The Poisons We Drink takes place in modern day DC. Witchers have been known to live amongst humans. Humans naturally are very fearful of the witchers even though they’ve lived side by side for a long time and never knew.

The humans are not completely unwarranted in their fear. At anytime a Witcher who can shape shift can take on their identity and commit a crime and the human can’t prove a Witcher (much less which Witcher) did the crime. They can also consume a potion that takes away their free will and not know it happened. Obviously, not all witchers are going to go around and commit crimes like this.

On the flip side: brewing potions comes at a huge cost to the brewer. Brewing even one potion can be deadly. Witchers are also very sensitive to iron- just being near it causes them to feel very sick.

18 year old Venus is a Witcher who brews love potions. This can range from romantic love to love of an idea. She is “strongly encouraged” by the grand Witcher to brew potions to use on politicians so the new registration bill doesn’t pass.

This idea reinforces the reason for human fear BUT I also believe that the Witchers are backed into a corner and don’t have much choice if they have any hope of knowing peace. There’s a moment in the book when Venus is going to a store and she mentions that there are stores owned by humans that don’t mind having witchers shop in their store but they get so much pressure from the humans that they are forced to “iron up” which makes it impossible for witchers to enter the building. This is a good example of why the witchers feel they have to go to extreme measures.

Overall I enjoyed The Poisons We Drink. It definitely had me constantly trying to see issues from multiple viewpoints. There is a list of potential triggers at the beginning so make sure you read through them before starting the book. There are some gruesome moments throughout so I’m not sure if I would label this YA- I think since the main characters are all teenagers that where the rating came from? I would say older high school and up would be ok but again check the trigger warning first.
I received a copy via NetGalley to read and review.

This was a great story! Very twisty and juicy! I loved the overarching theme of family. Venus was an intriguing MC, i l loved that there was a lot of plot twists esp towards the end concerning the witcher advocacy roots!

"The Poisons We Drink" had an intricate plot and very compelling characters and I really loved the twists and turns that took place by the end of the story. It had me gasping and kept me up late as I finished the rest of the book. I enjoyed the parallels between witchers and the real-life equivalent of Black minorities and even the discrimination within minority communities when it comes to mental illness or queerness (or both, however, one wants to interpret it) via the metaphor of the magical deviant voice in the main character's brain. I thought it was written in a way that was easily understood by the reader. I also enjoyed the normalization of Presley (the love interest of the story) being nonbinary and everyone uses gender-neutral terms for them and there wasn't a need to explain their existence, they just exist.

The beginning of the story though is unfortunately really hard for a reader to get into as easily. It was very slow and there was a lot of exposition dump to the point that I remember none of it. Not only was the exposition dump very heavy, but there were a lot of characters being introduced all at once as well which made it so much harder to keep track of and understand information in the beginning. All the exposition and worldbuilding information that I understood came from the second half where the plot and the use of the magic system and other in-world politics. There are also excerpts of text from within the world of the story at the beginning of every chapter and I feel like that could've alleviated some exposition in story but instead, it pushed all the exposition to be very heavy for this book in general.

I would recommend this book is more suited for 20+ year olds and 18 year olds at youngest. There's a lot of scenes that involve a lot of blood that got to me even though I'm not a very sensitive person to gore in general somehow it got me mildly disgusted. Great to get me feeling since I like feeling when reading but not so great when it might affect a younger reader negatively. There's also a sex scene that lasts only a page or two and I didn't find it to be super graphic but I couldn't think of a justified reason for this scene to be in a YA specific book. If this was an adult novel, I wouldn't have taken note but for a book being advertised as YA I had to give pause. I am all about sex education and sex positivity for younger generations but I am also on the side of making space for those who may be uncomfortable due to age or being on the asexuality spectrum. If this scene still had an intimate moment between the characters and did a fade to black, I think the message of the characters' relationship development would have been fine.

I overall enjoyed this story once it actually got going and feel satisfied in the ending. If someone is curious about purchasing this title for a younger reader, take extra precautions and verify if the reader is mentally ready for the more mature parts of the story.

For years, I've been looking for a book where a witch wreaks havoc with love potions. It was a concept in my head that sounded thrilling, but I couldn't find a proper execution myself. Thanks to Bethany, I need to look no further and I finally have read the book I've been looking for!
The thing that first drew me to this book was the cover real (absolutely gorgeous) and, once I read the synopsis, it became one of my anticipated reads for 2024. I was so happy when I got approved for the ARC (thanks NetGalley!).
The Poisons We Drink is a story about love. Familial love, romantic love, love for an idea, the yearning for love and the ways love can be twisted and manipulated by someone's selfish intentions. The pain and joy that comes with loving and being loved, and the sacrifices that are made in the name of love.
It's not an easy book to read at times, it explores the harsh reality that BIPOC people in the US face everyday and is honest in its anger, but it ends on a positive, albeit bittersweet, note of hope for the possibility of change and the construction of a better future.

DNF. The storyline didn’t pull me in and there were too many characters/different magic combinations to keep up with. I couldn’t get through it.

With this, Bethany Baptiste really hit the mark! Venus Stoneheart is a witch and maker of love potions, and her story is told in a fast-paced, heavily plotted manner. In this novel, Venus deals with a wide range of challenges, including her complex romantic and familial connections, congressional persecution of witchcraft, and coping with her own sadness after a loved one passes away. She will go to any lengths to keep the people she loves safe, even while some of those measures have deadly repercussions.

The author begins with a personal note that is without a doubt the best description of this story: "I made THE POISONS WE DRINK with two cups of Practical Magic, a gallon of Black girls, a sprinkle of bad witches, and a pinch of unbreakable bonds. But when everything's all boiled down, this story is my heart."

This is the perfect read for witchy season, and an absolutely stunning representation of why fantasy & magical realism is such an intoxicating genre. More than that, it's an eye-opening, scathing window on reality.

It’s a story full of grit, growth, conflict, controversy, cultural relevance, parallels to modern-day political issues, and even internal battles between the good and evil within us, as seen in the protagonist Venus. Internal family problems, lies, telling those we love that we love them a little too late, and facing literal and figurative demons when having to grow up too fast while being different in a country that doesn’t accept you for being different.

A lot is going on in this story, and you can tell that Baptiste poured emotion and probably a lot of herself into this story. But it wasn’t for me. Getting into the story took me a while; it didn’t start as compelling as expected. It was a slow start, and when it built up momentum, I wanted to ask Venus what was happening. Because a lot is going on (I know I said that already), the magical action felt wonky, and maybe that was intentional because the characters are young and learning about themselves while learning about their magical skills; I could read where the author’s influences were coming from; they were apparent, but I wanted less of the Witcherpedia explanations and more from the characters providing the insights.

On top of the struggles and battles (literal and internal), there’s the emotional imbalance that comes with growing up and challenging adults and authority figures. If you’re interested in a new view of a magical world conflicting with political agendas while trying to prove yourself as a responsible “adult” to your family, this story is for you. If I could give it two ratings, I would give 4 stars for the story concept and 3 for execution. I was not a fan of the definitions and explanations at the start of each chapter, those could have been woven into the story.

I don't think this is a bad book at all - what I've read of it, I love - but I have a trigger for abusive mothers and Venus' mother is too hard to read about. Knowing that she and her death are going to be driving forces for the book, I just don't think I can handle it. But I love everything else about this book, and encourage other readers to pick it up!

This book set out to explore a lot and it did it all successfully. The world building was not only sharp and vivid but was just absolutely fascinating. It was somewhere between our world and fantasy, with many social and political tensions that really mirror our reality. The world Baptiste created could absolutely be the setting for more books — and I would happily read them. Though I loved the magic system, complex characters, and tense plot, my favorite part was the exploration of family relationships and how protecting someone you love might cost you closeness, especially between siblings.

WIthin moments of meeting Mr.Mouse I knew that I was going to enjoy this novel. This novel is a roller coaster of magical bonds, friendship, family and how they all intertwine to weave the supportive web that balances against the darkness of the world. I was very happy with the representation in this story- none of it felt forced or 'for the sake of diversity'.

I really wanted to like this one but the writing was so clunky I had a hard time even getting into the story. I loved the idea of it, I loved the blurb, but the writing clearly needed another round of edits. I want books like this with diverse authors and diverse characters to succeed so badly but this one wasn't doing it for me.

Full disclosure: I requested this book after seeing that Cait Corrain had targeted Bethany Baptiste, by posting fake reviews of this book as well as others. It feels very unfair and I wanted to do what I can to tip the scales. And wow, this is such a great book!

Witchers are not human, enemies proclaim. They create potions that mess with your mind. So the police use iron bullets on any witcher parties that they happen to raid, while gentrification pushes out the rest. A new bill may force all witchers to register, which could be a death sentence for Venus and her family. Yet fighting back isn't an option; her father Darius tried to organize civil disobedience and protests, and that got him killed.

Venus has taken over her mother's potion brewing business, while knowing it's a dangerous game. In addition to the fact that brewing potions is technically illegal and could land her in prison, each one takes a bit of her life force, or it won't work. And if she brews a potion outside of her specialty, she could lose exactly what her mother lost. Not helping is that some experimenting with magic has left a deviant inside her that wishes to do violence to the world.

It seems simple enough. Brew potions for thousands of dollars per client, stay under the radar, and keep her sister Janus out of trouble. Janus should be the biggest problem that Venus has because her sister would rather go out and party, while challenging the status quo. She can create portals and use a blood tether to read her sister's mind, but Janus wants to live. Surviving isn't enough.

Then their mother dies, killed by an iron bullet in an act of Anti-Witcher murder. To avenge their mother, and to maybe prevent the registration bill from passing, Venus has to enter the dangerous world of making potions for politicians, hoping to turn the tide. These underhanded deeds may also keep Janus out of jail, since she is itching to avenge their mother as well, and rebel against the systems that keep them labeled as "other". Janus, however, can sense that her sister has gotten in over her head. And she wants to help.

While Venus is no hero, she is certainly not the monster that she thinks she is. She is someone who makes choices to protect her family, a family that has meddled with human minds and hearts. Yes, she knows that most love potions mess with the ability to give consent, but nothing else will pay the rent. Venus has her specialty, and she has to live with it. As her witcher neighbors remind her, trying to brew potions outside her specialty has a price. She has enough trouble keeping her deviant under wraps.

This is such a fun book that keeps me spellbound. I hope it releases to all the love and acclaim that it deserves.

This book is not for the faint of heart, as there is a lot of gore, violence, and difficult topics. However, I feel that, especially in its exploration of themes that it succeeds in portraying something that real teens, especially those in marginalized communities, have and will continue to experience, so I can’t really say it’s inappropriate for a YA audience.

Honestly, the main reason this isn’t 5 stars for me is that I felt like I was missing some understanding of exactly how magic worked and what consequences and conflicts the characters were facing within it. This book tackles magic from a lot of different angles and it was hard to keep up with despite the little informational quotes at the beginning of each chapter. However, I think the ideas were really strong and unique and the way that witches were known to the general public in a way that only deepened their oppression was much more thought provoking than stories where magical people are hidden/secret. The politics were also a little unclear, as I was unsure if I was just supposed to map the idea of our real world American senate onto the senators in this book, suggesting that it was a simple republican/democrat divide and some republicans needed to be flipped. This didn’t quite make sense to me since it seemed that the oppression witches faced was more complete and wouldn’t fall out along party lines.

Regardless, where this book shined was the twisty interpersonal relationships and the juxtaposition of loving your family so much against the fact that trying to help them survive in a harsh world might make them hate you. All the characters had their own personalities and powers and motivations, and I could easily pick them out and had no problem remembering who was who or what their stakes were. The book makes you question who is good, evil, or just complicated, and takes a lot of time to show characters making mistakes and facing consequences for them. There are some big reveals that I found satisfying and especially as I approached the end the pacing really picked up and made you turn pages.

Though this is not a perfect book, I enjoyed it and recommend it. I also liked the non-binary representation, especially as a love interest. I look forward to more work from this author because of her unique ideas and how she isn’t afraid to write about hard topics and complex characters.

This was very enjoyable, I remember reading the description of this an instantly wanting it but I couldn't get it at the time because of the release time. So grateful that I was able to get to read such a interesting book now. I knew I wouldn't be disappointed an sure enough I wasn't.

This was phenomenal. I loved the world-building, the characters, the themes, the damn heart of this book. It is inventive and moving and relevant to our world while still being an intriguing fantasy. I would like a hundred more angry, affecting books just like that. And for now, that's all I'll say because I don't want to give away any spoilers before the book comes out.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this book in exchange for an honest review. I'm really glad I requested it.

This was a magical and political debut YA/NA fantasy from Bethany Baptise that faltered occasionally only by trying to do too much. I loved Baptiste's overall focus on the juxtaposition of human power v magic and how humans wield their fear as power to even control witchers who are full of immense magic.

Baptiste deftly outlined some of the divides of our current society and politics--divisions between those we see as other--and projected them onto a SFF dystopian DC. This backdrop of DC gentrification and proximity to power illuminates her theme that not all monsters are bad--some act out of love against oppressive forces.

The pacing was a bit off at times - driven by Baptiste taking on too much and not spending more time on flushing out characters. I enjoyed the first part of the book as the worldbuilding unraveled, and Baptiste introduced characters, but then the story spun its wheels for a while. I think Baptiste could have threaded some of the political underpinnings earlier in the story. Then, at about 80%, it's pure action until the end. The pacing made parts of the story confusing. Some of the side characters were flat enough that I couldn't remember who they were or what their motivations were. Even Janus's anger at Venus didn't make sense to me at times because we weren't allowed to sink into it as readers.

But overall, I loved the world building, the special Witcher magic, the attention Baptiste put into the brewing and potions, and the setting of a dystopian ish DC where witchers carve out a place of belonging and resistance much like Black people have in the U.S. for centuries.

I can't wait to see what Bethany puts out next and how she settles into her voice as an author.

I was curious about the books that Cate Corrain dissed, yes, as this was one of them, but I also wanted to read about the pink-haired main character. I know, don’t judge a book by its cover, but this is one amazing cover.


The story is of a country divided, those who are human and those who are witchers. The US government is afraid of them, and yet they and the population use them, because they can give them what they want, with this “magic” potions. Venus is skilled in making love potions. These potions are not just to fall in love with people, but to fall in love with ideas, or things. And each time a witcher brews them, she gives a little of herself. There is fever, there is pain, and there could also be death.


Venus keeps thinking she is going to quit the business, that pays so well, when her mother is killed, and she gets caught up in something she has no control over. The further she goes into trying to find who killed her mother, the more she finds corruption. There are people that are doing things, and she has to work her way through to the very top to find out what is going on.


While I admit that sometimes I had a hard time keeping track of everyone in the story, because people who were allies, become enemies, become friends again, the basic story was good, even if *I* might have gotten confused. If you like to have your Main Character in constant danger, you have come to the right place. From the get-go, Venus is in pain. Brewing love potions is not for the weak at heart, or body.


This debut novel is coming out on the 5th of March, 2024. Thanks to Netgalley for making it available for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book so so much. The first chapters include a lot of world building that slows the pace down, but once it picks up speed it doesn't slow down. There are so many small pieces of this story that tie together masterfully in the end. This novel really gets at the relationships between mother and daughter and older and younger siblings. The book asks us how far is too far to go in pursuit of liberation and what is too much to sacrifice.
I would highly recommend this book.

I read the origins of this story at the beginning of the book, and I was like, I really like where this might take me. I was not disappointed in any way where that was concerned. One thing I will point out is that this leans more towards the young adult, and I really am not a fan; I suppose I’m getting too old. LOL! However, that aside, this is a well-written book about Venus suddenly thrust into taking care of her sister and using her magic to do that. I love morally gray characters, and this delivered. I also enjoyed the subtle inferences about the current political…climate, and I like it wasn’t a hammer to your head. I think that author will go far, and I’ll pick up another book by her in the future if it leans more away from YA. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

I enjoyed this debut fantasy from Bethany Baptiste! I read it in about two days. The ideas of different forms of love for love potions - including the love of an idea - was very interesting and it had some twists I didn't see coming.

But how little the adults in this book did to protect their 16-18 year old kids, and the lack of consent that went with how potions were given to others, made it hard to read in moments.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this review copy!