Narrated in first person, I appreciated the sense of humor of the protagonist. It took me a minute to be invested in the storyline as there is a lot of world building. Not bad for a debut!

The Kinder Poison was such a fun read. This book takes place in a world where almost everyone has some form of magic. The story follows Zahru, a Whisperer that can speak to animals, as she accidentally gets entangled between two rival princes and ends up being chosen as the human sacrifice in a deadly game.

I enjoyed the magic system in this one and the world building was phenomenal. Natalie Mae has a way with words, and she made Orkena seem like a real place. The character building was also well done. You were able to see what made each of the characters tick, and it was great seeing them grow throughout the book. Zahru is a great character and it was great seeing her rise to every challenge that came her way.

I look forward to seeing what happens in the next book.

Tons of sibling rivalry, a magical and dangerous race, a taste of political intrigue, and some interesting family dynamics are all aspects that drew me to - and kept me interested in the book while reading.

The sibling rivalry is the base for the entire plot, so lets start there. One of the three has to make it across the desert first and complete the sacrifice in order to become the new ruler. First we meet Sakira who might love to party and appear reckless, but is ruthless and refuses to be dismissed. Kasta is the eldest and has a paranoid darkness about him. Jet is the second son, not wanting the kingdom but determined to see his sister safely in charge.

The history between the siblings and the Royal family make up most of the background and world building of the book. The book is SO character driven that it makes most sense to talk about those relationships. They are complicated, real, interesting, and all competing for their father's approval, as well of that of the nation and the innate power given by completing the human sacrifice.

Each sibling is competing with a team of 2 helpers, and the dynamics within the groups are all so different and equally entertaining. Kasta I think had the most interesting group, including a demon shifter named Maia. Her story is totally heartbreaking and between her demon aspect and Kasta's insanity, they set up the main twist for book 2. The best part was that for every twist and turn and bit of character development.....right until the very, very end, I had NO damn idea who was going to win that race.

The race itself isn't all that interesting, the groups do have some hurdles to overcome but most of the barriers come from the siblings detaining each other or trying to kidnap the human sacrifice, Zahru. I haven't talked about her yet because she's literally a stable girl that snuck into the palace, and somehow is the bravest person ever. She has no interesting backstory, no anecdotes like the siblings have, no life story that indicates where she got her cunning from....and I docked a star for yet another boring lead. Thankfully the siblings carried it.

Each sibling really was truly and uniquely interesting enough to make me keep reading the book quickly. I liked Jet a lot, he is the main male character (ish) and I might have liked to stroll in the starlit desert with him too. Ha.

Just to touch on the magic system - almost everyone is born with some magical talent in the land of Orkena. From animal whisperers to sound benders and firespinners, everyone has a place. There was nothing terribly extraordinary about this but some of the individual talents were cool.

There was a lot of vivid imagery and good scenic descriptions of everything from clothes to horses to the land. I like Mae's writing style because there is just enough prose and banter to make her story seem real, but not enough to make it purple and boring. I wish there was more world building - but this book had to focus on establishing the character background and future political rivalries as well as the Crossing itself. The history that mattered was there, some quite brutal, but what about the mood of the people in general? The surrounding nations that are brewing this war/conflict going forward?

All in all, definitely a great read if you like sibling rivalries, friendships, banter, danger and magic, with a twist of romance, all swirled into one cunning race for the future of the kingdom. I would definitely recommend it.

What a fun and fantastic debut! I am such a sucker for a good YA fantasy romance and this one delivered! Lots of intrigue, with great world building and a fascinating magical system. Lots of sarcasm and morally gray characters and even a love triangle for those into that sort of thing. This was such a great adventure and I"m so excited for the next one! I've seen this compared very positively to the ember in ashes series so I'll have to check that out too.

Ohhh I'm in love, went in blind and no regrets. The cover is simple, and pretty. But the writing is so rich and engrossing. Loved it!!

"Kindness is like a poison. Sometimes it takes time to work. "

I love that the main character is just a normal person, with a huge heart and a conscience. That's her redeeming quality. That's what gets her in and out of right spots. And that she can talk to animals 🙌 Makes me a little jealous!

One prince gave me total Darkling vibes and while I hated him for it, he still seemed redeemable right up to the very end.

Can't wait to read the next book!

This was amazing! I was completely shocked by that ending though. And this is a debut book??? I’m even more blown away! This was such a wonderful fantasy world concept, and it kept me completely mesmerized. I would’ve finished it one sitting if i could!!

I personally did not get into this one but. do think others might connect to this one more. Overall giving it three stars.

✨Gaiety, Gallant,Glorious✨
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The Kinder Poison by Natalie Mae is Book 1 of her series. The book comes out tomorrow & I am super happy to report that this is a YA fantasy you want to read.
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🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
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REVIEW->
I have been trying to read more fantasy this year & I find it important to have the fantasy world & its rules written clearly, so I can form a satisfying arena for the characters to work in. The Kinder Poison did an amazing job at that. All the magic & the characters’ abilities and limitations are laid out very well.
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I was easily drawn into the book in the first few chapters & it was a fun ride. I love how the Author casually threw in a lot of homosexual characters. The book had some ‘gasp- worthy’ revealations & I like how Zahru’s character is a mix of silliness & maturity. The plot is awesome & the story from Zahru’s POV is convincing & entertaining. I am left wanting more after the cliffhanger this book ended on & can’t wait to read the next book of the series

A high-stakes fantasy adventure with a gripping plot and pace that had me hooked from the first page.

In a land where people’s worth is measured by their magic, Zaruh’s (Whisperer) ability to talk to animals barely registers. Zaruh and her father don’t have much. In terms of upward mobility, there is none. Classism in Orkena is rampant. When Zaruh decides to crash the party of the decade with best friend Hen, all she wants is a bit of fun (and good food). Unfortunately, every action has a reaction (at least in fiction). And before Zaruh can make off with a few pieces of extra chocolate, she’s become the next (human!) sacrifice in a race called the Crossing, in which Orkena’s three heirs (with help from their teams) battle it out for the crown.

As the Crossing begins, the sibling rivalry ramps up (political intrigue galore), and we get to see funny, resourceful, and strategic Zaruh in action. Society might view a Whisperer as disposable, but she quickly proves otherwise and fiercely speaks up for those considered lesser. Characters here are multi-layered and often morally gray, taking the story from one twist to the next as the siblings play capture the flag with their sacrifice across leagues of unforgiving desert landscape. There are the beginnings of a love triangle here; Zaruh’s life, however, is no less in jeopardy for it. The writing is excellent, leading to a satisfying finale, with an ending that has me craving the sequel like something fierce.

4.5/5 stars

Absolutely ADORED this book!!! It is packed full with action and exciting twists as well as a love triangle that had me completely engrossed. Zahru is a wonderfully rich character and I loved seeing her grow throughout the telling of this tale. The themes of kindness, too, were beautifully portrayed and something I haven't seen very much of! Loved this book and look forward to the sequel!

Wow! talk about rollercoaster. If you are looking for something that will take you out of a slump this is definitely it! This kin of reminded me of Throne of Glass, when Celaena was fighting to be the Assassin. It had those elements in there. I loved the unraveling of the story, Zahru is badass! Loved her character so much. The character development was on point. I'm not one to gravitate towards stories with a love triangle but this one was pretty well written. The magical system was intriguing, it had me confused for a bit but nothing too extravagant that I couldnt follow the story. Overall I really enjoyed this book, look forward to reading more by this author!

"That's the day I learned we came before his pride...and that you don't have to be good at something to enjoy it."
My rating for the Kinder Poison is actually a 2.5 star rating.I struggled with this one right from the beginning. I felt as though it lacked depth and that the plot was mediocre. The plot really never took hold for me. There were the main characters arguing amongst themselves trying to get somewhere important. I'm not sure if they hype around this book ruined it for me but quite honestly I was bored with the story line.

Plot: Our main characters Zahru, Jet, Kasta, and Sakira are set to race against each other to a sacred cave, where Zahru (our sacrifice) must be put to death. The characters have a set amount of days to make it to this cave in order to succeed in becoming a somewhat god and King or Queen of the land. The characters seem to all have something against one another or are indifferent.

It's not that the plot was far fetched (It's fantasy so far fetched isn't a thing.) it's mainly that the plot didn't make sense. I felt no connection to what was happening and hardly any connection to the characters. Also, this book jumps on the insta-love bandwagon and I'm realizing that I am not a huge fan of it. And... now I'm trailing down the reviews of four and five stars and wondering what the hell is wrong with me. Hyped books never end well for me.

What I did like: I liked Jet and Zahru's personalities. They clicked instantly for me and I was here for it. I loved the fact that characters in this book (most of them anyway) have gifts granted to them by the gods. It was an interesting premise. I like how the author had me second guessing a few times with zahru's motives and even at times Kasta's.

Overall, I think this book has a ton of hype for no reason. Okay, the cover is a magical shade of purple and the illustration is epic. But, I still said what I said. The Kinder Poison was a disappointment. This book leaves you with a huge cliff hanger, I can only come to the conclusion that there will be a sequel. I have no intention of reading it.

This book is amazing! Magical powers with the ability to talk to animals mixed with jealous princes? Hello, count me in! Then a dangerous race across the desert? Think Hidalgo with as much stress. I loved this book so much!!!

This book was surprisingly hard for me to get into. While the plot kicks off quickly, I just couldn't seem to get absorbed into the story the way I usually do. I feel like my mood reading may have hindered my opinion of this book, and I may end up reading it again to give it another chance. One thing I really enjoyed about it was the characters. They had so much potential and the author did not let them down. There was great character development and I felt like I really got to know them! I also really enjoyed the world building in this novel. I think I'll give it another chance soon and update my review then.

Thank you so much PenguinTeen & Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was such an entertaining read. I am so impressed by this. I loved the characters and the plot. And this cover?? Wow. I kept going back and forth between "Omg I shiiiip it!' to "Oh my. I do not ship it." But, in the end I did ship it. I loved their relationship!! I cannot wait for the next book!

I recommend this to all YA Fantasy readers out there!

*Thank you so much to FFBC Tours and Penguin Teen for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!*

Stars: 4.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Favorite Character(s)?: Several, but Kasta, Zarhu(surprise!), and Maia top the list!

“All good stories start with bad decisions.”

It's no secret I love being able to fall in-love with debut stories, more so when it happens to defy the odds and becomes one of my 'Top Reads" of both that year, but also one of my absolute favorites, and this one has all the right stuff to top both lists! I actually read a little earlier this year as part of the tour, but then school happened, and as anyone who follows me on Instagram or my blog may know...college kind of wrecked any reading plans, lol. For that reason above many others, I am so glad I was able to get back to this one only a few months after it released! Now...I just have to wait all the longer for The Cruelest Mercy, oops! XD

From the start, it was clear that The Kinder Poison is one of those books that I'd be hooked from early one, and I welcomed the ride. What I hadn't expected was that the story would entrance my so thoroughly! From complex characters, who have a delicious mixture of complex characterizations, troubled pasts, and morally grey personalities, making nearly every character Zarhu spends any real time with both interesting and likeable, with only a few exceptions!

I also loved the magic system and mythology in this one, paired with the plot and leading well into the Challenge and Zarhu's lot in all of it! I'm so excited to see how this turned out for everyone in the sequel, as the plot is largely tied with the magic and mythology, both of which are at the very basis of the kingdom, and play a large part in how characters are perceived or treated by those in power, which makes Zarhu's perspective and feats all the more thrilling to read about!

The writing style in The Kinder Poison is so much fun, making it easy to jump in, and I loved that I got to read it so early, as I was able to avoid spoilers and really enjoy the ride! The pace is quick and Zarhu is always up to some mischief, even when she doesn't realize it! I loved the slightly sarcastic tone, both of Zarhu herself, and of how the story was told and written as a whole. It added another exciting layer to the story, and really matched the tone of the overall story and plot that was being played out as well.

As for the characters, I was surprised, but pleasantly so by how much I enjoyed Zarhu's character! I'm picky about female main characters, especially in first POV, but I loved her! I loved her adventurous and independent nature, and getting to see her with Hen at the start was a lot of fun! I'm really hoping we get to see more of Hen in the sequel as I need to know her reaction to some things! XD Not only did I love their friendship, but I really loved all the relationships Zarhu formed in the book.

It has to be a sign. That I’m meant to do this, and everything will work out, and maybe it will be even more amazing than I first imagined.

I especially loved it when she realized that she can actually be a friend to some of the characters he meets along the way, despite her circumstances, at that point the book became more that just a 'fun read' and I found I loved seeing her with all three teams, instead of just liking one and tolerating the others, I was really interested what happened with each team and how Zarhu played a role in that part of their stories!

This is something that is rare, even in the ToG series there were places that I wasn't a fan of the perspective or 'group' we were reading about for those chapters, not so here! I'm thrilled that I got to really enjoy the book as a whole without me feeling like parts started lagging or becoming bored at any point. In fact, the opposite, with each new chapter or event I found I needed to know more and more what would happen, and how each of the characters would react at the end! Definitely excited for more of their story in The Cruelest Mercy!

I’m reminded that sometimes what we want isn’t as important as what we need to do.

As for the characters, I mentioned morally grey? This book is full of them, and more impressive, we were given some pretty solid backstories and histories that further strengthen their personalities and ideologies. We also get some different perspectives on a few of the events that are mentioned in their pasts, and I loved that most of all! Getting to see how something now only affected the one characters, but those that were also involved or witnesses at the time, and how that affected their current relationships in the story was so cool!

It does have a love triangle, and while I know which team I'm cheering for, I did like both characters, and didn't really mind the love-triangle too much in this one, but still might not be for everyone? There is a bit of kissing, but this was pretty mild and didn't play a large part in The Kinder Poison for the most part.

"No matter what you're born to, you can be more."

- Conclusion -

Pros- Interesting plot and setting, exciting action filled, amazing morally grey characters!
Cons- Love-triangle?, the magic system and worldbuilding could have been less vague
Overall- 4.5/5 stars.
The Kinder Poison was such a fun read, and

I loved this so much, thank you to Penguin Teen for sending the e-copy!
I need book two, like now.
Things I loved
-the relationship dynamics
-the writing, omg I could take a bath in this writing style
-the premise
-the characters
-the last 20 pages, I WAS ON THE TIP OF MY SEAT

I can't wait for the next book, please give this one a shot if you like "game of lives" storylines.

This is a fast paced adventure filled with a magical race, sibling rivalry, and political intrigue. Family dynamics plays a large portion of this story, which I found to be really interesting. The world building was really well done. Overall, a great read and definitely ready for the sequel.

The Kinder Poison takes place during a race across a desert called "The Crossing." This event is where the heirs of an empire race to get to a final destination where they need to make a human sacrifice in order to ascend to the throne. Zahru, a girl with the ability to talk to animals, gets mixed up in the feud between the heirs, and ends up becoming the human sacrifice for the race. Zahru struggles to find a way to not be sacrificed, all while learning about each of the three heirs.

This story was fast-paced, but lush and the world was well developed. I loved the characters-each one had a distinct personality I appreciated. That being said, there is a lot going on throughout this book. Like a lot. There's the race, the feud between the heirs, a potential war, romantic feelings and deception. Soo much, that I feel like since this is a series, it should've maybe been spaced out a little more over the course of the series. I'm curious to see if the next book is as packed as this one is.