The Girl with the Dragon Heart (The Dragon Heart Series, 2)
The Girl with the Dragon Heart (The Dragon Heart Series, 2) book cover

The Girl with the Dragon Heart (The Dragon Heart Series, 2)

Hardcover – November 6, 2018

by
Price
$16.99
Format
Hardcover
Pages
288
Publisher
Bloomsbury Children's Books
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1681196978
Dimensions
5.85 x 0.89 x 8.56 inches
Weight
14.4 ounces

Description

“Full of secrets and supernatural beings and topped with chocolate, the book hooks fans of fantasy with a fast-paced adventure that gradually reveals its mysteries.” ― BCCB “Black-presenting Silke's an entirely believable character; supporting characters are equally well-drawn, and Burgis' world is a robustly diverse one. As with the first book, the fantasy hijinks are tempered with depth for a story that's sweet but not saccharine.” ― Kirkus Reviews, starred review “Thirteen-year-old Silke is the heroine of her own story . . . The true star of this show is independent girlhood. Silke, Aventurine, and the princess Sophia's freedom comes through recognizing that they are powerful not where they fit in, but in the ways that they stand out.” ― Starred review, Foreword Reviews “A strong sequel to Burgis' first Dragon novel, this adventure features a more vulnerable, more flawed, literally more human heroine. . . . A well-knit story combining court intrigue and strange alliances with a heartening conclusion.” ― Booklist “Full of adventure . . . for fans of Tamora Pierce and Gail Carson Levine, or anyone looking for a book which features strong women who save the day.” ― School Library Journal “Chocolate and dragons, together at last! Like sipping hot cocoa on a cold day, reading this book was an absolute delight. And by the end I felt like a dragon sitting on a pile of gold, knowing I'd found a treasure. Readers of all ages will love this deliciously charming adventure and its feisty dragon-transformed-into-a-girl main character, Aventurine!” ― Sheila Grau, author of the Dr. Critchlore's School for Minions series on THE DRAGON WITH A CHOCOLATE HEART “In The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart , Aventurine is turned into a girl, but inside she remains ALL dragon, every fierce, lovable inch of her. This story is a delightfully delicious blend of magic spiced with adventure and a heart as sweet and warm as molten chocolate. I completely adored this book!” ― Sarah Prineas, author of THE MAGIC THIEF and Winterling series on THE DRAGON WITH A CHOCOLATE HEART “ The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart is a perfect confection: rich, satisfying, and remarkably delicious.” ― Caroline Carlson, author of the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates series on THE DRAGON WITH A CHOCOLATE HEART “A gloriously fresh story to be read with a steaming cup of chocolate at hand.” ― Starred review, Kirkus Reviews on THE DRAGON WITH A CHOCOLATE HEART “Aventurine's fiery spirit is immediately endearing, and a diverse cast of fully realized supporting characters fill out a fantasy world that readers will love to inhabit. Pair with chocolate for maximum enjoyment . . . will satisfy readers who hunger for feel-good tales that pack a girl-power punch, like Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted or the movie Moana .” ― School Library Journal on THE DRAGON WITH A CHOCOLATE HEART “Burgis creates a feisty protagonist with a temper that suits her dragon heritage. . . . Readers will be rooting for Adventurine throughout this well-paced, colorful narrative. An appealing chapter book for young fantasy fans.” ― Booklist on THE DRAGON WITH A CHOCOLATE HEART Stephanie Burgis is a dual citizen of the US and the UK and lives in South Wales (land of dragons) with her husband, the author Patrick Samphire, and their children. The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart is Stephanie's first (delicious) novel for Bloombsury.

Features & Highlights

  • A chocolate-filled, girl-powered fantasy with a witty heroine who learns what home truly means, perfect for fans of Shannon Hale.
  • "Will satisfy readers who hunger for feel-good tales that pack a girl-power punch, like Gail Carson Levine’s
  • Ella Enchanted
  • or the movie
  • Moana
  • ."
  • --
  • School Library Journal
  • on
  • The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart
  • Silke has always been good at spinning the truth and storytelling. So good that, just years after arriving in the kingdom as a penniless orphan, she has found her way to working for the most splendid chocolate makers in the city as a master promoter. Although Silke loves her work at the Chocolate Heart, she’s certain it’s not going to last, and what Silke wants more than anything is somewhere to call home--somewhere
  • safe
  • . But when your best friend is a dragon-turned-hot-tempered-girl, trouble is always right around the corner. Then Silke gets the opportunity she’s been waiting for: the Crown Princess personally asks her to spy on the Elfenwald royal family during their first visit to the kingdom. In return, Silke will have the home she’s always wanted in the secure palace. But Silke has her own dark, secret reasons for not trusting fairies . . . and her mission isn’t as simple as she hoped. Soon, she discovers that her city is in danger--and that maybe it’s more her home than she ever realized.Can Silke find out the truth about the fairies while keeping her own secrets hidden?
  • A Mighty Girl Best Book of the Year

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
60%
(131)
★★★★
25%
(55)
★★★
15%
(33)
★★
7%
(15)
★
-7%
(-16)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

All is not what it seems

Middle-grade books that let each book shine with a different character make the series stand out. In this one, Silke takes center stage as she is the best friend of adventurine, the dragon/human character from book one. Silke lost her parents to the faeries of Elfenwarld when she and her brother were children traveling to Drachenburg. Now the faeries are visiting and are seeking something the people there have an alliance with dragons. All is not as it seems, and Silke is personally asked by one of the princesses to find out what the faeries genuinely want. This book is charming and shows the strength of Silke's dragon heart and how far she goes to figure out the truth. A charming sequel.
✓ Verified Purchase

Expands the World of the First Book

The sequel to The Dragon With The Chocolate Heart puts the spotlight on Silke, the orphan refugee who has learned every street and alley in the city of Drachensburg and whose skill with stories brings in the customers at the Chocolate Heart, where she works part time alongside her best friend, the dragon Aventurine.

Silke is a storyteller, and she is determined to be the hero of her own story. But when the Crown Princess recruits her for a spying mission during at visit from they mysterious fairy court, Silke finds herself facing the darkest fears from her past, and the mission quickly unravels around her.

It's great to see this world from Silke's point of view, and the addition of the fairies expands the world quite a bit. The fairies are quite frightening in spite of the lack of bloody violence in the story. Their magic is powerful, but their ruthlessness and manipulativeness make them truly dangerous foes for Silke, who must battle the traumatic memories of her past even as she deals with the fairies.

The emphasis on the power and skill of diplomacy is another great aspect of the book, and the climactic battle of wits is clever and fun.

And, as with the first book, all of the lore of chocolate is given lavish and loving detail
✓ Verified Purchase

Fantastic!

After reading the first book, The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart, my grand daughter texted me to please get the next book! My 10 year old grand daughter just loves these books - she cannot wait until the third one comes out in November, 2019! Totally transported her to another realm in reading!
✓ Verified Purchase

A Fiery Adventure Tale of Love that Fills the Senses

The Girl with the Dragon Heart (Tales from the Chocolate Heart, #2), by Stephanie Burgis, is a delightful middle-grade adventure that fills the senses and captures the imagination. It's also a story about overcoming adversity and living your dreams, even as those dreams transform and change with life's unexpected experiences.

Silke is a distinctly-voiced heroine with multiple talents, but the skill that shines most and the one she treasures is her ability to tell stories. She has risen from a homeless child on the riverbank to a street-savvy teen, navigating the districts of the kingdom with ease and securing a position as a waitress at The Chocolate Heart. She has had help from her dragon friend, who is now a girl in human-form, Aventurine. While the previous story in the Tales series focused on Aventurine, this one features Silke as she finds herself on an unexpected job as a spy within the royal palace, under the employ of the crown princess. Silke and Aventurine are soon mixed up in a dangerous plot when the fairies from the mysterious underground kingdom of Elfenwald arrive. With plenty of action, adventure, and betrayal abound - Silke has to keep fiery Aventurine from burning down the whole palace as she completes the crown princess's - and her own - secret mission.

Ultimately, The Girl with the Dragon Heart is a tale about that which the title alludes to - love. And not a lackluster, half-hearted one - but a fierce, loyal and passionate one. Silke is a brave, funny, witty, stubborn and likable heroine who doesn't give up on those she loves. And young readers will love her for it. They'll also want a steaming hot cup of Aventurine's special hot chocolate as they enjoy this magical tale.

*Thank you to Kidlit Exchange & Bloomsbury Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
✓ Verified Purchase

Chocolate, dragons, and a girl with a story to tell

Delightful sequel to The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart.
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Did not disappoint!

I loved Silke so much in the first book, and this sequel starring her as the main protagonist did not disappoint! Still full of amazing chocolate, wonderful friendships, and adventure. Kudos, Stephanie Burgis!
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Great storytelling!

Another wonderful book by Stephanie Burgis! This sequel is as marvelous as the first book in the series. I loved the focus on Silke, themes of home and friendship, and celebration of storytelling.
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Strong girl-power fantasy about protecting those you love

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Children's, and Stephanie Burgis for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of Silke, a young girl with a talent for spinning stories, who winds up involved in a power struggle between the royal family of Drachenburg and the royal elves of Elfenwald. Silke was orphaned when her parents were stolen by faries in Elfenwald six years earlier and currently lives a ragamuffin life along the beach with her brother, selling used clothing in the town market. Her only comfort comes from the kitchen of a fine chocolate shop and her best friend who is half-dragon. Seems like the start of something good, especially since I was a big fan of the Dealing with Dragons series. While the book starts off a touch slowly, when Silke is brought in by the Crown Princess and asked to be a spy, things really pick up.

Silke is plucky, intuitive, and loyal, but she needs to believe in herself. As she gains strength and is determined to figure out why the fairies have really come to Drachenburg, she becomes a more solid and likeable character. She takes the job as a spy because she wants more than the life of the refugee camp, but quickly realizes that corseted court life also isn’t her style. What she realizes in the castle, is that home is where the heart is, and her heart is with the family she has built in the chocolate kitchen, including Aventurine, the dragon. While hired to spy for the Crown Princess, in the end, she fights to save her family and her friends.

A solid, strong female protagonist story. I didn’t even realize that it was the second book in a series and feel it can stand on its own just fine. My only beef is that the title doesn't work for me as this book is about Silke and not Aventurine.
✓ Verified Purchase

Family and Home

Chocolate is home, that's how the first book in this delightful series started, and this book continues the trend. Heartfelt and wonderfully wrought with a fresh twist on fairytale themes, I absolutely adored this book.
✓ Verified Purchase

Feisty orphan with a dragon for a best friend saves everyone with the gift of chatter and chocolate

What I Liked
I have this bad habit of grabbing up book #2 in a series without having read book #1. This was one of those times, but it didn't even matter. I couldn't NOT read a book with a cover like this one! I fell right into the story and the characters immediately. They're all so unique and fun that I had no problem catching up to the story. Silke is independent and feisty, but has a secret soft heart that is so endearing. Her best friend Aventurine is a dragon... but she looks like a girl most of the time. Unless she gets mad. Then the claws come out! Aventurine and Silke's interactions are a blast, and they have an easy friendship that is a joy to read.

What I Would Have Liked To See
More dragons! I get that this is Silke's story, not Aventurine's this time, but uhhhh pretty much everything in the world is improved by adding dragons, IMO.

My Favorite!
There were so many wonderful things about this book. So many of the characters were layered, deep, and surprising. The sinister fairy court was sufficiently creepy, and the princes insufferably obnoxious. Silke's resourcefulness and determination made her such a great heroine, so I'm going to have to say Silke was my favorite. ^_^

TL;DR
Feisty orphan with a dragon for a best friend saves everyone with the gift of chatter and chocolate. So fun, and a great sequel to whatever book #1 was about!

P.S.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley for my honest review. All thoughts are my own!

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