The Poisons We Drink: Book club guide

Book clubs have had a resurgence over the past few years, and I find this super exciting! However, I have noticed that a lot of people want to have a book club, but they have no idea where to start or how to plan it. This guide will give you everything you and your group needs to have an extraordinary book club - all you need to do is read the book before arrival!

Book Synopsis:

"Love potions is a dangerous business. Brewing has painful, debilitating side effects, and getting caught means death or a prison sentence. But what Venus is most afraid of is the dark, sentient magic within her.

Then an enemy's iron bullet kills her mother, Venus’s life implodes. Keeping her reckless little sister Janus safe is now her responsibility. When the powerful Grand Witcher, the ruthless head of her coven, offers Venus the chance to punish her mother's killer, she has to pay a steep price for revenge. The cost? Brew poisonous potions to enslave D.C.'s most influential politicians.

As Venus crawls deeper into the corrupt underbelly of her city, the line between magic and power blurs, and it's hard to tell who to trust…Herself included."

- Bethany Baptiste, The Poisons We Drink

Drinks, Food, and Outfit Guide:

I'm going to be honest, this part is optional. But I see how extra people are on social media and I thought it would be fun for the Instagram and Pinterest lovers to get some ideas if they want to turn their book club into a social media sensation. These suggestions can help bring the world to life and in doing so, help you visualize what you'll be talking about.

• Drinks: Witch's Brew Punch - this punch looks exactly like a magic potion Venus would brew. Adding in the dry ice will give it the spooky vibe that matches the atmosphere of an intense potion-making session, letting you all pretend to be a Brewer - without any of the risks.
• Food: Strawberry crepes - as Venus' favorite food, it's only right the menu celebrates our main character. With a little powdered sugar, these will be Instagram-ready in no time.
• Outfits: Dress for an auroras party! An important scene in the book is where Venus and her sister, Janus, attend an underground party for Witchers and their allies only. So you want to make sure you look as magic as the Witchers feel! Iridescent party outfits and face gemstones will give the vibe, and if you pair it with a good EDM playlist you can have your own book rave before getting into talking about the book!

Now the book has been read, the food has been eaten, and everyone has a glass of punch in their hands - it's time for the main event: the book discussion!

Discussion Guide:

1. The book spent a lot of time setting up the character of Clarissa before her murder. Why do you think the author chose to do that, and why do you think it was essential to the story?
2. How does Venus and It's relationship change throughout the novel? With It representing the emotion of anger, what do you think the author is saying about our personal relationships with anger?
3. Venus mentions in the novel she used independence as an excuse to push others away. Is this something you have seen someone do, or even done yourself? Why do you think our brains are wired to work this way?
4. Venus and Janus' sisterly bond is the most important relationship in the novel. However, they have very different ideas of what their relationship should look like. Do you believe Venus was truly being selfish by trying to keep Janus out of this dangerous business? And considering their ages, do you think Janus should have been involved? Why or why not?
5. With the book being a critique of current events, is there anything from Baptiste's point of view that helped you better understand our world? Is there any part of your point of view that changed? How will this influence how you look at our political landscape in the future?

Remember, these questions are just a starting point for your discussions. If your answers take the conversations a different way, feel free to explore where those discussions lead! Use these questions if there is a lull in the conversation, but feel free to only use a few or completely throw them away if that's what is best for your group!

I hope there are book clubs out there who enjoy using this guide, and if you do have a The Poisons We Drink club inspired by this post, feel free to tag us in the pictures on X or Facebook!

The Poisons We Drink is available through Sourcebooks