I have no notes. This was such an amazing debut and I cannot wait to read more from Bethany Baptiste!

Venus and Janus, sister witches continue to face tragedy and death. But the biggest tragedy of all leads older sister Venus on a path that uncovers the truth about her mother and the witch community. In the heart of DC, this book features the culture and sights of modern-day DC with a twist.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

This was one of my most anticipated reads for the year and when I was granted an ARC (thank you NetGalley and the publisher!) I abandoned my current read and started immediately.

I was extremely excited for this, and because of that I had to sit with this book for several days after completing it to let the anger and disappointment fade.

Mild spoilers for the book below:

Setting

There was nothing to link this to DC except the politicians. Like, that’s literally it. Otherwise it could have been any other city in North America. From the plot description I was so excited to see Venus infiltrate DC’s elite, to manipulate the wealthy and powerful with her magic. That did not happen.

Plot

The story was dragged out and very little of it involved the political shadow of the government. I feel that too many of the wrong parts of the story were highlighted for it to make sense as a whole. A lot of things that I thought were being laid out to be important in the end had very little to no impact. It made me wonder what the point was for half of the story.

Also, almost nothing would have happened if Venus and/or Janus didn’t make stupid decisions, and the adults of the story didn’t randomly interact with Venus to trickle information to her in order to progress the plot forward. Venus did not do much of anything herself, she was a side character in her own story. And I did consider if the author was doing this on purpose, if she was showing how this girl was just reacting to the manipulations of the adults in power around her. But I don’t think that was her intention, and I found myself not just disappointed but angry as I read further through the book.

The confrontation on the yacht was infuriating. All I could think is almost everyone on this ship has magic, and yet no one is using it to save themselves when they are more than capable.

Expanding on that, there was more than a few instances where magic was used unnecessarily and where it wasn’t used at all when it could have saved a lot of trouble and pain. For the amount of lore and backstory the author created on the Witchers’ powers, those abilities sure didn’t get utilized very much.

Characters

I’ll be real honest, by the I didn’t care about anyone except Patches. He’s the only one who didn’t make any stupid decisions.

I started the book admiring Venus and her determination and love for her sister. By the end she exhausted me. There is nothing wrong with a protagonist being selfish, I was at first glad to see a different personality trait in a MC. But then she quickly evolved into someone who decided revenge of a deceased loved one was more important than protecting the people she cared about who still lived. Again, one thing if this was the author’s purpose, a flawed main character is amazing, but if this was her intention, it fell flat.

I ended the book feeling bad for Presley. They were really out through the wringer by the people who were supposed to care about them and I hope they move far away.

Janus. I understand she’s sixteen but this girl does not have even a shred of self preservation or thought in her mind, and it constantly put her and her loved ones in danger. And it happened multiple times to where her rash decisions caused the majority of the plot to move forward. Oh no, Janus is doing something stupid again, let’s go save her and learn something new. It became old very fast.

The deviation inside Venus was set up to be this extremely powerful, evil thing. I was looking forward to seeing how It and Venus came to an understanding, how they would work together to save everyone. This did not happen, and by the end I was questioning what the point of It even was if they barely contributed anything to the plot, except that Venus occasionally lost control of It.

Despite my criticisms, for a debut, this book has a good base and the idea for the novel was a good one, it just didn’t follow through on its promise. I will be watching out for more books from this author, I’m excited to see what she can do once she has some time to grow.

"Weaponize your love. Use it to protect you and those in your heart"

I really enjoyed the political backstabbing that we all know is a real thing to happen on Capitol Hill. The mix of blood oaths and potions is akin to modern day bribery and political favors.
Politicians want to enact a Registration Act for all witchers on top of all the discrimination and police brutality they already face. "Like a coin, DC had two sides: an illusion and the truth. The illusion was what the world knew best. The crisp white monuments of supposed heroes and hope stood tall."
Venus and her crew struggle to unravel the web of lies surrounding DC where magic is power and power is magic.
Although this is a fictional world of magical potion brewing, the main events aren't really that far fetched, some are already sad realities.

I enjoyed the political and social commentary of this book. However, I thought some parts were dry and dragged on. At almost 500 pages, this story could have been told in fewer pages. I liked the twists, this story definitely kept me guessing (and I guessed wrong.)
If you like political intrigue and social injustice mixed with magic I think you'll enjoy this story! Venus is just the right amount of cynicism and badass and has a crew of friends and family to help keep her in line. (Although she rarely takes their advice.)

Venus lives in a world divided: the humans, and the witchers. She makes illegal love potions to support her family, but Venus isn't worried about the legality of it. She is more worried about the dark, sentient magic within her that speaks to her. After her mother's tragic murder, she is thrown into the corrupt underbelly of her world.

Baptiste's story has excellent representation of so many types, and is filled with magic and action. I loved Venus's family, their interactions and the realness of them all. At its heart, there is a story of a young woman trying to find her way in the world, but the world is out to destroy her, and throw in a dash of a revenge story too.

The big downside is that I didn't feel as connected to the characters as I would have otherwise liked. The writing felt a bit cold and distant at times, which didn't help with the connection to these characters.

Thank you to the publisher for an e-arc of this one, all opinions are my own.

The world building in The Poisons We Drink, and I loved the unique pieces of Venus, from her pink hair to It. Bethany Baptiste included so many current issues and touched on them through contemporary fantasy in a way that young adult readers can understand - racism, mental health, and political control. There were so many layers to this book and the characters that kept me turning the pages. Nothing and no one was perfect which made it all the more real.

I love this book! Full review to come. I plan on listening on audio (already pre-ordered) before writing my full review (which I'll be posting across all relevant sites).

2.5 stars

I’m not going to lie: I judge a book by its cover. This one certainly demanded that I read at least the summary, which all sounded fantastic. The cover was certainly the highlight, I struggled with the rest. First you are thrust into a world with enough things you don’t know to feel confusing. Once I did start to understand and get interested, I struggled with some of the ethics of the potions, which I was hoping was addressed but it really wasn’t. Some of the family dynamics were another highlight, but ultimately I always was just moldy bored during the bulk of it. If you like fantasy books with darker magical elements and unlikable characters you might want to give this one a try, I hope it’s more of a success for you.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Bethany Baptiste's debut urban fantasy, "The Poisons We Drink," offers a unique take on the genre, blending intricate potion-based magic with contemporary social and political issues. While the story's beginning might feel a bit slow, patience is rewarded. The world-building is meticulous, carefully crafting a magic system where potions are not just concoctions but potent tools woven into the fabric of society. The magic system feels fresh and thought-provoking, from brewing emotional elixirs to concocting political influence brews. However, the true power of this debut lies in its ability to blend fantasy with reality seamlessly. The narrative tackles themes of social injustice and political corruption. While the pacing might initially feel sluggish, the story picks up around the 50% mark, where action sequences become more frequent and the plot thickens. Initially introduced gradually, the characters come alive as they navigate the complex web of magic and societal pressures. There are, however, some shortcomings. The slow start can be off-putting for some readers, and while the ending is satisfying, it leaves room for further exploration. Overall, "The Poisons We Drink" is a promising debut with a unique magic system and a relevant social commentary. While the pacing might need some fine-tuning, the world-building and thematic depth make it a worthwhile read for urban fantasy fans looking for something fresh. I would rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars, and I am interested to see if the author continues to build within the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Urban fantasies are my absolute favorite, especially one with such lush worldbuilding and magic as The Poisons We Drink. There are so many different types of magic in this world, and we barely skimmed the surface. We focus on Venus, a love brewer whose potions' creation process literally destroys her. So much is ripped away from Venus, while "It" ravages her mind. The focus on multiple types of love potions for her to brew was really interesting - it isn't just romantic love that she can induce. And then adding in the political intrigue and social commentary? Mwah!

Everything here is a clue for the end, the plot is incredibly intricate! My only qualm is that the book was REALLY long, but I don't think it would've benefited from being split into 2 books. So ultimately, I'm content.

*Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

3.5⭐️

I think this book really had an interesting premise. It is fairly strong for a debut,

I enjoyed the characters but they are definitely morally gray. Venus at times was a hard character to root for and agree with some of the decisions she made. However she is complex and interesting. I also enjoyed the politics of this book. The witchers are treated poorly by the community and want to create laws that hurt them. Because they are afraid of what they can't explain.

What didn't work for me was the magic system. I didn't quite understand it and fire each have different powers. It's a me thing but the word Witcher really kept throwing me off. I'm not sure where this term derives from. I also didn't really understand the deviation and found that it took me out of the story some when the inner monologue appeared.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and source books fire for this advanced reader copy. Mt review is voluntarily my own.

The Poisons We Drink is a vivid, fast-paced urban fantasy that focuses on the power of love as a weapon and a way to live. The story mainly focuses on Venus Stoneheart, a powerful black brewer who is pledged to brew love potions under her mother's tutelage

This book was powerful and strikes a clear, relevant message to the present day. The characters are all well thought out and make you root for them, even when they make poor decisions or say things that you wish they hadn't. The character's motivations and back stories are all well explored and presentex, while still leaving room for readers to fill in the blanks and figure out what else could have happened. Venus particularly is a character that I just wanted to win, and each time she was pushed down felt like a gut punch. But every time she was pushed down she got right back up with her middle fingers flying. One thing about this book that was hard to follow for me was the politics and relationships of the characters in the past. Perhaps that is more of a personal issue though. I do highly recommend this for anyone looking for an adrenaline fueld urban fantasy and strong-willed characters taking on the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I started this book not knowing I was a little burnt out on fantasy, so it took me a bit longer to finish it then it might have ordinarily. but this was still a fantastic book, with a very fun and unique magic system and compelling, characters with believable motivations and gray morals. I was also pleasantly surprised when the person I was convinced was the big bad turned out to not be that, as I pride myself on usually being able to predict twists. It's always fun to be kept on my toes. The resolution was satisfying, but I also wouldn't be averse to seeing more books set in this universe, if the author were so inclined.

I think that the premise is interesting. I think that the magic system is unique. I think that the themes of the book are important. However, every time I put the book down it's a struggle to pick it back up.

One of the ways in which I am struggling is in my understanding of the magic system. Because of Venus's vow of abnegation, I don't fully understand how witcher magic usually works. I know that they have a birthright and a calling, but I don't know what a birthright is or what exactly Venus has sworn not to use. I've been very slowly learning things, but because I don't know what Venus is capable of I don't know what she is giving up to be a brewer.

I am also struggling to fully understand what exactly a deviation is. I know it's trauma-related, and that it changes the color of Venus's aura, but I don't know what the deviation is. Is it like a possession, where it can be removed? Is it her own magic gaining sentience? Is it someone else's magic that gets warped and/or stolen? I don't know, and I can't tell why it's generally bad to be a deviant. When Venus talked to Presley about their deviation it made it seem as though deviations themselves aren't necessarily bad, so I can't tell if people are specifically wary of Venus's deviation because of its nature or because of its existence.

I may come back to this book at some point in the future, but for now, it isn't working for me. I think it's mostly a mismatch between me and the book, not an issue of the book itself. I'm going to have to DNF, at least for now.

To be completely honest - I enjoyed this novel so much more than I was originally anticipating. The story was compelling and kept me engaged the whole way through. But the biggest thing that made me love this book were the difficult topics explored - from police brutality, to mental illness, to classism and politics - this book had it all. It didn’t feel preachy, it felt raw and real. I always appreciate when fiction novels incorporate important real world topics, and Bethany Baptiste did it beautifully.

I enjoyed this book (and thought I would from the minute I read that dedication). Venus is smart and interesting, but what I really loved was the magic system. I liked how it was integrated with a contemporary-style world and all that it entails. The relationships Venus has are layered and complexed and, despite the magic, feels realistic. I think that my students will enjoy the current issues and magical world. I think it is a great debut and, while there were sections that perhaps felt a little overly written, it was overall a great read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Phenomenal premise, good writing, interesting enough main character…but this is a DNF for me. I think it’s just a matter of preference tho - it doesn’t click for me because I’m learning that urban fantasy isn’t my thing. But! This book has excellent BIPOC rep and it seems to be building to incredibly poignant and critical political commentary - I almost stuck it out just for that but I don’t want to risk a slump when I’m not vibing with a book.

I do think there is a big audience for this story and other readers should and will love it. It just isn’t for me.

I really want to thank Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review The Poisons We Drink.

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste is a story that tells a very important tale. The plot surrounds a society of witches and humans, separated by a few strands of DNA, but creating a big divide between the two groups. Because of the innate magic that witches have the humans are afraid of them and choosing to turn that hate into violence and actions against them.

The story follows a young witch named Venus who is the primary brewer of love related potions for her family - bringing in most of their income. The rest of her family all have their own issues going on, but Venus is also dealing with keeping a deadly force within her bottled up. As things get more and more dangerous with political friction between witches and humans, Venus gets pulled into the inner mechanisms due to the aftereffects of her family's decisions. And Venus ends up having to make some difficult decisions to keep what means most to her.

This book was a difficult one to read. It was definitely a good book, and the message is really important. But reading it, the animosity and friction is palpable from the first page. It made it a very hostile read. And as this was an advanced copy I really hope that all the typos and formatting issues will be resolved by the time it goes to print - there were a lot!

Overall, while it was difficult to get into, I really do think this has an important message and the plot is good. I will probably continue with this series, since I'm invested in the main characters. (A lot happened in this book!) But sadly it wasn't my favourite read so far this year.

I was drawn to this book by the cover, which is absolutely gorgeous and extremely compelling visually. The premise was interesting to me although somewhat outside my typical genre preference. Still, I was curious to see where it would go. I liked the way it started, and there were interesting elements throughout, but I rather quickly found myself floundering to follow the story and the characters. It felt like there was a lot going on but also not much at the same time for great swathes of pages... I'm definitely in the minority and not connecting with this one, so I think I was just not the right reader for this book.

“The Poisons We Drink” has so many great things going for it that I was super excited to jump in. Venus and her family are witchers, who live in a state of tension alongside humans and are subject to discrimination and restrictions on their freedoms due to their inherent powers. Venus in particular has the ability to feel the negative emotions of people around her, as well as a much darker power that she has suppressed. She also brews love potions for wealthy people in DC, at great personal cost. Though there were many aspects of this book that should have made it amazing (Venus alone is as compelling a protagonist as anyone can ask for), I didn’t enjoy it as much as I was hoping due to how overwritten it was. Many of the supporting characters also fell very flat and it was difficult to tell who anyone really was. I think there are many people out there who will enjoy this book a lot, but the combination of the writing and the lack of character depth didn’t work for me.