This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron was included in my July OwlCrate box, and I am over the moon. I love the cover alterations, as well as the reverse side of the dust jacket. I'm still torn on what side I'll go with, but that's a different story.
Briseis has spent her whole life trying to hide a secret. For a teenager, that probably isn't the most uncommon thing in the world. What is significantly less common is her secret: Bri can magically grow plants. We're not talking about having a green thumb; we're talking about plants that spring from a single seed at her touch, vines that actively reach out to hold her.
On the bright side, keeping her secret might just get a whole lot easier. Her biological aunt left her a large estate out in New York – with plenty of room to work with plants unseen. It's like a dream come true. Only, it seems like somebody here already knows Bri's secret, and they're not afraid to hurt the people she loves to get what they want.
“What it sounds like doesn’t make a difference to me. This isn’t just something in your blood. It’s you. It’s who you are. How could I doubt what you’re telling us when I’ve seen what you can do?”
To say that I was instantly captivated by This Poison Heart would be an understatement. I was immediately pulled into Brisies' story, fascinated by her magic, her story, and her family. In short, I wanted to know everything about her.
So I kept reading. This novel combined so many elements that I love into one, and thus I'm resisting the urge to simply gush about this book to anyone that will listen. The magic in this book added so much to the story itself, and I would have loved to see more of it.
This Poison Heart is influenced heavily by Greek mythology. And by that, I mean it took a Greek legend and turned it into something new. I loved this. Not only did it add so much depth to a classic story – but it gave agency to a character that I always felt was left overlooked. (Yes, I'll admit that I have a weakness for novels doing precisely this – I'm not ashamed to admit that).
There is a lot to love about This Poison Heart – the characters, the representation, the world, the magic, all of it. So I am thrilled to report that this is actually the first novel in a series (at least two books, but I'm hoping for more), and I just can't wait for more news of This Wicked Fate.
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Reviewed by Quirky Cat on
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 30 August, 2021: Finished reading
- 30 August, 2021: Reviewed