Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

4.5 stars rounded up

I really enjoyed this book. It had everything I want in a good fantasy/witch story. The only reason it lost any for me is that parts of it gelt like they dragged on just a bit. But overall, I'd definitely recommend it and really enjoyed it.

3.5 stars!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, RB Media and Bethany Baptiste for giving me the audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review!
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This book was so fun! There were a lot of things I absolutely LOVED about this book and then some things I didn't like so much.
To start off with the good, the world building is so amazing! The magic, the familiars, the plot twists and plot points were all so well done. I was completely immersed in this magical word. I spent a lot of free time listening to this audiobook because I was so curious what would happen next.
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Our narrator, Lynette R. Freeman did an amazing job telling the story and also giving each characters their individual speech patterns which helped a lot especially because there were so many characters in this book, (which was a little overwhelming)
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The few things I would've personally changed is the length of the book, the story is great but unfortunately it just felt like it was going on for a really long time, I think cutting it back would help keep people more interested. The book also had so many characters that at certain times I had to remind myself who was who, again my book being an audiobook kind of helped ease my confusion because of the different vocal tones that the narrator was able to put on.
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For a debut book this was really well done and I'm personally excited to see what other books come out from this author!

Bethany Baptiste's YA urban fantasy debut, featuring the captivating protagonist Venus Stoneheart, is a literary gem that takes the reader on an extraordinary journey into a magical realm. As a young Witcher and skilled potions brewer for hire, Venus faces a world filled with societal issues like racism, classism, mental illness, and political control. Baptiste weaves these complex themes seamlessly into the narrative, providing depth and relevance.

In the midst of Venus's personal upheavals, the audiobook's narration brings out the emotional nuances, making the experience truly enchanting. The parallels between the struggles in Venus's fantastical world and real-world issues add layers of meaning to the story.

Just as Venus fights back when her world crumbles, the audiobook, with its exceptional delivery, draws listeners into the character's resilience and determination. The exploration of themes and the well-crafted storytelling make it an enthralling experience, akin to diving into a magical world where every moment counts.

Pairing this immersive audiobook experience with the sentiments expressed about Bethany Baptiste's work, it's clear that both offerings provide a rich and fulfilling escape into worlds where magic, social commentary, and compelling characters intertwine seamlessly. For enthusiasts of captivating storytelling and immersive fantasy, this audiobook is a must-listen, promising an experience that lingers long after the final chapter.

Let me start by saying that I am not a fan of contemporary novels. However, this book might just have changed that! The way the magical world was intertwined with the real one was magnificent! I loved how little of our world was actually in the story, not making it annoying in any way.

The main character was all I’ve ever wanted in one - fierce, but far from perfect. She sounded so real to me! She made some choices that were not that good, but she owned up to them, fully admitting they were wrong. This, in my opinion, is how a character should be written.

Another thing I thoroughly enjoyed was how subtly we understand that the characters are black - not being imposed too much, not being repeated all the time. It was just shown. Same as the non-binary character. Thank you for doing that, it was truly a pleasure to read!

All in all, it is a book worth reading and worth rereading. I am certain that a reread will give me so much more and I am definitely planning on doing so!

♡ Audiobook Review ♡
♤ Release March 5 ♤
- YA
- Dystopia
- Witches and Wizards
- Urban Fantasy

. First, this cover is gorgeous! Simply perfection.
. Second, the narrator, Lynnette R. Freeman deserves an audiobook narrator award because she did a heck of a GREAT job. I swear each character had a different or unique voice. So she had it very easy for people to just "listen" to the audiobook without having to the kindle or physical version. Great job, Lynnette. I need to listen to every book she has done. This audiobook is 5 stars, no questions asked.
. In a country divided between humans and witchers, Venus Stoneheart hustles as a brewer, making illegal love potions to support her family.
.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

♤Thank you, Netgalley and RB Media, for the ALC for my honest opinion | review.♤.

I wanted to fall in love with this book because the premise is so unique and interesting. However, I just can’t get into fantasy. I have aphantasia which means I don’t see images in my mind. This makes understanding and connecting with fantasy really difficult. I know so many people are going to love this book though. It’s set in the US in a current alternate world in which witches exist and are being heavily policed by the government. It’s kind of like how the super heroes are controlled in The Incredibles but they still work in an underground capacity.

Super fun ya fantasy novel. The characters were well done and the story flowed well. The world building was easy to follow. Great story!

I enjoyed this story so much. There was romance, fantasy, an incredible magic system, political intrigue along with multilayered family dynamics. The voice actor who narrates the audiobook is amazing and really does a wonderful job portraying the characters individually and really felt like there were multiple people narrating at times.

The main character was the shining star for me. Not only is she challenged by the death of her, issues within her personal life and among her family members, but she also has to navigate high level individuals weaponizing her against politicians to further their own goals. Even further, she has a sentient dark passenger (deviation) and is constantly having to resist its urges.

There are also little excerpts from sources like Witcherpedia that provide information and extra detail for the plot and really assists with world building.

The only real issue I had with the book was pacing. The story was very slow in the beginning, then as the story went on there was too much going on at once. It was hard to follow at times.

That being said, I would absolutely read a sequel or another book from this author. And I would recommend it to my friends. Thank you NetGalley for providing this audiobook for my review.

This books makes you think and make you have all the feeling. You're not ready for.
In a world where people with magic are discriminated against because of the magic which almost felt like an apartheid or Jim Crow was a powerful message.

The parallels I made in my mind while listing to this book made me sad and also make me feel hope. your truly learn the meaning off all the sorts of love in the world and how it can ben used against your enemies. Venus is truly a powerful character that went through to much in her life and the journey that she will make in this book with her family wil not make it easy but will it fix the relationship with her sister Janus.

The way that is story is told it will keep you on the edge off your seat until the last minute. I also felt the pain that author probably has experience in a world where she would not be accepted but by reading this book you have the hope that maybe by reading these kind of books we can improve this world

The narrator does an amazing job. She does do voice for all the characters which I'm normally not something I enjoy but she was really good and it didn't annoy me like after hour 4 of listening.

Thank you NetGalley for this Audiobook

I loved this story! I'm definitely hoping for a full series and more of these characters. Would love to see others povs as well (especially Presley). The narrator did a fantastic job though I have to say I hated Janice's voice.

Initially I was slightly overwhelmed by the number of characters but they were quickly very clearly described and personalities created so there was little confusion after that. Similarly the world building was set up beautifully and I can absolutely picture this place that is and isn't like our world. I loved Venus' character growth and journey and how every character would die for eachother. A stunning debut!

I mean this book was 16 hours! It's a me thing, I sometimes lost interest half way with audiobooks that are over 10 hours. It takes a lot to make a book that keeps you interested for 16 hours.

You know, some aspects of this book are interesting. I think the part that I appreciated or liked the most were the conversations about race and the "fuck the government" attitude. Everything else was just boring to me.

Some parts of the magic system were interesting but like everyone is using love potions and trying to one up each other. Like it becomes a bit repetitive. Especially the "No, I'm the one that's been playing all of you!" *Insert evil laugh here*.

Don't let my review steer you away from reading it.

I got an audiobook-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was exceptionally written, the world-building, magic system, and overall action were all lovely. The characters are morally grey and have to face their mistakes and actions and Venus is easy to relate to. This book tackles a broad range of themes including racism/classism, mental illness, and political control paired with the action-packed plot it made the book a page-turner and I couldn't put it down.

4.5 Stars

This was entertaining AF!

I listened to this on audio which is out of my comfort zone, but the voice actress did a phenomenal job expressing the different characters, emotions, and projecting the vibe of each scene.

I've always been a fan of villains and this book gave me multiple likable villains and one I wanted to punch in the jaw.

The politics, the bond, and the theme of weaponizing your love all resonated. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

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

From the start to the end, I was completely hooked. “The Poisons We Drink” was action packed and filled with love, loss, and laughter. Venus is thrown into politics and magic after her mother was murdered. Through her journey, Venus navigates challenges with magic, brewing potions and the Rights of Witchers. To be a debut novel, the world building was incredible! The characters were relatable, and I enjoyed the banter between Venus and her family. The plot twist had my jaw dropping, I did not expect it and I loved how the relationship came in full circle (trying not to spoil it). I enjoyed following the adventure of Venus and crew, this is definitely a must read!

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for an advance copy of this book.

The Poisons We Drink was absolutely captivating. It's a gritty and moving story about family bonds, coming to terms with our own dark sides, and fighting for equality. It is easy to see the witchers and the discrimination against them as a stand in for any marginalized group, but their creative magic abilities and hierarchies make them unique.

Venus was an authentic and believable main character; she was powerful and clever, but that didn't stop her from acting rashly or losing control of her emotions, as you would expect from any 18 year old. She's caring and loyal, and she definitely has a dark side, which has manifested in a magical deviation she calls IT. There's a lot going on in The Poisons We Drink, not just with the magic systems but with the political landscape of DC and between a large number of characters. It took a while to get to the main objective, but the novel is pretty well paced and full of action. We can easily see that all magic, especially Venus's specialty of brewing potions, has a cost -- brewing love potions could actually kill Venus if she isn't careful. We also see the more abstract cost that using magic has -- witchers are discriminated against, and we also see the many consequences of character's choices. I really appreciate the grittiness and gore within the novel. Baptiste doesn't sugar coat.

I also liked that Presley, Venus's friend and love interest, is non-binary and there is no "explanation" or coming out story for them, because that's not what this novel is about. Presley is an important character and I love seeing the representation seamlessly incorporated into the narrative. One of the best parts of the novel is the relationships between Venus and her family members. The banter is excellent, especially between Venus and her younger sister Janus, who is a fabulous character in her own right.

Lynette R. Freeman's narration of the audiobook was great. I had such a good time listening to this novel. This is Bethany Baptiste's debut novel, and I look forward to following her career in the future.

I am always very impressed when an author manages to write a standalone fantasy novel.
The story revolves around Venus Stoneheart and her family of witchers in an alternative version of 2023 USA.
I really liked the magic system, especially the brewing and the familiars. It is very light on the world building but it was still interesting.

My problem with this book was that there is just too little plot for too many pages. It is therefore very character focused, but I just didn't really like the characters too much, especially Janus, who I found extremely annoying.
Therefore it was just a bit too slow for me, but I will definitely be picking up future books by this author, because I really liked the concept of this story.

The narrator does a great job really bringing this story to life and elevating it. She's very animated and though sometimes her voices didn't fully match she did try to make everyone sound unique which kept me engaged while listening and reading along.

This audiobook was made available to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a young adult fantasy novel set in our recognizable modern world with magic added in the form of Witchers. The term 'witchers' seems to encompass multiple forms of magic from healers, to shape shifters, to potion makers and everything in between.

Venus is a teenager who is supporting her family using her powers to brew and sell illegal love potions, leveraging her ability, as a deviant host to sentient parasitic magic with its own danger and price.
For complicated and (spoiler) reasons Venus is the primary magical wage earner in her household. This impacts her relationship with her parent and siblings beyond the usual parentification of eldest daughters.
This story had multiple minor characters in political style relationships. To keep up I took notes of who was who and how they related to the story. The first half of the novel primarily focuses on world building at a steady but slower pace. About midway through the novel a reveal sets off the real action and the pace picks up accordingly.
I found the magic system to be interesting, complex, bloody and dark. The 'Witcherpedia' references were absolutely adorable.

Witcher social standing is cleverly handled in a way that explores how racism functions to oppress POC in frustrating and nonsensical ways in the USA. Sometimes when this is a theme in a novel it can feel overdone or heavy-handed. I find this type of storytelling requires a delicate balance which this novel manages lightly and to great effect. I found the parallels to the Black Lives Matter protests and clashes with police violence, perfectly handled. The unbelievably satisfying way, leaving me with the hope this is the first book in a planned series.

I truly enjoyed the audiobook version. The narrator, Lynnette R. Freeman, with slight changes in tone and pitch, creates uniqe voices for the characters assisting my ability to keep characters separated.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read/listen to and review this novel.

Thanks to RB Media, Recorded Books and Netgallery for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Ok, so first and foremost, this book is a great debut. The story is very interesting, and some of the topics are EXTREMELY relevant to today's reality. I really liked how the cast was not only diverted but a "morally gray cast" that is not typical to YA books. The magic system was interesting and the characters were strong and some of them were likable.

My problem with this book is the pace. It was too much going on, a lot of characters, a lot of plot twists and turns that made it hard for me to follow. It might be a "me problem", but the information "dumping" became too much. I wish the book was actually a duology where the author allowed herself to make the plot flow more seamlessly. I think if this was divided into two books, it would've been way better for the magic system to be explained as well.

Other than that, it kept me entertained. I do believe its a very strong debut. In terms of narration, I think it was very good, the narrator did a good job emoting emotions.


Thanks again to RB Media, Recorded Books and Netgallery for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This story felt like a witch version of x-men. (In the sense of mutant registration and humans hatred of mutants.) I was very intrigued by the world that was built, but it is a cruel and unforgiving world. The punishment and repercussions brewers face for magic is BRUTAL. The amount of times I read about people's bones snapping. It felt like the main characters couldn't win. If you're hoping for a cozy comforting read, this is not it. If you want an intense story where the tension and struggle and fight never lets up, enjoy having your heart stomped on.

I actually listened to the audio book and I loved how it felt like I was right in the middle of the action. It kept my attention, the difference in voices made it easier for me to focus on the story. The narrator did a great job of building energy.

There were a few parts of the narration where I could tell it was pickups because the tone was slightly off but it didn't happen often