The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart (The Dragon Heart Series) Paperback – Illustrated, August 28, 2018

Protagonist Aventurine (don't you just love that name?!) is a young dragon, nearly tortured to bits by the likes of her elder siblings. Her sister Citrine is a poet and her brother Jasper is a budding philosopher. Mother and Grandfather, ancient dragons, do their best to keep Aventurine safe until her scales harden and she can learn how to be a proper dragon.Like those of us for whom waiting is not something we do well, Aventurine takes it upon herself to speed up the process.With exhilaration flooding through me, I folded my wings tightly against my sides and lunged for the outside world and freedom.It was harder than I'd expected to squeeze out of the hole ... Finally, finally, I forced myself free with an explosive pop! It sent me tumbling on to the ground outside ... and whimpering with pain. My folded wings had scraped so hard against the rough, craggy edges of the rocks that there were ragged tears, now, in my silver and crimson scales. (p. 7)So begins Aventurine's new life outside the safety of her family's cavern. However, when she discovers a food mage and chocolate, her world changes forever. The mage turns Aventurine into one of the worst beings possible: a human. Her beautiful scales become the cloth that covers her frail form and she is forced to fend for herself in a community of beings that not too long ago were a food source.But her attraction to chocolate drives her dream. Her refusal to quit enables her to escape the clutches of Greta, a selfish townswoman bent on securing free labor so she can live like a noblewoman and through a twist of fate secures a position as an apprentice in (you guessed it!) a chocolate house.'I don't care what your name is. You're not setting to work in my kitchen without food in your belly. Hunger leads to distraction, which leads to carelessness -- and you'd better learn right now that I don't tolerate carelessness in my chocolate house, not now, not ever. So ...' She scooped up one of the glasses full of sweet-smelling darkness and handed it to me with a long silver spoon. 'Here. The people who ordered these ran away liked frightened bunnies five minutes ago. You might as well eat one instead of letting them all go to waste.'Dragons could go for days without food when they needed to, and I didn't need to be treated as if I was weak. Still, as the scent drifted up from the glass in my hands, I lost the will to argue. 'Fine,' I muttered, and dug in. (p. 84)Aventurine encounters humans of all sorts -- kind, crafty, narcissistic, funny, and most surprising to her and her dragon family, loving. Marina, the chocolatier and her partner, Horst, and Silke, the girl whose handbills save the day show Aventurine that human hoards are worth protecting just as much (if not more!) than dragons. They teach her that she has a special gift and once she manages to harness it, she makes all her dreams come true.Although targeted to a middle grade audience, The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart is a story for all ages. It is possible to see people we've encountered in each of the characters, from Aventurine's dragon relatives to the king and crown princess.Check it out. You'll be glad you did.

Usually, I am not fond of stories of animals or mythical creatures that are turned into humans, but something about this story kept grabbing my attention. I found myself coming back to look at it every chance I got. A fiesty dragon transforming into a human and learning how to make chocolate while fitting in with human society? That sounds both cute and hilarious! Also, dragons and chocolate together? Someone wrote my dream novel. Despite how I feel about these type of stories, I decided to take a break from the current book series I was reading at the time, and give this one a chance. Boy, was I in for a treat!At first Aventurine's rash, angry attitude and temper annoyed me, but overtime it actually grew on me. After all, she is a very young dragon that's been cursed in the body of a human girl on the verge of becoming a teenager, and is forced to enter a society she doesn't understand and kind of despises, why wouldn't she be furious 95% of the time? Her character also develops and matures (at least a little) as the story goes on, which makes it all the more better. Accompanying Aventurine is Silke, a con-artist, local outcast, and one of the best side characters that I have ever read. I can't wait to see more of her in this novel's sequel: "The Girl with a Dragon Heart". Finally, there's Marina, the owner of the "hole-in-the-wall" chocolate shop of Drachenburg: The Chocolate Heart. Marina is pretty much always angry, hates anyone who enters her kitchen, and when she raises her voice she can blow a crowd over...perfect for Aventurine! Yet inspite of Marina's raging demeanor, she is not a bad person at all, and we do learn why she is the way she is. Her back story touched me, and it reminded me that no matter what horrible mistake you make in life, you need to get back on your feet and keep going. It's an important lesson that everyone should take to heart.Finally, I can't discuss this book without discussing chocolate. Oh My God, the way the author describes chocolate, from its sweet tempting smell, to all of the little details used to make it, to all of the treats that can be made from it, I was in heaven reading these sections of the book, and I longed for chocolate like never before. I felt just like Aventurine when she smelled chocolate for the first time.Do I have any issues with this book? Some, yes, but I admit that they are a bit nitpicky. The pacing did drag in places, I wish that we got to see more from the dragons' point of view, they only appear in the very beginning and end of the book, and I didn't like how mean spirited and depressing some parts were. Other then that, I really had no problem with this story.Overall, this was a cute, charming novel that I'll gladly read again whenever I am in the mood for dragons and chocolate at the same time. I was hooked the moment I read the first page, and devoured the book just two days. With the right amount of time, though, I think this could be read in one sitting.

Oh my goodness, this book. I love this book.Aventurine is a young dragon eager to prove herself, so she slips out of the family lair to take on the wider world. The first thing she encounters is a human brewing a concoction unlike anything she's ever tasted--chocolate! She demands a taste, but what Aventurine doesn't know is that the human is a food mage, and he bespells the chocolate to transform her into a human.Weak and defenseless as she's never been before, Aventurine travels on to a human town. There, she discovers chocolatiers and determines to apprentice herself to one. Now she has to navigate human relationships as well as learning the craft of chocolate making.Aventurine is an utter delight, fierce--as she'd be the first to tell you--and determined, impulsive and funny. Watching her figure out humans and friendship is such fun. Silke, a girl who uses handbills to advertise the chocolate house, and Marina and Horst, the chocolatier and maitre d', respectively, start as allies and become more to Aventurine as the book progresses. And there are some humans who seem determined to watch Aventurine for the slightest misstep, any excuse to throw her out of the city. She feel s like a fish out of water, stuck in a body not her own, but her determination to find--or make-- her place now that she's discovered her passion for chocolate.This is such a warm, funny book; the mere plot description doesn't convey how wonderful it is. It is a middle grade book, but the themes will speak to an older audience as well. Be prepared to have some chocolate on hand if you have a sweet tooth at all.

A nicely written adventure of a little dragoness who gets turned into a human girl and embarks on a difficult journey of survival and self-discovery, relying all the time on her biggest passion: chocolate. Recommended.

I read this after I bought it for a dear friend and wanted to read it first making sure said friend will like it. I'm positive that'll be the case. It's so cute.

Aventurine has a fierce longing to spread her dragon wings and explore the world beyond her family's cave in search of her passion, if only she knew what it was. After another lecture from her mother, and more sneering from her brother, she sets out on her own to prove she is more than capable of looking after herself. And when she comes face to face with her first human meal, she looks forward to showing her family that she was right.But what is that intoxicating smell? Chocolate… She quickly discovers this is no ordinary human, and it's no ordinary chocolate. Aventurine finds herself transformed into a puny human - wingless, clawless and with stumpy little teeth - and has to learn how to adapt to her new form. The one thing she does know is that she's found her passion; chocolate! And she must have more.Once in Drachenburg, Aventurine seeks out an apprenticeship in a chocolate house, and must learn to trust other people as well as herself. She needs to find a way of staying true to her dragon heart, while adapting to life as a human, with her new family of human friends.Bursting with characters that pull you into their world, this is a beautifully crafted, page turning fantasy, full of adventure and suspense. It's as warming to the soul as a hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night.Great for fans of How to Train Your Dragon, Eva Ibbotsen, fantasy, adventure and chocolate.

First of all, let’s talk about that beautiful cover! Freya Hartas, the illustrator, has done an amazing job capturing the exuberant feel of this book, and the shiny silver foiling on Aventurine’s scales is just gorgeous! I love the looks on both the faces of the dragon and the girl. You can’t always judge a book by a cover, but this fun, vibrant illustration is just perfect. It makes me wish this was fully illustrated all the way through – I would love to see the bustling chocolate shop, and the market, and so many other scenes. Each chapter heading has a different black and white sketch though, which is really cute.Aventurine is such a great character – she’s stubborn, feisty and wholly enjoyable. But she’s also a hard worker and a good friend. The way she talks herself into Marina’s kitchen is so funny to read. It’s really heartwarming to watch her settle into human life and realise that there is nothing wrong with her for being exactly who she is. On a side note, I really love gem names for dragons (and princesses)!The pace is fast, and the writing is witty. Aventurine adjusting to human customs is cause for much snarky fun, and there’s a nice slice-of-life feel to the chocolate house portion in the middle of the book, which stops the story from ever dragging. The conclusion is very satisfying, but I’d happily just read books upon books about Aventurine learning to make chocolate perfectly. You can almost taste the spices she adds and the richness of the chocolate. I love the idea that dragon like their hot chocolate with a kick of chilli pepper!A great MG book that ticks all my boxes – dragons, female friendship, found family, snark, and tasty atmosphere!

Pun intended. What is there to say? Children and those young at heart looking for a lovely tale of finding your place in the world will adore this book. Stephanie Burgis is a great writer. I adore here work, and this one is no exception. Highly recommended.