{ARC Review} Poison's Kiss by Breeana Shields

Poison's Kiss

Author: Breeana Shields

Publisher: Random House for Young Readers

Marinda has kissed dozens of boys. They all die afterward. It s a miserable life, but being a visha kanya a poison maiden is what she was created to do. Marinda serves the Raja by dispatching his enemies with only her lips as a weapon.

Until now, the men she was ordered to kiss have been strangers, enemies of the kingdom. Then she receives orders to kiss Deven, a boy she knows too well to be convinced he needs to die. She begins to question who she s really working for. And that is a thread that, once pulled, will unravel more than she can afford to lose.

This rich, surprising, and accessible debut is based in Indian folklore and delivers a story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. 

Marinda, our protagonist,  is an incredibly layered character—which I loved! She is super protective of those she cares about, she’s extremely guarded towards anyone outside of her immediate circle and, also, she’s totally bad ass at times.  I couldn’t help but adore this girl. She watches out for her little brother, Mani, the sweet monkey that he is—and their relationship is the cutest.

I loved that Marinda worked at the local book shop. I really wish the shop keep, Japa, would’ve been included more, he was great! While she’s there, Marinda meets Deven. Caring, kind, mysterious, attractive Deven. I enjoyed the small, sweet moments between the two of them. Talk about some serious tension! Like oh my goodness, KISS ALREADY! BUT LIKE, THEY CAN’T! BEACAUSE SHE IS A VISHA KANYA AND HER KISSES ARE POISON! DO YOU SEE THE ISSUE HERE!?!?  

The storyline of this novel was fast-paced, thrilling and definitely left me wanting more! Not to mention the the world building which was incredible! The pages are lush with culture, beauty and danger. Breeana’s writing is so vivid, I was transported to Sundari while reading—it was simply magic. I adored her note at the end. It’s always super cool to learn how an author came up with the idea for their book!

Overall, Poison’s Kiss is a must read! It’s a story about legends, love and sacrifice. I am so hoping for a book 2!