Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

9 reviews

starlitpage's review

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I love this book! The political intrigue and mystery grew me in quickly; I've learned I really like that sort of thing! The characters are great and I loved watching the romance grow in this arranged marriage trope. Plus there's some alien gender norms, which more sci-fi should have. Definitely 5 stars from me!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Torture, Violence, War, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Medical content, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Drug use

Previous abusive relationship; deals a lot with thought patterns due to that, and some scenes of the abuse, but specifically is about moving on from it

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Murder, Sexual assault, Violence, Xenophobia, Death, Gun violence, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Confinement

Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, Sexual content, and War

Vehicle crash. Attack by animal. Abuse only briefly explicitly depicted in flashbacks, though the aftermath is present and discussed throughout. (Attempt at) memory modification.

bennoyb's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Torture

discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book was utterly delightful. It had been floating around the edges of my literary radar for some time, but I honestly wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did. I knew by the end of the first chapter that I was going to enjoy this book and it never let me down.

Did I kind of skim over some of the parts that delved more into the political or technical aspects of the story… ok, yeah. Sure. But I do that with most of the books I read involving intricate politics or technology, because I have trouble following. Yet I never lost the thread of the story here, and my attachment to the characters kept me glued to the page.

Granted, I did want to literally throw my phone (I read this on the Kindle app) across the room because of the miscommunication that persists in the first half, but the eventual resolution was so satisfying.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Car accident and Drug use

alexalily's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Torture, Death, and Kidnapping

Minor: Alcohol and Drug use

michellewalsh's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Colonisation

Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, Drug use, and Torture

Such an incredible read. The tagged triggering content is handled gracefully and not particularly graphic.

gwooby's review

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Drug use, Kidnapping, Medical content, Rape, Sexual content, and Torture

eamily's review

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Car accident

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Murder

Minor: Alcohol, Blood, War, Violence, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Infidelity

entanglednovels's review

adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

What can I say except for queers in space? Political intrigue, arranged marriage, futuristic space empire? Winter's Orbit has it all. This book was a delight to delve into, and considering I read majority of it in one day, I'll definitely be rereading to fully appreciate everything within its pages. God, I just love Kiem and Jainan so much and it feels like a gift to witness them learning to trust each other and themselves. Two opposites who balance each other out so perfectly - Kiem's chaos to Jainan's order - saving the Empire and discovering their love for one another along the way. 

Winter's Orbit isn't without difficult topics either. The exploration of trauma and healing from a previous abusive relationship, the guilt one unjustly harbours towards themselves, learning to trust and communicate again - all of it was well done, and the support Kiem provides for Jainan is key in that I think. 

The world building was fantastic, although I would love more of an explanation for some things (I'd even be happy to have a whole other book following new characters, this world is so interesting). The slow burn, the pining - *chef's kiss*. Truly fantastic. Without a doubt, Winter's Orbit is a new favourite. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Medical content, and Murder