Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

136 reviews

marleens's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.0

This is one of those books where I’m pretty sure it’ll be a 5 star on reread, but I can’t quite give it that rating yet at the moment. The big plus of this book is the relationship between Jainan and Kiem and their slow burn romance. All the wonderful romance tropes you know and love in a scifi coating. It took me a little bit to warm up to the main characters but once I did, they completely had me. Great side characters too, I loved Bel especially. Where the book lost me a little bit was the scifi plot and worldbuilding, I was just a bit confused for a long time, especially in the first half which is rather slow. But like I said: I’m sure I’ll reread this and suddenly understand it all and give this the extra star it deserves. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture, Kidnapping, and Domestic abuse

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

neggnogg's review

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Torture

kai_watson's review

emotional mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Torture

katievallin's review against another edition

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

4.0

Enjoyed this and glad it had a good ending. Liked Jainan’s character development especially. Thought the book was wrapped up a bit too neatly, though.

Trauma from a 5-year abusive marriage doesn’t just go away because you’re now in a healthier marriage.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Physical abuse and Torture

Minor: Cursing

cleot's review

adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death, and Gaslighting

Minor: Torture

fanboyriot's review against another edition

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? No

4.0

🔥 Slow Burn

🤝 Mutual Pinning

💍 Arranged Marriage

This book was great for people wanting to read sci-fi but get overwhelmed by the thought of it.  Besides few names I had to look up the pronunciation of, it was fairly easy to read.  I enjoyed how well the sci-fi and romance mixed with this book, there was also a bit of mystery to the plot as well.

Kiem was honestly such a lovable idiot and worked so well with Jainan.  I would have liked a little more romance but the plot was good too.  The romance itself is a bit of a slow burn, the main plot, focusing much more on the political scheming, and an alleged murder that might just be a cover-up, and in general dealing with diplomatic relations.

I got this book from Etsy in a Blind Date with a Book from @theannexlibrary and was so happy with it!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1366979807/

Spice Level: 🌶️ (1/5)

Release Date: 28, December 2021

POV: Duel, Third Person 

Rep: LGBTQIA+ characters, Domestic Abuse (past)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Toxic relationship, Rape, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, and Torture

Minor: Blood, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Bullying, Mental illness, Cursing, Murder, Racism, Car accident, and Confinement

chainingbooks's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Sexual content and Torture

wayfarer06's review against another edition

adventurous emotional

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Torture

saucy_bookdragon's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

So much happened in this, so little to care about.

Winter's Orbit is a sci-fi romance novel that can't quite commit to any of its bits. Relying too heavily on its tropes, I found the main characters flat and lacking in chemistry. The slow-burn didn't work, it either needed to be less slow or more tension, and it most definitely needed less miscommunication.

The sci-fi setting is wasted. The world building is both convoluted and flat. It's intensely focused on the politics of an interstellar empire but forgets to really flesh said empire out, so we get a lot of political intrigue that isn't intriguing. And the sci-fi concepts are half-baked and under-utilized.

Overall, wish this was more romantic and speculative. As a gay who loves space operas, I'm disappointed in this gay space opera. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture and Domestic abuse