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bookishbette's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
Oh. My. God.
When I say that this is easily in my top five books EVER, I am NOT kidding. I cannot WAIT to get my hands on the sequel!!!! I started this at work during a lazy day and I could BARELY put it down to do my actual job, and started back up the SECOND I got back home. It's so wonderfully emotional, telling the the story of Briseis and her blood family so well and genuinely that I feel like I'm part of them as well. The descriptions are so vivid, I could picture the flowers before I even attempted to Google them, and I've learned about so many cool new flowers and plants that I definitely should avoid!
It's a very medium pace right up to the end, when so much happens all at once that it's the best kind of whirlwind imaginable—one you almost don't see coming. I'm usually pretty mid about medium-paced books, because I feel like it takes me a while to read them, but this? I was ASTOUNDED when I realized I was nearly halfway through it, and it was SUCH a bittersweet revelation! To know that I was getting close to the climax, to finding out the answers to so many questions that I shared with Bri, but also know that meant I was that much closer to being done? Bitter and sweet!!!!
Truly, if you have not read this book, you are depriving yourself. It is masterful, gorgeous, and a truly wonderful depiction of a story that girls who look like Briseis don't usually find themselves centered in—and have long deserved to.
When I say that this is easily in my top five books EVER, I am NOT kidding. I cannot WAIT to get my hands on the sequel!!!! I started this at work during a lazy day and I could BARELY put it down to do my actual job, and started back up the SECOND I got back home. It's so wonderfully emotional, telling the the story of Briseis and her blood family so well and genuinely that I feel like I'm part of them as well. The descriptions are so vivid, I could picture the flowers before I even attempted to Google them, and I've learned about so many cool new flowers and plants that I definitely should avoid!
It's a very medium pace right up to the end, when so much happens all at once that it's the best kind of whirlwind imaginable—one you almost don't see coming. I'm usually pretty mid about medium-paced books, because I feel like it takes me a while to read them, but this? I was ASTOUNDED when I realized I was nearly halfway through it, and it was SUCH a bittersweet revelation! To know that I was getting close to the climax, to finding out the answers to so many questions that I shared with Bri, but also know that meant I was that much closer to being done? Bitter and sweet!!!!
Truly, if you have not read this book, you are depriving yourself. It is masterful, gorgeous, and a truly wonderful depiction of a story that girls who look like Briseis don't usually find themselves centered in—and have long deserved to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Pregnancy
This book heavily features adoption and the feelings that come with being an adoptee, as Briseis is adopted. There are also vivid depictions of poison and its effects, sincemegamind169's review against another edition
adventurous
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror and Blood
matheo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Medical content
flopsiful's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Body horror, and Death of parent
cerilouisereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, and Body horror
Moderate: Gaslighting, Medical content, and Violence
kayladaila's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Gaslighting, Gore, Kidnapping, and Torture
Minor: Bullying and Stalking
tinytrashqueen's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, and Blood
Moderate: Self harm and Abandonment
madarauchiha's review against another edition
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,
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,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Death, Gore, Gun violence, and Misogyny
Minor: Child death, Drug use, and Racism
tascaraudo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-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
This book was so fun to read! I loved Bri's relationship to her parents, and the way she interacts with other characters as the story progresses. The growth of her power and connection to her emotions is wonderful. The whole story is a mystery within another mystery, and the ending is a banger!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Stalking
There is very little the main character has to deal with in terms of explicit racism. She is allowed to be a character without having to struggle with this specific kind of oppression within the story.fadedpages's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Blood, and Body horror
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