A review by gdulecki
The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste

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.