Potion magic is truly underrated and 'The Poison We Drink' finally gives it justice in my view.

The world in this book mirrors our own with basic rights being put into danger, with a witch registry trying to be put into action, that endangers so many witches life. This mirrors the rights of women and black lives in our world, as the government tries to put more laws and actions in place that harm and hinder them. The parallel in this book shows readers that the story may be different but the dangers are the same.

I say this every time but I LOVE when a magic book does magic with rules and limits. Magic comes with a price and you break them you lose them. I always love magic like that and the fact that we have this in the book. I do love the loophole with the chaotic magic Venus has it.

My only qualms for this book was the pacing and how it grew very slow, even though a lot of important moments were happening. It felt odd that it felt slow but crazy things were happening. So perhaps the structure just needed a slight tweak.

3 stars rounded up
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review
I was very excited for this book as I am a sucker for witches but unfortunately, this book was not for me. I had a really hard time getting through it. The world-building was very hard to follow and the plot was all over the place. I didn't care for most of the characters, especially the protagonist who was annoyingly angsty. I think the most interesting part of the book was the presence of the deviant in the protagonist, but unfortunately the 'It' did nothing interesting the whole book other than a few wisecracks. I really wanted to like this book as it had some magical elements I'm generally into in my books but it just didn't work for me

A young Witcher (in a world where there are humans and Witchers) seeks vengeance for her mother's death. However, it comes at a steep price and she must weigh doing what's right with doing what she wants.

I found this one slow for a fantasy. I think a large part of this was that the world was not clearly fleshed out for the reader. I kept thinking, should I know what this is by this point?? It also took a long time for it to really get going - it is almost a hundred pages in before we really get serious plot movement. The book is long, so this is about ¼, but it was pretty long for a fantasy book. I was really excited for this one, and the cover is gorgeous, but it fell a little flat for me.

Such an intriguing magic system and really vibrant characters. I was hooked! Will definitely pick up this author again.

Incredible. Bethany is in a league of her own with this. The representation is fantastic. And it has all the elements of a fantasy book I adore. Can’t wait to see what comes next

I do think that this story had some strong point but I do think the pacing is what took me a bit to fully get into the story, but I can definitely seeing people get into this one. Definitely think the plot was strong but the delivery just missed the mark for me.

The Poisons We Drink is a timely book focusing on socially hot topics such as politics and culture woven throughout a fantasy story. The main character, Venus Stoneheart, is a strong, intelligent witcher, who finds herself digging deep into her soul to decide what side of the war she wants to end up on. I think this story will be a hit with young adults who read Angie Thomas and Tomi Adeyemi.

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

I loved this magic-system, the portrayal of injustice and discrimination, the diverse cast of characters, and the complexity of the characters. This book was full of mystery and tension. Make sure to read the trigger warnings-it has a few tough topics some should be warned about.

This was a book that I couldn’t put down. Loved the magic system and the commentary on government. Amazingly done!

I am thoroughly impressed that "The Poisons We Drink" is a debut novel! Bethany Baptiste wrote a compelling story with an interesting magic system while also incorporating what it's like to be a black woman in modern-day society and the racism that one may deal with. I loved the characters in this book and the lore surrounding the magic. This book had a fresh take on "witchery," and I just overall really enjoyed this story.

The cover of this book drew me in immediately! The magic system in the plot is extremely unique and overall has features relevant to societal issues that many teens will find relatable. I absolutely added this title to our cart for the library teen department and am excited to share it with patrons. I did feel like the plot had quite a few holes and found myself confused a few times while reading.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the e-arc!
Let me tell you, this book lives up to every expectation I had! In this book, we follow Venus, who brews illegal love potions in order to support her family. Brewing potions is dangerous, and getting caught means death, but when Venus's mother is killed, Venus is willing to do anything to protect her little sister. She is offered a chance to take revenge on her mother's killer, but at the cost of brewing a potion that enslaves very influential politicians. This promise blew me out of the water with how unique it is and how intriguing the plot line sounds.
The world-building in this book was excellent! The magic and the potions or so unique and complex. I love the use of potions in fantasy, and this book untitled them perfectly! The intrigue and the overall plot weren't too confusing but still extremely engaging.

The poisons we drink is a fantastic tale of humans vs witchers that’s filled with poisons and potions and magic. It’s also a story that tackles some big issues including racism, injustice, and oppression. The characters were wonderfully endearing, particularly Venus and the lengths she would go to to protect those she loves. I loved the modern day D.C. setting, it was super neat to see a place I’m familiar with filled with magic. I adored this one so much and will definitely pick anything else I find by this author. 4 stars.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Poisons We Drink

Author: Bethany Baptiste

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Black American Sapphic MC, Black American characters, Indian American character, Sapphic character, Non-Binary character

Recommended For...: young adult readers, urban fantasy, fantasy, witches, queer, contemporary

Publication Date: April 30, 2024

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Age Relevance: 16+ (police brutality, violence, racism, gun violence, parental death, child death, PTSD, anxiety, depression, self-harm, gore, drugs, underage drinking, language, grief)

Explanation of Above: There are scenes and mentions of police brutality, gun violence, and violence in general. There is one on-page death of a parent and mentions of death of a child. There are moments of PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief, and forms of self-harm. There is some blood and vomit gore. There are mentions of drugs and underage drinking. There is some strong language. There are also scenes and mentions of racism and racist acts.

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Pages: 480

Synopsis: 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. Then an enemy's iron bullet kills her mother, Venus’s life implodes. Keeping her reckless little sister Janus safe is now her responsibility. When the powerful Grand Witcher, the ruthless head of her coven, offers Venus the chance to punish her mother's killer, she has to pay a steep price for revenge. The cost? Brew poisonous potions to enslave D.C.'s most influential politicians. As Venus crawls deeper into the corrupt underbelly of her city, the line between magic and power blurs, and it's hard to tell who to trust…Herself included.

Review: Oh. My. God. This book was EVERYTHING. I absolutely devoured this read and I can’t wait to re-read it. The book was captivating, the story was just so addicting, and I loved everything about this book. I loved the main characters. I love the mix of witchcraft and the LORE. I usually do not do well with urban fantasy style books because I’m more of a “magic fits better in my mind with medieval style settings” but omg this has made me reevaluate my stance cause this was THAT GOOD. I felt like the background was well set up, the worldbuilding was great, the characters were well developed, and just EVERYTHING. I LOVE THIS BOOK. Like I don’t know how else to say that? Uhh… READ THIS BOOK.

The only thing I would say was a slight ding was some of the pacing here and there was a bit off in places, but other than that I NEED MORE.

Verdict: I loved it. I need more =). Highly recommend.

Gorgeously written, magical, and truly moving. A YA novel that digs deep into family trauma, modern day poisons, and what it means to step into your power.

The Poisons we Drink has a captivating premise and a multifaceted and intriguing main character. This world where witches and politics intertwine is dangerous and hard to navigate for those who wish to be active players. I found the ending to be a little drawn out and felt the story could have been a little shorter. But I also enjoyed uncovering the secrets of Venus’s world with her.

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste gave me the vibes THUG would have if it had magic in it. The word building was deeply rooted into the political climate that perpetuates the worse realities of racism in America, and I think that's what made this book powerful. The characters had personal stakes and political stakes that elevated the plot even more. I really enjoyed it, and I hope there is a sequel.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Usually, I am not the type of girl that likes to read books about magic, practical or not, but this was such a good book that I didn't even mind that it was stepping out of my usual comfort zone for books.

I think this is a great YA fantasy to get into because it’s a bit more simple so you won’t get too lost. The cover is so stunning that you immediately want to read it and the themes of magic and loss are well done as well.

I tried multiple times, but I couldn't get into this one. I might try the audiobook route to see if the characters are more entertaining through narration. But I found them flat, and with so many of them, it was just tedious to read.