Why Theo Is The Best Guy EVER: Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin (Birthright #2)

Summary

Goodreads:  Freed from jail, Anya hopes that things will get back to normal. But life on the outside is even more dangerous than life behind bars. Some of her gangland family want revenge for the crime for which she has done time: the shooting of her uncle. Forced to flee the country, Anya hides out in a cacao plantation in Mexico. There she learns the secrets of the chocolate trade, a trade that is illegal and deadly in her native New York. There too she discovers that seemingly random acts of violence carried out across the world have a single target: her family. As innocent bystanders get caught in the crossfire Anya must act fast and decisively to stop it, no matter what the danger to herself


 Quotes

Anya:  "The girl who died today.  She was my age," I said.  "She was crossing the street and ten she was gone.  I am sorry for her friends her family,and especially her parents.  It is a tragedy.  I would hope that the fact that an infamous person was riding on the bus wouldn't take away from that."

Yes readers, I was seasick.  I see no need to trouble you with the details except to mention that, once I threw up so hard I sent my moustache flying across the room.


Thoughts

Anya's time in Mexico is easily my favourite part of the entire series.  It's not just because Central and South America are dear to me and I loved reading a book in that setting, or that it was fantastic seeing Anya learn the ins and outs of cacao, it can also be greatly attributed to Theo. 

Theo is a very fun, easy-going character, but there is so much more to him than meets the eye.  While he acts silly and playful all the time, he's also incredibly smart.  He picked up on all sorts of clues as to Anya was, and instead of letting anyone know (including Anya) that he had figured it out, he just kept mum on the subject.  It seems surprising since he seems so childish most of the time, you would expect him to blab secrets.  In fact you wouldn't really expect him to be all that observant, so this was definitely a surprise. 

He has many of the same values as Anya does, he just goes about them in a different way.  Perhaps it's because he hasn't lost his family the way Anya has, but he clearly cares deeply about his family.  Where Anya is controlling and micromanages, Theo is funny and playful.  In many ways his family and the way he treats them reminds me of my own family, and in even more ways they made me so nostalgic for all the amazing people I've met when I got the chance to travel in South America. 

I've hit on how playful he is, but Theo is incredibly serious about two things:  Cacao and his family.  It's clear when he's teaching Anya about cacao just how passionate he is about it.  He has devoted his life to it, knows the ins and outs of cacao, and he loves it (even when he hates it.  That sounds awfully familiar...being a musician is DEFINITELY always fun) When Theo cares about Anya things, it's clear he doesn't hold back.  The same goes for his family.  At the end of the book, when it came down to it, his family was more important than the girl he liked who put them in danger.  Can I reiterate how much I love that this series emphasizes important things in life - other than romantic love?

Beyond loving Theo as a character, he's a great love interest!  He's so freaking adorable!  Win is your typical angsty YA love interest.  He's just so...good.  It's boring.  Especially when he's been good AND angsty.  Theo is adorable, and tenacious, and passionate.  He has his priorities straight - family first, then work AND play next.   Mitchii might like Yuji best (and who could blame her, he is one fine specimen of a man character), but Theo will always be the character for me!