The Poisons We Drink

"I really liked it, but I do have mixed feelings… The story takes a little while to pick up, but once it does, it takes off full speed. Having read The Witcher series, I appreciated how she put her own unique twist on the magical system, adapting it to a modern setting. The way Witchers are integrated into a contemporary world—facing both the challenges of being needed and simultaneously becoming the targets of hate crimes and restrictive legislation—is highly relevent. It mirrors real-world struggles, making the story feel grounded despite its fantastical elements. This book features a large cast which made the story was hard for me follow at times. The characters felt purposeful to the plot, but with so many, I was left thinking, “who is this person again?” The plot itself was also complex. With sudden deaths, to revenge, to blackmail, sibling drama, family tree mysteries and the main political arc… at times, felt like whiplash. Also, the characters couldn’t catch a break anywhere! No matter what Venus did, there was always something to fix or someone else telling her she was awful for trying. Whenever a plot point seemed to get anywhere, the rug was pulled out from under our character. When it comes to characters, Venus was written the best. Not sure if this was intended, but I love how Venus feels like a walking depiction of CPTSD. Venus is thrust into an unfair situation of everyone telling her to “be strong” and take care of her family. Anyway… I did enjoy it. It had lots of layers which I enjoyed. With the complicated plot and numerous characters, it was a bit dizzying. Overall though, the author gave me something I enjoyed, thought provoking and appreciated. Look forward to the next!"