Welcome to Litsy!

Bk2 of May is done. I‘m really hoping this means my mojo is coming back, but I‘ve prob just jinxed it! The 1st in a YA duology by a BIPOC author, it features an LGBTQ+ & BIPOC cast in a mythology/magical retelling of the Medea story involving poison gardens & earth magic. I loved it so much I‘m already halfway through the sequel. #BookspinBingo #Doublespin #FourFoursIn23 #NoBuy2023Bingo #ReadingTheUSA #NewYork #Pantone2023 #ReadySetRead

four stars across the board in april twenty three ✨️
none remarkable, but all good 👍🏻
and these color palettes go so well together 👀

onward to may, happy reading trails y'all 😎

A contemporary fantasy about a girl with a unique and deathly power. Briseis can grow plants from seeds and into beautiful blooms. This also includes deadly poisonous plants.
Briseis is left an estate by a relative. A place surrounded by plants, trees and so much more. A place where she can learn to control her gift. But Briseis comes across letters and keys that lead to dangerous places only she can enter. Can‘t wait to get hold of book 2!

Just picked up my library hold and the librarian gave me a matching bookmark 📖
#librarybook #newbookmark

Ooooo I loved this. I have a new favorite author. Loved the setting, big old crumbly house ooooo yes that‘s my jam. Lots of great references to myths and musicals. Adored it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5/5⭐ Take Strange Horticulture, put it in the framework of a Nancy Drew game, mix in a bunch of Greek mythology, & voila, you have this masterpiece.

I stayed up way too late reading this book, & once I finished I immediately started the sequel. I adore the world the author built & honestly kind of want to live in Rhinebeck. This book is perfect for those who love mystery, magic, mythology, apothecaries & plants, & old houses with secrets.

Wonderful diverse YA fantasy that is a retelling of Medea, which made me want to know more about the myth as well as more about plants. I can't wait to read the sequel

I liked this more than the last book I read by this #ColoradoLocal author (Cinderella is Dead)! I enjoyed Briseis's plant power, having adopted moms, and the overall feel of the story. In the last 10%, it did drop back into the overly dramatic and mostly unbelievable style that I disliked in her other book. This was recently featured in a #RainbowCrate, which is why I read it! #LGBTQ #PlantMagic

Debra thank you so much for the awesome #nightmaremakerswap box! The bookmarks are so cute and I can't wait to work on the cross stitch project with the tools you got me! I've been wanting this book for so long so I'm happy to have it! Thank you again! 🧡

Such a cliffhanger! On to book 2!

Such a fun greek myth reimagining with magic, well-written black characters, and LGBTQ+ romances. Highly recommend!

#LetterT #alphabetgame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I liked all of the books I finished this week. There was something about Miriam that kept me reading. I appreciate that she speaks her mind. TPH was a good YA fantasy. Thank you @DanaManiac for gifting it to me. Ghost was my #AuthorAMonth pic and also my July #Doublespin.

My goal for the upcoming week is to finish Night of the Living Deed & This Time Tomorrow and read The Invention of Wings & Olympus, Texas.

Completed my modest annual reading goal. June was a slow month but July has been one great read after another. Looking forward to keeping it going.
52nd book was a re-read of This Poison Heart. About to start the sequel (so excited!).

I am going to give this 4.5 stars because you have to read a second book. Lol the story was well done & the pieces came together. I could guess some but there were plot twist. Now I have to read the second book because there is so much more to know. This book weaves Greek myths & history together while giving a modern story. Add to your stack but make sure to add both. I am glad I waited till second book launched last month! 😉#woc #magic

I take a book everywhere — lol I got to sit and rest my legs while everyone was buzzing around me. I had the best time. This was a sitting room for convention attendees. I enjoyed butter beer & reading. Can‘t read about magic without my wand.#Potterheads can you guess whose wand this is? #magic #fandays #readanywhere #poc #woc #magic

Saw this online and thought this was amazing look at the main characters from this book. I can‘t believe how twisty this book is the secrets that come about. If you like chills, suspense, magic, this is the book. I will shout out one of my favorite characters of this Book “Lou” - he was in for a short time & stole the show in his pages. I would read a series on him and his family 🔥#kitchenwitch #herbs #magic #mystery #woc

Welp this book has me by the throat!! I can‘t get away from the story. Unlike the previous book by this author of a reimagined fairy tale, this book is based off a story of a disciple of Hecate and how myth and truth are woven together to tell the stories of a time before internet. This magical story with real life reference and even more practical responses to magic is amazing. #poc #woc #magical #ny #plants #wlw #lgbtq #hecate #greece #legacy

Dana, thank you so much for this great swap. You are right, This Poison Heart, sounds right up my alley and I think I‘m going to start it today. It sounds sooooo good! Love the chocolate (a fave), candle, bookmarks, pin and postcards. Just a wonderful box of goodies! Thank you.

Thank you, @BeaG, for the book and goodies!
#SpookySummer Swap

Pride Month: Day Twenty One! 🌈

I couldn't decide between these two books for my video this week - so I talked about them both! 😆 Both are great contemporary stories; one a rom com, and the other a more serious look at relationships - but they're both FANTASTIC!

#pridemonth #queerbooks #lgbq

YA Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkDPpwnJNSM

Adult Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3DLOdocs7U&t=23s

Pride Month: Day Twenty! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

The sequel to this book comes out tomorrow so it seemed like a great day to feature this book! Basically this story features a black queer girl with Poison Ivy like powers, a crumbly old gothic mansion, tons of cool plants, and a mystery! It was one of my favorite YA books from last year so I am SUPER EXCITED to read the next one! 💕📚

#pridemonth #queerbooks #lgbtq

Pride Month: Day Four! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

I will never stop talking about this book! It was so so so good! Combine a mysterious manor house, Greek mythology, and a gay Black Poison Ivy, and you have a bit of an idea of what makes it so incredible!

#pridemonth #queerbooks #lgbtq

OMG! Read this now. It's so good. I can't wait to read Part 2!
5 🌟

A Greek myth influenced coming of age/embracing your gifts story with diversity and LGBTQ representation, relatable characters, magic, Poison Ivy powers, and mystery story elements. It all works.

a slow start, but still gave enough to hold my interest. Then things start coming together and it was addicting. Book 2 is out in June and I am READY.

(Pics from my garden, hopefully I have more bloomed by Book 2, I don‘t have Briseis‘s green thumb)

Spring is spring-ing. Multiple books, multiple beverages.
🌸Happy Friday

So good!!! I was hooked from the first page even though the real plot didn‘t pick up for a while. I didn‘t even notice! How could l when the this is basically a fantasy version of The Inheritance Games? The one thing that did not grip me is the immortal love interest 1) because I feel like there wasn‘t enough of a build up and it was very sudden 2) because a 375 year old who looks like a 17 year old dating real 17 year old is creep as heck. 5🌟

I MEAN LOOK AT THIS COVER COME ON
Briseis in the simplest terms, can control and grow plants but is also immune to all poisons. and that‘s the powers she knows of. when her birth family leaves her a house and she starts to learn about their family and history with her moms in tow, there‘s connections to magic and greek mythology that she would never have seen coming. I‘m practically foaming at the mouth waiting for the second book to come out.

This was a ton of fun! A young girl who has powers that allow her to make plants grow inherits a creepy, mysterious old house and begins to uncover the secrets of the town and her own heritage. It's clearly set up to be a series, and I will be looking forward to the next installment! Filled with magic and adventure!

I liked this but I didn't love it. I think after reading Cinderlla is Dead my expectations were slightly too high. Still an enjoyable read, Greek mythology, a poison garden and a creepy house with hidden rooms, what's not to like? And the moms in this book make the story. I am curious enough to finish the duology and I think this is a stunning cover! #popsugar #pop22 - a Sapphic book.

Love how her books start off so basic and, half way through, go crazy: You‘re engaged, so let‘s ramp it up. Briseis is nicknamed “Black poison ivy” for a reason. She‘s amazing & confident. There‘s so much between her & the mystery girl & the nice boy. Suspicious of both thou. Buildup came slow, yet powerful. gale winds of whaattttt. Ending left me wild & questioning; glad sequel coming in June. She‘s amazing with those bombshells & #lgbtq rep.

I really enjoyed this #YAFantasy from #QueerBookBox. A real mystery and good page turner. The MC was likable and relatable I remember a stage where I was ‘between friends‘ as I developed different interests from my childhood friend group and hadn‘t made new connections yet. It‘s lonely. Also the hyper-awareness that your parents are struggling financially is stressful. Ending here was rushed but still a pick for me.

#bookspin for January.

Last full read of 2021 did not disappoint!

This book and its wonderful characters had me so wrapped up today that I finished the entire thing in just over three hours. Definitely a good way to spend a chunk of my holiday vacation!

My #owlcrate edition

@DanaManiac I finally finished! I thoroughly enjoyed this one, thank you for sharing it and giving me the extra time to finish it late ❤️ I‘ll mail it back to you tomorrow! Great round ladies!! @kellyann28 @Johanna414 #lmpbc

BUCKLE UP WHEN ENTERING THIS ONE, KIDS. You may think you know what's coming, but you certainly won't call everything. #yafantasy

If you like plants, (especially poisonous), Greek mythology, the occult, witchcraft—this book is for you. I loved it and I couldn‘t put it down! As Briseis is called in the book by another character, you can think of her as the Black Poison Ivy—and she‘s amazing. This book reminded me of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, but this book was so much better. If only I had this power! I also loved all the queer characters! 🌱🌑🍄🐺 🇬🇷

IF I START ONE MORE BOOK THAT I THINK IS A STANDALONE BUT IS ACTUALLY AN UNFINISHED DUOLOGY, I‘M GOING TO LOSE MY SHIT!!!! This book is absolutely top tier, so many twists, amazing characters, and the coolest magical powers of all time🥀

I initially bought this book because of the author‘s first name (I love to support all Kalynn‘s- no matter the spelling). I am so glad I grabbed this because Bri‘s story of finding out about herself and her amazing powers was a lovely escape. It was your standard teen read, but with likable and capable parents, a teenager who learns and grows and talks about her problems, and magic!!!!

A picture is worth 1000 words.

1. Yeah, it‘s the 1st thing to draw my eye, & if it doesn‘t make me stop to really look, I usually won‘t look past that.
2. Honestly? The less direct info about a story I can get from the cover art, the better. Also, 👎🏻👎🏻 movie tie in covers.
3. The artwork for this book is gorgeous & I need it.

#SundayFunday Have a great day and don‘t forget to tag me!

This arrived! @DanaManiac @kellyann28 @Johanna414 #lmpbc

Thanks @RamsFan1963 for the tag!
1. Tagged
2. Blackberry
3. Isn‘t it Bromantic?
4. Positive feelings lately
#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

I enjoyed this one! Definitely a unique and original story for me. Now I want to read more mythology books!
#LMPBC @DanaManiac @Johanna414 @TheBookKeepers

Notice the bookmark- I picked it at random at the library I work at, not knowing the Greek mythology roots within this story. Very fitting!🪴🏺🩸

🪴 The weaving of Greek Mythology, Gothic Elements, and poisonous plants formed into a magical story of Black Girl Magic. I honestly had no idea what I was getting into when I started this, and had few expectations- all I knew was that librarians raved about this book, and it took BookTok by storm… I just had to read it and I am so glad I did! 📚read the rest of my REVIEW at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3999250193