I did not know what I was getting into when I started this one. All I knew was that the main character could grow plants, aka a dream power I would love to have. Little did I know that there would be LGBTQ+ representation through out the book, the most healthy relationship between a daughter and her mothers I have ever seen, a girl trying to learn more about her biological parents with the support of her moms, and also a twist involving greek mythology. Discussion questions are listed below, and anyone who participates in the comments will be entered to win a free OwlCrate box! I'll be selecting a winning comment early next week to give people ample chance to finish the book. Mom gave me a book on botany when I got into middle school. She thought if I became a scientist, I could figure out where my power came from and what exactly it was for. It seemed like a good idea when she first brought it up, but as I got older, the “how” became less important than the “why.” I wasn’t sure the answers I needed could be found in a textbook but I didn’t know where else to start.

Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch. When Briseis’s aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Briseis and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind, seeking a quieter existence. But their new home is more sinister than they could have imagined—it comes with a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world, one that can only be safely entered by those who share their bloodline. The fear in her voice was too subtle for anyone but me to recognize. For her, being in a place as green as the park with all its open fields and trees and wildflowers was too much of a temptation, or maybe a threat. She worried that I’d push myself too far and make something happen that couldn’t be ignored or fixed. Mo wasn’t sure I needed to be so careful all the time. She and Mom bumped heads over it. They both wanted me to be safe, but there was always fear—of what might happen, of what the limits of this power might be, of where it came from. They didn’t have answers and neither did I. Not yet.She nodded. “I think so. I imagine plants are kind of like people. Tell a person they’re worthless, hurt their feelings everyday—they’d wither, too.” She let her delicate fingers dance over the surface of the counter, then up to her lips. Her eyes were like the centers of Velvet Queen sunflowers, brown and blazing. She held my gaze. “But imagine telling someone they’re beautiful, magnetic, stunning. Every single day. Imagine how they’d flourish.” Really?” Mom lowered her voice and leaned in close, even though we were the only two people in the shop. “That’s some kind of record, right?” We’ve got some beautiful peonies,” Mom said. “The Ann Cousins variety. They’re gorgeous, Robert. Icould put them together for you right now.” P. Paul Fenech, lead singer of the psychobilly band the Meteors, covered the song on his solo album The "F" Word in 2006.

Cinderella Is Dead author Kalynn Bayron brings a message of proud inclusivity to this empowering fantasy about a young woman finding the strength to challenge everything she has been told is true. About This Edition ISBN: I’m not ashamed to admit that I was counting down the days until I could devour every word of this fascinating novel. You can trust me when I say that it was definitely worth the wait because this story had the right amount of humor, angst, magical moments and foreshadowing of dangerous situations. After reading this story, Kalynn Bayron has become one of my new favorite authors and I can’t wait to see what she does next! Excerpt from This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron I’ll tell her,” my mom said. “And you don’t owe us anything—except maybe some of your world-famous peach cobbler.” In this dark gothic fantasy, Salem must meet his guardian familiar, get help from some new friends and defeat mysterious dark forces. Briseis Greene, an adopted Brooklyn teenager with a unique and uncanny ability to control plants, can make seeds grow and flowers blossom just with a touch. But being this green-fingered is both a blessing and a curse; useful for generating income to keep her adopted parents' flower shop afloat when they struggle to make ends meet, but completely alienating to any potential friends.All I can say is, this book is absolutely incredible. I had hoped I’d like it, but I didn’t expect it to be a genuine new favourite! This Poison Heart follows Briseis, a teenage girl who has the ability to control plants. She lives in NYC with her two mums, when a woman shows up claiming her birth mother left her an entire mansion. Thus the mystery begins, why was she left the mansion, who were her birth family, and why does Briseis have this gift? Lou the undertaker. Does he need to exist? Has he and his family been covering up the suspicious deaths of the Colchis women for forever? Why? Does he work for Veruca Sore? It's extremely unclear. But if he does, then why is Karter so hostile to him when they meet, calling him creepy and accusing him of being horrible to Bri? You’re related to Circe.” She was suddenly at the base of the ladder holding it steady with one hand. “I can see that by looking at you. Do you mind if I ask how?” The plants under my window turned toward me. The bluebells opened like tiny gramophones, and the bush of baby’s breath that had taken over an entire corner of my room looked like it was breathing. The marigolds and snapdragons all shifted toward me. These plants were quiet. Quiet plants might perk up around me, but they didn’t uproot themselves or destroy a fence to get close to me. They didn’t turn obscene shades of their natural colors when I was around.

So, with that in mind, who does the bad guy in 'This Poison Heart' turn out to be? A patriarchal figure? Like Isaac Grant? NAH! Of course not! That makes too much sense. No, the villain is a crazy, murderous, power hungry lady with a god complex and entitlement issues who would let her child die if it meant achieving her goals. The doctor concluded that I hadn’t ingested as many berries as Tabitha. Technically, that was true. I’d eaten exactly one less than her. But I should have had the same symptoms. Ishould have felt something. Cinderella Is Dead author Kalynn Bayron brings a message of proud inclusivity to this empowering fantasy about a young woman finding the strength to challenge everything she has been told is true. Stiv Bators, former Dead Boys vocalist and Dee Dee Ramone's friend, recorded a version of the song which was released posthumously on the 1996 album Last Race. Although they start off in New York, the bulk of the novel happens when they move to a rural town in New York where she has inherited an estate from her birth mother. Cue all the haunting instances with mysterious strangers showing up on the doorstep, skeleton keys that open up doors, and an intriguing apocathery and accompanying garden with deadly plants. I loved discovering all the secrets that the manor had to offer, and how it was tied to Brisei's own ancestors and heritage. There is certainly a thread of magical realism within the book, and the setting is haunting, vivid and evocative which I loved.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) While slow-paced with not much of a plot happening in 75% of it, I liked the characters (especially the mums, who Briseis calls Mom and Mo, they're awesome and adorable), and the magic and mystery spread over everything, like dark, nightly and star-studded Nutella. The only serious objection I could give the story is: why is Briseis so careless and stupid when it comes to showing off the most poisonous plants in the world, in her secret garden, to other people, who are not immune like she is, and when these plants can kill just by inhalation? That and the romance between Bri and Marie is rather forced, underdeveloped and creepy. Oh and there's also the infuriating everyone-keeping-secrets-from-the-female-teen-protagonist cliché in YA that I hate. But overall, it is well written and addictive, and I was super into it.