Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Poisoner by I.V. Ophelia

9 reviews

woodsybookworm's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.0

The Poisoner follows Alina, a botanist who also happens to be a well accomplished poisoner - she's taking out shady men left and right and getting away with it too. That is until she runs into Silas, an avid playboy who is seemingly immune to all her tricks. Silas happens to be more than just a snake in the bedroom, he's downright vicious, and now he's got his sights set on tormenting Alina. In a game of cat and mouse between two killers, which creature will come out on top? 

I really truly wanted to love this book but I found myself so annoyed by the main characters and their actions. I was screaming at certain chapters like "just talk to each other like normal people!" Is it absolutely gorgeous? Yes! The cover, the artwork, the little details were absolutely stunning. Is it something I find myself wanting to read again? No.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, and Gaslighting

crinkledmochi's review against another edition

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

UM… imma be honest I was enjoying this until the last few chapters, there was a warning at the beginning of the book but  why did all the characters just act like that was normal 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Classism

bekahzabel's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I want to preface this by saying that this book is definitely not going to be for everyone. Who it IS for is for the extremely dark romance lovers who can enjoy MMC’s that are not meant to be idolized in real life scenarios. This story contains heavy cat and mouse tropes within the first half with the FMC & MMC stalking one another. 

If you’re someone who enjoyed the cat & mouse duet I think this is right up your alley. The author very clearly stated at the start that this book contains heavy triggers and the creature is not meant to be idolized as a real life love interest, this is why we read isn’t it? Ophelia is a strong headed fmc who runs an apothecary and underground poisoning operation. Tangled in societies norms as a black sheet she encounters a creature is stalking her and she becomes very intrigued by him and dives into deeper research on him. 

There is stalking, non con, quite a bit of consensual smut as well, 🩸play takes, vampiric themes, graphic depictions of violent acts, so please read the triggers. 

Tropes include joint cat & mouse, a slight love triangle, historical horror romance elements, reasearcher and subject, female friendship, and forbidden love. 

Although I was questionable at first this ended up as a solid 4 stars for me and 🌶️🌶️🌶️, I will absolutely be reading the sequel

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism and Death of parent

meowra's review

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Medical content and Alcohol

denacolada's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

dcnireads's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, and Grief

purplegurgles's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

This is really good, but it deserved at least another round in edition. Some settings, attire and characters needed more description which led to some confusion and the characters seemed very genre-aware. Important to read the trigger warnings beforehand. Author has a way with words that I really like and writes action, dialogue and sex really well and the story in and of itself is very good. Cant wait for book two 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Stalking, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Kidnapping, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Vomit, and Death of parent

livfowler's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

You know when people recommend you a “dark romance,” but then it turns out there’s just a little light choking or something? This is not that. Like actually, seriously, reader beware.

The main characters’ internal dialogue is sometimes a little stilted, especially at the beginning, but improves a lot as their interactions become more frequent and the stakes become higher.

Smutty bits were *chef’s kiss* delectable. Had me making feral clicking sounds that I didn’t think possible.

I think my favorite part of this book was that I predicted one plot twist from a mile away, but I was so focused on it that the next twist hit me like a train.

Speaking of, there’s a little train action (like actually on a locomotive train, get your head out of the gutter), and I sincerely hope for more in the next installment. Picture the already

incredibly erotic chase scenes from book 1

but across train platforms and through different cars as Silas pursues Alina

across the United States

. 

All in all, dying of thirst for book 2.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

hanreads__'s review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

"𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲."

It’s hard to believe that someone so incredible at writing could only be publishing their first novel, especially when it’s written as well as it is. 

I was honoured when I was asked to be an ARC reader because I was so excited to purchase this book and devour it, especially after seeing everything the author had posted, you would be crazy not to be!

When I say this story involves the enemies to lovers trope, I mean ENEMIES TO LOVERS. This is one of first books that I have seen LIVE UP to that trope and truly work with it the way they’re meant to. It’s a cat and mouse game between Silas and Alina until Silas falls in love with Alina and her soul.

Alina is a very unique character who enjoys testing poisons and antidotes out. She doesn’t really care what others think about her, nor what goes on around her unless it’s regarding her best friend Phoebe. Phoebe and Alina are super cute friendship wise. They’re complete opposites and yet since childhood, they’ve been one another’s person, and you can really see that related in the authors writing.

Silas is a playboy, one without a care in the world, especially when it comes to what, or should I say who, he eats. He’s rich, he’s powerful, he’s everything Alina loathes and other women love. I love the dynamic that starts out as a chase between Silas and Alina; I love that their dynamic turns complicated and unexplainable, something that only they understand.

The book is set within the Victorian Era which I personally found really interesting to read as the research and love the author has is present throughout the world building and simpler details such as the clothing. It made the book even more interesting to read, and fitted the genres perfectly.

Unfortunately, there were two scenes that I did dislike within the book, and while I don’t want to give any spoilers, I do want to talk about how the author DID NOT justify a single bad thing that took place. I like that when I was looking for explanations as to why Silas did what he did, I got a clear explanation that made sense but once again, didn’t justify anything. The anger I had and continue to have for Silas is crazy, but I’m really excited to read the sequel and see how things play out.

Finally, the thing I really enjoyed but went crazy at is the plot twist that happened during the story. I was kicking myself when it all became clear, but I love that it wasn’t so obvious that it actually made you made that you couldn’t just guess it there and then. It made the story more enjoyable, it made the story more fun. 

I would recommend this story 100 times over if it meant that Ophelia got the love she deserved alongside her writing. Her writing was unique and different, it had little twists and turns that made you fall in love with Silas just to make you remember why you shouldn’t. It had the perfect backstory for Alina to make you love and appreciate her character, her personality, and everything that she does.

If you do read this story, I would make sure to check the TRIGGER WARNINGS as I would hate for anyone to be triggered, but all in all, I think this book will do amazing and be a best seller one day, I truly do. Once again, thank you Ophelia for allowing me the privilege to read this story before it came out, it was an honour.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Medical content, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty