Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Have you ever been peacefully scrolling through TikTok, only to be sucker-punched by a book recommendation that makes you abandon all self-control and slam that “Buy Now” button like it’s a life-or-death situation? That was me with Potions, Poisons, and Policies by Courtney Thorne. One second, I’m watching a Ash Travino sniff her fingers, and the next, I’m on an express train to Dramione Town, no stops, no brakes, just pure, unfiltered bookish obsession.

For the uninitiated (a.k.a. people who haven’t yet fallen into the glorious pit of fanfiction), Dramione is the chaotic, enemies-to-lovers ship of Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger from Harry Potter. And let me tell you, this book oozes that same energy—the academic rivalry, the simmering tension, the why-do-I-hate-you-but-also-kinda-want-to-kiss-you vibes. It’s basically catnip for those of you who spent your teenage years reading The Fallout at 2 a.m.

Set in Forrestbriar Academy, the story follows Henri, a determined student who wants nothing to do with romance. Like, if love had a “Do Not Disturb” setting, she’d have it permanently enabled. But fate (and possibly a very chaotic author) has other plans. When a love potion attack turns the entire campus into a hormonal rom-com gone wrong, Henri has no choice but to team up with her academic arch-nemesis, Noah Lawrence. The result? Banter, tension, and enough chemistry to make a Potions Master weep.

As they work to unravel the mystery before it escalates into something actually deadly, Henri is faced with an even bigger problem—her growing feelings for Noah. Can she solve the case without becoming another victim of this love-potion-induced chaos? Can she and Noah prevent the attack from spreading before the entire school turns into a walking romance novel? And more importantly… how much longer can they pretend they don’t want to rip each other’s robes off?

Now, let’s talk about why this book is a four-star masterpiece:

📚 Henri and Noah’s character development? Chef’s kiss.

💥 Plot twists? You think you’ve got it figured out, and then—bam!—Thorne yeets another twist your way.

🌎 World-building? So immersive, I fully expect my Hogwarts letter to redirect me to Forrestbriar Academy any day now.

If you love Dramione-coded tension, academic rivals forced to work together, magical mayhem, and books that make you laugh out loud, Potions, Poisons, and Policies is your next must-read. Thank you, TikTok, for absolutely obliterating my TBR once again. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to scroll for my next book obsession… and possibly recover from my newfound crush on Noah Lawrence.