Unique fantasy story, with some fun characters that keep developing throughout the book. The writing, as well as the audio, is well done. However, i unfortunately did not feel much of a connection to this book, im not sure why. it might be because it feels a bit superficial to me, characters could have been more worked out, and in general the plot could have deepened more i think.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review

Thanks to Recorded Books, NetGalley, and Bethany Baptiste for the advanced audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this but the ending was a bit frustrating for me. I really ended up dwelling on it and it affected how much I like this book overall.

I liked the world. It's set in modern day D.C. but with some people being magic users, i.e., witchers. Each witcher has their own magical specialty and then there are brewers who forgo using their magic so they can brew potions. It was easy to grasp and really interesting.

The characters were unique and had complex relationships. I especially enjoyed seeing how Venus's relationship with her mom changed over the course of the book.

I will say that the idea of love potions made me a little hesitant at the start. But for most of the book, it wasn't an issue. Most of the situations were understandable. Desperate people running out of time seeking a desperate solution. However, the way the love potions get used at the end just did not sit well with me at all. I will give my thoughts on that at the end of my review but it does spoil the ending so keep that mind before reading that bit.

I listened to this on audiobook and definitely recommend it. The narrator did a great job with all the voices. There may have once or twice that I wasn't sure which male was speaking but in general each voice was differentiated really well. I listened to this at 1x which is a bit slower than I normally listen but I thought the pacing was good at this speed so I just left it.

Overall, I still did enjoy this book and it definitely made me think. You may enjoy it if you like YA, urban fantasy, politics, and/or family dynamics.

*spoilers below*

The idea of the love potions always made me feel a little weird. It's messing with someone's free will. But most instances I could understand - a kid getting back in the grandmas good graces so that she would help with his mom's cancer treatment, an old man who just wants to reconnect with his son. These people are aware the "love" is not real and is temporary, but they're desperate. It's understandable. Still kind of messed up but you can see where they are coming from. But giving someone full control over several senators, rather than simply giving them a pro-witcher sentiment felt like a step too far. I know Venus would not abuse her power but it still feels icky and unnecessary.

Also, the Grand Witcher turning out to be human left me perplexed and a little frustrated. I get that she was fully committed to the witcher cause, but it's the most powerful position that can be held within witcher society and it just didn't sit right with me that she was actually human. She should never have taken that role.

4.5/5 rounded up

A candy-coated urban fantasy with a poisonous center, and j say that as a compliment! I love a good contemporary fantasy, especially one as punchy and twisty as this! A smidge rough around the edges (some adverb repetition I probably wouldn’t have noticed had I not been listening to the audiobook, but nothing major whatsoever) but the book is an evident labor of love from the author, with so much heart put into it, I cannot wait to see where she goes from here, because she’s an undeniably talented storyteller. I want more from this author!

I love this book. The voice is so good. The story itself was great! Definitely recommend listening on audio for this one!

This was a very powerful book. It definitely has a lot of hidden and not so hidden meanings, most of which are rooted in racism. The magic system got a bit confusing at some points as did the many many many characters, this book is probably best physically read as opposed to the audiobook that way you can grasp characters easier, or maybe read the book while listening. Regardless, I enjoyed the book.

A great read for any fantasy lover!

Venus is a great character, she is strong willed and determined to do what is right by her family. She comes up against the head witcher and their encounter isn't a happy one. She has to fight for what she believes in.

Wow! That was an intense and long book.

There were so many poignant moments, eliciting feelings from heartbreak and grief to humor and joy.

I laughed so hard when the deviation sang the mission impossible theme song in Venus’ head as she tried to steal hair from the senator.

I also appreciated the metaphor of magic and love, as well as the PTSD rep, interrogation of racism, and cop violence.

By the end of the book, I loved all of the main characters including Janice, Tyrell, Venus and our nonbinary love interest Presley. It took a little while to get to know Presley - legitimately didn’t catch that they were nonbinary until almost 30% into the audiobook - but they became an integral part of the book and I loved getting to know them.

My only critique is that the book felt VERY long and packed with almost nonstop scene beats, giving the reader little time to sit and absorb everything that was happening. It left a few pivotal moments feeling rushed.

Unfortunately, this book dragged on for me. I found the plot to be tedious and found my thoughts wandering. I did love the setting, magic system, and the main characters. It just didn’t hold me.

Thank you to NetGalley & RB Media for the audio arc of this book.

Baptiste has created a complex world full of magic and personality. She skillfully uses fantasy to examine real-world problems. I love morally grey characters and strong female characters, and there's no shortage of them here.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media, Recorded Books for this ARC Audio Copy!


Urban fantasy set in Washington DC with witches, humans, politics, drama, tragedy, and some great world building. What is not to love.

This is not my typical book but I am trying to change up my reading style and read more urban fantasies and this was a really good one to get started with. The characters were completely believable and real, and they experienced the regular life struggles as wells as things related to their magic. It was a strongly build world where even if you didn't necessarily like a character, you still were able to relate to them in one way or the other.

I did not expect it to be as political as it was, but it was really enjoyable. The government is trying to set in place a registration act that would put all witches and their families in danger and they must do everything they can to stop this from happening.

If you like magical realities, family dramas, and political intrigue, this book is for you. Wonderfully written and brilliantly narrated, The Poisons We Drink is an enticing young adult narrative dealing with community, revenge, and social justice. I highly recommend.

Venus is a brewer, making love potions for those in the most desperate need, for a hefty sum of money, but brewing comes with side effects, some as severe as death. When Venus's mother dies, she's offered a chance to avenge her murder, but that too comes with a price. The Grand Witcher wants Venus to brew for her as she attempts to snare some of DC's top politicians. Protecting her sister Janus is Venu's number one priority, but Venus has gotten herself in deep, and now who can protect her?

The Poisons We Drink is a long book. Not only that but there's a lot going on, and a lot of characters to keep track of. I'll admit that I found myself lost more than once. In my opinion, this book was longer than it needed to be. I enjoyed Venus as a character. I couldn't tell you much about the other characters though. Like I said, there were A LOT of them. I was intrigued by the story, but if you ask me to tell you what I read, there was so much that beyond what I said above, I really couldn't tell you. Don't get me wrong. I didn't hate this book, but it felt like work, and reading is supposed to be enjoyable right? Based on that, I'll leave it up to you if you decide to read this or not. I was quite overwhelmed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Lynnette R. Freeman was a fantastic narrator. She really brought the story to life and was the main reason I kept at it.

First and foremost, I have to commend Lynette for her fantastic narration in "The Poisons We Drink" by Bethany Baptiste. Her voice adds depth and an enjoyable flow to the listening experience.

Bethany's story is remarkable in its tackling of heavy topics such as oppression, racism, and segregation, while also being packed with action and moving moments. I found it to be a captivating tale, a real page-turner. It's been a while since I've read such a well-crafted urban YA fantasy.

"The Poisons We Drink" is a gripping and thought-provoking read, blending magic, action, and social commentary seamlessly. Highly recommended for fans of urban fantasy.

Audio arc from netgally by RBmedia

A great novel. Love the magic system and premise. Can’t wait to see where the story continues to go and grow.

Do you ever have that book that you keep reading even though it just DRAGS and DRAGS!
That's this book for me...

I saw many people saying they really didn't like Venus, as a character but I found her incredibly relatable as an oldest daughter who was thrust into growing up way to young and had a younger sister to protect. So I felt that I had to see Venus's story through to the end.

The other thing that kept me going was the magic system and the witcher society as a whole. I was so intrigued that it kept me going despite the fact I felt I was slogging through this whole thing.

The downside to the Magic System being one of the big things keeping me going was the fact that I kept finding points where I'd be going "what the hell?" Like I swore there was an insinuation that Presley had a deviation as well from the events they and Venus went through but we never see their Deviation.

Deviation's also felt like a thinly veiled metaphor for mental illness that I ended up feeling kinda iffy on...

I'm overall really sad that I didn't like this book more because their was so much potential here. And so much I wanted to love about it... But it just didn't didn't hit any of the marks.

The audiobook did have points though for the entrancing vibe that it had throughout, with Lynette R. Freeman easily entrancing me to continuing listening with her beautiful voice.

Baptiste's writing is rich and evocative, drawing the reader into the characters' innermost thoughts and feelings. The narrative unfolds at a steady pace, revealing shocking truths and unexpected twists along the way. One of the novel's strengths is its portrayal of the deep-seated emotions that drive the characters' actions. From love and betrayal to guilt and redemption, Baptiste skillfully navigates the complexities of human nature, making the characters relatable and compelling. The author also deftly weaves in themes of race, class, and family, adding layers of depth to the story.
While "The Poisons We Drink" is a poignant and thought-provoking read, it may not be for everyone. Some readers may find the pacing slow, and the story's dark themes may be difficult for some to digest. However, for those who literary fiction that delves into the intricacies of the human experience, this novel is a must-read. Overall, "The Poisons We Drink" is a powerful and haunting tale that lingers long after the final page. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

Ok the voice is nice as audio, and yet the story , im still trying to figure what im reading, im not disliking it but definitely not loving it. I feel is a but all over the place and i cannot relate. The whole witch world seem very interesting and the whole building two is just the story what is not clicking it for me at this moment, will definitely give it a second try with the actual book and not the audio

This book was not for me unfortunately, I found the story very difficult to follow and differentiate between the different characters, The magic system was confusing and hard to understand as well. I really wanted to love this story but unfortunately, it was not for me.

3.5 stars

I thought the premise of this was really cool, a modern version of witches (called 'witchers') that brew potions, shapeshift, and can tell the future. These people are persecuted because the general public is afraid of what they can do, so the witchers are forced to be secretive and fear for their lives.

The pacing wasn't consistent and I found the middle to be dragging. Maybe this could be shorter or used the middle to explain a bit more about what the various witcher abilities are?

The characters are pretty morally grey, which I found intriguing, but also sometimes didn't want to root for Venus after she did some crappy things. It did make the story more exciting though and I liked not knowing what to expect from her.

One warning, Venus throws up A LOT in this for some reason, so be aware in case that's an issue.

I thought the audiobook was well narrated and appreciated the shift in tones to help me identify which characters were speaking.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Recorded Books for the copy.

DNF at 70%

It's a weird combination for me to give up that far in the story and still rate a book with three stars (which is not bad after all), but I simply can't with this book. I've been struggling with it for weeks and the subpar execution of what seemed like an interesting concept made me wish for it to end, so I can just move on, and for me it's a sign it's time to stop fighting with a book. On language level it was more than many other YA novels have to offer, I have to give the author that. The style here is raw and the story doesn't shun violent themes. Baptiste tried to create a fully-fledged urban fantasy world based on inequality and prejudice. Even though they seemed expository, I enjoyed tidbits of information about this reality at the beginning of each chapter.
But the story was painfully dragging, needed polishing, and it was completely lacking any point. Violet is driven only by rage, which doesn't resonate with me (of course, I'm willing to admit that this book was written with some other reader in mind, but it doesn't make the story better). I found it very hard to care about her or any other characters. I have a feeling that it's another YA fantasy written with very specific anti-systemic themes in mind, in which the author is focusing more on their agenda, and not enough on the plot, which results in a flat story.
This may be the first time that the narrator actually impacted my experience for worse. I just couldn't stand the high-pitched voice for Janice. She sounded like she was screaming all the time.