This Poison Heart: From the Author of the Tiktok Sensation Cinderella Is Dead

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Bayron weaves science and Greek mythology into a captivating lore that lends weight to this fantastical contemporary story. She conjures entertaining and realistic dialogue and attentive characterization, while incisive descriptions and sumptuous prose evoke a wonderfully gothic atmosphere." - Publishers Weekly (starred review) And then, I’d pushed too hard. Igrew dozens of the daisy-like chamomile plants, but I also brought the roots of our neighbor’s Norway maple tree up through the ground, tearing apart the landscaping and busting a hole in the fence. Mo told the guy next door that sometimes trees go through a growth spurt, like kids when they hit puberty, and for some reason that was beyond me, his dumbass believed her.

The flowers in my arrangement craned their soft petals toward me. Any time I was sad or scared or happy, they took notice, reacted in kind. Grief and sadness made them shrivel; happiness made them perk up; and fear and anger made them lash out. I adored Briseis relationship with her Mums. Their love for Bri was so incredibly beautiful. Mo and Mum’s relationship actually made me laugh out loud at certain points. Mo, in particular, was hilarious but I loved how much they wanted the best for Bri. They moved out to the middle of nowhere just so Bri could discover more about her birth mother. Something that takes a lot of bravery to do so. Especially when you have no idea what you may find. More than anything.” She glanced at the wall of glass jars, then set her hands on the counter, leaning in. “I read a study once. It said that if you have a plant and talk to it like you love it, it’ll grow faster, bigger. But if you keep a plant and talk down to it, insult it, it will wither and die.” We’ve got some beautiful peonies,” Mom said. “The Ann Cousins variety. They’re gorgeous, Robert. Icould put them together for you right now.” A promising portrayal of an adolescent mind which has been brainwashed by controlling adults into believing that its owner is evil.

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In a time of typewriters and steam engines, Iris Winnow awaits word from her older brother, who has enlisted on the side of Enva the Skyward goddess. Alcohol abuse led to her mother’s losing her job, and Iris has dropped out of school and found work utilizing her writing skills at the Oath Gazette. Hiding the stress of her home issues behind a brave face, Iris competes for valuable assignments that may one day earn her the coveted columnist position. Her rival for the job is handsome and wealthy Roman Kitt, whose prose entrances her so much she avoids reading his articles. At home, she writes cathartic letters to her brother, never posting them but instead placing them in her wardrobe, where they vanish overnight. One day Iris receives a reply, which, along with other events, pushes her to make dramatic life decisions. Magic plays a quiet role in this story, and readers may for a time forget there is anything supernatural going on. This is more of a wartime tale of broken families, inspired youths, and higher powers using people as pawns. It flirts with clichéd tropes but also takes some startling turns. Main characters are assumed White; same-sex marriages and gender equality at the warfront appear to be the norm in this world. I scrambled to think of what I’d meant to ask her. “There are stores—you know, online—that sell most of this stuff.”

Nope. That kid is a whole demon. He told his grandma to shut up the other day and nobody said anything. He’s mad disrespectful. My grandma would’ve snatched my soul right out my body.” Mr.Hughes laughed, his eyes still damp with tears. “I got you covered. Imake it from scratch—my grandmama’s recipe. Nothing like it in the whole world.” Hmmm, I really tried to make sure I found this exciting, but it just want giving. It had a great ending though, so definitely looking forward to read the next book. And that number is insane when you think about it. I’m sure there are thousands of plants that we haven’t discovered or really taken the time to explore the true properties of it. As Briseis uncovers the truth about the house and her family history, things begin to take even more of a dangerous and sinister turn...

A magical Queer story of a Poison Garden, close family bonds, small town secrets and Greek myth, this was such a fun ride. I loved that Briseis magic was specific to plants, and I enjoyed following her as she finally found a place away from the chaos of the city where she could truly test her magic. From that point on, Mom and Mo gave me little tests. They’d put me near a dead plant, and it would turn green and grow new sprouts if I paid attention to it. When I was older, they gave me seeds that I would plant and bring to bloom in minutes. They didn’t know how or why I could do the things I did, butthey accepted it, nurtured it, and let it grow, just like the plants—until I was about twelve. Briseis has a very unusual power – she can control the plants and flowers around her. But she's struggling to keep her gift under wraps, and it's starting to alienate her friends. So when she discovers that she's inherited an old house from her birth family, she and her adoptive mothers agree that it might just be the fresh start they need.

This book was so boring that I can barely write a review for it, so I will write an acrostic poem instead (channeling all that big-brain grade 5 energy here): I’ll tell her,” my mom said. “And you don’t owe us anything—except maybe some of your world-famous peach cobbler.” What a fun and unique read! This Poison Heart features a blend of plant loving, Greek mythology and a haunting tale to find one's own mysterious heritage. I thought Briseis was such a fun main character, particularly with her powers of growing and understanding plants (like Poison Ivy). Although this isolates her from other people, she has a strong bond with her two mothers which was lovely to see. I praise the LBGTQ rep, except in one aspect: Marlon, Bri's nonbinary childhood friend, doesn't factor into the story in the slightest. They're in the past, in NY, to be forgotten about.) Angie and I are here if you need anything,” she said, handing him the flowers. “Don’t hesitate to call us.”

I plopped down on my bed. The ivy I’d grown by the window snaked toward me, slithering across the floor and up the bedpost, sprouting new leaves and curled tendrils as it reached for me. Ivy wasn’t a quiet plant. It was reactive and loud. The only place I could keep it was in my room, where no one would see it but me and my parents. Although there is only a touch of romance in this story, it is a realistic portrayal of teenage attraction. I am eager to see how the flirting and chemistry here develop in the next book. Author Guy Bass introduces SCRAP, about one robot who tried to protect the humans on his planet against an army of robots. Now the humans need his...