I read this on and off for quite a while, at points I was really enjoying and at others I felt like it was dragging and just didn’t want to continue, maybe if I tried to re read at some point in the future I would enjoy it a lot more but this time I just couldn’t get into it.

The Poisons we Drink is Baptiste's debut novel, following Venus, who is forced into a corner while she tries to protect her family. While the premise of illegal potion brewing with dangerous consequences sounds intriguing, I found this book to drag in portions where the sudden action stopped, and the main characters to not be super interesting. There were multiple points where I wanted to dnf this and it took me a while to get though it. There were many parts of this that felt contradictory to the story it wanted to tell, and things ignored that I just couldn't push aside. I also didn't enjoy the narration for the audiobook.

I think readers who like to read about family and political drama mixed with some magic will enjoy this. Sadly, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for the audiobook copy!

This book was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024 and the synopsis got me. However, this book just did not work for me. I did not care for the characters and I couldn't keep reading from their POV. I also felt as I kept reading there wasn't a focus on the worldbuilding and everything was getting info dumped on the readers at random moments. I would still recommend giving this a chance because I might be the problem in this scenario.

The Poisons We Drink completely pulled me in from the first page. The world is rich with magic and tension, and Venus is a fierce, complex protagonist I couldn’t help but root for. The mix of romance, rebellion, and moral dilemmas kept me hooked, and the writing was vivid and immersive. I loved how the story tackled power, identity, and choice in such a unique way. Easily one of my favorite fantasy reads—fresh, gripping, and unforgettable. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The politics, the rage, the grief, the Blackness and its ending. My only complaint is I wish we would’ve learned more about “It”. The characters felt lived in and I’d love to see what happens politically after all the goings on during the ending.

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste is a dark and gripping story that kept me hooked from the very start. The audiobook is amazing because the narrator really brings the story to life. It's about a girl named Rani who lives in this messed-up world where people can drink "poisons" to gain powers, but it comes with dangerous side effects. Rani’s dealing with her own problems and trying to survive, while uncovering secrets that could change everything.

The plot is full of twists and turns, and I honestly didn’t expect half of what happened. It’s intense, and there’s a lot of suspense, so it’s one of those books where you don’t want to stop listening. The world-building is awesome, and even though it’s a little dark, there’s a lot of action and moments that make you want to root for the characters.

The narrator did an awesome job with the voices, making it easy to get sucked into the story. Some parts were really emotional, and I found myself feeling bad for Rani, but I also liked how strong and determined she was. It’s got a mix of mystery, danger, and a bit of fantasy that makes it super fun to listen to.

This book pulled me in from the very first page and didn’t let go. Venus Stoneheart’s story is gritty, emotional, and so gripping that I couldn’t put it down. The idea of a country divided between humans and witchers is already fascinating, but adding Venus’s dangerous side hustle—brewing illegal love potions—takes it to a whole new level.

I loved Venus as a character. She’s flawed but so real, doing everything she can to protect her family after her mom’s tragic death. You can feel her pain, her anger, and her struggle as she’s forced to make impossible choices. Watching her navigate the dangerous world of corrupt politics, powerful witchers, and her own dark magic kept me on the edge of my seat.

The stakes are sky-high, and the twists? They’re killer. Every time I thought I knew what was coming, the story flipped, and I was left in shock (in the best way). It’s not just the action, though—the emotional depth really got to me. Venus’s relationship with her sister Janus was one of my favorite parts, so raw and heartwarming despite the chaos around them.

If you’re into stories about magic, revenge, and characters who feel real in every sense of the word, The Poisons We Drink is a must-read. It’s dark, powerful, and completely unforgettable.

Bethany Baptiste conjures up a world as gritty as it is magical, where the price of power is high, and danger lurks around every corner. Venus is a fierce, complicated heroine torn between family loyalty, self-preservation, and the terrifying, mysterious magic that lives inside her. This story dives deep into themes of sisterhood, justice, and self-love—turning love potions into weapons in a twist you won’t see coming.

If you love fierce female leads, morally complex magic, and a plot full of tension and intrigue, The Poisons We Drink is an absolute must-read. Be prepared for a wild ride you won’t be able to put it down!

**Review of *The Poison We Drink* by Bethany Baptiste**
⭐⭐⭐

*The Poison We Drink* by Bethany Baptiste tackles the complexities of race, identity, and trauma through the lens of a gripping narrative. The story follows its protagonist, a young Black woman named Brianna, who grapples with her family's tumultuous history and the weight of societal expectations that shape her identity. As Brianna navigates her personal struggles and the legacy of generational trauma, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery that forces her to confront painful truths about her past and the community she belongs to.

While the themes of identity and belonging are poignant and resonate throughout the book, the novel feels excessively lengthy, which detracts from the pacing and impact of Brianna's journey. Baptiste’s writing is insightful and thought-provoking, but the narrative sometimes meanders, making it challenging to maintain engagement. Ultimately, *The Poison We Drink* offers important reflections on social issues but could benefit from a tighter structure to enhance its emotional punch. Despite its flaws, the novel’s exploration of Brianna’s inner conflict and growth makes it a worthwhile read for those interested in stories about resilience and the complexities of identity.

Really enjoyed the book and the audiobook, the narration was great and the recording quality was well done. the narrators made the story easy to follow and made the experience overall a very enjoyable one.

2.25

The Poisons We Drink is a YA urban fantasy set an alternate United States where humans treat witchers as second class citizens. It's in this world, where Venus Stoneheart is struggling to support her family by making illegal love potions when she gets caught up in a dangerous game of politics and secrets.

I think the second half of this book is much stronger than the first. I struggled in the beginning to understand the set up of this world and then found the pacing to be incredibly uneven throughout. It did start to pull together for me in the back half but by then it was an uphill climb to get me to enjoy the story. Honestly if I hadn't had the audiobook, I probably would have given up. Though Lynnette R. Freeman's narration was excellent.

I appreciate the queernormative world and love the thematic explorations of racism and classism, grief and mental illness, power and morality, and more, and I think a lot of my issues with the pacing can be fixed with more experience and better editing.

Overall, while I really struggled through this I think the ideas were solid and would be interested in seeing something else from Bethany Baptiste.

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptist has a lot of potential with its creative world-building and unique magic system. Set in a country divided between humans and witchers, the story follows Venus Stoneheart, who brews illegal love potions to support her family. After her mother is killed, Venus is drawn into a dangerous world of revenge and corruption.

While the book showcases the author’s creativity, it suffers from having too many characters and subplots, making the story feel long and unfocused. There’s also a fair bit of violence and swearing, so keep that in mind. Despite these flaws, for a debut novel, it’s a solid effort, and I’m curious to see what the author writes next.

The audiobook version was great for bringing out the characters' personalities. It was easy to tell the characters apart, and the narration added an extra layer of energy to the story.

This book offers a dark and intriguing exploration of betrayal, secrets, and the toxic relationships that bind the characters together. The author tells a compelling story with a strong world building, but it sometimes drags with pacing, making it hard to stay fully engaged. While the characters are well-drawn, their development feels uneven at times and it felt like there were way too many characters, leaving some arcs unresolved or less impactful than expected. It was hard to keep straight who was who. Overall, this was a decent read with lots of potential the cover is stunning and the narrator did a great job, but it may not fully satisfy those looking for a more cohesive and gripping plot.

This was such a fun read. It touched on so many topics that are going to be great for teens to read. If you like a novel magic trope and politics, then this book is for you. The story moves you along with every page and you really see the impact that choices have. The world building alone allows for you to be immersed in the story and follow along.

Thank you to RB Media for the ALC.

I really enjoyed the audio for this book, Lynette really brought all of the characters to life. I loved the book, and how Lynette played with the voices for each of the characters.

Venus just wants to be the witcher that she is, but she is in the center of the human versus witcher battle. And this battle sounds awfully familiar, yes there is a magical element, but the fight that Bethany Baptiste writes about is splashed across the headlines of 2024.
This is a relatively fast paced story and the audio is binge worthy.

Highly recommend.

Giving this five stars for the dedication alone.

In all seriousness, this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint.

This was such a wonderful and enjoyable read!!!! I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To be honest, I almost dnf’d at the 75% mark. The concept was great and I was really excited about this book. The voices for the sister just didn’t work for me and took me out of the story. Some of it was also a bit confusing. It had so much potential and just didn’t hit it for me.

I… wanted to like this one so badly but I unfortunately didn’t enjoy most of it. I could’ve even dnfed and not really thought twice about it. A lot was smushed into this one book and it’s not getting a sequel. I don’t know if the author was told and decided to push everything in because she wasn’t getting a sequel or if she pushed everything in thinking that she’d get to clear things up in the sequel.

Either way, it didn’t work for me. I had the audio and I disliked the narrator, which definitely added to my ‘reasons’. Some voices were fine but for most of them I wasn’t much of a fan. Venus’s voice (the main character) was mostly okay but I really didn’t like Janus – her voice and her character. Janus’s (and maybe Venus? I don’t remember) voice was a bit scratchy and it made it difficult to hear when she (the narrator) shouted in dialogue because it was all high-pitched.

I think if Venus were either an only child or just had a different sibling I might have liked her better but because she was so much with her sister, it was difficult. I sort of liked her but not really enough to have me fully invested in the story. I kept waiting for Janus to become more likeable, to do something where I could cheer for her but it never came. In fact I didn’t like most of the side characters. I didn’t remember much of the uncle or the cousin but I also didn’t remember much of them. I liked Presley the best of the side characters (actually of all the characters). They were the best written and I wasn’t too bothered by the voice.

The plot was decent enough but because it was so jam-packed it was difficult to keep everything straight. I think only at the end I was starting to put two and two together. And because I wasn’t so interested it was hard to actually want to put the pieces together.

Sadly, I didn’t get a chance to listen to the audiobook before it got archived!
I will make sure to get a copy or the audio version, myself to give a review on my socials.