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This Poison Heart

(This Poison Heart #1)

Kalynn Bayron (Goodreads Author)

4.39 · Rating details · 69 ratings · 50 reviews

Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch.

When Briseis's aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind for the summer. Hopefully there, surrounded by plants and flowers, Bri will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways the ...more

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Paperback, 400 pages

Expected publication: July 15th 2021 by Bloomsbury YA UK (first published July 6th 2021)

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This Poison Heart (The Poison Heart, #1)

Kalynn Bayron (Goodreads Author)

Release date: Jun 29, 2021

We're giving away five advanced reader copies of This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron! Enter to win now! ...more

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Giveaway dates: Mar 22 - Apr 21, 2021

Countries available: U.S. and Canada

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· 69 ratings · 50 reviews

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Feb 20, 2021 Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell rated it really liked it

Shelves: les-arcs-de-triomphes, poc-interracial, magic-and-sparkles-and-shit, ya-ya-land, lgbtqia-library

Instagram || Twitter || Facebook || Amazon || Pinterest

Gorgeous cover aside, I'm going to need everyone who enjoyed Tracy Deonn's LEGENDBORN to add this to their TBRs a.s.a.p., because this book does with Greek mythology what that book did with Arthurian legends: strong Black heroine, magical heritage, Gothic elements, and family secrets. Can you say "YES"? Because I can.

THIS POISON HEART is about a girl named Briseis. She works in a flower shop with her two moms and she has a natural affini ...more

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Dec 16, 2020 afternoonsunjeans marked it as to-read

Shelves: ya-sf-sff, author-of-color, wlw, 2021-publications, family-dynamics, small-town-politics, cottage-core, black-mc

PLANT MAGIC AND FAMILY SECRETS AND A MYSTERIOUS YOUNG WOMAN SIGN ME UP

also, that cover. my my. clutches fist in cottage core lesbian.

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Dec 16, 2020 human marked it as to-read

the math is simple, and the math does not lie:

gorgeous cover
+ ownvoices fantasy retelling
= me screaming over why this book feels so far away while aggressively clicking the want to read button

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Dec 21, 2020 Ashley marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: 2021july

OMG TAKE MY MONEY

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Dec 16, 2020 rachel ☾ marked it as radar

Shelves: fantasy, coverporn, rep-queer-author, rep-bipoc, releases-2021, retelling, rep-bipoc-author, most-anticipated, young-adult-lit, rep-queer

look at this cover and cry with me

Blog • Trigger Warning Database • Twitter • Instagram ...more

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Dec 12, 2020 Chloe rated it it was amazing

*Spoiler free*

I've been ready for this book since I finished Cinderella Is Dead. It didn't even what it was about. If this author wrote it, I was going to read it. Though, the synopsis did make me even more intrigued. A retelling of the The Secret Garden, about a girl who can make plants blossom and grow with a single touch. But, the gift has a deadly side, and she suddenly inherits a mysterious old house that has strangers randomly showing up. Oh yeah, I was intrigued.

I just love all Kalynn Bay *Spoiler free*

I've been ready for this book since I finished Cinderella Is Dead. It didn't even what it was about. If this author wrote it, I was going to read it. Though, the synopsis did make me even more intrigued. A retelling of the The Secret Garden, about a girl who can make plants blossom and grow with a single touch. But, the gift has a deadly side, and she suddenly inherits a mysterious old house that has strangers randomly showing up. Oh yeah, I was intrigued.

I just love all Kalynn Bayron books. I know I've only read two, but two that are as good as these is enough to say that I love all Kalynn Bayron books.

I never quite fully got into The Secret Garden. I got the general gist of it, but was very heavy on the general haha. It just didn't seem like something I fully loved. But, I definitely fully loved this retelling. So much so that I might just go check out the original to see what all the hype is about.

I know this is weird thing to start off with, but I'm going to start off by talking about the plants, because they were SO COOL. I don't want to go into too much detail about the main character's power, because I don't want to spoil anything, but it was so fascinating. It felt like a breath of fresh air. It was also just downright cool to learn so much about plants haha. Probably because there is an emphasis on the poisonous kind.

I think I loved the plant aspect of this book so much because of how freaking well this book is written. Seriously, Bayron is TALENTED. Her writing feels like a cool breeze, something that slips over your skin and leave a refreshing feelings behind. And that feeling goes very well with plants and gardens. It also goes really well with books in general because I really did fall completely love with her writing. It's just that good.

The characters were another highlight. The strong, healthy familial relationships, the longing for friendship, and just being downright badass. Every single one of them felt like they had their own story and their own thoughts and feelings. It was amazing.

Greek myths also tie heavily into this book and the best way I can describe them is just downright fascinating. Like, I want to go find another Greek myth book to read after this because this one has me craving more. Again, I'll be tightlipped on the specifics to avoid spoilers, but just know that if you enjoy any kind of Greek myths, this is DEFINETLY the book for you. Plus, there's a bit of a mystery and some riddle solving tied into them.

Another thing to mention is that I got straightbaited by this book. I know, I'm laughing too, and it's great.

Overall, I fell completely in love with this book. Greek myths, amazing writing, plants, and incredible characters, plus so much more, all add up to something amazingly incredible. I'm gonna say it's so good again even though I've said it so many times already, but it's that good. So yes, this book is so good. ...more

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Jan 01, 2021 Kal ★ Reader Voracious marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: retellings, 2021-anticipated

I simply LOVED Bayron's debut Cinderella is Dead and can't wait for another retelling!

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Mar 21, 2021 Robin rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs, love

4.5 phenomenal stars. full RTC

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Mar 10, 2021 Madison rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, paranormal

This Poison Heart starts with a magical realism vibe but by halfway becomes a thoroughly fun paranormal title with myths, eternal creatures with super speed and strength, and centuries-old feuds. I love books about plants and gardens. I love the vibe they give to books and This Poison Heart brings with it that same plant and garden goodness I adore, with the added benefit that Briseis can control the plants around her – or sort of. She has long hidden her gift and isn’t sure how to master it whe This Poison Heart starts with a magical realism vibe but by halfway becomes a thoroughly fun paranormal title with myths, eternal creatures with super speed and strength, and centuries-old feuds. I love books about plants and gardens. I love the vibe they give to books and This Poison Heart brings with it that same plant and garden goodness I adore, with the added benefit that Briseis can control the plants around her – or sort of. She has long hidden her gift and isn’t sure how to master it when she fears it and what it can do.

When Briseis and her mothers receive news that Briseis has been left an estate as an inheritance by her birth family, they think it might be the thing to save their struggling finances. Moving to the country also gives Briseis the first chance to really stretch her powers of controlling plants. Away from the city, she discovers that her birth family have a strange affinity with plants, especially poisonous ones. As Briseis revives the gardens that surround the estate, she begins to learn there is far more to her powers and far more to the secrets that surround her family’s history.

There is a lot to like about This Poison Heart. It kind of felt like two books joined together. The first half is focused on getting to know Briseis, her two mothers, their florist business and their struggling finances. The inheritance is a welcome reprieve for them, as is the move to the country. The banter between Briseis and her mothers is lots of fun, as is the banter the two older women share. They are full on mother-embarrassing, which Briseis pretends to hate but really loves. The move also allows Briseis to experiment with her powers, bringing the garden back to life, learning about the apothecary business her aunt and birth mother were running. She also meets Carter, who works at the bookshop in town and she finally makes a friend who knows the extent of her magical powers and doesn’t shun her for them.

At this point, the book takes a paranormal twist and while the root of the magic in this book is the same, the vibe shifted for me and reminded me more of the paranormal books I know and love. Briseis meets Marie, a beautiful young lady who seems to know more about Briseis’ family than she is saying. She also seems to be far older than her looks would have Bri believe, is super fast, super strong and super lethal. Briseis is immediately attracted to her, but isn’t sure she can trust her.
Enter the bad guys and Briseis learns that her powers and what is happening in her new town is actually centuries old and far more serious that she could expect.

This Poison Heart definitely ticks the #WeNeedDiverseBooks and is super genuine and authentic. Briseis and her mothers are black, Carter and his mother are also black and Briseis notes this amongst the sea of white people in her new town. There is also LGBT representation. Along with Bri’s mums, Briseis references a previous boyfriend and is now hugely attracted to Marie. Hopefully we will get more of this in book two.

Romance, betrayal, mythology, magic and poisonous plants – what more could you want. This Poison Heart is clearly the start of a series, as the ending nicely sets up what is sure to be an epic quest in the second book.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library ...more

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Apr 04, 2021 Laney Estel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
I really liked Cinderella is Dead and this was her next book! Also very happy this is the first in the series. Thank you to @Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.
💜 What I liked:
How this story was rooted in Greek lore and magical realism. It is also a bit influenced by the Secret Garden (one of my favorite childhood stories), but the majority of the story is original. This is a calm story with a little bit of mystery.
😱 What I didn’t like:
There is ...more

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Sep 21, 2020 Emily (emilykatereads) marked it as to-read

Shelves: anticipated-2021

Me looking at 2021: 👀

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Dec 16, 2020 Nicole Moon marked it as to-read

Shelves: stunning-covers, 2021-releases

I would die for this cover

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Apr 11, 2021 Megan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-2021-release, 4-star-reads, 2021-reads

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch. When Briseis's aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind for the summer. Hopefully there, surrounded by plants and flowers, Bri will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they could Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch. When Briseis's aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind for the summer. Hopefully there, surrounded by plants and flowers, Bri will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they could never have imagined--it comes with a specific set of instructions, an old-school apothecary, and a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world that can only be entered by those who share Bri's unique family lineage. When strangers begin to arrive on their doorstep, asking for tinctures and elixirs, Bri learns she has a surprising talent for creating them. One of the visitors is Marie, a mysterious young woman who Bri befriends, only to find that Marie is keeping dark secrets about the history of the estate and its surrounding community. There is more to Bri's sudden inheritance than she could have imagined, and she is determined to uncover it . . . until a nefarious group comes after her in search of a rare and dangerous immortality elixir. Up against a centuries-old curse and the deadliest plant on earth, Bri must harness her gift to protect herself and her family.

Briseis is a brilliant character. I loved her interactions with her mums but also the new friends she creates in Karter and Marie. The approach to her dealing with her past - namely her birth family’s history - was perfect in my eyes. Bri was eager to find out as much as she could, but there was this guard too, this vulnerability that she was desperate to mask when it came to finding out more about her roots. I really enjoyed her blossoming friendship with Karter, and then also her budding relationship with Marie. I did feel this came on a little strong a little fast, but when you have a magical ability to be immune to the most deadliest poisons, I suppose anything is possible.

This has to be one of my favourite contemporary fantasies I’ve read. It’s a blend of two of my favourite genres that just has me feeling happy! I loved the LGBTQ+ inclusion and the how race and politics - like defunding the police and systemic racism - were approached in different moments throughout the book. I certainly praise Bayron for that. The magic felt believable despite the story being set in modern day - if only it were real for us all! I’ll admit that the plot felt slow initially but as it picked up, so did my focus. And oh lordy, when the action hit I was READY FOR IT. So many questions and mysteries are brought to light in this story and it certainly leaves you desperate for the sequel to know what happens. THAT ENDING PEOPLE. THAT. ENDING.

Overall, This Poison Heart is a brilliantly clever blend of our modern day lives with the sprinkling of magic we all wish to have.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advanced copy of this book. ...more

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Apr 07, 2021 Natasha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: net-galley-reviews

4.5/5

Kalynn Bayron’s new YA Fantasy is a magically captivating and beautifully empowering coming of age tale with a supernatural twist.

Briseis was born with a gift, she can grow plants with a single touch. They bloom in her presence and follow her wherever she goes. It’s a secret she and her adoptive mothers have always kept, helping her to learn about and control her gift at their flower shop in Brooklyn.

But when Briseis inherits an old house with rambling gardens from her birth mother’s famil 4.5/5

Kalynn Bayron’s new YA Fantasy is a magically captivating and beautifully empowering coming of age tale with a supernatural twist.

Briseis was born with a gift, she can grow plants with a single touch. They bloom in her presence and follow her wherever she goes. It’s a secret she and her adoptive mothers have always kept, helping her to learn about and control her gift at their flower shop in Brooklyn.

But when Briseis inherits an old house with rambling gardens from her birth mother’s family, she finally has the space and privacy to test the limits of her powers. In bringing the house back to life, Briseis uncovers a trove of secrets and an ancient legacy of goddesses,witchcraft and a secret (poison) garden.

Her ancestors won’t rest until she finally accepts her gifts and her place as the keeper of the terrible power contained at the heart of the Poison Garden.

I cannot tell you how excited I was to read this, I loved Bayron’s Cinderella Is Dead and so I knew from the premise that this was gonna be incredible.

The contemporary setting was refreshing as many YA fantasy novels are set in a fictional equivalent of medieval Europe,which can get stale. I also really enjoyed the juxtaposition between the more natural setting of small town/village Rhinebeck to Brooklyn (nature vs. city) and how they affected Briseis’ powers. I did get a huge Poison Ivy vibe from Briseis (which I loved) and seeing her explore the limits of her abilities was great,I couldn’t help rooting for her (pun intended).

Plants,particularly poisonous plants are mentioned a lot and I really enjoyed the beautiful descriptions,they were thoroughly atmospheric and helped set the tone.

I also loved the Greek Mythology and lore in here which played well with Rhinebeck’s environment,the plants definitely helped with that and I’m in awe of how well it worked in a contemporary setting.

I also thought all of the characters here were superb they had soo much depth;Briseis, her parents, Karter and Marie- they’re so well written it’s hard not to become emotionally invested in them.

A truly diverse novel,brimming with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ representation, which has been lacking for too long in YA Fantasy.

Overall, this is an addictive YA Contemporary Fantasy that I very much devoured, it was that good. I loved it soo much and will just say Bayron has excelled yet again. If you love YA/ Urban Fantasy or Greek Mythology inspired stories then you have to read this, it’s marvellous. I’m eagerly anticipating the sequel because that ending was a mind blowing rollercoaster of emotions.I NEED to know what happens next!

I would also really love to thank Bloomsbury Uk and Net Galley of the ARC. ...more

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Mar 17, 2021 Oyinda rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, 2021-release, black-protagonist, black-author, book-series, read-2021-mar

Book 90 of 2021

I’m so grateful to Bloomsbury YA for my ARC of This Poison Heart, which I’ve been excited to read since Kalynn Bayron first posted about it. This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review, and this review was written voluntarily – all opinions herein are my own.

Let me start by talking about how this book has so many amazing elements that I love so very much. Sapphic relationships, a bisexual MC, plant magic, beautiful and descriptive language, loveable characters, a solid Book 90 of 2021

I’m so grateful to Bloomsbury YA for my ARC of This Poison Heart, which I’ve been excited to read since Kalynn Bayron first posted about it. This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review, and this review was written voluntarily – all opinions herein are my own.

Let me start by talking about how this book has so many amazing elements that I love so very much. Sapphic relationships, a bisexual MC, plant magic, beautiful and descriptive language, loveable characters, a solid plot, ties to Greek mythology, black hair care, gothic vibes, and deep family secrets.

I loved the characters in this book – damn! Briseis, her moms, Karter, Marie – they were all so well written and endearing. The characters drew me in and I was so emotionally invested. I enjoyed their relationship dynamics as well – Bri and her moms, her moms with each other, Bri and Karter, and Bri and Marie.

Yes to black girl magic! Briseis is such a powerful and fierce lead. I loved her journey, growth, and self-acceptance in this book. I love and appreciate the mentions of black hair care, wash day etc. I also love how race and politics were written in this book – from talks of defunding the police to a discussion about the incarceration of black people because of marijuana.

The magic system of this book was so great! I would love to go on and on about the intricacies and what I loved, but that would result in spoilers. The amount of time and research that must have gone into finding out stuff about all those poisonous plants is mind-blowing, and the way the author writes about them just made my imagination run wild. The ties and references to Greek mythology in this book were heavy and I loved it. I’m a sucker for retellings and Greek mythology, and Kalynn Bayron nailed these two things perfectly in This Poison Heart.

The plot was great. It was more of a slowly progressing book at first, but as soon as the action started, IT WAS ON! I completely forgot it was the first book in a series until the book was wrapping up and I realized we were being led to a cliffhanger ending, which I actually loved! There were a lot of questions, mysteries, and hidden secrets in this book, and Bri’s journey towards unlocking and solving them was great to watch. I loved the twists and big reveals, but I was able to predict a couple from a mile away.

Another thing about this book I enjoyed was the gothic vibe of the house. A house that’s been passed down over generations, with a secret garden, hidden doors, and all of that. Loved it a lot! Also, the sapphic love in this book – Bri’s moms are in a wlw marriage, and Bri herself is bisexual.

This was a great book and I can’t wait to read book two because I NEED to know what happens next! I highly recommend that you all pick up this book when it’s out on the 29th of June, so we can geek over it together!!! ...more

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Mar 17, 2021 Lydia rated it really liked it

I am often guilty of judging a book by its cover, and I must say that to me, the cover of This Poison Heart looked like a middle-grade book. Don't get me wrong, I really like the cover--it just deceived me a bit. It looks like there is a second book in the works from the author and she is planning on a series of books so I am envisioning more beautiful covers to come and certainly hope that Kalynn Bayron decides to write a whole slew of books in this series.

This book starts out innocently enough I am often guilty of judging a book by its cover, and I must say that to me, the cover of This Poison Heart looked like a middle-grade book. Don't get me wrong, I really like the cover--it just deceived me a bit. It looks like there is a second book in the works from the author and she is planning on a series of books so I am envisioning more beautiful covers to come and certainly hope that Kalynn Bayron decides to write a whole slew of books in this series.

This book starts out innocently enough. The main character, Briseis, feels terrible that the flower shop she and her mothers' own doesn't have a specific bouquet in stock that a dedicated customer is looking for, and so she decides to take matters into her own hands. She disappears outside for a few moments and magically makes the flowers appear. What Briseis refers to as her "abilities" is never quite explained in detail, though we do learn that she has always had a green thumb and that plants respond to her emotions in dramatic ways-- sometimes to the point of destruction. Typically, she just uses her abilities to make flower arrangements look top notch, but sometimes things get a little out of hand.

Briseis is obviously curious about her gifted ways with plants, and uses them for good, mostly. But her family business isn't paying the bills like it used to, even with that little extra umph Briseis provides to the floral arrangements. At just the right time, Briseis is notified that an aunt she didn't know existed has passed away and left her estate to her. This inheritance results in Briseis and her two mothers moving out of New York and onto the estate in a small town. As Briseis is exploring her new property, she discovers an apothecary full of jars with labels that correspond to the dried plants inside. She immediately feels at home, and begins to wonder if this mysterious aunt who left everything to her had similar abilities.

I adore magical realism and big old houses with mysteries. I also love the ideas of secret gardens hidden and locked away that may hold plants that only someone with a magical ability can touch without being hurt by them. This Poison Heart has all of this and more, with a little bit of Greek mythology thrown in for good measure. I'll be on the lookout for the next book in this series with bated breath.

Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy from Edelweiss ...more

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Apr 10, 2021 hollie rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-i-have-reviewed

I really struggled with this book. Cinderella is Dead has been on my TBR for a while but after reading this book, I'm not sure if I vibe with Kalynn's writing style and perhaps this is why I didn't enjoy this book as much as I expected. Do I read Cinderella is Dead or not bother? That's the question. I'm not sure if it's just this storyline I didn't like or the authors writing.
First of all, the cover is beautiful and I was immediately drawn in by it and accompanied by the blurb, I was all here f ...more

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Apr 08, 2021 D. rated it it was amazing

I got this book as part of the amazon vine program for free in exchange for an honest review. The book I received was an advanced readers copy.

*********

First I loved the cover--it immediately caught my eye. And it's not often that I get to read fiction by a POC author--I'm always looking for fresh writers/books in fantasy.

The storyline was interesting, a black girl from NYC with supernatural powers. Biggest questions that seemed to pop up were why and how and what. How did she get her powers, w ...more

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Mar 28, 2021 Jenn rated it liked it

Shelves: arc

Briseis is out of the school for the summer. Her moms want her to have fun, but all she wants to do is work with the plants at their family flower shop in Brooklyn. See, Briseis has the ability to make things grow rapidly and from the smallest of plant parts. But when they get word that her biological aunt has died (Briseis is adopted) and has left her a vast estate, they head up to check it out. But not everything is as it seems. This quirky story has a little bit of everything: a secret garden ...more

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Feb 02, 2021 Alicia rated it liked it

Shelves: black, female, retelling, series, magical, mystery-thriller, family, stem-nature, voices

Bayron is now firmly in the camp of making her YA fiction career out of retellings and we're all okay with this.

The girl has the magic in her touch and being to make plants perform-- they respond to her, they don't hurt her, she can create more, make them grow, etc. And it works out nicely because her two moms own a floral shop that she works at but when a lawyer comes knocking that shares that she has been left a sizeable estate a few hours north of the city from her birth mother's sister that ...more

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Apr 04, 2021 Ash McClintic rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I was granted an ARC of this; all my opinions are my own.

Really all I want out of life is more queer stories, and this was excellent. Briseis has the unique ability that all plants around her respond to her, her emotions, her thoughts, her touch. When she is notified of a will from her deceased Birth Mother’s sister, leaving her a fully paid off house, she and her two moms move out into the country.

This has a lot of fun twists and turns, and so much girl power and girl love. (Listen, we love th ...more

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Apr 08, 2021 Laynie Rose rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: authors-of-color, lgeebeetees, scifi-fantasy, women-authors, fiction, high-school-ya, my-faves, sapphic-slaps, 2021-books

High pitched screaming from the top of my lungs. Y'all no joke i think this is gonna be THEE YA book of the summer. I am in love with this book. It continuously took my breath away and kept me on the edge of my seat. I was so entranced by the plot and the way it was a mystery, unveiling different aspects of the truth and watching it all unfold. There were plot twists that made me audibly gasp. The characters were rich and captivating, and you just ENJOYED watching them and watching them interact ...more

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Apr 11, 2021 Abby Rubin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-harder-2021

A great book for fans of Poison Ivy and literal Black girl magic. Briseis knows that there is something different about the way that flowers perk up around her and trees grow towards her as she walks by, but she just wants to spend her summer in her Brooklyn neighborhood, working at her parents' flower shop and minding her own business. Everything changes when she inherits an estate two hours outside of the city. Bri and her moms take the time to explore their new house and this community and gi ...more

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Apr 15, 2021 Liv rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Firstly, that cover is STUNNING. But even better, the story inside is just as incredible!

Briseis has a way with plants. Even when she's not trying, they are drawn to her - which can make it pretty awkward when she's just trying to go about her day. When she inherites a house, her family move to the Country and Briseis embraces the chance to really see what she is capable of.

The characters is This Poison Heart are so much fun to read! Briseis's relationship with her Mums is beautiful, and I'm co ...more

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Apr 05, 2021 Ada rated it it was amazing

I received an eArc copy of this book from NetGalley.

I want to just start by saying I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down. I didn't know a lot about this book going into it and I was so pleasantly surprised. Briseis is a brilliant MC with one of the coolest powers I have ever seen and I was rooting for her the whole time. I found it incredibly empowering and very diverse, which I am aiming to read more of!

I absolutely loved her family, I can't begin to express how much I love the ...more

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Apr 08, 2021 Damon rated it it was amazing

This book is exceptional! Stories about magic are always good for me. Stories with strong female leads are always good for me. Stories with twists and turns are always good for me. This has all of those and I was bowled over.

A teenager inheriting a mysterious house in the woods has the potential to be a little clichéd; this book takes your expectations and gives them a feminist twist. Briseis, named after the woman in Greek Myth, is a teenage girl with two loving mothers and a magical ability ar ...more

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Apr 12, 2021 Kristen Beverly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: received-from-publisher

This Poison Heart is a lavishly written young adult novel about a Black girl, Briseis, who has the power to make plants grow. When she is contacted about an inheritance, she and her moms travel to upstate New York to check out the estate. What they find is an estate with a massive garden filled with both edible and poisonous plants and an apothecary. But there are forces at play that do not want her there and are trying to make her family leave. This book is full of interesting characters and is ...more

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Feb 08, 2021 Sage rated it really liked it

This was a really cool read. I wasn’t super sucked in until maybe 60% of the way through, and then I was like I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.

The plants and plant magic was definitely my favorite part, along with the interwoven Greek myths. Love me some Greek myths. I enjoyed CINDERELLA IS DEAD, and the writing in this is really wonderful.

I saw parts of the plot twist coming at the end (the bookshop) but didn’t see other parts of it (THE BANK AND THE KEYS AND !!!!!!!) comi ...more

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Mar 21, 2021 Cyrus rated it it was ok

Shelves: teen-fantasy

I read an advanced copy to review.

I was very disappointed. The story had great potential, and the magic was cool, but I HATED the characters. They were all irritating and unrealistic. The protagonist’s decisions made literally no sense, and all her relationships with other characters go from 0 to 100 instantly. Then she reacts badly to things happening? My reaction was constantly WTF?!

The ending was terrible and the villain’s reasons for being a villain were ridiculous.

Also everything was predic ...more

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