This Poison Heart (original 2021; edition 2022)

A bit of a slow start but once it got going I didn't want to put it down. I am glad that I have book 2 already because I was able to start reading it right away! Can't wait to see what Bri, Marie, and Mo get into in book 2.

Highly recommend this book. ( )

Briseis is not a young woman like others. Since a very young age she can interact with trees and plants, sharing with them her emotions. A simple touch would make a flower bloom, a simple glance would make a tree grow. She refuses to lead a normal teenager life, as she fears to hurt people with her gift and be rejected because of it. Her life changes when an estate attorney announces that she is the only heiress of a dilapidated estate in rural New York. Between fear and curiosity, Briseis and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind for the summer and discover what secrets hide behind the walls of the old house.

The Poison Heart is a page - turner : I was quite excited to discover Bri’s very unique secret gift as well as her dark family’s secret. Kalynn Bayron knows how to weave a story, slowly constructing a very unique ambiance. From the asphalt roads of Brooklyn to the gigantic gardens and forests surrounding the old house, we assist to the evolution of Briseis’s character from a scared and unsure teenager to à courageous young woman, ready to everything to understand where her gift comes from.

The major place that holds Greek mythology in the novel is very interesting and I am very impressed by all the researches the author made about plants. The Poison Heart is not just a simple young adult fantasy novel, but a true immersion into green magick and mythology. ( )

Trigger warnings: blood, violence, murder, attempted murder, death, death of a loved one, poisoning, accidental cutting


1.5 stars out of 5
I just can't get into this, I couldn't get into Cinderella is dead either. The books are diverse and are inclusive and while that's great, this book tried too hard with representation where it was almost over the top. I found it boring and dull and the way the main character kept saying "y'all", "Tryna" and "Black Jesus" got repetitive. I am not racist, I'm completely ok with black culture in books and diversity. But the author just tries way too hard sometimes to incorporate references to culture, and the references aren't truly needed.

This Poison Heart is the author's sophomore novel, her first being [b: Cinderella Is Dead|43900612|Cinderella Is Dead|Kalynn Bayron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574698353l/43900612._SY75_.jpg|68309452]. I have previously read that book and wasn't a huge fan, so I had some high hopes with this book, I either truly didn't enjoy it or just was disappointed due to high expectations.
I must say the diversity in this book is top-notch, Bri isn't straight and is a POC, she is raised by two mothers who are actually the best characters or at least the most tolerable in this 400-page novel.

Bri's powers gave me Poison Ivy vibes at the start, she has plant power and also is immune to poison like excuse me, that's cool!
However, the pacing of the book was kind of slow, while aspects of it were enjoyable, such as the greek mythology aspect which I WAS NOT expecting and I love greek mythology so I was happy with it. I also enjoyed some of the humorous scenes with her Mothers.
The book takes a while to get into the plot and action so if you prefer books with faster pacing (I know I do) then depending on your mood, how irritable you are and just focus span in general, you may want to give this one a miss.





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This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron describes the life of a young girl called Briseis. This captivating and brilliant YA-novel highlights the importance of being true to your nature and embracing your inner power. From a really young age, Briseis had known she was no ordinary girl. She could manipulate the laws of poison and call upon flowers and trees by just being near. Her gifts, or some may call a curse, were to be always kept a secret; but when one day she inherits a strange and mysterious house, it's time to set those powers free and let nature do its thing.

As most stories, it wouldn't be an adventure if some strange things were not happening. Briseis possesses magic forged by nature itself and doesn't know how to use them yet. But as we must know by know, magic always comes with a price. Is Briseis willing to pay that price or is it simply too high? The house is not so ordinary as she ones thought it was, and some family secrets start to float above. A legacy of deadly and poisonous times lies ahead of her and time is catching up. Briseis needs to decide what fate she wants to follow as you only get one chance to prove yourself.

Kalynn Byron deserves more than just a five star rating as she is one of my favourite upcoming writers. She created a charming and alluring story that portrays not only the LGBT+ community, but also the importance of family secrets and ancestors. This Poison Heart was my first LGBT+ book, and I totally adored it. To be honest, I had expected less of a hearthrobing slow burn, but she really outdid herself. It was absolutely an amazing and heartwarming romance. Also the characters were outstandingly good written; I loved the fact that there were characters named after some Greek priestesses and godesses as it brought some mythology to the story.

Because of the Greek mythology that was woven into the story, it seemed that we got a new point of view of ancient Greek women. That way a new history was rebuilt that gets rid of myths and misinterpretations of the Greek women. It gets its own backstory. Although I really liked it, I can't help but mention that the ending was slightly rushed. Overall the plot was a bit slow paced; you got to experience Briseis' personal growth and acceptance towards magic. Most part of the book revolves around that exploration, while the action is more towards the end of the book. Not that it's a bad thing, seen as you need all the information to get the story.

I loved the atmosphere of this book and how it represented black girl magic. It was a fun and unique read. The overall use of plants, deadly or not, really stirred something in me and the need for plants in my own house is really adding up. The fact that she could combine the study of plants with strong familial relationships, romance and magical realism, really proves how good of a writer she really is. Every single one of the characters had their own kind of backstory and it just clicked.

As my final opinion, I think This Poison Heart will be the beginning of a stunning and thrill-seeking series with lots of gripping cliffhangers. The atmosphere of the book is clever, slow and overall calm until that calmness transforms into adventure, mystery and a stifling and thrilling plot. I don't know when the next book will be out in the series, but I can't wait to find out what Bayron has in store next for Briseis and her family. ( )

I NEED THE NEXT BOOK RIGHT NOW. ( )