Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell

37 reviews

grace_b_3's review

I really liked the first book in this series, and I enjoyed what I read of this one, but, when I put it down, I wasn’t compelled to pick it back up. I just wasn’t attached to the characters or story. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use

Minor: Sexual content

scmiller's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, and War

sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Police brutality, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Medical content, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

spaghettii'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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Space gays ftw

why was the only sex scene in the epilogue smh

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and War

benegesserwitch's review

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted fast-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Suicidal thoughts

themelodyofspring's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail

blewballoon's review

adventurous dark 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

5.0

 I didn't know how this book would compare to Winter's Orbit. What got me most interested in that book was the arranged marriage plot, and then I found myself more and more invested in the political intrigue and found family aspects. Here we have the concept of a forced mental link rather than a forced marriage, which plays out a bit differently. Also like in Winter's Orbit, we have a character who is more rambunctious paired with a character who is more steadfast, and yet they also feel different. I think either story could be read as a standalone, but perhaps the world building might feel more steep if you jumped in at this book. The author has stated that there is no overlap in characters or locations, and that's an accurate statement from my recollection of the first book. 

I love Everina Maxwell's writing. It is focused and conveys the plot and characters clearly, while also leaving room for some beautiful flourishes that immerse you further into the story rather than taking you out of it. I loved getting to know these new characters and watching them get to know each other. There were some bits towards the end that I think were meant to be big reveals, but I had sort of assumed those things already and I wasn't as shocked as the characters were, although their shock did make sense in context. Even though I saw things coming, there is still a nice web of political drama to flow along with the slow burn romance. Slow burn romances are my favorite and I appreciate that the author worked with the pacing of the story to pace the romance so you can see it growing and developing at each stage, and it never diverts the main plot or feels forced.

I listened on audiobook (at 1.4 speed) and I think the narrator was great.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Addiction, Drug use, Sexual content, and Torture

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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and War

absolutechaos's review

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

This was a really great relaxed read to get through a tough week. It hit a lot of favorite tropes and ideas for me without feeling too formulaic. If you liked Winters Orbit, you'll like this because it's very similar. However, I found the characters enjoyable and their dynamic worked well for me. They had genuine chemistry and it takes good writing for me to buy such an intense bond in such a short amount of time. I loved the genderqueer representation in this book and as always, Maxwell's worldbuilding for having public markers of gender that allow all characters to get their pronouns used correctly is so cool. The romance is one hell of a slow burn, but that allows the character bonds to get fleshed out further and more focus on the plot, which is a big plus for me. 
Overall, I really liked this and would happily read it again, but I will say it follows a lot of similar beats from Winters Orbit and to be honest, I found a lot of parts in the end difficult to follow.  That being said, I loved reading this and tore through it in a little over a day. It reminded me a lot of a Strange and Stubborn Endurance with its slow build up, political mystery elements, and focus on exploring character trauamas. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use

relin's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I found myself highlighting different lines because they hit so hard emotionally. Facisniating to see a world that is altered in this way and how it impacts the main characters (Tennal and Serit) think and understand the world. The picture it paints is beautiful in the middle of a ton of intergalactic politics of people trying their best. Also has an amazing structure of gender. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Medical content, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

Minor: Gun violence

There are power dynamics built into the ways that 'magic' (scifi magic anyway) is seen in their world. This includes ideas about people being able to overwrite commands on other people.