The Poisons We Drink
by Bethany Baptiste
Pub Date: 05 Mar 2024


Love potions is a dangerous business. Brewing has painful, debilitating side effects, and getting caught means death or a prison sentence. But what Venus is most afraid of is the dark, sentient magic within her.

Then an enemy's iron bullet kills her mother, Venus's life implodes. Keeping her reckless little sister Janus safe is now her responsibility. When the powerful Grand Witcher, the ruthless head of her coven, offers Venus the chance to punish her mother's killer, she has to pay a steep price for revenge. The cost? Brew poisonous potions to enslave D.C.'s most influential politicians.

As Venus crawls deeper into the corrupt underbelly of her city, the line between magic and power blurs, and it's hard to tell who to trust…Herself included.

A stunning YA urban fantasy debut by Bethany Baptiste. The story centres around a young Witcher, Venus Stoneheart who works as a potions brewer for hire.

There are many themes explored in this book, racism/classism, mental illness, political control and it is written well.

When Venus’s world come crashing down and she has to fight back, she finds out just how far some people will go to get what they want.

I thoroughly enjoyed this new magical world, the writing, the characters (p.s Leap is the best familiar!) and the wonderful world building. - I hope she gets a sequel or a spin off. I need more.

"The Poisons We Drink" by Bethany Baptiste is a haunting exploration of human fragility and resilience, skillfully intertwining themes of love, loss, and the complexities of the human soul. Baptiste's lyrical prose gracefully guides readers through a narrative that is both heart-wrenching and profoundly beautiful. The characters are rendered with remarkable depth, their struggles and triumphs weaving an intricate tapestry of emotions that resonates long after the final page. Baptiste's storytelling prowess shines as she navigates the intricacies of relationships and the dark corners of the human psyche, inviting readers to contemplate the poisons we unwittingly consume in the pursuit of happiness. This novel is a poignant reminder of the power of words and the human capacity to heal, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a profound and thought-provoking literary experience. "The Poisons We Drink" stands as a testament to Baptiste's talent, leaving readers spellbound and profoundly moved.

Unfortunately, magic doesn't make everything better. The world is hard as it is, but being a Witcher makes things even more complicated as half of the world is out to get them. Not only that, but brewing potions takes a lot out of Venus, mentally and physically. She's gone through so much in her life that has hardened her heart a little and made it difficult for her to trust others, let alone herself. When her mother is killed, she fights back and tries to find justice for her mother, her father, and her people while trying to keep her little sister safe. Through this journey, she works on building that trust within herself and with others around her that care about her. Will she find justice and come out on the other end? Well, you'll have to read to find out.

This book gripped me nearly from the dedication to the end. Though some parts were slow and sometimes hard to get through, the story was fresh, enticing, and well-written. You could really feel the author's anger in the parallels between the struggles the witchers face and that of the Black people in real life, which the author mentions in her dedication. Most magic books have witches using their magic to their heart's content without consequences, but in this world, they suffer. Brewing potions takes something from the brewers and worsens with the different levels as they get more complicated. This was such a unique, fresh, and interesting concept.

I really enjoyed reading about each and every character, from the main character Venus Stoneheart to the minor characters like her dispassionate neighbor. They all had distinct, unique personalities that were really fun to read. Venus was a very relatable teenager (minus the magic, naturally) as she was angst, mad at the world, feeling alone but not qantijg to show it, and made a lot of mistakes. I also loved the inclusion of the nonbinary character Presley.

Other than some parts of the book being a little slow and tough to read through, my only other con was Venus' deviation and how that went about. It was built up over and over to be something terrifying and murderous if released, but it was released twice, and we barely touched on it. It was anticlimactic.

If you enjoy YA fantasy books about magic, family, friendship, some romance, drama, and undertones of politics, you will enjoy this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste has a fascinating premise. The concept of a protagonist who brews love potions to support her family was a fresh take on the tried-and-true trope of witches trying to survive amongst humans. The protagonist, Venus, was a delight; her snappish remarks had me cracking a smile when I least expected it. The inclusion of characters from different walks of life was so nice to see in a climate where fantasy novels often lack diversity.

Despite its positives, The Poisons We Drink simply wasn't for me. The narrative felt disjointed at times, and I often felt confused by the numerous explanations of the world. The worldbuilding felt clunky, and while the the "Witcherpedia" entries littered throughout the book helped to give insight on the unfamiliar aspects of Venus' world, the execution fell flat. I also found that the story was lacking in descriptions and vivid imagery; the narrative did a lot of "telling" rather than "showing."

Overall, this was a solid debut and I look forward to seeing what else Bethany Baptiste has in store for readers.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the ARC.

Representations:
•non binary
•mental illness
•BIPOC

The author has said this book is a mixture of practical magic + breaking bad. I’m here to say it’s even better!
This was such an impactful read that you can take so many things away from.

In a world where the MCs magic is basically trying to be destroyed, she powers through and comes out on top of it.

I’m usually not one for fantasy to be set in modern times, but the author was able to convey it absolutely beautifully.

Such an empowering read and I will be recommending it to everyone!!

Fierce. Incredible. Wow. This book is angry and I loved every freaking second of it. Venus has every right to be angry and following Venus's journey was captivating. Bethany Baptiste has written a page turner and I cannot wait to see where her career goes. What a YA debut! 5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Wow what a book. I felt the authors feminine rage and really loved how it was channeled into building this world with its fierce characters and super cool magic.

The Poisons We Drink. Humans and Witches co-exists in this world created by B. Baptiste, published by Sourcebooks, Bloom Books.
And brewing potions is dangerous business.
Venus has had a rough life, when suddenly she finds herself all alone, has to fight for herself.
A fantasy ya read, enthralling, well written, 4 stars.

Extremely well-written and readable. I sincerely hope it does well. I’m not personally a fan of witches and stopped after chapter 1 (5%) but conceptually it is really interesting and an easy three stars, probably closer to four, with five for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.

I didn't finish this one, we just didn't click. A little too rough around the edges for me, I do appreciate the content warnings at the beginning. If it piques your interest, give it a shot.

I enjoyed this contemporary fantasy full of fierce female characters and unique magic. I thought the world building was very interesting and rich. It was well paced and kept my attention. I would love to read more books in this fascinating and fabulous world the author created!

Books about fantasy racism can be tricky but I felt this one did a lot of things well. I found the beginning a bit confusing at first (lots of characters and names/acronyms up front) but I ultimately admired the author’s strong, emotion-driven plot. Gave me a lot to think about. Oh, and LOVED the "potion" recipes!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I really really liked this book, and literally could NOT predict the last 60% of it. I liked the characters, and the premise, however I think I was expecting more from the MC and her "deviation". It felt like we very lightly touched on the subject, and I would love to see a sequel where it was expanded on more. Everyone kept mentioning it as this big bad thing, but I couldn't really feel that invested in that angle because I feel like it wasn't fully developed. I personally was expecting something similar to the take on an "inner demon" like the one in One Dark Window, and ended up being disappointed with that aspect. Everything else I really liked, I just wanted a touch more on that. The story wrapped up well, but I would love to see the opportunity for a second, with a little bit more time spent building up the explanations for the smaller things. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS fire for this opportunity to read rate and review this arc which will be available March 5,2024!

Talk about a book full of magic, feminine rage and a giant middle finger to the world from the dedication to the very last word. Whomever made the author mad needs to apologize. I was thoroughly engaged from the start. Strong fleshed out characters, amazing world building, explained magic system. Loved it

It took me a few chapters, as I found it a little slow in the beginning, BUT Vee! You grew right on me. Just when Venus thinks she has it all figured out, Sister Nature and Sister Magick throw her a curveball. Venus is trying to navigate coming of age while navigating grief and anger from losing her mother. I enjoyed the parallels (historic and current) that Baptiste draws with the story line. I loved Venus' character development, but I would have loved to see a little more on the other characters. I'm sure this isn't the last we will hear of Venus & friends...what will they get into next?

Such a complex premise requires a lot of nuance, and unfortunately the execution was ultimately lacking to me.

This was such a great book! Black witches in a contemporary setting was so well done. I loved all the world building and the characters were fierce and fabulous! The recipes/potions/glossary at the end was such a great touch!! I look forward to what Bethany Baptiste does next.

Venus Stoneheart, 18-year-old witcher in the DC area, brews love potions for a fee, following in her mother Clarissa's footsteps. She struggles with her deviant calling, a sentient magic within her that wants to unleash anger and devastation, and she tries to steer clear of the growing conflict between witchers and the humans who want to suppress them. But life as a witcher is fraught with danger, and when Clarissa is killed, the grief Venus feels is merged with a rage to protect her family and to find justice. And that desire leads her to make a dangerous blood oath with a powerful woman -- with consequences that Venus learns too late.

This new YA fantasy offers a new perspective on magic with a system that gives a little but takes so much more. Venus is a well-developed character with the usual teenage angst wrapped up in the consequences of past mistakes and the wariness of living in a society that hates your very being. Her story shows that the stereotype of the "strong Black woman" hides the truth of someone doing as much as possible for her family but failing to care for herself and needing the help of others to thrive. The author makes no bones about how this story is inspired by what she experiences as a Black woman in today's America, and the parallels with today's society clearly delineate how there are still people who want to oppress others. The side characters added so much to this picture: her often critical mother Clarissa, her younger and more passionate sister Janus, her stern but supportive Uncle Bram, her friend (and more) Presley, and others who added to the reader's understanding of magic.

The writing is often atmospheric, conveying the silky threats of various characters throughout the book, but there are also a number of spots in the book where the awkward phrasing stopped me short and could have used better editing. The plot is wonderfully twisty and echoes how a teenager might make momentous decisions without seeing the full picture. Pacing can be a little erratic at times, but overall it was a compelling read. 4 stars.

Thank you, Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.