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notsobinaryart's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Gore, Medical content, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror
Minor: Toxic friendship and Animal death
takarakei'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
4.5
- Black girl magic
- Sapphic
- Gothic
- Plant magic/apothecary
- Greek mythology
[audiobook] - Immediately immersive and interesting. Reads very easily and quickly. I was fascinated by all the plant information, must have taken quite a bit of research. I loved Bri's parents and their relationship. I'm excited for the sequel and glad I already have it on my shelf.
SO now I'm gonna read The Secret Garden (as this is a retelling)...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Minor: Grief, Animal death, and Racism
micaelamariem's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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? No
5.0
Last summer, I ordered a one time box from OwlCrate and got this gorgeous editiion of This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron, published by Bloomsbury. It only took me six months to start reading it!
This Poison Heart is a wonderful YA fantasy, a Greek mythology retelling involving Medea and Hecate. The main character, Briseis, has always had a unique power with plants. They reach and grow for her. But she suddenly discovers she is also immune to poisonous plants. This discovery comes along with an inheritance of rundown mansion with gardens from her birth family–but everything isn’t as it seems.
I loved this book! I wasn’t sure what to expect, because this author’s book Cinderella is Dead was just okay to me, and I thought perhaps this book would also be average. But it was so much better! Filled with a gothic atmosphere, deadly plants as if it was The Little Shop of Horrors, Black girl culture, family secrets, and Greek mythology, I was here for all the vibes that came together nicely.
The writing itself was beautiful, and you can tell Bayron has a passion herself for plants alongside her main character. It really added to the story. Plus Briseis’s relationships added another dimension–it was refreshing to see loving Queer moms, the beginning of healthy friendships, but also townsfolk who seemed shady in their own interactions.
There wasn’t much in the book that I didn’t like. I will admit that there were a couple of times that the dialogue got cringey when trying to refer to Black popular culture, as if the author were trying to hard to showcase the culture, but the cringe moments were still few and far between. I also am curious to see more about Marie. I don’t think we learned enough about her in the first book, and she seemed to be too conveniently absent in the last big part of the book.
I am looking forward to the sequel, This Wicked Fate. There was a bit of a cliffhanger at the end and I’m ready to find out what happens next.
I’d highly recommend this book to YA fantasy readers, fans of Greek mythology, and those who want to read more diverse books. Five stars!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death of parent, Animal death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, and Death
relin's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Minor: Death, Animal death, Classism, and Adult/minor relationship
taleofabibliophile's review
adventurous
dark
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Blood, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Gore, Animal death, Child death, and Infidelity
strange_little_ranger's review
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? It's complicated
4.5
First book in a series
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Death, Gore, and Grief
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
madarauchiha's review
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
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