It is easily a 3.25 stars out of 5
A couple of things that stood out for me right from the get go :
1. The amazing botanical motives at the beginning of every chapter and the fact that the title of the book alludes to something dark and twisty but it's not a very obvious give away.
2. I was hooked from the beginning, the prose flows , is cohesive and creates the ambience of a vintage / medieval inspired Europe where apothecaries could be a part of common life.
The protagonists relationship with her mother and her intense desire to be in her shoes reminded me a lot of my teenage self
Poison is a common theme in several fantasy / fantasy inspired books but this brought in a feeling of familer but kept the mystery

A beautiful YA historical fiction. La Tofana is such a fascinating historical figure and so shrouded in mystery. La Tofana’s daughter Carmela wants nothing more than to be an apothecary like her mother. However, she stumbles upon some of the other things her mother sells and faces the challenge of growing and changing into who she was meant to be. I read this book in a night. It really gripped me. At some points, I grew frustrated with Carmela, but remembering she’s a 16 year old girl helped make it not so bad. This is a great novel to begin your historical fiction journey or to continue it!

I loved this book from start to finish. The characters were well developed, the story had me hooked and wanting to keep reading to see how the story ended. I enjoyed the focus of the book being on family and family relationships and the lengths the characters will go to for each other.

i just love *women*, especially complicated women who are trying to protect each other and happen to kill men because of it. i am a massive fan of joy mccullough and this will now be a book i will be plugging at any time i can, especially in my library school classes. the mix between poetry and prose was done so beautifully, as is everything that mccullough touches. beautiful historical novel that people need to read

Thank you to Net Galley and Dutton Books for Young Readers for the ARC. I like the concept and the prose was pretty, but this was just not my cup of tea. The pace was a bit slow and the plot boring.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Everything Is Poison: by Joy McCullough immerses you in the complex and dangerous world of a 17th-century Italian apothecary, blending historical fiction with themes of female empowerment and sisterhood. Set in Rome, the story follows sixteen-year-old Carmela, who, after years of anticipation, is finally invited to work alongside her mother in their apothecary. For Carmela, it’s a dream come true—until she learns that the shop’s purpose goes beyond healing the sick; it’s also a place where desperate women seek solutions to escape their oppressive and often dangerous lives. While I am not personally that interested in historical fiction, I absolutely loved this feminist story and the importance of sisterhood, which are both demonstrated throughout the story.

Loosely inspired by the legend of Giulia Tofana, a notorious Italian poisoner, McCullough’s story deftly balances historical accuracy with a suspenseful plot. Carmela’s journey highlights the stark choices women faced in a time when few options for autonomy existed. As Carmela becomes more deeply involved in her mother’s work, she faces difficult moral dilemmas. Although she had always known her family’s work could attract suspicion, the weight of helping women escape abuse through deadly means challenges her understanding of justice and compassion.

Written in both prose and verse, “Everything Is Poison” combines the vividness of poetic storytelling with rich historical details. McCullough's language is both enchanting and poignant, with verses capturing the beauty and melancholy of Carmela's world and the prose propelling you through a suspenseful and engaging plot. The book beautifully explores the bonds between mothers, daughters, and female friends, underscoring themes of resilience and loyalty in a society that often left women powerless.

While the book is haunting and emotionally resonant, there were certain characters that seemed to come and go too quickly, leaving their arcs feeling incomplete. Despite this, the evolving relationships—such as Carmela’s with Violetta, a former childhood rival—add layers of complexity and reflect the shifting alliances women had to form in secret to survive and support one another.

Overall, “Everything Is Poison” is an empowering and thought-provoking YA historical novel that captures the fierce strength women needed to navigate a restrictive society. McCullough’s book is sure to captivate readers, especially fans of historical fiction and feminist stories, with its atmosphere, historical intrigue, and celebration of resilience.

Book:
EVERYTHING IS POISON by Joy McCullough
Thank you Penguin Teen and Netgalley for the EARC (January 14)

Review:
3.5⭐
EVERYTHING IS POISON is a quick read with short chapters broken up by poem like things. It follows Carmella Tofana, who's destined to join the apothecary with her mother. Together they provide remedies for those in need, but when something d*adly happens, they must risk it all.
Going into EVERYTHING IS POISON, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect---especially since historical fiction is hit or miss for me. That wasn't the case for this.
From page one, there was something drawing me in---willing me to read and read until the book was finished. I think ot was the mix of things this book has to offer: magic, remedies, witch-like people, and the in-verse chapters. All of it came together to create a piece that is neat and quite intriguing. Plus the drama. I loved that there was so much of it, but everyone was still doing what they can to help. I recommend this to those who enjoy books like this or who want to step out of their comfort zone.

I was excited when I read the description for this one. I love the idea of a 17th century apothecary even if the struggles those women went through were awful. I liked the main character even if she could be difficult to stick with through all of her choices. Carmella has dreamed of the day she could join her mother in their apothecary and when she turns 16 she is finally allowed in. She is excited to learn more about what different herbs and substances do and how to make the tinctures that will help the people who come to the shop. But to most of their town they are witches who are believed to be helping women murder their poor defenseless husbands which Carmella has always been frustrated by until she learns that on very rare occasions her mother does exactly that. When a woman is desperate and would be killed by an abusive husband if she didn’t act first. I wasn’t sure I would like the poetry strewn through the chapters but I actually did like it more than I expected. This book was a quick and good read.

I didn't hate this, it was the definition of feminine rage and I was here for it. But I didn't know it was historical fiction. Nothing against historical fiction but I read 50% of this then got bored. Maybe I'll come back to this before the pub date and give it a proper chance? (DNF at 53%)

Joy McCullough does a beautiful job of transporting the reader back to 17th century, Rome. By including the vignettes of people’s daily lives through her use of verse, I was able to relate better to what was happening to Carmela, Giulia, and their found family. It helped to broaden the world to include more than just their small circle of influence without having to remember an unneeded cast of characters.

This book is definitely dark and hard to read at times. There are descriptions of abuse, emotional, physical, and sexual. The crimes that have been committed against women throughout history is a topic that needs to be examined, especially in our current political and social climate.

I loved learning that Giulia Tofana was a real person, and I feel as though Joy did an incredible job of honoring her and her associates through this complex and heart-breaking story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll admit this book wasn’t what I expected, but it does well for what it is. We follow soon to be sixteen year old Carmela who longs to work and learn in her mother’s apothecary. The story centers on the struggles of women in this period of history.
We learn more about Carmela and her family and the dangers they face. (Largely at the hands of their husbands, fathers, and those who call them witches for their skill with herb craft.)
In between chapters are poems that further shed light on the situations going on in Carmela’s life.
The book is literary, feminist, and I felt ended rather abruptly. Perhaps it told all the story it needed to.

*Everything is Poison* is a captivating YA historical fiction that blends mystery, history, and a strong sense of female empowerment.

The narrative unfolds with grace, exploring themes of sisterhood, motherhood, and friendship in a deeply moving way. The feminist undertones are unmistakable, woven into the story through stunning depictions of female strength. The historical setting, enriched with the unique use of poisons, brings a fresh and intriguing twist to the genre. The writing itself is a standout—lyrical and rich, drawing readers into a world that feels both dangerous and beautiful.

The pacing matches the complexity of the plot, creating a story that evolves seamlessly. It’s a fascinating and immersive read that I can’t recommend enough.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

This was a very interesting historical/apothecary book partly written in prose. I would say majority of the book is not, but it's a nice poetry break between chapters. I didn't really understand the prose as much as the regular writing, but still appreciated it. I felt kinda sad at the end but the epilogue gave some hope back.

I really enjoyed this book, and the messages are so important. In a time period where women didn’t have the ability to get away from terrible husbands who would kill them, women actually did have power that made men in power nervous once it was found out. And there are also some good quotes that also explain how a woman being “ruined” is all about perception, not fact.
I did think that the characterization could have been better, but the story as a whole was very well-researched especially when it came to the daily life of the time period and what people had in their homes, where they went every day, etc.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5

Everything is Poison is a powerful, enchanting YA historical fiction with captivating characters and a fascinating plot.

This story was beautiful. It was a strong, feminist story that was achingly lovely, with stunning scenes of female power, sisterhood, motherhood, and friendship. The incorporation of poisons and history was excellent, and I adored the lovely poetry and prose used to tell the story. The pacing fit the interesting plot well, and the story developed wonderfully. EiP felt like Perfume: The Story of a Murderer meets Anatomy: A Love Story, which, personally, is an ideal combination. I highly recommend you read this fascinating story!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ARC!