Reviews

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste

pagesofnay's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.5

aliseonlife's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.5

utopiastateofmind's review against another edition

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.) 

The world in The Poisons We Drink is immersive and detailed. With the chapters detailing the history and other created books, it feels like you could reach out and touch it. That we could sink into this world of magic, injustice, and power. I also appreciate that magic has a cost in this world. That, for Venus, her power comes at a price. The Poisons We Drink is about cost, revenge, and sacrifice.

flowr4246's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

beautynbks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Witches, potions, and Black girl magic? Sign me up!  The cover art for The Poisons We Drink reeled me right in, and the story itself wasn't a letdown. Venus Stoneheart, a potion brewer with a knack for love concoctions?  Intriguing, right?  

But here's the thing, while the audiobook narrator was fantastic, there was a lot to unpack.  The world-building  involved  Witcher  lore  and  nuanced details, and constantly rewinding slowed my progress. By the time the plot reached a pivotal point, I was lost in the sauce or brew. (pun intended)


Was it bad? Not at all!  The story itself is solid, but the audiobook format wasn't the best match for me.   If you're looking for a captivating fantasy with a strong Black girl lead, this might be your potion of choice. Just grab a physical copy for those intricate details!

kxmsi's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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

3.75

crescentwolf's review against another edition

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

Prose was amazing. Storyline was twisty but not overwhelming. Worldbuilding was well done without infodumping heavy. Narration was stellar- unique character voices and full of emotion. 

zorasorel's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

3.5

thatqueengabby's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

this book was jam packed with action and crazy twists. it was phenomenally done and the concept of magic with such a distinct negative side is something under explored in the genre.
i really hope baptiste and venus can find a new agent and publisher because i'd love to see a sequel 🥺

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gore, and Violence

Moderate: Police brutality

gdulecki's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I wanted to like this so much more than I did!!! It was one of my most anticipated releases for the year, and while I did read it quickly I didn’t love it. The first 200 pages or so felt like a slow build to the real plot (and it definitely started speeding up when the plot was revealed!!). The characters were annoying, and I especially did not like the romantic subplot with Venus and Presley. That all feels very harsh - there were definitely things I really enjoyed about this book, including the way deep relational bonds and commitments are navigated and the messiness of how we lean on these bonds (or don’t) during times of grief and trauma.