Because she feels she has to share it with someone, but she is scared that her parents will make them return to the city if they think it is too unsafe for them to stay there. She keeps the garden hidden from all but two new friends she makes in Rhinebeck, even her mothers don’t know about this. Because Briseis is seemingly immune to even the most deadly of poisons.

The title of the book comes from her discovery of a poison garden that only she can safely access. It’s like every time she uncovers a new part of the puzzle, several more questions arise. So the family packs up and travels to a town called Rhinebeck and discovers a house with so many hidden secrets it feels as if Briseis will never discover the truth about herself and her ancestors. Briseis finds out that the sister of her birth mother has left her a house and land in her will.

Very quickly things are turned on their head. However Briseis has a secret that only she and her mothers know – she can bring plants back to life and make new shoots and blooms grow out of a single bit of plant matter. They own a flower shop in the city, and this is where we first meet them. It is told from Briseis’ point of view, who is a black teenage girl living in Brooklyn with her two adoptive mothers who she calls Mom and Mo. This Poison Heart is a fascinating YA fantasy that mixes modern life with ancient mythology so beautifully, drawing you into a world of mystery and leaving you constantly guessing what will happen next. It was even better than I could have imagined, and I cannot wait to share it with you. And I’m so glad it was, because honestly this book drew me in from the very first page and I couldn’t put it down. In fact I didn’t even read the blurb before I requested an advanced copy on NetGalley, and was ridiculously excited when my request was approved.

Earlier this year I had enjoyed reading her debut novel Cinderella is Dead and knew I wanted to read more from this author. When I first saw that Kalynn Bayron had another book coming out, I couldn’t wait to read it. Disclosure: I was given a free advanced Kindle version of this book via NetGalley in return for a review.

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron