Reviews tagging 'Grief'

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

53 reviews

zombiezami's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, Death, Torture, Blood, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror

Minor: Pregnancy, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Police brutality

noodlesny's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? No

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Blood, Murder, Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Cursing

There's an unorthodox minor/adult relationship. It's not the standard type of disturbing of, say, a 30 yr old 'dating' a 16 yr old. It's a similar theme that comes up in certain anime at times, if you're familiar with those. It wasn't enough to make me stop reading but I was definitely uncomfortable with it and kept thinking about it throughout the reading.

So there was a 16 year old and a hundreds of years old immortal being that's in a teenaged body. This felt icky to me bc even though they did present and interact with the minor as a fellow teenager, they had the literal mind of a multi century old adult. They even mentioned them dating a present character's dead grandparent in the past. It's just weird.

natraf_reads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? No

4.75

I loved this greek mythology inspired tale of a teenage girl discovering more about herself and her lineage !

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Grief and Toxic friendship

mayachuchu13's review

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious tense 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

Everything was great. Love the story, romance, plot twists. All of it was well thought-out and the MC is so likable, I was rooting for her since chapter one. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gaslighting, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Gun violence

Only two confusing things (#2 is a spoiler): 1. If Bri literally has magic powers it’s kinda stupid how she has this “there’s no such thing as magic!” attitude every time she learns something new. You literally grew up with magic powers, why are you so doubtful of witches and spells??

2. At the end when Hecate save Bri, why couldn’t she have come before the mom died??? What triggers Hecate and why was that trigger so late??? I hope it’s answered in book 2 T-T

mel_muses's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This was super fun and I absolutely loved the world the author built. As I was reading (listening to the audiobook) the vines moved, the flowers bloomed, and everything came to life. It managed to be sweet and full of love - even amid the intrigue and gruesomeness at the end.

My one gripe is that towards the end the writing felt a bit cheap, or at least forced, with an over-reliance on the villain archetype.

I don't think I connected with Briseis completely, but I clearly see how her story could and does mean so, so much to queer Black girls. Briseis as a character and her moms as her family was the perfect backdrop for a story so full of heart, as This Poison Heart is. 

I can't wait to read This Wicked Fate and see where the rest of this story goes!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent

Minor: Grief

sonygaystation's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gore, Murder, and Violence

Minor: Grief, Toxic friendship, and Pregnancy

befrazzledenby's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Gore, and Blood

guessgreenleaf's review

adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Violence and Blood

Minor: Murder, Kidnapping, and Grief

hobbithopeful's review

adventurous emotional funny 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? No

5.0

WHAT THE HECK THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING!!
Plants, magic, and a diverse cast of characters make this story shine, I loved every second of this queer fantasy book. When Bri finds out she has inherited a house from her birth family, it feels like the answer to her family's financial problems, and a chance to find out more about the mysterious powers she possesses. Everyone has secrets in the town, and while she's happy to open the apothecary and work in the poison garden, she soon finds out how dangerous of a situation she has landed herself in.
I could not pick a favorite part out of this book, I adored all of it! Seriously! Every character was so fleshed out and easy to distinguish, I loved the queer romance and how Bri has two Moms, and diverse fantasy? Yes please! I also learned so much about botany which was just so cool. All the mythology elements was a surprise, but I loved the inclusion of it.
It did end on a bit of a cliffhanger, but not in a way that felt cheap and like a cop out.
The sequel is out now and I am so glad because I need to read it IMMEDIATELY! Before even typing this review I went and requested it from the library. READ THIS! 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Grief, Blood, and Death of parent

Minor: Death of parent

karissabubble's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This was such a lovely read! I loved the way this was written and how relatable it was, truly nostalgic and exciting to read! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Grief