Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Gleam by Raven Kennedy

71 reviews

n_odonnell's review

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Confinement

mspilesofpaper's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

1.0

I’m in so much pain because of this fucking book/series and I will never get the hype about it. But then … it’s fucking booktok, so I should know by now that every hyped up booktok book is bullshit.

1) A lot happens but a minimum is actual plot. Most is Auren's rambling/musing and sex. Bad sex. The kind of sex where I wonder if the author ever had sex. Also dick girth. The kind where it’s so massive that I would worry about the vagina (either because it’s so big and thick that it’s unbelievable or where the woman has the body of a child). Also the dirty talk is so cringy. 

2) Why does everyone think that Rip/Slate is the villain? 

3) By now, Rip/Slate should know that Auren has zero control over her power/any understanding of fae things and yet he acts as if she does.

4) The last fucking chapters. I wish indie authors would have best friends who would read those books pre-publishing and tell them that they shouldn’t write this shit because major yikes that can’t even be brushed off with "it’s a 18+ book!".

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Murder, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Rape, Drug abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

mandi7mm's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Torture

Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use

Minor: Slavery, Pregnancy, Trafficking, and Sexual assault

_charliesbookshelf's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Physical abuse, Grief, Vomit, Trafficking, Alcohol, Death, Infertility, Cursing, Torture, and Pregnancy

beckyyreadss's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Thank you, Michael Joseph Penguin Publishing, for sending this book in exchange for an honest review. 

This book is still based on Auren. King Midas made her the woman she is today. The thing about being confined is that she believes it’s to keep the bad out, until Auren realizes it’s keeping her in. She is in a strange kingdom surrounded by liars, with no allies but she is refusing to sit idly by and let herself wither. There is something that is lingering from the pit of her repression. Something dark and something angry. But the last thing she expected was for her anger to call out to him – King Ravinger. He is sinister and powerful and a bit seductive. She has learned her lesson trusting manipulative kings, so why does Auren’s chest constrict every time he is near? She needs to tread carefully, or she is at risk of losing more than just her freedom. Regret and revenge war inside of Auren and she needs to figure out a plan fast before she gets tangled up in the schemes of kings and queens. Auren is refusing to go back into a cage again. No, this time, she will be setting the trap. Auren is hoping her heart comes out unscathed. 

I loved this book, there wasn’t a lot of plot or storyline, but the character development had me in a choke, as this book went on, I went from feeling sorry for Auren and hoping she would be safe, to hoping she would kick some King’s ass. I loved her character development and I hope she learns to live with her power. I loved the banter between her and Slade and how they went from being disappointed in each other and ashamed to fighting for each other and literally threatening each other. I loved how Slade knew she had hit her limit and knew she was going to lash out. I’m really glad that Auren was the one to kill Rip and that he literally melted him away, he deserves the worst for what he did to Auren and Digby. I wanted to throw the book across the room in the last 20% I was on the verge of tears with what Rip did to Auren. I’m really glad he won’t be in the next book, because I was getting sick of him. I loved that we got to found out who Fake Rot was and I want to know more about him please.  

This book managed to slowly suck me into this world and series, I struggled with the first book, enjoyed the second one and screamed and cried at this book. I cannot wait for the fourth book in this series.  

First five star of 2023 and I didn’t expect it to be this book but I'm glad it is. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Misogyny, Torture, Slavery, Pregnancy, Murder, Violence, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, and Stalking

katvou's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Slavery, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Murder, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Grief, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Addiction, Gore, Gaslighting, Rape, Alcohol, Blood, and Sexual assault

Minor: Physical abuse, Infertility, Medical content, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Death of parent, Excrement, Child death, and Emotional abuse

lindsfranfrat's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Addiction, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

haunting_bluejay's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Holy shit. So initially I found Gild and Glint kinda meh, i enjoyed Glint more that Gild though, but felt those two could have been one book. But holy shit did I love Gleam. Watching Auren both literally and metaphorically break out of her cage was stunning. And the manipulation and abuse from Midas was way too accurate, speaking from experience. Im so excited for my copy of Glow to arrive now. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Drug abuse

chaptersofamylea's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

‘You can’t cut off the strings of your puppet and still expect it to move for you.’

4 ⭐️ 

Hands down my favourite of the series so far, it felt gritty and I couldn’t put it down. Was it the best book I ever read? No. Was it entertaining as hell though? Yes. Having the MC get some character development in this book was everything I needed, I was rooting for them and totally here for her villain era (which I hope we see a lot more of!) I didn’t expect a few of the reveals and I’m shocked to say it makes me want to reread the series from the beginning to see if they were plotter throughout or if the knowledge makes me see the series differently. Still felt it could’ve had *more* and while I do like the romance element I’m not sold on it as everyone else seems to be. 

TWs: domestic abuse, controlling relationship, drugging, amputation as a form of punishment, ref to SA, graphic depictions and gore and violence 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting

malisac16's review against another edition

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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Drug use, Sexual assault, Torture, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, and Addiction

Minor: Trafficking