Firstly, that cover is STUNNING. But even better, the story inside is just as incredible!

Briseis has a way with plants. Even when she's not trying, they are drawn to her - which can make it pretty awkward when she's just trying to go about her day. When she inherites a house, her family move to the Country and Briseis embraces the chance to really see what she is capable of.

The characters is This Poison Heart are so much fun to read! Briseis's relationship with her Mums is beautiful, and I'm completely in love with their family.

There wasn't much in the way of romance in the book, but with a healthy dose of magic, mystery and Greek mythology the plot was just right. Some really shocking twists at the end set up what already sounds to be a killer sequel!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly wow.
When I first started the story I was a little unsure that it was for me but then there was magic and secrets and so much awesome mental imagery!
I think I’m going to have to wait for quite a while but I definitely need to read the rest of this series.
I really liked Briseis’s character and her relationship with her moms. I think that the unraveling of the story was done brilliantly, and I can’t wait to know more about the magical community in Rhinebeck.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch. When Briseis's aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind for the summer. Hopefully there, surrounded by plants and flowers, Bri will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they could never have imagined--it comes with a specific set of instructions, an old-school apothecary, and a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world that can only be entered by those who share Bri's unique family lineage. When strangers begin to arrive on their doorstep, asking for tinctures and elixirs, Bri learns she has a surprising talent for creating them. One of the visitors is Marie, a mysterious young woman who Bri befriends, only to find that Marie is keeping dark secrets about the history of the estate and its surrounding community. There is more to Bri's sudden inheritance than she could have imagined, and she is determined to uncover it . . . until a nefarious group comes after her in search of a rare and dangerous immortality elixir. Up against a centuries-old curse and the deadliest plant on earth, Bri must harness her gift to protect herself and her family.

Briseis is a brilliant character. I loved her interactions with her mums but also the new friends she creates in Karter and Marie. The approach to her dealing with her past - namely her birth family’s history - was perfect in my eyes. Bri was eager to find out as much as she could, but there was this guard too, this vulnerability that she was desperate to mask when it came to finding out more about her roots. I really enjoyed her blossoming friendship with Karter, and then also her budding relationship with Marie. I did feel this came on a little strong a little fast, but when you have a magical ability to be immune to the most deadliest poisons, I suppose anything is possible.

This has to be one of my favourite contemporary fantasies I’ve read. It’s a blend of two of my favourite genres that just has me feeling happy! I loved the LGBTQ+ inclusion and the how race and politics - like defunding the police and systemic racism - were approached in different moments throughout the book. I certainly praise Bayron for that. The magic felt believable despite the story being set in modern day - if only it were real for us all! I’ll admit that the plot felt slow initially but as it picked up, so did my focus. And oh lordy, when the action hit I was READY FOR IT. So many questions and mysteries are brought to light in this story and it certainly leaves you desperate for the sequel to know what happens. THAT ENDING PEOPLE. THAT. ENDING.

Overall, This Poison Heart is a brilliantly clever blend of our modern day lives with the sprinkling of magic we all wish to have.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advanced copy of this book.

I loved Cinderella is Dead, and was so excited for this book. I did enjoy it, but I wish I had known going in that the ending is more like a movie in that it ends on a cliffhanger with very little of the story wrapped up. Most YA fantasy series that I've read, the first book comes to a narratively satisfying conclusion on its own, even when you can see where the story is going next. That isn't the case with This Poison Heart, to the point where I got to 95% of the way through with the story showing no signs of wrapping up and genuinely wondered if I was going to get to the end of the file to find that it had cut off early.

That being said, it was an enjoyable read, and it's always good to have more fantasy with a diverse range of characters represented. The story zipped by quickly and I read the whole thing in two and a half days. I loved the inclusion of Greek mythology and the different perspective given on some of those stories, too.

I did feel like there was too much going on at times, and a LOT of things that were dipped into and then never come back to. Hopefully those will be resolved in the sequel and I'll be able to come back to this afterwards and find it a thoroughly satisfying introduction to this world.

I really struggled with this book. <i>Cinderella is Dead</i> has been on my TBR for a while but after reading this book, I'm not sure if I vibe with Kalynn's writing style and perhaps this is why I didn't enjoy this book as much as I expected. Do I read Cinderella is Dead or not bother? That's the question. I'm not sure if it's just this storyline I didn't like or the authors writing.
First of all, the cover is beautiful and I was immediately drawn in by it and accompanied by the blurb, I was all here for it but the execution of this book felt a bit messy and I had to really pay attention in order to understand what was happening.
I liked the representation in this book and I did like the magic elements of this book and our main character was likeable and interesting enough. But she also had a sense of dullness about her and was the kind of girl who accepted things happening without much question despite the blurb making a point of saying this is about a girl who questions everything.
The pacing was also a major issue for me. I felt like this book was so slow and it took ages for Bresis to even get to the house that was left for her and I honestly felt even when she got there it was like she was dragging her feet.
I am conflicted with this book because I can definitely see why people would really like this but I think I just personally didn't find enjoyment in the story as I would have originally thought I would have.

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who knows very little about the myths that this book was based on. I really liked this book about a young women who has a mysterious affinity to plants.

4.5/5

Kalynn Bayron’s new YA Fantasy is a magically captivating and beautifully empowering coming of age tale with a supernatural twist.

Briseis was born with a gift, she can grow plants with a single touch. They bloom in her presence and follow her wherever she goes. It’s a secret she and her adoptive mothers have always kept, helping her to learn about and control her gift at their flower shop in Brooklyn.

But when Briseis inherits an old house with rambling gardens from her birth mother’s family, she finally has the space and privacy to test the limits of her powers. In bringing the house back to life, Briseis uncovers a trove of secrets and an ancient legacy of goddesses,witchcraft and a secret (poison) garden.

Her ancestors won’t rest until she finally accepts her gifts and her place as the keeper of the terrible power contained at the heart of the Poison Garden.

I cannot tell you how excited I was to read this, I loved Bayron’s Cinderella Is Dead and so I knew from the premise that this was gonna be incredible.

The contemporary setting was refreshing as many YA fantasy novels are set in a fictional equivalent of medieval Europe,which can get stale. I also really enjoyed the juxtaposition between the more natural setting of small town/village Rhinebeck to Brooklyn (nature vs. city) and how they affected Briseis’ powers. I did get a huge Poison Ivy vibe from Briseis (which I loved) and seeing her explore the limits of her abilities was great,I couldn’t help rooting for her (pun intended).

Plants,particularly poisonous plants are mentioned a lot and I really enjoyed the beautiful descriptions,they were thoroughly atmospheric and helped set the tone.

I also loved the Greek Mythology and lore in here which played well with Rhinebeck’s environment,the plants definitely helped with that and I’m in awe of how well it worked in a contemporary setting.

I also thought all of the characters here were superb they had soo much depth;Briseis, her parents, Karter and Marie- they’re so well written it’s hard not to become emotionally invested in them.

A truly diverse novel,brimming with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ representation, which has been lacking for too long in YA Fantasy.

Overall, this is an addictive YA Contemporary Fantasy that I very much devoured, it was that good. I loved it soo much and will just say Bayron has excelled yet again. If you love YA/ Urban Fantasy or Greek Mythology inspired stories then you have to read this, it’s marvellous. I’m eagerly anticipating the sequel because that ending was a mind blowing rollercoaster of emotions.I NEED to know what happens next!

I would also really love to thank Bloomsbury Uk and Net Galley of the ARC.

I have to admit I was drawn to this book by the cover, I mean, it's gorgeous. I was not disappointed. What a fantastic story. I adored everything, leaning about Briseis powers, discovering her connection with the past and her ancestral lineage, the creepy old house setting and her family, it felt so real. I honestly can't wait to read the sequel!

I received an eArc copy of this book from NetGalley.

I want to just start by saying I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down. I didn't know a lot about this book going into it and I was so pleasantly surprised. Briseis is a brilliant MC with one of the coolest powers I have ever seen and I was rooting for her the whole time. I found it incredibly empowering and very diverse, which I am aiming to read more of!

I absolutely loved her family, I can't begin to express how much I love the fact that she had great, supportive, brilliant mums who supported her and who she communicated with! It was incredibly refreshing.

I found the book very atmospheric and incredibly addictive. I highly recommend it and I can't wait to continue this series!