of the new assistant DA.
    • 3/5
      Gabrielle Zevin is a revelation in that she doesn't write the same books more than once. This, however, seems to be the beginning of a trilogy. In a dystopian future (is there another kind?), New York is desolate. Museums are closed and have become night clubs. The Statue of Libery is a juvenile detention center. Chocolate and other caffeine products are illegal and considered as contraband as drugs are, today. Anya Ballanchine is the "mafiya" princess trying to live a normal life after the death of her mob boss father and policewoman mother. Although she tries to follow a straight life she is, as another mob boss once said, being pulled in to the chocolate underworld. An additional complication: she is in love with an ambitious D.A.'s only son. While some of the outcomes are too neat and predictable, overall this is a fast-moving, engaging book and a good recommendation for teen readers (less crossover appeal than "Elsewhere").
    • 3/5
      Fast forward to a semi-dystopian 2083, where pleasure items such as chocolate and coffee are banned, paper is in short supply (thus, no more books are printed), water is rationed, and New York City is a hot bed of crime and poverty. Simple things like telephone calls and emails carry a high price tag. Museums, libraries, and cultural centres have closed down, lakes have dried up, and people wear `vintage' clothing because garment manufacture has stopped. You can't even get fruit! Yet, life goes on and people manage...in a way.Anya Balanchine is the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss. The Balanchine family manufactures chocolate, a business that now carries a criminal label. Anya's mother was killed in a botched assassination attempt on her father's life. The incident also injured her older brother Leo, leaving him childlike in an adult body. It's up to Anya to keep the remaining family together, and still shoulder the tasks of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother. Anya is out the family's immediate sphere of activities until a batch of Balanchine chocolate, given to her by a cousin, has fatal consequences. Anya's ex-boyfriend is almost fatally poisoned and the police naturally think she's to blame. At the same time, her new boyfriend's father, the assistant DA, tells her to keep away from his son (Win) or else! Suddenly, Anya finds herself the focus of public attention and that's not good! Things go from bad to worse when gentle Leo, who had started working for the family as a gopher, takes it into his head to shoot his uncle, now the head of the Balanchine family business. Everything spirals out of control and Anya faces a heart-breaking decision in order to save her brother and her younger sister.Told from Anya's point of view, the story unfolds as Anya battles hardships, trying to salvage her life. Anya is feisty and brave, with a slightly hardened attitude to relationships and people. A nice touch is Anya's increasing memories of things her father said, and his words of advice. In this way, the father becomes like a living character. Anya will do anything to protect what remains of her family. She is also loyal to her buddy Scarlet, a wacky, arty girl, who is a good friend to Anya. The author has captured perfectly the emotional highs and lows of the main character and readers will really bond with Anya. The love story between Win and Anya is tender and sweet, but I felt that Anya never truly engages with Win, even though she says she loves him. Given her bad life experiences, it's not surprising she is wary. The book has great pace and action until the high point of Anya's arrest. Then the story slackens and much of what takes place thereafter (exciting in itself) seems almost quickly jammed together to get to the last page. Anya also seems to disengage with readers as she relates these events like a list. I found the ending unsatisfactory and almost cobbled together to reach a point where the story could end. This is the first book in the Birthright trilogy, which could account for a rushed conclusion.
    • 4/5
      Immediately I dug into the book and devour it. It was as addictive as chocolates themselves. Sadly I went away for eight months to Taiwan and never got around to reviewing it before it was published. Now all that set aside , I just got to say that I love some of the promotional things they do with novels. The people or person that does them is both brilliant and hard working. I imagine for an author and others involve in the team it takes a lot of work to promote a novel. In this case: Coffee Covered chocolates with the main character's (whose the daughter of a dead mob boss) last name on it's package. Not only was it fun to dig into the book itself, but devouring the chocolates were also a yummy treat. So I just want to say thanks to Ksenia Winnicki @ Macmillan for sending this to me =D I found this novel to be witty, charming and overall a great read. It was easy to dive into the story. There was many circumstances where I could not put the book down. Zevin's did a amazing job with characters. She made each and every one of her character stand out and apart from each other. Every person in the novel had their own little trait about them (Natty; genius, Win;hats, Scarlett; theatre, Gable; Jerk ect;) that set them apart. The story flows flawlessly in first person. It was set in the big apple one of my favourite places. The originality of it was what peak my interest when it first arrived and through out the entire novel. Set in the future where chocolate is illegal.Who would not want to read a story like that? All These Things I've done is definitely a book I will be finding myself read over and over again.Especially since it set in NYC. After I received this novel in the mail I actually went on a vacation in NYC. So I got to see some of the many places that are actually talk about. It was cool reading the novel while actually visiting the places that the characters go to. Annie devotion and love towards her family, even when sometimes she went astray from that path, was mesmerizing and beautiful. I thought the strong sense of family ties and love (and how far you would go for them) was what made the novel more strong. The things Annie did and gave up for her family is what made her a strong protagonist. I felt heart broken every time she had to give up something up (that she truly loved) because of the situation she was in. This novel, though intriguing at every point, was not a hard read. My only complaint was that the ending did not seem satisfying enough. It did not feel like a ending but more of a cut off point. This September 2012 the sequel comes out, Because It is My Blood. I am definitely looking forward to the second novel. This is definitely a novel that readers should read or put on their tbr pile.
    • 5/5
      The year is 2083. Water is scarce as is paper. Alcohol flows free but chocolate and caffeine are illegal substances. Enter Anya, 16 year old daughter of a murdered crime boss. Her family traffics in illicit chocolate. Anya wants nothing to do with the family business, but the family is hard to escape. And what should she do about the new boy at school, son of the assistant district attorney? This was a lot of fun: The world, the characters, the situation. It was like nothing else I've read all year. Quirky and charming but with dire consequences for characters who step out of line. Part noir, part nonsense. Impossible to classify, sort of dystopian but like nothing else in the pack. Hooray for something new!If I have one complaint, I wish the character Win were better fleshed out. Anya makes many sacrifices for him and he's presented as charming and honest and funny, but he doesn't get nearly enough page time. Hopefully the next two books in the series will give him room to shine.