The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood

Jessamine knows more about plants than you do - her father runs an apothecary out of their house and grows all of his own plants for the medicinal recipes. He even has a garden full of plants that are poisonous to humans. Jessamine has been watching him and learning the trade secrets her entire life. Then one day a mysterious boy is brought to their door, named Weed. At first he seems like an unwanted orphan boy, but as Jessamine and her father quickly learn, Weed may have a special talent when it comes to being around plants.

I feel as if I can't say too much here without giving away the plot surprises, but I will do my best. I liked this story a lot! I definitely have to say that the diary parts were minimal compared to the rest of the book, and because of that, I liked it a lot more. The first half of the book surpassed my expectations, but the second half completely captured my attention. I thought the little tidbits about what medicinal properties some pants have were fascinating. I enjoyed Maryrose Wood's soft, poetic prose and writing style. Weed was totally my favorite character, and all I wanted was to learn more about his unique talents! The very end seems like there may be a sequel coming, but I have not yet heard news. Anyone else know?

Overall Rating: 4 Stars