The Poisons We Drink

December 18, 2023
In Baptiste’s fantastical debut, a teen seeking justice for her mother’s murder must navigate the crooked politics of Washington, D.C. Venus Stoneheart is a Witcher—a magical offshoot of humans who are discriminated against and marginalized by human-run society—who brews illegal love potions to support her family. Following her mother’s death, Venus becomes responsible for her impetuous younger sister, Janus. But Venus is soon embroiled in trouble of her own, forcing her down a path that she’s certain will only lead to her destruction. The Grand Witcher is offering Venus the opportunity to take revenge against her mother’s killer. The only thing she asks in return is for Venus to brew dangerous potions for a new set of clientele: local politicians. Through Venus’s dark yet tenacious perspective and the skillful, understated worldbuilding, Baptiste presents a fresh take on magic systems to deliver a searing critique of power, politics, and injustice. Flawed characters are rendered with nuance and complexity, elements especially evident in the mother-daughter and sister relationships at the core of this thought-provoking story. Major characters cue as Black. Ages 14–up. Agent: John Cusick, Folio Literary.

January 1, 2024
Eighteen-year-old Venus Stoneheart is a witcher with a pain-filled past and an uncertain future. In an alternate version of the greater Washington, D.C., metro area, Venus' mother, the formidable Clarissa Stoneheart, used to be the Love Witcher. She broke her pledge to only brew love potions, lost her magic as a consequence, and then turned her attention to teaching Venus, the new Love Witcher, "her 3-B philosophy...Get your bag, brew, and bounce." When Clarissa is murdered, Venus is tested to her limits as she fights external forces by using her calling (her magical ability to brew) for political gain while also struggling to quiet the deviation (or trauma-inflicted corruption of her calling) that infects her. The deviation, which she calls It, can give Venus access to immense power, but she's still haunted, in more ways than she realizes, by the first time it was uncaged, when she was 15. The buildup to action takes some time, and the plot can be confusing to follow, given the digressions to explain the worldbuilding. Characters are alternately centered, pushed to the periphery, and then brought into focus again, seemingly in service of filling plot gaps but without necessarily moving the story forward. Patient readers will eventually encounter unexpected twists and turns that provide an exciting and satisfying ending. Recipes for potions readers can brew themselves deepen the pull into this witchery world. An interesting premise unevenly executed. (content warning, author's note, glossary) (Fantasy. 15-18)

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Starred review from February 15, 2024
Grades 8-12 *Starred Review* How does one define the term poison? A general definition could state that it's any substance that can cause serious illness or death, but corrosive thoughts and emotions can prove every bit as harmful. In her powerful debut, Baptiste explores all aspects of the word, taking readers to a dystopian Washington, DC, where an intricate magic system is in place and Venus Stoneheart is trying to make ends meet. Following in her murdered mother's footsteps, Venus works secretly as a Love Witch, whipping up potions to bring others joy even though it's illegal to do so. Readers will feel for Venus as she hungers to avenge her mother's death and contemplates a tempting offer by her coven's leader: shift from love to poisonous potions that will be used to target the city's politicians. But would that really be justice? Themes of trauma and grief are at the center of the tale, as are the ramifications of choice. The story's lessons are clear as day. Poison exists where ethics do not. It can be found in the blind rage formed by trauma or in the self-serving agendas of the powerful. Readers will come away with the understanding that it's up to us to fight for our beliefs and resist taking a sip from that tainted cup, no matter how heartbroken we might be.

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May 17, 2024

Gr 9 Up-In this novel set in an alternate universe version of Washington, D.C., Venus is a Love Witcher-a brewer who has sworn off using magic for everyday things to focus her power on potions. A few years earlier, Venus and her friend Presley experienced a traumatic event which made their magic deviant. The deviation is an insidious voice constantly urging Venus to release her magic for vengeance-especially dangerous in a time when discrimination against Witchers is legal and they are regularly found murdered. Venus and Janus, her half-sister, hang out with cousin Tyrell, sneaking into illegal parties. Their mother, Clorissa, keeps a tight rein on her daughters, including managing Venus's brewing jobs. When Clorissa is murdered, Venus finds herself swept into the Witcher underworld and beholden to the Grand Witcher's family. After being gone a few years, Presley returns to town and to Venus, and their burgeoning romance is complicated by their shared secret. Between juggling the twists and turns of Witcher and human politics, and her relationship with Presley, Venus uncovers some ugly truths and her mother's secret, altering the future for everyone she cares about. Will her plan work or will she find herself dead like her mother? Tightly written, the tension and angst of Venus's life pours out of the pages like one of her potions. The constant plot twists and turns reveal more surprising truths and keep readers hooked. Includes an author's note, glossary of magical terms, and several brewing spells mentioned in the story. VERDICT Baptiste's debut is a strong first buy.-Tamara Saarinen

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