Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - The Poisons We Drink

The characters are well developed and very complex, there’s a lot of morally grey characters with their own secrets and reasons for their actions which sometimes makes it hard for me to pin point the culprit behind Venus’s (FMC) mom murder.

Venus was a great character, I admire her love for her sister, her intelligent and her strength.

The world building is unique but at the same time it’s also quite complicated, especially regarding the witches and their powers.

I struggled to remember all the terms and information given at the beginning which sometimes can be confusing for me.

I found out there’s a glossary at the end of the story that explains some of that information. It would be nice if it was put at the beginning of the story.

This story felt too long and also dragging in some parts, the main plot also didn’t start until it hit the 30% mark. Although, the last few chapters are quite intense and I was surprised by that plot twist!

Just a warning that some parts/topics in this story can be sensitive to some readers, there’s a list of trigger warnings inside the book but I’ll listed here for you if you want to know beforehand.

For a debut novel, it was pretty good – I love the plot idea and the unique world building.

It would've been better if the length was shorter and maybe made this into a series so the readers can immersed into the world building slowly.

Thank you to Turn the Page Tour, Netgalley, author and publisher for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: This story contains morally grey characters, complicated parent-child relationships, police brutality, fantasy violence, fantastical racism, magical coercion, gun violence, politics, parental death, child death, and dying/death.

In addition, there are depictions of post-traumatic stress disorder anxiety, and depression.

Self-harm, blood, gore, sexual situation, fantasy drugs, underage drinking and profanity.

Content Warnings

daniellestarredpages's review

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emotional inspiring tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

3.5 Stars.

"The Poisons We Drink" by Bethany Baptiste was on my list of most anticipated releases of 2024 and I am glad to have read an ARC of it. I enjoyed the story and think this is a book that I could very easily recommend.

The magic system Baptise created for this story was well-crafted and a delight to read. I found the drawbacks to being a 'Witcher' in this world, whether it being the possibly deadly recoil of potion brewing or the pain of shapeshifting on your own, to be a great addition to the story as it not only added stakes and tension but it also does a job of reining in the magic so that it is not some all-powerful force Witchers possess.

I found it interesting that Baptiste wrote Witcher Stigma in the place of Racial Stigma, I was actually quite relieved at the fact that I didn't have to see the characters dealing with Racism AS WELL AS the discrimination due to their magic. The way it was handled however still made it obvious that the discrimination of Witchers was a critique and representation of real types of discrimination in the world. I am quite glad with how the characters fought back and took charge of their situations.

The relationships between the characters in this book were written well. The sibling relationships in particular felt very realistic, especially with how they cared for each other while being angry with each other. I found the dynamic between Venus and her mother to be particularly interesting and I love how it was written. I especially loved how even though Venus came to learn about how deeply her mother cared for her, her mother was not absolved of the things her mother did and the way she treated her and her sister Janus.

I do have to say though, while I was interested in the story from the very first page, I found myself just passively taking in the story until about 50% of the book, which is when I really started to love the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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mikaelabooks_'s review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Venus Stoneheart: Witch of the 21st Century

This is excellent as an audiobook! The narration brings to life the black-girl magic that Baptiste writes so well. I am definitely a Venus instead of a Janice lol.

The Poisons We Drink is about an alternate 2023 where witches have been outed to society. And predictable as always, humans have responded by trying to repress, control and destabilize the witcher community. Venus is the daughter of two prolific witcher activists and has seen the toll that this persecution has taken. It's difficult enough to find a grocery store that is witcher friendly. Making a living is near impossible. So Venus takes up the magic of brewing potions to provide for her family. Brewers cannot practice other forms of magic because potions require too much of their own life force, which removes her from the normal witcher lifestyle that her sister and cousins exploit.

I loved the way that the author reveals each layer of this magical universe. Just as you start to grasp one repercussion, another is brought to light. By the end you have travelled through to the center of a rich and vibrant world and all you can think is: I'm ready for the next book! There's so much possibility! And Venus is a hero unlike any other. I related so much to her burdens as the eldest sister, the sole provider, the weight of her strict mother and the pain that is required to break free from limitations.

Though the premise is quiet different, I thought this was a worthy recommendation for fans of Crescent City. The writing style and story is just as vibrant with it's detailed magic and the way it sparks your imagination. Both share elements of Breaking Bad (tv) and a modern tone that is even more relevant here with the layering of Black and Witcher communities. I cannot recommend this enough!

Quote:

"There are three sides to a revolution: the right side, the wrong side, and the sidelines. What side do you want us standing on?"

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blakeandbooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Thank you to RB Media, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I was super drawn into the premise of this book several months ago, and I was so excited to get the audiobook ARC!

What I enjoyed about the book: There was action constantly the entire book. I enjoyed the 1st 35% of the book and the last 15% of the book. There is something so intriguing about witchers with different magical abilities. I loved how everyone had their specific lines of magic that they focused on. I loved Venus as the main character. She is passionate about what she wants, and she will do anything and everything to protect her family and found family. I loved her relationship to Presley and how they continued to protect each other in whatever ways they thought best. When Presley sets this strong boundary with Venus to basically say that they’re going to be there for each other no matter what, and they have to stop pushing the other away when things get scary. Venus and J’s sister relationship was so good!! It felt so real and relatable. And wow, I honestly loved all the plot twists. The big reveals at the end were so good, and I am definitely interested in reading more of Baptiste’s work.

What I didn’t enjoy about the book: The pacing felt off to me. I think the book needed to be condense, because it was difficult to follow after about 35% of the book. The middle needed less and more focus on certain key points. It felt a bit confusing and hard to keep up with.

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justinekorson's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Thank You to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC for this story!
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW
HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO BETHANY!!!

This is one of my most anticipated books for the year and it did not disappoint. I was so intrigued by the magic and the world that Bethany built. I wish that the book was longer (I think I remember reading that it was meant to be a duology? But Bethany had to make it a standalone instead?? Not sure If I'm remembering that correctly). Regardless I thoroughly enjoyed the characters. Venus was stubborn and vengeful and I can totally get behind that. I liked watching her navigate her magic and Witcher Society to get what she wanted. Presley was also a really great character that I enjoyed seeing in the story. Their loyalty to Venus was unmatched, even when they were upset with her. One character that I could not get behind was Janice. I did not like her because she was giving so much shit to Venus for lying to her and because she deliberately put herself in harms way by going to that protest against Venus' wishes. She'd promised to not go and then snuck out anyways so she's ALSO a liar which makes what she did to Venus very hypocritical. Anyways, the rest of the story and all the plot twists were very fun. There are a few things that I'm confused about but I think that's mostly because I was listening to the audiobook and not actually reading it myself so at some point I want to get a physical copy so I can understand the story fully!

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tatyana_'s review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

“Love is a messy thing…”

Venus Stoneheart brews illegal love potions to help her family in a country divided on how to move forward in a world between humans and witchers. Her family business forces her to brew potions that can reunite families or tear people apart. It is a dangerous practice that takes a toll on her mentally and physically and deeply strains her relationship with her mother. She also struggles with the guilt and shame she harbors from a dreadful night that has permanently affected her magic and her relationship with her best friend. Everything changes when Venus’ mother is killed and she is sucked into a world she is ill-prepared for. All of the danger and responsibility she previously felt is multiplied tenfold as she now serves the Grand Witcher. Now she must grieve, navigate a new world of politics and betrayal, and figure out how to avenge her mother.

I really enjoyed this book and was hooked from the start. Once I saw the book was dedicated to Baptiste’s haters I knew I was going to love it. I loved the layers and character dynamics. The plot twists were well done and satisfying to read. Love is a major theme in the book, from self-love to familial love, to love of ideas. Venus’ relationships with her mother, sister, cousin, best friend, and uncle are pivotal to her development and the plot. She is angry and grief-stricken, and trying to do everything on her own as a young 18-year-old who needs to take care of her sister. This makes her rash and closed off at times, but the love and loyalty she has for her family and friends shines brightly. The world building is a major strength. The way the author details the magic system, politics, and local history is excellent. I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Lynette R. Freeman. The narration deeply enriched the atmosphere and characters.

Thank you to the Netgalley, author Bethany Baptiste, and, RB Media for an advanced copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

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bookishmillennial's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

We follow third-person limited POV of Venus Stoneheart, as she meets with and prepares for a new client, who wants a love potion for his son. Venus' mom Clarissa (this is not a spoiler because it's in the premise/description lol) is murdered so Venus begins to investigate what really happened to her mom. She also has to look out for her younger sister Janus, whose dad Malik is absent from her life, while continuing to make ends meet with potion-making, which is incredibly dangerous and risky! Venus is also navigating being reunited with her former best friend Presley (they/them), which is fascinating because *something* happened three years ago that caused them to stop speaking to each other!

I especially enjoyed the first 30% and last 20% of this novel! I think Bethany Baptiste has such great promise, with such relatable and authentic character dynamics (familial, romantic, platonic, systemic), fun worldbuilding, and bittersweet mysteries. I really appreciated that the cast of characters was representative of the world we live in, with an array of identities represented: bi, nonbinary, aroace, and aspects of mental health were discussed (PTSD, anxiety, depression). Venus' family is Black, and there are South Asian characters too, like Nisha and Matrika.

The twists and turns were a bit hard for me to keep up with at times, because I felt like there was a lot going on. The corruption in politics and commentary on how morally bankrupt certain people or witchers were (the ones after so much power) was woven in moreso throughout the latter half of the book, but no doubt, mirrored our American society. This would be a fun book to adapt onscreen! Overall, I had fun in this world, and I would read from BB again in the future!

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