Marshmallow Skye (The Chocolate Box Girls #2) by: Cathy Cassidy

 Genre: Middle-grade fiction 

Published: September 1, 2011 by Puffin Books 

Pages: 304 

Rating: 4/5 stars 

CW: parental divorce, grief, use of slur to refer to Romani travelers 

Skye and her twin sister Summer have always been inseparable. However, while Summer has flourished in her talent for ballet, Skye has recently been feeling left out, and she struggles to fit in while her sister takes on new opportunities. While feeling isolated, Skye stumbles upon an old chest full of vintage treasures, and soon she begins to find a connection with an old ancestor. While Skye fills her head with stories of a past time, she begins to move further away from her sister, and the two girls must find a way to reconcile their differences despite wanting to forge their own paths. 

This is the second book in the Chocolate Box Girls series by Cathy Cassidy, which I really took an interest to after seeing it recommended on Booktube. I just love light-hearted middle-grade novels, they can be the most perfect form of escapism. Since this series is native to the UK, I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to get my hands on the rest of the books in the series. However, I was able to find them for a reasonable price on Amazon, and now I'll be able to enjoy the rest of the books, which I'm thrilled about. While Marshmallow Skye didn't completely win me over like the first book, it was still a good sequel and encouraged me to continue on with the series. 

I really appreciated how Cassidy gives Skye and Summer different interests despite them being twins. Being a twin myself, I think the common trope is to make twins mirrors of each other, both in looks and in personality. However, while Summer is extroverted and opinionated, Skye is quieter and more laid-back, and I think the dynamic between the two sisters was well developed. I could definitely relate to their fears of drifting apart, and I think Cassidy did a good job at capturing an age-appropriate representation of the struggles with finding your own interests against your best friend. 

I liked how Skye took up an interest in vintage things, as her interest was unique to her and I had a good time seeing how she processes the different treasures that she finds. Once again the book is set in Dorset, England, and Skye's fascination with history mixed with the setting blended well together. I think the atmosphere, like the first book, was overall very cozy and a big reason as to why I enjoy these books in the first place. They're just easy to get through, calming, and every book is filled with some significant descriptions of chocolate, as Skye's step father runs a chocolate business. 

Now something that I didn't really enjoy in this book is the overuse of the g-slur to refer to Romani travelers. A lot of Skye's fascination with history stems from this exoticized viewpoint of Romani's, which I think got a little bit out of hand. It went to the point where I could definitely see almost an objectification of Romani people, and I think Skye was very much given a white gaze, where she looked onto Romani people with a fascination that stems from exoticizing a group of people due to their skin colour. I completely understand that this book was written in the early 2010's, when the standards for acceptable language was different. Still today people are just starting to learn about the problems with the g-slur, as it is very commonly used in colloquial language to refer to Romani people. However, I do think Skye's interest in Romani people could have been handled better, and as a middle-grade book, it could have become a teaching moment for kids to learn about a culture unfamiliar to them. I still quite enjoyed the book, but these problems were striking enough that I did take notice. 

Overall, I think Marshmallow Skye delivered on giving the cozy, comforting tone that I expect out of The Chocolate Box Girls series. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. While I do think the book has some issues that can be chalked up to the time period it was published, it was a satisfying sequel. Just do be aware going into the book of its issues, as reading a book in 2022, we can always do better to point out issues. 

Have you read Marshmallow Skye? What did you think? 

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Cherry Crush (The Chocolate Box Girls #1) by: Cathy Cassidy

 Genre: Middle grade, contemporary 

Published: September 2, 2010 by: Puffin 

Pages: 272 

Rating: 5/5 stars 

CW: bullying, divorce 

Cherry and her father, who happens to be a chocolate maker, are moving to Somerset to live with her father's girlfriend and her tight-knit daughters. Adapting from being an only child to having sisters proves to be troublesome for Cherry, especially since the eldest sister, Honey, is less than thrilled by Cherry's presence. Cherry strikes up a friendship with Honey's boyfriend Shay, but Honey is determined to break up the duo. Along her journey in a new town, Cherry deals with secrets from her past and the reality that her whole family life is about to change. 

I never knew this book existed until a lovely booktuber Olivia @ Olivia's Catastrophe recommended it. I'm Canadian, so I'm not always too familiar with British middle-grade books, however I am a sucker for any books that take place in England. I just love the setting that's created and the books tend to be really light and fluffy. This book was no exception. It was adorable, with lovable characters, a unique premise, and such a joyous setting. I am so happy I picked this up and I am determined to find the rest of the books in the series. 

Cherry's father is a chocolate maker. When Cherry moves to Somerset, her father combines forces with Cherry's new stepmum who runs a Bed and Breakfast. The result is a lot of delightful imagery of sweet treats and a running theme throughout the series that ties each of the sisters as "The Chocolate Box Girls." I love food imagery in books, especially anything to do with baking or sweets. This book almost gave me the same comfort that watching The Great British Bake Off does, in the sense that the dessert imagery was just so comforting and sweet. (Pun intended!) I loved the running concept of the chocolate. 

This book has some incredibly likable characters. Cherry is so determined and imaginative. She even has a pet goldfish who she talks to! I also loved getting to know her new sisters, Skye, Summer, Coco and even Honey. Although Honey is very intense as she gets to know Cherry, I could totally see why she acts the way that she does, and her development was awesome to see. There's a lot of sisterly love in this book, which is another trope that gives me so much joy. 

I loved that this book is able to stay comforting and light-hearted, while still dealing with difficult topics. Cherry is bi-racial and dealing with the fact that she doesn't really know her mother's side. Honey is dealing with the divorce of her parents and a difficult romantic relationship. All of the girls are dealing with a new blended family. Cassidy dealt with these topics in a way that kids will understand and relate to, as well as in a way that is relatable to older readers as well. 

Middle-grade isn't my main genre, however I do love picking up middle-grade books from time to time, especially when I need a pick-me-up. This book gave me all of the comfort that I needed at the time that I read it, and I just know that I will love the other books. The only problem is, as this is a British series, I cannot find these books anywhere in Canada, not even on Amazon. However, I'm not going to let that stop me, and one day I will find the rest of the series. Canadian readers deserve all of the joy from this series too!

Have you read Cherry Crush? What did you think? 

Emily @ Paperback Princess