I really enjoyed reading this mythological story featuring Black Girl Magic, interesting characters and plants. .


Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

A perfect combination for fans of Percy Jackson and The Secret Garden. I loved this book so much! With excellent descriptions and representation, I know that the teens I give this to will love it.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA for a copy in exchange for an honest review. Briseis has a special gift. She can grow plants from the tiniest of seeds with just one touch. Bri and her parents are left with an estate in rural New York when Bri's aunt passes away. Bri soon learns that not everything is as it seems and must learn to control her gift and solve the mysterious secrets surrounding her home and gift. Have the sequel ready beside you because you'll want to continue this story right away!

I did not finish this book. I tried on multiple occasions and it just wasn't for me! Thank you so much for the ARC! The premise of this story is legit, I just lost interest.

Bri can control plants... well, Bri has the ability to control plants. She hasn't quite gotten that ability under control, but what can she say? She's magical.

I adored this book. It was a cute and easy read: perfect for when you don't want to spend weeks or months trying to get through a book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in plants, quirky magical ability, and for fans of books like Aristotle and Dante Discover the Universe or Cemetery Boys.

Mythology mixed with fantasy, set in a small town so it has a bit of gothic flare. Could definitely see it being a CW show, and it reads like one. Main character Briseis is interesting and well-rounded, and I like that her main flaw seems to be gullibility driven by loneliness. The last name Greene is a bit on the nose though amusing. Rush of notes: Greek mythology (focus on lesser-known figures Hecate and Medea with some inclusion of Jason mythology), magic and witch-y-ish stuff, plant powers activate, Tuck Everlasting mixed with Twilight vibes for one character, LGBT relationships, friendships, mystery, family feuds, pop culture references, quick read, sets up for at least one sequel.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

I really loved the blending of Nature with this urban fantasy! I enjoyed this read. I live the Familial intrigue with the magical aspects. It really set a good tone. The end was also very pivotal for me. I decided that this book was good and I could put aside a few minor things I didn't enjoy and overall get into this read. I feel like the pacing could have been just a bit faster to really drive this book home for me.

I’m not really in the mood for a slow build and this is very dense with plant descriptions at the jump. That’s part of what makes the story so atmospheric. But it also already had me skimming. Very gothic and cool. The reviews that note gothic vibes are spot on. The Greek mythology nod is less

The face of YA has really changed in the last few years and what I love most about that is having covers that reflect the diversity of the stories being told. Briseis is a young woman with a gift that terrifies her. Her very presence revitalizes any plant life around her. Flowers bloom, trees literally bend and uproot themselves to get near her. In her Brooklyn neighborhood she walks a tightrope just by walking outside. For years B and her two mothers have struggled to give her a normal life which is difficult. When word arrives that B has inherited a house and large grounds her family thinks this is an opportunity for her to learn to control her powers.

The house Briseis inherits has deep roots into the community and her past. As she reopens an apothecary that once existed in the house but she draws in forces that threaten to tear her world apart. I really loved the narrative style of this book. B and her family are fully realized characters that experience relatable , real world problems. I loved all the flower and herb lore and the ending leaves you wanting more instantly. A wonderful start to a great series.

Rep: LGBTQIA+, Black

So I didn’t really enjoy Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron, and I was hesitant when I picked up this novel. However, I liked this more than its predecessor. The Greek mythology was interesting and I wish there had been more of it explained. The characters and their relationships are quite nicely done so I could connect with them. The plot was predictable, and the pacing wasn’t always perfect but I didn’t mind because the character development really worked for me. I’m cautiously optimistic for the sequel and I’m giving this 3/5 stars.

I am a HUGE poison Ivy fan so when I heard about this book by the author of another wonderful retelling-Cinderella is Dead, then I knew I had to grab this book fast. I loved the world building, the characters, the mystery. It was all so magical. I can't wait for more from Kalynn.

This book is spectacular! It’s everything I love to see in a magical book. I love Bri and her powers, the horse, the gardens and all the characters. This book was so well done. I cannot wait until the second one!

I found this book really enjoyable. I love voice of the main character and the really interesting way her powers work. I really enjoyed seeing her interactions with her family. The author did a great job of slowly revealing and building the tension.

Plants respond to Briseis. She tries her best to control this ability, but sometimes she just can't help it. They perk up when she's around. She lives with her moms about their flower shop in Brooklyn and things aren't going great. Rent is going up, friends are drifting away. Then, she is contacted by a real estate lawyer that her birth mother's sister has left her a house in Rhinebeck, NY. They go to check it out, and it's a big ol' house with lots of secrets. The town has potential friendships, so maybe it could be all good. Then, people just start showing up at the house. What's up with that?

Bayron has given us a good story about plants, traditional medicines, uncovering history and myth, and more. It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, so you'll want to be ready for the second part of the duology coming out in summer 2022.

This contemporary fantasy feels fresh and exciting, perfect for fans of CEMETERY BOYS and LEGENDARY. With strong family dynamics, casual queer representation that will speak to teen readers, connections to mythology, and an exciting new magic system, this book has all the elements of the perfect fantasy novel. I adored this book and look forward to the sequel. Highly recommend to teen and adult readers alike.

Unfortunately, this book didn't work for me. I found the writing to be kind of a mess, very rambly and very all over the place and this isn't going to hold my attention like I'd hope.

This is probably an unpopular opinion because so many loved it but I just didn’t enjoy it as much, It wasn’t a story for me.

I liked this one! It was really cute and fun to read. It’s a YA fantasy following a young woman or teenager, I think teenager but she’s very much written like an adult, like her maturity level is peak but she can manipulate nature. She lives with her two mothers in New York City who totally steal the show by the way and she knows a lot about plants, especially poisonous plants. This leads to the main plot where she is contacted by someone concerning her inheritance of a family estate and then the book chronicles her exploring this family estate to only find out that her biological mother and grandmother had the same gift of manipulating nature, but there remains a bit of a conspiracy involving their family history.

The book really stuck with me once we got to explore the old mansion, it gave me cottage core vibes yet it was a bit spooky to. Plus the various poison plants were almost like characters which was fun and then the added bonus of mythology sprinkled in left me enjoying myself. Unfortunately some events towards the end fell flat for me due to feeling far fetched and rushed because the rest of the story is really, how do I explain it, like open, it’s very easy to explore, assume what might happen. Leaves room to breathe but then the end felt a little closed off. everything escalates so fast at the last 50 pages. I gave this 3 out of 5 stars and I see myself continuing with the sequel which recently got a beautiful cover reveal so I’m excited to see what happens next.

I really enjoyed this book until I got close to the ending and realized there was no way it could possibly end in a satisfactory manner. Soon after the story seemingly went off the rails and the tone, characters, and plot took a hard left into something that felt drastically different and rushed compared to the previous 250 pages. I liked the concept, but felt it could have been paced differently to make it feel less like whiplash.