Not all gifts are welcome. Briseis is bright and determined and if keeping herself in check didn’t require so much of her energy, she’d be an excellent student. But as it is, trying to stop plants – flowers, trees, grass – from reacting to her presence takes a lot of focus. Furthermore, when you’re hiding who you are, it’s hard to keep your friends or make new ones. So when Briseis learns that her birth sister’s mother willed her a property in the countryside, Briseis and her mothers decide to leave Brooklyn and their flower shop for a while and spend the summer in the house the teenager inherited. Despite her fear of being overwhelmed when surrounded by plants, Briseis finds herself able to relax in a brand new way. She also realises there’s more to what she inherited than an old house and a garden. Her birth family’s history goes back a very long time and her ability to make plants grow is only the tip of the iceberg. The safe part of the iceberg.

The main character, Briseis, is relatable despite her incredible gift, her two moms – Mom and Mo – are wonderful, all three are complex and flawed but full of love and trust. I loved the moms, the relationship between them and their relationship with their daughter.

When the three of them first arrive in the small town near which the estate is located, Briseis and her parents worry that everyone seems so white, and Briseis brings up the movie Get Out and jokes that she doesn’t want a white woman living in her body. With a few words here and there, Bayron inserts social commentary in a way that feels so natural it almost seems inadvertent. Very efficient, however.

Because they’re new to the area, Briseis and her parents meet the secondary characters at the same time as the reader. We have the same information about the people they come across. We trust who they trust, dislike who they’re wary of. Not all are who they seem to be and those who apparently are might reveal themselves not to be in the next book. Whatever happens, I hope we get to see more of Marie, the gorgeous young woman who pikes Briseis’s interest, and her unusual bodyguard Nyx, as well as Mama Lucille, Dr Grant and her father the alchemist, and others.

I enjoyed Kalynn Bayron’s debut novel Cinderella is Dead a lot last summer, and was looking forward to her second book. I’m happy to say that I liked it even more and that the issues I had with the writing of the first book aren’t a problem with this one. This Poison Heart feels like The Little Shop of Horrors meets Percy Jackson, with Greek mythology mixed with killer plants and Black girl magic.

Bayron sets the atmosphere cleverly, slowly, quietly, until it becomes stifling and thrilling towards the end. Speaking of which, This Poison Heart is the first book in a series and ends on a stunning cliffhanger. I don’t know when the next installment is planned and I hope we won’t have to wait too long to find out what happens next.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of This Poison Heart!

I absolutely loved Cinderella is Dead, and so I was extremely excited to read another YA fantasy from Kalynn Bayron. Although this story is almost entirely different from Cinderella is Dead in all ways, I loved it at least as much, if not even more. I love that the main character is a Black girl from Brooklyn, and I connected with her life in the city and her family's struggles to make enough money to be able to live comfortably and run their florist shop. I also love all of the references to Greek mythology and the ways that Briseis and her family connect with those ancient myths. The plant magic that Briseis has is well crafted and the theme of protecting the earth and helping the plants flourish really spoke to me. The world-building is great, and I love the ways that the real-world pieces connect with the magical elements. The supporting characters in the book are also well-developed and interesting, and I especially loved reading about Briseis's relationship with her two moms. I really appreciate this kind of LGBTQ rep, where it isn't necessarily a major theme of the story but is just part of everyday existence. I absolutely loved everything about this book, and I am already super excited for a sequel!!! Highly recommend!!

Things I liked: the queer rep, the diverse cast of characters, the spooky house, the mythology background, the magic.
Things I wanted better from: the writing style in the beginning of the book, more development of the romance --felt a little sudden.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron was a magical adventure of self discovery, family, and history. Bri's Poison Ivy like powers over plants and her curiosity won me over in an instant. Some of the tropes in this book are not in the premise, so I will not be including them in my Notion list until after the release date to avoid any spoilers.

Premise

Briseis can turn seeds into full bloomed plants in an instant, and helps her moms out at their flower shop. But when her birth aunt dies, she leaves her entire estate to Bri, so Bri and her moms head up to Rhinebeck for the summer. The old house has an apothecary, and after strangers start showing up to the house, Bri learns that she not only can grow plants, but can make elixirs. However, there is more to this inheritance than Bri expects.

Worldbuilding

As a New Yorker myself, I've been to Brooklyn and Rhinebeck many times. However, Kalynn's writing brings me right back to the business of Brooklyn and the quaint streets of Rhinebeck. Not only were the towns beautifully written, but the gardens in the estates were incredible. The gates in front of the Poison Garden, the walk over, inside the garden, it was so beautiful to read and imagine. As a fantasy novel taking place in today's world, one doesn't usually think as worldbuilding as super important, but it really makes the gardens, apothecary, and estate stand out.

In addition, the magic built in the story was so fascinating. I can't speak to everything due to spoilers, but let me tell you, the magic twist was great. Besides that, Bri's magic specifically was some of my favorite magic I've read recently. Poison Ivy is my favorite Batman villain, and I've always loved her powers. Not only that, but during quarantine I went a little plant crazy, so this book was especially wonderful to read after becoming a plant lover.

Characters

I loved all of these characters. One seemed a tad fishy to me from the start, but I won't spoil who! As a young high schooler, Bri is learning who she is, but on top of that she deals with her powers and how they effect her life, as sometimes she loses control over them. As sketchy as it seemed, moving up to Rhinebeck showed an acute change in Bri, as she finally had friends in this new town that she started care about. Bri's moms, Mom and Mo, were also just utterly hilarious. Their banter was spot on, and it was evident how much they cared about Bri, even if she was spending the summer learning about her birth family.

The other folks in town such as Karter and Marie I did feel like I needed more time with them. Then again, this is a series, so I know I'll get to see them soon! There was a lot of mystery surrounding these two characters, and while some of the information was revealed during the course of This Poison Heart, there will be even more in the next book about these two characters.

In addition, one of my favorite characters was Dr. Grant, a social worker who was answering 911 calls instead of the police. This made me so happy. As someone who is very for defunding the police and fixing our justice system, seeing it in a contemporary novel just made my day. This is the kind of side story that should be in novels. Even though it's not the focus, it's a great opportunity to bring social justice into a book.

Overall

For such a short book, I was blown away. The worldbuilding and magic building was spot on. The character development and relationships were also fascinating to watch unfold.

Briseis Greene is good with plants. It’s not your average green thumb, though – she has a mysterious magic that allows her to grow seeds into blossoms in seconds, and bring a wilted husk of a plant back to life. Her hold on this magic is somewhat tenuous, though, and the plants don’t always stay in her control. When she receives a message that her aunt – from a birth family she has had no contact with since her adoption – has passed away and left her a house in the countryside, she and her moms pack up to go and find out what exactly Bri has inherited. She soon finds herself entangled in magic and mystery, besieged by even more questions about the family she came from.

The magical world of this novel is a combination of magic and mythology, which I love. I also adored the spooky setting of the old house and its mysterious gardens. Bri’s relationship with her parents (her two adopted moms) was fantastic, as was the representation in this novel – aside from Bri’s two moms, Bri herself is queer (bi or pan) as is her female love interest, and most of the characters in the book are people of color. I wasn’t that into the romantic aspect, to be honest - I appreciate the wlw representation but it’s kind of insta-love-y. But that was one of my only minor complaints about the novel. I’m interested to explore this world more when the next book comes out.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

I was charmed, if a bit underwhelmed, by Kalynn Bayron’s debut, Cinderella is Dead, and I had high hopes for her sophomore novel, This Poison Heart. Once again, she’s taking inspiration from folklore and mythology, which I found instantly appealing.

I loved the mix of influences that show up here. It’s in part an homage to Greek mythology, apparent from the name of the protagonist, Briseis, to some other allusions and plot points. There’s also a Secret Garden-esque feel, but a more modern and inclusive take, with Black and LGBTQ+ people front-and-center.

I enjoyed the way the plant/garden/elixir elements were explored. That’s never been an interest of mine, but it was conveyed in a way that made it interesting, especially in how it connected with the historical elements.

A major highlight is the characters and their relationships with one another. Briseis has a lovely bond with her two moms, who support her as she digs into her heritage about receiving her inheritance from her biological mother. Her journey of having to find out who she is is incredibly relatable, and it’s beautiful to see more adoptive children represented on the page, even if in this case there is a fantastical twist.

I did find the romance a bit underwhelming in comparison to the other elements. However, this is the first in what looks to be a series, so I suppose there’s room to grow as the story goes on.

This book is an absolute delight, and I cannot wait for more (especially given that it ends on a cliffhanger)! If you love fantasy influenced by Greek mythology and fairy tales, you’ll enjoy this book!

“My friends were pulling away from me, my parents were worried about me, school was a mess, and this power squatting inside me was trying to break free. How much more of this could I take before I reached a tipping point? Before I did something I couldn’t take back?”

For seventeen-year-old Briseis, Brooklyn is her safe haven. It’s full of concrete and pavement, perfect for someone who wants to hide their unusual gift with plants. Because no one can know that with a single touch, Bri can grow plants in minutes…or that poisonous plants don’t seem to affect her. But when Bri’s aunt dies and leaves her a crumbling mansion and forty acres of land in rural New York, Bri and her parents decide to take a chance and move there for the summer. With no one around for miles, Bri finally has the chance to experiment with her gift, and when she discovers a secret garden on the property, it feels like fate. Except Bri isn’t the only one interested in plants. Mysterious strangers begin showing up and asking for remedies from the old apothecary in the house. Peculiar letters reveal hidden rooms. And Bri finds part of the garden only she can enter, a part filled with poisonous plants. All Bri wants is to finally find somewhere she can fit in. But when secrets from long ago are disclosed and her family is targeted by a nefarious group searching for an immortality elixir and a deadly plant, Bri must learn to control her gift if she wants to protect her family’s past, present, and future.

After absolutely loving Cinderella Is Dead, I had high hopes for Kalynn Bayron’s next novel, and I was not disappointed. This Poison Heart will wrap its vines around you and refuse to let you go until you’ve read the final page. Briseis is a fantastic protagonist, and I loved watching her bloom throughout the book. Her moms are also now two of my favorite literary parents ever! Their relationship with Bri is so healthy and fun, and I wish I could join them for a movie sometime! Bayron does an excellent job combining elements from The Secret Garden with Greek mythology in unexpected ways. Additionally, I can’t wait to see how the seeds of romance planted in this book will grow in the sequel. With literal Black Girl Magic, wonderful representation, and an enthralling mystery, This Poison Heart will knock your stalks off!

Content Warnings: Murder, death of a parent, blood and gore, decapitation, dismemberment, strong language

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

Wow okay, I don't know where to start.

This Poison Heart, in a brief summary, is about a Briseis Colchis, an adopted girl who is able to manipulate plants - that meaning controlling it, being immune to poisons and more. When she and her moms go to her birth family's house ( that she inherited ) over the summer, they believe that this may solve some problems. Yet there is definitely a catch and things aren't as they seem - not with the town nor the people in it.

The gorgeous cover was enough for me to know that I was going to love it and I was correct. Bri was a likeable, powerful character that so many people could resonate with as well, due to the black and bisexual rep. Plus sapphic romance ahh. The rest of the side characters were also just as enjoyable and mysterious. Also this is a Mom and Mo stan account - it's so refreshing to see two alive and supportive parents. Their relationship with Bri was so healthy and we love to see it.

The plot was also elaborate yet not too confusing, and for someone who doesn't know that much of mythology, I was able to understand and was intrigued by it all. Some of the twists were also so unexpected and left me shocked. This was such a unique spin of the myth and I loved it.

The only thing that I feel was lacking was the romance. It was rather bland to me? I didn't like the love interest much either, which was the cause of me giving it four stars rather than five.

Anyways, I need a sequel now. I can't wait for the sequel. This was so stunning.

I already can't wait for the sequel! Black girl magic, Greek mythology, secret gardens, and queer YA fiction bundled together into a book that I didn't know that I needed. Fans of LEGENDBORN by Tracy Deonn will love this as well.

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.)

I absolutely adored this book! It’s filled with Greek Mythology, buried family secrets, a creepy old Victorian home with a beautiful Apothecary and a secret garden filled with the worlds most poisonous plants.

Bri comes from a long lineage of Magical women that have the ability to transform herbs and plants into potions, healing balms, and elixirs. When her family is informed that she has inherited a home and property, she and her two Moms pack up to begin a new life. Upon moving in they are have numerous trespassers inquiring about the apothecary. When Bri decides to reopen the Apothecary, it opens the doorway for people that want to steal the garden’s secrets for themselves. This book is rich in magic, symbolism, and an excellent action adventure that ends on a cliff hanger. I cannot wait to read the continuation of this brilliant story!

I knew Kalynn Bayron was talented after reading her debut, Cinderella is Dead, but this book really brought that point home and showcased her immense talent in the best possible way. It’s a gothic novel with Black girl magic, elemental powers, family secrets, a secret garden, LGBT rep, and Greek mythology running throughout. Plus, it’s topped off with a stunning cover. What’s not to love? In this case, you have my full approval to judge this book by its cover.

I’ve always loved stories that incorporate Greek mythology, but this one does it in a completely unique way in a field that is saturated in Greek myths. The plot was compelling from the start, rapidly snowballing until it picked up an amazing amount of speed in the last quarter of the book. I found myself simultaneously rushing towards the end and dreading the end, because it meant that I’d run out of book and I just wanted to keep reading this amazing piece of art.

Briseis is a compelling main character, one that I easily identified with and wanted to see her do well. She’s both loyal to her family and struggling with loneliness. Her elemental magic keeps her isolated from her friends, making it difficult to maintain close friendships. When she has an estate left to her by a dead relative that she’s never met, she has a chance to start over in a new place, surrounded by plants. But it brings a whole new set of difficulties, and she does’t quite know who she can trust.

I enjoyed meeting the people around her as well, with the characters having their own engaging personalities. There were plenty of humorous aspects to the story, and I found myself chuckling many times as I read. Bayron works in pop culture references so effortlessly and naturally, it’s a perfect example of YA authorship.

I only had two complaints about the story. My first is that one of the characters was clearly suspicious, and Briseis never picked up on anything about it. It seemed blatantly obvious to me, and as soon as the first clue appeared, my wheels started turning, even though nothing ever clicked for Briseis until literally everything got spelled out. The other was the way that Briseis and her love interest had a kind of insta-love connection, rather than having things develop a bit more slowly and naturally. Other than that, this book was damn near perfect, and I’m already dying to get my hands on the next book (as soon as it comes out). Yep, it’s that good.

Wow!!! “This Poison Heart” by Kalynn Bayron was one of the best novels i have read this year and in general. From the very beginning it drew me in with a story about a girl who is struggling to make and keep friends and with everyday stuff along with a little secret power. I loved the idea from the very beginning of her power with the plants I loved seeing how she and plants interacted with each other including poisoned ones. Like so many others I too loved the little Greek mythology twist that brought more depth into the story. Overall, I really enjoyed every word of this book Brislies story was really well told!

There are so many stunning covers out there these days, and this is one of them. Between that and the Poison Ivy (an antiheroine from the Batman universe for all you non-nerds out there) vibes I was getting from the description, this book called to me.

All of the Greek mythology references in this story were unexpected, but being a mythology fan, it was a very welcome surprise. The MC’s name comes from a character in The Iliad. Since I read it decades ago, I didn’t make the connection until I Googled how to pronounce her name. I also loved learning about all the botanicals. It’s clear the author performed extensive research, and some of them are unique and fascinating, but also kind of scary.

One of my favorite things about this novel is Briseis’s family. Her two moms are perfect examples of loving, supportive parents – and they’re also a great comedy team. I laughed so many times over their conversations and comments and unlike many YA novels, these parents play a bigger role in the story. Friends have never been plentiful in Briseis’s life, and she’s hoping to make a fresh start after inheriting the estate and moving to a new town. From almost the moment they arrive, strangers begin showing up and asking for tinctures and elixirs and soon Briseis feels as if she’s found her niche in running an apothecary where she can help people. But she didn’t just inherit the house – it comes along with dark secrets, curses, and shocking surprises. I plowed through this book in two days – that should tell you how difficult it was to put down.

The ending comes with a huge cliffhanger, and you can bet I’ll be anxiously waiting for the next book in the series. If you’re a fan of urban fantasy with a splash of mystery and a dose of Greek mythology, you can’t go wrong with This Poison Heart.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Definitely a step up in storytelling from Cinderella is Dead! This Poison Heart is a cross between Little Shop of Horrors and Greek mythology with Black girl magic. While not a perfect book, there is a lot to like here and I think this will be a hit with a lot of readers. It's fun, creative, mysterious, and has pretty great family dynamics.

Briseis was adopted by her two moms, and I LOVE her moms and their relationship with each other- one of the best parts of the book in my opinion. They live in Brooklyn and Briseis is struggling to keep a lid on her secret plant magic. Then they find out that Bri's aunt by blood has left her a mysteriou estate in rural New York, and they decide to visit for the summer. There are family secrets and a poison garden, filled with deadly plants that Briseis is immune to.

I love the atmosphere of this book and the way that it wove Greek mythology together with some really cool ideas and tons of information on poisonous plants. The mystery elements are interesting and the ending is pretty intense with a lot of big reveals. I think the one issue I had is there's a lack of foreshadowing for many of those revelations which can make the story feel more meandering than propulsive. This is the sort of book that could have been a page-turner, but instead spends the first half feeling like a slightly magical, introspective coming of age story before eventually shifting to a high-stakes mystery/thriller with mythological elements. And I like that there are quiet moments with the family or discovering things about plants or the house, but I think a little more tension and foreshadowing early on would have made the ending feel less abrupt. Note that this is the start of a series and there is a cliffhanger ending as well! Overall, a solid book and worth a read. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Content warnings include violence, gore, depictions of blood, rituals, death of a loved one.

Wow! Just wow! What a great story! Everything was great

Bri as a gift with plants a very special and unique gift. Bri and her moms work hard to keep it hidden when she's in Brooklyn.

She has been gifted a home from her birth mom and that's where things get interesting. Bri is discovering new friends, her family history and things about her gifts she's never known

I was engrossed couldn't stop reading I was just needed to know what was gonna happens and was the story

I loved the mythological aspects and it was so easy to keep up with the hoary and storyline.

I am super excited for this series to continue

Poison Ivy is my all time favorite "villian" - so This Poison Heart was a must have. I was blown away, not all all what I was expecting and loved the "underrated" mythological twist.

This Poison Heart delivers all the Black girl plant magic. But even more so, it's a story about accepting the love we deserve. Calling out friends who don't see us for who we are. It's a story about family and the love that defies danger. I was entirely immersed in This Poison Heart from the beginning and my obsession only grew! The internal narration of Bri is endearing and engaging as Bri begins to uncover even more secrets. There is intrigue layered from the beginning and there is so much I want to scream about, but I can't!

So besides the botany magic which is seriously fascinating, This Poison Heart is an emotional story. Featuring doors we shouldn't always open, centuries old secrets, and high action, This Poison Heart captured my heart. Bri is a fantastic narrator who learns how to show herself to those she loves. I barely took any notes because I was so engaged with the book.

Plants, magic, and poison. Need I say any more? This book had a lot of great aspects and a few I didn’t like as much, so here we go, traveling into the thoughts of me.

First off, I adored the Bri and her moms. Bri was irritating sometimes but I loved her spunk and how she just went at it with everything she had, and her moms were so fun! The family dynamic was great, but it seemed a little unrealistic in my opinion. When it came out that Bri had been lying to her moms and hiding potentially life threatening information from them they just went “well we love you and support you no matter what so it’s all okay!” Really? Pretty sure that no parent would react that way if their teenage daughter hid that much from them, especially when it put both her and their lives at risk. So that felt a little off.

Second, the magic system and world building was so fascinating! I loved the way the plants reacted to Bri and the how they tried to protect her. I enjoyed seeing her try to learn to control her power and stop fighting herself.

The one thing that seemed really weird to me was how much they emphasized that in a town of over six thousand people there were only about six Black people, and then almost every single person they met in the town was Black? I loved that almost every character was Black, but it seems weird to joke about how white the town is and talk about how they don’t fit in because there’s no Black people and then have everyone be Black. The inconsistency there bothered me.

Overall I loved reading this and I’ll definitely be waiting for book two.

I have been trying to get back into fiction (in a slump) and this is a read that did that. Really nicely done. To me there were no drags which is great.

After enjoying Cinderella is Dead, I thought I might enjoy this book as well, but honestly, Bayron has kicked her writing up to near perfection. This book breezes through while also creating a layered, dense plot that has seeds in The Secret Garden, sure, but also Greek Mythology and Little Shop of Horrors and Gothic suspense and horror and and and...I only put down the book to sleep and work, finished it in two sittings, Will be eagerly awaiting the sequel.