Reviews with content warning for Gore - This Poison Heart

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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swilliams's review against another edition

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adventurous 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

4.0

i loved this book ! the sapphic rep was brilliant. i was very excited for this after liking cinderella is dead and it did not disappoint ! can’t wait for the sequel :D

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linesiunderline's review against another edition

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adventurous 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

4.75

Loved loved loved this! Here are just a few reasons why:

The representation is phenomenal - never seeming forced, instead natural and real and nuanced.

The family dynamic between Briseis and her moms is so wonderful - loving and warm and open. Mo (one of Bri’s moms) is hilarious. What a strong and memorable character.

Bayron brings the mansion that Briseis inherits to life so evocatively. I could picture it in rich detail, which was what I had hoped for going in. I was not disappointed.

Plants. All the plants.

So much mythology.

It gets REALLY exciting towards the end. Oh, and talk about a cliffhanger. You’d better like cliffhangers.

My only hesitation here is the pacing. It was a slower start. I didn’t really mind because I felt immediately invested in the characters, but it was imbalanced compared to all of the action at the end, in my opinion.

I need to own this one. And I can’t wait for the follow up next year!

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rachrreads's review against another edition

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adventurous informative mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

2.5 stars

In This Poison Heart, Briseis has a secret that separates her from everyone she knows. Plants react to her as she passes; she can help them to thrive and grow. It takes a lot of energy out of her to constantly be holding back and any time she uses her power she feels weak afterwards. Her friends are starting to distance themselves from her, so Briseis feels even more alone than normal.

Her two moms- who she refers to as Mom and Mo- own a flower shop in New York, but are struggling to stay afloat with the increasing rental costs. One day, a lawyer contacts Briseis and tells her she's been left an estate hours away. Her blood mother's sister has been declared dead and left it to her in her will. As Briseis learns more and more about the house, she uncovers more secrets about her birth family. Secrets that help her learn more about her own abilities. But, things are never as good as they seem. A group of people begin attacking Briseis in public, trying to get information from her. Is it worth the risk of her life to stay somewhere she feels at home?

I was so excited to pick up this book. The premise was so intriguing, but the story fell flat for me. The first 65% of the book was pretty dull- she moved to the estate, talked a lot about plants, met some friends, and learned more about her powers and family history. Things began picking up around this point, but they didn't make a whole lot of sense. It felt like the author was rushing with an under-developed plan, unsure of where they were going to bring the story. The villain was predictable and their motives lacked any logic.

The ending left room for an "epic quest" and set up for another book, but it felt like a 2014 Wattpad fantasy to me. I really think this book could have gone to great places, but the execution just wasn't there for me. The characters also were pretty basic and Briseis trusted people way too easily.

Likes-
1. The overall premise of the book was great. I loved how Greek Mythology (Circe, Jason, The Golden Fleece, etc.) was brought into the story, it was interwoven beautifully.
2. Briseis' moms- Mom and Mo- were icons. To be honest, I enjoyed them more than all of the other characters combined. They were the only ones with personalities.
3. Briseis being bisexual. It wasn't the main focus of the story, just a known fact about her. She even has an instant crush on a woman she meets.

Briseis literally told these people she met days ago everything about her powers, but hid things from her parents who loved her. Girly literally spent her whole life hiding her powers, but immediately connects with a boy (Karter--who is just a friend) and shows HIM HER POWERS? Then, there's a mysterious girl who she is immediately infatuated with and she trusts her and Karter enough to SHOW THEM THE ABSYRTUS HEART- AKA THE VERY THING HER ANCESTORS WERE PROTECTING? Girl what are you doing??? This seems so out of character with how secretive you were with your former friends, I am so confused with this.

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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,

Content Warnings

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!

-----
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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breezer's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny 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? No

4.0

Whenever you hear a story about villainous women, you should ask who's telling the story.

A book about a black teen who has magic botany gifts? Sign me up!

This Poison Heart did not let me down. A retelling of The Secret Garden with elements of greek mythology made for a mysterious witchy atmosphere that I really enjoyed.

At times the pacing felt a bit jumpy with a slightly rushed ending due to the first person narration, and to me the twist seemed a little obvious, however these only minorly affected my enjoyment.

The diversity of the characters was fantastic and the discussions around Bri's adoption were very refreshing in how well they were explored. The family dynamic between Bri and her mums was truely lovely to read.

Throw in an inherited large old estate, a brilliant main character and fascinating insights into botany and you've got a book I cannot wait for a sequel to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for providing me with an advanced reader's copy.

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