Wow! this book had more drama than a soap opera. Everyone lies or has a blood oath to someone, it seems. I absolutely loved the magic in this book, and the depiction of the discrimination of witches in society hit close to home. The FMC, Venus had to figure out who she can trust amongst her family and friends. This was no easy task, and the witching world was literally at stake. I would absolutely recommend this book to fantasy lovers, and those who love witches.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy!

This book was an absolute "page turner". I listen at 2.5x speed and that still didn't feel fast enough for how much I needed to know more! I'm not easy to surprise with properly foreshadowed plot twists but Bethany Baptiste managed it with absolute grace. The number of times the crumbs I'd already been given came together at just the right time was impressive.

Narration wise, it was just as good. Freeman did a great job at distinguishing between characters. Freeman also kept the pace moving in a steady flow, never letting the length get the kind of stale that 480 pages of story easily could have.

<VAGUE SPOILERS AHEAD>

I was a little surprised to see most of the antagonism came more from internal struggles of the resistance rather than from the oppresive government. I would have liked to see more about the system that corroded their cohesiveness and how the pragmatism of fighting for ones own rights lead to internal conflict in the organizations ideals, but that probably would have required this book to be split into a duology. Actually, I would have loved to see the version of this story that became a duology.

Regardless the twists and turns of Venus' journey kept me on the edge of my seat (and occasionally out of my seat literally pacing from the adrenaline) from start to finish. Such an incredible debut and I will be keeping my eye on Bethany Baptiste's career going forward.

Neutral 3 stars for now
——————

This was a DNF @ 75%.

I’m really not sure how I feel about this one. I’ve been excited to read this since coming across it, and while I’m not disappointed for having read what I did, I just wasn’t as dazzled as I hoped to be.

The concept of this book is there. This book just has a LOT happening all at once. The plot is pretty complex and intricate, the diversity and magical racism was really well handled and poignant. But the amount happening is actually overwhelming. This definitely needed to be shorter or split between two books. There was a lot of smaller elements making up the overall revenge plot that is the core of this book. I kept having to go back to parts of the book to try to remember how a plot played into it, so much so that I read the book nearly twice by the time I finished the first 75%. It just didn’t hold my interest enough to listen to more than a chapter or two at a time. The writing was clunky and sometimes disjointed, with an excess of short statements instead of flowing sentences.

There are many characters that play some role in the novel and they were hard to track. Venus as a MC is interesting and I was intrigued by her “deviation.” I enjoyed that sense of darkness lingering. But it felt like a lot of the issues she went through were of her own making? I got the same sense about Janus, much of her character’s purpose felt like added an extra element of recklessness to Venus’ life. The diversity, again, was wonderful though. The dynamic of our core characters is solid and well handled. It was just too many people. I wanted more from the magic system, too. It sounds interesting but so much time is put into people and plot that it really got lost to me.

I feel like for me, the reason I struggled to finish this one is it was hard to keep track of everything happening with just the audio. I enjoyed the narrator and the separate voices given to the characters. There is so much emotion to her voice and how she handles these characters and experiences. But the sheer amount of people/places/things was just too overwhelming for this particular book, for me at least. I hit a point where I started to write down names and plots and connections just to follow along, which was frustrating for something I wanted the ease of listening to.

I’d probably pick it up again as a physical book, but the audiobook was just too much for me.

Well written and narrated but has a whole bunch going on, so the reader/listener is going to work for this one! It is a cool mix of magic/fantasy, political intrigue, contemporary issues and rich world building. Enjoyed!

I’m so glad I found this audiobook on NetGalley—it was such an incredible experience. It’s the type of book I want to have in my personal library and re-read. Venus and her sister Janus took me on such an exhilarating journey that I absolutely loved.

"The Poisons We Drink" is a magical blend of witches, political intrigue, and unpredictable villains. Each turn of the page had me on the edge of my seat, especially when secrets were revealed and the truth emerged. I was completely caught off guard by the plot twists amidst all the unfolding events. Moreover, I really enjoyed seeing Venus and Janus grow as characters throughout the story.

Additionally, whenever Presley and Venus share a scene, I can't help but feel giddy. They just look so perfect together. If there's ever a sequel, I really hope we get to see their love story evolve even more.

Moreover, if you're into witches, magic, love, and a bit of comedy, I highly recommend checking out this fantastic book. It'll definitely take you on a wild ride.

Lastly, a huge thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for allowing me to listen to this incredible audiobook. I'm eagerly looking forward to reading it again and getting my hands on a physical copy once it's released.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bethany Baptiste created an amazing world with interesting characters and complex magic system. Learning how it functions was the favourite part of the book for me. Lynette R. Freeman did an amazing job in bringing the characters to life - I sometimes had to pause the recording when Venus expressed her grief, it was so painful to listen to.

My only critique was the pacing/plot in the middle of the book. The begining and the end were so strong, but the middle dragged for me. I'm not sure which plotline could be shortened or erased, but I believe some editing would have been amazing.

Overall a very strong debut - I really hope we will return to this world! 4.5 stars

This narrator was extremely annoying. Her voices for other characters (specifically Janas) were cringy. Unfortunately this took away significantly from my enjoyment of the book. The story itself was interesting and a unique spin on traditional tales of magic and potions. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a unique tale. I also thought the amount of profanity was unnecessary and distracting.

Witches,black girl magic and revenge um yes please!!! I was so excited to read this one but quickly found out that fantasy is just not my cup of tea anymore. This book has an amazing concept. The topics talked about are current and well done. However, this book is looooong, and there are so many characters that it's hard to keep up. I thought it was a great debut novel, but just not for me.

Wow, wow, wow. This was a debut? I refuse to believe it.

This book is beyond brilliant. A country divided...both sides with strong feelings and reactions to the other side? Huh. Wonder what that's like. 🤔 But really, I think this was well written in a type of climate we may all feel somewhat familiar with in 2024 unfortunately. And I wish we could have an end similar to this books.

The only thing missing from this story was...their mom. I'd have really liked a bit more into their story. Yes, we get glimpses as the story progresses. But I'd have liked to see her living character a bit more.

Otherwise I think this was a pretty perfect book. The world building was superb. I will always love witches and potions and stubborn, independent female leads who refuse help...asking or accepting. I love how she was willing to give it all up for friends. For family. For love. Venus. Goddess. You were aptly named.

This book really wasn't working for me unfortunately. I kept trying to adjust the speed and hoping that it would make a little more sense but perhaps the book itself was just written a little bit confusing. Maybe it's just me. Also the narrator seemed to be screaming quite a bit and I couldn't quite get the volume right.

In a country divided between humans and witchers, Venus Stoneheart hustles as a brewer making illegal love potions to support her family.
This books has been on my radar for quite some time. First with that cover looking as stunning as it is and the synopsis instantly catching my eye.
So when I was alerted that I had been approved for an (Audio)ARC of this book I was over joyed.
Getting to know Venus and following her story through grief, rage , social injustice, betrayal and her own darkness I couldn’t help but be enraptured with her story. The world is inhabits reminds of years past and still to this day of social injustice. Making me feel so much rage on witchers behalf for the ignorance and hatred of humans. Attacking and belittling people that are deferent than who they are.
The plot of this book was quick rapid pace that never had a dull moment in my personal opinion. The narrator elevated this already riveting story to a whole new level. Capturing the heart of this story. The highs and the lows. The emotions. The twists and turns. Everything.
The character development with Venus and company was absolutely perfection. The narrator captured every character perfectly and brought them to life. I always love when a narrator changes their voice to fit every character. Lynette R. Freeman knocked this book out of the park with her narration. Period.
Bethany Baptiste created such a captivating book.
Overall a knockout of a book that will have you feeling a range of emotions and invested in the characters.
5 stars

Thank you to the folks at NetGalley & RB Media for an Audio ARC of this book. My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.

This book was slow to start. Honestly, at first, I didn't think I'd be able to get to the end. I wasn't a huge fan of how the author was creating the world. At times, things seem randomly placed how you'd go about learning the magic rules for this world. But about 35 to 40 percent of the way through, I felt the book finally started to get the flow. I found myself much more invested in the story once I got there, and Im glad I stuck it out until the end, as it is an overall good story.  The main character has a nice arc as I found myself going back and forth if I liked her but was always rooting for her. I also love a good sister bonding story and loved the twists along the way in the story. Overall, it wouldn't be a  book recommendation that I would tell people to rush to read, but I would still recommend my friends add it to their tbr list.

Thank you to Netgalley and Recorded books media for the audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review.

I see a black girl on the cover and I automatically want to read it. I was very excited to get the audiobook arc. The narrator, Lynette R. Freeman, did an amazing job in portraying the different characters.

I would have like this book a lot more if it was shorter. It felt a bit dragged out and there were so many moving parts with plot twists.

With that being said, I support Venus’s rights and wrongs. To be fair she’s 18 and her brain isn’t fully developed so I get the choices she made in this book. Loved Preston so much. The way the narrator voices Preston made me fall in love with them more. I did not like her little sister at all. Loved the cousins.

To be honest this one took me a while to get into and I found it overly long. That said, I did enjoy immersing myself in a new urban fantasy world divided by 'Witchers' and humans. Full of Black girl magic and inspired by Practical Magic and Breaking Bad, this YA debut features a grieving young brewmaster who makes illegal love potions to help support her family. I loved the nonbinary love interest, the way the relatable world building and the emotion driven action as Venus Stoneheart seeks revenge for her mother. Good on audio and recommended for fans of authors like Tracy Deonn and Liselle Sambury. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Poisons We Drink introduces a cool urban magical world, gritty and dangerous. Venus comes from a family of Witchers, magic wielding outcasts society is afraid of. Specializing in potions for hire and running covert errands for her mother, Carissa. When Carissa is killed investigating Witcher deaths, Venus is pulled into a political conflict to benefit Witchers. Familial secrets are revealed, which set Venus on a path of revenge.

The world building was woven into the plot without much info-dumping, but I was hoping for more history and background, especially in regard to Venus and It. The pacing overall was choppy and I sometimes struggled to focus on the characters and plot. The abilities of magic wielders and the different types of potions were very neat but at the same time certain aspects left me with more questions than answers. One being the currency and amounts these potions gathered.

As the eldest daughter, Venus had a lot of pressure and expectations from her mother. This didn’t stop after her death. Seemingly leaving Venus to solely care for Janus, her younger sister, even with immediate family present. Unfortunately, Venus’ character development struggled, she was very naive, forced to do someone else’s bidding throughout the book, we never really get to know what her dreams and goals are. The middle of the book was a bore but it picked up once the revenge plot was introduced and secrets revealed.

The big takeaways are the many themes of the book, relating directly to our reality - politics and social justice, racism, oppression, and coming of age; to name a few. I appreciated the writing and the ease of introducing diverse characters, it was very natural and inclusive. The book features both adult language and juvenile behavior, which may attract older teens and young adults.

The narration performance from Lynette R. Freeman was imaginative and entertaining. I enjoyed the delivery and variation in character voices, it made the story easier to follow and the characters to pop. Ultimately, The Poisons We Drink is a good beginner fantasy that’s closer to magical realism with relatable issues and topics, skewing towards familial drama and fight for power.

Thank you to Netgalley and RB Media for the listening review copy.

3⭐️

another book where main character has some monster/weird presence in her mind sjjsjsjsjjsj

the magic system is very unique and interesting the plot had many twists since the beginning, betrayals on betrayals on betrayals, but the book felt a lil too long and plot was dragging a lil

however the romance was chef's kiss, it was so good, the tension>>>

Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

Review posted to StoryGraph and Goodreads on 2/25/24. Review will be posted to Amazon on release date.

What a wild ride. Bravo Bethany Baptiste for this debut novel. In a country where humans and witchers are at great odds Venus Stoneheart is just trying to make her love potions to support her family. Upon the death of her mother, Venus is thrust into a world full of decisions that will force her to confront not only herself but everything she’s known about her family and the adults surrounding it.
The world created in this book was outstanding. The magical system was different but easy to understand. The relationships between all of the characters were deeply layered and I often didn’t know who could be trusted. I loved Venus as a flawed character who is trying to navigate grief, responsibility, and who she is. If you would have asked me to guess at the start of the novel what the end results would be I would have been completely wrong and that is a testament to the twists and turns in the plot.
The narrator of the audiobook put on a master class. Each character had a very distinctive voice and I never found myself trying to guess who was speaking.

I loved this book and can’t wait to see what Bethany Baptiste comes up with next.

thank you to netgalley & sourcebooks fire for providing me a copy of the arc for the poisons we drink
—
3.5 stars

let me start this review by saying i was so happy when netgalley accepted my request for this book. i had been looking forward to reading it because the cover is absolutely beautiful and the description really piqued my interest.

the writing in this book is all over the place and the style was kind of confusing. it made the seem book way longer than it needed to be. the pacing was slowwww and the plot kind of deviated. because of this, the storyline didn’t really come together as flawlessly as i hoped.

the world building is great but i felt that there were way too many characters in play, it was hard to follow them and connect to them because there was little to no descriptions of them.
the magic system and potion levels were a bit confusing and lacked detail in some scenes.

i really enjoyed the venus’ family dynamic, it felt realistic and refreshing. i liked how the author was able to reflect today’s society. the themes of oppression, racism, politics, mental illnesses (and a lot more) was all written so well. the book was full of representation, we love to see it!

as a debut book, this was pretty good. i’d definitely keep an eye out for more books by bethany baptiste in the future !

Good YA book, found it a bit bogged down with itself. I love the narrator she really sold all the characters

this novel is not just a story; it is an experience. It melds the fantastical with the grim realities of survival and consequence!


Will definitely be buying this book upon release

Thanks NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my review