Reviews with content warning for Kidnapping - This Poison Heart

Okay so I am usually frightened pretty easily, but I did okay with this one. It was dark and tense at times, BUT I didn’t have nightmares. All of the thrill and none of the consequences. It’s somewhat slow and mysterious and suspenseful in the first two-thirds of the book, but then it picks up and you’ll be like “?!?!?!?” (in a good way!). I loved the plants, the LGBT+ rep, the MC and her family are lovely. Super cute dialogue. Also, the wide cast of Black characters—instead of just one token stereotype written by an author who obviously has no idea what they are talking about—was so awesome. I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

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azrah786's review against another edition

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4.5

**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

CW: death of family members, self-injury, stalking, poisoning, blood, murder, violence

A retelling by Kalynn Bayron? I just knew it was going to be something unique and instantly draw me in.
If you enjoyed Tracy Deonn's Legendborn then you'll love this too! (And vice versa.)

This Poison Heart follows Briseis, a teenage girl who has a magical affinity for plants.
Since a young age plants have been physically drawn to her and she can make pretty much anything grow at will – a brilliant ability to have, though also one that has proven difficult to keep under wraps, when your mums own a flower shop. One day, she receives news that an estate in a rural town has been left in her name by her birth aunt, which provides Bri with the perfect space and opportunity to fully practice her powers and also the chance to get to know more about her biological family. However, the discovery of an old-school apothecary, a secret garden full of dangerous plants and with strangers turning up on the grounds it becomes clear that this inheritance involves more than it first appeared to.

Though it feels like there is a mish mash of different stories coming together in this retelling, at its heart it is very much a reimagination, and a very clever one at that, of the story of Medea from Greek mythology.

Bayron is absolutely masterful at merging fantastical elements into a contemporary setting. The writing itself felt as though it was giving off its own magic which encompasses you in the way of a classic fairytale, and this paired with the air of mystery that slowly creeps into the overall plot meant I was instantly hooked. The pacing is a little on the slower side however, I found I didn’t mind that much.

A big part of Bri’s character in this book is about self-discovery as well as her learning to become more comfortable with and opening up her true self to other people. I’ll admit she was a little too trusting and naïve at times but I really enjoyed following her development, discoveries and relationships with other characters. I particularly loved the family relationships, more YA books with supportive parents who are also present for the entire story please!!!!
The romance that came about felt a little rushed and underdeveloped though I was fascinated by the characters that this part of the plot helped to introduce and can’t wait to find out more about them.

I’m not going to say anything more but that explosive ending and the final reveals have got me pretty excited to see where the rest of the story goes!
Final Rating – 4.5/5 Stars

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kayladaila's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy! The book came out while I was reading it, so I switched to the finished copy halfway through reading the book.

Everything about This Poison Heart is right. The characters come from diverse backgrounds and there are all types of queer representation. The story seamlessly references Greek mythology with nods to the Victorian gothic and musical theater. I am required to share that there is a reference to Hamilton and two references to Hadestown. I simultaneously couldn’t put The Poison Heart down and tried to savor it because I never wanted it to end. This is definitely one of my favorite books of the year.

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kenziewol's review

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This book was so good! It started of a little bit on the slower side for me, but that’s to be expected with kinda setting the scene of the book as a whole. But once it got going, it really took off.

I loved so many things about this book! Cool plant magic, poisons, a bad ass main heroine, mythology, & lgbtq+ representation!! This book really had it all for me. I also loved the mystery aspect of it, it kept me on my toes & when I finally thought I figured something out and new thing would happen two pages later that made me question everything.

Only thing I didn’t absolutely love was the

age gape of the love interest, she was like 300 years old and I was kinda like why???

But at the same time it’s pretty standard in fantasy books so it wasn’t the end of the world, I just didn’t absolutely love that part

This was seriously such an enjoyable read and a great way to kick of my august reads! I CANNOT wait for the sequel because man that ending 😫

If you enjoyed legendborn i think you’d really like this book as they have similar vibes

(magic ancestry, figuring it out on their own, mythology vibes)

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saimab's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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madarauchiha's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.75

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜 my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara 💜 💙 💚 💛 🧡 ❤️

I'm disappointed that I didnt check because its ya genre so I'll have to adjust my interpretations accordingly. But it's incredibly sweet and lighthearted and I really love this lil lesbian couple and their adopted daughter plot.

I also didn't realize it's a series. After the finale I kinda don't want to continue reading it. Mostly because I prefer adult genre, and because the ending didn't really compell me to want more. It's not that it was bad per se, but in combination with the weird pedophilic love interest? No thanks, that's put me off. I'm sure it'll be dealt with in the second book but I'd rather read a spoilered summary, THEN decide if I want to read the book.

▪ “I’m Dr. Khadijah Grant. I run the civilian Public Safety Office here in Rhinebeck. How are you all this evening?” When she caught sight of Mom she bit back a smile.
“We’ve been better,” Mo said. “Public Safety Office? So, you’re not a police officer?”
“No, ma’am,” Dr. Grant said kindly. “I’m a licensed social worker, and my department handles incidents called in on the non-emergency line.”

I like that there's no police. It's very well incorporated into the plot line, and honestly a relief to read about.

▪ Her eyes were the color of ink and her skin was like the velvety petals of the calla lily, Black and beautiful. She had a jet-black mass of thick, lustrous hair framing her head. Set among the valleys and peaks of her natural hair was a crown of golden gilded rays.

I'm quoting this both to point out the darkskinned represention and how lovely the prose is.

▪ I grabbed a copy of The Changeling and set it on the counter. I felt bad that he was giving me the field guides for free so I figured I could at least find something to pay for.

VICTOR LAVELLE REFERENCE OMG

pedophilia discussion:

▪ Marie leaned against the seat. “That illness I told you about, the one that made me so sick I thought I would die? It was plague. Some strain of the Black Death.”
“What?” I couldn’t comprehend what she was saying. “You’re telling me you got the plague? How is that even possible?”
“It was a long time ago,” Marie said quietly.
I was done trying to be polite. “How old are you? Because I’m really, really confused.”
“Three hundred and seventy-six.”

I dont like that this female love interest(?) is literally an adult, and way too old for her. at least I hope 'shes quite taken with you' doesn't meant anything romantic. Marie has the appearance of a teenager. The MC is about 16 years old at the time.

content warnings:
minor child death, injuries, anti miscegenation, drugs, whorephobic language,

medium poison, injuries, hamilton musical mention, animal death, gore, blood, misogyny, murder, death, gun violence, police,

major poisons / poisoning, medical content, murder, body horror?, violence, blood, child abuse, dogs, kidnapping,

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betweentheshelves's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for sending me an advanced copy of this to review! I loved Cinderella Is Dead last summer, so I was super excited to get to this one. It definitely lived up to the hype for me! A little bit of mythology, a little bit of magic, and a little bit of mystery. It’s the perfect summer read.

The most enjoyable thing about this book is its take on Greek mythology. It’s a retelling that pulls other elements into it, making it a unique reading experience. This is based on a myth I don’t know a lot about, but it pulls a lot of different elements into it to make the story incredibly engaging. Plus, Bri’s voice as a narrator adds to the engaging nature of the story. She’s spunky and fights for what she loves.

While the main premise of this is fantasy, there is quite a bit of mystery in it as well. Specifically, a family mystery. By the end, it gets pretty suspenseful, and leaves off on a cliffhanger! Bayron is also a master of description. It really draws you into this house that Bri has inherited, adding to the mystery. It’s almost as if the plants are characters of their own, always reaching for Bri. Overall, it’s so atmospheric and makes you want to keep reading stories in this world.

The only reason this isn’t getting five stars from me is that there were a few elements that were a bit predictable to me. There were plot elements that I could see coming from the beginning. However, they didn’t take away from the overall mystery behind the plot. Also, there was some insta-love, which isn’t always my favorite, either.

All in all, this is a unique, engaging story that will definitely leave you wanting more!

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This was a mix of so many things, and I really enjoyed it! And I need to know what happens next! Full review to come tomorrow.

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